The Savvy Bookworm

by Mary Kay Andrews

I can’t say that I’ve read a Mary Kay Andrews book before.  But I was looking for something different and light, and this popped off the rack and into my arms.  I’m always up for most things food related, and thought I’d give it a whirl.

The book begins with Gina Foxton, a 30-year old TV chef, with a penchant for Southern style cooking with a twist.  She strives to make her southern cooking as healthful as possible, without destroying the integrity of the food.  While she is only on a local tv station, she has high hopes of making it big time on the national cooking channel.  Well, plans run amuk, when the producer of her TV show, who also happens to be her boyfriend, is caught sleeping with a major sponsor’s wife.  The sponsor flips, pulls the sponsorship, and Gina’s show is threatened.  Her only hope for success lies with the Cooking Channel and securing a spot in it’s national broadcast.

Enter “Vittles” and and Hunk-O-Man Tate Moody, whose specialty is cooking with the bounty of the land.  Tate’s hook is that he also has a companion on the show, and not just any companion, but a charming four-legged dog named Moonpie.   Tate’s tv show is also vying for a spot in the Cooking Channel’s line-up.  The only thing standing in his way?  Why, Ms. Foxton of course.

In classic food television style, Gina and Tate are asked to face off in a competition of sorts, and both agree, desperately clinging to the lifeline that could make them or brake them.  While they begin the journey as adversaries, there is also a mutual respect that turns into amicability.

The ending was completely obvious and not a surprise, but I actually found myself enjoying this book very much.  It was a quick read, and completely entertaining.  I found the descriptions of the food completely engaging, and wished very much for a few recipes at the end of the book, like so many are doing now.  While the book was a bit on the fluffy side, it was a nice departure from heavier reading.  It was definitely a nice change from the usual beach-subject reads, and I would certainly pick up another book by Mark Kay Andrews if the mood struck.

by Gregory Maguire

This book is the sequel to the ever-popular Wicked, which I’d read several months back.  After enjoying Mr. Maguire’s take on different fairy tales, it was fun to read a story about “what happened after”.

This story follows the story of Liir, a lonely recluse, who, after reading Wicked, we assume is the son of Elphaba, but really never have that confirmed 100% for us.  Liir himself doesn’t even really know, and much of this book is about him grappling with the idea that he could be Elphaba’s son, and does that help define who he really is.

The story was interesting, I guess. Liir takes up the cause that Elphaba championed, that of the talking Animals, and attempts to bring them together to stand up to the government of Oz who is trying to do away with Animals altogether and reduce them to being simply animals- beasts of burden and food for humans and such.  Along the way, Liir also pledges to find one of the only friends he ever had, his half-sister, Nor.

When the book begins, I admit that Liir is a bit boring.  He just seems so…detached and unfocused, not really sure who he is or what he wants to be.  But that is what this novel becomes about, it’s about watching Liir grow and turn into the man he will be one day.  It’s a rather fascinating journey, but completely different from the story in Wicked.  I was a little disappointed at first that this book didn’t actually seem like a sequel to Wicked, but after a while, I cam to appreciate and enjoy this completely new story, set in the new-familiar land of Oz.  There were some moments that caught me as unexpected, and then I had to go back and re-read a few pages, but after a while, I really settled in, and this was one of those books that kept me up at night until I’d finished it.

Gregory Maguire is indeed a fantastic storyteller.  I really enjoyed this novel, in the end, and was satisfied that I’d read it.  The conclusion solves the question he had about who he is and where he came from, and we leave the book hoping for the best for young Liir and his strange family he’s built for himself.  I will warn that there are a few adult situations in this book, so if that concerns you, stay away from this book.  Overall though, a few thumbs up here.  I’m looking forward to reading the next Oz installment from Mr. Maguire, A Lion Among Men, where we are told that we get to see the events of Oz through the eyes of the Cowardly Lion, Brrr.

by Lisa Bach

I cannot close 2008 without at least one more post.  My queue of books I’ve read is getting longer and longer, and I just have been procrastinating getting them in.  Maybe over the next few days I’ll take the time to get a few more reviews in here.  I suppose not many people check in here, but that’s okay, this is really for my benefit.  I’ve surprised myself by going back and not remembering that I read some of these…

But to the book at hand.  Her Fork In The Road is actually a collection of stories from women food writers all over the globe.  It’s stories of their travels and explorations, and many of these have been printed before in magazines and journals, but here, they’re collected in one specific place.  What all these stories have in common is that they all reflect food in one way or another.   And oh my, so many of the stories caught me up with their descriptive and personal reflections.  I immediately wanted to find a travel agent and do my own food exploration.

I admit that It’s been a while since I held this book in my hands, but just thinking about it, I’m remembering the story of the woman traveling through the jungle in search of a curry… I don’t even remember what country she was in, but she was looking for a specific village where the curry was extra special, and we finally find the village.  We read about the women who are enclosed in a tiny hot building, stirring curry over a fire, literally pouring their sweat into the curry to give it “that special seasoning”.  The author of this story joins in, adding to the fragrant curry, and we learn that many of the women who made this curry in the past died from lung diseases from breathing in the smoke and curry all day long… the author reflected that this was a meal that people died for- literally, and I remember thinking that it just could not be worth it in any sense.

I remember the story about the hiker, who was hiking over several hundred miles in Nepal (maybe) and didn’t have as much money as she thought, and she talked about surviving on discarded M&M’s and eating dehydrated rations like they were going out of style.

But the stories are so beautifully written and so enchanting.  Food is a universal love language, and I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to just about anyone.  I also think it would make a great gift for a foodie or for a traveler, as this book encompasses both so well.

by Valerie Anand

I am turning into quite the fan of period fiction.  I love stories told in other time periods- I love picturing in my head what it would have been like to walk those streets or be a participant in the customs and traditions.  The House of Lanyon fits right into that genre, but sadly, the book did not live up to my anticipations.

The main characters in this book are the Lanyons.  Richard Lanyon is a hard-working farmer who is bitter about having his rivals be his landlords.  He spends much of his life complaining about the Sweetwaters and is always trying to figure out a way to get out from under them.   While he is trying to figure out how to extract his revenge on some misdeeds done to him, his son Peter comes to him and declares his intention to marry a woman from a fishing village.  Richard has already been brokering a deal for Peter with a woman whose family ties will aid Richard in becoming more self-sufficient.  Richard takes it upon himself to go and see the fishing lass and tell her Peter cannot marry her.  Upon seeing her beauty, Richard decides the best way to prevent the marriage would be to marry her himself.  She resists, and tragedy befalls, and Richard rides off, satisified that the threat to his plan is no longer there.

Peter marries Liza, who as it happens, was also in love with someone else- a young man destined for the cloth, and completely unmarriageable.  Peter and Liza come to an arrangement of sorts and live peaceably as man and wife, but always under the roof and the decisions of Richard who succumbs further and further towards madness each and every day.

I have to say, while I found myself intrigued enough to continue reading the book to the end, the pace was painstakingly slow. Events crept, and so many of the bits and pieces and details just seemed very contrived.   I also thought, as I read this book, that there wasn’t a whole lot about this book that screamed a period novel to me.  The War of The Roses was going on at this time in 15th century England, and while it did get in the book a little bit, so much more could have been done.  I guess overall, this book just lacked some depth, something real to sink your teeth into.  The whole of the book, actually, could have probably been played out in a short story or a novella, but it seemed like pages and pages would just pass by before something happened.  Then something would happen, and then a few more things right on top of that, but then pages and pages of nothingness again.

A disappointment overall.  It was another one of those books that I was happy to finish and return to the library, which is too bad, because the premise had real promise.

by Vikram Seth

The very first thing I have to say about this book is that it is long.  Really, really long.  That being said, I picked up the book from the library and figured that despite its size, I could finish it in a few days.  Oh, how wrong I was.  This book was beautiful from beginning to end, and I would pick up the book and read just a little, then set it down and savor what I had just read.

It really would be difficult to sum up the entire book because there were several story lines, each one interwoven with the others, and at the end, they all tied up as well.  I loved that.  But the story starts in India, where we meet the young woman Lata and her family.  Lata is of marriageable age, and it is time to find her a suitable husband, hence the title of the book.  When she first discovers love it is with a man whom her mother could never give her daughter to, and her heart is subsequently broken.  Mrs. Rupa Mehra is Lata’s mother, and oh, is she a character that one minute you love, and the next minute you hate.  Mrs.  Mehra still mourns the loss of her husband many years ago and is intent on finding Lata a man her father would have chosen himself.   She is a card, and in fact frequently makes and sends her own personal cards and notes to friends and family.

Along with the story of Lata and her family, we also get a story of government.  The book takes place in a time where Pakistan has just been formed, and what remains of India is fragile.  We get a rather in-depth glance at how the Indian government may very well have operated for a time through the eyes of Mahesh Kapoor and his enchanting family.  Also in-twined with the government is the issue of religion.  Muslims and Buddhists have been against each other, and many Muslims flee to Pakistan where they no longer feel religiously persecuted.

There are basically four main families who this story is about, and each family brings something completely different to the table.  They are so intricately woven together, that it does take a while to figure out who belongs to which family.  The beginning of the novel began a little slow, and when the first change of tone occurred it was bothersome to me, but after a while, I picked up on the pace and the rhythm that Vikram Seth was setting forth and I settled in.  AS I mentioned before, I would read this book for a while, and then simply set it down and walk away, and reflect on what I had read- I seldom experience that with a work of fiction.  It wasn’t a matter of setting the book down in disgust, it was a matter of wanting to fully digest what I had read, an intent to savor the experience.  The foreshadowing was also well done.  Sometimes I saw it coming, but sometimes I had to stop reading and flip back a few pages, because I certainly missed that reference before!

This book leapt right up into my favorites.  I am looking forward to reading it again sometime in the future, because I imagine that while the words on the pages may not change, there may be things I will catch a second time through that I didn’t the first time.  All I can say is that if you are any fan of Indian culture, this book is worth all 1500 pages and the time it will take to read them.

by Emma Kraus and Nicola McLaughlin

This was a cute read.  I read it when I was looking to read something that wasn’t deep and this fit the bill perfectly.  The book follows the story of the aptly named “Nan” and her adventures as a nanny for the creme de la creme of New York society.  While a fictional account, it was written by two former nannies, which lead us to believe that this book could be very close to how life actually is for nannies and the well-to-dos.

It was literally jaw-dropping at times as I read some of the things that Mrs. X would demand of Nan.  While she was not a live-in nanny, she might as well have been with all the time she spent with the little boy, Grayer, filling in for Mrs. X who had “things to do.”  Add into all this the elusive Mr. X and his philandering ways, and the story really was quite hilarious at times.  I know I felt for Grayer, and I suspect there was a bit of truth in this fictional story.  How does a nanny not become attached to their young charges?  What happens when a nanny needs to be replaced?  And what happens when the parents never even come home at night?   There was a serious side to this book, but not enough to bog it down or cause the reader to become morose or depressed.

All in all, it really was an enjoyable read, chick-lit all the way, and the perfect thing to read when you don’t want to be preached at.  The tone of the authors was light and fun, and I would easily pick up another book that they wrote together.

by Gilbert Morris

Gilbert Morris is a well known Christian author who usually sets his novels in historic time periods.  I’ver read several of his novels, and have enjoyed each one.  This one was a little different.  This one was a modern day time line, constructed around a movie producer and his film crew.

When the book first opens, we meet Afton Burns, a young lady dealing with the very recent death of her mother in Scotland. As she is grieving, she receives an unexpected phone call from a man claiming to be her father.  He heard of her mother’s death, and was calling to ask her to come visit, give him a chance to be a father to her and get to know him better.  Afton decides to take the chance.  A trip to America couldn’t be that bad- could it?

It isn’t long before Afton is thrown headfirst into the very Un-Christian world of Hollywood.   She ends up assisting her father, and along the way, finds the father that she never knew she had.  As accidents begin to happen on the set of her father’s movie, as well as financing problems, Afton receives the opportunity to share Jesus with those around her.

I enjoyed reading this book-it was a nice evening read, a way to wrap up the day.  However, I found several aspects of the novel to be lacking.  The Hollywood people were so…formulaic and predictable.  The quiet recluse really wasn’t as mysterious as he seemed, and the storyline itself was terribly predictable.  A lot of the dialogue seemed contrived, and I know at the time I was reading this, I thought the moments where Afton discussed her faith just didn’t seem very realistic.   Like I said though, I did enjoy the novel, it was a nice break from some heavier reading I’d been doing.  However, it wasn’t a wow, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend purchasing the book.  If you come across it at the library, it would be worth the time to borrow it.  Definitely a Christian novel with Christian context- so keep that in mind as well.

by Tracy Chevalier

I loved this book.  I won’t even meander about telling you about this book before I come right out and say how much I enjoyed this book.  I absolutely loved the story, and was drawn immediately into young Griet’s world.

Griet is our heroine.  She is a 16-year old girl who is hired out to help support her family.  After a horrific accident, her father can no longer support the family by his trade, so the family does what it can to help- for Griet, it is to become a maid to the Vermeer household.   Johannes Vermeer is a painter by trade, and barely supports his wife, Catharina, as well as his six children and his mother-in-law, the fierce Maria Thins.  Griet quickly adjusts to life in another household, as the elder maid, Tanneke, shows her the ropes and helps her to find her feet.  It isn’t long before Griet is assigned the task of cleaning her master’s painting studio- a room where no one else in the household dare tread without being invited.  Part of Griet’s job is to clean and dust the room without disturbing a thing- even the windows must not be washed at times, as the lighting may affect the master’s paintings.  Griet earns a modest income, but she is at least able to help her family in the only way that she can.

It isn’t long before Vermeer draws Griet into his world of painting, and she begins to help him in the studio.  He comes to depend on her to help mix his precious paints, in addition to keeping his space clean.  Also entwined in her world is a patron of Vermeer’s, Mr. Van Ruijven, who desires Griet for himself, and she does everything in her power to try and avoid the man.  Griet also finds herself being wooed by the young son of a local butcher.  Her parents are eager for this match, as they envision spending the rest of their life being supplied with meat, where meat was a rare treasure for them to enjoy.

Griet is endearing.  She is so well written, that I couldn’t help but be swept away by her world.  The fact that this entire novel is speculation about one painting just makes the story even sweeter.  And after reading this one, I look forward to reading the rest of Tracy Chevalier’s works.

by Amulya Malladi

I picked up this book on the recommendation of a food blogger. This book was actually the choice for a new Food Blogging Book Club where you read a book and prepare a recipe inspired by the book. I haven’t actually made a recipe yet, but I did read the book.

The book begins with Devi, the daughter of Indian immigrants. Devi has recently been downsized, has ended a relationship that shouldn’t have been, and finds her life a complete disappointment and she decided to end her life. She plans carefully her exit from life and goes through with her plan, only to be saved by her meddling mother who finds her just in time. Devi ends up moving in with her parents, but refuses to speak, as speaking will only lead to heartache in her mind. Instead of talking, she begins to communicate through food. She’s never been one to cook, but finds herself in the kitchen, trying to take over her mother’s domain with her own twist on authentic Indian cookery. As the book progresses we become involved in each of her family members lives, and most chapters end with one of Devi’s recipes.

I found myself laughing a lot at this book,which sounds a little morose maybe, given the circumstances of the novel, but it was more than appropriate. This family was written just as that, as a real family that you felt could be your very own, or could be your next door neighbors. More than once I was also moved to tears as the frustrations in Devi’s life came more to the surface. I could feel the magic that she felt as she became frustrated and then turned to cooking to share her feelings. Cooking can be such a tactile and magical experience, I love to get lost in the art of cooking, and this author captured that very spirit, the magic in cooking.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I was rooting for a happy ending for all, and I found myself wishing I was at one of Devi’s dinners more than once. This was a very well-written book, as certain events and moments were foreshadowed, but just barely. It was just enough that as facts were brought to light, I was proud of myself for picking them out of the details previously. That is much more satisfying than the blatant foreshadowing. I enjoyed reading this book, and found myself very vested in Devi and her family. I was sad to reach the ending, although it came quickly as I found it difficult to put this one down.

Definitely recommended reading, I’m labelling it as a foodie read because the cooking and food elements are really visceral and vibrant, and I think anyone who enjoys cooking even a little could relate.

by Massimo Francesco Marcone

Every once in a while in the food world we hear about some crazy food delicacy, and we wonder if it really is a delicacy, or if it’s just strange.  This scientist, Dr. Marcone, thought the same thing, and decided to apply what he knows in science to some of the myths behind the world’s most expensive delicacies.

He starts off with the recent hoopla surrounding Kopi Luwak.  Kopi Luwak is a coffee that is reputed to be the most expensive coffee on earth.  It goes through a special process that cannot be replicated by artificial means.  Just what is that process?  It is partially digested by wild civet cats.  The coffee beans are eaten by the civet cat, and then they are subsequently removed from the scat piles left behind by the civet cats in the wild.  Not something that I would be too excited to try myself.  However, the science behind it is fascinating, and this leads Dr. Marcone to think about other places where civet cats live- specifically, a poorer nation in Africa.  He wonders if the cousin civet cats in Africa do the same thing, and could that be a potential goldmine for the poor people of that country.

After an extensive look into the lives of civet cats and the production of kopi luwak, we are then taken on an adventure to discover the origins of Malaysian birdsnests- yes they are really birdsnests that have been regurgitated from sea birds.  We also get a unique look at something that I’ve only heard of in passing, Argan oil. Argan oil is produced from the nuts of the argon tree in Morocco.  What makes true argan oil so special is that the nuts are first digested by tree-climbing goats.

Perhaps the most disgusting adventure in my mind, was the trip to Italy to discover the origins and the science behind a cheese that is writhing with live maggots.  And yes, the maggots are eaten with the cheese.

As a foodie, I did find this book interesting to read, and I liked hearing about some of the history behind the exotic foods he was eating.  However, I didn’t always care for the tone of the author.  Sometimes he just sounded a little too…egotistical maybe.  Look at me, I’m digging through animal scat looking for coffee beans.  Look at me as I almost get eaten by a lion.  And then we have to hear each of those adventures briefly repeated with each section of the book.  I would have rather heard much more about some of these exotic foods, or about more exotic foods!  I can only guess that maybe he held back a bit so that in the event his book was a success, he could rifle off a second one filled with all-new adventures.

Would I read that second book?  Probably.  I found it interesting enough, and could easily enough roll my eyes at some of the political connotations he worked in.  Do I recommend this book? Meh.  It’s interesting, a bit scientific, but certainly not a gripping or exciting read by any means.  It was a nice book to just pick up from time to time and read a chapter or two.  I would recommend it to anyone interested in science, someone who is interested in the whys behind the way things work.  I don’t think I’d label it as a foodie read though, as most of the things contained here are not things that an everyday foodie is going to come across, it’s more scientific in nature.  However, Dr. Marcone has a great sense of adventure and humor, and puts in enough fun things to keep it light and engaging.

by Kent Haruf

I think this is one of those books that got a lot of buzz when it came out.  Maybe it was part of the Oprah book club at one time, I don’t know, but I do know that I didn’t read it when it was being buzzed.

Part of me thinks I should have left it that way.

This is one of those novels about intersection, we meet several people, and eventually their lives all begin to intersect in ways they never expected possible.  We first meet Tom Guthrie and his two boys, his wife has been depressed or something…she won’t get out of bed, and the family tiptoes around her until she decides it’s time to change the way things are.   We also meet Victoria, a 17 year old girl who finds herself newly pregnant and kicked out of her mother’s home.  Then we meet the McPheron brothers, to elderly men who have lived and farmed together their entire lives.  The one person that all these people have in common is a woman named Maggie, and she becomes the tie that binds all these people together.

This novel was just engaging enough to keep me turning the pages, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly great, and I don’t know that I’d totally recommend reading it.  Maybe as a beach book, something ro read while you’re waiting for the “must read” to become available at the library.  Much of this book was predictable, which I guess tells you that the foreshadowing was well-done.   I loved reading the interactions the McPheron brothers had with people, they just seemed like two old men that anyone would be lucky to have in their lives. In the same way, each character in this book had just enough about them that you were rooting for their problems to go away in the end.  I wanted resolution for all of them, and for the most part, I did get that by the end of the novel.

Overall, a so-so read.  I wouldn’t call it a great book, but it was very well written.  So if great writing is what engages you in a book, this may be the book for you.  If a fantastic plot and storyline are what grab you, this isn’t it.  But maybe give it a few chapters to see for yourself.

by John Shors

I’ve decided that I love reading historical fiction. Especially historical fiction set in a country that I love learning about. And this was just such a book. Beneath A Marble Sky is one idea of how the Taj Mahal came into being. The story behind the Taj Mahal is that the Shah Jahan had the Taj Mahal commissioned in memory of the great love he had for his wife. This particular version of the story is told through the eyes of the Shah’s eldest daughter, Jahanara. Jahanara tells this beautiful tale of love in such a way…it completely captures the idea of love.

But this was much more than just a love story. It’s also a story of family and betrayal and it also has intrigue and plotting throughout. After the death of her mother, Jahanara becomes an advisor to her father, filling in her mothers place as best as she can. Also involved are her brothers, Dara and Aurangzeb. Dara is mild mannered and a bookish young man who is the rightful heir to the throne as the eldest male in line. Aurangzeb is a warrior. He is strong and tactical and leads the countries military on successful battle after successful battle. And Aurangzeb wants the throne. He wants it badly enough to kill several of their other siblings, and eventually comes after Jahanara and Dara, as well as the Shah Jahan.

Also tied neatly into the story as a whole is Jahanara’s own story of love. Jahanara accepts her parents match for her with no questions asked. She has seen love through their example, and hopes that with time, love will come to her marriage. Alas, her marriage is nothing more and a tool for her husband. He married her to gain favor and status, with the hopes that she will produce him an heir where all his prior wives have failed him. Jahanara’s marriage is not at all what she wanted, and turns to her father for help. He does his best for the daughter he loves in just another way he tries to honor the love he had with his beloved Mumtaz Mahal.

This really was a beautiful book. It captured the beauty of India, and really gave me a glimpse of what life may have been like for this royal family. When you think of royal families in history, you think of how wonderful it must have been to be royal, and be a princess, but this is one of those books that shows the reality. The danger one must be in all the time, knowing that there are plots to assassinate and try and take over the throne. It wasn’t just the king or leader in danger, but the whole family, and any supporters as well.

I most definitely recommend this book. It is a wonderful glimpse into history, as well as a great book that I simply couldn’t put down.