Non-fiction book reviews - Part 3 - lifestyle things

 As I noticed in part 1 of this review series, when reviewing books, particularly non-fiction, the reviewer is also telling the reader about themselves, what they like and what they do. Since this blog is all about these things, here are reviews of three more non-fiction books, that with reveal even more about my character and personality.  As usual these were given to me by NetGalley, in exchange for honest reviews. 

The Knitting Pattern Writing Handbook (releases October 31 2023)

I'm an accomplished knitter, and (once) dabbled in designing, where I discovered that writing up patterns is hard work! This book is very helpful in that respect, and makes life much easier. I don't agree with everything they have to say - I am currently knitting a jumper pattern that only has gauge in pattern and I would really like have valued a gauge in stocking stitch, and it doesn't have a schematic and many of the other knitters who knit it have been quite disturbed by this. You can really tell this book has been put together by a tech-editor, and a lot of the content is preparing the patter for tech editing and how to work with a tech editor. This would be a very valuable book for beginning designers, particularly if they have not been exposed to a huge number of patterns, both good and bad.  

With Sprinkles on Top: Everything Vanilla People and Their Kinky Partners Need to Know to Communicate, Explore, and Connect by Stephani Goelich (releases October 10 2023)

No, me requesting this book is not telling you too much about myself, except that I listen to a lot of Dan Savage. While this book has a specific audience (see the subheading) it is quite applicable to a broader audience. It is interesting, fact based and has given me some things to think about in my own relationship.The author doesn't make generalisations,and that somehow makes it more inclusive, not less. Even though I am not strictly the target audience I found this book interesting and educaitonal.                                                                        

Feral Self Care 100 Ways to Liberate and Celebrate Your Messy, Wild, and Untamed Self by Mandy Em (releases 24 October 2023)

This book is a perfect example of making up a concept and then really, really backing yourself! It has lots of general statements about what people need, based on the author's feelings, rather than any facts. I generally agree with the suggestions in this book (get outside, connect with nature, loose the shoes, drop out of consumerist culture, take a walk) but here is also a lot of chat bout our animal nature, the sensory gremlin that lives in your animal body, and generalisations about what "you" need. This book is very negative about "wellness" but is part of that ongoing tradition criticising this while selling it back to people. The book does not contain much that is original, it's a collection of concepts from various sources and traditions, largely unacknowledged. It wasn't as cute as I think it was trying to be and I found it quite frustrating and simplistic. Suggestions like "ditch the guilt" "movement is medicine""approach sexuality without guilt or shame" are great, but not actually useful. Claiming that smearing food on your face is good for your skin is just strange. Apparently bananas have lots of vitamins, so putting them on your face must be a good idea. Nothing in this book is particularly wrong, offensive or dangerous, it's just all removed from any cultural context except industrialisation. It did not work for me, but this book might find it's audience in people looking for a simple (simplistic?) way to uplift themselves.