A Trio of Lifestyle Books

I've been reading a wide variety of all kinds of books lately, but not sharing them with you! To catch up a little, here is a roundup of a trio of "lifestyle" books that I've just finished.


My New Roots: inspired plant-based recipes for every season / Sarah Britton
Toronto: PenguinRandomHouse, c2015
256 p.
I received a review copy of this beautiful cookbook, which intrigued me because the author/chef is Canadian (though she lives in Denmark), and, of course, because it's vegetarian. This book is based on her blog, also called My New Roots - which I was unaware of previous to this. What can I say, I don't really follow food blogs! It's a good, solid, vegetable based cookbook. There are nice pictures -- both of the food and of the author & her lifestyle -- which are all one and the same in this book. Britton shares life stories and seems like a normal person, ie: one that is still based in average realities, thus the recipes are not aspirational, but ones that people might actually make. The recipes are vegetarian, and sound delicious, but most are the kind that you'll have to plan ahead for to locate special ingredients & find ample time to create; though not all of them -- some are quick and tasty dips or salads or such, which are more my speed ;) If you are a real food person I think you'll enjoy this one. It's the kind of cookbook you read through even if you're not actually intending to make anything shortly. Check out her blog to get a feel for her style. Oh, and fyi, she took all the photos for the book herself too!


Homemakers / Brit Morin
New York: HarperCollins, c2015.
437 p.

This bright and colourful book by the founder of Brit & Co. is definitely not aimed at my demographic. Morin is another young woman who has left a successful tech career and gotten into crafts and the DIY arena. The book is heavily reliant on her personality; photos feature her so often it becomes notable. Interesting fact though -- the photo locations are sourced through her partnership with Airbnb. That's a clever business idea.

I can see the appeal for a certain type of young person who doesn't have a lot of experience in these areas. But a book is not a website, and unfortunately this book feels like a bit of a dog's breakfast. There are beauty tips, design, then recipes, then crafts again. Most of the crafts are basic and can be found many places, so not terribly unique.  They might appeal to those new to crafting who aren't yet concerned about technique. Also, the idealized concept of "homemaker" is not really for me.

Best part = tech suggestions at end of each chapter. Her background in tech business comes in useful, as she suggests apps and useful online resources for each of the areas she's discussing. That is her unique selling point, and that was the most intriguing part of this book.


The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up / Marie Kondo
Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, c2014.
213 p.

I don't really have to tell you more about this best-seller except that I put it on hold at the library just check out all the fuss. It's another of those 'get organized' minimalist kind of books. And wow. She keeps ALL her books on a shelf in the shoe closet. That told me that I'm not her kind of person. And wantonly destroying books by ripping pages out so she doesn't have to keep the whole thing! Yikes. To me that's almost neurotic.

But there were some good points: make sure what you own doesn't own you. Things you give space to should "spark joy" -- her catch phrase but it does encapsulate the idea that what you have around you should be there by choice. I did start looking at the excess stuff I have and give some away; 3 bags of books and some clothing. But generally speaking, I like my stuff. I've worked hard to earn it, and I enjoy it. I'm more of a Victorian than a Modernist when it comes to my surroundings; I like having things in my space. I've accepted that fact, and have to just keep it to a level where I can still find everything that I own. When I start forgetting where I've put things then I know it's time to have a clear-out.

As someone who finds material culture very important, especially in terms of the historical record, I'm very leery of this kind of drastic, ground-clearing approach to throwing everything out. I think there can be a balance between hoarding and minimalism, and much of that lies in reducing our consumption in the first place. So. Another book with some good points to ponder, but which doesn't entirely convince me in the end.


*************************
And how about you? Have you read any of these titles? If so, what did you think? Or do you have a lifestyle title to recommend to me?

Neil Smith's Boo

Boo / Neil Smith

Toronto: Knopf, c2015.

310 p.

It’s 1979, and school is not going so great for Oliver “Boo” Dalrymple – nicknamed for his pale countenance and fly-away hair. In fact, as the story begins, he blacks out right in front of his locker.

And then he wakes up in heaven, assuming that his congenital heart defect has finally done him in. It’s an unexpected heaven, in which all of the residents are 13 year old Americans, although Oliver discovers that while everyone looks 13, some of them have been there for much longer than a year. His new world is full of weirdly specific rules that he must decipher, even as he begins to make friends – just one more difference from his past life. One of these friends is another recent arrival, Johnny, someone Oliver knew in his schooldays.

But what he finds out from Johnny is that they were both murdered…and their killer just may be in heaven with them.

This sets off a journey of discovery, with Oliver, Johnny and their friends trying to figure out what actually happened to them back at school. It also instigates a lot of soul-searching about justice and what the right punishment is for their killer, if they ever find him.

The story is complex, with a diverse cast of characters who all ‘come of age’ through their experiences despite being stuck at the age of 13. The power of friendship and trust is a strong thread that weaves each of these lives together. Smith creates engaging characters with a wide-ranging variety of personalities and characteristics, and each has something new to add to the story.

Written in the form of a letter to Boo’s parents, whom he is desperate to reassure of his continued well-being, this book is a touching portrayal of a young man struggling to find the meaning of his afterlife. It is highly imaginative, thoughtful, and at times extremely funny. I haven’t come across such an original story in ages – if you’re looking for something unusual that can spark conversation about deep themes, while also being an entertaining, eventful read, give this one a try.

(this review first appeared in the Stratford Gazette, June 4, 2015)

************************************

Further Reading:

Another novel that might appeal to readers who find Boo of interest is Cynthia Rylant's The Heavenly Village. It is also an attempt to explain the unknown, the stopping place between heaven and earth. It's short, heartfelt, and while aimed at younger readers, I think it works well for older teens and adults in its sensibility.

There have been many comparisons between this book and Lord of the Flies -- I guess the "survival without adults in a strange land" element may be similar, but I find the tone very, very different. Boo has a more inclusive set of characters and much more humour. Other comparisons have been made to The Lovely Bones; again, I think it's a very tenuous connection, residing simply in the concept of a book narrated from heaven by the main character (a teen character). The style of both books is quite different, and Boo is a tightly-written, fast-paced story that avoids many of the issues that readers found distracting in The Lovely Bones.