25 Nov 2012

November's Sunday Reads.


SundayReads
SundayReads2



I do hope you all had fun spending nothing yesterday!

I thought it was about time for some more Sunday Reads - sadly I have not had half as much time as I would like this month for reading, what with the ongoing horrors of my dissertation but I have still squizzed in a few beauts.

1. Novel

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. 
Proof it's worth reading? I finished this at 2am this morning and I'm an in bed by 10 kinda girl normally.
It follows Harrison Shepherd, a young man growing up in Mexico as he finds work with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera as a cook, secretary and friend and then as his relationships become increasingly complex and his experiences darker as the exiled Bolshevik leader, Trotsky, joins the household.  I have always been fascinated by Frida Khalo which was my motivation for reading this book but ultimately it was the detailed history of a time I knew very little about that astounded me; a world of artists mixed with politics, Stalin and the McCarthy era was entirely new and disturbing to me.
Really, please read this.

2. Comic Book.

Byron: Mad, Bad and Dangerous.  So I recently discovered, having lived in my house for 17 months, that there is a comic book shop a few doors down.  How on earth I missed it for this long I have no idea!  They stock a whole range of less well known comic books, so like a small child with pocket money I stocked up.
So far they have been a mixed bunch but I love love this one - it is a truly silly tale of a gothic, Lestat-the-vampire-wannabe who is a little surprised to find out that vampires really do exist and they are really quite mean.
(Just as a side note, although I have put a link to amazon for this, they are charging considerably more for it than it should cost).

3. Blog.

I am sure this blog (the road is home) isn't news to most people and perhaps a few of you are doing a little sigh of 'really, how can she be this behind the times?' but, just on the off chance you haven't seen this blog,  I suggest you do. It is the story of a young family of talented photographers during their nomadic travels.  Her photos are breathtaking, always simple but always telling a story. It is easy to get lost in her life.

4.  Cookbook.

I ummed-and-ahhed about including this one.  I am getting a little (/lottle) tired of the endless cupcakes being posted around the internet, so many beautiful pictures of beautiful cakes which sadly have much less thought about the ingredients and taste than the decorations.  I know, I know, I am scrooge when it comes to cupcakes.
But this book is phenomenal.  My mum gave it to me a couple years ago and I raised my eyebrows; I am not even vegetarian, let alone vegan, so why she thought this was a good idea I could not tell you.  But then I made the chocolate cupcakes from it...ohmygosh, dense, chocolatey and slightly more complicated tasting than the generic, greasy offerings the supermarkets try and palm us off with.
I suggest this book even to the most carnivorous of you, I turn to it time and time again.


8 comments:

  1. My cousin have this novel The lacuna . I would take it from her if you are telling that this is great :)

    Aree
    http://areewithumbrella.blogspot.com/

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  2. Awesome list!!! i'm going to have to check a few of these out.

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    1. Thank you - I have really enjoyed your reading lists as well - it is so nice to get a different perspective sometimes isn't it! x

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  3. I love vegan desserts! I really love making them and bringing them to a party and shocking everyone. "This is VEGAN???" It's such a good feeling!

    If you live near a Red Velvet or Sprinkles cupcake place, you must try their vegan cupcakes - sooo good. :)

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    1. Sadly where I live 'Vegan' is almost a dirty word! And the local cupcake shop is also more about the vintage look than the quality of the food - give me a sludgy looking tasty cake any day! x

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  4. I didn't even realise she had more books - the pie one is now on my Amazon wishlist, thank you! It looks awesome! x

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  5. Hi Jai! I found your blog via a comment you left on one of Lazarus Bell's posts. I'm excited to find another blogger who is vegan and a book reader, as am I. :) I also love that you have a comic book on your list. I sometimes wish that when I saw reviews I'd come across more that included comic books and graphic novels. I have one list on my blog of my November reads and watches and I know my next one will include at least one comic book or graphic novel. Thanks for sharing and glad to have found ya!

    ~Aubrey
    Project Lovegood

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