Going in Blind
Surprising Finds, Cookbook Creations, and the cost of Ebooks....
This month I discuss knowing less about books before I read them, recent reads, publishing a cookbook and the high costs libraries are paying.
The Joys of Reading Blind.
This week I read a book for my local library’s online book club. I had never heard of this book but I moved it to the top of my pile so that I could join the discussion. Boy was this book fabulous. It made me realize how much I am influenced by my expectations going into books. I don’t just love reading books, I love reading about books, following bookstagramers & bookish facebook pages, and listening to book- related podcasts. As a result, I am often familiar with a book before I start it – I have read a review or heard a discussion so I have some idea of what is going to happen. I also noticed that even when I am looking at the shelves of my local thrift shops, I am drawn to books with familiar names and authors, rather than just selecting titles that sound interesting. This is the book I fell in love with this week:
“Take Me With You” is a story about two young brothers on an unexpected journey. I could give you a lot more detail, but that’s the point – I don’t want to. It is enough to say “I loved this book. You should read it!”
Other Favorite Recent Reads:
I love J. Ryan Stradal’s second novel about strong women making the best of their circumstances through hard work and a love of beer. Yes, it is about making beer — but also family, friendship, and resilience. Edith wins my award for best Grandma in a book. Lager Queen had my favorite combination of great characters and a plot that moves along.
I could not put down this novel about an insidious villain that not only moves into the neighborhood, but takes over the book club and generally wreaks havoc. Set in the 1980s, our housewife heroine Patricia must pull out all the stops to protect her family from the monster next door. Lots of nods to true crime as well. It would make a great spooky read for this month.
Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series is one of my favorite police procedurals you probably haven’t heard of. I gobbled up the 8th book in this series and enjoyed it as much as the first (Raven Black). The books are all set on the remote Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland. The haunting landscape the islands’ isolation makes them read a bit like “country house” murders. The stage is set, the characters are in residence, and it is up to the smart and likable detective to figure out what is going on. This is my favorite kind of comfort read, and lately I have needed that. I do recommend starting at the beginning of the series, but you don’t have to.
Need some other book recommendations? I loved reading all the comments in this Cup of Jo blog post that asked readers what their top three books are. So many good suggestions here.
That Time We Wrote A Book (A Cookbook)
A few years ago my sisters and I completed a project we had long discussed. We compiled our favorite recipes, those from our childhood that our mom and grandmas made, plus a few others together into an actual book. The Curtis Girls Cook now holds a permanent place on each of our bookshelves and we have given it out our children, family members and friends. If you are wondering about the complexities of creating a cookbook, don’t. There are some great websites that make this process foolproof. We used Heritagecookbook.com. It was super easy to upload recipes, choose a style, and pick the cover art.
My favorite memory from this project is the weekend we spent with our binders, file folders, and recipe boxes spread out in our room at Petit Soleil (highly recommend) in San Louis Obispo. Sequestered in this cozy French-inspired B&B in Central California, we debated the best brownies, discussed favorite soups, and reminisced about holiday dinners. In my family, so much of our lives are traced through recipes: cakes made for birthdays, brunch dishes at Christmas, marinades for grilling, dips served at parties. Our cookbook now serves as a record of our cooking lives.
It is not too early to consider putting together your own cookbook to give to friends and family this year at Christmas. Especially since so many of us will not be with those we love, it is a way of sharing part of you.
The B&B serves these delicious almonds with wine in the afternoon, and I have made them many times since.
Petit Soleil Spicy Almonds
3 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup whole raw almonds, 1 tbsp water.
Preheat oven to 325 f.
Line heavy baking sheet with foil; spray with nonstick spray. Combine sugar, fennel seeds, red pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Mix in almonds and 1 tablespoon of water. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake until sugar melts and almonds re a deep golden brown and glazed. Stir often! About 22 minutes. Separate almonds with fork; cool completely on sheet. Transfer almonds to bowl and serve. Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead of time. Store in plastic bag.
The High Price Our Libraries Pay
I am a huge fan of e-books and have become even more enthusiastic since I added the Libby App to my phone. If you are a Libby enthusiast too, but are discouraged by the long wait lines for popular books or the limited choice, I may have discovered the root problem. Did you know Libraries are paying almost 4X the amount you are for an e-book? And that is only for a 2 year license.
For your average hardcover book that retails on average for $24, the library pays just over $14, but for the ebook version, the library pays an average of $46. Yes, that’s right! And it is even worse for audio books. This may be why we have long waits for popular books and why the audio selection is often limited to the most popular books. It is costing our libraries dearly! To find out more click here.
