pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lovely and charming, like Ina Garten herself. It‘s probably exactly what you think it is—Garten telling her story, starting with childhood with emotionally difficult parents, falling in love with Jeffrey as a teenager, and then her paths through school, travel, education, and work all the way to Barefoot Contessa and TV. Perfectly enjoyable, not difficult or surprising.
pickI absolutely adored this book! Lisa shared stories about growing up in Graceland, and even her returns to Graceland as an adult. Her relationship with her dad was amazing. This memoir covers everything from her adolescent struggles, the relationship with her mom, marriages, children, addiction, and her son‘s tragic suicide. Lisa‘s own death is also detailed in the book.
Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/from-here-to-the-great-unknown
pickIn last weeks irl grp we read this memoir by Shirley Jackson of bringing up her 3 very young children. I laughed from the opening chapter and continued to chuckle throughout as the author manages to rise above the madness. Wonderful writing this was a joyful treat from a writer who normally has me listening out for creaks on the stairs as I pull the duvet up around me.
My favourites of the year! I gave just three 5 star reviews out of about 30 books ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ These were books that I couldn‘t put down and I didn‘t want to end 🥰
I am becoming fascinated by her quality of attention. I'm starting to believe in what Barry Lopez has called "the conversation of death”: something he saw in the exchange of glances between caribou and hunting wolves, a wordless negotiation that ends up with them working out whether they will become hunter and hunted, or passers-by.
Catie!! My neighbors are mad at you because I made a shriek sound at the cuteness off the Bear Hugs and it‘s not quite 6:00am! You definitely spoiled me BIG and I LOVE everything! Your friendship is my favorite gift of all 💚❤️
Listening to Ruth Reichel talk about reviewing restaurants for the New York Times and using disguises so as not to be recognized. Loving it.
pickThis author is a peloton instructor, and I will admit the first class of his that I took irritated me. I have since come around, though, taking more of his classes, and when I found out he grew up spending part of his childhood in North Carolina, decided to read this book.
I generally don‘t like memoirs, especially first person nonfiction celebrity memoirs, like this one. That being said, it was a fun read, and his life story is inspiring.
“I was too awake, it was all taking too long. I turned into a feral position. A loneliness that can be rocked. The great female tragedy. My mother, my love. It was too late. I ate books. I could live here”.
