Continue reading]]> Total Pages Read: 2,111
Shortest Book: 224
Longest Book: 399
Fiction: 1
Non-Fiction: 2
Cookbook: 4
Poetry:

Last Book Read:
7. Cooking at Home: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Recipes (And Love My Microwave) by David Chang with Priya Krishna. When not in a restaurant, the famed Momofuku chef cooks much differently. This is a fun cookbook without any traditional recipes that encourages you to figure some things out yourself. 399 pages. (Finished 23 Jan 2022.)

Past Lists:

1. The Chicken Soup Manifesto: Recipes from around the world by Jenn Louis. More than a 100 recipes for variations of Chicken Soup. Yumm. 240 pages. (Finished 1 Jan 2022.)
2. Let’s Do Dinner by Antoni Porowski. 80 simple recipes for weeknight dinners from the Food expert on Queer Eye. 272 pages. (Finished 2 Jan 2022.)
3. The Man’s Guide to Women Scientifically Proven Secrets from the “Love Lab” About What Women Really Want by John Gottman, PhD & Julie Schwartz Gottman, PhD. Covers a lot of the same ground as the 8 Dates book, but geared towards men. 224 pages. (Finished 3 Jan 2022.)
4. Foundation by Isaac Asimov. (Foundation #1) Hari Seldon gathers the Empires best scientists and scholars and brings them to a planet at the edge of the galaxy, so they can create an encyclopedia of knowledge and save future generations from thousands of years of a dark age. 244 pages. (Finished 8 Jan 2022.)
5. Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake. All about fungi and how they have helped the world evolve. 380 pages. (Finished 12 Jan 2022.)
6. Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! by Michelle Tam. Another fun cookbook from the Nom Nom Paleo crew. 352 pages. (Finished 19 Jan 2022.)
7. Cooking at Home: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Recipes (And Love My Microwave) by David Chang with Priya Krishna. When not in a restaurant, the famed Momofuku chef cooks much differently. This is a fun cookbook without any traditional recipes that encourages you to figure some things out yourself. 399 pages. (Finished 23 Jan 2022.)

Continue reading]]> Total Pages Read: 7975
Shortest Book: 160 pages
Longest Book: 560 pages
Fiction: 14
Non-Fiction: 1
Cookbook: 9
Poetry:

Last Book Read:
25. Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov. (Foundation Prequel #2). Hari Seldon works on perfecting psychohistory and managing the forces that want to use the science for their own purposes. 384 pages. (Finished 19 Dec 2021.)

Past Lists:

1. The Kingdom by Jo Nesbø. In a small town in Norway, a younger brother returns with his new wife. Between brothers the bond is unbreakable. However secrets have a way of catching up to you, and this town, and these brothers are full of them. 560 pages. (Finished 8 Jan 2021.)
2. The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained in More Than 100 Essential Recipes by Nik Sharma. I found this book super interesting as it covered some of the scientific reasons behind the different “tastes” (both official and unofficial) in food. Recipes skew towards Indian influences. 352 pages. (Finished 12 Jan 2021.)
3. Pasta by Hand: A Collection of Italy’s Regional Hand-Shaped Pasta by Jenn Louis. Interesting book, but I don’t think I’d do many of the recipes. Also there were many recipes that were only slight variations of others already mentioned in the book. Perhaps the different regions aren’t always as different after all. 208 pages. (Finished 15 Jan 2021.)
4. Pie Camp: The Skills You Need to Make Any Pie You Want by Kate McDermott. Lots of pie, unsurprisingly. 344 pages. (Finished 31 Jan 2021.)
5. A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G Summers. A celebrated female food writer narates the tale of when she began killing and eating her former lovers. 420 pages. (Finished 28 Feb 2021.)
6. Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas. In this prequel to The Hate U Give, we hear the story of Maverick at seventeen and the events that will shape the rest of his life. 360 pages. (Finished 1 Mar 2021.)
7. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Nora leads a pretty unremarkable life in a small town in England. One day she decides she doesn’t want to live any longer and ends up finding herself in a library full of books that seem to go on forever. Each one of these books is a different version of her life that she can live, in which she made a different decision. She must live these lives and find one she can be happy in…or until the clock changes from midnight and the library goes away. 289 pages. (Finished 11 Mar 2021.)
8. Jack by Marilynne Robinson (Gilead #4). The story of “Jack,” son of Gilead’s Presbyterian minister, and how he came to fall in love with Della Miles, a high school teacher who is also a preacher’s child. There is only one problem, Jack is white and Della is black. It is against the law for the two of them to marry and dangerous even to be seen together. 320 pages. (Finished 3 Apr 2021.)
9. Fools Crow by James Welch. Its 1870 and a young Native American warrior has a vision during a ceremony about the changing times and whether to resist or not. 402 pages. (Finished 11 Apr 2021.)
10. This is a Book About Dumplings: Everything You Need to Craft Delicious Pot Stickers, Bao, Wontons and More by Brendan Pang. 160 pages. (Finished 12 May 2021.)
11. Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien (A Noodle Shop Mystery #1). After a breakup, Lana has returned to work in her families restaurant while she puts her life back together. Things get a little more interesting when the property manager turns up dead after a delivery of dumplings from her families restaurant. 328 pages. (Finished 15 May 2021.)
12. Lavash: The bread that launched 1,000 meals, plus salads, stews, and other recipes from Armenia by Kate Leahy, Ara Zada, & John Lee. 248 pages. (Finished 15 May 2021.)
13. First Person Singular: Stories by Haruki Murakami. Eight short stories. 245 pages. (Finished 18 May 2021.)
14. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. A fantastic reimagining of the underground railroad, follows Cora as she escapes the Georgia plantation she was born on. 300 pages. (Finished 6 Jun 2021.)
15. How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue. A small village in Africa deals with the presence of an American oil company and the consequences of their exploitation. 384 pages. (Finished 1 Sep 2021.)
16. Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation by Jeremy Umansky & Rich Shih. 313 pages. (Finished 2 Sep 2021.)
17. The Love & Lemons Cookbook: An Apple-to-Zucchini Celebration of Impromptu Cooking by Jeanine Donofrio. 314 pages. (Finished 5 Sep 2021.)
18. Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health by Gregory Gourdet. This is a beautiful cookbook. 400 pages. (Finished 5 Sep 2021.)
19. Love & Lemons Every Day: More than 100 Bright, Plant-Forward Recipes for Every Meal by Jeanine Donofrio. 320 pages. (Finished 6 Sep 2021.)
20. Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. A man answers an ad in the newspaper looking for serious pupils, only to find the teacher is a gorilla. This book has a cult following. 338 pages. (Finished 15 Sep 2021.)
21. The Cold Millions by Jess Walter. The story of two brothers in early 20th Century Spokane, WA. 342 pages. (Finished 14 Oct 2021.)
22. Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney. Alice, Felix, Eileen, & Simon are all figuring out what it means to be with each other and the world around them. 356 pages. (Finished 14 Nov 2021.)
23. Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov. (Foundation Prequel #1). The beginnings of psychohistory and the story/myth of Hari Seldon. 448 pages. (Finished 4 Dec 2021.)
24. 8 Dates: A Plan for Making Love Last Forever by John Gottman, PhD & Julie Schwartz Gottman, PhD. 224 pages. (Finished 4 Dec 2021.)
25. Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov. (Foundation Prequel #2). Hari Seldon works on perfecting psychohistory and managing the forces that want to use the science for their own purposes. 384 pages. (Finished 19 Dec 2021.)

Continue reading]]> Total Pages Read: 16945
Shortest Book: 33 pages
Longest Book: 656 pages
Fiction: 27
Non-Fiction: 9
Cookbook: 21
Poetry: 2

Last Book Read:
59. Just Like You by Nick Hornby. On the verge of the Brexit vote, Lucy is nearly divorced and not looking for love. She just needs a babysitter. 368 pages. (Finished 26 Dec 2020).

Past Lists:

2019 List
2018 List
2017 List
2016 List
2015 List
2014 List
2013 List
2012 List
2011 List
2010 List
2009 List
2008 List
2007 List

1. Ama: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen by Josef Centeno. Another beautiful cookbook that I wish I thought I’d actually use more. 272 pages. (Finished 5 Jan 2020).
2. Ketotarian: The (Mostly) Plant-Based Plan to Burn Fat, Boost Your Energy, Crush Your Cravings, and Calm Inflammation by Dr. Will Cole. My nutritionist sister has recommended a keto diet to lose weight, however I also want to eat more plants. I checked this out from the library to see if it would inspire me. It wasn’t a great fit (as I’m also not sure a true keto diet works for me either). 304 pages. (Finished 6 Jan 2020).
3. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. (The Handmaid’s Tale #2). The story of what happened after the end of the The Handmaid’s Tale, 15 years after the end of that story, we hear the stories of three new female narrators. 432 pages. (Finished 6 Jan 2020).
4. Antoni in the Kitchen by Antoni Porowski. I love the new Queer Eye on Netflix. This cookbook from Antoni expands upon the lessons he teaches folks on the show, providing easy recipes to expand and build confidence in the kitchen. It was much better than I expected. 272 pages. (Finished 8 Jan 2020).
5. Poilâne: The Secrets of the World-Famous Bread Bakery by Apollonia Poilâne. Its no secret I like bread, so when I saw this at the library I had to check it out. I created a new sourdough starter based on the formula in this book. Sadly I haven’t succesfully made a loaf with it yet. 288 pages. (Finished 11 Jan 2020).
6. Where Cooking Begins: Uncomplicated Recipes to Make You a Great Cook by Carla Lalli Music. This book from the food director at Bon Appetit magazine was quite interesting with her methods of connecting how she shops to the way she cooks. 272 pages. (Finished 1 Feb 2020).
7. BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts by Stella Parks. This book from the Serious Eats author, is one I cooked from before I checked out. The recipe for cheesecake was posted on Serious Eats and I was sold at first bite. 400 pages. (Finished 21 Feb 2020).
8. Quichotte by Salman Rushdie. This took some time for me to finish between having to wait for a new digital copy to become available and just took some time to get into. I love Rushdie, but the last few novels have been harder for me to get into. In the end, I liked the book though. 396 pages. (Finished 3 Mar 2020).
9. Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering by Adam Danforth. Pretty straight forward what this one is about. 456 pages. (Finished 9 Mar 2020).
10. Lasagna: A Baked Pasta Cookbook by Anna Hezel & The Editors of Taste. Also pretty straight forward what this one is about. 144 pages. (Finished 25 Mar 2020).
11. Serotonin by Michel Houellebecq. Another novel from France’s chronicler of the state of Europe, Western Civilization, and “man”kind. 309 pages. (Finished 9 Apr 2020).
12. Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta. Eve is 46, newly divorced, and her only child is leaving for college and doesn’t seem to care. She decides to take a Gender Studies course at the local community college, meeting new people and discovering much about herself. 309 pages. (Finished 14 Apr 2020).
13. Killing It: An Education by Camas Davis. Newly fired from her longtime job as a magazine editor and freshly out of a long term relationship, Camas decides to go to France and learn how to become a butcher. 350 pages. (Finished 14 May 2020).
14. Mr Salary by Sally Rooney. A short novella about a woman who moves in with her older boyfriend because she has no where else to go. Now she is on the brink of the inevitable. 33 pages. (Finished 14 May 2020).
15. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. Frances is 21 and an aspiring writer. When she meets married Nick, things get complicated. 321 pages. (Finished 17 May 2020).
16. Normal People by Sally Rooney. Connell and Marianne are from the same small town in Western Ireland. They live in different worlds. Connell, the handsome and popular sports star, has a single mother who cleans Marianne’s families house. Marianne, the awkward and confrontational loner. They develop a love between them that follows them to college in Dublin and beyond…always coming close…but never quite getting there at the same time. 273 pages. (Finished 19 May 2020).
17. Pure Charcuterie: The Craft and Poetry of Curing Meats at Home by Meredith Leigh. Its about curing meats. I know…shocking. 160 pages. (Finished 21 May 2020).
18. The New Homemade Kitchen: 250 Recipes and Ideas for Reinventing the Art of Preserving, Canning, Fermenting, Dehydrating, and More by Joseph Shuldiner. I had the immense pleasure of meeting Joseph when I lived in LA. I was quite excited to get a copy of this book and only wish he would have been around to see it live in the world. 352 pages. (Finished 1 Jun 2020).
19. Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson’s Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival by Peter Stark. The story of the Astor financed expedition to the mouth of the Columbia River to set up a fur trading empire (before the British). 384 pages. (Finished 17 Jun 2020).
20. Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty. Six clones wake up on a spaceship to find their former bodies murdered and their memories of the journey so far gone. They must figure out whom among them murdered their earlier versions…and why. 364 pages. (Finished 21 Jun 2020).
21. A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life by Ayelet Waldman. The author’s account of her experiment microdosing LSD to battle her anxiety and depression. 256 pages. (Finished 29 Jun 2020).
22. Dating by The School of Life, ed. Alain De Botton (The School of Life Love Series). 128 pages. (Finished 1 Jul 2020).
23. A Fortune for Your Disaster by Hanif Abdurraqib. A collection of poems. 120 pages. (Finished 2 Jul 2020).
24. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. (His Dark Materials #1). In a world much like ours, but slightly different humans have daemon’s, animals that represent our inner self. Lyra has been raised at Jordan College, Oxford while her Uncle has been exploring the North. After overhearing her Uncle talk to the scholars, she is thrust into a journey that has the balance of the world on her shoulders. 399 pages. (Finished 8 Jul 2020).
25. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman. (His Dark Materials #2). In our world, Will has made a habit of being invisible. One day he stumbles into another world and meets Lyra. He too is thrust into a journey that has the balance of his world (and all the others) on his shoulders. 368 pages. (Finished 12 Jul 2020).
26. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. (His Dark Materials #3). Will and Lyra journey to the land of the dead, her Father is building an army to destroy the Authority (God). Meanwhile from Will’s world, Dr Mary Malone has traveled to another world, where she builds a amber spyglass that allows her to see Dust and help figure out how to fix what has been going on in all the worlds. 542 pages. (Finished 20 Jul 2020).
27. Annabel Scheme by Robin Sloan. A detective story set in an alternate San Francisco. Annabel’s case…an indie rocker comes to her to find out why new music with his former bandmate whom has been dead for years is coming from. She and her AI assistant take the case and discover far more than expected. 111 pages. (Finished 20 Jul 2020).
28. On Confidence by The School of Life, ed. Alain De Botton. An essay to think about confidence not as something innate…but a learned skill. 96 pages. (Finished 20 Jul 2020).
29. Annabel Scheme and the Adventure of the New Golden Gate by Robin Sloan. (Annabel Scheme #2). Originally serialized in two Bay Area newspapers, this is another adventure of Annabel Scheme in another version of the Bay Area. Written over a couple weeks, this was written with Bay Area residents in mind. 66 pages. (Finished 21 Jul 2020).
30. Caging Skies by Christine Leunens. An avid member of the Hitler Youth in the 1940s, Johannes discovers his parents are hiding a Jewish girl behind a false wall in their home. He must decide what to do about this horror in his house. 304 pages. (Finished 21 Jul 2020).
31. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe. A telling of history during the troubles in Northern Ireland. Specifically, the story behind one of the “disappeared.” 464 pages. (Finished 26 Jul 2020).
32. Watchmen by Alan Moore. Graphic novel where the presence of American superheroes have changed history…sort of. Set in a 1980s where the US won the Vietnam War and Nixon is still President. The Cold War however is still a thing. 449 pages. (Finished 30 Jul 2020).
33. My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki. An underemployed documentarian lands a job producing a Japanese television show sponsored by an American meat-exporting business. Along the way she discovers uncomfortable things about the people she works for. 449 pages. (Finished 2 Aug 20).
34. Pure Beef: An Essential Guide to Artisan Meat with Recipes for Every Cut by Lynne Currey. What happens when a long time vegetarian moves to a remote corner of the state and begins to learn more about the products her neighbors are raising. This book talks about sustainable beef, where to get it, and how to use the various cuts you might get in a share of a cow. 288 pages. (Finished 1 Sep 20).
35. The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen. Ingrid Barrøy lives on a small island that bears her families name. Her father has grand plans to tame the sea and storms that have shaped the islands history and expand their world beyond its shores. But there is more than just the sea and storms that are changing life on the island. The world is coming into a modern age that may reshape the island in ways the sea never could. 268 pages. (Finished 1 Sep 2020).
36. Brown Sugar Kitchen: New-Style Down-Home Recipes from Sweet West Oakland by Tanya Holland. A cookbook from the soul-food restaurant in West Oakland known. 224 pages. (Finished 4 Sep 2020).
37. Tenth of December by George Saunders. A collection of short stories that wrestle with the big questions and cracks in our morality. 272 pages. (Finished 13 Sep 2020).
38. Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden. Virgil Wounded Horse serves as the enforcer on the Rosebud reservation when the legal system or tribal council have failed folks. When heroin makes it way on the reservation it takes a personal turn. 331 pages. (Finished 19 Sep 2020).
39. Cooking for One: Scaled Recipes, No-Waste Solutions, and Time-Saving Tips for Cooking for Yourself edited by America’s Test Kitchen. 352 pages. (Finished 21 Sep 2020).
40. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. Based on a true story of a reform school in Florida, this novel revolves around Elwood a promising high school senior that ends up in the wrong place in the Jim Crow South of the early 1960s. He gets sent to the Nickel Academy, an experience that will shape and haunt the rest of his life. 210 pages. (Finished 1 Oct 2020).
41. Instant Pot Cheese: Discover How Easy It Is to Make Mozzarella, Feta, Chevre, and More by Claudia Lucero. 144 pages. (Finished 2 Oct 2020).
42. Relationships edited by The School of Life. Since around 1750 we’ve lived in the era of love called Romanticism and it has been a disaster for love. This book challenges those assumptions and gives guidance how to develop new attitudes that can lead to a more mature vision of love. 120 pages. (Finished 4 Oct 2020).
43. Butchering Chickens: A Guide to Humane, Small-Scale Processing by Adam Danforth. 176 pages. (Finished 7 Oct 2020).
44. Dumplings Equal Love: Delicious Recipes from Around the World by Liz Crain. 192 pages. (Finished 18 Oct 2020).
45. The Resisters by Gish Jen. In the not-to-distant future America has become AutoAmerica. The Internet is now a mix of artificial intelligence and surveillance tech. The people are either “Netted” or “Surplus.” 305 pages. (Finished 18 Oct 2020).
46. La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman. (The Book of Dust Vol. 1). We return to the world of His Dark Materials. This time we learn the story of Lyra as an infant and the race to protect her from all sorts of dangers. 449 pages. (Finished 8 Nov 2020).
47. The Ethical Meat Handbook, Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition: From Sourcing to Butchery, Mindful Meat Eating for the Modern Omnivore by Meredith Leigh. 320 pages. (Finished 15 Nov 2020).
48. The Essential Mexican Instant Pot Cookbook: Authentic Flavors and Modern Recipes for Your Electric Pressure Cooker by Deborah Schneider. 191 pages. (Finished 15 Nov 2020).
49. New World Sourdough: Artisan Techniques for Creative Homemade Fermented Breads by Bryan Ford. 160 pages (Finished 19 Nov 2020).
50. Home Body by Rupi Kaur. A third collection of poetry. 192 pages. (Finished 19 Nov 2020).
51. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. A story of a bank robbery. Or a suicide. Or something entirely different. 352 pages. (Finished 29 Nov 2020).
52. Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes and Lore [A Cookbook] by Darra Goldstein. 320 pages. (Finished 6 Dec 2020).
53. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. A letter from father to son about American history and what it means to be born black in both its history and present. 152 pages. (Finished 8 Dec 2020).
54. Local Dirt: Seasonal Recipes for Eating Close to Home by Andrea Bemis. This book is especially helpful as the author also lives in the PNW…so the seasons in this book are the same as mine. 320 pages. (Finished 11 Dec 2020).
55. The Rock Blaster by Henning Mankell. Mankell’s first novel translated in English for the first time. The story of a young man who survives an accident that should have killed him. Decades later his life is woven together in the fragments of his memories. 192 pages. (Finished 13 Dec 2020).
56. The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman. (The Book of Dust Vol. 2) Lyra is now 20 yrs old and the adventures of His Dark Materials are behind her. She’s estranged from those events and even her own daemon. She’ll have to go on a journey more alone than she’s ever been before. 656 pages. (Finished 20 Dec 2020).
57. Beowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley. A radical new verse translation of the classic tale. Combining contempory language with archaic to give a feel of the oral tradition the tale would have originally been told in. 140 pages. (Finished 22 Dec 2020).
58. Miso, Tempeh, Natto & Other Tasty Ferments: A Step-by-Step Guide to Fermenting Grains and Beans by Kirsten & Christopher Shockey. 408 pages. (Finished 22 Dec 2020).
59. Just Like You by Nick Hornby. On the verge of the Brexit vote, Lucy is nearly divorced and not looking for love. She just needs a babysitter. 368 pages. (Finished 26 Dec 2020).

Continue reading]]> Taylor Swift dropped a new album on Friday and it is amazing and devastating all at the same time.

So much to unpack. This is an album created in quarantine. Both a return to her earlier pre-pop roots and an exploration into new territory for Taylor. It is a reflection of the strange times we find ourselves in. A time when “the lines between fantasy and reality blur and the boundaries between truth and fiction become almost indiscernible.”

I have many thoughts after having listened at least a half dozen times already. Those however are for another day, time, or person.

Continue reading]]> Total Pages Read: 13,388
Shortest Book: 96 pages
Longest Book: 512 pages
Fiction: 13
Non-Fiction: 6
Cookbook: 26
Poetry: 0

Last Book Read:
45. Sous Vide: Better Home Cooking by Hugh Acheson. I liked this book better than the slow cooker book. 288 pages. (Finished 30 Dec 2019).

Past Lists:

2018 List
2017 List
2016 List
2015 List
2014 List
2013 List
2012 List
2011 List
2010 List
2009 List
2008 List
2007 List

1. How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollen. Pollen looks into the psychedelics and the new research being done about them. 477 pages. (Finished 4 Jan 2019).
2. The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook: 95 Incredible Recipes to Turn Up the Heat on Jerky, Hot Sauce, Fruit Leather and More by Michael Hultquist. I went to Powell’s to pick up a book on dehydrating (since I got myself a dehydrator for Christmas), and I also picked this book up as well. I’m looking forward to making things from it. 192 pages. (Finished 5 Jan 2019).
3. The Dehydrator Bible by Jennifer MacKenzie, Jay Nutt, and Don Mercer. Includes over 400 recipes for both drying ingredients and creating dried meals that just need to be rehydrated. 391 pages. (Finished 26 Jan 2019).
4. The Third Hotel by Laura van den Berg. Clare arrives in Havana for a conference she was supposed to attend with her husband. The problem, her husband died in an accident a few weeks before. The other problem, not long after arriving, she sees her husband standing outside a museum. 224 pages. (Finished 30 Jan 2019).
5. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami. I noticed this little novella when Powell’s was having a Murakami sale to coincide with the English language release of Killing Commendatore. I was a little surprised I wasn’t previously aware of it. A quick little novella that takes place in the basement of the local library with all the quirky traits you’d expect from a Murakami piece. 96 pages. (Finished 4 Feb 2019).
6. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan. Lydia has hidden herself and her past away by working in a bookstore and having no contact with her youth. All that changes when one of the bookstores regulars commits suicide in the store and she finds a picture of her as a kid sticking out of his pocket. 337 pages. (Finished 18 Feb 2019).
7. Real Food Fermentation: Preserving Whole Fresh Food with Live Cultures in Your Home Kitchen by Alex Lewin. A nice introduction to fermentation for folks that may not be familiar with some of the principles already. It didn’t really cover anything that I didn’t already have other sources on, so its not something I’m adding to my library, but good for someone wanting to get into fermentation. 176 pages. (Finished 18 Feb 2019).
8. The Dark Heart: A True Story of Greed, Murder, and an Unlikely Investigator by Joakim Palmkvist. A multimillionaire goes missing with no clues. Things seem a little strange, but nothing concrete comes along until one woman is finally able to put the pieces together (putting herself at risk at the same time). 293 pages. (Finished 27 Feb 2019).
9. Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers by Peter Reinhart. A more advanced version of the Bread Baker’s Apprentice, really focuses on the formula’s and not just recipes. Something I wouldn’t mind eventually in my collection of bread books, but something I can wait for. 224 pages. (Finished 3 Mar 2019).
10. The Shadow District by Arnaldur Indriðason. Reykjavík Wartime Mystery #1. An old man is found dead in his bed in what initially looks like a case of natural causes. However soon a connection to an old unsolved crime from World War II era Iceland comes up and the old man’s death isn’t as simple as it initially appeared. 304 pages. (Finished 4 Mar 2019).
11. The Shadow Killer by Arnaldur Indriðason. Reykjavík Wartime Mystery #2. A traveling salesman is found murdered in a flat. The murder weapon is a Colt ’45, favored by the US soldiers that are in the process of taking over protection of Iceland from the British during World War II. Flóvent and Thorson have to track down who the dead salesman is and who might have murdered him. 304 pages. (Finished 11 Mar 2019).
12. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Starr watches as one of her oldest friends is killed by a white cop during a traffic stop. In the aftermath, she must discover who she is, who her friends are, and what her voice will be. 512 pages. (Finished 17 Mar 2019).
13. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas. Set in the same neighborhood as The Hate U Give, Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. She’s got the pedigree to do it, but will life get in the way? 447 pages. Finished (24 Mar 2019).
14. Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food by Nik Sharma. This was a really pretty book with nice recipies that are influenced by India, the American South, and California. Unfortunately, I also didn’t see myself making many of these recipes either. 272 pages. (Finished 24 Mar 2019).
15. Ready or Not!: 150+ Make-Ahead, Make-Over, and Make-Now Recipies by Nom Nom Paleo by Michelle Tam & Henry Fong. I’m not paleo by any means, but this is a great cookbook. I love the setup of the recipes that read more like a graphic novel than a regular cookbook. 352 pages. (Finished 8 Apr 2019).
16. Foundations of Flavor: The Noma Guide to Fermentation by René Redzepi & David Zilber. This is advanced fermentation. I probably won’t make many of these recipes in the long run…however the book is super interesting and there are definitely things I would like to try. I did get a copy of the book when I went to a dinner/talk featuring David Zibler in Oct 2019. 440 pages. (Finished 8 Apr 2019).
17. Unfuck Your Intimacy: Using Science for Better Relationships, Sex, and Dating by Faith G Harper. A quick little book that uses both science and humor to explore topics relating to relationships. Contains exercises and questions for you to consider as you have conversations about these subjects that aren’t always the easiest to discuss. 192 pages. (Finished 27 Apr 2019).
18. They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib. A collection of essays/short stories about music, growing up as a young black Muslim American. Subjects ranging from the experience of a Bruce Springsteen concert to the brilliance of Canadian pop-artist Carly Rae Jepson. 236 pages. (Finished 27 Apr 2019).
19. Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans by Michelle Tam & Henry Fong. The first cookbook by the couple behind Nom Nom Paleo. I like the second book best, but this still has some great foundational recipes in it. 288 pages. (Finished 4 May 2019).
20. If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. A beautiful love story about a couple torn apart by a racist system that has imprisoned a man for a crime he didn’t commit. 208 pages. (Finished 4 May 2019).
21. Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurraqib. Essays about one of the most influential hip hop groups of the genre. 216 pages. (Finished 25 May 2019).
22. Adèle by Leïla Slimani. On the outside, she is successful in both career and marriage. On the inside she is bored and consumed by desire. 224 pages. (Finished 13 Jul 2019).
23. Knife by Jo Nesbø. (Harry Hole #12). Harry is at almost rock bottom (again), his marriage is over, his career is basically over, and one of the worst criminals he’s put behind bars has been released from prison. 464 pages. (Finished 27 Jul 2019).
24. The Die is Cast by Jenny Rogneby. (Leona #1). Leona Lindberg is assigned to work a case for a daring daylight robbery. She’s a respected detective but she has demons of her own she’s battling. Can she keep her life under control and find the culprit? 465 pages. (Finished 17 Aug 2019).
25. Any Means Necessary by Jenny Rogneby. (Leona #2). After barely escaping the consequences of her last case, Leona is assigned to work the case of a man who blew himself up outside of the Parliament House but somehow survived. Still fighting her demons, will she be able to discover the motive of the bomber and survive the threats to herself? 448 pages. (Finished 14 Sep 2019).
26. Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook by Tyler Malek. The basics of the Salt & Straw world…plus some of the crazy concoctions. 240 pages. (Finished 17 Sep 2019).
27. Cast-Iron Cooking: Recipes & Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Cast-Iron Cookware by Rachael Narins. My friend wrote this book, its pretty cool. Its a nice intro to things you can cook in cast-iron. 96 pages. (Finished 24 Sep 2019).
28. From Freezer to Instant Pot: The Cookbook: How to Cook No-Prep Meals in Your Instant Pot Straight from Your Freezer by Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough. I wanted this to be something different than it was. It’s still good for what it is…things you can prepare for cooking, then freeze, then heat in the Instant Pot when ready to cook. 192 pages. (Finished 11 Oct 2019).
29. Preserving the Japanese Way: Traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern Kitchen by Nancy Singleton Hachisu. This book was super interesting and I wish I thought I’d do more of the ferments in it. I’d like to make my own soy sauce or miso for example. 400 pages. (Finished 11 Oct 2019).
30. Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami. The story of unlikely pair, the seasons, loneliness, and love. 192 pages. (Finished 22 Oct 2019).
31. Fäviken by Magnus Nilsson. More than just a cookbook, but the story behind the ethos of one of the worlds most unique restaurant experiences. 272 pages. (Finished 28 Oct 2019).
32. Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One by Anita Lo. I like to cook a lot, the problem is I often cook a lot and have left overs for days. I picked this up at the library looking for some inspiration for smaller meals. 256 pages. (Finished 5 Nov 2019).
33. Cast Iron: The Ultimate Cookbook by Rachael Narins. My friend wrote this one too! This book expands on her first book and has a lot more history about cast iron cookware as well as many more recipes. It also includes a section on current manufacturers along with some of their recipes. 848 pages. (Finished 6 Nov 2019).
34. The Food in Jars Kitchen: 140 Ways to Cook, Bake, Plate, and Share Your Homemade Pantry by Marisa McClellan. So you have a cupboard full of things you preserved. This book has inspiration on what to do with those creations. 240 pages. (Finished 6 Nov 2019).
35. Sous Vide at Home: The Modern Technique for Perfectly Cooked Meals by Lisa Q Fetterman. A bunch of recipes for sous vide cooking. 288 pages. (Finished 9 Nov 2019).
36. The Chef and the Slow Cooker: A Cookbook by Hugh Acheson. This book attempts to take slow cooker meals up a notch with restaurant ideas. As a result, I didn’t find the book as helpful as many of the recipes were more complex than I’d generally want to cook at home. 256 pages. (Finished 24 Nov 2019).
37. The Volunteer: One Man’s Mission to Lead an Underground Army Inside Auschwitz and Stop the Holocaust by Jack Fairweather. The story of Witold Pilecki, a member of the Polish resistance in WWII who volunteered to enter Auschwitz and try and sabotage and gain intelligence in the fight against the Nazis. 416 pages. (Finished 30 Nov 2019).
38. The Gaijin Cookbook: Japanese Recipes from a Chef, Father, Eater, and Lifelong Outsider by Ivan Orkin. From the chef behind Ivan Ramen, a book about his love of Japan, its food, and how his American Jewish background has influenced his cooking. 256 pages. (Finished 9 Dec 2019).
39. American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta by Evan Funke. A guide to making the very best pasta you can make at home. 272 pages. (Finished 13 Dec 2019).
40. Everyday is Saturday by Sarah Copeland. I picked this up from the library looking for inspiration for healthy meals to make during the week. In the end, I didn’t see myself making many meals from this book, but I enjoyed the book as a whole. 256 pages. (Finished 14 Dec 2019).
41. Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman. A follow up to her first cookbook Dining In, this book is a bunch of unassuming recipes for having folks over. 320 pages. (Finished 15 Dec 2019).
42. Salt Smoke Time: Homesteading and Heritage Techniques for the Modern Kitchen by Will Horowitz. I was super interested to read this book, and I enjoyed it a lot. However, I don’t forage, fish, or hunt as much as I would need to for this book to be more pratical for me. 320 pages. (Finished 19 Dec 2019).
43. Mostly Plants: 101 Delicious Flexitarian Recipes from the Pollan Family by Tracy, Dana, Lori, & Corky Pollan. This book made the cut and became part of my cookbook library. These recipes are great and there are lots of great ideas for incorporating more vegetables in your diet (something I’m trying to do). 272 pages. (Finished 23 Dec 2019).
44. Oaxaca: The Food of the Region, and of LA’s legendary restaurant Guelaguetza by Bricia Lopez. This book doesn’t hold anything back from the restaurant menu. All the dishes are there. I’d like to make the mole someday. 288 pages. (Finished 28 Dec 2019).
45. Sous Vide: Better Home Cooking by Hugh Acheson. I liked this book better than the slow cooker book. 288 pages. (Finished 30 Dec 2019).