Being stuck at home is a great opportunity to improve your skills and learn new ones.
It’s already June, and most of us are still forced to stay at home because of the pandemic. Until such time that a cure or vaccine will be developed and tested, it’s better to stay safe than risk our lives against an enemy we cannot see. Quarantines and lockdowns have also taken a toll on our mental health. Reported cases of depression and suicide continue to rise. This is where books and reading play a major part in fighting off anxiety and despair. Books help us escape our predicament, and more importantly, they offer wisdom and lessons to help us improve ourselves. Technical books also help us improve our skills, and of course, provide us with new ones. Here are five technical books to enjoy while staying at home.
On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
Almost 40 years since it was first published, Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen remains a major guidebook for food lovers and culinary enthusiasts all over the world. It is among the early works which translated food science into cook-friendly kitchen science. In his book, Harold Mcgee provides readers with clear and accurate explanations on a variety of topics that every aspiring cook should understand. If you want to know about Traditional and modern methods of food production and their influences on food quality, how to select and prepare various ingredients, and the particular substances that give foods their flavors, then this book is for you. On Food and Cooking is truly a must-read for those who want to learn the basics of food science, and of course, cooking.
Fundamental Keyboarding Skills by Denise Chambers
In 2008, Denise Chambers published a 24-page booklet entitled Fundamental Keyboarding Skills: From The Typewriter To The Computer. It is a typing manual that is designed for those who want to learn basic typing lessons. Her book provides lessons and exercises that will help sharpen one’s skills in the mechanics of computer keyboarding. It emphasizes key and finger placement on the keyboard. Chambers also provides online typing lessons for beginners, including a practice guide for timed writing test to see how fast one can type. Fundamental Keyboarding Skills contains a wealth of valuable lessons written in a language that is easy to understand. This book is not only for those who want to learn basic keyboarding skills but also for those who want to enhance their skills in formatting and writing business letters. A must-have in every shelf.
How to Learn A Foreign Language by Dr. Paul Pimsleur
Publish in 2013, Dr. Paul Pimsleur’s How to Learn a Foreign Language has helped change thousands of lives. For Dr. Pimsleur, anyone can learn how to learn a new language if one is sincere and determined to do so, using the right method. The famous memory expert added that it is not about innate intelligence or musical ability. What matters most is the readiness to get out of your comfort zone and start communicating in a new language. The key is simplicity and directness in approaching each subject, and being familiar with the process along the way. This 160-page audio-vase book offers a fun and exciting way to learn a new language. How to Learn A Foreign Language is a great way to spend the long hours staying at home. Who knows after this pandemic is over, you’ll be speaking fluent Italian with your neighbors. Suona alla grande, vero?
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Who doesn’t love spring cleaning? They say that cleanliness is next to godliness. Maybe it has something to do with the peace and serenity inside a clean house. Marie Kondo, a Japanese cleaning consultant shares a whole new level of cleaning and organizing your home. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up features the KonMari method, a revolutionary category-by-category system that promises to provide lasting results. Kondo provides her readers with guidance in determining which items in the house can provide positive energy and those that don’t deserve a space in a tidy and peaceful household. Marie Kondo’s international bookseller is both delightful and educational.
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
Writing is something that many of us do in our free time. And being stuck in our homes is a chance for us to explore writing. It can be a poem, an essay, a story, or just a simple journal entry. However, it wouldn’t hurt if we draw wisdom from other writers. Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing is a collection of essays that features Bradburry’s thoughts on writing and contains valuable advice for aspiring writers. In this book, the author of the bestseller novel Fahrenheit 451 shares his essays and poems written over a period of three decades. Bradbury tackles why he became a writer, his inspirations, the process of writing, and of course, the wonders of writing. Zen in the Art of Writing is a great read for those who want to embrace the art of writing.