March 2010 Selection:Carry Me Across the Water by Canin

from Bob Sarkisian, Head of School," I stumbled" onto Ethan Canin when I was sorting through new fiction releases at Barnes and Noble. America, America looked interesting; I had never read anything by him. What an incredible work of art! I was hooked. I hit the stacks of the Boston Public Library and read all his novels in chronological order-a mark of my anal leanings- Emperor of the Air, The Palace Thief, For Kings and Planets, and, finally, Carry Me Across the Water. This last read moved me in ways I still haven't figured out. Complex construction, the craftsmanship of his sentences, the truth of a life revealed-this was the work of an incredible artist. I couldn't help sharing my discovery with everyone."

Carry Me Across the Water by Ethan Canin will be discussed at our next meeting in March (Date TBD) at 7:00p.m. at Steve and Deb Blazer’s house on the East Side. (Call the school at 751.2470 for the address). Dr. Howard Tinberg, a Bristol Community College English professor, will be the facilitator. Join us for insightful conversations, warm drinks and munchies.
“Take the advice of no one," the young August Kleinman is told by his mother as the Nazi party rises to power around them in Hamburg. With these words to guide him, young August escapes to America, where he goes on to build a fortune, a family, and a life on his own terms. At the defining moments that reveal character and shape fate, August's bold journey illuminates, at the deepest levels, the ways our lives truly unfold…this is an exquisite novel by the most mature and accomplished novelist of his generation. (Alan Cheuse, National Public Radio). Both the Boston Globe and The Times selected it as a Best Book of 2001.

Book Selection: The School of Essential Ingredients by Bauermeister

Our first Book Club Meeting was held on Sunday, November 8, 7pm @ Deb Blazer's home. Margie Pelcovits, alumni parent and great cook, facilitated the group. We were treated to wine, cheese and a special dessert, the white cake that was the special focus in the story of Carl and Helen." In my opinion, a cake is a lot like a marriage." Lillian began,"...at its essence, a cake is actually a delicate equation-a balance, between air and structure." We had great discussions and many laughs. The white cake was delicious. Thank you, Deb!

Our JCSDRI Community Book Club is open to all adults in our community. So tell your family and friends!

Our selection is The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. “A gorgeously written novel about life, love, and the magic of food that is reminiscent of Chocolat and Like Water for Chocolate. Ingredients follows the lives of eight students who gather in Lillian’s Restaurant every Monday night for cooking class. It soon becomes clear, however, that each one seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. Chef Lillian, a woman whose connection with food is both soulful and exacting, helps them to create dishes whose flavor and techniques expand beyond the restaurant and into the secret corners of her students’ lives.” (product description) The book is available in hardcover, audio download, audio CD and Kindle.

Contact Karolyn White at kwhite@jcdsri.org

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Food Fiction

Did you know that Under the Tuscan Sun by Mayes comes with recipes!Overviewhttp://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/04/09/070409crbo_books_gopnikBook Listshttp://www.multcolib.org/books/lists/foodfic.htmlhttp://www.hclib.org/pub/bookspace/mybooklists/ShowList.cfm?ListID=2099&ipacSession=1http://www.multcolib.org/books/lists/foodfic.html