Irish Country Wedding

I just read Patrick Taylor's latest novel Irish Country Wedding. Turns out I missed one and jumped ahead to this. Doctor O'Reilly is going to marry his sweetheart from the past. Young Barry is still trying to sort out his love life. And of course our two doctors are trying to sort out the problems of the village - Ballybucklebo. It is still a pleasure to revisit the village. If you haven't read the series, you'll want to start with An Irish Country Doctor. While these are novels, the series will appeal to readers of James Herriot.

Buddy: How a rooster taught me to be a family man

Brian McGrory had a dog, Harry. It was Brian and Harry, best friends to the end. And when the end came his vet, Pam was there to grieve with him. It turns out that Pam was there to be with him. Pam came with two daughters, a dog, two rabbits, some frogs and...Buddy. Buddy was the rooster who loooved everyone but Brian. In this memoir Brian talks about how a middle age man learns to be a family man and maybe even learns to love a rooster.

My Berlin Kitchen

As you have probably noticed, I love a good memoir. And a memoir with recipes is gold. So Luisa Weiss' My Berlin Kitchen is right up my alley. Born in Berlin to an Italian mother and American father, she chronicles her life on two continents after her parent's divorce. Her memories are full of food, friends, doubt and then love. You will love it!! She has a blog at http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/

My bookstore: writers celebrate their favorite places...

You would think that as a librarian, I wouldn't need bookstores but I do. I have even been informed by friends that they will not move my books again. So in My Bookstore the authors are genuinely kindred spirits. Author Richard Russo has edited essays by writers from around the US about their favourite bookstores. They wax rhapsodically about their bookstores - the smell, the light, the staff, the books. And my personal favourite - The Book Loft in Columbus, OH is in there on page 305. Thank you Jeff Smith of Bone fame. (Any bookstore that gives you a MAP to find things has to be wonderful.) So join fellow book junkies and learn their haunts!

Grace

Grace is a memoir by Vogue's creative director Grace Coddington. It is a delightful stroll through her life in fashion from being a model to working in publishing. As cold as Anna Wintour is seen as, Grace is as warm and delightful. The book is illustrated with her pen drawings and photographs. And she loves cats!!! So she must be wonderful.

Le Road Trip

Swift recounts her life on the road. She went to Paris the first time as a young woman on her vacation from her factory job. The travel bug hit. This is a mixture of her honeymoon trip, road trip tales and quirky travel tips. All of this is married with charming water color sketches. FUN!

Yes, Chef

Marcus Samuelsson's life has had many twists. Born in Ethiopia and saved by his mother who walked he and his sister to the city hospital at the cost of her own life, Samuelsson and his sister were adopted and raised in Sweden. Too small to progress professionaly in soccer, he is inspired by his Swedish grandmother's passion for food to go to culinary school. His memoir focuses on his travels as he learns his craft and builds his reputation through Europe to New York City. He is driven in his career at the expense of his personal life, but his kitchen tales are interesting. The sudden death of a mentor thrusts him into the limelight. The chance to be his own man means he has to buy his own name back from the restaurant firm he worked for. Not gnarly kitchen tales, but the quest of a chef to become great and to learn to have a personal life.

The End of Your Life Book Club

Will Schwalbe has an incredible mother with a great ability to reach out to people. In this memoir she has discovered she has pancreatic cancer. Schwalbe recounts how the two of them forge an even stronger bond as they discuss books as she has her chemo treatments. This is a touching memoir without being overly sentimental. I highly recommend this.