Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Stealing South: A Story of the Underground Railroad

 
Book menu for Stealing South: A Story of the Underground Railroad by Katherine Ayres

ISBN or edition I read: 0440418011 (paperback)

Food mentioned in Stealing South: A Story of the Underground Railroad:
Bacon and eggs, 19
Lemonade, 33
Pork chops and sauerkraut, 49
Biscuits, 58
Cornbread, 63, 75
Ham and potatoes, 75
Pork and potatoes, 84
Blackberry jam, 95
Bacon, boiled eggs, johnnycakes, 132

Discussion questions for Stealing South: A Story of the Underground Railroad:
What do you think was the most clever "trick" of the Underground Railroad?
What are the different things Will struggles with on his journey?
What does Will learn in all his travels?
What do you think happens to Susannah's brother, James?

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Abhorsen


 Book menu for Abhorsen by Garth Nix
  
ISBN of edition I read: 0060528737 (paperback)

This is the sequel to Sabriel and Lirael.

Food mentioned in Abhorsen by Garth Nix:
Carrots, 4
Bread and cheese, 77
Boiled egg and toast, 110
Dried meat, 111
Dried fruit, 111
Biscuits, 111
Tea, 207
Cinnamon biscuits, 240
Toffee, 321
Gin and tonic, 408

Great vocabulary in Abhorsen by Garth Nix:
debonair, 12, 403
formidable, 18
suppurating, 19
aggrievedly, 43
precarious, 47
acquiescing, 49
cacophony, 58
undulating, 58, 103
immolate, 99
surreptitiously, 208
peremptory, 228, 353
inimicable, 262
cantankerous, 272
putrescent, 326
tenuous, 333
anomalies, 395
assuaged, 421
emaciated, 475

Music mentioned in Abhorsen by Garth Nix:
Panpipes, 37, 58, 60,63, 192
wind flutes, 269

Discussion questions for Abhorsen by Garth Nix:
What were Sam and Lirael's quests and did they succeed?

Most courageous character or act?  Least courageous?

Before the ending how did you feel about Mogget?

What do like most about Clayr?

What do you think about the maps at the front of the book?  Did you refer to them?  Were they helpful?

How is Lirael different from you?

What would the story be like if Lirael's character were a man?

Which book of the trilogy was your favorite?

If you were to film this story which characters would you leave out if you couldn't use them all?  Would it be black and white or color or combo?

Would this trilogy make a good television series?

"He would never need to cross again, he knew, for the Wall would be one of the first things his master would destroy, along with all other works of the despised", page 331  What does the Wall symbolize?

Monday, November 28, 2011

Last Shot by John Feinstein




Book menu for Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery by John Feinstein

ISBN of edition I read:  0375831681 (hardcover)

Food mentioned in Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery:
Papa John's pizza, 76
Starbucks coffee, 90
Soda, 96-7, 100, 102, 110, 189
   Coke, 114, 178, 194,220
Bagels, 116
Hamburgers, 126, 178
Cafe au lait, 163
Beignets, 163
Fries, 178
Sandwiches, 189

Books/authors mentioned in Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery:
Gone with the Wind / Margaret Mitchell, 65
Hamlet / William Shakespeare, 121

Famous reporters mentioned in Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery:
Dick Jerardi, 4
Mike Lupica, 4
Dick Weiss, 4, 15, 18
Tony Kornheiser, 4
Mike Wilbon, 4
Bobby Kelleher, 15

Great vocabulary in Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery:
obtuse, 50
gaggle, 58
interminable, 101
extricating, 105
letch, 112
conspiratorial, 187
gallivanting, 197

Discussion questions for Last Short: A Final Four Mystery:

If you had won the writing contest what would you have done, seen, and written about?

What is your opinion on student athletes (e.g. grades and playing)

What would you do in Chip's situation?

What role do journalists play in this story and in real life? What should their role be?

Is this story realistic? Why or why not?

Would this book be a good movie? (quote: last paragraph on page 50)

 This site has links to books sold on Bookshop.org. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores. We receive a small commission for all Bookshop.org purchases that originate from this page. Thank you for supporting Book Menus and independent bookstores.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

A Thousand Splendid Suns

 

                                                                   
Book menu for A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

ISBN of edition I read: 9781594489501 (hardcover)

Food mentioned in A Thousand Splendid Suns:
Grapes, 4
Pistachios, 4
Ice cream, 5, 25, 66
   Rose water ice cream, 358
Dishlemeh candy, 15
Quinces, 15
   Quince marmalade, 349
Green tea, 16, 352
Watermelon, 16
Toffee, 29
Sugar-coated almond candy, 47
Cookies, 72
Borani, 80
Aushak, 80
Roasted almonds. 80
Qurmas, 91, 109, 150
Sabzi, 91
Pickled eggplant, 115, 221
Carrot marmalade, 115
Shorwa, 116
Fanta soda, 117
Aush soup, 120, 145
Boiled beans with cilantro chutney, 140
Kofta, 145
Mantu, 145
Dogh, 149
Mastawa, 150, 189
Mulberries, 204
Chai, 223, 225, 328
Halwa, 224 , 328
Jelabi, 274
Figs, 320
Tangerines, 326
Chapli kebabs, 337
Meatball sandwiches with cucumber, 344
Ginger ale, 344
Gaaz nougat, 352

Movies mentioned in A Thousand Splendid Suns:
Pinocchio (Disney), 357
Titanic, 362
Superman: The Movie, 367

Discussion questions for A Thousand Splendid Suns:
What are the parallels and differences between Mariam and Aziza?

Libraries mentioned in A Thousand Splendid Suns :
page 348: In Herat, most of the streets are paved, lined with fragrant pine. There are municipal parks and libraries in midconstruction, manicured courtyards, freshly painted buildings.
 
This site has links to books sold on Bookshop.org. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.We receive a small commission for all Bookshop.org purchases that originate from this page. Thank you for supporting Book Menus and independent bookstores.


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

 
Book menu for The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

ISBN of edition I read: 0143037145 (trade paperback)

Food mentioned in The Memory Keeper's Daughter:
Custard, 4
Coffee, 30, 43, 67, 96, 98, 184
   Irish coffee, 184
Cheese sandwich, 30
Tea, 46, 104
Eggs and bacon, 58
Ice cream, 60
Banana bread, 60
Roast pork, sauerkraut, oven potatoes, 74
Applesauce, 96
Cottage cheese, 96
Orange juice, 97
Jelly on saltines, 107
Strawberries, 110-111, 116
Cheese and crackers with grapes, 110
Gin and tonic, 133, 178
Popsicles, 159
Oyster stew with crackers, 179
Lobster, 179
Grapefruit, 184
Oranges, 207
Pizza, 210, 354, 358
Apple pie, 219
Champagne, 222
Whipped-cream cake, 225
Cream puffs, 270
Peach pie, 272
Macaroni and cheese, 278
Girls Scout Thin Mint cookies, 278
Iced tea, 326, 386
Brochettes of beef on rice pilaf, 337
Cookies, 344, 346
Wedding cake with raspberry and whipped cream, 395

Books/Authors mentioned in The Memory Keeper's Daughter:
Dr. Spock, 4
Pearl S. Buck, 25
Virginia Woolf, 41
Crime and Punishment / Fyodor Dostoevsky, 57
Curious George / H.A. Rey, 157
Thomas Merton, 306

Music mentioned in The Memory Keeper's Daughter:
"Love Me Do" /  The Beatles, 166, 389
"Begin the Beguine" / Cole Porter, 167
Andres Segovia, 202
   "Estudio", 194, 211
   "Estudio sin luz", 194, 211
"March of the trolls" / Grieg, 210

Artists mentioned in The Memory Keeper's Daughter:
Johannes Vermeer, 180
"Starry Night" / Vincent Van Gogh, 328

Libraries mentioned in The Memory Keeper's Daughter:
page 94: ...Caroline had started taking Phoebe to the library on her day off. At the wide oak tables of the Carnegie, in the airy, spacious, high-ceilinged rooms, she stacked up the books and articles and began to read, grim journeys into gloomy institutions, shortened lives, no hope.

page 97: They'd met in the library one bleak January day when Caroline, overwhelmed by experts and grim statistics, had slammed a book shut in despair.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer




Book menu for Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

ISBN of edition I read: 0316160172 (hardcover)

Food mentioned in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
Soda, 19, 40, 118
   Coke, 172
Apples, 19, 207
Bagels, 20, 242
Eggs and bacon, 31
Steak and potatoes, 33 
Cereal and Orange juice, 54
Chicken enchiladas, 78
Lemonade, 86, 91
Sandwiches, 118
Mushroom ravioli, 169
Granola bar, 196
Pizza, 207, 215
Grilled cheese sandwiches, 237
Lasagna, 250, 293

Books/Authors mentioned in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
Genesis 2:17 / The Bible, epigraph
Bronte, 15
   Wuthering Heights / Emily Bronte, 34
William Shakespeare, 15
   Macbeth , 110, 140
Geoffrey Chaucer, 15
William Faulkner, 15
Jane Austen,  147
   Pride and Prejudice, 148
   Sense and Sensibility, 148
  Mansfield Park, 148 

 Music mentioned in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
Claude Debussy , 105, 229
   "Claire de lune", 104
"Nocturnes" / Frederic Chopin, 252

Great vocabulary in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
omnipresent, 3
verbose, 5
dejectedly, 9
sallower, 10
pallid, 10
precariously, 14
prattled, 17
surreptitiously, 23
antagonistic, 23
animatedly, 40, 72
cursorily, 45
providentially, 56
petulance, 74
unerringly, 86
vacillating, 89
infinitesimally, 103
undulated, 117
attenuated, 123
raucously, 157
chortling, 158
ostentatious, 199, 223
futilely, 209
Injudicious, 215
sinuous, 247
   sinously, 264, 346
gratuitous, 252
incandescent, 260
scintillating, 260
contrite, 269
masochistic, 274
acerbic, 283
seraphic, 283
leonine, 324
euphoric, 397
balefully, 399
superfluous, 413
tersely, 429, 493
askance, 439
thrumming, 443
impasse, 477
vicarious, 482
mercurial, 497

Discussion questions for Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
Why can't Edward read Bella's thoughts?
Discuss the book's title. Where in the novel is the title mentioned? (p.232,495, 497)  What, if any, is its significance?
Discuss the book's cover design.
Why did the author include the scene with the vampires playing baseball?

Libraries mentioned in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
page 38: I did drive to the library Saturday, but it was so poorly stocked that I didn't bother to get a card; I would have to make a date to visit Olympia or Seattle soon and find a good bookstore.

page 80: "Well, I wanted to get a few books -- the library here is pretty limited -- and maybe look at some clothes."

page 250: "No, Dad, don't change your plans. I've got a million things to do...homework, laundry...I need to go to the library and the grocery store. I'll be in and out all day...you go have fun."

This site has links to books sold on Bookshop.org. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.We receive a small commission for all Bookshop.org purchases that originate from this page. Thank you for supporting Book Menus and independent bookstores.                                                                    
                   

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Olive Kitteridge




Book menu for Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

ISBN of edition I read: 9781400062089 (hardcover)

Food mentioned in Olive Kitteridge:
Raspberries, 3
Baked beans, 6
Vanilla ice cream, 7, 225
Egg and tuna salad sandwiches, 8
Beef stew, 13
Cake, 14
Applesauce, 15, 82, 142
Crabmeat sandwiches, 18
Chowder, 27
Corn muffins, 31, 32, 77
Soy milk, 42
Irish coffee, 52
Blueberry cake, 63, 73
Donuts, 77, 90, 92, 95, 99, 141, 147, 216
Red wine, 79
Popcorn balls, 90, 99
Frozen chocolate yogurt, 105
Mushrooms & crabmeat, 107
Strawberries, 145
Brownies, 167-8, 170
Crackers and cheese, 173
Pancakes, 182
Oatmeal cookie dough, 191
Butterscotch sundae, 225
Fruit cocktail, 238

Book/Authors mentioned in Olive Kitteridge:
John Berryman (poet), 44, 45

Music mentioned in Olive Kitteridge:
"Good Night Irene", 51
"Bridge over Troubled Water", 53
"Fools Rush In", 87
Phish, 89
Grateful Dead, 89
"Some Enchanted Evening", 98
Debussy, 130
"My Way"/ Frank Sinatra, ?

Flowers mentioned in Olive Kitteridge:
Rugosa, 31, 36, 39
Lily of the Valley, 33
Wild violets, 33
Day lilies, 40
Lady Slipper, 44
Gladiolas, 62
Tulips, 142-3, 146, 16

Libraries mentioned in Olive Kitteridge:
pages: 128, 130, 144, 149-150, 238

This site has links to books sold on Bookshop.org Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.We receive a small commission for all Bookshop.org purchases that originate from this page. Thank you for supporting Book Menus and independent bookstores.
 

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Crime and Punishment

 
Book Menu for Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

ISBN or edition I read: 9780679734505 (paperback)

Food mentioned in Crime and Punishment:
Coffee, 20-1, 288, 302, 336, 375, 514
Corned beef with horseradish, 30
Kutya, 54, 379
Champagne, 159, 465, 469
Jamaican rum, 375
Madeira wine, 375, 379
Pancakes, 379, 384
Punch, 379
Fish in aspic, 384
Gingerbread roosters, 386
Veal, 502
Pies, 546
Kalatchi, 546

Books/Authors mentioned in Crime and Punishment:
Aleksandr Pushkin, 54, 371, 377
   "Egyptian Nights", 283
I.S. Turgenev, 54
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 112
   Confessions, 112
Aleksandr Radishchev, 112
Notre Dame de Paris / Victor Hugo, 158
Nicolai Gogol, 354, 452
Friedrich Schiller, 460, 471, 482, 484
David Livingstone (diaries), 528

Music mentioned in Crime and Punishment:
Anton Rubinstein (composer), 209
"The Little Farm", 430
"A Hussar Leaning on His Sabre", 430
"Cinq Sous", 430
"Marlborough s'en va-t-en guerre", 430
"Back in my Native Land" / Franz Shubert, 562

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Amulet of Samarkand


 
Book Menu for The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

ISBN of edition I read: 0786852550 (trade paperback)

Food mentioned in The Amulet of Samarkand:
Mille-feuille, 10
Ice cream, 28
Hot chocolate, 52-3, 205
Biscuits, 53, 101
Tea, 57, 100-1, 148, 282
Cornflakes, 87
Toast, 87
Sandwiches, 60
Mango Chutney on Ham and salad, 138
Chocolate spread sandwiches, 174
Cucumber sandwiches, 215
Tomato soup, 232
Tomato and cucumber sandwich, 262
Shortbread, 282
Sugared doughnuts, 309
Red wine, 14
Coffee, 90
Champagne, 184, 186
Lime cordial, 184

Great vocabulary in The Amulet of Samarkand:
pentacle, 4
sepulchral, 7
petulant, 7, 96
parley, 7
emollient, 8
moldered, 9
enmity, 11, 47
fastidious, 12
bulbous, 17
urbanely, 23
comely, 23
garishly, 29
imperceptibly, 31, 220
amorphous, 40
dossing, 43
cantankerous, 50
anon, 69
pestilence, 70
acclimatized, 73
effrontery, 84
duplicitous, 85
deference, 90
peremptorily, 92
gnashing 94
mandibles, 94, 272
implacable, 97
supercilious, 104
sniggered, 105
careered, 108
ignominy, 110
contrition, 113
banal, 113
harangued, 113
smote, 112
voluble, 120
ostentatious, 128
sycophantic, 128, 152
alighted, 144
doleful, 155
filched, 171
peevishly, 185
imperious, 186, 357
mellifluous, 194
prodigious, 197
bedraggled, 198, 344
repartee, 218
rueful, 218
vestiges, 232
chortled, 244
misbegotten, 259
gesticulated, 264, 270
plangent, 274
magnanimity, 276
asperity, 277
contentious, 280
irascibility, 291
laudably, 318
undulated, 426
protuberances, 428
unedifying, 444

Geographical references in The Amulet of Samarkand:
Prague, 5, 59, 64, 97, 313
London, 8
   Trafalgar Square, 38
   Westminster Abbey, 75
   Tower of London, 210

Discussion questions for The Amulet of Samarkand:
What is the author's opinion of humans?

Are there any metaphor's in this story/writing (Magicians for politicians?)

What elements of this story remind you of other books you've read?

Are there any parallels between this story and that of Oliver Twist? , 314 (2nd parag.), 321(3rd parag.)

In what time period do you think this story is set?

What did you think about the frequent changes in verb tense and points of view?

Libraries mentioned in The Amulet of Samarkand:
pages 21, 29, 66, 93, 138, 177-8, 227, 311, 320-1, 327, 339, 382-3, 390, 406-7

This site has links to books sold on Bookshop.org. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores. We receive a small commission for all Bookshop.org purchases that originate from this page. Thank you for supporting Book Menus and independent bookstores.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 
Book menu for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

ISBN of edition I read: 0345418913 (paperback)

Food mentioned in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
Tea, 25
Peanuts, 26, 43
Cornflakes, 50
McDonald's hamburger, 55, 68
Jello, 72
Doughnuts, 74
Custard, 74
Hot dogs, 125
Rice pudding, 149

Music mentioned in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy :
Beethoven's Fifth symphony , 66
"Blowin' in the Wind " / Bob Dylan, 182
"You'll Never Walk alone", ?

Theater mentioned in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
Godspell , 30
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , 30
Hamlet , 30

Great vocabulary in The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy:
squattish, 5
predilection, 7
squelched, 7
cajoleries, 12
diurnal, 12
raucously, 27
resplendent, 36
rectify, 41
scintillating, 41
magnanimously, 43
undulate, 48
fetid, 59
perfunctory, 112, 171
tenable, 119
balefully, 128
squalid, 128
laboriously, 139
petulantly, 166
gratuitously, 184

Discussion questions for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
Seen the movie adaptation? Compare the book to it.

What ironies did you find in this story?

Fook and Lunkwill ask Deep thought for the answer to life, the universe and everything.  What is your answer?  What is the most important question?

What is the author's message?

What did you find realistic?  Far-fetched?

What was the most humorous part?

If you had a chance to look something up in the GUIDE, what would it be?

For what age/grade level would you recommend this book?

For what is the Babel fish a metaphor?

Activity/Lesson Plan for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
Write an entry for the "Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy"

Libraries mentioned in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
page 156: Slartibartfast's study was a total mess, like the results of an explosion in a public library.

This site has links to books sold on Bookshop.org. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.We receive a small commission for all Bookshop.org purchases that originate from this page. Thank you for supporting Book Menus and independent bookstores.