Advanced Origami

This origami book is SUPER advanced. It's difficult to tell that some of the images are even made of paper. If you're interested in origami, I would recommend mastering the simple dry folding technique before turning to the wet folding shown in this book.
From a literary perspective, the book achieves its purpose with very detailed folding instructions (more clear than most origami I've seen), as well as in-depth recipes for various folding papers. My one real criticism of Michael LaFosse is his flowery stories about each animal and why he's inspired by them. Really not necessary.

Rating - 2

Advanced Home Plumbing

So, I probably wouldn't have read this, but it's tiny and mostly pictures. As such, I finished it in one morning. Not sure if I learned much of anything though. The projects illustrated in the book are the type that most home owners would hire a professional for, unless they are trying to build their own home. I wonder how reliable the book is when it's published by Black & Decker, the very company that is trying to sell its tools and supplies. I'm gonna try not to think about it too much, and just enjoy the photos of the man in plaid.

The Advanced Genius Theory

It's hard to know how to describe this book. Jason Hartley is an amazing writer. Perhaps the word "genius" is what really threw me off at first. This theory was discovered by Hartley and one of his friends after wondering why some of their favorite artists seemed to lose their way or "sell out". The theory states, that they weren't really crap all of a sudden, but rather they were advanced beyond their fan base's ability to comprehend. Like I said...hard to explain. If these people are Advanced, the artists who don't advance are merely Overt. In other words, they are obvious about who they are and what they're doing and fans know what to expect. I can't explain it as well as Hartley.

"Don't worry, I don't think the Advanced approach the status of gods. They still screw up and make bad art from time to time, but their mistakes are at the very least interesting and serve their evolution as Advanced Geniuses."

"The Overt find faith in a Christian or Muslim God to be absurd, though they frequently believe in other kinds of spirituality such as yoga or quasi Buddhism that don't prohibit believers from getting drunk or having sex before being married. What is interesting is that Overt people typically find religious people closed-minded and intolerant, but they too have a very specific set of rules about what makes a person acceptable or unacceptable."

"I'm not saying Elvis is a messianic figure or anything. Elvis was more like Obi-Wan Kenobe calmly allowing himself to be light-sabered by Darth Vader. If he is Obi-Wan, then we are Luke, yelling "No!" because we can't understand that by leaving the physical plane, Elvis/Obi Wan gets closer to the Force and will give us some of his power when we are ready to destroy the Death Star."
Advanced British Artists are more likely to keep their fan because Europeans have more advanced taste.

"One of the greatest challengs all parents face is having "The Talk" with their child..."But whenever the time comes--and it will--we parents are going to have to sit down and try to explain where James Brown came from."

Rating - 4

The Advanced Cyclist's Training Manual

I'm rather biased when I respond to this book because I love cycling. I would consider myself in no way advanced, but Luke Edwardes-Evans was able to teach me a few very practical things. I thought at first that it would leave me depressed because I'm not even in good enough shape to do RAGBRAI, let alone a race.
This is a different kind of book. It's not about training schedules and mantras (although it does have its share of both). Rather, it's geared toward the rider as an individual. Yes, hardcore training is important if you want to race well, but if you set out with no regard to your schedule, relationships, and fitness goals, you will burn out fast. One can only hope that doesn't include an injury in the process.
The information was surprisingly NOT over my head and March was the perfect month to read it, as this is about the time when I get really obsessed with cycling. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Rating - 4

Advanced Cancer

Hooray, another cancer book! Ok, it's not that bad...the book that is. This is part of a series of books from the American Cancer Society called Quick Facts. It is exactly that.

The book covers all the basics without delving into flowery language or overly technical jargon. It is specifically about advanced cancer, where there is little or no chance of recovery. Prevention, diagnosis, which types of cancer tend to spread where. It's all there, compacted into a quick, easy to navigate read.

Rating - 2

Advanced Bread and Pastry conclusion

I wonder how much of all this I'll remember. What a huge book! In case anyone suspects that this is a recipe book, they are mistaken. There are, however, many "formulas" for breads and pastries. I love carbohydrates, but after reading this book, I'm becoming gradually convinced that humans aren't meant to eat bread. The percentage of actual nutrition is rather small.
But that didn't stop me from lusting after the many photos of grandiose concoctions. My only negative comment is that the author veers too far from the bread and pastry topic and spends a considerable chunk of the end talking about things like syrups and sugar molds and *sigh* chocolate. Lovely topics on their own, but he could have spared me a few hundred pages and a few pounds to boot.
If you're considering a career in baking, this book is a must read. If you're a casual home cook, I'd recommend a simple cook book instead and leave the chemistry to the professionals.
Rating - 3

Advanced Bread and Pastry Pt.1

A two dimensional photo of the cover cannot begin to show how HUGE this book is. It's over a thousand rather large pages. Michel Suas is either brilliant or he had a lot of input from outside sources to complete this book. Or both. This book is definitely a text book for the professionally inclined baker. The first chapter goes through the history of baking. The second is about cleanliness and sanitation in the kitchen. Did you know that the croissant was created in Budapest, representing the crescent of the Ottoman flag?
The next few chapters go into great detail about the baking process including more chemistry than I could ever wrap my brain around. I'm not sure how much of this new info is going to stick, but I've already got a better idea of how to make my own bread slightly better.
More to come...

Advanced Digital Black and White Photography

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book by John Beardsworth. I enjoy viewing photography but it's never been a skill that I've picked up or truly studied. I supposed you could say that it's something I'd like to be able to do some day, but it always falls below other priorities.
This book is very advanced. It assumes that the reader already has a grasp of darkroom techniques and photography jargon, as well as digital editing software. Most of the book is made up of step by step instructions to digitally master black and white photos, mainly in Photoshop.
Apart from it being way over my head, it is very well-written and organized. High recommendation for anyone interested in the topic.

Rating - 3

Advanced Autograph Collecting Conclusion

I survived! The second half of this book was slightly more interesting than the first. It started to discuss how to detect forgeries, which is a bit more fun for me, since I work at a bank. The book covers every basic topic necessary for autograph collecting. I'm not exactly sure what makes it "advanced." I got a kick out of one part where Baker suggests America OnLine as a good source to search for new autographs.

So excited to move on to the next book.

Rating - 1

Advanced Autograph Collecting Pt.1

How boring does this sound? I never knew the art of autograph collecting required a manual, let alone "advanced" collecting. I'm still questioning this.

Chapter 1 was frenzied and confusing. Some of it pertained to autographs. Some was more for collecting in general. I think I would have more interest in the book if there weren't so many typos in the first few pages. Chapter 2 deals with how to date and identify autographs, and is much more interesting. Interesting if you like all the details on the progression of writing implements.

More to follow.

The Adults

Well, I WAS really impressed with Alison Espach's writing style through most of this book. It's written from the perspective of an adolescent. We get to see how she sees the world, the dialogue is witty, and the story is compelling. But it all started going downhill as soon as her best friend claimed to be sleeping with the English teacher. The weakness of too many writers is in writing only about what they know: language and sex.

Rating - 0

Adulthood Rites

It's nice to have an easy read that fits into my crazy schedule. Adulthood Rites it the second book in the series Lilith's Brood by Octavia E. Butler. It is science fiction in every stereotypical sense. There are odd character names like Chkahichdahk, creatures with tentacles, and Earth is portrayed in a post-apocalyptic setting. But Butler has a writing style that ignores the sci-fi cookie cutter and deals with humanity's profound questions.

The main character, Akin, is a human/alien half-breed construct. During his youth, his human appearance allows him the ability (and necessity) of bonding with and exploring the last of the human race who have resisted help from the aliens and who insist on struggling to survive on their own. The inevitable metamorphosis into his permanent, adult alien form, forces him to take his knowledge of everything he has ever experienced, and choose to either help the humans survive as long as possible, or find a way for them to experience freedom on their own, thus securing their demise.

If you're into sci-fi and want something a bit different, I would recommend this.

Rating - 3

Adultery

I am a newlywed. I was actually quite interested to read this book until I opened it and read the first paragraph.

"Unless you consciously (or unconsciously) want to jet-propel yourself into committing adultery, reading about it isn't such a good idea. Because reading about it, I can assure you, will almost certainly result in your thinking about doing it, and perhaps even in your doing it."

Hint taken. I'm sure my husband will appreciate the fact that I am putting the book down and moving on. If any of you would like to take a crack at it (the book, not the act), let me know how it is.

Rating - 0

Adult Leukemia

Some books aren't meant to be enjoyed.

This one is VERY informative and well organized by topic. It is directed to patients, but I would recommend it for a leukemia patient's loved one, so they can find the best way to disseminate the information when it is most useful. It is neither wishy-washy nor without feeling.

Since leukemia does not have personal meaning in my life, a lot of the information was overwhelming and seemed repetitive. I did love the section on various ways to find help and comfort. There was an interesting section about how children respond when their parents are diagnosed and how much responsibility can be expected of them.

"Human children are inclined, by biology, to think the world revolves around them. Very young infants do not understand, for instance, that Mommy is a separate person who can leave them with Daddy and go grocery shopping, and they may become quite upset when they discover that Mommy is gone...This egocentric thought process lingers well through childhood, though, and causes children to think that the bad things that happen are their fault. They may think that you developed cancer because they were very angry with you when you once punished them, for example. They may even have wished you were dead, and now it appears to be coming true."

Rating = 3

Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea

I'm back! Got married to this Tyler fellow in August and I guess life happens. Not that I have to apologize to the internet or anything. ;)

So I started back up with a first-hand account of a solo boating excursion gone wrong. I don't know why I enjoy sea stories so much. I guess it's just the version of romanticism that speaks to me. So, all in all, this book has good things going for it.

1. It's a true story. I guess I should lump in the fact that it's written by the one who experienced it, but I'm not too naive to guess that he probably had a ghost writer anyway. These things happen. If this were a work of fiction, it would be a bit boring. Seventy-six days is a long time, and if you're alone at sea, there's only so much variety a day can hold. The biggest downside to this particular book is that the reader has to experience some of the monotony of day to day details. Again, since it's a true story, I stomach the boredom because it's a far cry from the agony of the one who actually lived through it.

2. It's informative. I know for a fact that I will never be in the author's situation, but I still feel I learned something about how to survive at sea. How to prepare fresh fish, distill sea water, keep a raft afloat, etc.

3. It's dangerous. The fact that the ending is spoiled before you read the book, doesn't deter from the excitement in reading about various near-death experiences along the way.

I'd recommend this book to someone interested in sea-faring stuff.

Rating - 3