Reviews and Comments

I don't normally review cookbooks, but this one was necessary. Earlier this year my doctor recommended I take up a primarily Mediterranean diet to help with my heart failure and obesity. I picked this cookbook up from the library because it sounded like a good place to start. This is the only book I ever liked so much that I purchased a copy before the library book was even due. So far, we have liked every recipe we've tried in the book, and in the 6 weeks I've been using it as my primary source of meals I've lost over 20 lbs., and my blood pressure has remained in check. I'm only giving 4 stars rather than 5 as Paravents isn't actually the best author. In particular in the introduction part, she talks about how to grocery shop and includes that when choosing whether to purchase something ask yourself if someone on a Mediterranean village would have this in their kitchen. I'm a Midwesterner I have no reference for what they would have in their kitchen. It's the 21st century so I assume we all have access to the same groceries. Also, in one recipe she completely missed a step. She had us to mix a set of ingredients and set it to the side, but then never said what to do with it later in the recipe.

I really appreciated the editors'& authors position that defense of the planet should never put human life at risk. Ecodefense is one that is going in my "To Buy" list. But it is also one I really shouldn't have borrowed the library, and I will not purchase online, due to its subversive nature it would be better if there was no record associated with one's name and should be purchased with cash. Radical environmentalism has never really been my cup of tea, but I was hoping this book would give me some insight into sabotage as a political strategy for industrial unionization, particularly being co-edited by Bill Haywood. Well, this book was written decades after the death of Big Bill Haywood, so it certainly wasn't' the legendary labor organizer, and probably just a pseudonym. But it certainly had some good insight that could be used for all sorts of political rational and even made some arguments that make me more open to radical environmentalism in general. Granted, some of the book is completely out-of-date. How to put nails in trees so they don't hurt people or trees, but wreak havoc on chainsaws, probably going to universally useful. How to purchase things by finding information through magazines, likely out of date. Late 20th century directions on sabotages computers probably absolutely worthless at best, and out right dangerous at worst. I really wish they'd come out with an updated edition for the 21st century, but it might not make finical sense anymore. Then again keeping identifiable data, such as an IP address, cellular ping responses or fingerprints, out of law enforcements view is even more critical now than it was 30 years ago so communicating this via dead trees, no pun intended, rather than 1s and 0s makes a lot of sense to me.

Jon Moxley has wanted to be Mick Foley his whole life. He talks in the book about loving Cactus Jack in WCW. And it continues with his attempt at being a New York Times bestselling author. And just like in everything else, Mox is good, but it's not "Have a Nice Day." It is very much a string of consciousness, and it very much could have used a ghost writer, or at least a better copy editor. The story isn't told chronologically. That jumps back and forth between incredibly interesting, and incredibly impossible to follow. Moxley also interlaces with recommendations for his favorite movies, and favorite music. Perhaps the best part is "Jokes Claudio told me" which my wife appreciated me telling her each day as I read them, sprinkled between storis of loss, of having sex and more F words than I've ever heard from a protagonist narrator. It's not bad, I'd read it again.