From Marble to Flesh: The Biography of Michelangelo's David
Michelangelo's David has been through enough dramatic twists and turns for any flesh-and-blood historical hero, yet author and art historian A. Victor Coonin says the world's most famous statue is still widely misunderstood. Revered, attacked and fought over, the 17-foot-tall masterpiece has stirred passions and inspired awe for centuries.
From Marble to Flesh was written to be accessible to a wide audience and is printed by artisan bookbinders in Florence. Bringing the story of this most famous of Florentine symbols from the early 16th Century to the present day, it reveals how the statue was actually begun by a different artist, and that the block of marble from which Michelangelo drew perfection was itself seriously flawed.
http://www.theflorentinepress.com/from-marble-to-flesh-biography-michelangelo/
______________________________________________________
GREAT READS FOR 2014 - 2015
Patisserie by William Curley (February 1, 2014)
Scottish patissier and chocolatier based in London, William Curley became The Savoy’s youngest ever Head Pastry Chef at 27 (he’s now 42) and has been awarded Britain’s Best Chocolatier by The Academy of Chocolate four times. His first cookbook, Couture Chocolate, received Cookery Book of the Year award in 2012 from the Guild of Food Writers.
With his upcoming cookbook Patisserie, Curley is bringing the art of fine pastries home to those of us who haven’t studied under Marco Pierre White with step-by-step instructions accompanied by gorgeous photographs. He’ll explain sponges, custards, creams, doughs, syrups, and other essentials to have in your pastry-making arsenal.
____________________________________________________________
Charcutería: The Soul of Spain by Jeffery Weiss (March 11, 2014)
Last year was big for charcuterie; everywhere you turn, there were house-cured and -smoked meats, recipes to DIY, and a total love affair with it all. What we’ve been missing, though, is a really deep look into Spanish curing culture and history. It’s been all about Italy. I like prosciutto as much as the next person, sure, but jamon Iberico needs a place in our hearts, too. We dig sopressata, but there needs to be more chorizo and morcilla.
____________________________________________________________
A Girl and Her Greens by April Bloomfield (June 17, 2014?)
April Bloomfield's first book won the approval of the foodie masses. Bloomfield is the critically acclaimed British chef of NYC restaurants The Spotted Pig, The Breslin, and The John Dory Oyster Bar. Bloomfield glorifies and uses every part of her pig, with nothing to waste.
Bloomfield’s next book is A Girl and Her Greens. In the foreword of A Girl and Her Pig, coauthor JJ Goode calls her a “vegetable savant.Bloomfield says that her favorite preparation of vegetables is roasting and/or pureeing, and we’re already preheating our ovens.
Amazon has set the release date for June 17, 2014, but the publisher has told Eater.com that they don’t expect to release it until March 2015. We’re crossing our fingers and readying our vegetable peelers just in case.
