Category: Non-fiction

The Green Witch Illustrated by Arin Murphy-Hiscock & Sara Richard

subtitled An Enchanting Immersion Into The Magic Of Natural Witchcraft. When I was a young teenager first interested in learning more about witchcraft, I pestered my poor dad into getting me books on the subject whenever he traveled overseas — heaven knows, you weren’t about to find anything accessible on the topic in Malaysia back …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/02/04/the-green-witch-illustrated-by-arin-murphy-hiscock-sara-richard/

Beginner Chess Puzzles by Martin Bennedik

subtitled 500 Practice Exercises to Take Your Game to the Next Level. Despite being a huge fan of games and puzzles of all kinds, chess has never been my thing. I have tried since I was a kid to learn and enjoy it but I get super bored and, frankly, can’t see all the options …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/01/22/beginner-chess-puzzles-by-martin-bennedik/

Venice: A Color-Your-Own Travel Journal by Evie Carrick & Emma Taylor

I was very lucky as a child to be able to travel extensively, both with my parents and on my own in college. Venice was one of the places my parents brought me, and it still lives indelibly in my mind as one of the most romantic cities of the world. So when I got …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/01/10/venice-a-color-your-own-travel-journal-by-evie-carrick-emma-taylor/

The Miraculous From The Material by Alan Lightman

subtitled: Understanding the Wonders of Nature Ah, what a refreshing collection of essays for the intermediate scientist on the many wonderful things around us! I would say that it helps to have a knowledge of basic science before diving in, but if this book with its beautiful selection of photos and plainly stated appreciation for …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/01/08/the-miraculous-from-the-material-by-alan-lightman/

I Love Taylor Swift: An Unofficial Fan Journal by Princess Gabbara

The Updated & Expanded Version! Okay, I have to admit it: I’m not a hardcore Swiftie. I love music, so I’ve definitely enjoyed listening to her stuff ever since We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together showed that she was embracing her sense of humor and not taking herself too seriously any more (unsurprisingly, my …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/12/19/i-love-taylor-swift-an-unofficial-fan-journal-by-princess-gabbara/

Shadow Work For Hot Messes by Mandi Em

subtitled Transform From Chaos To Clarity By Embracing Your Authentic Self. This book took me forever to read, and that’s a good thing. Despite being slender, with plenty of white space for readers to fill in with their own thoughts and responses to the prompts, it’s a very meaty volume for anyone genuinely interested in …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/12/17/shadow-work-for-hot-messes-by-mandi-em/

What I Must Tell The World by Jay Leslie & Loveis Wise

subtitled How Lorraine Hansberry Found Her Voice Oh, y’all, I don’t even know why I’m crying. No, actually, I suspect I do: I am shamed, and for once not in a bad way, and challenged by the courage it took for playwright Lorraine Hansberry to follow her dreams and live honestly in an era potentially …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/25/what-i-must-tell-the-world-by-jay-leslie-loveis-wise/

The Ultimate Guide To Dollywood by Erin K Browne

What a delightful way to either plan for a trip to the musical icon’s theme park or to just daydream about eventually going! While this unofficial guide doesn’t go into the history of Dollywood, it’s certainly a loving look at the largest employer in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the birthplace of living legend Dolly Parton. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/22/the-ultimate-guide-to-dollywood-by-erin-k-browne/

Vintage Birds: A Guidebook And Matching Game by Roger J. Lederer

For someone who’s not terribly outdoorsy, I really enjoy birds. I love bird art and have somehow, over the years, amassed a shocking amount of knowledge for someone who’s never really studied birds outside of appreciating their artistic depictions. I mean, I recently made it to the Championships of the latest Birds Mini League on …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/14/vintage-birds-a-guidebook-and-matching-game-by-roger-j-lederer/

Sticky Notes by Matthew Eicheldinger

subtitled Memorable Lessons from Ordinary Moments. I’ve been kind of a mess these past few weeks, even before the dismal US election results and definitely after, so this book was a wonderful antidote for despair. It isn’t entirely perfect — the vignette about Hiking Boots made me go “yeah, sure, he wound up going back …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/12/sticky-notes-by-matthew-eicheldinger/