Genre: Non Fiction/Food

​Click b​ook cover for Amazon.com

I am a foodie and love reading about experiences in the food industry, so I was looking forward to reading Karen Stabiner's book, Generation Chef: Risking It All for a New American Dream.  While not a bad look into the life of a new chef, I would have liked to have had a glimpse into the chef's life outside the restaurant, too.  It is difficult to imagine the fortitude it took for a young man in his twenties to put himself in $700,000 worth of debt to follow his dream.  This young sous chef was able to formulate a plan, find investors and open up a restaurant in one of the toughest cities in the world, New York City. After all, "if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere," and Jonah Miller is a "go big" kind of guy.  "Huertas" opened in Lower Manhattan several years ago with the help of Nate Adler, Luke Momo and sous chef, Jenni.  Nate and Luke had both invested several thousand dollars for a small stake in the business, and between these four there was a great deal of experience and desire to succeed.

It was fun watching them build their dreams.  There were successes and failures in this business as in all businesses.  The anxiety of waiting for the critics' evaluations of the restaurant was obvious.  Jonah knew certain critics could make or break his business, and I enjoyed reading about how the staff prepped when they realized "Mr. Bianco" party of two was actually Pete Wells from the New York Times. 

I also enjoyed reading about other restaurant owners and the trials and tribulations they went through to keep their restaurants afloat.  Sometimes diners forget how very difficult it is to get all the parts working in order to present us with a consistently delicious meal.  Since the owner can't be everywhere, he/she must rely on his staff - from executive chef to busboy - to care about giving exemplary service.  This is obvious as we read Stabiner's descriptions, and I, for one, wouldn't have the strength to watch disgruntled customers walk out of my dream.

I admire Jonah's loyalty when he promotes from within and hope his restaurant continues to grow in this city that is known for its fickleness where restaurants are concerned.  This is a good read for those who enjoy good food and the story behind its delivery to our tables.

- Beverly

​​Publisher - Penguin Group(USA) LCC
Date of Publication - ​​September 13, 2016

​Genre: Non-Fiction

Click b​ook cover for Amazon.com

Nogales High School in La Puente, California could be any high school in any city in the United States.  Lloyd Lofthouse, like most teachers, goes to work each day hoping to make a difference.  As a former English teacher/debate coach, I relate to this English teacher/journalism adviser on a very basic level.  I remember reading Up The Down Staircase many years ago and realizing Bel Kaufman was putting her life out for all to see.  Think about this! The average parent bemoans the fact that their angelic children have hit those teen years.  Just trying to spend a Saturday afternoon with the aliens who have invaded the body of their once adorable children causes undue stress.  Now imagine life as a high school teacher who spends approximately thirty hours a week in direct contact with approximately 150 teens per day.  

Lofthouse kept a journal of his experiences during a set period of time, and it is those experiences that he shares in Crazy is Normal: a classroom exposé  .  Unless you are in a classroom setting on a daily basis, much of this will seem like an exaggeration, but I know it is very real.  The funny thing is, I loved every minute of it and can read Mr. Lofthouse's pride loud and clear.  For every Alexis who made him crazy, there was an Amanda who helped him realize that what he was doing was as fulfilling as a job can get.  He puts across his emotions well in this book, and brings an important window into the struggles that face students and teachers in high school.

I enjoyed his use of statistical data, newspaper articles, etc., to bolster his points.  I found them easy to understand and helpful in accepting the information he shared with the reader. It is difficult to find the balance between being the "mean teacher" and the "pushover," and Lofthouse seems to have found that sweet spot.  I found his attraction to a student odd, but he was obviously trying to be brutally truthful about all aspects of his year.

The book's journal format made it almost repetitious in parts, but on a whole it did an excellent job bring us into typical classroom experiences in a typical urban high school.  I definitely recommend this book for any parent who ever questioned what his/her child's teacher was doing.  
​
- Beverly


Publisher - Three Clover Press
Date of Publication - ​​June 13, 2014