I started and finished A Sense of Direction in one evening; I couldn't really stop thinking about it, so I couldn't put it down. I found it...
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An entertaining history of Italian food that ranges from truly bizarre to mouth watering. Dickie's easy style makes for a great read- even when the food in question deals with medieval history or papal legacy. He dishes out fascinating facts, like the belief that pizza spread cholera, that will keep you turning pages.
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Ever dreamt of packing up and moving your family to a new country and a new life? Epstein and his wife do just that when they move their young family to Rome. The chapters function as short stories or observations on the experience of being an American living in Italy. The anecdotes range from charming to infuriating. The book is a sweet look at the challenges and payoffs of living as Romans do.
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Butler at his best- the concept of 240 word stories (which he created long before Twitter's 140 character limit), all written as if to be a person's last thoughts between decapitation and death. The concept is morbid, but the stories are beautiful. Some are drenched in history, others rely on pure emotion. Technically a quick-read, but spend some time on each short story to appreciate the author's craft.
Set in a failing newsrooms, the novel has little to do with news and much more to do with the small disappointments that make up life. Each chapter introduces perfectly developed new characters, who in turn offer an almost voyeuristic look at their lives. Rachman does an admirable job of exposing his characters, stripping them down and turning their almost unbearably mediocre dreams and aspirations into beautiful story telling.
"We know the cost of everything and the value of nothing." I have zero background in economics but Patel makes his discussion of modern markets easy to understand. The book is fascinating and uses current examples to explain why we need to reevaluate the prices we pay in order to address broader global issues. Mind blowing!
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Natalie Aldern has commented on (10) products.
Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food by John Dickie
Natalie Aldern, September 14, 2010
An entertaining history of Italian food that ranges from truly bizarre to mouth watering. Dickie's easy style makes for a great read- even when the food in question deals with medieval history or papal legacy. He dishes out fascinating facts, like the belief that pizza spread cholera, that will keep you turning pages.(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
As the Romans Do: An American Family's Italian Odyssey by Alan Epstein
Natalie Aldern, August 15, 2010
Ever dreamt of packing up and moving your family to a new country and a new life? Epstein and his wife do just that when they move their young family to Rome. The chapters function as short stories or observations on the experience of being an American living in Italy. The anecdotes range from charming to infuriating. The book is a sweet look at the challenges and payoffs of living as Romans do.(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Severance: Stories by Robert Olen Butler
Natalie Aldern, July 11, 2010
Butler at his best- the concept of 240 word stories (which he created long before Twitter's 140 character limit), all written as if to be a person's last thoughts between decapitation and death. The concept is morbid, but the stories are beautiful. Some are drenched in history, others rely on pure emotion. Technically a quick-read, but spend some time on each short story to appreciate the author's craft.The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
Natalie Aldern, June 20, 2010
Set in a failing newsrooms, the novel has little to do with news and much more to do with the small disappointments that make up life. Each chapter introduces perfectly developed new characters, who in turn offer an almost voyeuristic look at their lives. Rachman does an admirable job of exposing his characters, stripping them down and turning their almost unbearably mediocre dreams and aspirations into beautiful story telling.The Value of Nothing: How to Reshape Market Society and Redefine Democracy by Raj Patel
Natalie Aldern, March 23, 2010
"We know the cost of everything and the value of nothing." I have zero background in economics but Patel makes his discussion of modern markets easy to understand. The book is fascinating and uses current examples to explain why we need to reevaluate the prices we pay in order to address broader global issues. Mind blowing!(3 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
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