Savory information presented on a stylish plate.
A locavore and James Beard Award–winning food writer adapts the French wine-growing concept of terroir, “the taste of place,” to champion a variety of foods from the Western hemisphere.
Jacobsen (The Living Shore: Rediscovering a Lost World, 2009, etc.) journeyed from Alaska to Mexico and myriad other places to savor salmon, chocolate and other foods that benefit greatly, he argues, from local conditions, which create the uniqueness of their flavors. After explaining the concept of terroir, the author begins his day with Vermont maple syrup and establishes his expository pattern for ensuing chapters. The author discusses the terrain, biochemistry and natural history of the product (nothing too recondite), introduces quirky local authorities on the item and ends with recipes and suggested websites for further reading. In Jacobsen’s skillful hands, the organization never becomes onerous or even obvious. His exuberance, joy in his pursuit and playful diction combine to spice the literary dish most appealingly. After the syrup, Jacobsen examines Panamanian coffee (and has dark things to say about dark roasts), apple cider from Washington’s Yakima Valley, exotic honeys (there’s a grand one from Pitcairn Island), potatoes and mussels from Prince Edward Island, goodies foraged from the forest floor in Quebec, oysters from Puget Sound, avocados from Mexico, Yukon River salmon, California wines, Vermont cheese and, for dessert, chocolate from the land of the Maya, who, Jacobsen notes, baptized their children in it. Surprise is a constant companion—fine wine from the Walla Walla Valley in Washington? the best authentic chocolate in Somerville, Mass.?—as are the author’s unique comparisons: “In composition and behavior, a cheese is not unlike a dead body. It starts of fresh and springy and ends up ripe and runny.” Unfortunately, many of these products bear prices beyond the means of most consumers.
Savory information presented on a stylish plate.Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59691-648-7
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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