THE LIVING END : A MEMOIR OF FORGETTING AND FORGIVING
by Robert Leleux
JoAnn Wilson was a true Southern belle with an acid tongue. She didn't put up with any nonsense and was devoted to her grandson, Robert. He lived with his grandparents, on and off, and thought the world of them. His mother, Jessica (nee Kathleen), never got along with JoAnn and always felt unloved. She had her own issues.
When JoAnn began exhibiting signs of Alzheimer's, Robert was there for her. JoAnn's personality changed and all of her harshness disappeared. Jessica got her mother back but it became a role reversal. What began as a very dysfunctional family was unified as the disease progressed.
Robert Leleux is one very talented writer. His previous book Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy certainly kept me laughing. The Living End has some funny moments but the way he writes is definitely thought provoking. Leleux so loved his grandmother and this book is a great tribute to her. His prose is beautiful.
Recommended.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
THE LONGEST WINTER : SCOTT'S OTHER HEROES
by Meredith Hooper
When Captain Robert Falcon Scott set off for his infamous British Antarctic Expedition in November 1910 from New Zealand, fifty-nine people were with him on his ship. Thirty-one of the men were part of the shore party which was then separated into two divisions: Eastern and Western.
There were six members of the Eastern party and their objective was to explore and do science: geology, meteorology, etc. Scott's aim was to reach the South Pole. When the six men (three officers and three seamen) said their good-byes to Scott, they had no idea that they would never see him again. They survived but he didn't.
There's been tons of books written about Scott with both accolades and severe criticism. Having read most of them, I never knew about the other expedition until now. What these six men went through existing together first in a hut, then tents, and then a man-made ice-cave (which they dug) is truly remarkable. Although one man, Campbell, was the leader, they all learned to support one another and the lines of authority dissolved. Their suffering united them.
They are the true heroes.
Meredith Hooper has written an outstanding story based on diaries, journals, and letters of the men on the expedition. She actually visited the locations where the men were. Hooper is quite an authority on the Antarctic having lived and worked there for fifteen years.
A tremendous read.
Highly recommended.
by Meredith Hooper
When Captain Robert Falcon Scott set off for his infamous British Antarctic Expedition in November 1910 from New Zealand, fifty-nine people were with him on his ship. Thirty-one of the men were part of the shore party which was then separated into two divisions: Eastern and Western.
There were six members of the Eastern party and their objective was to explore and do science: geology, meteorology, etc. Scott's aim was to reach the South Pole. When the six men (three officers and three seamen) said their good-byes to Scott, they had no idea that they would never see him again. They survived but he didn't.
There's been tons of books written about Scott with both accolades and severe criticism. Having read most of them, I never knew about the other expedition until now. What these six men went through existing together first in a hut, then tents, and then a man-made ice-cave (which they dug) is truly remarkable. Although one man, Campbell, was the leader, they all learned to support one another and the lines of authority dissolved. Their suffering united them.
They are the true heroes.
Meredith Hooper has written an outstanding story based on diaries, journals, and letters of the men on the expedition. She actually visited the locations where the men were. Hooper is quite an authority on the Antarctic having lived and worked there for fifteen years.
A tremendous read.
Highly recommended.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
SISTER QUEENS : THE NOBLE, TRAGIC LIVES OF KATHERINE OF ARAGON AND JUANA, QUEEN OF CASTILE
by Julia Fox
When Ferdinand and Isabella, of Spain, got married, it was considered a convenient match. Ferdinand was from Aragon and Isabella from Castile. If they could join their lands together, the mutual support would be tremendous. Queen Isabella was extremely devout (they were both known as the Catholic Monarchs) and she was committed to serving Spain and to God. These ideals would be instilled within their daughters Katherine and Juana. As the girls grew up, their parents would negotiate their marriages. As France was the enemy of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella selected the appropriate husbands for them. England was Spain's ally so Katherine would marry Prince Arthur, the elder son of King Henry VII and then she, herself, would become queen. Juana would marry Philip of Burgundy, a country that made France uneasy. So, the two sisters became political pawns just to further Spain's interests. One month after Katherine's marriage, Arthur died but his brother Henry took his place and it was a passionate, loving relationship between the two of them. But as Katherine did not bear a son, who would be an heir, only a daughter, Mary I, the love that Henry III lavished on his wife soon evaporated and he wanted a divorce. Katherine fought him hoping that he would change his mind. Of course, Henry had affairs while married, one of which produced an illegitimate son. When Anne Boleyn appeared at court, Henry went after her. She refused to become his mistress and only wanted to be his wife. Anne promised him a son. While Anne was pursued, Katherine was discarded by Henry. Only her deep faith and fortitude kept her above water.
Juana had no trouble in the procreation department. She bore six children two of which were sons. This marriage was also strong in the beginning but then Philip wanted to govern her lands and didn't think she was capable because she was female and, he thought, eccentric. He took away all of her rights and she became a prisoner. Then, Philip died and Juana's father, Ferdinand, took over as her jailor. When Ferdinand died, her son, Charles V, continued her imprisonment. Her own family were her opponents and they propagated the myth that Juana could never rule because she was insane.
Sister Queens is a terrific story of treachery, deceit, and cruelty that were thrown upon two women all because they weren't up to the standards that the men around them wanted.
Author Julia Fox presents everything in such wonderful prose that if you weren't that interested in history, you are now. The book is quite absorbing and even though there's plenty of detail, what you read is absolutely fascinating. Katherine and Juana put up with plenty of crap and yet rose above all of their hardships. Previous books have portrayed these two women as scorned and weak but the opposite is true as Fox reveals them to be resilient, gracious, and strong.
Highly recommended.
by Julia Fox
When Ferdinand and Isabella, of Spain, got married, it was considered a convenient match. Ferdinand was from Aragon and Isabella from Castile. If they could join their lands together, the mutual support would be tremendous. Queen Isabella was extremely devout (they were both known as the Catholic Monarchs) and she was committed to serving Spain and to God. These ideals would be instilled within their daughters Katherine and Juana. As the girls grew up, their parents would negotiate their marriages. As France was the enemy of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella selected the appropriate husbands for them. England was Spain's ally so Katherine would marry Prince Arthur, the elder son of King Henry VII and then she, herself, would become queen. Juana would marry Philip of Burgundy, a country that made France uneasy. So, the two sisters became political pawns just to further Spain's interests. One month after Katherine's marriage, Arthur died but his brother Henry took his place and it was a passionate, loving relationship between the two of them. But as Katherine did not bear a son, who would be an heir, only a daughter, Mary I, the love that Henry III lavished on his wife soon evaporated and he wanted a divorce. Katherine fought him hoping that he would change his mind. Of course, Henry had affairs while married, one of which produced an illegitimate son. When Anne Boleyn appeared at court, Henry went after her. She refused to become his mistress and only wanted to be his wife. Anne promised him a son. While Anne was pursued, Katherine was discarded by Henry. Only her deep faith and fortitude kept her above water.
Juana had no trouble in the procreation department. She bore six children two of which were sons. This marriage was also strong in the beginning but then Philip wanted to govern her lands and didn't think she was capable because she was female and, he thought, eccentric. He took away all of her rights and she became a prisoner. Then, Philip died and Juana's father, Ferdinand, took over as her jailor. When Ferdinand died, her son, Charles V, continued her imprisonment. Her own family were her opponents and they propagated the myth that Juana could never rule because she was insane.
Sister Queens is a terrific story of treachery, deceit, and cruelty that were thrown upon two women all because they weren't up to the standards that the men around them wanted.
Author Julia Fox presents everything in such wonderful prose that if you weren't that interested in history, you are now. The book is quite absorbing and even though there's plenty of detail, what you read is absolutely fascinating. Katherine and Juana put up with plenty of crap and yet rose above all of their hardships. Previous books have portrayed these two women as scorned and weak but the opposite is true as Fox reveals them to be resilient, gracious, and strong.
Highly recommended.
Monday, February 6, 2012
THE ICE BALLOON : S. A. ANDREE AND THE HEROIC AGE OF ARCTIC EXPLORATION
by Alec Wilkinson
For some reason, the North Pole has always been an enigma for explorers. Why anyone would want to venture to a place that is made up of solid ice, freeze in below zero temperatures, worry about whether you're going to survive or not (many died) doesn't sound so tempting to me.
Between the fifteenth century and the nineteenth century, 135 expeditions (mostly from Europe) went to the Arctic. They all thought that they would see what nobody else had seen.
S. A. Andree was a Swedish aeronaut who, in 1897, decided to do something completely different from the other adventurers. His idea was to fly to the North Pole in a hydrogen balloon. The planning would take two years. He would be accompanied by two young men. Newspapers all over the world wrote about his departure.
Andree figured that he would arrive at the pole in forty-three hours. Wishful thinking.
In The Ice Balloon Alec Wilkinson not only delves into what made Andree tick and his whole background but also writes about other Arctic explorations. These accounts give you an idea of why these men dared to go in the first place.
Wilkinson's prose is lovely. One chapter, in particular, just talked about all of the different names for types of ice. Some examples: Ice attached to the shore was land ice. Ice that didn't move with the tides was an ice foot. New ice was called young ice.
Throughout the book are black-and-white photographs of Andree, his balloon, the men who accompanied him and other explorations.
This is a great story by a terrific writer.
Recommended.
by Alec Wilkinson
For some reason, the North Pole has always been an enigma for explorers. Why anyone would want to venture to a place that is made up of solid ice, freeze in below zero temperatures, worry about whether you're going to survive or not (many died) doesn't sound so tempting to me.
Between the fifteenth century and the nineteenth century, 135 expeditions (mostly from Europe) went to the Arctic. They all thought that they would see what nobody else had seen.
S. A. Andree was a Swedish aeronaut who, in 1897, decided to do something completely different from the other adventurers. His idea was to fly to the North Pole in a hydrogen balloon. The planning would take two years. He would be accompanied by two young men. Newspapers all over the world wrote about his departure.
Andree figured that he would arrive at the pole in forty-three hours. Wishful thinking.
In The Ice Balloon Alec Wilkinson not only delves into what made Andree tick and his whole background but also writes about other Arctic explorations. These accounts give you an idea of why these men dared to go in the first place.
Wilkinson's prose is lovely. One chapter, in particular, just talked about all of the different names for types of ice. Some examples: Ice attached to the shore was land ice. Ice that didn't move with the tides was an ice foot. New ice was called young ice.
Throughout the book are black-and-white photographs of Andree, his balloon, the men who accompanied him and other explorations.
This is a great story by a terrific writer.
Recommended.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
TOLSTOY : A RUSSIAN LIFE
by Rosamund Bartlett
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy lived many Russian lives for eighty-two years. He was not only considered to be one of the world's greatest writers, but he also influenced the people of Russia with his unconventional ideas about literature, art, education, religion, society, and government.
Tolstoy was born into the privileged class, had foreign tutors and was waited on by serfs. At nineteen, he became a wealthy landowner and then squandered his inheritance. Whole villages had to be sold to pay off his debts. Then Tolstoy went into the army and that is where his writing began to surface. At first, he was embraced by fellow colleagues but when Tolstoy refused to join any kind of literary organization, they avoided him. Soon enough, he aligned himself with the intelligentsia and then began to feel guilty with his previous superiority over the peasants. One way he felt that he could help them was through education. Tolstoy started many schools to teach the children how to read and write. He would become the spokesperson for the impoverished peasants and dress as one himself.
His next venture was to become an apostle of Christian teaching (he read all of the original sources and then basically rewrote them with his own beliefs). He would castigate the Russian Orthodox Church (they would excommunicate him) and then the monarchy. They were powerless in their efforts to stop him.
Tolstoy had quite a following and he was revered by thousands. But, even though he tried to lead a life of piety, he was a contradiction. His family was less than enthralled with all of his doings. Tolstoy had thirteen children with his wife, Sofya (also called Sonya). His daughters were devoted to him but the sons did the opposite of what he preached. Sonya bore the brunt of everything and Tolstoy treated her pretty badly. (He didn't think highly of women.) When he wrote War and Peace, their marriage was the happiest. Anna Karenina took him thirty years to write and the marriage deteriorated. His ego always got in the way yet to those outside of the family, he could do no wrong.
What a masterful biography! Rosamund Bartlett has written quite an in-depth portrait of a huge subject. The amount of information that is packed into this heavy book (454 pages) is astounding. She is very familiar with the material and knows how to create text that is immensely readable. Bartlett is an authority on Russian cultural history (she also wrote a biography on Chekhov) and is working on a translation of Anna Karenina.
If you love Russian history and know nothing about Tolstoy, this is the definitive book to read.
Highly recommended.
by Rosamund Bartlett
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy lived many Russian lives for eighty-two years. He was not only considered to be one of the world's greatest writers, but he also influenced the people of Russia with his unconventional ideas about literature, art, education, religion, society, and government.
Tolstoy was born into the privileged class, had foreign tutors and was waited on by serfs. At nineteen, he became a wealthy landowner and then squandered his inheritance. Whole villages had to be sold to pay off his debts. Then Tolstoy went into the army and that is where his writing began to surface. At first, he was embraced by fellow colleagues but when Tolstoy refused to join any kind of literary organization, they avoided him. Soon enough, he aligned himself with the intelligentsia and then began to feel guilty with his previous superiority over the peasants. One way he felt that he could help them was through education. Tolstoy started many schools to teach the children how to read and write. He would become the spokesperson for the impoverished peasants and dress as one himself.
His next venture was to become an apostle of Christian teaching (he read all of the original sources and then basically rewrote them with his own beliefs). He would castigate the Russian Orthodox Church (they would excommunicate him) and then the monarchy. They were powerless in their efforts to stop him.
Tolstoy had quite a following and he was revered by thousands. But, even though he tried to lead a life of piety, he was a contradiction. His family was less than enthralled with all of his doings. Tolstoy had thirteen children with his wife, Sofya (also called Sonya). His daughters were devoted to him but the sons did the opposite of what he preached. Sonya bore the brunt of everything and Tolstoy treated her pretty badly. (He didn't think highly of women.) When he wrote War and Peace, their marriage was the happiest. Anna Karenina took him thirty years to write and the marriage deteriorated. His ego always got in the way yet to those outside of the family, he could do no wrong.
What a masterful biography! Rosamund Bartlett has written quite an in-depth portrait of a huge subject. The amount of information that is packed into this heavy book (454 pages) is astounding. She is very familiar with the material and knows how to create text that is immensely readable. Bartlett is an authority on Russian cultural history (she also wrote a biography on Chekhov) and is working on a translation of Anna Karenina.
If you love Russian history and know nothing about Tolstoy, this is the definitive book to read.
Highly recommended.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
MAMAN'S HOMESICK PIE : A PERSIAN HEART IN AN AMERICAN KITCHEN
by Donia Bijan
Coming from a family where food embraces their heritage, Donia Bijan knew by the age of five that she wanted to be a chef. The kitchen door was always open and Donia would watch her mother create these incredible feasts. Soon enough, as she got a little older, Donia was doing tasks to help out with the food preparation. This was no ordinary home, though. The Bijans lived on the top floor of a hospital in Tehran (Donia's father built the place himself). Both of the parents were in the medical field: he, an obstetrician and she, a nurse and midwife. All of the meals were prepared by Donia's mother and their cook, using what was grown in their garden or bought fresh from the market. In due course, this unusual lifestyle would come to an abrupt halt.
The summer of 1978, the entire family went to Spain for a vacation. In their tiny apartment, Donia's mother whipped up fabulous meals. They never went out to eat because Donia's father didn't trust restaurants. Instead of going to the usual tourist attractions, he would rather forage for the best places to buy local ingredients. During their idyll in Majorca, the uncle called and told them not to return to Iran. The revolution had begun.
By this time, Donia took leave of her family and went off to a private school in Michigan to study. Being a foreigner was a difficult enough adjustment but the food was a whole different entity.
A few years later, she went to college in California and reunited with her parents. Her mother's cooking brought her back to her roots. Donia would go off to Paris in 1984 and attend the Cordon Bleu (she studied under Madame Brassart who had made Julia Child so miserable back in 1949). After graduating, she apprenticed in France at three-star kitchens. She knew that she wanted to have her own restaurant and it finally came to fruition when she opened L'Amie Donia in San Francisco.
Maman's Homesick Pie is such a delight to read. Donia's writing style is fluid and she seamlessly weaves everything that happens to her, effortlessly. It's truly charming, honest and savory. At the end of every chapter are a couple of recipes. If you're up to it, challenge yourself. This is not the typical food you are used to seeing. Her cuisine is a fusion of French and Persian, so for many of the ingredients, you would have to shop in specialty stores.
A mouth-watering gem.
Recommended.
by Donia Bijan
Coming from a family where food embraces their heritage, Donia Bijan knew by the age of five that she wanted to be a chef. The kitchen door was always open and Donia would watch her mother create these incredible feasts. Soon enough, as she got a little older, Donia was doing tasks to help out with the food preparation. This was no ordinary home, though. The Bijans lived on the top floor of a hospital in Tehran (Donia's father built the place himself). Both of the parents were in the medical field: he, an obstetrician and she, a nurse and midwife. All of the meals were prepared by Donia's mother and their cook, using what was grown in their garden or bought fresh from the market. In due course, this unusual lifestyle would come to an abrupt halt.
The summer of 1978, the entire family went to Spain for a vacation. In their tiny apartment, Donia's mother whipped up fabulous meals. They never went out to eat because Donia's father didn't trust restaurants. Instead of going to the usual tourist attractions, he would rather forage for the best places to buy local ingredients. During their idyll in Majorca, the uncle called and told them not to return to Iran. The revolution had begun.
By this time, Donia took leave of her family and went off to a private school in Michigan to study. Being a foreigner was a difficult enough adjustment but the food was a whole different entity.
A few years later, she went to college in California and reunited with her parents. Her mother's cooking brought her back to her roots. Donia would go off to Paris in 1984 and attend the Cordon Bleu (she studied under Madame Brassart who had made Julia Child so miserable back in 1949). After graduating, she apprenticed in France at three-star kitchens. She knew that she wanted to have her own restaurant and it finally came to fruition when she opened L'Amie Donia in San Francisco.
Maman's Homesick Pie is such a delight to read. Donia's writing style is fluid and she seamlessly weaves everything that happens to her, effortlessly. It's truly charming, honest and savory. At the end of every chapter are a couple of recipes. If you're up to it, challenge yourself. This is not the typical food you are used to seeing. Her cuisine is a fusion of French and Persian, so for many of the ingredients, you would have to shop in specialty stores.
A mouth-watering gem.
Recommended.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
THE KING OF VODKA : THE STORY OF PYOTR SMIRNOV AND THE UPHEAVAL OF AN EMPIRE
by Linda Himelstein
The Russian word for vodka is voda, which means water and before it became the national beverage in Russia, it was used for other purposes. Back in the 1500s, vodka was a disinfectant for wounds and could be massaged into the back and chest. Soon enough, though, more people were drinking it especially if they needed something to calm them down. (It was actually given to women in labor.) The Russian monarchy encouraged the imbibing of vodka because it increased the revenue for them (they controlled its economy).
There were many vodka retailers during the 1880s but only one led the way and made him very wealthy. His bottles would grace the tables of royalty from the Russian tsar to other countries in Europe. Pretty outstanding for an ex-serf.
Peter Arsenievich Smirnov was born into poverty; his parents were basically slaves working on a farm and tending the fields of their landowner. Everything that they earned they had to share with their master. It was certainly not the kind of life that any of them wanted forever and Pyotr's uncle would be the first family member to gain his freedom. Grigoriy had the idea of opening up a drinking establishment near Moscow. In no time at all, he was successful and his status changed from serf to trading peasant. Soon he had many pubs, a brewery and a wine cellar. It was into this environment that Pyotr arrived and learned everything from the ground up. His stamina, determination, aggressiveness and great business sense would spiral him upwards to an incredible legacy.
The King of Vodka is a terrific book. Linda Himelstein brings you right to the world of nineteenth-century Russia where you learn about how vodka was produced (Smirnov had different varieties such as fruit-flavored drinks), the monopolization of the trade, the enforcement of sobriety pushed by Chekhov and Tolstoy, what happened to the brand during and after the Russian revolution, and the Smirnov family's involvement.
Himelstein's quite diligent research is very good and and she certainly knows how to tell a fascinating tale.
Recommended.
by Linda Himelstein
The Russian word for vodka is voda, which means water and before it became the national beverage in Russia, it was used for other purposes. Back in the 1500s, vodka was a disinfectant for wounds and could be massaged into the back and chest. Soon enough, though, more people were drinking it especially if they needed something to calm them down. (It was actually given to women in labor.) The Russian monarchy encouraged the imbibing of vodka because it increased the revenue for them (they controlled its economy).
There were many vodka retailers during the 1880s but only one led the way and made him very wealthy. His bottles would grace the tables of royalty from the Russian tsar to other countries in Europe. Pretty outstanding for an ex-serf.
Peter Arsenievich Smirnov was born into poverty; his parents were basically slaves working on a farm and tending the fields of their landowner. Everything that they earned they had to share with their master. It was certainly not the kind of life that any of them wanted forever and Pyotr's uncle would be the first family member to gain his freedom. Grigoriy had the idea of opening up a drinking establishment near Moscow. In no time at all, he was successful and his status changed from serf to trading peasant. Soon he had many pubs, a brewery and a wine cellar. It was into this environment that Pyotr arrived and learned everything from the ground up. His stamina, determination, aggressiveness and great business sense would spiral him upwards to an incredible legacy.
The King of Vodka is a terrific book. Linda Himelstein brings you right to the world of nineteenth-century Russia where you learn about how vodka was produced (Smirnov had different varieties such as fruit-flavored drinks), the monopolization of the trade, the enforcement of sobriety pushed by Chekhov and Tolstoy, what happened to the brand during and after the Russian revolution, and the Smirnov family's involvement.
Himelstein's quite diligent research is very good and and she certainly knows how to tell a fascinating tale.
Recommended.
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