janepriceestrada’s 2009 Reading

I try to keep a book going in each of the following general categories: classic fiction, nonfiction, architecture history/theory, and fantasy/sci-fi.

Currently Reading:
Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson
The City in History by Lewis Mumford
Storyteller by G. R. Grove
The Norton Book of Science Fiction
Selected Writings by Ruben Dario
Into the Path of Gods by Kathleen Cunningham Guler
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois
Reading Seattle: The City in Prose
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel
The LSU Football Vault by Herb Vincent

Finished:
Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan
Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn
American Buffalo: In Search of a Lost Icon by Steven Rinella
Waiting for Coyotes Call by Jerry Wilson
The Stettheimer Dollhouse by Sheila W. Clark
The Judging Eye by R. Scott Bakker
Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind
Blood Engines by T.A. Pratt
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
The Art and Craft of the Machine by Frank Lloyd Wright
Cul-de-Sac Syndrome by John Wasik
The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller
Bayou by Jeremy Love
Seattle (City Guide) by Becky Ohlsen
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa
Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind
Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind
The Morning Watch by James Agee
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Soul of the Fire by Terry Goodkind
Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind
The Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind
Frommer's Irreverent Guide to New Orleans
All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
Why New Orleans Matters by Tom Piazza
Le Bernardin Cookbook by Maguy Le Coze
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld
Elemental Magic by Sharon Shinn, Rebecca York, Carol Berg, Jean Johnson
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
The Quick and Easy Microwave Oven Cookbook
Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook: Stratesgies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking
Abita Beer: Cooking Louisiana True
New York Times Cookbook
Arthur Schwartz’s New York City Food: An Opinionated History and More Than 100 Legendary Recipes
Seattle Public Library by Office of Metropolitan Architecture
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
The Penguin Rhyming Dictionary by Rosalind Fergusson
Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America by John M. Barry
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Thanksgiving by Glenn Alan Cheney
Beloved by Toni Morrison
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

I took an extended break from reading at the beginning of the year to study for a big exam so I don’t remember some of the early stuff I read. But I will get some comments on what I remember up soon.

ETA: Where touchstones don't work I have added the link for the most part.

Oh my... I will definitely need to follow your writing, particularly because besides the Emerson and Cervantes (which I was browsing just the other day, wild coincidence!) I have yet read any of those titles/authors... and I can't wait to see which ones I'll need to hunt down. ;)

Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan

This was my first experience with the comic book/graphic novel format. My brother-in-law is really into them – he and a friend do a review show on all things comic book. So he bought us this for Christmas in the hopes that my husband and I will become interested as well. I am interested in reading more in the genera, in particular the more socially important works. But, for my first foray this was difficult.

First, I enjoyed the premise a great deal. A virus wipes out every male (both human and animal) except Yorick Brown and his monkey. It is a fascinating idea to consider what would happen in a world without men – cults rise up believing that somehow this is long due justice. However, the writers really should have consulted a woman. Within a short time society completely collapses because men previously dominated the workforce. While I understand that this is still true today, I think it is a bit arrogant to assume that all transportation, government, and energy infrastructure would cease to function.

I found the characters to be less than complete – perhaps because I only read the first few books of the series. Yorick only wants to get to Australia to find his girlfriend which I find questionable motivation at best. I find it hard to believe that the last man on earth would become obsessed with this one goal rather than understand that there are now more important things. Of course most of the women he meets fall in love with him – every man’s fantasy I’m sure. So I liked the idea. I wanted to like it, but it just went to far out into male fantasy land for me.

The actual experience of reading a comic book may have had something to do with this. I am a fairly quick reader and an impatient person. I found it hard to be sucked into the story because of the fast pace of the medium. The artwork was not so exceptional that I felt the need to study it more closely. There was no build for the climatic scenes for me. I will try more comic books and graphic novels, perhaps get my brother-in-law to recommend something more accessible for me.

Fullmoonblue - thank you. This is my first read of Don Quixote. I always had this romantic notion that I would read it in Spanish after I learned the language. However, that is not happening as quickly as I would like. Right now I am at the end of the first book and will post my thoughts on the first half soon.

Re #3 -- A few years ago I took a course on history & literature, exploring the relationship between the two, from early historical novels like The Heart of Midlothian and The Red and the Black to more recent stuff like Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day and Orhan Pamuk's Snow). Anyway, it was then that I read my first 'graphic novel', which was Art Spiegelman's Maus. Maus deals with the author's family's experience of the holocaust, and I found it really interesting but not personally moving. However, because I'd enjoyed reading it, I decided to give another, second graphic novel a try and read Blankets by Craig Thompson. So I just wanted to mention that, if you're willing to give that style of writing another try, either Maus or Blankets might appeal to you. Blankets especially amazed me; it's an autobiographical piece, illustrated by the author, about his memories of growing up in a conservative Christian family, and how he grappled with his beliefs during high school and beyond. The plot was interesting, but the illustrations were what made the story come alive for me. Before reading it, I hadn't really understood how or why a 'graphic novel' is really anything different than a 'comic book'. But Blankets did an *amazing* job of showing me how the use of artwork can make the difference between a graphic novel and a comic. To mention just one example, Thompson's story made constant use of blanket imagery throughout, but not in a heavy-handed and obvious way; in other words, Thompson plays with the notion of what a blanket is and what they do, and he kept shifting and changing his use of them throughout the story in a really subtle way that I would normally associate with 'Real Literature'. (For example, without calling overt attention to it, Thompson manages to include blankets on beds, blankets of snow, and constantly the sense of tension between a blanket as Safety (something to curl beneath) and blankets in a darker sense, as something people use to cover and conceal things they can't face...)

So if you decide to give another graphic novel a try, I'd strongly recommend either Maus or Blankets. :)

Waiting for Coyote's Call by Jerry Wilson

Waiting for Coyote’s Call traces a narrative of life on a South Dakota bluff. The first half of the book covers the author’s experiences moving to and living on the bluff – meeting neighbors, learning the history and ecology of the location, etc. I particularly like the chapters dealing with the building of his house.

The second half of the book becomes a bit preachier as to the author’s feelings about how we should live with nature. Some of this I agree with; some I do not. I wish it would have stuck to the interactions with the natural world and let the reader come to their own conclusions. Some parts were a bit too sentimental in theme for me – harkening back to small family farms. While I find beauty in these images, I do not think as a society we can go back. We need to find new ways to engage with the natural world responsibly.

Some random thoughts: There were some great descriptions of the various plants and animals. It made me want to pay more attention to things around me. One section focused on the author’s prairie grass restoration with some interesting discussion of biodiversities role in the natural world.

The Stettheimer Dollhouse

This small volume contains excellent descriptions and photographs of the dollhouse at the Museum of the City of New York. The photographs are wonderful – large and detailed. Of particular interest are the miniature artworks received from prominent artists at the time. As an interior designer, I would have liked to have seen more descriptions of the furniture, which designers they were based on, etc, but this may be a bit much for the average reader. Overall it was very enjoyable.

Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn

This latest book of the Twelve Houses is a bit different from the rest in the series. It takes place after the war so it is more suspenseful than action/adventure. It also moves on to a different character who was not one of the main characters from the other books. It ties in nicely and I found myself surprised at where it went. I love Shinn’s writing and read it quite a bit for a little escape.

The Judging Eye by R. Scott Bakker

This is an epic fantasy following Esmenet, the Aspect Emperor’s wife, her youngest son, her oldest illegitimate daughter, her former lover, and the capture king of another city. All are in some way trying to figure out just who the Aspect Emperor is. The reader is thrown right into the action of the story which makes it both exciting and disorienting. However, by the middle of the book, the action slows and the relationships between the characters are clear. You get tastes of the history of the world and characters throughout the immediate action. The historical and religious aspects have flavors from many societies and religions which makes the world building very rich.

This was a very fun read. I will be looking in the previous trilogy Bakker wrote in this world and looking forward to the sequels to this book.

American Buffalo by Steve Rinella

The author’s personal search for every experience and bit of information about the buffalo frames this narrative style nonfiction. The story follows the author on a lottery-won buffalo hunt in Alaska. Throughout the descriptions of preparing, camping, tracking, and killing the buffalo are a plethora of facts on the history of buffalo and their importance to the formation of America. I was particularly impressed by the passages dealing with Rinella’s ongoing attempts to reconcile his love of hunting with his love of animals. While it did not bother me, there are very detailed descriptions of the butchering of the buffalo both in history and Rinella’s hunt. I would suggest anyone who is squeamish or anti-hunting to pass on this book (or at least the last couple of chapters).

Hi, I was looking at your home page and I see you are from Louisiana. I'm not but I spent two years in Baton Rouge teaching with Teach for America. Looking at your books made me remember some things I had read but hadn't remember. I've built a couple of dollhouses and I know I've read one book about the Stettheimer dollhouse, but I think it may have been a different one, because it has been awhile.

Also I noticed the Doors of Perception. I think that I read that, and a similar book by Andrew Weil,The Natural Mind which talks about a natural drive to change our consciousness, coming out in children in ways like trying to get dizzy.

We were sent a reading list for Teach for America. There was one fascinating book you might be interested in called Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America. It's nonfiction, but a lot of drama.

solla - Thanks for stopping by and the recommendations. Rising Tide has been on my list of books to buy for a while now; I just never seem to think of it when I'm buying books. My mom read it and loved it. Her father was actually in the flood and had this really elaborate adventure. First, they took them to the railroad and put them in boxcars because it was the only dry land. He found this diamond brooch which years later he had made into a necklace for my grandmother. Then he and his siblings (10 in all I believe) stayed at the Red Cross camps while the parents went to stay at a relative's house - different times indeed. After the water was low enough to be out of the house they would fish off of the porch for their dinner. I do not do the story justice as my grandfather was a marvelous story teller, but imagine a more jovial version of that with a thick Cajun accent.

So I finished the first book of Don Quixote, and while I loved it I felt the need for a small break between the two large volumes. I picked up Wide Sargasso Sea which is quite short and almost done already. I am also starting Dirty Little Angels sometime this week. I tend to take a while with ebooks since I do most of my reading on the train, but we will see how it goes.

I also finished the Diaries and Letters section of the Emerson. It was quite fascinating since I knew very little of his life and now want to look for a biography. I had the thought to keep notes on little passages that I liked, but after filling most of a page I decided I would just have to return and re-read from time to time. Now I move into the section of essays of which I will have more concrete analysis.

I was able to finish two books which are my literary equivalent of chewing gum – not very filling, but sometimes you are in a hurry and need a little something sweet to cleanse the palette.

Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind

The second in the Sword of the Truth series is not outstanding in any way, but there was more action than the first and was a nice escape during a particularly stressful and busy couple of weeks.

Blood Engines by T.A. Pratt

This is an urban fantasy with some really outrageous characters and snappy dialog.

It has been quite a busy week – lots of family visiting – and my reading has become quite schizophrenic – perhaps I read to suit my life. I keep jumping around to different things without finishing anything. I have spent a lazy Sunday with the sniffles and general grumpiness, but after a nice hot toddy I am able to process a few things.

I received The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome through LibraryThing Early Reviewers so I started that immediately. It is structured in two parts – the history/current events of the housing crisis and ideas for what comes next. The first part is slowing me down a bit as it is easily available information or otherwise something of which I was aware. I am hoping that second section will be a bit more exciting.

I recently discovered DailyLit and have started Uncle Tom’s Cabin which I read when I was younger and would like a little refresher. I also completed DailyLit’s lone architectural essay:

The Art and Craft of the Machine by Frank Lloyd Wright

This was interesting, if a bit strange. Having read FLW’s autobiography I was well aware of his ideas so this was nothing new. There is a particularly interesting bit about the printing press destroying art as a singular object (the building) because people no longer needed the building to tell them the story. Thus the different artistic aspects were divided into separate disciplines.

I also finished:

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

This was a quite beautiful tale of the ‘mad woman in the attic’ from Jane Eyre. It was very lyrical, flowing along quite peacefully for such a destructive story. I particularly liked reading about the Caribbean setting. Louisiana has a large Caribbean influence and it was striking how many aspects seemed so familiar – from the general descriptions of place to the complex interactions of varying racial differences. Some very complex themes on gender were also engaging. The ease with which women were used by the men in their lives and that abuse’s effect on the psyche of Antoinette, the differences in English and French law in regards to women and children, and the definition of insanity are all floating around the edges of this haunting tale.

My favorite bit from the Frank Lloyd Wright piece:

"Simplicity is not merely a neutral or a negative quality."

The Cul-de-sac Syndrome: Turning Around the Unsustainable American Dream by John Wasik

Wasik begins by covering the causes and effects of the current mortgage crisis and giving a history of residential growth in America. The particular part of the ‘American Dream’ that he objects to is of the multiple-vacation-home-as-retirement-fund rather than the everyone-should-be-able-to-own-a-home variety. While I agree with many of his suggestions, ultimately the conclusion is not fleshed out enough to be totally convincing. I think the book could have done with more ways to move forward and less history.

From an architectural standpoint I agree with him on many points – in particular the need for changes in building practices allowing a variety of new environmental models. Not everyone or every location can implement every new sustainable feature. It would be nice to see much more variety in building technique as well as design.

My main objection is that after pages of information on environmental design and urban rehabilitation schemes, Wasik ultimately comes down to New Urbanism. While the New Urbanists have some good ideas on paper, they rarely are implemented in practice. First, most New Urbanist developments are built outside cities – yes, they are mixed use, but a soda shop and specialty market are hardly the kinds of services that a functional neighborhood needs. Primarily, other than vague references to ‘mixed-income’ developments, New Urbanist theory never mentions the issues of race and housing.

This was an Early Reviewers book and I received an extra copy. If anyone in the U.S. is interested I would be happy to mail it to you (drop me a private message on my profile).

The French Laundry Cookbook

(A birthday present from my wonderful husband.)

There is some gorgeous photography; however, I do not think it will help with cooking. The recipes seem very complicated (not for beginners I imagine). I will be saving this one for special occasions, although I do want to go through a few recipes to learn some techniques.

Seattle (City Guide); Lonely Planet

I like Lonely Planets overview chapter at the beginning of all their guides and this one is no exception. The next sections are broken up by neighborhood and then by activity (further divided by neighborhood). I think this would be/will be helpful on site, but for research is not ideal for me.

I am looking for good Seattle reads (fiction or non-fiction) and, of course, must-visit bookstores. Any suggestions would be most appreciated if anyone familiar with the area.

So I went through a particularly bad reading rut through most of the summer – partly because I finished Don Quixote and didn’t really know what to do with myself afterwards, and partly because a lot of life circumstances were not so good which makes me retreat to escapist reading. Let’s see what I did…

Don Quixote – Still stewing this one over. I am not really sure how one would review such a book. I loved it, and have reaffirmed my commitment to learn Spanish and read the original.

Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa – The beginning chapters made me feel like a young teenager again with events happening around me without my influence.

Blood of the Fold, Temple of the Winds, Soul of the Fire, Faith of the Fallen, The Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind – Books 3-7 of the Sword of Truth series which got me through the funky period by reading without thinking.

The Morning Watch by James Agee – A young boy is in boarding school, struggling with his religious (Catholic) identity, trying to fit in with the other boys. There were some really interesting parts dealing with ritual and dogma. Highly recommended.

The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley – I was able to fly through these on a five hour bus ride to and from D.C. I liked both a lot, but The Hero and the Crown better. The movement back and forth in time was quite a nice element.

Frommer's Irreverent Guide to New Orleans – Published in 1998, it was interesting to review what has changed and what has not.

All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren – This was the real start of my Louisiana jag, and a good one. The story jumps all over the place as do the emotions, but this is a very good thing. I wanted more of Willie Stark, which means there will be some Huey Long reading soon. This took me to so many places personally – my grandfather was editor of the Baton Rouge paper during Earl Long’s governorship, and had many amazing stories about the man and the politician, many of which I need to write down.

Why New Orleans Matters by Tom Piazza – This would be good as a starter for someone interested in learning more about the city – size and accessibility are very good. I left wanting something a bit deeper.

Le Bernardin Cookbook by Maguy Le Coze – A quite lovely collection of seafood recipes which is accompanied by extremely helpful information on techniques, basics, and fish types.

I have started the following:

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld – graphic novel about Katrina
Elemental Magic by Sharon Shinn, Rebecca York, Carol Berg, Jean Johnson – four romantic fantasy stories for my mid-week blues
Rising Tide by John M. Barry – long on the TBR

>18 janemarieprice:, Jane, please do post your thoughts about the Neufeld book - I am very interested in that one!

Ditto 19!

What a great collection of things you *have* managed to read this summer though... I like the mix. I've not read any James Agee yet, but that one sounds really intriguing. I'm also salivating at the thought of the Bernadin Cookbook. (Got a microplane grater for my birthday earlier this month, and have been pouring over cookbooks lately looking for a good way to break it in...)

The Cul-de-sac Syndrome sounds like a more sustainability-oriented work than a home and housing book I'm reading currently, House Thinking by Winifred Gallagher. She goes into each room of the typical American home and describes how the architectural and design elements of those rooms have changed over the years. She weaves in all sorts of references to history, home ec, gender relations, consumerism, psychology, all sorts of stuff. It feels a teeny bit 'light' on some points, but I'm enjoying it anyway. Will post thoughts when I finish it. Will also watch for a copy of Cul-de-sac. (Hubby and I are thinking about buying our first home, so these kinds of topics are really interesting to me lately.)

Best wishes for a beautiful late summer!

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld

Let me start by saying that I really, really wanted to like this. And I did to a certain extent. The panels are beautiful, particularly the use of color which is single toned for the storm and flood, then moves to analogous colors for the diaspora and complementary for the return. The author did volunteer work after the hurricane where he met these characters and followed up with them and their stories. However, the dialog for me was inauthentic and at times felt forced. I felt the prologue was the most effective – only images and basic location/timeline titles. I thought the use of TV and radio coverage alone with the powerful images could have conveyed the story without so much dialog. The thing I remember the most about going through hurricanes is watching and listening to the weather constantly for days and days. There also appeared to be an attempt to cover every facet of life in New Orleans and find a character for every ‘type’ of person that lives there. This sort of took me out of the story at times – like an explanatory aside. I did appreciate the message of the stories and would generally recommend it.

Anyone interested can read it in webicomic at SMITH Magazine.

This reminded me of a particularly nice part from Why New Orleans Matters speaking to the attitude of many as to why people would want to return to the city:

“How could you even say such a thing unless you assumed that people who were – you know – underprivileged had no past, no sense of life, no memories and no feelings? – in short, weren’t really people at all, as we know them?”

It also reminded me of a lapse in my last reviews.

Bayou by Jeremy Love

This is also a webicomic found here and reviewed by bobmcconnaughey a few months back. A young girl is plunged into a strange, scary, and fantastical world. The artwork is beautiful – you can almost see the humidity. It appears DC will do a print run, and I intend to pick it up.

Elemental Magic by Sharon Shinn, Rebecca York, Carol Berg, Jean Johnson

Bargain with the Wind by Sharon Shinn – a mysterious girl marries the lord of the manor and a housekeeper tries to discover her secrets. I was a bit irritated by the housekeeper’s constant presence as narrator, but a little surprise ending wrapped it up nicely for me.

Birthright by Jean Johnson – a twin princess tries to find a way to determine which is first born and the rightful heir. I enjoyed the world here. The characters had an interesting frankness to them which was a bit refreshing.

Unmasking by Carol Berg – a magical student and a man without magical gifts attempt to trick a spy. This is part of Berg’s Rai-Kirah series. The characterization was quite good. I will be looking for the first book in this series.

Huntress Moon by Rebecca York – a noble girl is sold as a slave and forced to spy on her new owner. This is part of York’s Moon series. Much too much sex for me – I find it hard to find it important in a short story where the characters have so little time to engage me.

Finally, a nice bit from All the King's Men:

“I felt that a story was over, that what had been begun a long time back had been played out, that the lemon had been squeezed dry. But if anything is certain it is that no story is ever over, for the story which we think is over is only a chapter in a story which will not be over, and it isn’t the game that is over, it is just an inning, and that game has a lot more than nine innings. When the game stops it will be called on account of darkness. But it is a long day.”

I could say a lot about this. First, it is exactly what reading this book feels like. Second, good books make me feel this way – they aren’t over when the final page is read. They bounce around in your head for a while and come back to you from time to time. More importantly, it speaks about life – keep on keeping on folks.

Wow. I love that quote, and your comments about it, and the book, are just as good. I'll pick up All the King's Men when I stop at Borders this afternoon. Thanks, Jane!

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stove

While I understand the book’s historical importance and appreciate its message, I had a really hard time getting through this for a couple of reasons. First, the religious rhetoric was very difficult for me. I cannot agree that taking a Christian viewpoint is the only way to understand how evil slavery is, especially given that many prominent abolitionists were secular and many religious institutions promoted a biblical reasoning for slavery. The long passages of religious posturing seemed to go on and on without end. Second, the characters are extremely one dimensional and idealized. Even the quite evil Legree is said to somehow see the wrong he is doing and still choose the path of evil. Third, there are entirely too many happy or sad coincidences. Characters randomly happen upon one another by chance. It took me out of the story at times. I am glad I re-read it (it has been years), and I value the importance of the work. However, I don’t think I will be reading again. It makes me feel like a bad person for not enjoying it more.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Reviewed earlier this year by fannyprice, this is a young-adult, alternate history/dystopia. Ember’s lights are failing, threatening to plunge the city into eternal darkness. For as dark as that sounds, it is not bleak. The character of Lina in particular was endearing. I found myself rooting for her and sailed along on she and Doon’s adventures. Not great overall but definitely entertaining.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

This was really fun – an alternate history literary police procedural in which the world is generally enthralled with literature. What more can you ask for really? I don’t usually go in for mysteries, but I really enjoyed this. High English literature references abound. The dialog is snappy and silly. The characters are not extremely well formed, but enough to run you through a quick book. I can see reading the rest in this, Thursday Next, series when in need of a lighthearted, fun read.

Another agreement, Joyce. I may have to rethink the relieved removing from my wishlist of any book you really liked! The Fford books are perfect escapist reading. My favorite part is the various schools of art engaging in running street battles. I so totally could lob a few molotov cocktails at Impressionists!

Oooh... that Fforde title is actually someplace in my TBR pile right now, and I haven't read anything of his yet... I hope The Eyre Affair will be a good place to start!

Jane, it makes me so happy to know you enjoyed The Eyre Affair - its not high art, but it certainly is creative!

Glad to see others found The Eyre Affair as fun as I did.

While going through my cookbooks to make my Thanksgiving menu, I found a few that were not reviewed yet.

The Quick and Easy Microwave Oven Cookbook

Published in 1976 (did the ‘oven’ tip you off?), this was really interesting to look through. There are passages on how to use the microwave, safety, and which materials can be used in it along with recipes for just about anything. While I don’t think I will use many of the recipes, it was interesting to look back at the way the microwave was thought to solve all cooking problems.

Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook: Stratesgies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking

I barely made it past the introduction. Bourdain is an insufferably arrogant human being and tragically it comes across in his cookbook. Some of the recipes are interjected with annoying little phrases like “Now we are ready to begin the actual cooking. Right? You’ve got everything? Assemble your prepped ingredients in an organized fashion.” For someone who refers back to recipes constantly while cooking, I don’t need self-righteous little asides when I’m trying to figure out what to do next. The recipes are classic French bistro fare which can be found in any number of other cookbooks – find one of those.

Abita Beer: Cooking Louisiana True

A local Louisiana brew put out this cookbook which describes their brewing process, beer tasting techniques, and recipes all involving beer. Most surprising – pizza and deserts.

New York Times Cookbook

An extremely comprehensive cookbook – nothing special, but there are hundreds of recipes. Most of these are quite easy to make – very clear explanations, some good basics.

Arthur Schwartz's New York City Food: An Opinionated History and More Than 100 Legendary Recipes

The beauty of this book lies in the history aspects rather than the recipes. It covers New York food by ethnic group, time period, and some specific restaurants. It had the unfortunate effect of making me want to go to many more restaurants than I can afford.

A few other things.

Seattle Public Library by Office of Metropolitan Architecture

Disclaimer: I am not a huge fan of OMA’s work. However, after visiting the library, I have a new appreciation for them. They are excellent at taking one big idea and extrapolating it. While all the details contribute to the whole and the project works very well, I always feel like the complexity of the urban condition is not entirely represented. The book is quite nice. There are the typical OMA large pixilated photographs and big verbal statements that say very little. However, there are also a myriad of nice images of the project, drawings, and diagrams. The design process is also really clearly described.

An example of what I hate about architects’ writing: “Books have to share attention with other media of potent performance and attraction. A parallel exists between the vast proliferation and incredible intricacy of program in the new library, and the equally explosive multiplication of information media and social obligations that have to be accommodated within it.” Cool it with the adjectives and thesaurus use.

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams

A nice start to a fantasy trilogy. While it ended on a cliffhanger (which drives me crazy), the story was pretty good. One thing I liked was that I never really felt like there was a ‘bad’ guy. The fae, while frightening, were also sympathetic.

>29 janemarieprice:: Hmm, I haven't read Tad Williams since maybe Tailchaser's Song back forever ago. I'm not sure why. I should look up something of his. Is the Shadowmarch trilogy all published or it is a work in progress? (Jordan, Martin and Rothfuss have cured me of starting unfinished series.)

30 - The first two are published with the third due out in March. I'm a little wary of unfinished series for this reason as well. The first was good, but not wonderful enough to make me want to rush out and get the rest of the series immediately. There was a lot of really dense world building, which I like. I’ll probably wait for the 3rd installment to come out and finish it some time next year.

From Tad Williams, some years ago, I read and likedOtherland. It's longer (8 books, if I remember correctly), but finished (again, if I remember correctly).

I have been a bit lax with reviewing (busy finalizing my Thanksgiving menu). I finished Zeitoun quite a while back, but am still stewing over my thoughts; same goes for Dracula. In the meantime, here is something really good:

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

I shamefully must admit this gap in my reading. Douglass’s memoir really amazed me. I was expecting something more alone the lines of Uncle Tom's Cabin where the reader is brow-beaten with the message – I think this style was needed in the time it was written but makes for a difficult read at times today. The memoir, however, is a very practical piece. He tells his story frankly, without delving into morality, because the simple facts of his life are enough for one to form an opinion. A really beautifully told story – I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t read it yet.

A few things kind of fun:

People of Sparks and The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau

Sequel and prequel to The City of Ember, Sparks follows the adventures of the Emberites who have emerged from their underground world into the world above and their struggles to be accepted. Yonwood takes us to a pre-war world full of religious prophesy and tension. These are good young-adult books. I like the post-apocalyptic narrative, the characters are well drawn, and there is not a good/evil type morality found in most young adult fiction. The third installment gave me a good appreciation for DuPrau’s ability to write children – a new set of characters are very different from the previous two books.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl is a criminal mastermind, who’s twelve. He hatches a scheme of kidnapping a fairy and holding her for a ransom of gold. This took about a day to get through, and it was an enjoyable fast-paced adventure story. The reader bounces between Artemis and the fairy world – all of the characters being sympathetic in one manner or another. I’m not sure if I will continue on with the series, but this was a fairly enjoyable way to pass a rainy day.

Something that makes me happy:

The Penguin Rhyming Dictionary by Rosalind Fergusson

I don’t really have any need for a rhyming dictionary – I am not a writer or poet. However, there is something wonderful about all of the phonetically arranged words. My favorites that rhyme with my name - ain/ane – Scot for ‘one’, tain – tinfoil mirror-backing, Steen – Dutch painter. Anyone need a rhyme?

And the first in my attempt to read through The Norton Book of Science Fiction:

“The Handler” by Damon Knight

The Handler is a short (3 pages) story about a small unpopular man who lives inside and controls a large charismatic actor. I am not sure how I feel about this very strange story. Perhaps we all have a little handler in side us controlling the larger public face? **

I enjoyed The City of Ember and The People of Sparks. I think the prequel is going to have to go onto my wish list.

I haven't read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass either, but I will now. Thanks!

Two of my lapsed Halloween reads:

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Generally I enjoyed Dracula. It had a sort of action adventure quality while maintaining the dark and moody tone. Each characters letters and journals were usually distinct, although at times some of the denser material read like standard prose. I could not bring myself to like Mina. I found her insufferable and boring most of the time and a ‘product of her time’ at the best. A thought on gender and money:

(From Mina’s journal) “Oh, it did me good to see the way that these brave men worked. How can women help loving men when they are so earnest, and so true, and so brave! And, too, it made me think of the wonderful power of money! What can it not do when it is properly applied; and what might it do when basely used! I felt so thankful that Lord Godalming is rich, and that both he and Mr. Morris, who also has plenty of money, are willing to spend it so freely. For if they did not, our little expedition could not start, either so promptly or so well equipped, as it will within another hour.”

This particular paragraph struck me as strange – not so much the beginning which is more of Mina’s blathering. However, it made me think of what happened before the novel begins. Jonathan and his boss accept this job in this somewhat strange and possibly dangerous land presumably for extra financial benefit. I couldn’t shake the feeling throughout the novel that Dracula wasn’t such a bad guy, perhaps just misunderstood, the Godfather III of super-villains. Perhaps this is one reason I felt this way. I also envision the beginning of his London plans as the predecessor to the modern day prince-with-5-million-dollars-to-bring-into-your-country internet scam. Thoughts?

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

It had been many years since I had read this wonderful story. I had forgotten how absolutely hilarious it is. Example: “he was a huge feeder, and, though lank, had the dilating powers of an anaconda.” Do not read on an empty stomach as there are many tantalizing descriptions of various food stuffs.

34 - I actually think the prequel is a bit better than Sparks.

In other news, I have two anthologies that I am going to try to work my way through slowly and provide thoughts on whatever strikes me: The Norton Book of Science Fiction and Selected Writings of Ruben Dario.

Two Louisiana reads:

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

I have been mulling over my thoughts on this for some time and still they have not formed a cohesive idea so I will just put down what I’ve got.

Zeitoun tells the story of a Muslim-American family in New Orleans. The mother and children leave for the store, while the husband stays behind. He and several other men are arrested and spend several months in various impromptu jail situations before being released.

First, the story is very fast moving. The writing is crisp and informative without being dry. This was my first Eggers and I will definitely read more of his work. (I did however see Where the Wild Things Are – very beautiful.) I am also extremely impressed with his entire operation and general dedication to wonderful literature, social causes, etc. without seeming so stuffy and proper. For anyone interested, there is more information at his publishing house McSweeney’s.

What Zeitoun manages to avoid is the pitfall of most post-Katrina books about New Orleans which is the forced insertion of every New Orleans personality, location, author’s favorite bar, food, and stereotype. Some of the characters and situations are recognizable to me because they read as real. This seems to be the case with the religious aspects as well, from my limited experience with Muslim-Americans.

The story is hard and tragic and not entirely hopeful. It is the way life is – sometimes good, sometimes bad – and you do what you have to do to get by. Life in south Louisiana has been this way for a long time. Most people can tell you stories of their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents struggles. The stories are never disheartening and never heart-warming, but they are solid in a way that everyday life is. Perhaps there is a kind of hope in that.

In that vein, let me tell a story about Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America by John Barry.

My maternal grandparents lived in Marksville, Louisiana which was flooded in 1927. I know very little of my grandmother’s experience, but my grandfather would occasionally tell stories about his. When the flood hit, they evacuated everyone to boxcars on the railroad tracks because it was the highest land in town. He found a diamond ring at some point during this evacuation which was later turned into a brooch for his mother and then his wife. Everyone went to Red Cross camps. His parents went to stay with a relative in Alexandria, leaving the children in the camp for several months. Once water had sunk below the floor of the house, they went home. He and his siblings spent days fishing off the porch and out of windows – this was the primary source of food for quite some time.

Reading Rising Tide was quite interesting. The narrative is really well done – easy to follow and not overly dense, while still providing lots of details. The middle chapters detailing the levees breaking and various people’s accounts were honestly terrifying. I’ve lived near water my entire life and cannot conceive of not living near it. I’ve been through many hurricanes and flood warnings, spent days and days preparing for such, but never actually been worried about it happening. This made me think twice about my personal attitudes.

The chapters on New Orleans were very interesting. The social and political structure is well explained. More interesting, perhaps, is the outline of the problems with the levees then, the response, and the current state. (Should I insert the video of GWB claiming no one could have known Katrina would be so devastating here?) Anyone interested in information about the city pre-Katrina should read at least the first chapter dealing with the city.

Also of note are the issues of race. The issues of race in the southern social fabric is often presented as a very stark, two sides of the issue, matter. Barry does a good job of showing just how amorphous the subject really is – with different areas developing different steps to the dance.

Nice reviews, Jane. I've read Zeitoun, and I'll add Rising Tide to my wish list.

If I remember correctly, when I was an undergraduate student at Tulane in the late 70s to early 80s, there was a series in the New Orleans Times-Picayune about the devastation that could take place if one or more of the major levees failed. I remember someone describing the city as being at the bottom of a bowl, surrounded by water (the Mississippi River to the south, west, and east, and Lake Ponchartrain to the north). My great-aunt lived in the Uptown section, close to the river, and I'll never forget walking up a 8-10 foot hill to see the river!

#39 - Darryl - another Tulane alum? I was an undergraduate there in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew threatened and missed. The news was full of the devastating flood possibilities - which I assumed at the time was just some unlikely worst-case scenarios. I thought the TV/papers were sensationalizing.

Jane - I'm adding Rising Tide to my wishlist. After Tulane, I went the the University of Kansas and somewhere I recall seeing a historic marker of the 1927 flood, (and 1951, and 1993). So, I guess I've been to school at both ends of that one.

Wow. Tulane alums everywhere. Personally I'm an LSU gal. :)

In related news, yesterday a federal judge found the Army Corp of Engineers liable for flooding in St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward.

Katrina negligence ruling could cost feds

This particular ruling deals with the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet (Mr. Go), a large shipping channel that was dug to speed ship's passage from the city to the Gulf without having to drive the entire length of the river. It has been problematic since its opening and never generated the economic revenue it was supposed to. There was a large movement to close it before Katrina and is in the process of being closed now. These man-made channels cut through the swamps increase erosion dramatically - swamps and barrier islands being effective at tempering the strength of hurricane storm surge. Since we are closing in on the holiday season I'd like to turn everyone on to my favorite coastal restoration project - Recycled Christmas Trees.

I'm not a Tulane alum. I went there initially after high school (1978-80), but did very poorly there (immature, bad study habits, distracted by girlfriend and other cute New Orleans women, good food, friends, etc., nobody's fault but my own). I left after 2-1/2 years of goofing around, worked full time, went to Rutgers at night, and got my act together.

Rising Tide is one of the best nonfiction works I've every read. Like a good novel it has drama and scope, and, then, since it is nonfiction, there is the history.

Darryl - That's a great success story. I don't want to admit to all my Tulane/New Orleans experiences. For me they were educational in their own way - and I definitely got some things out of my system - hopefully for the better.

#44 solla - I'm noting your comment. I'm very interested.

Jane - sorry for the Hijak.

Right, Dan. My Tulane experience was a waste of time academically, but it was still a valuable (albeit painful and eye-opening) experience.

I miss the food, though. I would do backflips if Paul Prudhomme opened up a K-Paul's in Atlanta.

45 - No problem. Hijaks are always welcome.

46 - The food is possibly the greatest thing about Louisiana. Every time I go home, I plan my entire visit around what I'm going to eat.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Tristan attempts to recover a fallen star for the girl he loves. The star turns out to be a girl herself, and together the two adventure across Faerie. This was a cute, quick story. Many of the fairy tale tropes were present – question of the hero’s birth, evil witches, magical items, etc. I particularly liked some of the quirky aspects of the characters which broke it out of the standard fairy tale at times.

Another Tulane alum here--undergrad and law school, and ended up being in NO a total of 18 years. Not a native, but NO has a special place in my heart (my mother's family has deep roots in West Feliciana Parish).

Jane you put your finger on one of the things that has bothered me about some of the other books I've read about Katrina: the lists of bars, music, food etc., the compose portions of such books; some of these characterizations didn't ring true to me, and some of these descriptions I'm sure are meaningless to people who haven't been there. Zeitoun avoided that trap, while still showing what a great place NO can be.

Interesting ruling about Mr. Go--unfortunately it doesn't help the people in NO East, since their flooding was caused only by the failure of levees built to protect, not by a Corps of Engineers project built for a reason other than protection. (I.e. Mr. Go was built for navigations purposes).

I'll be looking out for Rising Tide.

Now, new students admitted to Tulane, are REQUIRED to provide 3 individuals/families with whom they can evacuate NO if needed (a favorite niece/godchild started there this fall, and my sister's been an APress reporter in NO since 1977.

I recently read a relatively little known NO novel by a pretty well known author: hall of mirrors by Robert Stone (1967). A hallucinatory, picaresque, almost stream of consciousness book dealing w/ NO racial politics, alcohol and other drugs, right wing radio, political corruption, love among the levees and clarinet. An odd, odd book but i quite liked it. It seems to be classified among the "beat novels" of the 50s, but it's far more intelligent and scathing than, say on the road.

Oh..the excellent web-comic Bayou, Jeremy Love, HAS been released as trade paperback for a few months now - i've given copies to friends since the mgr of Ultimate comics, knowing my tastes, recommended it a while back. Keep checking for a print sequel.

A Hall of Mirrors is going on my wish list; thanks, Bob!

Thanksgiving by Glenn Alan Cheney

I received this book through LibraryThing Member Giveaways. One non-writing note, the book itself is quite beautiful – small, nice crisp paper – made for a good reading experience.

One thing that struck me was how little information there actually is about the Pilgrims given their large place in American mythology. Cheney teases out from available primary sources what life would have been like for an individual making this journey and settlement. Overall a quick, enjoyable read sprinkled through with several quirky fun facts.

Rounding out the end of 2009:

Beloved by Toni Morrison

My first thoughts are that this is not a good holiday read. In fact, I think it should primarily be read in the summer. Things are dense and close and a little too intimate perhaps. It feels like you are seeing something you are not supposed to be seeing – like a couple arguing in public or a friend revealing something a bit too personal – and in a way you are. Beloved is not supposed to be here; she should be away, somewhere else. The story is tragic. The language is lyrical. It is not a comfortable read. However, I highly recommend it. The manner in which the story is crafted can only be described as sublime – the beauty of the terrible.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

First, this was quite hilarious. Ignatius is a well-educated slob, living with his mother in New Orleans, and verbally (and sometimes physically) assaulting the general populace with his immense perspicacity. Every character in the book is just that – a character, often a grotesque one – and there are many of them in New Orleans. The story is somewhat absurd and becomes more so as the novel progresses. However, I would not recommend it to someone uncomfortable with laughing ‘at’ people.

Another bright note was that I had some really wonderfully humorous talks with my parents about the novel. They lived in the city at about the same time period and had some nice insights.

“Alpha Ralpha Boulevard” by Cordwainer Smith ***
From The Norton Book of Science Fiction

Set in a world in which technology has made everything perfectly safe and predictable, the government has given some a choice to live with uncertainty. There are some interesting plays on the things the characters do not understand – food, money, etc. Some interesting thoughts on consequences and the nature of fate crop up on the journey down the ruined highway in the sky.

Here were my favorite reads of the last year:

General Fiction:
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
Beloved by Toni Morrison
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Nonfiction:
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America by John M. Barry

Fantasy:
The Judging Eye by R. Scott Bakker
The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Reading will now be posted at Club Read 2010