Monday 20 February 2017

#6 Dinner Wtih Edward by Isabel Vincent


#6 Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent

Let me begin, dear reader by explaining my often warped criteria for choosing reading material:

·        Title – Does it have an interesting title? By interesting I mean, cool, funny, sing-song-y (see my upcoming blog of the book  Ruby Red Heart in a Cold Blue Sea), metaphoric or deep and wrought with implied meaning.

·        Cover art – I’m a sucker for cover art. A b-e-a-utiful picture really does say a thousand words.  That’s why choosing a picture for my own novel “Erosion” was so difficult and so very important.  Intriguing graphics can also stop me in my tracks.

·        Tag line – Tag lines can hint at the juicy bits held within. The proverbial carrot in front of the donkey, if you will.

Dinner with Edward has it all: A very simple calligraphic title with artistic line drawings of the Empire State Building, a martini glass and a turkey as well as a tag line that reads “A Story of Unexpected Friendship”.  Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE food. I love to cook. I love to eat. And I love playing host.  From the cover alone, it was obvious that this book would appeal to the foodie in me but to be rewarded with a heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship woven throughout this memoir was both surprising and truly delightful.

Isabel Vincent writes about her dinners with Edward, the father of her friend, Valerie who sets them up (no…not like that!) at a low point in their lives. From the moment of that first introduction, a wonderful friendship blossoms between a 40 something woman with boy trouble and a nonagenarian whose wife has just passed who meet weekly to share their joys and their life’s trials over wonderful meals that Edward prepares.  As time passes and their friendship deepens, Edward shares the story of his life and his seemingly old fashioned wisdom over Martinis and crisp Vouvray or Malbec which accompany spectacular meals while Isabel takes to heart his thoughts on love and life as he knows it.

After finishing this little book, I was reminded of some of life’s basics tenets:

·        Cooking is a passion and sometimes an art form.  Have you ever enjoyed eating something so much that your eyes have closed in bliss? The first time I’d experienced this was at a now closed restaurant called “Gourmet by the Sea” near Campbell River, BC.  We ordered a Caesar salad which was flamboyantly made at our table and I remember my husband at the time saying that if money weren’t an issue, we’d fly here for lunch just to order the salad.  It was that good! Caesar salad as art…yum!

·        Dinners are rituals imbued with a sense of occasion.  I have very fond memories of Sunday dinners growing up. I now appreciate the time Mom took to lay out her lace tablecloth and to set the table with her china and crystal on an everyday Sunday and not just special occasions speaks volumes of her love for her family. I remember my grandmother sitting on a chair in the kitchen sipping her sherry listening to me play piano while our dog Sandy sat beside her waiting for the occasional pat.  I loved the smell of a roast beef cooking in the oven and then helping Mom make gravy (to which I obviously didn’t pay close attention because I still struggle making gravy and upon further reflection, I was probably more just the gravy taster which is likely why my gravy sucks and I go out of my way to plan a meal that doesn’t include gravy unless my Mom is over to help). From setting the table to serving a favorite dessert my mother made every Sunday dinner a ceremony. 

There’s a moment in the book where Edward is hosting Isabel for a dinner of Oysters Rockefeller, Avocado Salad with homemade Blue Cheese dressing, Tarte Citron and Pinot Blanc. Upon hearing the menu Isabel asks Edward “What’s the occasion?” to which he replies “Do we need one?”.

I love Edward’s response and I think that is precisely the point. Do we need an occasion to sit down to eat a fabulous meal or to eat as a family? Don’t get me wrong, dear reader. I’m not suggesting that we be dressed in our finest to go up and down the Safeway aisles waiting for dinner inspiration a la Julia Child to hit us. Nor am I suggesting that we revert back to the idealism of the fifties where women stayed home and cooked, wearing Bette Crocker aprons and sporting perfectly coiffed hair and a newly pressed dress waiting her husband’s return with a kiss and a cocktail.  

I know that life today moves pretty fast. Through technology, we are more connected then we have ever been before yet many of us feel disconnected from our lives, from what really matters. What I am suggesting is simple: Take time for the people in your life that matter to you.  Notice how I said “people that matter” and not “things that matter”? Sometimes (who am I kidding…I should say all the time) this is easier said than done.
That is why I’m planning to follow some  of Edward’s advice. I'm going to try to make one meal special every day. If you have children in your life, try to share a meal daily or in the case of busy young adults like me, a few shared meals a week. Better still, get the little people in your life to help you chop vegetables or set the table. It doesn’t have to be a fancy feast like what Edward made for Isabel (although if you can cook like he can, be sure to invite me)! Sometimes simple is best, especially if you're racing out afterwards to soccer or dance. 
Make a meal special even if there's no one to share it with. I’ve whipped up some amazing dinners for one with ingredients I have on hand. Splash some olive oil in a pan, toss in some chopped vegetables, a good amount of garlic, herbs from my garden or jar if its winter, toss in some shrimp or chicken and voila! Add a glass of flavored water or better still, a glass of wine and I have a lovely meal that always puts a smile on my face.  I have also eaten leftovers standing over my kitchen sink which is just sad. There was no ceremony, nothing that says I care about me. Yet by making a simple meal or even just plating leftovers and actually sitting at a table to eat it, I feel special; taken care of and not quite so sad or lonely. And whether you eat on your own or with the special people you share your life with, try not to have the TV on and don’t allow phones at the table. This may be the only time you spend together.  Make it count.

I’d like to end with a few Edwardisms:

·        Listen to some great music while you prep your meal and while you eat. Edward loved music of the 40’s and 50’s like Ella Fitzgerald or Thelonious Monk.  I personally like kitchen dancing to the Canadian band Great Big Sea. Music can lift your spirits tremendously after a long day at work and will ad ambiance to  your meal.

·        Enjoy a cocktail while you work. Again, this speaks to my very soul. In these modern times of watching my weight and alcohol consumption, I may restrict this to weekends only. Maybe…

·        Wear more lipstick. Edward doesn’t just dispense advice about cooking techniques. He gives friendly advice to help heal the soul too.

·        Use words like “Darling” and phrases like “you look smashing” or “knock ‘em dead, kid”.  Genteel language from a kinder time.

So dear reader, in case you haven’t deduced by now, I loved this book. It was a delightful read from start to finish and has me believing in “the magic of Edward” and aiming to incorporate a little bit Edward into my own life.
Treat each day as the gift that it is. Savor life instead of wolfing it down.  Until next time…have you read a book today?

Julie

#5 Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes

#5 Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes
I have a rule in my house that states: If a book is being made into a movie, you’d better read the book first.  I’ve had this rule since my kids were little and if I make the kids follow it, I should probably lead by example.  The movie came out last summer and while I didn’t manage to catch it in theatres I still played by the rules and read the book first before watching the movie on-demand.

Me Before You was an easy read. I don’t mean simplistic in its plot or writing style but rather it’s a book you won’t want to put down.  It follows the rather crazy life of Lou, a young woman who finds herself job hunting yet again after her long-time waitressing job comes to an end. After a series of temporary offerings she stumbles across an ad searching for a companion for a quadriplegic man.   Her quirky personality eventually wins over her churlish patient, Will who, despite his physical limitations and often angry demeanor, manages to charm Louisa in his own way. Will’s unexpected plan however, forces Lou to alter her thoughts regarding her job and eventually her entire outlook on life.
This might be classified as classic chick-lit but I enjoyed it anyway.  It was heartwarming and amusing in ways that only British writers can be.  It’s also rather sad, which I hadn’t been expecting.  I found myself hoping for a different ending then what was foreshadowed and sobbing as events unfolded in a way that although it was expected, it really was the only possible ending.  Good thing I had my box of Kleenex handy. 

I’ve always thought that after seeing a movie based on a book, more often than not, the book is better by far and while this movie was very enjoyable, with a great cast and captures the essence of the story, the book, in my humble opinion, is better.  The author delves into the relationship that blossoms between Will and Louisa, its roots in employment soon becoming friendship and then love. She allows us to savour their growing bond, revealing it slowly and intimately whereas the movie has a time restraint and as a result, the interactions that lead the characters towards their feelings for each other seems, at times, abrupt. 
I know that Jo Jo Moyes is a rather prolific writer with many novels in bookstores.  If you haven’t read any of her books yet, this novel would be a great one to start with and I am very glad I followed the house rule and read the book first. Until next time…have you read a book today?

Julie

Sunday 5 February 2017

#4 Nutshell by Ian McEwan


#4 Nutshell by Ian McEwan

Let me ask you a question, dear reader.  Have you ever let out a squeal of delight as you un-wrapped a book-like present and discovered that it was a novel you’ve been dying to read? I made sure this book was on my Christmas wish list and my lovely daughter did me the honor of purchasing it and slipping it into my stocking.  I think I actually whooped and fist-pumped the air I was that excited!

When I was reading early reviews of this book what captured my attention was the voice used to tell the story. Told from the perspective of an unborn child, Mr. McEwan weaves a tale of a marriage gone wrong; an adulteress wife, a husband still pining for his unworthy spouse, a deceitful brother and a web of lies which lead to murder.  Our story teller hears everything.  He knows the lovers sordid secrets, the whispered plans and deadly sins and is torn between love for the mother he hasn’t yet met and the loathing he has for her as the murderous act becomes known and he begins to know her for what she is. 

Aside from the wickedly delicious plot that makes it difficult to put down, the book is filled with insightful and often hilarious musings on the gift (or curse) of consciousness; it describes how knowledge gleaned from listening to the BBC or podcasts in utero elevate both mother and baby come morning which made me ponder my own pregnancies (which occurred 19 and 21 years ago respectively) and contemplate them from the baby’s perspective. While we’ve often heard babies and children being referred to as ‘a blank slate’, the author expands on this to say that as they grow each day, they become less blank.

Throughout the novel our little narrator describes a multitude of subject matter learned on the inside. One of my favorites was found early in the book on pages 4-7 in which the baby describes learning all about wine from an audio book then goes on to announce that he likes to share a glass with his mother, a good burgundy or Sancerre decanted through the placenta.  Obviously this shouldn’t be a habit during pregnancy but this section, and many others made me laugh out loud. 

This is an highly entertaining novel, filled with dastardly deeds and deceit that at times, reminded me of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, read way, way back in high school English class. If I were you, dear reader, I would put this on your wish list and post it somewhere someone will see it.  Hint hint!  Until next time…have you read a book today?

Julie

#3 A Train in Winter by Caroline Moorhead

#3 A Train in Winter by Caroline Moorhead

Let me begin, dear reader, by saying that this book was not quite what I expected. The back jacket described the book as the story of 230 French women resisters, who they were, how they came to join the Resistance, how they were captured and their lives in the death camps.  While this book certainly covered all of the above in vivid detail it was not so much a story but rather a reporting of information based on years of research, discussions with survivors and their families, as well as the published memoirs of some of the survivors.  

Ms. Moorhead explains chronologically and systematically the roles these women played in setting up the many networks of couriers, underground printers and coordination of delivery of anti-Nazi material.  She describes the methods used by the Germans to penetrate these networks which ultimately lead to the arrest and deportation of these women as well as the men in their lives who were also part of the resistance.   Those who have an interest in WWII would be amazed at the vast amounts of information and the minute details of the underground networks which were all very cloak and dagger.  

As fascinating as this information is, it quickly becomes increasingly difficult to read as the events leading up to the capture, deportation and torture of these women is revealed. Much of the book follows the lives of these women during their years in Birkenau or Ravensbruck. The friendship that sustained them was fierce, often serving as a form of physical protection as well as providing emotional comfort in the midst of so much brutality and death.

The women that survived give testimony to the horrific acts against humanity committed during the occupation of France by the Nazis. They are telling not only their own stories but are also speaking for those women who did not survive.  And while this book is an account of these horrific atrocities, it is also testament of survival, friendship and love. Until next time…have you read a book today?

Julie