Tag: women

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

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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 Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith

~ foodinbooks ~ 12 Comments

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

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

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Thanks to JG for the photography. I first heard about The Help when the movie, with Octavia Spencer and Cicely Tyson came out, and wanted to read the book first. The storyline, in a nutshell, is the story of two African-American maids - Aibileen and Minny in 1960s Mississippi - and how the lives they … Continue reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett

My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk

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Thanks to TB for the photography. This book took me five years to read, but not because it's particularly long or boring. No, My Name is Red is one of the most entertaining and complex murder mysteries I've ever read. The book is told from 12 different viewpoints, including the murder victim himself - a … Continue reading My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

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Thanks to AL for the photography. Don't you love a story told from an unexpected viewpoint, or from a character who has traditionally been portrayed in a certain way? It gives a much-needed shift in perspective, I think. Seeing things in only one way is both boring and limiting. It's good to expand your worldview … Continue reading Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier