What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Gilded Age Cookbook’

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Updated 23 March 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Gilded Age Cookbook’

  • The book features some menus of the time, showcasing what one could get for $1. Spoiler alert; it was a lot

Author: Becky Diamond

Food historian Becky Diamond’s “The Gilded Age Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from America’s Golden Era,” published in 2022, is an invitation to step into the lavish dining rooms of late 19th-century America — particularly between 1868-1900 — a time when grand opulence and excess defined both social life and cuisine.

The book, which is part-history, part-recipe collection, captures the grandeur of a period that saw the rise of grand hotels, extravagant banquets and a growing fascination with French-inspired fine dining in the US.

Each recipe — ranging from elegant terrapin stew to delicate oyster patties — is accompanied by historical context, allowing readers the chance to imagine, not only how the food was prepared, but why it was significant. Some seem easy enough by today’s standards.

Through anecdotes of extravagant multi-course feasts and the social norms surrounding them, Diamond paints a vivid picture of a time that valued culinary spectacle as much as social status.

The inclusion of detailed notes on dining etiquette, such as the correct way to serve a souffle or the intricacies of formal table settings, adds layers of authenticity to the reading experience.

The book features some menus of the time, showcasing what one could get for $1. Spoiler alert; it was a lot.

It also highlights how many of the glittering Gilded Age mansions of New York and Newport were built by the railroads — which made food transport much easier and, as a result, allowed people the ability to enjoy more foods and more elaborate meals.

Ultimately, “The Gilded Age Cookbook” is a feast for both the mind and the palate, offering historical spoonfuls alongside a delightful — if slightly questionable — selection of recipes to try.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Economics of Over-the-Counter Markets’

Updated 16 April 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Economics of Over-the-Counter Markets’

Authors: Julien Hugonnier, Benjamin Lester, And Pierre-Olivier Weill

Many of the largest financial markets in the world do not organize trade through an exchange but rather operate within a decentralized or over-the-counter structure.

Understanding how these markets work has become increasingly important in recent years, as illiquidity in certain OTC markets has appeared as the first signs of trouble—if not the cause itself—of the past two financial crises.


REVIEW: ‘Atomfall’ is a quirky apocalypse featuring retro paranoia and tea-fueled resilience

Updated 16 April 2025
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REVIEW: ‘Atomfall’ is a quirky apocalypse featuring retro paranoia and tea-fueled resilience

LONDON: “Atomfall” is a game that defies easy categorization. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of the English Lake District, this curious hybrid feels like “Fallout” wandered into a “Stalker” fever dream while binge-watching “The Wicker Man,” with just a touch of Austin Powers’ absurdity thrown in for good measure.

It’s a love letter to Britain’s eerie countryside, retro paranoia and weird tea-fueled resilience — and somehow, it works.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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You start as a nameless survivor with no real background, no memory, and no clear purpose beyond “get out.” A short newsreel hints at some nuclear disaster, but from there, it’s up to you to piece things together through exploration and investigation. There’s no hand-holding here, but there are helpful instructions to get you going. The narrative is loose, but intriguingly so — it’s more about what you discover than what you’re told.

The open world is split into main landscape regions, each with its own aesthetic and mood. The Lake District setting is surprisingly atmospheric, with moody hills, foggy forests, and crumbling 1950s architecture.

Despite its muted palette, Atomfall encourages players to explore every inch — scavenging for materials, unlocking secrets, and finding absurd British cultural relics. Limited ammo and classic crafting mechanics add a layer of survival challenge, making every encounter feel like it matters.

Gameplay offers distinct playstyles — combat, survival, and exploration.

You can go in guns blazing, sneak around enemies, or scrounge for supplies and tea (yes, tea restores health). Combat is functional, though not always tight. Shooting and melee work well enough, but enemy AI is hit-or-miss. Sometimes they’ll charge you recklessly; other times they just stand there wondering what planet they’re on. Melee is especially satisfying, though clunky in tight spaces. Likewise, while outlaws, druids, mutants and soldiers are all nominally different challenges they are much of a muchness in terms of dealing with them.

“Atomfall” doesn’t shy away from the odd. Its dark humor and sheer Britishness give it a special charm, but the heavy use of local slang and regional accents may confuse non-UK players. Picture “Clockwork Orange” meets “Hot Fuzz” and you’re halfway there. Still, it’s part of the game’s identity — this is a very specific apocalypse, where people ask you to fetch delivery parcels and fix a fence while the world burns around them.

There is a basic but useful skill tree that lets you tailor your approach, from combat proficiency to crafting perks. Quests are often simple (“bring X to Y”), but branching conversations and trackable leads give them some depth. Your choices in dialogue can impact outcomes — sometimes subtly, sometimes with unexpected consequences.

Enemy respawns after death are a mixed blessing. On one hand, it keeps the world dangerous. On the other, it can feel like busywork when you’re simply trying to pass through.

“Atomfall” is weird, scrappy, and full of character. It doesn’t have the polish of a AAA giant, but it doesn’t try to. Instead, it offers a delightfully odd, open-ended experience that rewards curiosity and embraces chaos. For those willing to roll with its eccentricities, “Atomfall” is a radioactive romp worth taking.
 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Turtles of the World’

Updated 15 April 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Turtles of the World’

Authors: Jeffrey E. Lovich & Whit Gibbons

“Turtles of the World” reveals the extraordinary diversity of these amazing reptiles.

Characterized by the bony shell that acts as a shield to protect the softer body within, turtles are survivors from the time of the dinosaurs and are even more ancient in evolutionary terms than snakes and crocodilians. Of more than 350 species known today, some are highly endangered. 

In this beautiful guide, turtle families, subfamilies, and genera are illustrated with hundreds of color photographs.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Naturekind’

Updated 14 April 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Naturekind’

Authors: Melissa Leach & James Fairhead

Are language and culture uniquely human, justifying an exceptionalism that sets people apart from the rest of nature?

New discoveries in the biological sciences have challenged this assumption, finding syntax, symbolism and social learning beyond the human, and identifying culture as a second inheritance system across the phyla from whales to insects and plants.

Biologists are constrained, however, by the mechanistic ways communication is understood.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Contemporary Kingdom’

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Updated 14 April 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Contemporary Kingdom’

  • Physically substantial, the book feels symbolic — like a literal building block in the ongoing construction of Saudi Arabia’s artistic future

The new edition of “Contemporary Kingdom” is a lush green coffee table volume that is more than worthy of the space it occupies.

Building on the original 2014 release, the new edition offers a sweeping insight into one of the world’s most dynamic art scenes. With expanded coverage, it dives deep into the Kingdom’s bold and vibrant creative landscape through essays and detailed profiles of contemporary Saudi artists.

This expanded volume charts the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s art scene. It highlights visionary artists, pivotal moments and cultural shifts that have pushed the Kingdom onto the global art stage.

From historical context to groundbreaking contemporary movements, the book captures a transformative journey in motion.

Physically substantial, the book feels symbolic — like a literal building block in the ongoing construction of Saudi Arabia’s artistic future.

Featuring a foreword by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah, Part 1 is titled “The Ecosystem” and includes essays by notable Saudi voices such as Ashraf Fagih and Dalal Majed, alongside international contributors.

Part 2 presents profiles of 55 Saudi artists, complete with suggestions for further reading.

Launched by Canvas Magazine in collaboration with the Visual Arts Commission under the Ministry of Culture, the book made its debut during the inaugural Art Week Riyadh, which ended on April 13.

“Contemporary Kingdom, Second Edition” is available for purchase at the Riyadh Art Building in JAX, Diriyah, adjacent to the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art, through the end of May.