Jamie's Book Faves

Grilled Cheese, Please

2011-04-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous grilled cheese sandwich party based on this newly acquired cookbook. We chose three of the recipes, made all the ingredients available in something of a build-your-own fashion, and then grilled them up according to the book's instructions. Wow! Everyone wants to do it again! "Best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever had!" For all the photos from this first GCS party, go here: http://jf2.com/110423/

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl

2011-03-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

The sub-title is "Wide-Eyed Wonder in God's Spoken Word." Wow, the journey of this book is like no other you've taken (probably). The author weaves the most amazing metaphors, observations, commentary, and the like. I'll probably never be sure what all the book intended to get across, but even that continuation of the journey (after the read) is valuable. Here's a quote from the back cover: "Welcome to His poem. His play. His novel. Let the pages flick your thumbs."

The Survivors Club

2011-01-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

This book is hard to put down. The stories of how people survived against the most outrageous of odds are gripping. But this book is more than just the stories. It's a look at why some people survive and some don't, often separated by as little as an arm rest on an airplane. It'll give you a whole new outlook on surviving, including some how-tos. I know I'll be in an entirely different frame of mind next time I step onto an airplane; I want the attendants to recognize me as an ABP. As it turns out, being faith-full plays a significant role, too.

The 4-Hour Body

2011-01-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

How's this for a new year's book, resolution and all! It's no wonder I like this book; the author thinks like I think and writes like I'd like to write. I asked Matt why a 600-page book to explain a 4-hour-per-week program... Actually, the author explains this right off the bat - you can read about 150-page sets (he has four such sets depending on what you want to accomplish) and get everything you need. The rest is the science, the anecdotes, the background for those who care. Learn about predisposed versus predestined, minimum effect dose, why a calorie isn't a calorie, the B.S. in marketers' speak about diet programs, and taking pictures of what you eat (with your cell phone) rather than keeping a food journal. Learn about Slow Carbs. You'll really like binge day, and you'll be surprised how often it comes around. And don't forget the 10-20 minutes twice a week with a kettlebell - it's practically a miracle exercise.

Free Play

2010-12-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

Subtitled: Improvisation in Life and Art. An engaging book about collaborative improvisation. Collaborating with others, with Nature, with your unconscious. A gifted teacher improvises within a framework that involves herself, the students, and their environment - to great effect! Musicians will delight in his descriptions of creating wondrous music; the author is a violinist and makes many a point with his stringed journeys.If only simplicity weren't the most difficult thing in the world...

Empires of Trust

2010-12-21T12:57:00.000-08:00

I thought I knew something about the Roman Empire and how the United States is following the same path. I didn't. And before you think you've got it all down, too, I'd suggest reading this book. There have not been many "empires of trust," find out the stuff they're made of and the good they do for the world.

Jamie

The Elegant Universe

2010-12-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

This book is so well written that I actually began to understand some of the more complex topics of cosmology: superstrings, hidden dimensions, etc. It's about String Theory, and while maybe a little outdated at this point (10 years old), it's so clearly written as to remain extremely valuable. I've read many books on cosmology; this is the best so far.

Jamie

Broke

2010-12-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

An excellent summary of what our forefathers tried to do, how we've let the government take us astray, and how to get freedom and prosperity (they go together) back. An open-minded American of any party persuasion can benefit from this read.

Jamie

Lone Survivor

2010-12-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

An amazing story of how a Navy Seal trained and went into battle outnumbered hundreds to four - and became the one of the four to survive. It's the survivor's story told in his own words. It was hard to put down...

Jamie

The Man Who Found Time

2010-12-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

Having an affinity for geology, this one readily caught my attention. James Hutton never really received the well-known-ness that Galileo, Copernicus, and Darwin did; but he should have. Hutton discovered that time went back much farther than was held in that day, and found the geological proof for that. An image of the unconformity at Siccar Point is often my computer's wallpaper. Great, quick read.

Jamie

Ecological Sanity

2010-11-21T12:57:00.000-08:00

Ecological Sanity
This books was written in 1977 and is now out of print. You can find used copies here and there, including through Amazon at the link above. This book more than any of the other hundreds read by Lynn's stepfather and myself started us realizing what the "environmental movement" was really all about. It's not an easy read, but neither are other scientific books worth reading. You can borrow the copy I have with a $1000 deposit.

Jamie

The Physics of Christmas

2010-11-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

Those who know me will recognize two of my passions blended here into one book, The Physics of Christmas. Fascinating stuff from the science of snow flakes, to the search for the Star of Bethlehem, to the thermodynamics of turkey cooking (and of other holiday treats)! The author does a great job of sharing a great deal of information with just enough tongue firmly planted in his rosy cheeks so as to not upset your sensibilities too much.

Jamie

The True Saint Nicholas

2010-11-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

Saint Nicholas is something of an enigma. Is he for real or not? What do we know about him, for sure? What exactly is his status as a saint? Is it from Saint Nicholas that Santa Claus evolved? This is the matter of the book, and Mr. Bennett does an appealing job of fairly reviewing what is known or thought about Saint Nicholas and explaining why it matters to Christmas. It's a wonderful, quick read.

Jamie

This Train is Bound for Glory

2010-11-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

Did you know that chapel cars ran on the rails of this country from the late 1800s into the early 1900s?! Chapel cars were sponsored primarily by the Baptists and the Catholics to spread the word across the untamed west. I've been a railfan all my life, and grew up a PK (Preacher's Kid), but it wasn't until a few years ago that I discovered this connection between those two worlds. I got so into it that I developed an experience for our local Methodist church that involved a presentation on the subject followed by a ride on a "chapel car" (well, we turned it into one for the day) on the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, onboard worship service and all. Here are some photos from that event: http://www.worshipweekly.com/090606.html. If you'd like to have one book on the subject, it's the one shown here.

Jamie