Moms' Book Thread ~ Week 16 (April 15th - April 21st)

[Negin]

I hope everyone's doing well.

I read A Taste of Venice - 3 Stars - Donna Leon’s Brunetti books are fabulous when it comes to food descriptions. If you’re anything like me, and have started to crave some good Italian food while reading them, this is an enjoyable read. It was written by Donna Leon’s best friend and talented cook, Roberta (Biba) Pianaro.

The other day I decided that I will no longer review a cookbook without trying out at least one recipe. I can’t believe that I didn’t make this rule for myself earlier ! What was I thinking? I mean honestly, I don’t think that it’s right to review a cookbook without trying out at least one recipe! Well, I made an entire meal from the recipes here the other night and everyone was happy. We had Chickpea Balls for the appetizer. Our main course was Lamp Chops with Tomatoes and Basmati Rice. For dessert, we had Oven-Baked Apples with Confectioner’s Custard and Cream. They were delicious. Now, as far as cookbooks go, this book is okay, just not the best. The layout is not as organized as I like cookbooks to be. Also, there are a few recipes that contain ingredients which aren’t available where I live, and may be unavailable to others also. Mind you, this is not only a cookbook. There are excerpts from the Brunetti books, as well as essays with insights into Venetian life.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Italian life is filled with food: people talk about it constantly, spend a great deal of time shopping for it and preparing it, and devote a joyous amount of time to eating it. One has but to pay close attention to them when they talk about food, or when they cook and eat, to begin to understand how fundamental it is to the living of a happy life and how vital it is to Italian culture."

“One of the first things that was said to me when I came to Italy forty years ago, speaking not a word of the language, was ‘Mangia, mangia, ti fa bene.’ Eat, eat, it’s good for you.”



This Venice bookstore - Libreria Acqua Alta - has resigned itself to constant flooding by keeping its books in bathtubs and boats.



MY RATING SYSTEM
5 Stars
Fantastic, couldn't put it down
4 Stars
Really Good
3 Stars
Enjoyable
2 Stars
Just Okay – nothing to write home about
1 Star
Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

[Rebe]

Negin, I like your new rule about cookbooks! I'm sure your family will appreciate it!

I'm less than 100 pages from the end of Hamilton, which is basically (Lord willing) one more sitting. Turns out that I read more than I skimmed, after all. The only truly skimming parts for me were the very military and very political parts (the war and the Constitutional Convention, in particular). But so much of the book is about political intrigue, personal intrigue, personal qualities of the founding fathers, etc. - it's all very fascinating. And if anyone ever feels like we as a country (in regards to politics, elections, animosity, partisanship) are at the lowest possible point ever ... read this book. There is nothing new under the sun, let me tell you.

[KathleenM]

Hello friends!

I've started Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It hasn't really grabbed me yet, but I look forward to getting into it deeper. I've had a lot to distract me from reading this past week.

[Negin]

I'm less than 100 pages from the end of Hamilton, which is basically (Lord willing) one more sitting. Turns out that I read more than I skimmed, after all. The only truly skimming parts for me were the very military and very political parts (the war and the Constitutional Convention, in particular). But so much of the book is about political intrigue, personal intrigue, personal qualities of the founding fathers, etc. - it's all very fascinating. And if anyone ever feels like we as a country (in regards to politics, elections, animosity, partisanship) are at the lowest possible point ever ... read this book. There is nothing new under the sun, let me tell you.

Rebe, I'm truly enjoying your Hamilton updates. Even though I don't know when I'll get to read it, I'm loving your posts. I fully agree with your last sentence.

I've started Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It hasn't really grabbed me yet, but I look forward to getting into it deeper. I've had a lot to distract me from reading this past week.

Kathleen, it's hard to start a book when there are many distractions. I think that I tried to read "Midnight in the Garden" several years ago. I have heard good things about it. My timing may have been off then. I'd still like to give it another go.

[Negin]

New York is on sale today.

[Joy in Alabama]

I’m reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Oh my goodness! I have to stop and regroup sometimes because the story is so tense. I want to read Seabiscuit next I think because I really like her writing.

[Rebe]

I’m reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Oh my goodness! I have to stop and regroup sometimes because the story is so tense. I want to read Seabiscuit next I think because I really like her writing.

I loved both of those books!

[Vicki P in VA]

Hi book friends! Another avid-reader friend of mine alerted me to a special "read the world" deal going on over at Amazon--there are 9 titles being offered right now for free!! Some of these titles look really, really good: https://www.amazon.com/article/read-...N_CWBD18_SS_EM