russian winter

I knew I'd like "Russian Winter" by Daphne Kalotay because the premise was so intriguing - ballerina who defected from communist Russia auctions off her jewelry, which raise questions from the past. And I did love it. It captures what life was like under Stalin - the atmosphere of wondering if you are being watched, the distrust, the people disappearing. A professor suspects the ballerina is his mother, based on his investigation of jewelry, and tries to connect with her but she refuses. The mystery propels you to the end, where everything is exposed in a shocking way. Great read - perfect for cold weather. I read "A Reliable Wife" around this time last year and loved the spooky atmosphere of my book connecting to the weather.

I read "I Was Told There'd Be Cake" by Sloane Crosley and thought the essays were fun - but I was really grossed out by the story about her bathroom. I was perplexed why she always gets rave reviews and accolades like "the next David Sedaris!" - and then I discovered she is a book publicist. So every writer is going to promote her book, so she'll like them. Duh. Anyway, I read "How Did You Get This Number" by Sloane Crosley and liked it. She writes about an Alaska wedding trip gone wrong, the junior high board game called "Girl Talk", and buying stolen merchandise from a furniture salesman while going through a breakup. The essays were witty and well-crafted but nothing earth-shaking.

I got Maira Kalman's book the day it came out! "And the Pursuit of Happiness" is another of her hybrid art/essays works with musing on democracy and celebrations of our history paired with whimsical drawings and photos. I love her!

"Mitten Strings for God" by Katrina Kenison is an extremely powerful book about motherhood that captures the mood I strive for. I loved her other book "The Gift of an Ordinary Day" and sought out this book. She writes about creating a peaceful home of creativity and appreciation. She encourages living by your own standards and not racing around doing things just because everyone else is. She advocates a lot of the principles of Waldorf schools - no TV, lots of nature, emphasizing self-reliance. Her reflections really touched me, esp her comments on the challenge raising kids to value living a good life, not just having good things. I want to read parts of this book to my husband - and try to convince him we shouldn't get a TV! Stop the frenzy and savor simplicity.