Check out these reviews written by the staff of the Marathon County Public Library! (For reviews in all genres, visit our main Staff Reviews webpage.) Staff book reviews are also published at Goodreads.com; follow us for the latest updates.
Have you heard about Scientology but have no clue what it is about? This book gives us an inside view of the workings of this religion from the viewpoint of former Scientologist, Leah Remini. Leah Remini is a actress who is best known for her role in the television comedy "King of Queens". From a very young age she was brought up in Scientology when her...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, memoir, celebrities, television, spirituality
What do a South American Immigrant, a cancer patient, and prisoners that live in New York all have in common? They all were somehow treated or impacted by the Bellevue Hospital. The author Eric Manheimer, writes about 12 different patients that he has treated and gotten to know during this time at the hospital, along with history about the medical field,...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction
When conducting research in 2010, Edin, who had been researching poverty for 20 years noticed a fundamental change in many families she interviewed—they were living without any visible cash income. In the summer of 2012, Edin joined forces with Shaefer, a leading expert on the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), and they started in-depth...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction
This is a new, beautifully illustrated cookbook that celebrates international cuisine on every page. Gorgeous pictures of completed meals are surrounded by a plethora of brightly added stories and information concerning the ingredients and culture behind each recipe. Even if you don't immediately want to start cooking one of the recipes, it's a great...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
For the unfamiliar, Tinder is a mobile dating app that helps pair up singles with others in their geographical area. Swiping right on a person’s profile means you like them and if they like you back, the app will let you know you’re a match. Sounds simple, right? In “Tinder Nightmares”, it’s less about the simple and more about the absurd. Comprised of real...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction
It is hard to write a review on a book this brief without spoiling the contents. What I can say is that this short collection of essays, written in the two years leading up to Dr. Sacks’ death, is deeply and beautifully human. These essays show us the depth of coming to terms with death and celebrating, with gratitude, the life that you have lived. There is...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, biography, memoir
If you are looking for snacks that are both delicious and super-healthy, this is a great book to pick up. I have made the cookie dough protein bites, the mocha energy bites, and the chocolate whip dip. There are also savory dip and kale chip recipes. I appreciated the first chapter, called "The Superfood Treatment," which outlines the items to stock in your...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
If you have ever watched the popular British cooking show, The Great British Bakeoff, you will know the treasure that this cookbook holds! Mary Berry is a British baking superstar who has made an easy to follow cookbook that will help us all master a sponge cake or a choux pastry. For me, this cookbook has just want I would want to learn and master from...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
This book totally lives up to its name; it is adorable! There are some seriously cute ways to make snacks and meals for you and your family. Adults and kids will both enjoy the recipes in this fun filled cookbook. Adults, you’ll find lots of healthy recipes and treats that you can make with your kids or for them as a surprise. Kids, you will find cool...
Audience: children | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
This book is absolutely gorgeous! From the highest mountains to the deepest caves, National Geographic brings us images from some amazingly talented photographers. These aren’t just any photos, but images of places and events that many of us will never get the chance to see in our lifetime. Some are secluded or protected places, some are once in a lifetime...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction
Did you grow up listening to Punk music and wish to share it with your kids or reminisce about it? "What Is Punk" covers the rise of the Punk movement, the various bands associated with it, and its fashion. Experience this book in all its glory as you learn all about the Ramones to The Slits to the Descendents in a fun story that rhymes and is illustrated...
Audience: children | Genre: nonfiction
At first glance, this book appears to be filled with nothing more than large, colorful concept art images from the planning of “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens”. As it turns out, it has so much more to offer. Author Phil Szostak worked alongside the “Star Wars” art department as a researcher and image archivist from the early days of “The Force...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, movie tie-ins
This lovely lifestyle book is packed full of plant-based, gluten-free recipes, all inspired by the French culture, for each season. I loved the passion in this book, from the lifestyle tips to the wonderful recipes, to the yoga routines. Plus, I learned so much more about a plant-based diet reading it. Did you know that (contrary to what the media and some...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
This book will give you more than enough ideas and inspirations to feed your wanderlust. National Geographic lives up to their reputation by giving you amazing destinations to visit broken down into categories of things to see around the world: nature unbound, hand of man, sea & shore, mountain majesty and town & country. As if that isn't enough,...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, travel
This new collection of beloved slow cooker recipes is full of tantalizing photos of beef, pork, chicken, and pasta recipes. Also included are appetizers, soup, and desserts. There is definitely something in here for any lover of classic, comforting dishes that are perfect fits for your slow cooker.
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear and Anger from Disney/Pixar's "Inside Out" are here to help children ages 8-12 navigate their feelings. The book covers ways to deal with sadness, fear, anger, disgust, and ways to find happiness in all situations. It gives ideas of things to do when feeling sad, ways to calm down when feeling angry, and how to deal with change....
Audience: children, tweens | Genre: nonfiction
If you're looking for a cookbook with fantastic illustrations of make-ahead recipes, look no further! This is a great resource for anyone who, like me, cooks large portions of meals in batches and needs freezer friendly recipes. This cookbook also contains helpful 'base recipes', such as ground beef or shredded pork recipes that you can freeze and use as...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
This cookbook is a perfect fit for anyone who has a passion for pasta. It includes a gorgeous selection of recipes and memories, and is packed full of helpful information about techniques and ingredients. This is a must read for anyone with a love of Italian food! As someone with food allergies who still found a few recipes I had to make copies of, there is...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
John Hughes is the creative force behind numerous memorable films throughout the 1980s and early '90s, including "The Breakfast Club", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Home Alone", "Sixteen Candles," and "Pretty in Pink". In this book, author Honeycutt gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at each of the films Hughes wrote (and sometimes directed), and...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction
Looking for a cozy, homemade soup recipe now that winter is here? Have family members that have allergies, or have them yourself? This cookbook has over a hundred recipes of enticing soups. There is something for every soup lover! None of the recipes look too intimidating or time consuming, and I especially liked that this cookbook listed if each recipe was...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
This almost fully illustrated cookbook is packed full of delicious items to try, from breads to cookies to pies. While I was flipping through in envy, since I can't eat regular baked goods, I was very happily surprised to find a vegan and gluten-free chapter hidden in here. With fourteen safe and enticing recipes for me, I was pleasantly surprised by this...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
Craving Thin Mints, Hot Pockets, or even Twinkies, but don't want all the preservatives, food dyes, and other mysterious ingredients? This cookbook is packed full of recipes for homemade versions of your favorite snacks you ate as a kid. They are healthier, homemade versions of all those snacks you remember craving. What I appreciated the most about this...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
In this letter to his adolescent son, Coates reflects upon what it means to grow up and live in the United States while inhabiting a black body. It is a combination of history, social commentary, and memoir as Coates explains to his son the complexities of his own journey to adulthood and explores the larger context of the history of race in the United...
Audience: teens | Genre: nonfiction, award-winning, alex award winner
This is the best resource I've found so far for anyone looking for natural and healthy ways to fight and prevent numerous health issues. As someone with four health issues that very much affect my everyday life, I'm always looking for books that touch on the nutrition factor of foods to fight disease or help with ailments, or, sometimes even more important...
Audience: adults | Genre: nonfiction, cookbook
I'm always curious about the past and how important it is recognize the impact the past has on the present. This book, "Forgotten Bones: Uncovering a Slave Cemetery" really piqued my curiosity. I enjoy reading about how these relics from the past are discovered and analyzed. In this case, the cemetery is located near Albany, NY, and discovered during an...
Audience: teens | Genre: nonfiction
