Textile artist Simji debuts with an approachable manual on how to make small rugs and other items with a tufting gun, which is used “to push yarn through a primary cloth.” Offering a rundown of tools and materials, she explains that acrylic yarns wear down easily and are best used for art pieces, while wool yarns are more durable but less soft. Simji provides a detailed overview of how to wield a tufting gun, showing how to thread it and sharing handling tips (“Tie back your hair and wear clothes that aren’t too loose or drapey”). A simple “warm up” project introduces readers to the basic tufting process by describing how to create a red rectangular rug smaller than a standard sheet of paper, with instructions detailing how to set up a workstation, tuft the cloth, apply glue to the rug’s underside to hold the yarn in place, and shave the top for a tidy finish. Subsequent playful projects include a coaster set that, when stacked, looks like a cheeseburger; an orange border for a circular mirror; and clothing patches depicting a dinosaur, alien face, and heart. The comprehensive instructions contain everything tufting novices need to get started, and QR codes to Simji’s YouTube tutorials will be a boon for those who want further guidance on properly stretching fabric and tracing designs onto cloth. This is lots of fun. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/23/2024 | Details & Permalink

This emphatic guide from Let’s Feel Better blogger Jacqueline (Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness) provides advice on how women can overcome the dismissiveness of unsympathetic doctors to receive necessary care. Born with hypogammaglobulinemia, a rare immune deficiency disease, Jacqueline recounts her struggles to persuade care providers to take her pain seriously, noting that she wasn’t diagnosed until age 19 because doctors were convinced her problems were “all in your head.” To prevent such dismissiveness, Jacqueline recommends women dress for each appointment like it’s a job interview, but avoid wearing cosmetics, since doctors might reason “they couldn’t be that sick if they spent hours doing their makeup.” Suggestions on what to do during an appointment stress keeping one’s cool, since getting worked up might be noted in medical records that future doctors will see. Patients might also bring a journal, photos, or other evidence documenting their symptoms, or invite a loved one to serve as an advocate. Jacqueline’s personal anecdotes offer infuriating glimpses into the medical profession’s hubris (After getting pressured into undergoing an emergency procedure with insufficient anesthetic, Jacqueline exclaimed mid-operation she was in severe pain, to which a nurse replied, “You’re not”), as well as solid advice to help patients voice their needs. This will be a salve for women tired of unjustly skeptical doctors. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/23/2024 | Details & Permalink

Restaurants on the Edge host Prescott (Eat Delicious) presents an inspired collection of memorable recipes meant to share with loved ones. He pays tribute to his native New Brunswick, Canada, with an impressive array of seafood dishes ranging from crab bisque with rosemary croutons and classic maritime fish chowder to fish cakes with tarragon aioli and a clambake (which he deems “a festive summertime feast for a crowd”). Elsewhere, Prescott draws inspiration from around the globe, resulting in such recipes as Kenyan-style coconut chicken curry, roasted squash and heirloom tomato panzanella, and lamb shawarma with labneh and pine nuts. Vegetarian fare, including spicy gochujang green beans and a mushroom ragu with cheesy grits, is equally flavorful. The easy-to-follow instructions often helpfully explain why certain steps must be taken; for example, Prescott instructs readers to use less water than normal when boiling pasta for cacio e pepe because the extra-starchy pasta water is key to the sauce. Handy sidebars teach readers how to open oysters and remove pin bones from a salmon filet, as well as provide alternative cooking methods (the grilled teriyaki chicken can be pan-seared instead). Home cooks will be motivated to whip up something special for their loved ones. Agents: Sarah Passick and Mia Vitale, Park & Fine. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/23/2024 | Details & Permalink

This appealing follow-up to A.J. Dean’s Friday Night Cocktails presents 52 nonalcoholic drink recipes, one for each Monday of the year, centered around the “growing numbers of high-quality” zero-proof liquors. “Inspired by classic cocktails,” the virgin margarita calls for zero-proof tequila while the cucumber gimlette requires zero-proof gin. A nonalcoholic stout float is inspired by Guinness’s zero-alcohol variety while the grapefruit fizz calls for chilled hop water, a “fizzy blend of sparkling water and aromatic hops.” Recipes are separated by season; the blackberry sparkler, for spring, and the nectarine bellini, for fall, both feature fresh fruits and nonalcoholic sparkling wines. Fall and winter drinks include a pumpkin spice toddy and “Irish-ish” coffee, both made with zero-proof whiskey. Newens strives for creative pairings; noting that zero-proof liquors aren’t great for “sipping straight,” she adds elderflower syrup and pear to the Peartini. Only a few drinks don’t include zero-proof spirits, including the peach rosemary tonic and a watermelon ginger cooler. A repeated emphasis on “high-quality” nonalcoholic liquors suggests a difference among brands, but, disappointingly, Newens offers no guidance in making selections. Still, helpful sidebars (including on how to muddle and how to make citrus twists) and recipes for flavorful syrups make this a handy resource enhanced by vibrant photos. Those looking to expand their mocktail repertoire will be pleased. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/23/2024 | Details & Permalink

In this appetizing paean to “the plethora of small shared sides served with a Korean meal,” chef and debut author Choe breaks down banchan into three main categories: preserved and fermented, fresh, and braised or marinated in soy sauce. Kimchi plays a starring role: Choe’s parents’ classic spicy version appears, as well as a “white” kimchi without heat, and another made with Asian pears. The bracing, umami flavors for which Korean food is known loom large: dried anchovies and kombu invigorate a simple broth, and a grilled cheese sandwich incorporates kimchi and fig jam. Meat dishes include yukhoe (“beef tartare’s Korean sibling”), while daegu jorim, or soy-poached cod, features among the seafood options. Choe pitches a tent big enough to house dishes not typically considered banchan, such as sweet potato noodles with rib eye and vegetables, and a pork belly and snow pea stir-fry. Indeed, she never lets tradition get in the way of a good idea, as exhibited in recipes for kimchi-bacon dip and pizza topped with shaved green onions. Cold options include a savory strawberry and cucumber salad and kimbap rice rolls. The flavors are complex, but the instructions are simple, and the tone is relaxed and friendly. Like banchan itself, this collection offers a lot of inviting variety. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/23/2024 | Details & Permalink

Handy and Stewart debut with a vibrant coffee-table book exploring their work as founders of Brooklyn’s BLK MKT Vintage store, which archives and sells historical “Black ephemera and material culture.” They argue that vintage items showing the diversity and dignity of Black history are needed to counteract the racist representations that adorn so much white ephemera, and the plentiful photos of the authors’ private collection fulfill that purpose splendidly. For instance, the authors shed light on the intersectional oppression of queer Black people by sharing mug shots of Black civilians arrested on charges related to their non-cis gender expression in 1940s and ’50s Cleveland. Elsewhere, “Black ABCs” posters (“A is for afro”) designed by Chicago educators for use in the city’s classrooms attest to the Black Power era’s concern with “pride, self-determination, and community.” In interviews with Handy and Stewart, Black collectors discuss their favorite finds, as when Wisconsin shopkeeper Megan Dorsey recounts getting into a heated bidding war for a Black Victorian-era photo album. The featured items serve as a whistlestop tour through the past century of Black history, and the authors include useful tips for anyone who wants to start their own collection (“Don’t give your price first” when haggling with a seller, they recommend). It’s a joy to behold. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/23/2024 | Details & Permalink

Wong (The Plantiful Plate), who’s descended from three generations of Hongkongers, offers scrumptious plant-based recipes contextualized with both her family’s stories and a broader historical backdrop. Never preachy and always informative, she has a nimble touch on serious subjects like racism and the impact of meat consumption on the environment. Sweet dishes include Western toast, a pandan-leaf jam sandwich soaked in milk and pan-fried, and peanut candy that dates to 475 BCE. Plant-based substitutions are clever: vegan XO sauce is made with nori and kombu, while jackfruit stands in for brisket in a hearty noodle soup. This is food for sharing: a chapter on breakfast foods and dim sum features taro croquettes and striking steamed black sesame rolls, while dinner ideas include rice cooked in a clay pot so that a crispy layer forms at the bottom. The street food for which Hong Kong is renowned features throughout: fishballs are here made with potatoes, and eggplant and sweet potato are stuffed into pastry packets for curry puffs. Useful tips abound: a recipe for simple stir-fried greens, for example, incorporates meticulous instructions for cleaning the vegetables, and sidebars cover topics such as Hong Kong restaurant etiquette. Wong’s personable and knowledgeable voice makes this thoughtful effort shine. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

Fifth-generation Tennessean Byrn (American Cake) provides an encyclopedia of Southern baked goods in this masterful and extensive collection encompassing the region’s sweet and savory offerings, from cracklin’ cornbread flecked with pork to bourbon-laced green tomato pie. The recipes, culled from magazines, historical cookbooks, and regional chefs, divide into cornbread and biscuits, quick bakes, griddle cakes and fritters, rolls and yeast-raised cakes, puddings, pies, cakes, and cookies and frostings. No-nonsense tips for delectable yet achievable recipes, each served up with a dollop of culinary history, precede pages of precise instructions for tackling baking challenges. (“The best way to learn to bake biscuits is just to bake them,” is Byrn’s frank advice.) Standouts include Bellegarde heirloom biscuits sweetened with maple syrup; an indulgent layered Arkansas Possum Pie with a pecan crust; and a clutch of rich pound cakes, including a recipe created by Georgia Gilmore for cakes which were sold to raise funds during the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott. Gorgeous photographs will get mouths watering while vignettes about Southern pantry staples like White Lilly Flour and profiles of lesser-known food personalities like New Orleans chef Lena Richard add welcome context. This is a treasure trove. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

In this buoyant guide, Sartori (Friends) shows how to make clothes, accessories, and other crocheted items based on Taylor Swift’s songs. The projects pay tribute to each of Swift’s albums, or “eras,” excluding 2024’s Tortured Poets Department. For Red, Sartori shares how to recreate the newsboy cap Swift wears on the album’s cover, as well as how to use Alpine stitch to crochet a burgundy scarf resembling the one worn by the lead actor in the “All Too Well” music video. The rustic Folklore and Evermore fittingly inspire some of the coziest pieces, including a cardigan with twisting cables and a “Marjorie” granny square blanket adorned with an amber heart, a nod to the amber dress Swift wears while performing the song on her Eras tour. Elsewhere, Sartori describes how to make fingerless gloves that say “flawless” and “fearless”; an amigurumi doll of Swift in her black and red Reputation tour outfit; a “Shake It Off” beanie echoing the color scheme of Swift’s cheerleader uniform in the song’s music video; and a tote bag featuring the cat mentioned in “Karma.” Sartori is clearly a true fan, and readers will enjoy spotting the details she incorporates from Swift’s lyrics and performances. Additionally, the projects are evenly split between four difficulty levels, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Swifties will swoon. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

A child’s bond with their parents can help them endure hardship and adapt to change, according to this perceptive manual from Klein (How Toddlers Thrive), director of Barnard College’s Center for Toddler Development. She encourages parents to instill a sense of emotional safety in children, teach them to regulate their emotions, and allow them to make mistakes within reasonable limits. A mix of research and patient stories undergird the advice. For instance, Klein notes that modeling behaviors around the house can assist kids in peer settings and cites a longitudinal study that found children who were given the chance to negotiate with parents were less likely to give in to peer pressure as teens, since they had experience pushing back against exhortations. Elsewhere, Klein urges parents to praise effort rather than achievement, discussing how a 10-year-old patient developed debilitating anxiety whenever she encountered challenging schoolwork because family members lauded her for her academic accomplishments, leading the child to believe her family’s love was conditional upon performing well in school. The guidance is practical and empathetic, and the patient stories humanize discussions of the scientific literature on child development. This will be a boon for parents. Agent: Yfat Reiss Gendell, YGR Partners. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink