Hello book friends, happy Labor Day weekend! I'm savoring these last days of summer and, at the same time, looking ahead to a very full fall... especially with our daughter's wedding next month. On the reading front, I've been leaning into rereading old favorites. This has been a surprising, yet comforting, development.
Recent reading//
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
narrated by Matilda Novak
(an audio reread)
by Anna Quindlen, narrated by the author
Another audio reread, this time a 2012 memoir in essays from a favorite author... and still 5 stars!
Current Reading//
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
narrated by the author
After a long wait, there is finally a new novel from Abraham Verghese. Cutting for Stone was a favorite back in 2010 and now I'm happy to be immersed in his latest. It's a read/listen combination and I'm nearly halfway through this 775-page chunkster.
True Biz by Sara Nović
This is the September selection for the MMD book club and I'm at the 20% mark now. It's good so far, but I'm reaching for The Covenant of Water whenever I have time to read. I may just finish that one then give this book my full attention.
On the blog//
In the kitchen//
I kept things pretty simple this week with our favorite sheet pan Chicken Fajitas, Baked Tofu (on a night my husband had a meeting!) turkey chili taco soup, and a strawberry/blueberry variation of this incredibly easy Puff Pastry Blueberry Galette.
The week ahead//
Short weeks following long holiday weekends always feel a little off to me, even in retirement, but I'm working on an August reading wrap-up post, and waiting on a final estimate for bathroom remodels. Then it'll be time to finalize tile and fixture selection.
How was your week? What are you reading this holiday weekend?
That’s a nice book list. I have enjoyed Jhumpa Lahiri’s books.
ReplyDeletebest, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae - I think Jhumpa Lahiri keeps getting better and better.
DeleteI enjoyed Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake. I haven't read any of the other books.
ReplyDeleteVicki - I've enjoyed quite a few of her novels, but Quindlen's nonfiction is the best!
DeleteI'm sure you are very excited (and busy?) for your daughter's upcoming wedding! I have a hard time believing my daughter's was four years ago. Seems like yesterday...
ReplyDeleteGlad to see Quindlen's memoir was just as enjoyable as it was the first time around. I have a copy for rereading sometime down the road.
I'm eager to hear how you like Verghese's latest. I'll probably read it in print later this year. I'm still plowing through Lonesome Dove, which as you know, is HUGE. I wish I could say that I'm loving it, but so far (600 pages in) it's good, but not great.
I made a blueberry galette the other day, too. I used a Smitten Kitchen recipe and it was really more of a cheesecake galette. I was disappointed with the final result, but everyone who ate it said it was very good. I may try again and see if I get better results.
We're having a quiet weekend, although some relatives are stopping by for dinner tomorrow night on their way back to Portland. I've done some chores and am now ready to curl up with The Light Pirate, which I'm loving! You know it's a sign of a good book when you start composing a review in your head before you've even finished, right?
Enjoy the weekend and the coming excitement as you prepare for the wedding. I would love to see what you're wearing! Hope you'll share a photo or two.
Les - I don't have much to do for this wedding. They're getting married at City Hall and the reception is at a restaurant. I bought a dress for the wedding, but am not sure if that's the one I'll wear. We'll be in NYC for a couple of weekends toward the end of the month and I may see if I can find something better there...
DeleteQuindlen's memoir was just as good the second time around, especially as I am ten years older now! I got to meet her and have my copy signed at an event at Random House NYC... very memorable.
Verghese's book is slow and meandering, but so beautifully written. Like Cutting for Stone, there is a lot of medical discussion. I'm enjoying the story.
Lonesome Dove is so long, but I grew to love those characters... especially Gus.I'm pretty sure the small group read with MMD added a lot to my enjoyment. Still need to watch the miniseries.
I've been planning to read The Light Pirate and just put a hold on it. Hoping the worst of hurricane season will have passed by the time I get it!
Enjoy the rest of your long weekend. You're heading out again soon, right?
I loved Cutting for Stone as well but I need to have a solid 2-3 weeks where nothing is due to attempt Covenant. I hope you enjoy it and the rest of your long weekend!
ReplyDeleteJodie - I've already been reading The Covenant of Water for a couple weeks... and it'll probably take a couple more. Definitely a time commitment! So far it's been worth it.
DeleteI live in Ohio so we've experienced some fall weather already, but this weekend is warm again. I am reading To Love a Prince by Rachel Hauck. Happy reading and have a great week!
ReplyDeleteCindy - We're in CT right now and had a couple of delightful fall-like mornings last week! We're warming up again now though... Have a great week and enjoy your book!
DeleteYou've got some great reading going on! Have a wonderful three-day weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Helen! Hope you have a great weekend, too.
DeleteI sometimes reread a book I've enjoyed but forgotten. It's nice reading them all over again. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteHarvee - My rereads this summer have been a lot of fun! I might start rereading more often!
DeleteI love Anna Quindlen's nonfiction and I think I've read and loved everything Jhumpa Lahiri has written. I never used to be a rereader, but now I find a lot of pleasure in rereading books I've enjoyed in the past.
ReplyDeleteMy dad warned me before I retired that holidays would never be the same, and he is right. There's some sort of collective sigh of relief when holidays arrive, and we retired folks aren't part of that any longer.
I'm off to find out more about that easy galette!
Deb - I got to meet Anna Quindlen at a Random House event after Lots of Candles was published... she was great!!
DeleteHappy Labor Day! Your books look really good. I hope you enjoy them and have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne. I'm just planning to hang out and read today.
DeleteI hope this isn't a second comment! Google seems to have eaten my first one. I do enjoy Anna Quindlen. I'm currently reading Warlight by Michael Ondaantje and I'm going to have lots of time to read over the next few weeks as I'll be recovering from surgery to fix my broken wrist. I have some Elizabeth Goudge and Rumer Godden lined up.
ReplyDeleteAileen - This is the only comment I see, google and blogger sure don't make it easy! Sorry to hear you have to have surgery on your wrist, but the extra reading time will be a bonus. Rumer Godden has been on my tbr for way too long. Hope you get through your entire stack of 'recovery' books!
DeleteYour patience with The Covenant of Water will be well rewarded, JoAnn. It continued to surprise me right up to the end. I did a similar type of reading of this one and really liked Verghese as a narrator.
ReplyDeleteSam - I'm enjoying every moment spent with The Covenant of Water. It really is an all-encompassing tale, and Verghese is an excellent narrator! It's gotten so I hear his voice even when I'm reading in print.
DeleteWe were traveling again, so no Labor Day celebrations for us this year. Weddings are nice to look forward to! A niece just got engaged, but I think she's likely to go for a very small City Hall wedding over a big traditional one. I dithered over Cutting for Stone, but when I finally read it I really liked it. Still...775 pages! Maybe I'll save it for Big Book Summer 2024. 😉
ReplyDeleteLaurie - Our daughter's wedding will be on the small side... they're getting married in NYC at City Hall and will have the reception at a restaurant. Our oldest daughter is getting married next year and will have the traditional big wedding. The Covenant of Water will be perfect for next year's Big Book of Summer!
DeleteForgot to mention the Baked Tofu recipe sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteLaurie - That's my favorite tofu recipe! Just had the last of it for lunch today.
DeleteI like your kitchen offerings! Fortunately Doug will eat tofu if I add it to a stir fry but otherwise, not a fan. He probably isn't a fan of the stir fry either but he eats it :-)
ReplyDeleteI've not read Quindlen but now she's on my radar.
Wishing your daughter a happy wedding!
Tina - I would eat tofu once a week, but there might be a mutiny if I served it that often! Quindlen is a long-time favorite, and I like her nonfiction better than her fiction. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake is her best, I think. It would be a good place to start. We're all looking forward to the wedding... and think it will be relatively low stress. Fingers crossed!
DeleteCongrats to your daughter! I hope the wedding goes smoothly. Rereading old favorites is something I want to do more often. I keep getting distracted by new books.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Aj... we're all really excited about the wedding. New releases always distract me, too, so these rereads have been a big change of pace. Who knows, maybe I'll go on a backlist streak next!
DeleteShortened holiday weeks always throw me off too. Glad to hear you're enjoying reading some past favorites. It is comforting settling into an old favorite. Congratulations on your daughter's impending nuptials! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteRachel - My recent rereading had been such a great experience... I may just keep it up! We all can't wait for the wedding!
DeleteI can only imagine all the excitement with your daughter's upcoming wedding! I'm really intrigued by The Covenant of Water but the length puts me off but I'll try to get to it one of these days. I did like Cutting for Stone a lot and may even have been a favorite the year I read it.
ReplyDeleteIliana - The Covenant of Water is a wonderful read, but certainly not light or quick. I'm enjoying it very much, but am glad I have a faster book (True Biz) to read along with it.
DeleteI'm impressed you're taking on Covenant of Water with your daughter's wedding ahead and the bathroom remodel too, Wow you are amazing. My mind is pretty distracted these days, with full on busyment. LoL. I will try to keep my head on with audios. Are you back in FLA now? Cheers.
ReplyDeleteSusan - The wedding isn't until late October, so I should be able to finish it well before then. We are still in CT and trying to figure out when to head back to FL... definitely not until after the wedding, but then we have another family wedding just before Thanksgiving. We'll probably stay put through November.
DeleteOh! I do enjoy Jhumpa Lahiri's writing! I am glad you enjoyed your reread of Interpreter of Maladies. The Covenant of Water sounds really good. I am glad to read you are enjoying it. I hope you have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteWendy - The Covenant of Water is excellent! But it is very long and does take some effort to read... it's such a sweeping story.
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