I don't know how good it is, but it is certainly wildly creative. It is hard to write truly original fantasy, but this definitely is unique. I had nevI don't know how good it is, but it is certainly wildly creative. It is hard to write truly original fantasy, but this definitely is unique. I had never heard of this author, but wikipedia informs me that he was an influence for Lovecraft and other fantasy/horror greats....more
Neal Stephenson's novels always make me think and want to find stuff out, and this was no exception. I am now really curious about the Wobblies, extreNeal Stephenson's novels always make me think and want to find stuff out, and this was no exception. I am now really curious about the Wobblies, extremism in 1920s U.S., and life in the early days of the USSR....more
It going to be tough for our main character to make it to her best friend's wedding after being abducted by what looks like a tumbleweed but turns outIt going to be tough for our main character to make it to her best friend's wedding after being abducted by what looks like a tumbleweed but turns out to be a genuine alien. They careen around New Mexico in a nutty road trip , picking up abductees as they go, always hoping to get to the wedding on time. This was a lot of fun. I especially like the misunderstandings and bafflement that occur when two species that have no frame of reference for each other try to communicate....more
A singer/actor with a declining career is found dead in a lake after a New Year's Eve party. Was it murder? Accident? Was it one of the wealthy newcomA singer/actor with a declining career is found dead in a lake after a New Year's Eve party. Was it murder? Accident? Was it one of the wealthy newcomers or a resentful local?
Good mystery and intersting setting. Mackintosh does a great job giving us the feel of the cold lake, the resentful village, the pretentious new resort, and the conflicted detectives trying to figure it all out....more
Fun, I enjoyed it. Time travel books aren't my favorite (I always end up in the weeds thinking about why it would or wouldn't work) but Galland did a Fun, I enjoyed it. Time travel books aren't my favorite (I always end up in the weeds thinking about why it would or wouldn't work) but Galland did a good job with this sequel and I was entertained. I also like learning what everyday life for a wealthy Roman family must have been like....more
Will I make most of these sandwiches? No. I don't actually eat a lot of sandwiches. Many of them sounded delicious though. And some sounded bizarre. IWill I make most of these sandwiches? No. I don't actually eat a lot of sandwiches. Many of them sounded delicious though. And some sounded bizarre. I'm pretty curious about Enderwick's pop rocks sandwich. I may break down and try it.
Did I enjoy the book? Absolutely! I had a great time reading the background of each and Enderwick's writing style is similar to his persona on his Sandwiches of History videos. Check those out if you haven't seen them. Relaxed, informative, and fun.
I feel any review of this book should have a sandwich recipe. So here's one I came up with a while ago.
Peanut butter, sunflower seed, honey, and raspberry sandwich
Spread natural unsweetened peanut butter on a slice of your favorite sandwich bread. Take about a tablespoon of honey and smooth it out over the peanut butter. Now sprinkle on a generous amount of roasted sunflower seeds (salted or unsalted both work). Put on enough so that they cover the entire sandwich, a single layer stuck to the peanut butter and honey. Now take about 8 fresh raspberries and place them strategically on top so that each bite will get some raspberry. Take a second slice of bread and put on top. Press down enough to mush but not completely annihilate the raspberries. Eat. Delicious You can substitute sliced bananas if you don't have raspberries, but really, the raspberries are outstanding in this. ...more
I like books with unusual settings, and the belly of a whale certainly fits that category. I read this as a random pick based on the cover. I didn't eI like books with unusual settings, and the belly of a whale certainly fits that category. I read this as a random pick based on the cover. I didn't expect much, but ended up really enjoying it. Whalefall is written as a survival story. Not being a cetacean or scuba expert, I can't tell you if this is realistic. I've got some doubts, but I managed to suspend my disbelief. I love a good struggle to survive against impossible odds theme.
I also connected with the more emotional and at times mystical elements, as our trapped hero thinks about his difficult relationship with his diver father and forms a strange connection with the whale itself....more
I enjoyed it. The author did a good job in giving us strong characters and a decent plot. I wish it had been more grounded in place - Covie's story woI enjoyed it. The author did a good job in giving us strong characters and a decent plot. I wish it had been more grounded in place - Covie's story would have been much richer and more engaging if I had more of a feel for the places and cultures that shaped her. I was also very sad to not get a recipe for Black Cake, although I am told that some editions had one. ...more
It's really funny but the humor feels forced to me, a bit desperate. I feel an undercurrent of anger in these light hearted stories; maybe it is becauIt's really funny but the humor feels forced to me, a bit desperate. I feel an undercurrent of anger in these light hearted stories; maybe it is because I have read her darker works. I am thinking of Jackson's most famous fiction: We have always lived in the castle; The Haunting of Hill House: The Lottery. All of them have a theme of a woman being trapped in a role by tradition, societal norms and family bonds. This role puts her at risk, and sometimes destroys her. Life Among the Savages has the same theme. When she goes to the hospital to give birth she is asked her profession when registering. "Writer," she says. The person fills in "Housewife" instead. Jackson is joking that even when she asserts herself as an individual, no one even notices, because they cannot see her outside of a traditional role. ...more
I have a new project: relearning how to cook, starting with the basics. Start Here is organized around skills and approaches that are valuable in the I have a new project: relearning how to cook, starting with the basics. Start Here is organized around skills and approaches that are valuable in the kitchen, and I am getting a lot out of it. Sohla says that it's like a cooking school without the student loans. Perfect for me! I am trying to follow the recipes exactly, although I have to make some changes due to food allergies. The beginning section on salads is remarkably useful, and my green salads are greatly improved. I always assumed that a salad spinner was a little silly, but it turns out to be both useful and extremely fun to spin. I'm enjoying working my way through the book, and learning as I go....more
In depth explorations of cooking techniques, using the scientific method. Perhaps the only cookbook to ever discuss surfactants and their use in saladIn depth explorations of cooking techniques, using the scientific method. Perhaps the only cookbook to ever discuss surfactants and their use in salad dressing. It does have recipes, but what is more valuable is the explanation of the reasoning behind them. I would have given it 5 stars, but he doesn't cover some cooking topics that I want to learn about.
I'm really glad I bought it. I was especially happy with his exploration of eggs. After reading it, I made the best scrambled eggs I have ever had, based on his advice. That breakfast made buying the book worth it....more
It leaned heavily on the tension created by an unreliable narrator. I was kept guessing: what is real, what is not? Who is lying? That worked well. I It leaned heavily on the tension created by an unreliable narrator. I was kept guessing: what is real, what is not? Who is lying? That worked well. I wanted more, though. It felt like the unreliable narrator approach was the whole book. Still, a decent thriller....more
I love the classic whodunnit, and Daisy Darker delivers. If you've read Agatha Christie's classic And Then There Were None, you'll have a good idea ofI love the classic whodunnit, and Daisy Darker delivers. If you've read Agatha Christie's classic And Then There Were None, you'll have a good idea of the plot, but as in all good whodunnits, there are some unexpected twists....more
A young man works in a soul sucking job and clings onto a relationship with someone who is completely wrong for him. Can his two dogs help him stumbleA young man works in a soul sucking job and clings onto a relationship with someone who is completely wrong for him. Can his two dogs help him stumble into some kind of decent future?
I love Meg Rosoff's books. She combines a funny easy style of writing, memorable characters, and belief that no matter how screwed up we are, there is hope of something good and meaningful in our lives....more
Pretty good adventure, although not as good as King Solomon's Mines. Haggard was good at description and action packed plots. Like King Solomon's MinePretty good adventure, although not as good as King Solomon's Mines. Haggard was good at description and action packed plots. Like King Solomon's Mines, it has some pretty big racism and sexism issues. Haggard seems to have had a complicated love/hate attitude toward women. In K.S.M, there were almost no women. This book actually has strong women as major characters, but Haggard doesn't seem like he liked them much. He seems to find them annoying.
To Haggard's credit, he does sort of reject colonialism at the end. And this time here are no scenes of herds of animals getting slaughtered for sport, thank goodness. There are, however, a lot of scenes of humans getting strangled/axed/killed in hand to hand combat/falling into fiery pits/other creative death scenes. So, not a book for the squeamish....more
Continuing a read of my grandfather's book collection. The Lively Lady is a fun historical novel set during the War of 1812. Kenneth Roberts was knownContinuing a read of my grandfather's book collection. The Lively Lady is a fun historical novel set during the War of 1812. Kenneth Roberts was known for doing extensive research, and it shows in the level of detail here. It's also good entertainment, and has a well done romance as part of the plot.
And then I got to the portrayal of King Dick, an African American prisoner in Dartmoor Prison. He was a real and fascinating person: see
I wish Roberts had made King Dick the main character. There's a great book there. Instead Roberts chose to portray him as admirable but comical, using pretty much every racist stereotype you can imagine. And Roberts was particularly tone deaf when he wrote the conversation King Dick has about going back to the U.S. and the country of freedom and liberty, delivered with no acknowledgement that there wasn't a whole lot of liberty in the U.S. for a black man in 1812.
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