March 2011
February 2011
GoD and DoG by Wendy Francisco
Have you ever seen Wendy's sweet and moving (internet craze) YouTube video with the same title? If not, you should watch it! Now they've made her quirky message of faith into an adorable little book (nice for the godly grannies/doglovers who don't do computers!). I've always thought a dog's loving devotion was a good refelection of God, but Wendy found a great way to say it! Yay!
Have you ever seen Wendy's sweet and moving (internet craze) YouTube video with the same title? If not, you should watch it! Now they've made her quirky message of faith into an adorable little book (nice for the godly grannies/doglovers who don't do computers!). I've always thought a dog's loving devotion was a good refelection of God, but Wendy found a great way to say it! Yay!
Memories of a Farm Kitchen by Bob and Rob Artley
The folksy farmy 93 yr old cartoonist, author and illustrator Bob Artley will make you forever remember what it was like to sit in your grandma's Midwestern country farmhouse kitchen. And then you'll cry a little if you have one of those sleek Scandinavian IKEA style ones instead (don't worry, you'll recover). If the pictures and the nostalgic stories weren't enough, the recipes are homey and awesome too. I swear , I could even smell pie when I was reading it.
The folksy farmy 93 yr old cartoonist, author and illustrator Bob Artley will make you forever remember what it was like to sit in your grandma's Midwestern country farmhouse kitchen. And then you'll cry a little if you have one of those sleek Scandinavian IKEA style ones instead (don't worry, you'll recover). If the pictures and the nostalgic stories weren't enough, the recipes are homey and awesome too. I swear , I could even smell pie when I was reading it.
God's Guest List: Welcoming Those Who Influence Our Lives by Debbie Macomber
Debbie's quite a woman. She's not just a writer, she's more like one of those improbably perfect Proverbs 31 women. Bestselling author, woman of faith, renown knitter, blogger, mother of 4, recipe creater and celebrated cook, obstacle overcomer (dyslexia). Whew. You can just tell by her website she is a doll too--I love it that she has an "interview me" and "write to me" pulldown tab button (and I'm sure she means it). Anyhoo, while I'm sure her fiction is wonderful (it's won major awards after all!), it's not really my style of read and therefore I can't say much. What I do love is this book, non-fiction, about looking at all the people in our lives as living lessons/gifts from God. The premise is that everyone who comes into our lives brings with him/her a divine and sometimes surprising purpose, and we should approach the world and other people with that in mind. most excellent. I want to send her a mushy Hallmark thank you card, too.
Debbie's quite a woman. She's not just a writer, she's more like one of those improbably perfect Proverbs 31 women. Bestselling author, woman of faith, renown knitter, blogger, mother of 4, recipe creater and celebrated cook, obstacle overcomer (dyslexia). Whew. You can just tell by her website she is a doll too--I love it that she has an "interview me" and "write to me" pulldown tab button (and I'm sure she means it). Anyhoo, while I'm sure her fiction is wonderful (it's won major awards after all!), it's not really my style of read and therefore I can't say much. What I do love is this book, non-fiction, about looking at all the people in our lives as living lessons/gifts from God. The premise is that everyone who comes into our lives brings with him/her a divine and sometimes surprising purpose, and we should approach the world and other people with that in mind. most excellent. I want to send her a mushy Hallmark thank you card, too.
January 2011
P.S. I Hate it Here: Kids' Letters From Camp Ed. by Diane Falanga
Real letters written by real kids who are having a real bad time at camp. Full of photocopies of actual letters like the one below. If you are reading this in public, use caution because your coffee will come out of your nose.
Real letters written by real kids who are having a real bad time at camp. Full of photocopies of actual letters like the one below. If you are reading this in public, use caution because your coffee will come out of your nose.
This Land is Their Land: Reports From a Divided Nation by Barbara Ehrenreich
Barb's so brave. She can even make a take a look at the growing, gaping divide between Americans who have nothing and Americans who have no hearts and make it a great read that doesn't leave you feeling desolated. What she says is so important, so honest and cruel and even funny. You will laugh and be mad.
Barb's so brave. She can even make a take a look at the growing, gaping divide between Americans who have nothing and Americans who have no hearts and make it a great read that doesn't leave you feeling desolated. What she says is so important, so honest and cruel and even funny. You will laugh and be mad.
An Exact Replica of A Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken
I'm not a good enough writer to be worthy of reviewing this book. This is the kind of book you have to tell a friend about over coffee, in person, letting her know with your eyes how good it was, how painful and funny and disturbing and true it was. The best I can do is tell you that it's not something you'd pick up from an ordinary description of it, so read Lori Gottlieb's review at NPR and maybe you will be convinced.
I'm not a good enough writer to be worthy of reviewing this book. This is the kind of book you have to tell a friend about over coffee, in person, letting her know with your eyes how good it was, how painful and funny and disturbing and true it was. The best I can do is tell you that it's not something you'd pick up from an ordinary description of it, so read Lori Gottlieb's review at NPR and maybe you will be convinced.
Dead End Gene Pool: A Memoir by Wendy Burden
The hi-larious decline and fall of one of the wealthiest old money families of frou frou elite blueblood New York society, the Cornelius Vanderbilts (as told by the baby boom child who saw the tail end of the comedy unfold). These people are smart, insane and very flatulent. Tee hee.
The hi-larious decline and fall of one of the wealthiest old money families of frou frou elite blueblood New York society, the Cornelius Vanderbilts (as told by the baby boom child who saw the tail end of the comedy unfold). These people are smart, insane and very flatulent. Tee hee.
September 2010
A History of Food by Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat
You should know right off the bat that this isn't one of those books you imagine reading in terms of days or even weeks, but in--maybe--semesters. It's like taking a full course load in world history, gastronomy, politics, world religion, agriculture and several languages. Oh, but it is so worth it. Don't you want to hold an 8 pound book absolutely bursting with passage after passage like this one:
Killing the pig was a great occasion in the French provinces until before the Second World War. In the Aude, the whole process of slaughtering the animal and salting, pickling and in general preparing its meat for the household was called 'tiring out the pig", although if old people's memories are to be believed the farmers' wives must have felt more tired than anyone else at the end of this exhausting period.
Yes you do!
You should know right off the bat that this isn't one of those books you imagine reading in terms of days or even weeks, but in--maybe--semesters. It's like taking a full course load in world history, gastronomy, politics, world religion, agriculture and several languages. Oh, but it is so worth it. Don't you want to hold an 8 pound book absolutely bursting with passage after passage like this one:
Killing the pig was a great occasion in the French provinces until before the Second World War. In the Aude, the whole process of slaughtering the animal and salting, pickling and in general preparing its meat for the household was called 'tiring out the pig", although if old people's memories are to be believed the farmers' wives must have felt more tired than anyone else at the end of this exhausting period.
Yes you do!
The Pet Dragon by Christoph Niemann
Roo has been crazy over this book, and not just because of the awesome dray-guns! The author teaches chinese characters by incorporating them into the colorful drawings they describe, which is a fun bonus. And the story is, as Roo says, "Aww, so kee-yooot!" A fave that is going on the Santa list.
Roo has been crazy over this book, and not just because of the awesome dray-guns! The author teaches chinese characters by incorporating them into the colorful drawings they describe, which is a fun bonus. And the story is, as Roo says, "Aww, so kee-yooot!" A fave that is going on the Santa list.
Dino-Hockey by Lisa Wheeler
I gotta say, I didn't much groove on Dino-Soccer or Dino-Baseball, but when the lads whined to go to the library for this one, I was pleasantly surprised. However good it is, tho, it's really more of a "Daddy and me" good. So if you love dinosaurs and hockey, blah blah blah...
I gotta say, I didn't much groove on Dino-Soccer or Dino-Baseball, but when the lads whined to go to the library for this one, I was pleasantly surprised. However good it is, tho, it's really more of a "Daddy and me" good. So if you love dinosaurs and hockey, blah blah blah...
What the Great Ate: A Curious History of Food and Fame by Matthew and Mark Jacob
This is one of those awesome cultural history books that makes me bug out. So many articles have been written about it, because it is quite frankly both astonishing and badass. Based from writings in the blog of the same name, you will learn a lot about the world just by snooping into some of the freaky culinary habits of each era's great icons. You really will! Fun!
This is one of those awesome cultural history books that makes me bug out. So many articles have been written about it, because it is quite frankly both astonishing and badass. Based from writings in the blog of the same name, you will learn a lot about the world just by snooping into some of the freaky culinary habits of each era's great icons. You really will! Fun!
August 2010
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems
All Moe Willems's "pigeon" books are hysterical and insane. The lads love this one particularly, as they identify greatly with a cleverly negotiating "insomniac" pigeon. The pigeon also tweets on Twitter, if you're into micro-comedy from flying rodents (and I am). Follow him @The_Pigeon.
All Moe Willems's "pigeon" books are hysterical and insane. The lads love this one particularly, as they identify greatly with a cleverly negotiating "insomniac" pigeon. The pigeon also tweets on Twitter, if you're into micro-comedy from flying rodents (and I am). Follow him @The_Pigeon.
Churched: One Kid's Journey Toward God Despite A Holy Mess by Matthew Paul Turner
Matthew Paul Turner is an awesome memoirist, and a great humorist of faith. I love his blog JesusNeedsNewPR (link above), which is every bit as well-written and funny as his book. Hub and I both appreciate MPT's open-minded, intellectual and light-hearted approach to the phenomenon of questioning and doub that comes to every thinking person on the Christian walk.
Matthew Paul Turner is an awesome memoirist, and a great humorist of faith. I love his blog JesusNeedsNewPR (link above), which is every bit as well-written and funny as his book. Hub and I both appreciate MPT's open-minded, intellectual and light-hearted approach to the phenomenon of questioning and doub that comes to every thinking person on the Christian walk.
The Passport by Herta Müller
I am fascinated by everything Herta Müller writes: poetry, fiction, accounts of her own spell-binding and sometimes unmerciful life. In 2009 she won the Nobel Prize for this book about life for the German minority in Romania during the brutal Ceausescu dictatorship. If you can take a thick, dark and absorbing story, chew on this.
I am fascinated by everything Herta Müller writes: poetry, fiction, accounts of her own spell-binding and sometimes unmerciful life. In 2009 she won the Nobel Prize for this book about life for the German minority in Romania during the brutal Ceausescu dictatorship. If you can take a thick, dark and absorbing story, chew on this.
Cat, You Better Come Home by Garrison "Uncle Gar" Keillor
With Uncle Gar, would you expect anything but clever and funny? Add to this Toe's obsession with cats (both real and imaginary), and you got a great bedtime story. (I think Uncle Gar may have been seeing himself in the life of the cat a wee bit there, too.) I love it as much as the lads, and you can listen to the story being read at the GK link above (listed under "Audio Highlights" at the Prairie Home Companion website), but you'll want to buy it too.
With Uncle Gar, would you expect anything but clever and funny? Add to this Toe's obsession with cats (both real and imaginary), and you got a great bedtime story. (I think Uncle Gar may have been seeing himself in the life of the cat a wee bit there, too.) I love it as much as the lads, and you can listen to the story being read at the GK link above (listed under "Audio Highlights" at the Prairie Home Companion website), but you'll want to buy it too.