Endocrinologist Salas-Whalen offers a compassionate and comprehensive guide to losing weight with GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. She walks readers through the process of evaluating GLP-1 medications (short for glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, appetite, and digestion) and explains that obesity is a chronic disease that can be controlled, not cured. After providing tips on how to find a supportive medical provider (ideally, one who’s board certified in obesity medicine) and navigate cost and insurance coverage, Salas-Whalen outlines advice for how to have success with a GLP-1 prescription, encouraging a low dosage to start, adequate protein intake, and regular muscle-building exercises to keep the body strong. She also provides examples for meal portions (it’s often hard to consume enough protein once appetite decreases) and troubleshooting for common side effects, such as constipation, dehydration, and hair loss. She maintains an empathetic tone throughout, even apologizing for how doctors have shamed patients struggling to lose weight, and shares her own experience taking a GLP-1 medication short-term after giving birth, which she says allowed her to return to a healthy weight. This accessible resource is a must for those considering or taking weight-loss medication. (Dec.)

Reviewed on 10/31/2025 | Details & Permalink

Popular histories point to Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, as a cautionary tale of environmental collapse: the original inhabitants “let their population outgrow their home’s capacity to support them” and the Europeans who first happened upon the island found “a devastated land.” The problem with this story, according to this striking account from archaeologist Pitts (How To Build Stonehenge), is that it’s not only “profoundly wrong” but belies a “shocking history of European cultural destruction... slavery and brutal exploitation.” Consulting records of European contact, Pitts points to evidence that the island was densely populated in the 1700s, and that it was catastrophic slave raids in the 1860s that reduced the population to a mere 110 people. To tell the true history of Rapa Nui, Pitts combines the latest archeological evidence with the long-overlooked early-20th-century field notes of anthropologist Katherine Routledge, the first Westerner to consult Rapa Nui’s elders and record their own account of their history. Her groundbreaking work forms a second mystery within the narrative, as Pitts investigates how “the lifework of this woman, who seemed to have understood the place like no other outsider,” had vanished from both academic and popular history. The twists and turns of Routledge’s story—a saga of strange rivalries and suppressed research—culminate in her being “kidnapped and incarcerated” in a “lunatic asylum, where, against her will... she was to spend the rest of her life.” It’s a stunning unraveling of many layers of hidden history. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/31/2025 | Details & Permalink

Next Level Chef winner DeSpain celebrates her Potawatomi and Mexican heritage in this vivid debut. Offering a wealth of historical context, DeSpain celebrates the accomplishments of her ancestors, noting that Indigenous people discovered maple syrup and sugar production as well as intercropping, the process of growing the “three sisters” (corn, beans, and squash) together. She also shares a number of traditions practiced today, explaining, for example, that a “spirit plate” containing a small portion of every dish is created before large meals as a “ceremonial offering used by several Native American tribes throughout the country... as a gesture of respect and gratitude to the spirits.” Using staple ingredients native to North America, DeSpain showcases traditional dishes such as three sisters salad, bison and sweet corn soup, and steamed white fish in corn husks, as well as her original creations, including roasted butternut squash with honey and habanero, blue corn strawberry tamales with coconut horchata sauce, and raspberry mezcal BBQ quail. Other highlights include jalapeño bison jerky, amaranth-crusted acorn squash, and a cake made with mezcal and Mexican chocolate. This will be a valuable resource for home cooks looking to learn more about Indigenous foodways. Agent: Johanna Castillo, Writers House. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 10/31/2025 | Details & Permalink

Dutch artist Smink debuts with a colorful guide to painting floral patterns with alcohol ink, a mix of alcohol and dyes. Once they’re applied to a smooth, nonporous surface, like synthetic paper, the inks can be manipulated into various designs using a squeezable air blower, heat, or paint brushes. Crafters will also need isopropyl alcohol to enhance and dilute the fluidity of the inks (“What water is to watercolor paint,” Smink explains, “isopropyl alcohol is to alcohol inks”). Since the materials release fumes, Smink recommends wearing protective gear like a respirator and safety goggles. Step-by-step instructions are included for creating 20 different flower designs, including poppies, wildflowers, hydrangeas, and daisies. They range in difficulty from beginner to advanced, so crafters can work their way up from a simple rose to a detailed bouquet. Smink urges consistent practice and patience, as the inks can be difficult to control and often seem to have “a mind of their own.” Throughout, photos elucidate the steps in each project. The book’s most eye-catching patterns are its most surprising, as when quick strokes of color, splatters of bright pink ink, and a paper towel unite to form a dizzying field of blooms. Flower lovers will relish this beautiful volume. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 10/31/2025 | Details & Permalink

Improving one’s gut health is key to alleviating chronic inflammation, according to this comprehensive guide from gastroenterologist Bulsiewicz (Fiber Fueled). He frames inflammation, the body’s immune response to irritants, as the root of more than 130 conditions, from autoimmune disorders to cardiovascular disease, and argues that healing requires nurturing the body’s three layers of defense: gut microbes, the gut barrier, and the immune system. Drawing lessons from global dietary traditions, like the Mediterranean Diet, he identifies four pillars of an anti-inflammatory diet—fiber, polyphenols (compounds found in fruits and vegetables), healthy fat, and fermented foods—and emphasizes that food is only part of the equation. For instance, he notes that proper sleep is crucial to immune repair and that research shows that social isolation can be as damaging to health as smoking cigarettes. He even points to the importance of cultivating a sense of awe, or finding wonder in everyday experiences, as a way to reduce stress. The book’s centerpiece is the Plant Powered Plus Protocol, an outline for improving gut-immune health that includes weekly meal plans and 52 recipes, such as Citrus-Kissed Cannellini Stew, Sweet Potato Lentil Curry, and Crunchy Tempeh Tacos. Accessible and inspiring, this meticulous guide makes a persuasive case for a gut-centered approach to wellness. It’s a welcome resource for those seeking relief from an array of health issues. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/31/2025 | Details & Permalink

Debut author Stivers spins off her long-running “Eat Your Words” column at the Paris Review into this slight collection of “literary food stories.” Arranged alphabetically by author—from Austen to Yeats, with Didion, Hurston, and Kafka in the middle—each recipe is accompanied by a brief biographical sketch focused on the writer’s history with food. Some recipes are more robust than others, especially in cases where the authors themselves wrote cookbooks: Maya Angelou’s caramel cake comes from her Hallelujah! The Welcome Table, while Laurie Colwin’s gingerbread is sourced from her Home Cooking. Other dishes, tracked down from letters, diaries, and biographies, feel far vaguer, such as a brief prosaic description of boiled apple dumplings from George Orwell’s essay “British Cookery.” Still others are adapted by Stivers herself: learning that D.H. Lawrence baked a cake to help patch up a romantic quarrel, she offers a recipe for “Summer Cake with Any Fruit” as her “speculation of what such a cake might have been like.” The result is that one gets the sense Stivers is straining to fulfill her own premise. Fortunately, Tomlinson’s cheerful sketches of writers tucking into their dinners add charm throughout, and there’s a broad enough range of authors to pique the interest of any bookworm. This will make a fine stocking stuffer. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 10/17/2025 | Details & Permalink

The vibrant debut cookbook from Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Kim Chi doubles as a culinary travelogue from her time on tour through Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The recipes often memorialize casual eats from unpretentious places, such as the cheese and onion Cornish pasties that Kim Chi enjoyed at rest stops while touring the U.K., making for some fun juxtapositions with the artist’s glam looks and larger-than-life persona. A classic poutine recipe, for example, comes complete with a campy editorial photo shoot featuring Kim Chi hamming it up with the curds and gravy. French fries make another appearance in lomo saltado, a popular Chinese-Peruvian stir-fry. Spanish paella gets a quick and simple interpretation in a rice cooker, while the Turkish döner kebab that is a staple in Berlin gets deconstructed into a platter. Fusion fare abounds, including Korean hot dogs (“the ultimate glow-up for an American corndog”), Brazilian beef stroganoff, and Japanese pasta Napolitan featuring spaghetti, sausage, and ketchup. Vivid photography, easy to follow instructions, personality filled anecdotes, and fabulous drag looks make re-creating the author’s favorite meals inviting. Infused with a gentle joie de vivre, this should appeal to foodies, globe-trotters, and drag lovers alike. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 10/17/2025 | Details & Permalink

Waltin (Knit (Spin) Sweden!) delivers an informative guide to spinning wool from start to finish. First, she discusses wool characteristics of various sheep breeds, pointing out that the Gute sheep’s soft undercoat and strong overcoat make its fleece an excellent choice for beginners. Elsewhere, she evaluates the pros and cons of washing out the lanolin (wool’s natural grease): while lanolin can keep the wool soft, some people are allergic to it. Step-by-step photos explain how to tease clusters of fibers with mini combs to make the wool “airy and open” and how to willow the wool to remove stubborn vegetable matter. Waltin offers practical advice to address common wool preparation problems, advising readers that if too much wool is placed on handheld carders (tools with wire teeth used to disentangle and blend fibers together), it can lead to uneven rolls. For spinning, Waltin emphasizes the twist model, where twisting the fibers ensures an even, stable yarn. She notes that while she often uses a spinning wheel, she feels a closer connection to the craft when using spindles. Some sections, including a chapter devoted to spinning meditation, feel superfluous. Still, this will be a welcome addition to any serious spinner’s library. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 10/17/2025 | Details & Permalink

Den Hollander, head of the Mien Ruys Gardens in the Netherlands, delivers a comprehensive debut survey of the work of Dutch landscape and garden architect Mien Ruys (1904–1999). Often considered the “Mother of the Modernist garden,” Ruys popularized the use of modernist aesthetics in landscape design, employing clean lines, geometric shapes, and lush vegetation that brought people close to nature without trying to duplicate the chaotic experience of wild growth. She made innovative use of industrial materials like concrete and railroad ties and emphasized the inclusion of perennials, which brought dynamic, natural elements to her designs. Den Hollander illustrates how Ruys’s designs were brought to life by including her schematics alongside photos of their execution. In addition to exploring her contributions to garden design, the author sheds light on Ruys the person, demonstrating that she was a woman ahead of her time who pioneered her way in a male-dominated field. A socialist, she worked to make gardens more accessible to the public, challenging elitist traditions of the time. Throughout, vibrant full-page photos reveal the artistry of Ruys’s work. Garden aficionados will be inspired. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 10/17/2025 | Details & Permalink

This stellar debut from Grace and Jones, cofounders of the U.K.’s Indian Block Print Co., teaches readers the art of block printing, a centuries-old method of using wooden blocks carved with intricate patterns to hand-print designs onto fabric and paper. The 14 projects vary in difficulty, with some requiring only one wooden block and simple card stock to print upon, while more advanced projects use multiple blocks and paint colors to create repeating patterns and precise borders. To ensure the prints are evenly spaced, the authors recommend folding and ironing fabric to create a grid of crease marks that helps guide where to stamp each print. They walk readers through each step of the process, highlighting potential pitfalls, like using too much paint or failing to apply enough pressure to create the proper impression. Projects include a tea towel decorated with wildflowers, a cotton scarf embellished with leaves, and a tablecloth with a detailed border. Throughout, the authors provide gorgeous photos and dispatches from studios in Jaipur, India, where they work with artisans who hand-carve their designs onto wooden printing blocks. Imbued with history and passion, this is more than a simple how-to. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 10/17/2025 | Details & Permalink