Tag: wine

“Food and Romance” Episode of Sharing The Flavor Podcast Now Available!

~ foodinbooks ~ 9 Comments

I just want a man to look at me the way I look at a plateful of pasta. Is that so much to ask? In the spirit of love, romance, and Valentine's Day, the latest episode of Sharing The Flavor talks about the connection between food, love, sexuality, and romance. Andy tries his best to … Continue reading “Food and Romance” Episode of Sharing The Flavor Podcast Now Available!

The City of Mist by Carlos Ruíz Zafón

~ foodinbooks ~ 20 Comments

If you haven't read any of the books of Carlos Ruíz Zafón, you're surely missing out on one of the true literary pleasures of this universe. A modern-day Cervantes, Ruíz Zafón spun stories about labyrinths, mysterious figures in black, magical pens, death and destruction and war, the beauty of love, the pain of romance, the … Continue reading The City of Mist by Carlos Ruíz Zafón

The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell

~ foodinbooks ~ 35 Comments

I found The Fifth Gospel to be quite a great read, fast-paced and adventurous, but with a fascinating historical and Biblical premise as the storyline. It's simple - a Greek Catholic priest living in The Vatican must defend his brother, also a Greek Catholic priest but one attached to the Pope's staff, who is accused … Continue reading The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell

The Wonder Worker by Susan Howatch

~ foodinbooks ~ 16 Comments

This is one of those books I would want with me if trapped on a desert island. The Wonder Worker has many levels, and is one of those wonderful stories that you return to again and again, always finding something new in the words. On the surface level, it's a story about four everyday people … Continue reading The Wonder Worker by Susan Howatch

Talking To The Dead by Helen Dunmore

~ foodinbooks ~ 25 Comments

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

Ode to Tomatoes (A Poem) by Pablo Neruda

~ foodinbooks ~ 40 Comments

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

Don’t Look Now by Daphne DuMaurier

~ foodinbooks ~ 26 Comments

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

~ foodinbooks ~ 30 Comments

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

~ foodinbooks ~ 32 Comments

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

Vaporetto 13 by Robert Girardi

~ foodinbooks ~ 14 Comments

Robert Girardi is one of my favorite "unknown" writers. He wrote Madeleine's Ghost, which I blogged about previously, and Vaporetto 13 is another novel that combines cynicism, hope, the supernatural, and a gorgeous city as the backdrop. In this case, Venice. You can read about what makes Venice so uniquely gorgeous and special by checking … Continue reading Vaporetto 13 by Robert Girardi