I need a new book. My most recent books were March (by Geraldine Brooks) and The Secret Fan (by Lisa See). I recommend them both. March is sort of based on Little Women in that it shows what the father was doing during the time period of the Little Women book. The Secret Fan was set in China and let you watch the life of a young Chinese girl back in the days of foot binding.

I haven't read a "me" book in about a year. Right now I am reading Calm & Compassionate Children. Highly recommended.

I'm reading The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir. The author is speaking at Carmichael's on Sunday afternoon (June 1st). I've read March and the Secret Fan and liked both. If you haven't read Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks I highly recommend it, I thought it was even better than March.

I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert right now and I absolutely love it. I can relate to it and I feel it's really uplifting and inspirational.

 

I'm reading Local Flavors by Deborah Madison.  It's a cookbook and collection of essays/articles about America's farmers markets.  It's getting me ready to cook all the veggies in my CSA!

I just started Predator by Patricia Cornwell, I've been making my way through her books for awhile.   I also am about to start The Great Gatsby, which I've always wanted to read and never have. 

I'm reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and I absolutely love it! I knew lots of benefits of eating locally, but this book has opened my eyes to things about the food industry that I never new. Its a true story about a family who vows to eat only things they they either grew or raised themselves or bought from their local community.
I also just got Local Flavors last week. I cant' give much of an opinion on it yet. I was shocked when I saw a recipe containing pomegranite and some citrus things. Then I realized that it was local flavors from all over the country. I'm looking forward to using this book when I start getting my CSA distributions this year. I want to learn to cook greens that my husband will eat w/o cooking them forever in chicken stock & bacon like his country mama! Not that there's anything wrong with eating like that occasionally, but I would like for my fresh veggies to still taste fresh!

I LOVED Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. In fact, it's what inspired me to try my canning experiment this morning. My husband even read it and decided we should put raised vegetable beds in our front yard since it's the only place that gets sun. Until he read that book, there's no way he wanted to do that.

I need to get Local Flavors. I love reading books about food.

I'm writing down all the other suggestions, too. Thanks guys. I think a trip to the library is in order.

Christy, I've struggled finding recipes that the kids will eat. Even the picky teens will eat Garlic & Greens pizza. It's really good. I posted the recipe at some point... Here it is: http://www.louisvillecsa.com/food/recipe.aspx?recipeid=21

You can use pretty much any kind of green even though the recipe calls for kale.

I'm reading Mudbound- so far very good. Next up..Cover Her Face by PD James

What a great idea! What are you going to grow? I know this has little to do with books, just curious.

I'd also like to read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, especially with all the rave reviews I have heard. Looks like we will be going to the library soon too!

I have lots of ideas. I think this year we'll probably just grow weeds. I have a lot of half started projects. I just bought two vegetable gardening books and I'm starting to glance through them. We tend to get tons of greens through our CSA so we'll probably go light on those.

I know I want to try asparagus. I'd also love to have melons. I'm not sure how hard those are to grow...

I've got potatoes growing in containers. I was surprised at how easily those are. I have one big pot with just regular potatoes and one with heirloom potatoes - purple, pink, etc. We'll see how it goes.

And back to books - maybe I'll abandon my "cleaning day" and go to the library. It's one of those stormy days that makes me want to curl up with a good book. Not that the girl would let me. She's even telling me, "Get OFF the COMPUTER! PLAY with me!!!" So I guess I better oblige her, lol.

I'm really into food books right now too.  I just read In Defense of Food; it was very eye-opening in terms of the big "myth" about saturated fats being terrible for you.  I also have Animal Vegetable Miracle and Ominvore's Dilemma out from the library, so those will be next. 

I'm almost finished with the book club (www.louterati.blogspot.com) book, Three Cups of Tea (which, I will say, I *never* would have picked out on my own, so yay for the book club!) and it is seriously one of the most humbling and inspirational books I've ever read.  While reading it, I decided to stop making excuses and pursue my passion of breastfeeding support and doula work, so I am going to start training for that sometime soon!

I'd also like to read Eat, Love, Pray and possibly New Earth sometime over the summer.  I hear good things about both of those.

Wow, that is awesome the book inspired you in that way. Congrats! I wanted to go to the book club and then forgot all about it, and certainly forgot all about reading the book. I'll have to pick it up.

Not to veer off-topic from this thread, but I totally agree w/you on the Vaccine Book. I thought it was really comprehensive and really gave you all the information to make an informed decision for yourself. I was kind of surprised I liked it so much since I had read a thread on MDC that was way down on the book, but I thought it was totally worth reading.

I've been going through a chick lit phase... All of the Jennifer Weiner books... stuff like that... I'm also going through some personal journey stuff, like anything by Judith Duerk (Circle of Stones, I Sit Listening to the Wind...) Jacqui

I LOVE to read!! I just finished The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and Comfort Woman by Nora Okja Keller, which I can honestly say has been one of the best reads ever. I related so much to the mother child bond, it talks so spirtually about breastfeeding and childbirth. I think this is a must read for all mamas.

Christy- I didn't know you were training to become a LLL leader. Good for you!

Hey Christy - Is that the sort of thing you are supposed to be announcing....?

My favorite book of all time is still Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins