Writing
For six years, I reviewed non-fiction books as the Marketing Director of Porchlight Book Company (formerly 800-CEO-READ), including serving as a juror for their annual Business Book Awards. For the last 1.5 years, I focused primarily on on cookbooks and food literature. Additionally, I have written about film.
Contact me for freelance writing assignments. Visit my store on Bookshop to buy reviewed titles.
Cookbook Reviews
The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food by Marcus Samuelsson with Osayi Endolyn and recipes by Yewande Komolafe and Tamie Cook (Voracious) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | October 27, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 10/27/20
East: 120 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Beijing by Meera Sodha (Flatiron Books)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | October 20, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 10/20/20
In Bibi's Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean by Hawa Hassan with Julia Turshen (Ten Speed Press) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | October 13, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 10/13/20
Parwana: Recipes and Stories from an Afghan Kitchen by Durkhanai Ayubi with recipes by Farida Ayubi (Interlink Books) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | October 6, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 10/6/20
Lemongrass and Lime: Southeast Asian Cooking at Home by Leah Cohen with Stephanie Banyas (Avery)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | September 29, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 9/29/20
Evolving Vegan: Deliciously Diverse Recipes from North America's Best Plant-Based Eateries—for Anyone Who Loves Food by Mena Massoud (Tiller Press) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | September 15, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 9/15/20
The Good Book of Southern Baking: A Revival of Biscuits, Cakes, and Cornbread by Kelly Fields with Kate Heddings (Lorena Jones Books) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | September 8, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 9/8/20
Eating Out Loud: Bold Middle Eastern Flavors for All Day, Every Day by Eden Grinshpan with Rachel Holtzman (Clarkson Potter) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | September 1, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 9/1/20
Amboy: Recipes from the Filipino-American Dream by Alvin Cailan with Alexandra Cuerdo, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | August 25, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 8/25/20
Nourish Me Home: 125 Soul-Sustaining, Elemental Recipes by Cortney Burns (Chronicle)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | August 18, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 8/18/20
Warndu Mai (Good Food): Introducing Native Australian Ingredients to Your Kitchen by Damien Coulthard & Rebecca Sullivan (Hachette Australia) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | August 11, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 8/11/20
Living Lively: 80 Plant-Based Recipes to Activate Your Power and Feed Your Potential by Haile Thomas (William Morrow) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | July 28, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 7/28/20
Summer Kitchens: Recipes and Reminiscences from Every Corner of Ukraine by Olia Hercules (Welden Owen)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | July 28, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 7/28/20
What Is Cooking: The Action: Cooking The Result: Cuisine by Ferran Adrià (Phaidon)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | July 28, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 7/28/20
La Buvette: Recipes and Wine Notes from Paris by Camille Fourmont & Kate Leahy (Ten Speed Press)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | July 14, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 7/14/20
Rose's Ice Cream Bliss by Rose Levy Beranbaum (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | July 7, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 7/7/20
Chicano Eats: Recipes from My Mexican-American Kitchen by Esteban Castillo (Harper Design)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | June 30, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 6/30/20
Falastin: A Cookbook by Sami Tamimi, Tara Wigley (Ten Speed Press) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | June 16, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 6/16/20
Sweet, Savory, Spicy: Exciting Street Market Food from Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and More by Sarah Tiong (Page Street Publishing) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | June 9, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 6/9/20
Eventide: Recipes for Clambakes, Oysters, Lobster Rolls, and More from a Modern Maine Seafood Shack by Arlin Smith, Andrew Taylor, and Mike Wiley, with Sam Hiersteiner (Ten Speed Press)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | June 2, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 6/2/20
The Tinned Fish Cookbook: Easy-to-Make Meals from Ocean to Plate—Sustainably Canned, 100% Delicious by Bart Van Olphen (The Experiment) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | May 26, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 5/26/20
Chefs' Fridges: More Than 35 World-Renowned Cooks Reveal What They Eat at Home by Carrie Solomon and Adrian Moore (Harper Design) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | May 19, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 5/19/20
Homemade Yogurt & Kefir: 71 Recipes for Making & Using Probiotic-Rich Ferments by Gianaclis Caldwell (Storey Publishing) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | May 12, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 5/12/20
Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette (Ten Speed Press)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | May 12, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 5/12/20
Family Meal: Recipes from Our Community (Penguin Random House) [review link]
Books to Watch | May 5, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 5/5/20
Bitter Honey: Recipes and Stories from Sardinia by Letitia Clark (Hardie Grant) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | April 28, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 4/28/20
Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou by Melissa M. Martin (Artisan)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | April 21, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 4/21/20
Dimes Times: Emotional Eating by Alissa Wagner and Sabrina De Sousa (Karma Books)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | April 14, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 4/14/20
My Korea: Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes by Hooni Kim with Aki Kamozawa (Norton)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | April 7, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 4/7/20
Fresh from Poland: New Vegetarian Cooking from the Old Country by Michał Korkosz (The Experiment)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | March 31, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 3/31/20
A Parisian Bistro: La Fontaine de Mars in 50 Recipes by Cécile Maslakian (Abrams)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | March 24, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 3/24/20
Beatrix Bakes by Natalie Paull (Hardie Grant) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | March 17, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 3/17/20
Dinner in French: My Recipes by Way of France by Melissa Clark (Clarkson Potter)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | March 10, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 3/10/20
Meals, Music, and Muses: Recipes from My African American Kitchen by Alexander Smalls (Flatiron Books)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | February 25, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 2/25/20
Start Simple: Eleven Everyday Ingredients for Countless Weeknight Meals by Lukas Volger (Harper Wave)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | February 18, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 2/18/20
Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes and Lore by Darra Goldstein (Ten Speed Press)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | February 4, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 2/4/20
The Ginger and Turmeric Companion: Natural Recipes and Remedies for Everyday Health by Suzy Scherr (Countryman Press) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | January 21, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 1/21/20
A Year of Good Eating: The Kitchen Diaries III by Nigel Slater (Fourth Estate) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | November 12, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 11/12/19
Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African-American Cooking: A Cookbook by Toni Tipton-Martin (Clarkson Potter) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | November 5, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 11/5/19
Weeknight Baking: Recipes to Fit Your Schedule by Michelle Lopez (Simon & Schuster)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | October 29, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 10/29/19
Oaxaca: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico by Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral (Abrams)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | October 22, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 10/22/19
The Art of Escapism Cooking: A Survival Story, with Intensely Good Flavors by Mandy Lee (William Morrow)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | October 15, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 10/15/19
How to Cook Everything—Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | October 1, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 10/1/19
Cannelle et Vanille: Nourishing, Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Meal and Mood by Aran Goyoaga (Sasquatch Books) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | September 24, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 9/24/19
Shuk: From Market to Table, the Heart of Israeli Home Cooking by Einat Admony and Janna Gur (Artisan)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | September 17, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 9/17/19
The Delicious Book of Dhal: Comforting Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes Made with Lentils, Peas and Beans by Nitisha Patel (Ryland Peters & Small) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | September 10, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 9/10/19
Cook When You Can, Eat When You Want: Prep Once for Delicious Meals All Week by Caroline Pessin (Black Dog & Leventhal) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | September 3, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 9/3/19
Nonfiction Reviews
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May (Riverhead Books)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
The 2020 Porchlight Personal Development & Human Behavior Book of the Year // Porchlight Book Company, 12/31/20
Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger: A Memoir by Lisa Donovan (Penguin Press) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | August 4, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 8/4/20
How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered by Mark Bittman and David Katz (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | March 3, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 3/3/20
A Map Is Only One Story: Twenty Writers on Immigration, Family, and the Meaning of Home, ed. by Nicole Chung & Mensah Demary (Catapult) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | February 11, 2020 // Porchlight Book Company, 2/11/20
Eat Joy: Stories & Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers, ed. by Natalie Eve Garrett (Black Balloon)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Porchlight Book Company, 9/1/19
Silo: The Zero Waste Blueprint by Douglas McMaster (Leaping Hare Press) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | August 27, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 8/27/19
Anthony Bourdain: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations by Anthony Bourdain (Melville House)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | August 20, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 8/20/19
Girl on the Block: A True Story of Coming of Age Behind the Counter by Jessica Wragg (Dey Street)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Books to Watch | August 6, 2019 // Porchlight Book Company, 8/6/19
How Cycling Can Save the World by Peter Walker (TarcherPergee) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Porchlight Book Company, 6/7/17
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter (Penguin Press) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Porchlight Book Company, 3/8/17
Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less by Tiffany Dufu (Flatiron Press) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Porchlight Book Company, 2/15/17
You Got This!: Unleash Your Awesomeness, Find Your Path, and Change Your World by Maya Penn (North Star Way) [review link // buy on Bookshop]
Porchlight Book Company, 4/25/16
The Wes Anderson Collection: The Grand Budapest Hotel by Matt Zoller Seitz (Abrams)
[review link // buy on Bookshop]
Porchlight Book Company, 4/8/15
Film Writing
Tracklist: 13 reasons to get excited for the 2015 Milwaukee Film Festival // Milwaukee Record, 9/21/15
MFF2015 Day 14: Members-Only Super Secret Screening, ‘Little White Lie,’ ‘White God’ // Milwaukee Record, 10/7/15
MFF2015 Day 13: ‘The Wrecking Crew,’ ‘Krisha,’ ‘The Shining’ // Milwaukee Record, 10/6/15
MFF2015 Day 11: ‘The Seventh Seal,’ ‘The Glamour & The Squalor,’ ‘Eden’ // Milwaukee Record, 10/4/15
MFF2015 Day 10: ‘T-Rex,’ Pitch Us Your Film! Contest, ‘Stop Making Sense’ // Milwaukee Record, 10/3/15
MFF2015 Day 6: ’30 Seconds Away,’ ‘The Second Mother,’ ‘Welcome To Leith’ // Milwaukee Record, 9/29/15
MFF2015 Day 3: Panels, ‘Güeros,’ best damn shorts // Milwaukee Record, 9/26/15
MFF2015 Day 2: Filmmaker mixer, ‘The Russian Woodpecker,’ ‘Mala Mala’ // Milwaukee Record, 9/25/15
MFF2015: Film fest scheduling strategies for every type of filmgoer // Milwaukee Record, 9/8/15