The Face by Dean Koontz

I've been reading Dean Koontz's books since I was in 7th grade and came across one in the school library at St. Michael's Catholic School, and devoured it in three hours. I was hooked from then on, though his books are definitely hit-or-miss. His style has evolved  over the years, from the straightforward horror of … Continue reading The Face by Dean Koontz

One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights) as retold by Hanan al-Shaykh

I don't know about you, but when I think of One Thousand and One Nights, or as it's more commonly known, The Arabian Nights, what comes to mind are exotic tents in the desert surrounded by turbaned thieves, camels with tasseled saddles, beautiful dancing girls draped in veils in emerald green, ruby red, and turquoise blue, … Continue reading One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights) as retold by Hanan al-Shaykh

The Alienist by Caleb Carr

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

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

Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses by Isabel Allende

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 Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

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

Feast of Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Crystal King

I'm back, and I greatly appreciate everyone's patience and kind comments asking when I would get my ass back into the blogging world. Well, yesterday was the day. I'm officially moved into my gorgeous new house, which has the most beautiful kitchen, so Food in Books has returned. Having lived in controlled chaos surrounded by … Continue reading Feast of Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Crystal King

The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley

Having just finished binge-watching Versailles on Netflix, I can say, hand over heart, that I would have made a DAMN fine royal mistress to Louis XIV. I could totally pull off silk gowns, elaborate jewels, illicit love affairs, intrigue..........sounds like my dream life! If anyone knows a king out there who'd appreciate my cooking, do … Continue reading The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Thanks to ET for the photography. Anymore, reading about the experiences of immigrants who come to this country seems to be the norm. It makes sense, after all. We are a country built almost entirely upon waves of immigrants from around the globe. My own family were immigrants from Spain and the Netherlands via Mexico … Continue reading The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith

Special thanks to RP for the photography and kitchen assistance. Having minored in art history in college, I always fall in love with books that tell stories about painters and their inspiration for famous works. I previously blogged about Girl with a Pearl Earring, which tells the story of Vermeer's masterpiece. In The Last Painting … Continue reading The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith