Science & Technology Reviews, December 2010
Dec 15, 2010AGRICULTURE
Geller, Tamar. 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog: The Loved Dog Method. Gallery: S. & S. 2010. c.384p. photogs. ISBN 9781439176702. $25.99. PETS
Those familiar with Geller’s Loved Dog will find new stories to build on and freshen up its content and approach, though she does include some of the same celebrity dog-training stories. Her friendly, conversational style guides readers to become coaches of their canine friends while drawing parallels to other relationships. She recommends a sequential approach to the interconnected daily chapters (divided into weekly segments, with end-of-week summations), but the detailed contents make it easy to skip around. Shaded text boxes highlight important topics, some of which should be chapters. Geller conveys that 30 days of positive experiences can create the foundation for good habits and an incredible relationship and that most dogs are coachable. An earlier 30-day training guide is Jan Fennell’s The Dog Listener: Learn How To Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation. VERDICT The interspersed photos are useful, but they’re few and small. The lack of references make it harder to use this as a quick resource. Overall, though, a good introduction to Geller’s methods and messages of positive, playful coaching for all dog owners. —Kristine Alpi, North Carolina State Univ. Libs., Raleigh, NC
Hill, Fionna. Microgreens: How To Grow Nature’s Own Superfood. Firefly. 2010. 108p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781554077694. pap. $17.95. GARDENING
Hill’s enthusiasm for microgreens, “plants raised from seed that are larger than sprouts and smaller than ‘baby’ salad greens,” infects you as you read her well-written and comprehensive introduction to the superfood you can grow on your windowsill in a week. A New Zealand–based floral designer, Hill explains how to plant, raise, and harvest crops of delicious and highly nutritious microgreens. The book is informative and accessible, delivering in a buoyant voice all you need to know about the ultimate in local eating—making a meal of houseplants. It is nicely illustrated as well, with tantalizing photographs of microgreens at every stage, from seed to planting to plate. And there are more than a dozen recipes included here along with the chapters on plant care, individual crops of microgreens from amaranth to mustard to rocket, and involving children in the operation. Resources, a glossary, and an index round out the volume. VERDICT Highly recommended for gardeners, foodies, and health enthusiasts.—Donna L. Davey, New York Univ. Libs.
Timmermeister, Kurt. Growing a Farmer: How I Learned To Live Off the Land. Norton. Jan. 2011. c.336p. index. ISBN 9780393070859. $24.95. AGRI
Former Seattle chef Timmermeister shares how he turned a neglected, bramble-covered property into Kurtwood Farms, a 13-acre farm specializing in cheese production and weekly farm-to-table dinners. Timmermeister begins his enterprise with little farming know-how. As he cultivates his agrarian education (often through trial and error), he reflects on self-sufficiency, sustainability, and the industrialization of food production. While narrating over two decades of the farm’s history, he describes such tasks as installing bees in a new hive, making apple cider, buying livestock, and slaughtering a pig. Timmermeister also provides a helpful annotated list of supplementary titles for readers interested in the practice of sustainable local agriculture. VERDICT The growing popularity of farm-to-table movements has precipitated numerous books on city dwellers turned farmers. Part memoir, part manual, this refreshingly candid account doesn’t oversell its author or a political message. An essential read for anyone who’s seriously considered quitting a day job to pursue farming or cheese production.—Lisa Campbell, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Tuscaloosa
Whittaker, Paul. Practical Bamboos: The 50 Best Plants for Screens, Containers & More. Timber. 2010. 208p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781604690569. pap. $19.95. GARDENING
Whittaker (Hardy Bamboos: Taming the Dragon) is a British nurseryman with a specialty in ornamental grasses and bamboos. Here, he offers his expert advice on growing temperate bamboos. He begins with general information about bamboos, followed by landscape uses, including growing them in containers. The heart of the book is “50 of the Best,” where he shares his choices for the home gardener. Entries, arranged by scientific name, include a detailed description of the plant, USDA hardiness zones, dimensions, culture, uses, suggested combinations with other plants, and additional recommended cultivars. Lovely color photographs enhance the text. Whittaker concludes with general cultural information, a glossary, and where to see and buy bamboos in Europe, Canada, and the United States. Most of the bamboos described are hardy north to USDA zone 6, with some hardy to zones 4 or 5. VERDICT Whittaker’s engaging writing style and his personal observations make this book a pleasure to read. Recommended for all gardeners in the applicable zones (i.e., not the Midwest, Plains, or New England states) who are interested in trying these plants.—Sue O’Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL
HEALTH & MEDICINE
Kane, Robert L., M.D., with Jeannine Ouellette. The Good Caregiver: A One-of-a-Kind Compassionate Resource for Anyone Caring for an Aging Loved One. Avery: Penguin Group (USA). Mar. 2011. c.336p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781583334225. pap. $16. HEALTH
Kane (director, Ctr. on Aging, Univ. of Minnesota), combining his years of professional experience with what he learned when he and his sister cared for their aging mother, has produced a thoughtful how-to manual. He shares clear and practical explorations of whether one is cut out to be a caregiver, and he tackles dealing with financial issues, finding the right doctor, what to expect in the way of physical and mental changes with aging, working with hospitals, choosing a nursing home, self-care for the caregiver, and, ultimately, dealing with death. Kane also discusses changes in the existing health-care system that he asserts would improve end-of-life care for all involved. VERDICT Interspersed with anecdotes from other caregivers, numerous charts and checklists, and lists of resources, this is a carefully arranged collection of useful information, stressing the importance of being compassionate and nonjudgmental. Kane points out that the book’s various sections can be used independently and in no particular order as each person enters into caregiving at a different point along the continuum, making it ideal for lay readers.—Dick Maxwell, Porter Adventist Hospital, Denver
Morrison, Jeffrey A., M.D. Cleanse Your Body, Clear Your Mind: Eliminate Environmental Toxins To Lose Weight, Increase Energy, and Reverse Illness in 30 Days or Less. Hudson Street. Mar. 2011. c.304p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781594630767. $25.95. HEALTH
Morrison, owner of a New York City–based integrative practice (www.themorrisoncenter.com) specializing in environmental and nutritional medicine, lays out a 30-day/optional ten-day detox plan to combat the various damages our bodily systems incur from the environment, to the potentially hazardous things we handle, to the food we eat, the air we breath, and the water we drink. A typical daily menu consists of two plant-based protein shakes, organic fruits and vegetables, and a serving of grass-fed meat or wild fish. Included is a comprehensive questionnaire measuring neurological, immune, digestive, metabolic, and hormonal functions and guidelines for limiting toxic exposure. Three appendixes covering nutritional supplements, questions for your doctor/additional testing options, and resources for further study round out the book.VERDICT More than just a detox tract, this is a thoughtful explication of the toxins we encounter in daily life, their effects on us, and the steps we can take immediately to regenerate and heal. It is essential not only in geographically toxic areas, but in every home, as required reading short on scare tactics and high on quality-of-life–altering information.—Raya Kuzyk, Library Journal
HOME ECONOMICS
Mariani, John F. How Italian Food Conquered the World. Palgrave Macmillan. Mar. 2011. c.288p. illus. index. ISBN 9780230104396. $25. COOKING
There has been a perceptible divide between Italian food in Italy and its translation in American popular culture. Though the conquered geographical “world” here seems specifically U.S.-centric and the subtextually displaced gastronomical power is French cuisine, Mariani (food & travel columnist, Esquire; contributing editor, Wine Spectator) takes us on a well-paced 2000-year history following the spread of Italians and their influence. Just the facts with minimal interjection, his presentation feels a bit like a newsreel ticking along—Marco Polo, ocean trade routes, Ellis Island, New Orleans, Prohibition, California, mobsters, movies, Wolfgang Puck, slow food, Mario Batali, the Food Network. Recipes, interspersed only in some chapters, are distracting because of their scarcity and the far more vivid descriptions of dishes and ingredients elsewhere in the book. Mariani is best as he discusses gastronomic culture accepting the notion of a restaurant, the etymologies of menu nomenclature, lineage of ingredients, corruption of recipes to appeal to American palates, and the humble origins, evolution, and marketing of products. VERDICT This culturally rooted culinary survival story is recommended for the chef wanting inspiration, the foodie seeking answers, or the anthropologist on a pop-culture kick. [With a 50,000-copy first printing.]—Ben Malczewski, Ypsilanti Dist. Lib., MI
Perrett, Heli. The Safe Food Handbook: How To Make Smart Choices About Risky Food. The Experiment. Jan. 2011. c.368p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781615190171. pap. $15.95. COOKING
As a bacteriologist and United Nations Development Agency technical specialist, Perrett has the scholarly background to dig deep into information on food safety. She has also experienced three bouts of food poisoning and knows the dangers firsthand. Perrett covers the gamut of risks to our foodstuffs, including pesticides, additives, antibiotics, and irradiation, as well as biological hazards. And she discusses not just meat, poultry, and vegetables, but also fish, herbs, spices, grains, dairy, fruit, eggs, and nuts. Each section includes a definition of the food, who keeps it safe (those working within the government and in the food industry), what the risks are, and ways to reduce the threats. Included are a glossary and lists of helpful organizations, websites, and books. VERDICT Perrett writes in a manner that clears the fog of claims surrounding food risks and safety. This book will be an eye-opener for anyone who has had questions about food safety.—Ginny Wolter, Toledo-Lucas Cty. P.L.
SCIENCES
Smith, Laurence C. The World in 2050: Four Forces Shaping Civilization’s Northern Future. Dutton. 2010. 336p. photogs. maps. index. ISBN 9780525951810. $26.95. SCI
Smith (geography, Univ. of California–Los Angeles) presents a world shaped by demography, resource demand, globalization, and climate change in which people, agriculture, and political power move northward. Northern Rim countries will flourish as equatorial countries struggle. Water scarcity, heat waves, energy needs, and urban growth figure prominently in Smith’s discussions, which, at their core, address the complex relationships among people, the natural world, the built environment, and technology. He effectively uses personal experiences, maps, photos, and analogies to make science accessible and interesting to the nonscientist. Although Smith offers reasons to feel upbeat about a world undergoing forceful changes, he also presents a future full of challenges and solutions that may create difficulties of their own. The notes are a useful addition for readers interested in Smith’s research. VERDICT Smith demonstrates the breadth of geography and emerges as a champion of the discipline. His engaging style and understandable prose will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in social and environmental sciences. Recommended for both public and academic libraries.—Robin K. Dillow, Oakton Community Coll., Des Plaines, IL
Ungar, Peter S. Mammal Teeth: Origin, Evolution, and Diversity. Johns Hopkins. 2010. 304p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780801896682. $95. SCI
In this work, Ungar (anthropology, Univ. of Arkansas) focuses primarily on how teeth have evolved to extract the most nutrients out of food sources but also examines microwear patterns to determine ancient diets. While there are similar books, this work thoroughly considers teeth across multiple species and provides in-depth analyses of teeth and jaw structures and function. Readers will further understand the complexity of examining teeth evolution; for example, phylogenetic contexts are extremely important to note, as species such as lemurs and giant pandas both eat bamboo, but their teeth design, jaw alignment, and structure are completely different. In this technical resource, graphs, photos, and illustrations augment the points made in the text. With three main sections (key terms/concepts, evolution, and current teeth) and 13 chapters, the organization enables readers unfamiliar with the topic to gain a good understanding of the discussions. VERDICT Highly recommended for academic libraries and public/special libraries with anthropology and/or natural history collections. This is also accessible to lay readers.—Sarah Statz Cords, The Reader’s Advisor Online
