Sunday, March 14, 2010

A Homemade Life

This reading venture sprang from submitting a 'request to purchase' form at my library. A Homemade Life intrigued me as I like to read about cooking way more than actually doing it. I thought that because of its massive appeal on many book blogs, others in my community would want to find out about it. The plan was to take this book home for a quick peek and then let the customers have their turn. I had plans to read something else anyway, or so I thought. My 'peek' at the book turned out to be seventy-four pages long, there was no turning back. Molly Wizenberg is just the sort of young lady you would want for a friend. Well, actually you feel like you are her friend because reading A Homemade Life is like she has lent you her diary for the weekend. A less than spectacular first kiss and a relationship that ended with her crying on a bench are events in a girl's life that are quite often swept under the carpet. The honesty with which these snapshots of her life are written endear Molly to the reader and lets face it, who of us hasn't been there? Molly won't have us feeling sorry for her though because she's in France, a country which has stolen her heart. Living with a host family while attending college she's living her dream. She wrote that she had a sort of understanding with her parents that she wasn't going to stick around home, it was always encouraged. I liked that. It's the same sort of understanding we have with The Heiress, to get out there and see the world, no regrets or should haves. This is only one example of the many times I found myself agreeing completely with the way Molly and her family view life. This Friday, I found myself at the car dealership for an oil change when beginning the chapter describing Burg's (nickname for her Dad) terminal illness. Blinking back tears, I found that taking frequent breaks to stare at the exhaust systems mounted on the wall and the photo featuring the sales employee of the month were necessary to halt a full out wail. Hats off to Ms Wizenberg though for giving us a wonderful recipe or two at the end of each chapter to put us on an even keel, allowing us time to breathe before dipping once more into her life. Meeting the man who would become her husband is a story that will have you believing in fate if you don't already. If that first meeting with Brandon were written by some other woman, it would have been easy to label the author a tart (pun not intended) with the rapidity with which she declared her lust for this man. But knowing her as you do through this book, you just end up adoring her honest heart. These two were meant to be together and they wasted no time in admitting it. A Homemade Life is part diary, literary travel, family saga, love story, three tissue heartache and recipe book all rolled into one. Molly Wizenberg, if you're listening...please continue writing. You have a way with more than just mixing bowls! As you can tell, I absolutely loved this book. I've already made two recipes and pre-ordered a copy of the trade paperback coming out next week for my very own. The French-Style Yogurt Cake with Lemon has been a real hit this weekend, in fact, R has just poured coffee and we're about to polish off the last two pieces. A full report on the baking of that luscious cake accompanied by a photo will follow in a couple of days. Bon Appetit!

13 comments:

  1. I will happily wash dishes if someone else will cook! :) Though I don't mind baking (of course). I take it this is more than a regular cookbook? It sounds like something I will have to see if my library has (probably not) or maybe watch for the paperback (maybe!). Off topic--I see you are ready to start The Law and the Lady--I read it a couple of years ago and loved it. It's not quite as good as his "biggies" but I enjoyed it immensely nonetheless. I think you might like Valeria--I did anyway!

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  2. I NEED to read this! I've got it on hold at the library - fingers crossed, it should come in next week! Honestly, I didn't know that much about it, just that I'd been hearing that everyone adored it. Now, having read your review and having learned more, I'm even more eager to get my hands on a copy! Can't wait (hence the liberal use of exclamation points)!

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  3. Loved this! It was on my best list of 2009 cos' I totally identify that year with this book. I had tons of post-it notes on it for the recipes and it was lying around my house all year. Great stuff! The chocolate cake is excellent!

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  4. As you know this is one of my favorite-ist books. And what a wonderful review! Really looking forward to seeing the lemon cake, as I've now moved that right to the top of my to-bake list! K x

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  5. This sounds absolutely wonderful - I've not seen this at all and now desperately want to see a copy! I hope you will make the lemon cake for us all to see.

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  6. Darlene you have perfectly captured this book in your review and done it such justice. I adored it too and I think the mixture of personal diary like essays and recipes was wonderful and unique. It swept me away! Though I'm still waiting for MY future husband to fall in love with me through my blog!!

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  7. PS: I love your spring snowdrops!!

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  8. What a wonderful review! I loved this book too, and you so eloquently express many of the thoughts I had on finishing it.

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  9. What a fantastic review! I was going to click right over to my library website after your second paragraph but, by the time I reached the end, I decided this is a book I need to own! A trip to B&N has been added to my plans for the week. Can't wait to see the lemon cake!

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  10. This is a lovely review. I hadn't realized it was coming out in paperback soon...I think I'm going to pretend I still don't know. :)

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  11. What a wonderful review. I haven't read much about it at all so I thank you!

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  12. Danielle, This is definitely more than a regular cookbook! Glad to hear that you enjoyed The Law and the Lady. I've been so looking forward to more Wilkie Collins!

    Captive Reader, You made me laugh with your liberal use of exclamation marks!!! I'll be looking forward to your review of this wonderful book once you get around to it.

    Mrs B, Didn't that chocolate cake sound so decadent?! I really must give that one a try...once I get past the guilt of eating so much of the lemon cake!

    Kristina, Oh, looking forward to your post on that one day!

    verity, Do have a peek for it at the shops or your library, I'm sure that you would really enjoy it. It may be very hard for you to read the food stories though. Have the yummiest thing on hand that you're allowed while you're reading this one!

    booksnob, LOL! Surely there must be a wonderful literary-minded gem of a man out there reading your blog! OR You need to start writing about food!

    skirmishofwit, Thank you! I had no idea that I would love this book so much, I love when that happens.

    JoAnn, Oh! I'm thrilled that you've been so inspired!

    makedoandread, Your willpower is admirable! I'm secretly hoping that my daughter steals my copy and becomes a lover of vegetables.

    Nan, That's so nice of you to say! Have a peek at it if you see it in the shops, the recipes are fabulous.

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  13. Thanks to your review, I reserved this at the library and started to read it yesterday! I love it, have already found several recipes I must try, and now am (probably in vain) trying to resist the urge to go out and buy it RIGHT NOW! Thanks!!!

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