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Home, Garden, and DIY September 2021 |
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| Let's Make Dumplings! A Comic Book Cookbook by Hugh Amano and Sarah BecanWhat it is: a fun, friendly comic cookbook about Asian dumplings, both traditional and new, that covers dumpling history, pantry essentials, instructions for folding and freezing, and cooking techniques.
Recipes include: Sesame Chicken Dumplings; Crab Rangoon; Beef and Kimchi Mandu; Wonton Soup; Fried Sesame Balls; Duck Sauce.
Read this next: For more comic cookbooks, try Let's Make Ramen by the same authors, Robin Ha's Cook Korean, or Lauren Thompson and Tsukuru Anderson's Cooking Comics, which is good for new cooks. |
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| Pottery: 20 Mindful Makes to Reconnect Head, Heart & Hands by Lucy DavidsonWhat it is: an illustrated guide to 20 appealing projects that use air-dry or polymer clay and don't require a wheel or a kiln; homemade clay recipes; a tools and materials list; hints and techniques; color photos.
Projects include: Imperfect Pots; Beautiful Bird Brooches; Foraged Leaf Dish; Boho Plant Hanger; Feather Wall Hanging; Precious Seaside Vase.
Why you might like it: the projects are suitable for all ages; there's an emphasis on mindful making. |
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| Nadiya Bakes by Nadiya HussainWhat's inside: more than 100 diverse recipes for all skill levels by Nadiya Hussain, a bestselling author, a The Great British Bake Off winner, and the host of the Netflix's Nadiya Bakes and Time to Eat.
Recipes include: Upside-Down Key Lime Cupcakes; Carrot Tart; Cherry Chelsea Buns; Onion Pretzels; Spicy Chickpea Crispbreads; Cheat's Sourdough; Saag Paneer Spanakopita; Cauliflower Cheese Lasagna.
Reviewers say: "Hussain's recipes are filled with flavor and creativity while also being effortlessly attainable by home bakers" (Library Journal). |
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| Modern Mending: How to Minimize Waste and Maximize Style by Erin Lewis-FitzgeraldWhat's inside: beginner-friendly techniques for cleverly mending damaged fabrics; tips and tool recommendations; inspiring case studies that include jeans, shirts, dresses, oven mitts, and more.
Read this next: For other thoughtful DIY mending books, pick up Nina and Sonya Montenegro's Mending Life or Noriko Misumi's Joyful Mending or her Mending with Love. |
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| The Afrominimalist's Guide to Living with Less by Christine PlattWhat's inside: an inspiring look at minimalism from a Black perspective that covers the emotional aspects of why people buy so much (especially clothes), a way to declutter without sacrificing style, the author's own journey to less, and "For the Culture" sections that directly address Black people.
For fans of: thoughtful simplicity books, like those by Courtney Carver and Gretchen Rubin.
Reviewers say: Christine "Platt puts readers at ease...with humor and a heavy dose of 'been-there, bought-that, never-worn-it' empathy" (The Washington Post). |
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If You Like: The Home Edit
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| Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home by Nikki BoydWhat's inside: a decluttering flowchart, clever tips and instructions (including recipes for homemade cleaning products), and detailed steps to assess, clean, organize, and beautify your space, plus lovely color photos.
Want a taste? "Removing clutter from your home and life has such an impact in helping you to achieve a stress-free and happy life."
Read this next: professional organizer and vlogger Nikki Boyd's new book, Beautifully Organized at Work; Toni Hammersley's The Complete Book of Home Organization. |
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| The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie KondoWhat it is: a massively popular, thoughtful guide to sorting through your belongings category by category using the KonMari method, which means identifying the items that bring you joy and then organizing what's left in order to create a home you love.
Why you might like it: It's a quick read, and Marie Kondo combines a holistic philosophy with no-nonsense advice (like how to fold socks).
Media buzz: Teaming with Netflix again (after 2019's Tidying Up with Marie Kondo), the Japanese expert's Sparking Joy arrives on August 31. |
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| Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter & Organize to Make More Room for Happiness by Gretchen RubinWhat's inside: a charming, customizable approach to decluttering and organizing that can help readers feel calmer and happier; more than 150 tips (such as taking a photo of a space to view it with fresh eyes).
Why you might like it: This absorbing small book offers a friendly tone, a wide variety of helpful advice, pertinent quotes, and calming monochrome drawings.
Author buzz: Gretchen Rubin, a personable writer who always does her research, wrote the bestsellers The Four Tendencies and The Happiness Project and is currently working on a book about the five senses. |
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| Martha Stewart's Organizing: The Manual for Bringing Order to Your Life, Home & Routines by Martha StewartWhat it is: a practical, beautifully photographed how-to guide for organizing not only your home, but also your life, using routines and monthly checklists and offering hundreds of ideas, projects, and tips that cover cooking, home care, gardening, scheduling, and more.
Why is it a good thing? It's lovely to look at, wonderfully organized, and includes a few surprises, such as recipes and crafts. |
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| Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff by Dana K. WhiteWhat it is: a chatty, judgement-free, and pragmatic guide to decluttering room-by-room by the blogger at "A Slob Comes Clean."
Why you might like it: She humorously addresses building a decluttering mindset, using containers as limits, and dealing with other people's clutter and special situations.
Want a taste? "I've consciously decided to view my home as a place to live instead of a place to store all my great ideas and their attached stuff." |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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