Hello, friends. We've been in 'birthday mode' around here lately and today we're finally getting back to the regular routine. My birthday was Tuesday, but we got a head start last weekend when our daughter and SIL drove down from West Hartford. We all took a cruise up the Connecticut River on a historic boat, ate hot lobster rolls at my favorite lobster shack, and watched a gorgeous sunset on the cove. Our NYC daughter arrived on Monday evening and was here for the big day. We took a short drive up the coast to walk the boardwalk around Niantic Bay, browsed books at the most unusual used book store ever, and did a little shopping. We finished up with a delicious dinner outside at Saybrook Point that night. It was one of the nicest birthdays ever!
Recent reading//
Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins
This is a new novel from the author of American Dirt. Marriage, family, identity, race, and belonging are explored as four generations of Puerto Rican mothers and daughters grapple with who they are and where they belong. It was a treat to discover both a map and a family tree at the beginning of the book. And yes, there are family secrets. This was a great summer read for me!
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(I forgot to mention that I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. Thanks for reminding me, Kay!)
The Jane Austen Insult Guide for Well-Bred Women by Emily Reed
This small book was a birthday present from my daughter and we laughed our way through it together! Insults are divided into chapters such as Insults for Annoying People, Insults for Family, Insults for Workdays, etc. Each page features a modern-day situation followed by an appropriate Austen-esque insult, all of which are quotes from Jane's novels. One of our favorites:
When they ask for it by EOD:
"Oh! do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch."
-Mansfield Park
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Current reading//
The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison
I'm flying through this quick, light novel and will finish soon. It's the MMD August selection.
by Jane Austen, David M. Shapard
I'm reading Mansfield Park for Austen in August this year and, since this annotated edition is 800+ pages, I've decided to get a head start!
Dracula Daily by Bram Stoker
The real-time readalong of Dracula continues. July was a slow month, but I think it will pick up again in August,
On the blog//
In the kitchen//
It was hot again yesterday and Cold Noodles with Zucchini from the NYTimes was the perfect lunch! In a very hot skillet, brown zucchini in avocado oil, then quickly toss it in a sauce of maple syrup, soy sauce, fish sauce, and garlic powder. Ice is then added to chill the zucchini and dilute the sauce. The whole mixture is then combined with cooked, rinsed, ramen noodles. The recipe is behind a paywall, but if you'd like me to email it to you, let me know. I'll be making this for the rest of the summer!
How was your week? What have you been reading?
Jane Austen insults: an interesting idea!
ReplyDeleteMae - Jane-ites are so clever!
DeleteYou get some wonderful photos of the water, JoAnn. I love this one with the boats at anchor. It looks so peaceful.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday!! I hope you had a good day of celebration. It sounds like you did. I've never had a lobster roll, but I'm sure they're delicious. Our big seafood treat is crab cakes (with Dungeness). I picked up some fresh crab to freeze a few days ago and will make crab cakes later in the month.
Book Barn looks like a fun place to search for a good book. I'm amazed that they take in approximately ten to fourteen thousand books a week! Wowzer!
I didn't realize Speak to Me of Home is by the same author who wrote American Dirt. I enjoyed that book a lot, and have her new one on my tbr list. Glad you enjoyed it!
I finally finished The Frozen River. It took me two weeks to read, but not because it was a slog, but life was just busier than usual. Well, actually, not. I just got caught up in watching a lot of The Handmaid's Tale and playing online Mah Jong. ;)
Les - I love lobster rolls, but there are two basic types. The Maine version is usually cold and made with mayo. A CT lobster roll is warm lobster meat with butter (ofter citrus butter) on a toasted New England style hot dog roll. Some of the lobster shacks even sell t-shirts that say NO MAYO! Carb cakes are also a favorite of mine!
DeleteThe Book Barn is a regional must-see! The number of books they have is staggering and sometimes I don't even get beyond the 'new arrivals' section.
I never read American Dirt, probably because of all the controversy at the time, but it's on my list now!
I know several people who would enjoy the Austen insult book. Happy belated birthday!
ReplyDeleteCindy - I may be buying a couple more copies for gifts, too!
DeleteHappy Birthday--sounds like a great celebration!
ReplyDeleteAusten penned better insults than even Shakespeare, imo, because half the time they are so subtle they're not even clocked.
Hope you're enjoying MP--I would be interested in notes on Mrs. N--such a monster. I wonder if there is evidence that Austen modeled her on an acquaintance.
I've been using my zucchini in a Stanley Tucci pasta salad that is heavenly.
JaneGS - I've only read the first 5 or 6 chapters of MP and there's nothing about the story behind Mrs.N yet. I'll let you know if Shapard mentions it. This is my first reread of MP... strange because I've read all the others multiple times. We'll see how much of the plot I remember!
DeleteI'm going to look up Stanley Tucci's pasta salad!
Pretty photo up top of the boats. And happy belated birthday! Sounds like you had a great one. I like the look of the Barn Bookstore. A similar outside bookstore is Bart's Books in Ojai California. I remember thinking it rains on the books -lol. Thx for your reviews of these books & the kitchen dish. All good. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteSusan - I've heard of Bart's Books! There was a blogger years ago who used to shop there. She may have even posted a photo or two - cool place! Anyone remember Fizzy Jill?
DeleteHappy birthday! Sounds like you celebrated in style!
ReplyDeleteThe Jane Austen insult book sounds like fun!
Have a great week!
Thanks, Marg. It was an extra fun birthday this year :)
DeleteWhat a lovely birthday, I know you had a blast! That Cummins book neds so go on my list and the bonus of a map and family tree included? Yeah, I'd love that one.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede, a nonfiction. The book about Abandoned Places is super cool and I like it as much as the Hidden Libraries book. Try and stay cool - we have triple digets again here. Ugh,
Tina - A map and family tree hooks me every time, lol! I remember loving The Day the World Came to Town, it's such an uplifting book about 9/11.
DeleteI saw on the FL news yesterday that Tampa had the hottest day ever recorded - 100 degrees even near the water! I can't imagine what the 'feels like' temperature must have been with all that humidity. I don't think it will be that warm here , but we've got three brutal days ahead...
So glad you got to have a fun birthday with your family! And belated good birthday wishes to you! I've noticed a couple of the books you read above and will think about checking them out. These days, in our area anyway, the library hold lists are very long for anything that is mentioned by influencers or 'celebrity' book clubs, etc. I'm not quite at the time of not buying any more books, but I really should practice that and also practice my patience in waiting for hold lists. Wonder how that will go? LOL
ReplyDeleteKay - My libraries seem to have fewer ebooks these days with longer lists, too. I've recently discovered the 'deep search' feature on Libby that allows you to be notified if/when your library acquires a copy of the book. If I enter a book before it is published and they do buy it, I get notified right away. That's allowed me to be at the top of the hold list for two recent new releases. I was shocked to win a copy of Speak to Me of Home from a goodreads giveaway. Guess I forgot to mention that above... will fix it now.
DeleteJoAnn, thanks for reminding me about that 'deep search' feature on Libby. I think I knew about it a while back but completely forgot it. I'll make use of that. Again, thanks!!
DeleteYou're very welcome, Kay. It's made a big difference for me this summer!
DeleteHappy birthday! I was just looking at the Jane Austen insult book at our local indie bookshop on Friday; there are some good ones in there.
ReplyDeleteA friend has been in CT and sending me photos from around Connecticut College (my alma mater). It's been fun to see it again.
Helen - Thanks, Helen, it was an extra-fun birthday this year. I might have mentioned before that we lived in CT (Fairfield county, closer to NYC) in the mid-late 80s and we're loving being back here again. We're farther up the coast now and have enjoyed getting to know more of eastern coastal CT... so many beautiful spots.
DeleteThat picture is gorgeous and I'm glad you had such a wonderful birthday!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jinjer!
DeleteI have a friend who would love the insults book. I must pass on info about it to her.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely birthday you had, JoAnn!
Deb - I've got another friend in mind who will also appreciate the insult book. It was a perfect birthday gift!
DeleteSounds like a wonderful birthday season! Anything involving a used bookstore is always good. Mansfield Park is one of the Austen books I haven't read but will get to eventually. The insult book looks hilarious! I hope you're having a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I've said for years that Mansfield Park is my least favorite Austen novel, and it's the only one I haven't reread. Until now. But even my least favorite Austen is still a keeper.
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