To me, one of summer’s greatest pleasures is curling up with a great book. With just a few weeks of summer left, take a look at my recent finds, choose one (or more), and lose yourself in a good story. I only give you short descriptions for these books—I don’t want to spoil the discovery for you.
The Beekeeper’s’ Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America by Hannah Nordhaus (2011)
I will never view honey the same way, ever again. Did you know that one honey bee is responsible for only 1/12 teaspoon of honey during its entire lifetime? This is a fascinating look at how beekeepers transport honey bees from region to region, wherever they are needed, to pollinate our food supply and the precarious situation our honeybees are in.
Life from Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness by Sasha Martin (2015)
The author cooks her way through 4 years of international meals, but along the way tells her sad story of growing up without being close to her birth mother. The 4-year cooking endeavor morphed into her blog, Global Travel Adventures.
Driving Hungry: A Memoir by Layne Mosler (2015)
Asking a taxi driver to recommend a restaurant seems risky, but that’s exactly what the author does in 3 countries (U.S., Germany, and Argentina) to find authentic places that she then writes about in her blog, Taxi Gourmet. She even becomes a taxi driver in New York City, which takes guts!!!
Three Novels called “A Maine Clambake Mystery” by Barbara Ross
Read them sequentially so you have the backstory in mind as you read each subsequent novel.
Clammed Up (2013)
Boiled Over (2014)
Musseled Out (2015)
These three novels are “culinary mysteries” set in a harbor town on the Maine Coast, with each novel focusing on a murder that the heroine helps the police to solve. Easy reading.
My Organic Life: How a Pioneering Chef Helped Shape the Way We Eat Today by Nora Pouillon with Laura Fraser (2015)
The founder of Restaurant Nora and Asia Nora (now closed) in Washington, DC shares her life story as well as her philosophy about why it is important to choose organic foods. I dined in both of her restaurants and each was a memorable experience.
Three Novels called “A Baker’s Treat Mystery” by Nancy J. Parra
Read them sequentially so you have the backstory in mind as you read each subsequent novel.
Gluten for Punishment (2013)
Murder Gone A-Rye (2014)
Flourless to Stop Him (2015)
These three novels are set in a gluten-free bakery in the wheat-country of small-town Kansas and the owner-baker helps the local authorities solve the latest murder. These are the first culinary mysteries (sometimes called “cozies) that I know of with a gluten-free theme. Hopefully, we will see more!
More Books –Without a Food Theme–But Good Reads Anyway
The Enlightenment of Nina Findlay by Andrea Gillies (2014)
A very well-written novel, set in Scotland and a Greek island,that unfolds expertly to keep you enthralled. I couldn’t put it down, so be prepared to be drawn into the story.
A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner (2014)
Two interconnected stories, each nearly a century apart, weave together with one common thread in this novel: a beautiful scarf embroidered with marigolds. Expertly written and hard to put down, I was as impressed by the story as I was by how well the author wove the two stories together.
The Rocks by Peter Nichols (2015)
Set on the island of Mallorca in a hotel called The Rocks, this novel starts with the ending of the book and then works backwards to unfold the story that leads to the ending. Be prepared to get caught up in the story and the beautiful island of Mallorca is nice too.
