The Chicago Sun-Times
Book Recommendations:
Recommended by The Chicago Sun-Times
“After reading this entrancing memoir, an African safari may move to No. 1 on your travel wish list. The only catch is you'll want the author as your guide.” (from Amazon)
by Peter Allison·You?
A hilarious, highly original collection of essays based on the Botswana truism: “only food runs!” With a new introduction and new material from the author In the tradition of Bill Bryson, a new writer brings us the lively adventures and biting wit of an African safari guide. Peter Allison gives us the guide’s-eye view of living in the bush, confronting the world’s fiercest terrain of wild animals and, most challenging of all, managing herds of gaping tourists. Passionate for the animals of the Kalahari, Allison works as a top safari guide in the wildlife-rich Okavango Delta. As he serves the whims of his wealthy clients, he often has to stop the impulse to run as far away from them as he can, as these tourists are sometimes more dangerous than a pride of lions. No one could make up these outrageous-but-true tales: the young woman who rejected the recommended safari-friendly khaki to wear a more “fashionable” hot pink ensemble; the lost tourist who happened to be drunk, half-naked, and a member of the British royal family; establishing a real friendship with the continent’s most vicious animal; the Japanese tourist who requested a repeat performance of Allison’s being charged by a lion so he could videotape it; and spending a crazy night in the wild after blowing a tire on a tour bus, revealing that Allison has as much good-natured scorn for himself. The author’s humor is exceeded only by his love and respect for the animals, and his goal is to limit any negative exposure to humans by planning trips that are minimally invasive—unfortunately it doesn’t always work out that way! New story: People often ask safari guides about the experience that frightened them the most. In this story Peter Allison tells of the time he became aware of unseen danger, and knew that somewhere within meters of him was a hunting lioness. Peter Allison is originally from Sydney, Australia. His safaris have been featured in National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, and on television programs such as Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures. He travels frequently to speaking appearances, and splits most of his time between Botswana, Sydney, and San Francisco.
Recommended by The Chicago Sun-Times
“The best guide of its kind.” (from Amazon)
by Nancy L. Mace, Peter V. Rabins·You?
by Nancy L. Mace, Peter V. Rabins·You?
With over 3.5 million copies sold, the bestselling guide to understanding and caring for people with dementia is now completely revised and updated! For 40 years, The 36-Hour Day has been the leading work in the field for caregivers of those with dementia. Written by experts with decades of experience caring for individuals with memory loss, Alzheimer's, and other dementias, the book is widely known for its authoritativeness and compassionate approach to care. Featuring everything from the causes of dementia to managing its early stages to advice on caring for those in the later stages of the disease, it is widely considered to be the most detailed and trusted book available. Highlighting useful takeaway messages and informed by recent research into the causes of dementia, this new edition has been completely updated. It features • brand-new content on everything from home care aides to useful apps to promising preventative techniques and therapies • practical advice for avoiding caregiver burnout―plus tips for when and how to get additional help • a completely new two-column design that allows readers to quickly access what they need The central idea underlying this indispensable book―that much can be done to improve the lives of people with dementia and of those caring for them―remains the same. The 36-Hour Day is the definitive dementia care guide.
Recommended by The Chicago Sun-Times
“A must-read . . . beautiful guide for dinosaur lovers.” (from Amazon)
by Yang Yang, Chuang Zhao;Chuang Zhao;Chuang Zhao;Chuang Zhao·You?
by Yang Yang, Chuang Zhao;Chuang Zhao;Chuang Zhao;Chuang Zhao·You?
''The PNSO Encyclopedia for Children: The Secrets of Dinosaurs by Zhao Chuang and Yang Yang...features many recently discovered dinosaurs that even the most knowledgeable young experts aren't likely to have heard of before.''- Matt Lamanna, Mary R. Dawson Associate Curator and Head of Vertebrate Paleontology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History ''Sure to be a treasured volume in many a child's library, and one that may even attract some toward the scientific profession. Highly recommended as a gift for the budding young paleontologist.'' - Lance Grande, Negaunee Distinguished Service Curator of the Field Museum, Author of Curators: Behind the Scenes of Natural History Museums ''Zhao and Yang effortlessly convey scientifically informed perspectives on the wonderful world of the Mesozoic Era...The Secrets of Dinosaurs provides a twenty-first century view on dinosaurs of all flavors... Sure to engage readers of any age and any background.'' - Dr. Patrick O'Connor, Professor, Paleontologist, and National Geographic Explorer, College of Medicine, Ohio University, USA ''This book feels like a field guide come to life... The author's enthusiasm comes across on every page.'' - Julia Clarke, J. A. Wilson Professor in Vertebrate Paleontology, Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin As much as two hundred and fifty-three million years ago, the most incredible beasts roamed this earth. They ruled supreme on the land, under the water, and in the air for some one hundred million years before their time came to an end. Now, all these years later, we study their bones--and the earth's memory of their bones--to learn as much about them as we can. For years, humans have marveled at dinosaurs and have strived to learn more about these great beasts. The Secrets of Dinosaurs, the first volume from the PNSO Encyclopedia for Children, is a valuable book for anyone who shares this fascination! With beautifully detailed illustrations and thorough information on nearly one hundred species spanning three geological periods, you can immerse yourself in their world and learn all the secrets of dinosaurs!
Recommended by The Chicago Sun-Times
“Fascinating . . . In On China, statesman Henry Kissinger draws on historical records and 40 years of direct interaction with four generations of Chinese leaders to analyze the link between China’s ancient past and its present day trajectory. In doing so, the man who helped shape modern East-West relations presents an often unsettling, occasionally hopeful and always compelling accounting of what we’re up against.” (from Amazon)
“Fascinating, shrewd . . . The book deftly traces the rhythms and patterns of Chinese history.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times “No one can lay claim to so much influence on the shaping of foreign policy over the past 50 years as Henry Kissinger.” —The Financial Times In this sweeping and insightful history, Henry Kissinger turns for the first time at book length to a country he has known intimately for decades and whose modern relations with the West he helped shape. On China illuminates the inner workings of Chinese diplomacy during such pivotal events as the initial encounters between China and tight line modern European powers, the formation and breakdown of the Sino-Soviet alliance, the Korean War, and Richard Nixon’s historic trip to Beijing. With a new final chapter on the emerging superpower’s twenty-first-century role in global politics and economics, On China provides historical perspective on Chinese foreign affairs from one of the premier statesmen of our time.
Recommended by The Chicago Sun-Times
“A stunning cookbook!” (from Amazon)
by Najmieh Batmanglij·You?
by Najmieh Batmanglij·You?
The 40th Anniversary Edition of Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies by Najmieh Batmanglij contains more recipes and more photos. Each recipe has been restructured for more clarity, including tips and suggestions from her fans over the past 40 years. Food of Life provides 400+ authentic Iranian recipes as well as an introduction to Persian art, history, and culture. The book’s hundreds of full color photographs are intertwined with descriptions of ancient and modern Persian ceremonies, poetry, folktales, travelogue excerpts and anecdotes. This book is a labour of love that began in exile, after the Iranian Revolution of 1979, as a love letter to Najmieh’s children. It is the result of 40 years of collecting, testing and adapting Persian recipes for today’s kitchen. All the ingredients for cooking Persian food are now readily available throughout the U.S. enabling anyone from a master chef to a novice to reproduce the refined tastes, textures, and beauty of Persian cuisine. Food-related pieces from the 10th century Book of Kings, and 1,001 Nights to the classics of Persian poetry, the humor of Mulla Nasruddin, as well as Persian miniatures are all included.Each recipe is presented with steps that are logical and easy to follow. Readers learn how to simply yet deliciously cook rice with its golden crust tahdig, the jewel of Persian cooking, which, when combined with a little meat, fowl, or fish, vegetables, fruits, and herbs, provides the perfect balanced diet.Najmieh Batmanglij, is an acclaimed chef, best-selling cookbook author, and cooking instructor. She is also the co-founder and executive chef of the award winning Persian restaurant Joon, in Vienna Virginia. Najmieh was hailed as “one of seven immigrant women who changed the way americans eat” by The New York Times, and The Grande Dame of Iranian Cooking by Mayukh Sen in The Washington Post. Her latest book Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes & Kitchen Secrets, was the culmination of tens of thousands of miles of travel through Iran. It was chosen as one of the best cookbooks of 2018, and called “magisterial” by The New York Times.Batmanglij views preparing a meal not only as a culinary experience, but also as a means to bring family and friends together. She encourages her readers to use her books as she was taught in Iran, to cook, to laugh, to tell jokes and stories, to recite poetry, and to enjoy the meal. Over the past 40 years, Batmanglij’s books have acted as a both a beacon and a bible to Iranian-American and mixed-ethnicity families in the English-speaking world. Her life and her work meet at the vortex of feminism, tradition, ceremony, and the nourishment of body and mind, proving that none of these concepts need be foreign to one another.