Staff Picks Category: Non-fiction

Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg [Audiobook]

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Outlaw cook by John Thorne with Matt Lewis Thorne [Book]

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Outlaw Cook is a great collection of essays by local writer John Thorne. In its chapters you will find memoir, philosophy, social commentary, book reviews, and much else besides, all of it related in one way or another to the world of cooking. Thorne’s interests are wide ranging, and the content collected here is diverse, but the overall theme of the collection is that of cooking not as a means to an end (a meal) but as an experience in of itself. Equally important is Thorne’s emphasis on appetite and how it drives the actions of the cook. Whether writing about potato pancakes, garlic soup, or the search for the perfect pecan pie, Thorne’s enthusiasm is infectious and will leave you eager to get to the kitchen, cook, and experiment.

Last Child in the Woods by Richard LouvLouv [Book]

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Richard LouvLouv’s book discusses a ‘nature-deficit disorder’ and ways to counteract it. He cites a 2002 British study which reported that eight-year-olds could identify Pokémon characters far more easily than they could name “otter, beetle, and oak tree.” Gathering thoughts from parents, teachers, researchers, environmentalists and other concerned parties, Louv argues for a return to an awareness of and appreciation for the natural world.

At Home by Bill Bryson [Book]

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At Home: A Short History of Private Life is not particularly short, and it is too rambling and unfocused to be a useful history, but it is full of surprising facts and entertaining anecdotes about our homes and how they got that way. We learn about architecture, gardening, furniture, food, sanitation and much else besides. Although we learn a little about life in ancient times, and a wee bit about homes in the Middle East and in North America, the bulk of the content focuses on British homes in the last few hundred years. Many sections of the book tell us little about the lives of all but the most wealthy, which is disappointing but also understandable, but Byrson makes up for this imbalance by keeping the text engaging, readable, and always interesting.

Bauhaus 1919-1933: Workshops For Modernity by Berry Bergdoll and Leah Dickerman [Book]

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Bauhaus, a movement of modern art and also the name of the German school for which it originates, celebrates “total design”. Painting, sculpture, furniture construction, fabric design, architecture, woodwork, commercial design, etc. fit under this collective’s umbrella. Bauhaus 1919-1933 is filled with informational and historical text accompanied by images of wonderful pieces by Walter Gropius (the original Bauhaus artistic director), Marcel Breuer, Paul Klee, Alma Buscher and so many more.

Ginger Geezer: The Life of Vivian Stanshall by Lucian Randall and Chris Welch [Book]

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How To Wreck A Nice Beach by Dave Tompkins [Book]

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The vocoder is one of the strangest devices in the music world. One only has to listen to the recent trend of “Auto-Tune” (an offspring of the vocoder) to begin the mystification process! Dave Tompkins leads us through the invention of this vocal transmission synthesizer and its initial uses. We learn that Winston Churchill and later John F. Kennedy spoke into early modules before the vocoder was even considered to be used as a musical instrument. Tompkins gives us plenty of military, political, scientific and Cold War history side by side with the then nascent hip-hop and electro movements with tales of the Jonzun Crew, Roger Troutman and Kraftwerk to name a few. What a read!

French Milk by Lucy Knisley [Graphic Novel]

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French Milk is a travelogue, photo journal and graphic novel rolled into one deliciously exciting book. Lucy Knisley illustrates and writes about six-week stay she and her mother had in Paris in 2007. Sightseeing, love interests, her parents and baguettes are all discussed with a great deal of candidness and humor.

Across Asia on a bicycle by Thomas Gaskell Allen, Jr. and William Lewis Sachtleben. [Book]

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After graduating from George Washington University in 1890, Thomas Allen and William Sachtleben, two American students wishing to expand upon their education with practical experience, decided to travel around the world. Wishing to meet the people along their route, instead of being insulated from them as they would have been had they traveled by more customary means, the two young men chose the newly invented “saftey bicycle” as their primary method of transport. This book tells the story of the most exciting portion of their travels, their journey across Asia, taking the seldom used northern route from Turkey, through Persia (now Iran) and through western China. (The safer and more used path would have led them south through India.)

This book is fascinating as much for what it reveals about the attitudes of these two Americans as it is for what it reveals about the people they met upon there way. It provides an interesting glimpse at the attitudes and politics of the time, and, of course, it is also a great adventure story.

Cover Story. Volume Two by Wax Poetics [Book]

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Our friends at Wax Poetics Magazine have released a book which compiles the craziest album covers one can possibly imagine. After the introductory pages by David Hollander, we say goodbye to commentary and are left only with high quality images of curated wacky lp covers. This is one of those books where one can flip through endlessly. Some of the images are truly original, inspired works of art, whereas others are just plain and unbridled insanity. Colorful and psychedelic explosions sit along side grinning, mustachioed men on roller skates and “Music For Your Plants”… Better yet, the artwork for the record “Music To Massage Your Mate By” could leave just about anyone in stitches.

Thanks has to go to all of the contributors who collect these treasures at various flea markets, record shops and thrift stores. Weirdos!

Hot Burritos: The True Story of the Flying Burrito Brothers by John Einarson with Chris Hillman [Book]

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This refreshing biography about the pioneer country rock outfit unearths plenty of new insight. Author John Eirarson leaves behind previously scattered, sensational headlines for contemporary accounts of the group’s living members (including extensive interviews with founding member/ex- Byrd Chris Hillman). Where as most biographies of the Burritos tend to lean on the “tortured soul” angle of the late Gram Parsons, “Hot Burritos” discusses the collective innovation and follies of this seminal group.

Bargaining with the Devil by Robert Mnookin [Book]

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The head of Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation, Mnookin offers guidance on how to make a wise decision about engaging with an untrustworthy adversary. He identifies traps to avoid, strategies and tools for analyzing challenging situations. Case studies from the lives of business and political leaders (including Churchill and Mandela) as well as ordinary citizens illustrate the principles and are fascinating stories in their own right.