Berke (illustrator of Were I Not a Girl) demonstrates how to construct books and zines from scratch in this comprehensive but dizzying guide. Required tools include everyday items like scissors and glue sticks, as well as less common objects, such as awls and bone folders. Berke breaks down the anatomy of a book, pointing out that a signature is “sheets of paper folded and nested together in sets of two-to-eight sheets” and that a headband is “a decorative tape that hides the inner workings of the spine.” The terminology comes in handy for the bookbinding projects, which include stab-stitch binding, where the sewing is done on the exterior of the spine, and coptic binding, where signatures are sewn to each other and to the covers. For creating zines, Berke showcases several formats, like accordion (zigzag folded structures) and octavo (a single sheet of paper folded and cut to make a booklet). Though it’s clear that Berke has a wealth of knowledge, the at times long-winded instructions accompanied by vague illustrations will be daunting for beginners. This is best for readers who already have a working knowledge of book arts and are looking to refine their skills. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Embroidery artist Mitchell debuts with a delightful introduction to hand-stitching designs onto shoes with a needle and thread. She begins by detailing how to pick the right shoes to embroider. Her favorite are Converse All Stars because the fabric isn’t too thick, and she recommends steering clear of leather and pleather shoes, which embroidery can distort and crack. She walks crafters through basic stitches, like the straight stitch and backstitch, and explains how to prepare shoes for embroidery (take out the laces and tuck in the tongue) and sketch the desired design onto the shoe using an erasable marker or pencil. Instructions are included for simple hearts, bumblebees, flowers, and leaves. Readers also learn how to stitch letters and numbers, enabling them to add names or dates to their shoes. Aside from canvas sneakers, embroidery can also be added to Chelsea boots, which have an elastic section near the ankle that’s perfect for stitching, according to Mitchell, who offers instructions for stitching daisies, autumn florals, and wheat sprigs on them. Elsewhere, she explains how to create one’s own embroidery designs, how to hand-stitch lace and other embellishments to decorate bridal shoes, and how to create pet-inspired patterns. Comprehensive and easy-to-follow, this is sure to inspire anyone looking to rock unique kicks. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Psychologist Zoffness (The Pain Management Workbook) delivers an eye-opening study that reframes how patients and practitioners should understand chronic pain. Rather than seeing it as the result of damage to a single body part, Zoffness views pain holistically as an experience influenced by emotions, expectations, and one’s environment. She illustrates how the mind plays a vital role in pain: depression can keep a patient from recovering, for example, while joyful distraction can aid healing. Neuroplasticity—the mind’s ability to reroute patterns—can create chronic pain as an overreaction to a perceived threat, but also offers hope (“if the brain can change, pain can change”). In one example, a woman began feeling leg pain after a running injury. Over time, her legs developed lesions, and she could no longer work or care for her child. After discovering the flare-up was influenced by stress, depression, and other emotional factors, she began to recover through a combination of physical therapy, outings with friends, and the resumption of her hobbies. Zoffness ends by providing a protocol for healing: identify what hurts and what exacerbates symptoms, then explore physical, emotional, cognitive, and social interventions (everything from daily walking and deep breathing to the companionship of a pet). Offering inspiring case studies and comprehensive solutions, this is a game changer for those seeking pain relief. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

This beautiful how-to from Norway-based agriculturalist Røyneberg (Green Home) demonstrates the versatility of container gardening, the practice of growing plants in pots, baskets, or other vessels rather than directly in the ground. Since they don’t require much space, container gardens can line urban balconies and courtyards as well as gardens and terraces, he explains, enabling anyone to grow ornamental flowers or edible herbs and vegetables. He details the different categories of potted plants—such as perennials, tuberous plants, and bulbs—and advises readers to consider what plants will thrive in the weather conditions in which they live. The type of pot one uses can have consequences for the plant’s well-being; glazed and plastic pots, for example, retain moisture better than terra-cotta ones and are more suitable for those who prefer to water plants less often. In addition to offering helpful tips for caring for container plants, like keeping them hydrated by covering soil with a thin layer of leaves or freshly cut grass, Røyneberg shares 18 creative project ideas, including potted sunflowers, a bowl of microgreens that can sit near the kitchen window year-round, and a full-blown garden of hanging baskets and steel planters. The result is a panoramic manual for creating a thriving oasis. Photos. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

“The name ‘Donut Daddy’ is a title I wear seriously and with pride. It reflects not just my mastery over donuts but my role as a guide, leading you into a world where pleasure and artistry converge,” writes TikTokker and bakery owner Randello-Jahn in his sensuous debut. The thorough introduction covers key ingredients and necessary equipment (most recipes demand a stand mixer). A chapter on “Donuts Dipped in Desire” offers classics—including crullers and boston creams—alongside more inventive flavors, such as strawberry tiramisu and whiskey crème brûlée. “Mix and Chill” ventures into non-doughnut desserts, again ranging from the familiar (chocolate soufflé) to the unexpected (matcha honey panna cotta). Things ramp up in “Dangerously Decadent Desserts” with more elaborate fare, including a time-consuming “passion fruit tart of temptation.” “Breakfast in Bed” features “scandalous” double chocolate waffles, while “The Next Level” offers foundational recipes for home bakers to experiment with (or, as Randello-Jahn puts it, “be your own daddy”). Throughout, thirst-trap-style photos of Randello-Jahn will appeal to his fans, but the innuendo-laden prose, while humorous, occasionally distracts. It’s hard to know, for example, if the instruction to “caress the dough with your hands” is just part of the bit or if the dough needs to be kneaded. Still, ambitious home bakers will find plenty of inspiration in these “sinful” treats. (Feb.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

Ob-gyn Lincoln (Let’s Talk About Down There) delivers a comprehensive and sensitive guide to giving birth. She presents her advice in question-and-answer format, beginning with logistics like choosing where to have the baby (a hospital offers access to pain medication options, while birthing at home with a midwife can be more affordable and comforting) and how to know when it’s time to go there (when one’s water breaks or contractions are regular and painful). Providing an overview of the stages of labor, she notes that the duration can be affected by whether the mother has an epidural and if she has given birth before. Possible complications are discussed as well, such as preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, and shoulder dystocia, which is when the baby’s shoulder gets stuck under the mother’s pubic bone. Lincoln also addresses challenges that arise after labor, such as postpartum depression, explaining that mood changes are common and therapy and medication can help. With a kind, informed voice, Lincoln anticipates common questions pregnant people are likely to have, from the lighthearted (“Will [the baby] always look... like this?”) to the practical (“How do I prevent tearing?”). This is a solid addition to any new mother’s bookshelf. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

Chef Simeon (Cook Real Hawai’i) celebrates the complexity and creativity of Hawaiian cuisine and its many influences in this alluring volume. Numerous recipes draw from East Asian cuisines: teriyaki potatoes, for instance, are the result of 20th-century Korean immigrants settling in Hawaii and adapting their recipes with readily available Japanese ingredients, while the Chinese American classic shrimp egg foo young is a local favorite, according to Simeon. Southeast Asian–inspired dishes include curried mung beans, chicken adobo fried rice, and bulalo (beef shank soup). Elsewhere, the pickled allium and vinegary flavors of pocho bean salad pay tribute to Portuguese influence, and the Hawaiian staple pastele stew originated from 20th-century Puerto Rican immigrants who subbed in green bananas for plantains. Equally intriguing are Simeon’s original creations: he adds ginger and oyster sauce to stir-fried olives to achieve a “slight wok hei flavor,” replaces traditional bucatini with tteok (chewy, tubular Korean rice cakes) to accompany Amatriciana sauce, and boosts the flavor of store-bought animal crackers with a shoyu-nori glaze. Most ingredients can be found at supermarkets, and unfussy instructions make many of the dishes suitable for busy weeknights. Home cooks looking to spice up their repertoire will be inspired. Agent: Katherine Cowles, Cowles Agency. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

Council devotes her warmhearted debut to the culinary heritage passed down by her mother, Mildred Council, the restaurateur behind North Carolina’s Mama Dip’s Kitchen, which closed in 2025 after a 50-year run. Drawing on food traditions from Chapel Hill’s Northside Black community, these 100 recipes celebrate classic Southern fare. Melt-in-the-mouth pimento cheese biscuits or grits casserole with shrimp gravy elevate a breakfast or brunch. Fresh okra enhances simple corn fritters, while braised collard greens are simmered in “pot liquor” rendered from fried fatback. Chicken dishes (fried or smothered) and rib options (braised or barbecued) abound. Dessert offerings include corn pudding that, in a French twist, gets bruléed to form a crunchy topping, and pound cake that gets unexpected tang from goat cheese. Wisdom gathered from Council’s multigenerational family kitchen and vignettes describing childhood memories capture the spirit of Chapel Hill’s Black community and the social history accompanying desegregation. The result serves triple duty as a tender homage to a Council’s mother, an appealing portrait of an important American culinary landscape, and an accessible recipe collection that offers plenty of inspiration. It’s a delight. (Feb.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

“What if wellness wasn’t a series of isolated battles against symptoms but a strategic campaign for vitality?” asks Yang (Achieving Health Equity), a health policy professor at George Washington University, in this comprehensive manual. Yang applies the ancient wisdom of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War to health, arguing “your body is not a battlefield where you wage war against disease, but a kingdom you must wisely govern and protect.” Just as Sun Tzu encouraged “moral law,” or harmony between people and their leader, for example, Yang encourages readers to have a food philosophy that aligns with their values. That could look like eating meals that prioritize environmental sustainability, animal welfare, or religious beliefs. Yang cautions against becoming fixated on health metrics, like step counts and heart rate variability scores, while neglecting keys to overall health, like sleep, relationships, and life purpose. Throughout, Yang passionately makes the case for actively taking control of one’s well-being and shares relatable case studies of people like Sarah, who by approaching her multiple sclerosis “not as an enemy to be vanquished but as a territory to be intimately known” found relief. This is an innovative approach to self-care. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

Swedish interior designer Dykhoff debuts with an innovative beginners’ guide to candle-making. Encouraging crafters to use sustainably produced stearin, a natural wax derived from animal or vegetable fats; beeswax; and a flat cotton wick, she shows how to melt the wax in a saucepan and outlines different candle-making techniques. A simple one is dipping, which creates taper candles by repeatedly immersing a long wick into melted wax, allowing it to cool between layers until the desired thickness is attained. Crafters can add a spiral look by wrapping the still-soft wax around a dowel. Shaping is another method, which involves rolling a sheet of beeswax around a wick. The candle can be left as is or dipped in melted wax for a more finished look. Crafters can also try casting, which involves pouring melted wax into a mold, letting it harden, and releasing it. Molds can be created with items found around the house, like a soda can, juice pouch, or toilet paper tube. Dykhoff also explains how to add color to candles by blending pigments or wax crayons into melted wax. Offering novel ways to think about candle-making, Dykhoff turns the functional objects into sculptural art forms. Crafters will be intrigued by the endless possibilities. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink