“The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” by Margareta Magnusson

My friend Stuart and I are in our early 50's, and we want to move into an assisted living facility now. Why wait until our 80's when we could enjoy the relaxing, supervised routine today? Our schedule would be filled with yoga, chair massages, swimming, cocktails and appetizers starting at 4 pm, followed by a well-prepared seasonal meal in the dining room. Then later, we would enjoy a line dancing class or a movie from the 1980's that we once loved. This interests us because it projects an organized and decluttered life. This is the subject matter of Margareta Magnusson’s book “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.” Several times throughout the book the author mentions she is between 80 and 100 years old, the perfect time to comb through your belongings and get rid of all the things you do not need. Much like Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” Magnusson breaks down her cleaning method into different categories such as furniture, clothing, pets and photographs. But unlike Kondo’s book, Magnusson keeps in mind that cleaning your box before you die is important, so your children won’t have to. Rather than morbid, I found the approach refreshing and creative, and quite appropriate for someone in their mid 50's. Marking items with labels to give to certain family members, organizing pictures into piles for loved ones, and even sorting through clothing that no longer fits your lifestyle sounds divine to me. Coincidentally, I’m also about to sign the documents on my will and advanced directive, which are important milestones to take care of as well. Magnusson’s book offers a fresh roadmap on aging gracefully. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens

I am a person who likes the structure of walls rather than the wonder of nature. I like stories set in small, but chic New York apartments, quaint Paris flats or industrial lofts in Los Angeles. So for a book about nature to interest me, it better have some romance, some intrigue and a whole lot of drama. “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens hits all of these marks. The book has been on the New York Times Best Seller list for 36 weeks and, as of last week, was at number one. The book follows the story of Kya Clark, otherwise known as Marsh Girl, a fixture on Barkley Cove along North Carolina's coast. Abandoned by her parents and the rest of her family, when she is just a little girl, Kya raises herself and learns to not only live off the land, but also study it. Her quiet existence is interrupted when she meets a kind boy named Tate who teachers her how to read. He opens up her world and gives her the power of words. But their solitude is interrupted when another boy, Chase, bursts into Kya’s life. When Chase is found dead, all signs seem to point to Kya as the likely suspect. The New York Times called the book, “A painful beautiful first novel that is at once a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative and a celebration of nature.” I found it to be a wonderful book to read indoors or out. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“Sweeping Up The Heart” by Kevin Henkes

Last weekend I returned from a trip to Greece that was filled with nothing but joy. Seriously, every day spent in Greece with my husband Jeff, sister-in-law Jen and her husband Dan had me either smiling or laughing out loud. Each night we would clink wine glasses to a “Baklava!” toast and beam with good fortune. I was only sorry that the trip had to end because my addiction to rest, education, activities and feta cheese was just getting started. So upon returning, I decided that I had to start finding more joy at home. One of the things I used to love doing when I was younger was reading one book in a single day. Obviously this was never a 600-page book but rather a small book, a paperback to fit inside my purse, or a young adult novel. Earlier this week I chose to read Kevin Henkes’ book “Sweeping Up The Heart.” Full disclosure: I have loved Henkes’ writing ever since I read his “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” book out loud about one thousand times to my own daughter Lily when she was growing up. This contributed to her obsession with handbags later on. But what I did not know is that, in addition to his picture books, he writes wonderful young adult novels, too. “Sweeping Up The Heart” is the story of Amelia and the spring break that changed her life when she was in the seventh grade. Frustrated with her stodgy, widowed-professor father for not planning a proper spring break, Amelia decides to hide out in the neighborhood pottery studio. It is there that she meets a boy name Casey who has a bigger problem: his parents are getting divorced. Amelia and Casey bond over their dilemmas, and form a friendship that only people in crisis can appreciate. Amelia shares the grief over the death of her mother, and Casey shares his fears over his parents’ upcoming separation. Youth. Grief. Healing. Connection. Friendship. So nice to discover that so much joy can be found by reading a tiny book on a single Monday in May. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“I.M: A Memoir” by Isaac Mizrahi

I have had a subscription to Vogue Magazine since I was in high school. This is not because I am a fashionista. In fact, I prefer uniforms to real fashion. My work uniform consists of black tights with things on top of them. My exercise wardrobe is built around Danskin yoga pants of which I own about 25 of them, mostly black. And my concert wardrobe centers around the basic black shift dress because at Phish shows the men only care about the band and not the girls. This is all to say I don’t practice haute couture but I definitely want to know what is in and what is out and what Vogue Magazine has to say about it. So that means I have known who Isaac Mizrahi is for along time, and I think he is fabulous. I wish he was my friend and we could go to a wine bar together. If you saw the documentary “Unzipped” you know he is a fabulous person to know. His new autobiography “I.M.: A Memoir” takes that documentary to a much deeper level. We get to see him growing up gay in an Syrian Orthodox Jewish household and making costumes for puppet theatre in his family basement. We see him launching a high-end fashion line and then losing it. And we watch him perform in his own cabaret show. We get to know him like we have never seen him before. Intimate, dark, sad, lonely, talented, triumphant and finally in love.  Walk the runway to your closest book store and check out his memoir today. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“Operating Instructions” by Anne Lamott

Northern California romantics were doing the dance of joy last week when we found out that author Anne Lamott got married at the age of 65. In typical Lamott fashion, she posted a picture of the bride and groom on her Instagram account, but accidentally cut the groom Neal’s head off. I’m hoping this was just an accident and not a sign of rough roads ahead because this goddess deserves great love. The fact that she got married at 65 is not a surprise to those who have read her books because she is a woman who is on her own personal journey, without rules or guidelines. First she found God, then she got sober, then she had a baby boy named Sam as a single mom, then she became a best selling author and now she has found a true partner. According to the New York Times, her new husband loves “Plato, bluegrass music, the New Testament and Vipassana Meditation.” Google a picture of them to see that they are beyond adorable. Her wonderful true-life story just took me back to the first time I read Lamott’s book “Operating Instructions.” It was 1995 and I was just a few weeks pregnant with twin girls and I was scared to death. All of the baby books I was reading frightened me even more, until I got my hands on Lamott’s tiny blue book. The story of her son Sam’s first year of life was far from perfect, and went hand in hand with the loss of her best friend Pammy to cancer. As I read her words, I felt more confident that parenting is not about being perfect or doing it right, but rather about doing the best that you can each day. Her book taught me that it is ok to hold a screaming baby, love that baby, but still be mad and sad at the same time. It is a beautiful book by an extraordinary writer. Now I want her to get our her computer and write a new book with operating instructions on marriage. That is definitely a book I would want to read, too. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“Daisy Jones & The Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

My husband and I see a lot of live music because that is something we enjoy doing together. However, in the summer of 2010 when I first met Jeff, I had a lot of catching up to do when it came to music. I had never even heard of Trey Anastasio and Phish, rather the music playing in my head was still sung by the musicians of my childhood: Carly Simon, James Taylor, Jackson Browne and Carole King. “Daisy Jones & The Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid is the story of a fictional 1970s band called The Six led by Billy Dunne, and a singer named Daisy, who was responsibly for making them a hit band, as well as the reason they finally split up. My friend Page told me about this book, and how it drew its inspiration from the relationships among the members of Fleetwood Mac, another favorite band of mine. The story is filled with all the details you craved to know about your favorite rock band: Who is sleeping with whom? Which band member just came out of rehab? And which band member is so messed up he needs to go back into rehab. Presented as an oral history, crafted through individual interviews with all of the band members, “Daisy Jones & The Six” is a soulful, beautiful love story. It doesn’t matter that the band isn’t real, the stories ring true and the life of a band on tour is recognizable and heart breaking. I’m passing this book along to Jeff now. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“The Age of Innocence” by Edith Wharton

My sister Kathleen came to San Francisco earlier this week for a quick visit. I asked if she would let me film her discussing her favorite book for this week’s LLP, but she said, “No dice.” So instead I convinced her just to recommend a book that she had recently read that she was crazy about. I was quite surprised she came up with a title that was originally published in 1920. “The Age of Innocence” was Edith Wharton’s 12-th book. It went on to earn her the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and mark her the first woman ever to win that award. The novel, set in the 1870s, examines the upper-class Gilded Age of New York City. The plot centers around a young couple and their upcoming wedding, and the glamorous countess who arrives on the scene to complicate things. Written when Wharton was 58 years old, reviews have said the story is Wharton’s own attempt to compare the life she saw as child, with the modern way of life emerging in America in the early 20- -th century. My sister followed up her reading of the book by viewing the 1993 Marin Scorsese film adaptation, “The Age of Innocence,” starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder. Scorsese was criticized for some of his casting choices in the film, but my sister said if you re-read the novel, Ryder fit the part of May perfectly. What Kathleen loved about the book and the movie was the checklist of detailed Edwardian manners, and how they brought structure and organization to the characters in high society. Clearly she is my sister with her keen eye for organization, but I’m looking forward to the relationships, too. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“The Library Book” by Susan Orlean

A few years ago I was sitting around a table with my then boyfriend Jeff’s family playing a party card game. The question posed in front of the group was “name your favorite possession.” As the question made its way around the table to me, I thought hard about what my answer would be. Some people said their wedding ring and other people said a favorite car, or a keepsake from their mother. When it was my turn I said “my library card,” and this is the most honest answer I could think of. Jeff’s dad smiled because his mom was a librarian. I work my library card to the bone, checking out hundreds of books and audio books each year. Where else can you walk into a building and walk out with ten things for free? It also offers me the laissezfaire attitude that if I don’t like a book I can simply return it, without penalty or judgment. Susan Orlean’s bestseller “The Library Book,” is a tribute to the American library system and a horrible fire that threatened one of its best. Orlean began with a premise: What were the details of the 1986 Los Angeles Public Library fire, and was it arson? The library fire burned more than 400,000 books, and more than a million other books were damaged. Some librarians say that if you go into the library today, some of the older books still smell like smoke. Orlean’s book investigates the details of the fire, and probes the legendary theory that a drifter/actor named Harry Peak was the arsonist. She also dissects the underbelly of the library system, and the people who work within their walls. Certain people are library people, and others are not. I can still remember the Dewey Decimal card catalogue system used to classify books at my childhood library in Studio City on Moorpark. I am one of the biggest library fans around, and if you are too you will enjoy this book. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“The Book of Liz” by The Talent Family, Amy Sedaris and David Sedaris

If I was able to come back as an object in my next life, I think I would like to be a Samuel French or Dramatists Play Service book. This way I would always be slender yet bold, well dressed in a uniform, always dramatic, sometimes funny and sometimes tragic. These two companies have a strict set of guidelines for publishing a play, and they hold the bar high. So most of the time when you pick up a published play, you are in for a real treat. This is definitely the case with “The Book of Liz,” written by brother-and-sister satirists, Amy Sedaris and David Sedaris. My stepdaughter, Violet was cast in the leading role of Liz in a freshman class production of the play in the fall of 2018 at UCLA. I was surprised that I had never heard of this play, published in 2002. My husband Jeff and I read it out loud so we could get up to speed on the plot before seeing the production. The story centers around Sister Elizabeth Donderstock who belongs to a religious community called the Squeamish, where she is known for making impressive cheese balls, both traditional and smoky. While toiling in her kitchen, making money to support the Squeamish, Donderstock feels under appreciated, so she runs away. Once on the road, she is befriended by a Ukrainian couple that help her get a job as a waitress at a restaurant run by recovering alcoholics. Like any story written by Amy or David, to re-tell the plot does not do it justice. Violet was wonderful in her role as Sister Donderstock, as were the other freshman in the cast who worked so hard to make this show a success. I don’t like to leave any David Sedaris stone unturned, so this is definitely a quirky one to put on your reading list to make you laugh. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity and Love” by Dani Shapiro

Not so long ago, a woman in the Midwest wrote a letter to my mother, and said she had seen a picture of me in a Christmas card and believed she knew my birth mother. My heart started to race, while my mother thought this was hilarious. I guess she found humor in it because she not only remembered raising me during my tumultuous teenage years, but she also recalled quite clearly giving birth to me in December of 1963. The Midwestern woman was clearly mistaken. But I was rattled at just the thought of Barbara and Garry not being my real parents because it called into question my identity, my personality and my genetics. This is the territory of Dani Shapiro’s latest memoir “Inheritance.” Almost on a whim, Shapiro (a well-known fiction and non-fiction author) sends her DNA into one of the now in-vogue genealogical testing websites. She soon finds out that she is genetically incompatible with her stepsister, and thus the father she thought was hers, is not. This sends Shapiro on a wild odyssey to find out who her biological father is, and whether he is still alive. I don’t want to give too much away about this book, but I would highly recommend it. For memoir fans like me, this story proved to be something extra special. Shapiro writes beautifully about her search for the truth, while sharing her fears, worries and disappointments along the way. One moment stands out, when a sister she didn’t know existed acknowledges her presence, and it just made me want to jump up and cheer. The minute I was done with this book I gave it immediately to my friend Noelle because these are exactly the stories we love to trade. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food” by Ann Hood

When I first got married in 1989 my mom sat me down and taught me three recipes so my new husband would not starve. I took notes on lined paper, as she taught me to make creamed tuna on toast, salmon patties with mashed potatoes, and then meatballs. It was years later that I realized that these were not foods my mother enjoyed but rather food she made that my father could eat. He was allergic to everything, and only liked soft foods. She was more “a pate-and-crusty French bread” kind of girl. But these three dishes she taught me have always stay with me. This is the thread of Ann Hood’s heart-felt memoir ”Notes on Life, Love, and Food.” I am a long-time Ann Hood fan and once studied with her at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference in Vermont. I was so in awe of her not only because she was a writer but also because years ago she was a TWA flight attendant, too. She learned how to cut chateaubriand for first class passengers. The essays and recipes in this book are cozy and delicious, but also laced with threads of pain and sadness. Hood’s daughter Grace died suddenly when she was only five years old, from a virulent form of strep. There also are other losses: a brother, a father and a marriage. Some of the recipes like “Grace’s Cheesy Potatoes” are a tribute to the daughter she lost, while others like “Annabelle’s Risi e Bisi” are a nod to the daughter she later adopted from China. Perhaps the most charming chapter is the one called “How to Smoke Salmon,” in which her son Sam teaches her patience by instructing her on how to tend to a smoker before he goes off to college. Hood essays are a testament to the healing powers of food, love and writing. It is interesting to note her third husband and current spouse is Michael Ruhlman, a cookbook author. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“I’m Just A Person” by Tig Notaro

I am a fan of anything Tig at the moment. First, I watched both seasons of her wonderful Amazon show “One Mississippi.” Then I watched the Netflix documentary titled “Tig,” and I loved that as well. Last week, I raced through her autobiography “I’m Just a Person,” available in print and audio book. Clearly I cannot get enough of this funny, dry, witty and incredibly talented performer. Now, if you don’t know Tig’s story, here it is in a nutshell: Stand-up comedian gets a wicked intestinal disease called C .diff, learns her mother has fallen and suddenly died, and then the author is diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer. I know. I know. People are rolling their eyes in horror. When I describe Tig’s life it does not sound like everyone’s cup of tea. But it happened and she survived. Like Mark Twain and Garry Marshall always said, “Humor is tragedy plus time.” A series of horrible and unfortunate events happened to Tig. Then, she picked herself up, grabbed the microphone and started telling her own story out loud. She turned her sad story into a candid, brave and funny story, and I just love everything about her. Did I mention she falls in love at the end? Her partner Stephanie is featured in the Amazon series, and together they are adorable. Don’t take my word for it: Run and watch, read or listen to anything Tig, and you will know how great she is. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence” by Nick Bantock

I am among a devoted dying breed: the traditional snail mail writer. I still have stamps, writing paper and even personalized stationary with my address embossed on the back of the envelopes. I also have two pen pals (Jackie and Siena) to whom I write regularly, and send postcards whenever I travel domestically or abroad. It makes me sad to think that some day mail might become obsolete and the thrill of opening an envelope addressed just to you will disappear. That brings me to this book: “Griffin & Sabine” by Nick Bantock. Published in 1991, this beautifully illustrated book has an interactive component in which some of the text is tucked away inside removable letters and postcards. I still remember the shear thrill of reading this book, and the true sadness I felt when the novel ended. The story follows the story of Griffin, a lonely postcard writer in London, who strikes up a correspondence with a postage stamp illustrator named Sabine, who lives on a small island in the South Pacific. To my delight, eventually a romance develops. Some of the illustrations chronicling their relationship are lovely while others are dark and more haunting. Will they meet in person? Will he travel to see her? Will she come to London for him? I don’t want to give away the plot. The good news is that this book is part of a trilogy created by Bantock. So if you finish the first book too quickly, there are two more to dive into next. If you missed this book the first time around, it is a must now. If you loved the book 28 years ago, you might enjoy reading it again. I recently started to prune through some of the books in my apartment. Some of them I am ready to part with, but “Griffin & Sabine” will remain in my personal library forever. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“In Pieces” By Sally Field

I met Sally Field a few years ago at a party in Los Angeles, and I remember thinking instantly upon meeting her, “My goodness. No wonder she is an actress. Her skin is so beautiful!” Little did I know then that her skin is not only lovely, but also tough as nails. Her recently released memoir “In Pieces,” which she wrote over seven years without a ghostwriter, is a deeply moving account of her life from child star to Oscar-winning actress. In a nutshell, her life was filled with men who disappointed her, and woman who supported her. A delinquent father, a sexually abusive step-father, a slew of bad boyfriends and toxic producers later, she is a proven survivor. It is quite amazing, I think, that she has turned out as seemingly sane as she is. She is able to find charming moments throughout her life that might leave other people running from Hollywood. Take for example, when she was starring in “Gidget,” she and her mom had to go on press junkets. Throughout the day her mom would gather in her large purse snacks, sandwiches and tiny booze bottles meant for the press. When Sally and her mom got back to their motel room at night, they would empty out her mom’s purse to survey their bounty before eating it for dinner. She was on a top rated TV show yet didn’t have enough money for dinner. Then later when she finally had money, producers would buy her fancy cars. She had no interest in cars, and didn’t even like driving very much. She worked her way through two husbands, a long relationship with Burt Reynolds, and a series of hit television shows and award winning movies. The story is bittersweet, insightful, charming and triumphant. I think for those who have enjoyed her performances, this book help you get to know Sally on a much deeper level. I was a “Flying Nun” fan, so I loved this book from page 1. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“The IFs: Imaginary Friends, Real Baggage” by Colleen Weems

My friend Colleen and I had coffee yesterday down along the Embarcadero. There is nothing like two writers sitting in a Starbucks talking about the books they are writing. The hour felt so safe and creative, but also went by far too quickly. We talked about the subjects of our books, and where we are inspired to write each day. But there was still so much more to discuss. When we said goodbye, I felt sad that I had to go back into the real world, and leave our literary-infused cocoon behind. I hugged her goodbye, and then crammed myself into an Uber pool beside a medium-sized white poodle, and then wrote this LLP on my phone. In September 2017, Colleen published her first book “The IFs,” about a group of friends living in San Francisco in the not-too-distant future when social media has become obsolete. Left lonely from the absence of Facebook and Instagram, these friends create imaginary companions. There are good things and bad things about imaginary friends, and sometimes these new relationships can be fraught with real life drama. This book is smart, imaginative, cutting edge and funny, much like the author herself. “The IFs” has the community feel of “Friends” with the bite and sassiness of “Silicone Valley.” People both real and imaginary bond, fight and even fall in love. Colleen is busy at work on her next novel. I am excited to see where she takes us next, into another world, rich with characters and new adventures. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“The Wedding Date” by Jasmine Guillory

I want to know who gave romance novels a bad name, and I want them fired. When I was in elementary school I would sit in the way-way back of the station wagon reading books. My mom and dad would holler, “Don’t get nauseous from reading in the car, Lori.” But I would never get car sick because I was reading romance novels in the way-way back, and I couldn’t get enough of them. In October 2017, The New York Times published an article exploring the premise that the number of successful non-white, romance writers was on the rise but under-appreciated. And, these writers have a strong target audience: college educated black women, who represent a significant book buying demographic. In this article, it mentioned the author Jasmine Guillory and her first book “The Wedding Date.” Her editor at Jove Trade Paperwork in Berkeley, encouraged her to examine more closely the issues experienced by the black protagonist and her white boyfriend. Guillory, a lawyer based in Oakland, was delighted at the challenge, and so was I. So I read a paperback edition of “The Wedding Date,” and almost felt ashamed carrying it around because people would say, “There goes a girl reading a romance novel.” But you know what? This book was good. It was entertaining, smart, charming and quirky enough to make it feel like a modern day Norma Klein. The main characters, Alexa and Drew have a cute meet in the elevator of the Fairmont Hotel during a power outage the day before a wedding he is attending. He convinces her to go as his date because the bride –to-be is his ex, and Alexa agrees on a lark. He is an LA-based pediatric surgeon and she is the chief of staff for the mayor of Berkeley. Of course they have miles between them, two best friends to confide in and a whole lot of baggage. But who doesn’t? Just because a book is romantic doesn’t mean it can’t be well written and creatively crafted. Everything can’t be Plato or Proust. Sometimes a book can be just about passion and a happy ending. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

“The Long Haul: A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road” by Finn Murphy

If you have met me once, you know I want everyone to find love and settle down with a partner. And if you have met me twice, you know I want everyone to love their day job, too. When I turn off the freeway in Larkspur and drive past the Hospice By The Bay sign where I work, I can’t wait to swipe my key card and get inside that building. I want everyone to experience that feeling of job satisfaction. This brings me to Finn Murphy’s book “The Long Haul,” about his life on the road as a long-distance trucker. He has been driving an 18-wheeler since he first dropped out of college in 1976 to join a moving company. His parents were not thrilled that he abandoned Colby College for life on the road, but Murphy knew he had found his passion and his calling. My friend Page heard Murphy interviewed by Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air, and she immediately thought of me. I listened to the podcast, was smitten by Murphy, and ordered the book from my library immediately. Finn’s story is fascinating because he describes the behind-the-scenes life of a long-haul trucker, and the code of conduct and secret vocabulary used between truckers who move other cargo. This smacks of Kris Kristofferson in the 1978 movie “Convoy.” There is a hierarchy and sliding paycheck depending on what you are moving. Murphy, who is at the top of the pay scale, specializes in corporate relocations, which often involves moving an executive and his or her family across the country. The New Yorker Magazine called this book “an occupational memoir with an untold human story at its center. In crushingly hard work Murphy seems to be escaping from himself.” He tells quirky stories (like the time he moved a set of Qing-dynasty tombstones) and heart breaking tales (like the time his movers dropped a beloved family piano). But at the end of the day you are strongly convinced that Murphy’s life on the road is a never ending journey, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

Nine Perfect Strangers By Liane Moriarty

For years, I have wondered what it might be like to go away to one of those fancy spa resorts like The Golden Door or Rancho La Puerta. I visit the websites a couple times a year and think, “A 10-day minimum? Very expensive? No husband? No children? No family? And no wine nor pretzels? No thanks!” But yes, I have always been fascinated by the concept of jump-starting my life at a resort health spa among a group of strangers. Apparently Liane Moriarty, the author of the book and hit television series, “Big Little Lies,” has this same fascination. Her latest book, “Nine Perfect Strangers” welcomes nine guests to a remote health spa called Tranquillum House. The arrivals are like the television series “Fantasy Island,” full of glitter and glamour. While the guests are looking for rest, relaxation and weight loss, they end up finding even more during their visit. The characters are quite interesting and their back stories are sometimes dark and complicated. This concept is something my dad used to call a “stuck-in-a” plot when he worked in television. When you put more than three people together in an elevator, a room, a train or even a glamorous health spa, fireworks are going to go off. And that makes for a wonderful plot, especially at the hands of Australian writer Moria

“The Great Alone” By Kristin Hannah

When I think about what I love to read, the words wilderness, survival, domestic violence and Alaska do not immediately jump to mind. However, I loved Kristin Hannah’s book “The Nightingale,” and a friend thought I would enjoy “The Great Alone,” as well. This book introduces the Allbright family in 1974, as they leave Seattle and move to the small town of Kaneq in Alaska in order to claim property left to the father, Ernt, by an old Army buddy. As they begin their journey, Ernt, his wife Cora and 13-year-old daughter, Leni are excited for a new start in a new state, but unfortunately Ernt’s post-traumatic stress from the Vietnam war manifests itself in consistent abusive behavior toward both mother and daughter. It is challenging not to make this plot sound grim, but there is plenty of light shining through the characters and the story line of this novel. What happens to the family in Kaneq is almost fairytale like. The quirky and loveable members of the small town, with names like Large Marge, Genny, Mad Earl, Tica, Tom and Matthew – band together to help protect the mother and daughter from the mentally ill Ernt. At the center of this book is the coming of age story of the young daughter, Leni, who falls in love and learns to protect herself at the same time (which is exactly the type of story I love to read—love, strength and personal growth). There is a lot to admire within the wilderness of this book, woven together so beautifully by Hannah.

“Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering The Elements of Good Cooking” by Samin Nosrat and art by Wendy MacNaughton

Great minds think a like. This Christmas my step-daughter Ellie gave me this book as a present, and coincidentally I gave it to her as well. We didn’t plan to do that, but we both just fell in love with this book’s companion piece – the four-part Netflix series of the same title. We both watched the series on our phones while we were traveling over Thanksgiving, and were sad to see it end. “Salt Fat Acid Heat” by Samin Nosrat is a fascinating journey into what she describes as the four most important elements of well-executed cooking: salt, fat, acid and heat. She travels to different countries to illuminate her hypothesis. I have read a lot of cookbooks, but this one is fascinating and unusual in its approach, because it can be enjoyed by sophisticated cooks, or those learning the basic skills. Nosrat worked for many years at Chez Panisse in Berkeley with the great Alice Waters. About this book, Waters wrote, “This beautiful, approachable book not only teaches you how to cook, but captures how it should feel to cook; full of exploration, spontaneity, and joy.” In the Netflix series you can see the book’s illustrator, Wendy MacNaughton, drawing pictures of vegetables for this book while Nosrat makes them salad for lunch. A salad sounds like such a simple dish, but in the hands of Nosrat it becomes a delicious masterpiece infused with happiness.