Were you Raised by Wolves?

It's happened to everybody - suddenly someone mentions a practice that is totally unfamiliar to you, only to find out the every single person besides you knows how to do it. Maybe it was poaching a chicken or sewing on a button (and hopefully not washing your hands after using the loo). In any case, you probably called up your mom and shouted, "Seriously? You never got around to teaching me that?"

Well, you can no longer make that phone call because there's a new book - "Were You Raised by Wolves?" by Christie Mellor - that takes a comprehensive look at adult behaviors your mother may not have schooled you about. It's not a Martha Stewart take, but there is an adequate emphasis on etiquette and proper how-tos. From how to use your leftover honey to make a face mask to starting your own family traditions, the book is all over the maturity map. Using humor and comical illustrations, you'll suddenly find yourself an expert in finance, love and fashion.

It's a fun read - minus the chapter on drinks and bar-hopping - but with books like these, I always wonder what to do with it next. I mean, when it comes time to poach that chicken, will I really remember to come back to the appropriate chapter, or will I head to an online cooking site? I just feel like all these new-age encyclopedias are too random to be a constant reference. But what do I know? I didn't even know how to make gravy until I read this book.


* Special thanks to PBN for sending me this book and being patient with my review.