Erin's Bookshelf
New Cookbook Introduces Healthy Persian Cooking
by Erin Mawn
I suppose every nationality takes immense pride in its food; each St. Patrick’s Day my father insisted on having a traditional Irish dinner complete with corned beef, potatoes and cabbage. As a self-described ‘foodie’, one of my joys in life in trying new foods. When I was young I visited Australia and actually tried shark meat, kangaroo meat (it’s equivalent to Americans eating venison) and the pride of the Aussies: Vegemite. In college I went to England, and I was more than happy to go out each night to a different pub and try the fare. However, rather than spending all the dough to travel to a foreign country every time I want to try a new food, I have learned to look for local venues that offer interesting dishes. My newest experience though, is a do-it-yourself one.
Persian cuisine, or the cuisine of Iran, is deliciously diverse and also very health conscious. Many of the dishes use rice as a staple ingredient, and almost all of them have fruits and vegetables either as main ingredients or as sides. I realize that most people would have no idea how to begin cooking a Persian dish, and so to make the process easier, here is the book to lead the way: Simply Persian Cuisine. The book is presented in a very straight forward manner, so that anyone, even those whose free time is at a premium such as working mothers or college students, can pull together a healthy and delicious meal.
Review: The Lovely Bones Movie
by Erin Mawn
This past Friday night, I was one of the many people who saw “The Lovely Bones” on its opening night. I was surprised at how many young people there were in the theater, but that was probably due to the fact that the movie is rated PG-13, so no parents are required. I must admit that I was concerned about the quality of the movie; beforehand, I could not resist looking up some reviews of it and the majority of them seemed disappointed that the movie did meet its potential.
It is true that the movie takes some liberties, but I was relieved that it leaves the more important things alone. For example, the reader and movie go-er are not surprised at what happens to Susie Salmon because both the book and the film tell us immediately that something horrible befalls the young narrator. I was worried that perhaps the film would focus on that one terrible scene in order to increase the drama and horror of the story, but like in the book, the terrible incident is merely the catalyst for the story, not the focus of it.
Since I already talked about the story when I reviewed the book a couple months ago, I’ll focus on the film aspects of it: I was impressed with Stanley Tucci’s portrayal of George Harvey. I did not even realize that it was Tucci in this role when I saw the movie trailers because he looks like the quintessential creep. (I am used to Tucci in more likeable roles, such as “The Devil Wears Parada” and the Kit Kittredge American Girl movie.) His performance almost overshadows that of
Saoirse Ronan, who plays the protagonist Susie Salmon because the audience is so horrified by his character. Not to say that Ronan is not ideal for the role of Susie Salmon: her adolescent beauty (caught perfectly between a girl and a woman) is striking and she emanates an innocence so endearing and believable that the audience is truly saddened when she is robbed of it.Enjoy the Works of Laurie Halse Anderson
By Erin Mawn
Hello readers (and editor)! I apologize not posting again sooner, but I have adopted the popular mantra that everyone seems to be saying lately: “life’s crazy right now”. If anyone is curious, I HAVE been doing a ton of reading lately, I just have been lax in the writing part. Sometimes when I read a book, I think “I cannot wait to write a blog about this incredible story!”. Other times, I enjoy the story but it just does not motivate me to write.
As my best friend said to me recently, I have had quite a literary year. First, I attended a talk at my local library hosted by Joshua Wolf Shenk regarding his insightful book “Lincoln’s Melancholy”. I used this book for two of my projects in graduate school and I was very excited to finally meet the man who wrote it. Then, over my summer vacation, I traveled to Colorado where I was able to meet my favorite illustrator, Michael Hague. (I did write a blog about him; it is one of my earlier posts.) This was a very special experience for me because I grew up reading his books and those pictures have always stayed in my mind. Most recently, I drove to Newark, Delaware to see Laurie Halse Anderson “speak” (if you don’t get my little joke yet, you will in a minute.)
Laurie Halse Anderson has written both young adult novels and picture books; her first YA novel, titled “Speak” was a New York Times Best Seller, as well as a Printz Honor Book, and National Book Award Finalist. It was also made into a movie for television starring a now-uber-famous Kristen Stewart. Her other novels include: “Catalyst”, “Prom”, “Fever 1793”, “Twisted”, and “Chains” (another multi-award winner). During the event, she read an excerpt from her most recent novel “Wintergirls” which is available now. She the welcomed questions from her live audience as well as from readers across the country who were able to view the event through a live internet feed. Afterwards, she was available to sign books for her adoring fans, who ranged from middle-aged adults to little children. My favorite fan was the little eight-year old girl clutching a copy of one of the Vet Volunteer books, a series written for children about children who work in a veterinarian’s office.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultra-Violent Zombie Mayhem!
I have a confession to make: I have never read a Jane Austen book to the end. Believe me, I have tried. I feel I owe it to the world of literature that I love so much to not just ‘get through it’, but to actually enjoy reading it, too. I know the stories of Austen, especially when they are reimagined in modern cinema. For example, one of my favorite 90’s movies is “Clueless” which is loosely based on Austen’s “Emma”. (“What-ev-er!“)The book and movie “Bridget Jones Diary” is based on “Pride and Prejudice”; the sequel to this smash success (both book and movie) was titled “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason” and was based on “Persuasion”. I have seen the mini-series “Pride and Prejudice” as well as the more recent movie starring Kiera Knightley, and I dragged my boyfriend to the theater to see “Becoming Jane”, a biopic starring Anne Hathaway. I love Jane Austen’s stories, I just could not get through one of her books. Well, not until the zombies came, anyway. . .
“Mr. Collins tells me that you are schooled in the deadly arts, Miss Bennet.”
“I am, though not to half the level of proficiency your Ladyship has attained.”
“Oh! Then — some time or other I shall be happy to see you spar with one of my ninjas.
Are you sisters likewise trained?”
“They are.”
When asked what inspired him to re-write the Austen’s famous love story, Smith replied, “I just thought it’d be really funny to desecrate a classic work.” He seems like one of the geniuses with an off-beat, dark sense of humor that I’d love to meet sometime, if only to pick his brain. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the zombie pun.) Ever true to the modern literary discussion circle, Smith includes thoughtful questions for discussion at the end of the novel, such as:
Book Review: The Lovely Bones
by Erin Mawn
I was introduced to this book by one of my students while I was teaching literary terms. I was discussing the different points of view that literature has and when I was discussing the idea of the omniscient narrator, one of my students asked “Like in “The Lovely Bones”?” . Not having read the book myself, I asked her to explain the story to me. My student went on to explain that the story is being seen, literally from above, by the narrator of the story. However, “The Lovely Bones” differs from the usual type of omniscient narrator because unlike the majority of them, who are unnamed and who never reveal HOW they know the story or how they are significant to the story in any way, this dilemma is cleared up on the very first page of the novel:
“My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.”
Hollywood's Versions of "Little House" Fail to Impress
by Erin Mawn
I am a fervent fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder. I own the whole collection of Little House books, all of her nine original books from “Little House in the Big Woods” to “The First Four Years”. I also have in my vast collection of books all of the prequels and sequels to her stories; the stories about Martha (her great-grandmother, Charlotte (her grandmother), Caroline (her mother, Ma Ingalls) and her daughter Rose. The prequels and sequels are written in the same simple style that made Wilder’s books so easily accessible to generations of readers. The stories possess the wholesome values that made these generations’ parents comfortable and able to enjoy the books alongside their children.
Meet Illustrator Michael Hague
by Erin Mawn
This post is not not about a book, but an illustrator. Some people do not understand what appeal children’s books have to a ‘grown-up’, but personally I cannot see how they are able to resists the temptations of them! Their covers call to me, the artwork inside is slipping into childhood again; to spend hours just leafing through books, absorbing the drawings and memorizing them so that I can see them again in my memory whenever I like is a great privilege.
I was fortunate enough to meet one of my favorite illustrators recently. I was visiting relatives in Colorado and was informed that there was to be a book signing with this illustrator, whom I had a corresponded with before on a couple of occasions.
Michael Hague has illustrated classics such as The Wind in the Willows, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, and The Secret Garden. He also illustrates books written by his wife, Kathleen Hague who has penned the popular books Alphabears and Good Night, Fairies.
Sarah Emma Edmonds, Civil War Soldier
by Erin Mawn "The Mysterious Private Thompson: The Double Life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Civil War Soldier" I recently finished reading the biography of Sarah Emma Edmonds, one of the women who, during the Civil War, disguised herself as a man and fought in the conflict. It was a fascinating book- and I don’t think that’s just because I’m a “History geek”. I think anyone who is interested in women’s history, American history, the Civil War, or likes stories about spies would enjoy this book as well. The book is a fairly easy read; it explains ideas such as the ‘Cult of Domesticity’ which is well known to history scholars, but may not be familiar to other readers. The narrative of the book focuses mainly on the life of ‘Emma’, but in the chapters which deal heavily with the war and the military campaigns during it, the author includes much information about George McClellan. This is meant to help the reader understand the battles the Army of the Potomac fought in and the outcomes of these battles. ‘Emma’, or Frank Thompson as she was called, served in the Michigan regiment of the Potomac as a nurse, mail carrier, and a spy.
Perfection for Bibliophiles
Unicorn Bookshopby Erin Mawn
If you’re not sure what a bibliophile is, then you’re probably not one. A bibliophile is a person who loves or collects books, although I think in many cases this is an understatement. This word enters my head numerous times a day as I wander about my house; every room in my home has some sort of book collection in it. History books (categorized by topic, of course) , classic literature, children’s books (despite the fact that I have no children, I have two bookcases filled with them), some precious signed copies of favorite books, and antique books that emit a wonderful musty smell that only old books have. . .I frequently attempt to reduce the number in my collection by giving them away, selling them or trading them but somehow I always end up bringing more books. I comfort myself with the idea that as long as my selection is ever-changing, it cannot be considered “hoarding” behavior.
In one of my recent efforts to rid myself of some excess books, I ventured out to The Unicorn Bookshop in Trappe, MD. It is one of those wonderful places where the bibliophile feels completely at home, and as a favorite literary (and film) heroine of mine once said, “There’s no place like home.” The store is packed from floor to ceiling with books for every browser and collector; most impressive is the selection of rare and signed books, including a drool-worthy authenticated, signed masterpiece signed by Samuel Clemens. (If that name isn’t familiar, then you’re definitely not a bibliophile).
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