Age 10 and Divorced, a Guide to the World’s Best Teas, Successful Dating, a Help with the Family Budget, and Confessions of a Pastry Chef
by Larry Cox on Mar. 13, 2010, under UncategorizedRecommended nonfiction paperbacks
The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook: A Guide to Enjoying the World’s Best Teas by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss (Ten Speed Press, $16.99)
Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss have been tea retailers since 1974. In addition to being travel and food writers, they are also the coauthors of a previous book, “The Story of Tea and Hot Drinks.” As they point out, tea can be subtle and alluring, bold and bracing, sweet and fresh, young and full of vigor, or rich and mature. To find the tea that suits your personal taste, a little help is required and their new guide fits the bill. This is a pocket guide that no tea lover should be without. It covers almost every aspect of tea including how to buy, brew, and enjoy the six classes of tea. User-friendly and concise, this authoritative guide is divided into six main sections: Green, Yellow, Oolong, Black, and Pu-erh teas in addition to a chapter about the proper storage of tea and a glossary and buyer’s guide.
Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown, M.D., with Christopher Vaughan (Avery, $16)
Dr. Stuart Brown, medical doctor, psychiatrist, clinical researcher and founder of the National Institute for Play, is convinced that play is anything but trivial. He believes it is a basic biological drive as integral to our health as sleep or nutrition. In his best-selling book which was originally published last year, Dr. Brown reveals how parents can nurture their child’s development through play, how schools can use play effectively to motivate students, and which companies are harnessing the impact of play in the workplace. This wonderful blend of cutting-edge science and inspiring personal stories underscores that play is much more than just a pastime. When we play, we are open to possibilities and the sparks of new insights.
Spiced: A Pastry’s Chef True Stories of Trials by Fire, After-Hours Exploits, and What Really Goes on in the Kitchen by Dalia Jurgensen (Berkley, $15)
Executive pastry chef Dalia Jurgensen takes readers through the swinging doors to provide an intimate glimpse of what really happens in some of Manhattan’s most exclusive kitchens. Even though Jurgensen knew that she wanted to cook even when she was a mere child, her big break came early when just before starting culinary school she was given an opportunity for hands-on experience at one of New York’s legendary restaurants, Nobu. To become good at her craft, she had to learn new skills such as working in a testosterone-laden atmosphere and even suck up the humiliation of her occasional failure. This book serves up an unvarnished look at the inner sanctum of acclaimed kitchens in prose that is a witty blend of wit and frankness. This is a literary feast that is every bit as satisfying as the dessert cart at La Cote Basque.
Getting a Grip: On My Body, My Mind, My Self by Monica Seles (Avery, $16)
Monica, who picked up her first racket when she was six, was one of Yugoslavia’s youngest, brightest tennis stars. In 1993, after a stint at The Bollettieri Tennis academy in Florida, she became the youngest woman to win the French pen and went on capture eight Grand Slams, all before her 20th birthday. In her book, Monica describes how she rose to the top, sunk into a deep depression, and rose again to become even stronger. In 1996, she mounted a comeback by winning the Australian Open. Her story is one of determination, amazing talent, touching vulnerability, and grit. In building her new life, she claims that positive changes have to occur both inside and out.
I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui (Three Rivers Press, $12)
In February of 2008, Nujood’s childhood came to an abrupt end when her father took her from the Yemeni capital to his home village. There, he delivered his daughter, then 10 years old, to her to a man who was three times her age. Two months after their wedding and much abuse, Najood took a taxi to a nearby court building and demanded to speak to a judge. With the help of an attorney, she achieved the almost impossible: her freedom. This incident attracted attention throughout the world and revealed to the world Yemen’s tradition of underage girls being offered as brides. Even though she was a simple village girl and one who had always obeyed orders, she found the courage to say no. This astounding book is her story.
The Three-Day Cleanse: Drink Fresh Juice, Eat Real Food, and Get Back Into Your Skinny Jeans by Zoe Sakoutis and Erica Huss (Wellness Central, $15.99)
All of us want to lead healthier lives. Sakoutis, a certified nutritional consultant, and Huss, a yoga instructor, former model, and food industry public relations professional, believes that if you want to boost your immune system, alleviate allergies, reset your metabolism, and even improve your mood, it can all be achieved with their plan, a three-day cleanse. Their book provides a step-by-step guideline for 1-Day, 3-Day, 5-Day, and 10-Day cleanses plus long-term maintenance plans for beginners as well as veterans. In addition to simple instructions to follow before, during, and after you cleanse, there are more than 100 easy-to-make recipes for juices, salads, soups, entrees, side dishes and more. As they recommend, work hard, play hard, cleanse, and repeat.
Be CentsAble: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Laf by Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee (Plume, $14)
With today’s economy, we need all of the help we can get to balance our household budgets. Pate and McKee, two everyday moms, tried coupon clipping and overly strict budgeting-guides but did not see dramatic savings. They soon put together their own system which dropped their monthly household expenses from $800 a month to less than $350. How did they do it? They reveal in their nifty little book that includes tips on how to spot rock-bottom prices, outsmart store incentives and sales cycles, reduce utility costs with quick, energy-efficient fixes, avoid “budget breakdowns” and unexpected expenses, and replace toxic cleaning products with effective, natural, and cheaper alternatives. This essential guide is an easy way to help all of us grown a little more green in our wallets without giving up healthy foods, favorite products, travel, entertainment, and even an occasional splurge.
Stephanie Meyer: The Unauthorized Biography of the Creator of The Twilight Saga by Marc Shapiro (St. Martin’s Griffin, $12.99)
The blockbuster Twilight books have triggered a franchise of hit films, graphic novels, clothing, and more. Who is the woman behind all this hoopla? Marc Shapiro, author of more than a dozen celebrity biographies including the recent “J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter,” provides fans with the dope. If you are curious about where the idea for the Twilight series came from, what the details are for the next Twilight film, if religious beliefs influenced Meyer’s writing, and what her plans are for the future, grab this book. It is a must-read for every Twilight enthusiast.
Have Him at Hello: Confessions from 1,000 Guys About What Makes Them Fall in Love…or Never Call Back by Rachel Greenwald (Three Rivers Press, $14.99)
Previously published under the title “Why He Didn’t Call You Back,” this fresh, candid, and entertaining book is by one of this country’s leading dating experts. Greenwald, a Harvard-educated matchmaker from Denver, was alarmed several years ago when she discovered that more first dates were failing than ever before. She set out to discover why this was happening and armed with a notebook she interviewed 1,000 men nationwide to get the nitty-gritty about what they really thought after viewing a woman’s online profile or after a first date. The answers they gave were raw and not at all what she expected. For example, she reveals the top ten instant date breakers, why so few first dates turn into second dates, why 90% of women guess wrong and why he didn’t call back. Through the stories and confessions from 1,000 real men about the funny, weird and ridiculous disconnects in today’s dating trenches, Greenwald provides sane advice to help women confidently date the men they really want and even capture him at hello.
