Bee Wilson - Swindled: The Dark History of Food Fraud, from poisoned candy to counterfeit coffee

Bee Wilson - Swindled: The Dark History of Food Fraud, from poisoned candy to counterfeit coffee

(en, 381 pg, 2008)

The title of this book makes it sounds like it some type of novelty caper, an unmasking of food jiggery-pokery. Happily,Swindled is much better and more serious than that. Bee Wilson is perhaps more historian than food writer, or that's what came through in the text. She writes in a nicely nuanced style that draws you into her subject. Wilson has obviously thought deeply about the nature of food adulteration and what it means for the culture and public health. This comes through in her splendid writing.

Swindled tracks the history of food adulteration and those who exposed these food frauds, starting in the nineteenth century. Essentially, food frauds flourished (if I can use that expression) the longer the chain between food producer and eater became. The less we have to do with our food growing, processing and cooking, the more we are prone to food swindles. The rise of industrialisation has also meant a rise in dubious foods. (Interestingly, industrialising China is plagued with food scandals.)

Vlad&Alex Lepădatu - Cobai

Vlad&Alex Lepădatu - Cobai

(162pg, ro)

Bill Bryson - Neither here nor there

Bill Bryson - Neither here nor there

(1991, en, 546pg)

"Bill Bryson's Neither Here Nor There takes up where A Walk In The Woods leaves off. Althought the setting changes from the American wilderness to the great cities of Western Europe, the reader will find themself caught up in his hillarious travel misadventures. In midlife Mr. Bryson attempts to recreate the travel itenerary of his youth some twenty plus years earlier when he backpacked across Europe with highschool buddy Stephen Katz.

The descriptions of historic sights and people encountered along his journey are laced with witty observations and laugh out loud situations. Some of Bill Brysons miscues are self-inflicted due to his pursuit of cozy bars and good draft beer. With the great cities of Europe as the backdrop for this journey to revisit his past the book moves along at a quick pace.

The author finds humor in the most awkward of situations while handling adversity with a stoic British sense of decorum. A skill he has learned over a twenty year period living in Britain with his wife and children. This trip is taken just prior to returning with his family back to America."

(Amazon, 12$)

Lem Stanislaw - Solaris

Lem Stanislaw - Solaris

(ro, 1961, 180pg)

Solaris chronicles the ultimate futility of attempted communications with the extraterrestrial (alien) life on a far-distant planet. Solaris, with whom Terran scientists are attempting communication, is almost completely covered with an ocean that is revealed to be a single, planet-encompassing organism. What appears to be waves on its surface is later revealed to be the equivalent of muscle contractions.

Kris Kelvin arrives aboard the scientific research station hovering (via anti-gravity generators) near the oceanic surface of the planet Solaris. The scientists there have studied the planet and its ocean for many decades, a scientific discipline known as Solaristics, which over the years has degenerated to simply observe and record the complex phenomena that occur upon the surface of the ocean. They've thus far achieved only the formal classification of the phenomena with an elaborate nomenclature — yet do not understand what such activities really mean in a strictly scientific sense. Shortly before psychologist Kelvin's arrival, the crew has exposed the ocean to a more aggressive experimentation with a high-energy X-ray bombardment. Their experimentation give unexpected results and becomes psychologically traumatic for them as individually flawed humans.

Johnny Ryan: A history of the internet and the Digital Future

Johnny Ryan: A history of the internet and the Digital Future

(2010, en, 246pg)

A History of the Internet and the Digital Future tells the story of the development of the Internet from the 1950s to the present, and examines how the balance of power has shifted between the individual and the state in the areas of censorship, copyright infringement, intellectual freedom and terrorism and warfare. Johnny Ryan explains how the Internet has revolutionized political campaigns; how the development of the World Wide Web enfranchised a new online population of assertive, niche consumers; and how the dot-com bust taught smarter firms to capitalize on the power of digital artisans.

(27$,http://www.press.uchicago.edu)

Frank Kafka - Verdictul și alte povestiri

Franz Kafka - Verdictul și alte povestiri

(1969, ro, 132pg)

Drew Carey - Dirty Jokes and Beer

Drew Carey - Dirty Jokes and Beer

(1997, en, 290pg)

Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined is a 1997 book written by Drew Carey.

In a preface to the novel, Carey claims that he wrote every word of the book himself - he didn't use a ghost writer (although as he says, "it probably would have been easier").

The book was mentioned briefly in an episode of the US version of the improv comedy TV series Whose Line is it Anyway? (a show which Drew himself hosted from 1998-2003). During a game of "Scenes From a Hat," Drew pulled out the subject "books least likely to be checked out at the library" and friend Ryan Stiles acted as if he was picking a book and read the title "Dirty Jokes and Beer."

(Amazon, 7$)

Luis Sepulveda - Jurnalul unui killer sentimental

Luis Sepulveda - Jurnalul unui killer sentimental

(ro, 70pg, 1996)

Cu Jurnalul... Luis Sepulveda valorifica din plin resursele romanului politist, de care s-a simtit intotdeauna atras. Daca in aceasta carte asasinul incalca, din pricina faptului ca este indragostit, toate regulile impuse de profesia sa implacabila, in Yacare detectivul unei firme de asigurari nu poate sa nu depaseasca limitele misiunii, lasandu-se calauzit de flerul sau de fost politist. In timp ce asasinul platit isi conduce cititorul de la Paris la Madrid, si de la Istanbul la Mexic, detectivul firmei de asigurari isi paraseste pentru o vreme biroul din Zurich pentru a patrunde in lumea necunoscuta a indienilor anare, misteriosi locuitori din sudul Braziliei.

(Amazon,11$)

Stanislaw Lem - Eden

Stanislaw Lem - Eden

(1959, ro, 229pg)

Lem’s Eden, written in 1958, but only translated to English in 1989, is the first of Lems mature works. In this piece, as in other works by Lem, an exploration of an alien species and it’s world is hampered by failure to communicate, or even understand what is found there.

The story begins with the crash landing of a craft on a planet of which little is known. The occupants of the craft are referred to only by their professions…“the doctor”, “the captain”, “the cyberneticist” etc.. etc. After their crash landing, and eventually managing to extricate themselves from their space craft, they proceed to explore the planet. First on foot, and later with the aid of a jeep, and even eventually a tank, they discover that there is an advanced civilization on the planet. Unfortunately is it precisely because of this level of advancement that nothing can be fathomed of it at all.

Their travels reveal fantastic structures…..huge animal/plants which resemble trees but move like animals, giant towers filled with glass eggs, each containing a bizarre skeleton…gigantic factories which seem to produce objects which resemble living tissue, only then to reabsorb and recycle them again. Try as they might, even after making direct contact with the symbiotes who seem to run everything, they cannot understand the whys and wherefores of Eden. Why is the planet littered with seemingly useless factories and images of death? What purpose is served by such things? These and other questions await revelation in the pages of “Eden”

Jimmy Guieu - Cavernele de pe Wolf

Jimmy Guieu (Henri René Guieu) - Cavernele de pe Wolf

(ro, 103pg)

Pamantul devenise de nelocuit. O misiune internationala a plecat in cosmos pentru a salva specia umana. Gasisera planeta perfecta: aer curat, vegetatie luxurianta... orice si-ar putea dori fiinta umana. Nu le-a trebuit mult sa-si dea seama ca nu sunt singuri si nu sunt doriti.
O aventura extraordinara, o poveste ce te va tine cu sufletul la gura.

Terry Pratchett - Trilogia Nomilor vol. 3 - În Navă

Terry Pratchett - Trilogia Nomilor vol. 3 - În Navă

(Wings)

(100pg, ro, 1990)

In Nava este cartea a treia a superbei Trilogii a nomilor a britanicului Terry Pratchet, autorul seriei Lumea Disc, o serie care a cunoscut un succes fulminant!
Undeva intr-un loc atat de sus incat nu mai exista si un jos, o nava asteapta pentru a-i duce pe nomi acasa - inapoi in locul de unde au venit. Iar unul dintre nomi, Masklin, stie ca trebuie sa ia legatura cu aceasta nava. Asta inseamna sa mearga in Florida (oriunde ar fi asta), apoi sa ajunga la lansarea unui satelit de comunicaţii (orice ar fi asta).
Un plan de-a dreptul ridicol. Un plan imposibil.
Dar Masklin nu stie asta, asa ca incearca. Iar primul pas este sa calatoreasca intr-un nou fel de camion, un camion cu aripi - un Concorde.

(http://www.cartiabc.ro/, 25ron)

Terry Pratchett - Trilogia Nomilor vol. 2 - In Excavator

Terry Pratchett - Trilogia Nomilor vol. 2 - In Excavator

(Diggers)

(105pg, ro, 1990)

In Excavator, a doua carte din Trilogia Nomilor, continua minunata epopee a poporului de omuleti ratacit în lumea oamenilor! Un nou inceput pare sa-i astepte pe miile de nomi micuti atunci cand se muta in cladirile darapanate ale unei cariere de piatra parasite.
Oare asa sa fie?
Curand, lucruri ciudate incep sa se intample. Ca de pilda suprafata baltilor, care devine rece si tare, sau ca apa care cade din cer in bucatele inghetate. Apoi apar oamenii, si ei chiar strica totul. Cariera urmeaza sa fie redeschisa, iar nomii trebuie sa lupte pentru a-si apara noul camin. Dar cat timp vor reusi sa-i tina departe pe oameni – chiar si cu ajutorul monstrului Jekub?

(http://www.cartiabc.ro/, 25ron)

Terry Pratchett - Trilogia Nomilor vol. 1 - In camion

Terry Pratchett - Trilogia Nomilor vol. 1 - In camion

(Truckers)

(119pg, ro, 1988)

In camion este cartea intai din superba Trilogie a nomilor (cunoscuta si ca Trilogia Bromeliadelor), nominalizata pentru Premiul Smarties. Este o carte ce debordeaza de umor si inteligenta, atragandu-ne intr-un univers generat de o imaginatie sclipitoare.
Nomii sunt un popor de omuleti care ratacesc in lumea oamenilor. Pentru miile de nomi marunti care locuiesc sub podelele unui mare magazin universal, nu exista Exterior. Lucruri precum Ziua si Noaptea, Soarele si Ploaia sunt doar niste vechi mituri ciudate. Dar, o veste cumplita le zdruncina existenta: Magazinul – care reprezinta intreaga lor lume – urmeaza sa fie demolat. Iar Masklin, unul dintre ultimii nomi sositi în Magazin, va fi cel ce va concepe un plan incredibil care ii va duce pe toti nomii în nebanuitele primejdii ale marelui Exterior …

(http://www.cartiabc.ro/, 24.90 ron)

Lem Stanislaw - Ciberiada

Lem Stanislaw - Ciberiada

(386pg, 1967, ro)

Ciberiada este o lume a robotilor aflati intr-un fel de ev mediu, cu regi, printese si dragoni. Cartea este o colectie de povestiri care prezinta mai ales aventurile celor doi "geniali constructori", Trurl si Clapautius. Cei doi prieteni exploreaza Universul si construiesc diverse masini inteligente, motiv pentru a aborda teme esentiale ale umanitatii; de la problema fericirii la chestiuni politice. Caci "Ciberiada" este de fapt o alegorie, iar robotii care o populeaza sunt caricaturi ale oamenilor, cu toate virtutile si viciile lor.

(Nemira, 29ron)

Stanislaw Lem - Catarul

Stanislaw Lem - Catarul

(146pg, ro, 1975)

A former astronaut helps Interpol solve a series of mysterious deaths. Multivariate statistics play an important rôle in this story, and come closer to the truth then it might at first seem.

The Polish title Katar means ``The Cold,'' as in a head-cold. In American English, however, ``The Cold'' would more likely be interpreted as temperature, not illness. Chain of Chance is a good descriptive title. The head-cold, by the way, does figure into that chain-of-chance.

Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir

Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir

(2010, en, 288pg)

The fall and rise of a heavy metal icon

Dave Mustaine is the first to admit that he's bottomed out a few times in his dark and twisted speed metal version of a Dickensian life.

Impoverished, transient childhood? Check.

Abusive, alcoholic parent? Check.

Mind-fucking religious weirdness (in his case the extremes of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Satanism)? Check.

Alcoholism, drug addiction, homelessness? Check, check, check.

Soul-crushing professional and artistic setbacks? Check.

Rehab? Check (seventeen times, give or take).

Near-death experience? Check that one, too.

James Hetfield, with whom many years ago Mustaine founded a band known as Metallica, once observed, with some incredulity, that Mustaine must have been born with a horseshoe up his ass. That's how lucky he's been, how fortunate he is to be pulling breath after so many close calls. And Hetfield is right. Mustaine has been lucky. He has been blessed. But here's the thing about having a horseshoe lodged in your rectum: It also hurts like hell. And you never forget it's there.

Mustaine has battled through it all to achieve dizzying heights. From the early, heady days of Metallica, being unceremoniously let go only to become a world-famous rock star—founder, front man, singer, songwriter, and guitarist (and de facto CEO) for Megadeth, one of the most popular bands in heavy metal—Mustaine's is a story that will inspire, stun, and terrify.

(Amazon, 26$)

Salman Rushdie - Furia

Salman Rushdie - Furia

(ro, 265pg, 2001)

Un roman cu foarte multe accente autobiografice, Furie il are in centrul sau pe profesorul de filozofie Malik Solanka, iar toate celelate personaje sunt aproape inexistente, slab conturate, cu aparitii meteorice, abandonate pe parcurs. Solanka este un barbat de varsta mijlocie, care duce o viata de familie tihnita si aparent fericita, pana intr-o zi cand brusc si fara nici o explicatie, isi paraseste familia si fuge din Anglia la New York.

Creatorul unui fenomen media major, Solanka este autorul unor papusi ce devin staruri de televiziune. Prima si cea mai draga creatie a sa – Isteata – se transforma din papusa capabila sa poarte cele mai complexe discutii filozofice – inteligenta, nostima, usor sarcastica – in tot ceea ce uraste Solanka la societatea in care traieste. Marginalizat, pierzandu-si atat drepturile cat si puterea asupra propriei creatii, Solanka este invadat de frustrare si o furie innebunitoare. (Ana Maria Petritan)

(Amazon, 15$)

Tom Sharpe - Marea aspiraţie

Tom Sharpe - Marea aspiraţie
(The great pursuit)

(ro, 240pg, 1977)

Cartea, in original «The Great Pursuit», publicata in 1977, spune povestea agentului literar, Frensic, proprietarul unui nas care poate "adulmeca" un best-seller de la o posta. Intr-o zi, Frensic primeste un roman pseudo-pornografic - povestea iubirii dintre un adolescent si o femeie de optzeci de ani - si isi da seama ca i s-a oferit pe tava sansa de a da o lovitura comerciala.

Impreuna cu asociata lui, Sonia, reuseste sa-l convinga pe un autor nepublicat, destul de sarac cu duhul si legat de valorile morale ale artei literare, sa se dea drept autorul acelei carti. Lucrurile curg intr-un ritm accelerat, ritmand subiectul cu rasturnari de situatii destul de nebunesti, dupa care autorii vremurilor noastre se dau in vant.

Oricum, se vede treaba ca Sharpe cunoaste aproape la perfectie mecanismele de publicare si promovare din lumea literara, pe care stie sa le infatiseze cititorului intr-un mod cat se poate de primitor si simpatic.
Tom Sharpe satirizeaza industria editoriala, in special pe cea americana, axata pe castiguri cat mai mari si pe lovituri de imagine - nici o problema daca ele au la baza scandaluri grosolane -, dar si lumea plina de orgolii a scriitorilor si editorilor.


(Polirom, 25 ron)

Sergiu Someşan - Carte de magie

Sergiu Someşan - Carte de magie

(2001, ro, 54pg)

Prezentul volum de proza scurta este menit sa ne dea fiori si sa ne poarte printre faliile în realitate care constituie lumea fantasticului. Ghid ne este însusi autorul, care foloseste în mod curent naratiunea la persoana întâi [...] De fapt, Sergiu Somesan se joaca de-a fantasticul. El e un realist ce ne plimba masca insolitului prin fata ochilor, realizând un splendid spectacol de lumini si umbre.

Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion

Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion

(2006, en, 398 pg)

Richard Dawkins, in The God Delusion, tells of his exasperation with colleagues who try to play both sides of the street: looking to science for justification of their religious convictions while evading the most difficult implications—the existence of a prime mover sophisticated enough to create and run the universe, “to say nothing of mind reading millions of humans simultaneously.” Such an entity, he argues, would have to be extremely complex, raising the question of how it came into existence, how it communicates —through spiritons!—and where it resides. Dawkins is frequently dismissed as a bully, but he is only putting theological doctrines to the same kind of scrutiny that any scientific theory must withstand. No one who has witnessed the merciless dissection of a new paper in physics would describe the atmosphere as overly polite.

(Amazon, ~11$)