Didn't seem to read as much this month, but some of the things I read were rather detailed and "meaty".
Reading Round Up
It must be something I ate by Jeffrey Steingarten
A series of articles about food and cooking. I learned some things from this book - did you know that breast milk has a natural glutamate in it? And cows milk does not. Which explains (a bit) why DS wasn't so keen on going from one to the other. Mum's milk tasted better ;-) Anyway, interesting articles written by someone who goes to rather amusingly obsessive lengths to test some of his ideas. Like, trying out 10 different coffee machines. He kept blowing the breaker switch on the house doing that one.
Doctored Evidence | Blood from a stone | Uniform Justice all by Donna Leon
Yay! I discovered a new crime series that I enjoy. Love it when that happens. Guido is the detective and it is set in Venice. Well written and kept me involved to the end. Plus all the descriptions of Italian food makes me salivate.
Animal, vegetable, miracle: a year of food life by Barbara Kingsolver
After waiting months for this one from the library (think I was about 150 on the list originally) I finally got to read this. It was worth the wait. I think I will be blogging a bit later about this one in greater detail but in the meantime - definitely pick it up, I do recommend it. Her message is one I have been trying to do, albeit on a smaller scale. I had considered scaling back my garden because I really struggle to keep it going these days with so many other projects and pressure on my time. But having read this book I went out and planted more stuff. Buy local!
Catching the current by Jenny Pattrick
Author of the Denniston Rose and sequel Heart of coal, this story is about Con the Brake and his life prior to the two Denniston books. The endings segue together with the other stories. Great read. I love reading about early New Zealand. A love story but with a bit more.
The Teahouse fire by Ellis Avery
This is one of those books that stay in your head for a while. Aurelia goes with her Jesuit priest uncle to Japan at a time of great change for that country. Western thought and influence are beginning to affect the life and culture of Japan. She runs away and grows up with a Japanese family who are famous for teaching the tea ceremony. Her fortune ebbs and flows with the trends and pressures that come on the family as they live through this time of change. Engrossing!
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wow loving the sounds of the new crime series and the Teahouse Fire. Must check them out in break time in june/july. At the moment my reading consists of nz childrens lit but I can't complain because its all good so far.
ReplyDeleteI must come back when I am looking for some fiction to read - deep into Photoshop books at the moment :)
ReplyDeleteah you finally got it! (the babs one)i started it awhile ago but didnt finish it..only because something important came up...youve reminded me to go back :)
ReplyDeleteI've been to the library twice without your March list! So I've been reading Miss-soon-to-be-13's books. Like the ound of the Teahouse Fire - will add that to my'must find' list.
ReplyDeleteDecided to buy my Mum "Common Ground" for Mother's Day (so I can borrow it back!). Heard of it - 2 Kikwi women who meet up years after going to school together and write to one another about thier gardens (and life). True NZ book.
My goodness - talk about typos - hope you got most of it!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say that I really enjoy your blog. I love to scrapbook and cook too although I am not as good as you at either. However, I just finished two books that I thought you may like to add to your list. "The Book Thief" and "The Island". Both are historical fiction and fresh stories, very unique. Thanks again for giving me a glimpse of like in NZ, hopefully I will make it there someday.
ReplyDeleteI have heard good things about Barbara Kingsolver. I am rereading Malcom Gladwell's The Tipping point for a class I'm getting ready to teach, and remembering how much I enjoyed it the first time... it's a business-y book, but still very interesting.
ReplyDeleteDid you manage to read all of these in April??? I am so impressed. I have at least made my way through half of The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn this month, which is better than the rest of this year. i have added some of your books to my "To Read" list, thanks for the reviews.
ReplyDeleteVictoria Hislop is the author of "The Island." Now I am waiting for my copy of "The Friday Night Knitting Club," I think I am first or second on the list now so it should be soon!
ReplyDeleteDo you mean to tell me that you have a garden too?! OMG. Do you sleep at night?
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the Jenny Pattrick books so will look out for the one
ReplyDeleteI loved Animal Vegetable Miracle as well. Barbara Kingsolver is such a brilliant writer and her her message is incredibly timely. Thanks for the list!
ReplyDeleteHmm maybe I need another diet to go to bed with.. away from fantasy back to crims? I used to vary between these two a lot... the crime one you mentioned sounds good.
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