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

Adolf

My internet has been on the blink so it's taken me a few attempts to post this. I finished reading a whole series of graphic novels that are...amazing. The story follows the lives of three different Adolphs (including Adolf Hitler) and how they're all connected. It's not a typical war story, which makes it more enjoyable, but it still has all the elements of suspense and heartbreak. It's not as violent as some typical Japanese graphic novels can be, but it's not for the weak stomach either.

Rating - 4

Adolescents with Down Syndrome

I started this book with the hope that I would learn a few things. At first I thought it was alright. Lots of big words. Then the further I got into it the more bogged down I got by the lack of narrative. I found myself letting words just kind of melt together without any comprehension whatsoever. Don’t get me wrong. This book seems like it would be extremely helpful for parents and caregivers of adolescents with Down Syndrome. It would also be useful for medical professionals working in pediatrics.

But it’s certainly not for me. I was going to give it a 1, but I can at least see the value of it...for someone else.

Rating - 2

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Adobe: Homes and Interiors of Taos, Santa Fe, and The Southwest

Ugh, this book was painful to read. I thought it was ALL going to be about adobe, but it wasn't. They could have just left that part off the title and I wouldn't have had to read it till....years from now. haha

This book is mostly photos, dark black and white photos = not enjoyable. It tries to have chapters, but it's impossible to tell what is part of the chapter and what is just photo captions. Some of the photos don't fit in the "chapters" they're in, and there's a whole section with detailed instructions on how to build adobe fireplaces. Nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't really go with the feel of the rest of the book. I got absolutely nothing out of this.

Rating = 1

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Admissions conclusion

I really liked this book. Yes, one of the main characters did end up having an affair, not as bad as it could have been and she ended things quickly. 350 pages in two days isn't bad. I feel like the author wrote assuming the reader had a certain level of intelligence. Too many times I feel patronized. This was a breath of fresh air.

Rating - 4

Admissions pt. 1

After my third book, I haven’t yet gotten tired of this subject. Admissions is a novel by Nancy Lieberman about the private school admissions process for New York City children. One of our heroins, once again, is an admissions officer, what is beginning to seem a largely female career. As much as I want to punch some of the people in the book, I’m still enjoying it.

This may not be a book for purely casual readers though. The first chapter is 74 pages long. Engaging, but not a quick read. The story follows two plot lines. Helen, mother of 8th grader Zoe, is trying to get her daughter admitted into a good high school, a process which is extremely stressful. Sara, is the admissions officer for The School, the K-8 institution which Zoe currently attends.

Something dark and devious is happening with The School's headmistress Pamela, but I'm not sure what that is yet. There are questions of missing funds and her relationship with one of the teachers, and no one is quite sure of the details of her past. Helen is having inappropriate thoughts about one of the single fathers she's recently met, and I'm hoping that doesn't get out of hand.

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Admissions Confidential conclusion

I spent a semester in college as a volunteer recruiter. As much as I loved being at U of I, this book is making me wish I made more of an effort in my college applications. I’m even finding myself envying the author’s job. It sounds exactly like something I would enjoy doing. Then again, I was never the type of student that these universities are hoping to admit, so I'm sure I'd never qualify for it. How odd would it be if there were a degree in admissions!

My favorite quote from this book: Texas, we all know, is not part of the United States. I would recommend this book to most anyone, especially high school students.

Rating - 4

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