= Excellent
= Good/Very Good
= Okay read
= Not recommended
= Ugh! Don't waste your time.
Friday Finds - October 31, 2008
October 31, 2008
I missed this event last week because I was on my way to the San Jose Book Group Expo…so I’m catching up this week. I found some fabulous books at the Expo which I would never have picked up had it not been for meeting the authors and listening to them speak. These books include:
The Hakawati, by Rabih Alameddine. Listening to this author speak was a real treat - he was funny and brilliant. I immediately knew I would read his book. The book flap reads: ‘Like a true hakawati, Rabih Alameddine has given us an Arabian Nights for this century — a funny, captivating novel that enchants and dazzles from its very first lines: “Listen. Let me take you on a journey beyond imagining. Let me tell you a story.”‘ Doesn’t that sound wonderful?
Between Here and April, by Deborah Copaken Kogan. The author explained that she was compelled to write this book based on her own life - her best friend in grade school was killed and she never had the full story of what had happened. When she began to research the book, it became apparent that facts would not explain all that had happened…and so she turned to fiction. Danielle at Powells.com writes: ‘The highest praise I can give Between Here and April is that I had to put it down several times in order to take a deep breath and savor what I had just read. Rarely has a book made me think as deeply, weep as openly, and recommend as heartily as I will Kogan’s debut novel.‘ I can’t wait to read this book.
*clicking on the book covers will take you to Powells.com where you can purchase the book.
Once again, the book bloggers have steered me toward some great books to add to my ever growing wish list:
The Longest Journey, by Diana Patterson and Rita Turner as featured on Teddy’s blog So Many Precious Books, So Little Time. Teddy gave this the very high rating of 5/5 and writes: ‘This is a beautifully written story, that really captures the time and place of both England’s and Australia’s rich gentry. We also get a glimpse at the dark “underbelly” of the two countries. It is a story of love, courage, adversity, and romance.’
The Sound of Butterflies, by Rachel King as featured on Clare’s blog The Blue Archipelago. The book is about a butterfly enthusiastic who joins an expedition to the Amazon in search of a mysterious butterfly. Clare writes: ‘The Sound of Butterflies is an opulent and intriguing tale which I highly recommend; and with a debut as compelling as this I can’t wait to see what King has to offer next.‘ It moves directly to my wish list!
Everyone is Beautiful, by Katherine Center as featured on Marcia’s blog The Printed Page. Earlier this year I read Center’s book The Bright Side of Disaster (read my review) and loved it. So I am eager to read another novel by this author. This book will be released in February 2009 by Random House. Marcia writes: ‘This book is engaging, appealing and down to earth. No situation was unrealistic and out there. I could identify with pieces and parts of all the characters. Their flaws are what make them believable.‘
*Clicking on the above book titles will take you to Amazon where you can purchase the book; clicking on the title of the featured blog will take you to their review of the book.
My last find this week came from NPR and it is a cookbook:
Mediterranean Cooking, by Sara Jenkins sounds wonderful. NPR writes: ‘Asked about an image that might sum up her new cookbook, Jenkins describes driving along the Mediterranean coast during summer, through dry air that is both salty and perfumed with the scent of wild herbs.‘ If you go their site and read the post about this book, you will also find some of the recipes from Jenkin’s cookbook. Yum!
So, there are my finds for the last two weeks. What did you find that you just cannot resist? To get links to other posts for this event, visit Jenn’s Friday Finds post for today.
Topics: Books, Friday Finds, Main Page |
October 31st, 2008 at 10:43
You sure found some good ones. I’ve been interested in Between Here and April so I was glad to know the background on it. Thanks for sharing.
October 31st, 2008 at 11:08
Wendy, all of these sounds wonderful. I love the first line of The Hakawati.
Shana
Literarily
October 31st, 2008 at 11:56
Sounds like a really good list!
October 31st, 2008 at 15:08
Between Here and April sounds so good!
My finds are here:
http://shereadsandreads.blogspot.com/2008/10/friday-finds-and-contests.html
October 31st, 2008 at 18:00
Your entire list of finds sounds great, but I’m especially intrigued by the first two.
*The Hakawati* draws me in with that opening line.
The Powell’s review of *Between Here and April* grabbed me … I love when a book is so intense that I have to “break and breathe” for a bit.
I’ll look forward to reading your reviews of these.
November 1st, 2008 at 11:10
The Hakawati is one I wol like to read!
November 1st, 2008 at 20:04
Kathy: Hearing the author speak really made me interested in the book - the background, I think, is important.
Shana: I agree! It is wonderful, isn’t it?
Beth: *nods*
Avinschild: You have a great list too!
Dawn: I am most interested in those two as well…I hope I can get to them sooner rather than later!
Gautami: The author was so fascinating that I cannot imagine his book will be anything BUT wonderful! *laughs*