Clean Gut by Alejandro Junger

I recommend this book.

Mostly. This is a follow-up to Junger's book "Clean". Apparently, Dr. Junger has scented big business, cuz this book is part of a much bigger program that has all sorts of components to it. This part is his diet plan. Yup.

Because of his personal story at the beginning of the book and the diet plan at the end of the book (neither of which I was particularly interested in), the "meat" of this book was not hard to get through. Junger explains how most of today's diagnosed ailments can be traced back to an injured/irritated gut. Much of what he said seemed believable. Some seemed to be a stretch. And the very restrictive diet at the end of the book was too extreme for me. I cannot believe that a diet heavy in meat and protein is better than one that includes whole grain and is conservative with animal products. I also don't like diets that call for expensive/unusual ingredients and/or lots of supplements. I'm just not on board with that at this point. Still, the middle of the book was interesting and very worth reading, and I feel even more motivated to take better care when I choose what I eat. I probably should read his first book, "Clean" too. Hm.

Sex: no

Bad language: no

Salt, Sugar, Fat by Michael Moss

I recommend this book.

I'm thinking lately that eating fewer refined/processed products would be a lot better for me and my family. So I'm reading a bunch of books on the subject. Awhile ago I read "The End of Overeating" and found it totally fascinating. It started my thinking on this subject. (And so far it's the best book I've found about this kind of thing.)

Michael Moss' book is on these same lines, only it's more of a report, even a history, of the processed food industry and its unhealthy relationship with salt, sugar and fat. It seems like a pretty even-handed report to me. I didn't feel that Moss was viciously condemning the industry, just reporting on the facts that govern it, no matter the efforts made to cut down on the use of these three potentially harmful ingredients. 

It took me awhile to get through. I wasn't expecting so much history and, frankly, I wasn't all that interested in it either. But it was all very informative and adds to the big picture I'm starting to build up in my mind about a lot of the food that we Americans have been blithely eating for decades now. I get tired of hearing about the "obesity epidemic"--I get particularly tired of hearing what the government should be doing about it. Ultimately, I believe that every individual has his/her own choices to make about what to eat. I guess what I would find most valuable is truth in advertising and full, clearly explained disclosure of ingredients. And better education about the effect that salt, sugar, fat and all those chemicals that are included in our processed foods--better education about what these do in our bodies. When once I can understand these things, I like to think that I am smart and powerful enough to make good decisions without big brother weighing in. Hm.

Anyway. It was a good book, both interesting and surprising in some ways too. A great addition to my collection on this subject.

Sex: no

Bad language: no

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

I highly recommend this book.

I really, really like Brandon Sanderson. His books definitely take a commitment, though, because they are detailed and deeply imaginative. He is an AMAZING world builder and it seems to me that he'll never run out of ideas.

This book (a stand-alone), takes place in T'telir, capital of Hallandren, where color and the power of Breath govern life, determine deity, enable the powerful, and define the powerless. We follow the story of Siri, who has left her home to be the wife of the God King, and the story of Vasher, a powerful figure shrouded in mystery and carrying the sword Nightblood, a living entity with its own mind and will. And of course, since this story is written by Brandon Sanderson, there are many other characters, bright, well-developed and filled with life. It's a big book with a complex set of stories all woven together.

Brandon Sanderson is amazing. I am never disappointed by his books. I do sometimes get bogged down in the many, many details contained in his worlds. Like I said before, I sometimes feel his books take commitment to finish. They drag a reader in and take over his/her whole imagination until they're finished. Pretty amazing.

Sex: no

Bad language: no

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

I recommend this book.

I like Georgette Heyer. Her writing is classy and complex. My favorites are, of course, her Regency romances which are incomparable. "Penhallow", however, is one of her mysteries. I haven't read more than 3 or 4 of these. They are interesting, but not as engrossing as her Regencies.

Penhallow is the name of our main character: a crusty, infirm, autocratic old man who takes pleasure in cruelly antagonizing his family, friends and neighbors. He is more than unpleasant; he is vicious. At last, one day before his birthday, Andrew Penhallow is murdered. And this death, which was seen by his murderer as a relief to many, turns out to be the epicenter of a destructive quake for the entire Penhallow family.

This was not your ordinary whodunit where our canny detective fingers the murderer and life goes on happily for all the rest. We read more about the effect of Penhallow's death on his family than we do about the investigation of his murder. In fact, we know who the murderer is from the very beginning! And the murder doesn't even take place until well over halfway through the book!  Since it was obvious from the beginning (and was included in the blurb on the back of the book) that Penhallow was our victim, it seemed like it took FOREVER for him to be murdered. I kept waiting for the mystery to "start". This didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book, though. It was just unexpected.

It was all involved and interesting and very well written. The atmosphere was thick and dark and the setting was beautifully illustrated. It was a long book--457 pages, but it went quickly. I love Georgette Heyer!

Sex: nope

Bad language: nope