Fostering a new renaissance through creativity, authenticity, spirituality, and art
As I said I would on the blog here, I pursued the above Andy Goldsworthy books, and really enjoyed reading them. They were inspiring, thought provoking and wonderful. My least favorite was the snowball book, and my most favorite is the one on the bottom, as it is the best overview of this man’s awesome … Read more
I really like this book a lot and give it a hearty five stars. It is wonderful to jump-start or freshen up your art if you are an experienced artist, but is also approachable enough to set the beginner totally loose, inducing them to soar. More than anything, it is total fun, without any overtone … Read more
This is a wonderful book; it is the best novel I’ve read in quite a while. I give it five stars. I enjoyed it on audio because it is told in two perfect voices, but I’m resolved to read it again in print because there are so many great bits that demand pondering and a … Read more
This book was exceptional; I give this audio version five stars. This is a true story of the Supreme Court’s baffling decision in the Kelo case to uphold arbitrary seizure and demolition of anyone’s private property by eminent domain to be handed over to private developers. This remains the most controversial ruling by the Supreme … Read more
Mark Kurlansky has a definitely different take on food writing, more steeped in history and culture and macro-cosmic trend than most. Having enjoyed his two previous history-of-food titles, Salt and Cod, I was interested in seeing his views of 1930’s era food in this country,
When I read the first of these two books, I was unsure if it was good enough to review here, but I liked it enough to read it’s sequel which I thought was even better.
I have finally read this popular book which has been on my reading list for years. As with so many others, I give it five stars for its compellingly evocative writing of both circus life and life in an assisted living facility. The menagerie of vivid characters were clearly drawn, the pace and the segues … Read more
I can’ t believe I actually listened to all of this horrible new book by Julie Powell. The subtitle is Marriage, Meat and Obsession, but it would be more aptly subtitled Butchery, Adultery, and Self-Loathing.
I really liked this book and have gotten good ideas from it. I give it five stars as it is more helpful than a lot of similar books. Mostly it outlines the twelve classic design motifs which I’d like to discuss soon on a separate post. (You may have already seen the beginning of my … Read more
I really enjoyed this book. I give it five stars even though it is neither important nor profound – just nice – because sometimes well written “nice” is just what you want. There is a separate chapter on each person in the cooking class which reveals their backstory as well as the growth and progress … Read more
Wow. This is quite a book. I find myself wanting to discuss it with someone, so I think it would be a good book club selection. Contrasting words like collaboration or resistance, vindictive or innocent, sweet and sharp, beautiful and ugly all come to mind regarding this extraordinary novel. Written by the author of Chocolat, … Read more
I’m in the middle of reading long winded but helpful how-to books, some deeply dense, thought provoking spiritual stuff, and a slow moving classically epic tome of a novel. I needed a light escape and this memoir provided a delightfully wholesome one. I only give it four stars because it isn’t important enough somehow to … Read more
This is a little gem of a book. It is a quick read set in the post war 1940’s in London and on the Guernsey Islands, written entirely in letters. It is good to listen to in audio as all the characters who write the letters are done in different voices making it especially fun … Read more
I really enjoyed these two sets of CD’s of a favorite NPR radio program, and give them 5 stars. These two CD sets showcase the 3 minute credos of famous people and everyday people alike. There are housewives, truckers, doctors, astronauts, gang members, mothers, teachers, young people, old people, believing in everything imaginable. There is … Read more
On the drive to and from the wedding we listened to this classic book by Mark Twain, which I had never read. I really enjoyed it and found it uproariously funny. I was glad I was listening to it rather than reading it since the accents are so much more fun and easy to deal … Read more
I resonated with this book for a lot of reasons. Like the author, I’m a mother with teenage kids going through the process of leaving home, who not only wants the best for them, but sees her own role starkly changing as well. Like the author, I’m striving to mindfully embrace that, while loving the … Read more
My 12 year old daughter had read this book last spring and loved it so much that she bought the CD with her own money so she could hear it frequently. She and I listened to it while driving during our trip to Maine. Five stars seems like a paltry offering for this remarkably wonderful … Read more