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the principles of uncertainty
maira kalman
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| I love love love Maira Kalman. Ella has her "Max" children's books (Max Stravinsky. Poet. Dreamer. Dog) and we get such a kick out of them, especially "What Max Ate from A to Z". I also eagerly await the latest installment of her "And the Pursuit of Happiness" blog on the New York Times site. "Principles of Uncertainty" is the printed version of her first NY Times blog in book form and it's just wonderfully inspiring and sweet. With Kalman in the world, it's nice to know that someone is paying attention to (and photographing and drawing) stuff like tassels on furniture and couches on sidewalks and numbered tickets found on the ground. And she can link her collection of sponges from around the world to Abraham Lincoln and somehow wrap it all up with embroidered lines from Goethe's "Faust" and it all makes sense. In one of the her chapters she mentions a honey cake that only four people in her family make and I thought to myself "Oh, great. Now I have to stalk Maira Kalman to get that honey cake recipe". And you want to know what she went ahead and did? She included that recipe in her book appendix. It has tea and cocoa in it. Don't you just love her already? |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
August 2009 [link] |
recommend
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cold red sunrise
stuart kaminsky
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| I finished reading all of the Inspector Porify Petrovich books a long while ago. I loved it while it lasted. These books all take place in grim mother Russia. They have a very philosophical and engaging inspector who has a maimed leg, AND there is a Spock (as in “Star Trek”) like character that I adore. Reading these books inspired me to write a screenplay treatment (for school) about Siberia (although I’ve never of course been). Well I wouldn’t say inspired, but I had to write for a class and couldn’t think of anything that was worthy of a screenplay. I was stumped, then I thought about what I would want to see, and I wrote a screenplay treatment about a murder mystery in Siberia in the winter. Oh these are delightful books. |
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reviewed by: kristen |
September 2000 [link] |
recommend
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why i'm like this: true stories
cynthia kaplan
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| Kaplan has compiled this book of essays exploring her childhood and adulthood a la david sedaris. funny and touching, she writes about summer camp escapades and school dance nightmares as well as a wonderful essay on dealing with your parents getting older and the point when you realize that they are just human. skip around or read it all at once and ponder why you're the way you are. |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
December 2004 [link] |
recommend
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the botox diaries
janice kaplan
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| I do enjoy my chick lit but this was a stinker from the beginning. This dual written book (Lynn Schnurnberger was also an author) is about a rich, L.A. producer and her regular old mom-type friend as they jet around and deal with affairs, the botox revolution and othe preppy probs. It is slow, boring and crummy. I frowned so much at the drowning plot that I found myself needing a little Botox, too. |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
January 2005 [link] |
recommend
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orange is the new black
piper kerman
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| Remember all the crazy stuff you did in your 20s? Piper Kerman remembers all too well as some of it caught up with her when an old drug-dealing flame rats her out for carrying drug money out of the U.S. Kerman is indicted on money laundering and drug trafficking, pleads guilty and is sentenced to 15 months at Danbury's minimum security women's prison where every vestige of personal space and privacy is stripped away and the Smith graduate finds herself to be a minority as an incarcerated white woman. In her fascinating look at prison life, she is taken in and cared for (as most of the woman are) by prisoners with much longer sentences than her (a 70-year old grandmother has a sentence of four years for taking phone calls for her drug dealing grandson which is part of the many injustices of the U.S. "justice" system). Kerman learns the ropes of the prison system, builds incredible friendships and learns electrician skills at her job in the prison workshop all while trying to just get through each day (she ends up serving 13 months of the 15 month sentence). I found myself unable to put this book down and the second I finished, my husband picked it up too because, as Kerman herself points out, there's just not a lot of prison books out there written from a woman's point of view! In the end, Kerman's patience, humility and strength drive an already interesting story and elevate it into a crafty piece of non-fiction. |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
August 2010 [link] |
recommend 1 thumbs up
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how to cook a tart
nina killham
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| i love any book about cooking and this fiction-murder mystery book is yummy. the main character is a delictable cookbook writer and chef. she ain't afraid of using 12 pounds of butter in one cake - you gotta love a lady like that. lots of sensual food descriptions, an anorexic daughter, a cheating husband and one dead tart - an enjoyable and wacky read. |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
January 2003 [link] |
recommend
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a girl named zippy
haven kimmel
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another bestseller whiz that i managed to glean over several hundred times until finally packing it in my suitcase for my flight to paree. i practically read the first chapter outloud to craig until he finally said he'd read it after i was done, so i could STOP reading it to him. hrmph.
how could you not laugh at a a mother looking at her new baby's too-close together eyes saying "well, i'll love her anyway"? how funny that for a while, kimmel thought she was adopted and that her real parents were gypsies, all backed up by a convincing story told by her mom? each little vignette is cute and quaint and funny. nothing traumatic happens and it's just a straightforward story of siblings and family and growing up. kimmel now lives in durham, nc. yay! |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
April 2004 [link] |
recommend
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she got up off the couch: and other heroic acts from mooreland, indiana
haven kimmel
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| A sassy follow-up to Kimmel's superb 2002 "A Girl Named Zippy", this continues with hilarious stories of Zip's childhood and is a tender and funny ode to her family and friends. We learn about her sister's marriage and subsequent birth of two children; we learn about her determined mother's quest to get a college degree and there are, of course, a million little Zippy adventures and crazy family quirks to explore - both sweet and bittersweet. I took extra long reading this one because I didn't want it to ever end. I could read about Kimmel's childhood forever. Not only is she a talented and funny writer but her attention to details and her prose make you feel like you're part of her family or at least, a really good friend she'd like to boss around. |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
March 2006 [link] |
recommend
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the beekeeper's apprentice
laurie r. king
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| The summer I turned 10 I started reading all the Agatha Christie novels my grandma had at her house (which was like 100) and ever since, I've always had a penchant for mysteries and detective stories. That's why I especially liked this book. The novel hooks up Sherlock Holmes (presupposing that he was a real person, not a fiction character) with a 15-year-old female "apprentice". Mary Russell is an orphaned heiress (aren't they always?) and Holmes teaches her the ways of the detective world while the duo works to solve cases around town. The biggest case comes when they are being stalked by a psycho trying to kill them. An intriguing and creative story line that is short, sweet and a breeze to read - this is the first book in a series of seven other "Mary Russell Books". |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
August 2005 [link] |
recommend
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stand, the
steven king
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| This is the only Steven King book that I have consciously read. (I read Firestarter in my elevens and hated the writing although interesting plot.) The Stand was emphatically recommended to me by my acquaintance, Eric Hagen. Eric was reputed to be some obnoxious genius. He LOVED the Hobbit, but he could see how I could not. He thought the Hobbit more of an adolescent, alienated guy book. Having struck such a chord with me, I was inclined to trust his recommendation of Steven King's The Stand even though I didn't think Steven King was for me. I wanted to like him though, and Eric Hagen INSISTED that The Stand was the meaning of life. So at age 24, I started. It was very long book about the post nuclear USA. Steven King is a page turner. He is also one of those people who use that cliffhanger then next chapter is the different subplot which goes to a cliffhanger…sort of a leapfrog game - ANNOYING. The apocalyptic plot was very compelling and personal. I "felt like I really knew these folks", but it was all so cheap to me. It put a tacky, dirty feeling on my brain. The biggest thing I took away from that large marge book was one of my signature quotes "my life for you." This book is for fans or people who need to kill a lot of time. |
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reviewed by: kristen |
September 2000 [link] |
recommend
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animal, vegetable, miracle
barbara kingsolver
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| Since I was unable to sludged through "The Omnivore's Dilemma" (much to my dismay) I was happy to accept "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" as a consolation prize. I found each and every word of this book to be an inspiration on how to get back to the land, eat healthier and make a difference in our little corners of the world. Kingsolver and her family move from Arizona to Southwest Virginia to a farm her husband owns. They renovate the house and decide on a year-long experiment: sustain themselves by growing their own food and where ever else possible, eat locally (i.e. local dairy and locally raised meat). The result is this beautiful book that is part a garden manual and part social commentary on the state of food consumption today: are we really willing to pay so little for our food so that we think organic is "expensive"? do we realize that eating out-of-season fruits and veggies actually costs more in terms of fossil fuels and environmental change? This book has completely changed the way I think about food. I've been making small changes in my grocery buying and meal planning and I've been making my own bread and granola! I've been buying local! I'm this close to raising my own turkeys and growing tomatoes in the bathtub! Okay, not that close but I look forward to getting my own yard some day and gardening the hell out it. Kingsolver includes lots of delicious recipes and a myriad of links for organizations committed to eating locally such as Slow Food USA. I've ordered my organic and heirloom seed catalogs in preparation to at least grow herbs on my porch come spring. And I'm sooooo making my own mozzarella (visit the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company - you can do it too!) Hallelujah and pass the homemade bread! |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
November 2007 [link] |
recommend
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out
natsuo kirino
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once in awhile a book comes along that is just SO GOOD that it propels you along and you find yourself calling into work sick just so you can finish it. "out" is this kind of book. a huge best-seller in japan, it was also made into a movie there and awarded lots of "best mystery/thriller" recognitions. aside from a loaded and wonderfully complex plot, the language and writing (translated, obviously, from japanese) is amazing - so full and brilliant.
the plot follows four women who work the night shift in a boxed-lunch factory as one murders her philandering husband and the other help to cover it up. not only do we get a glimpse of modern japan but we get a peek into the the japanese underground of gambling, the mob and clubs. a deliciously vindictive and satisfying book for the dark side in all of us. |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
February 2005 [link] |
recommend
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an almost perfect moment
binnie kirshenbaum
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"An Almost Perfect Moment" has it all: mah-jongg playing, gold lamé wearing Jewish mothers; Catholic Italians neighbors bringing over manicotti; homely high school teachers that still live with their parents; unrequited love and a seemingly immaculate conception. What's not too love?
It seems all far-flung but somehow it works in this sassy and nutty story. Valentine Kessler is a 15 going on 16 Jewish girl growing up in Brooklyn who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Virgin Mary (except, being Jewish, she and her family and friends have no idea). She's in love with her plain, boring, 24 year old math teacher and he's in love with her (neither one knows). Set in the 70s, this book addresses all the painful parts of high school - being ostracized, having sex for the first time (or not), being religiously confused and learning about love.
Kirshenbaum's style of writing reminded me a lot of Zadie Smith's "White Teeth" which is to say solid character sketches, lots of lovely details and dark humor. A funky and pleasurable little read. (I also abnormally adore the cover, it's just so cool looking.) |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
April 2006 [link] |
recommend
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drinking: a love story
caroline knapp
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| A memoir of her years as a functional alcoholic, this book alternately made me nod with recognition and surprised me with the things I had never though of before. Caroline Knapp's story of growing up upper-class, falling into anorexia and alcoholism, and somehow emerging from all of it, life a bit frayed around the edges, was devoured by me in the course of a weekend. An easy read on difficult subject matter. |
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reviewed by: liz |
November 2002 [link] |
recommend 2 thumbs up
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under the banner of heaven: a story of violent faith
jon krakauer
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| Krakauer once agains writes a riveting tale this time tackling Momonism, polygamy and the extremes that people go to for their religious beliefs. The story starts with the case of three brothers who murder their sister-in-law because "God told them to", and essentially, because she was starting to have too much of an opinion about Mormonism. From there Krakauer explores the relatively new religion of Mormonism (it's only about 200 years old), the roots of polygamy and interviews people about their devotion to the Latter Day Saints or in some cases, their escape from this seemingly bizarre and convoluted religion. And I thought Catholicism had some nutty traditions... |
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reviewed by: lisa may |
June 2004 [link] |
recommend
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the history of love
nicole krauss
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A really wonderful book with eccentric and endearing characters. The main story weaves between the unlikely to cross lives of two New Yorkers - Leo & Alma.
Leo is a writer turned locksmith. As a young man he escaped the Nazis from his home country of Poland. Though his life was saved he has spent most of his time trying to understand all he has lost- his family, Alma- the true love of his life, a son who doesn't know he exists and a manuscript supposedly lost in a flood.
Alma is a teenager who has also experienced a lot of loss in her young life. Her father died when she was young. Her family depended greatly on him. Since his death her mother has been distant and her young brother interests involve mostly his calling as the Messiah- which he tries to fulfill by building an ark in a vacant lot.
Alma's mother receives a request from a stranger to translate a obscure book, “The History of Love”- the main character of which Alma was named. What starts out as an innocent ploy by Alma to get her mom a date begins to unravel decades old secrets that in the end come together very touchingly.
I can't recommend this book enough. |
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reviewed by: rachel |
June 2005 [link] |
recommend 1 thumbs up
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encyclopedia of an ordinary life
amy krouse rosenthal
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The cover of this creative biography quips "I have not survived against all odds. I have not lived to tell. I have not witnessed the extraordinary. This is my story." Don't think you'll be "reading" this book in the traditional sense as Rosenthal, a former Might magazine contributer, has set-up her book in encyclopedia format starting at A and ending at Z. Each letter contains paragraphs about her life, her views, her humor and observations on the world. So funny and touching and real with entries like "Wabi-Sabi" where she finds the perfect Japanese word for being happy and sad at the same time, "Letter" where she comments that "the letters a, e, g and s seem nice; k, v and x seem mean", and "Gas Tank" where she says "Every. Single. Solitary. Time I go to get gas I have to lean out the window and see which side the tank is on." On one of the pages she talks about her favorite perfume and gave out samples to the first hundred people that requested them on her Web site (sadly, I as not one of them).
Her site also contains lots of little tidbits including a project where she left 150 copies of her book around Chicago and invited people to write in about where they found them. There's also a little video to watch.
Please please please read a few excerpts from her book - I think everyone should write a biography just like this for themselves. What a wonderful celebration of life. (I feel like I should end this review with a big 'ole L'Chaim!)
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reviewed by: lisa may |
October 2005 [link] |
recommend
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