626 ratings | 18 reviews | avg rating:4.42

Cynthia’s Year In Books

Cynthia’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Cynthia’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Cynthia D. Bertelsen’s Followers (11)

Cynthia’s Bookshelves

to-read (86)
currently-reading (627)
read (733)
art (1)
biography (3)
cookbooks-modern (13)
essays (2)
fiction (33)
food-essays (5)
food-history (53)
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Cynthia’s Friends (122)

Jacqueline Renee

1,239 books | 39 friends

Crystal King

1,783 books | 3,703 friends

Jane Ward

39 books | 115 friends

J. Elliott

1,273 books | 64 friends

Jacopo Quercia

46 books | 3,938 friends

Lindsey

642 books | 83 friends

Linda Sacco

543 books | 291 friends

Tammy Inman

169 books | 100 friends

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Cynthia D. Bertelsen

Goodreads Author

Website

https://cynthiadbertelsen.com

Twitter

gherkinstomato

Genre

Nonfiction, History, Cookbooks

Member Since

April 2009

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/cbertel

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Cynthia D. Bertelsen’s books include Mushroom: A Global History, A Hastiness of Cooks: A Handbook for Deciphering Historic Recipes and Cookbooks, In the Shadow of Ravens: A Novel, Wisdom Soaked in Palm Oil: Journeying Through the Food and Flavors of Africa, and Meatballs & Lefse: Memories and Recipes from a Scandinavian-American Farming Life. “A Hastiness of Cooks” won Gourmand World Cookbooks Awards 2020 for Best in Culinary History category for the U.S. and the world. Meatballs & Lefse placed as a finalist in the 2020/2021 New Generation Indie Book Awards. She writes and cooks in Florida, loves Mexican food, and wants to go back to France someday!

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Cynthia D. Bertelsen’s books

Average rating: 4.05 · 63 ratings · 18 reviews · 15 distinct works • Similar authors

	Mushroom: A Global History 3.81 avg rating — 37 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Hastiness of Cooks: A Practical Handbook for Use in Deciphering the Mysteries of Historic Recipes and Cookbooks, For Living-History Reenactors, Historians, Writers, Chefs, Archaeologists, and, o by Cynthia D. Bertelsen (Goodreads Author), Courtney Nzeribe (Illustrator) 4.30 avg rating — 10 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Stoves & Suitcases: Searching for Home in the World's Kitchens 4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2021 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In the Shadow of Ravens: A Novel 4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Meatballs & Lefse: Memories and Recipes from a Scandinavian-American Farming Life it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Wisdom Soaked in Palm Oil 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mangoes & Roosters: Stories and Tales of Haiti it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Season of the Wolf: A Riveting Saga of World War II France really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Wisdom Soaked in Palm Oil: Journeying through the Food and Flavors of Africa 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mangoes & Roosters: Stories and Tales of Haiti 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Cynthia D. Bertelsen's Blog

A Village in Africa*

When you befriend a chief remember that he sits on a rope. It didn’t take long for the red dust to coat the white Nissan Patrol 4WD like the sugar crust on a crème brulée. Thick. Crunchy. Slightly gritty. “Look like we here,” said Moussa our driver, his Moré accent glossing the familiar English words. […]

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Published on February 18, 2026 09:55

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Cynthia is Currently Reading

Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading

Overdue: Reckoning with the Public Library

by Amanda Oliver (Goodreads Author)

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9 hours, 5 min ago

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Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism

by Stewart Reynolds

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Feb 18, 2026 06:49PM

Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading

Cakes and Ale

by W. Somerset Maugham

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Feb 14, 2026 06:29PM

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Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading Overdue: Reckoning with the Public Library by Amanda Oliver (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 18, 2026 06:49PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia Bertelsen finished reading This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 17, 2026 08:17PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 15, 2026 06:32PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 14, 2026 06:29PM · like
Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 13, 2026 06:46PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading Burning the Books: A History of the Deliberate Destruction of Knowledge by Richard Ovenden	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 12, 2026 07:10PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Burning the Books by Richard Ovenden. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Burning the Books by Richard Ovenden <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading by Lucy Mangan	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 12, 2026 06:39PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Bookworm by Lucy Mangan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Bookworm by Lucy Mangan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading Bookish: How Reading Shapes Our Lives by Lucy Mangan	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 12, 2026 06:33PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Bookish by Lucy Mangan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Bookish by Lucy Mangan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia Bertelsen is currently reading Crooked Cross by Sally Carson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 12, 2026 09:47AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Crooked Cross by Sally Carson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Crooked Cross by Sally Carson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">