Trapped

A Cape Breton fisherman's abduction to Nigeria 


by Leif Morrison

Leif, a Cape Breton fisherman, was offered a job helping transport a large boat to Nigeria. Accepting the job was his biggest mistake ever; shortly after leaving Sydney, he realized that the captain was crazy. When they finally reached Nigeria after a harrowing voyage, he found himself a virtual prisoner with no way of contacting his family or getting home. He finally succeeded in contacting the Canadian embassy and, with their help, managed to escape the country after several frightening mishaps.

This is an intriguing story and I enjoyed reading it, but whoever proofread/edited it was not qualified for the job. I found many grammatical errors throughout the book--as many as four on one page.

The backyard homestead guide to raising farm animals

by Gail Damerow

This book contains detailed information on raising many different kinds of farm animals from fowl and bees to pigs and cattle. Very thorough.

Live more, want less

52 ways to find order in your life 


by Mary Carlomagno 

Each chapter describes a real-life problem the author, a professional organizer, encountered and her solution followed by practical actions for the readers to apply to their own lives.

Author's website: order.

Martha Stewart's new pies and tarts

150 recipes for old-fashioned and modern favorites 

This beautiful book has a full-page photo for every recipe. The chapters are: classic, free-form, sleek, dreamy, rustic, layered, dainty, artful, holiday and savory. They all look so good! When I finished the book, I had five sticky notes marking recipes I wanted to try. Recommended for all who love baking.

Home Dairy

All you need to know to make cheese, yogurt, butter and more


with Ashley English

History, methods and recipes for making all kinds of dairy products including cheese, kefir, buttermilk and ice cream as well as a few recipes that incorporate the finished products. This book seems very thorough and I noted several recipes that I want to try.

Visit the author's blog at Small Measure.
Also read my reviews of Ashley's books, Keeping Chickens and Canning & Preserving.

The pioneer woman

Black heels to tractor wheels: A love story

by Ree Drummond

Ree was a city girl who moved back to her small-town home temporarily where she unexpectedly met and fell deeply in love with a cowboy whom she calls Marlboro Man. She recounts their romance, explains her feelings about her parents' crumbling marriage, describes her wedding to Marlboro Man, their honeymoon and first year of marriage. There are a few recipes at the end of the book for foods mentioned in the story.

Interesting and funny.

Visit the Pioneer Woman's blog at thepioneerwoman.com.

The floor of heaven

A true tale of the last frontier and the Yukon gold rush 

by Howard Blum 

The true story of three men in Alaska and the Yukon and the beginning of the gold rush. Siringo is a cowboy turned detective, Carmack lives with the natives for a while and then discovers gold in Klondike, and Soapy Smith is a con man who aims to be king -- of somewhere.

This is a pretty long book but a great combination of history and adventure. Recommended.

Nova Scotia guide to frugal living

How to save money and live well!


by Carol McDougall

Many different tips that can add up to saving a lot of money. The book includes a number of recipes and helpful website addresses.

Unbroken

A World War II story of survival, resilience, and redemption


by Laura Hillenbrand 

Louie Zamperini was an Olympic runner, member of the US air force in WWII, survivor of 47 days on a life raft after his plane was shot down, spent 2 1/2 years in a Japanese POW camp, was one of Billy Graham's converts (though this is not a Christian book and that was probably a spoiler if you're going to read it) and is still living today. Ms. Hillenbrand tells his riveting story in this book. I was hooked from the beginning and recommend it to those who like real-life adventure stories (there is a fair amount of cruelty described).

Do it gorgeously

by Sophie Uliano 

How to make and do everything yourself from beauty products, home cleaners and pet products to fitness and massage. Very neat book.

London refrain

by Bodie & Brock Thoene 

This novel is set in Poland, Germany, England, France and Israel near the beginning of World War II. I think it's a rewrite of one of their older books, but it was great. I love all their WWII stories.

All that is bitter and sweet

by Ashley Judd

A moving memoir focused on Ashley's abusive childhood and her activism of late years on behalf of poor and exploited women in developing countries. Although parts of this book may be disturbing, I recommend it to those who want to know the truth of what life is like for those who have no choices or opportunities. They desperately need someone to speak up for them, and Ashley has stepped out of her comfortable world into theirs to help make a difference.

Suddenly Frugal

by Leah Ingram

Ways to save money on many things -- from cleaning supplies to vacations to home renovations and more.