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The Bitch in the House, Cathi Hanauer
Subtitled (accurately!) "26 Women Tell the Truth About Sex, Solitude, Work, Motherhood, and Marriage", this assortment of essays sometimes rings home (and sometimes doesn't). It definitely feels well-written and honestly told throughout. I copied out a few passages into my journal, and definitely plan to photocopy a few of the essays and send them on to friends. If you're feeling in the mood for personal exploration around coming-of-30s/40s age stories, this is a collection for you. Recommended.
| Comments (5) | TrackBack (1561) | 28 July, 2004

Wonder When You'll Miss Me, Amanda Davis
Wow. I devoured this book in a day, while waiting for Beca to give birth. I'd heard good things about it; Heidi had declared it the best book she'd read this year. And yet somehow I was unprepared for how compelling the story was; how it grabbed me and held on. The protaganist is a 16-year-old girl who is sometimes years older than her age, and sometimes years younger. She battles personal demons, and yes, runs away with the circus. There's vivid imagery - I can see so many scenes in my mind. And somehow, Amanda Davis manages to keep the book from turning into a cliché. Add me to the list of people who regret Ms. Davis' death last year. I wonder what she could have done with more time.... Highly recommended.
| TrackBack (400) | 25 July, 2004

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, Ann Brashares
Carol & Sydney were kind enough to loan me their copy of this marvellous book. I enjoyed it almost as much as the first book in the series - it was a perfect read for a lazy Saturday morning. It's good to see a sequel that actually moves on with the characters, rather than perpetually rehashing the same scenese over and over again. Recommended.
| Comments (5) | TrackBack (802) | 01 November, 2003

Sleeping in Flame, Jonathan Carroll
Wow. Jonathan Carroll is really a great writer - i've read a stack of his books, and he still manages to surprise and floor me. Sleeping in Flame is on par with The Marraige of Sticks in my estimation. Too much of the summary & i'll give away the secret of the story; but trust me when i say that the device is one of my favorites: done with style, and the unfolding is quite graceful. Just go read it, ok?
| Comments (4) | TrackBack (732) | 25 October, 2003

Vitals, Greg Bear
Silly biotech thriller sci-fi from Greg Bear. Today, the topic is how to live forever. I confess that i liked the beginning, with the descriptions of deep sub exploration far better than the silly conspiracy-theory ending. Do be sure to take the biology with a grain of salt. All that said? Fun. The right sort of thing for bedtime reading during a few super-stressed weeks at work.
| Comments (2) | TrackBack (654) | 20 October, 2003

Chasm City, Alastair Reynolds
I finally get to see how the next one turned out - and quite a wait. With moving, this took well over a month to read - but it was good clean space opera to hold me over. Chasm City is set in the same universe as Revelation Space, and nice nods and bits and bobs to tie the two together, but is definitely not a "show me more of the same" sequel. In summary, two stories woven together, with a lovely trick in the winding that i won't give away here. Highly recommended.
| Comments (36) | TrackBack (556) | 06 October, 2003

Summerland, Michael Chabon
This is so on Daniel's Christmas list this morning. Skillfull weaving of fairy tale elements with baseball, written for young adult eyes. It feels like it has some parallels to Gaiman's American Gods - fairy tales from an assortment of cultures crashing together around American tables, but it by no means the same story. I was especially impressed that Chabon was able to write about baseball in a way that helped me understand the story he was weaving through the game, and made me care about it - a feat my friends will understand as challenging. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (601) | 05 July, 2003

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling
Lordie, Harry is an angry young man in this book. I was continually struck by the fury in our young wizard, and the illogic that clouds his brainmeats as a result. Hermione gets awesomer and awesomer - i look forward to seeing where she goes, as a character. A fun candy read, as expected. Perfect thing to finish up while tired in our tent on the first night of the >Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
| Comments (111) | TrackBack (609) | 28 June, 2003

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon
I think the easiest way to tell you how much i liked this book is to point out that with only a few hundred pages left, i carted it to Seattle and around and about - and we stayed on foot the whole time. (My copy is in hardcover. Heavy. And yet, I just couldn't leave it behind for 4 days.) What an amazing piece of writing - a great story about two boys coming of age; about the birth of the comics industry; about New York during a period of great change. Chabon is a master storyteller with a sense for assiduous wordsmithing. If you haven't read this yet, it's definitely worth picking up. But maybe you want it in paperback, so when you cart it around, unable to let go of it, it doesn't hurt your back so much?
| Comments (15) | TrackBack (441) | 05 June, 2003

Cooking for Mr. Latte, Amanda Hesser
I REALLY enjoyed reading Amanda Hesser's first book, The Cook and The Gardener. I was torn about picking her new book up in hardcover, after reading an excerpted chapter and a pile of mixed reviews. In the end, i bought it on the strength of her previous writings, and because i just plain needed a treat. Overall, i enjoyed CFML, but i didn't find it quite as solid as the first book. There were bits where i was just flat-out annoyed with Ms. Hesser; but then i realized that i feel that way about some of my good friends, and i just love them for who they are. With that realization, i finished the book, having a lot of fun. She's a human, too, neh? Overall, the story of a food writer in NYC didn't enthrall me as much as an American in the kitchen at a French Chateaux trying to get along with a crusty old French gardener, but that's probably more indicative of my story-reading preferences than Hesser's writing. Recommended, but maybe wait for paperback, or borrow mine?
| Comments (24) | TrackBack (677) | 18 May, 2003

Holy Fire, Bruce Sterling
What a great read! The perfect thing to be reading through a few incredibly stressfull week at work to put my world back into perspective again, in the gentlest of ways. Enough futurefantastical elements to keep my kid engaged, but enough juicy tidbits for my brainmeats to chew and chew and chew at. Recommended.
| Comments (2) | TrackBack (403) | 16 May, 2003

The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, Judy Rodgers
Wow. What a wonderful read, and what wonderful food. Reading this makes me want to go to Zuni much more regularly, to try so many things. I now love her signature roasted chicken at home, and quite like the bread salad. (I don't often like bread salad.) I plan to try the ricotta gnocchi, and so many other things this summer... Rogers is an excellent writer, and her recipes are often methods with stories, which is exactly the kind of cookbook i like to have around to inspire me these days. HIGHLY recommended.
| Comments (5) | TrackBack (97) | 15 April, 2003

Jenny and the Jaws of Life, Jincy Willett
Yes, yes. We bought this because David Sedaris told us to. We read it because David Sedaris told us to. But i enjoyed it because the stories were good, not because David Sedaris told us to! Cynical little downbeat/upbeat stories. Somewhat hit and miss, but some complete jewels. Go for it.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (38) | 02 April, 2003

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Anne Fadiman
Andrea recommended this to me at the Holiday Bornschlegel book exchange - i finally picked it up, and read it in just a few days. The book is more than the story of a Hmong (a group of people from Laos) family and their struggle with Western medicine through the treatment of their daughter Lia's severe epilepsy; it's an epigraph on spirituality, immigration, and the struggle of two cultures to find common ground in Merced. Highly recommended - this book had me noticing and examining assumptions that i didn't know i was making.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (109) | 23 March, 2003

The Giver, Lois Lowry
Set in the same world, in a tangetial space where high-tech still reigns, Lowry again gets kids thinking with masterful speculative fiction. Another gift from Mom. This book deservedly took the Newberry Award in 1994. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (200) | 16 March, 2003

Gathering Blue, Lois Lowry
Mom brought me this book - i read it in a few hours. A very good, highly recommended young adult novel, with plenty to think about. Speculative fiction set in a post-high tech future world. Kira, our heroine, is an excellent female protaganist. And it's about blue!
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (306) | 15 March, 2003

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Stephen King
A Stephen King novel were the girl in the woods doesn't get eaten, and has a happy ending? No way! Overall, good suspense, and a good peek inside the head of a 12 year old girl who is lost in the woods. Perfect reading for a stressmonkey like the one i've been for the past few weeks.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (108) | 21 February, 2003

Let Us Eat Cake, Sharon Boorstin
A giftie from the Leckmanses. A fun read, but i felt a bit let-down. The preview chapter i read was one of the stronger chapters, and Boorstin's writing is a bit hit or miss at times. The recipes are intriguing; the tales of Berkeley are fascinating. I definitely want to try out the Canlis Salad. Recommended in paperback or on loan.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (245) | 13 February, 2003

Lost: A Novel, Gregory Maguire
It's a bit sad; i haven't enjoyed anything by Maguire as much as i enjoyed Wicked, so even with a good read, i am left feeling a little disappointed. I liked Lost better than Tales, but it still seemed to be reaching for the magic, a bit. Lost is more of a melting-pot than his other novels, and i love the fact that our heroine is a jumbled-up-author-girl. The story just doesn't quite hang together convincingly, overall. I bought this remaindered for a few dollars, and it was worth that. I wouldn't recommend paying full-price for a hardcover or trade paperback, though. Definitely worth a discounted purchase, a library visit, or a loan, though.
| Comments (5) | TrackBack (84) | 28 January, 2003

Best Food Writing 2002, Holly Hughes
A collection of essays and chapters from food writing from 2002. Duh.
Some of the pieces made me tear up a bit, i confess. (Odd for food writing, yeah - but you go read Dinner with Moth and tell me it doesn't move you.) I confess that i want to become a Gastronaut, and Tales of a Frisco Kid made me want to subscribe to Gourmet (which is a magazine i often pick up, and decide just isn't quite up my foodie alley). I want to photocopy Brownies, a Memoir for izzy - it reminds me of her Bubbe's brownies in spirit. I'd mention them all here, but really - you should just go read this. Each piece seems of higher calibre than those of previous years... and the bar is consistenly high.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (154) | 26 January, 2003

Dead Air, Iain Banks
The wickedly cynical and funny story of a London morning-show DJ and his friends & lovers. Very good, very Banks, very recommended.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (267) | 10 January, 2003

Cosmonaut Keep, Ken Macleod
This book comes frighteningly close to being a solipsism for my life. Timely in presentation, too. We follow two main characters through their plotlines, trading chapters between them. One is a marine biologist studying neurology (the far future storyline, set off-earth), and the other is a project manager (the near future storyline, set on earth). Wacky. Well-written with interesting political commentary, as we've come to expect from Mr. Macleod. Recommended.
| Comments (12) | TrackBack (110) | 05 January, 2003

The Return of the King, J.R.R. Tolkien
As predicted, i followed The Two Towers with the third book of the trilogy. This one's going to be even harder to film, i think...
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (288) | 24 December, 2002

The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkien
This may be the first time in the history of this little book list that i've read something twice! Yep, i read this in preperation of our movie outing Tuesday night - and i read it last year, after we saw Fellowship. I'm still not sure i like the book being divided in half; each focused on a different group of the fellowship. Samwise Gamgee is the man.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (273) | 15 December, 2002

Psychlone, Greg Bear
You can tell i'm stressed these days - even though this was a pretty trashy, easy, read, it took me almost three weeks to make it throgh this book. This is an early, early novel of Bear's - it's pretty awful. Thriller pulp-scifi, with some WWII angst thrown into the plot for good measure. It's interesting to see how he's grown as a writer, but i certainly wouldn't recommend rushing out to buy this.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (222) | 18 November, 2002

Holes, Louis Sachar
Meredith loaned me this book months and months ago - i finally brought it home and read it. A great story, whimsical & a bit gritty. I'd read another bySachar, definitely.
| Comments (9) | TrackBack (224) | 24 October, 2002

The Land of Laughs, Jonathan Carroll
A strange, strange little tale based on old, old themes - a broken professor with an obsession, misfit boy-meets-misfit girl, research and hijinx ensue, the written word comes true. Skillfully woven, and just a bit creepy in exactly the right kinds of ways. I continue to enjoy Carroll's storytelling.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (193) | 20 October, 2002

Lullaby, Chuck Palahniuk
I quite enjoyed this book - the concept of linking a 'culling song' to SIDS was clever; it tickled the parts of me that link mythology and science. The characters were definitely characitures of themselves; this amused rather than annoyed me. Russell and i spent a BART ride discussing it; R was quite annoyed by the book on a number of levels. We wound up agreeing to disagree on the matter. Weird - i just went looking for Palahniuk's website on Lullaby - he tells the story of why he wrote it, and his dad's murder. It's gone - i guess Random House took it down in the meantime. Nonethless, i would recommend Lullaby to you.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (100) | 20 October, 2002

The Wooden Sea, Jonathan Carroll
Time-twisting, alien-dropping, dogs-who-won't-die, and a formula that will change the world - The Wooden Sea has it all. I liked this so much that almost the minute i finished, i popped online and sent James a copy. It gets weirder and weirder as it gets tighter and tighter as a novel. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (107) | 14 October, 2002

Lust, Geoff Ryman
I read the majority of this in the surreal space-time that was my flight back from Tokyo. This is a strange coming-of-age story of a late-30's gay scientist framed around a twist on a common time-travel theme. Our protaganist can call up a 'carbon-copy' of anyone he likes, provided he lusts after them. Honestly, i think the book went on a little long. I liked the characters, and the parallel weave of moral-telling through the scientific research storyline, even when it was a bit heavy-handed. Good reading when you're stuck on a long plane flight - i wonder what my neighbors thought of the cover.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (260) | 09 October, 2002

Time Out Tokyo
While i only had around 42 hours to spend in Tokyo, and was going to spend the majority of that in business meetings, i still wanted some information. So i read this great guide - on the plane ride there! When i get to go again (and stay longer, and spend some time doing things on my own), i'll have to see how the food recommendations pan out. Definitely an interesting read - it did make me a little more comfortable. The maps were the most useful thing for my journey.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (216) | 07 October, 2002

Zeitgeist, Bruce Sterling
Instead of being set in the near-near-future, Sterling set Zeitgeist a year in the past - in 1999. We follow Leggy Starlitz around and about the world, as he tries to find his place in the coming fin-de-siècle turnover. Cleverly written, and not as much about G7 (the central pop girl-group) as you'd think, this is a fun read. I have just enough literary analysis schooling under my belt to find the endless turning of the narrative into hipster mover speak amusing - i wonder how someone deeper into that discipline would find this book. Recommended, but buy it in paperback.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (183) | 29 September, 2002

The Best American Recipes 1999, Fran McCullogh, Suzanne Hamlin
A few years ago, Andi gave me the 2000 edition of this book for Christmas. When i saw 1999 in a used bookstore, i couldn't resist. Yesterday i finally sat down and read through it. I quite like the 'this year's trends' section at the beginning, and it's very interesting to read through it and see what sort of cooking was coming to the forefront at the time. I made the sweet & spicy pecans, and Nancy Silverton's hot fudge for a wee dinner party last night; both were good. The nuts could have been hotter - i'll up the chile powder next time. Like the 2000 book, i'm sure we'll be cooking out of this one.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (92) | 28 September, 2002

War for the Oaks, Emma Bull
Yikes. The nice folks at Borderlands recommended this for Allison when i was there a few weeks ago. I picked it up, and read it all. Today. The truly funny part is that i was looking for books for both Daniel and Allison; while Allison will like this (i think), i'm certain it will push at least several of Daniel's big buttons. A really good read. In a nutshell, the story revolves around a chick who plays rhythm guitar in a band in Minneapolis, and gets caught up as the not-so-token mortal in a faerie war. Had i read this in high school, i would have become obsessed with the world Emma Bull paints. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (51) | 21 September, 2002

The Book of Illusions, Paul Auster
I now understand why James sent me a note saying "...but grab the Auster book and dig in as quickly as you can." This gift was a fascinating read - many-layered and thoughtfully woven from ideas that i recognize as some of James' favorite themes: a broken professor (in this case, from the loss of his wife and two children) who finds some redemption in intense study (in this case, of a particular actor in silent films), and a mysterious woman who helps save him from himself. Auster skillfully avoids playing these oft-repeated themes in a tiresome way, instead sliding things around, melding them together, and playing the tragedies repeated through the novel into a final sense of hope - not for anything specific or in response to any one event, but instead an overall feeling of hope. I think Auster's prose steadily improves. Recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (6) | 16 September, 2002

The Fourth Star, Leslie Brenner
A lovely birthday present from Heather. Brenner spent a year observing the front & back of the house at Daniel Boulud's eponymous restaraunt, Daniel. I know i'm a sucker for restaurant writing, and thus a biased reviewer, but this book was really good. I wanted to taste most of what was described, and while her prose was sometimes heavy-handed, Brenner does a good job of conveying the movement and energy in the kitchen and in the dining room. Following the staff for a year, instead of for a single set of interviews lent depth to the book that made it even more compelling. And i got to practice my French! Recommended.
| Comments (3) | TrackBack (268) | 15 September, 2002

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Ann Brashares
Well, this is actually more of a young adult book than a kid's book, but i'm not ready to seperate categories yet. The Dodds gave this to me for a birthday gift, and it's fantastic! Mere has been telling me about it for a while, and it was even better than i expected - even though the sisterhood things everything about how i wear my jeans is unforgivably tacky. ;) (i double-cuff mine, and i wear them with a belt & my tshirt tucked in!) The pants follow four best friends through their respective adventures during the summer between their sophomore and junior years of high school. Both thoughtful and funny, with themes all over the map (in a good way!), i would highly recommend this book. I bet Allison would like it.
| Comments (22) | TrackBack (461) | 14 September, 2002

I Was A Rat!, Philip Pullman
A charming take-off on a Cinderella theme, skillfully written and artfully played. Recommended.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (77) | 08 September, 2002

Passage, Connie Willis
I finally got my hands on a copy of this - i've been trying to resist buying it in hardcover; while it's finally out in paperback, i found a copy at anne & Dave's while i was cat-sitting and nabbed it. Truth be told, i now think i need to buy a copy. It's hard to say if this has surpassed Bellwether as my favorite book by Willis without giving Bell a re-read, but it has scored a tie at absolute minimum. Strong characters who i came to care about and love were blended seamlessly with well-written physiology/psychology research. Willis confronts the fine line between spirituality and science from a scientists perspective head-on, and with skill. There was a spot in the book where she literally took my breath away - i sat stunned, unable to breathe for a few moments. While most of the book is very well-written and reasonably paced, i did feel a little let-down at the end; the last 20 pages or so felt both a little off and tacked-on. Maybe they were. I read most of the book in a single day, escaping from work and chores and other thoughts. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (130) | 07 September, 2002

The Wide Window, Lemony Snicket
This is the third book in Snicket's series of most Unfortunate Events. Silly and fun - though i think i enjoyed Book 2 a little more.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (188) | 31 August, 2002

The Scar, China Mieville
Wow. This was a step up from Perdido Street Station, and i thought PSS was fantastic. Set in the same world as New Crozubon, the story centers around a motley crew of a translator-cum-librarian, a scientist, a reMade man, a street kid, and an undercover spy/jack-of-all-trades. Pirates, drama, politics, and more will spin you for a wild ride. As always, Mieville's prose is lyrical and vivid, his vocabulary continues to provoke me to use a dictionary, and he manages to throw me for a loop even when i'm looking out for it. Highly recommended.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (89) | 27 August, 2002

The Reptile Room, Lemony Snicket
Horrible stories about nice children. I liked this (the second in the series) better than the first one - but it's entirely possible that's due to the importance of snakes to the plotlines. I'll continue reading - these are appropriate gifts for the children (or grown-ups with the right sensibilities) with a black sense of humour. And while i rarely recommend a book just by its cover, these are beautifully made and bound hardcovers at reasonable prices. It's nice to see people putting out well-made books.
| Comments (17) | TrackBack (57) | 23 August, 2002

Revelation Space, Alastair Reynolds
A talented first novel in the hard SF & space opera genre. Dave loaned this to me months ago, and i finally had the time to sit down and read it. Russell and i have been playing the generate-that-person game a lot lately; if i were to apply it to this book, i'd say it's part the best of Banks' opera, societal, and universe history combined with the characterizations from Greg Bear. There are spots where i feel like it's been written to be a radio play - you swap between perspectives a lot, and when you come back to a particular scenario, there's often a one or two sentence recap that seems a little out of place when you read through in big chunks - like the recaps in radio plays that seem out of place when you listen to the whole series on a CD, in rapid sequence. Nonetheless, compelling characters and plot twists, lyrical use of language, and biology metaphor (instars! homeobox genes) tossed in for spice makes for a good read for meriko. I'm interested in seeing how his second book turned out. Recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (267) | 23 August, 2002

King Rat, China Mieville
Our copy of this book is inscribed with authentic author errors. This book shares elements with Gaiman's Neverwhere - underground culture in London that 'normal's don't particpate in; adventures in the sewer, and parallels drawn on several old folktales, fables, and myths. Mieville throws in the added layer of a Pied Piper retelling, and mixes it all up with the Jungle scene and their music making. Not as thick with slang as you'd think, but with enough to give it the right amount of colour, the story is well-paced and very visual. As a bonus, his descriptions of the music almost make me want to listen to some jungle... but i suspect, as is often the case with Forrest, i'd like his descriptions better than the actual product. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (92) | 10 August, 2002

Chez Panisse Fruit - Alice Waters
Another lovely contribution to our Chez Panisse library. I still want to be Alice Waters when i grow up. This is organized in the same fashion as Chez Panisse Vegetables - a section for each fruit, with some history and general information, followed by recipes that focus on that item. The end of the book contains a section with some basics, like pie, tart, and galette crusts, pastry cream and other building blocks. I've made the brandied cherries (though they're still soaking), a pie, and a tart - so far the recipes have been fantastic and easy to follow. Especially good for us, as we live in the same region as Chez Panisse - our seasonal food availability is right in line with theirs. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (27) | 05 August, 2002

California Roll - Roger L. Simon
Truly silly, truly trashy. An early Silicon Valley-based hard-boiled detective novel obviously based around a parody of Apple Computer. PWEI said it best: The Secret Service, the Russians, they're all in this - they'll do it to James like they did it to Elvis. Dad brought this to me, and doesn't want it back. Do you want to take it off of my hands? Good for sick-day or brain-dead reading.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (90) | 04 August, 2002

Coraline, Neil Gaiman
A lovely, creepy novella good for all ages. Russell still starts twitching whenever i mention big black buttons, or how i want him to stay with me forever and always. I listened to the audio CDs before i read the book, and was even lucky enough to listen to Neil read this live at the Berkeley launch event. Gaiman's writing seems to be getting better and better all the time - the pacing on the novella is spot on. Yes, of course - this is highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (178) | 10 July, 2002

Emergence, David R. Palmer
The story of an 11-year old girl, Candy Smith-Foster after the world has pretty sucessfully destroyed itself in war. She's "post-hominem" - she doesn't get sick, and she's incredibly smart for her age - not to mention her black-belt in karate. The story is told through her journal, and is sometimes amusing, and sometimes annoying. The casual openmindedness towards female leadership and poly/gay relationships is admirable. Russell read this when he was in his early teens, so he picked up a copy recently for a re-read. Good for when you need an easy read.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (207) | 05 July, 2002

Algernon, Charlie, and I - Daniel Keyes
A slim volume where Keyes discusses the writing of Flowers for Algernon and the effect it continued to play in his life in the years to follow. A very nice discussion of his writing process, and the frustrations in getting published and working with follow-on projects. I was a little irritated by the simpler language (but truthfully, probably the simplification of details i was craving) and the large font, until i realized that Flowers is read first by most sixth-graders in the U.S, and the book is written at a very appropriate level for that readership. Recommended, especially for everyone who remembers that story and how it affected you, way back when.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (79) | 03 July, 2002

Whit, Iain Banks
This may be one of my favorites of Banks' non-scifi genre. Whit is the story of a girl named Isis, who is the chosen successor to leadership in her father's cult religious colony. He examines her faith and questioning therein while she seeks out a wayward cousin in the 'outside' world. While the book is full of characatures and amusing plays for laughter, it also manages to strike a little further under the skin and show a strong female protaganist taking a critical look at her faith, and find strength in it. A nice balance of the two. Recommended.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (22) | 25 June, 2002

Canal Dreams, Iain Banks
Iain Banks is a masterful storyteller. I continue to be impressed with his range. Canal Dreams is the story of a Japanese cellist who is travelling through the Panama Canal and gets caught in the crossfire of revolution. The hallucinatory dream sequences tell you other stories from her life, and are spliced throughout the daily-unfolding story of the revolution. Gritty and sad, but still a good read. Reminded me a bit of Haruki Murakami's work, at times.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (88) | 18 June, 2002

Boonville, Robert Mailer Anderson
Wow. Anderson pulls no punches, and doesn't worry about offending anyone in this book. Additionally, you'll never think of squirrels in the same way, again. I'm not sure if i would have liked this book if it was about someplace in upstate New York - i think some of my enjoyment stemmed from knowing exactly who Anderson was talking about in any given chapter - even if i was one of the ones he was ripping into. ;) Mailer's prose was uneven - sometimes his pacing was dead-on, and sometimes it was a little laggy. Overall, quite a good turnout for a first novel - especially if you share a humor cell with James, Russell & me. I'll certainly be picking up his next work, and i think if you're not too thin-skinned, you should pick this one up, too.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (150) | 15 June, 2002

White Oleander, Janet Fitch
A quick, painful read. Fitch is articulate and her teenage protaganist Astrid runs through a series of cringe-worthy foster homes and situations.
| Comments (23) | TrackBack (228) | 10 May, 2002

Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
A charming and sometimes painful story of a 16 year-old girl hired to work in Vermeer's household. Her tale is told cleanly, with plenty of interesting details about living in the Delft villiage in the 1660s. Especially successfull in her detailing colors and visual affects, Chevalier manages to keep you turning the pages and wondering where things will go next. Acquired from the Bornschlegel holiday book swap this year - worth a read.
| Comments (16) | TrackBack (187) | 10 May, 2002

Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn
An epistolary story, about the Island of Nollop off of the southern coast of the United States. The inhabitants are near-worship Nevin Nollop, author of the sentence 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.' The sentence is immortalized in town square, and as the story progressess, letter tiles fall off of the monument, and also out of use on the island of Nollop (and thus, out of the novel, as it's a series of letters written there). A cautionary tale on freedom of speech, cleverly written with a great vocabulary. Recommended, for fun.
| Comments (4) | TrackBack (193) | 02 May, 2002

The Tiger in the Well, Philip Pullman

| Comments (0) | TrackBack (176) | 06 April, 2002

The Shadow in the North, Philip Pullman
So, Forrest was right - this was better than the first Sally Lockhart book (The Ruby in the Smoke) - or i just wasn't in the right mood when i read the first one. A challenging novel - set in Victorian England, about a young unmarried woman who is running her own business - but not without the troubles you would expect. Recommended, especially for the 14 year old romance/Victoriana reader in your family.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (180) | 05 April, 2002

The Hours, Michael Cunningham
Short and sweet - i read this book in about four or five hours. It cunningly weaves the stories of three women - Virginia Woolf, a young bookworm mother in the fifties in SoCal, and an aging lesbian in New York. Well written, with threads and imagery moving fluidly from tale to tale. Recommended
| Comments (19) | TrackBack (181) | 04 April, 2002

The Mistress of Spices, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
A sweet fairy tale of a book, set in Indian spice shop in Oakland. Nice Indian mythology and writing; a pleasant read.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (76) | 03 April, 2002

FingerSmith, Sarah Waters
Beca loaned me Tipping the Velvet a while back, and i quite enjoyed it. I was prompted to pick this up recently, and tore through it quickly. Somehow about halfway in, i was as bit disappointed - Sarah blew her wad about a third of the way in, and never managed to pick back up again to full engagement. I waited for more that i never found through the second half of the book. Still, a fun and easy read.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (168) | 02 April, 2002

The Book Borrower, Alice Mattison
A slightly disconcerting story of a friendship, uneasily struck but deeply felt, between two women, and subsequently their families. Worth a borrow.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (192) | 01 April, 2002

The House of Fog and Sand, Andre Dubus III
This book was skillfully written, juxtaposing a Persian who has fled Iran to America and an American woman who is struggling to find her place and her peace in her father's old home. It takes places in Oakland, San Francisco, San Mateo, and on the coastline between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay; Dubus' skill in portraying places i have lived and love is exquisite. His characters are drawn clearly and played off of one another for full impact. At the risk of giving spoilers, Dubus also has the guts to not have a 'happily ever after' ending that is almost gruesome in its accuracy of the everyday macabre of a human downward spiral.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (95) | 07 March, 2002

The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, Melissa Bank
I'm not sure what i was expecting here, but it wasn't what i found... which was a charming set of stories chronicling a young woman from adolescence into old age. Enjoyable.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (78) | 06 March, 2002

Finder: Sin Eater, Carla Speed McNeil
First trade paperback of this series; highly recommended by miss izzy. Really good; i enjoyed the art and the storylines both.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (109) | 05 March, 2002

The Bridegroom, Ha Jin
I loved Waiting ,and somehow didn't catch that this was a book of shorts when we bought it. I was game when i picked it up, and wasn't disappointed. Jin's writing still has the clarity and piercing insight i loved in Waiting, but these stories were much, much darker. The first several i were dark like a Jimsoney story, only told from a Chinese perspective. Recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (289) | 04 March, 2002

A Widow for One Year, John Irving
This was a book of healing for me. Not because of the content of the book itself, but because it was long, engaging, and a great read at a time when i needed to chew through five or six hundred pages in 24 hours. I still think Irving is a good writer, and i especially found the last few lines of the book pleasing as a circle-through. I wonder if James has read this... it made me think of Grey Wings.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (257) | 03 March, 2002

Mixed Magics, Diana Wynne Jones
Charming children's tales recommended by Neil Gaiman and Carrie.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (172) | 02 March, 2002

Gumshoe Gorilla, Keith Hartman
I think i might have found this sequal more clever if i had read it in closer conjunction to The Gumshoe, The Witch, and the Virtual Corpse. It didn't seem as groundbreaking as the last, but amusing and fun nonetheless.
| Comments (15) | TrackBack (92) | 01 March, 2002

Stuffed - Adventures of a Restaurant Family, Patricia Volk
Not so much food lit, but more a memoir that involved food and a bit of restaurant life. Well-written & enchanting, it's a nice NY foodish memoir to counterpoint Bruculinu. Recommended.
| Comments (2) | TrackBack (103) | 06 February, 2002

Think Like a Chef, Tom Colicchio
Really good advice about how to cook from knowledge about food & techniques, rather than by recipes. I agree with a lot of it; well-written with clear examples. The recipes looked yummy, but i haven't had a chance to try any of them yet.
| Comments (2) | TrackBack (71) | 05 February, 2002

Harlequin Valentine, Neil Gaiman
A dark but darling story about a Valentine's day love affair.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (94) | 04 February, 2002

Perdido Street Station, China Mieville
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it was long, but it was clear that the author had yet more information about the city, the people, the history, and the world-systems he was holding back. Packed a lot into the many pages; i found the ending a bit anticlimactic, but really, a great ride. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (6) | 03 February, 2002

Empress of the World, Sara Ryan
Such a good novel! Addresses teens (today, cleverly done) at a summer school for bright kids, figuring out who they are, who they like, and what they like along the way. Solidly addresses sexuality, smart kids, and teen-angst. Highly recommended.
| Comments (2) | TrackBack (243) | 02 February, 2002

Pedro and Me, Judd Winick
Quite a story, honestly written and cleanly illustrated. I cried and sent mail afterwards.
January 2002 | Comments (0) | TrackBack (338) | 01 February, 2002

The Last Course - The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern, Claudia Fleming
Gorgeous desserts - a Christmas present from my brother.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (104) | 07 January, 2002

The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood
A nice tale; i always enjoy reading Atwood. I liked this one better than the last few; the juxtaposition of the sf novel inside the book was especially well-done.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (233) | 06 January, 2002

Violet and Claire, Francesca Lia Block

| Comments (16) | TrackBack (94) | 05 January, 2002

A Cook's Tour, Anthony Bourdain
A very different book than Kitchen Confidential, but a good read in its own right. Bordain travels 'round the world, eating and observing food and the related culture surrounding it.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (61) | 04 January, 2002

The Cook and The Gardener, Amanda Hesser
A charming, charming story with a slew of recipes thrown in. A holiday gift from the lovely Leckmans.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (68) | 03 January, 2002

The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkien

| Comments (0) | TrackBack (53) | 02 January, 2002

I Was a Teenage Fairy, Francesca Lia Block
A cute, wee book by the author of the Weetzie Bat books. (Thanks to Carrie!) It's charming and serious at the same time - and manages to address some serious issues about child photography, modelling, and abuse. Recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (195) | 01 January, 2002

Sophie's Masterpiece, Eileen Spinelli, Jane Dyer
A lovely holiday gift from Carrie, this is the charming store about a (we think French!) spider-girl who is just looking for a place to spin some pretty webs.
| Comments (16) | TrackBack (125) | 04 December, 2001

Kitchen Suppers: Good Food to Share with Good Friends, Alison Becker Hurt
A holiday gift from the Leckmans. One of the best cookbooks on entertaining i've read in a long time; i can see myself giving this as a gift in the near future. Solid advice about how to run a dinner party without getting stressed, including how to fix things up that go wrong at the last minute. The 3 recipes i've tried so far have been solidly written and easy to execute - Mimi's Tomato Soup was especially tasty!
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (175) | 03 December, 2001

The Crow Road, Iain Banks
A fantastic book. Iain Banks tells his story vividly and thoroughly.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (102) | 02 December, 2001

The Fellowship of The Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien
Yes, i'm reading these for the same reason everyone else is. I'm suprised how much it's like reading them for the first time it is - either i've forgotten a ton, or there was a lot i just plain missed as a kid when i was reading these. Charming and epic, in the best senses of both words.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (227) | 01 December, 2001

Espedair Street, Iain Banks
A great story about making it big in the late seventies as a rock star, and what might happen to your life after that. Definitely the least violent of the Banks books i've read thus far, it reminded me of several musicians in my life in turns. As always, Banks can write a passage that has me laughing hysterically and follow it by another that is completely sobering, and start the cycle again. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (112) | 01 November, 2001

Ship of Fools, Richard Paul Russo
I really enjoyed RPR's Carlucci books, so we picked this up. It's his take on the space-opera genre (rather than futurist hard-boiled detective) and is a very enjoyable read. A little hard to get into for the first 30-40 pages, but definitely worth the effort. I'd pick up his next book without reservation.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (220) | 08 October, 2001

The Path of Minor Planets, Andrew Sean Greer
A thoroughly delightful book about scientists and their children. The 'catch' of the book is that you check in on these folks every six years, and perihelioon and aphelioon of a comet discovered by one of our central characters. The people are engaging, the conversation makes me recall my youth around scientists, but Andy's foremost strength lies in giving you the sensation of being *in* the scene. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (89) | 07 October, 2001

Invisible Monsters, Chuck Palahniuk
Another book by the author of Fight Club. This book didn't work for me; it annoyed me -- and yet i kept reading. Go figure. Told very alinearly, the story centers around a twenty-something model who has just had her jaw shot off, and a drag queen who is trying to help her recreate herself. (That's the tame summary.)
| Comments (2) | TrackBack (78) | 06 October, 2001

Shanghai Baby, Wei Hui
Cute. My husband gave this to me for a birthday present, and it was light bedtime reading. A bit like a cross between Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto. Certainly not worth buying in hardcover, but if you find it cheap and need an airplane book or light bedtime reading, it's enjoyable.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (21) | 05 October, 2001

Without Vodka, Aleksander Topolski
This is a just amazing book. It's the story of the Polish author's first three years in WWII - from age 16 to 19. He tries to tell the story as he would have journaled it at the time. A very good writer, Topolski makes you want to keep reading about many not-so-pleasant things. A nice counterpoint to dry history books or lists of battles. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (249) | 04 October, 2001

Bachelor Brother's Bed and Breakfast, Bill Richardson
A charming book of stories about a B&B where folks go to read, run by twins on an island near Vancouver Island. We picked this up at Munro's on our honeymoon from the 'local writers' section. Sounds like a great place to visit. 8)
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (148) | 03 October, 2001

Sky Coyote, Kage Baker
I hadn't been in love with Baker's first book in the series (thought it was a fine read, but nothing remarkable), but Forrest convinced me to try the second one. Sure enough, i thought this one was better, and the third is certainly on my list for a paperback or loan to read. As promised, Baker is doing something more than the light candy in the first book - she's taken seeds from there and seems to be developing a more interesting understory. We'll see how this goes.
| Comments (12) | TrackBack (86) | 02 October, 2001

Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser
Well written, and full of disturbing information. I'm not generally one to eat chain-restuarant fast-food, but this book is really the clincher. If you have any respect for food or its producers, this book clearly shows that large chains are not the place for you. Well worth a read.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (104) | 01 October, 2001

Consider Phlebas, Iain M. Banks

| Comments (0) | TrackBack (236) | 12 September, 2001

The Northwest Essantials, Greg Atkinson
A charming cookbook we picked up in Victoria on our honeymoon at Munro's. Good solid recipes with ingredients that are sometimes local here - some of them are a bit of a stretch. Well-written and organized.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (294) | 11 September, 2001

The Goblin Companion, Brian Froud and Terry Jones
I re-read this while finding ideas for the Little Shed of Horrors party. Brian Froud and Terry Jones are so good at what they do - their illustrations and the writing on faerie creatures is spellbinding.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (147) | 10 September, 2001

The Cafe Cookbook: Italian Recipes for London's River Cafe, Ruth Rogers, Rose Gray
A birthday offering from Beca & Tad. Solidly written, the recipes look simple and tasty. Well-organized. The two recipes i've tried so far were spot-on with instructions & advice, and were quite tasty.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (279) | 09 September, 2001

The Quotable Sandman, Neil Gaiman
A charming compilation of quotes with some of the gorgeous art from the Sandman series. A birthday gift from R.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (90) | 08 September, 2001

Bone - Ghost Circles, Jeff Smith
Bone is just great. I continue to recommend this awesome comic series.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (78) | 07 September, 2001

Q is for Quark - A Science Alphabet Book, David M. Schwartz
One of the best science books AND one of the best alphabet books i've seen in a long time. Not just for kids! Mike and Mere know what i like. The book is full of both good science and silly puns with friendly writing and illustrations.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (180) | 06 September, 2001

Flavours, Donna Hay
A stunningly photographed cookbook with clear thoughts on basic flavors and good combinations and what look like solid recipes. Hay is not afraid to include basic recipes as well as the fancier ones. I haven't cooked out of this yet, but i'll report back in the food pages when i do!
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (354) | 05 September, 2001

Calculating God, Robert J. Sawyer
A decent read, and probably a better book than the others i've read by Sawyer. The postulation of alien-who-believes-in-god talking to atheist-earthling-scientist cleverly allows Sawyer to sidestep a lot of the oft-repeated god vs. science debates you see in day-to-day life and instead concentrate on an interesting and thoughtful exploration of the topic. I found the first half of the book interesting and engaging, but felt like the ending was weak and a bit of a cop-out.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (190) | 04 September, 2001

The Glass Bead Game, Hermann Hesse
This is an amazing book. It's a little hard to start, and it's not good for 10-15 minute reading bouts, but it is perfect for a 'sit down and become engrossed'. Set in the far future, you'll follow Joseph Knecht through his eduction and indoctrination into a community for the intellectual elite, rise through the orginization, and ultimately leave. James recommended it to me ages ago, and i heartily pass on the advice to you.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (68) | 03 September, 2001

The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks
A creepy little book, though not quite as macabe as i was expecting, given all the hype. Well-written - but if you have problems with violence towards animals, this book will probably be hard for you to read.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (89) | 02 September, 2001

Cocktail-O-Matic, Suzanne Matczuk
Our cocktail tome at home has been American Bar forever; this book is a nice counterpoint. Good recipes are perched at the top of a running commentary on the history of cocktails, cocktail parties, and cocktail culture. Amusing anecdotes and good turns of phrase almost make up for her persistent use of commas where there should be semi-colons. ;)
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (93) | 01 September, 2001

Look to Windward, Iain M. Banks
Another book in the Culture universe, Windward has some of the first real sappiness i've seen out of Banks. (It's well-written, like most of his other stuff.) A good story in his classic high-space-opera genre.
| Comments (16) | TrackBack (203) | 07 August, 2001

The Sky Road, Ken MacLeod
The third book, following Cassini Division and Stone Canal. This book has an interesting weave of characters you've met off and on in the other two books at very different points in their timelines. Through much of the book it's very hard to tell WHEN this one is set - but it doesn't harm enjoyment at all. Still recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (148) | 06 August, 2001

Girlfriend in a Coma, Douglas Coupland
A quick & easy read. Not quite as bitingly sarcastic as some of his other books, and i think the better for it.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (94) | 05 August, 2001

Frisco Pigeon Mambo, C.D. Payne
Heidi reviewed this on Astrarium, and i was sold. The book was indeed a goofy, fun read... and i too, recognized many of the characters.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (203) | 04 August, 2001

1968, Joe Haldeman
This is not science-fiction - it's fiction about the Vietnam War based on Haldeman's time there. It's a much more transparent view into Haldeman's thoughts on Vietnam and war, and well-worth the read. Quite well-written, engaging, and raw around the emotional edges.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (84) | 03 August, 2001

Marooned In Realtime, Vernor Vinge
Certainly a better book than The Peace War, but still outclassed by Fire and Deepness. Still worth a read. It's even worth reading Peace War first; the continuities are amusing to spot. Both this and The Peace War actually link to a newly compiled anthology called Across Realtime, which contains both books. The individual books are very out of print.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (73) | 02 August, 2001

The Peace War, Vernor Vinge
An early book of Vinge's. A decent read, but these are not in the class of A Fire Upon the Deep or A Deepness in the Sky - set your expectations accordingly. Written in the early eighties about a history starting in 1997, it's amusing to read now. There was quite a bit centered around Livermore, where i grew up, and LLNL (where my father works as a physicist); i enjoyed the place-recognition parts of the book, too. If you haven't read Fire or Deepness yet, go red them first. They're amazing.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (265) | 01 August, 2001

Victoria and Vancouver Island: A Personal Tour of an Almost Perfect Eden, Kathleen Thompson Hill, Gerald N. Hill
This certainly falls into the 'wedding reading' category. We're going to Victoria for our honeymoon, so i picked this up to get some advice. I wish there was an index to the restaurants/stores - the reviews are organized along 'walking routes' through downtown Victoria. I suspect i might enjoy that once i'm there, though. I'll add to the review once the book's been tested under fire. ;)
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (42) | 07 July, 2001

Choke, Chuck Palahniuk
Yep, the new book by the author of Fight Club. A good read, even if i couldn't get Ed Norton's voice out of my head for the narrator. The story of a med-school drop-out who is working in a American Colonial equivalent of Ren Faire, trying to deal with his dying mom and nutty friends. The common thread between the characters involves a 'sexaholics anonymous' group, so if graphic descriptions of sex and sexual deviance upset you, this probably isn't right for you.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (25) | 06 July, 2001

The Cassini Division, Ken MacLeod
A follow-on to The Stone Canal, this follows some folks back from the new planet to the space around Earth. You learn a little more Earth history, and MacLeod continues to spin a good tale.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (177) | 05 July, 2001

The Millennium Cookbook, Eric Tucker, John Westerdahl, and Sascha Weiss
Pulled this out to start thinking about someone's promised birthday dinner, and to make the tofu spread. Really tasty, that tofu spread. Attractive book, innovative vegan cooking. Watch for reviews and recipes in the food section of our webspace.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (74) | 04 July, 2001

Staff Meals from Chanterelle, David Waltuck, Melicia Phillips
The mac & cheese recipe in here is tasty; i have yet to try any others. This cookbook is well-written, and focuses on the simple (!) staff meals from this restaurant. The stories with each recipe are especially pleasing. We'll see how more of the recipes work out - lots of them look quite yummy.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (144) | 03 July, 2001

The Stone Canal, Ken MacLeod
Forrest recommended Ken MacLeod books to us one night over crepes at Ti Couz. I quite enjoyed this one - a story some parts mystery, some parts political examination of anarchist states, some parts good ol' science fiction about super-humans, robots who have attained self-awareness and autonomy, and life on a new planet.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (96) | 02 July, 2001

American Gods, Neil Gaiman
Amazing book. Finally, a novel on par with his shorts. You can clearly see how Gaiman's writing has matured since Good Omens and Neverwhere- this novel is a pleasure to read. A skillful weaving of mythologies and melting pots, following our everyday hero, Shadow.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (121) | 01 July, 2001

Inversions, Iain M. Banks

| Comments (0) | TrackBack (247) | 03 June, 2001

The Player of Games, Iain M. Banks

| Comments (0) | TrackBack (113) | 02 June, 2001

Between Two Fires: Intimate Writings on Love, Life, Food & Flavor, Laura Esquivel

| Comments (0) | TrackBack (67) | 01 June, 2001

Robots of Dawn, Isaac Asimov
My first science fiction book when i was a kid. A pleasure to re-read, even now. When i was 12 i was thoroughly in love with R. Daneel Olivaw.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (100) | 04 May, 2001

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, Christopher Moore
The newest story by the very silly Christopher Moore. Fun, as always.
| Comments (12) | TrackBack (101) | 03 May, 2001

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert A. Heinlien
MycroftXXX is always a pleasure to re-read.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (139) | 02 May, 2001

Appetite for Life, Noel Riley Fitch
Still not sure it is with this biography kick of mine, but so it goes. Julia Child's story is an amazing one - from her childhood tomboyishness through her service in WWII, to her first attempts at cooking, then her first meal in France, leading onto her book and TV shoes. Great stories, well written; truly a pleasure to read.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (172) | 01 May, 2001

Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters
Beca loaned this to me; it's an engaging read about a Victorian lesbian (or 'tom') and her life. Not usually a style i enjoy, but i had a hard time putting it down. Some good hot girlsex, some good descriptive sequences, and generally enjoyable.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (337) | 06 April, 2001

On Writing, Stephen King
Started before his accident in 1999, and finished afterwards, this is a good read on two counts. The CV/autobiography section of the book was a starkly honest but engaging set of vignettes. The advice to writers was clear and well-illustrated with examples - my favorites always being the Lovecraft.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (47) | 05 April, 2001

My Kitchen Wars, Betty Fussell
More of a memoir than a foodie book, Fussell tells the story of her life enchantingly.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (322) | 04 April, 2001

Clockwork: Or All Wound Up, Philip Pullman
A very short, small, beautifully illustrated children's story. Nicely spun.
| Comments (15) | TrackBack (204) | 03 April, 2001

All Tomorrow's Parties, William Gibson
Gibson still has some nice turns of phrase. A fun, quick read, but nothing special. I'm glad i didn't rush to buy it in hardcover, but i'm glad to have read it.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (88) | 02 April, 2001

Cunt: A Declaration of Independance, Inga Muscio
This book, while having some very cool parts (her foreword, her personal stories), managed to really annoy the heck out of me on several fronts. It's more of a rant than i care to include here, so if you really care catch me for a drink sometime and i'll bend your ear.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (87) | 01 April, 2001

Red Ranger Came Calling - A Guaranteed True Christmas Story, Berkely Breathed
An incredibly sweet true children's book about Christmas. Well, Mr. Breathed claims it is true, at any rate. Recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (81) | 04 March, 2001

The Last Madam, Christine Wiltz
As advertised by the owner of A Gallery Named Desire (a fabulous store in the Quarter in New Orleans), this is a really interesting book, but not very well written. I'm not sure what it is about the biography kick these days - i don't usually like them - but i enjoyed reading about this strong woman and how she ran her life and house.
| Comments (61) | TrackBack (260) | 03 March, 2001

The Potted Herb, Abbie Zabar
A sweet, small book about how to grow herbs, the herbs themselves, and some things to do with them. Not the only reference i'd want, but especially interesting in the non-culinary uses and histories.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (161) | 02 March, 2001

Dating Big Bird, Laura Zigman
A quick and easy read. Amusing and light, but definitely some current thoughts on motherhood and what it means in a contemporary setting. Picked it up because Andi knows the author; thought i'd give it a shot. If you're one of my friends jonesing for a baby right, now, watch out - this book will make it worse.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (83) | 01 March, 2001

The Big U, Neal Stephenson
He finally relented and let this be reprinted; we gained the benefit. Definitely a first work, this is rough in patches, and every once in a white, hysterically funny. Readability was stop-and-go, but worth it for the fun. Remdinded me a little of Matt Ruff's Fool on the Hill. It's interesting to extrapolate Stephenson's growth as a writer from here to his more recent works.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (160) | 13 February, 2001

Terra, Hiro Sone, Lissa Doumani
This is a beautiful cookbook with beautiful food. Makes me want to go eat there. Definitely makes me want to cook.
| Comments (5) | TrackBack (162) | 12 February, 2001

Shopgirl, Steve Martin
An odd little tale; some of the passages were so well characterized they hurt. A good foray into the fiction world for Mr. Martin. Recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (203) | 11 February, 2001

Was, Geoff Ryman
Skillfully woven life stories of Dorothy Gael from Kansas, an actor with AIDS from the present who is to play the Scarecrow in a benefit performance, a psychiatrist whose life was turned at 18 when he met and witnessed the death of Dorothy Gael in a the wards of a state-run mental home, and Judy Garland. My description makes it sound too intricate, but it is strongly written and a captivating read. Recommended.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (283) | 10 February, 2001

Bone: Old Man's Cave, Jeff Smith
Bone continues to be a thoroughly enjoyable read.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (84) | 09 February, 2001

Bone: Rock Jaw, Jeff Smith

| Comments (0) | TrackBack (36) | 08 February, 2001

Russian Spring, Norman Spinrad
Near-future speculative fiction about Paris, the US, the Common European Nation, and the USSR written in 88/89 when the Wall was coming down and international politics were in great flux. About an American engineer/designer who defects to Paris to work for the ESA (European Space Agency) and marries a young Russian Career woman in the focus of the story, and about the changing political landscape and the future characters of the nations in the wider view. Quite good writing, and a recommended read.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (109) | 07 February, 2001

Hopeful Monsters, Nicholas Mosley
An amazing book. John recommended it with the statement 'It's like Possession, but about math and physics and WWII.' Beautifully written, enthralling story, engaging characters, good science. Highly recommended.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (205) | 06 February, 2001

Waiting, Ha Jin
This is destined to become one of those books read in high-school English class that the students actually like. About a Chinese military doctor who is caught between his country, old-fashioned wife and his more modern lover who is a nurse at the military hospital in the City. Jin paints a picture of a changing China that is rich enough to make you forget yourself and read until you get to the last page. His storytelling and prose are breathtaking.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (99) | 05 February, 2001

The Best Thing I Ever Tasted: The Secret of Food, Sally Tilsdale
I was incredibly disappointed in this book. I bought it on the strength of an excerpt in The Best Food Writing 2000; that excerpt turned out to be far and away the best four pages of the book. I read about 3/4 of the book before i finally just put it down. Tilsdale could have been more successful either doing more research and turning into a truly academic work, or (my vote) given up the overlong theorizing and just told her own story.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (357) | 04 February, 2001

The Northern California Best Places Cookbook, Cynthia C. Nims, Carolyn Dille
A great cookbook with recipes from some great restaurants. I've made several of the items, including the Scallops from Andi's birthday dinner this year. They were a big hit.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (221) | 03 February, 2001

San Francisco Seafood, Michele Anne Jordan
More great recipes from great local restaurants. Well-written, but i haven't tried any of them yet.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (98) | 02 February, 2001

The Liar, Stephen Fry
I just couldn't finish this book. His writing is fine, good even... i just couldn't ever get into the story. A coworker loaned this when we were talking about Cambridge. Not recommended, but not condemned, either.
| Comments (2) | TrackBack (614) | 01 February, 2001

The Naked Chef, Jamie Oliver
Fun read. Definitely some good ideas, good instructions, and amusing in tone.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (51) | 08 January, 2001

Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer
A simply written biographical account of a horrible climb to the top of Mt. Everest.
| Comments (1) | TrackBack (234) | 07 January, 2001

Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kingsolver
Recommended. More serious than the Turtle books, but a little lighter than The Poisonwood Bible. The tracking and biology didn't rope me in - nope, not me. Recommended reading.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (232) | 06 January, 2001

Dreaming in Smoke, Tricia Sullivan
Light science-fiction. I read this while sick with a fever, and it entertained me - but i'm not sure how it would hold up for a sober person.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (164) | 05 January, 2001

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: A Dickens of a Christmas Carol, James Oleson
Jimson's Christmas Story for this year.
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (185) | 04 January, 2001

One for the Morning Glory, John Barnes
Jade loaned this to me - it's a lovely fairy tale. A bit more 'breaking the fourth wall' than i like these days, but well made-up for by his well-wrought storytelling and skill with words. I'm off to roast my haunch of gazebo, now!
| Comments (0) | TrackBack (94) | 03 January, 2001