If you’ve read my other posts I’m guessing you already know I’m a lover of food. So I think it goes without saying that I also LOVE cookbooks! But even though I love them I really don’t own too many. I’m not a fan of clutter and being a librarian means I can almost always find a way to get my hands on any cookbook I want to peruse. However, once I laid eyes on Dining In I knew I’d have to own it.
When we received it at the library I took it home and instantly fell head over heels. Alison’s recipes are a breath of fresh air. They aren’t too difficult or trendy. They don’t call for a crazy amount of ingredients you can’t find or cooking techniques you need a culinary degree to master. Her book is just filled with wonderful food you can’t wait to make and beautiful pictures that spark the desire to get in the kitchen and make something amazing for those you love.
Thankfully my husband knows me well and without any hints he purchased this book for me as a Christmas gift. Since then I have made and loved several of the recipes. The Perfect Steak with Buttered Radish Toast is probably my favorite, but Anchovy-Butter Chicken with Chicken Fat Croutons comes in a close second. I also really enjoyed the Persimmons and Pears with Blue Cheese and Spicy Pecans.
If you love to cook or just love to eat I urge you to give this wonderful book a try. If you do, please let me know what you made and how it turned out.
First line: I often think of what Hendrich said to me, over a century ago, in his New York apartment.
Summary: Tom Hazard may look like an ordinary man but he is anything but. He is several hundred years old. He has seen the world change from Elizabethan England to the modern era. Sounds like a dream right? Maybe so but it can be lonely. When a group called the Albatross Society discovers him, he learns that there are many more people like him. Their main rule is to never fall in love. It complicates things. Tom has led many different lives but now he takes on a role that could jeopardize his existence, a history teacher. When he intrigues a fellow teacher, he has to decide if it is worth it to break from the rules of society or start over again.
Highlights:
“I sometimes want to stop time. I sometimes want, in a happy moment, for a church bell never to ring again. I want not to ever have to go to the market again. I want for the starlings to stop flying in the sky…But we are all at the mercy of time.”
Such a great story! I love the thought that someone can live forever and see so many things. I would love to be able to see the world of Shakespeare and the Roaring Twenties. These are iconic times in history. Being a history major, this book was right up my alley.
“It’s not that long ago, not really. History is right here, Anton. It’s breathing down our necks.”
I like that Tom does age. He is not immortal. He just ages slower than the average person does. He has demons. He wants to know what and who he is. He feels guilt. He knows love. He is a flawed character instead of the perfect ones in many stories of immortals. He has made mistakes and learned from them. He has not collected tons of wealth and profited off his condition. He has lived. He has searched for years for someone and never given up.
Lowlights: I listened to part of this on audiobook. The reader was good but when there are many changes from time and location it makes that story harder to follow. Tom often looks back at his past in order to help explain his present. However, while reading it flowed much easier.
FYI: It is already optioned to be a movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch!
April 3: The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
From Goodreads: “Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman when she meets the woman she hopes will change her life. Faith Frank, dazzlingly persuasive and elegant at sixty-three, has been a central pillar of the women’s movement for decades, a figure who inspires others to influence the world. Upon hearing Faith speak for the first time, Greer- madly in love with her boyfriend, Cory, but still full of longing for an ambition that she can’t quite place- feels her inner world light up. And then, astonishingly, Faith invites Greer to make something out of that sense of purpose, leading Greer down the most exciting path of her life as it winds toward and away from her meant-to-be love story with Cory and the future she’d always imagined.”
April 3: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (young adult)
Zombies, Gettysburg, and combat schools to put down the dead. What’s not to love? It’s the Civil War, and at the battles of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville, the dead begin to walk, completely derailing the war and changing the country forever. The safety of the country’s citizens lies in the hands of a relatively few people. New laws require certain people to attend combat schools where they learn to put down the dead. And for Jane McKeene, this means more opportunity than she would have had otherwise as she studies to become an Attendant, and trains in weaponry and etiquette to prepare to protect the well-to-do.
April 3: A Necessary Evil by Abir Mukherjee
In this followup to A Rising Man, Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant “Surrender-Not” Banerjee are called upon to solve the mystery of the assassination of the heir to the throne of the kingdom of Sambalpore. Prince Adhir was a moderniser, but his attitudes and romantic relationship may have upset the religious elements of his country. But the new heir, Prince Adhir’s brother, appears to be an irresponsible playboy. As Wyndham and Banerjee work to untangle the mystery of the murder, they find themselves in a race to find the murderer before the murderer finds them.
April 5: Macbeth by Jo Nesbo (Hogarth Shakespeare)
Famed crime writer Jo Nesbo tackles the classic story of Macbeth. From Goodreads: “Set in a dark, rainy northern town, Nesbo’s Macbeth pits the ambitions of a corrupt policeman against loyal colleagues, a drug-depraved underworld and the pull of childhood friendships. Get ready to helter-skelter through the darkest tunnels of human experience.”
April 10: Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe is the daughter of a Titan, but without the powers of either her mother or her father. Because she is such a strange child, she turns to the mortal world for companionship, where she learns she is not powerless. She discovers that she possesses the power of witchcraft, which allows her to transform her rivals into monsters. Threatened by this discovery, Zeus banishes Circe to a deserted island, but this just allows Circe to hone her craft.
April 10: Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
A then-and-now story of love. Macy is a pediatrics resident who is busy planning her wedding to a financially secure older man. She has a plan — keep her head down and her heart tucked away. Then she runs into Elliott, the love of her life, around whom her whole world used to revolve. From the teenage Elliott and Macy who grow from friends to much more, to the adult Elliott and Macy who have become strangers until their chance reunion, this story explores what happens when love gets a second chance.
First line: The blood underneath her nails bothered her.
Summary: As an eighteen-year-old Bruce Wayne is graduating high school and inheriting his families company and fortune he becomes entangled in the crimes of Gotham City. When trying to stop an escaped criminal Bruce lands himself on probation at Arkham Asylum. While cleaning floors he meets an elusive member of the group called the Nightwalkers, a group determined to kill the rich of the city and use their money to help the under privileged. Madeleine has been arrested for the murder of three prominent Gotham citizens but refuses to talk to the police. However, something about the young billionaire starts her talking. As Bruce gets more involved in the case, he sees that he could be in danger too.
Highlights:
“The darkness was his ally, not his enemy.”
Batman was probably my first superhero. I remember watching Michael Keaton play the caped crusader and being a little scared of the dark plotline. I continued to follow the Bat of Gotham through the Dark Knight trilogy (Heath Ledger as the Joker—AMAZING). Now I currently watch the show, Gotham on Fox, which follows the younger years of Detective James Gordon, Bruce Wayne and the villains like Penguin and the Riddler. Lu’s depiction of Bruce reminded me a lot of the boy in Gotham. She does a great job of bringing him to life and carefully crafting him into the superhero he is to become.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Bruce and Alfred his protector and guardian. It is one of my favorite parts from the movies and TV show as well. They have a bond that is deeper than blood. Alfred takes care of him but also has respect for the man he is becoming. At the same time though Bruce realizes that Alfred means more to him and that without him he would not be who he is. The story also touches on themes of the times. The struggle between the upper and lower classes, racial tensions and the need to equal rights for all. Batman is a symbol that something good can live in such a dark place.
“The world would always have the liars and traitors and thieves, but there were still those who were good at heart.”
Lowlights: I missed not having the normal Batman villains. Madeleine was okay. Most of the Batman villains are flashy with lots of humor thrown in. She was smart but a little dull. I am looking forward to the villain story in Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas later this year!
What is yoga? Why is everyone saying it’s so good for you? Can you even practice it despite (enter issue here – age, weight, injury, post-baby body, anxiety, etc.). And why would you do yoga at the library? These might be some possible questions flooding your mind if you’ve happened upon our poster or Facebook event. That’s right, patrons! We’re hosting yoga classes at the library! I’ve been practicing yoga for years and after earning my 200hr yoga teacher certification, I wanted to share yoga with you in a comfortable and non-competitive environment; the library!
What exactly is yoga anyway?
It’s a 5,000 year old practice based in India involving an eight-limb philosophy including a mindful and healing connection between the breath and body. More simply, it’s moving your body while staying aware of your breath. Yoga is a way to exercise and as with any exercise, you can adapt it to your needs. Yoga has a very deep and rich history with a lifestyle methodology attached to it, but you need to know exactly 0% of that if you just want to move your body, get rid of built-up toxins, release stress, and increase your strength and flexibility.
Yoga involves moving into various poses or asanas (the Sanskrit word meaning “comfortable seat”), and each pose targets a certain part of the body. Depending on the style of yoga, you may be holding the pose anywhere between 5 seconds or 5 minutes. No matter what pose you’re in, the most important element of yoga is maintaining a smooth, even inhale and exhale typically through the nose (though you can breathe through your mouth if sickness has you down).
What are the different styles of yoga?
Yoga is really unique in that there are multiple styles developed from various schools of thought, Indian gurus, and interests. The most common styles are Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Power, Hot/Bikram, Yin, and Restorative.
Here’s a brief run-down for you:
Hatha – a slower, mindful practice where the pose is held for 30 seconds to about 2 minutes. Focus is on individual poses, alignment, and release of tension. Perfect style for beginners
Vinyasa – a class emphasizing flow between poses. Each pose moves into the next pose fluidly while matching the inhales and exhales of the breath. Great for detoxifying, raising heart rate, and re-focusing an anxious or stressed mind.
Ashtanga – a style of yoga developed by an Indian guru and follows a specific series of poses held for a count of 10-15 seconds. Lots of Sanskrit is spoken in class and many “pretzel” poses you see on Instagram are from advanced Ashtanga practitioners.
Power – a style developed by Baron Baptise involving a combo of Vinyasa and Bikram. PiYo or Pilates/Yoga takes a lot from Power Yoga and includes fast movements, cardio, ab work, and a comprehensive workout.
Baron Baptiste in a crow pose!
Hot/Bikram – Bikram yoga was really popular in America for a while and brought the Hot Yoga craze. Bikram yoga is a specific, copy written series of poses that only a trademarked studio can teach, but any studio can teach Hot Yoga just by cranking up their thermostat. Both Bikram and Hot Yoga are about keeping the room hot so your muscles can completely relax into the poses. It’s intense, but very cleansing!
Yin Yoga – Yin is all about tolerating discomfort. Poses are long-holding, typically for about 5 minutes, and by holding these poses, inter-connective tissues within the muscles are lengthened and stretched in a way that increases and maintains your flexibility and brings healing to aching muscles.
Restorative – this style is about alleviating discomfort. Restorative is relaxing, slow-moving, and incorporates props like bolsters, pillows, blankets, and blocks that allow your body to feel supported. This is a great style for injuries, mental health issues, and trauma.
Why is yoga good for me?
Any movement done for the body is good because it builds your fitness, eases the strain on your heart, and gets rid of unwanted things in the body, but yoga is specifically healing because unlike most exercise which puts the body in a state of stress, yoga aims to put the body in a state of acceptance and relief. Practicing yoga targets muscles in the body not to overwork them, but to release the tension they’re carrying. Poses squeeze then release the organs and the lymphatic system which allows the body to cleanse and detox so you have less aches and pains, less headaches, and less discomfort overall.
Yoga also is healing to the mind. Breathing deeply has been shown to reconnect neural pathways in the brain, lower blood pressure, and purge impurities in the lungs which cause chest tightness. A key component of yoga usually includes some form of meditation or relaxation (savasana) which gives quietness to the otherwise cacophonous mind. While there is a competitive nature to any exercise, yoga is always a practice. It isn’t about perfection or domination but just coming to your mat and doing the best you can with where you are in that moment.
What can I expect from the Yoga for Readers class?
For our first yoga class, I wanted to present something that would be relatable for most patrons, but also similar to any class you would experience at a yoga studio. Yoga for Readers is going to feature a combination of Hatha, Vinyasa, and Restorative styles and include poses that will target parts of the body which hold tension during reading. We’ll do some hip opening poses which are great for people who sit a lot or have lower back/sciatica pain. We’ll do some upper back and posture-strengthening poses to help with back tension, and we’ll go through a wrist sequence to help when you’ve been holding a book open or keeping an e-reader upright for a long time. We’ll round it all out with a fun and easy meditation that will call on your creativity and relax your mind. The class will be accessible and gentle enough for first-timers or those recovering from injuries, but I’ll feature more challenging variations for seasoned yogis or athletes who want to strengthen and tone.
Finally, who in the world am I and what makes me qualified to teach yoga?
Hi, I’m Alyssa! Yoga came into my life 16 years ago when I was an anxious kid looking for something to do. I practiced yoga from DVDs throughout high school and taught yoga workshops in college, but it wasn’t until about six years ago that I took my yoga practice more seriously. I took classes at Siva Yoga Studio in Wichita and practiced daily with teachers Erin Motz and SarahBethYoga to build a more confident and rounded practice. Last year I finally made the commitment to get certified and earned my 200hr Yoga Teacher Certification with Adrian and Whitney Tartler at Siva Yoga Studio which allowed me to become a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) with YogaAlliance.
Beyond my yoga experience, I also have a Masters in Social Work from Wichita State University and experience as a Licensed Masters-level Social Worker in the state of Kansas. This has provided me with a holistic understanding of yoga’s impact on an individual’s psychosocial development and guidance in offering trauma-sensitive and culturally competent services.
Yoga for Readers at the library
We’ve got two free Yoga for Readers classes scheduled for the month of April, and we’ll be offering more classes if there’s interest in the community. Consider this your personal invitation to attend one of our classes so you can relax your mind, strengthen your body, and enhance your creativity! Ages 13 and up are welcome (let me know if you have a child under 13 who would like to attend, and I’ll make sure to modify).
Yoga for Readers classes will be on Monday, April 2 and Monday, April 23 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm in the Community Room. Limited yoga mats available, but we encourage you to bring your own mat, towel, and water bottle. No registration required.
First line: I died just after the clock in the passageway struck nine.
Summary: Richard Shakespeare, the younger brother of William, is a poor actor on the London stage. He yearns to play a man’s part but he is being forced to portray women by his brother. When he considers leaving his brother’s company, he finds himself entangled in a crime that could change everything. Forced to find and return his brother’s missing manuscript from a rival playhouse he has to use his cunning and skill to keep him and his fellow actors from harm.
Highlights: I had never heard of Richard Shakespeare. He is a good storyteller and gives us an insight into the Bard’s life. Cornwell does a great job of portraying Elizabethan England. The politics, religion and everyday life of the people are wonderful representations of the time. In addition, being able to see the creation and performing of several of Shakespeare’s famous plays is fun to read.
Lowlights: The beginning runs a little slow. Most of the beginning is Richard concerning himself with being kept down by his brother. The pace does pick up about a third of the way through.
Happy first day of spring! OK, so it’s kind of gloomy and gray and cool outside today, but still. Spring! It’s officially here even if it doesn’t much look or feel like it. That means temperatures will eventually be warming and it will be easier (and more comfortable!) to spend time outside.
When the weather warms up, where’s your favorite outdoor location to read? Tell us in the comments. In the meantime, since spring is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts, here is a list of great new books for spring reading.
March 20: The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
If you are a fan of creepy gothic novels, Simone St. James serves up just the right flavor. In Vermont in 1950, Idlewild Hall was a boarding school for girls—the girls no one knew what to do with. Four of these girls bond over their shared fear, and then one of them disappears. In Vermont in 2014, Idlewild Hall is an abandoned ruin, where 20 years earlier, the body of journalist Fiona Sheridan’s murdered sister was found. Despite a trial and conviction in the case, Fiona can’t shake the idea that something more is going on.
March 20: Every Note Played by Lisa Genova
From the author of Still Alice comes this story of Richard, an accomplished concert pianist who now suffers from ALS, and his ex-wife, Karina, who reluctantly agrees to become his caretaker. As Richard’s disease and paralysis progress, and Karina struggles with her own past including her divorce from Richard, the couple works to reconcile their past and find peace before it’s too late.
March 27: I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon
A new take on a favorite Russian mystery: Did Anastasia survive the executions of her family in 1918 by Bolshevik police? And was Anna Anderson actually Anastasia? In Lawhon’s story, a young woman is pulled from a freezing canal in Berlin. She bears an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov. Her body is covered with horrible scars. When she finally speaks, she claims to be the duchess. Told from both Anastasia’s point of view before the executions, and Anna’s point of view in reverse chronology, the story spans more than 50 years.
March 27: The Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Hamel
Do you still love reading novels about WWII? There have been so many good ones recently, and this one is one more to add to your list. Meet American newlywed Ruby Henderson Benoit who has come to France with her French husband; Charlotte Dacher, who is 11 when German forces roll into the French capital; and Thomas Clarke, who joins the British Royal Air Force out of a sense of patriotism. The paths of these three cross in Paris, where they will work together against the Nazi forces that have invaded the city.
March 27: Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter (young adult)
Maddie’s dad used to be head of the Secret Service. But now they live in a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness with no phone and no internet. Then Logan, Maddie’s former best friend, and son of the president, suddenly shows up—six years later. And when he does, so does an unknown assailant who pushes Maddie off a cliff and kidnaps Logan. Maddie really wants to kill Logan after everything he’s put her through, but she has to rescue him first.
March 27: The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton
A king drains his island kingdom of nearly all its magic leaving it vulnerable to enemy nations, which now surround it, waiting for the time to strike and gain a valuable trading port. The king’s three daughters know that a new sovereign must be chosen to save the kingdom and restore its magic, but the king won’t choose an heir until the longest night of the year. So the daughters prepare for battle.
First line: The Nazi officers are dressed in black.
Summary: Based on the true life events of Dita Kraus we see the courage and strength of the prisoners of Auschwitz. The story follows Dita, a fourteen-year-old girl, and her parents as they are transported to the death camp. Upon arriving, they are assigned to the family camp. Dita is made to work in the “school” where she meets Freddy Hirsch, the Jewish leader in charge of the children of Auschwitz. Hirsch gives Dita that responsibility of hiding and taking care of the contraband books, becoming the librarian of Auschwitz.
Highlights: I know I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but I do. And this one is beautiful. I absolutely love it. The story is so rich and detailed but heartbreaking at the same time. I have read many accounts of the Holocaust. The strength of the people who lived and endured these hardships is hard to read but they need to be. No one should be allowed to forget these stories and atrocities have happened. I cannot imagine having the courage that Dita has. She was fourteen and risked her life for the love of books and reading. She kept her humanity in the worst possible situation. I loved how the author intermixed the stories that she read into the narrative. We, as the reader, get to experience what kept her going during the dark days.
Lowlights: Several other narratives of fellow prisoners at Auschwitz are woven into Dita’s story. I was confused at times when the story changed narrators.
Russia, July 17, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.
Germany, February 17, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal in Berlin. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water, she is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless, horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious woman claims to be the Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia.
Her detractors, convinced that the young woman is only after the immense Romanov fortune, insist on calling her by a different name: Anna Anderson As rumors begin to circulate through European society that the youngest Romanov daughter has survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats are awakened. With a brilliantly crafted dual narrative structure, Lawhon wades into the most psychologically complex and emotionally compelling territory yet: the nature of identity itself. The question of who Anna Anderson is and what actually happened to Anastasia Romanov creates a saga that spans fifty years and touches three continents. This thrilling story is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.
If you’ve read and enjoyed Lawhon’s other two books The Wife, The Maid and The Mistress and Flight of Dreams as I have then you are probably really excited to settle in and consume this one too! If you haven’t read any of these then I think it’s obvious I highly recommend them. Lawhon has a way of doling out little tasty clues and hints throughout her stories that make you change your mind about what’s really going on several times until the very end when she hits you with a great twist.
The recipes I picked to accompany I Was Anastasia don’t focus on the Romanov’s when they were in power, but like the book highlight the time they spent is exile. This amazingly comforting Russian Chicken and Dumpling Soup seemed like just the thing to get you through a cold winter’s night in Siberia. I took a short cut and used Trader Joe’s Chicken & Mushroom Pelmeni instead of making the dumplings from scratch. If you’re a baker I would suggest making a nice Russian Black Bread to go with it. However, if you’re like me you’ll just go to your local grocery and pick up a tasty loaf of dark rye, throw it in the oven to warm it and call it good.
Let me know if you make the Russian Chicken and Dumpling Soup, and I’d love to know what some of your favorite cold weather reads and recipes are?
Summary: When Myriam decides to go back to work she is tasked with finding someone to watch her two children. Along comes Louise. She is perfect. She works late, cleans the house and the kids love her. As time goes on the family and Louise become even more reliant on each other, which leads to jealousy and resentment.
Highlights: For such a short novel there is a lot of story. It was a slow burn. There are no twists and turns. There is just an underlying darkness to the novel. Louise has a past that haunts her but she seems to overcome it. As we delve deeper into the plot, it becomes apparent to Myriam that the perfect nanny is not quite so perfect. Little things begin to happen. Who is the woman that they let into their life? So much is packed into the pages. It is not the next Gone Girl but it is still worth the read.
How To Stop Time
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Batman: Nightwalker
Any movement done for the body is good because it builds your fitness, eases the strain on your heart, and gets rid of unwanted things in the body, but yoga is specifically healing because unlike most exercise which puts the body in a state of stress, yoga aims to put the body in a state of acceptance and relief. Practicing yoga targets muscles in the body not to overwork them, but to release the tension they’re carrying. Poses squeeze then release the organs and the lymphatic system which allows the body to cleanse and detox so you have less aches and pains, less headaches, and less discomfort overall.
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