Nonfiction: The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide To Making Travel Sacred

The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide To Making Travel Sacred

I read this book because I love travel, yes love, not like. I also understand that travel changes people over time and in itself can be a very spiritual experience. The author of this book, Phil Cousineau, also understands this point and has traveled many places all over the world in a spiritual journey. 

Throughout the book he gives advice on people wanting to make a spiritual pilgrimage, and gives details on what happened to him. There are photographs that show popular pilgrimage sites, as well as quotes from famous travels from before. I give this book 5/5 stars because the author shows personal experience along with details from other travelers. He gives advice but doesn't talk down to the reader.

"Geared toward the modern-day pilgrim looking for inspiration and spiritual tools for the road, The Art of Pilgrimage weaves stories, myths, parables, and quotations from famous travelers of the past with practical suggestions and accounts of people on the sacred way today." Book description from Goodreads. 

                                        

                                      

                                     Good Day and Good Reading

Everything Guide to Writing Nonfiction

The Everything Guide to Writing Nonfiction by Richard D. Bank

I bought this book a few years ago because I want to write. I thought it would be helpful getting ideas on how to write articles, maybe even have advise on how to get published. It does. And it has much more. It has chapters on different types of nonfiction like biographies, parenting and family, religion and spirituality, previews, and even opinion pieces. It is organized in a nice fashion and has a section towards the back about how to sell your work or get published. 

"Everyone wants to be a published writer. But only a few manage to break into print. In this guide, Richard D. Bank provides expert advice to help you reach your goals of writing and selling articles, essays, and books. Featuring step-by-step instructions covering all aspects of writing, including how to:
Master the elements of creative nonfiction
Conduct interviews and take accurate notes
Find your unique voice
Develop good research and editing skills
Write with authority and confidence
Sell writing to periodicals and publishers
Whether you want to write an intimate memoir, a magazine story, or a scholarly article, you?ll find all you need to see your bylines in print."   Description by Goodreads.

                                

                                             Good Day and Good Reading

Vegetarian Cookbook: Fields of Greens

Fields of Greens by Annie Somerville

This is my favorite vegetarian cookbook. It has hundreds of recipes and many are very delicious. There are some unusual recipes that call for different ingredients (leeks, sprouts etc.) However, these many not be that unusual to you. I come from a "meat and taters" family so they are not common foods in my house. 

"The opening of Greens Restaurant on San Francisco Bay in 1979 changed forever the image of vegetarian cooking in America.  From the restaurant's imaginative mix of casual elegance, exciting tastes, and a subtle message of health and harmony, a distinctive cuisine was born that has continued to bring joy to many thousands of diners every year as well as to the hundreds of thousands of readers who delight in The Greens Cookbook. In its latest incarnation, the restaurant has evolved toward a lighter, leaner, simpler cuisine, one that keeps all the spirit and refinement of the original menu but depends more on the excitement of sparkling fresh produce and its integral relationship to the dishes it inspires.
In close to 300 original recipes, the new Greens style includes exuberant salads, soups, the legendary crusty Greens pizzas, curries and hearty stews, grilled vegetables, and intriguing turnovers made with filo pastry, tortillas, and savory doughs.  And of course there are heavenly breads and the famous desserts, like ginger pound cake with poached apricots and cherries.  This cornucopia of brilliant dishes focuses on tantalizing tastes, with a new simplicity, clarity, and liveliness as its hallmark.
Annie Somerville, the executive chef at Greens, goes right to the heart of the matter: extraordinary produce that's bursting with flavor, color, and texture.  Some of her favorites--like crinkly Bloomsdale spinach, candy-striped Chioggia beets, succulent Rosefir potatoes--are highlighted in the text for gardeners and farmers' market aficionados.  But the Greens style is above all accessible; ordinary red beets will be just fine if more exotic varieties are unavailable.  To help with availability, there's information on locating farmers' markets throughout the country as well as sources for plants, seeds, and local resources.
Because the garden is at the center of this book, readers are encouraged to try their hand, in tiny backyards and windowsill boxes if necessary.  Invaluable growing tips are offered from Green Gulch Farm, the source of much of the stunning produce served at the restaurant.  Other special features include a section on low-fat cooking and another on pairing wine with vegetarian food.
All of the abundance and exuberance that the title Fields of Greens implies is here, for the novice as well as the expert, for simple last-minute meals as well as extravagant occasions.  For truly inspired contemporary vegetarian cooking, Fields of Greens is the essential sourcebook.

Annie Somerville trained under Deborah Madison, the founding chef at Greens Restaurant.  Under Somerville's guidance as executive chef, Greens has become a culinary landmark.  Her work has been featured in Gourmet, Food & Wine, Ladies' Home Journal, SF, and California magazine.  She also contributed to The Open Hand Cookbook and Women Chefs cookbook."  Description by Goodreads.

If you are vegetarian, or have "vegis" in the friend or family circles of your life this could be a very useful book to have.

                       

                       

                                                Good Day and Good Reading

Nonfiction book of the day: Country Diary Herbal

Nonfiction Book of the Day: The Country Diary Herbal by Sarah Hollis

I got this book at my local library and love it. I've checked it out many times and enjoy it for many reasons. 1st, it has gardening tips and advice for pretty much any herb. It has an A-Z reference of all the herbs mentioned in the book (they are in alphabetical order all through). It has drawings instead of pictures, which I find both an advantage and disadvantage. A drawing points out the main details you should see in the plant, ex. the color of the leaves, the shapes of the stalks, or how bushy it grows to be. However the obvious drawback is that you're not actually seeing the plant, so therefore the colors can be off, and if your plant isn't doing the best it may not look anything like the image in the book.

In general I'd rate this book at something of a 6-7 out of 10 for an herb book. I've only read a couple others that have surpasses this one in the amount of herbs listed which is why this has such a good review.

Couldn't find a review on goodreads or Amazon for this book.   

                                 

Good Day and Good Reading

Nonfiction book of the day: On Writing

On Writing A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

Everybody's heard of Stephen King. His novels either scared you silly, or the movies made from them, or you thought he was a lunatic and refused to read or watch anything to do with him. However, even if you don't like him you have to admit his writing skills are very good, especially to have gained so many avid readers. 

On Writing is his book geared towards writers. It is his advice on what to do, and not to do, and what he has done and what he wished he done.  Anyone out there who wants to be a writer, even if you don't want to write horror or even fiction, this is a book to read. It has information for anyone looking to write.

" "If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write." In 1999, Stephen King began to write about his craft -- and his life. By midyear, a widely reported accident jeopardized the survival of both. And in his months of recovery, the link between writing and living became more crucial than ever.
Rarely has a book on writing been so clear, so useful, and so revealing. "On Writing" begins with a mesmerizing account of King's childhood and his uncannily early focus on writing to tell a story. A series of vivid memories from adolescence, college, and the struggling years that led up to his first novel, "Carrie, " will afford readers a fresh and often very funny perspective on the formation of a writer. King next turns to the basic tools of his trade -- how to sharpen and multiply them through use, and how the writer must always have them close at hand. He takes the reader through crucial aspects of the writer's art and life, offering practical and inspiring advice on everything from plot and character development to work habits and rejection.
Serialized in the "New Yorker" to vivid acclaim, "On Writing" culminates with a profoundly moving account of how King's overwhelming need to write spurred him toward recovery, and brought him back to his life.
Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, "On Writing" will empower -- and entertain -- everyone who reads it." Description by Goodreads.

                                   

                                              

                                                  Good Day and Good Reading

Nonfiction Book of the Day: Dinosaurs

DK VISUAL Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs   Consultant Dougal Dixon

"With more than 1,000 full-color photographs, diagrams, charts, cutaway drawings, and detailed illustrations in each book, DK's Visual Encyclopedias cover everything you've ever wanted to know about animals, dinosaurs, and science." Description by Goodreads.

I got this a few years ago, mainly because I like dinosaurs and this looked like a good reference book. It was very useful in my classes when we were talking about prehistoric earth and the creatures that lived there. Don't let the title fool you, this book also has good pictures and information on other prehistoric creatures that lived during the ice age and other time periods. A good book for school, at home, or anyone interested in prehistoric creatures. 

                                          

Good Day and Good Reading

New setup- new schedule for this blog

Hi,

From now own, everyday, or most days I'm going to do 2 posts. One will be a nonfiction book or books of the day and the other will be fiction. I'll still do my genre posts probably once or twice a week.

Good Day and Good Reading

Hiking Backpacking Books 3 titles

Advanced Backpacking by Karen Berger  (A Trailside Series Guide)

I've read a handful of books about backpacking. This is one of the better ones. Advanced Backpacking has colorful photos throughout the book, and explains in detail about every topic you could think of about backpacking. The edition I have has a waterproof cover, but I'm not sure all editions are waterproof, so check if you get one.

"This book is for hikers who find themselves looking to see what's over the next ridge. It's for people who have wondered what it would be like to hike the Grand Canyon, backpack across cirques of alpine scree, live outdoors when the temperature plummets below zero, hike across foreign countries, or embark on the trip of a lifetime-a thru-hike of a 2,000 mile trail. Three sections make the information accessible and manageable. Part 1 covers the basics of expedition planning, including scheduling, route selection, and food and gear resupply. Part 2 examines the special gear and skills you need for a variety of situations, including rain, winter, high mountains, deserts, and foreign travel. Part 3 offers a wish-list of destinations with descriptions of hikes in every conceivable type of terrain and ecosystem, from saguaros to sequoias, from cactus to Krummholtz." Description comes from Goodreads.

                                           

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Anyone who has read Bill Bryson knows he has a way of bringing his happenings to life. He has his funny moments, but then his serious ones, too. What I liked most about this book was that it brought the attention to the reader of both the good and the bad about hiking the Appalachian Trail. 

" The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaining guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way–and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in)" Description comes from Goodreads.

                                           

The Backpacker's Bible Your Essential Guide to Round-The-World Travel by Suzanne King, Elaine Robertson

Another very good book on backpacking. This edition is not waterproof and I don't know of any that are, however this seems to go into more detail than Advanced Backpacking. So, it is a good addition to the reader's entourage at home. For the most part it uses terms the lay man can understand, only a couple times did I wonder what a word was. 

"Every year, thousands of people hit the backpacker trails for the adventure of a lifetime. Planning a trip is exciting—but it can be daunting, especially the first time. The Backpacker’s Bible will help you make your travels as hassle-free as possible. It’s packed with advice on everything you need to sort out before you set off, from planning your itinerary to packing your bags, organizing money to keeping in touch with home. There’s also useful information on working abroad, tips on how to be a good traveler, and valuable advice on staying safe and healthy. All this, plus an A-Z guide of contacts and climates for each country, hints on how to cope with coming home, and much, much more."

                                  

Good Day and Good Reading

National Audubon Society ID books

There are many books by the National Audubon Society, most of which are identification books for anything and everything.

I have read, and own, at least a dozen books by the N.A.S. and all the books that I've read are very good at doing what they are intended for, identification. They do not have a ton of information about the items in mention, but they help you look up a plant, animal, rock, shell etc. and then know what you have and can start your search to learn more.

Many of the N.A.S. books look like this.  A book that can fit in a large pocket, or in a backpack easily, and has a leather (or faux leather) cover. They always have color images with real pictures not drawing.  I used to use them for animal identification when I was in high school. 

I'd highly recommend these books to anyone who is interested in learning about animals, or being able to know what the animals are.

Good Day and Good Reading.