My Life in France

My Life in France

by Julia Child
302 pages

*** About the Book ***

Almost everyone in the world has at least heard of Julia Child, the author of numerous cookbooks and the first chef to have her own TV show. In this book she shares how she first became fascinated with delicious food and how she actually learned to cook. The core of this story focuses on Julia's relationship with her husband and with food during the years she lived in France.


*** Why I Read It ***

I've never been into cooking or particularly interested in Julia Child so this is not a book I'd ever planned to read. But when my book club chose it for our December read I wasn't really disappointed since I enjoy memoirs. It did take over a month to get it from my library - there were over 80 people on the wait list!


*** My Thoughts ***

Before I even start telling you about this book you simply must watch this video. It is from the late 1980s when Julia appeared on David Letterman's TV show. It is only a few minutes long but is well worth the time!



Did you watch it? I bet you were laughing. See, I TOLD you it was worth it!

Now for my review ...

I'm not sure what I expected when I picked up this book but come to find out I actually knew NOTHING about Julia Child! Did you know she was 6'2" tall? And wore a size 12 shoe? And that she was married to a man 10 years her senior? And that they made their own Valentines cards to send to friends every year (that's one on the book cover)? Okay, so those aren't really pertinent facts but they are interesting nonetheless.

This is a lovely book about a woman who found her passion (what some would call) late in life and went after it with all her heart. I so admire her for that. This isn't a fast paced adventure romp or a celebrity name-dropping extravaganza; rather it is a quiet and touching story about a woman with a wonderful appreciation for the world around her and a great sense of humor.

There was only one problem with this book; I didn't want to read it right now. Because of the long wait list at the library I got the book just 2 days before book club and spent all my spare time reading through it as quickly as possible. As I read I kept thinking that it was a lovely story and that I'd enjoy it so much more if I could choose the right time to read it.

In the end I am very glad that I read this book and I would definitely recommend it. I just wish I could have read it at a time that felt more right.


*** Your Thoughts ***

Are you a fan of Julia Child? What about other TV chefs? Personally I don't really care for cooking shows but Hubby watches them all the time, especially Gordon Ramsey. Have you ever made a recipe from one of Julia's cookbooks? How did it turn out? At my book club meeting a few gals did just that - I'll tell you about it in an upcoming post.

Here are some other reviews to help you learn more about this book:

• Rebecca Reid reviewed two Julia Child books
• You've GOTTA Read This! includes it in her top 10 books of all time list
• At Home With Books gave it a 5 out of 5
• Jennifer, Snapshot says this is really a love story
  

Mom & Son Book Club #13: The Best Chrismas Pageant Ever

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

by Barbara Robinson
audiobook: 2 hours

*** About the Book ***

Every year the local church puts on the exact same Christmas pageant with the exact same costumes and the exact same actors ... the exact same everything. But when the 6 Herdman kids (who are simply the baddest kids in the whole wide world and don't even go to church - *gasp*!) end up playing the main parts in this year's pageant, things don't go the exact same way they have in the past ...


*** Why I Read It ***

I remember this story from years ago and wanted to share it with Kiddo this Christmas season. I checked it out from the library on audio so we could listen together as we drove to and from ice hockey, Cub Scouts, Irish step dance, etc.


*** Our Thoughts ***

I think this story is hilarious and heartwarming. It is one I remember from my own childhood.* It is fun and funny, amusing and touching, all at the same time. I really enjoyed listening to it and sharing it with Kiddo.

Kiddo enjoyed listening to it as well. I know this not because he told me so (he didn't) but because he was completely silent whenever it was on in the car - and THAT is quite unusual for Kiddo. Whenever we'd arrive someplace and need to turn the car off I'd ask him what he thought of it so far. "It's alright," he'd say in the most casual voice he could manage. "Just alright," I'd ask. "Yeah," he'd say. And that was the end of our conversations. But when we'd be back in the car and I'd ask if I should put on the show, he always said yes, and he always stayed quiet. THAT is saying something.

When the story finally finished, it was a time when Hubby was in the car with us as well. I was really excited to discuss the book with Kiddo but he wasn't having any of it. "It was weird," was all he'd say. Hmpf.

After a few leading questions failed to get him talking, I tried asking our usual Mom & Son book club questions.

Me: "Did you like it?"
Kiddo: "It was weird."
Me: "Did you have a favorite part?"
Kiddo: "No."
Me: "Did you have a least favorite part?"
Kiddo: "No."
Me: "What did you think of the picture on the front?"
Kiddo: "It was weird."
Me: "Would you recommend this book to your friends?"
Kiddo: "No."
Me: "Why not?"
Kiddo: "Because it was weird."

Ah, yes ... Kiddo ... the most verbal child in the world when he wants to be but push him on something and he clams right up. Don't you just LOVE stubborn, opinionated children? (You ARE sensing the sarcasm here, right?)

As I said above, I think that Kiddo did actually like this book - although you can't tell from his comments. We did eventually chat about the story and what the Herdman kids did that made the pageant unique. It was obvious that Kiddo had paid attention to every word of the story. I helped him to understand what it all meant and how it related to the meaning of Christmas, and he was quite verbal by that point.


*** Your Thoughts ***

I can't be the only whose Kiddo acts like this, right?! Please tell me about something that you've planned to do with your child that didn't turn out at all like you expected due to said child's attitude - I need to know I'm not alone!

Then you can check out these other reviews of the book - they are bound to put you in the Christmas spirit.

• Letters from a Hill Farm just discovered this book last year
• Becky (she of too many blogs to list here) includes lots of quotes in her review
  

* I could have sworn that Adventures in Odyssey had done a version of this back when I was a kid but I can't find a link to it anywhere. If you haven't heard of Adventures in Odyssey before, it is a wonderful Christian radio program for kids. It started in 1987; I remember listening to the very first episode with my sister. Now Kiddo listens to it and loves it as well. You can find out more about it at this link and search for local stations that broadcast it at this link.

Friday Finds 12/04/09

Here are the books I've added to the TBR list this week ...

1. The Return of the Soldier, by Rebecca West - This book is about a 'shell shocked' soldier whose returns home during The Great War without much of his memories. The women in his life have no idea what has happened, and he is unable to re-enter British mainstream society. Letters from a Hill Farm says this book is "is beautifully written and gives the reader a lot to think about."
   
   
   
2. The Road Home, by Ellen Emerson White - The Book Smugglers were captivated by this YA tale of nurse returning home from the war in Vietnam.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Read On ... Life Stories, by Rosalind Rienser - Reading Group Guides says this book offers "brief descriptions of nearly 450 memoirs from classics ... to recent bestsellers." I love books like this that expose me to a wide variety of additional books.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Inklings of Oxford, by Harry Lee Poe - This is a pictorial guide to the Oxford of Tolkien and Lewis, designed for people who may want to visit there one day. 5 Minutes for Books made it sound like a must-read.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. People of the Thunder, by W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O’Neal Gear - This story is set in 1300AD in what would become America. "A novel of desperate political intrigue and spiritual power, [this book] demonstrates the Gears' mastery of American prehistory." I heard about this from Tor/Forge and pulled the summary from the publisher. It sounds really intriguing and very different than anything I've read recently.
   
   
   
   

Kiddo's one TBR addition ...

• Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom, by Eric Wight - Booking Mama's review did me in. This book looks hilarious AND it might be just the thing to get Kiddo, my ever-reluctant reader, to pick up a book!

Visit Should Be Reading for more Friday Finds and have a great weekend!

Two Winners!

I never did announce the winner of SUNNYSIDE BLUES from back in October. Congratulations to Gwendolyn B. - your copy of the book is on the way to you.

And congratulations to Janet Ruth of Along the Way for winning my most recent contest. Your copy of IVY & BEAN: DOOMED TO DANCE will be on its way as soon as you get me your address.

Congratulations again, and I hope you both enjoy your books!

Greatest Discoveries: Explorations That Changed History

Greatest Discoveries:

Explorations That Changed History
TIME magazine article collection
121 pages

*** About the Book ***

This is a gorgeous, photo-filled book from TIME Magazine's Great Books series. It includes brief articles on a wide variety of discoveries - ranging from archaeological to astronomical and including everything in between - that have each changed the way we view history. Most of the stories are one to two pages long and all are accompanied by amazing photos.


*** Why I Read It ***

I used to read National Geographic magazines and loved all the knowledge I gleaned from them and the amazing photos they contained. When I saw this book on the magazine rack at the grocery store I immediately thought of those NatGeos that I loved. And since I was really in the mood for something completely different to read, I picked it up along with my groceries.

Note: My copy of this book is the paperback version and has a different cover than the one pictures here; I simply couldn't find any image that matched my copy.


*** My Thoughts ***

I found most of these essays to be fascinating. About half of the stories pertained to discoveries I was not familiar with at all. Some of these include the images of volcanic activity on one of Jupiter's moons, the recent feathered dinosaur discoveries in China, and the Anglo-Saxon burial site at Sutton Hoo (yes, I know, everyone else seems to know about these ... but I was clueless).

Many articles were on topics I knew something about (like the "hobbit" skeletons of Indonesia, the concept of "bog people", and Shackleton's Antarctic expedition) but even those contained info that was new to me. For example, did you know the latest theory explaining the sinking of the Titanic has to do with the poor quality metal used in the rivets? That was news to me.

My only complaint is that I would have liked more detail on many of these topics. Of course, the purpose of the book was simply to make the reader aware of these discoveries, not to delve into them in any detail. But for me, a few more pages on some of these topics would have made this perfect.

Still, it was exactly what I needed to read at that moment - something interesting and educational, fun and entertaining, and completely unrelated to any reading challenge or deadline. :)


*** Your Thoughts ***

Have you read this or any other book in the TIME Great Books series? If so, what do you like/dislike about them? Are you a fan of National Geographic Magazine like me?

Christmas Books on My TBR List

Last Christmas I didn't get to read the books I wanted to before Christmas. So this year I'm making a list.

Books I want to read with Kiddo before Christmas ...

• The Cole Family Christmas (Jennifer Liu Bryan) - I read this myself last year but never got around to reading it to Kiddo


• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Barbara Robinson) - I know the story but I've never read it - I think kiddo would get a good laugh out of it. We're listening to the audio version in the car this week.
  


• Angela and the Baby Jesus - a children's book by Frank McCourt, the author of Angela's Ashes - I've heard it is great. I actually have a copy now so I will be reading this with Kiddo soon.
  
  
• A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) - We want to see this in the movies, but I think we'd all benefit from reading it first. I started reading it to Kiddo this week.
  

I'd also like to read these two books on my own, but probably won't get to them:

• Christmas In the South (or If You Can't Fry It, Spraypaint it Gold) (David C. Barnette) - a Southern gal in my book club read this last year and it sounded quite funny


• A Christmas Memory - I've been meaning to read Truman Capote's short story for a while now

Do YOU have a Christmas (or holiday) reading list? Are there books you read around this time every year? Does your family have any bookish holiday traditions? I'd love to hear about them.

The Saint and the Fasting Girl

The Saint and the Fasting Girl
by Anna Richenda
330 pages

*** About the Book ***

At the start of the story, Georgia is a nun in a small convent during the reign of Henry VIII & Katherine of Aragon. Georgia's main responsibility is caring for the relic of St. Isela, the patron saint of the convent. One night a baby girl is born in town, and this girl has a birthmark on her palm that matches Georgia's own birthmark. This is the sign the nuns have been waiting for; they believe this baby will bring their beloved St. Isela back into the world ... somehow.

This book is a work of Historical Fantasy.


*** Why I Read It ***

I received an email from the author asking if I'd be interested in reviewing this book. I grew up in the Catholic Church (though I attend a non-denominational church now) and have fond memories of nuns and saints so the book sounded intriguing to me.


*** My Thoughts ***

What a great book! I stumbled through the first chapter, not really sure what was going on or how the story was meant to begin. At that point I was thinking that I'd made a bad decision in agreeing to review this book. But I put more attention into reading and the story quickly picked up.

The best way to describe this book is to say that it is something like a Greek myth set in the context of the Catholic Church, backed up by excellent historical details. There is an epic story of a girl being rescued in a miraculous way by God. There are elements of the fantastical in the form of miracles, visions, and reincarnation (hence the reason that I classify it as Historical Fantasy). And there is a plethora of authentic period detail that immerses you in the characters' world.

The book starts by plopping the reader directly into the story without any background. That style of storytelling continues throughout the book, and often the backstory of a particular character - which might explain his/her motives - is left unexplained. After I finished reading there were questions left unanswered that I had hoped would be resolved. But that didn't take away from my enjoyment; rather it kept me on the edge of my seat until the end.

One quick note: For those who are getting rather tired of books about the Tudors (as I am), I'd like to point out that there is not much mention of them in this book. The royal court and its doings are more of the background than the actual story, a fact which I appreciated.


*** Historical Background ***

If you overlook the miraculous elements of this book you get a clear slice-of-life picture of this time and place.

In addition to being an author, Anna Richenda is also an historian whose focus is monastic history (read more at historyfish.net). Because of her background, she pays very close attention to historical detail in her book. I loved and appreciated this. From what I can tell through some cursory internet research Richenda really captures the realities of life in this time and place; from the medicines to the kitchens to the superstitions, she really nails it.

Saint Isela was not an actual saint as far as I can tell, but there are many, many legends of saints that are similar to this one.


*** Your Thoughts ***

Here are links to a few other reviews of this book. Can I add yours here? Let me know about it in the comments.

• Kay's Bookshelf enjoyed it and found the writing to be cinematic in its descriptions
• Historical Tapestry says it was interesting and original
• your review?
  

I'd love to discuss the end of this book with with some of you who've read it. What's your take on how the story ended? If you did read this and want to discuss the ending, shoot me an email (through my profile) so we don't spoil it for anyone else.

Read Your Own Books Challenge - Recap

I was so excited to sign up for the Read Your Own Book Challenge back in January 2009. Here' s my original post for this challenge. The goal was to read 20 books that I already own, that were at that moment sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read. The deadline for completion is Dec. 31, 2009 ... but I'm calling it quits now.

I made my list in January with high hopes, but so many other books kept getting in the way. This first list includes the books that I DID actually read (all links go to my reviews):

1. The Little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie - it was ok
   
2. Being Written, by William Conescu - I really liked this book
   
3. Island, by Aldous Huxley (also for the "Lost" Challenge) - I absolutely hated this one
   
4. Homefront, by Kristen Tsetsi - not bad
   
5. People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks (audio version) - loved it!
   
6. The Lost Men, by Kelly Tyler-Lewis - fascinating non-fiction
   
7. Golden Boy, by Martin Booth - it was ok
8. A Sense of the Mysterious, by Alan Lightman - very interesting essays
   
9. A Thread of Grace, by Mary Doria Russell - difficult for very good
10. Two Histories of England, by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens - fun and insightful
    
11. The Blessings of a Skinned Knee, by Wendy Mogel - practical
    

And this second list includes the books that I simply never got around to but which I DO (probably) intend to read:

1. Vivaldi's Virgins, by Barbara Quick - I started this but put it aside for now.
   
2. A History of Celibacy, by Elizabeth Abbott
   
3. Mistress of the Vatican, by Eleanor Herman
4. A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson
5. Where She Came From, by Helen Epstein
6. Ireland: A Novel, by Frank Delany
7. The Toss of a Lemon, by Padma Viswanathan
8. The Greatest Generation Speaks, by Tom Brokaw
9. How the Irish Became White, by Noel Ignatiev - might not read this after all

Some of these might make it on to challenge lists for 2010 but others will definitely not.

If you participated in this challenge, how did you do? Are you still trying to complete it? Which book from your challenge list was your favorite? For me, I loved quite a few of them. My favorites would have to be THE LOST MEN and GOLDEN BOY, though I also really enjoyed PEOPLE OF THE BOOK and A THREAD OF GRACE.

Ivy & Bean (and US/Canada Giveaway)

Ivy & Bean

Book 6: Doomed to Dance

by Annie Barrows

136 pages

*** About the Book ***

Ivy & Bean are two 2nd grade girls who don't have much in common but who have become best friends. In this book, their 6th, the girls convince their parents to let them take ballet lessons. As usual, things don't turn out the way the girls expected and now they will do just about anything to get out of ballet. Throw in a trip to the local aquarium (and some great illustrations) and you've got the latest Ivy & Bean adventure!

*** Why I Read This Book ***

Regular readers of my blog are probably scratching their heads and saying "You don't have any daughters and you don't usually read children's books, so what's up with this review?!"

Here's the deal ... Back when I read THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY I found out that the co-author of that book, Annie Barrows (interviewed here), also writes a children's series called Ivy & Bean. I checked out the website for the series and found this:

One of the big problems of being a kid is that your parents often try to make you play with people you don’t really like. My parents were forever trying to get me to like the kids of their friends. These kids were often weird. I didn’t want to play with them. It was a problem.

Oh yes, THAT was my life as a kid. How true, how true!

When the opportunity to review the new Ivy & Bean book as part of the Official Blog Tour came up, I jumped at the chance to snag a copy for myself. I figured it would be a fun and easy trip into my childhood ... and who knows, Kiddo might just enjoy it as well!


*** My Thoughts ***

I started reading this book just hours after it arrived in the mail. After the first few chapters, I stopped reading, got Kiddo, and started reading aloud from the beginning - THAT is how much fun I was having with it.

This book is adorable. It is smart, and fun, and perfect for little girls. I laughed out loud several times and had a smile on my face the whole way through. This series would make a great addition to any young girl's book shelf ... and moms and dads will enjoy reading along as well.

The reason I decided to read this to Kiddo, even though he is a boy, is that much of the story centers around a trip to the aquarium, and that is Kiddo's favorite place in the world. He really got a kick out of this book but not always for the right reasons ...

*** Kiddo's Thoughts ***

Spoiler warning: My recap of Kiddo's thoughts will include some minor spoilers, so be warned.

Kiddo wasn't so impressed with the idea of ballet, but the concept of dancing someone to death (which is the reason the girls sign up for ballet to begin with) sounded good to him. He is, after all, an Irish Step Dancer, so dancing is not a foreign idea to him. Still, he wouldn't have gotten into this story at all if it were not for the girls' visit to the aquarium.

At the aquarium the girls get a bit freaked out by the deep sea fish in one very dark room. Kiddo on the other hand was naming the fish that were scaring the girls. A bit later Ivy & Bean see a video of a giant squid swimming right at them and they run away screaming, afraid that the squid wants to eat them. Kiddo thought the girls were crazy. "Squid's are cool, not scary" he said. "Maybe it just wanted to play with them." HA!

There's a part in the book where the girls are in art class and they are using a dead fish to make "fish prints" with paint. Bean thought this activity was lots of fun. Kiddo said he would do it because he doesn't want to touch a dead fish. But "I would like to pet a squid though," he told me.

So, yeah, this book was lots of fun to read to Kiddo ... but not, I'm sure, for the reasons intended by the author.


*** Giveaway ***

I have one copy of this book to give away to a lucky reader in the US or Canada (sorry, this one isn't worldwide, per the publicist).

To enter this contest ...

• Leave a comment letting me know if the kids your parents made you play with turned out to be your good friends in the end. Or you can tell me who in your life you'd like to share this book with.

• If your email address is not available through your profile or your blog, please include it in your comment.
  
  
• The publisher is only shipping books to readers with a US or Canadian mailing address.
  
  
• I'll choose the winner on Friday morning (12/4) so be sure to get your comment posted before then.

Good luck, and happy reading!

Recapping My Blogging Year

My birthday earlier this month marked the end of my blogging year. I've already recapped my reading stats so now it is time to recap the other big events/posts that occurred on my blog between 11/4/08 and 11/4/09.

My blogging year in a nutshell:

• Loss: When I got back from Thanksgiving vacation last year I was met with the news that beloved book blogger Dewey had passed away. Here's what I posted that day.
• Fun: I had fun coming up with 10 "D" things that I love when Chartroose challenged me to do it.
• Question: Do you cry in books or movies? That is what I asked my readers in this post and this poll.
• Fun: Another blogger wanted to know how my blog got it's name; I answer that question here.
• Issue: I aired my issues with last season's Dancing With The Stars contestants in this post. I love DWTS so their choice of "stars" last season was highly disappointing.
• Health: There were big changes in Kiddo's health this past year. I talk about the start of those changes here.
• Loss: When one of my favorite authors, David Eddings, passed away, I wrote about my love of his books.
• Award: I was so honored to win the BBAW Award for Best History/Historical Fiction Blog. Amazing!
• Event: My panel about book clubs at the Baltimore Book Festival was a resounding success!
  
• Reading: To help me get through the 2009 1% Well Read Challenge I decided to host a read-a-long for two of the books. Cranford and Frankenstein were the perfect choices for this and both were lots of fun!
• Health: Kiddo had surgery to put in a feeding tube. He's been doing great since then.
  
• Family: My gram is struggling through chemo right now but I'm enjoying sharing WWII-era books with her.
• Event: I had a blast as a "Storm Leader" for the release of the latest Wheel of Time book, The Gathering Storm.
  
• Challenge: I'm currently co-hosting the Really Old Classics Challenge which just began on 11/1/09.

And that brings us up to November 4, 2009. This year went by in a blur ... but on the whole it was a good one. I hope yours was as well!