Review of Fifty Mice by Daniel Pyne

Fifty Mice plays with memory and what is real. It is the story of a man who is unwillingly put into the Witness Protection Program but doesn't know why. He has to try to figure out what information the people who abducted him want. The man has a fiance but has commitment issues and hasn't set a wedding date. He slowly comes to care about a little girl who is also in the Witness Protection Program and eventually her mother.  Through sessions with a psychiatrist he recalls an incident in his life having to do with a mermaid/dancer at a sex bar that he had visited. His memory of that night is hazy at first. He was drunk and doesn't remember the details. Eventually he does remember and the story moves forward quickly after that.  I enjoyed reading this book. It presented a puzzle to solve that had me hooked until the end.

Review of "Bitter" by Jennifer McLagan

Review of "Bitter" by Jennifer McLagan

 

They say you can't judge a book by its cover.  In this case, you can judge the publisher really cares about the texture or feel and imagery of the cover of "Bitter".  The six letters in the title word 'Bitter' are engraved or inset into the hardcover and the spine.  The topic, cooking bitter foods or ingredients, is different and interesting from that angle.  The author brings in many aspects of bitter foods including the  historical background [did you know the grapefruit is the only citrus not originating in southeast Asia?, sometimes the science of the sensation of bitter or the chemistry [e.g. of phytochemicals]].

The recipes are interesting and  although I have not tried many of them.  My only complaint with the book is that it covers a fair number of ingredients that are either hard to obtain or very expensive.  Expense is especially a problem in the realm of bitter where one often needs to acquire a taste for some foods and without knowing if you will truly like it in the end this can be an expensive bet of money, time and effort.  Examples include Tobacco Chocolate Truffles and a whole chapter of recipes using cardoons [member of the thistle family].

Overall an interesting read and a well produced book.