For those who know me, my objectivity in reviewing Tim Gunn’s new book Tim Gunn’s Fashion Bible, is likely to be called into question as I have made numerous not-so-subtle remarks about my deep admiration for the author (visit to Portland, summer reading). Think what you will, but I am not exaggerating to say that Fashion Bible will be a staple in any fashion lover’s book ... Read More...
Mortality by Christopher Hitchens
This is the first time (and I hope the last) that I am reviewing a book published posthumously. Christopher Hitchens was a British writer, journalist and public speaker; a highly intelligent man with very strong opinions. As an atheist, he offended a large number of people with his opinions but while you may not have agreed with him, he never wrote out of emotion but used ... Read More...
Yes, Chef: A Memoir
The odds that Marcus Samuelsson would survive infancy were slim. That he would not only survive but would go on to become a world famous chef is almost beyond reckoning. And yet, he did. In his memoir Yes, Chef, he writes of his life, not just in the kitchen but from his childhood as the adoptee of a Swedish family to the pinnacle of his career, cooking at the White House for ... Read More...
Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure, and an Unlikely Bride
Alyssa Harad is a 30-something, self-proclaimed feminist and scholar who finds herself at loose ends when a PhD in English and teaching do not work out the way she thought they would. She fills her time as a freelance writer until discovering a perfume blog that piques her interest. Soon, she is consumed by these blogs and anything to do with fragrance. Coming to My Senses is a ... Read More...
Planes, Trains, and Auto-Rickshaws
Laura Pederson’s book Planes, Trains, and Auto-Rickshaws is a catch-all of travel information, history lessons, etiquette guidelines, and all things India. The majority of the book covers her travels through the country with a plethora of statistics and useful information about modes of transportation, appropriate garb, and how to protect oneself from Delhi Belly. She also has ... Read More...
Marilyn: The Passion and the Paradox
August 5 will mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Marilyn Monroe and 50 years later the attention on both her life and death is still strong. In Marilyn: The Passion & the Paradox, Lois Banner goes beyond the plethora of material already published about this glamorous American icon. While it might be hard to believe that there is anything left unknown, Banner’s ... Read More...
