Book briefs

The River Cottage Preserves Handbook, by Pam Corbin, (Ten Speed Press, 2010).

The British have a knack for preserving, and author Pam Corbin has created easy steps with gorgeous images in this book. There is nothing more rewarding than preserving fruits and vegetables from the garden, so get out the kettle and grandma’s canning jars! My favorite recipe from the book is Bachelor’s Jam; a recipe with fruit, sugar and rum, brandy, or gin. 

You can sign up for the River Cottage Newsletter or check out River Cottage Food Tube!, on YouTube where you can also check out John Wright’s Foraging Guide.

Review by Twila Johnson-Tate

18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics, by Bruce Goldfarb (Sourcebooks, 2020).

Are you a fan of Dexter, all the CSI shows, or any of the other modern-day police dramas or documentaries? This is the story of a woman who helped bring law enforcement out of the dark ages and into a science-based investigation for sudden and violent crimes. Using her talent and meticulous attention to detail, Frances Glessner created the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. These studies are a series of dollhouses recreating unsolved crime scenes in accurate detail. The dioramas were used to train law enforcement officers to investigate crimes, and her methods are still in use today.

The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, by Corinne May Botz (Monacelli Press, 2004).

This book is the perfect companion to Frances Glessner Lee’s life story. It contains photographs and diagrams of the actual dioramas from the Nutshell Studies. At first glance, this looks like a book of charming, handmade dollhouses, complete with tiny knitted sweaters, woven rugs, quilts, and paintings. Looking closer, one will also see signs of a potential crime, including empty bottles, stacks of money, and of course, the bodies of the unfortunate victims.

The photographs are beautiful and rich. Botz explains how she found these works of art and crime-fighting. She provides photographs from multiple angles, diagrams with a key to what is found in the image, and a brief synopsis of each case.

Reviews by Lane Gwinn