Since spending a lot of time at home recently, we have all taken up and rediscovered new ways to make ourselves busy. Here are books from our collection, available from BARD, to help you sharpen your skills, learn new gaming tactics, or returning to a familiar pastime during this extended period of downtime.
--Aaron
In the Kitchen
DB 95988 Grow your own herbs: the 40 best culinary varieties for home gardens by Susan Belsinger and Arthur O. Tucker
Annotation: A food writer and a botanist collaborate on this guide to growing and cooking with forty common herbs. There are sections on general gardening issues and cooking techniques, and for each herb there is advice on cultivation, propagation, harvesting, and preserving, plus tasting notes and cooking tips. 2019.
DB 96542 Mastering stocks and broths : a comprehensive culinary approach using traditional techniques and no-waste methods by Rachael Mamane
Annotation: Collection of recipes and best practices for creating stocks and broths, which form the basis of many soups. Discusses the fundamentals, history, composition, significance of ingredient sourcing, and basic science of stocks and broths. Recipes include ones for meat, poultry, seafood, vegetable, and dairy bases. 2017.
DB 21152 Making beer by William Mares
Annotation: A freelance writer and avid home brewer reveals his favorite brewing secrets. He includes his own recipes for porters, stouts, ales, and lagers and introduces a community of private brewers who have found brewing to be a fruitful occupation. For both armchair and basement brewers. 1984.
Gaming
DB 93603 Chess for beginners : know the rules, choose your strategy, and start winning by Yelizaveta Orlova
Annotation: A nationally ranked chess player presents a guide for those new to the game. Includes an overview of the board, pieces, and rules, along with basic strategies and tactics that allow a player to control the board, think multiple moves ahead, and achieve checkmate. 2018.
DB 91838 Player’s handbook: Dungeons & dragons by Greg Bilsland, et al.
Annotation: Essential reference guide for fans of Dungeons and Dragons role-playing games. Contains rules for creating and equipping characters, exploration, combat, spellcasting, and more. 2014.
DB 91839 Dungeon master's guide: Dungeons and dragons by Greg Bilsland, et al.
Annotation: One of the core rule books for Dungeons and Dragons game play for both new and experienced Dungeon Masters. Contains world-building tools, tips and tricks for creating memorable dungeons and adventures, optional game rules, hundreds of classic D&D magic items, and more. 2014.
Annotation: Revised and updated guide to rules, strategies, and odds for more than two hundred fifty games. Card games include bridge, cribbage, pinochle, poker, and solitaire--and their variations. Also contains instructions for backgammon, dominoes, Scrabble, children's games, and some computer games. 2001.
Crafting
DB 71324 Wood Magazine: Making Great Boxes
Annotation: Step-by-step instructions for creating functional and decorative wooden containers. Projects include a tool chest, a letter holder, whale and bird-shaped boxes, and a dovetailed jewelry case. Discusses working with veneers and inlays and other shop tips. Intended for readers with a basic knowledge of woodworking skills and tools. 2006.
DB 78078 Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting by Ann Hood
Annotation: Twenty-seven essays on the craft of knitting by authors including Elizabeth Berg, Andre Dubus III, Sue Grafton, Barbara Kingsolver, Elinor Lipman, Joyce Maynard, Ann Patchett, and Anita Shreve. Berg discusses the pleasures of visiting yarn stores when one is not a knitter. Includes six knitting patterns by Helen Bingham. 2014.
DB 84558 How to Knit Socks That Fit: Techniques for Toe-up and Cuff-down Styles by Donna Druchunas
Annotation: Guide to the basics of knitting socks. Discusses considerations for choosing yarn, needle choice, determining sock fit and sizing, the parts of the sock, which direction to knit the sock--up from the toe, or down from the cuff, with specific techniques for each--knitting two socks at once, and more. 2015
Writing
DB 90421 Flash! writing the very short story by John Dufresne
Annotation: Novelist and creative writing professor presents a guide to writing flash fiction, which is typically defined as being between 250 and 1,500 words in length. Uses examples to deconstruct the composition of good short stories and examines what is required. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2018.
Ogranization
DB 67704 Label It! Braille and Audio Strategies for Identifying Items at Home and Work by Judith M. Dixon
Annotation: Advocates investing time and energy to label items to organize one's environment and make daily life more manageable. Offers tips on methods, tools, and materials for creating labels for apparel, medications, food containers, appliances, and miscellaneous items. 2008.
Annotation: A guide to decluttering the home from a cleaning and organization consultant, using the author's KonMari Method, which focuses on categories of items rather than rooms. First published in Japanese in 2011. 2014.
Language Learning
DB 87038 Drive time English by Living Language
Annotation: Intermediate-advanced level ESL program that imparts important English-language vocabulary, grammar, conversation, and culture. Commercial audiobook. 2014.
Other language options:
DB 87039 Drive time French. Beginner level.
DB 87040 Drive time Italian. Beginner level.
DB 87041 Drive time German. Beginner level.
DB 87042 Drive time Japanese
DB 87043 Drive time Spanish. Beginner level.