Origami

Every year October 24th through November 11th is celebrated as World Origami Days, a celebration of the joy of paperfolding.  Participants are encouraged to make origami visible by teaching a class, folding in public, give origami to friends, or exhibit their origami.  October 24th is the birthday of Lilliam Oppenheimer (1898-1992) who founded the first origami group in America.  November 11th is Origami Day in Japan. 
Here are ten books for paperfolders of all levels and interests!

Extreme Origami: Transforming Dollar Bills into Priceless Works of Art by Won Park - Won Park has taken the ancient art of origami to a whole new level. Using American currency, Park transforms dollar bills into creative works of art. He relies on the fibrous quality of the paper to fold, bend and twist hundreds of times per model without tearing. With no cutting and no pasting, Park is able to incorporate the details on the bills into his model designs. His signature koi fish is folded in such a way that the patterns on the dollar bill become the scales on the fish, and even the facial features fall in exactly the right place. His designs include a wide array of vehicles, animals, and mythical creatures. In this book, step-by-step instructions are provided for 20 distinct models that are bound to challenge even the most proficient folders. The challenge includes a Formula 1 race car, a toilet, a butterfly, a koi fish, a scorpion, a sea turtle, a fox, an ox, a marlin, a car, a praying mantis, a dragon, a spider, a stag beetle, a stegosaurus, a bat, Pegasus, a fighter jet, a battle tank, and a pig. All models can be made with either one or two dollar bills. Why worry about the declining value of the U.S. dollar? Follow the instructions in this book, and you can transform your dollars into works of art!

Hello, Origami: 30 Fun & Easy Origami Designs for Secret Notes & Special Messages by Mizutama - Say it with origami! Do you love sending handwritten notes and making your own greeting cards? Are you interested in origami, but find all those complicated folds intimidating? Then Hello Origami is just the book for you! With Hello Origami, you'll learn fun and easy ways to transform boring old paper into adorable and useful designs that you can use to send secret notes and special messages. Fold fun shapes, such as hearts, flowers, and ice cream cones and use origami techniques to create festive gift tags, greeting cards, bookmarks, and more! Use pretty origami paper, or learn how to embellish notebook paper, sticky notes, and envelopes with highlighters, washi tape, and gel pens for a custom look. With a few simple folds, you can create one-of-a-kind greeting cards, notes, and decorations that are sure to brighten anyone's day!

Horrorgami: 25 Creepy Creatures, Ghastly Ghouls, and Other Fiendish Paper Projects by Chris Marks - If you thought origami was just about making peaceful cranes, flowers, and sailboats, you're in for a wicked treat. Horrorgami is a new and dark way to look at the once gentle art of paper folding. Follow simple step-by-step instructions for creating 25 creepy creatures like evil witches, ghoulish goblins, sinister skulls, fearsome fangs, Frankenstein's Monster, and more. Also included is level of difficulty for each project, a glossary of fiendish folds and tips, paper-sourcing ideas, how-to illustrations, and a fun full-color design throughout.

Manga Origami: Easy Techniques for Creating 20 Super Cute Characters by Marcio Hideshi Noguchi & Seth Friedman - Origami masters Marcio Hideshi Noguchi and Seth Friedman show everything you need to know to create adorable paper characters from your favorite manga/anime stories with basic origami folding instructions and clear step-by-step diagrams. In the first section you'll learn about the paper and other necessary materials, the origami symbols and terminology, and the general folding techniques needed to create and assemble all the basic figures. In the second section you will find specific instructions for customizing each of the characters with their outfits/costumes, accessories, and unique hairstyles.
Some of the twenty projects are very recognizable as Japanese manga/anime characters, such as the Ronin Samurai, Kimono-Chan, Tea Picker, and Shrine Maiden, while others, like the French Maid, Nurse, Baseball Player, and Bunny Girl are more western. Also included are some fantasy characters, like the Fairy, Ori Fighter, Santa's Helper, and Dragon Girl. Of course, characters depicting school life and summer vacation fun are here too, such as Schoolgirl, Sailor Fuku, Gym Girl, Beach Bunny, Sensei, Uki-wa Chan, Harem Otoko, and Neko Form. All projects are clearly marked with their difficulty level- beginner (*), advanced beginner (**), intermediate (***), advanced (****), and expert (*****).

Michael Lafosse's Origami Butterflies: Elegant Designs From a Master Folder by Michael Lafosse with Richard Alexander - Whimsical, exquisite and fragile, butterflies and moths have enchanted and inspired people for centuries. Origami artist Michael G. LaFosse is no exception. His original butterfly paper-folding techniques are a dramatic new development in origami--which some have hailed as the most important advance in origami since the first paper cranes appeared centuries ago. Hundreds of LaFosse butterflies have been featured in exhibitions around the world and his iconic designs are now eagerly sought and widely imitated by folding enthusiasts everywhere. Michael LaFosse's Origami Butterflies presents 26 original projects from LaFosse's extensive butterfly and moth repertoire, including all his personal favorites. This collection has many rarely-seen designs, and several of the models illustrate new technical and design achievements made possible by the ingenious "LaFosse Origami Butterfly Folding System." These elegant forms--each created from a single square sheet of paper without cutting or glue--showcase the versatility of the folding system. All are deceptively simple, yet provide a solid foundation for creative flights of fancy in the hands of an experienced folder. Clear step-by-step instructions show you how to make literally hundreds of different variations by making small adjustments to a few key folds! Whether dry-folded from recycled candy wrappers or wet-folded from expensive handmade papers, these designs exemplify the best aspects of the paper folder's art today. This exciting new book with accompanying DVD represents the culmination of a lifetime of designing and perfecting the art of origami butterflies. It contains everything you need to create your own unique collection!

New Expressions in Origami Art: Masterworks From 25 Leading Paper Artists by Meher McArthur - This origami art book features the work of 25 contemporary master folders who are among the most innovative origami artists working today. They are pushing the boundaries of origami vigorously in new directions in terms of style, scale, materials, subject and scope. This elite group includes: Joel Cooper, Erik Demaine and Martin Demaine, Paul Jackson, Beth Johnson, Michael G. LaFosse and Richard L. Alexander, Robert J. Lang, Linda Mihara, Bernie Peyton, Richard Sweeney, and many more. The stunning photos and brilliant essays in this book demonstrate why origami is now an international art movement largely through the efforts and artistic genius of a few contemporary masters. The trailblazing efforts of Japanese artist Akira Yoshizawa elevated the paper folding to an artform by showing how subtle shapes and figures could be created from a single sheet of paper though a variety of non-traditional folding techniques. Artists in other parts of the world including the United States, France, England, China and Scandinavia took Yoshizawa's cue and pushed these techniques further and further. The result has been the emergence of many new and surprising sculptural forms created through techniques such as wet folding, curved creasing, tessellating and the application of alternative materials besides paper.

Origami 101: Master Basic Skills and Techniques Easily Through Step-by-Step Instruction by Benjamin John Coleman - Have you always been intrigued by origami, but often found the diagrams confusing or the models uninspiring? Origami 101 is here to help. Geared toward the absolute beginner, this book contains more than 40 amazing folding projects for the whole family and includes models that evolve from one of four basic origami shapes. A revolutionary illustration enhancement called Glow Fold makes the diagrams and video steps easy to understand. With the introduction of every folding symbol, you'll find a detailed sidebar explaining what it means and a symbol index bookmark that guides you to these sidebars whenever you need to be reminded. If you need more help, just watch the accompanying online videos for any model.
With the help of origami enthusiast Benjamin Coleman, you'll learn how this classic craft can be enjoyed by all ages. Amuse yourself and delight your friends with these captivating folded figures!

The Origami Artist's Bible by Ashley Wood - This hardcover book with internal wire-o binding is 6.5in x 8in, a perfect size for readers to keep handy and reference often. The stylish design of this book, along with the interior photographs, illustrations and diagrams, make the learning process simple and fun for origami beginners and provides useful tips for more advanced folders.
Origami transcends gender, culture, and language. It demands no prior learning and no complex equipment; it can be done at any age, by anyone; models can be large or small, useful or ornamental. You can fold a bus ticket or a sheet of gold leaf, but the sole requirement of becoming an expert in origami is that you enjoy it!
The Origami Artist's Bible starts with a simple set of origami folds, illustrated with clear step-by-step diagrams, and three essential origami "bases" that are starting points for project models in the rest of the book. The models are arranged according to theme; some are complex, requiring patience and practice, and some are suitable for total beginners.

Origami Jewelry Motifs: Fold and Wear Your Own Earrings, Bracelets, Necklaces and More by Julian Laboy-Rodriguez - Fold your way to necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more!
Want to add something new to your look? Look to paper! In Origami Jewelry Motifs, you'll learn to fold more than 30 charming origami models, from animals and flowers to shapes and figures. Mix-and-match the jewelry-sized motifs with headbands, necklaces, rings, and more to create your own custom jewelry.
New to folding? Not a problem! The models included range from beginner to intermediate. Start with a simple model, such as the Christmas tree, and work your way up to the more complicated brontosaurus. Even if you're an experienced folder, the small-scale models will challenge and engage you.
Once you've mastered a few simple jewelry-making techniques, you'll be able to create endless variations using your favorite motifs. Try a pair of playful fox earrings, or make a statement with the fractal rose necklace. Adorn your hair with a whimsical butterfly headband. Whatever your style, you'll find something to make and love in Origami Jewelry Motifs!

Origami Odyssey: A Journey to the Edge of Paperfolding by Peter Engel - Renowned origami artist Peter Engel first astounded origami enthusiasts and the lay person alike with his popular Origami from Angelfish to Zen. Since that book, published in 1989, Engel has gone through a personal change in his philosophy of origami design, honed through decades of elevating what is often viewed as simple paper folding into a fine art.
In Origami Odyssey, Engel takes paper crafters on a journey to the edge of paper folding, providing instruction for exquisite and original origami designs, including several that have been shown in galleries and museums throughout the world. Experienced folders will delight in the chance to grow as artists as they master the projects in this book, and new comers to origami will find the author's journey so inspiring that they'll be ready to begin an odyssey of their own.

Werewolves

With only two days to go until Halloween, I am running out of time for my spooky fiction!  Here we go with werewolves!

Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur - Being half werewolf and half Aedh, Risa Jones can enter the twilight realms between life and death and see the reapers, supernatural beings that collect the souls of the dead. But she soon makes a terrifying discovery: Some sinister force is stealing souls, preventing the dead from ever knowing the afterlife.
Reapers escort souls--not snatch them--but Risa is still unnerved when a reaper shadows her in search of someone Risa has never met: her own father, an Aedh priest, who is rumored to be tampering with the gates of hell for a dark purpose. With the help of her "aunt"--half-werewolf, half-vampire Riley Jenson--and an Aedh named Lucian who may have lost his wings but none of his sex appeal, Risa must pursue whatever shadowy practitioner of blood magic is seizing souls, and somehow stop her father . . . before all hell breaks loose.  Book 1 of 7 in the Dark Angels series

How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper - Even in Grundy, Alaska, it's unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham--who has been openly critical of Mo's ability to adapt to life in Alaska--has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.
For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it's love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he's worried that he might be the violent canine in question.
If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he's not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated. . . . Book 1 of 3 in the Naked Werewolf series 

Hungry Like the Wolf by Paige Tyler - INTRODUCING SWAT: SPECIAL WOLF ALPHA TEAM
They're tight
They're on target
They're as alpha as men can get
The Dallas SWAT team is hiding one helluva secret...they're a pack of wolf shifters.
The team of elite sharpshooters is ultra-secretive-and also the darlings of Dallas. This doesn't sit well with investigative journalist Mackenzie Stone. They must be hiding something...and she's determined to find out what.
Keeping Mac at a distance proves impossible for SWAT team commander Gage Dixon. She's smart, sexy, and makes him feel alive for the first time in years. But she's getting dangerously close to the truth-and perilously close to his heart...Book 1 of 10 in the SWAT series

Moon Awakening by Lucy Monroe - When Emily Hamilton's family is ordered to send a woman to the Scottish highlands for marriage to the Laird of the Sinclair, Emily volunteers in order to save her younger sister from such a fate. But at her new home, the only friend she finds is the Laird's sister - especially after Emily's stubborn streak causes the Laird to cancel the marriage. Lachlan Balmoral is Laird of his clan - and leader of his pack. One of the most feared werewolves prowling the highlands, he is on the march against the hated Sinclair, who have abducted a Balmoral woman. Book 1 of 6 in the Children of the Moon series 

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs - Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter, and while she was raised by werewolves, she can never be one of them, especially after the pack ran her off for having a forbidden love affair. So she's turned her talent for fixing cars into a business and now runs a one-woman mechanic shop in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State.
But Mercy's two worlds are colliding. A half-starved teenage boy arrives at her shop looking for work, only to reveal that he's a newly changed werewolf--on the run and desperately trying to control his animal instincts. Mercy asks her neighbor Adam Hauptman, the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, for assistance.
But Mercy's act of kindness has unexpected consequences that leave her no choice but to seek help from those she once considered family--the werewolves who abandoned her... Book 1 of 12 in the Mercy Thompson series

Primal Law by J. D. Tyler - Meet the Alpha Pack, a top-secret military team of wolf-shifters fighting the most dangerous predators in the world, human and nonhuman. After a massacre leaves Jaxon Law crippled, he must relearn how to fight-and battle the anger and guilt threatening to overwhelm him. But when Jax rescues a beautiful woman who awakens his primal instincts, he is unprepared for the dangers that lie ahead. Soon he must decide if the deep connection he feels with Kira is worth defying the ultimate shifter law... Book 1 of 7 in the Alpha Pack series 

Sealed With a Curse by Cecy Robson - Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls--with one tiny exception: they're products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, weird. The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region--until one of them blows up a vampire in self-defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust-fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders: are the vampires of Tahoe cursed with a plague? Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the region safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and oh yeah, not lose her heart to the wrong guy--or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, it's coming for her and her sisters. This Wird girl has never had it so tough. Book 1 of 5 in the Weird Girls series 

The Silvered by Tanya Huff - The Empire has declared war on the small, were-ruled kingdom of Aydori, capturing five women of the Mage-Pack, including the wife of the were Pack-leader. With the Pack off defending the border, it falls to Mirian Maylin and Tomas Hagen--she a low-level mage, he younger brother to the Pack-leader--to save them. Together the two set out on the kidnappers' trail, racing into the heart of enemy territory. But with every step the odds against their survival, let alone their success, grow steeper... 

What's a Witch to Do? by Jennifer Harlow - High Priestess might sound like an '80s hair band, but its Mona McGregor's life. She runs the Midnight Magic shop in Goodnight, Virginia, and leads a large coven. She's also raising two nieces and hasn't been with a man for fifteen years. Then a handsome doctor takes an interest in her-- and a sexy werewolf arrives at her door! Hell's bells! When a demon begins stalking her, Mona has to find out who wants her dead... and who really wants her... Book 1 of 3 in the Midnight Magic series 

Written in Red by Anne Bishop - As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut--a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard--a business district operated by the Others.
Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she's keeping a secret, and second, she doesn't smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she's wanted by the government, he'll have to decide if she's worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.  Book 1 of 5 in the Novel of the Others series 

Chocolate

Today is National Chocolate Day.  I am sooo craving it after writing this post and looking at all these books! 

The Art of the Chocolatier: From Classic Confections to Sensational Showpieces by Ewald Notter - A must-have guide to chocolate making and chocolate showpiece design, from renowned confectionery expert Ewald Notter.
Covering the full spectrum of chocolate work--from the fundamentals of chocolate making to instruction on advanced showpiece design and assembly--The Art of the Chocolatier is the most complete and comprehensive guide to chocolate making on the market. The book covers basic information on ingredients, equipment, and common techniques in the pastry kitchen, while also offering clear, step-by-step instructions on creating small candies and large-scale chocolate pieces.
This is the ideal book for pastry students enrolled in chocolate and confectionery courses, as well as working professionals and even serious home confectioners who want to improve their skills in advanced chocolate work.

Bean to Bar Chocolate: America's Craft Chocolate Revolution: The Origins, The Makers, and the Mind-blowing Flavors by Megan Giller - Author Megan Giller invites fellow chocoholics on a fascinating journey through America’s craft chocolate revolution. Learn what to look for in a craft chocolate bar and how to successfully pair chocolate with coffee, beer, spirits, cheese, or bread. This comprehensive celebration of chocolate busts some popular myths (like “white chocolate isn’t chocolate”) and introduces you to more than a dozen of the hottest artisanal chocolate makers in the US today. You’ll get a taste for the chocolate-making process and understand how chocolate’s flavor depends on where the cacao was grown — then discover how to turn your artisanal bars into unexpected treats with 22 recipes from master chefs.

Chocolate Cakes: 50 Great Cakes for Every Occasion by Elinor Klivans - Beloved baker Elinor Klivans, author of the best-selling Cupcakes! and Cupcake Kit, has dedicated her new cookbook to the stuff of chocoholic fantasy: chocolate cake. There's something for bakers of every skill level in the 50 recipes included here, from fast chocolate fixes like the Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake to more elaborate recipes like the Mocha Whipped Cream Truffle Cake. This book is certain to be celebrated by chocolate lovers everywhere. And how will they do that? With cake, of course!

Chocolates & Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner by Peter Greweling - Candymaking is in the midst of a revolution. The public is increasingly hungry for hand-crafted chocolates and confections, heightening appreciation for the work of artisan confectioners who use traditional techniques and fine ingredients. Now, master confectioner Peter Greweling of The Culinary Institute of America has at last produced the bible of artisan confectionery—a comprehensive guide to the ingredients, theory, techniques, and formulas needed to create every kind of chocolate and confection.
Illustrated throughout with nearly 200 striking full-color photographs and illustrations, Chocolates & Confections provides a comprehensive foundation in confectionery, offering accessible explanations of theory as well as illustrated step-by-step guidance on technique, from tempering chocolate to candying fruit. It also includes helpful charts that pinpoint common candy-making pitfalls and how to avoid them, guides to the best quality chocolate and other all-natural confectionery ingredients, as well as information on packaging and storage.
Chocolates & Confections features chapters on every confectionery type—cream ganache, butter ganache, non-crystalline sugar confections, crystalline sugar confections, jellies, aerated confections, and nut centers—and includes nearly 150 formulas for classic confections, such as marzipan made using fresh almonds, as well as contemporary variations such as Madras, a coconut curry butter ganache. From truffles, butter ganache confections, hard candies, brittles, toffee, caramels, and taffy to fondants, fudges, gummies, candied fruit, marshmallows, divinity, nougat, marzipan, gianduja, and rochers, it demonstrates how to produce world-class confections and provides the in-depth background information candy-makers need to formulate their own signature creations.

Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight: New Science Proves You Should Eat Chocolate Every Day by Will Clower - An innovative plan that teaches readers how to lose weight by indulging in a "guilty" pleasure: chocolate. Dispelling the myth that chocolate is just a "junk food," Dr. Will Clower uses cutting-edge research to highlight the health benefits of consuming chocolate on a daily basis. Readers will learn how the antioxidants found in chocolate can boost metabolism and how, by eating chocolate in specific ways, they can pull their "sweet tooth" so they eat less sugar and control cravings. Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight features the Chocolate Challenge--an 8-week, science-based plan designed to help readers relieve stress, promote heart health, lower blood sugar, stop cravings, increase metabolism, and shed pounds. Featuring a 6-week meal plan and more than 50 delicious chocolate recipes, Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight contains meal options for days when readers can't get enough of their favorite flavor, as well as times when they may want to hide chocolate in other foods while still taking advantage of its health benefits. The book also includes information on which chocolate provides the most health benefits and weight loss and the optimal amount of daily chocolate intake. Complete with stories and tips from real people who have tried the plan and lost more than 75 pounds, readers can finally have their chocolate and eat it too!

The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook: Recipes and History from America's Premier Chocolate Maker by The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company - America is experiencing a chocolate renaissance, and the epicenter is in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Ghirardelli has long been the standard-bearer for great chocolate. Domingo Ghirardelli first began making chocolate drinks for miners during the Gold Rush. In the more than 150 years since, the chocolatiers who have carried on the company's grand tradition have made Ghirardelli the leading premium manufacturer in the country. Growing consumer demand for higher-quality cacao and specialized chocolate products prompted the experts at Ghirardelli to revise this collection of classic cookies, bars, cakes, and drinks. The recipes range from simple sweets to show-stopping desserts, while a special section on hosting a chocolate party comes just in time for holiday baking and entertaining. A stylish revision of the classic cookbook from America's longest continually operating chocolate manufacturer. Includes more than 80 recipes, a primer on chocolate varieties and uses, and more than 25 full-color photographs.

Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams by Michael D'Antonio - The name Hershey evokes many things: chocolate bars, the company town in Pennsylvania, one of America's most recognizable brands. But who was the man behind the name? In this compelling biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael D'Antonio gives us the real-life rags-to-riches story of Milton S. Hershey, a largely uneducated businessman whose idealistic sense of purpose created an immense financial empire, a town, and a legacy that lasts to this day.
Hershey, the son of a minister's daughter and an irresponsible father who deserted the family, began his career inauspiciously when the two candy shops he opened both went bankrupt. Undeterred, he started the Lancaster Caramel Company, which brought him success at last. Eventually he sold his caramel operation and went on to perfect the production process of chocolate to create a stable, consistent bar with a long shelf life...and an American icon was born.
Hershey was more than a successful businessman -- he was a progressive thinker who believed in capitalism as a means to higher goals. He built the world's largest chocolate factory and a utopian village for his workers on a large tract of land in rural Pennsylvania, and used his own fortune to keep his workers employed during the Great Depression. In addition, he secretly willed his fortune to a boys' school and orphanage, both of which now control a vast endowment.
Extensively researched and vividly written, Hershey is the fascinating story of this uniquely American visionary.

Small Batch Baking for Chocolate Lovers by Debby Maugans - No one can resist the allure of home-made chocolate desserts--but when recipes yeild a full dozen or more, we often eat more than our serving size. In Small Batch Baking for Chocolate Lovers, acclaimed food writer Debby Maugans solves the problem by crafting irresistible recipes perfectly suited for two. Ideal for the single gal, small family, retiree, or bride-to-be, the book features over 120 cookie, cake, pie, tart, muffin, and scone recipes, over-the-top and lavishly loaded with chocolate of all kinds. There's a dessert in this book for every occasion: a fool-proof birthday chocolate cake recipe, a chocolate orange tart for Valentine's Day, or when you're in the mood for a little self-indulgence a chocolate souffle sized for one. ; your sweetheart (and your waistline) will thank you!

The True History of Chocolate by Sophie D. Coe - The story begins some 3,000 years ago in the jungles of Mexico and Central America with the chocolate tree, Theobroma Cacao, and the complex processes necessary to transform its bitter seeds into what is now known as chocolate. This was centuries before chocolate was consumed in generally unsweetened liquid form and used as currency by the Maya, and the Aztecs after them. The Spanish conquest of Central America introduced chocolate to Europe, where it first became the drink of kings and aristocrats and then was popularized in coffeehouses. Industrialization in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries made chocolate a food for the masses, and now, in our own time, it has become once again a luxury item.

Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts by Fran Costigan - It can be difficult to find truly indulgent vegan desserts--especially chocolate. But for the first time, chocolate cakes, brownies, truffles, puddings, ice creams, and more are within reach: dairy-free, organic, fair-trade, and sublime.
Author, baking instructor, and vegan powerhouse Fran Costigan has dedicated years to satisfying her sweet tooth while keeping it vegan. Through experimentation and long hours in the kitchen, she's recreated some of her favorite chocolate desserts as better-for-you interpretations that pass the taste test: Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles (with a variety of flavor variations), a Brooklyn Blackout Layer Cake, a Sacher Torte, even chocolate Moon Pies! Her detailed instructions make for professional-quality outcomes every time: it's like a personal baking class, right in your kitchen.

Pit Bulls

Today is Pit Bull Awareness Day - here are ten books on this breed!

American Pit Bull Terrier: Smart Owner's Guide from the editors of Dog Fancy Magazine - Dedicated to the American Pit Bull Terrier, one of the world’s most loyal, intelligent, and versatile breeds, this Smart Owner’s Guide, created by the editors at Dog Fancy magazine, offers the most up-to-date and accurate information every dog owner needs to become a well-informed caregiver for his dog. Illustrated with color photographs of adorable puppies and handsome adults, this easy-to-read primer is designed in a modern, lively manner that readers will find user-friendly and entertaining.
Each Smart Owner’s Guide offers a description of the breed’s character and physical conformation, historical overview, and its attributes as a companion dog. The reader will find informative chapters on everything he or she needs to know about acquiring, raising, and training this remarkable purebred dog, including: finding a breeder and selecting a healthy, sound puppy; preparing for the puppy’s homecoming, shopping for supplies, and puppy-proofing the home; house-training; veterinary and home health maintenance; feeding and nutrition; and grooming. Obedience training for basic cues (sit, stay, heel, come, etc.) and solving potential problem behaviors (barking, chewing, aggression, jumping up, etc.) are addressed in separate chapters, as are activities to enjoy with the dog, including showing, agility, therapy work, and more.
Entertaining tidbits and smart advice fill up colorful sidebars in every chapter, real-life heroes and rescue stories are retold in full-page features, and recipes, training, and care tips are also highlighted on special pages.

Angel on My Shoulder: My Life With An American Pit Bull Terrier by Jolene Mercadante - On a bitterly cold February day in 1992, a woman named Jolene found herself with a choice to make: the brindle puppy in a kindly stranger's left palm-or the red puppy in his right?
For Jolene Mercadante, a librarian and lifelong animal advocate, this was the first tentative step on a journey that would impact the way she lived the rest of her life. She had no way of knowing how Rumer, a single little soul the size of a sausage, was about to change her life.
Through all of life's great adventures-the perfect five-week-old baby; the lanky, rebellious teenager; the extraordinary, splendid adult-Rumer was a creature of humor and love. She joyfully shattered the unjust "pit bull" stereotypes. She might not have been a heroic rescue dog, a therapy dog, or a war hero; there are other pit bulls who can claim this fame. But Rumer did touch the lives of everyone who knew her, and that made her heroic in her own way.
"She did save us, she did rescue us, and she was our hero in so many ways."
Rumer was an ordinary dog who lived an ordinary life, but that's what made her extraordinary. This memoir is an unforgettable love story and an uplifting journey brought about by the life of a truly pure and beautiful soul.

I'm a Good Dog: Pit Bulls, American's Most Beautiful (and Misunderstood) Pet by Ken Foster - Filled with inspiring stories and photographs, this heartfelt tribute to the pit bull celebrates one of America's most popular yet misunderstood dogs. Perhaps more than any other breed, the pit bull has been dogged by negative stereotypes. In truth, pit bulls are innately wonderful family pets, as capable of love and good deeds as any other type of dog. Setting the record straight, Ken Foster sings the praises of pit bulls in I'm a Good Dog, a gorgeously illustrated, tenderly written tribute to this most misunderstood of canines. Founder of the Sula Foundation, which promotes responsible pit bull ownership in New Orleans, and the author of two acclaimed books about abandoned dogs, Foster has made it his mission to bring overlooked canines into the limelight. I'm a Good Dog traces the fascinating history of this particularly maligned breed. A century ago, the pit bull was considered a family dog, featured in family photos and trusted as loving companions for children. More recently, pit bulls have been portrayed by the media as stereotypes of everything they are not. Foster shatters that reputation through moving profiles of pit bulls that serve as therapy dogs, athletic heroes, search-and-rescue dogs, and educators, not to mention as loving pets. Foster also profiles many pit bull lovers, from Helen Keller and Dr. Seuss to actor Todd Cerveris, who took his pit bull on tour with him for the musical Spring Awakening. Proving that there's much to love and nothing to fear, I'm a Good Dog restores the pit bull to its rightful place as friend, family member, athlete and entertainer.

Incredibull Stella: How the Love of a Pit Bull Rescued a Family by Marika Meeks & Elizabeth Ridley - Marika Meeks fell in love with Stella the moment she saw her. The adorable pit bull puppy had been abandoned in a cold field in winter -- but her warm, friendly eyes and boundless affection could melt anyone's heart. Even so, Marika wasn't sure she was ready to adopt a dog. As a busy entrepreneur, wife, and mother of two daughters, Marika's life was crazy already. She was recovering from stage 3 breast cancer, and her family was still reeling from her brush with mortality. But Marika couldn't deny the way Stella made her feel -- the pure joy of this sweet-natured dog's unconditional love -- and she knew in her heart what her family needed... In a leap of faith, the family welcomed Stella into their home, and thanks to this incredible dog, the daily pressures of work, stress, and Marika's health problems seemed to slip away. As Marika's cancer receded and her family found renewed vitality, she began sharing Stella's story with the world. Now an international social media star, Stella helps Marika to spread their heartfelt message of advocating for pit bull breed awareness, explaining the benefits of pet ownership, and supporting shelters and other organizations that save animals' lives. If you've ever experienced the joy that only an animal can bring -- or felt the healing power of a pet's unconditional love -- you're going to adore Incredibull Stella.

The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant - This book tells the story of survival and our powerful bond with man's best friend, in the aftermath of the nation's most notorious case of animal cruelty. Animal lovers and sports fans were shocked when the story broke about NFL player Michael Vick's brutal dog fighting operation. But what became of the dozens of dogs who survived? As the author discovered, their story is the truly newsworthy aspect of this case. Expanding on his Sports Illustrated cover story, this book traces the effort to bring Vick to justice and turns the spotlight on these infamous pit bulls, which were saved from euthanasia by an outpouring of public appeals coupled with a court order that Vick pay nearly a million dollars in "restitution" to the dogs. As an ASPCA led team evaluated each one, they found a few hardened fighters, but many more lovable, friendly creatures desperate for compassion. In this book, we meet these amazing animals, a number of which are now living in loving homes, while some even work in therapy programs: Johnny Justice participates in Paws for Tales, which lets kids get comfortable with reading aloud by reading to dogs; Leo spends three hours a week with cancer patients and troubled teens. At the heart of the stories are the rescue workers who transformed the pups from victims of animal cruelty into healing caregivers themselves.

Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin - In 2002, Larry Levin and his twin sons, Dan and Noah, took their terminally ill cat to the Ardmore Animal Hospital outside Philadelphia to have the beloved pet put to sleep. What would begin as a terrible day suddenly got brighter as the ugliest dog they had ever seen--one who was missing an ear and had half his face covered in scar tissue--ran up to them and captured their hearts. The dog had been used as bait for fighting dogs when he was just a few months old. He had been thrown in a cage and left to die until the police rescued him and the staff at Ardmore Animal Hospital saved his life. The Levins, whose sons are themselves adopted, were unable to resist Oogy's charms, and decided to take him home.
Heartwarming and redemptive, OOGY is the story of the people who were determined to rescue this dog against all odds, and of the family who took him home, named him "Oogy" (an affectionate derivative of ugly), and made him one of their own.

The Pit Bull Life: A Dog Lover's Companion by Deirdre Franklin - Ask any dog lover and they'll say their favourite breed is special but living with a pit bull is different. Pit bull owners know what a bad reputation the breed has. The Pit Bull Life is a celebration of the breed and its owner, with heartwarming rescue stories, a history of the breed, and photos of puppies and seniors. It is also a guide to help owners who need to stand up for their pets. This book provides information on breed characteristics, how to find a good match, and how to navigate the challenges of pit bull ownership.

Pit Bull: The Battle Over an American Icon by Bronwen Dickey - When Bronwen Dickey brought her new dog home, she saw no traces of the infamous viciousness in her affectionate, timid pit bull. Which made her wonder- how had the breed--beloved by Teddy Roosevelt, Helen Keller, TV's "Little Rascals"--come to be known as a brutal fighter. Her search for answers takes her from nineteenth-century New York City dogfighting pits--the cruelty of which helped spark the founding of the ASPCA--to early twentieth-century movie sets where pit bulls cavorted with Fatty Arbuckle and Buster Keaton; from the battlefields of Gettysburg and the Marne, where pit bulls earned presidential medals, to desolate urban neighborhoods where the dogs were brutalized. Whether through love or fear, hatred or devotion, humans are bound to the history of the pit bull. With unfailing thoughtfulness, compassion, and a firm grasp of scientific fact, Dickey offers us a clear-eyed portrait of this extraordinary breed, and an insightful view of Americans' relationship with their dogs.

Saving Audie: A Pit Bull Puppy Gets a Second Chance by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent - When Michael Vick's dog fighting ring was discovered, more than forty dogs were rescued. But their struggle was far from over. Most animal advocates believed the former fighting dogs were too damaged to save, but Audie and his kennel mates would prove them wrong when public outcry and the publicity surrounding Michael Vick's punishment won them a chance at a happy life. Teaming up once again with William Munoz, photo-essay veteran Dorothy Hinshaw Patent gives an emotional account of one dog's heartwarming story, showing how Audie, who was only a puppy when he was rescued, was rehabilitated, adopted, and now enjoys the love he deserves.

Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls - One Flying Disc at a Time by Jim Gorant - Today, Wallace is a champion; but in the summer of 2005, he was living in a shelter, a refugee from a suspicious pit-bull breeding operation. Then Andrew "Roo" Yori entered the picture. A scientist and shelter volunteer, Roo could immediately see that Wallace was something special. When Roo learned that Wallace was about to be put down, he and his wife frantically fought to keep Wallace alive until they could adopt him, even though they already had two dogs. Once Wallace made it home, Roo knew the dog needed a mission, and serendipity led them to the world of competitive dog Frisbee. Pit bulls are everything that most Frisbee dogs are not, but that was fine with Roo because part of his mission was to change people's minds about pit bulls. Overcoming everything from injuries to prejudice against the breed, the unlikely pair persevered to become world champions.

Artists in Novels

Today is International Artist's Day, a day to show support to the artists you enjoy.  Here are ten novels that have artists as characters.

At the Edge of Summer by Jessica Brockmole - Luc Crepet is accustomed to his mother s bringing wounded creatures to their idyllic chateau in the French countryside, where healing comes naturally amid the lush wildflowers and crumbling stone walls. Yet his "maman" s newest project is the most surprising: a fifteen-year-old Scottish girl grieving over her parents fate. A curious child with an artistic soul, Clare Ross finds solace in her connection to Luc, and she in turn inspires him in ways he never thought possible. Then, just as suddenly as Clare arrives, she is gone, whisked away by her grandfather to the farthest reaches of the globe. Devastated by her departure, Luc begins to write letters to Clare and, even as she moves from Portugal to Africa and beyond, the memory of the summer they shared keeps her grounded. Years later, in the wake of World War I, Clare, now an artist, returns to France to help create facial prostheses for wounded soldiers. One of the wary veterans who comes to the studio seems familiar, and as his mask takes shape beneath her fingers, she recognizes Luc. But is this soldier, made bitter by battle and betrayal, the same boy who once wrote her wistful letters from Paris? After war and so many years apart, can Clare and Luc recapture how they felt at the edge of that long-ago summer?

A Catalog of Birds by Laura Harrington - Set in 1970, a watershed moment in American History, A Catalog of Birds tells the story of the Flynn family and the devastating impact of the Vietnam War. At the heart of the novel is the relationship between siblings Nell and Billy Flynn. Nell excels academically and is headed to college and a career in science. Billy, a passionate artist, enlists as a pilot to fulfill his lifelong dream of flying. He is the only survivor when his helicopter is shot down. When he returns home his wounds limit his ability to sketch or even hold a pencil. As Billy struggles to regain the life he once had, Nell and their family will have to do all that's possible to save him.

Confess by Colleen Hoover - At age twenty-one, Auburn Reed has already lost everything important to her. In her fight to rebuild her shattered life, she has her goals in sight and there is no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn't expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry. For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is keeping a major secret from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it. To save their relationship, all Owen needs to do is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin.

Courting Mr. Emerson by Melody Carlson - When the fun-loving and spontaneous artist Willow West meets buttoned-up, retired English teacher George Emerson, it's not exactly love at first sight. Though she does find the obsessive-compulsive man intriguing. Making it her mission to get him to loosen up and embrace life, she embarks on what seems like a lost cause--and finds herself falling for him in the process. A confirmed bachelor, George vacillates between irritation and attraction whenever Willow is around--which to him seems like all too often. He's not interested in expanding his horizons or making new friends; it just hurts too much when you lose them. But as the summer progresses, George feels his defenses crumbling. The question is, will his change of heart be too late for Willow?

From This Moment by Elizabeth Camden - Stella West's artistic talent made her the toast of London, but when her beloved sister dies under mysterious circumstances, she abandons everything, heads for Boston, and tries to pierce the ring of secrecy surrounding her sister's death. When she meets Romulus White, a publisher with innumerable connections, she decides he could be a valuable ally. He decides to help her as a means to induce her to create art for his magazine. Neither one is prepared for the sparks that fly, and Romulus begins to wonder whether helping Stella solve the mystery of her sister's death is worth the risk to his publishing empire.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - A young boy in New York City, Theo Decker, miraculously survives an accident that takes the life of his mother. Alone and abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by a friend's family and struggles to make sense of his new life. In the years that follow, he becomes entranced by one of the few things that reminds him of his mother: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the art underworld. Composed with the skills of a master, The Goldfinch is a haunted odyssey through present-day America, and a drama of almost unbearable acuity and power. It is a story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the enormous power of art. 

Optic Nerve by Maria Gainza - Whenever I'm in survival mode I find myself magnetised by museums and galleries, like people running for air raid shelters in wartime." The narrator of Optic Nerve is an Argentinian woman whose obsession is art. The story of her life is the story of the paintings, and painters, who matter to her. Her intimate, digressive voice guides us through a gallery of moments that have touched her. In these pages, El Greco visits the Sistine Chapel and is appalled by Michelangelo's bodies. The mystery of Rothko's refusal to finish murals for the Seagram Building in New York is blended with the story of a hospital in which a prostitute walks the halls while the narrator's husband receives chemotherapy. Episodes in art history interact with the narrator's life in Buenos Aires - her family and work; her loves and losses; her infatuations and disappointments. The effect is of a character refracted by environment, composed by the canvases she studies.

The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell - Summer 1955: Lillian Oberon is young, beautiful, and married to the wealthy and handsome Charles Oberon. She is also the mistress of Cloudesley, a lavish country estate, and the stepmother to a young boy she loves dearly. But not long after her nuptials, she begins to feel that she is just another of her husband's possessions, an objet d'art captured within the manor walls. Bound by familial duty and love, she tries to make peace with her unfulfilling marriage--until a charismatic artist comes to stay and makes her reexamine everything. The present day: Maggie Oberon is in Australia, trying to hide from the mess she's made of her life back in England. When her beloved grandmother becomes ill and Maggie must return to Cloudesley, she is dismayed to find the once-opulent estate crumbling into decay. As she scrambles to find a way to save the old property, she is unprepared for the dark secrets that have remained hidden in its dark halls. But within them also lies the key that could change its legacy --and Maggie's life--forever.

A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline - "Later he told me that he’d been afraid to show me the painting. He thought I wouldn’t like the way he portrayed me: dragging myself across the field, fingers clutching dirt, my legs twisted behind. The arid moonscape of wheatgrass and timothy. That dilapidated house in the distance, looming up like a secret that won’t stay hidden."
To Christina Olson, the entire world was her family’s remote farm in the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. Born in the home her family had lived in for generations, and increasingly incapacitated by illness, Christina seemed destined for a small life. Instead, for more than twenty years, she was host and inspiration for the artist Andrew Wyeth, and became the subject of one of the best known American paintings of the twentieth century. 

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - Alicia Berenson's life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London's most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia's refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations--a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....