Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #12

Well, hopefully all the shopping is done, but in case you're a last minute 30 minute dash person, here are some fiction treats to check out for those left on your list.  These are interesting and could be filed under the "take me away" reads.

An Object of Desire by Steve Martin
I like him.  I have through all of his various stages in his career and this one, the author who enjoys art, is particularly interesting.  He claims to know a little about that world, but isn't an expert, and yet has quite a personal collection.  None of that matters, what does for this recently released novel is that you'll be taken on a trip into NYC's art world.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris and illustrated by Ian Falconer [of Olivia fame]
Think Aesops, fables, lessons that make you laugh and maybe learn something while you're doing it.  We bought this for our niece and, of course, I took a peek - and wanted more!

The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise: A Novel by Jill Stuart
A bit of England via the select group who reside in Tower of London.  I can't tell you how many times we've been to the tower bridge and saw a glimpse of those who live there, or a beefeater mentions they live on sight.  It is intriguing to think of all that happened there and they have their milk delivered like everyone else.  Well, not quite, but close :-)

The Case of the Missing Servant: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator and The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator by Tarquin Hall
A window overlooking India through an elder man who wears custom safari suits and flat caps.  I read the first one and can't wait to read the second.

Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian author that is actually rather difficult to find in the US, but hopefully not for long.  There are two series, but I heard first about the Harry Hole ones, so why not start there.  The Redbreast is the first one translated and available [although in limited numbers].  Think WWII in Norway.

The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousins' War) by Philippa Gregory takes you back even further in time, back to the War of the Roses and Allison Weir even further with Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine.  Both authors write fantastic fictional accounts of what happened way back then.  I missed The Confessions of Catherine de Medici: A Novel by C W Gortner and am intrigued. 

Isn't that how it, finding a new author or new to me subject matter, sometimes starts?

And finally there's the recently released Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff.  There's been lots of chatter about this book and I'm looking forward to reading an account that allows the truth to rise above the rest, be it good or bad.

Now it's time to sit back, put your feet up, and relax into a good read - tomorrow is going to be crazy!

Enjoy!

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #11

The cookbook aficianado is never ignored for the holidays.  Remember, they're the ones supplying everyone with fabulous fare, in fact, they're probably busy in the kitchen right now!  So here's a few gems just for them.

The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal by Mark Kulansky actually came out last year, but it's still sitting on my list to give to the perfect person.  You see, the cutie and I were driving through a horrendous rain storm, and we were listening to NPR until it was lost.  I can't remember what the show was, but they were talking about this book, and it sparked both our interest - enough that it's been sitting in it's own note on my iTouch since we landed in a hotel.  Anyway, think of it as your grandma's cookbook - all those recipes that were often verbally handed down for generations.  It's a great addition to any kitchen.

Next up is kind of along the same lines.  It's called One Big Table: 600 recipes from the nation's best home cooks, farmers, fishermen, pit-masters, and chefs by Molly O'Neill.  The product description from Amazon describes it better than I ever could:  "an informative and heartwarming refutation of the demise of American home cooking. Ten years and many miles in the making, this collection celebrates the nation's culinary diversity, both ethnically and agriculturally, and offers a uniquely intimate look at what home cooking in America is truly like today. O'Neill crossed the country, interviewing home cooks and spending time in the kitchens of recent immigrants. The results are enticing recipes that intertwine family stories, personal histories, and food. From stuffed Danish pancakes in Utah to tamales in Santa Fe and Vietnamese shrimp pancakes in Mississippi, this eclectic collection showcases the best this country has to offer. O'Neill also includes old-style American fare, including black-eyed pea and mustard greens soup, corn chowder, campfire trout, and bluegrass bass with Kentucky caviar. Sidebars abound on everything from black sea bass to Johnny Appleseed, Elvis to shrimp. As engaging in the armchair as it is in the kitchen, this book is an enduring testament to our historic traditions and the new culinary forays being made by American home cooks."

Simply divine.

Now, I saved the best for last, best as in it's the cookbook for those new to the kitchen.  The How Not to Cookbook: Lessons Learned the Hard Way by Aleksandra Mir.  Everyone needs to start someplace and this one sounded like a good jumping off point.

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #10

Do you have a budding fashionista at home?  Intrigued by fashion yourself or know someone who is and need a little guidance?

The Fashion File by Janie Bryant with Monica Corcoran Harel has recently released and would fit the bill.  Bryant opens the closets on Mad Men, and takes the lessons learned into a place the modern woman can utilize.

Another fun and interesting fashion read is Fifty Dresses That Changed the World from the Design Museum.  There's also a shoe one and for anyone interested in fashion and how important it actually is will like reading these books.

How about some advice from a designer.  One I recently quoted in regards to writing and possibly covers [although I can't remember where] as well is Coco Chanel.  A book that came out last year, The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman, could be the best choice of all.

Oh, the quote went something like:  Before you leave, look in the mirror, and take one thing off.  Makes sense to me.

Maybe the good life is what the fashionista is interested in, discovering snippets of chicness past and often forgotten.  If that's the case then the recently released Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins is the perfect match.

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #9

Ooo, it's a few days until Christmas, are you ready with a copy of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore?

There are loads of them, but let me point in the direction of a few I like to read, reread, and send out as gifts.

Being a fan of creative paper construction, I enjoy both Niroot Puttapipatt's [above] and Robert Sabuda's [below].  They are very different and yet both are full of character and delight.  Each turn of the page is a new surprise and builds the excitment that is, especially for kids, the 24th.

And yet another different look at 'Twas the Night Before Christmas is from Will Moses.  I wish he'd do more books because I enjoy them all and love giving them to others.

I don't know about you, but I am so ready for The Night Before Christmas and yes, Christmas!

Just a few more days to go and plenty more books to suggest :-)

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #8

What to get a reader is a mystery...wait, mysteries, everyone loves a good mystery!

Here's one for you:  What writer recently released a book with the son of his first character as the hero?

Tom Clancy!

Dead or Alive takes off from where Teeth of the Tiger [2003] ended, both with Jack Ryan, Jr as the lead.

Actually, it looks like Clancy has brought other Ryan family members into his Jack Ryan/John Clark books before.  Jack's dad, Emmett is in Without Remorse.  Very interesting.

A couple other good adreniline rush reads are Warlord by Ted Bell, it came out in September, and is part of the Alex Hawke series.  Another is Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane, which was released in November.

I haven't forgetten about the Science Fiction crowd.

Surface Details by Iain M Banks was recently released and is a space opera sure to please the most discerning reader.

Earlier this year Stephen Baxter had Ark, a follow on from Flood, released and is a good read - duet if your Sci Fi reader hasn't read the first.

A third choice from the recent release shelf is the hard core Sci Fi Hull Three Zero by Greg Bear.

Told you I didn't forget this group :-)

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #7

Don't laugh, but do, and remember your fan of the comics - young and old.

There are two entirely different and yet similar books for them to choose from and both with come with DC Comics nod of approval - couldn't be better than that!

The first one comes from Taschen who have compiled a big comprehensive book called 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking by Paul Levitz and it's got it all.  There is "year-by-year timelines that fold out to nearly four feet and biographies of the legends who built DC make this an invaluable reference for any comic book fan."  They won't ever need anything else to feed the fun gene.

Ahhh, but there's actually more, and a bit different with DC Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book by DC Comics and Matthew Reinhart.  The latter is a real king in the land of paper engineer's and is there because he creates some real magic.  This book would definitely please your budding or established comic fan.

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #6

eReaders.

There, I mentioned eReaders as a potential gift, however, that information is out there, everywhere, and it's up to the reader to decide what works best for them.  I, on the other hand, am waiting for the perfect Tablet to come out and they are starting to trickle out now.  The iPad isn't for me because of its size, but there are others that intrigue me, and I will be testing them out [in stores] to see which, if any, fit me best.  For now, here are a few I'm looking at, and already discarding.

Dell Streak
5" Out Now!

Samsung Galaxy Tab [immediate music]
7" Out Now!

Borders Velocity Cruz Tablet
7" Out Now!

Blackberry Playbook
7" and expected to be released early 2011

HP Slate 500 Tablet PC
8.9" Out Now!

All that said, I'm thinking there are going to be some really good prices on eReaders this holiday so know what you want, and keep your eyes peeled.

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #5

There's always time to renew traditions and make new ones, so how about combining the two.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is played on tv, through dvd's, in the theater, and read through books.  We know the story like the back of our hands or do we?

The Annotated Christmas Carol: A Christmas Carol in Prose by Charles Dickens, Michael Patrick Hearn, and John Leech will give a new view on the old tale.

I love 'The Annotated Books' series.  They aren't quick reads, but they are full of unique insights into books in the past.  I have books in this series on Hans Christian Andersen, The Brothers Grimm and the one on Classic Fairy Tales.  The joy of these is that each time I pick on up and read a chapter, I learn something new.

Another route to go would be A Christmas Carol: A Pop-up Book by Chuck Fischer.  He is a wonderful paper engineer [Christmas in New York, Angels and Great American Houses to name but a few] and this one was just released.

There are other picture book versions by wonderful illustrators Lisbeth Zwerger and Brett Helquist that are also good.

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #4

Have a biography or autobiography nut to get something for?  Maybe a fan of literature?

Autobiography of Mark Twain Volume 1 [of 3] is out!

Twain wanted it to be published 100 years after his death and it was worth the wait.  The man pulled no punches, much like in his fictional work, and nothing he wrote was taken out by an outside editor - good or bad.  Even though the people he goes after are gone as well, their relatives are just as upset as the people themelves would have been.

There happens to be another book, a memoir, that might fit a different literary fan and also happens to be  recently released - release dates are always good to know when buying for a booklover.

Someone who enjoys reading about England, the aristocracy, the Mitford Sisters, or those who want to take a trip into another persons world will like Wait for Me! by Deborah Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire.

The product description on Amazon says it best:  "...chronicles her remarkable life, from an eccentric but happy childhood in the Oxfordshire countryside, to tea with Adolf Hitler and her controversially political sister Unity in 1937, to her marriage to the second son of the Duke of Devonshire. Her life would change utterly with his unexpected inheritance of the title and vast estates after the wartime death of his brother, who had married Kick Kennedy, the beloved sister of John F. Kennedy. Her friendship with that family would last through triumph and tragedy. Wait for Me!, with its intense warmth and charm, is a unique portrait of an age, and an unprecedented look at the rhythms of life inside one of the great aristocratic families of England."

You might want to also include a copy of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman or The Duchess, a movie based on her life starring Kiera Knightly and Ralph Fiennes - I liked both.

Other unique biography/autobiographies recently released are Jay-Z's Decoded and Life by Keith Richards - ooo, the things you'd learn in these.

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #3

The calendar is brimming with parties and functions and you can take an hors d'ourves or sweet treat, but they take time to make, and sometimes - like during the holidays - time is the one thing we are shy of and what we do have we want to spend with our family and friends.

So, if you have a party to go to and you'd like to take the hostess [really the host family] a gift, then a great book to give would be The First Noel by Jan Pienkowski.

It can be viewed as a traditional book with shadow boxes or you can tie the front and back covers together [ribbon attached for this option] and view it in 3D.  There is a loop on the top of the spine to help you hang it high or it can be used as a centerpiece.

Really, there are many ways to view Pienkowski's cut work in The First Noel, and the price is great.

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #2

For the Science lover or plain curious about everything person you need to shop for is not without options this year in the non-fiction side.

The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe by Theodore Gray, with Nick Mann, is a great option.

"An eye-opening, original collection of gorgeous, never-before-seen photographic representations of the 118 elements in the periodic table.

The elements are what we, and everything around us, are made of. But how many elements has anyone actually seen in pure, uncombined form? The Elements provides this rare opportunity. Based on five years of research and photography, the pictures in this book make up the most complete, and visually arresting, representation available to the naked eye of every atom in the universe. Organized in order of appearance on the periodic table, each element is represented by a spread that includes a stunning, full-page, full-color photograph that most closely represents it in its purest form. For example, at -183˚C, oxygen turns from a colorless gas to a beautiful pale blue liquid.

Also included are fascinating facts, figures, and stories of the elements as well as data on the properties of each, including atomic weight, density, melting and boiling point, valence, electronegativity, and the year and location in which it was discovered. Several additional photographs show each element in slightly altered forms or as used in various practical ways. The element's position on the periodic table is pinpointed on a mini rendering of the table and an illustrated scale of the element's boiling and/or melting points appears on each page along with a density scale that runs along the bottom.

Packed with interesting information, this combination of solid science and stunning artistic photographs is the perfect gift book for every sentient creature in the universe." [from Black Dog & Levanthal]

A companion piece to the book is a just released deck cards, what a great to learn, study, or discover the periodic table.

The above is a fantastic book and so is Voyage to the Heart of Matter: The ATLAS Experiment at CERN by Emma Sanders and Anton Radevsky.  I know, I can find a pop-up for just about everyone :-)  Anyway, the experiment going on underground between France and Switzerland, the Large Hadron Collider, is very important.  The goal is to discover and understand all they can about the birth of our Universe.  This could be a very overwelming subject, science term heavy and now CERN and Radevsky [paper engineer] have come together to put the experiment on your lap.

If you have a science junky, a person who likes to spend time with the stars, or someone like me - a pop-up fan - this is a great, unique, book to gift them with.  A real gem.

Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #1

From now until Christmas [12 Days but not the real 12 Days of Christmas or the song version either, just the 12 days leading up to Christmas :-)] I thought I'd pass on some book or book related ideas for pressies for others or yourself.  I should take a moment to make a confession:  Some of these suggestions I own, some I'll be doing for someone else, and some are on my personal wish list, but no matter which list they are on, they are all great books.

So, to kick it off, with the first of the last two films coming out, let's go to Harry Potter - a series of books enjoyed by all age levels. 

You can see the various cover art HP went through over the years at Bloomsbury, but here's my opinion and part of why it's here.  I thought the British Children's Covers were good, I was always a bigger fan of the Adult Cover versions, but a Signature Line with covers by Scotland based renowned linocut artist Clare Melinsky were released this November in paperback only - probably to celebrate the end of the line.

They come as a boxed set, CD [read by Stephen Fry], or individually.

Now, if you've visited my blog often, then you'd be in the know - as in know my passion for pop-up books and would therefore not be surprised to see me mention Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book: Based on the Film Phenomenon by Bruce Foster and Andrew Williams, which was recently released.  While I haven't been a fan of the previous HP pop-ups, this one looks good.

If you don't have a fan of Harry to look for, but maybe a young ballet enthusiast, then think about Swan Lake Ballet Theatre.  Great book, theater setting and characters, and CDs set by Jean Mahoney and Viola Anne Seddon.  Little ones will enjoy playing ballet and fall into the music through the story.