Monthly Archives: May 2015

Hammer Head: the Making of a Carpenter by Nina MacLaughlin

27 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by in Biography, Non-fiction

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I thoroughly enjoyed this description of MacLaughlin’s journey from working behind a desk at the Boston Phoenix to discovering a new career as a carpenter’s assistant.  Her construction jobs take place in the Boston area and are full of local color and characters.  She has a beautiful way with words infusing quotes and stories from her college major in the Classics.  This is a special story, very well told.  

“A former journalist tells the story of how a longing to “engage with the tangible, to do work that resulted in something I could touch” led to an unexpectedly fulfilling career as a carpenter. As she neared 30, former Boston Phoenix editor MacLaughlin came to the painful realization that the job she once thought was “the coolest job in the world” no longer satisfied her…..The carpenter doing the search, also a woman, took a chance and hired MacLaughlin, despite her total lack of experience….A surprisingly thoughtful book about taking chances and finding joy in change.” – Kirkus Reviews

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Novel Interiors: Living in Enchanted Rooms Inspired by Literature by Lisa B. Giramonti

23 Saturday May 2015

Posted by in Non-fiction

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This beautifully photographed book is the ultimate book-lover’s guide to decorating.  The author includes a listing of the sixty works of literature that inspired her, from Emily Bronte to Ernest Hemingway and many more.  What’s not to love?

“Lisa Borgnes Giramonti had families from books in mind when researching Novel Interiors: Living in Enchanted Rooms Inspired by Literature. Scouting homes in Southern California, Manhattan and New Jersey, she found details evoking British moors and New England cottages.” –The New York Times

“Conversational, illuminating and full of practical tips for discovering your own design style, Lisa Borgnes Giramonti’s easy-to-digest book matches rooms from the likes of decorator  Schuyler Samperton with richly detailed descriptions of interiors found in more than 60 novels, from Jane Austen’s Emma to Dodie Smith’s “I Capture the Castle.” –The Wall Street Journal “When it comes to gathering inspiration for a decorating project, there are tried-and-true techniques: culling fabric swatches, tearing pages from magazines, trolling Pinterest, and earmarking furniture catalogues. And there are the more unconventional methods, such as sifting through over 60 classic novels and finding modern homes that match the aesthetic described-down to the last chintz flower.” –Architectural Digest
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My Father’s Wives by Mike Greenberg

11 Monday May 2015

Posted by in Fiction

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9780062325860_p0_v4_s114x166 A light and engaging “romance novel” or possibly “chick lit” written by one of the very male co-hosts of ESPN’s “Mike and Mike” sports talk-radio show.  Greenberg’s main character, Jonathan Sweetwater, who is bothered by his lack of a relationship with his late father and distraught by his own troubled marriage decides to track down and interview his father’s six wives including his own mother in hopes of finding answers to the questions about his past.

“Turns out Greenberg knows a lot more than sports. He knows about men–the holes we dig ourselves into and the mess we make trying to pull ourselves out.” (Jonathan Tropper, author of This Is Where I Leave You)
On the surface, My Father’s Wives appears to be an examination of relationships. Fathers and sons. Husbands and wives. It is that for sure. But it’s also so much more…Fully realized characters, deft pacing and spot-on dialogue.” (Associated Press)
“Greenberg imbues his second novel with an autobiographical sense of purpose and undeniable honesty . . . A highly enjoyable walk through Jonathan’s foggy past, tumultuous present, and imagined future. Fans of Joshua Henkin and Emma Straub will enjoy Greenberg’s wry, unflinching domestic fiction.” (Booklist)

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Euphoria by Lily King

04 Monday May 2015

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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I can’t wait to post this book on the blog and share it with everyone who is looking for a gripping page turner!  My only complaint is that it ended too soon…only 261 pages.

Masterful…Euphoria begins so deep in the action that the reader is captured on Page 1… a thrilling and beautifully composed novel…A great novelist is like an anthropologist, examining what humans do by habit and custom. King excels in creating vignettes from Nell’s fieldwork as well as from the bitter conversation of the three love-torn collaborators, making the familiar strange and the strange acceptable. This is a riveting and provocative novel, absolutely first-rate.”—Seattle Times

“Atmospheric and sensual, with startling images throughout, Euphoria is an intellectually stimulating tour de force.”—NPR.com

“Set between the First and Second World Wars, the story is loosely based on events in the life of Margaret Mead. There are fascinating looks into other cultures and how they are studied, and the sacrifices and dangers that go along with it. This is a powerful story, at once gritty, sensuous, and captivating.”—Booklist

“Atmospheric…A small gem, disturbing and haunting.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Winner of the 2014 Kirkus Prize

Winner of the 2014 New England Book Award for Fiction

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