dogmatix

Finised up yesterday. What an ending. Had I lost the book just 30 pages from the end I would have said "This was a god book" Since I read the last 30 pages I can say "This is a great book" May repeat myself here but anyhoo... Set in 1663(ish) England with the struggle between the Catholic and Protestant religions as a backdrop, An Instance of the Fingerpost seems to be about the murder of Dr. William Grove a fellow at the New Colege at Oxford and the susequent hanging of his servant girl Sarah Blundy. The book is written as a series of accounts describing the events surounding this terrible murder and questionable punishment. Each "author" imbuing his own take and interpretation on the events and hanging "meaning" on what he thinks are the key events and players. The skill of this novel is in how each section is in its own right a believable tale of the events, yet of course they can't all be right. The genious of this novel is that you as the reader will come up with your own interpretation based on these tales and you will be completely wrong! The characters (many actual historical figures) are the jewels here. Each is so fragmented within the sections, yet they're completely fleshed out by the sum of the separate parts. If you love a charcter driven plot, well it don't get no betta! I enjoyed this book so much so that it landed firmly back in my TBR pile. I'm so mystified by how Pears pulled of his ending that I want to go back and fill in all the gaps and see the links so craftily hidden in the story. As an historical mystery I would put this right up there with Ecco (one of my favorites), but much more aproachable. It's a masterful book and I strongly recommend it.

Nice review PP. You've got me sold and now TPODG is on my TBR.

I am a hardback addict. I've even been known to replace perfectly fine paperbacks with hardbacks just because they look better on the shelf. To save money I try to buy my books used.

Toasted Cheese (I call em' grilled cheese) also help my when I'm feeling nauseaous. I usually have em' with a cold glass of OJ. (the drink not the murderer:lol: )

I've been so hooked on Spanish and Portugese Wines (with my regular stable of French and California) that I've NEVER tried a German wine. (wierd huh?) Someone want to make a recommendation? In a white I like a dry with vanilla tones. In a red, smooth and deep flaors are my favorite.

It's a deal. Now I'm going to bed. review of IotFP tomorrow. G'Night.

Nope, just Lolita and Speak, Memory. I'm at your will.

You have such great taste in books. It's inspiring. I've got The Satanic Versus up next and then a nother Saramago (your favorite) I'd like to tackle my next Nabokov this summer. Any suggestions? And will you be there to discuss it with me?

What's on your list?

Ohh. please chime in once you get started.

Dupin, you're a mad man... but you've got good taste.

Just comming in to the end of this book and I'l be reviewing soon. I must say the sections of the book are so ingeniously woven together. One thing tho.... I am beginning to forget who is who and who is on who's side. Tha cast of characters is HUGE. Nevertheless my review will no doubt be favorable and this WILL be a recommended read.

I read this book quite some time ago and enjoyed it thoroughly. The Geisha lifestyle was so interesting. A real eye opener.

I've never had Blue Nun but I have a memory from my childhood of my mom and her best girlfriend drinking an entire bottle one weekend aroud a campfire while we were all on a "girls only" camp out. It was around 1977 and boy did they have a good time! Does it still have the handle right in the glass of the neck and a screw top?

Well my New Year's resolution is to keep a reading list for the first time in my life. Since I've still got about 150 pages to go I'll start with my current read: 1. The Instance of the Fingerpost, by Ian Pears.

I bought my inlaws a wine cooler last year for Christmas and they love it. Congrtas Muggs.

Well I got two Alton Brown cookbooks for Christmas and and a $50 gift cert to Barnes and Noble where I'm off to buy two Jamie Oliver Coobooks. Pontalba, my mother in law loves Oprah and she made her Pomergranite Martini on Christmas Eve it was very good. My recipe is a bit differnet but I've not made it yet.

Very cool! I was reading in my Cocktail book that Churchill really disliked Vermouth in his Martini so his recipe calls for simply looking at a bottle of Vermouth while making yours or alternately holding the bottle up to the light and shining it onto your finished drink!

I bought a cookbook of sorts tonight "Cool Cocktails" it's got some great new ideas as well as the classics that you never see anymore. I'd like to make a few martinis over the holiday and it has a recipe for a pomegranite one that looks devine.

Enjoy it's a huge store!

That's pretty neat. We do love our Spainish and Portugese wines don't we? Had a bottle of Nora last weekend. Have you gotten your hands on any Ercavio yet Muggs?

I'm catering a seafood feast at the hospital on Tuesday. Lobster, shrimp, and clams. 20 people, cooking outside. Needless to say I'm a bit stressed. That's why I'm up at 3:00 in the morning. As for vegetables, they are very "in" right now and you can get so much variety at the market. Thank God. I really think fresh and not overcooked is the way to go (as you've all said). My favorite for spinach is one of two ways: fresh baby spinach replacing lettuce on a sandwich, or spinach with feta in a puff pastry, MmmmmMmmm My current favorite veg is fennell. Love that licorich (sp) taste. I eat it raw or roasted with some Gruyer and leeks. Then there's broccolini with just a knob of butter ohhh so good!

I'm enjoying my own read this month but I have to say after reading this thread I think I really missed out on The Hogfather. This book sounds hillarious. Funny I usually try to participate in the BOTM. I'll definitely be looking into this book at some point in the future.

It's funny I usualy don't follow the recipes as much as look at the photos and read the history/culture parts. Then look at the ingredients list and get a little seed of inspiration in my head. I carry that around with me when I go to the supermarket and I'm usually able to capture at least the theme of the recipe wihout knowing exactly what it was. For example tenderloins encrusted in peppercons was soemthing new to me or "Oh you can saute brussel sprouts in butter and bacon yum-yums. You don't have to boil them until they taste like dirt" It's more about the ideas and inspiration than the teaspoons of this and cups of that.

G'night. I'm off to dinner and maybe a little more reading.