LJ Best Books 2010: How-To
By Deborah Bigelow (self-help), Graham Christian (spiritual living), Nanette Donohue (fiber crafts), Karen Ellis (do it yourself), Constance Ashmore Fairchild (crafts), Daniel Lombardo (art instruction), Carrie Scarr (cooking), Julianne J. Smith (parenting), and Gayle A. Williamson (interior design) Nov 18, 2010As Americans muddle their way through this recession, how-to guides are growing ever more coveted in library land. Back by popular demand come our breakdowns of the top performers in cooking, parenting, DIY, and beyond.
ART INSTRUCTION | COOKING | CRAFTS | DIY | FIBER CRAFTS | INTERIOR DESIGN | PARENTING | SELF-HELP | SPIRITUAL LIVING
Alesina, Inna & Ellen Lupton. Exploring Materials: Creative Design for Everyday Objects. Princeton Architectural, dist. by Chronicle. ISBN 9781568987682. pap. $35.
Bridging the gap between functional design and the creation of art objects, professional designers Alesina and Lupton study novel uses of 32 materials. Design, prototypes, fabrication, and marketing of everyday objects are explored in this lively, irresistible volume. (LJ 7/10)
McElhinney, James & the Art Students League of New York.Classical Life Drawing Studio: Lessons & Teachings in the Art of Figure Drawing. Sterling. ISBN 9781402762291. $29.95.
This trove of drawings by early Art Students League instructors like William Merritt Chase, Thomas Eakins, and Childe Hassam was only recently uncovered. A landmark volume. (LJ 11/15/10)
Willenbrink, Mark & Mary Willenbrink. Oil Painting for the Absolute Beginner. North Light: F+W. ISBN 9781600617843. pap. $24.99 with DVD.
This husband-and-wife team combines Mark's work as a fine artist with Mary's expertise as a writer and teacher. They start simply and take the rank amateur to a satisfying level of accomplishment. The DVD offers demonstrations for two paintings. (LJ 11/15/10)
Zuckerman, Jim. Pro Secrets to Dramatic Digital Photos. Lark: Sterling. ISBN 9781600596384. pap. $19.95.
More about the art of digital photography than the technology, this book covers 15 critical steps in using color for impact, capturing motion, distinct perspectives, mood, and thinking as the lens sees. This is destined to outlast the rapid changes in the digital field. (LJ 11/15/10)
The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe from Each Year 1941–2009. Houghton Harcourt.ISBN 9780547328164. $18.
In this amazing collection of cookies for any occasion, we get a snapshot of American cookery—an incredible seven decades worth of cookies complete with mouthwatering photographs, from Brandy Snaps to Scandinavian Rosettes. (LJ 10/15/10)
Lane, Rachel & Carla Bardi. The Golden Book of Desserts: Over 250 Great Recipes. Barron's Educational. ISBN 9780764163616. $29.99.
Each recipe, written for the experienced baker, includes a full-color picture and difficulty rating. Desserts vary from fresh fruit soup to Apricot & Ginger Parfait to Chocolate & Rum Tart. When you're faced with the question of what dessert to make, this book is your secret weapon! (LJ 12/10)
Marsh, Kiyo & others. The Fishes & Dishes Cookbook: Seafood Recipes and Salty Stories from Alaska's Commercial Fisherwomen. Epicenter. ISBN 9781935347071. pap. $19.95.
This beautiful book combines fish information, beautiful photographs, and stories of women falling in love, finding the perfect boat, and living the fishing life. Seafood fans are bound to discover new ways to prepare their favorite foods. In addition to inspired recipes, this book also shows independent women thriving in a male-dominated field. (LJ 4/15/10)
Ong, Julie S. with Lorena Novak Bull. The Everything Guide to Macrobiotics: A Practical Introduction to the Macrobiotic Lifestyle-and How It Can Work for You. Adams Media. ISBN 9781440503719. pap. $15.95.
Filling a great need, Ong and Bull lay out the macrobiotic lifestyle in a simple, understandable format. Recipes for Buckwheat Pancakes, Passion Beet Borscht, and Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad may inspire cooks to try a macrobiotic lifestyle as no other book has. (LJ 11/15/10)
Swallow, Andrew with Ann Volkwein. Mixt Salads: A Chef's Bold Creations. Ten Speed: Crown Pub. Group. ISBN 9781580080576. $28.
If you only envision lettuce and carrots when you think of salad, this cookbook will widen your horizons. Swallow uses tuna, beef, squid, and eggs as well as fruits and vegetables to create inspired salads. (LJ 5/15/10)
Mandel, Lisa Slovis. Pewter Studio: Contemporary Projects and Techniques. Lark: Sterling. ISBN 9781600591914. $24.95.
This is a new look at an old medium that had fallen out of favor. Contemporary designs using lead-free pewter will inspire new interest among experienced metal crafters in using it for tableware. (LJ 6/15/10)
Stitched Postcards: Beautiful Textile Designs in Miniature Using Quilting and Mixed Media Techniques. Search, dist. by IPG. ed. by Christa Rolf. ISBN 9781844484706. pap. $15.95.
The emphasis on trading one's needlework creations with friends makes this an unusual selection. The small-format examples can also be used for such things as artist's trading cards or ready-to-copy original bookplates. (LJ 6/15/10)
Young, Anastasia. The Workbench Guide to Jewelry Techniques. Interweave. ISBN 9781596681699. $34.95.
Substantial reference books are rare in the craft world, but this is a good, up-to-date guide for jewelry artists and hobbyists. Well illustrated with color photos of equipment and hands-on demonstrations of techniques. (LJ 6/15/10)
Russell, Natalie Ermann. New Backyard Idea Book. Taunton, dist. by Ingram. ISBN 9781600851322. pap. $19.95.
Russell expands the possibilities of outdoor living with splendid photos and creative projects. A wide range of possibilities are illustrated, from simple fire pits to full-blown kitchens. Be inspired with these beautiful and attainable design ideas. (LJ 3/1/10)
Ricchi, Kia. Avoiding the CON in Construction. Centerline, dist. by B&T. ISBN 9780615310282. pap. $19.95.
This specialized but highly valuable book guides consumers through the process of construction contracting. From planning to bids and budget to deadlines, Ricchi lays it all out. With her help, you can survive home construction, renovation, and remodeling. (LJ 6/1/10)
Woodwork: A Step-By-Step Photographic Guide to Successful Woodworking. DK. ISBN 9780756643065. $40.
Strong photos and a stunning layout make woodworking completely accessible to all. From tools to wood profiles, nothing is omitted from this foundational guide. A sampling of projects put techniques into practice. (LJ 6/1/10)
Faerm, Steven. Fashion Design Course. Barron's. ISBN 9780764144233. pap. $23.99.
Who better to teach wannabe designers than the BFA Director of Fashion Design at New York's famous Parsons (known to many as the site of Project Runway)? In this cleverly arranged work, Faerm provides a comprehensive introduction to the world of fashion. (LJ 8/10)
House, Cherri. City Quilts: 12 Dramatic Projects Inspired by Urban Views. Stash: C&T. ISBN 9781571208477. pap. $23.95.
Quilting goes modern art in House's collection of city-inspired quilts. The projects are simple yet customizable to fit individual tastes, and the examples are striking. (LJ 8/10)
Keen, Sarah. Knitted Wild Animals: 15 Adorable, Easy-To-Knit Toys. Watson-Guptill. ISBN 9780823033188. pap. $19.99.
Knitted toys are popular, and Keen's creative designs for wild animals will please children and adults alike. The patterns are easy to follow and range from simple to complex, and the finished products are adorable. (LJ 9/15/10)
Kendrick, Helen Winthorpe. Stitch-opedia: The Only Embroidery Reference You'll Ever Need. Griffin: St. Martin's. ISBN 9780312611590. $24.99.M
Stitch encyclopedias are a dime a dozen, but Kendrick's colorful guide to the world of hand stitching is a cut above. Rather than sticking to one form of embroidery, she gives clear, helpful instructions for common and rare techniques. (LJ 4/15/10)
Bigner, Melissa with Heather Barrie (text) & Peter Frank Edwards (photogs.). Southern Bouquets. Gibbs Smith. ISBN 9781423605072. $24.99.
This book's title conceals the abundance of information provided, including growing tips and trivia, about seven flowers commonly found in home gardens. Of course, arrangement tips and stunning color photographs of the bouquets are supplied as well.
Montano, Mark. The Big-Ass Book of Home Décor: More Than 100 Inventive Projects for Cool Homes Like Yours. Stewart, Tabori & Chang. ISBN 9781584798255. pap. $22.50.
The wealth of projects, the simple skills required, and the well-illustrated, clearly written instructions make this book desirable for amateur and skilled craftspeople. Montano's status as the host of TLC's While You Were Out only enhances the appeal. (LJ 9/15/10)
Williams, Thomas L. Interior Design Clients: The Designer's Guide to Building and Keeping a Great Clientele. Allworth. ISBN 9781581156768. pap. $24.95.
This companion to Williams and Robert K. Hale's Starting Your Career as an Interior Designer (an LJ Best Book of 2009) provides sound advice from practicing professional designers about how to establish, market to, and maintain a customer base and grow a successful business.
Cohen, Scott W. Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year. Scribner. ISBN 9781439117064. pap. $16.
Cohen is great at identifying parental concerns, and he responds with reassuring answers, providing just enough information to assuage worries. Of the multitude of baby guides out there, this is, hands down, one of the best in years. (BookSmack! 1/21/10)
Leach, Penelope. The Essential First Year. DK. ISBN 9780756657994. pap. $17.95.
Leach empowers parents without overwhelming or guilting them, ultimately making the world a better place for families and children everywhere. Warning: this will make you want to have babies. (BookSmack! 5/20/10)
Medina, John. Brain Rules for Baby: How To Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five. Pear Pr. ISBN 9780979777752. $27.99.
If you think there's no room for another brain development title on your shelf, weed some old ones to make room for this. Covering such topics as pregnancy, relationships, and "moral" babies, this will offer even the most learned parents a wealth of information. (BookSmack! 12/16/10)
Vachon, Marc & Amy Vachon. Equally Shared Parenting: Rewriting the Rules for a New Generation of Parents. Perigee: Putnam. ISBN 9780399535581. $23.95.
This is not a theoretical piece for burned-out moms seeking more help with the housework, but a working document that motivated couples can turn to for guidance on designing a more balanced relationship. (BookSmack! 12/17/09)
Dresser, Norine & Fredda Wasserman. Saying Goodbye to Someone You Love: Your Emotional Journey Through End-of-Life and Grief. ISBN 9781932603859. pap. $16.95.
Dresser (Multicultural Manners) and licensed marriage/family therapist Wasserman provide a new perspective on the challenges of caring for the dying and living with grief, touching on everything from spiritual services to memorials to labyrinths. (LJ 7/10)
Kingma, Daphne Rose. The Ten Things To Do When Your Life Falls Apart: An Emotional and Spiritual Handbook. New World Library, dist. by PGW. ISBN 9781577316985. pap. $14.95.
Kingma presents a list of ten ways whereby readers can eventually learn that their difficulties have meaning and purpose. For those lost in the turbulence of life, she offers a genuine hand through. (LJ 2/15/10)
Mercer, Diana & Katie Jane Wennechuk. Making Divorce Work: 8 Essential Keys to Resolving Conflict and Rebuilding Your Life. Perigee: Putnam. ISBN 9780399536236. pap. $15.
Family law mediator Mercer and certified divorce mediator Wennechuk emphasize taking the high road and guide readers through examining their current financial, relationship, and parenthood goals, and provide a step-by-step plan for achieving them. (LJ 11/15/10)
Platt, Stacey. What's a Disorganized Person To Do? Artisan: Workman. ISBN 9781579653729. pap. $16.95.
Professional organizer Platt offers an enticing array of advice and colored photos designed to make home, work, or vacation more relaxing. The employment of one idea alone is worth the price of the book. (LJ 5/15/10)
The Best Spiritual Writing 2010. Penguin. ed. by Philip Zaleski. ISBN 9780143116769. pap. $16.
"Only those who write for heaven leave a worthy legacy upon earth," says series editor Zaleski. This finest edition of the series yet includes both poets, e.g., Billy Collins and Louise Gluck, and essayists such as Diane Ackerman, Rick Bass, and the late John Updike. (LJ 3/1/10)
Leonard, Richard, S.J. Where the Hell Is God? HiddenSpring: Paulist. ISBN 9781587680601. pap. $12.
Leonard's brief, acute, and touching book on theodicy asserts that God does not directly will or send pain, suffering, natural disasters, or personal punishments. The author's explosive and progressive message liberates our conception of God from personal evil. (LJ 10/1/10)
Malamed, Sandra Cumings. The Return to Judaism: Descendants from the Inquisition Discovering Their Jewish Roots. Fithian Pr. ISBN 9781564745040. $32.50.
Malamed mixes ethnography, narrative and documentary history, and sociology in this study of Sephardic Jewish families converted or scattered in the wake of the Spanish Inquisition. She finds—despite the Inquisition's best efforts—a remarkable persistence of Jewish identity. (LJ 10/1/10)
Scott, Robert A. Miracle Cures: Saints, Pilgrimage, and the Healing Powers of Belief. Univ. of California. ISBN 9780520262751. $24.95.
Scott's splendid book deals with the phenomenon of miraculous healing in the Middle Ages-apparitions, pilgrimages, shrines, and apparent cures. The findings will be eye-opening for the student of history, the student of theology, and the student of human nature. (LJ 5/15/10)
Tutu, Desmond & Mpho Tutu. Made for Goodness: And Why This Makes All the Difference. HarperOne: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061706592. $25.99.
Desmond Tutu, emeritus Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, co-wrote this with his daughter Mpho; it is founded on the broad notion that we are created with the freedom to choose good or evil, but are inclined to the good. Crucially important. (LJ 3/1/10)
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