How to Survive in Ancient Greece by Robert Garland

How to Survive in Ancient Greece by Robert Garland ISBN-13: 9781526754707 Paperback: 184 pages Publisher: Pen and Sword History Released: August 19th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Imagine you were transported back in time to Ancient Greece and you had to start a new life there. How would you fit in? Where would you live? What would you eat? Where would you go to have your hair done? Who would you go to if you got ill, or if you were mugged in the street? All these questions, and many more, will be answered in this new how-to guide for time travellers. This lively and engaging book will help the reader deal with the many problems and new experiences that they will face, and also help them to thrive in this strange new environment.


My Review:
How to Survive in Ancient Greece talked about what daily life was like in Athens during the classical period (specifically in 420 BC). The author used a humorous tone but provided good, educational material. He covered war, work, family, food and clothing, class/social structure, politics, religion, entertainment, marriage, travel, crime, trials, slavery, medical practices, illness, and death. He talked about the differences in how men, women, and children were treated as well as the difference between slaves, poor, and rich. After talking about the different aspects of life, the author had pretend interviews with different types of people (teenage girl, widow, crime victim, politician, philosopher, etc.) talking about their life in ancient Athens. Overall, I'd recommend this entertaining way to learn more about daily life in classical Athens (and some about Sparta).


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.

Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook by Linda Larsen

Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook by Linda Larsen ISBN-13: 978-1646115358 Paperback: 158 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: June 2, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
Just because you’ve switched to a meat-free diet doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy deep-fried delicacies. You can still feast on fantastic fried food while staying healthy—The Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook shows you how. Featuring more than 75 delicious recipes, this is your go-to guide for whipping up your favorite veggie-based meals using one appliance—your air fryer. You can use your air fryer to sauté, steam, simmer, stir-fry, bake, and so much more. Loaded with yummy favorites like Apple Fritters and Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, this is the air fryer cookbook you need to add a little versatility to your kitchen game.

The Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook teaches you all the basics for getting the most out of this ultimate cooking machine. All of the recipes in this air fryer cookbook include easy-to-find ingredients and helpful cooking tips that get your meals on the table faster. Discover dozens of recipes designed for pure vegetarians, flexitarians, and even multiple-diet households.


My Review:
Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook is a vegetarian cookbook where the meals are cooked in an air fryer. The recipes use eggs and dairy. The ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get. She included 15 recipes for breakfast and breads, 15 recipes for snacks and bites, 16 recipes for side dishes, 15 recipes for main dishes, and 15 recipes for desserts. These recipes included dishes like a roasted salad, fruit in blankets, granola, several types of pizzas, and cinnamon coated balls. Some could as easily be cooked in other ways, but the point is to find new ways to utilize your air fryer.

Many of these recipes serve around four people and take under 45 minutes to make. Each recipe included prep time, cook time, how much is made, frying temperature, ingredients, instructions, cooking tips, substitution tips, and recipe variations. The recipes were labeled with: fry, bake, grill, roast, five ingredients, 30 minutes, family-friendly (which uses common ingredients and should appeal to adults and children), and gluten-free. Each recipe also had nutritional information per serving: calories, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, and fiber. There was usually only one or two pictures of a finished recipe for each section of recipes.


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.

Bread Winner by Emma Griffin

Bread Winner by Emma Griffin ISBN-13: 9780300230062 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Yale University Press Released: June 9th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
The overlooked story of how ordinary women and their husbands managed financially in the Victorian era – and why so many struggled despite increasing national prosperity

Nineteenth century Britain saw remarkable economic growth and a rise in real wages. But not everyone shared in the nation’s wealth. Unable to earn a sufficient income themselves, working-class women were reliant on the ‘breadwinner wage’ of their husbands. When income failed, or was denied or squandered by errant men, families could be plunged into desperate poverty from which there was no escape.

Emma Griffin unlocks the homes of Victorian England to examine the lives – and finances – of the people who lived there. Drawing on over 600 working-class autobiographies, including more than 200 written by women, Bread Winner changes our understanding of daily life in Victorian Britain.


My Review:
Bread Winner is a detailed look at how the increasing male wages of the Victorian period didn't necessarily mean that the women and children in British working-class families also experienced more financial security. The author looked at autobiographies of both men and women during the period of the 1830s up to 1914, and she sometimes compared this to information gleaned from autobiographies written before the 1830s. She talked about different aspects of finances and life, summarizing information gleaned from these autobiographies and including a few quotes to give an idea of what specifically was said. She covered information about when women took paid work and what their wages were able to buy versus when men took paid work and their wage rates. She also talked about the importance of the unpaid work that women did at home, and how women were deliberately forced to depend on men's wages for financial security due to the unequal wage rates.

The author also talked about the various reasons for the male wages to be insufficient to support the family and statistical rates of these reasons occurring in the autobiographies. These ranged from the choice of the men to not share their full wages to injury or inconsistent work. She talked about how women worked out of the home or with her husband to supplement his wages or what they did to support the family when the husband was injured or abandoned them. She explored how working men were treated as special with increased respect and better food, and how children sometimes had to find other ways to get food when there wasn't enough money to feed everyone. She ended by talking about how children viewed their mother and their father in terms of how they fulfilled their roles more than with emotional words like "love." Overall, this is not an entertaining read, but it's very informative. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in how male/female roles and wages changed in England from the 1800s to the 1900s.


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.

Herbal Medicine for Emotional Healing by Tina Sams

Herbal Medicine for Emotional Healing by Tina Sams ISBN-13: 978-1646119974 Paperback: 174 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: June 16th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
Employ gentle yet effective plant medicines to support your emotional well-being. These herbal medicine remedies can work to relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety, phobias, and stress―or provide aid during times of grief or worry. Explore the basics of herbal medicine and its many emotional applications. Learn to make teas, tinctures, salves, and other simple but potent preparations, all with key safety guidelines.

Herbal Medicine for Emotional Healing includes: 101 rejuvenating recipes―Make targeted formulas like Fear of Flying Tincture, Sore Muscle Salve, Soothe-the-Mood Syrup, Sleep Potion, and more. 31 herbal allies―Find the therapeutic uses of individual herbs, plus their key cautions and interactions, common preparations, and recommended doses.


My Review:
Herbal Medicine for Emotional Healing provides herbal recipes to help relieve stress, depression, anxiety, and grief. The author started by talking about using herbs and described how to make your own infusions, salves, tinctures, etc. She then included 101 recipes for 30 conditions. She had sections for a variety of different emotional issues (like anger, anxiety, panic, grief, stress, baby blues) and physical, related issues (like tense muscles, headaches, upset stomach, poor sleep, and poor circulation). She also covered things like PMS and better concentration. The recipes ranged from teas, tinctures, and salves to shampoos and facial masks. These recipes looked relatively easy to do as long as you have access to the fairly common herbs used.

She then included profiles for 31 herbs; these herbs were used in her recipes. Each profile was about a page long and covered the herb's Latin name, common names, a brief description of the herb and traditional uses, the herb's energetics, therapeutic actions, what issues it's used to address, the part of the plant used, how it is used (tea, tincture, salve, etc.), common medicinal uses, recommended dosing, and safety considerations. The profiles were not very extensive but provided good, basic information. Overall, I'd recommend this book to beginners at using herbs who would like recipes for these types of issues.


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.

A Dark History of Tea by Seren Charrington-Hollins

A Dark History of Tea by Seren Charrington-Hollins ISBN-13: 9781526761606 Hardcover: 248 pages Publisher: Pen and Sword History Released: June 19th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Renowned food historian Seren Charrington-Hollins digs into the history of one of the world's oldest beverages, tracing tea's significance on the tables of the high and mighty as well as providing relief for workers who had to contend with the ardours of manual labour. This humble herbal infusion has been used in burial rituals, as a dowry payment for aristocrats; it has fuelled wars and spelled fortunes as it built empires and sipped itself into being an integral part of the cultural fabric of British life. This book delves into the less tasteful history of a drink now considered quintessentially British. It tells the story of how, carried on the backs of the cruelty of slavery and illicit opium smuggling, it flowed into the cups of British society as an enchanting beverage.

The story of tea takes the reader on a fascinating journey from myth, fable and folklore to murky stories of swindling, adulteration, greed, waging of wars, boosting of trade in hard drugs and slavery and the great, albeit dark engines that drove the globalisation of the world economy. All of this is spattered with interesting facts about tea etiquette, tradition and illicit liaisons making it an enjoyable rollercoaster of dark discoveries that will cast away any thoughts of tea as something that merely accompanies breaks, sit downs and biscuits.


My Review:
A Dark History of Tea is a history of tea from the British viewpoint. The author talked about how the British first imported tea as a medicinal herb and how the desire for more tea led to the Opium Wars and the increased use of opium in Britain, as well. The author talked about the high taxes that led to smuggling, how people added chemicals and leaves of other plants to the tea to make it cheaper and how this led to health problems for those who drank a large amount of tea, how the British tea time developed (etiquette, superstitions, teaware, dresses), and how tea was once linked with seduction. The author also talked about how tea was planted in India, what life was like for the workers on these tea plantations, the tea auctions in Britain, how tea went from being imported in blocks to loose leaf to the development and slow acceptance of tea bags. The book ended with things like the popularity of tea leaf readings and instructions on how to do it. It was an interesting overview of the history of British involvement with tea and how the harm done was hidden by propaganda or advertising.


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.

Drawing and Painting Botanicals for Artists by Karen Kluglein

Drawing and Painting Botanicals for Artists by Karen Kluglein ISBN-13: 9781631598579 Paperback: 144 pages Publisher: Rockport Publishers Released: June 16th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Drawing and Painting Botanicals for Artists, eminent botanical artist and veteran workshop instructor Karen Kluglein reveals her secrets for rendering leaves, flowers, berries, and branches both accurately and beautifully. The book begins with a brief history of the art form, followed by guidance on developing observational skills for this genre, key botanical terms and concepts, and the differences among botanical illustration, botanical art, and flower painting. The chapters that follow offer detailed guidance and demonstrations for drawing and painting botanicals in a variety of mediums:

Drawing. Explore loose gestural drawing, precise measuring and rendering, and working from photographs with graphite, colored pencil, finepoint markers, pen and ink, and silverpoint.

Painting. Master color mixing, washes, layering, gradations, values, and adding details in watercolor, gouache, and acrylic, plus guidance on adding “personality” to your work and knowing when a painting is done.


My Review:
Drawing and Painting Botanicals for Artists focused on how to draw or paint botanicals. For a book "for artists," she spent a lot of time describing the basic materials, tools, terms, and techniques needed for the different mediums – graphite pencils, colored pencils, fine point markers, silverpoint, watercolor, and gouache. She then provided step-by-step instruction on how to accurately draw or paint leaves, flowers and petals, fruits and berries, stems and branches. The instruction focused a lot on what things to look at and consider when trying to accurately replicate the live plant or a plant in a photograph. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those wanting to learn how to or improve their realistic, botanical drawings or paintings.


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.

Illustration Studio: Inking Florals by Isa Down

Illustration Studio: Inking Florals by Isa Down ISBN-13: 9781633228368 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing Released: June 16th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
You will love learning to work with ink, pencil, and watercolor as you create your own favorite plants and flowers. Step-by-step projects feature popular flowers, including poppies, peonies, roses, freesias, snapdragons, and more, for a wide variety of well-loved plants. Illustration Studio: Inking Florals opens with an introduction to plant structure. Essential tools and materials are covered as well, and then you can learn all about drawing basics, ink shading tips, and watercolor techniques so that you have some basic knowledge before getting started on the more than 15 step-by-step drawing projects that round out the book.


My Review:
Illustration Studio: Inking Florals is an art instruction book on how to draw flowers. The author started by briefly covering materials and tools, then she described the basic steps she uses: study the reference photo in detail to see how the different parts (petals, stems, leaves, etc.) are shaped, use a pencil to draw the outline of the flower and the basic shapes, use an ink pen to draw over the shapes and then add details, then add color using watercolor. She assumed that you have a basic knowledge of watercolor as this was usually one step with general instructions like 'paint red over the petals.' There also wasn't much instruction specific to drawing with ink. Rather, the focus was on how to draw flowers.

There were step-by-step instructions for creating 16 different flowers. The first step of each showed the different shapes of the flower "pulled out" by themselves for you to trace or practice drawing before working on the actual flower. At the end of the book, there were some tips for creating bouquets or adding animals. This book seemed to be aimed at beginners who don't have much experience in drawing (since she suggests tracing) yet she also didn't do much hand-holding in terms of describing techniques. Probably the most useful step was where she demonstrated how to draw the different petal, stem, etc. shapes seen in a reference photo, so this may benefit people struggling with that.


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.

Vegan Soul Food Cookbook by Nadira Jenkins-El

Vegan Soul Food Cookbook by Nadira Jenkins-El ISBN-13: 9781646117215 Paperback: 178 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: June 16th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
101 tasty recipes for vegan soul food―100% plant-based recipes. If you love classic soul food but are hungry for healthier meat-free and dairy-free options, the Vegan Soul Food Cookbook will help you make mouthwatering, plant-based meals that are sure to surprise and delight your whole family. From Cajun Fried “Chicken” to Barbecue Riblets, this complete soul food cookbook delivers loads of satisfying flavor without relying on butter, sugar, and meat. These vegan recipes will tantalize your taste buds, and you’ll be eating smarter and healthier every day.


My Review:
Vegan Soul Food Cookbook is a vegan cookbook that focused on making dishes with similar tastes and textures to favorite southern recipes. She generally used whole food or minimally processed ingredients, but the focus was on replicating meat dishes (without the meat) so she used textured vegetable protein, vital wheat gluten, store-bought vegan butter and mayonnaise, etc. She briefly mentioned that you should buy organic corn and soy products due to the GMO issue. Almost all of the ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get.

Most of the 101 recipes served 4 to 6 people and took around 20-60 minutes to make. She included 9 recipes for breakfast, 10 recipes for salads, 10 recipes for soups and stews, 21 recipes for appetizers and sides, 21 recipes for main dishes, 12 recipes for sauces, seasonings, and dressings, 8 recipes for breads, rolls, and biscuits, and 10 recipes for desserts. The recipes provided the preparation time, cooking time, serving size, ingredients, instructions, and substitution tips. She labeled if a recipe was gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, oil-free, or 30 minutes or less. There was usually only one picture of a finished recipe for each section of recipes.


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.

Sons of the Waves by Stephen Taylor

Sons of the Waves by Stephen Taylor ISBN-13: 9780300245714 Hardcover: 416 pages Publisher: Yale University Press Released: May 19th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
British maritime history in the age of sail is full of the deeds of officers like Nelson, but has given little voice to plain, "illiterate" seamen. Now Stephen Taylor draws on published and unpublished memoirs, letters, and naval records, including court-martials and petitions, to present these men in their own words.

In this exhilarating account, ordinary seamen are far from the hapless sufferers of the press gangs. Proud and spirited, learned in their own fashion, with robust opinions and the courage to challenge overweening authority, they stand out from their less adventurous compatriots.

Taylor demonstrates how the sailor was the engine of British prosperity and expansion up to the Industrial Revolution. From exploring the South Seas with Cook to establishing the East India Company as a global corporation, from the sea battles that made Britain a superpower to the crisis of the 1797 mutinies, these "sons of the waves" held the nation’s destiny in their calloused hands.


My Review:
Sons of the Waves is a history of the common British sailor during 1740-1840. This period witnessed the rise of the sailing ship to prominence up to the beginnings of steamships. The author quoted from the journals, memoirs, and letters of the common sailor and double checked these with the official records of the time, like ship logs and court records. He often picked vivid descriptions of exciting or unique events. He covered both merchant and Navy ships, wars, scientific voyages, shipwrecks, mutinies, trading, and topics like privateering, ship food, gear, and discipline, battle procedures and experiences, ship boys, press gangs, sailor's first visits to China, India, and various islands, disease, living conditions, shore leave, sailor's families, wages and reforms, pensions, and the naval battles against the slave trade. Overall, this book was both informative and interesting to read. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in this topic.


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.

Spice Apothecary by Bevin Clare

Spice Apothecary by Bevin Clare ISBN-13: 9781635860832 Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC Released: June 9th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Spice Apothecary, author Bevin Clare combines her training in herbalism and nutrition to guide readers in a return to the kitchen spice cabinet for better health and healing. Focusing on 19 common culinary spices that are easy to source and prized for their flavour, this practical guide highlights the health benefits of each spice for supporting wellness goals, with information on the best preparation for medicinal benefit, storage recommendations, and daily dosage guidelines. To bolster the immune system, chilli, garlic, ginger, and mustard are best. Kidney health is supported by celery seed, parsley, and sage, while the respiratory system benefits most from ginger, mint, and thyme.

Formulas for dried spice blends that amplify the effectiveness of individual flowers, roots, leaves, and seeds accompany recipes for delicious dips, soups, sauces, and even sweets that deliver flavour and healing. This approachable exploration of the world of spices puts at everyone’s fingertips new creative and impactful ways to incorporate key health-boosting spices into everyday life.


My Review:
Spice Apothecary is a book about how you can use common cooking spices to help improve your health. The author started by talking about the history of spices and where they come from – both what countries they come from and the part of the plant the spice is from. She talked about using spices and details about each spice, including how much a reasonable daily dose would be to get the medicinal effects. Then she talked about common health conditions (heart health, good digestion, etc.) and pointed out which spices would be good for that condition. Finally, she included some spice blends and recipes. I thought she did a good job of explaining the basics of using spices as medicine. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in using common herbs and spices as medicine.


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.

The Budget-Friendly Vegan Cookbook by Ally Lazare

The Budget-Friendly Vegan Cookbook by Ally Lazare ISBN-13: 9781646119172 Paperback: 216 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: June 2nd 2020

Source: review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Looking for vegan cookbooks with healthy meals that are full of flavor but won’t empty your wallet? The Budget-Friendly Vegan Cookbook is here with satisfying dishes full of easy-to-find, protein-rich ingredients. Most recipes take 30-45 minutes or less―so your schedule stays as stress-free as your budget.

Get advice you won’t find in other vegan cookbooks on stocking your pantry, maximizing food purchases, and avoiding waste. Discover cost-effective everyday ingredients you can use for a variety of vegan dishes. Whether you’re a new or longtime vegan, find fresh recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and desserts. This budget-friendly choice in vegan cookbooks includes 145 recipes focused on plant-based proteins like lentils, tofu, beans, and chickpeas. Recipes like Sweet Chili Mango Tofu, Mushroom and Green Pea Farro Risotto, Maple Pecan Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, and many more.


My Review:
The Budget-Friendly Vegan Cookbook is a vegan cookbook that focused on using cheap ingredients. For example, she used canola or vegetable oil in most of the recipes. Unfortunately, she didn't point out that canola, corn, soy, and some other ingredients are GMO's (which can be harmful to health) unless these ingredients are certified organic or Non-GMO Project Verified. Oddly, she suggested using store-bought versions of vegan "dairy" (butter, cheese, milk) even though this is more expensive than making your own. The author used soy (especially tofu) in practically every recipe: 103 out of 145 recipes used soy. A large number of recipes were labeled nut-free. She also used a lot of hot spices: jalapenos, red curry, red pepper, hot sauce, etc.

Most of the recipes served 4 to 6 people and took around 20-60 minutes to make. Almost all of the ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get. She included 20 recipes for sauces and dressings, 20 recipes using tofu and other soy, 20 recipes using beans and seeds, 25 recipes using fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and more, 25 recipes using quinoa, millet, and other grains, 20 recipes for snacks and sides, and 15 recipes for desserts.

The recipes provided the preparation time, cooking time, how much is made, ingredients, instructions, cooking and substitution tips. She labeled if a recipe was gluten-free, soy free, or nut free. Each recipe included "per serving" information on calories, total fat, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. There was one picture of a finished recipe for each section of recipes.


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.