“The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss
Posted on | January 24, 2012 | No Comments
Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind (New York: DAW, 2008).
I have a general rule that forbids me from starting a series of books that’s not already finished. It can take years for a sequel to make it through production, and by that time I’ve read so many other books that I basically have to start over anyway. When I first picked this book up, I wasn’t aware that it was the first of a trilogy. It wasn’t until I finished it that it became clear. The second book was just published last year, so I have no idea when the conclusion will arrive. I’ve decided to stop here until the final book is released and then I’ll read them all in sequence, including a reread of the first book. Read more
Recipes: Nutella Cream Pie
Posted on | January 3, 2012 | No Comments
Original recipe: http://makinglifedelicious.com/2011/02/05/happy-5th-world-nutella-day-nutella-cream-pie/
The recipe was straightforward and seemed to work out really well. It wasn’t too cheese cakey, and the toasted hazelnuts of course taste great. I used a store-bought Oreo crust. I under baked it a little bit, but it was still tasty. The topping recipe made way too much whipped cream, and you really should put the topping on just before serving. After making so many pure chocolate desserts lately, the hazelnut was a nice change.
Actual yield: 1 pie
Verdict: Pretty good
“The Martian Chronicles” by Ray Bradbury
Posted on | January 3, 2012 | No Comments
Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles (New York: Avon, 2011).
Originally published in 1950, The Martian Chronicles is another of those classics that I have known about but never taken the time to read. This is a true piece of literary art—poetry. The core story is of the colonization of Mars. It doesn’t sound very poetic, but trust me. Even if you’re not a science fiction fan, you will find something in these stories that moves you. The book is written as a series of vignettes in chronological order, starting with the original martians, the arrival of the first humans, the colonization process, all the way to the ending that I will not spoil. I loved everything about this book. I loved the variety, the humanity, the different ways he plays with the “other.” I highly recommend this book to anybody who enjoys good literature, whether or not you like science fiction.
“Ringworld” by Larry Niven
Posted on | December 8, 2011 | No Comments
Larry Niven, Ringworld (New York: Del Rey, 1985).
Before starting the second leg of our trip, I looked up some lists of top sci-fi and fantasy books and picked a few up. Ringworld was the first I finished. It’s a story about an alien race called puppeteers and how they discovered an artifact they call the Ringworld. (The picture to the left gives you the idea.) The puppeteers send one of their own to recruit a team to go and explore it. Their exploration and discoveries make up the bulk of the story. Read more
“Wheat Belly” by William Davis
Posted on | November 14, 2011 | 6 Comments
William Davis, Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health (New York: Rodale, 2011).
This is another book that talks about the low-carb diet, wheat in particular. Did you know that wheat impacts your blood sugar even more than table sugar? One of his main points is that the wheat we eat today is simply not the same wheat we were eating even 50 years ago.
Davis’s writing style is a little too informal for my taste, but the information is still sound. I’m a convert, and if you care about your health, I really recommend that you at least read some of these books.
Who am I?
Profiles
Affiliations
- Editors' Association of Canada Member; Chair of IT Committee for Prairie Provinces Branch
- International Abstract Games Organization (IAGO) Chair of Standards and Technical Committee
- Super Duper Games (SDG) Creator and maintainer
- Temeron/Detselig Editor and typesetter
