Sampson (200 Best Canned Fish and Seafood Recipes) provides a thorough resource for readers looking to expand their nutritious horizons with leafy green super foods. The highly diverse range of greens includes plants from the brassica-family (e.g., arugula, bok choy, cabbage, and tatsoi), lettuces (e.g., butter, romaine, and iceberg); and other assorted edible greens such as grape leaves, sorrel, and ramps. Sampson organizes each variety alphabetically, briefly discussing origins, culinary history, and general availability. She details storage, shelf life, and usage instructions, as well as nutrient content and even traditional medicinal uses, before moving on to recipes. From a salad made with mache, corn, and fingerling potatoes to Ethiopian cabbage stew and a giant Stromboli packed with rapini and smoked mozzarella or a Tuscan kale pesto, Sampson provides a large range of vegetarian fare for starters, main courses, and sides. The final chapter includes over 20 green beverage recipes, including "Green Chai Shake" and "Plum Good Dandelion Aperitif." Many of the greens are unlikely to be found in the average supermarket, but there tips for locating obscure varieties: amaranth, for instance, is most likely found in Asian or Caribbean markets. Still readers with little time or access to specialized grocers may wish Sampson had included suggested substitutions among the varieties. Otherwise, this cookbook is about as comprehensive as it gets. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 12/06/2013 | Details & Permalink

Mark Reinfeld (The 30 Minute Vegan, The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe) may be the male equivalent to a vegan Rachael Ray—his recipes are flavorful and approachable and certainly have the same potential for mass appeal. In his third vegan collection, Reinfeld focuses on soup, showing readers how to prepare over 100 healthy, tasty soups in a short amount of time. Once introduced to Reinfeld's basic stocks (mushroom, roasted vegetable, tamari), readers have a foundation to build on, and will soon be preparing their choice of a wide variety of soups. Reinfeld's enthusiasm for diverse cuisines sets the book apart: Mayan tomato and corn, Thai coconut with lemongrass, Indian chutney stew with tamarind, and Himalayan dal with curried chickpeas are a welcome respite from the gazpachos and avocado soups offered in similar tomes. He's even made room for dessert including recipes for cantaloupe rose soup with blueberry cream or raw chocolate mint soup with raspberries. Omnivores and vegans alike will appreciate the book's breadth and depth, as well as the limited call for esoteric or arcane ingredients. If they can put up with some chopping, they'll find this to be a terrific resource when the urge for a comforting soup hits. (Dec.)

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Koudounaris (The Empire of Death: A Cultural History of Ossuaries and Charnel Houses) provides the largely forgotten story of the katakombenheiligen, skeletons unearthed from Roman catacombs, intricately adorned with jewels and worshiped as martyrs, along with 90 extraordinary color photographs. The "saints," though essentially unverified, buoyed Catholic spirits in German-speaking regions during the uncertainty of the Protestant Reformation and were unceremoniously abandoned with embarrassment by the early 19th century. These supposed-sacred remains served as protectors and patron saints as well as generated massive profits in donation. They were credited with miracle cures and all sorts of healing—from breaking a fever to reviving the dead. Lovers prayed to a skeletal St. Valentine whereas St. Maximus was venerated by the poor. Koudounaris examines the "slipshod" process used by Church officials to authenticate the relics as martyrs. He also details their restoration and decoration, most notably the handiwork of Dominican nuns in Ennetach and master goldsmith Adalbart Eder. Some of the striking images include St. Deodatus in armor seated on a throne, a wax face mask concealing his skull and St. Gratian dressed in Roman military attire designed by Eder. Finally, Koudounaris recounts the backlash against the relics by Protestants and Catholics alike and their unfortunate fates. The images of the catacomb saints are dazzling, almost beyond belief, and their story captures an interesting moment of uncertainty in the Catholic Church and even some insight into the psychology of worship. 105 illus. (Oct.)

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Following the same form as the groundbreaking Infinite City: A San Francisco Atlas, Solnit (Savage Dreams) enlists the help of filmmaker and native New Orleanian Snedeker to create this vivid portrait of one of America's most culturally rich city. More than an atlas or a travel guide, the book provides compendium of perspectives and histories, comprised of 22 short essays and numerous colorful and beautifully illustrated companion maps. Each essay falls on a spectrum between whimsical and dour: from "Salacious and Crustaceous" by Evan Casper-Futterman, which covers the history of the seafood and sex industries of the city, to "When They Set the Sea on Fire," in which Antonia Juhasz revisits the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill and its environmental impact. In "Bodies," Nathaniel Rich, charts the land of the dead through a history of the city's burials. Up until around the mid-19th century, "every time it rained, bodies popped out of the ground" due to low ground and high water table. Culture, history, and current events are rendered in strong prose throughout the collection, especially in the essays penned by Solnit and Snedeker. A captivating read for tourists, Louisiana residents, and just about anyone looking to gain familiarity with United States history, folklore, and myth-culture. (Nov.)

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In 2006, after having established herself in the ranks of Wall Street and feeling less than satisfied, Sexton quit her job and travelled to Mongolia for a summer internship with the English arm of Mongolia National Broadcaster. Her memoir recounts in straightforward, accessible prose her advancement from proofreading scripts to the position of news anchor, and her experiences along the way: attending an international music festival, witnessing in Khustain National Park the world's only truly wild breed of horse, and reporting on Naadam, the country's celebration of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Mongol Republic. She also encountered others following their passions: a Mongolian hip-hop artist, an Irish couple who cycled from Ireland to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital, and a German expatriate brewmaster. The story itself is enlightening—a true testament to the possibilities when one leaves behind "the safety of the known." And although the episodic chapters can feel cursory and the book's attempts to inspire its readers often rely on familiar language—as when Sexton observes that "the things you own begin to own you"—the book, at its best, is light, humorous, and relentlessly hopeful. Agent: Doug Grad, Doug Grad Literary Agency. (Nov.)

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Claiming that professional football "thrive[s] on mystery," Dawidoff (The Catcher Was a Spy) embedded himself with the NFL's New York Jets for the 2011 season in an attempt to demystify the sport. By converging elements of the best sport literature—analysis, expose, humor—into an expansive narrative, he takes readers inside the windowless offices of the Jets' Florham Park, N.J., headquarters and onto sweat-stained practice fields where men become boys and friendships rise and fall. Beginning with the NFL Scouting Combine in February through to the final game of a disappointing season marked by early Super Bowl aspirations and a player lockout, Dawidoff reveals the professional, physical, and human toll a single NFL season takes. Issues of player safety and sexual orientation are covered neatly and quickly so he can get back to an overreliance on Xs and Os. In fact, the book takes its title from a little-known term used by defensive coaches to describe linebackers and other players who make "legal contact with any potential pass receiver… crossing the field within five yards of the line of scrimmage." This coveted exploration of the inner workings of an NFL team isn't for casual fans, but it will thrill Jets followers and disciples of the game, ensuring readers won't watch football the same way again. Agent: David McCormick, McCormick & Williams. (Nov.)

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Lauder debuts her tasteful "everyday elegance" style in this solid, coffee table book, which contains luminous, full-page photographs of her homes and office, and which is generously peppered with anecdotes of her celebrated family. She credits her grandmother, Estee Lauder of the cosmetics empire, as a key influence in both style and vision for the Aerin brand of makeup, fashion accessories and home decor. A keen memoirist, Lauder's old photos and childhood memories reflect on a privileged childhood of world travel as an ambassador's daughter and granddaughter of a famous entrepreneur; her chapters are devoted to city life, country life, work and legacy. She loves blue and white (much like her grandmother), and embraces a modern, luxurious style that is child-inclusive. Lauder enjoys contrast, and has fun adding an unexpected spark to a predictable palette. Dark, cozy walls, natural light-filled rooms, vintage chandeliers, Estee's fine antiques and contemporary art all coexist in Lauder's homes; she enjoys family-style entertaining amid her elegant surroundings. Although her Manhattan and Hamptons residences are not typical American homes, ideas for entertaining, accessorizing, color combinations, grouping and displaying are usable and can be adapted for different styles and budgets. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 12/06/2013 | Details & Permalink

Linguist David Crystal (The Stories of English) and his wife, Hilary, a speech therapist, cover a lot of ground, literally and figuratively, in this ambitious journey through the evolution of the English language. In 2012, the couple motored across the British Isles starting at the tip of Kent, heading north to Edinburgh and continuing southwest to Wales in search of linguistic landmarks. Part personal travelogue, part linguistic history, the authors use their 57 roadside stops as occasions to elaborate the history of the English language beginning at the 8th century rune in Ruthwell church and ending at University College London, with the 1980s Survey of English Usage. Male warriors dominate the linguistic landscape with a lone female, Juliana Berners, making a cameo in 1486 as contributor to The Book of St Albans. With the lion's share of stops located in and around London, the roving reader can comfortably retrace much of the route as each chapter closes with a page of detailed directions. Armchair travelers, on the other hand, may need the actual trip to complete the experience. Color photos. (Dec.)

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This debut book from a veteran broadcast journalist guides the reader through the extended sequence of short term decisions and appalling judgment by Prime Minister Mackenzie King and cronies that would leave Canada virtually unarmed as war with the Axis loomed. Determined to limit Depression-era public spending, King was disinclined to halt the progressive erosion of Canadian military preparedness that began as soon as the First World War ended. Awareness that insular Quebec would view overseas entanglements with hostility and a profound misapprehension of Hitler's goals only exacerbated the Canadian reluctance to contribute effectively to British and global security. The result was a Canada that faced the Second World War with a handful of aircraft, archaic equipment, a nation needlessly dependent on other nations' military largess. The picture Rose paints in the 13 chapters of his book of a Canadian military crippled by governmental foolishness seems oddly familiar to modern eyes; underfunded armed forces and fumbled military acquisitions prove an enduring theme in Canadian history. The author's account is straightforward, well-organized, firmly presented and utterly damning. (Dec.)

Reviewed on 12/06/2013 | Details & Permalink

Making amends is on Conroy's mind in his 11th book. Over the years unflattering versions of his parents and siblings have popped up in books like The Great Santini and Prince of Tides. Here fiction meets reality in scenes of his mother going after his abusive father with a knife, constant verbal onslaughts from all directions, and mental breakdowns of several family members. That his siblings discount some of his claims is tossed aside as selective memory on their parts. Conroy has a job to do, that of mythologizing the clan for all time. His mother becomes Lady Macbeth and his father a noble ex-Marine who says his son lies about the family while also going on book tours and giving interviews on CNN. While the intent may have been to paint a more honest picture of his parents, Conroy only shows himself to be insecure about the legacy of his books. He connects jealousy over his writing to the death of his brother Tom Conroy and to the madness of his sister Carol Ann Conroy. These connections seem mostly in his head and are rendered in histrionic sappy prose. In the end his picture of the Conroy clan is one of deeply flawed people convinced the world is against them, those aspects are fetishized to an operatic level. But as Conroy points out many times in the book, this could all be in his head. Agent: Marly Rusoff, Marly Rusoff Literary Agency. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 12/06/2013 | Details & Permalink