Jade's Reviews

In this follow-up to his previous book, Evicted, Desmond tackles the complex, often misrepresented topic of American poverty; what causes it and how can we remedy it? Bastioned by statistics, testimonies, and his own extensive research, the author presents a compelling case for what he terms “poverty abolition.” Excellent and infuriating, Desmond’s book is a must read for anybody who craves a better understanding of modern America. —Jade

A Window to Heaven is a well-written and detailed account of the first group of climbers to successfully summit the southern peak of Denali (known for a time as Mount McKinley) in Alaska. Led by a British Episcopalian named Hudson Stuck, the expedition included four other men of varying backgrounds. Dean uses a number of sources, including the journal entries of the climbers, to tell the story. Packed with historical facts, this is an informative read for anyone interested in mountaineering.

—JADE

Ina Garten—also known as the Barefoot Contessa—is a household name across generations, and with good reason: Her recipes are easy-to-follow, delicious crowd pleasers. Her latest cookbook contains everyday go-to recipes that she turns to time and again. Garten dreamt up the theme for this cookbook during the pandemic, when she spent all her time at home and cooked dinner every single night. This practical cookbook includes lots of helpful tips for meal prepping, repurposing leftovers, and just generally simplifying dinner without sacrificing on flavor. 
—JADE

In his new book, physician, biologist, and lauded author Mukherjee displays more of the depth, humanity, and approachable intellect that readers have come to expect from him. Having previously tackled the topics of cancer and genetics, Mukherjee now focuses on cells. While some of what he covers is fairly rote, his personal stories and anecdotes about lesser known historical figures make for a thoroughly engaging read. I found the sections on the latest advances in cellular medicine to be particularly intriguing, Mukherjee’s passion for his work leaps off the page, and it’s infectious.

—JADE

Ling Ma, author of the bestselling dystopian novel Severance, has compiled a collection of her short stories. Eerie and imbued with a sense of melancholy, Bliss Montage is anything but. The eight stories here focus on themes of nostalgia, abuse, agency, and relationships. Ma’s writing conjures worlds that are like ours, but not, parallel universes where yetis live amongst us and recreational drugs can make you temporarily invisible. Ma’s stories left me feeling strange, and a little bit squeamish. Great for fans of Ottessa Moshfegh. 
—JADE

In this followup to his previous bestseller, The Cooking Gene, Twitty continues on his quest to attain more widespread recognition for Black, Jewish food culture. While he makes a point of mentioning that his latest book is “purposely not a cookbook”, it is still very much an examination of and reflection on food, identity, and the intersection between the two. Twitty eloquently explores his experience inhabiting multiple identities—Black, queer, Jewish—that many might see as contradictory. —Jade

In the years during and following the Vietnam War, many displaced Vietnamese people found themselves on the Texas Gulf Coast, working as fishermen and shrimpers. Many of the white residents did not take kindly to their presence—blaming the Vietnamese for their own paltry catches, which were in fact due to increasing levels of pollution in the Gulf—and initiated an onslaught of harassment and violence that would last for years. Wallace Johnson has taken a mostly forgotten historical conflict fraught with racism, xenophobia, and envrionmental injustice and through careful research, brought it back into our collective consciousnes. —Jade

There is no shortage of tales of polar expeditions gone awry. The voyage of the Belgica isn’t famous but it is remarkable. Led by a Belgian aristocrat and populated with an international cast of sailors, scientists, and adventurers, the Belgica’s journey to Antarctica was doomed from the start. A combination of lack of funding, shoddy leadership, and naïvete all but ensured disaster. Trapped in the ice for over a year, the crew were the first people to winter in Antarctica. Drawing from the journals of the men aboard the ship, Sancton does a remarkable job transporting the reader to the dark, freezing, rat-infested ship. On par with works from the likes of Erik Larson and David Grann, this is narrative nonfiction at its finest.  —Jade

This final collection of essays from the renowned author, environmentalist, and world traveler Barry Lopez cements his legacy as a truly great writer. Lopez’s beautiful woodland home, which he wrote about often and fondly, was badly burned in 2020, just months before Lopez himself succumbed to prostate cancer. From the ashes of the fire many precious items were saved, including five of the essays in this collection. Opening with a touching introduction from fellow essayist Rebecca Solnit, this collection, like much of Lopez’s work, is both autobiographical and far reaching, striving at once to convey an inner truth and a larger, global perspective.  —Jade

Thomas Edison is credited with many great inventions: movies, electricity, and the phonograph, to name a few. His integrity isn’t without question, however, and many people are aware that Edison may have stolen his “invention” of the incandescent bulb from Nikola Tesla. Less well known is that he was not the first person to successfully film a motion picture; that credit goes to Louis Le Prince. After a decade's worth of work and several experiments, Le Prince was on his way to the US to showcase his invention when he disappeared. In this careful and thoroughly engrossing account, Fischer makes the case for Le Prince, shedding light on a long-obscured mystery and once again bringing Edison’s honor into question.  —Jade