Gone-Away Lake - Elizabeth Enright

Title: Gone-Away Lake
Author: Elizabeth Enright
Genre: Childrens
Rating: 5/5
# pages: 172
Date read: August 2010, October 2024

Portia and her cousin Julian discover a hidden abandoned village dating from the turn of the century--the 20th century! They are surprised to discover that two of the houses are still occupied by a brother and sister who were among the original occupants of Tarrigo. They make a clubhouse in another abandoned home, and soon other friends and relatives get in on the secret.

This was one of my favourite books as a child, and I'm happy to say that it completely passed the test of time. It's just as charming as I remembered it, and Elizabeth Enright really made me feel like I knew the characters and I got to care for them.

Usually I can take or leave illustrations in a book, but the illustrations in my copy of the book (or rather, my mother's copy) - done by Beth and Joe Krush - are gorgeous, and really add to the story.

Garlic and Sapphires - Ruth Reichl

Title: Garlic and Sapphires
Author: Ruth Reichl
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 5/5
# pages: 333
Date read: August, 2010

In Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise Reichl focuses on her life as a food critic, dishing up a feast of fabulous meals enjoyed during her tenure at The New York Times. As a critic, Reichl was determined to review the "true" nature of each restaurant she visited, so she often dined incognito--each chapter of her book highlights a new disguise, a different restaurant (including the original reviews from the Times), and a fresh culinary adventure.

One of the best foodie books I've read in a long time - even if I did get ridiculously hungry for good food while reading it. I do NOT recommend reading a couple of chapters and then going out to heat up left-overs :-/

The stories of a restaurant critic were fascinating to read, and the way she went about creating new characters as not to be recognized had me in stitches. I really enjoyed Ruth Reichl's writing style, and also liked the way she portrayed herself in this memoir - not arrogantly, but aware of her own mistakes and shortcomings.

Really brilliant book, even if it is perhaps a tad too old to be used as an accurate restaurant guide for NYC - more's the pity, as I'd have loved to try some of the restaurants she visited!

Knit Two - Kate Jacobs

Title: Knit Two
Author: Kate Jacobs
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4/5
# pages: 235
Date read: August, 2010

At the Manhattan knitting store founded by Georgia Walker, the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club - including Georgia's daughter Dakota, now a college freshman - continue to rely on each other for help, even as they struggle with new challenges: for Catherine, finding love after divorce; for Darwin, the hope for a family; for Lucie, being both a single mom and a caregiver for her elderly mother; and for seventy something Anita, a proposal of marriage from her sweetheart, Marty, that provokes the objections of her grown children. As the club's projects - an afghan, baby booties, a wedding coat - are pieced together, so is their understanding of the patterns underlying the stresses and joys of being a mother, wife, daughter, and friend. Because it isn't the difficulty of the garment that makes you a great knitter: it's the care and attention you bring to the craft - as well as how you adapt to surprises.

Not quite as good as "Friday Night Knitting Club", but then sequels seldom are. And it's still a very enjoyable and comforting read. As usual it made me want to knit, so I guess I'll have to go out and replenish my stash after all ;) But to me, its true merit is in the descriptions of the friendships between the women of the knitting club. From Saving Graces to The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society that aspect never ceases to appeal to me.