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.
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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.
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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.
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Bone: Old Man's Cave, Jeff Smith
Bone continues to be a thoroughly enjoyable read.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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San Francisco Seafood, Michele Anne Jordan
More great recipes from great local restaurants. Well-written, but i haven't tried any of them yet.
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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.
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