So where does the yarn come in? One of the protagonists in the story is Olivia Presteign. She is visually impaired - she can't see what is considered the visible light spectrum, but can see in the infrared spectrum. This colorway, named Olivia P., is how I imagined her world, with explosions of warm reds and oranges. There are a couple of ready to ship skeins up for grabs!
This is not an easy book to read. As a woman kept in captivity by terrorists, she endures horrible torture and tragedy. Her story speaks of the resiliency of people in extreme situations, but it also makes one think about the circumstances that lead people to such violent action. Amanda's capture happens in Somalia, then considered the "most dangerous country on earth." Despite everything her captors put her through, in the end Amanda speaks of them with a certain amount of sympathy and understanding. Ultimately, this book is a harsh reminder of how varied life is around the world, and the degrees of suffering some people experience. It is brutal and graphic, but very educational. Nigel Brennan and his sister wrote their own account of his captivity in The Price of Life, which I haven't read.
Have you read A house in the Sky? I haven't had a chance to discuss it with anyone else yet, so I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Jacob, the protagonist, is a 16 year old boy struggling with the death of his grandfather. As a child, his grandfather used to show him old photos of strange children he claimed were from his past. In the present, a mysterious letter leads him to travel to Europe, where he meets the children from the photos. These "Peculiar" children, who have supernatural abilities, live in hiding on a remote Welsh island. Danger forces the children out of hiding, and Jacob sets off with them in an effort to restore them to safety.
Only two books in the trilogy are available so far: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and Hollow City. The first book ends with a pretty big cliff hanger, and the second one ended with an unexpected twist. Library of Souls should be out this fall, and I'll be ordering it. Have you read these books? What did you think?
The All Souls Trilogy includes A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life. The protagonist is Diana Bishop, fictitious descendant of factual Bridget Bishop, who was executed during the Salem Witch Trials. Diana is a present-day historian, and the books follow her as she comes to terms with being a witch and solves the mystery of an old manuscript. The author's interpretation of supernatural lore is very interesting, as she brings a scientific approach to it. The books also take an interesting path into historical fiction and introduces some great characters along the way.
Each of the books is quite long, but I ended the trilogy wishing there was more. I definitely recommend these books. There's much more I could say about the story, but I won't to avoid spoilers. If you've read it, leave a comment, I would love to know your thoughts.
I had read two other books by Lisa See, Snowflower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls. China Dolls is by far my favorite. The book is set in San Franscisco, starting in 1938 with the world fair. The three protagonists are Grace, Helen, and Ruby, three young women of Asian origin trying to make their way as performers. The book deals with issues on an interpersonal and global level. At the beginning of the story, the three women are already struggling with racism and the difficulties of earning a living as Asians in 1930s America. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor takes place, the discrimination and segregation reaches new levels. As a reader, you experience the fear of war and attack, and the atrocities of the Japanese internment camps. On a personal level, the friendships between these three are extremely complicated, as they comfort and betray each other in unexpected and very profound ways.
There is actually a lot to be said about this book, but I would hate to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it. If you have, I would love to hear your thoughts!
I can't remember where I first heard about What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, but I saw several people speaking well of it online. I couldn't resist getting my own copy.
It's a sweet story about a woman, Alice, who suffers head trauma and forgets the last ten years of her life. This includes having birthed her three children, and the disintegration of her marriage to Nick. The book follows Alice as she gets to know who her present self is, and how much she differs from who she was at 29. It ends up being an interesting exploration of the way we choose to remember things, and the important things we sometimes forget.
While Alice is the protagonist, the book also follows Elizabeth, her sister, and Frannie, a quasi-grandmother figure. Elizabeth's perspective is shown through journal entries, and Frannie's through a series of letters. I didn't enjoy Elizabeth's entries but they provided a lot of information on the relationship between Alice and her sister. Frannie's letters I found totally unnecessary - and I would love to hear your opinion if you've read the book.
All in all, I do recommend What Alice Forgot. It's sweet and endearing.
I made the mistake of meeting Julia at a bookstore last week, and came out with a very large pile of new books. I'll have lots of books to talk about in the next few months!
The first was Little Bee by Chris Cleave, which was originally published as The Other Hand in Britain. This is the story of Little Bee, a Nigerian asylum-seeker, and Sarah O'Rourke, a magazine editor. The two meet at a Nigerian beach during the oil conflict. Apart from being a commentary on asylum protocol and the treatment of refugees, it is also a study of human compassion and selflessness. It explores the concept of "how far would you go to save another person?" in a very extreme scenario.
I found this to be a good book, even if some portions were graphic and difficult to read. In the end though, after much build up, the ending was a bit sudden and underdeveloped. Did you read this book? What did you think?
The second book was The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. I felt like I inevitably needed to read it at some point, and for 75% off I couldn't pass it up.
The premise was cute and centered around the protagonist, who owns a yarn shop and makes custom hand-knit couture pieces, and her young daughter. The plot was a bit predictable but sweet. I wouldn't call this a great book, but it's a fun light read. The one element I really disliked was the overdone attempts at using knitting concepts as metaphors for life at the beginning of each major plot section.
If you've read it, I would love to hear your thoughts.
Have you read anything you loved recently? I'm always looking for recommendations!
Title: The Last Runaway
Author: Tracey Chevalier
The story of an English Quaker who emigrates to Ohio in 1850, and her struggles to find her place. She becomes involved in the Underground Railroad, finding herself pursued by a slave hunter.
I loved this book on so many levels. The book deals with some very difficult social and political issues, covering slavery, people's decisions to take part, or not, in the Underground Railroad, and discussions such as abolition and Colonization. But it manages to do from a very personal perspective, as the reader becomes involved in the lives of the characters. Honor, the main character, goes through many discoveries as an immigrant herself, while navigating the political landscape of the time. As an immigrant myself, I found familiarity in her experiences acclimating to the United States, even in a wildly different time period.
I absolutely recommend this book. What books are you starting the year with?
I honestly avoided this book because I was afraid it wouldn't live up to the hype. I was glad to find it well-written. It is a very interesting commentary on the human mind, manipulation, and ethics. I was also impressed with the foresight Orson Scott Card had in terms of technology, since this was originally written in the late 1970s. In the end, I wasn't surprised by the "twist," which I had already guessed at, but I am definitely looking forward to the movie adaptation. I know people tend to have very strong opinions about this book, and I'd love to hear yours.
I've also been busy planning a series of classes, which I'll be teaching at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn this fall and spring. Classes include the basics of shawl design, working through my Nimue Wrap pattern to learn chart reading and cables, and some other basics. I designed some cozy mitts and a simple slouchy hat for the classes, but these patterns are also available on Ravelry.
Who wants to take a class with me?
Promise Not To Tell by Jennifer McMahon is described as a cross between a mystery-thriller and a ghost-story. It is the story of a nurse who is forced to deal with stories of death and betrayal from her childhood when she returns home to care for her ailing mother.
As someone who has read her fair share of horror novels, I did not find this story to be particularly scary. But I enjoyed the plot twists, which were definitely unpredictable. It's a fun, short read, but probably not a book that I would re-read. If you've read it, what did you think?
The second book in the photo is A Mesa Voadora by Luis Fernando Verissimo, a well-known Brazilian writer. I've pledged to read more in my native tongue to keep my vocabulary from degrading. Sometimes I forget it has already been 11 years since I moved here! This book is a compilation of real-life anecdotes centered around food, eating, and comedy. I enjoyed it, but the funniest chapter was the first one.
Now that I won't be seeing new books while commuting to work anymore, I need suggestions! What should I read?
These gloves? I started them in May 2012. I was really excited about them, until I knit up the index finger and found out it was too baggy. I ripped back that finger, lost my enthusiasm, and put them aside. Until this weekend. I decided I really want to wear these this winter, so I modified the index finger, knit up the thumb, and cast on for the second hand. I often get asked how I stay motivated to knit during the summer, and this is the answer. I love knowing I'll have pieces ready to wear when the cold starts.
This is how I spent my weekend, completely immersed in knitting: knitting these gloves, and reading my new Yarn Harlot books about knitting.
Have you read her books? Did you enjoy them? I've already finished Things I Learned About Knitting, and am starting Free-Range Knitter today.
I admit I am feeling the itch to start a new shawl... but I'm going to try staying focused on the gloves.
This book was very enjoyable - it is a quick read, and it brings up interesting questions about culture and the nature of relationships. The wife looks at her relationship in a way I find hard to relate to, not coming from the same background, but the author does a good job of placing the reader in the characters' shoes.
Have you read this book? I would love to hear your thoughts!
My favorite thing to do before getting on a plane is to visit the airport bookstore and add an extra book to my carry-on bag. Before boarding for our Rio trip, I picked up Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?. Since Mindy is a comedian and the reviews spoke of the book as very funny, I went into it expecting an autobiographical comedy - maybe of the Chelsea Handler variety.
Confession: I didn't really find it that funny. It is definitely autobiographical, but rather than funny, it read more like a collection of quaint, amusing memories. It's a light, quick read. However, after putting the book down there is really only one chapter that sticks on my mind.
Warning: I am going to share a bit of a spoiler. I was disappointed that she opened the book with a chapter about being overweight. She talks about being bullied as a child, and then accepting that "being fat" (which isn't how I would describe her) is part of who she is. The chapter reads like a justification for her decision to remain at a certain weight. It made me think of the pressures placed on women to conform to weight standards, and the extremes to which that happens in the entertainment business. At the end, I felt bad for her. I felt bad that she even felt the need to address her weight in her book, let alone the very first sentence. Sadly, this was the most memorable portion of the book to me.
Have you read this book? I would absolutely love to hear other opinions on it!
As the year is quickly coming to an end and things are winding down a tiny bit for my business, so I've managed to sneak in a few relaxing activities, such as these gloves I started embarrassingly long ago. I even managed to sneak in a whole book!
It's also possible that Nate and I have made several visits to A&J King Bakery. They're currently serving hot apple cider with caramel and it's delicious and addictive.
Tomorrow Nate and I will be getting on a plane for a seriously long flight to visit my family. I'm not sure how much internet access I'll have, but I'll pop in to share pictures when I can. Until then, Happy New Year! How do plan on spending New Year's Eve?
I recently filled up my Gather Here frequent maker card, which then becomes a $25 gift card to the shop! My favorite thing to treat myself to is new pattern books, and this time I went for Knitbot Essentials. I fell in love with the simple, wearable designs and the focus on drape. Every pattern in this book calls for needles larger than generally recommended for each yarn weight, creating lovely, drapey fabric. I am busy knitting away for Bazaar Bizarre right now, but I am planning on packing this book for my vacation knitting in January. I've even picked out specific patterns and yarn, so I can make myself some pretties!
Top: Trail Jacket, yarn is Toil & Trouble Merino/Cashmere/Nylon Bulky in Melisandre (Fall 2012 Yarn Club colorway, available to the public in January)
Bottom: Lightweight Pullover, yarn is Toil & Trouble Merino/Nylon Sock in Hecate
I can't wait! Do you like to take crafty projects with you on vacation?
She has been one of my favorite authors since I read Poisonwood Bible many, many years ago. I also enjoyed Animal Dreams and Bean Trees. In this book, according to her own description, she uses the stories of people to discuss an issue no one wants to talk about: climate change.
Kingsolver said she loves first sentences. I have to agree with her - the first sentence can make or break a book. And how can you not love all the possibility contained in a first sentence?
It will take me a while to get through this book as I keep up with the fall schedule, but I'm excited for this read. Have you read any good books lately?
I briefly mentioned in my previous post that I had finished reading Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened. As luck would have it, she is going to be at Brookline Booksmith on Friday for a book reading and signing! So this seems like the perfect time for a book review.
I started reading her blog a few years ago. I really enjoy her dry, sarcastic sense of humor and her complete openness about her struggles with depression and anxiety. Her playful style is well suited to a blog, but I was worried it wouldn't work well in a book format - how well would short funny snippets translate to a format that requires longer, more cohesive chunks?
I am happy to report that Jenny delivered brilliantly. The book is written in the same dry, self-deprecating voice, but instead of sharing snippets of her life, she tells longer stories. This is one of the few books I have actually laughed out loud while reading. Jenny manages to share both funny, light-hearted moments, and serious, painful moments and she does both very well. She shares her anxieties and the stories of some of the most difficult moments in her life, but she doesn't do so in a sad, self-pitying kind of way. She wraps up the book by being thankful for the experiences that shaped her.
In a nutshell, I loved this book. If you have a dry sense of humor and occasionally laugh at situations you probably shouldn't laugh at, you'll enjoy it too. Jenny is vulnerable, incredibly human and extremely funny.
Have you read this book? What did you think?
The fine print: I bought this book with my own money. I was not asked to review it or compensated, and the opinions expressed here are my own.
So many amazing things have happened this year, which is obviously fantastic, but along with it comes an ever-growing, never-ending to-do list and a million deadlines. I feel like I blink and weeks fly by. It seems like my first open studio was just a few days ago, but here we are again - this Saturday, June 2nd, the Western Ave Studios in Lowell will be hosting its monthly Open Studios from 12 to 5 pm. You can find me in Studio 331! I am actually opening my doors at 10:30 am for a Knitter's Brunch (hopefully the first of many). I expect it to be fairly small, but as the word spreads I'm hoping we can build a little community! If you're free, come on over!
Of course, my knitting needles are as busy as ever. Apart from the lovely handspun I showed you last week, I've also received beautiful goodies from KnittinK, FiberOlio and North Star Alpacas for that collaborative project I'm working on. Now it's time to cross my fingers and hope I actually pull off everything I need to get done in June!
So I know I did just say I'm super busy, but I couldn't resist picking up Reinvention by Maya Donenfeld. I haven't had time to look through it yet, but I've read lots of stellar reviews. Have you gotten your hands on this book? What do you think?
