Best Books and Novels

Ron Paul’s Reading List for Rudy Giuliani

Amanda — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:10:42 +0000

After the second Republican Presidential debate of 2007 in South Carolina, Texas Congressman Ron Paul gives the former mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani a list of books to read and study. During the debate, Paul and Giuliani got into a heated discussion about the reason our country was attacked on 9/11. Paul believes Giuliani needs to study more about U.S. foreign policy if he plans on running for President. This discussion as well as the aftermath was featured in the documentary, For Liberty: How the Ron Paul Revolution Watered the Withered Tree of Liberty.

However, in addition to Giuliani, many Americans are in need of a little education when it comes to the consequences of our actions overseas. As Cafferty states in this video, this is “not exactly Oprah’s Book Club”, but is definitely a list of books all Americans would be well served to read. In addition to Ron Paul’s list of best books on foreign policy, I would also recommend his book, A Foreign Policy of Freedom, as well as Robert Taft’s A Foreign Policy for Americans. Taft’s book can be downloaded at no charge from the Mises Institute: http://mises.org/literature.aspx?action=author&Id=1071

Here is the list of books recommend by Ron Paul for Rudy Giuliani:

1. Blowback by Chalmers Johnson (Should America re-think its position in the world? The title refers to a CIA neologism describing the unintended consequences of American activity overseas.)
2. Imperial Hubris by Michael Scheuer (a twenty-plus-year CIA veteran who served as the Chief of the bin Laden unit.)
3. Dying to Win by Robert Pape (Discover that the root cause of suicidal terrorism is foreign occupation.)
4. The 9/11 Commission Report (while the other 3 books are included, Ron Paul doesn’t include the 9/11 Commission Report is his ‘Reading List for a Free and Prosperous America’ at the end of his Revolution book. perhaps this suggestion was selected especially for Giuliani?)

Baked: New Frontiers In Baking (Book Review)

Amanda — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:42:12 +0000

Baked: New Frontiers in Baking is currently one of my favorite baking books. I recently checked this book out from the library and liked it so much that I decided to purchase my own copy. I can tell this cookbook is really popular because when I tried to renew it at the library they wouldn’t let me because someone else had already placed it on hold. This hardly ever happens except for really popular books!

These are the Monster Cookies I made from
the recipe in this book.

I usually say that if you can get 3 good recipes out of a cookbook it’s worth your money and so far all 4 recipes produced from this book are worth repeating! There’s only a couple recipes here that don’t sound appetizing to me, including Almond Green Tea Cupcakes and the Green Tea Smoothie. Sorry, I guess I’m not hip or chic enough to enjoy green tea let alone desserts and drinks that taste like green tea. Also, there are quite a few recipes that have an espresso or coffee theme which I’m not quite into.

You will also find some of the recipes in this book include flavoring from liquor–although I’m not sure how much omitting the liquor would affect the final results. Their Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie contains 3 tablespoons of bourbon which is quite a bit. However, I already have a favorite recipe for pecan pie, so skipping this one isn’t going to hurt my feelings.

The authors of this book own a coffee shop and bakery located in “Red Hook” Brooklyn called Baked. Baked opened its doors on January 11, 2005. In the introduction the authors describe how their business began and take us from their testing phase to construction of the store, opening, and how the book was developed. It may contain more information than you need to know, but it’s interesting nonetheless. You’ll discover how Baked received the Holy Grail of advertisement when their brownie recipe was awarded a prime positive in Oprah’s magazine (yes, the brownie recipe is included in the book). They also hit pay-dirt when their Sweet and Salty Cake (recipe also included) appeared on the Martha Stewart Show. It kinda makes you wonder: Where do they go from here??

Nevertheless, Matt and Renato are nice enough to share some of their recipes with us. They write, “The greatest compliment a neighborhood bakery can receive from a customer is a request for a recipe . . . The recipes in this book are for you, It is our collection of greatest hits, customer favorites, and a few of our own obscure obsessions.” Before tackling the recipes in this book you will probably want to have a few hours of baking experience under your belt, although the authors write, “In writing each recipe, it was our goal to make baking fun and approachable for everyone.” The first chapter, A Field Guide to Baking, explains some of the baking tools, terms, techniques, and tips mentioned in the recipes in case you’re not familiar with them. Although I dived right into the recipes you might want to read through this chapter if you’re still a little intimidated by baking.

Otherwise, the recipes themselves are divided into seven sections which are outlined below:

1. Breakfast

Sour Lemon Scones
Maple Walnut Scones
Orange Almond Blueberry Muffins
Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins
Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits
Marble Bundt Cake
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Lemon Lemon Loaf
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf
Sour Cherry Loaf
Easy Homemade Granola

2. Cakes and Cupcakes

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Red Hot Velvet Cake
The Whiteout Cake
Grasshopper Cake
Milk Chocolate Malt Ball Cake
Lemon Drop Cake
Sweet and Salty Cake
Banana Cupcakes
Coconut Snowball Cupcakes
Almond Green Tea Cupcakes
Icebox Towers
German Chocolate Cake
Upstate Cheesecake
Root Beer Bundt Cake

3. Pies and Tarts

Classic Apple Pie
Classic Pie Dough
Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie
Tuscaloosa Tollhouse Pie
Peanut Butter Pie with Cookie Crust
Classic Diner-Style Chocolate Pie
Butterscotch Pudding Tarts
Lemon Almond Meringue Tarts
Pear Plum Crisp

4. Brownies and Bars

The Baked Brownie
S’More Nut Bars
Lemon Lime Bars
Baked Bars
Millionaire’s Shortbread
Honeycomb Bars
Brewer’s Blondies
Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bar
Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

5. Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Black Forest Chocolate Cookies
Monster Cookies
Oatmeal Cherry Nut Cookies
Hazelnut Cinnamon Chip Biscotti
Classic Sugar Cookies
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Baked Tricolor Cookies

6. Chocolates, Candies and Confections

Vanilla Marshmallows
Pecan and Almond Chocolate Toffee
Vanilla Bean Caramel Apples
Honey and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Milk Chocolate Almond Truffles
Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
Banana Pecan Piloncillo Ice Cream
Mocho Fudgesicles
Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce
Malted Milk Chocolate Sauce

7. Drinks

Vanilla Bean Affogato
Espresso Martini
Baked Brown Cow
Chocolate Stout Milkshake
Cinnamon Mocha
Adult Hot Chocolate
Green Tea Smoothie
Almond Granita
Iced Raspberry Tea Granita

(Out of those 72 recipes, 37 have photos–not bad for a cookbook.)

The recipes I made from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking included the Monster Cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf, and Millionaires Shortbread. A friend of mine also made the Root Beer Bundt Cake, which according to her tastes even better the second day. All recipes are worth repeating although I’m quite fond of the pumpkin loaf. After making the recipe for the first time, I adapted it slightly by omitting the chocolate chips and making muffins instead of loaves. These muffins make a quick and portable breakfast for me and my husband. I’m a big pumpkin fan and without the chocolate chips the muffins remind me of carrot cake.

Three weeks really isn’t enough time to experiment with all the fun recipes in this book. If it wasn’t for Thanksgiving, I wouldn’t have a reason to make so many baked goods like I did in a short amount of time. Unless you want to burden your friends, family, and coworkers with thousands of calories in a short amount of time, I would just bite the bullet and buy this book. It will keep you and your kitchen busy for a long time.

100 Best Romantic Vampire Books for Adults

Amanda — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:21:24 +0000

If you think you’re too old for the Twilight series (or are afraid to admit how much you enjoyed reading them) here’s a list of the most popular vampire books for adults. These books may have a bit more “bite” than vampire books written for teenagers, so be sure to proceed with caution!

Top 10 Best Vampire Books

Amanda — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:10:41 +0000

It seems like when it comes to vampires today there’s two schools of thought. Some people regard vampires as bad guys while others regard vampires as well, potential love interests. I’m a bit confused by the latter, so please take that into consideration when you read this list. Nevertheless, despite a few “to be expected” titles I wanted to throw in a couple books that you might not have heard of before. If I had to recommend the top 10 vampire books to a friend, this is the list I would give them. These books are in no particular order, although I couldn’t help but start with Dracula.

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker

Seriously, first published in 1897 this is the story of the original vampire. Dracula is the granddaddy, godfather, and inspiration behind all modern vampire books and movies. While reading this book during a break at work I actually had a co-worker walk up to me and ask, “Oh! Is that a new series?”

Really! Exactly what are kids learning in schools these days?? Sad.

2. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

First published in 1976, this is probably the first “modern” vampire book in which readers are introduced to the fact that vampires must deal with their own internal struggles and emotions. Interview with the Vampire is the first and most popular book in a series known as the Vampire Chronicles.

3. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Yes, before it was made into a movie (three times over) I Am Legend existed only as one the most popular horror novels ever written, admired and imitated by the likes of Stephen King (Salem’s Lot) and George Romero (Night of the Living Dead). Written in 1954, Robert Neville remains as the last man standing on earth and must learn to survive as he battles the vampires who seek to destroy him and suck his life force.

4. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Let it be said that the Twilight Saga collection is only included here based on popularity. Despite the fact that these books are literally flying off the shelves, many criticize them for their fluffiness, lack of depth, and “cardboard characters.” I suppose it all boils down to taste and what kind of vampire you prefer. Twenty or thirty years from now will Miss Meyer go down in the vampire hall of fame? It’s hard to say. If you’re over the age of 30 and still reading teen fantasy . . . well, that’s great. To each their own. If you’re into purple vampire prose, then Twilight is definitely the series for you. There are four books in this series including Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

5. The Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse) Series by Charlaine Harris

Just in case you’ve been living under a rock, the HBO True Blood series is based on the Southern Vampire books. Sookie Stackhouse is the main character and narrative voice for the books but seems to play a smaller role in the HBO series which seems to focus more on the supporting characters. The vampires in this series tend to be more light than dark, and some say the series reads more like trashy romance novels than science fiction. So, considered yourself warned. There are currently nine books published in this series, the first being Dead Until Dark.

6. Bloodsucking Friends by Christopher Moore

If you can find this book at your local Friends of the Library sale, thrift store, or garage sale I’d definitely pick it up. This really isn’t your typical vampire book and if there was such a genre as vampire comedy this book would fit right in it. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be a vampire trying to survive in San Francisco then wonder no more.

7. Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

Some Girls Bite is the first book in a new series by author Chloe Neill. The main female character, Merit, is described as “stronger and smarter than the average vampire.” At least this time around we aren’t confronted with high school teenagers. Merit is at least a graduate student. So, perhaps there’s hope with this new series.

8. Vampire Haiku by Ryan Mecum

Here’s your chance to re-live American history through the eyes of a vampire–with poetry and pictures to boot!

9. The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

There are currently four books published in the Vampire Academy series with the fourth book scheduled for release in May 2010. The main character, Rose Hathaway, attends St. Vladimir’s academy in Montona and is half-vampire “with poor impulse control”. Another main character in the first novel, the Vampire Academy, is Lissa Dragomir, a Moroi princess and Rose’s best friend. Moroi are the good and “magical” vampires while the Strigoi are evil and feed on the innocent to survive.

10. Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Just in case you haven’t gotten enough of teenage vampires, Vampire Kisses comes at you with seven books in the series. The original book that started it all in 2003, Vampire Books, revolves around the life of Raven, a sixteen-year-old obsessed with vampires and everything Goth.

To discover more books about vampires please visit: Vampire Books