Review: How to Cook Everything: The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food -- With 1,000 Photos

How to Cook Everything: The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food -- With 1,000 Photos by Mark Bittman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The full-length How to Cook Everything is my go-to cookbook, but I really enjoyed browsing its shorter, illustrated sibling. Unlike the monster original, it would be possible (and very interesting) to cook through this version. Which I would love to do.

Some of these are the same recipes as the other; some are a little different. Mr. Bittman still seems to think you can make barbeque sauce without a sweetener (nope, not gonna work).

Great, illustrative photos. This would be a perfect learning-to-cook book.



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Review: House of Earth

House of Earth by Woody Guthrie

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I picked this up on the new acquisitions shelf at the library because it was by Woody Guthrie. I'd just been reminiscing about learning "This Land is Your Land" in elementary music class.

I don't feel like I wasted my time with this, but I wouldn't re-read it. It was Steinbeckian with a dash of beat poet (not my cup of tea), plus a really long, awkward sex scene in the first chapter (not even my cup of lukewarm water). I can totally see why the author never got it published during his lifetime.

In the pro column, the setting and characterizations were vivid and life-like. The wide-open, lonely Texas plain is beautifully drawn.

Bottom line: I can't recommend this book, but I will be checking out more of Woody Guthrie's writing.




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You might live with a classicist if...

The kiddo gets into something she shouldn't.

T.G.: Nope, sorry, babe. Here, you can play with the Eclogues.

Review: Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



A beautiful stand-alone, illustrated edition of the Robert Frost poem. Very nice.



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Review: Together: Growing Appetites for God

Together: Growing Appetites for God by Carrie Ward

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm inspired. Like the author, I have always struggled with daily devotions, and I think her idea--to read the whole Bible with her very young children--is brilliant (probably inspired, in fact!). This book is half how-to, half memoir; and it was also quick and easy-to-read.

The kiddo and I are starting our journey tomorrow.



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Review: Faith Through Fire: Rwanda and Me

Faith Through Fire: Rwanda and Me by Randall Bennett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I couldn't put this book down and finished it three sittings. I picked it up because I know Gary Bennett (his brother Randall wrote the book, but it's Gary's story) and because, due to his experience, the Rwandan genocide looms large in my memory as a time that I - eight years old - began to understand that there was evil in the world. I have a vivid memory of Melanie telling my mother that she sometimes watched the news in the hope that she would see a friend still alive.

The book was funny, touching, terrifying, sad, and hopeful. I cried (a lot), but it never seemed emotionally manipulative or sentimental. It's a great testimony to God's faithfulness in good times and bad. The pacing is remarkable, and the "flashback" structure that the author choose was quite effective.

Four stars because it could have used one more copy-editing pass.



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Review: Faith Through Fire: Rwanda and Me

Faith Through Fire: Rwanda and Me by Randall Bennett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I'll be honest. When I heard that this book, written by a missionary to Rwanda who grew up in my home church, was being self-published, I kind of rolled my eyes. I thought a memoir of the Rwandan genocide would be interesting, but I was skeptical about the quality of the writing.

I was wrong. It's not Tolstoy, but I can't put it down. And (the reason I'm writing a review before I've finished the book), it's free at the Amazon Kindle store this weekend.



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Sigh.

T.G. carries the baby into the kitchen where I'm making breakfast.

Baby, pointing: Da!  Da-ee!
T.G.: Yes! I'm Daddy! I won!

I get the baby from him.

Me: Good job, Baby. Now, who am I?
T.G., offstage: Chopped liver!

Football Night in America

Baby: Wha-zah?
T.G.: That's a book.
Baby: Wha-zah?
T. G.: That's the window.
Baby: Wha-zah?
T. G.: That's my foot.
Baby: Wha-zah?
T.G: That's Tramon Williams.

Colors

Baby is bothering T.G. while he's trying to get ready for work, so I fish her out of the bathroom.

Me: I know you love Daddy, but he has to perform his ablutions. Can you say ablutions? Do you have ablutions?
T.G.: She prefers apinktions.