Monthly Archives: January 2020

Jan15

Alone Together: My Life With J. Paul Getty by Theodora Getty Gaston

Posted on by
Standard
Alone Together: My Life With J. Paul Getty by Theodora Getty Gaston

Gaston, Theodora Getty. Alone Together: My Life With J. Paul Getty. Ecco, 2016. ISBN 978-0062219725 320 pp. $

***

This memoir by the fifth! wife of oil baron J. Paul Getty reflects on their fabulous and charming relationship. He was a miser and flirt. She was a trained opera singer. It was attraction at first sight when he saw her singing in a nightclub. The passion was real, but Getty, the nation’s first billionaire, was a tycoon first, and the couple spent almost as much time apart as together.

Told with the long view of nearly 100 years on earth, the breathless stream of consciousness style of the telling propels a dramatic narrative of the glitz and glamour of the gilded age is tempered with the death of their son from a brain tumor. This tale is a glimpse into not only a bygone era, but a woman’s heart.

Jan10

Beautiful Boards: 50 Amazing Snack Boards for Any Occasion by Maegan Brown

Posted on by
Standard
Beautiful Boards: 50 Amazing Snack Boards for Any Occasion by Maegan Brown

Brown, Maegan. Beautiful Boards: 50 Amazing Snack Boards for Any Occasion. Rock Point, 2019. ISBN 978-1631066474 pp. $

****

This book is part entertaining, part cookbook, part art, and all food porn. The BakerMama showcases 50 delicious, often nutritious, and sometimes show-stopping presentations of meals, snacks, appetizers and desserts gorgeously arranged on simple cutting boards, in this hardcover volume.

Instructions at the beginning are occasionally repetitive from the introduction to the instruction (better editing next time!) Instructions for creating some elements, like how to make nutter butter acorns, or that the snowman’s scarf is twisted meat, are very helpful!

Some pairings seem more about hitting the color scheme or theme without thought to how it will all go together (black frosting on brie cheese wheels? Sure, it LOOKS cool… but will have to try it and get back to you.

The book contains over 2 dozen recipes, ranging from mix these 3 items together or wrap cocktail wieners in crescent roll dough to blender guacamole and potato latkes (love the hash brown cheat, but use real onion and some potato starch if you’re trying this at home).

While the boards are charcuterie heavy, there are nods to vegan and gluten free snackers. I appreciate the inclusion of a Hanukkah board, but laughed at the bagel board with bacon (will substitute whitefish salad!). All garnishes are edible.

The brief resource page at the back only lists where to shop. A shopping list for prepackaged ingredients, and possibly diagramming and labeling might have been helpful, as well as sources for each board (are those Trader Joe’s fig crackers? Where do I get a fig salami log? Who sells rainbow marshmallow twists?)

Beautiful boards inspired me to artfully arrange some of my own DIY meal and snack spreads; instead of just lining things up on the table, I am likely to consolidate to a board next time. At the most, this gave me some great ideas for dinner tonight, a party on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday; at worst, I can make a fig and brie sandwich already. The book is absolutely worth the purchase price and has more value in it’s suggestions beyond just scanning pinterest and instagram.

Jan4

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

Posted on by
Standard
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

Lauren, Christina. Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. Gallery, 2018. ISBN ‎ 978-1501165856 320 pp. $
*****

School teacher Hazel, with her menagerie of pets, variety of hobbies, and a history of zany adventures, has had a crush on slightly uptight Josh ever since their shared anatomy class in college (the novel opens with her puking on his shoes at a party—hardly a meet-cute). Fast-forward ten years, and Hazel, just hired to work at a new school, is shocked at an end-of-summer cookout to learn that her former TA is the brother of one of her best friend. Emily pushes them to hang out and a broken pipe disaster results in Josh getting talked into allowing Hazel to crash with him. She supports him through a breakup, and their friendship is solidified by their self-proclaimed “undatable” statues. Both single, they start setting one another up on (unpurposely bad) blind dates. Hilarity ensues, and their relationship deepens… and you know where this is going, right?

Shared in tandem voices, the story is replete with funny dialogue, excruciatingly awkward details, and well-drawn supporting characters like Hazel’s mom (who is equally and unapologetically eccentric in spite of it breaking her marriage). Hazel’s warm heart paired with inner dialogue that is sometimes hilarious and sometimes insecure hits just the right balance, while Josh is sweet and mellow and controlled and real.

The abrupt ending features a cliffhanger that requires an epilogue to predictably tie up loose ends. It feels like a bit of a copout to not show the gory details and allow the reader to see the characters working through a difficult situation. Still, that Hazel never needs to change her unfiltered authentic self and the satisfying conclusion of Josh’s complete, constant acceptance of her just as she is–to the point of ENCOURAGING her to be herself by wearing silly hats–makes this a not-to-be missed contemporary romance.

Jan1

The Only One Club by Jane Naliboff illus by Jeff Hopkins

Posted on by
Standard
The Only One Club by Jane Naliboff illus by Jeff Hopkins

Naliboff, Jane illus. by Jeff Hopkins. The Only One Club. Flashlight Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0972922531 32 pp. $

***

The Only One Club is a sweet, if slightly didactic, story about inclusivity. The only Jewish girl in her class is assigned to make Hanukkah crafts as her classmates make Christmas decorations. She decides to put herself into the Only One Club. When everyone wants to join, she finds something unique about each friend, and even her teacher. The illustrations are straightforward.