The Book of Kells: An Illustrated Introduction to the Manuscript in Trinity College Dublin by: Bernard Meehan
Non-fiction: History, Art, 89 pages
Book Count: 61
This book is a short introduction on the Book of Kells, a well know group of manuscripts from Ireland containing parts of the Bible, art and other religious text. This book has a lot of pictures to show all of the art that they discuss in this book. It also includes what history we know about it and things that scholars think might be true about it and why they thing that.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
Salt Sugar Fat:
Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us By: Michael Moss
Non-Fiction: Food, Science 347 pages
Book Count: 60
You might wonder why I read a book against Fat and Salt when they are two of the things that I make sure that I get enough to eat in my diet, it was because some one on one of my diet/ WOE (way of eating) groups recommended it. Having read the book I have to say they must have been one of the clean eating people that also hang out in the Paleo groups and do a low fat diet. This book does a good job of showing how processes foods have tons of added salt, sugar and fat and how that makes you want to eat more or makes your body not understand how much you are really taking in. But it lacks much in the science of how foods make you fat, using mainly the government guidelines and the guidelines of a couple of organizations for the bench marks of how much of each thing you should have. It is also very not self aware of it's blind following of these guidelines. In the fat section it notes a study that found that you can eat over a pound of red meat a week with no increase in the cancer they were studying, but any processed meat increased the cancer risk, and there answer was because of the saturated fat in processed meat (as if the un-processed red meat didn't also have saturated fat.) They also talked to many people that are in or were in the food industry and note that they are healthy because they avoid processed foods, but not that their diets besides that are diverse, and not necessarily following the guidelines that the author was using for what you should eat. So over all it was an interesting look into the ways that processed foods are made and the science that the food engineers use to make it so additive, but as far as health it has noting new to say, just the well known fact that these foods aren't good for you.
Non-Fiction: Food, Science 347 pages
Book Count: 60
You might wonder why I read a book against Fat and Salt when they are two of the things that I make sure that I get enough to eat in my diet, it was because some one on one of my diet/ WOE (way of eating) groups recommended it. Having read the book I have to say they must have been one of the clean eating people that also hang out in the Paleo groups and do a low fat diet. This book does a good job of showing how processes foods have tons of added salt, sugar and fat and how that makes you want to eat more or makes your body not understand how much you are really taking in. But it lacks much in the science of how foods make you fat, using mainly the government guidelines and the guidelines of a couple of organizations for the bench marks of how much of each thing you should have. It is also very not self aware of it's blind following of these guidelines. In the fat section it notes a study that found that you can eat over a pound of red meat a week with no increase in the cancer they were studying, but any processed meat increased the cancer risk, and there answer was because of the saturated fat in processed meat (as if the un-processed red meat didn't also have saturated fat.) They also talked to many people that are in or were in the food industry and note that they are healthy because they avoid processed foods, but not that their diets besides that are diverse, and not necessarily following the guidelines that the author was using for what you should eat. So over all it was an interesting look into the ways that processed foods are made and the science that the food engineers use to make it so additive, but as far as health it has noting new to say, just the well known fact that these foods aren't good for you.
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
How to Speak Brit:
How to Speak Brit: The Quintessential Guide to the King's English, Cockney Slang, and Other Flummoxing British Phrases By: Christopher J. Moore
Non-Fiction: 116 pages
Book Count: 59
I requested this from the library when looking to see what books they have by a similar named author. (see a couple of days below.) Anyway it looked interesting, and it was OK, but the title greatly over promised. The book was a small selection of words and phrases that are British, with a short entry of the word/phrases origin and how it is used in England, sometimes also where in England the word it from. The majority of the words are known in America but not necessary the history of the word, or that it was British.
Non-Fiction: 116 pages
Book Count: 59
I requested this from the library when looking to see what books they have by a similar named author. (see a couple of days below.) Anyway it looked interesting, and it was OK, but the title greatly over promised. The book was a small selection of words and phrases that are British, with a short entry of the word/phrases origin and how it is used in England, sometimes also where in England the word it from. The majority of the words are known in America but not necessary the history of the word, or that it was British.
Monday, November 03, 2014
Boozy Brunch:
Boozy Brunch By: Peter Joseph
Non-fiction: Food/Cooking 163 pages
Book Count: 58
This book starts with a short introduction to the history of brunch and why there should be more drink options then Bloody Marys and Mimosas for brunch. It then has a collection of drinks that are fruit, coffee, tea, milk, champagne (and other sparkling wine), and tomato based. As well as some brunch food recipes and ideas for which drinks would go well with them. And it also ends with a selection of drinks thought to be hang over cures. Along with the recipes are some histories of drinks and tips.
Non-fiction: Food/Cooking 163 pages
Book Count: 58
This book starts with a short introduction to the history of brunch and why there should be more drink options then Bloody Marys and Mimosas for brunch. It then has a collection of drinks that are fruit, coffee, tea, milk, champagne (and other sparkling wine), and tomato based. As well as some brunch food recipes and ideas for which drinks would go well with them. And it also ends with a selection of drinks thought to be hang over cures. Along with the recipes are some histories of drinks and tips.
Sunday, November 02, 2014
Wreck The Halls:
Wreck The Halls By: Jen Yates
Non-fiction: Humor, Holidays, 220 pages
Book Count: 57
This book is a collection of "festive" cake wrecks, which are cakes for sale, which shouldn't be. This book includes the various misspellings that you would expect, really poorly drawn holiday characters, and indescribable horrors (which might have been accidentally summoned by the Hanukkah pentagrams.) Also there is a chapter of sci-fi cakes, just because.
Non-fiction: Humor, Holidays, 220 pages
Book Count: 57
This book is a collection of "festive" cake wrecks, which are cakes for sale, which shouldn't be. This book includes the various misspellings that you would expect, really poorly drawn holiday characters, and indescribable horrors (which might have been accidentally summoned by the Hanukkah pentagrams.) Also there is a chapter of sci-fi cakes, just because.
Saturday, November 01, 2014
Holidays in November:
(As usual in no particle order beside date.)
Month long:
National Novel Writing Month (Actually international at this
point.)
National Blog Posting Month
Native American Heritage Month
Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
American Diabetes Month
Crohn's & Ulcerative Colitis Awareness Month
Epilepsy Awareness Month
No Shave November/Movember
National Adoption Awareness Month
Holidays:
November 1st
All
Saints’ Day
Day of
the Innocents - Day of the Dead
World
Vegan Day
November 2nd
All
Souls’ Day
Day of
the Dead (Día de los Muertos)
November 4th
Election
Day
November 5th
Guy
Fawkes Night
November 8th
World
Urbanism Day
November 9th
Dedication
of the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
World
Freedom Day
November 11th
Veterans
Day/ Remembrance Day/Armistice Day
St.
Martin's Day
Pocky
Day
November 12th
Birth
of Bahá'u'lláh
November 13th
World
Kindness Day
Feast
of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Feast
of St. John Chrysostom
November 14th
World Diabetes
Day
November 15th
Feast
of Albert the Great
The
beginning of Winter Lent
Shichi-Go-San
November 16th
International
Day for Tolerance
Feast
of St. Gertrude the Great
Feast
of St. Matthew the Evangelist
November 17th
International
Students' Day
Feast
of St. Elisabeth of Hungary (oddly also celebrated tomorrow and the next day as
well depending on which branch of Christianity is celebrating it.)
November 19th
International
Men's Day
Day of
Repentance and Prayer
Discovery
of Puerto Rico
World
Toilet Day
November 20th
Transgender
Day of Remembrance
Universal
Children's Day
November 21st
National
Adoption Day
Presentation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
No
Music Day
World
Hello Day
World
Television Day
November 22nd
National
Survivors of Suicide Day
Saint
George's Day
November 23rd
Feast
of Christ the King
International
Day to End Impunity
November 24th
Feast
of St. Andrew Dung-Lac and other Vietnamese Martyrs
November 25th
International
Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
November 26th
Day of
the Covenant
November 27th
Thanksgiving
Feast
of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
November 28th
Black
Friday
Buy
Nothing Day
November 30th
Start
of Advent
St.
Andrew's Day
Cities
for Life Day
Friday, October 31, 2014
A Book of Horrors:
A Book of Horrors Edited by: Stephen Jones
Fiction: Horror, sci-fi/fantasy, Paranormal 427 pages
Book Count: 56
This book is a collection of horror stories by a number of well known authors. Besides those two things there is no particle theme to tie the stories together.
Fiction: Horror, sci-fi/fantasy, Paranormal 427 pages
Book Count: 56
This book is a collection of horror stories by a number of well known authors. Besides those two things there is no particle theme to tie the stories together.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
The Serpent of Venice:
The Serpent of Venice by: Christopher Moore
Fiction: Humor, Classics, Paranormal 326 pages
Book Count: 55
This book is the follow up to the book Fool. (Review here.) This one being some what based on The Merchant of Venice, Othello and The Cask of Amontillado, which enough King Lear to tie them together. In this book Pocket (the fool) is in Venice with his sidekick Drool and monkey, Jeff. There is a number of characters from the source stories such as: Othello, Portia, Iago, Shylock, Jessica, Salanio and Salarino. As well as some that weren't like the Chorus (who people are constantly breaking the fourth wall with), Marco Polo, a dragon, and a ghost because "there's always a bloody ghost." And like all books by this author crazy things happen, but as it is based on Shakespeare it also includes tons of death and of course both writers agree on the large amount of codpiece jokes in the book.
Fiction: Humor, Classics, Paranormal 326 pages
Book Count: 55
This book is the follow up to the book Fool. (Review here.) This one being some what based on The Merchant of Venice, Othello and The Cask of Amontillado, which enough King Lear to tie them together. In this book Pocket (the fool) is in Venice with his sidekick Drool and monkey, Jeff. There is a number of characters from the source stories such as: Othello, Portia, Iago, Shylock, Jessica, Salanio and Salarino. As well as some that weren't like the Chorus (who people are constantly breaking the fourth wall with), Marco Polo, a dragon, and a ghost because "there's always a bloody ghost." And like all books by this author crazy things happen, but as it is based on Shakespeare it also includes tons of death and of course both writers agree on the large amount of codpiece jokes in the book.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Ghosts of the Deep:
Ghosts of the Deep By Daniel Cohen
Non-fiction: Paranormal, Children's 103 pages
Book Count: 54
This book is a collection of ghost stories relating to shipping and the sea. It includes the common story of Ocean Born Mary, and many stories of sailors who see loved ones at the time that they died.
Non-fiction: Paranormal, Children's 103 pages
Book Count: 54
This book is a collection of ghost stories relating to shipping and the sea. It includes the common story of Ocean Born Mary, and many stories of sailors who see loved ones at the time that they died.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Nosferatu -
Fun Facts:
-The company that made this film couldn't get the rights to Dracula and that's why there are slight changes in the plot and names.
-All but one copy of this film was destroyed due to its copyright infringements.
-Dracula was never copyright protected in the USA.
-This film is the reason why vampires are killed by sun light: in old legends they sometimes didn't come out during the day, but daylight wasn't necessarily going to burn them up, and in the book Dracula is only weaker in the daytime.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Bites:
Bites: Scary Stories to Sink Your Teeth Into Edited By: Lois Metzger
Fiction: Short Story, Paranormal, YA 103 pages
Book Count: 53
This collection of short stories has a good mix of things that go bump in the night; ghosts, werewolves, vampires and Coyote. Some are rather typical and some have some good twists. Also one story does take place in Flint, so bonus.
Fiction: Short Story, Paranormal, YA 103 pages
Book Count: 53
This collection of short stories has a good mix of things that go bump in the night; ghosts, werewolves, vampires and Coyote. Some are rather typical and some have some good twists. Also one story does take place in Flint, so bonus.
Friday, October 24, 2014
John Dies at the End:
John Dies at the End by: David Wong
Fiction: Paranormal, Sci-fi/ Fantasy 375 pages
Book Count: 52
This book is by one of the people from the Cracked website. On one hand it is nothing like what I would expect from someone that writes for the site. Although, it is funny in spots, it is not mainly a humor book. It is not a big list of thing where only half of them truly fit the title. It is fiction.
But on the other hand this book is exactly what I would expect from a Cracked writer. If a fever dream had a fever dream it's fever dream would almost be as odd as this book. This book is like a dozen somewhat connected stories that all can't fit in the same time line, but some how do, strung together with penis jokes in between. It is a story about mind altering drugs, inter-dimensional travel, alternate time lines, shadow people, love, ghosts, and many other things. Also, John may or may not die at some point(s) in the book.
Fiction: Paranormal, Sci-fi/ Fantasy 375 pages
Book Count: 52
This book is by one of the people from the Cracked website. On one hand it is nothing like what I would expect from someone that writes for the site. Although, it is funny in spots, it is not mainly a humor book. It is not a big list of thing where only half of them truly fit the title. It is fiction.
But on the other hand this book is exactly what I would expect from a Cracked writer. If a fever dream had a fever dream it's fever dream would almost be as odd as this book. This book is like a dozen somewhat connected stories that all can't fit in the same time line, but some how do, strung together with penis jokes in between. It is a story about mind altering drugs, inter-dimensional travel, alternate time lines, shadow people, love, ghosts, and many other things. Also, John may or may not die at some point(s) in the book.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
American Chillers #37: The Underground Undead of Utah:
American Chillers #37: The Underground Undead of Utah by: Johnathan Rand
Fiction: Children's, Paranormal, 174 pages
Book Count: 51
ZOMBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BRAINSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
American Chillers #12: Dangerous Dolls of Delaware:
American Chillers #12: Dangerous Dolls of Delaware Johnathan Rand
Evil dolls come back to life, (because what other types of dolls do you think would be alive in a series like this?)
Also,
" Or, imagine being magically whisked away to... Delaware.
Fiction: Children's, Paranormal, 163 pages
Book Count: 50Evil dolls come back to life, (because what other types of dolls do you think would be alive in a series like this?)
Also,
" Or, imagine being magically whisked away to... Delaware.
[pauses]
Hi. I'm in... Delaware." - Wayne's World
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Michigan Chillers #1: Mayhem on Mackinac Island:
Michigan Chillers #1: Mayhem on Mackinac Island by: Johnathan Rand
I had forgotten how addictive these stories are: a quick, easy to read book, that you know the main formula used to make it, but still enjoyable, a guilty pleasure type of book. They are like the potato crisps of books. . . you can't stop at one. (Although, I'm sure when some one reads this they will remind me that this is the same things I complain about in the reading choices of certain family members, but unlike some people, I don't think that this is a classic or high literature. I don't have a problem with reading about sparkly vampires or Amish women in love, I have a problem with thinking sparkly vampires is great literature. In short, I would like to admit that I like the modern children's version of penny dreadfuls and pulp fiction but I'm not going to be surprised that it isn't nominated for the Noble prize for literature. [And yes I know some great stories came out of penny dreadful and pulp fiction writers, but most are long forgotten now, often for good reasons.])
Now on to the plot. A brother and sister summer each year on Mackinac Island, but one year they get sucked into the Island of Mayhem, which is Mackinac in some sort of parallel dimension. Now they must find a stone key in Skull Mountain to get back home.
Fiction: Children's, Paranormal, 170 pages
Book Count: 49I had forgotten how addictive these stories are: a quick, easy to read book, that you know the main formula used to make it, but still enjoyable, a guilty pleasure type of book. They are like the potato crisps of books. . . you can't stop at one. (Although, I'm sure when some one reads this they will remind me that this is the same things I complain about in the reading choices of certain family members, but unlike some people, I don't think that this is a classic or high literature. I don't have a problem with reading about sparkly vampires or Amish women in love, I have a problem with thinking sparkly vampires is great literature. In short, I would like to admit that I like the modern children's version of penny dreadfuls and pulp fiction but I'm not going to be surprised that it isn't nominated for the Noble prize for literature. [And yes I know some great stories came out of penny dreadful and pulp fiction writers, but most are long forgotten now, often for good reasons.])
Now on to the plot. A brother and sister summer each year on Mackinac Island, but one year they get sucked into the Island of Mayhem, which is Mackinac in some sort of parallel dimension. Now they must find a stone key in Skull Mountain to get back home.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Michigan Chillers #15: Calumet Copper Creatures:
Michigan Chillers #15: Calumet Copper Creatures by: Johnathan Rand
First, long time readers of this blog might remember that the town of Calumet already has a chilling history.
Second, in this book the author even writes himself into the story, as well as writing in a bit to connect it to another book that he wrote, to hook people into reading it too. (Which they have done in every book, as well as having a couple of chapters of that book in the back.)
Third, as the title gives away this book takes place in Calumet and deals with it's history as a copper mining town.
Fiction: Children's, Paranormal, 177 pages
Book Count: 48First, long time readers of this blog might remember that the town of Calumet already has a chilling history.
Second, in this book the author even writes himself into the story, as well as writing in a bit to connect it to another book that he wrote, to hook people into reading it too. (Which they have done in every book, as well as having a couple of chapters of that book in the back.)
Third, as the title gives away this book takes place in Calumet and deals with it's history as a copper mining town.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Michigan Chillers #11: Great Lakes Ghost Ship:
Michigan Chillers #11: Great Lakes Ghost Ship by: Johnathan Rand
Fiction: Children's, Paranormal, 180 pages
Book Count: 47
I am fairly sure that this book could have been a NYR book, except I have no idea where the books I bought for an author signing at the school went to. . . as it's not like they're being read by anyone.
Anyway this book takes place in Cheboygan, but the kids in it are mostly from Grand Blanc (because what type of scary story would happen in Grand Blanc? The traffic ticket of doom?) This story is about a legendary ghost ship on the Great Lakes. (I didn't bother to look up the see if it might be a real legend or made up like the mummy one, as it's complexly believable in either case.) Anyway the two kids from Grand Blanc and there friend that lives in Cheboygan go to see the US Coast Guard Cutter, the Mackinaw. When they are looking at it the uncle of the local kid who works on the ship invite them on for a tour. When in the middle of the ship he gets called away and tell them to stay there until he gets back. They wait until they see a zombie sailor coming to where they are and they know that the legend of the ghost ship must be true and they need to escape.
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