Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've read all of Michael Pollan’s previous books and have very much enjoyed them. I am a big foodie; I like to cook and experiment in the kitchen with fermentation, brewing, baking, etc. This book, “Cooked,” is right up my alley.

“Cooked” is divided into sections based on the four elements: fire, water, air and earth. In the Fire section, Pollan delves into the mysteries of real pit barbeque. He studies what makes barbeque delicious and how to do the perfect whole pig roast.

In the Water section he studies braises and “one pot” cooking. Pollan discusses the similarities between the world’s great cuisines and the universal basics of the “onion and garlic” recipe base. This section also gets into the science of what happens in a pot between the meat and cooking liquids.

The Air section was on baking. This section was the most interesting to me, because I am not an experienced baker. One of the shocking things revealed in this book is the genetic modification and selection of grains and the perils of flour processing. I had no idea that when I was buying “whole wheat” flour, it was nothing of the kind! This section actually changed my life. I have researched and discovered a great, organic, non-GMO, stone ground whole wheat flour mill. I now order this four by the 25 lb. bag and make loves of delicious whole wheat sour dough bread ever week.

The last section was on earth and discussed fermentation and brewing because these arts are 100% dependent on the microbes that inhabit the earth. I am what Pollan refers to as a “fermento”. I have taken classes on fermentation, studied Sandor Katz’s books, and always have something percolating on my kitchen counter. So, much of this section was old news to me, but definitely would be interesting and useful to someone interested in making their own lacto-fermented pickles or sauerkraut. He also experiments with making his own beer, but since I brew my own beer, cider and mead, this was really just an overview of things I already knew.

To conclude, “Cooked” was a very enjoyable romp through homemade food. Pollan writes personably and you feel as if you are on the odyssey with him. Even if you are pretty accomplished in the kitchen, this book is sure to open you up to a few new ideas and challenges. So get “Cooked” and get in the kitchen!


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The Untold Story of True American Heroines

The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story by Lily Koppel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story about the Astronaut wives, though it did end up making me sad. These women were amazing. They were so focused and dedicated to supporting their husbands’ careers. Everything they did was with consideration to how it would affect their husbands. From the early years as the wives of military test pilots to the glory of the Apollo moon landing, these woman did everything in their power to help their men succeed.

Unfortunately, their service and devotion was not reciprocated. These heroes of American history lived the lives of rock stars, not family men. They blatantly kept “Cape Cookies” on the side, abandoned their families, and took all of the sacrifices of their wives completely for granted. Even knowing that NASA valued strong families, and that a healthy marriage was a strong indicator of astronaut success, it was left almost entirely up to the wives to keep up the façade. They had to pretend that they didn't know what their husbands were up to in Cape Canaveral. They had to be stoic and supportive to the bitter end.

With such a lifestyle, is it any wonder that the wives only had each other to commiserate with? Though there was a lot of competition between the couples for prime space missions, the wives became a close knit community unto their own. I was happy to hear that they still had regular get-togethers even today.

“The Astronaut Wives Club” is a wonderful overview of these true American heroines. Their story has largely gone unsung, but Lily Koppel has done a good job of introducing us to most of them. There were a lot of wives by the end of the Apollo missions, and it was sometimes difficult to keep them all straight in my mind. I think that I would like to read more in-depth memoirs on some of the women introduced in this book. They just had such interesting personalities and lived through such unique circumstances, it is hard to believe that this is the first book ever written about them.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in women’s history, the space race, or American history. It was a fascinating read that I think everyone would enjoy.


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Ken Follett

Over the last month I have been devoting myself to Ken Follett's major works, Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. I finished Pillars of the Earth last week and immediately began World Without End because I was so captured with the story.

When I began Pillars of the Earth I didn't know anything about the story except what was written on the back cover. It sounded engaging, and I liked the prospect of a large work of fiction being set in Medieval England. There is a lot that can be learned from this book about architecture, Medieval building practises, and Medieval culture. As it is a book written primarily about the building of a large catholic cathedral, I was expecting to learn a lot about the early church, church customs and law, and the like. However, I was not expecting the high level of violence, raping, and pillaging that is involved. A sedate read, Pillars of the Earth, is not. Parts of this book were actually hard for me to read as a woman. Even though, intellectually, I know that woman had a rough deal throughout history, it is shocking what happens to the women in this story. You feel close to them, and it is hard to read about the trials they endure

The story itself is extremely well-written, suspenseful, informative, and gripping. The characters are complex and there is a lot of mystery and motivation involved in the plot. Though the length of this tome may be daunting to some, it is such a complex story and so entertaining, that the pages turn at a rapid pace. I feel I finished it far too quickly, which is why I immediately plunged into World Without End.

I am only about 150 pages into this book, but I have to say that I feel that it is a bit formulaic. It seems to be progressing with a very similar plot and very similar characters. It isn't that it is any less good than Pillars of the Earth, but having just finished it, it is fresh in my mind and I am constantly noticing the similarities between the two. Still, it is an excellent source of English history, the characters are compelling, and the story is full of violence, struggle, and intrigue. I'll have a more complete analysis when I have finished it.

Until then . . .