Thursday, July 25, 2013

Summer Reads

I hear these lists all the time on the radio - suggested reading for the summer beach. Not that I get to go to the beach and my reading time doesn't increase much in the summer. But I have been meaning to recommend a few books that I have liked and think some of you might too. First off is Dearie - The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz. The Farmer gave me it as a Christmas gift and I devoured it. Bob Spitz writes for the NYT and his style is fast-reading and fun. I was glued to the book and couldn't wait to crawl beneath the sheets to read a chapter or two every night.

I liked Bob Spitz' writing style so much I looked into what else he had written. His first bio was called The Beatles. I'm almost done with it and I don't want it to end. It is 900 pages and very heavy so you may want to try it on an e-reader. (I don't do those yet!) Fascinating story. I give a run-down every morning to Julia on what happened the night before in the book. Crazy rise to fame for those four young men. And they changed the world of music too. I can remember my mom sitting us down in front of the t.v. to watch them on The Ed Sullivan Show in b/w. I was 5 years old. Here's Paul watching that tape. I went to see him in concert many years ago and he was fabulous. I hear he is on tour again this summer and amazing still at 70!


A couple of cookbooks to recommend because they are summer reading for me too. Turquoise - A Chef's Travels in Turkey. Ooooooooh - gorgeous photos and stories and many delicious lamb recipes. I finally got April Bloomfield's A Girl and Her Pig. Lovely book and recipes and illustrations and stories about food.

Anyone else have any good bios they have read lately that you might want to share? I love a good biography. My next one is Storyteller about Roald Dahl. It's just waiting on my bedside table. Heard about it on someone's blog that I can't remember.

A surprise in my in-box to share with all of you. One of my students from last summer adopted one of our kittens named Mia. I just received this beautiful photo of a painting Judy did of Mia. Judy has let me share it with all of you. Lovely colors Judy! Thank you for letting me share!


10 comments:

Gracey is not my name.... said...

Love the painting...I so wanted to take a kitten last summer..but I have parrots and they are out of the cage a lot and I'd have to cage them more and didn't think it was too fair to them...love kitties!!!!!

Anonymous said...

My favorite autobiographical book is "Waiting for Snow in Havana" by Carlos Eire. He was born in Cuba, and when Castro came into power, his parents sent him to the US. He was only 11 or 12 years old at the time. The way he writes is marvelous---it is humorous and poignant at the same time. It is not autobiographical, but I am reading "The Book Thief" right now, and I am really liking it, too.

Unknown said...

Hi Kristin - I think you'd like "Blood, Bones & Butter" by Gabrielle Hamilton.

http://quarteracreweedfarm.blogspot.com/2012/04/blood-bones-butter.html

Kristin Nicholas said...

Thanks for the suggestions. Karen - I read B, B & B last year and loved it!

Charlotte said...

Hi Kristin,
I'm a regular reader of your blog and I enjoy it so much. The sheep, the dogs, the yarn and your sunflowers -- and your amazing colour sense. You inspired me to grow my own sunflowers and I just have one question. When I buy them at the market the sunflowers last a long time. When I pick mine, I put them in warm water with a little bleach right away -- with a sharp, slanting cut. Mine die by the next day --is there a secret to getting the blooms to last? Thanks, Charlotte

mary kate said...

An autobiography that you and julia could enjoy together . . . Boy by roald Dahl. It is great fun!
mk

Blonde said...

I went to see Paul McCartney in concert four years ago and again this past tuesday, both times in the marvelous venue of the Plains of Abraham in Quebec city. Both shows were absolutely mind blowing! The show lasted 3 hours! Three hours of pure joy!!!!! How's that for a 70 year old rocker! ;-)
I'll be sure to check out Bob Spitz' book!
Thanks for the suggestion.

therese inverso said...

My sister Antonia sent me Helen Hoover's book, "A Place in the Woods", 1968 book, now back in print from the U. of MN Press. It reminded me of "The Egg and I", but with a more amicable marriage! About a couple who leave the city life in Chicago, to live in a log cabin in the Far North woods of MN. Without a cushion of money in the bank!

Therese

Kate/Massachusetts said...

Do you follow the Cornflower book blog? Everything I have ever read from recommendations on this blog have been really good reads!
http://www.cornflowerbooks.co.uk/

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

Oh my, I was such a Paul McCartney fan! I remember watching that show and my dad thought they were terrible! Everyone's dad I knew had something negative to say! They were so tame compared to the Stones who soon followed!
I'm going to check out some of the reads you mentioned!
Stick Horse Cowgirl V

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