Snow Much Fun

Book Review: French Milk by Lucy Knisley

This past Christmas, my wonderful hubby gave me for Christmas several books that were on my Amazon Wish List. One of those, French Milk by Lucy Knisley, had been on my list for a while.

French Milk is part travel journal, part sketchbook, part "Dear Diary." Now, I admit, these travel memoirs are a favorite genre of mine. You've got your soul-bearing expose, your cultural commentary, or should I culture clash comedy. It just so happens that many of these books are about France, as this one obviously is too... (hmmm... maybe that's my "fascination" with French culture... perhaps books about France are all that are commercially available... H.K., time to write A Year in the Sheisse... =) )

Knisley details a month-long trip she took with her mother to Paris just before she graduated from college. In my opinion, the story line is a bit too insipidly-generic-college-graduation-angst-y. But the drawings that comprise the bulk of the heft and beauty of this book are delightful. As it is said, "A picture is worth a thousand words," and I believe this goes for drawings as well. When Knisley sat down in a spot and drew what was around her, you're seeing everything that was important her. It's like a glimpse right into her heart, and that is cool.

So, if you love to travel, and you love Paris, and you love graphic books, this book will be interesting to you. But if whiney college-aged kids grate on your nerves, you'd better pass this one up.

For the Mixology 2010 Challenge, this will count as a book about another culture. This means, that I've already wiped that (not very challenging) category! Hey, I take what I can get. Progress is progress. Two down thirteen to go.

P.S. If you're interested, you can click here to see some sketches I did way back when when I did some traveling "last century."

Over the Top

I've been plugging away on the little olde blog for nearly two years now, for better or worse. And I finally found out... someone likes me!

She is Elisabeth Wang of Babbette's Book Blog, a life-long friend-like-family I've only recently reconnected with. At Babbette's Book Blog, you can find thoughtful reviews of all sorts of books, and it looks great too. I feel honored and grateful, and I hope you'll check out her site. Thanks Beth!

In order to receive this award, I must answer the following questions with one word answers and then pass the award on to 5 other bloggers whom I believe are also "Over the Top!" (They will then repeat.) Here goes:

Your Cell Phone? cracked
Your Hair? long
Your Mother? sweet
Your Father? strong
Your Favorite Food? cheese
Your Dream Last Night? unremarkable
Your Favorite Drink? wine
Your Dream/Goal? freedom
What Room Are You In? living room
Your Hobby? creativity
Your Fear? collapse
Where Do You See Yourself In Six Years? teenagers
Where Were You Last Night? friend's
Something That You Aren't? unopen
Muffins? meh
Wish List Item? inheritance
Where Did You Grow Up? Augusta
Last Thing You Did? dinner
What Are You Wearing? jammies
Your TV? off
Your Pets? conflicted
Friends? close
Your Life? full
Your Mood? calm
Missing Someone? no
Vehicle? convertible
Something You Aren't Wearing? bra
Your Favorite Store? Anthropologie
Your Favorite Color? pink
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? work
Last Time You Cried? ?
Your Best Friend? hubs
One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? Starbucks
Facebook? constantly
Favorite Place To Eat? CanCan

So now, I pass along the honor!

First, there's my great friend at Mommy Gourmet/My Original Recipes. We're friends in real life, as well as in the blog-o-sphere. Vanessa is always whipping up delicious treats that make me truly glad I get to actually taste some of them in person.

Next is lsaspacey over at Shelter & As I Said. A friend of a friend, we have gotten to know each other a through blogging, and it's nice to know someone else in the world makes all of the kooky connections with homes that I do.

Next is Missy K at Daily Portion. Missy's thoughtful, quiet words, along with her beautiful photographs are like a needed quiet retreat in the midst of a noisy, chaotic day.

Then there is JenniferBB at Cookin' in the 'Cuse. Hip, urban, tasty, pretty... what more could a girl ask for in a blog?

These are my top favorites, so I'm just gonna leave it a four. Thanks girls, for being "Over the Top!"

Why I don't check my voicemail anymore...

Thanks to Ashton Kutcher on Twitter and Redux.

Book Review: Tatiana and Alexander

*Spoiler Alert for The Bronze Horseman*

Last week, I reviewed The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. I shared with you how much I loved it. However, I didn't share with you that the ending was beYOND sad... it was so heart-breakingly, dramatically heart-rending that fifty pages before I finished reading it, I nearly put it down (with sobs, mind you) because I didn't know if I could withstand the ending (of this fiction novel... what can I say... I'm a sap...). But I finished it, cried a few more buckets and mourned the loss of the characters the way I always do when I finish a really engaging book.

So I went online to look for other books by Simons, and guess what I found out... The Bronze Horseman is only one book in a TRILOGY! There are two more books about Tatiana and Alexander to read!

Hooray!

I immediately purchased a used copy of the second book, Tatiana and Alexander. At $20 plus shipping, I felt this was a bit high... but it turns out this book is a little bit hard to find... not in libraries, etc. Perhaps it was published in the UK. The third book in the series, The Summer Garden, couldn't be had for less than $70 when I looked, but a friend was able to find a less expensive copy. I've already read the second book (in a record three days... haven't read this fast since I read Breaking Dawn...) and will be starting on the third this weekend. (Can't wait!)

Anyway, Tatiana and Alexander did not disappoint... me at least. This book weaves together the stories of the two main characters in two veins: their lives 1) before they met and 2) after they parted at the end of The Bronze Horseman. It is FILLED with war and gulags and post WWII New York and daring European rescue attempts, tempered with (steamy) memories of the characters' time together along with creation of a few more. I will not spoil for you how this one ends... you'll have to read it yourself.

For the Mixology 2010 Challenge, this book will count as as a book about another culture. So, one down... fourteen to go!

Some Days You Gotta Dance: Part II

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Same concept as last week's post, different song... I so would love to happen upon one of these! I love spontaneous dancing!

Some Days Are Just Much Too Much

Some days are just much too much.

Book Review: Ten Things About "The Bronze Horseman"

Ten Things About The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

1. This is one long story. At 800 plus pages though, it kept me happily reading through a long snowy weekend and several nights after the snow was cleared away. Simply put, I could not stop reading this book... very inconvenient when read during the midst of a busy holiday season. (This book will not count toward my Mixology 2010 challenge because I read it in December.)
2. Taking place in the Soviet Union just as it enters World War II, there is no shortage of strife, famine, misery or destitution in this novel. Take heed: it is not for the faint at heart.
3. There is no shortage of, um, er, romance either. If you're looking for a story that will heat you up on these longs winters nights, well, I'll just leave it at that and let you read for yourself.
4. No hot love story is ever as sweet as an innocent love story.
5. I never realized before, but the USSR was a cruel, unusual, machine that took away every freedom that I enjoy as an American. The masses were pacified not with any small comfort or assurance that life would be better, but with liberal distribution of vodka. If people weren't paranoid, hungry, or lacking basic needs of privacy, it is only because they were too drunk to notice.
6. People will do strange things for the people they love.
7. Hope floats... a lot and for a long way.
8. I am lucky to be a citizen of the United States of America, and I am grateful to all of the public servants and warriors who have secured my place in its history.
9. I am always amazed to learn how crude life was for people all over Europe in the 1940s and 50s... not just in the USSR.
10. No matter what the cost, I always believe that honesty is the best policy.

Mixology Challenge

Last week, I told you about Babbette's Book Blog and about her Mixology 2010 Challenge. Well, in the spirit of participation, I've made my choices.

In 2010, it is my goal to read 15 books. I know, this is not a lofty challenge... but at least it's a goal.

The categories and numbers I would like to read are:

• classics - 2
• non-fiction - 3
• books about other cultures, fiction or non-fiction - 2
• book club choices (this is like a random field because we don't limit our selections to any certain category or genre) - 12

Now, I realize if I meet these goals, it will give me more than fifteen books. But I already know some of the ones I plan to read cross categories, so I'm going to stick with the plan.

In addition, I am adding my own component of the challenge which is to give you a short review of each of the books I've read. I've already read two this year (I was on a trip...) and I'll start getting those reviews together soon.

If you are taking the Mixology Challenge with me, post a comment and let me know!

Some Days You Gotta Dance

Some times you gotta dance... love how this gets bigger and bigger... then *poof* it's gone.