Electric Brain by R. Douglas Fields

Electric Brain by R. Douglas Fields ISBN-13: 9781946885456 Paperback: 480 pages Publisher: BenBella Books Released: Feb. 4, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
From the moment a reclusive German doctor discovered waves of electricity radiating from the heads of his patients in the 1920s, brainwaves have sparked astonishment and intrigue. Now, it is clear that these silent broadcasts can actually reveal a stunning wealth of information about any one of us. Neuroscientist and author R. Douglas Fields takes us on a journey into the world of brainwaves in this in-depth look at the most recent findings in brain science.

Fields explores groundbreaking research that shows brainwaves can: Reveal the type of brain you have—its strengths and weaknesses and your aptitude for learning different types of information, allow scientists to watch your brain learn, glean your intelligence, and even tell how adventurous you are, expose hidden dysfunctions—including signifiers of mental illness and neurological disorders, render your thoughts and transmit them to machines and back from machines into your brain, meld minds by telepathically transmitting information from one brain to another, and enable individuals to rewire their own brains and improve cognitive performance.

Written by one of the neuroscientists on the cutting edge of brainwave research, Electric Brain tells a fascinating and obscure story of discovery, explains the latest science, and looks to the future—and the exciting possibilities in store for medicine, technology, and our understanding of ourselves.


My Review:
Electric Brain talked about the past, present, and potential future of brainwave research. This book was written by someone who is actively researching in this field, so he provided in-depth scientific detail about how the brain works and what the latest research has found. This is not a popular science book. The book started off with a rather gross history of the sometimes unethical research done to discover what brain waves are and how they can be manipulated. If you don't like descriptions of things like kittens having their brains scooped out, skip the first 15% of this book. The author also described his visits to some of the research labs (past and present).

He described the current research being done on brain waves and the debates among experts about what is causing what. He went into detail about the many things that can go wrong with the brain and what might be done to fix them. He described things like brain waves during a coma, general anesthesia, and sleep. The last half of the book talked about applying the current research to create brain to computer interfaces, crude telepathy, thought control of an animal or another human, and in identifying potential abilities or diagnosing neurological disorders. He also talked about future applications that people are dreaming about developing and ways people are currently altering brain waves (neurofeedback, electrical brain stimulation, magnetic stimulation, meditation, and brainwave gadgets). The main thing I learned from this book is that we really don't know what we're doing yet, but that's not stopping anyone.


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.

Eat Your Vitamins by Mascha Davis

Eat Your Vitamins by Mascha Davis ISBN-13: 9781507211359 Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: Adams Media Released: January 21st 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The A-to-Z guide to essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, so you can ditch synthetic supplements and promote health naturally with nourishing foods. Vitamins and minerals are the building blocks of good health. The accepted solution is to take supplements created in a lab, but the dosage and interactions can be confusing, and supplements are loosely regulated and not always foolproof, especially since our bodies are designed to receive nutrients from natural, whole foods.

Eat Your Vitamins features fifty key vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients essential to your health. You will find clear definitions of each nutrient along with the role it plays in the body, how it is best consumed and absorbed, recommended daily doses, and detailed lists of foods and natural sources that contain the vitamin along with a recipe for a nutrient-rich meal.


My Review:
Eat Your Vitamins is about vitamins and minerals. The author listed 43 entries covering essential vitamins and minerals as well as things like amino acids, antioxidants, cobalt, fiber, omega 3s, water, and sleep. She started with a brief explanation of why you should get your vitamins and minerals from food rather than synthetic supplements. However, the rest of the book focused more on information about the vitamins and minerals rather than the food. Each entry talked about what that nutrient does in your body, the signs of deficiency, how much you need, if you can get too much, and listed about 9 to 13 food sources high in that nutrient. She also included a recipe using foods high in that nutrient. Overall, I'd recommend this book to someone wanting to know more about vitamins and minerals. However, it did not contain very extensive information on what foods to eat to meet your needs.

I should also mention that when she talked about choline, she repeated a recommendation that is not based off of studies (which she admits) but which suggests everyone needs to eat an egg a day (which is not true). I'd recommend that you look up Dr. Greger's videos at nutritionfacts.org about choline as you can get an unhealthy amount of it.


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.

Creative Alcohol Inks by Ashley Mahlberg

Creative Alcohol Inks by Ashley Mahlberg ISBN-13: 9781631597916 Paperback: 144 pages Publisher: Quarry Books Released: January 21st 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Creative Alcohol Inks, artist and Instagrammer Ashley Mahlberg of @inkreel shares step-by-step techniques for creating spontaneous, organic effects with this vibrant transparent medium. Get an overview of essential materials, substrates, and finishes. Explore techniques for applying alcohol inks, such as pouring, creating texture, lifting, masking, adding embellishments, and more. Learn helpful troubleshooting tips and tricks. Use what you’ve learned to create one-of-a-kindartworks and stylish projects. Perfect for creative beginners.


My Review:
Creative Alcohol Inks explains how to use alcohol inks to create abstract art. The author started by talking about supplies and how to safely use alcohol inks. She then talked in some detail about various techniques for applying and moving the ink. She also talked about how to choose good color combinations, create a composition, and find inspiration. She then explained how to protect the artwork so that it withstands light and handling (as several of the projects are crafts that are intended to be used--a coaster, picture frames, a ornament, greeting cards). She finished with 12 step-by-step projects that used the techniques that were earlier explained. Overall, I'd recommend this book to beginners interested in using alcohol ink to create abstract art.


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.

Cauliflower Power by Lindsay Grimes Freedman

Cauliflower Power by Lindsay Grimes Freedman ISBN-13: 9781579659011 Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Artisan Released: January 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
This book shows how this versatile veggie, cauliflower, can be used in all your meals to make everything from blueberry muffins and a Mediterranean salad to cauliflower-crust pizza, Buffalo wings, tostadas, and gnocchi—even chocolate mousse and strawberry ice cream.


My Review:
Cauliflower Power is a cookbook of gluten-free recipes that use cauliflower. Some of these are simply dishes that use cauliflower as a vegetable, but she also uses cauliflower in granola, dough, a veggie burger, steaks, as rice, etc. The recipes were largely meat-free, but she did use eggs, dairy, and honey. A number of the dishes used a lot of dairy – half a stick of butter, a cup of cheese, etc. Many of the recipes use gluten-free flours, but otherwise she used easy to find ingredients. She frequently has you use a food processor and/or a high-speed blender.

The instructions were clear, but some recipes were fairly complicated. As I'm not trying to avoid gluten, I see no point in spending that much time on special, gluten-free ways of making a dish (especially as these often used dairy, which I do avoid). I was mostly interested in interesting ways to use cauliflower, and there are some recipes here that I will try.

The author started by explaining the five main ways to process cauliflower: whole head, steaks, florets, rice, and meal. She included 19 recipes for breakfast, 10 recipes for lunch (salads, wraps, bread, etc.), 8 recipes for stacks, 17 recipes for dinner, 14 recipes for sides, and 12 recipes for desserts. Each recipe included the serving size. Many of the recipes had pictures of the finished dish and some had pictures of the process.


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 Healthspan Solution by Raymond J. Cronise; Julieanna Hever M.S., R.D.

The Healthspan Solution by Raymond J. Cronise; Julieanna Hever M.S., R.D. ISBN-13: 9781465490070 Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Alpha Books Released: December 17th 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Increase your lifespan and optimize your health with plant-based recipes for a longer, more vibrant life. Authors and leading plant-based nutrition experts Julieanna Hever and Ray Cronise have spent over a decade researching diet and nutrition, analyzing longevity studies, and helping their clients achieve sustainable, lasting health benefits by adopting a whole food, plant-based diet.

In The Healthspan Solution, they share the simple and effective diet that has allowed their clients to lose weight, reverse disease, reduce or eliminate medication use, and achieve optimal health. This accessible and easy-to-follow guide examines the health risks posed by typical Western eating habits and explains how a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices can lead to lower blood pressure, healthy weight management, and longer life. Their approach challenges the conventional idea of breakfast, lunch, and dinner and focuses instead on soups, salads, sides, and sweets. With 100 delicious recipes to choose from, The Healthspan Solution make adopting a plant-based lifestyle simple and sustainable.


My Review:
The Healthspan Solution talked about longevity and how diet influences longevity, plus they included 100+ whole food, plant-based recipes. They talked about things like the evolutionary theory of aging, the biological pathways of longevity, and why they suggestion eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. I found their arrogant attitude to be rather off-putting. Rather than explain the science behind why some current eating trends are unhealthy, they would basically just say: we know better so just do what we say. The science mostly focused on the longevity aspects and was from an evolutionary viewpoint.

They also made statements like: most of the world is over nourished, so we shouldn't worry about being deficient in nutrients anymore. They don't seem to realize how much of the world is still in food poverty. Ironically, they then talk about several supplements you should take. They also assure the reader that food can create the changes that allow longevity now, but drug companies will soon have more effective interventions (basically, pills for longevity). Er, that kind of takes away one's motivation to change their diet. They also mostly focused on people who are not sick yet rather than addressing how people with health problems can use food to get better (even though eating this way does help with diabetes, cancer, etc.).

The second half of the book contained recipes, and most of the recipes had photos of the dishes. The recipes included prep time, cook time, and yield. They're aiming for awesome taste rather than ease of making the recipe, so some recipes are easier than others. Some of the recipes had long lists of ingredients, including ingredients that might be difficult to find locally. They were very specific about ingredients, like Mexican oregano rather than just oregano. They suggest getting ingredients online if you can't find them locally. They included 24 recipes for soups, 24 recipes for salads, 24 recipes for side and main dishes, 14 recipes for sweets (mostly involving fruit), and 24 recipes for dressings, sauces, and seasonings.


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 Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook by Dianne Wenz

The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook by Dianne Wenz ISBN-13: 9781646112272 Paperback: 184 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: December 31st 2019

Source: review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
There are vegan cookbooks and then there’s truly healthy vegan cookbooks. The problem is, there are so many vegan foods that are loaded with processed sugars, white flour, and unhealthy fats and not many vegan cookbooks that address it. The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook is for anyone looking to remove these additional, unnatural contents, and enhance their, already noble, animal-friendly, dietary lifestyle.

Beginning with the top 10 most common vegan diet mistakes, The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook delivers recipes, like Piña Colada Green Smoothies or Crispy Artichoke Tacos, filled with diverse flavor, all within a narrow ingredient checklist. And don’t worry—unlike other vegan cookbooks, an occasional comfort-food cheat is human and encouraged. The goal is to get away from using them as a regular part of your daily menu.


My Review:
The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook is a whole-food, vegan cookbook. She explained how a vegan diet can still be unhealthy and how to make it healthy. Most of these recipes were made with ingredients that should be easy to find. The meal recipes usually served 4 to 6 people. Some recipes took 20 minutes while others took over an hour. I've made a few of the recipes and have enjoyed them (like the Chickpea Cacciatore, which was was a family favorite). They weren't very complex to make. I expect we'll be using this cookbook a lot. I'd recommend it to those wanting to eat healthy meals more often.

She had 10 basic recipes (sauces, dressings, etc.), 10 recipes for breakfast, 11 recipes for salads, 10 recipes for soups and stews, 10 recipes for sandwichs, wraps, and burgers, 8 recipes for sides, 10 recipes for dinner main meals, 11 recipes for pasta and rice, and 10 recipes for desserts. Each recipe included preparation and cooking time and contained the nutritional information of calories, total fat, total carbs, fiber, sugar, protein, and sodium. She also indicated if a recipe was gluten-, soy-, nut-, or oil-free. There was a picture of one recipe in each section.


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.

Life Drawing for Artists by Chris Legaspi

Life Drawing for Artists by Chris Legaspi ISBN-13: 9781631598012 Paperback: 176 pages Publisher: Rockport Publishers Released: December 24th 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Life Drawing for Artists teaches a contemporary approach to figure drawing that includes both the familiar poses—standing, sitting, lying down—but also how to capture figures in movement and in more dynamic and engaging positions.

Author Chris Legaspi is a dedicated, life-long artist and admired instructor who is known for his dynamic figurative drawings and paintings, and as a successful illustrator in the entertainment industry. Life Drawing for Artists shows how to build your skills by combining fundamental building blocks, such as gesture lines, shape and design, structure, value control, and edge or line control. He explains techniques for both quick timed drawings and longer detailed drawings. The book covers important topics, such as drawing different views, understanding perspective, foreshortening strategies, and how to deal with various lighting conditions. The examples and tutorials explore virtually every pose scenario, as well as many active and dynamic movements.


My Review:
Life Drawing for Artists explains the author's approach to life drawing in pencil. While I recognize that life drawing is done from live people in the nude, I was surprised to see photographs of models in the nude (full frontal, side, and rear). And I was curious as to why the women were nude (with one exception) but the male model got to wear tight underpants.

Anyway, he started by describing the tools and materials that he uses. The first fourth of the book provided definitions of various terms and techniques. His definitions for these terms were sometimes not quite what I'm used to, so it was useful to know what he meant by them. Then he gave tips about how he would go about drawing a 1 to 2 minute pose, a slightly longer pose, an even longer pose, and so on. He then talked about how he would go about drawing the head, torso, and so on. He covered anatomy and points on the anatomy to identify to draw the person in correct proportion and perspective. He covered many different types of positions and poses.

I never quite understood how he chose his initial line or why he starts with an exaggerated "gesture" line that is not a guiding line (down the spine or an outline). He would say something in the text and sometimes I couldn't see it in the illustration. For example, he said to find shapes on the person and then seemed to haphazardly choose shapes, sometimes with no reason that I could identify. Some people might understand what he's talking about because they also think that way, but I had trouble following what he was trying to explain.


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.