Sunday, November 22, 2020

Exploring Wine Regions: Bordeaux and Argentina by Michael C. Higgins - BOOK REVIEW

 


Exploring Wine Regions is a new series of wine and travel guides launched by author and photographer Michael C. Higgins. He started the series with a book on Argentina, subtitled A Culinary, Agricultural, and Interesting Journey Through Argentina.  The second book came out last month on Bordeaux, subtitled Discover Wine, Food, Castles, and the French Way of Life.

Both books are meticulously researched, insider accounts of wineries and vineyards in the regions they cover as well as travel guides to the food, special lodging, sights, and history. Higgins did his own research and photography, and his enthusiasm shows on every page.

BORDEAUX

I was drawn to the Bordeaux book first because I have never visited the wineries there and I would like to. As Higgins describes, Bordeaux is "the center of the universe for wine." So much of the wine we recognize, no matter where it is now made, is made from Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Higgins packs a lot of information into these dense books. The Bordeaux book starts with a history of winemaking in the region and an overview of the geography. There follows a concise travel guide to the city of Bordeaux, including sites, restaurants, hotels, and all the information a traveler needs for a visit. Then Higgins lays out each appellation and sub-appellation of Bordeaux in a methodically organized manner, moving outward from the city of Bordeaux.

Each chapter includes information and photos about the wineries, as well as tips for where to eat and stay. Often dining and lodging are part of the winery experience. One of the criteria Higgins used to decide whether to include a winery in his book was if it offered some experience more than only wine tasting. To be in the book, a winery had to be open to the public (makes sense), have excellent wine, and offer something to elevate the visit above the ordinary. He found wineries offering rooms in castles for overnight guests, restaurants, winemaking workshops, cooking classes, and other unique experiences.

Exploring Wine Regions: Bordeaux is chock-o-block with gorgeous photographs, making it a perfect armchair travel book for any Francophile. It is also indispensable for planning a wine tour of the region. I can't imagine visiting Bordeaux without Higgins's book!

ARGENTINA

Having indulged in the Bordeaux book, I wanted to poke around in the Argentina book to learn something about a wine region I know absolutely nothing about. Wow! Now I want to visit Argentina.

Like with the Bordeaux book, Higgins starts with a geographic overview of the wine regions of Argentina. He follows with a travel guide to Mendoza, the large city that is the capital of the Mendoza wine region and a good place from which to stage an exploration of Argentinian wineries. He then moves through each of the four main wine regions.

Only a few of the wineries featured offer much in the way of dining, lodging, or add-on experiences. Higgins provides information on where to eat and stay, as well as sites and recreational activities. Argentina is spectacularly beautiful, so the geography is as much of a draw as the amenities.

THE SERIES

The next book in the series will be a book about Napa Valley. If it is as good as the first two, it is sure to be another winner.

My only quibble with both books is that there is no information about prices – of wine, restaurants, or lodging. I know prices change, so putting actual numbers in makes no sense. And Higgins includes websites for every place mentioned, so it is not arduous learn more. But it would be nice to have a little guidance about whether a restaurant or winery is a once-in-a-lifetime spree or a reasonable stop for an afternoon. Higgins wrote in the Bordeaux introduction that he was "on a quest to find the good at good prices, and the extraordinary wines at better prices." So even knowing whether a winery falls in the good wine/good price or extraordinary wine/better price category would be nice.

Read more about Higgins and learn more about the Exploring Wine Regions series at ExploringWineRegions.com.

WEEKEND COOKING

Weekend Cooking is a weekly blog event hosted by Marg at The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader. Beth Fish Reads started the event in 2009 and bloggers have been sharing book and food related posts ever since.

Friday, November 20, 2020

A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi -- BOOK BEGINNINGS

 

I forgot to post last night because my sister got a new puppy and I was distracted by the cute pictures. She's a little scrappy thing -- the puppy, not my sister. But when her fur grows back and she gets some meat on her bones, she'll be adorable! She was rescued off the mean streets of LA and sent up here to a no kill shelter in Portland where Sis got her. 


BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAYS

Time to share the first sentence or so from the books we are reading this week! Please share your link below. If you post on social media, please use the #bookbeginnings hashtag. 

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING

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MY BOOK BEGINNING

A Thousand Days in Venice: An Unexpected Romance is Marlena de Blasi's memoir about moving to Venice to marry a man she barely knew. She met him when she was in Venice with friends. A few weeks later, he came to see her in St. Louis and proposed. 

The small room is filled with German tourists, a few English, and a table or two of locals.

The book has been on my TBR shelf for years. I picked it in January as one of the books for my "TBR 20 in 20" personal reading challenge and the Mt. TBR Challenge. But apparently I never got around to doing a blog post on those. How 2020 is that?

THE FRIDAY 56


THE FRIDAY 56

Freda at Freda's Voice hosts another teaser event on Fridays. Participants share a two-sentence teaser from page 56 of the book they are reading -- or from 56% of the way through the audiobook or ebook. Please visit Freda's Voice for details and to leave a link to your post.

MY FRIDAY 56

I think most of us have it, this potentially destructive habit mental record-keeping that builds, distorts, then breaks up and spreads into even the farthest flung territories of reason and consciousness. What we do is accumulate the pain, collect  it like cranberry glass. 

Sadly, I think there is something to what she says. Recognizing this habit is one thing. What to do about it is another. 


Monday, November 16, 2020

A Splurge of Books for MAILBOX MONDAY

 


A splurge of new books!

Yes, I think the collective noun for newly-purchased, yet unshelved books should be a splurge – like a murder of crows or a flock of sheep. Before they become part of a library, a group of new books should be called a splurge. What books have you splurged on lately?

I did some stress shopping the other day when I was hammering away at my nth Boy Scout sex abuse claim to get them all filed before today's November 16 deadline in the BSA bankruptcy.* Good thing used books are my weakness and not designer handbags or something. 

I shopped from my master list of Books To Buy and Read, which is why so many of these are on lists I'm working on. But I didn’t remember what I ordered until I opened the box, so this splurge of books was extra fun for me. Does anything look good?

Transparent Things by Vladimir Nabokov.

Beat Not the Bones by Charlotte Jay, winner of the first Edgar Award for best mystery in 1954, reprinted by Soho Press.

The Time of the Angels by Iris Murdoch.

The Pumpkin Eater by Penelope Mortimer. This is on Erica Jong’s list of Top 100 20th Century Novels by Women

Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford. This biography of Louis XV’s mistress is another contender for Nonfiction November and is on my list of French Connection books.

The Fox in the Attic by Richard Hughes with an introduction by Hilary Mantel. This historical fiction book, set in Germany after WWI, is on Anthony Burgess’s list of Favorite 99 Novels.

The Lockwood Concern by John O’Hara, also on the Burgess list.

Late Call by Angus Wilson, also on the Burgess list.



* OFF TOPIC NOTE: If you have seen the news about the Boy Scout's bankruptcy, it does seem astounding that so many people, mostly men, have made sex abuse claims so far. There were over 80,000 yesterday and by the 5:00 pm deadline today I am sure the number will be over 100,000. 

Sadly, that number doesn't surprise me. I've been representing BSA sex abuse survivors for a long time now and have long estimated there were well over 100,000 victims of sexual abuse and exploitation in Scouting. I hope the organization can survive in a way that will be better and safer for kids.




MAILBOX MONDAY 

Join other book lovers on Mailbox Monday to share the books that came into your house last week. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Martha of Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf.

Thursday, November 12, 2020

A Time to Build by Yuval Levin -- BOOK BEGINNINGS




BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAYS

Welcome back for another chance to share the opening sentence (or so) from the book you are reading or highlighting this week. Leave a link to your post below. If you share on social media, please use the #bookbeginnings hashtag.

What other blog events to you participate in? There's Friday 56, of course (see below). The Book Blogger Hop is also popular on Fridays. What else? On Friday or other days. 

I used to participate in more blog events and enjoy them. I but haven't for a while because running my own law practice is a time suck. I hope to play along with more blog activities when my law practice calms down a bit, although I don't know if that ever happens. 




MY BOOK BEGINNING

Two decades ago, at the turn of the Millennium, many Americans had a sense that we were living at the dawn of a new age -- a bright and forward-looking era marked by stable economic progress and crowned by technological breakthroughs that might both liberate and unify us.

-- A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream by Yuval Levin

Given the rancorous times we are going through, I thought this would be a good pick for Nonfiction November. 

YOUR BOOK BEGINNINGS

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Sometimes the picture linky seems a little hinky, but it does work. After you add your link and check the box confirming you agree to the terms, choose your picture and click the button that says Enter, then the button that says Done. A window might pop up that asks if you want to close the Mr. Linky/Blenza window with an OK button to click. After you do that, you will NOT see your picture link until you refresh the page. But if you refresh the page, your link will be there.  



THE FRIDAY 56

Freda at Freda's Voice hosts another teaser event on Fridays. Participants share a two-sentence teaser from page 56 of the book they are reading -- or from 56% of the way through the audiobook or ebook. Please visit Freda's Voice for details and to leave a link to your post.

MY FRIDAY 56

A politician seeking high office naturally thinks about how to be something by doing something -- how to use his office to advance his aims and therefore also to win recognition and admiration. The framers of our Constitution understood that ambition would work this way and were acutely aware that the desire for fame and renown would speak powerfully to would-be leaders. 

Thursday, November 5, 2020

The Murder Room by P. D. James - BOOK BEGINNING

 



I know it is now Nonfiction November but I don't think nonfiction is going to do it for me this month. Are you reading nonfiction in November?

Mysteries seem to be the only thing that engages my brain these days. I'm trying to read a Nabokov novel, Bend Sinister, which has a mysterious title but is no mystery. Although it's killing me! I get though about ten pages each night before the words are swimming and I'm snoring. 

I'm having much better luck with P. D. James's The Murder Room, which I'm reading with my ears. I have no trouble paying attention, even to the audiobook. P D. James always builds the story up layer by layer and they are never rip roaring thrillers, but they are always well-written and completely engrossing. This one is no exception. I love it.


BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAYS

So let's play Book Beginnings! Please share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading this week or a book that caught your fancy. Share the link to your post below. 

If you don't have a blog but posted on social media, leave a comment and explain where we can find you. Please use the #bookbeginnigns hashtag to make it easier. If you just want to play along here, leave a comment with the opening sentence, name of the book, and the author. 

MY BOOK BEGINNING

From The Murder Room by P. D. James:

On Friday 25 October, exactly one week before the first body was discovered at the Dupayne Museum, Adam Dalgliesh visited the museum for the first time. 

All P. D. James mysteries are set in some version of a "locked room" type closed community -- a hospital, a publishing house, a religious seminary. It's a sophisticated twist on the Golden Age, Agatha Christie style country house mystery where the cast of characters literally ends up in a locked room with the detective forcing a confession in the final scene. 

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING

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THE FRIDAY 56

Freda at Freda's Voice hosts another teaser event on Fridays. Participants share a two-sentence teaser from page 56 of the book they are reading -- or from 56% of the way through the audiobook or ebook. Please visit Freda's Voice for details and to leave a link to your post.

MY FRIDAY 56

Coming out into Harley Street, he decided to take a taxi to Hampstead Heath station and walk across the Heath past Hampstead Ponds and the viaduct to Spaniards Road and the museum. He found himself mentally summing up his life with a detached wonder that fifty-five years which had seemed so momentous could have left him with so meager a legacy.

This teaser is a good example of the layering. She introduces each character in such detail! This is from page 56 of the hardback edition, which I had on my shelf. There was no dead body until 35% of the way into the audiobook.