I have been in one of my “can’t finish a book” ruts for a few days now. Which means I have been switching back and forth in an endless cycle between Wild Wood by Posie Graeme-Evans, The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry, and The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. This is followed by brief moments of “Oh! I should finish that” with Justice Hall by Laurie R. King. Add to those that I’ve now started Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang. I blame being stuck at home for so long that my brain […]
Rescued by the Library
I have been – for several weeks now – thinking that I needed to get to the library to do newspaper research. Then about two weeks ago found myself saddened that that was unlikely to happen given the current health crisis. As far as I was aware at that point, the only currently accessible copies of the newspaper I wanted were on microfilm. But occassionally, good deeds do come back around. Last year, I wrote a letter of support for that library to get a grant to have their newspapers digitized. Lo and behold: the […]
Baking in Self-Isolation
When we realized that Stay-at-Home could potentially come down the pipeline, but it wasn’t mandated yet, we decided to make the most of our last trip to Vermont by stopping at King Arthur Flour on the way home. This was the best choice we could have made. We stocked up on various flours: pastry flour, artisan bread flour, high gluten flour. We grabbed some superfine castor sugar so I can attempt some more intricate pastry work while trapped in the house. We grabbed King Arthur’s pre-made cookie dough. (Two more cookies consumed and that will […]
From the Socially Distanced Desk
It seems a little strange how the last few weeks have progressed. On some level, it makes me want to go back and read Laurie Halse Anderson’s Fever 1793 all over again. On the opposite hand, I really don’t. Somehow it has become far too relevant. Three weeks ago, we had a large church gathering, during which we had ensured that no one shook hands (it’s flu season anyway), and the deacons deployed hand sanitizer at the doors because it was probably a good call. Two weeks ago, things were sort of ramping up from […]
Book Review: The Huntress
For the Armchair Detective Society this month, we chose The Huntress by Kate Quinn. We had loved The Alice Network so much that given the choice between The Huntress and branching out into some Dorothy Sayer books, we chose The Huntress. I would like to say that we all loved this one, but we ran into a hiccup. This month’s meeting had to be postponed due to COVID-19. So, in liu of my own review peppered with thoughts from the rest of the group, I present my lone review, while lifting a glass in solidarity […]
Book Review: Things in Jars
Things in Jars by Jess Kidd was intriguing. It was not quite what I was expecting, and the ghost element didn’t really seem to have too much tie in to the plot. But otherwise, I liked the book overall. The combination of pseudo-science, the history of the resurrectionists, and the mystical was a quality that worked really well together in this book. The mermaid aspect was not quite what one would expect. Definitely edged more toward the creepy end of the fairy tale spectrum – but then, this book is no fairy tale.
Book of the Month: March Picks
Happy Super Tuesday! If you’re in a Super Tuesday state – go vote! This blog post will still be here when you get back. Or you can read it while in line at the polls. Now on to the rest of the post. Our two top selling books in the gift shop where I work (at least, until the new Little Women movie was released this past December) are Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey and Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City. The most commented on book in our gift shop? […]
Using Fiction to Understand the Past
There is something about reading a book that has familiar landmarks. Not even necessarily places that you’ve actually been to (though being able to actually visualize where you are in the book is fun), but places that you’re actively interested in, time periods you’ve spent scads of time researching. I’m currently reading The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry, and while I love my ability to mentally follow Towner down Derby Street, up Hawthorne past the hotel and up to the Common, well… It reminded me of yet another book where it wasn’t quite the same, […]
Book Review: The Collector’s Apprentice
I’ll admit, this is one of those books where I can’t tell if it started dragging because I was getting slogged down in all the technical art study and theory, or if it started dragging because I had half a dozen other books I wanted to pick up. (That half a dozen other books always seems more tempting when the book you’re reading has a deadline…) Disregarding those moments where I really felt like I was slogging (and I admit, I started skimming through those sections just to keep pace), the book was pretty good. […]
The Art of Making Espresso: 9 Years Later
Back in 2011 I wrote a post about how excited I was to learn how to use an espresso machine and make my own drinks. How I wanted to buy an espresso machine to practice at home. (I will note here, I also said I could find an espresso machine for $300. Seriously? It’s closer to $600, at bare minimum!) I was very focused on making caramel steamers – who cares about the espresso?!? In any event, life has changed a bit since then, and I have learned that you don’t need to have an […]