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Taste: My Life Through Food
By Stanley Tucci
Gallery Books, 9781982168018, October 5, 2021, 304pp.

The Short of It:

This is a “treat” read. I curled up with it and loved every page.

The Rest of It:

I have always loved Stanley Tucci but I love him even more now. I’ve been catching his show, Searching for Italy here and there and it’s a gem, too. His love for food and really, home cooking, go way back to his childhood and that is what this book largely covers. The fond memories he has of meals, lovingly prepared by his mother when he lived in New York. Those meals, the basis of family time around the table, I ate it up. Pun intended.

Each chapter is peppered with foodie goodness and sometimes a simple recipe or cocktail to take note of. You may not have known this but Tucci suffered from a tumor at the base of his tongue which affected his taste for quite a long time. I believe that period in his life made it clear to him how much he valued a good meal. This feeling shines through every page. I really loved it and it would make a great gift for the foodie in your life.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Piranesi
By Susanna Clarke
Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781635577808, September 2021, 272pp.

The Short of It:

Wildly imaginative.

The Rest of It:

Our main character is called Piranesi, although he knows this is not his real name. He lives in a house with many halls and rooms. Each room is filled with beautiful statues in various stages of decomposition. Many, damaged by the birds or the harsh salt water environment. Because you see, this “house” has been taken over by the tides and the sea life within it. Fog rolls in. Rain is the only source of fresh water. Piranesi lives here with one Other, literally called “Other” and he tends to the many remains of those who came before him.

I am not much of a fantasy reader but from page two, I was completely sucked into this story. For one, the writing is lovely. Two, I could “see” this house in my mind. And although it’s a lonely kind of story, Piranesi is a happy person, content with keeping track of the tides and his research. But as you read, many questions come to mind. How did he get there? What has happened to civilization? Why doesn’t he leave?

I read an interview with the author and how she was suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome while writing this. How she felt so isolated from the real world, while tending to her debilitating illness. This definitely played a role in how the story plays out. The isolation is palpable but so is hope.

This story is so different and refreshing. There’s enough of a mystery to pull you in, but your heart will be with Piranesi as he tries to piece this all together. It’s a fascinating read. I really need to own a nice physical copy of this one. I can see myself picking it up again to read soon. A classic.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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