Tag: garlic

The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

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I can't say enough about Carlos Ruiz Zafón's writing. It's absolutely beautiful, lyrical, lush without being overly purple, and whether describing the sensory overload of a roomful of books, the scent of tobacco, the deeply scarlet hue of a woman's lipstick, or the existential dread and horror of torture and death, the man writes like … Continue reading The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Talking To The Dead by Helen Dunmore

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Helen Dunmore has such a lush style of writing that you often don't notice she's sucking you into a maelstrom of subtle discord until it's too late. Talking to the Dead is the first book by her I'd ever read and her literary style is absolutely amazing, combining the understated unease of family dynamics with … Continue reading Talking To The Dead by Helen Dunmore

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

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I suppose this book would fall under the category "chick-lit" which I generally loathe. However, I read Bridget Jones's Diary years ago and remember laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes, and the film version with Renee Zellwegger, was similarly hilarious and heart-felt. It's still as funny today and I found myself snickering … Continue reading Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

Cooking With Fernet-Branca by James Hamilton-Paterson

~ foodinbooks ~ 26 Comments

This book is hilariously funny, riffing satirically on those chick-lit memoirs from the early 2000s in which a heroine ends up living abroad, usually Italy or France, renovates a house, learns to cook, falls in love, and finds herself, though not necessarily in that order. The book Under The Tuscan Sun is referenced often, but … Continue reading Cooking With Fernet-Branca by James Hamilton-Paterson

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

~ foodinbooks

I didn't actually read this book when I was a kid, but since it's ostensibly a kid's book that weirded me out having read it as an adult, I think it fits snugly into my own Halloween canon this year. Coraline is just plain creepy. It hits a nerve for any kid, me included, who … Continue reading Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Lisette’s List by Susan Vreeland

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I went into this book expecting a nice, escapist type of read as I recovered from minor outpatient surgery this past weekend. It was recommended by two friends of mine as a book filled with art and food and set in France, and both of them were sure I'd love it. I minored in Art … Continue reading Lisette’s List by Susan Vreeland

Don’t Look Now by Daphne DuMaurier

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Having had a long-time love affair with the books of Daphne DuMaurier, I was especially pleased to find a compilation of stories that included Don't Look Now. The story, set in Venice, which is my favorite city on earth, combines creepy supernatural elements with the gorgeous backdrop of La Serennissima. The basic story is a … Continue reading Don’t Look Now by Daphne DuMaurier

The Investigative Paranormal Society Cookbook by Charles French

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French has a wonderful blog - here's the link - that I follow and enjoy so very much, in addition to his first book Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society, which I blogged about last year. The book is the story of three older gentlemen who form a paranormal group and go ghost-hunting, only to find … Continue reading The Investigative Paranormal Society Cookbook by Charles French

Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres

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No doubt many people saw the mediocre movie made from this book  Corelli's Mandolin,  beautifully filmed but as usual, not nearly as compelling as the book, which is written in lively, colorful prose from the viewpoint of several unique characters. These unique individuals include the main female character Pellagia, a traditionally raised Greek daughter who … Continue reading Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

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You can almost feel the Italian heat baking down, and smell the bougainvillea flowers, as you read this evocative novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Tom Ripley is a young man from New York, struggling to make something of himself. He's approached by Mr. Greenleaf who mistakes him for a close college friend of his son, Dickie, … Continue reading The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith