Read it and Eat

Read it and Eat

Description: (Booklist) Some book clubs feed the body as well as the mind. Anyone who's hosted such a gathering knows how difficult it can be to serve food appropriate to the reading if one has as a goal a sort of bond linking the book at hand with the dining table. Gardner offers a month-by-month reading list complete with recipes appropriate to each title. For Gone with the Wind, Eggs O'Hara fills the bill. After reading Up from Slavery, a soul food meal of macaroni and cheese and candied yams satisfies. Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography provokes World War II sugarless brownies. The Hound of the Baskervilles suggests old-fashioned English fish and chips. Gardner wisely forgoes the obvious meat in her chapter on books about horses, offering instead Kentucky burgoo and mint juleps. Gardner's recipes are all simply and easily prepared, not intimidating to anyone with even modest kitchen skills. She also provides questions to provoke discussion. Her selection of readings ranges from classics to works of contemporary nonfiction, such as Schlosser's Fast Food Nation (2001).

Review: I found this book to be really well organized. It was a delight to read. Sarah Gardner had a lot of good suggestions for books as well. Additionally, the book was full of interesting and fun recipes. I saved a few of them for myself because they sounded so darn good. I think this book would be great for those clubs that like to have food that corresponds with whatever they are reading. One thing that I liked about the book was the reading suggestions around the time of the year. This is a good book for those new to clubs who really want to have some kind of structure to both their reading and their snacks.

Score: 5 out of 5

2007 Award Winners

This post is dedicated to 2007's award winners.

Caldecott


Flotsam by David Wiesner

Caldecott Honor Books
Gone Wild by David McLimans
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford

Newberry


The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Newberry Honor Books
Penny from Heaven by Jennifer Holm
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Rules by Cynthia Lord

Carnegie Medal
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

Geisel Medal
Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways by Laura Mcgree Kvasnosky

Wilder Medal
James Marshall

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Description: (back of book) This volume includes three of Capote's best-known stories, "House of Flowers, " "A Diamond Guitar, " and "A Christmas Memory, " in addition to his bestselling novel, Breakfast at Tiffany, the popular story of Holly Golightly--"a cross between Lolita and Auntie Mame" (Time).

Review: I had not read anything by Capote before I read this book for my book club. I have to say, I really enjoyed his style. It made me want to read just about everything that he has ever written. The stories were quite delightful. I have naturally seen the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's many times before. Personally, I like the story much more. I still like the classic movie; however, there was more to the story that wasn't socially "acceptable" at the time so it was cut out. I think Capote created a very interesting character with Holly Golightly. I think everyone should read this book at some point in their life.

Score: 5 out of 5

Making Decorative Mirrors & Shelves

Making Decorative Mirrors & Shelves

Description: (From back of book) From pearl-and-lace frames to an oak vanity, here's a rich variety of decorative articles to adorn your home. You just need simple gluing, stitching, and painting techniques. Everything else is here, including patters, detailed instructions, and a a multitude of illustrations to guide you every step of the way.

Review: I found this book to be very handy. There were good basic instructions on how to frame mirrors and use the various paint (and other medium) techniques used inside. The projects themselves are displayed nicely with photographs to illustrate the final project. Personally, I didn't really care for the mirror projects, but there were some really nice ideas. I think they were more complex than what I was looking for. The shelves were really inventive. I would like to use some of them myself. I wouldn't really consider this a book for beginners, but for people who already have some skill with crafting. Overall, I found it to be really handy.

Score: 4 out of 5

Sex with Kings

Sex with Kings by Eleanor Herman

Description: (From the back of the book) She was the royal mistress. She was ready to converse gaily with the king when she was tired, make love until all hours when she was ill, and cater to his every whim. She was never to be exhausted, complaining, or grief-stricken. Hundreds would vie to unseat her or push her toward a tragic end. But she often had the last laugh, living well and richly of the fruits of her "sins".

Eleanor Herman's Sex with Kings takes us into the throne rooms and the bedrooms of Europe's most powerful monarchs and the women who loved them-from Madame de Pompadour, the famous mistress of Lois XV, who kept her position for nineteen years despite her frigidity, to modern-day Camilla Parker=-Bowles, who usurped the beloved and glamorous Diana, Princess of Wales.

Based on impeccable research from diaries, personal letter, and diplomatic dispatches, and alive with flamboyant characters, outrageous humor, and stirring poignancy, Sex with Kings "will please readers who like their history liberally spiked with glamour and gossip" (Boston Globe).

Review: This was a fun and quick read. It can be a bit confusing as the author skips around from ruler/mistress throughout different times. Some people may find it a little easier to follow if they take notes on who is who. The information was really interesting and entertaining. The only real negative aspect of the book for me was the way it was organized. Otherwise, I found it to be quite delightful and worth buying from the store.

Score: 4 out of 5

101 Cost-Effective Ways to Increase The Value of Your Home

101 Cost-Effective Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home by Steve Berges

Description: (From Amazon.com) Every year, millions of Americans spend varying degrees of time and money on home improvements. Which improvements are likely to add the greatest value on resale? What kinds of small, inexpensive projects can really make a difference? How do homeowners get started on the project of their dreams? Real estate expert Steve Berges draws on his more than 25 years of experience to provide homeowners with the advice and guidance they crave, as they mull over their home improvement options and prepare to venture out into the world of building inspectors, subcontractors, deed restrictions, and other thorny issues.

Review: The book was a pretty quick read. It had some really good tips. Most of what was inside is common sense. There were some things I didn't really think about. However, most of what was listed as "the highest priority" were things I was already planning on doing. Overall, a nice simple guide to look at if you are planning on fixing up your house. This is really not something I would buy, but would definitely check out from the library.

Score: 3 out of 5

New Blog

Well... I've decided to make a blog over here as I sem to have an account already.  I think this will be my "reading" journal.  I'll try to keep track of all the junk I read.  ;)  Well, I don't really read junk, but I do read a lot of random stuff.