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Apples of Uncommon Character: Heirlooms, Modern Classics, and Little-Known Wonders by Rowan Jacobsen
eletricjb's review against another edition
5.0
Who knew apples were so fascinating? So mad that I read this so far away from apple season, though.
jeffmauch's review against another edition
4.0
The vast amount of apple varieties are astounding snd their origins varied and interesting. I now have a much deeper appreciation for them
librariandest's review against another edition
4.0
I read the intro and skimmed the apple descriptions. If you love apples like I do, this is fun.
hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
5.0
Most people who know me know that I LOVE apples. If you are like me, you should run to your nearest bookseller and pick up this book.
I can't say that I have read every page yet but I've read a large chunk and I use it continually as a reference. I plan to seek out the many, many apples I have never heard of or tried that are listed here.
The included photos are lovely, the descriptions vivid and completely on the nose as far as taste and character.
I can't say that I have read every page yet but I've read a large chunk and I use it continually as a reference. I plan to seek out the many, many apples I have never heard of or tried that are listed here.
The included photos are lovely, the descriptions vivid and completely on the nose as far as taste and character.
lordofbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
3.75
ekentchan's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
I really loved this one. Informative and historical, but with enough of a light edge that makes it a breeze to read. While I did enjoy this book immensely, I found myself pacing myself at about 5-10 apples per sitting as any more I found my brain a little "apple" scrambled. This makes for a great coffee table book / conversation starter or even just a fun pick up here and there book. Haven't tried the recipes, but they all look great!
carroq's review against another edition
4.0
This is a good book to read if you are interested in heirloom apples. The introduction provides a brief history of apple culture and how it spread in the U.S. The book itself is broken into six separate sections: summer apples (ones that ripen early), dessert apples (good to eat out of hand), bakers and saucers, keepers, cider fruit, and oddballs (don't fit in the other categories). It ends with a diverse collection of recipes.
Each of the 142 entries provides the common name of the apple, any aliases, the origin, appearance, flavor, texture, season that it is available, use, and region where it can be found. There is usually some background on the apple itself as well. The anecdotes that Rowan Jacobsen uses can be entertaining, and every once in a while he will slip in a cultural reference. One point against him here is that his biases can show through (particularly against Red Delicious).
After reading this book, I am inspired to find out what varieties are being grown locally. Jacobsen tends to focus on the varieties that are available in the north eastern U.S., though he does present apples found throughout the U.S., western Europe, and a few other areas.
Each of the 142 entries provides the common name of the apple, any aliases, the origin, appearance, flavor, texture, season that it is available, use, and region where it can be found. There is usually some background on the apple itself as well. The anecdotes that Rowan Jacobsen uses can be entertaining, and every once in a while he will slip in a cultural reference. One point against him here is that his biases can show through (particularly against Red Delicious).
After reading this book, I am inspired to find out what varieties are being grown locally. Jacobsen tends to focus on the varieties that are available in the north eastern U.S., though he does present apples found throughout the U.S., western Europe, and a few other areas.
dreamofbookspines's review
4.0
Totally fascinating. I never knew much about apples, but this had me unable to stop reading. Great for people who enjoy things like reading seed catalogues. This is not a "sit down and read" kind of book per se, but a reference book of tasting notes. It's of course not an exhaustive listing of apples, so you may not see your favorites, but it was a really interesting romp (particularly in light of the coming autumn).