chesilbeach

Yes, that's the one.

It wasn't only you that recommended it, so don't worry on that count, and fortunately, I bought it when Michelle spotted the Kindle edition was just 20p, and as you can't even buy a Kit-Kat for that money, it really doesn't matter! I do often wonder if there's something wrong with me though - there are quite a few books which were widely loved by everyone on the forum that I didn't enjoy, or at least not as much as everyone else!

The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk): Like so many others, David Lebovitz dreamed about living in Paris ever since he first visited the city in the 1980s. Finally, after a nearly two-decade career as a pastry chef and cookbook author, he moved to Paris to start a new life. Having crammed all his worldly belongings into three suitcases, he arrived, hopes high, at his new apartment in the lively Bastille neighborhood. But he soon discovered it's a different world en France. From learning the ironclad rules of social conduct to the mysteries of men's footwear, from shopkeepers who work so hard not to sell you anything to the etiquette of working the right way around the cheese plate, here is David's story of how he came to fall in love with—and even understand—this glorious, yet sometimes maddening, city. When did he realize he had morphed into un vrai parisien? It might have been when he found himself considering a purchase of men's dress socks with cartoon characters on them. Or perhaps the time he went to a bank with 135 euros in hand to make a 134-euro payment, was told the bank had no change that day, and thought it was completely normal. Or when he found himself dressing up to take out the garbage because he had come to accept that in Paris appearances and image mean everything. The more than fifty original recipes, for dishes both savory and sweet, such as Pork Loin with Brown Sugar–Bourbon Glaze, Braised Turkey in Beaujolais Nouveau with Prunes, Bacon and Bleu Cheese Cake, Chocolate-Coconut Marshmallows, Chocolate Spice Bread, Lemon-Glazed Madeleines, and Mocha–Crème Fraîche Cake, will have readers running to the kitchen once they stop laughing. The Sweet Life in Paris is a deliciously funny, offbeat, and irreverent look at the city of lights, cheese, chocolate, and other confections. Review: This was a Christmas present, and I've been looking forward to reading it, and needing a paperback instead of my Kindle (I didn't want to slip on the ice and break my Kindle ), I picked it up last Saturday. A mixture of travel and food, and most of that cakes, ice cream and chocolate this was an absolute joy to read. Funny and true observations of Parisians, fish out of water tales of an American in France, and delicious descriptions of food shopping in the patisserie capital of the world, this made me laugh and made me salivate in equal measures! And then at the end of every chapter, there are mouthwatering recipes, although a slight problem in that they're in American measures, and I'm not sure that all the ingredients are readily available to me, but still, I've got a few I definitely want to try and have found more on the authors website, another valuable resource to add to my baking journey. If, like me, you enjoy reading stories of people moving abroad to start a new life, or you love reading about food, then I would highly recommend this book!

Ciao Bella: In Search of New Relatives and Dante in Italy by Helena Frith Powell Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk): Helena Frith Powell grew up in Newbury as a shy girl, oblivious of her extrovert Italian family. But, at the age of 14, she was suddenly rudely awakened to the truth, when her real father wrote to her and invited her to come to Italy. Her Italian-style adolescence is guided by her Lothario father, her lying aunt and her doting grandmother. While writing this memoir fourteen years later, she reestablishes contact with her father, who ran out of her wedding, and finally finds their common ground. In this funny, moving and entertaining journey to the places she visited with her father, Helena combines descriptions of Italy, its food, fashion, culture and people to get to grips with a foreign culture that is genetically her own. Review: A mixture of travel and memoir, this was a fabulous read. Florence is one of my favourite cities in the world, and the book starts there, and it was a journey of discovery and rediscovery for both the author and myself, as she remembers the city of her adolescence and how it has changed today. Lots of places and observations struck a chord with me, and made me want to go back again! I wish we'd travelled to Italy more, and I'd love to go back again in the future, and as she travels around some of the cities, my interest was rekindled more than ever. (I even took evening classes in Italian for a couple of years after our trip to Florence, although I've forgotten most of it now. This book made me wonder if I ought to try again!) What makes this so much more than just a travel book, is the story of the Helena's family life. There are certainly some characters in her Italian family, but I felt she told the story of her relationships with them with affection and honesty, so I sorry to see in the afterword that it has caused discord between her and her aunt. A thoroughly enjoyable book.

I did see you mention that a couple of times on Twitter last night

Well, I know I said I was enjoying it, but I came back to it after a couple of days away, and realised I hadn't missed it at all, and struggled to reconnect with it. The chapter I read was one of the historical ones, and my least favourite so far, and that niggle in the writing style irritated me a bit more too. I'm going to take another break from it, and see if I feel better about it in a few days. In the meantime, I've started the second book in the Tomorrow series, The Dead Of The Night and I'm already gripped.

I know it's a bit late in the day, but there are few hours left to snap up today's Kindle Daily Deal - the wonderful A Winter Book by Tove Jansson

Just finished The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz and absolutely loved it. Thanks to Kay for recommending it.

Typical. There's always one irritating, pedantic geek who spots inconsistencies in statistics, isn't there. Oh, that would be me.

I've often see her mentioned too and keep meaning to read her, but haven't got round to it yet! I have, however, seen the film version of Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont with Joan Plowright, but I hadn't realised it was a book first. I'll be looking out for your review now

Ah, how I love reading statistics! And, what a good year 2012 was for you, frankie. (Although the number of books in your ratings add up to 82 books, but your reading totals are 83? Sorry )

Hi James!

I agree with you Raven that the first couple weren't a bit flat, but I loved The Re-Entry Minimization with Penny and Sheldon in the Pictionary incident, and the last two episode I thought were great. My favourite characters are Sheldon, Leonard and Penny, but I like them all. I posted one of my favourite Sheldon quotes the other day in one of the TV threads, but let's post it here for posterity too: I also love the episode where Penny gets three strikes against her, and both the scenes where she serves Sheldon his food at the Cheesecake Factory and when Sheldon wants to do his laundry are brilliant. So much to love!

Me too. The one I'm watching has my favourite Sheldon quote ever in it (I know I've posted it before, but I can't help it!): I Sheldon!

Just settling down to watch the first of the GBBO Comic Relief Specials!

Chalie, according to Amazon, it's due out 14 Jan 2014, but it's still called "Untitled Miss Peregrine Sequel"

Hi Ben, glad to hear you had a good break. I've not read White Teeth but I have read On Beauty which I loved, although it got a mixed reaction from my library reading group, but maybe it was because I'm a fan of Howard's End, the E. M. Forster book it was inspired by.

Hi Chloe! Always nice to meet another avid reader

It was lovely - OH makes it using the Quorn pieces, and it's also got pineapple, red and yellow peppers, cashew nuts and carrots in a sweet and sour sauce, with peas in the rice.

There are definitely times when I don't feel like reading, and it will take me ages to finish a book. It might be because the book isn't captivating enough, or I don't have much time, or I want to concentrate on another hobby instead, or maybe I just don't want to read! I would say it happens a couple of times a year, and lasts for upto a few weeks at a time. I might only get through a couple of books in that time, whereas I would normally get through about three books a week.

I've read some more of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared. It's a good story, but I'm not a fan of the writing style at the moment, although it's not enough to stop me reading it!

I have read Abandon, which is the book before Underworld but I thought as a standalone it was a bit underwhelming although it did set up a good story so maybe Underworld will be better. Again, another one for holiday reading!

Sweet and sour quorn with egg fried rice

I don't think I've managed to watch more than about 10 minutes of that dreadful Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen film version. DEFINITELY watch either the BBC series, or try the Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson version from 1940 - it's not as faithful an adaptation, but it was the first version I ever saw when I was young, and I still have huge affection for it.

It sounds pretty much like standard Cabot fare, ashleigh. I enjoy reading her books on holiday or after reading a heavyweight or serious book, just to have something light after it. I like that she writes pretty good female characters who usually are smart and independent. I'm going to save this one for holiday this year, so good to see a generally positive review.