The Drinking Cure: Cocktails for what ails you

"Here's to Alcohol!  The cause of- and solution to- all of life's problems."- Homer Simpson ( "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment," The Simpsons: 8th Season).

While many people have turned to drink to (perhaps unwisely) cure their ills, many liqueurs and cocktail mixers were actually created for their medicinal purposes.  That is not to say that turning to your liquor cabinet is the best solution to your cold, though it might make you care a little less about it!  But if you are going to have a drink anyway, why not tailor it to what ails you?  Below are three recent non-fiction titles highlighting the curative properties of drinks.  Enjoy in moderation, of course!:

Apothecary Cocktails: Restorative Drinks  by Warren Bobrow (2013).
Call #: 641.874 BOB
Find it in the catalog!

Want your drink to have a little bit of medical history as a side?  Check out this informative book.   As a cocktail geek, I love finding out the role that liqueurs, bitters, and cocktails played in early medicine.  This book goes into a the history of several "restorative" drinks and includes recipes for both traditional and new cocktails made with healing herbs.  The drinks are divided up into seven categories: digestives and other curatives (drinks that aid digestion and other ailments), winter warmers, hot-weather refreshers, restoratives (drinks to cure hangovers), relaxants and toddies (to help you sleep), painkilling libations, and mood enhancers.  I personally argue that any drink will accomplish the last three tasks!

Stand out drinks include a unique spin on the Corpse Reviver using Calvados (apple brandy), gin and cognac  (p. 74, a restorative cocktail), the Cocktail Whisperer's Painkilling System #200 (a Tiki inspired drink with two types of rum, sure to numb your pain!, p. 116), and the Iberville Street Cocktail (a less potent spin on the class New Orlean's cocktail the Sazerac, using Lillet Blanc and brandy. Absinthe makes it a digestive, p. 20).

Dr. Cocktail: 50 Spirited Infusions to Stimulate the Mind and Body by Alex Ott (2012).
Call #: 641.874 OTT
Find it in the catalog!

This book has a more modern spin on the homeopathic cocktails and features drinks that are the author's creation.  If you are all ready a cocktail snob, this is a great book to check out for something new.  It's also recommend for people who prefer their cocktails made with vodka, which is less common in more historical cocktails.   Ott has his drinks divided into several different categories including "appetizing libations,"  aphrodisiacs, and "memory-evoking elixirs" (this sounds kind of scary for those who drink to forget!). 

Stand out drinks include the great for Valentine's Day "Love in a Glass" which mixes vanilla vodka, chocolate syrup, and espresso (p.95); "Bardot"- a combo of citrus flavored vodka and grapefruit juice (p. 118), and "Scottish Mary"- a play on the brunch staple Bloody Mary using Scotch (p. 64). 

Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All by Brad Thomas Parsons (2012).
Call #641.874 PAR
Find it in the catalog!

This is perhaps the geekiest book on the list.  It appeals to those interested in the history of bitters and those ambition enough to want to mix their own.  For those unfamiliar with bitters they are aromatic flavoring agents usually sold in small bottles that you put a couple shakes into a drink to add a particular flavor.  The two most famous types are Angostura Bitters (used in Old Fashions and pretty much everything) and Peychaud's Bitters (used most famously and deliciously in a Sazerac).  Traditionally, bitters were usually invented for their restorative properties (Angostura and Peychaud's included).  This book is an excellent primer on bitters and setting up a decent bar.  Recipes are divided among the traditional cocktails using bitters (i.e. Champagne Cocktail, Manhattan, Negroni, etc.), and new drinks using bitters.  This book is highly recommended to cocktail geeks!

Cast the Book: This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

 This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Topper
Call No.: FICTION TOPPER
Find it in the catalog!

Jonathan Tropper's novel about a semi-dysfunctional Jewish family, the Foxmans, sitting shivah after their atheist father passed away is being turned into a movie with one of the most exciting sounding casts around, including everyone from Tina Fey to Connie Britton (aka. Tami Taylor) and Timothy Olyphant. Topper's novel is laugh out loud funny and with this cast, it has the chance to be really good.  I'm a little less excited about the director, Shawn Levy, who's comedies never really worked all that well for me.  Then again, I'm not the target demographic for Night at the Museum or Date Night.  Below is the break down of the cast with character descriptions:

Judd Foxman:  Judd is the narrator of the story.  He's going through a divorce after catching his wife cheating on with his boss, a Howard Stern-esque radio shock jock, Wade Boulanger.

Who's Cast for Judd:  Jason Bateman.   Bateman is great at playing put-upon sad sacks, so he should do well here.  However, he's about ten years older than Judd in the book. 

Who I'd cast:  The Foxman boys are known for their curly dark hair, so when I read the book, I pictured Judd looking like the ever-adorable Hamish Linklater. 

Wendy Foxman:  Judd's sister, she is a mother of three kids.  Her husband Barry is an obvlious businessman who treats her badly.  Wendy's very blunt and she's obsessed with how thin other women are, especially Judd's soon-to-be-ex-wife Jen. 

Who's Cast for Wendy: Tina Fey.  Wendy's a little less spastic than most of the characters Fey plays, so it will be fun to see her play someone different.

Who I'd Cast:  Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  She's about 10 years older than Wendy in the book, but she looks great and can definitely play younger.  She definitely could pull off Wendy's bluntness and sass.  However, it's a bit hard to believe that Julia Louis-Dreyfus (or Tina Fey for that matter) would have body issues.

Paul Foxman:  Judd's alpha male older brother.  Paul runs the sporting goods owned by their deceased father.  He and his wife Alice are trying to conceive.

Who's Cast for Paul:  Corey Stoll, who was wonderful playing Ernest Hemingway in Midnight in Paris.  Stroll is actually quite a bit younger than Bateman, but he does seem more imposing.

Who I'd Cast: My first though reading the book was Rob Riggle or Vince Vaughan, however, I'm happy to see Corey Stoll in anything!

Philip Foxman:  Judd's ne'er-do-well  younger brother.  Philp tends to live life on the wild side, experimenting with drugs and dating models. 

Who's Cast for Philip:  Adam Driver.  Driver is fantastic on Girls, making his bizarro character (Adam Sackler) somehow both frightening and charming at the same time.  He definitely has the charisma needed for Philip. 

Who I'd Cast:  I actually think Driver is pretty perfect for this role.  He's handsome in an off-beat way, and has the irreverence and edge to play this character really well.

Mrs. Foxman:  The widow, known for her infamous enhanced cleavage.  She is a therapist who wrote a definitive book on child rearing (including examples from her own kids).  Mrs. Foxman is a smart woman, who tends to over share with her children.

Who's Cast:  Jane Fonda.

Who I'd Cast:  I don't really have any kind of strong opinions on Jane Fonda.  She does get name-dropped in the book, but not as a Mrs. Foxman doppleganger. However she's about ten years older than the character in the book.  I pictured Mrs. Foxman as being more Susan Sarandon-esque.  Diane Keaton might be too zany and not surgically enhanced enough for Mrs. F, but she's great at playing high-maintenance, over-sharing moms.

Alice Foxman:  Paul's wife.  She desperately wants to have a child.  Unlike the rest of the Foxman clan, she had a regular upbringing and doesn't quite get the way the Foxmans communicate.  Alice is on fertility drugs that make her overweight. 

Who's Cast:   Kathryn Hahn.

Who I'd Cast:  I love Kathryn Hahn.  She's usually hilarious.  However, she's not overweight by any stretch of the imagination.  If they drop the fat jokes from the books, I think Hahn would be great.

Tracy:  Philip's much older therapist girlfriend.  Tracy is in her mid-forties and is "engaged-to-be-engaged" to Philip. 

Who's Cast:  Connie Britton.

Who I'd Cast:  Lauren Graham.  Britton is a fantastic actress, but she seems too together to fall for someone like Philip.  While I'm sure Graham is a pretty together lady in real life, she's great at playing a mild mess as the relationship-hopping, still living at home single mom Sarah Braverman on Parenthood. 

Jen:  Judd's soon-to-be ex-wife, Jen is in her early thirties, very pretty, blonde, and pregnant (but not showing).

Who's Cast:  Abigail Spencer.

Who I'd Cast:  I'm not familiar at all with Abigail Spencer, but IMDB tells me she's way younger than Bateman and not a blonde.  With Hamish Linklater, I'd cast Jen as Katherine Heigl.  With Bateman, I'd reteam him with his Arrested Development love interest, Christine Taylor. 

Horry:  He's the Foxman's next door neighbor Linda's son and Wendy's high school boyfriend.  Horry has a brain injury from a bar fight that makes him still have to live at home.

Who's Cast: Timothy Olyphant.  

Who I'd Cast:  I'm always a fan of Olyphant, but being as Horry isn't repeatedly described as "incredibly good looking," I'm going to guess that he's a tad too handsome.  I'd cast Luke Wilson.  He's great at playing characters who are nice but frustrated with their lives, like Levi on Enlightened or Richie from the Royal Tenenbaums. 

Rabbi Charles Grodner:  The family's youngish rabbi who was a childhood friend of Paul.  Grodner wasn't exactly pious in his youth.

Who's Cast:  Ben Schwartz, who is fabulous as Jean-Ralphio on Parks and Recreation. 

Who I'd cast: Brett Gelman.  I am sort of interested to see Schwartz play a character who is trying not to be outlandish.  However, he's a little bit on the young side.  While Gelman is actually only a couple years older than Schwartz, his beard and receding hairline make him look more mature.

Penny:  Judd had a crush on Penny in high school.  She works at the Foxman's sport store and ice skates in her free time.  She's also impossibly thin. 

Who's Cast:  Rose Byrne.  Byrne can be very funny and is certainly thin, but she's not really believable as Bateman's high school contemporary (unless he was held back a lot).

Who I'd Cast:  However, her Bridesmaid cohort Kristen Wiig is closer to Bateman's age and could bring some darkness to Penny's quirk.

Wade Boulanger:  Judd's former boss who is currently sleeping with his (Judd's) wife.  Boulanger is a radio host in the vein of Howard Stern, only if he was jock. 

Who's Cast:  Dax Shepard.

Who I'd Cast:  Vince Vaughn would be great at this role. 

Cast the Book: Gone Girl

 Read the book!
Or listen to the audio!

Gillian Flynn’s smoking hot thriller is being turned into a film.  David Fincher (Zodiac, The Social Network, Fight Club) is in talks to direct, so my hopes are pretty high for the film.  Gone Girl is a dark and often very funny domestic drama following the events surrounding the disappearance of beautiful Missouri housewife Amy Elliott Dunne.  If you read the book, you probably already have an idea of who you would like to play Amy and the other lead characters.  Below are some of my picks.

SPOILER ALERT: The book has some major twists, some of which are revealed below.  If you haven’t read the book, tread carefully!

Nick Dunne:  Nick is Amy’s husband.  He used to be a journalist until he was laid off, now he’s a bartender and part-time college professor.  He’s in his early to mid-thirties, handsome in an 80s movie villain sort of way (think: James Spader in Pretty in Pink), and from Missouri (he and Amy relocated from her native NYC after they both were laid off).  Nick constantly seeks the approval of others and has some secrets that he’s hiding.  When I was reading the book, I pictured Nick as being played by Matthew McConaughey ten years ago Sadly, time travel has not been invented yet, so he’s a little bit too old now.

First Choice:  Bradley Cooper.  Cooper is a little bit on the old side, but he can play younger.  He’s got the jerkish good looks and acting chops to play Nick.

Runners-Up:  It would be fun to Jake Gyllenhaal play a character who is a little bit of creep and Maggie Gyllenhaal could play his twin!  Adam Scott would be really, really good in this role too, even though he’s older than B.Coop and not nearly as big of a name.  I’ve also heard Ryan Gosling mentioned for this role, but since he’s on hiatus from acting, that’s probably a no-go.  Personally, I think he’s too confident and naive-looking for the part.

Amy Elliott Dunne:  The pivotal character in the book, a former NYC career gal turned Missouri housewife.  Amy is in her late thirties (she’s a little older than Nick) and a beautiful blonde.  She’s the inspiration for her parents’ successful series of children’s books, Amazing Amy.  Amy is a tough role to play.  Her character goes from sweet to frighteningly crazy, and she’s incredibly smart.  When I read the book, I envisioned her as played by Anne Hathaway though she’s too young and brunette for the role.  Reese Witherspoon is producing the movie and was rumored to play Amy (though she’s since backed out).  While Witherspoon is the right age and look, she might be too much of an obvious choice.  Maybe it’s just because I’ll always associate her with Tracy Flick from Election.

First Choice:  I really like the idea of Gwyneth Paltrow taking on this role.  She is blonde, from an upper class family and New York City raised, so she has a really similar background to Amy.  And Paltrow can be really good with the right material.

Runners-Up:  It would be cool to see an actress who usually stars in fluffy material like rom-coms or romantic melodramas in this role.  Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Garner, or Katherine Heigl would all be fine choices to play Amy.

Margo “Go” Dunne:  Nick’s beloved twin sister.  She’s in her early thirties and very pretty in an old fashioned way.  Go works with Nick at their bar and has a dry sense of humor.

First Choice:  Zooey Deschanel.

Runners-Up: Maggie Gyllenhaal (and not just with Jake) or Juliette Lewis.

Andie:  SPOILER ALERT.  Andie is Nick’s “very very young, very very pretty” mistress.  She was a student in one of Nick’s classes.  Andie is a curvy brunette and very much the opposite of ice queen Amy.  When I read the book, I pictured Alison Brie playing Andie.  But while she plays a college sophomore on Community, Brie is really quite a bit older than Andie.

First Choice:  To increase the creepiness of Nick’s character, I would cast former Disney star Selena Gomez.  She’s 20 right now, so about the perfect age to play a college student.  And picturing her coupled with Bradley Cooper is quite unsettling.

Runners-Up:  Gomez’s Spring Breakers co-star Vanessa Hudgens could definitely take on the role.  She’s a little bit more mature, so it makes the pairing less weird.

Rand and Marybeth Elliott: Amy’s somewhat self-absorbed writer parents.  The Elliotts stand by Nick, at least initially.  I’d cast Mimi Kennedy  and Jeffrey Tambor.

Desi:  Amy’s ex-stalker, a wealthy momma’s boy.  Jude Law would be great if he can do the accent.

Desi’s Mom:  Looks creepily like Amy.  Blythe Danner is the obvious choice.

Nick’s Dad:  A senile misogynist.  He’s way overqualified, but no one convey crazed old man in the same was as Christopher Walken.

Tanner:  Nick’s sleazy defense attorney.  My first thought was Bob Odenkirk, who is so good as shady lawyer Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad.  But he probably doesn’t want to be typecast.  Matthew McConaughey could be really good and flashy in this part.  For a smaller name, Ray Wise could bring an interesting mix of creepiness and authority.  

Ellen Abbott:  A Nancy Grace-like TV show host.  If her sense of humor is good enough, the best person for this role is obviously Nancy Grace. 

Young adult book adaptations

YA books aren't just for teens; they are a huge section of popular culture. The Perks of Being a Wallflower movie (based on the book by Stephen Chbosky) received many positive reviews when it was released last year. The shows Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, Gossip Girl, and The Vampire Diaries all started out as YA books before those characters stepped out onto our television screens. The Twilight movies broke box office records, and The Hunger Games proved that a strong female heroine can bring in a huge audience. Even more movies and TV shows are in the works and set to be released in 2013 and 2014. Check out this list I compiled:

Beautiful Creatures

• now in theaters
• Starring Alice Englert (Lena), Alden Ehrenreicht (Ethan), Emmy Rossum (Ridley), Emma Thompson (Mrs. Lincoln), and Jeremy Irons (Macon Ravenwood).
• Based on the book Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. 
• Book synopsis: In a small South Carolina town, where it seems little has changed since the Civil War, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday.
• More books in the series: Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos, Beautiful Redemption.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones 

• Release date: August 23, 2013
• Starring Lily Collins (Clary), Jaime Campbell Bower (Jace), Kevin Zegers (Alec), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Valentine), Aidan Turner (Luke).
• Based on the book City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. 
• Book synopsis: Suddenly able to see demons and the Darkhunters who are dedicated to returning them to their own dimension, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is drawn into this bizarre world when her mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a monster.
• More in the series: City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, and City of Lost Souls.
• Stay tuned to the blog and the library newsletter for a City of Bones Movie Release Party in August 2013!

Ender’s Game

• Release date: November 1, 2013
• Cast: Asa Butterfield (Ender), Abigail Breslin, and Harrison Ford.
• Based on the books Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card.
• Synopsis of Ender's Game book: Child hero Ender Wiggin must fight a desperate battle against a deadly alien race if mankind is to survive.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

• Release date: November 22, 2013
• Cast: Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta), Liam Hemsworth (Gale), Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket), Woody Harrelson (Haymitch), Sam Clafin (Finnick Odair), Jena Malone (Johanna Mason), and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Plutarch Heavensbee) 
• Based on Catching Fire, the second book in Suzanne Collins' best-selling Hunger Games series.
• Book synopsis: By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion.
• Stay tuned to the blog and the library newsletter for a Catching Fire Movie Release Party in November 2013!

Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters

• Release date: February 14, 2014
• Based on Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. 
• Book synopsis: Two years after a horrible incident made them run away, vampire princess Lissa and her guardian-in-training Rose are found and returned to St. Vladimir's Academy, where one focuses on mastering magic, the other on physical training, while both try to avoid the perils of gossip, cliques, gruesome pranks, and sinister plots.
• Cast:  Zoey Deuth (Rose), Danila Kozlovsky (Dimetri), Lucy Fry (Lissa)
• More books in the series: Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice.

Divergent 

• Release date: March 1, 2014
• Cast: Shailene Woodley (Tris), Kate Winslet; rumors everywhere about who will play Four (Alex Pettyfr? Lucas Till? Jeremy Irvine?)
• Based on the book by Veronica Roth. 
• Book synopsis: In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomoly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.
• In February an open casting call was held in Chicago for movie extras. According to the Chicago Tribune the movie will be shot entirely in Chicago. 
• More books in the series: Insurgent. The third book in the series, jokingly referred to by both Roth and fans as “Detergent,” will be released October 22, 2013.

 
Delirium 

• Release date: depends on whether or not the pilot is picked up by Fox.
• According to author Lauren Oliver, filming on the pilot for this TV show is set to begin in March.
• Cast: Emma Roberts (Lena), Jeanine Mason (Hana), Daren Kagasoff (Alex), Greg Sulkin (Julian), Billy Campbell (Thomas Fineman)
• Based on the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver: Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem.
• Synopsis of the first book in the series: Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

And adaptations of these books are also in the works:

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (movie in preproduction; director announced)  
• Summer series by Jenny Han (optioned for TV)
• Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (optioned for TV)
• I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga (ABC Family TV show)

I am very excited for Catching Fire, and am already brainstorming crafts and games for a movie release party at the library. I especially can't wait for Divergent, because I love that book series as well, and think that Shailene Woodley is a great pick to play Tris. How cool is it that the movie will be filmed entirely in Chicago? I'm also interested to see how the Vampire Academy movie turns out. I really enjoyed all the books in that series because Rose is such a strong character. Plus, the awesome supporting characters (Adrian!) are well-written too. I just hope it doesn't suffer from people who are sick of Twilight. This movie has a huge potential for great fight scenes and some swoon-worthy moments.

Are you a fan of YA literature? Which movie/TV adaptation are you most looking forward to seeing? Do you read the books before you see the movies, or the other way around? What do you think of the casting choices for these projects?

And lastly, are there any YA books not on this list that you think would make a good movie and/or TV show? My picks are Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins and the Across the Universe series by Beth Revis.

My Favorite Reads of 2012

Highly scientific selection criteria:
-All books were read from start to finish by me.
-I enjoyed reading them.
-They were published in 2012.
-Adult fiction, non-fiction and teen books are included.

My Top Ten Books of 2012:

My list this year is has an obvious girly bent, but with Behind the Beautiful Forevers and Gone Girl, I think it's been a pretty strong year for female authors.  If anyone has suggestions for books that I've overlooked (and I'm sure there are plenty), please leave them in comments!  And if you are really bored, you can check out all the 2012 books I've read.

10).  These Days Are Ours by Michelle Hamioff
As a big Paul Simon fan, I was all ready biased towards this novel because the title references his song "The Obvious Child."  Set in just post 9/11 NYC, this book is a coming of age story following a jobless but wealthy recent college graduate, Hailey.  The characters in this book are not always likeable, but they are very realistic.

9).  The Orphanmaster by Jean Zimmerman
Fans of historical mysteries should check out this novel set in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in the 1660s.  This book is quite dark and it took me fifty or so pages to get into it, but the characters are quite interesting, including a young but strong Dutch businesswoman, Blandine van Couvering, and a British spy, Edward Drummond.

8).  Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski
This is a great light read that still manages to be pretty smart.  Set in Oak Park, IL, Lucy Bloom is a single mom who just sold her house to send her nineteen year-old son to rehab.  Now broke, she takes a job cleaning the house of Marva Meier Rios- a famous artist and notoriously difficult woman and hoarder.  This book is funny, moving, and would make an interesting movie.  

7).  Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Set in England, the elderly Harold Fry receives a letter from an old friend Queenie saying that she is dying of cancer.  After failing to write a letter to properly impart his regrets, he decides to take an impromptu walking journey to visit her.  At first this book didn't sound like my cup of tea, but after several recommendations, I checked it out and I'm really glad I did.  Although it is sometimes a sad and existential book, it is occasionally very funny.

6).  Ten Girls to Watch by Charity Shumway
This novel is set in NYC and following a recent college graduate, Dawn, who gets a job working for a Glamour-esque magazine Charm.  She's in charge of tracking down past winners of the magazine's "Ten Girls to Watch" contest and is frankly just happy to have a job. The book has a fun, light premise, but it turned out to be way less formulaic and more inspiring than I initially would have guessed.  I really like the way the love triangle between Dawn, her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, Lily, is resolved. 

5).  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Everybody in the world (or at least this country) has probably read this book all ready.  I really enjoyed the first half of the book and after the big twist, I couldn't put the book down.  Dark Places is still my favorite book by Flynn, but Gone Girl is a great read.   

4).  Where'd You  Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
This is the funniest book on the list.  Bernadette Fox was once a brilliant architect but is now a very eccentric stay-at-home mom who hates her home city of Seattle and people in general.  After some increasingly odd behavior, Fox mysteriously goes missing before a promised trip to Antarctica.
 
3).  Wild by Cheryl Strayed
This is great, suspenseful memoir about Strayed's solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.

2).  Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
This non-fiction book is a grand and absorbing read that takes place in modern day Mumbai.  Boo adds so many small details into the book that it reads like an excellent work of fiction, but is instead an incredible piece of journalism.

1).  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
John Green has been one of my favorite teen authors for a while and now he's gone and written a masterpiece!  This is an excellent novel about teens wrestling with existential issues, cancer and falling in love for the first time. 

Favorite Children books:

1).  Oh, No George by Chris Haughton
George is a dog who has trouble doing the right thing.  Will he learn from his lessons?

2).  Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
 Author Adam Rubin and illustrator Daniel Salmieri are a very funny duo.  I love their Those Darn Squirrels! books, but this simple tale of non-spicy taco loving dragons is my favorite of their work.

3).  This is Not My Hat by J. Klassen
Klassen is one of my favorite illustrator's working today.  His books have a very distinctive (and cool) look to them.  This darkly funny book is the follow up to last year's I Want My Hat Back.  

Favorite Cookbooks:

1).  Homemade Winter by Yvette van Boven
I was a really big van Boven first Home Made last year, and this book is equally as compelling.  The design of the book is really cool, with a mixture of gorgeous food pictures and quirky illustrations.  And the book is loaded with great recipes for cooks who want to try making their food from scratch. 

2).  Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles, and Snacks by Rick Bayless
Margaritas are probably one of my favorite cocktails to go with food, and this book by one of Chicago's greatest chefs has tons of very fancy twists on the margarita.  This is a great cookbook for parties.

3).  Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson
As an avid baker, I get tired of seeing recipes for the same desserts over and over again in cook books.  But this book has lots of new, usual recipes to discover like avocado cake or black pepper and goat cheese truffles.  Vegan recipes and single portion desserts are also included.  It's a refreshingly unique book.  Joy Wilson's blog of the same name is a also a good read for foodies. 

4).  Feast of Ice and Fire by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel
Inspired by the George R.R. Martin book series (Songs of Ice and Fire) which was turned into the HBO Series Game of Thrones, this book has lots of exotic ingredients and medieval flair.   I can't honestly say that I would make any of the recipes in the book, and I might even be a little bit afraid to eat some of the dishes.  However, it is really cool to browse.

5).  True Food by Andrew Weil
If you are looking for health conscious recipes, it's hard to to beat this beautifully photographed book. Best of all, Weil has recipes for cocktails!

So hot right now: Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn is so hot right now since releasing her third novel Gone Girl in early June to wide acclaim (hints that it will be on many "best of 2012" lists). Because it might be difficult to get your hands on her newest, don't hesitate to get one of her older titles Sharp Objects or Dark Places.

Flynn's novels may not be for everyone; they are dark and suspenseful (although there is occasionally a drollness that pops up). But, and it's a big but, they are skillfully written and rewarding. Her characterization in both books are stellar. She writes people and dialogue realistically and the reader meets the characters as one would in person-- over time. Though this technique might imply a slow-paced read, they aren't.

Sharp Objects follows Camille Preaker, a reporter living in Chicago who is tapped by her boss to return to her home town in Missouri to report on the murders of two young girls. She is not pleased about this prospect, and we find out why as she re-introduces herself into the world of Wind Gap, Missouri. Camille is shut-out of the official investigation by the sheriff, but she's always got good 'ole gossip to go on. However, things get uncomfortable the minute she's back in her childhood home: the memories of her long-dead little sister, her cold mother, her step-father without a spine and her pre-teen half-sister who's got a reputation around town as a trouble maker. She reverts back to her own dark thoughts and memories in mere days of being back home while trying to find out what happened to the two murdered girls.

Dark Places begins 20-odd years after the murder of Libby Day's family. She and her brother Ben were the only two survivors, but Ben is in jail for the murders and Libby (as a seven-year-old) helped put him there. When a so-called murder club offers her money-- something she's run out of-- Libby is motivated to begin an investigation of that day. Did Ben really murder her mother and two sisters?
Libby isn't the most likeable of characters, but, once again, Flynn presents a truthful persona born from a deeply traumatized childhood. Dark Places is also an exceptional study in perception. Flynn drops details which seem insignificant, but we come to find out aren't. What is one person's innocent belongings are another person's proof of guilt. Chapters alternate between Libby in present day, and Ben and their mother, Patty, the day in 1985 leading to the overnight murders. It's an effective device for keeping the suspense afloat as well as giving the reader some perspective. (To those it may interest: in mid May Amy Adams was reportedly in talks to play Libby in the film adaptation of this book.)

Sharp Objects
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Dark Places
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Gone Girl
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Recipe Tester: The PDT Cocktail Book

The PDT Cocktail Book (2011) by Jim Meehan and Chris Call
Call No.: 641.874 MEE
Find it in the catalog! 

Named after the super popular NYC cocktail lounge PDT at which nationally renowned mixologist, Jim Meehan, is the head bartender, the PDT Cocktail Book is a must read for bartenders and cocktail geeks.  It has all kinds of information on how to set up a bar, bar etiquette, bartending techniques, a lengthy bibliography (lest you run out of cocktail books to read), and lots and lots of recipes.  Even cooler, Jim Meehan includes liquor recommendations and exact recipes for drinks served at PDT, so if you can recreate them at home, if you are so inclined. That is--if you have the skills and a sizable liquor budget. Meehan also provides the background for each drink in the book, so you know who was responsible for creating a drink, as well as when and where a drink was created.  

To test out the cocktails in the book, I tried making to unusual PDT cocktails that involved some liquor infusing- Benton's Old Fashion and the Cinema Highball.  Below are the results of my experiments: 

The Book(s) I Read

I've been on string of good books.  Below of my favorite reads of late: 

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown (2011)
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This is a cute book about three semi-dysfunctional sisters who return home to a small Ohio college town care for their mother who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Their father was a Shakespearean scholar, so each of the girls have a Bard-inspired name.  They are all also running from something.  The eldest Rose (Rosalind) is happily engaged, but is concerned as her fiance isn't as tied to staying in Ohio as she is and he seems to have his heart set on working for Oxford University.  She has long been the family caretaker and is worried the rest of them will be unable to survive on their own.  Bean (Bianca) is the middle child who leaves New York City in debt, after being fired for skimming off the payroll at her law firm.  The youngest, Cordy (Cordelia) is the overgrown baby of the family who had been living a hippy nomadic existence (partly funded by her parents) until she discovered she is pregnant.  The Weird Sisters is definitely a light, fun read with a fair amount of literary allusions, so it's a guilt-free pleasure! 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012)
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This book is about two teenagers with cancer who fall in love.  Hazel Lancaster is a 16-year-old girl who has been diagnosed with terminal thyroid cancer, but her life has been lengthened indefinitely by a "miracle drug" that she started taking when she was 13.  At a cancer support group meeting she runs in the gorgeous Augustus Waters, a 17-year-old boy whose in remission but lost his leg to cancer.  The two quickly hit it off and bond over a book called "An Imperial Affliction" by a reclusive author named Peter Van Houten.

I was worried that I wouldn't really enjoy this book.  The premise sounds like it could easily be maudlin and Nicholas Sparks-y.  Thankfully, John Green managed to strike the right balance.  This book is definitely my favorite thing he's ever written.  It's funny, romantic and just a little bit heartbreaking. Highly recommend!

Vaclav and Lena by Haley Tanner (2011)
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This is a story of two childhood friends, Vaclav and Lena (collectively Vaclena).  Both are Russian immigrants who live in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn.  Vaclav is an only child who lives with his loving parents and dreams of being the next Harry Houdini.  His lovely assistant Lena isn't so lucky.  She's an orphan who lives with her aunt and is largely neglected.  Vaclav's mom, Rasia, takes Lena under her wings, but she can't save her from her home life.  Eventually Rasia witnesses something horrifying and Lena is taken away.  Later on, Vaclav and Lena meet up again as teenagers. 

Though the subject matter is often dark, this is a delightful book.  I really like the character of Rasia and her point-of-view.  She is a tough, hardworking mother but she is also so loving and tolerant.  I listened to audiobook, which is wonderfully acted. It's hard to imagine reading this in print as the thick Russian accents were half of the fun!

Fortress of Bookitude

 

In accordance of this year's summer reading theme, A Midsummer Knight's Read, two of our library's gentry, Sir Readsalot and Lady Lorelai, assembled a castle tower made of library books. Be sure to check it out in person and enter our contest to guess the number of books it contains! 

Recipe Tester: Making Whoopie PIes

Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley.
Call No.: 641.8654 WEI
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Generally, I like my desserts to be as glamorous as possible. I prefer tartlets to pie, creme brulee to custard, and macaroons (the fancy, French kind--of course) to drop cookies.  Even though they are so hot right now, I don't think I've eaten a whoopie pie since I was ten.  After all, they don't put gold leaf and sugared currants on whoopie pies!

Thankfully, when it comes to baking, I'm not such a snob.  I'll make anything that doesn't involve a rolling pin or a pastry bag.  So when I saw this stylish retro looking cookbook, I decided to embrace the whoopie trend and try making some of my own.  It helped that some of recipes had fancypants ingredients like matcha and rosewater which appealed to my inner snob, and fun names like "Fat Elvis" and "The Happy Pilgrim." 

This cookbook has mix and match recipes, so you can decide to match different cakes with different fillings.  The authors do give you some suggestions.  Most of the whoopies I tried were based off their suggestions, though I did go rogue and make a Reese's Peanut Butter cup inspired whoopie. Below are photos of the different whoopies I tried:

The Purist Whoopie: Classic Chocolate Whoopie (p. 43) and Classic Marshmellow filling (p. 76).
This tastes pretty much like the classic whoopie pie that I used to have as a kid.  Though I still enjoyed it as an adult, which means it's probably tastier than the Hostess variety.

Peanut Butter Cup Whoopie: Classic Chocolate Whoopie (p. 43) and Salty Peanut Butter Filling (p.87).
This is my personal favorite whoopie that I have made.  I did notice a mistake in the peanut butter filling.  The book calls for "3/4 cup (6 tablespoons) of butter."  Really, 3/4 cup of butter is more like 12 tablespoons, but I used 6 tablespoons and the recipe turned out fine.

Summer Party Time Cocktails!

 

Planning a summer get-together soon?  Liven up the party by trying out some new summer cocktails. Find your new favorite recipe in one of these mixed drink cocktail books and remember to drink responsibly!

Rum Drinks: 50 Caribbean Cocktails, from Cuba Libre to Rum Daisy (2010) by Jessica B. Harris. 

Call No.: 641.874 HAR

Written by a food scholar, this book provides the history of rum with a special emphasis on it's role in the Caribbean.  There is also a indepth explanation on different ingredients used and proper glasses.

Make me one!:  Mojito (p. 71), Yellowbird (p.110), and Zombie (p. 124).

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Knack Bartending Basics: More than 400 Classic and Contemporary Cocktails for Any Occasion (2009) by Chery Charming. 

Call No.: 641.874 CHA

A good primer on different types of alcohol, how to serve them, and gives several different types of mixed drink recipes.  Drinks are divided into categories like "Twisted Classics," "World Flag Shots" and "Healthy and Green Drinks."

Make me one!: Blueberry Lemon Drop Martini (p. 73), Hemingway Champagne (p. 132), Strawberry Lemonade (p.157)

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Mix Shake Stir: Cocktails for the Home Bar: Recipes from Danny Meyer's Acclaimed New York City Restaurants (2010).

Call No.: 641.874 MEY

This book is gorgeously photographed and full of interesting twists on classic recipes as well as lesser known cocktails.  

Make me one!: Thai Basil Bliss (p. 88), R and R- a rose and raspberry bourbon sweet tea (p. 139), Strawberry-Ginger Mojito (p. 165), Blood Orange Margarita (p. 177).

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Trader Vic's Tiki Party: Cocktails and Food to Share with Friends (2005) by Steve Siegelman.

Call No.: 641.874 SIE 

Your go-to-guide for kitschy 1960's style tiki recipes!  Cool for retro parties.  The book also has alcohol-free cocktails for non-drinkers and designated drivers. 

Make me one!: Banaquiri (p.58), Pogo stick (p. 82), Shark's Tooth (p. 86). 

Find It in the Catalog!  

Adult Summer Reading

Sign-up for the Adult Summer Reading Program starts today at the Information Desk. Our theme is The Art of Reading, and you will find several book displays around the library featuring books with characters who are musicians, poets, artists, dancers, or writers.

When you sign up you will receive a reading log and a colorful Dundee Library pen. Then, all you need to do is read, listen, or download five books before August 7th. If you want to read more than five books, then return your first reading log and pick up another one. Read as much as you want! Each reading log is an entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for a Kodak Easyshare digital camera. We also have a second Grand Prize Drawing for anyone who submits any Reader/Movie Reviews. All you have to do is write your opinion about a book you've read on the sheet. Or, if you attend any of the free movie screenings at the library in June or July you can share your opinions in a Movie Review. Movies at the library in June: Up in the Air, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Bright Star. Movies in July: E.T., Dear John, and Shutter Island. Reader Reviews are available at the Information Desk, and Movie Reviews will be available at each movie screening in the Meeting Room.The Reader/Movie Review Grand Prize will be a canvas tote bag filled with prizes: a $25 gift card to Classic Cinemas, journal, poet's notebook, booklight, pen set, and $10 gift card to Michael's.

Help Yourself: Undateable by Ellen Rakiete and Anne Coyle

Are women constantly running away at your approach?  Perhaps you're just unlucky in love.  Or maybe it's your flip-ups.  Who do you think you are anyway, Dwayne Wayne?  Or maybe it's your creepy, Old West mustache or your awe-inspiring bling.  Find out what fashion and dating faux pas are roadblocks in your way to finding love by checking out Undateable: 311 Things Guys Do That Guarantee They Won't Be Dating or Having Sex.  Including chapters on what not to wear, what not to say and what not to do, Undateable will transform you from a loser to a lady killer...

Okay, probably not, but it is a fun book to flip through and laugh at all the clueless guy pictures.  Most women will probably recognize some of the transgressions from friends, former (or current) beaus, and family members.  It is pretty affirming to learn that you aren't the only person who finds a guy who owns a cat or refers to his "inner child" a little off-putting.  All of the things listed in the book are fixable and most guys (and girls) are guilty of at least a couple infractions.

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Chicago Craft Beer Week: Cool Beer Websites

This week is Chicago Craft Beer Week, so now is as good a time as ever to go out and have a cold one.  Here are some websites to help you decide what to drink, where to drink it, and even how to describe what you're drinking so you can impress your friends. 

Beer Advocate: 

This website has beer news and information as well as an online community dedicated to beer.  Some features (including searching) require you to register with this site; registration is free, however. The Best of BA lists the highest rated beers on the site.  Beer 101 is a "ready reference" section for beer; you find out about different styles of beer, how to pour beer, how to taste beer, what glass to use for what beer, and more.  Beerfly is a great place to locate places to drink and buy beer when you're on vacation.  

Site Tip: One good way to work around registration is to type the name of the beer manufacturer  and the style (ex. Miller's Genuine Draft, Founder's Double Trouble, Goose Island's Sofie) into a search engine like Google , usually the Beer Advocate profile of the beer will be in the first two hits (example here).

Rate Beer:  

You've probably seen Rate Beer ratings if you've ever shopped at Binny's.  This is another site similar to Beer Advocate where you can review beers.  Rate Beer has a lot of contributors from Denmark, which has one of the hottest craft beer scenes right now.  This is a good place to find out about all the up and coming Scandinavian brews; two of the most widely distributed in this country (besides macrobrew Carlsberg) include Mikkeller and Nøgne Ø.

All About Beer Magazine: 

This is my favorite beer magazine and the online website is jammed pack with features.  Beer Talk has experts like Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery discuss and rate beer.  Don't know what to drink next? Check out the Beer of The Week or the Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers.  If you want to try new and different types of beer, check out stylistically speaking.  If you still want to read more, check out their blogs Bradford on Beer and Beer Soup. This is probably the best sight for people who really want to learn about beer, its history, how it's made, and how to appreciate it. 

Chicago Craft Beer Week: May 17-23

Illinois Craft Brewers Guild is hosting the first ever Chicago Craft Beer Week starting on May 17.  There will be a slew of beer-related events around the Chicagoland area, which you can read about here.  Three local events include a Brewmaster's Dinner at Emmet's in Palatine on May 18th, a Big Sky Beer Dinner at Durty Nellie's (also in Palatine) on May 20th, and an Anchor Brewing Company tasting at Elgin Public House on May 21st (I'm a fan of their Liberty pale ale and Steam beer).  Events are designed to highlight local and lesser-known breweries including Goose Island, Metropolitan, Half Acre, and more.  In honor of Craft Beer Week, here is a selected list of books about beer and home-brewing.


Beer history and tasting:

Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher.
Call No.: 641.23 MOS
I've talked about this book at length before, but it's an excellent guide for learning to appreciate beer's different styles, complex flavors, and history. Highly recommended.
Find it in the catalog!

Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer by Maureen Ogle.  
Call No.: 663.42 OGL
Beer wasn't always a favorite drink of Americans.  This books tells the story of how German immigrant brewers, like Frederick Pabst and Aldophus Busch, convinced Americans to embrace this traditionally European beverage.  Ogle also looks at Prohibition and later the rise of craft breweries.
Find it in the catalog! 

Breweries of Wisconsin by Jerry Apps.
Call No.: 338.7663 APP
Wisconsin is almost as well known for producing beer as it is is cheese.  Several of the big-name brewing companies- Miller, Leinenkugel, and hipster favorite Pabst- were founded there.  This book looks at the history of Wisconsin breweries, including lesser known companies like Point, Huber, and the awesome Madison-based Capital Brewery.  This book is a little dated, New Glarus Brewing Company, which now is as ubiquitous as Bud in the state, only gets a mention to stay that the company closed after prohibition.  Still it's an interesting history.
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Help yourself: You're a Horrible Person, but I Like You: The Believer Book of Advice

A book of advice you should never follow. 

A spin-off of the Believer magazine, this a book of comical advice from some of the hippest comedians around, including Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), David Cross (Arrested Development, Mr. Show), Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter (The State and Stella), Jim Gaffigan (Beyond the Pale), Michael Cera (Superbad, Arrested Development), Patton Oswalt (Werewolves and Lollipops, Ratatouille), Amy Sedaris (who is the namesake for the original Believer advice column Sedaratives) and more.

For those unfamiliar with the Believer, it's a hip literature magazine popular primarily among arty, literate 20s and 30s somethings. It has a wry sense of humor and features articles with titles like "What You Can't Learn Collecting Esoteric Books" (Feb. 2010) or "The Undead Travel" (Jan. 2010).  If any of this sounds awesome, this book will probably appeal to you.  Fans of alternative comedy will enjoy this book too.

Written in question/ answer format, each comedian gives advice to several (most likely made-up) questions from (probably fictional) readers.  As books written by several different authors go, the hilarity and quality of the answers varies among the comedians.  My favorites include Rob Coddry, Jim Gaffigan, Samantha Bee, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Sedaris, and most of all, Ed Helms.  This is a funny book to browse through and a relatively quick read.  I read the entire book, but the format is useful for readers to read and skip as they choose.  Fans of the magazines or the comedians will not be surprised to learn that there is some naughty language and off-kilter suggestions. While it can be less than brilliant in parts, the truly best entries make the book worth checking out.

Find it in the catalog.

Sample Question from the book after the jump: