littlelotte (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
littlelotte) wrote2006-11-23 01:52 pm
littlelotte) wrote2006-11-23 01:52 pm
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I decided to do the 50 books in a year, and since I just discovered this near the end of October my year is running November-November. It's really just a good excuse to chronicle what I read in my LJ. The books so far:
Book #1
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, 307 pages
by Anthony Bourdain
A very amusing and informational look at the life of a chef. Anthony Bourdain started out as a dishwasher at a small restaurant in Provincetown, and followed it with a stint at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America). He's gone on to work in, run and open many kitchens since and this is a very down-and-dirty view of his life and of the industry. I'm in the restaurant industry myself (though more on the FOH side), and found it to be ridiculously accurate in many respects. Very worth the read.
Book #2
The Perfect Manhattan: a novel, 440 pages
by Leanne Shear and Tracey Toomey
Another industry book, but on the bartending side. Fictional and amusing. I read it in just over a day--it's a little too chick-lit for my tastes, but there's plenty of industry truth to be found throughout the story. I'm not really a bartender, and I've never worked a scene like the one this one portrays in the Hamptons, but some things are just universal.
...I feel like I should have prefaced this entry with "I don't do drugs, I swear!" because it just struck me (even though I already knew) how many drugs people in the restaurant industry do.
Book #3
Only Revolutions, 360 pages
by Mark Z. Danielewski
I was a little bit heartbroken by the end of it. You've all already heard so much about this one, though, that I'll leave those entries to speak for it. I adored this novel, and it may have just become my all-time favorite book.
Book #4
The Djinn in the Nightengale's Eye: five fairy stories, 272 pages
by A.S. Byatt
This is a really lovely collection with a few retellings and a truly unique original. AS Byatt is huge on discription and is very wordy, but her stories are always lovely and worth it. I want to pick up more of her short story collections after reading this one, as I've only read novels of hers before.
I started Beast by (not sure of her first name) Jo Napoli last night, and it's okay, but not great--I'm already about two-thirds into it, actually. The way she'll use a Persian word and then give the English translation makes it really jumpy to read. I'm tending to just skip the Persian words entirely. I'm hoping work will work out for me tomorrow so that I can get to the library tomorrow between my two jobs. My books that I have out (the first two plus another random one) are overdue as of yesterday, but work and the holiday have been conspiring against me getting there while still open :-P This is why I'm reading this last one, actually. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for two or three years now.
Cross-posted to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
bookshare, book_it_2006 and my personal journal, so sorry for those of you who see this more than once.
Book #1
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, 307 pages
by Anthony Bourdain
A very amusing and informational look at the life of a chef. Anthony Bourdain started out as a dishwasher at a small restaurant in Provincetown, and followed it with a stint at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America). He's gone on to work in, run and open many kitchens since and this is a very down-and-dirty view of his life and of the industry. I'm in the restaurant industry myself (though more on the FOH side), and found it to be ridiculously accurate in many respects. Very worth the read.
Book #2
The Perfect Manhattan: a novel, 440 pages
by Leanne Shear and Tracey Toomey
Another industry book, but on the bartending side. Fictional and amusing. I read it in just over a day--it's a little too chick-lit for my tastes, but there's plenty of industry truth to be found throughout the story. I'm not really a bartender, and I've never worked a scene like the one this one portrays in the Hamptons, but some things are just universal.
...I feel like I should have prefaced this entry with "I don't do drugs, I swear!" because it just struck me (even though I already knew) how many drugs people in the restaurant industry do.
Book #3
Only Revolutions, 360 pages
by Mark Z. Danielewski
I was a little bit heartbroken by the end of it. You've all already heard so much about this one, though, that I'll leave those entries to speak for it. I adored this novel, and it may have just become my all-time favorite book.
Book #4
The Djinn in the Nightengale's Eye: five fairy stories, 272 pages
by A.S. Byatt
This is a really lovely collection with a few retellings and a truly unique original. AS Byatt is huge on discription and is very wordy, but her stories are always lovely and worth it. I want to pick up more of her short story collections after reading this one, as I've only read novels of hers before.
I started Beast by (not sure of her first name) Jo Napoli last night, and it's okay, but not great--I'm already about two-thirds into it, actually. The way she'll use a Persian word and then give the English translation makes it really jumpy to read. I'm tending to just skip the Persian words entirely. I'm hoping work will work out for me tomorrow so that I can get to the library tomorrow between my two jobs. My books that I have out (the first two plus another random one) are overdue as of yesterday, but work and the holiday have been conspiring against me getting there while still open :-P This is why I'm reading this last one, actually. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for two or three years now.
Cross-posted to
bookshare, book_it_2006 and my personal journal, so sorry for those of you who see this more than once.
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I miss you!
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I miss you, too! I've actually got a small project in the works for you O:-)
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I found you via your Sarah Kane community and just wanted to say 'hi' (as opposed to browsing through your darkest secrets like a stalker).
I'm glad you enjoyed Only Revolutions. I'm yet to read it (cursed academia has stood in the way of my pleasure reading for some time now) but I'm a huge Danielewski fan and have been eying it off since it was released.
Would it be okay for me to friend you? Also, if you're interested, feel free to take a look about my journal.
Scientia est Potentia
M.
P.S. Molly Bloom. Even though if I had a cat I'd name it Mkgnao, Molly Bloom is one awesome title.
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Sure you can friend me--I'm not tyrannical over who adds me or deletes me.
Don't worry about stumbling across my darkest secrets--I keep those buried under that oak tree over there *points*
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I have similar projects running with a few plays that I'd someday like to direct (Two of which are by Kane).
I look forward to finding out about your many interests!