DIY: Make Your Own Paper Book Cover

When you buy a book in Japan, the checkout person will ask you if you want your book covered. Normally they cover it with a kind of parchment printed with the bookshop’s name. This is done to protect the book (or perhaps hide what you’re reading from everyone on the subway). Here is how you […]

The Year in Books: November

The Year in Books, November, Cod by Mark Kurlansky, Kiku Corner

In November, I`m reading Cod: A Biography Of The Fish That Changed The World by Mark Kurlansky. Several years ago, I borrowed a copy of Salt: A World History from a cousin, and devoured it (pun intended). Reading the history of salt was so enlightening, since we tend to overlook this cheap and everyday spice/flavouring. Salt is not only […]

The Year in Books: October

The Year in Books: October, Kiku Corner

Pok Pok by Andy Ricker, 2013. Tomiko borrowed this Thai cookbook from the library because she thought ‘pok pok’ was a dirty word in Tagalog – alas, the word was similar but not ‘pok pok.’ The mistake ended up being a blessing in disguise, since the Pok Pok book is gorgeous and is full of amazing […]

The Year in Books: September

The Year in Books: September, The Forest Feast by Erin Gleeson, Kiku Corner

The Forest Feast by Erin Gleeson, 2014. I was showing a friend the amazing cookbook shop Good Egg Good Eggin Kensington Market one day, and I saw this cookbook. The design was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Despite my massive collection of cookbooks (starting almost 25 years ago), Gleeson manages to create something completely new. Beautiful […]

The Year in Books: August

The Year in Books: August, Kiku Corner

In July I read How a Second Grader Beats Wall Street by Allan S. Roth. It was easy to read but a lot of the information was basic investing stuff. Great for beginners (or second-graders), but I feel I’ve passed that point. I would still recommend it to friends that want to learn about investing. […]