Get Cookin' at JCPL With These New Nonfiction Titles!

Leisure time is rare at my house. That's why, on a lazy Saturday morning, a big country breakfast with all the greasy trimmings sounded scrumptious; and it was, but the after effects left my kitchen looking like a tornado had just zipped through, leaving nothing but bacon and egg stained pots, pans, and dishes in its wake. There will be plenty of time to clean up later, right? After all, today is all about leisure. Then the phone rang...and the spell was broken, because company was on the way, and SOON. Using an old trick of my grandma's, I piled the dirty dishes up and put them in the oven, zipping through the kitchen like a tornado myself, making it look as though breakfast never took place. Out of sight, out of mind; that phrase fits perfectly into this scenario, because, as you may have guessed, when it came time to cook something for dinner, I decided on something simple. A frozen pizza would be perfect, that is, until I preheated the oven and a funny smell filled the house. Believe me when I tell you, there is nothing like re-visiting the morning's leisurely breakfast by cooking the cookware that cooked the meal. Oh well, it's all history now; and if you like history and learning the intimate details of other people's lives, read on, because you won't want to miss "The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers" by Thomas Fleming.

This new nonfiction title at JCPL is a detailed history of our past presidents and other famous men in history, and offers a peek into the personal lives of past politicians and the skeletons that live in their closets. Covering everything from Benjamin Franklin's abandoment of his wife to flirt with Parisian madams to Alexander Hamilton's adulterous affair to the women in their lives, this well researched, engrossing and entertaining look at our forefathers is not only a page-turner, but an eye-opener as well. Read on for more new nonfiction!

Arriving at his military base in Afghanistan, Navy Reservist Mark Feffer finds an unexpected guest. Cinnamon, a mixed breed puppy, has chosen the base as her new home. Deciding to keep her and take her home to America at the end of his tour, Mark finds a dog handler who promises to care for her. When Feffer discovers that Cinnamon was abandoned at the airport, he enlists the help of family and friends in an all out effort to find the missing pooch in "Saving Cinnamon" by Christine Sullivan. This heartwarming story of determination, compassion and hope will prove that love does conquer all, and is, in fact, the most powerful force on the planet.

Hopping in his chariot of choice, a black London cab, Stephen Fry journeys through the land he is the most fascinated with; America. From sea to shining sea, he discovers the huge diversity that makes our country great, zigzagging through each state and taking glimpses along the way of small town life and big city glitz and glamour, loving every second of the magnificent, eccentric, beautiful and strange America in "Stephen Fry in America" by Stephen Fry.

The legacy of Henrietta Lacks lives on through the magic and miracle of medical science. In 1951 at the age of 30, Henrietta was stricken with, and died from, an aggressive form of cancer. Without her knowledge or the consent of Henrietta or her family, a sample of the cancerous tissue was taken from Henrietta and used by science to experiment with the cells, giving scientists a building block for medical breakthroughs, one of which was the cure for polio. In "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," Rebecca Skloot gathers details of Henrietta's life and death, offering the truth to her family members through this haunting and moving story of one woman's contribution to the world of medicine.

A loving husband, two great kids, and a writing career should make for a happy enough life for Gretchen Rubin. She, however, has decided to take on the "happiness project," and by doing this, intends to increase her happiness quotient in every aspect of her life within a year's time. "The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun" by Gretchen Rubin is an inspirational guide full of wise tips and concrete advice for a more fulfulling, balanced life.

Here's what happened: Grandma had the best hiding place in the world for her dirty dishes, but Grandma also had a better memory than me. Just goes to show, when it comes to cooking 101, you can kiss the cook, cook with gas, cook your goose, or as W.C. Fields says, "I cook with wine, and sometimes I even add it to the food." All these are okay, but take my advice: Never, ever cook the cookware that you intend to cook with when you cook another meal. Do something safe instead, like read a good book from JCPL.