Witness to Nuremberg - Richard Sonnenfeldt

This is by far the most immensely engrossing book I have read in months. Without a pause, Sonnenfeldt leaps into a description of how he, a young army grunt, was pulled from the innards of a jeep he was repairing and whisked off to Nuremberg to become the chief interpreter for the Americans. Sonnenfeldt's descriptions bounce from interrogating Goring to wistful remembrances of beautiful women in his office to useful advice on going drinking with generals (eat 2 tablespoons of butter beforehand to coat your stomach). His commentary runs to aghast horror and fascination at what the Nazi prisoners have done, along with a strong streak of relief that he avoided the fate of so many of his fellow German Jews.

Sonnenfeldt's description of his role in Nuremberg ends about a third of a way through the book. He then starts telling his autobiography from childhood. At first I was puzzled by this odd layout. But as he told his story in a chatty, conversational tone, I soon realized why he had chosen to tell his story in this manner. While his part in the Nuremberg trials was unarguably important, it was not the pinnacle of his life in any way. From his early days as the envied doctors' son, to suddenly be a hated Jew, bouncing the globe as a refugee and coming to land in the United States as a master electrician, Sonnenfeldt's life had encompassed so many adventures. Some were good, others bad. By the young age of 23, when he took over as chief interrogator, he had already lived a very full life. Afterward, he went on to more adventures and a full and satisfying life - something he admits he would never have done had he not been a German Jew. An exciting roller coaster ride of a story, with more plot twists and turns than a Hollywood blockbuster could ever hope to deliver.

Space - Japanese Design Solutions for Compact Living - Michael Freeman

With building space at a premium in most large Japanese cities, architects who can fit building into tiny "eel nest " spaces are always busy. This is a collection of some of the most innovative designs, often working with only 350-500 square feet. In addition, Japanese zoning laws require that 30% of a piece of property must be outside - i.e. a yard - and new buildings may not block the light or view of neighbors. While many are sparse beyond belief, most are still light and airy with open spaces to move. Using innovative stairways, glass walls and fold-away everything, these homes look surprisingly comfortable to live in. Unlike Wright's failed Utopian designs which did not include closet space (he would provide everything a family would want or need with the house) these houses are designed with the specific needs of the owner in mind. Some have young children and need play areas, others want a kitchen but room did not allow, so the kitchen appliances and oven are ground level with a "trench " to stand in. Brilliant and creative.

Your Disgusting Head and Giraffes? Giraffes! The Haggis-on-Whey World of Unbelievable Brilliance

Written by Dr. Dorris Haggis-On-Whey and her husband Benny, the Haggis-On-Whey World of Unbelievable Brilliance book series will boggle your mind. Boggle boggle boggle. Just like that. Have you ever wanted to know where giraffes came from? Why, giant interstellar conveyor belts of course! And where can you find them in the United States? Terre Haute and Atlanta (known to giraffes as Hotlanta!). Learn catchy giraffe sayings ( "You salt-water sauerkraut ", "Bolt the Door, I'm in the spin cycle "), read the story of Ted "Theodore " Logan Who Considered Himself a Friend of Descartes But Who Was Not Invited to His Wedding, and see attractive giraffe centerfolds. Your Disgusting Head answers those tricky how and why questions like "Where does snot come from? " (Detroit) , the political affiliations of various parts of the body, "Whose mouth do you have? Mother, Father or Chester A. Arthur? " and " Who lives in your eye? " A clear and concise series of science books, chock full of unbelievable facts and lively illustration.

Mindless Eating - Dr. Brian Wansink

From the title, you'd never guess this book is a laugh riot. After reading an interview in Salon the Dr. Wansink, I had to read the book. Wansink and his lab study why humans overeat. Packed with great anecdotes, Wansink gives a behind-the-scenes look of his research. Want folks to think you are serving more than you are? Divide up snacks into many bowls and spread them around the room. Want to get rid of dinner guests fast? Tell them that the new wine they are trying is from North Dakota. I particularly enjoyed the story of one of Wanksink's test subjects dropping his fork and discovering the "borg-like " soup bowl-filling contraption under the table, then running screaming from the room. Good stuff, funny and thought-provoking.

Iron Lake - William Kent Krueger

The owner of Booked for Murder in Madison sold me on this title and an excellent call on her part. But then again, she owns a murder mystery store and lets her dog room free in it, so hey. Apparently part of a series, this Cork O'Connor book was completely satisfying without knowing any back story. O'Connor, a former small-town sheriff, becomes involved in murders related to the local reservation casino in northern Minnesota. Part Irish and part Anishinaabe, O'Connor is sometimes welcome and sometimes reviled from both the native and white communities. Not officially on the case, but involved non-the-less, O'Connor investigate a series of murders, the disappearance of a local boy and a native legend - all while trying to hold his disintegrating family together. Well written, fascinating and oddly familiar, this is an excellent read for fans of any genre.

Still Life with Crows - Lincoln Child and Michael Preston

I realized that this book is fast becoming a favorite as I have read it 3 times in the last year and a half. While the main character, Agent Pendergast, is part of an ongoing series it is not necessary to have read any of the other titles. Stepping out of the plot line narrative, Pendergast has a "vacation " in the desolate Kansas farmlands. A small farming town is rocked by a series of serial-killer type murders, each more bizarre than the last. Located 20 miles from the next nearest town, the close-knit citizens of this tiny town slowly come to realize that killer most be local. Child and Preston create some really well fleshed-out and believable characters, including a goth teenager who becomes Pendergasts's unlikely assistant. A great read to curl up on the couch with on a cold winter afternoon. Be warned, you may be there a long time reading "just one more page. "