Had some great reads recently
A Bite-Sized History of France by Stephane Henaut and Jeni Mitchell, which traces the history of France from Roman times to the present while simultaneously explaining the history of food and drink in different regions in France. The chapters are short and focused on one food product at a time so it's easy to read for a bit and then come back to it later. There's lots of neat little tidbits like the history of the Laughing Cow or how corks were first used in champagne bottles because the bottles kept exploding. If you want a refresher on French history or if you find food micro-histories fascinating, then this is the book for you.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is a charming fantasy book starring Linus, a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Extremely Upper Management sends Linus on a classified mission to investigate an orphanage where Linus certainly has his hands full. This book almost reaches the level of schmaltz, but there's some wry humor and snarky conversation by the magical children that brings it back down to earth. Its tone reminded me of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but more uplifting.
A Bite-Sized History of France by Stephane Henaut and Jeni Mitchell, which traces the history of France from Roman times to the present while simultaneously explaining the history of food and drink in different regions in France. The chapters are short and focused on one food product at a time so it's easy to read for a bit and then come back to it later. There's lots of neat little tidbits like the history of the Laughing Cow or how corks were first used in champagne bottles because the bottles kept exploding. If you want a refresher on French history or if you find food micro-histories fascinating, then this is the book for you.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is a charming fantasy book starring Linus, a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Extremely Upper Management sends Linus on a classified mission to investigate an orphanage where Linus certainly has his hands full. This book almost reaches the level of schmaltz, but there's some wry humor and snarky conversation by the magical children that brings it back down to earth. Its tone reminded me of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but more uplifting.
Last edited:
That was how I always knew whodunnit in Agatha Christie mysteries. Who couldn't have done it/isn't a suspect at all? There you go.
when they're on a ship doing research and are bored between dives. And, at conferences in the bar. He does acknowledge who/where the events in the book happened to or took place if they were his or his students. If you had a secret ambition to be a marine biologist, you might enjoy the books. It's odd how many of them have become novelists. Diana Gabaldon being the most famous. Of course, she couldn't get a teaching or research job out of grad school so wrote steamy romances instead.
Of course I had to go on opening day and get a bunch of books.
) because I hate Aerosmith with the fire of a thousand nuns. However, it's an interesting look at the rock scene in the 70s, how each of those bands got derailed in the 80s, and how three of the four found their way back. It's also extremely well researched and written, and you if you like music biographies, I highly recommend.
