#26 - Tricycle (magazine)

I only include magazines when they are of some real depth, and this is certainly one that fits that category. A quarterly published magazine on Buddhist and Eastern thought, Tricycle could be one of my new favorites. Rather than catering to the new-age yoga crown with fluff pieces an happiness, this magazine comes with articles by true luminaries and masters. The foreword alone hit me with a quote from Pablo Picasso that I had never heard before and blew my mind:

“You must always work not just within but below your means. If you can handle three elements, handle only two. If you can handle ten, then handle five. In that way the ones you do handle, you handle with more ease, more mastery and you create a feeling of strength in reserve.” - Pablo Picasso

This is an amazing magazine, I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

#25 - The Book of Tea

Kakuzo Okakura's classic work, The Book of Tea, was the first book I ever picked up upon getting into tea many years back. To be honest, I had no idea that it was a classic work and was less about tea and brewing tea as it was about "Chadao" or "The Way of Tea." The history, and ceremony, and spirituality of tea. I flipped through it and put it away at the time. A few years later, as my interest and knowledge grew, I picked it back up again and still had trouble enjoying or appreciating it, but understood more. As my interest in Taoism and Japanese tea blossomed, I then revisited the book and enjoyed every moment of it. I found a free digital copy for my ebook reader before a recent trip, and re-reading it I realized just how much more I pulled from it. Few books grow with you, and when they do that is a sure sign that there is a very deep amount of knowledge and wisdom contained within. This is one of those books, and one that I hope to continue to grow with. Not for everyone, but Highly Recommended!

#24 - Life in a Medieval Castle

This book kicked off a whole chain of similar books written in a quasi-historical fashion based on the Medieval times, so I decided to start from the beginning. The book starts off a bit wordy and nebulous in the beginning and threatens to lose the reader, but then snaps onto the track and never derails with part history and part storytelling to convey each aspect of life in great detail. It is an excellent peek behind the curtain of what went on in daily life and manages to dispel some long-held beliefs of crude and barbaric lifestyles in favor of surprisingly modern conveniences and interactions. There are some tales, however, that do cement just how tough things could be at the time. A perfect blend of history and story that easily explains how this book could have spawned the legion of additional books in the series. I'm looking forward to the rest. Highly Recommended!

#23 - Stir: Mixing It Up in the Italian Tradition

I picked up Stir: Mixing It Up in the Italian Tradition by Barbara Lynch simply because I have a fascination with what I term "food porn" books. These are often the overly showy "cookbooks" showcasing a renown chef's work and then offering a recipe so complex and expensive that it is only present to solidify the reader's reverence and fear. I have a love-hate relationship with such books. I often pick up a single technique or idea rather than any whole recipe, and it does serve as a bit of inspiration, but they often leave me feeling a bit inadequate and hollow. So when the striking black cover with just two spoons showcasing a bit of Bolognese and a twirl of fresh pasta, I thought I was in for more of the same, only possibly worse because Italian food is my core and heritage. I don't believe it should be made into overly-expensive tiny portions and foams and whatnot. Thankfully I was completely surprised. This book is completely approachable, offers wit and humor, and is just stunning. There are still a few unapproachable dishes, and some that just don't appeal to me, but over half of the book are recipes I will make... and look very much forward to enjoying. This is a winner. Highly Recommended!

#22 - The Call of Cthulhu

I'm a geek, I've played games with the Cthulhu theme, it's referenced all the time, so I figured it was time to read the original work. I do have to add the disclaimer that I'm a high fantasy-favoring geek, I'm not into Sci-Fi or Horror or the more supernatural sides of geekness. As such, this wasn't really my bag. It's OK, I think the writing style is awkward at times... for me it was much ado about nothing. I read the Kindle version which omits the other stories. YMMV. Not Recommended.

#21 - The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing what You Love

My grandfather was an artist and sign painter, and owned an art shop with which he and my grandmother raised a family of five children. I love art and making art but I have always taken the safe road of technology and a steady paycheck, however my grandfather's passion and ability to do what he loved always nags at me to just go for it. Being the logical and safe creature that I am, and sadly without his guidance any longer, I sought out information online and in books to get some insight on how it is done today. I gleaned a few tidbits here and there but nothing covered the full spectrum, until I stumbled upon this book. It comes highly praised by working artists and for good reason, it covers all of the bases and gives great examples, advice, and templates along the way. Easily the best resource I have found so far in my research. Highly Recommended.

#20 - Where The Wild Things Are

With the upcoming film adaptation I figured I should try re-reading this book again. Admission: I've never seen what all the fuss is about, even when I was a child. I'd take The Berenstain Bears any day. I've revisited it a few times through the years to see if my opinion had changed, it hasn't. I think it is a completely empty tale that is far too short and basic to actually capture the imagination of a child and tells a story that has been told many ways before. Maybe I was a complex kid, but get angry, get sent to bed, have a fantastical dream, wake up, and then the "oh it was just a dream"/"was it a dream?" question just doesn't do it for me. Still doesn't. Not for me.