National Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor Day. It was established in 1978.

I never knew my grandparents so these two books caught my eye: How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew, and How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew, by Erin Bried. Filled with information that everyone knew on one time, these are collections of (mostly) forgotten skills. Witty and charming, I even read the parts about sports in the grandfather book.

Going back even further in time, with instructions on both attacking and defending a castle, thatching a roof, setting broken bones, and milking a cow there's Back in the Day: 101 Things Everyone Used to Know How to Do, by Michael Powell. If I wasn't so clumsy with sharp tools, I'd make my own totem pole.

One from the more recent past is Where's Mom Now That I Need Her? Surviving Away From Home, by Betty Frandsen, Kathryn J. Frandsen, and Kent P. Frandsen. A great start up book with easy recipes, house keeping tips, shopping tips and so on. Do note, this is a pre-microwave book. ;-)

For cooking, basic cooking, easy recipes, clear instructions and pictures, How to Boil Water: Life Beyond Takeout from the Food Network Kitchens is the way to go. I can say this with confidence because my friends who are excellent cooks said so. And because I was successful with the few things I tried. :-)

And finally, sort of a side trail here, Fictitious Dishes: an Album of Literature's Most Memorable Meals, by Dinah Fried. It seems what the author remembers most in her favorite books are the meals. This lead to her gathering those scenes into a book, adding some interesting details about the book or the food, and then 'staging' it in some wonderfully creative photos. Thanks to Constant Reader for the recommendation!

Reading Hermit With Dog