Robert L. Wolke (1928–2021)

This one was an interesting combination of reference and cookbook. Setup somewhat like a Q&A or FAQ, the author addresses popular questions about food, cooking, kitchen tools and busts a few urban myths. His answers are from a chemist's POV and as a professor emeritus of nuclear chemistry for U of Pittsburgh, I guess he knows what he's talking about.

The narrative is laid back and engaging: he might be a chemistry professor but Mr. Wolke was (is?) also a columnist for The Washington Post and most of the writing is chatty and humorous.

More than a couple of the recipes sound like they're worth trying, too.

Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit - enough that I'm going to look for this other works for future reads.… (mais)

To anyone who's delaying the reading this book because of the fear that it might be too complex, too "Einsteinian", don't worry about it. On the contrary, "What Einstein Told His Barber" is nothing more than a series of short, east to comprehend discussions and explanations of things we all experience in our world everyday. (See the book jacket for examples of items discussed by the author). Some items may be familiar to the reader, other items may clarify some long since forgotten points learned in high school physics class, some will correct those age-old (and erroneous) commonly held beliefs, and others will simply be new ways of looking at things never before considered. It's all presented in a mildly amusing, simple to understand, layman's terms, and all-in-all, an interesting read on a rainy day.
… (mais)