The Fireside Cook book

I know that this is a new category but I have to recommend this as a cook book because I really love it. The recipes look great (even though I haven't tried any) and the illustrations are so cute. S&S has just published the 60th edition and basically everything in it is the same as when it was originally published. If you're looking for a gift, or for a few good recipes I would recommend this for anyone.

Here's a little bit from the intro:
Here, in short, is a book that is an indispensable addition to every American home in which good food is appreciated. It is a book to use constantly, to pore over with delight, and give to all friends from whom you can reasonably expect a future dinner invitation.

A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini

I'm just finishing up A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (listening to it as audio book while I run). I know some of you all have read it already and I bet most of us have read The Kite Runner by the same author. I have to say that I loved this book! It's equal to or surpasses The Kite Runner for me which I didn't think possible. It has the vivid prose of the Kite Runner but I won't ruin the story if you haven't read it except that it's life in Afghanistan told from a woman's perspective. Sad yes, but beautiful just like real life. (Okay, now I want to go watch Life is Beautiful having said that).

I listened to most of this as the election was happening and it made me feel especially patriotic and thoughtful about the luxury of living in America where we are able to change leadership without guns. I could also talk endlessly about my thoughts on the separation of church and state but I won't. If you do the audio book, the narrator is terrific. I bought it for my iPod but I know the library has it on CD. xoxoxo. g.

No, I haven't read it but my grandmother has requested it for Christmas...

Has anybody Read?

Has anybody read The Shack by Wm. P. Young? Sally W.'s book club is reading it and she recomended it to me. Apparently it is a Christian story of redemption and is a best seller. Opinions?

Yay, I made it!

Hi guys...I finally enabled enough cookies or whatever to make it on the site. About the Twilight series...I have a hold request on all of the books in the series, so still waiting to find out what all the hype is about. I am very excited b/c for some time now I've had a crush on vampires...I can't explain it b/c I really am the world's biggest coward. However, something about them fascinates me, so I am looking forward to a new series to read. I also loved the Harry Potter series, so maybe juvenile fiction is my thing...glad to be on the blog!

New on the Blog

Thanks to Gwen for the invitation to the blog. I also love chatting about books, and currently work at the library - this, for me, is like spending my day at the dessert table, sampling everything, without gaining weight. A miracle, certainly! I am in the middle of a relatively recent book called "Turing's Delerium" by Edmundo Paz Soldan, said to be an important new Latin American writer (by no less a fellow than Mario Vargas Llosa). The plot has to do with government bureaucrats battling revolutionaries in Bolivia, all of them waging an internal battle to justify their actions, current and historic, to themselves and their loved ones. An international corporation has purchased the power company, and now nobody can afford any lights. This book was translated into English in 2006, so the writer didn't know about the coming financial crash...er, economic downturn, but his sense of the situation is quite prophetic. This is a really good book, but not something I would suggest for relaxation.

Jonathan Safran Foer

Another post! Already!
Aunt Gwenda's mention of crying while reading a book and Will getting irritated reminded me immediately of when I was trying to read JSF's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" to Isabelle on our first night in Germany. We'd been reading it together or with the limit of one chapter ahead before the other could catch up, and sometimes outloud to each other. On this last night, going through the last couple chapters, I was trying to read to Isabelle (keep in mind, this is only a couple years ago) and finally had to stop because of my sobbing. THAT was a great book.

Better yet though, is his "Everything is Illuminated." These are both probably not books for everybody, but I don't know why. I've probably read the latter more times than any book in my life. Again, a somewhat fantastical blend of history to present day fiction and non-fiction, his style and voice really captures me. I especially love his ability to switch the first person characters without losing anything. So, will try to keep this snappier. Also, while I love it and how beautiful it's written, the first book has to do with 9/11. The best critical critique I ever heard of it was from my friend, saying "there are so many stories already... do we really need a made-up one?" Then again, "Illuminated" has to do with World War II.

I also want to make a shout out to my mom, a great book reader... happy birthday, Mere!