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| Photo at night, with a candle. |
I'm late writing a Book Talk this month for a few reasons. First, I've been reading a lot of review books. Second, I have read one novel and started another with both being major disappointments. The first I threw into a bag for charity and told my good friend that I had promised it to that she wouldn't want it. Believe me.
I really don't like it when the premise of a book is unique and promising and then it is ruined with a lot of really bad language (I can handle swearing here and there but not like this) as well as the main character having a couple illicit relationships... in detail. The second book that was promising ended up being so boring, I gave up after awhile and it also went in the bag to charity. Too many books to read to finish boring books.
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| Photo: Amazon |
So what am I reading? I think I mentioned last time that I was reading Hannah Coulter after so many people recommended it. It was a September read but worth a mention here as everyone was correct... it is amazing. It will be on my list of all time favorite novels.
I don't know how a man (Wendell Berry) can write so well from a woman's perspective. While I enjoyed the book as I was reading, it is the way he brings it all together in the end when Hannah is an old woman that I think makes it particularly beloved by so many.
Further information about this book is... here.*
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| Photo: Etsy |
My second Gladys Taber book of the season is The Best of Stillmeadow: A Treasury of Country Living. This book, from 1976, was edited by Taber's daughter and provides sections from seven of Taber's books which she believed were the best representation of that particular book.
It also contains an Introduction by her daughter, telling from her viewpoint the day Gladys and her best friend arrived at Stillmeadow with a car full of kids. This is an excellent book to get to know Taber's writing but it is also one that is pricey because there is a demand. I think this was one I found at the thrift store. Cheap. Always a good thing.
More information on this book at Amazon is... here.
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| Photo: Amazon |
Mrs. Griffin Sends Her Love and other writings by Miss Read is a very unique Miss Read book, published in 2013, also put together by a daughter (Jill Saint) and an editor (Jenny Dercham). I love the Miss Read books so I was very interested in this book which contains some of her shorter writings as well as essays and letters. In one of these, she explains how Miss Read was created.
I'm enjoying this, especially as I can pick it up when I have time and read either a longer story or a short essay. Fans of Miss Read (Dora Saint) will love it.
More information about this book is... here.*
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| Photo: Amazon |
The Great Good Thing is a book I'll be reviewing next week, probably on Thursday. The subtitle is A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ. It is a fascinating memoir of how a well known author, Andrew Klavan, came to Christ in middle age as he was drawn to Him not so much by individuals but through great literature.
I'm about three-fourths of the way through it and spoiler alert... I will be recommending it. ;)
Further information about this book is... here.*
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| Photo: Amazon |
Okay, another spoiler alert. Mimi Thorisson's long awaited second cookbook is set to publish on Tuesday, which is when I will be writing an official review. But I can say here that French Country Cooking is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I've ever seen.
If you like her blog, Manger, you will already know the magnificent photography on the blog and in the books is mostly by her husband who is a photographer. More next week!
Further information about the book is... here.*
The link to Manger is... here.
*Most links to Amazon.com are Associate links. I thank you.
9 comments:
Hmmm...think I'll be back to wander through the Amazon portal. I am ready for a book recommended by a friend with similar tastes. I so agree with you, a little raw language goes a long, long way. And boring? Not to be excused!
I love book talk. I'm interested to know which books you decided to not finish. I will definitely request that Wendall Berry book! I'm intrigued!
I am wanting to read more biographies and this one sounds very good.
That cookbook cover photo makes me want to buy the book!
Miss Read and Gladys Tabor are two of my very favorite authors. Also loved Hannah Coulter. I find many modern books quite offensive, what with bad language and characters lacking in any moral values. I guess they just reflect today's culture.
Heather
This is a Miss Read book I have not read. I just checked and our library consortium does not have it but I can get it on library loan and will soon. This puts me in the mood for rereading the Miss Read books and Gladys Taber too so may put mystery reading on hold this winter. I own a lot of the Taber ones and the library does have most/all of Miss Read's besides this one. Thanks for mentioning them.
Thanks for sharing your views on the books!! Though I feel great sorrow in ever throwing a book into the kitchen garbage trash, I admit to so doing a few times. Some are simply not worth the paper and I hope I save some others from reading it when it is trashed. Saw at least one on this listing that I hope to get and read...one of these days...
Elizabeth in WA
Hannah Coulter is definitely one of my favorite books. I love Wendell Berry. If I could ever write a book, I would want to be able to write like he does. Just beautiful prose. Simple, but so full of meaning. And Miss Read is a favorite, cozy, have a cup of tea and sit in front of the fire kind of author. This is a new book I haven't heard of, so thank you for the recommendation.
I haven't heard of the Miss Read one either. But I can get it from our Interlibrary loan system. Thank you.
Thank you, Brenda, for giving us the news that a new Miss Read book is on the shelves. I've read all of the Fairacre Series (over again) and her Christmas books, and so this is now on my list. Fun.
Brenda, You would probably love Miss Read's Country Cooking cookbook. It's filled with old-fashioned English recipes. Fascinating! It took a little while, but I finally found a reasonably priced used copy. Worth looking for! Better to purchase one of the newer reprints, though, as they have American measurement conversions listed. It can be confusing to switch over otherwise. -Joy
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