Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunday Salon: Books and Chocolate

Ever have one of those weeks when you kind of can't remember what you did, either because you were so busy you lost track or so inactive there's nothing to talk about? Last week was a little bit of both for me! My husband was away on a business trip to Brussels and I was working late or not working at all. He left on Valentine's Day so our celebration of that holiday was delayed basically until today and for the rest of the week I was either so busy or so not busy that it's hard to figure out just exactly how I spent last week! I did decide to dive back into my quilting- an hour a day is the goal- and finished up Sarah McCoy's rather good novel The Baker's Daughter. Think of it as Sarah's Key crossed with The Book Thief, set in World War 2 Germany and present-day Texas. I liked it a lot and I think it will be popular with fans of both novels. She even includes some recipes. I'll have a full review this week.

But, I finished the book on the bus on the way to the airport to meet my husband yesterday, so when I arrived and had an hour to wait for his flight, I had nothing to read. Naturally I felt compelled to visit the airport bookstore and purchase something to keep me occupied. The selection was not great, but I picked up The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick DeWitt, and even though it was described as a picaresque and I normally hate picaresques, I am over the moon about this book. It's a Western, which I normally don't think of myself as liking, and it's hilarious, dark and crazy all at once. Love. It makes me want to read my Charles Portis stash sometime soon, but March is Science Fiction Month for me so those will have to wait.

While my husband was in Belgium I asked him to check out Cook & Book, a beautiful bookstore in Brussels recently featured in a Flavorwire article on the 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World.  He did, and he brought me back the French version of a Julia Wertz graphic novel and a small zine actually published here in Massachusetts! He also brought me back some Neuhaus chocolates, which may be the official chocolate of Boston Bibliophile now.

So today the plan is hang out with my husband, eat some Belgian chocolates and read. And maybe do some housework or something, but really I'm going to try to keep that to a minimum! Of course I always say that and then reality in the form of my huge laundry pile and tumbleweeds of cat hair sets in. What are you up to today? I hope you have a great Sunday whatever it is.

More Sunday Salon here.

9 comments:

Sandy Nawrot said...

Don't you hate it when you run out of reading material when you have downtime? I've made emergency purchases at the airport bookstores too! I also really enjoyed The Baker's Wife, and Sarah is so nice. I noticed she was at the Harvard Bookstore...did you see her there?

Harvee said...

Chocolates, books, and thee. Perfect Sunday. Have fun!

bermudaonion said...

It's too bad you couldn't have gone to Brussels with your husband - it's a lovely city. I hope to read The Baker's Daughter soon.

Marie Cloutier said...

No. She was walking through Harvard Square yesterday touring around- her event is at the Concord Book Shop today. I can't make that though, but I did get to have dinner with her and some friends including Dawn last night!

JaneGS said...

I've been wanting to read The Sisters Brothers, so I'm glad to hear you like it. I like westerns but not the corny kind, so this sounds great.

Glad you have an official chocolate, though I trust you won't limit yourself to just the one :)

JoAnn said...

I have those kind of weeks far too often! Hope you enjoy your belated Valentine's Day celebration.

R. J. said...

Books and chocolates, it can't get any better than that combination. I love books about WWII. I will be waiting for your full review.

Booksnyc said...

I love that you sent your husband to a bookstore overseas - he is like your bookish envoy!

stacybuckeye said...

I hate being stuck somewhere without something to read! But, at least there was a bookstore available :) And how sweet of your husband to visit the bookstore at your request.