The gift of food

Charlotte Wood will be at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival in May promoting her new book Love and hunger: thoughts on the gift of food. A prizewinning Australian novelist and short story writer she also writes about food in magazines, newspapers and in her very interesting blog.

Love and hunger describes Charlotte's relationship with food and cooking. It contains recipes but is not a recipe book. It includes handy hints but it is not a kitchen companion. It includes family memories but it is not an autobiography. It is a highly readable feast with lots of courses and I will follow some of her advice. She writes thoughtfully and intelligently and I am looking forward to seeing and hearing her at the Festival.

Look out for further posts from the Festival on more new discoveries.

Just a beginner

In a nod to the Dummies series of books, the publishing firm in Anne Tyler's latest novel has created the Beginner books, introductions to essential skills like wine, the monthly budget, dog training, the spice cabinet, birdwatching and many other amusing titles. The Beginner's goodbye refers to Aaron's grief at the death of his wife and the steps he takes to recover.

I have read several examples of bereavement memoir recently, for example A widow's story by Joyce Carol Oates and The year of magical thinking by Joan Didion but this fictionalised account of loss and questioning I found really enthralling. I zipped through the book in almost one sitting with my thoughts both challenged and reassured.

Anne Tyler is an excellent storyteller with an eye for interesting character traits and an ability to round off a book with a satisfying conclusion. Try also Digging to America and Back when we were grownups.

Plenty to read

but not too much to recommend. My list of books read this year is in the right sidebar. 19 books read so far but only 7 reviews. You can be sure that the titles I review are heartily recommended. I'm ready for another great read now.

I'm currently reading Paula Green's new anthology of New Zealand poetry Dear heart - a lovely book, beautifully designed and a perfect gift for a book/poetry lover. It sits very happily beside My heart goes swimming compiled by Jenny Bornholdt in 1996 and complements it nicely.