Picture books don't get any better than this. From its origins as a tree cut in a mill into paper, One Little Bag tells the story of a little paper baPicture books don't get any better than this. From its origins as a tree cut in a mill into paper, One Little Bag tells the story of a little paper bag. It's a bag that began its happy life as a lunch sack for a child's lunch, complete with a beautifully drawn red heart, and it goes on to serve many uses for its owners, with a steady accumulation of little red hearts, until it finishes off its life to contain a little tree set in the ground as a memorial to a grandfather. A lovely, lovely story with Henry Cole's classically beautiful illustrations....more
Peter Wadhams has been studying ice for fifty years. He tells the story of climate change as evidenced by the melting of the Arctic ice caps, and he uPeter Wadhams has been studying ice for fifty years. He tells the story of climate change as evidenced by the melting of the Arctic ice caps, and he uses scientific data collected and research of the work of many people to back up everything he states as facts. It's not a hopeful story, he tells us. It may be too late unless some sort of Manhattan Project for repair of the earth is undertaken. But the first step in trying to change things is acquiring sound knowledge of the scope of the problem. This book is that evidence.
I am not a scientist, but I could make my way (fairly well) through the information in the book. Our naturalist book group discussion helped clarify much of the book for me. One of the group members said he thought this was the best discussion the group has ever had.
I wish I could take action to do things that would change the situation. For now, I will encourage others who control more resources than I do and who have the power to mandate changes I don't have to read this book....more
A boy and his dog are hurry up-hurry up-hurry up, faster and faster, hurrying if you want to win, hurrying so you'll reach the top, faster, louder untA boy and his dog are hurry up-hurry up-hurry up, faster and faster, hurrying if you want to win, hurrying so you'll reach the top, faster, louder until...STOP! And everything slows, calming down, taking a break, breathing in, walking, listening, enjoying the natural world.
I could feel my heart beating harder, my breathing increasing, as I read the early pages of the book, and then my heart slowing, my breathing becoming deeper as I read the last pages of the book. Reading the book was almost like meditation. ...more
The clown has gone, and the farmer is alone...or so he thinks....Who arrives at his door but a circus monkey? The monkey is wildly mischievous and theThe clown has gone, and the farmer is alone...or so he thinks....Who arrives at his door but a circus monkey? The monkey is wildly mischievous and the farmer put him out, only to find the next day that the monkey is mired in an overnight snowfall. The monkey can't stay outside, so he returns to the warmth of the house. How will things go now?
The ups and downs of friendship...the consolations of companions...what we are willing to tolerate to assuage our loneliness....these are the lovely themes of this wordless book....more
Russian literature scholar Andrew D. Kaufman shares his thoughts on War and Peace in Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times Russian literature scholar Andrew D. Kaufman shares his thoughts on War and Peace in Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times (boy, he just thought he was living in troubled times in 2014). He tells all the reasons War and Peace is the world's greatest novel, and he includes wonderful quotes from the book as well as episodes from Tolstoy's life.
Here are some of my takeaways:
(War and Peace is) "...a masterpiece that manages to re-create life in all its unpredictable misery and splendor."
"Plans may very well not work, but planning is well worth doing anyway."
He acknowledges that War and Peace is long and complicated and sometimes confusing: "In short, this pockmarked, feisty, untutored monstrosity of a work reflects life in all its turmoil, all it's roiling, overflowing possibility."
"Tolstoy's genius lies in his uncanny ability to make our familiar, everyday world suddenly seem strange---and therefore fresh."
"...part of the fun of the novel is that we get to know the characters in much the same way we meet people in real life."
"Tumultuous times, Tolstoy tells us, can jar us into heightened awareness...."
The heart of W&P is what the author calls "optimism-grounded-in-reality."
"...the real secret to survival, Tolstoy helps us to see, is learning to live courageously in a world filled with real uncertainty, real hardship, and real suffering."
"Does hardship make us beasts, Tolstoy asks, or better human beings?"
"Do we continuously focus on getting what we think we want or on making something meaningful out of what we have?"
"To love, Tolstoy says, is to see. To see is to know the truth. And to know the truth is to truly live."
"Joy and tragedy...give meaning to each other."
Whew. A lot to consider. Very helpful in my reading of War and Peace....more
Ellie and her parents and sister and brother have left the town to live on Echo Mountain. It's the time of the Great Depression and everyone is struggEllie and her parents and sister and brother have left the town to live on Echo Mountain. It's the time of the Great Depression and everyone is struggling. Ellie and her father adapt well to life on the mountain but Ellie's mother and sister long for their old lives back in town. A terrible accident happens and everything changes again, and now Ellie must learn by doing how to put her healing gifts to work to help others.
This is a beautiful story of growth and change, of love and caring, of hurt and healing. The writing is poetical and fresh. I feel oddly reenergized after reading this story.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
“The things we need to learn to do, we learn to do by doing.”
“There aren’t many hurts that a sky meadow full of clean white blossoms can’t make at least a little better.”
“Maybe she’ll wake up soon and come back to what she used to be...or what she’ll be next.”
"I wish you could have been with me these past weeks,"I whispered."To watch what happened."Though much of it would have been different, had he been well.
My father smiled at me, his eyes full of sun in the shadowy room. "I see it all very clearly," he said. "I see it in every bit of the girl you've become."...more
The lamb must be dead, it seemed, but the old sheepherder, Benj, tried some things he'd learned from his many years with sheep, and the baby lamb stirThe lamb must be dead, it seemed, but the old sheepherder, Benj, tried some things he'd learned from his many years with sheep, and the baby lamb stirred. This lamb, Biddy, became the responsibility of young Peter, and he cared for his cosset well. Biddy and Peter grew up together, Biddy to become the leader of the sheep, and Peter, a strong young man.
It's a simple story of a simple life, and it's filled with the deep wisdom that comes from a life caring for sheep.
One of my favorite parts of the story was when Peter had to leave Biddy in the pasture with the others. Biddy bleated as he returned to the house, calling to him, and Peter kept turning back to look at Biddy. Benj advised Peter not to look back, but Peter insisted on continuing to turn back toward his cosset. "I don't care for anything but my cosset," Peter said stubbornly. Benj wisely told Peter, "There are many things in the world. If we care for them all a little we won't feel the hurt too much when we part with one."
The Provocative Colette is a graphic novel of the life of the author Colette, from the time of her marriage at 20 to her divorce. Colette grew up in tThe Provocative Colette is a graphic novel of the life of the author Colette, from the time of her marriage at 20 to her divorce. Colette grew up in the country and married a man known for his many affairs. He was a writer and he encouraged Colette to write. He took the credit for her early writings, and he continued to have affairs during their marriage. He encouraged her to do likewise, and so she did, having affairs with both men and women, and writing about these, shocking society with her behavior.
Alice and her parents are in Paris. Alice's grandmother has passed away, and she has left an apartment in Paris to Alice. The apartment has been abandAlice and her parents are in Paris. Alice's grandmother has passed away, and she has left an apartment in Paris to Alice. The apartment has been abandoned since WWII. Why? And why did her grandmother never speak of the apartment or her life before she came to live in America? Alice discovers photos in the apartment and learns that her grandmother had a sister, Adalyn, who was never mentioned.
The story alternates between the present time and the time of the Nazi occupation in France, between Alice's investigation of her aunt's role in the war and Adalyn's struggles during the occupation.
The events of the two stories are carefully plotted out, and the terrible events of the war are shared in a way that retains the horror of the events but sanitizes the events for younger readers.
Zoom the cat has an affinity for the sea. "The sea is in his blood, " his friends say. One day he discovers a dusty diary he'd never seen before inscrZoom the cat has an affinity for the sea. "The sea is in his blood, " his friends say. One day he discovers a dusty diary he'd never seen before inscribed to him from his Uncle Roy, and on the last page is an address and a map of how to get to the sea. And so he goes.
A wonderful story. Magnificent illustrations. If you love picture books as I do, you really must get a copy and read this book.
And how did I come across this book? Pure serendipity. I found it in my Little Free Library and I thought I'd give it a quick read and put it back in the box. When I opened the book, I began to read a lovely and unexpectedly erudite introduction to a picture book. More serendipity. The introduction is by James Mustich, Jr., founder of A Common Reader, a periodical I adored as a young stay-at-home mom, filled with recommendations of books Mustich had run across and loved. I recently put my money where my mouth is and bought in-hand and ebook copies of Mustich's book, 1000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List. You probably need to buy that book and read it, too. ...more
Helena Folasadu is approached by a man while she is working on some freelance journalism in a cafe. "Are you waiting for Monsieur Bellivier?" Bored, aHelena Folasadu is approached by a man while she is working on some freelance journalism in a cafe. "Are you waiting for Monsieur Bellivier?" Bored, and on impulse, she says yes.
Mancebo, a greengrocer, is taken aback by a woman who visits his store. Would you spy on my husband for me? she asks, and he says he will.
Helena and Mancebo tell their stories of their adventures into worlds where secrets are the norm, and in the process, they learn that they are not the only ones who are keeping silent on things in their lives.
A fun romp set in Paris that kept me curious about what would happen next all through the story. ...more
E is for Eiffel Tower: A France Alphabet is a lovely overview of some of the art, science, architecture, music, literature, history, food, places, andE is for Eiffel Tower: A France Alphabet is a lovely overview of some of the art, science, architecture, music, literature, history, food, places, and people of France. ...more
From the beginning, Marc Chagall did not see things the ways others did. His village in Russia where he grew up filled him with images. He began to drFrom the beginning, Marc Chagall did not see things the ways others did. His village in Russia where he grew up filled him with images. He began to draw and paint, and everything he drew and painted was based on his feelings. He begged his mother to let him take lessons and so he went first to St. Petersburg and later to Paris. He returned home to Russia and much later a friend wrote to him from Paris: Chagall's friend told him he was famous in Paris. He continued to paint until he was very old and he was one of the few living artists who was exhibited in the Louvre.
Bright and beautiful and mysterious pictures in this story of the life of Chagall reflect the artist's way of seeing the world. ...more
A crime fiction novel appears at a publishing company in Paris, and all the staff in the readers' room are abuzz...it is simply magnificent and must bA crime fiction novel appears at a publishing company in Paris, and all the staff in the readers' room are abuzz...it is simply magnificent and must be published. But who is the author? Why won't he/she appear in person? And why are the police suddenly asking questions of the publishers when murders begin to take place exactly like those described in the book?
You can count on Antoine Laurain to carry you off into a good story. Each of his books is a delightful little gem, stuffed with fascinating characters and situations, and all set in France....more
Where are the best films made in the world? Film critic Roger Ebert says Japan, the US, and France. And what are the best French films? Ebert respondsWhere are the best films made in the world? Film critic Roger Ebert says Japan, the US, and France. And what are the best French films? Ebert responds with a list of twenty-five, with essays about each.
Here is the list: Amélie Au Revoir les Enfants Belle de Jour Breathless Caché Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) Day for Night The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie 400 Blows Grand Illusion Hairdresser's Husband Jean de Florette Jules & Jim La Vie en Rose La Belle Noiseuse Le Boucher Man on the Train Manon of the Spring Mr. Hulot's Holiday My Father's Glory My mother's Castle Rendezvous in Paris Rules of the Game Sunday in the Country Three Colors Trilogy: Blue White Red ...more
This is the story of Henri Matisse, who grew up in an industrial town in France and was expected to take over the family store when he was older. But This is the story of Henri Matisse, who grew up in an industrial town in France and was expected to take over the family store when he was older. But this isn't what he wanted to do. He dreamed of a life full of color. It was only after he went to law school and became ill that he was inspired by the patient in the bed next to him who was painting while he got better to become a painter.
It's the illustrations I like best about this book, big bright colors contrasting with the real-world black-and-white drawings. And I like it that Matisse never painted until he was an adult.
This is the story of Paul, a teen living on the Left Bank of Paris, lost, confused, alone. His family is very rich, and that is oddly isolating. His pThis is the story of Paul, a teen living on the Left Bank of Paris, lost, confused, alone. His family is very rich, and that is oddly isolating. His parents have split up and moved on with new relationships, and Paul is left out. There's no one he is close to at school either, and Paul doesn't do well there academically either, another reason he is a disappointment. Paul finds some consolation in food, and he spends a great deal of the story eating foods he has been asked not to eat.
The story is very well written. I felt every detail in the plot was exactly the way a teen would see things. It was a desperately sad story, exactly how one feels as a teen, as if parents have let you down, friends let you down, life has let you down. The three stars is simply a reflection of how uncomfortable and unhappy I was to read this story, not a reflection of the amazing writing. I, like most people, would never want to go back to those awful and uncertain days as a teen, and, in reading this book, I did....more
Blame my disappointment with this book on my aspirations for the book: I thought this would be a mood-boosting book. Nope. Not even close. If anythingBlame my disappointment with this book on my aspirations for the book: I thought this would be a mood-boosting book. Nope. Not even close. If anything, a mood-busting book.
The cover and the title set me up. Spools of thread. "My Wish List." We know from the blurb on the back of the book that our main character, Jocelyne, wins the lottery. We know Jocelyne is not happy in her life. What will happen?
The story takes some unexpected swerves off the road, none of them pleasant, and some outrageously out-of-character. Almost unremittingly bleak and dark....more
Impressionism: 13 Artists Children Should Know is a great way to take a first look at impressionism, looking at thirteen prominent artists---Edouart MImpressionism: 13 Artists Children Should Know is a great way to take a first look at impressionism, looking at thirteen prominent artists---Edouart Manet, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Gustave Caillebotte, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, John Singer Sargent, Paul Signac, Childe Hassam, Georges Seurat, Mary Cassatt, and Max Liebermann. The life of each artist is highlighted along with a historical timeline to provide perspective on what was going on at the same time in the world. Some of each artist's work is featured, with notes that offer more information. I especially like how suggestions are made for children to try to do what artists did. Great first look at impressionism....more
Author Julie Danneberg writes an impressionist story of Monet, capturing the way Monet paints by telling the story of one day while he painted. LittleAuthor Julie Danneberg writes an impressionist story of Monet, capturing the way Monet paints by telling the story of one day while he painted. Little notes on each page spread extend the story, and the illustrations by Caitlin Heimerl provide lovely painted pictures of Monet at work. The author provides many fascinating details of Monet's painting techniques in the back of the book, and she also includes an extensive bibliography....more
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup cold unsalted but[image]
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BASIC QUICHE
For the Flaky Pastry Crust
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small pieces 1/2 cup water
For the Basic Quiche Filling
3 large eggs 3 large egg yolks 2 cups heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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1. To make the flaky pastry crust, in a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Pulse for a few seconds, just enough to combine well. Add the butter and pulse several times, until the flour resembles coarse cornmeal. Slowly add the water with the motor running. Stop as soon as you have added the last drop of water. Don't worry; the dough will not be fully mixed at this point.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and mix it by hand until it comes together into a ball. Place in a large zip-top bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the dough out into a giant circle, about 15 inches round and 1/8 inch thick. To transfer it to a 9-inch springform pan, coil it around your rolling pin. Unwind the dough loosely over the pan. Gently push the dough down into the corners, leaving at least 1 inch of dough hanging over the top edge. The outer-upper lip of the springform pan has a curled edge facing outward. Pinch the excess dough tightly around the edge, leaving any excess dough hanging down the outside. It is important to pinch as firm as possible without tearing the dough. This will prevent the crust from shrinking. Refrigerate the crust for 2 hours or more.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the pan to a baking sheet. Situate the baking sheet in the lower third of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Pull the baking sheet out of the oven and use a serrated knife to cut along the top edge of the pan. All the scraggly pastry pieces that were pinched into place will fall off.
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5. To make the basic quiche filling, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg together. When the crust is done, increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
6. Pour the filling into the prebaked crust and bake until the filling is firm, about 50 minutes. Let it cool about 30 minutes before cutting it. It needs time to set. You will notice the difference resting makes when you slice it.
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Thoughts: Prebaking the crust kept the crust from getting soggy. I didn't have a springform pan or a food processor so I made do without these. I added bacon to make a version of this recipe called Quiche Lorraine. The quiche was delicious!
It's thirty-three years late, but Alain Massoulier has received a letter. It's the letter he was waiting for, a letter offering a recording contract fIt's thirty-three years late, but Alain Massoulier has received a letter. It's the letter he was waiting for, a letter offering a recording contract for him and his band, the Holograms. It's been a long, long time, and Alain no longer is a musician. Where are the other members of his band now? Would any of them still have a copy of the recording the band made? What would the others think of this turn of events?
Moving-and-starting-over author Peter Mayle joins with Gerard Auzet, the owner of a highly esteemed bakery in the Provence town of Cavaillon to share Moving-and-starting-over author Peter Mayle joins with Gerard Auzet, the owner of a highly esteemed bakery in the Provence town of Cavaillon to share the secrets, tips, and recipes the Auzet family has acquired in their long stints as master bakers.
It was nice to hear about bread making from someone who has been doing this for such a long time.
Gerard Auzet keeps it simple. The most important thing is using only the best ingredients, of obtaining some basic equipment, and "having the ability to count up to 56." The counting is new to me, a long time baker, but with perhaps a bit less experience than Auzet. What is the counting about? "This is 56 degrees centigrade, the combined temperature of the air in the kitchen, the flour, and the water...A degree or so of difference among these three doesn't matter as long as the total adds up to 56." Interesting.
I was most taken with the idea of baking bread with wine. What would adding wine to the dough do to the flavor of the bread? Here is one of the bread-with-added-wine recipes I hope to try.
Step 1 Sift the flour and salt together into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and mix on medium to low speed, gradually add the water and wine, until the dough comes away from the bowl, between 5 - 10 minutes. Scatter the walnuts evenly over the dough and continue mixing until they are incorporated.
Step 2 Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and set it on the counter to rest for 10 minutes. Return it to the mixing bowl and place on the mixer so the dough hook plunges into the middle of the dough. Mix on medium speed until the dough is soft and pliable, about 15-20 minutes or until the dough passes the "windowpane" test (refer to WINDOW PANE TEST, below).
Step 3 Remove the dough from the mixing bowl onto a counter and gather it up in your hands in a rough ball. Bring the full length of your thumbs into the center of the ball so that they meet, and stretch the dough from the center out, as if opening a book, into an oblong shape. Turn the dough a quarter turn and stretch the dough again the same way, creating a smooth ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and set aside in a draft-free place at room temperature until the dough doubles in size, in about 45 minutes.
Step 4 Gently remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a clean surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces (about 1 pound each) and shape it into 2 small balls again, as you did before the first rise. Find a surface in your kitchen from drafts and lay a kitchen towel dusted with flour on it. Place the balls on the towel and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent a crust from forming on the surface. Leave the loaves to proof at room temperature until they double in size, in about 20-25 minutes.
Step 5 Shape the loaves by first patting down the balls to allow the carbonic gasses that have developed to disperse. To make boules, gather up the dough in a rough ball and shape it as inn Step 3. To make the batards, pat down the dough and shape it into a rough 4-by-10-inch rectangle. With a long side facing you, fold the bottom third of the dough to the center and press to seal it. Fold the top over it and seal along the edge.
Step 6 Place the loaves, seam side down, on thekitchen towels dusted with flour and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the loaves rise at room temperature for the final time until they have doubled in size, about 35-45 minutes.
Step 7 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450-degrees F. Carefully place the loaves on a baking sheet. Brush them with water using a pastry brush. With a sharp razor blade, make a lozenge-shaped cut on the surface of each loaf by scoring it from end to end in 2 swift motions. To do this successfully, use just the tip of the blade.
Step 8 Just before you are ready to slide the baking sheet into the oven, spray the inside of the oven with water using a spray bottle or plant mister and close the door immediately. This will create steam, which promotes a good crust. Put the bread in the oven and bake for 25-25 minutes or until it makes a hollow sound when you knock on the bottom of it with your knuckles. Transfer the bread to a rack and allow it to cool before slicing.
Step 9 Makes 2 loaves.
How to Perform the Windowpane Test: When you knead bread dough, either by hand or in a mixer, you are developing the glutens, which are the proteins in wheat that give bread its structure and flavor. When the glutens are properly developed, the resulting bread will have that yeasty flavor and the irregular pockets that are the marks of a good loaf. To determine whether the glutens have been fully developed, pull off from the dough a piece about the size of a golf ball. Stretch, pull, and turn it, thining the dough until it forms a translucent membrane (so you can see light passing through it, but not so that you create a hole), or windowpane. If the dough falls apart before it can be stretched into a windowpane, continue kneading several minutes more and repeat the test.
“Brokenness can be a remarkable gift. If we allow it, it can expand our space to transform - this potential space that is slight, humble, and unassumi“Brokenness can be a remarkable gift. If we allow it, it can expand our space to transform - this potential space that is slight, humble, and unassuming. It may seem counterintuitive to claim the benefits of having been broken, but it is precisely when cracks appear in the bedrock of what we thought we knew that the gravity of what has fallen away becomes evident. When that bedrock is blown up by illness, a death, a breakup, a breakdown of any kind, we get the chance to look beyond the rubble to see a whole new way of life. The landscape that had been previously obscured by the towers of what we thought we knew for sure is suddenly revealed, showing us the limitations of the way things used to be.”
The Beauty in Breaking is Michele Harper's story of the growth she found in stepping away from the broken places in her life and starting again. Harper has experienced much brokenness, from an abusive father, to working as a strong black woman in a profession as an emergency room physician dominated by white men, to the loss of her marriage.
The stories she tells from her work in the emergency room are captivating, and they, too, support her ideas of the importance of stepping forward, away from the ruins, into great beauty.
“This devastation is a crossroads with a choice; to remain in the ashes or to forge ahead unburdened. Here is the chance to mold into a new nakedness, strengthened by the legacy of resilience to climb over the debris toward a different life.”...more
The story of the life of Vincent Van Gogh is ideal for a graphic novel, I think, and this is that story. Vincent never fit in, not with his family or The story of the life of Vincent Van Gogh is ideal for a graphic novel, I think, and this is that story. Vincent never fit in, not with his family or his friends, and that soon becomes obvious in this book. His brother faithfully supports him, nevertheless, as Vincent travels to Provence where he finds great inspiration. Art about art....more
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