The husband, Small Fry, and I had a nice relaxing weekend at home. Hubs and I finally watched Argo on Friday night, which was awesome. And then we watched Syracuse lose on Saturday night, which was EXTRA AWESOME. (UConn may not be tourney-eligible this year, but that doesn't mean my disdain for Duke and Syracuse has waned.)
The temperature continues to slowly chug its way upwards, so we spent a good amount of time outside. All fun, except for when Small Fry took a big digger in the driveway. Now he's got a nice case of road rash on his face. Ah, the life of a toddler boy. I told him to tell all his friends that he got in a fight with a 3-year-old. You can't start the street cred too early.
Between all that and playing way too much Candy Crush (that game WILL be the end of me), I did get a good amount of reading done, finishing up Found Objects by Peter Gelfan (review to come tomorrow!).
As for what I'm reading now:
Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson
It begins with a simple ritual: Every Saturday afternoon, a boy who loves to cook walks to his grandmother’s house and helps her prepare a roast chicken for dinner. The grandmother is Swedish, a retired domestic. The boy is Ethiopian and adopted, and he will grow up to become the world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson. This book is his love letter to food and family in all its manifestations. (from Goodreads )
Yes, I am finally reading one of the food books I got from the library!! I have been dying to read Samuelsson's memoir (released a few months ago). I adore many of the Food Network stars, including Samuelsson, and I've heard that his road to food glory was a unique one. I just started this, can't wait to share with all of you.
The World's Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne
Josh Hanagarne couldn’t be invisible if he tried. Although he wouldn’t officially be diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome until his freshman year of high school, Josh was six years old and onstage in a school Thanksgiving play when he first began exhibiting symptoms. By the time he was twenty, the young Mormon had reached his towering adult height of 6’7” when—while serving on a mission for the Church of Latter Day Saints—his Tourette’s tics escalated to nightmarish levels.
Determined to conquer his affliction, Josh underwent everything from quack remedies to lethargy-inducing drug regimes to Botox injections that paralyzed his vocal cords and left him voiceless for three years. Undeterred, Josh persevered to marry and earn a degree in Library Science. At last, an eccentric, autistic strongman—and former Air Force Tech Sergeant and guard at an Iraqi prison—taught Josh how to “throttle” his tics into submission through strength-training.
Today, Josh is a librarian in the main branch of Salt Lake City’s public library and founder of a popular blog about books and weight lifting—and the proud father of four-year-old Max, who has already started to show his own symptoms of Tourette’s.
The World’s Strongest Librarian illuminates the mysteries of this little-understood disorder, as well as the very different worlds of strongman training and modern libraries. With humor and candor, this unlikely hero traces his journey to overcome his disability— and navigate his wavering Mormon faith—to find love and create a life worth living. (from Goodreads )
Just starting this interesting memoir as well! I have an ARC from NetGalley that I couldn't resist, because Hanagarne's story sounds so intriguing. The book is released next month, and I've already heard a lot of great reviews.
Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline
When Dr. Mike Scanlon is called to serve as an army doctor in Afghanistan, he’s acutely aware of the dangers he’ll face and the hardships it will cause his wife Chloe and newborn baby. And deep inside, he doesn’t think of himself as a warrior, but a healer.
However, in an ironic turn of events, as Mike operates on a wounded soldier in a war-torn country, Chloe dies at home in the suburbs, in an apparent household accident. Devastated, he returns home to bury her, only to discover that the life he left behind has fallen apart. His medical practice is in jeopardy, and he is a complete stranger to the only family he has left - his precious baby girl. Worse, he learns a shocking secret that sends him into a downward spiral.
Ultimately, Mike realizes that the most important battle of his life faces him on the home front and he’ll have to put it all on the line to save what’s dearest to him – his family. (from Goodreads )
This is my current audiobook. I had a somewhat lukewarm reaction to my first Lisa Scottoline read last year ( Look Again ), but I do think she comes up with twisty, unexpected plots, so I decided to give this one a shot. It's definitely keeping my interest so far as I try to figure out what happened to Chloe, and how Mike is going to work through it. Kind of a women's fiction novel from a man's POV, which is cool.
What will be coming up next?
My two top contenders for my next read: Frozen In Time by Mitchell Zuckoff, and The Honest Toddler: A Child's Guide to Parenting by Bunmi Laditan. Words cannot do justice to how FREAKIN' STOKED I am about that book. Review coming soon!
Let me try again!
ReplyThe World's Strongest Librarian sounds intriguing. Now I'm off to find out more. Thank you for sharing it!
Here's my It's Monday! What Are You Reading?.
Glad it got your attention! Let me know what you think if you read it.
I've wanted to read that memoir by Samuelsson too. I've always wanted to check out his restaurant in Harlem, and he seems like an intriguing guy.
ReplyTanya Patrice
Girlxoxo.com
I'd love to check out his restaurant too. There are so many Food Network stars with restaurants in NYC, I could spend years checking them all out...
I'm a Candy Crush addict too. We need a support group.
ReplyIt's terrible, isn't it??? I just passed level 92 and I nearly cried with happiness.
I've seen many of my friends go down the Candy Crush road and I've avoided it so far, lol.
ReplySorry about your little man's digger! Little boys have a way don't they?
I've heard good things about Yes Chef and I LOOOOVED Librarian, hope you do too!
Have a fab week lady :)
Yes, your review of Librarian made me move it up the list. Can't wait to get further into it!
I'm trying to spend as much time outside as well. I love that it is warming up. It's raining today though, but at least we get the moisture. I haven't heard of any of those books, but I look forward to your reviews on them. They look interesting.
ReplyThanks Kami! Yes, the rain is a downer, but better than snow I suppose...
Very interested to hear more about The Honest Toddler - could be a good book for me too! :)
ReplyIf you don't already follow HT on Facebook/Twitter, you totally should...her posts are beyond hilarious.
Yes Chef, The Worlds Strongest Librarian and Honest Toddler are all on my to read list now. They look great and hope you have another great reading week!
ReplyGlad I could add more books to your list!! :)
Trying to get Mr. Dollycas to watch Argo with me wasn't happening this weekend as basketball took center court but hopefully soon.
ReplyHave a great week!
Totally worth watching, if you can pull him away from the basketball :)
I'll be starting The World's Strongest Librarian probably next week. I've got The Honest Toddler book in my queue, too! :)
ReplyThe HT book is so funny. I've only read snippets so far, but I can't wait to dive in.
Lisa Scottoline always tells a good story! Happy reading! Here is what I'm reading this week: http://hollymueller.blogspot.com/2013/04/its-monday-what-are-you-reading_8.html
ReplyI'm hoping I like this one a little better than the last!
I've never read a Lisa Scottoline book, but this one sounds really intriguing. I like the idea that it's like women's fiction, but a male pov.
ReplyYes, even though the narrator is a guy, you can tell that's not really the intended audience. Good stuff.
I attempted to get some non-work related stuff done, does that count? Looking forward to your review of Yes, Chef, which I've been meaning to read. (Also, the Food Network is so much fun to watch!)
ReplyI was a Food Network addict for a while. I've tapered off a little, but I still will watch pretty much anything related to Anne Burrell or Rachael Ray. :)
I have The World's Strongest Librarian from NetGalley too. After being pretty careful all winter, I overloaded myself requesting review copies of spring books. And then I've been reading library books instead, like Frances and Bernard and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.
ReplyYes, I feel like the review books are crazy right now! I have a ton of great ones for April/May/June especially. Keeping me very busy.
My husband won YES, CHEF and gave it to me. I haven't read it yet after many months. I really want to read your review of it to see if I should.
ReplyI'm about 50 pages in and really loving it so far. He's got a very unique cultural background, and it's interesting to see how he made his way into the culinary world.
Yes, Chef sounds really interesting, I'll have to look the author up in a minute because I'm not familiar with the Food Network beyond knowing it's there, but his story sounds fascinating. Love what I've heard about The Strongest Librarian so far, so I look forward to your review!
ReplySamuelsson is definitely one of the more intriguing chefs on the network. Worth looking up!
It looks like you're in for some good reading this week! Both Yes, Chef and The World's Strongest Librarian look very appealing!
ReplyThey are great so far! Gotta love a good reading week.
I really like Lusa Scottoline books as audiobooks, which is odd because I am never moticpvated to pick them up in book format. I'm listening to Ready Player One right now and I'm so hooked its ridiculous!
ReplyGood to know about Scottoline's audiobooks. This is the first one I've listened to and I'm hoping the format will help my opinion of it!
I have yet to watch Argo, but I need to! I'm reading Caramel and Magnolias (I won it fromisi.wordpress.com) and I am super excited about getting through it because it's really picked up!
ReplyThanks for the heads up, haven't heard of that one...off to check it out!
I haven't heard of the first two books -- being a librarian, I think I'd like The Strongest Librarian one. Thanks!
ReplyYES, I think you would love it! Only about 15% done right now but I love his narrative style.
I am reading Knots Andy Crosses.
ReplyThanks for sharing Charlotte!