Bogormen

Title: The One-in-a-Million Boy
Author: Monica Wood
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3/5
# pages: 336
Date read: May, 2017

For years, guitarist Quinn Porter has been on the road, chasing gig after gig, largely absent to his twice-ex-wife Belle and their odd, Guinness records-obsessed son. When the boy dies suddenly, Quinn seeks forgiveness for his paternal shortcomings by completing the requirements for his son's unfinished Boy Scout badge.

For seven Saturdays, Quinn does yard work for Ona Vitkus, the wily 104-year-old Lithuanian immigrant the boy had visited weekly. Quinn soon discovers that the boy had talked Ona into gunning for the world record for Oldest Licensed Driver... and that's the least of her secrets. Despite himself, Quinn picks up where the boy left off, forging a friendship with Ona that allows him to know the son he never understood, a boy who was always listening, always learning.


Very much a character-driven book and while engaging enough, I honestly couldn't tell you what I thought of it. The plot putters along slowly and is of no real consequence, but you do end up caring for the characters (Quinn and Ona especially) regardless, and while very slow-moving, I never considered giving up on it.

But still - it's not a book I'm likely to reread, and actually probably not even a book I'm likely to recommend. It most definitely had its moments, but at the end of it, I was left wondering what the fuss was all about.

Title: What Einstein Told His Cook
Author: Robert L. Wolke
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: 3.5/5
# pages: 350
Date read: September, 2009

Why do recipes call for unsalted butter--and salt? What is a microwave, actually? Are smoked foods raw or cooked?

What Einstein Told His Cook offers answers to these and 127 other questions about everyday kitchen phenomena. Using humor (dubious puns included), Wolke, a bona fide chemistry professor and syndicated Washington Post columnist, has found a way to make his explanations clear and accessible to all: in short, fun.

Robert Wolke uses both knowledge and humour to answer a book-full of more or less intelligent questions about food and cooking. Some of these are pretty intuitive, others inspired a light-bulb moment. Well-written, and if some of the answers are more interesting than others... well, it's easy to skip the not-so-interesting ones.

Not a book you can read in one sitting, but good for occasional 'dippings'.