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Read With Us: Leave the World Behind Discussion

March 2, 2021 By Carole

Okay, readers, the day you’ve been waiting for has arrived . . . it’s time to talk about Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam. Bonny and Kym and I are each posing one question about the book for our online discussion and then we’ll be hosting a Zoom meeting tonight to dig a little deeper with a live chat.

My question has to do with the grocery store trip that Amanda takes right at the beginning of the novel. Do you remember the list of things she purchased? It’s rather pretentious and I think says a whole lot about the lifestyle of this family. Here, I’ll quote a bunch of it for you.

She bought yogurt and blueberries. She bought sliced turkey, whole-grain bread, that pebbly mud-colored mustard, and mayonnaise. She bought potato chips and tortilla chips and jarred salsa full of cilantro . . . organic hot dogs and inexpensive buds and the same ketchup everyone bought. She bought cold, hard lemons and seltzer and Tito’s vodka and two bottles of nine-dollar red wine. She bought dried spaghetti and salted butter and a head of garlic. She bought thick-cut bacon and a two-pound bag of flour and twelve-dollar maple syrup in a faceted glass bottle like a tacky perfume. She bought a pound of ground coffee . . . those fancy crackers you put out when there were guests, and Ritz crackers, which everyone liked best, and crumbly white cheddar cheese and extra-garlicky hummus and an unsliced hard salami and . . . packages of cookies from Pepperidge Farm and three pints of Ben & Jerry’s politically virtuous ice cream and a Duncan Hines boxed mix for a yellow cake and a Duncan Hines tub of chocolate frosting with a red plastic lid, because parenthood had taught her that on a vacation’s inevitable rainy day you could while away an hour by baking a boxed cake. She bought two tumescent zucchini, a ag of snap peas, a bouquet of curling kale so green it was almost black. She bought a bottle of olive oil and a box of Entenmann’s crumb-topped doughnuts, a bunch of bananas and a bag of white nectarines and two plastic packages of strawberries, a dozen brown eggs, a plastic box of prewashed spinach, a plastic container of olives, some heirloom tomatoes wrapped in crinkling cellophane, marbled green and shocking orange. She bought three pounds of ground beef and two packages of hamburger buns, their bottoms dusty with flour, and a jar of locally made pickles. She bought four avocados and three limes . . . it was more than two hundred dollars, but never mind.

Wow, right?

So here’s the question: How does this list reflect her background and her hopes for the days ahead? Think of a trip or a vacation you’ve taken in recent years and how you prepared for it. What do you think your approach to planning a trip says about you? How is it similar or different from Amanda’s approach?

The trips to Cape Cod that I take with my family every summer are pretty similar in concept to the vacation that Amanda and her family are taking. Just like them, we rent a house and, just like them, we mostly eat in. My approach is to plan meals for the week and make an extensive list and do a big shopping trip with little trips for fresh bread or other things later in the week. I definitely tend to splurge at the grocery store when we’re on vacation. I’ll buy the more expensive cheese, the prepared snacks from the deli, the high end olives and crackers and the fancy ice cream.. I indulge to treat myself and my family to things I would normally deem too expensive, to make meal preparation easier, and I justify it by telling myself that it’s still less expensive than eating out.

I suppose that says that I’m a planner who is practical but enjoys little luxuries like fancy cheese. I’m certainly not as boujee as Amanda, though!

I look forward to reading your thoughts on this passage in the comments.

Filed Under: Books, Read With Us 6 Comments

For the Love of Reading: February 2021

March 1, 2021 By Carole

It’s the first of March and sticking to my new schedule for sharing my reading, today I am sharing the books I read in February, 2021.

The Overstory

The Overstory by Richard Powers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“A tree is a wondrous thing that shelters, feeds, and protects all living things. It even offers shade to the axmen who destroy it.”
This book is dense, full of challenging prose, spectacular characters, and a story that unfolds so slowly you will lose sight of it if you don’t pay very close attention. Part short story collection, part literary fiction, part field guide, it’s not an easy read but it’s very worthwhile. And you’ll never look at trees in the same way again.


Memorial

Memorial by Bryan Washington
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I always say it’s good to read stories that are not at all like your life. It’s good to study characters who are different than the people you encounter. This book is where the rubber meets the road for me and, while I can’t say that I loved it (because much of it is sad and focused on the sameness of life), I can say that it gave me an opportunity to consider the world from a much different perspective. I think it has given me insight into Japanese culture, queer culture, and Black culture, in a way that isn’t possible by reading a non-fiction book.


The Twelve Dates of Christmas

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
If you’re looking for a delightful (and very light) Christmas romance, this is the book for you. The setting is charming, with lovely descriptions of nature and seasonal decorations and delicious food and drink. It’s predictable, sure, but that doesn’t take away from the fun. Recommended for fans of light romance novels.


The Wife Between Us

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
While this book is billed as a thriller for me it was a slog. The first surprise, which I suppose is the big one, wasn’t all that much of a surprise. I tried really hard not to figure it out but I did. After that it was just dull. Too many plot twists, too many stale storylines, it was just . . . tedious to finish. I know many people enjoyed it but I’m pretty sure I sprained my eyeballs from all the eye rolls I did.


The Book of Lost Names

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Another Holocaust story but this one is somewhat unique, focusing on a forgery ring operating as part of The Resistance. The story is compelling even if it is a bit predictable, plus I’m always a sucker for a story with a librarian as the main character. Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction.


Summerwater

Summerwater by Sarah Moss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a wonderful, short book, told from the perspective of 12 individuals at a remote Scottish cabin park. Interspersed between each stream-of-consciousness chapter is a description of the natural world, the awakening of a fox, the flying of a bat. The vignettes are both independent and also connected, as these characters watch each other deal with depressing rain and weather, until they finally interact in the fast-paced, climactic ending. Highly recommended.

Five books this month, two with five star ratings. It was a great month of reading!

Filed Under: Books 9 Comments

For the Love of Reading: January 2021

February 2, 2021 By Carole

In keeping with my new schedule, today I am sharing the books I read in the month of January, 2021.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
After all, you apply ice to a joint after an awkward fall. Why not do the same to a life?
I’m a summer person and I tend to resent winter and the cold it brings and isolation it forces. This book has helped me to look at that attitude in a new way and consider the gifts of winter instead. I may not ever love the cold but I’m learning to appreciate the turning of the wheel of the year and accepting each season with gratitude.


Dear Edward

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Edward is the only survivor of a plane crash, losing his entire family along with all of the other passengers. The narrative switches back and forth between Edward in the present and the events on the plane leading up to the crash. I enjoyed the book overall, but was left feeling like it could have been so much more. I think part of the problem is knowing that all the passengers on the plane (except for Edward) are going to die and because of that I didn’t really let myself become invested in those characters. I also felt detached from the other characters and had a hard time comprehending the freedom Edward was allowed by his aunt and uncle, wandering in the night, sleeping anywhere but in his own room and more. Overall I’d say it’s a good story but there’s a lack of emotion and genuine feeling to the whole thing.


Piranesi

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.
This is one of those books that is best read without knowing much about it. I will tell you what I can to get you started, though. It’s a fantasy set in a series of rooms/halls/houses (think classical crumbling architecture) that are full of statues and flooded repeatedly by the sea. The story is narrated by the main character, Piranesi, as he catalogs and journals the contents of the houses and tries to understand the things he knows but cannot explain. It’s confusing at first but I encourage you to stick with it because it’s a gorgeous book with plenty of philosophy and a smidge of mystery.


In Five Years

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
You might think this is a romance, given the description and the beginning of the story. I’m here to tell you that it’s not. It’s actually a poignant story of a lifelong friendship between two women but, because I was expecting a romance, I feel short changed. It’s a shame, really, because the book had great potential. But the characters are all beautiful and successful and there’s no real struggle or growth. If you’re looking for a quick diversion that manipulates all of your emotions, go for it.


The Midnight Library

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Between life and death there is a library,’ she said. ‘And within that library, the shelves go on for ever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be different if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?
Part fantasy, part self-help book, this novel is predictable and sentimental and yet I really enjoyed it. The possibility of infinite lives and the chance to experience them is makes for a captivating story. The ending is pretty much a rip-off of It’s A Wonderful Life, and you can totally see it coming, but there are some moments of enlightenment that make this a worthy read.


The Reason You're Alive

The Reason You’re Alive by Matthew Quick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The main character is a politically incorrect, gun toting, Vietnam vet suffering from PTSD. He distrusts the government, is violent and aggressive, is writing a first person narrative to justify just why he is the way he is. Sounds awful, right? It’s actually the opposite and I found myself cheering on this xenophobic narrator despite his attitude. The story is heart warming with a very satisfying ending, the asides will make you cringe as well as laugh, and as long as it’s not taken it too seriously I think it’s really enjoyable.


Beheld

Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I approached this book about the first murder in Plymouth with some skepticism since I’m very familiar with it as I’m local to the area. I was pleasantly surprised to come away from this with a new perspective on that story as well as a fresh approach to the death of Dorothy Bradford, class structure in the colony, and the inclusion of the voices of women. The history they teach us in elementary school, that the Pilgrims were escaping religious persecution, that everyone on board the Mayflower had the same goals and reasons for moving here, is quite different from what actually happened. I recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about this time period in our history from a societal point of view.

January was a great month of reading!


Filed Under: Books

Read With Us: Leave the World Behind

January 26, 2021 By Carole

It’s my turn to take a stab at encouraging you to read our winter book club selection, Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam. I read this book back in November but I still remember it quite clearly, which, when you think about it, is a pretty glowing endorsement.

It’s the story of a white family from New York City who head to a remote part of Long Island for a vacation in a beautiful home. Think really upscale AirBnB, complete with lots of room, a gourmet kitchen, a swimming pool, and more. After they’ve been there only a day or so there is a late night knock on the door from the couple who own the house. They are Black and older and very upset because something (we don’t know what) is going wrong in the outside world. Their arrival sets up a novel full of anxiety and suspense and questions, plenty of which remain unanswered even after the last page.

Sounds great, right? Delicious even? And it is. There is so much to unpack. Questions of race and class. Questions about our dependence on technology and need for constant information. Questions about trust and safety and connection.

It will leave you unsettled. Perhaps even frightened. Definitely ready to discuss!

And speaking of discussion, Bonny, Kym and I will be posting questions on our blogs on Tuesday, March 2nd and we will be hosting a live Zoom discussion that night at 7pm EST. I hope you’ll join us!

Filed Under: Books, Read With Us

For the Love of Reading: December 2020

January 12, 2021 By Carole

In an attempt to be more organized and mindful, I’m going to start sharing my reading updates on a monthly basis. Here are the books I finished in December.

The Obituary Writer

The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a fast, enjoyable read that could have been much better if the characters had been fleshed out more. The plot is fairly predictable, as is the connection between the two women it centers around. What made it stand out for me was the settings, the descriptions of San Francisco in the early 1900s and the suburbs of Connecticut in the 1960s. The insight into grief and the way people react to it were good and I would have liked to have more of that and less of the unhappy housewife plot. Worth reading, just don’t expect something exceptional.

Homeland Elegies

Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had to keep reminding myself that this is a novel because it reads much more like a memoir. However it’s categorized, it’s excellent, full of difficult realities and harsh realizations about the American lifestyle and what it’s like to be a Muslim in our post 9/11 world. Highly recommended.

The Boy in the Field

The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a beautifully written coming of age story, illustrating the impact of a traumatic event on 3 siblings. I appreciated how the author switched between each of the children in telling the story and I thought the author brilliantly captured the impact of their parents lives on the children as well. The ending is satisfying without being too perfect. Highly recommended.

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My goal was for us to travel the South looking for sites of cultural and culinary memory while researching my family history and seeing the food culture of the region as it stood in the early twenty-first century.
This is a deeply personal account of Twitty’s exploration of his genetic make up and how it impacts the food he prepares and shares with others. It’s a bit scattered and sometimes the genealogy is confusing, but the descriptions of meals and the retelling of stories of his enslaved ancestors make for a unique and important approach to the discussion of race and racism in society.

Frontier Follies: Adventures in Marriage and Motherhood in the Middle of Nowhere

Frontier Follies: Adventures in Marriage and Motherhood in the Middle of Nowhere by Ree Drummond
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The first time I heard of Ree Drummond was when a friend linked to her blog and a recipe for French Breakfast Puffs – a muffin that is dipped in melted butter and then rolled in cinnamon sugar. I was immediately hooked by her down-to-earth style of writing and the recipes she shared, most of which were family oriented and the epitome of comfort cooking. Not much has changed in those 10 years except that Ree is now wildly successful and her brand has expanded far beyond her blog. This book isn’t great quality literature but it’s sweet and funny and I could hear Ree’s voice in my head when I read it. Recommended for readers of her blog and other followers.

It’s a bit of a shorter list than usual because the last book update I did included the first book I finished in December. Even as I typed that sentence, though, I thought . . . who cares? ha!

I have set my Reading Challenge for 2021 at 75 books, the same as the last few years. GoodReads tells me I’m already behind. And to that I say again . . . who cares?!

Happy Reading, friends. That’s really the best thing to care about.

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2020 Reading Challenge

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Aerogarden is doing it’s thing, I’m hoping for Aerogarden is doing it’s thing, I’m hoping for an herb harvest soon! #the100dayproject #100daysofiphonephotos #aerogarden #growingherbsindoors #dill #parsley
I didn’t order groceries today so our snacks are I didn’t order groceries today so our snacks are from the larder, summer sausage, Swiss cheese, some crackers and hardboiled eggs. Even without the fancy snacks I’m still celebrating that the weekend is here! Happy FriYay! #fridaynightsnacks #happyfriyay #martinitime #cocktailhourathome #cheeseandcrackers
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Pictured here: 8 of the 48 cream puffs I made for Pictured here: 8 of the 48 cream puffs I made for Valentine’s Day for my family. One batch was a bust, pretty sure that was my mother-in-law saying hello from heaven (she always said one batch always fails) but the others were some of the best I’ve ever made. You may say Happy Valentine’s Day but around here it’s Cream Puff Day! #100daysofiphonephotos #the100dayproject #creampuffs #creampuffday #familytradition #homemadeisbest #whippedcreamfordays #thanksruthie
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