Michael Ham is the kind of guy who not only appreciates the finer things in life, but has spent the last decade trying to make your life easier. This cooking "compendium" is just that: a complete guide to everything in the kitchen, from food content to gadgetry to utensils to recipes, shopping, and more. Easy to read, it can be taken and enjoyed anywhere, and it's fully linked, so that the reader can go directly to the author's resources to find more detail if needed. If you're diabetic or suffer from low blood sugar, the recipes alone are worth having, and again, in the Reading section of the book, you're pointed to the best recipe sites and books online. Moreover, "LeisureGuy's Cooking Compendium" deals directly with the age-old problems of cooking for taste, and cooking for one or two people. Simply put, it helps you prevent the propensity to overcook, overeat, and thus waste time, food, and money.

This book is a lot of fun because I learned so much from it. I'll continue to explore the links within, but be sure to check out the author's blog, which is one of the best blogs online, period.