The Chocolate one that I know sparked all of your interest a couple posts ago, is Paul Richardson's "Indulgence" - one man's selfless seach for the best chocolate in the world. This is an interesting book, and i can testify as to it's effect on the reader's appetite. Since reading this book, I've been experimenting with chocolate of higher and higher percentages of cocoa, and that's a noble pursuit. An acquired taste, perhaps, like coffee, but worth it ultimately. Also, less chocolate is required at 75% than at Moro% to satisfy a sweet tooth. I digress...
The book explores chocolate's beginnings as a health drink in the Aztec and other civilisations of South America. He moves on to describe the sensitivities of the cacao plant and the production of the beans themselves. Then it moves into talking about it's (chocolate's) migration to Europe and America and the corruption of the taste into the sweeter milk chocolate we see on the shelves of the local shop. The importance and growth of chocolate during the second World War is discussed, and this may well have been the boom in chocolate's fortunes that sees it being consumed in such quantities in recent times!
As a book, it's nicely written language-wise, but I'm not sure the author really maximised the potential of the story - that said, I'm not sure how he could have done that either - helpful, aren't I? What the book mostly did, was enhance my appetite for "dark" chocolate, and if you read this I would be surprised if it didn't happen to you! On the strength of the subject matter and the promotion of "real" chocolate, I recommend this book for your reading!
Also recently finished is Neil Gaiman's short story collection, "Smoke and Mirrors". I got a strong feeling of déja vu (déja lit?) while reading this book. Maybe I had read it before. Anyway, short story collections, as you know, are great for dipping in and out of, and this one has a good selection of weird and wonderful stories, some based loosely on traditional fairy tales, others being modern fairy tales (a woman finds the Holy Grail in a charity shop for example) - all will tickle the imagination.
John McGahern's "The Barracks" is in the blogabout pile aswell. This was one of a box-set of John's books that I have, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of them. The story is based around a Garda Barracks in the early days of the Garda Síochana, and the family attached to the Sergeant who lived there. It follows the struggle of the sergeant, Reegan, to disentangle himself from the police force, and also the struggle of his wife with illness, and the minutiae of the daily routine in the barracks. There is sadness and happiness, there is camaraderie and rivalry, love and distance. I can't say for sure, but most of the human condition is explored!
Apparently the Times Literary Supplement said the book was written with "a formal, graceful prose that rises effortlessly to the moving occasion" and I couldn't put it better. The story unfolds in front of your eyes almost without having to think about it. The author's style is descriptive without being overt, and the images are created almost subconsciously through his words. I hope if you read this that you enjoy it as much as I have.
On a final note, it's raining. Hope the grass benefits!
The book explores chocolate's beginnings as a health drink in the Aztec and other civilisations of South America. He moves on to describe the sensitivities of the cacao plant and the production of the beans themselves. Then it moves into talking about it's (chocolate's) migration to Europe and America and the corruption of the taste into the sweeter milk chocolate we see on the shelves of the local shop. The importance and growth of chocolate during the second World War is discussed, and this may well have been the boom in chocolate's fortunes that sees it being consumed in such quantities in recent times!
As a book, it's nicely written language-wise, but I'm not sure the author really maximised the potential of the story - that said, I'm not sure how he could have done that either - helpful, aren't I? What the book mostly did, was enhance my appetite for "dark" chocolate, and if you read this I would be surprised if it didn't happen to you! On the strength of the subject matter and the promotion of "real" chocolate, I recommend this book for your reading!
Also recently finished is Neil Gaiman's short story collection, "Smoke and Mirrors". I got a strong feeling of déja vu (déja lit?) while reading this book. Maybe I had read it before. Anyway, short story collections, as you know, are great for dipping in and out of, and this one has a good selection of weird and wonderful stories, some based loosely on traditional fairy tales, others being modern fairy tales (a woman finds the Holy Grail in a charity shop for example) - all will tickle the imagination.
John McGahern's "The Barracks" is in the blogabout pile aswell. This was one of a box-set of John's books that I have, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of them. The story is based around a Garda Barracks in the early days of the Garda Síochana, and the family attached to the Sergeant who lived there. It follows the struggle of the sergeant, Reegan, to disentangle himself from the police force, and also the struggle of his wife with illness, and the minutiae of the daily routine in the barracks. There is sadness and happiness, there is camaraderie and rivalry, love and distance. I can't say for sure, but most of the human condition is explored!
Apparently the Times Literary Supplement said the book was written with "a formal, graceful prose that rises effortlessly to the moving occasion" and I couldn't put it better. The story unfolds in front of your eyes almost without having to think about it. The author's style is descriptive without being overt, and the images are created almost subconsciously through his words. I hope if you read this that you enjoy it as much as I have.
On a final note, it's raining. Hope the grass benefits!
Will read this sometime when I have lost a couple of pounds.
ReplyDeleteHow about a photo of "THE GRASS"????
ReplyDelete