Jo Coudert (1923–2015)

One of my parents gave me this book when I moved into my first apartment at age 19, and it was a godsend. Back then we couldn't ask the Internet simple questions like "how long does it take to hard boil an egg?" The book made no assumptions about cooking knowledge, and provided nearly foolproof recipes that saved my ass more than once.

When my 19yo son texted me recently to ask "what can I do with potatoes besides bake them?", I realized he needed a copy of the book, too--but it's no longer in print :( . I didn't want to give him mine, but I was able to find one on eBay that will be making its way to him soon.… (altro)

This is a very pleasant and thoughtful little book. The author looks back on her years with seven different cats and in describing their different personalities and behavior, draws parallels to how we human beings deal with life. It feels more like a book about living well and fully, than a book about somebody's cats. She talks about character, about patience, about building relationships. She discusses the effects of early childhood- whether secure and loving or stressful and abusive- in influencing one's outlook on life. She talks about having self-confidence, about the value of hard work, about breaking ruts of behavior, making positive changes in our lives, putting on appearances, being needy or self-sufficient, jealousy, meditation, etc. A wealth of insights and observations.… (altro)