Tag: Literature

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

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

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Well, I had to, didn't I? It's October. What other book could I possibly blog about other than The Exorcist, that classic tale of demonic possession, faith, and terror? I'd never read the book, though I've seen the movie many times, especially in October. The film hasn't lost its shock value, though it's not as … Continue reading The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

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Apparently I missed National Hobbit Day, which was on Sunday, September 22. Well, hell! Who knew this was a thing? Me, it would seem. Anyway, three days later, I present this lovely blog post in homage to my favorite fictional fantasy foodies! Who, I ask you, doesn't love The Lord of the Rings trilogy, whether … Continue reading The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Ode to Tomatoes (A Poem) by Pablo Neruda

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I don't know about you, but I've never been big on poetry. The rhythm and meters necessary to appropriately read poems just bog me down. I love hearing poetry read by someone who understands how it should be enunciated, but when I try to read poetry, either in my head or out loud, I sound … Continue reading Ode to Tomatoes (A Poem) by Pablo Neruda

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

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I'm a bore on the topic of books vs. films, as I've been told many times, and I'd have to agree. Don't get me started on whether the film version is better than the book, because I will wax poetic for a good hour or two about the merits of the book and how the … Continue reading The Godfather by Mario Puzo

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

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