Month: August 2015
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My mom has wanted to read this series for ages, so when Hanukkah rolled around, we knew exactly what to get her. She’s since read the next one in the series and purchased (and watched) the first season of the Starz series. She loaned me this book, quite certain I’d be hooked, and, as usual,…
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Pineapple upside down cake tends to be a standout dessert no matter where you encounter it, but in Renee Rosen’s book Dollface, it’s a standout dish for reasons beyond its distinct and colorful appearance. Vera, the main character, leaves her childhood behind to enter the dangerous world of the 1920s flapper. It’s only a matter of…
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San Juan was our first stop on my family’s Caribbean cruise. We’d already spent a full day at sea, so we were more than ready to get off the ship and explore. As we approached the shore, we saw Fort San Felipe del Morro. The fortress, built in the 16th century, is strategically located on…
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(Sorry I don’t have a picture of the book–it was just one of the things I forgot to do before leaving on vacation. Picture ocean waves and the title on the cover, and you’ll get the idea.) Generally (and I mean very generally, I can think of loads of exceptions), books about middle-aged white male…
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Every once in a while, you’ll read a book and be extremely grateful for the things you have. Meg Vandermerwe’s book is a heartbreaking look at what it means to be poor in South Africa, as well as what it means to be an outcast in your own hometown. The protagonist is an albino, and…
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I’ve read a lot of books with a similar premise to Alice McDermott’s (like Cynthia Ozick’s The Puttermesser Papers and Mary Costello’s Academy Street). The focus on a single life gives an author room to show how each of our lives are significant, and how they are interesting in all of their distinct particulars. What…
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Frances Mayes’ memoir takes the reader on a culinary journey. So much so in fact, that she includes dozens of recipes within the book. Here is one of them, which celebrates two of my favorite things: dessert and fruit (and thus it should be no surprise that tarts are some of my favorite dishes) The…
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Hemingway has become more myth than man to modern readers, but Paula McLain’s book offers an intriguing glance into the man and the (first) woman who married him. McLain manages to capture Hemingway’s charm as well as his rougher, more cruel traits, as well as what it’s like for his wife, who doesn’t consider herself…
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There’s a week of peace and relaxation ahead of you. Nothing can get between you and your book, except your choices about which books to bring… This guide will help you bring books that you will actually read and enjoy. How Many Books To Bring While the above photo may be slightly misleading there was…
Allison Burris 