Category: Food

Beauty by Robin McKinley

~ foodinbooks ~ 24 Comments

As I've shared before, I am a sucker for fairy tales. Whether it's the Grimm Brothers, Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Perrault, Angela Carter, Italo Calvino, Neil Gaiman, Gregory Maguire, or Robin McKinley, the tales of kings, queens, princesses, trolls, talking animals, enchanted castles, and beasts have fascinated me since I was a little girl. But … Continue reading Beauty by Robin McKinley

The Sea, the Sea by Iris Murdoch

~ foodinbooks ~ 27 Comments

Though an interesting read, it was also occasionally difficult to continue The Sea, The Sea, so convoluted are the mental musings of Charles Arrowby, the main character. I never fully connected to him or any other character, though the setting - an isolated house on a cliff overlooking the ocean - sounds appropriately Gothic and … Continue reading The Sea, the Sea by Iris Murdoch

The Book of Unholy Mischief by Elle Newmark

~ foodinbooks ~ 17 Comments

Any book set in Venice is always moved to the top of my reading list. And of course, any book set in Venice about cooking and food is going to have the most special place in my heart. The Book of Unholy Mischief definitely takes the cake here! Luciano is the narrator, a young boy who … Continue reading The Book of Unholy Mischief by Elle Newmark

The Milagro Beanfield War by John Nichols

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At last, we are in New Mexico! My home state is written about beautifully in this classic, The Milagro Beanfield War. Set in the mythical village of Milagro (there is actually a Milagro, NM, but the real town is nothing like the book's version), it's the story of Joe Mondragón and his fight for water … Continue reading The Milagro Beanfield War by John Nichols

Homage to Anthony Bourdain

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I woke to the horrific news that Anthony Bourdain had committed suicide. I referred to him as my "future ex-husband," and he was certainly one of the biggest influences on my cooking. I am pretty heartbroken over this. My heart goes out to his family, particularly his daughter, and I hope his wild soul has … Continue reading Homage to Anthony Bourdain

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

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The Master and Margarita is a heavy and weirdly surreal read, but it's far more lighthearted and satiristic than many other Russian novels of the similar period. Mikhail Bulgakov wrote this book as a sharp commentary and satire on the communistic and atheistic government of time, top-heavy with government bureaucrats and processes. This book was … Continue reading The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

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I didn't intend to do a blog post this week for several reasons, the main one being that my dearest and only aunt - my dad's younger sister to whom I am very close - had an unexpected triple-bypass on Friday and that has been weighing on me. She came out of the surgery all … Continue reading The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

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Another fun book about family dysfunction! Woo hoo! Shirley Jackson was introduced into my life many years ago when I discovered The Haunting of Hill House, which is in my top 10 favorite books of all time and also which I blogged about awhile back - here's the link if you're interested. We Have Always Lived … Continue reading We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

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A very magical and whimsical book ostensibly written for children, it also translates beautifully for adults. Haroun and the Sea of Stories is, at its heart, a poignant treatise on the importance of words and stories and language and not censoring either your imagination or your voice. Written by Salman Rushdie, whose seminal work The … Continue reading Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

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I remember discovering Angela Carter in my mid-20s and falling instantly in love with her lush, prosaic, luxuriant and very bawdy language. Her writing can instantly evoke palaces filled with plush draperies, languid golden bathrooms, fairylike woods filled with magical creatures.......and also be as basic and raunchy as humorously describing a cat licking his bottom, … Continue reading The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter