The House of Lost Souls by F.G. Cottam

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In October, my thoughts don't turn to pumpkin spice láttes, autumn leaves falling gently to the ground, or the evocative scent of woodsmoke. No, when the fall brings that nippy chill to the air, this girl thinks haunted houses, ghosts, spirits (the non-alcoholic kind), and of course, Halloween! Being the season of the witch and … Continue reading The House of Lost Souls by F.G. Cottam

The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp

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I'm a sucker for a good, creepy, scary novel, and this one scared the hell out of me, which was awesome. I hadn't read anything genuinely terrifying in ages, but The Last Days of Jack Sparks fit the bill. In spades. It's kind of like The Exorcist meets Black Mirror, except way scarier and more … Continue reading The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp

Scenes from New Orleans

~ foodinbooks ~ 16 Comments

My vacation to the Big Easy was filled with gorgeous architecture, history, beautiful buildings, humidity (whew!), tasty cocktails, a few ghosts, and of course, food. Lots of delicious food. You cannot come to NOLA and not eat. A wonderful trip with lots of happy memories. Below: oysters on the half shell at the Desire Oyster … Continue reading Scenes from New Orleans

The Alienist by Caleb Carr

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The story of the United States is varied and unique, as any historian will tell you. We have the story of the indigenous Native Americans, the British pilgrims, the ancient Vikings, the Irish, German, Polish, and Scottish immigrants who came in a wave to this country between the mid-1700s and late 1800s, and the the … Continue reading The Alienist by Caleb Carr

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

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In terms of medieval books, The Canterbury Tales is right up there with Dante's Inferno as my top favorites. Unless you're a trained medieval scholar, however, I would strongly recommend reading a more modern English translation of the book, since the medieval English of Chaucer is quite difficult to read. The entire book essentially revolves … Continue reading The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

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It took me awhile to read this book, though it had been recommended by numerous friends and fellow bloggers. There are some seriously good food mentions in this book, which is partly why I read it three times. Also, it's just an addictive read. The gist of the book is thus: As a teen, Theo … Continue reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses by Isabel Allende

~ foodinbooks ~ 4 Comments

This book was one of the most wonderful and sensual I've had the pleasure of reading in ages. Isabel Allende is a an amazingly erotic writer, bringing to life the twin joys of food and sex......something I've blogged about previously. If you truly think about it, these two activities are mirrors of each other in … Continue reading Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses by Isabel Allende

The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey

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Edward Gorey is known worldwide for his illustrations for the Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, by T.E. Eliot, for his stage decorations and costume design of Dracula several years back, and of course for the opening introduction to PBS's long-running TV series Mystery, as well as countless others. I think his work is instantly … Continue reading The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey

Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis

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In memory of my beloved grandfather Tito Baca, who lived his life to the fullest. Just like Zorba. Zorba the Greek is a man well known to me. This book, as well as the movie, was something I read as a teenager, not really "getting" it, but when I came across a used edition in … Continue reading Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

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This has got to be one of the strangest books I've ever read, and I've read some weird stuff in my life. I love books about libraries, about other books, about the sheer pleasure of learning and knowledge and reading. So when I saw the title of this book, The Library at Mount Char, I … Continue reading The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins