The Lost Art of Feeding Kids: What Italy Taught Me about Why Children Need Real Food

Title: The Lost Art of Feeding Kids:  What Italy Taught Me about Why Children Need Real Food

Author:  Jeannie Marshall

Publication Information:  Beacon Press. 2013. 228 pages.
ISBN:  0807032999 / 978-0807032992

Book Source:  I received this book through the GoodReads First Reads program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite Quote:  "It is children who can change the future, if only adults will give them some guidance."

Jeannie Marshall had visions of moving to Italy and of raising her family on a traditional Mediterranean diet - focused on fresh, local ingredients and focused on real food cooked and enjoyed together as a family. When she did relocate from Canada to Italy, she found some of what she was looking for. Yet, to her dismay, she found reliance on packaged foods, fast foods, and other such things to be as common in Italy as it was in her North American home.

This led her on a journey to research why the change occurred, what influence it is having on children and the coming generations, and what needs to be done. This book - part research and part memoir of her teaching her own son to appreciate and enjoy "real" food - is based on her experiences.

Topics the book addresses include the food industry, childhood obesity, school lunches, food marketing geared towards children, and the transition toward an increasing reliance on packaged foods. The book talks about government policy in North America and in Europe and its influence on the food industry. It incorporates examples from the author's own life and family. Finally, it delivers the message of the increasingly urgent need to re-examine the way in which we eat and the way in which we feed our kids.

This book is not really new information; we all know that "real" food is the correct approach. This book is also not a cookbook or a specific how to guide - it's not meant to be. It is one family's experience. It is a comparison of two cultural approaches to food, and the influences of one on the other in a global food market. It is an examination of the food industry. It is a call to action to change our habits which will change the industry.

Some of the research and information the book presents on marketing within the food industry, particularly on marketing to children, is somewhat disturbing. The industry actually uses something called the "nag factor" as a marketing measure. That means pretty much what you think it means. Children see an ad and start nagging parents for the food. The greater the nag factor, the more likely a sale of the product. There also exists a marketing company called the Girls Intelligence Agency, which recruits young girls to spread the word on upcoming products to their friends. The food industry is marketing to children and via children.

I find the book fascinating. The research presented reinforces the need to focus our energy on the food we eat and on how we feed the children of the community. The personal anecdotes especially on cultural differences are interesting and add a lighter touch to the book. A really interesting book for anyone interested in food and the global industry that surrounds it.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Funeral Dress

Title:  The Funeral Dress

Author:  Susan Gregg Gilmore

Publication Information:  Broadway Books, Crown Publishing Group, Random House Inc. 2013. 356 pages.
ISBN:  0307886212 / 978-0307886217

Book Source:  I received this book through a publisher's giveaway free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite Quote:  "Maybe I got so used to wanting something ... that somewhere along the way I didn't realize I didn't need it no more."

The Funeral Dress is a story of growing up poor in the South. It is a story of strong women who support each other through whatever may come.

Emmalee Bullard is a young woman living with her drunk and cruel father. She successfully manages to find a job at the local garment factory. This job brings her to a group of women, who are reluctant at first but them come to accept her as one of her own. In particular, the job brings her to Leona.

Emmalee finds herself young, alone, and with a baby. Leona offers her support and a chance at a better life. Yet, before that comes to fruition, Leona dies in an accident. Emmalee finds herself alone again.

This time, she is fighting to keep her baby, fighting to keep her independence, and still looking for that chance at a better life. Some help her. Some want to stop her. Some simply standby and watch it all happen.

The book is a quick read. It is an interesting story. It is well written. The book does a lovely job of bringing the time period and the place to life. Strong female characters in a book are always promising. I just waited for something unexpected that would make the book stand out, and that did not come. Hence, the three stars. I liked the book, but did not fall in love with it.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Under the Wide and Starry Sky

Title:  Under the Wide and Starry Sky

Author:  Nancy Horan

Publication Information:  Ballantine Books. 2013. 474 pages.
ISBN: 0345516532 / 978-0345516534

Book Source:  I read the book based on how much I enjoyed another of the author's works, Loving Frank.

Favorite Quote:  "When you have a gift, it isn't yours to keep to yourself. It's the reason you're here. It's your purpose."

"Under the wide and starry sky,

Dig the grave and let me lie.

Glad did I live and gladly die,

And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you grave for me:

Here he lies where he longed to be;

Home is the sailor, home from sea,

And the hunter home from the hill."

So reads the inscription on the tomb of Robert Louis Stevenson. The Scottish writer is buried on  the mountain top of Mount Vaea on the island of Samoa. The path leading to his grave site is called the "Road of Loving Hearts."

This book tells the story of the love of Stevenson's life and the tumultuous path of his relationship with Frances (Fanny) Matilda Van de Grift Osbourne Stevenson.

It begins with the story of how Fanny comes from America to Europe in the 1870s to study art, and what circumstances lead her to the quiet artist's colony where she meets Robert Louis Stevenson. From there, the book charts the course of their relationship until Stevenson's death in 1894.

Fanny comes to Europe with her children to get away from her philandering husband. The relationship between Fanny and Stevenson flourishes even though she is married. The book follows their relationship. Does Fanny return to her husband? Does she stay in Europe? Does the relationship last? To what lengths will both go to be together? You can do a simple search on either person and get the answer or read it in this book as a beautiful story.

Parallel to their love story runs the story of Stevenson's writing career. He comes from a family of lighthouse designer. Upon deciding that is not for him, he studies law. Ultimately, he decides - against his family's wishes - to pursue writing. He does not meet with much success early on, but goes on to pen books that are now considered classics.

I was not familiar with the historical events before reading this book. I found myself doing research online to learn more about each of them and their children as I read the book. The book is fascinating because along with their story, it tells the story of the art community in 1800s Europe and draws a picture of a time and place.

However, I did not find this book quite as compelling as Nancy Horan's first book. This book is also about 100 pages longer than that first book. This book, while a wonderful story, just seems a little too long.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Bold - A Cookbook of Big Flavors

Title: Bold - A Cookbook of Big Flavors

Author:  Susanna Hoffman and Victoria Wise

Publication Information:  Workman Publishing Company. 2013. 409 pages.
ISBN:  0761139613 / 978-0761139614

Book Source:  I received this book through a publisher's giveaway free of cost in exchange for an honest review. The book arrived as a paperback edition.

Favorite Quote:  "America is not only a wide-open world; it's one world when it comes to food. Bold honors the great melange."

Bold: A Cookbook of Big Flavors is described by the authors as "replete with recipes for the amazing, every changing round of dishes that make up American cooking today." The "bold" flavors in this book are not coming from spices. Most recipes call for salt and pepper and not many other spices. "Bold" is more a reference to the mingling of cuisines from many different cultures into what is now American cuisine. "Bold" is also a reference to the heartiness and abundance of food that immigrants to America found here.

The book is organized into sections some centered around food types such as snacks, soups, and sweets. Some sections focus on ingredient categories such as meat, game, poultry, fish and seafood, and vegetables. This structure is similar to many other cookbooks that are general, all-purpose cookbooks.

Pros:

• The book includes a detailed index which is helpful.
• The physical book is a good size - not so large as to be unwieldy, not so small as to crowd the recipes.
• Each recipe is concisely presented on a page.
• The setup of each page is consistent and easy to read - a sidebar has the ingredient list; the main text has the instruction laid out in short paragraphs
• The ingredient list for each recipe is clearly marked and easy to read.
• The ingredients for the recipes seems to be things readily available to the home cook.
• The book includes periodic sections (clearly identified by color) with history and cultural trivia. They will interesting to any foodie.

Cons:

• The start of each section does not include a list of the recipes in that section. I find that helpful to flip through when I am hoping to be inspired.
• Not every recipe includes a picture.
• The color choices for the printing start with a sepia toned paper and the text and pages colored in shades of browns and oranges. The titles of the recipes are printed in very large font, in a muted orange, and in all caps. The font and color choice are somewhat distracting from the recipes themselves.
• Many of the recipes call for ingredients such as heavy cream, cheese, butter, half-and-half. I would find myself modifying the recipes to incorporate them into our lifestyle.

Overall, a general, all purpose cookbook.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

Title: Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

Author:  Karen Foxlee

Publication Information:  Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers. 2014. 240 pages.
ISBN:  0385753543 / 978-0385753548

Book Source:  I received this book through a publisher's giveaway free of cost in exchange for an honest review. The book arrived as a paperback advance reader's edition.

Favorite Quote:  "Be kind to everyone who you meet along the way, and things will be well. Kindness is far stronger than any cruelty. Always extend your hand in friendship. Be patient. You may feel alone, but there will always be people who will help you along the way. Never, ever give up."

Guest Post - A Ten Year Old's Review:

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy was a fantastic book. Ophelia has come to a new town where her dad has a new job at a museum. Ophelia finds a hidden room and finds a boy. That boy is the Marvelous Boy, trained by wizards and sent to stop the evil Snow Queen. The boy wants Ophelia to help. Ophelia has to find keys to unlock the door to the room where the Marvelous Boy is trapped. After she does this, they still face a harder challenge to stop the Snow Queen.

I would rate this book five stars, which means I really love this book. I love the author's creativity. For example, the author came up with these creatures that Ophelia meets when she is finding the keys. I also like it because it was a mystery. You don't know who the evil Snow Queen is. You also don't what the Marvelous Boy's real name. You also don't know who the “Other One is.” All these things make this book have a great storyline. I also liked it for the family situations. Some people might relate to things like having problems with siblings and parents having a new job.

These are all reasons I like the book and I recommend that you read it.

My Review as an Adult:

Ophelia is spending a week in a foreign city at a museum with her sister and her father. Her father is the curator of an exhibition on swords of the world that is set to open at the museum in three days. The girls spend their days exploring the museum, and their father spends the time working.

In her explorations, Ophelia comes across a locked room. Peeking in through the keyhole, she meets the Marvelous Boy, a little boy whose name has been taken, who has been looked away for a long time, and who asks for Ophelia's help. He is the keeper of the prophecy from the wizards of long ago that he had to take a special sword to the "Other One" who would then defeat the Snow Queen and save the world.

Thus begins Ophelia's adventure. Ophelia is a girl of science and does not believe in wizards and prophecy. Despite her disbelief and her fears, she decides to help the Marvelous Boy and to hear his story. Along the way, she overcomes ghost girls, snow leopards, and misery birds, to name a few of the obstacles she faces. She also faces Ms. Kaminski, the museum director.

This book is a story within a story. Ophelia is struggling to cope with the death of her mother, the withdrawal of her sister Alice, and her father's inability to help her through the sadness. The Marvelous Boy's story is one of taking on a responsibility that he did not feel capable of, of losing his mother with only a slight hope that he may return, and of being the nameless boy who never grows.

The book is delightful. It has adventure - magical creatures, prophecies, and wizards. It has two little motherless children looking for friendship. It has a positive message. The boy is chosen "because he is so good" and the direction he is given are about kindness, friendship, patience, and perseverance.

A wonderful read geared for ages 8-12.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to talk to you.

The Collector of Dying Breaths

Title:  The Collector of Dying Breaths

Author:  M J Rose

Publication Information:  Atria Books. 2014. 384 pages.
ISBN: 1451621531 / 978-1451621532

Book Source:  I received this book as a publisher's galley through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite Quote:  "There are more questions in the world than answers. A wise man once said you have to live the questions and then one day you might live your way to into the answers. It's how I've conducted my life. Magic is real, my dear. Just watch a tree grow."

The Collector of Dying Breaths is part history, part romance, and part adventure. The book proceeds in two time periods - current day and the court of Catherine de' Medici, who was the queen of France in the 1500s.

In the 1500s, Catherine de' Medici's power in increasing as are the intrigues of the court and the threats to her power. René Le Florentin is her perfumer and her confidant. She saved him from almost certain death at the monastery where he was left as an orphan. He brings with him the secrets of the monks in making beautiful perfumes and other potions designed to accomplish more sinister objectives.

He also carries with him his mentor's secret project - research into capturing the final breath of someone dying and then finding an elixir that will enable that breath to find new life. How far will Rene Le Florentin go to serve his queen? How far will the queen go to ensure her power?

In present day, Jac L'Eoile is recovering from her brother's death and still coming to accept the fact that she has memories of her past lives. Her family has long created and sold perfumes. She has paved her own way in an entirely different field of work. Upon her brother's death, she comes to find that her brother was working on a project for the wealthy Melinoe Cypros.

The project involves sixteenth century artifacts and the ability to give new life to someone who has died. Melinoe Cypros has bought the house and the lab that once belonged to René Le Florentin. Melinoe's objective is to see his work on the "dying breaths" completed for her own purposes. Will Jac finish what her brother started? How far Melinoe Cypros go to ensure that she gets what she wants?

Thus goes the story, back and forth between the two time periods - each with their own intrigue and each with their own love story. René and Isabeau. Jac and Griffin.

The Collector of Dying Breaths is part of a series of books. It is in fact the sixth book in the Reincarnationist series. I did not realize that before I read the book. I also did not realize that I have read The Book of Lost Fragrances, which is book 4 in the series a couple of years ago. That being said, the books really do stand alone and can be read without having read the others.

The history in this book is intriguing. The romance adds interest. The adventure makes it a fast paced story. The environment of René le Florentin's estate add a Gothic element. All components of a successful book. What makes the book less successful for me was the interjection of physical descriptions of the "flowing juices" of life. I felt that those were unnecessary and distracted from book. Other than that, a light, quick, and enjoyable read.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to talk to you.

Men We Reaped: A Memoir

Title: Men We Reaped:  A Memoir

Author:  Jesmyn Ward

Publication Information:  Bloomsbury USA. 2013. 272 pages.
ISBN:  160819521X / 978-1608195213

Book Source:  I read this book as this month's selection for my local book club.

Favorite Quote:  "My entire community suffered from a lack of trust:  we didn't trust society to provide the basics of a good education, safety, access to good jobs, fairness in the justice system. And even as we distrusted the society around us, the culture that cornered us and told us we were perpetually less, we distrusted each other. We did not trust our fathers to raise us, to provide for us. Because we trusted nothing, we endeavored to protect ourselves, boys becoming misogynistic and violent, girls turning duplicitous, all of us hopeless."

Jesmyn Ward lost five young men -  close to her in the very short span of five years. They all died of different causes - accident, suicide, murder, drugs. However, one reason underlies all their lives and deaths - the fact of who they were and where they were. This is their story and her story.

The title of the book comes from the writings of Harriet Tubman:

"We saw the lightning and that was the guns;

and then we heard the thunder and that was the big guns;

and then we heard the rain falling and that was the blood falling;

and when we came to get in the crops, it was dead men we reaped."

A powerful image for a powerful narrative.

Home for Jesymn Ward is the small town of DeLisle, Mississippi. Delisle is a very small town with a  population of a little over 1,000 people. According to the Information Please database, Mississippi is 48.6% male, and 51.4% female. Racially, Mississippi is 59.1% white, 37% black, and the remaining a combination of other races. Historically, the state has had one of the lowest per capita incomes in the country; according to 2007 census data, the state was ranked 50th - dead last.  In the eighteenth Report Card of American Education, Mississippi's rank is 48th.

This data is current. Imagine what it was ten years ago, when these events took place, or 20 years ago when these young people were children, or 30 years ago when they were born.

This is the environment into which these young people are born and in which they are raised. Not encouraging even if a child is born into privileged circumstances. Imagine if you are born a minority and poor. That is what they faced. A lack of opportunity and a lack of hope.

This narrative starts at the beginning and the end of the story. It alternates between the story of Jesmyn's childhood - the beginning - and the stories of the young men starting with the most recent death - the end.

The story of Jesmyn's childhood explains the context, the community, and the culture in which these young people live. This context is critical because "learning something about our lives and the lives of the people in my community will mean that when I get to the heart ... I'll understand a bit better why this epidemic happened, and about how the history of racism and economic inequality and lapsed public and personal responsibility festered and turned sour and spread here."

The story of each young man is a memory of the boy / man that he was and the tragedy of his death. These were young men with the understanding that "what it meant to be a man [was] resentful, angry wanting life to be everything but what it was."

It concludes somewhat at the middle and the end of the story. We are left with the death of Jesmyn's brother - the first of the young men to die, and we are left with those who live on. "We who still live do what we must. Life is a hurricane, and we board up to save what we can and bow low to the earth to crouch in that small space above the dirt where the wind will not reach."

This narrative left a lasting impact on me. Two questions will stay with me for a long time:  Jesmyn Ward wrote her story. How many more stories like hers are out there that go untold? How does still happen in modern day America?

As a book, my most favorite and least favorite part of the book is the fact that it is written as a narration - one individual telling a story to an audience. The writing style is my favorite part because it conveys the courage and fortitude it took to write this story and to survive the life described.  No words could truly ever capture what Jesmyn Ward attempts to capture. Even she concludes with, "This story is only a hint of what my brother's life was worth ... It is worth more than I can say. And there's my dilemma, because all I can do in the end is say."

The writing style is also my least favorite part of the book because it creates a distance between the narrator, the story, and the emotions. As a reader, the narration also creates that distance for me. It becomes more of an intellectual understanding of some of the things she faced rather than an emotional absorption into the people and the events.

As a book club read, this book had an interesting result. Unequivocally, we were all impacted by the book and shared the feelings described here. That is positive in that it proved to be a powerful read for all of us. However, some of our most involved discussions come from the books in which individuals reading have differing takes on the book. This one resulted in less discussion of it as a book because this one I loved and our entire group loved.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to talk to you.