Tag Archives for book

Fall reads

Now that the weather is cooling, I’ve been going through my e-reader and bookshelf to find some good fall reads. And the reality is that I’m a bit lean on good books I haven’t read yet, so I’ve been making a list of books I’ve been meaning to check out. I’m in the mood for thought-provoking nonfiction, juicy historical fiction, and a bit of mystery and adventure with elements of fantasy.

The Elementals by Francesca Lia Block

This book just came out today so I’m not late on getting this one (although I should have pre-ordered it). FLB has been one of my all time favorite writers for well over a decade by now, and I always look forward to her new books. I’ve heard this one is quite a mystery so it sounds like an intriguing story just in time for Halloween.

Lord of Souls by Greg Keyes

As I posted over the weekend, I just got this book from my boyfriend. It’s the sequel to The Infernal City, the first of the two Elder Scrolls books. I love that there are books based off of my favorite video game franchise, and these books are so interesting that I think even people who have never played the ES games would enjoy them. They aren’t super dense like other books based off of games, but incorporate a lot of the great lore while still creating an approachable story.

Joseph Anton by Salmon Rushdie

As an undergraduate student, much of my research was focused on literature pertaining to the culture/current events of the Middle East. Given that Rushdie was profoundly impacted by the backlash against his writing, and received a death sentence because of it, this is a book I’ve been anticipating for a while. As a writer, it’s important to me to know the struggles writers face in the fight to protect free speech. Plus, Rushdie is a beautiful writer so this should be a good read.

Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier

This book has been out for a while but I love any story set in 18th century London with real historical figures in the mix. Chevalier has written several books I love immensely, and I have yet to read a book of hers I didn’t love. She has a couple more I’ve missed over the past few years, so I’m hoping this one will get me back into her work.

Currently reading: Flight from Berlin

After finishing Anna Karenina–which I loved immensely, by the way (can’t wait for the movie)–I was definitely craving more historical fiction. I especially wanted WWII historical fiction–something juicy and compelling, but with some accurate historical context. I was at Barnes & Noble when this book called Flight from Berlin by David John caught my eye.

The synopsis:

August 1936: The eyes of the world are on Berlin, where Adolf Hitler is using the Olympic Games to showcase his powerful new regime. Cynical British journalist Richard Denham knows that the carefully staged spectacle masks the Nazis’ ruthless brutality, and he’s determined to report the truth.

Sparks fly when the seasoned newspaperman meets the beautiful and rebellious American socialite Eleanor Emerson. A superb athlete whose brash behavior got her expelled from the U.S. Olympic swim team, Eleanor is now covering the games as a celebrity columnist for newspapers in the States. While Berlin welcomes the world, the Nazi capital becomes a terrifying place for Richard and Eleanor. Their chance encounter at a reception thrown by propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels leads them into the center of a treacherous game involving the Gestapo and the British Secret Intelligence Service. At stake: a mysterious dossier that threatens to destroy the leadership of the Third Reich.

Drawn together by danger and passion, surrounded by enemies, Richard and Eleanor must pull off a daring plan to survive. But one wrong move could be their last.

This book was released in July, so it’s only been on shelves for a little over a month. This is the author’s debut novel, and I always love reading new work by new writers.

The review on the back of the book says, “Lovers of historical thrillers, World War II stories, athletic history and espionage novels will be mesmerized by this offering.” I think that is what sealed the deal for me.

And holy cow, this is a really good book. The two main characters are complex but relatable, and the book is written in a very approachable, clean, and matter-of-fact style. The story is rooted deeply in history of that time, and historical figures make frequent cameos. I enjoy the relationship between the protagonists, but I am also very interested in the world John has established, particularly how the Nazi party fought to gain control of Europe and the lengths it took to silence people who spoke against it.

I’ll admit that I’ve had a really hard time getting into books this year. I’ve always been a voracious, insatiable reader–it’s what has driven my passions and career choices. But I just wasn’t connecting with anything I was reading. Anna Karenina was a great read, but it was a slower reading experience than I’m used to because of the length and writing style of the book.

I will probably finish this book tonight because I could barely put it down, and I’m pretty sad about finishing it. But it just feels good to be in the middle of a thought-provoking but engaging book. Now I’m just trying to decide what to read next. I keep seeing a book called Istanbul Passage pop up as a related read, so I might check that out next.

Currently reading: Anna Karenina

Remember that post I wrote a while ago about the books I was reading and going to read? Well, I’m not really following that, since it’s hard for me to get into books I’m not in the mood for. And I guess lately my mood has been classical Russian literature. I’ve had Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy on my shelf for a couple of years now but never read it, and I thought reading something new was a better option than rereading my favorite Russian book Doctor Zhivago for the millionth time.

And I’m definitely loving it. I find old Russia to be really romantic, and this story is so richly written with interesting characters. I like love stories in the midst of class warfare. My favorite passage so far:

“It’s too much for me,” responded Levin. “Do try and put yourself in my place, take the point of view of a country person. We in the country try to have our hands in such condition as will be most convenient for working with. So we cut our nails; sometimes we turn up our sleeves. And here people let their nails grow as long as they will, and put on small saucers for cuffs links, so that they can do nothing with their hands.”

Stepan Arkadyevich smiled gaily.

“Oh, yes, that’s just a sign that he has no need to do course work. His work is with the mind…”

“Maybe. But it’s still strange to me, just as at this moment it seems strange to me that we country folks try to get our meals over as soon as we can so as to be ready for our work,while here we are trying to drag out our meals as long as possible, and with that object eating oysters…”

“Why, of course,” objected Stepan Arkadyevich. “But that’s just the aim of civilization–to make everything a source of enjoyment.”

“Well, if that it’s aim, I’d rather be a savage.”

There is an amazing miniseries based on Doctor Zhivago featuring Keira Knightley and Hans Matheson as Lara and Yuri, so I wanted to see if there was a good Anna Karenina miniseries made by BBC or Masterpiece Classics. And, lo and behold, there is a movie version of AK coming out this year starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Johnson and Kelly Macdonald, all whom I love immensely. So I’m pretty excited. And I find it pretty coincidental that I just started reading it and there’s a new movie coming out soon.

Now I’m debating what to read next. War and Peace?

Summer reads

My friend, fellow Ashley and neighbor, blogs over at Writing. Love. Magic and wrote today about her summer reading list. I used to be a hardcore bookworm, but as a journalist and grad student in the whirlwind of research, everything I read now is generally academic or news writing. I try to incorporate some good fiction in when I can. I figure having an English degree kind of forces me to appreciate literature whenever I can. ;)

For some reason, I’ve been navigating toward young adult reads this summer. I think my brain is too tired to handle complex adult books. As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been rereading one of my all time favorite books, Ecstasia by Francesca Lia Block. Whenever I reread it, I have such vivid memories of reading it for the first time and being in awe of how beautifully written it was. If you like poetic prose and urban mythology, I suggest checking it out, along with all of her other works. I think there was only one book of hers I didn’t like, but for the most part, I’m obsessed.

I’ve been making my way through the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. I’m on #3, Specials. As a lifelong dystopian/post-apocalyptic fan, I figured I might as well read them. I enjoy them, but sometimes I feel like I’m too old for them. I’m a big supporter of the importance of young adult literature, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be critiqued with the same standards as adult literature. I like a lot of the ideas in these books, but I’ve had a hard time warming up to many of the characters, which makes it hard for me to be invested in the story.

Ready Player One was recommended to me by several of my friends, and it sounds like a must-read for geeks, so I got the e-book and will read it soon. Blood Red Road reminds me instantly of Resident Evil: Extinction (the cover look exactly the same as the movie poster). It’s YA, but I still have high hopes for it. If anything it sounds like a fun post-apocalyptic read, which I am always in the mood for. The Electric Michelangelo by Sarah Hall has been a to-read for a long time, ever since I read Hall’s incredible dystopian book Daughters of the North (also titled The Carhullan Army in the UK, I believe). She’s an amazing writer and I’m looking forward to exploring more of her work. Lastly, I’ve been wanting to read short story anthology Battleborn by Nevada writer Claire Vaye Watkins ever since we reviewed her book at work. It’s been receiving great reviews, and I love to read great writing about my state, and it’s always nice to see local writers get national attention (she’s also an alum of my university).

What are you reading? Got any recommendations? If you’re a Goodreads user, feel free to add me!

Book Review | A Feast of Ice & Fire

I was so excited when one of my favorite blogs, Inn at the Crossroads, announced that they were releasing a cookbook called A Feast of Ice & Fire: The Official Companion Cookbook for the Song of Ice and Fire book series, by George R. R. Martin (on which the popular HBO show Game of Thrones is based). It just so happened that their book was released right in time for Epic Fantasy Weekend 2012, so today during our Game of Thrones season 2 marathon, I tried out a few of the recipes. What better way to review a cookbook than by making its recipes, right?

In short: I can’t speak highly enough about this book. I’m not much of a chef–I generally stick to simple dishes with veggies and a bit of meat, and I rarely follow recipes. I’m also a terrible baker. But this book inspires me to research the food I enjoy, to think of it in the context of my favorite stories, and to get a bit creative with it on a regular basis. I sat down and read the book in its entirety over the weekend–it’s more than just a cookbook, it’s a book about history and literature. Well-written, funny, and sincere, this book is a great guide to Medieval cooking, and adapting it for the modern era. Plus, it’s beautifully designed, with great photographs.

While looking for recipes to make, I wanted something I could make with ingredients I already had around the house so I didn’t have to go shopping. This means that I had to adapt a few things here and there, but for the most part, I stayed true to the foods. I also made only Medieval recipes, not the modern ones (although I plan to try some of those soon too).

The menu:

  • Honey biscuits
  • Iced Milk with Honey
  • Onions in Gravy

Also on menu but not with recipes from the book:

  • Hashbrowns
  • Beef breakfast steaks
  • Hard-boiled eggs

Honey biscuits

I like these because they required no eggs or any baking–just mix it all together and fry it on a pan.

You’ll need:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tspn salt
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Cold water
  • Olive oil or unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

I used wheat flour instead of bleached, and also opted for powdered cinnamon instead of ground, but I think ground would have been better.

I’m not much of a fan of wheat flour, but I rarely bake, so I keep it around the house just in case I need something for gravy or sauce. As a result, the biscuits were a bit on the blander side, but I think the original recipe would have been much better. Overall though, I enjoyed these as a simple and not overly sweet treat, and I’d like to make them again but add new ingredients like fruit or other spices.

Iced Milk with Honey

You’ll need:

  • Ice
  • Milk of your choosing (the recipe recommends whole or part-skim, but I used almond)
  • Honey
  • Cinnamon
Similar to the other recipe, mix the ingredients together, I started with the milk, and added honey, and then ice, with cinnamon on top. The recipe recommends chilling it for an hour.

I thought this would pair well with the biscuits, and it did. I used original almond milk and powered cinnamon, and this drink kind of reminds me of chai, one of my favorite drinks ever. I found it refreshing and the honey paired well with the biscuits.

You’ll notice how the honey sunk to the bottom, and I did not chill the drink enough so it separated quickly. My boyfriend recommended blending it, too, for a fun twist.

We were still hungry after our snack, so I decided to just make breakfast. Based on the ingredients I had at home, I had a go at the onions in gravy, which is in “The North” part of the book. I always identified with Winterfell and the Night’s Watch, and the food of the North matches my taste more than any other region. To make this into a proper breakfast, I also cooked some potatoes, steak and hard-boiled eggs. I’m calling this the “Woman of the Wall Breakfast,” since I would totally join the Night’s Watch.

This recipe was delicious. I love onions, and I love gravy, and I thought it made for a hearty breakfast food. The onions remain crunchy but the flavor is highlighted by the presence of apple cider and butter. Beef broth was the only thing I didn’t have, so I used a bit of salt water to compromise. Beef broth would help make this a great side dish for cold nights, but even in the summer, it was very good.

Even though these are some of the more simpler recipes in the book, cooking them while watching the show made me feel a part of the world in a completely new way. This cookbook is a must for any fantasy lover, even if you’re not familiar with A Song of Ice and Fire. In the meantime, also check out the website and browse the many other wonderful recipes. And let them know what you think!