Book Club

frogmorton

[Toni, its a shame I could have sent you the Wendy Wallace book. :roll:[/quote]

Oh I never thought :oops:

By the way - keep going on the kindle front....you will win

You can get them at a good price on ebay now 2nd hand. My sis got hers that way.

Oohh cook books autobigraphies'biograhpies Amanda...haven't read any for EVER :oops:

love

Toni xx

frogmella

Cook books?!! Now we are talking my language!! haha! I love cooking which is why I will never be thin (well not until I have had my back sorted and can return to swimming miles a day and walking the dogs for hours on top anyway!) and I have several shelves of cookbooks.

My "basics" are How to Eat by Nigella Lawson, Appetite by Nigel Slater and The River Cottage Meat Cook Book by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall. Nigel and Nigella have freed me from following recipes laboriously and gave me the confidence to cook instinctively. I use them mostly as reference and have nearly all the other Nigels and a few other Nigellas too. Hugh has taught me some ace methods of cooking and how to turn my leftover massive roasts into several days worth of other meals - who knew that shepherds and cottage pies were so much better made with leftovers? We have been using the Fish and Veg books recently too and they are also good.

But my "recent" purchases that have prooved revolutionary are Mastering the art of French cooking by Julia Child and Curry easy by Madhur Jaffrey. I bought these around two years ago at a similar time. The Julia Child has been a revelation. I bought it after watching Julie and Julia, a film about a woman - Julie - who blogs about her year spent cooking all of Julia's recipes. My husband is so glad I watched that film. The saute potatoes alone are worth getting the book for! It is funny though because the methods are so different that I am back to following recipes although I am getting a better idea of how to go along without looking now! The Madhur had provided many tasty curries since we bought it. I had always cooked a lot of curries but these are just great. So much so that we also bought an older book of hers called Indian Cookery and often use them both. The naan bread recipe from the latter is the closest I have found to a restaraunt and far superior to packet ones.

I would rate all of Nigels as ***** most of Nigellas as ****/***** and Hughs as *****.
Madhur and Julia also get ***** from me! But I did buy the curry bible by madhur and didn't like it so that gets ***.

As far as autobiogs go I am not really a fan. Although being such a Nigel Slater fan (I love him. I would love him to come for dinner or lunch) I have read Toast twice. The TV adaptation didn't really do it justice I thought. BUt I loved the book so ***** for that one.

Sorry I have gone off on one about cooking haven't I?

suzygirl

Well that is 2 cook books on my wish list then. I am forever in search of the perfect curry!!

I enjoyed cooking till arthritis, which has ruined it somewhat, not being able to stand or chop veg has its drawbacks However, I firmly believe you can't beat home made food.

It would be great to have a cook book as book of the month, and compare recipes tried? Any one else up for that?

frogmella

Oh yes, Suzy. I have convinced my cousin and auntie to buy Madhur and they are both loving it too! Never had a disaster. Although one or two dhal recipes call for rather a lot of water and I have made notes in the margin to reduce it.

I am sorry that arther has spoiled cooking for you, though. I would be really down in the dumps if I couldn't cook.

bubbadog

I have got James Corden and Alan Sugar's auto's to read. I have got a huge pile of books to read, but my arm is so bad, holding them hurts. How ridiculous is that. Had similar before, but not this bad :oops:

suzygirl wrote:

Trying to build up a good case for a kindle lol

suzygirl wrote:

Toni, its a shame I could have sent you the Wendy Wallace book. :roll:

You should try 'a kindle doesn't take up several shelves, and is light so I can enjoy reading and taking my mind off my pain' say this with 'puss in boots' eyes! and try and bring up the word Kindle in every sentence!! Good luck with Kindle hunt!!

bubbadog

Thank youFrogmella for the reviews on cookbooks! And Unsure I would appreciate a review on The Curry Secret by Kris Dhillon. And also The Lee Evans Auto-Biography when you have finished thank you.

frogmorton

WOW!!!

That was great! All those cook-books :shock: yum

I have a good Indian cook-book the lady at the post office made them and sells them for charity.

Good news is my Wendy Walllace came today and only cost me £2 something

Love

Toni xxx

frogmella

I have loads of other cookbooks - when am in convalescene maybe I will review a few more!

Anyway, I finished Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness today. It is the second in a trilogy and I read the first; A Discovery of Witches way back in April 2011 according to my journal.
Now, I wish that it had a "catch up" bit because I was a bit lost at times. I remember LOVING the first book and so the lostness made me a bit disappointed at times. You know how in Harry Potter she drops enough reminders of previous happenings in that you know what is going on? Well this author doesn't and given that the books are whoppers it is hard to remember what happened in the last one after two years.
Having said all of that I still enjoyed the book. It was nearly all set in the early 1590s after the protagonists time-travelled there at the end of the first book. They are looking for a particular book that may reveal how "creatures" were formed and are related to each other and humans. Creatures are vampires, daemons and witches by the way. For reasons that I can't remember this book is important amd finding it in the past was equally important.
Overall it is a story about a witch who didn't really know she was one and her relationship with a vampire.
I did enjoy it, but wish I had read both books together. Maybe I will have to read these two before reading the final installment when that comes out.
So, a good read and I award **** but it might have been ***** if read with the first.

lindalegs

Unsure wrote:

Blowing my own trumpet but I have been told by many people that my Balti is better than most restaurants :oops:

Right, Unsure, I'm on my round for a curry party

I've just finished The House at Riverton by Kate Moreton.

It follows the story of Grace a young servant who works in the house. It starts with Grace as an old lady nearing the end of her life who needs to impart a secret before she dies. A good bedtime read.

I give it 4*s

I'm now reading the book of the month and got into it straight away, it shows promise

Luv,

Luv,

suzygirl

Legs, I have read that book at really enjoyed it, have you read any others of hers?

Unsure, I am also en route to your house for my curry

bubbadog

Unsure, my nickname isn't 'Curry Monster' for fun!! I love anything Indian! Except I can't handle a Madras! I have Indian blood in me, so whenever there is a wedding or funneral there is always homemade Indian food about. I make a really good curry and my sister makes a mean Rogan Gosh! The fresh Chicken Balti's from Tesco are lovely and we have those with Nan Bread on a Friday night. But I would love to learn some other dishes and pass them over to my OH so will buy the book.

frogmorton

Ready??

I've got the wine in my hand - off we all go to usure's house for our baltis

Love

Toni xx

lindalegs

suzygirl wrote:

Legs, I have read that book at really enjoyed it, have you read any others of hers?

Unsure, I am also en route to your house for my curry

I've read The Forgotten Garden which was so good it made me want to read The House at Riverton.

I also fancy her latest novel The Secret Keeper which isn't out on Kindle yet so I'm waiting till it is.

Right now we've had a curry night at Unsure's who's hosting an Italian??


Luv,

frogmorton

[
I also fancy her latest novel The Secret Keeper which isn't out on Kindle yet so I'm waiting till it is.

[Luv,[/quote]


Legs - have you 'told them' that you would have liked it on kindle??? I did that for the Wendy Wallace

Love

Toni xx

lindalegs

frogmorton wrote:

Legs - have you 'told them' that you would have liked it on kindle??? I did that for the Wendy Wallace

Love

Toni xx

I was just going to tell them Toni as you suggested and it's on Kindle whereas it wasn't before when I looked ......................spooky, d'you think they're telepathic ? :shock: :shock:

Luv,

frogmorton

Wo!!

Spoo-ky :shock:

Just leant my kindle to my stepdaughter to read Me before you by Jo-jo Moyles.
Has anyone else read it?

Love

Toni xxx

Ps am in crisis - we went to the pictures this afternoon and the motor in the wipers of brand new van decided to stop working. Torrential rain :shock:

Anyway several hours later we have been brought home in a large breakdown truck - and I lost my specs

So I have borrowed a pair of my husbands - they are so strong that I feel travel sick....

Will have to sort out another pair :? woe is me

lindalegs

frogmorton wrote:

Wo!!

Spoo-ky :shock:

Just leant my kindle to my stepdaughter to read Me before you by Jo-jo Moyles.
Has anyone else read it?

Love

Toni xxx

Gee whiz Toni what an ordeal for you hope you recover quickly

I chose Me Before You as September's book of the month .......maybe the specs have attacked your memory too Hope the little Frogmorton enjoys it.

Luv,

frogmorton

DOH!!!!

Lack of specs and a ride in a truck :oops:

There you go Legs....your choice is spreading through ma hoose!!! She will love it I did

I am having to have my face pressed against the laptop screen :?

These specs are too strong and most unflattering too

frogmorton

Oh Unsure I am so sorry



I got a cheap pair of specs from Wi*kos so can see again

Love

Toni xx

frogmella

I have just finished The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
It is about a near future when, for unknown reasons, the Earth's spin slows down so days become longer and longer. There are massive physical effects of this and the story follows what happens to Julia's family after it begins. Julia is 11 going on 12 and she narrates the story. As always there is more to the story than just the slowing down of the Earth. There is quite a lot about her evolving friendships and some family drama along the way.
It is easy to read and I enjoyed it so ****

frogmorton

Sounds interesting frogmella....

I am reading my Wendy Wallace with my new (temporary) specs



love

Toni xxx

frogmorton

Hope all our bookworms are ok today??

Amanda it seems is busy with two wee kittens

I am flying thorugh the Wendy Wallace - I rather like my cheapo specs

suzygirl

Glad you got your specs sorted Toni. I am fancying a new pair myself Want, want , want :!:

I am going to start Worth dying for by Lee Childs

I have just finished reading The Racketeer by John Grisham.

It was about a lawyer in prison who knows who committed a murder and is trying to use that to his advantage, very clever and interesting!!

****

frogmorton

Aha! Suzygrl now that does sound interesting I do like John Grisham

Love

Toni xxx

frogmorton

Step-daughter was caught bawling this morning :roll:

Yep she has got to the end of Me before You. Legs you are not supposed to make kids cry

I am still reading my Wendy Wallace....nearly there though and am enjoying it v much

Ooh suzygirl!!!

I've had another idea - for the campain for Suzy's kindle, (CSK), if you had one you can alter the size of the print and maybe you won't need a new pair of specs after all :?