I have nystagmus and diplopia and chronic pain and ataxia, and I can tell that I'm nervous and excited that my new book is out today because all of...
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Interjected with Clara's memories of growing up during the Great Depression and sage advice for weathering hard economic times, "Clara's Kitchen" warms the heart as well as fills the stomach. Whether you want recipes such as "Poorman's Meal" (which my husband specifically requested, reminiscent of the starchy meals his mother made) or just enjoy reading about the life lessons gleaned from surviving a very hard time in America's history, Sicilian grandmother and YouTube sensation Cannucciari won't disappoint.
By far the best new book I've read in several years! It was well over 500 pages and I was still depressed when it was over, wanting more.
With unexpected elements, wonderful character development and a large chunk of it about the relationship between humans and dogs, this book was written for my reading pleasure.
"Edgar Sawtelle" has a place of honor in my top five books of all time, and I look forward to anything else written by Dave Wroblewski. If you like dogs, getting into the mind of a teenaged boy, farm life, good vs. evil, or just want a wonderfully written tale this book is for you!
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(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Fabulous historical fiction! Waldo spent many years reasearching to write this book and includes copious notes, which solidify the actual history and give the reader a sense of why the fictional parts weave the way they do. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, I was taught about Lewis and Clark in school, but it came nowhere near the depth and breadth of Waldo's research.
Sacajawea's story runs deep: as an Indian, a woman, an intrepid traveler, a lover of peace. As I approached the last of the 1328 pages, I was truly filled with melancholy. I wanted to know the wonderful ending, but I didn't want the story to end!
Waldo really did a wonderful job making the many facets of Sacajawea's life so real to me that I felt a great kinship with her by the middle of the great Expedition, which ended about a third of the way through this book.
For those history buffs, many points along the Expedition's trail are pointed out, including what Lewis and Clark named them and what their current names are. Many references to the diets of different Native tribes were a bonus for me. Covering from about 1800 to 1900, there is a wealth of knowledge on the daily lives of early Americans.
This is a rare novel for me - I WILL read it again!
Chevalier's writing always captures my spirit, and takes it along her path like an obedient puppy on a leash. Her characters are both loveable and fallable, they can be humane and cruel by turns.
Set in Victorian London, Chevalier paints a wondrous picture of life in both the higher and lower classes by alternating between points of view: two young girls who's family graves are next to each other, parents, servants, a gravedigger's son. The reader alternates between loving and despising many of the characters, as their strengths and flaws are revealed.
This work shouldn't be compared to Girl With A Pearl Earring, but I do prefer it.
Though the subject matter could have been very interesting, the way in which this book was organized and edited ruined it.
There was actually very little organization and deplorable editing, though the author is supposed to have been a writer/author with the Chicago Tribune.
Ms. Shepherd made so many proofreading errors, I think this one volume has surpassed all errors I have seen in every other book I've read--combined. Lack of paragraphing, shoddy sentences and disorganization of thoughts and chronology made it nearly impossible to wade through this book. (I merely hate to quit any book.)
I would advise looking into the horrific crimes of Belle Gunness somewhere else, and definitely not pay anywhere near the cover price if you insist on trying to read this work.
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(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
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Teresa Vaughan has commented on (20) products.
Clara's Kitchen: Wisdom, Memories, and Recipes from the Great Depression by Clara Cannucciari
Teresa Vaughan, November 25, 2009
Interjected with Clara's memories of growing up during the Great Depression and sage advice for weathering hard economic times, "Clara's Kitchen" warms the heart as well as fills the stomach. Whether you want recipes such as "Poorman's Meal" (which my husband specifically requested, reminiscent of the starchy meals his mother made) or just enjoy reading about the life lessons gleaned from surviving a very hard time in America's history, Sicilian grandmother and YouTube sensation Cannucciari won't disappoint.The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Teresa Vaughan, November 10, 2009
By far the best new book I've read in several years! It was well over 500 pages and I was still depressed when it was over, wanting more.With unexpected elements, wonderful character development and a large chunk of it about the relationship between humans and dogs, this book was written for my reading pleasure.
"Edgar Sawtelle" has a place of honor in my top five books of all time, and I look forward to anything else written by Dave Wroblewski. If you like dogs, getting into the mind of a teenaged boy, farm life, good vs. evil, or just want a wonderfully written tale this book is for you!
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Sacajawea (Lewis & Clark Expedition) by Anna Lee Waldo
Teresa Vaughan, August 5, 2009
Fabulous historical fiction! Waldo spent many years reasearching to write this book and includes copious notes, which solidify the actual history and give the reader a sense of why the fictional parts weave the way they do. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, I was taught about Lewis and Clark in school, but it came nowhere near the depth and breadth of Waldo's research.Sacajawea's story runs deep: as an Indian, a woman, an intrepid traveler, a lover of peace. As I approached the last of the 1328 pages, I was truly filled with melancholy. I wanted to know the wonderful ending, but I didn't want the story to end!
Waldo really did a wonderful job making the many facets of Sacajawea's life so real to me that I felt a great kinship with her by the middle of the great Expedition, which ended about a third of the way through this book.
For those history buffs, many points along the Expedition's trail are pointed out, including what Lewis and Clark named them and what their current names are. Many references to the diets of different Native tribes were a bonus for me. Covering from about 1800 to 1900, there is a wealth of knowledge on the daily lives of early Americans.
This is a rare novel for me - I WILL read it again!
Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier
Teresa Vaughan, June 11, 2009
Chevalier's writing always captures my spirit, and takes it along her path like an obedient puppy on a leash. Her characters are both loveable and fallable, they can be humane and cruel by turns.Set in Victorian London, Chevalier paints a wondrous picture of life in both the higher and lower classes by alternating between points of view: two young girls who's family graves are next to each other, parents, servants, a gravedigger's son. The reader alternates between loving and despising many of the characters, as their strengths and flaws are revealed.
This work shouldn't be compared to Girl With A Pearl Earring, but I do prefer it.
The Mistress of Murder Hill: The Serial Killings of Belle Gunness by Sylvia Elizabeth Shepherd
Teresa Vaughan, May 9, 2009
Though the subject matter could have been very interesting, the way in which this book was organized and edited ruined it.There was actually very little organization and deplorable editing, though the author is supposed to have been a writer/author with the Chicago Tribune.
Ms. Shepherd made so many proofreading errors, I think this one volume has surpassed all errors I have seen in every other book I've read--combined. Lack of paragraphing, shoddy sentences and disorganization of thoughts and chronology made it nearly impossible to wade through this book. (I merely hate to quit any book.)
I would advise looking into the horrific crimes of Belle Gunness somewhere else, and definitely not pay anywhere near the cover price if you insist on trying to read this work.
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
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