A Catherine Noon

Welcome to another segment of my ongoing series, “A Writer In Her Library.” Today, I’d like to pull the focus a bit and talk about categorizations.

When one goes to a library, the books are organized according to some particular method. The most common are the Dewey Decimal System, as seen in many high school libraries and some public ones; and the Library of Congress System, as seen in, well, the Library of Congress, as well as many universities and some public libraries (for example, the Chicago Public Library System).

Both of these systems are useful, and a good way for Librarians to manage information. When I set up my library, though, I wanted something simpler and that fit the way I use my books. This leads me to an important observation about managing information that I’ve learned over twenty-five years managing offices and the information in them.

The critical part of any information management system, be it books, paper files, or online content, is getting the information back out of the system when it’s needed. Fifteen years ago, before Google was even a common term, (Google was founded in 1998), the internet was described as a global library where all the books were piled in the middle with no rhyme or reason. That’s one of the reasons Google has been so successful. Its search algorithms allow users to get more and more precise search results for information they need. There are other methods of doing so, Yahoo! being one of the most markedly different, but my purpose here is more to discuss the philosophy of organization rather than its specifics. I use Google as an example, though, because its key success factor is its ability to return the information that the user needs, when the user needs it.

That, fundamentally, is the purpose of any organizational system. Some of them require more training on the part of the user in order to use them (Dartmouth’s university library catalog in 1993 is one of the most complicated I have seen), but the fundamental purpose behind them is the same: organize data in such a way that it can be retrieved, as needed, in accordance with the need of the user. (So when you look up flowers, you don’t get baking flour, for example.)

What I’ve learned handling this process for various offices and people that I’ve worked with is that this last point is the most challenging. It doesn’t matter how well I understand file management. It matters how the people USING the files recall the data, because that is how they’ll look it up. Some people recall colors better. Some recall people and authors better. Some, like me, recall by date and subject.

In setting up my own library, something I haven’t taken the time to do until recently, I have complete authority over the subjects I pick. This is a rare pleasure. Usually, I’m working with a team and I need to set up the system according to how the team thinks rather than my personal preference. But now, with my books, I get to be boss and peon.

I was surprised to find out, then, that my cookbook collection had a lot more subject divisions than when I started to pull all of the books together. It was fascinating to start separating them into their relevant subjects and I found that I had more than I thought. I’m one short of 13, so it’s not a proper Thursday 13, but I share my subject headlines both from a sense of personal pride and fun in that I get to determine the subjects, but also in the rare chance that one or more of my readers might see something in my subject divisions that might inspire them with their own libraries.

1. Comprehensive Cookbooks

These are the traditional “cookbooks” that one thinks of when one thinks of the generic term: Betty Crocker, Better Homes and Gardens, etc. General, all-purpose, and comprehensive; the cookbooks in this category fill most of the needs of the home cook from main dishes to beverages and such.

One interesting thing I noticed is the books in this category tend to be organized in one of two ways: by meal or by ingredients. Some cover topics like Breakfast, Lunch or Light Fare, Dinner, Entertaining, Beverages, and Desserts; the second group covers topics like Meat, Fowl, Fish, Soups and Stews, Vegetables, Beverages, Cakes, Pies, Candies, Ice Creams and Frozen Custard, etc.

2. Cooking for Two/Working Adult Cookbooks

If you had asked me before I started collecting cookbooks when I thought the “cooking for two” idea came about, I would have said it was my own generation (Generation X) when we were in high school in the 80’s. The so-called nuclear family of Reagan and then the growing propensity of people to marry late and have children late would have engendered a need for such books.

Boy, was I wrong. My earliest book of the type is 1963. Granted, it’s not strictly for two people, but it’s called THE WORKING WIVES’ (SALARIED OR OTHERWISE) COOKBOOK by Theodora Zavin and Freda Stuart. They discuss smaller portions and also the ideas of making items ahead and all sorts of time-saving ideas. I have also seen titles from the 1920’s on the same subjects, so my generation is hardly the first to realize that the primary cook of a household may, in fact, work for pay outside that household but still need to feed its members adequately.

3. Canning and Storage

It will come as no surprise to my long-time readers that I was probably born in the wrong century and would privately love to be a frontierswoman. In fact, I used to play in the Society for Creative Anachronism, otherwise known as the SCA, who at times describes itself as an organization for re-creating the medieval times but with plumbing and without the Plague.

I like the idea of canning and storage. While I haven’t had the time to devote to it or a large enough garden to make it cost-effective, my plan is to remedy that when we buy either our first or second home. In the meantime, I’m an armchair frontierswoman. I love reading about malic acid and fruit pectin, and know that apples can be used as a good natural thickener. Until I can really go to town putting up the fruit crop from my peach orchard, I’ll fantasize in my books.

Besides. My neighbor has a lovely mulberry tree and if I go late at night, maybe they won’t notice my ladder and bucket. Pardon me, I’ll be right back…

4. Family Cookbooks

It turns out I have several cookbooks compiled by family and for family. I find these at garage sales, through my family, and as fund-raisers. They’re an interesting window on how other people cook, as well as their favorite recipes.

5. Cook’s Illustrated

This is both a magazine and they do a hard-back annual compendium. I have one of the annuals, as well as a couple years’ worth of subscriptions. Of all the cookbook magazines, I like this one the best because they review multiple cooking methods for the same type of food, as well as multiple iterations of the same kind of dish (like, say, oatmeal).

6. Specific Technique and Equipment

This is fairly self-explanatory. It’s a category for the cookbook that came with our microwave or the blender, etc. I have a title called ELECTRIC BREAD, for example, that has recipes for using a breadmaker. Anything of that type goes in this section.

7. Meal-Specific Books

Again, pretty self-explanatory. It’s not the compendium as mentioned in section one, but it’s a book all about a specific meal – I have one entitled BRUNCH, for example.

8. Weight Watchers

It startled me how many Weight Watchers cookbooks I actually own. (They’re really good about making their cookbooks sexy, full-color, and food-porn, though I’m sure their marketing department wouldn’t describe them in those terms.) (But if I didn’t like food porn and sexy full-color exposes on my food, I wouldn’t NEED Weight Watchers, now would I?)

(Get your mind out of the gutter. I don’t mean porn with food, I mean food porn. As in, a sexy spread about Zanzibar Chocolate Ice Cream that won’t add twenty pounds to your ass just by reading the recipe.)

9. Vegetarian

Um, this about, like, Vegetarian cooking.

Duh.

10. Health and Instructional Books about Food and Eating

Hmm. My topics are getting more and more self-explanatory.

Do I need to discuss what Health and instructional Books About Food and Eating are?

In all seriousness, I include topics like the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for treatment of intestinal disorders and other such topics in this area.

11. Culture-Specific Cookbooks

Russian, Jewish, Mexican, Asian, etc. all fit in here. I have, for example, an excellent review of all types of Russian cooking by Anne Volokh, the first post-Soviet food reporter in Russia. (Prior to Glasnost, they didn’t have such an occupation; at least not openly.) I lump other cuisine-specific books in this category because that’s where I expect to find them when I go looking for ideas.

12. Ingredient-Specific

As in, 101 Different Ways to Prepare Chicken, and such. I have a book on Mustard, one on Garlic, and actually two on Mushrooms (since my husband LOVES them).

I don’t have a 13th Category, so I ask you, the Reader: tell me, in Comments, what you might add to my list or how you organize your own cookbooks.

As I’m typing this, my buddy who is sitting here reading while I type, said, I have one. So, here is Dorothy’s additional category:

“Making Ingredients” as in, How to Make Cheese, How to Make Flavored Vinegars, How to Make Butter, How to Distill Oregano, etc.

Oooh. Those sound fun. Hmm. Maybe I need to go cookbook shopping here soon.

Book addiction? Me?

Silly. There’s no such thing. ~nods~

Happy TT!

Chapter Three

Today’s TT focuses on Knitting Reference books. These books focus on particular techniques, rather than a designer’s vision of patterns, and include stitch dictionaries. I love knitting reference books. They usually have things in them I don’t already know, or look at a particular topic in a new way.

In fact, when I signed up for the Master Knitter course through TKGA, a bibliography is part of the course. I figured, in my arrogance, that I am The Noony! Of COURSE I have all the books on the bibliography, and what books I don’t have aren’t worth bothering with, because I am The Noony.

Boy, was I stunned. I had, like, two.

Out of FOUR PAGES.

Sheesh. Put me in my place, whydon’tyou?

I have since collected several of the books on the recommended bibliography and wow, those folks sure know what they’re doing! These books are awesome!!!

Anyhoo, back to MY list, because after all, I am The Noony.

1. Crompton, Claire; The Knitter’s Bible; David & Charles; Cincinnati, OH; 2004

I like this book a lot. It covers the basics, but after each technique, it includes projects that use what you just learned. There are several projects that I want to try myself, including gorgeous little sachet bags and blankets and purses and things. Well-rounded, fun book.

2. Epstein, Nicky; Knitting On The Edge; Sixth & Spring Books; New York; 2004
Knitting Over The Edge, 2005
Knitting Beyond The Edge, 2006

Nicky Epstein is an amazing designer. She doesn’t only ‘do’ knitting, she’s published books on crochet design as well. She travels internationally, teaching, and even came to our guild here in Chicago two years ago.

She decided to write Knitting On The Edge when she realized there weren’t any guides to edging techniques available at the time. Some books had some edgings, but nothing really dedicated to the edges of garments. She started researching and collected a number of edging options, as well as designing a bunch on her own, and voila: a phenomenon was born. Immensely popular, On the Edge was followed a year later with Over the Edge, and then Beyond the Edge. These are stitch dictionaries as opposed to longer design books; they are filled with ideas that you can incorporate into your own projects. There are a few projects given that utilize the patterns, but for the most part, it’s simply a graphic of a particular edging pattern and instructions for how to work it.

Since she has a very involved website, I’m going to include that here rather than an image of her table of contents. You can check out her work here: http://nickyepstein.com/. She doesn’t only have textile arts; she created a line of handmade buttons and clasps that are incredible and well worth a browse.

The books are available for purchase:
Knitting On the Edge

Knitting Over the Edge

Knitting Beyond the Edge

3. Golden Hands; Aran & Fair Isle Knitting; Marshall Cavendish; London; 1977

A classic book, but worth a look if you like the style of knitting. It includes detailed instruction on the art of Aran (cable) knit sweaters and Fair Isle (colorwork). It’s got a number of interesting patterns that will expand your skills and experience with these two techniques.

4. Kooler, Donna; Encyclopedia of Knitting; Leisure Arts Publication; Little Rock, AK; 2004

This is a good all-around technique dictionary. There are some lovely pictures, and I totally want to make that handbag on the table of contents.

5. Leinhauser, Jean; Learn to Knit in Just One Day; American School of Needlework; San Marcos, CA; 1994

This one holds a special place in my heart. I dearly wanted to learn to knit for most of my life. I couldn’t master crochet, and I tried the one needle knitter from K-Tel with some success. But I really, REALLY wanted to learn to knit.

Sadly, I can’t translate two-dimensional instructions into three-dimensional reality.

I really tried, too.

I picked up this book several times over the years, and could NOT master it. I finally took a class in 2000 from Sharon Shoji, a Chicago instructor and designer. I haven’t looked back.

And do you know what? After I took the class, this book suddenly made sense!

If you don’t have the 2-D/3-D disconnect, this is a remarkably easy book to learn from. It’s thorough and teaches you to make sweaters and afghans in a very short time. I actually like it because it doesn’t have a lot of the clutter of some of the modern glitzy books, which can be good when you’re trying to learn.

6. Leisure Arts; 99 Knit Stitches; Leisure Arts Publication; Little Rock, AK; 1997

This book a surprise. It’s put together in a booklet format that seems light-weight, but when you delve into it, it’s got a very well-rounded group of stitches to try. It’s a good little stitch dictionary and has the benefit of not weighing a lot in one’s knitting bag.

7. Rutt, Richard; History of Hand Knitting; B T Batsford; London; 1989

This is the classic book on knitting history. Written from the point of view of scholar and not knitter, it’s a little dry, but the information is comprehensive and well-researched. If you’re curious about knitting’s origins in history (like the fact it probably comes from the Middle East, for example, and the oldest extant knitted textile is a sock from Turkey), this is the book for you.

8. Starmore, Alice; Book of Fair Isle Knitting; Taunton Press; Newton, CT; 1988

I coveted this book for ages. Starmore is my hero. I looked up the book and couldn’t find it for under $150, since it had gone out of print. I saved and saved and one year, got two gift certificates for Amazon. I found it for $99 and pounced on it.

The next year, Schoolhouse Press re-released the book.

🙁

Not that I have anything against Schoolhouse Press. Lovely group. But sheesh!

If you are serious about Fair Isle (colorwork), this is a phenomenal book. Starmore teaches you about design, not just the knitting process. She also discusses the history of the art, which is worth a read.

9. Sterling; Knitting School: A Complete Course; Sterling Publishing Company; New York; 1990

I bought this through the Crafter’s Choice book club. I do not recommend it. Poorly done, with inadequate explanations. I kept it because I already know how to knit and figured that some of the instruction might be useful, but this is little better than a stitch dictionary.

10. Vogue; Vogue Knitting and Vogue Knitting Quick Reference; Sixth & Spring Books; New York; 2002

These are excellent reference materials. The Quick Reference can be carried in a knitting bag. Vogue Knitting covers all the basics, and has an excellent overview of different cast-on and cast-off methods, construction, and a modular sweater design method that breaks down the design process into clear steps.

11. Vogue; Stitchionary: Volume One – Knit and Purl; Sixth & Spring Books; New York; 2005
Stitchionary: Volume Two – Cables, 2006

These are good stitch dictionaries. There are more volumes than the two I have, but Volume III is colorwork and IV is crochet, neither of which I really need. These two basic ones are good. They’re not great; they don’t have details about the stitches or how they work, and I find the Harmony Guides better for basic instruction. But I’m loyal to Vogue and like these two books.

12. Vogue; The Ultimate Sock Book; Sixth & Spring Books; New York; 2007

If you like socks, BUY THIS BOOK.

‘nuff said.

I love it. It covers toe up and cuff down, all sorts of design information, and then a whole library of designs for you to play with. Loff!

13. Walker, Barbara G.; A Treasury of Knitting Patterns; Schoolhouse Press; Pittsville, WI; 1998
A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns; 1998
Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns; 1998
A Fourth Treasury of Knitting Patterns; 2000

Awesome!! These are an excellent basis for any knitter’s library. In fact, Walker has nearly eclipsed Alice Starmore as my Number One Knitting Hero. I use Walker’s books more often than Starmore’s, as it happens. She’s smart, funny, and opinionated. I love her. Her stitch books put the Stitchionaries to shame: she gives details for EACH of the stitch patterns she includes in her books, which include her thoughts on the history of the stitch, how it works in garments and projects, whether it looks good on the front and back or if it’s one-sided, etc. I love these books, and am grateful to Schoolhouse Press for re-releasing them.

If you are a knitter who is familiar with Walker’s books, you should check out the Walker Treasury Project. It’s a blog that records modern color pictures of the patterns in the four books. Four more information, visit the blog.

Happy TT!