Books to curl up with: a librarian's musings

Monday, July 23, 2007

One good and one pass

I can't really recommend More Sand in My Bra. I checked out this collection of vacation essays hoping for a good giggle. Must admit that I was a little disappointed. It wouldn't be suprising if you didn't like each author, but could have passed on most of them. Maybe I was just having a humour impaired night, when I was reading it, but it was certainly not "bust a gut with laughter" as advertised.

On the other hand I just grabbed an old favourite off a cart of returned books to take to lunch. I am a fan of Delderfield. God is an Englishman is the story of Adam Swann, a former soldier serving in India during the mutinies. He resigns and returns home. This is where the story takes off. He starts a transportation company filling in the gaps between the new railway lines. The book is the first in one of Delderfield's sweeping saga. His sagas tend to track a family and the social dynamics of the day. This is no different. I find him highly readable and recommend this one.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Traveling in Scotland

Scotland is one of my favourite countries to visit, so My Hearts in the Lowlands by Higgs seemed like a fun read as I plucked it from the shelf. Higgs recounts a ten day wander through the lowlands of Scotland with you as her travel companion. I must admit that even toward the end of the book this decision to write as if I were with her seemed odd. I wonder why she decided to do this and what her editor thought. Having said this the book is a pleasant wander through an area I haven't spent much time in and it is a quick read.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Memoir with food

Yes I know I seem to gravitate toward memoirs with recipes, but honest I didn't know it had recipes until I checked it out. :)

I finished Bento Box in the Heartland by Furiya in two days. Since I have a small child that alone should be a sterling recommendation.

Bento Box weaves together the lives of Linda Furiya in Versailles, Indianna and her Japanese parents. I felt a certain kinship with Linda, who as a Japanese-American felt like an outsider in "whitebread America." I also enjoyed watching her try to integrate her parent's past and choices into her life. The book is fun and poignant at turns.

Food is the way her parents keep their ties to Japan alive. So tales of food and the long distance quests for ingredients weave through her story. Recipes end each chapter.

When I was done I wanted to meet Linda. I felt like we could be good friends.