COLORFUL PALATE: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience, drool-worthy memoir centered on food

COLORFUL PALATE: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience
RAJ TAWNEY
Empire State Editions
$24.95 hardcover, available now

Rating: 4.5*of five

The Publisher Says: WINNER, 2024 BEST INDIE BOOK AWARD, CULINARY MEMOIR

WINNER, 2024 LIVING NOW BOOK AWARD, INSPIRATIONAL MEMOIR – MALE (BRONZE)

A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY & FOREWORD REVIEWS BOOK OF THE DAY • NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2023 BY ZED BOOK CLUB & INDIA CURRENTS • LA WEEKLY BOOK PICK • RECOMMENDED BY BOOK RIOT & ELECTRIC LITERATURE

A timely self-examination of the “mixed” American experience featuring exclusive recipes and photographs from the author’s multicultural family.

As citizens continue to evolve and diversify within the United States, the ingredients that make up each flavorful household are waiting to be discovered and devoured. In Colorful Palate, author Raj Tawney shares his coming-of-age memoir as a young man born into an Indian, Puerto Rican, and Italian-American family, his struggles with understanding his own identity, and the mouthwatering flavors of the melting pot from within his own childhood kitchen.

While the world outside can be cruel and unforgiving, it’s even more complicated for a mixed-race kid, unsure of his place in the world. Turning to his mother and grandmother for guidance, Tawney assists in the kitchen, providing intimate moments and candor as he listened to the tales behind each culinary delicacy and the women who perfected it. Each lovingly prepared meal offered another opportunity to learn more about his extraordinary heritage. The ability to create delicious fare with his family wasn’t just a duty for the grand ladies who raised him; it was a survival tactic for navigating new and unknown cultures, not always willing to accept them at first or even a hundredth glance. As Tawney examines both himself and his loved ones through the formative stages of his life, from boyhood through adulthood, he begins to realize, through all of the chaos and confusion, just how “American” he actually was.

In this contemporary coming-of-age tale, Tawney tackles personal hot-button issues about race and identity through poignant, heartfelt moments centered on delicious meals. From succulent tandoori chicken to delectable arroz con habichuelas to scrumptious spaghetti and meatballs, Tawney shares his family recipes along with the intimate stories he overheard in the kitchen as he played sous chef to hundreds of recipes that not only span continents but also come with their own personal histories attached. Colorful Palate is a tale of the mixed experience, one of the millions that rarely get told, undefined by a single group or birthright and unapologetic about its lack of classification.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A Desi dad, a Puerto Rican/Italian mom...Raj is a bog-standard modern New Yorker. His family's families of origin are, well, not really compatible. His early life was spent with parents who were not effective at engagement with each other. This makes for a vacuum in a child's emotional growth. It did not, luckily, result in a food vacuum. His mother was a cook, and came from cultures with powerful culinary traditions.

Enter his grandmother and auntie. And, not coincidentally, delicious Desi food, Italian food, and Puerto Rican food as all points on his cultural compass were contributing to his maturing tastes. Not to mention he and his older brother were fully involved in the dominant US culture. Here's someone who came of age amid a lot of very, very powerful cultures, and has told us how this has molded him as a cook, and a person.

There are recipes in each chapter for dishes relevant to that chapter's substance, always at the end so easy to access. There are sixteen halftone illustrations to give you some extra flavor (!) of the author's life. I don't want you to thik it's a cookbook. I'd happily keep it in my cooking collection but I wouldn't suggest it for the cookbook collector.

You can definitely use the recipes, though, don't think they're pointless, ornamental ones. Just...more for a culture maven, one interested in society and the propagation of traditions in today's world, and anyone you know who is very interested in New York City, AND likes to adventure in the kitchen (but doably in the ingredients hunt!) will batten on this book.

Sample illustrations offered for your assessment:

Mom's parents being glam, 1957 at the Copacabana
Mom's Puerto Rican Mom and Italian Dad, 1957 wedding
Author and Mom, 1988
The author's immediate family, 1990
Author and maternal grandmother, 2018
Author and wife, Michelle, wedding day 2019

An American life, joined in progress, shared for our pleasure and our cultural broadening.

MG CENTURY: 100 Years—Safety Fast!, The Big Gift for your gear/petrolhead giftee

MG CENTURY: 100 Years—Safety Fast!
DAVID KNOWLES
Motorbooks International
$60.00 hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Celebrate and explore 100 years of MG cars with this impressive volume featuring expert commentary, historical images, period ads, and contemporary photography. MG Century, authored by marque expert David Knowles, offers a complete and richly illustrated history covering the evolution of this storied British car company.

For many car enthusiasts, MG is synonymous with “sports car.” It is often credited with igniting a passion for European cars in postwar America at a time when roads were otherwise filled with the lumbering output of Detroit. In MG’s native England, the company’s cars filled roles from family transport to competition driving.

MG, as we think of it today, began in the 1920s, but its roots go back even further with a young William Morris. Initially working in the booming bicycle trade, he eventually branched into motorcycle and car repair with the fledgling Morris Garage (hence, MG) in 1907. By the mid 1920s, the successful Morris Garages was in a position to begin manufacture of its own cars under the MG name.

MG grew significantly in the years before World War II, building and racing its classic Midgets and Magnettes. World War II provided challenging times for the company as it did for the UK and much of the world. In the postwar period, a focus on sales outside England, and particularly in the United States, both defined MG’s product line and ensured its success. Legendary cars followed, including MG TC, TD, and TF followed by thoroughly modern MGA, MGB, MGB GT, and Midget. Magnettes and the 1100 offered options for those wanting sedans and more practical cars.

MG ownership moved through a number of UK companies in the postwar period as well as ownership by BMW and today’s SAIC, a Chinese-based company through which it operates as MG Motor. Highlights along the way included the MGB GT V8, MG Metro Group B rally car, and MGF. Based on its latest state-of-the-art EV platform, MG will soon launch an all-new roadster coming full circle over its century in business.

Authored by marque expert David Knowles, MG Century: 100 Years of Safety Fast! is a fitting celebration of one of the automotive world’s oldest and most beloved brands—and a must-have for every car enthusiast.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Who's your gear/petrolhead giftee? Who loves to drool over Hagerty's Barn Finds on YouTube while hatin' on everyone with a barn to find stuff like an MGB-GT in? Here's us all a book. My father's older brother collected cars. I got to go ride in his 1932 Dual-Cowl Deusenberg! His 1933 Pierce-Arrow, too! He lived in Southern California, was born during World War I, and so had the basic obscene good luck to be in the right place at the right time to get in on those marvies. These cars, especially the MGB (an older friend had one and gave me rides in it...bliss) were around in my childhood, so were available when I was the age at which my uncle began collecting cars...and I never bothered. ::headdesk::

The Table of Contents will show you the gorgeous machines I missed out on, as well as the organizing principle of the entire read. The spreads are a plan view, so to speak, for the design of the text and the images in juxtaposition.


The following images are the presentation view...the way the book will look to your giftee sitting there in a happily absorbed reader/viewer's lap:

I don't show you every beautiful book I'm offered because, sometimes, they have poorly written, or factually incorrect to my own knowledge, text, or boring design, or I just can't think of anyone I'd buy one for. Not the case here...I learned new things from Author Knowles' involving storytelling, and not a fact was out of place to my knowledge.

If I didn't already have one, I'd put this as my big ask to Santa. You might know someone who'd love it too. Great gift to give.

THE SEVEN SKINS OF ESTHER WILDING, making art out of grief

THE SEVEN SKINS OF ESTHER WILDING
HOLLY RINGLAND
House of Anansi Press
$19.99 trade paper, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: A haunting, magical novel about joy, grief, courage and transformation from the international bestselling author of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.

‘On the afternoon that Esther Wilding drove homeward along the coast, a year after her sister had walked into the sea and disappeared, the light was painfully golden.’

The last time Esther Wilding’s beloved older sister Aura was seen, she was walking along the shore towards the sea. In the wake of Aura’s disappearance, Esther’s family struggles to live with their loss. To seek the truth about her sister’s death, Esther reluctantly travels from Lutruwita/Tasmania, to Copenhagen, and then to the Faroe Islands, following the trail of the stories Aura left behind: seven fairy tales about selkies, swans and women, alongside cryptic verses Aura wrote and had secretly tattooed on her body. The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding is a sweeping, deeply beautiful and profoundly moving novel about the far reaches of sisterly love, the power of wearing your heart on your skin and the ways life can transform when we find the courage to feel the fullness of both grief and joy.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Pretty, pretty chapter-opens and lovely sentences to console and condole the woman in a time of loss, particularly effective if the loss is a much loved sister.

Doesn't sound like me, does it? It's not me, I'm not the target audience. It's not me, my sisters aren't close this way, either to me or to each other. It's not like I'm someone particularly sentimental...but many, many are, and I think the fact that I read many, many, many pages of this book speaks loudly of its merits.

Has one of your giftees lost a sister, or (worse) a friend as close as a sister? Is there a abig grieving hole in your life for someone you shared a big part of your life with? These "skins" or fables (re)enacted in search of an involuntarily severed connaction with a fellow woman might offer some balm for the wound.


Not incidentally, the tales offer some very useful and constuctive perspective on loss. See below.


This is a terrific book, since it kept me reading. I recommend it happily.

SOUL BEAT Volume 1: The Payback, first in the AM TANKS / Soul Beat series

SOUL BEAT Volume 1: The Payback
MORGANNE WALKER
Rockport Publishers (series via Saturday AM)
$13.99 trade paper, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Soul Beat, Volume 1 tells the story of a promising boxer who takes on the challenge of destroying the Devil by finding a series of ancient artifacts.

In Soul Beat, Volume 1, after a fateful encounter to save his friend, pro-boxer and 70s-loving soul brother Dante Alfonse will pursue his toughest challenge yet: defeat the Devil himself—or die trying!

Dante Alfonse is a promising boxer who’s more than capable of taking on any opponent, inside or outside of the ring. Whether it’s a bully in his neighborhood or even stopping a robbery, he’s quick to step in and hold down his city. Of course, when your name means “to endure," being an unstoppable force for good comes naturally! But sometimes, good deeds attract unwanted attention…

Such is the case when Dante tries to defend his friend and mentor, Ben, from being killed by the worst person imaginable: the Devil himself! Now targeted by the forces of evil for his interference, Dante must use the knowledge his mentor left him and hone his newfound spiritual powers, not only to save his own life but to destroy the Devil before more lives are ruined.

To his surprise, he’s not alone. A centuries-long feud between Heaven and Hell begins to surface in the Mortal World, and both sides have their reasons for wanting Dante on their side of the fight. Caught in the crossfire, he’ll have to figure out which side he’s on, uncover the truth surrounding his mentor’s mysterious past, and ultimately show the afterlife what it really means to have soul!

Soul Beat is rated T for Teen, recommended for ages 13 and up.

Saturday AM, the world’s most diverse manga-inspired comics, are now presented in a new format! Introducing Saturday AM TANKS, the new graphic novel format similar to Japanese Tankobons where we collect the global heroes and artists of Saturday AM. These handsome volumes have select color pages, revised artwork, and innovative post-credit scenes that help bring new life to our popular BIPOC, LGBTQ, and/or culturally diverse characters.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I grew up in the 70s. I don't believe in the Devil, or the christian theology it springs from. I don't like reading comics.

What the ever-lovin' hell is a four-star rating doing up there?! A black man fighting evil in the 70s is a message I'd like to amplify; a struggle against the whole world towards self-belief, ditto; stareable, emotionally charged artwork completes my trifecta of reasons. I also realize when I'm not the target audience, and judge things by a more accepting standard. No, I won't but one for myself; I *would* buy one for my (age-appropriate, thirteen up) grand.

I think these three spreads will tell you what you want to know in advance of ordering a gift for the teen boy (I don't know any girls likely to enjoy this, of any age; it's violent and male-centered, so not really something I myownself would give to a girl). The message of self-belief and not listening to the naysayers is probably most well-suited to the teen boy in a social environment of deep negativity and racial prejudice.

ART RULES: How great artists think, create and work, great gift for your blocked-creative giftee

ART RULES: How great artists think, create and work
CASSIE PACKARD
Frances Lincoln Ltd
$24.99 "flexi-bind" (whatever that is), available now

Rating: 4.5* of five (the "Pink Ding" taken off from five)

The Publisher Says: The best thing about rules is that you can break them: here are over 100 mantras for anyone interested in creating great art.

What can we learn from great artists? When we hold their practices up to the light, what do we see – and how might those encounters reshape our own thinking about art?

Delving into the attitudes, working practices and mantras of artists hailing from the eighteenth century to the present day, Art Rules distills over 100 insights into the lives of artists inside the studio and out. This book is animated by questions: How do artists think about creativity? What forms can process take? How might artists craft a personal definition of success?

Drawing upon art historical research and artist interviews, the accessible takeaways on these virtuosos’ varied practices pack a punch. This lively compendium offers up a wealth of perspectives from an international, intergenerational group of artists working across media. Art historical heavyweights including Louise Bourgeois, Marcel Duchamp, Frida Kahlo and Henri Matisse appear alongside relatively newer names such as Kerry James Marshall, Ana Mendieta and Mika Rottenberg, as well as exciting artists on the rise like Emilie Louise Gossiaux and Madeline Hollander.

Some of the insights may seem more practical, while others trend conceptual; some may unearth existing knowledge, while others may come as a surprise; some will stay with you forever, while others you’ll only need to try once. Art Rules allows readers to either dip in at random or read from cover to cover for lessons in how great artists think, make and work.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: There is a lot to be said for listening to the thoughts of experts in their field. In this case, artists talk about the nature and the process of creating art...more broadly applicable to creativity as well. The artworks shown are so beautiful it's easy to see a case for giving it (to self or others) as a browser's book of gorgeous stuff to look at!

My favorite thing about this beauty as a gift is that it doesn't have the "are you blocked? let me help you" vibe that lots of creativity-focued books do. It can sneak in under a resistant recipient's radar. That is no small feat. Author Packard has a deft touch, honed in many of the art world's best wordy venues. A partial list of her credits: Art in America, Artforum, BOMB, frieze, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. Quality venues, one and all, and her prose shows it. Here are some sample spreads to show the æsthetic of the object you're gifting:


The Contents page...a clear statement of clarity and quality.


Introduction's part-title. What's the deal with pink this year? Me no likee.


Is there ever a bad time to include a Cézanne image of Mont Sainte-Victoire? I do no think so. The advice to seek inspiration in your surroundings, in nature, in the physical place you live, is timeless and always correct.


Never underestimate the generative power of showing off. You might not have a vernissage...yet, but you can gather some folks and show 'em what you got. Florine Stettheimer's painting is both lovely and inspiring.


The shorter pieces are mostly like this, simple and designed to be absorbed without deep contemplation of the art. They're still both pithy and useful, as the whole book is, while being very clearly designed with the visual person in mind. Absorbing advice is always easier when it comes packaged in your preferred wrappings.

Terrific way to support a fearful or blocked aspiring visual artist or visually-oriented creative soul. Booksgiving never had a clearer winner.

HORROR UNMASKED: A History of Terror from Nosferatu to Nope, great way to thrill your horror-movie fan

HORROR UNMASKED: A History of Terror from Nosferatu to Nope
BRAD WEISMANN
becker&mayer! books
$24.99 hardcover, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Horror Unmasked offers a general introduction to the popular film genre, serves as a guidebook to its film highlights, and celebrates its practitioners, trends, and stories.

From the silent-film era to the blockbusters of today, Horror Unmasked is a fun-filled, highly illustrated dive into the past influences and present popularity of the horror film genre.

The horror film’s pop-culture importance is undeniable, from its early influences to today’s most significant and exciting developments in the genre. Since 1990, the production of horror films has risen exponentially worldwide, resulting in impressive ticket sales in the modern day, not to mention how the genre has expanded into books, fashion, music, and other media throughout the world.

Horror has long been the most popular film genre, and more horror movies have been made than any other kind. We need them. We need to be scared, to test ourselves, laugh inappropriately, scream, and flinch. We need to get through them and come out, blinking, still in one piece. This comprehensive guide features:

A thorough discussion on monster movies and B-movies (The Thing; It Came from Outer Space; The Blob)

The destruction of the American censorship system (Blood Feast; The Night of the Living Dead; The Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

International horror, zombies, horror comedies, and horror in the new millennium (Matango; Suspiria; Ghostbusters)

A dissection of the critical reception of modern horror (Neon Demon; Pan’s Labyrinth; Funny Games)

Stunning movie posters and film stills, plus fan-made tributes to some of the most lauded horror franchises in the world (Aliens; The Evil Dead; The Hills Have Eyes; Scream)

A perfect reference and informational book for horror fans and those interested in its cultural influence worldwide, Horror Unmasked provides a general introduction to the genre, serves as a guidebook to its film highlights, and celebrates its practitioners, trends, and stories.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: It is astonishing how important the horror-movie industry has grown to be. It began with a bang...pardon the wordplay...and pretty much reliably made money for the film industry for decades. Its reach into pop culture has never stopped making the puckerhole set very, very, very anxious and uncomfortable. The trends in horror-film making have huge impacts on things from politics to design aesthetics. It's all in here, though of course not in great, or academically sourced, depth. This is an exciting gift book, not a film studies text.

That is a feature, not a bug. My enjoyment of the read was thorough while we were in the past; in the modern day, I felt...impatient...this is current events! Do we really need to go into the stuff from day-before-yesterday? Yes, of course, said my old-man common sense. Not everyone sees the same information I do. Still, I'm docking a half-star for it because I'm giving *my* impression, and it might match up with your possible giftee's. Forewarned is still forearmed.

The Table of Contents, and the Introduction, are typical excitement-building spreads:


The Chapter One opening spread, and first text spread, gives us the basic format's development into the informative delivery medium for the deep-enough dive into the development and trends in horror film from the initial efforts through our present era of splatters in place of scares.

Gross oversimplification on my part, and not universally true; like all generalizations, exceptions abound. Go look into Bollywood horror...go learn about the reason we've seen such an explosion of horror franchises...find out who directed a horror film that you'd swear an oath would never have done such a thing.

Here's your chance to thrill the horror aficionado in your life with a hardcover book that will teach about the genre while pleasing the eyes and teasing the memory. Believe me, you'll never lose at trivia if you read this one.

A really great graphic representation of the interconnectedness of the global horror industry.

UNRULY FIGURES: Twenty Tales of Rebels, Rulebreakers, and Revolutionaries You've (Probably) Never Heard Of, surprised and amazed me (and made me queasy doing it)

UNRULY FIGURES: Twenty Tales of Rebels, Rulebreakers, and Revolutionaries You've (Probably) Never Heard Of
VALORIE CASTELLANOS CLARK
Princeton Architectural Press
$24.95 trade paper, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A fascinating look at the lives of twenty rebels and rule-breakers throughout history and what made their contributions to society—in science, politics, art, and more—transformative. By the author and host of the popular Unruly Figures Substack newsletter and podcast.

Unruly Figures gives you access to the lives and often untold stories of twenty of history's most fascinating individuals. Of all the rebels and revolutionaries who have acted around the world, these are often overlooked. Whether they are a bit familiar or entirely new to you, each of these historical figures provides a vivid example of what it means to live life on one's own terms and have a lasting influence on society.

In the first collection of its kind, spotlighting a young historian's fresh view on unheralded rebels, these characters' true stories are brought to life through enthralling narratives of their feats and an original illustration of each. Even those whose names are recognizable—like Jonas Salk—have moments of rebellion that are largely left out of their histories. The diverse cast of unruly figures profiled includes:

Kandake Amanirenas, queen of the Kingdom of Kush (modern-day Sudan), who led an army against the invading Romans

Manuela Sáenz, revolutionary from Ecuador and collaborator and lover of Simón Bolívar

Henry Dunant, Swiss humanitarian and founder of the Red Cross

Elaine Sturtevant, known as Sturtevant, a misunderstood American artist who took appropriation and pop art to new heights

Dive into this collection of hidden history tales—those of scientists, artists, revolutionaries, activists, heirs to thrones, and so many more—and you are guaranteed to be inspired by how they lived on their own unconventional terms.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: This is my idea of a gift to give the young giftee of any description! This is how you do it, and don't wait to start. The world needs troublemakers now more than ever.

Here's a sample few pages, all about someone who did something I definitely never learned about in History class:

Excuse me, what?! Defeated AUGUSTUS?! This was not mentioned in any book I've read about Rome!

The entire collection does not, of course, have quite the same impact on me as the unsettling realization of History I've consumed for *mumble*ty-five years being upended. That is, however, not the source of the missing half-star. I'm afraid I'm being really petty and first-world spoiled here: I hate, with a violent passion, whatever Pantone™-pink shade that is they've used throughout the book. It looks like thrown-up shrimp cocktail.

The information, the design, all the rest...the portraits on the chapter opens, the typeface, the bloody dingbats are all peachy-keen by me. That urpsome shade of my least-favorite color cost this excellent book replete with role models I hope you'll shove at every young person you can find a half-star.

I accept your opprobrium in advance, but decline to reconsider my stance.

Don't let this in any way dissuade, or even delay, you from ordering one to arrive in time to go under the Yule tree.

MONSTERS AT CHRISTMAS, a "Where's Waldo?"esque early-reader delight for the season

MONSTERS AT CHRISTMAS
LAURA BAKER(illus. Nina Dzyvulska)
Happy Yak
$18.99 hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Monsters at Christmas is a zany picture book, packed with festive, mischievous monsters preparing for Christmas!

Merry monsters, hairy monsters, monsters trailing slime. Shiny monsters, tiny monsters, all at Christmas time!

Children will love this super-fun title packed with hilarious monsters preparing for Christmas! Follow the monsters as they play in the snow and slide on the ice, decorate the house, and go shopping for presents...and watch out for Santa monster hiding in every scene!

There is plenty to spot on every page, with playful, bright artwork, and lots of festive, amusing mishaps.

Energetic, wacky, and characterful monsters are drawn in a vibrant, contemporary style by Ukranian illustrator Nina Dzyvulska—spot Sprinkle monster baking up a storm, Teeth monster decking all the halls, and Roar monster trying out Santa’s sleigh!

The simple narrative with fun wordplay and a gentle rhyme is perfect for reading aloud, ideal for preschoolers and early readers as they build up their vocabulary and reading confidence.

This bold, bright, and playful book is sure to be enjoyed time and time again by young readers as they are thrilled by the merry escapades of the Christmas monsters!

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Apparently I am a "children" as desribed in the synopsis for the book because I loved "this super-fun title packed with hilarious monsters" so much I spent the whole time I was reading it giggling.

Is that not something that makes you wish for a lap-reading aged child?!


I wish baking was actually like this. It would be even more fun.


Glorious, daffy fun for you and the kidlet on your lap...all too seldom can one say that about a kids' book, usually the experience is pretty much the same-ol' same-ol'...not here!

If you can think of a better way to spend an evening of play with a kid than laughing along with this inspired daffiness, good on ya, but try this one out anyway. I'll wager every kid you read it to (or even better, who reads it to you!) enjoys it...and finds Santa every time, too.