Books and Breads Blog

June 21, 2010

Born to Kvetch: Yiddish Language and Culture in All its Moods by Michael Wex **** (of 4)

Wex is three-fourths scholar and one quarter stand-up comic. In departure from say Rosten’s books on Yiddish, which list words, definitions, and accompanying anecdotes, Wex...

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June 21, 2010

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak **** (of 4)

The character of Death narrates the story of Liesel Meminger, abandoned, nine-year-old daughter of a communist, who escapes death’s grasp during WWII in the German...

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June 21, 2010

Betrothed by S.Y. Agnon *** (of 4)

A wonderful little novella that I listened to on tape about a botanist who arrives in Palestine in 1909 (I think) is quickly surrounded by...

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June 21, 2010

Beaufort by Ron Leshem **** (of 4)

Erez, a patriotic IDF commander of 13 fresh recruits, is sent to Lebanon in the late 90s to protect Israel’s northern border from Hezbollah rocket...

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June 21, 2010

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon *** (of 4)

Written for a thinking reader, treats you like you are intelligent, though he could have used a bit of editing to cut some of the...

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June 21, 2010

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers **** (of 4)

A Syrian-American businessman, Zeitoun, rides out Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Eggers gives us a vivid view of the storm and its aftermath from inside...

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June 21, 2010

Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean **** (of 4)

Norman Maclean is like Roger Angell: an old school Master of wordsmithing. His command of English and of writing is simply superior. Maclean’s first great...

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June 21, 2010

Winter by Rick Bass *** (of 4)

At the age of 29, Bass forsakes his worldly belongings, save for his broken down truck, and leaves Houston for the very limit of the...

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June 21, 2010

Why we Run by Bernd Heinrich * (of 4)

Heinrich does his best to combine science writing, nature writing, the physiology of running, and entymology. The only part I liked was the running. Granted,...

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June 21, 2010