The Sunday Salon: June 24, 2018

It's Sunday and it's finally time to talk about books again! I managed to read a few books during my blogging break and plan to catch up with a series of mini-reviews or Book Briefs over the next couple of weeks.

Recently finished//

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

Book Brief coming later this week

The Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer

It's always a treat to read one of her novels.

Shrill: Notes From a Loud Women by Lindy West

audio feminism, narrated by the author

Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York by Roz Chast 

graphic nonfiction, Chast is a favorite

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

It's easy to see why this won the Audie Award for fiction.

Current reading//

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub

Only 35% in, but this is shaping up to be a perfect summer read.

At the movies//

RBG

Have you seen this documentary yet? If not, you really must!

Coming soon//

Paris in July

It's back! Gather your books and movies. Dust off your madeleine trays. Plan an adventure. Tamara will be hosting this beloved event again this year. Find the details here.


Blogger woes//
Blogger is endlessly frustrating even on the best of days. Now they have stopped sending me comment notifications... including for those awaiting moderation. I haven't changed any settings and am completely baffled. Is this happening to anyone else?

Several of you continue to have difficulty commenting here, too. I appreciate your persistence and welcome ideas on how to fix this. Thanks in advance.

Wordpress is looking better every day... but change is scary!


In the kitchen//
I'm so happy to be back in my big kitchen and close to Wegmans! As much as I love Florida, the tiny kitchen and merely adequate grocery stores take much of the joy out of cooking.  This week's recipe success was...

Chili Lime Grilled Salmon with Fresh Pineapple Salsa  from Joyful Healthy Eats. I followed the recipe exactly as written, but might not apply the rub quite as liberally next time. The salsa was a real winner and I'm trying to come up with other ways to use it.


The week ahead//

Appointments, lots of them. Doctor, dentist, car, hair... things we put off  over the winter. (Not the hair... I could never go that long without visiting the salon!)

One of our daughters may visit this weekend. And hopefully I'll finish another book before then...


How was your week? What have you been reading lately?

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Summer is here!

It's been an eventful few weeks... not much reading and even less blogging. We left Sanibel shortly before Memorial Day weekend - around the same time the first named storm of the season, Alberto, was gaining strength. After a quick overnight in Savannah, we headed to Asheville.

The Chihuly exhibit at Biltmore was the draw this time. (A few years ago we stopped for the Downton Abbey costume display.)  The glass sculptures are always stunning, but set against the backdrop of Biltmore House and Gardens they were absolutely spectacular! I shared several photos on Instagram.

We got back to Central NY Sunday night, just in time to enjoy Memorial Day with my family. It was so good to have everyone together again... extra sweet after a long winter away.

A few days later our hearts were broken as we said goodbye to our beloved greyhound, Zelda. Her health had been deteriorating for the past month. At one point we weren't sure she'd be able to make the trip home, but she rallied briefly. Five days later, she was gone.

We tried to distract ourselves by readying the house, patio, and garden for summer. The boat and docks are in, my herb garden is planted, a few more pots must be filled, and a landscaping project is in the works.

Our oldest daughter and a couple of her friends spent a long Father's Day weekend with us and participated in Ironman 70.3 Syracuse. The day was brutally hot and humid, but they all finished with respectable times.

And now it's time to get back into some sort of blogging routine. I'll continue with a bookish update on Sunday or Monday and we'll go from there...

"Love is a four-legged word."

Run free, Zelda... you were the best dog ever.

2007 - 2018

Gotcha Day: May 26, 2010

Sanibel Monday: May 14, 2018

Hello from Sanibel. I hope you had wonderful Mother's Day weekend. Life here has been hectic the past couple of weeks... so much to do before we start our journey north next weekend.  A couple of household projects are on the agenda and our AC needs service - again! Packing begins midweek.


Finished this week//

The Female Persuasion 

by Meg Wolitzer, narrated by Rebecca Lowman

Meg Wolitzer is officially one of my favorite authors. I borrowed this book from the library weeks ago, but only began reading a few days before it was due. The audiobook was available via overdrive, so I borrowed that immediately upon returning the hardcover (listen to a sample here)... and was quickly reminded how much I enjoy Rebecca Lowman's narrations. (Eleanor & Park, City on Fire, etc.)  That loan expired, too, and I used an audible credit to continue listening. On Saturday, my library ebook hold came in and I finished the book in a matter of hours.

In broad terms, this is a novel about "female power, ambition, leadership, and mentorship." But more importantly,  the characters Wolitzer creates to tell her story are genuine and believable. I was immediately drawn into their lives and, by the end of the novel, wasn't ready to let them go. Wolitzer's writing, as I have come to expect, is excellent.

This is a 450 page novel, but never felt that long. Look for it on my list of favorites at the end of the year.

Current reading//

Kitchens of the Great Midwest 

by J. Ryan Stradal

I'm at the 80% mark and thoroughly enjoying this book. More after I've finished...



Up next//
I'm really not sure, but possibilities include...

The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner, narrated by the late Edward Herrmann, is loaded on my phone.

My daughter just finished Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and is quite certain I will love it. I'm next in line for the library ebook.

Maybe I'll try to read one of the books I hauled down here from New York in the meantime.  I'm certainly not packing them up again for the trip north!

Decisions, decision...


In the kitchen//

My kitchen has been a flurry of activity as I stock my FIL's freezer for the summer:

• New England clam chowder (CIA recipe via Epicurious)
• Sloppy Joe (recipe from Les)
• plum-glazed pork tenderloin, his new favorite (from Dawn, way back when)
• lasagna
• Baked Chicken Parmesan (from skinnytaste)
• Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Tuscan Farro Soup from New York Times ( I added sausage)

How was your week? What have you been reading?

Sanibel Sunday: April 29, 2018

As April draws to a close, friends and neighbors are beginning to head north for the summer months. Last week we attended a couple of "end of season" gatherings and will host one ourselves this week. However, my brother's photo from home this morning showed more SNOW in central New York - ridiculous! I miss my parents and siblings (and Wegmans) but don't want to leave Florida any time soon.


Finished this week//

Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes

This book is a feast for the senses and a virtual trip to Italy. I'll post a book brief in a few days but, in the meantime, go ahead and add it to your summer reading list!


Current reading//

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

I promised Care I'd give this book a chance and so far, so good. Started it on the beach yesterday and am turning the pages pretty quickly.


In the kitchen//

We loved Charlie Bird's Farro Salad from The New York Times! The farro, cooked in a mixture of apple cider and water, had a delicious nutty flavor. It was tossed with arugula, sliced radishes, and halved cherry tomatoes, then finished with shaved Parmesan cheese. I'll be making it again very soon.


Hope you have a good week. What are you reading?



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Sanibel Sunday: April 22, 2018

Good morning from Florida! It's been another beautiful week and I've happily resumed morning beach walks - my back is finally on the mend.

As for books...

I didn't finish anything last week, but am nearly halfway through the new Frances Mayes novel:

Women in Sunlight

Like her earlier novel, Under the Tuscan Sun,  it's a feast for the senses... sumptuous food and wine, the lush Tuscan countryside, stunning art and architecture. This is surely the next best thing to being there! I'm also enjoying the story of three single women of a certain age renting an old stone house in Italy. Where will the year take them?

I borrowed the hardcover from the library, then decided to get the audio version, too. Who can ignore a recommendation from Candace at Beth Fish Reads?  The audio production is wonderful... I want to live in this book!



In the kitchen//

Fresh Corn Tomato Salad from the Food network

This is a recipe most of you will save for summer, but we have Florida sweet corn now and the grape and cherry tomatoes have been extra-sweet lately. We enjoyed the salad as a side dish for dinner and the leftovers made a delicious light lunch. (my photo)

Easy Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowls from Kitchn

Dinners don't get much quicker or easier than this... especially if you use frozen riced cauliflower and rotisserie chicken! I might use a little less lime juice in the "rice" next time, but other than that it was a complete winner.  (photo from kitchn)


Beyond books//

I had jury duty last week... quite an experience here in the Sunshine State! The jury selection process was fascinating. It was a DUI with injury case and I was eventually dismissed. When questioned about my scientific/medical background and faith in lab results, I don't think the defense liked my response... something along the line of "although errors can occur, it's hard to dispute a lab value." They can call me again in a year.

Our air conditioner is broken. The technician was here Saturday morning and, fingers crossed, will be back Monday afternoon with a new motor. The humidity has been creeping up over the past few days and I'm feeling a little uncomfortable. So glad it isn't summer yet - that would be unbearable!


So that's the news from here. How was your week? What are you reading?
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So Many Books: Mini-Review Catch Up

Hello, friends. Hard to believe it's mid-April already... Easter has come and gone. Here on the island "season" is over, but back in central New York winter just won't let go. A high school prom was even postponed last weekend due to the ice storm. Isn't that crazy? Needless to say, we won't be leaving Florida just yet.

I've had plenty of reading time over the past couple of weeks, primarily due to a back injury which limited my activity. I'm much better now and slowly resuming my regular routine.


Recent Reading//

The Gunners by Rebecca Kauffman

My favorite book so far this year... and I even wrote a review! Find it here. 

Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner, narrated by Cassandra Campbell

What a moving memoir! I learned about this book last year during Nonfiction November and it's easily my favorite audio of the year so far. There are plenty of accounts about life after WWII, but this is a new angle for me.  I don't think I've ever read about East Germany after the country was divided.

The author, Nina Willner, was the first female Army Intelligence Officer to lead intelligence operations in East Berlin during the the Cold War. This book tells the story of her mother, Hanna, who escaped at age twenty from East to West Germany, leaving behind her parents, grandparents, and eight siblings.

The story is positively riveting. From Hanna's amazing escape to the daily lives of the family left behind and their eventual reunion decades later, I could not stop listening. Reading about control imposed by a communist regime always gives me pause, but the propaganda and suppression of news seemed especially chilling in light of the relationship between our current administration and the press.

Cassandra Campbell's narration is, as always, pitch-perfect. Read or listen, do not miss this book!
My rating:

Mrs. Osmond by John Banville

 In a style reminiscent of Henry James, though more readable, John Banville imagines Isabel Archer's life after The Portrait of a Lady. In essence, Mrs. Osmond is a sequel to Henry James masterpiece.

This novel was actually more enjoyable than expected. I enjoyed seeing Isabel mature, Pansy grow into adulthood, and Osmond and Madame Merle become more their true selves. I also loved how Banville left the ending somewhat ambiguous in true Jamesian style.

I approached this novel as a read/listen combination. Amy Finegan is a new-to-me narrator and her performance definitely enhanced my reading experience.

Bottom line: A nice romp for fans of The Portrait of a Lady, but I can't imagine why anyone not familiar with James's novel would want to read it.
My rating:

First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies

by Kate Andersen Brower, narrated by Karen White

First Women is an interesting, slightly gossipy account of America's modern first ladies. It's a quick, informative read told in a style similar to Brower's previous book, The Residence. I had two minor complaints. First, the book jumped around a lot...it was structured based on topic (the political wife, motherhood, bad blood, etc.) rather than chronology. There also seemed to be a lot of repetition but, to be fair, it may have been anecdotes and facts I remembered from her earlier book. When this book was written, Brower fully expected Hillary Clinton to win the 2016 presidential election. An afterward about Melania Trump has since been added. This was a read/listen combination for me.
My rating:

Alternate Side by Anna Quindlen

When Anna Quindlen writes a new book, I read it. I've read most of her nonfiction and all but one of her novels. I had the pleasure of meeting her at a Random House event several years ago... if we lived on the same street, she could easily be my BFF.  So I really hate to admit  that her latest novel is not a favorite. It's quiet, character-driven, and very New York City - all factors which generally appeal to me. Unfortunately, Alternate Side  turned out to be just a good read when I was expecting a great one.
My rating:

Possibly Up Next//

The News from Paraguay by Lily Tuck

I discovered Lily Tuck through her new novel, Sisters, earlier this year. After musing that I'd like to read some of her backlist, a friend mailed me one she enjoyed. Thanks, Judy!

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

I borrowed the audio version from the library lat week and plan to start listening today. Maybe I'll get a print copy, too.



That's a lot of books, so I'll end here.
How was your week? What are you reading?

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