Underground by Will Hunt

Underground by Will Hunt ISBN-13: 9780812996746 Hardback: 288 pages Publisher: Spiegel & Grau Released: Jan. 29, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
An exploration of our relationship with the worlds beneath our feet. Will Hunt is an urban adventurer who has explored caves and catacombs, subway systems, ghostly mines, and all varieties of holes in the ground. He's tracked down people who, for one reason or another, have shared his underground fixation. Hunt explores Paris underground, the famous network of underground dwellings in Turkey, and the hallowed caves of the Australian outback; he descends eight thousand feet into abandoned mines in South Dakota with NASA scientists and experiments with time alone in absolute darkness. This is a thought-provoking excursion into both the deepest recesses of the earth and the primal longings of the human psyche.


My Review:
Underground is the author's musings about mankind's relationship with underground spaces. The author explained how he got interested in underground spaces. He told about a few of his adventures underground, but he mainly focused on how mankind has related to underground spaces throughout history, usually in religious ways. He related everything to the evolutionary past, from explaining the idea that life may have first come about underground to how evolution has made humans ill-equipped to process underground spaces.

The author talked about how myths often assign scary religious places to the underground realm, how mining men often appeased underworld deities in hopes of preserving their lives, and the Maya cave cult. He talked about underground cities and bunkers, underground graffiti and cave art, and how it was difficult for people to map underground areas. He also talked about people getting lost underground or studying sensory deprivation and sleep cycles in caves. This book might be most interesting to people like the author who are especially drawn by underground spaces.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Country Scenes in Acrylic by Jerry Yarnell

Country Scenes in Acrylic by Jerry Yarnell ISBN-13: 9781440350221 Paperback: 114 pages Publisher: North Light Books Released: Jan. 22, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Best-selling author, instructor and PBS TV show host, Jerry Yarnell delivers his latest offering with dozens of all new lessons and 8 full step-by-step landscape painting projects. Features detailed materials lists and advice on how to set up a palette. Learn the terms and techniques necessary to achieve your desired effects. Get lessons on color mixing, composition, negative space, perspective, values and more. With his signature, easy-to-follow style, Jerry Yarnell provides the instruction needed to help you learn how to bring life and beauty to your acrylic landscape paintings. He explains techniques for painting the sky, rivers, meadows, flowers, cottages, barns and many other elements of country landscapes and provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction for 8 complete painting demonstrations.


My Review:
Country Scenes in Acrylic is an art instruction book on using acrylic paints to create country landscapes that include buildings. This is a good book for beginners, though perhaps not complete beginners since he didn't include much advice specific to acrylics. His focus was more on painting techniques. He started by describing the specific tools and materials that he recommended and which you will need to complete the demonstration paintings. He defined some painting terms, described various techniques, talked about color, and provided formulas for mixing common colors that will be used in the demonstrations.

He provided step-by-step instructions for 8 country scene paintings that showed how to create buildings (barns, cottages, etc.), fences, flowers, rivers, trees, etc. The instructions and illustrations were clear and easy to follow. Each painting had some new challenges, but the basics of how to achieve each effect was described so it can be achieved with practice. Overall, I'd recommend this book to acrylic painters interested in learning his style of painting landscapes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Complete Guide to Soap Carving by Janet Bolyard

Complete Guide to Soap Carving by Janet Bolyard ISBN-13: 9781565239210 Paperback: 160 pages Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing Released: Sept. 11, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
This comprehensive guide provides everything readers need to know about carving soap, from basic carving methods for beginners to sophisticated techniques for accomplished artists. Complete Guide to Soap Carving shows how to choose the best carving soap, and how to test soap for carving quality. Twenty-six step-by-step projects range from quick carvings to elaborate soap sculptures. Fun and easy-to-learn, soap carving is a perfect craft for children, who won't need to handle sharp knives--this book shows how to make simple wooden carving tools that are safe for kids.


My Review:
Complete Guide to Soap Carving teaches the reader how to carve soap. The author started by demonstrating how to make simple, wooden carving tools from popsicle sticks. (These are safer to use than wood carving tools.) She also explained how to select soap for carving and the basic carving techniques. She provided illustrated step-by-step instructions on how to make 26 different soap sculptures like the ones on the front cover. She included templates in the back of the book for the animals and objects in the projects.

Most of these projects created 3D sculptures, but a few involved simply carving a shape into the front of the soap. Many of the projects were beginner projects, but she also included more advanced projects. This looks like a fun craft to try and it doesn't take a lot of time or expense. Most of the projects take 15 to 45 minutes, with a few of the more advanced projects taking an hour or two. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in carving soap to make cute, stylized animals and objects.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Calligraphic Drawing by Schin Loong

Calligraphic Drawing by Schin Loong ISBN-13: 9781631593338 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Rockport Publishers Released: Nov. 13, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Calligraphic Drawing, written and illustrated by artist Schin Loong, is a step-by-step guide to the pictorial side of calligraphy. Learn how to make calligraphic flourishes, then apply the technique to draw 15 different flourished animals. You'll also find instructions for embellishing letters and drawing ornamental cartouches.

With her fresh approach to this age-old art form, Schin will take you confidently through each step, from choosing your pen, nib, and ink, to creating calligraphic animals that express your own imagination and artistry. The basic steps for the strokes are simple, but as you learn each new pattern and stroke, you'll watch your drawings develop into ever more complex and beautiful compositions.

By following the step-by-step instructions, you can create stunning drawings of a pigeon, swan, crane, rooster, jellyfish, goldfish, peacock, parrot, owl, raccoon, elephant, puppy, rabbit, fox, and zebra. Each exercise includes a photo of the animal, followed by an illustration and written guidance for each numbered step. You'll find helpful tips and encouragement throughout. At the back, a gallery showcase provides examples of Schin's own artwork to inspire you in your own flourishing pursuits.


My Review:
Calligraphic Drawing teaches how to use a nib pen, ink, and paper to create calligraphic flourishes of animals and how to draw ornamental cartouches. The author taught how to create your own designs and provided exercises to help you master the basic strokes. It's not just about copying the author but really learning to do it for yourself. She started with advice about selecting the basic equipment and keeping it working well. She demonstrated some basic strokes and gets you to practice them (and your own variations on them) with some exercises and a simple quill flourish example.

Finally, she did step-by-step instructions for drawing a pigeon (2 ways), swan, crane, rooster, jellyfish, goldfish, peacock, parrot, owl, raccoon, elephant, puppy, rabbit, fox, and zebra. She also demonstrated drawing ornamental cartouches and adding words to your animals. The author showed the steps she goes through to come up with a design--from photo to finished piece--so you can do it for yourself and in your own style.

She tended to exaggerate a feature on each animal (for example, the peacock had such a huge tail that it wouldn't be able to walk), but it's very easy for each person to modify the design to one they prefer. I found this book to be very helpful and encouraging. I think it'd be useful for those experienced at calligraphy but also for those who have never picked up a nib pen before.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Whole-Body Microbiome by B. Brett Finlay; Jessica M. Finlay

The Whole-Body Microbiome by B. Brett Finlay & Jessica M. Finlay ISBN-13: 9781615194810 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: The Experiment Released: Jan. 2, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Biochemist Brett Finlay and gerontology expert Jessica Finlay have discovered that microbes play a crucial role in how we age. In this book, they explore the unique composition of all the microbiomes in the human body, not just in the gut. They present current and emerging research on microbial interventions for the full spectrum of age-related conditions, from sun spots to Alzheimer’s, cancer, and more.


My Review:
The Whole-Body Microbiome is about what scientists have learned about mice microbiomes. Almost every study described in this book was a study done on mice rather than humans. This can give us an idea of what might work in humans, but mice aren't humans. The other studies tended to be population studies, so the cause and effect are not as certain. Beyond suggesting some changes in diet and avoiding antibiotics unless really needed, there was not a lot of practical advice for right now. Mostly, they talked about areas of future study and things that may be available in the future. The overall format of the book was to focus on a part of the body (not just the gut), briefly describe what we know about the human microbiome in that area, and describe various common chronic conditions and diseases where changes in the microbiota might help (mostly based on findings from studies on mice).


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.