342. The Life of Poo or Why You Should Think Twice About Shaking Hands (Especially With Men) by Adam Hart

BOOK REVIEW: The Life of Poo or Why You Should Think Twice About Shaking Hands (Especially with Men) by Adam Hart

Shit! Ok, I'm not cursing. It was just a word I need to mention related to this book. Poo is a taboo subject and what more when it's brought up in a conversation. This book will definitely allow "investment" to be the topic of the day.

Poo is a regular part of our lives. But did you know that most of the 'solid' in your solid waste is actually bacteria? Poo is the product of a remarkable internal ecosystem that science is only just beginning to understand. 

In this book, the author explores the profound, unexpected, sometimes unpleasant - but often beneficial - impact this microscopic horde has on our health, wealth and well-being. 

Join the author on a humorous, encyclopoodic, myth-busting journey that is flush with facts, from the poo in your toilet to the latest scientific research beyond the bowl.

To me, it is a book that had facts retold in a simpler way for even the worse unscience-minded individual. It shines a spotlight on the human microbiota and how poo is nothing to be spoken little of (get to know your brownies more). 

341. The Road to Vindaloo: Curry Cooks & Curry Books by David Burnett & Helen Saberi

BOOK REVIEW: The Road to Vindaloo - Curry Cooks & Curry Books by David Burnett & Helen Saberi

Indians and curry are inseparable but the Brits and curry? You will be surprised by just how close this spicy gravy is to their heart and culinary history.

One of the more surreal facts about British cookery and British taste in the 21st century is that the nation's most popular dinner is claimed to be Chicken Tikka Masala. 

The authors have combed through much literature to attempt a useful answer. They have collected a host of recipes from the very first curry in an English cookbook (1747) to those we love to cook in the present day.

They have unearthed some interesting characters, from Captain White, who developed Selim's authentic curry pastes in Victorian times, the giants of Anglo-Indian housekeeping, Colonel Arthur Robert Kenney-Herbert and Flora Annie Steel, to little-known gems.

All the recipes in this book can be recreated to build a scene of an olden days British kitchen where this warm gravy equally warmed the cockles of the soul. 

From spices to origin to flavour profiles and combinations, this book details curry in all its glory. Wonderful addition to the Yindian bookshelf. 

340. The History of Food in 101 Objects by Media Lab Books

BOOK REVIEW: The History of Food in 101 Objects by Media Lab Books

Food is sustenance to man, providing energy and lifting moods. Eating creates memories and strengthens bonds. But behind each dish or beverage, a long history of food precedes it. To know more about the background, this book is one to relish from cover to cover.

From seeds to sporks to wieners on wheels, the history of food is as rich as an ice cream sundae. By revealing the stories behind 101 carefully curated items, this book outlines the trajectory of early agriculture, explores how various inventions became must-haves for home kitchens and explains how food went from being merely a vital necessity to one of life's most reliable sources of pleasure.

It was so much fun to read the history of so many of the foods we are accustomed to. Some of them intrigued and left me pretty much spellbound. For all foodies, this book is a must-have on your bookshelf to truly prove you know your food.

339. Curry: Eating, Reading and Race by Naben Ruthnum

 BOOK REVIEW: Curry - Eating, Reading and Race by Naben Ruthnum

Don't let the cover of this book mislead you. This isn't completely a book about the namesake dish but about how the cultural diaspora of brown-skinned individuals have made it in the world through emigration, food and writing.

This book is about a dish that doesn't quite exist. But, as the author points out, a dish that doesn't properly exist can have infinite, equally authentic variations. It might even become a form of shorthand for brown identity itself.

This sharp, hilarious little book discusses history, culture, nostalgia and many other things - including food - with wide-ranging intelligence and subtle, thoughtful wit.

For me, this book was a love-hate relationship. I was quite dissapointed as I was conned into getting this book by the cover. The ingredients on the cover suggested a food-related book with only a few pages paying homage to what was on the cover. The rest was basically writing tropes in South Asian literature and how brown-skinned individuals react in foreign lands and such.

The love part for me in the book was the author's writing style. He juxtaposed many of his points against the backdrop of his homeland, Mauritius, and also portrayed the like-minded thinking of other famous writers like Jhumpa Lahiri and Anita Desai. The writing was evocative and gave a sense of how brown-skinned individuals are regarded in countries outside their own as well as the many nostalgias they would like to reconcile with in some point of their lives.

In all, it was a good read although the book could have done a little more justice for the curry so beloved by all around the world. 

338. Ice Cream Social: The Struggle for the Soul of Ben and Jerry's by Brad Edmondson

BOOK REVIEW: Ice Cream Social - The Struggle for the Soul of Ben and Jerry's by Brad Edmondson

As a business graduate, I have been thoroughly intrigued by large conglomerates and their corporate social responsibility models. Many of them seem truly honest and keep their employees at their forefront. What better way to learn more than by reading about Ben and Jerry's.

This famous ice cream company has always been committed to an insanely ambitious 3-part mission: making the world's best ice cream, supporting progressive causes and sharing the company's success with all stakeholders: employees, suppliers, distributors, customers, even cows! However, it hasn't been easy.

This is the first book to tell readers the full, inside story of the inspiring rise, tragic mistakes, devastating fall, determined recovery and ongoing renewal of one of the most iconic mission-driven companies in the world.

It shows how the company focused so intently on the challenges presented by staying true to the mission and how the company came to be sold to corporate giant Unilever or how that relationship evolved to allow Ben and Jerry's to pursue its mission on a much larger stage.

Reading the rise, fall and finally the rise once again of Ben and Jerry's was riveting. It shows how strong human emotions can drive a company to both success and failure. The passion of those involved in the creation of one of the world's leading ice cream producers is touching. More a business story than a technical book, I found this book right up my alley.
 

337. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

 

BOOK REVIEW: The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

Where there be good, there be evil...Stories of demonic possession and macabre exorcisms have been around since the 15th century. Even today many cases of possession have been classified as mental issues.

Reading The Exorcist, I basically hid my head in the blanket while sleeping for almost a week. The scenes that unfolded in the book were too disturbing to comprehend at some point. Adapted into a movie which did justice to the book, horror aficionados should definitely give this a spin.

Regan is like any other average 12-year-old but her parents are divorced. Her mother, Chris, is a busy actor aspiring to be a director. Regan suddenly becomes attached to a certain Captain Howdy who she communicates with via an Ouija board. 

Things take a turn for the vicious side when Regan's imaginary friend turns out to be a demon hell-bent on mayhem and destruction. Father Karras is roped in to exorcise the demon, which leads to his imminent death.

The author was very knowledgeable on the topic of demons and exorcisms. It was clearly seen through the use of Latin, the involvement of the church in exorcism, the notion of possession as a mental illness as well as the signs of possession (putrid smells, speaking in tongues, etc.)

Truly a scary book. Stephen King's books (which are my all time favs) slowly amp up the fear factor but in this novel by William Peter Blatty, the fear is served raw to you on a platter, feeding the paranoid in us.

336. 501 Must-Read Books by Emma Beare

BOOK REVIEW: 501 Must-Read Books by Emma Beare

To a bookworm, books like these seriously are a curse and a boon. How many books can a house even hold at this point? Mine is beyond bursting! Even so, I did learn quite a few things from this thick baby of a book.

This book was compiled by lecturers, writers and book lovers (aren't we all 🤣), sharing their pleasure, surprise or even indignation with the rest of us. Reading is of course subjective, but the reviewers have set aside their personal preferences to share their thoughts and impressions with book lovers everywhere. 

This comprehensive guide will inspire you to read more widely and to explore previously untrodden aisles in your bookstore or library. In these pages you will find travel rubbing shoulders with memoir, modern and classic fiction nestling together, sci-fi and thrillers, children's books and history all gathered and reviewed in sometimes surprising but always stimulating essays.

What I found informative is the writing style of each review. Each of the contributors have injected their own version of their view on the book and have gone in depth towards literary style, characters and overall feel of the book.

The only dissapointing part was the lack of a chapter dedicated to horror books. Since it is a genre close to my heart, I felt that a certain homage should have been paid to it. Otherwise, this book is a must-have for all book lovers worldwide (blame the book if there is a proverbial hole in your pocket).