This is slightly crazy. Actually, it is definitely over the top, but I had to write about this new book, Edible Selby, by Todd Selby. Let me explain. There is a super cool and amazing blog called TheSelby.com, where the photographer Todd Selby goes into people’s homes all over the world and takes photos of their homes, their collections, their accidental collections, and their stuff. And of the people themselves. He gives them a handwritten questionnaire he asks them to fill in by hand where they have to write things and draw things. The whole thing is ridiculously, outrageously ARTISTIC.  And it’s pretty fab. I adore looking into people’s homes and I am fascinated by their collections.

Once you’re hooked on the blog, you’ll want the book, which takes it a step further and visits restaurants and homes of chefs, cooks, food artisans. Again, Selby has a unique perspectives, which this time are often about food, but just as often is about the location, the building, the people, and the landscape. He does his questionnaire thing too, so there are all these recipes in the actual handwriting of the people featured in the book.

I won’t lie to you.  I found this book nearly impossible to read. Not only is the questionnaire handwritten (sometimes in chicken scratch), but Selby writes captions and notes all over the pages and photos. It is dizzying sometimes, but it’s ultimately great fun if you are just deciphering a couple of pages at a time.

This book was sent to me by the publisher for review with no requirements or expectations.