So many cookbooks these days focus on specifics: one-pot meals, low-carb dinners, sugar-free desserts. And then, some books try to accomplish a great deal -- maybe even too much. The Light Jewish Cookbook, by Sylvia Jouffa and Annick Champetier de Ribes, may fall into the latter category, though it is intriguing. A small paperback, it includes ethnic recipes from around...

In this space two weeks ago, I discussed my 20-year journey from movie-mad adolescent to disillusioned adult. My passion for films, which was so strong from such a young age, began to wane in the mid-1980s, when action films and inane comedies began dominating the screens, causing me to lose all interest in seeing anything new. But recently, I've begun...