Breathing Lessons, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1989, is the story of Maggie and Ira, who've been married 28 years, beginning on a road trip that soon veers off course. Maggie is quirky and a little meddlesome and Ira is patient and reserved, and their adventure together is funny and heartwarming. This is one of my all-time favorites that I return to again and again.
Apples for Jam: A Colorful Cookbook
by Tessa Kiros Andrews McMeel Pub
Our Price: $29.95
This is a beautiful cookbook, organized by color, full of simple and approachable recipes that are easy enough for every day. Tessa Kiros hails from South Africa and has worked in restaurants all over the world, and her recipes reflect her international background.
I read The Gardner Heist, the story of Boston’s most notorious art theft, in one sitting; it was impossible to put down. It’s a fascinating look at the colorful characters and circumstances that surrounded this infamous case, and author Ulrich Boser’s investigation into the crime took him all over the city of Boston, the country, and even the globe. And as far as I’m concerned, he cracked the case. It is a must read for Bostonians, Art lovers, crime buffs--a must read for anyone, really. Read it and see for yourself.
Fans of workplace humor such as the TV series The Office or the recent National Book Award winner Then We Came To The End will enjoy Ed Park’s Personal Days. It recounts the misadventures of the disgruntled employees of a dysfunctional office, regarding email goofs, inter-cubicle romances, quirky coworkers, and a mysterious series of firings. An amusing and surprising portrait of the self-contained, fluorescent-lit world within an office’s four walls.
The Gun Seller
by Hugh Laurie Washington Square Press
Our Price: $15.00
The Gun Seller, by Hugh Laurie (of television’s House, MD fame), is a wry, clever take on the spy-novel genre. It’s the story of Thomas Lang, an innocent bystander turned unwitting participant in a raucous international conspiracy. Funny and smart and thoroughly entertaining, The Gun Seller is a marvelous showcase of Laurie’s prodigious wit.
British chef and T.V. personality Jamie Oliver’s latest book is a celebration of local, seasonal cooking. This beautifully illustrated cookbook includes both recipes as well as gardening tips for growing everything from tomatoes to mushrooms and advice for obtaining regional game and poultry. The recipes are eclectic and diverse and as always, Oliver’s charm and personality are apparent throughout this colorful, lavish book.
The Secret Scripture is an ethereal and lyrical novel. It’s composed of the narrative of Roseanne McNulty, a centenarian resident of a decaying Irish mental hospital who is recounting her life in a handwritten chronicle she stashes under the floorboards of her room. Parallel to her story is her doctor’s account as he tries to unravel the mystery of Roseanne’s past while also coming to terms with haunting events in his own life. It is a stunningly beautiful novel (it was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize) that makes thoughtful observations on truth and memory. (Also, the ending may take you by surprise.)