The Whore's Child and Other Stories

Book menu for The Whore's Child and Other Stories by Richard Russo
ISBN of edition I read: 0375411682 (hardcover)


Food mentioned in "The Whore's Child: Stories (Vintage Contemporaries)":
Bread and cheese, 18
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Food mentioned in "Monhegan Light":
Chicken Caesar Salad, 32-33
Chowder, 32-33
Beer, 38, 41, 44, 46-47
White wine, 40
Steak, 49
Mineral water, 50

Music mentioned in "Monhegan Light":
"Take the A Train", 76
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Food mentioned in "Joy Ride":
Cheeseburger, 82
Fries, 82-83
Coke, 83, 99, 100
Coffee, 83
Spaghetti, 84
Open-faced turkey sandwiches, 85
Mashed potato, 85
Chicken fried steak, 85
Steaks, 98-100
Baked potato, 99
Garlic toast, 99

Movies mentioned in "Joy Ride":
Peyton Place, 76

Books/Authors mentioned in "Joy Ride":
Conan the Barbarian (comic books), 81
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Food mentioned in "Buoyancy":
Pastries, 120
Mexican eggs, 121

Books/Authors mentioned in "Buoyancy":
Emily Dickinson, 129, 142
Thomas Costain, 130
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Food mentioned in "Poison":
White wine, 153, 155-156, 160
Sunflower seeds, 153
Cheese and crackers, 154
Beer, 155-156, 160
Lobster sauces over pasta, 156-157, 167
Bourbon, 164
Chianti, 167

Books/Authors mentioned in "Poison":
Henry David Thoreau, 153
William Blake, 165
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Food mentioned in "The Mysteries of Linwood Hart":
Spaghetti, 177, 206-207, 210
Coffee, 184, 187
Cola, 187
Orange soda, 187
Fruit juice, 187
Ice cream, 202
Steaks, 204, 208
Pepperoni, 204
Rigatoni and sausage, 207, 210, 213
Salad, 208

Music mentioned in "The Mysteries of Linwood Hart":
Jo Stafford, 174, 206, 209, 218
   "The Wayward Wind", 206

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The Risk Pool

Book menu for This Risk Pool by Richard Russo

ISBN of edition I read: 0394565274 (hardcover)

Food mentioned in The Risk Pool :
Martinis, 3, 309, 311
Hamburger steak, 7, 108, 173, 212, 222, 228, 331, 498
Ice cream, 14, 18, 462
Macaroons, 17, 43
Chili and beans, 22-23
Bacon, 27, 48
Eggs, 27, 48, 360
Beans and hot dogs, 44-45
Sugar Doughnut, 48
Buttered graham crackers, 48
Pancakes, 48
Sausage, 48, 322
Ham,48
   Spiced ham, 56
Fruit, 48
   Grapefruit, 48-49, 446
   Fruit salad, 326
   Apple, 454
Lasagna, 49
Salami, 56
Wedding Soup, 56, 58, 60
Oreo cookies, 76-78, 126
Hamburgers, 79, 118, 445
7 Up, 85, 136-137
Coffee, 101, 177, 179, 219, 226, 311, 314, 322, 398
Pork chops, 110, 391
Mashed potatoes, 110-111
Creamed corn, 110-111
Cokes, 118
Turkey club, 118
French fries and gravy, 119, 174
Pickles, 145
   Sweet pickles, 282
Olives, 145
Pepperoni, 146
Maraschino cherries, 147, 168
Roast pork and mashed potatoes, 147
Asparagus, 147
Parker House rolls, 147
Frozen Daiquiris,160
   Banana daiquiris, 425
Grilled Rib Steak, 227, 234
Campari & soda, 244
Boilermakers, 245, 316
Pate, 255, 316
Hershey bars, 273
Pretzels, 283
Manhattans, 299, 317-318, 341, 344-345
Filet mignon, 310, 312
Crab legs, 311-312
Amaretto, 311-312
Spaghetti, 315, 331, 370, 372, 436
Veal & peppers, 319
Cornbread muffins, 322
Orange juice, 324-325
Champagne, 324-325, 459
Eggs in Hollandaise sauce, 328
Pizza, 344, 347, 350-351- 407
Cherry Kool-Aid, 350
Seven & 7, 380, 382
Pina coladas, 425
Iced tea, 432-433
Buffalo wings, 436
Napoleon brandy, 479

Books/Authors mentioned in The Risk Pool:
Cannery Row / John Steinbeck, epigraph
Rick Brant, 95
Karl Marx, 152
Gone with the Wind / Margaret Mitchell, 256-257, 328
Heart of Darkness / Joseph Conrad, 274
Nathaniel Hawthorne, 284

Music mentioned in The Risk Pool:
Elvis, 43, 135, 249
   "Hound Dog", 160
Duane Eddy, 135-136, 168, 296-297
"Moon River", 280
Fleetwood Mac, 478

Television programs mentioned in The Risk Pool:
Bonanza, 208

Movies mentioned in The Risk Pool:
It's a Wonderful Life, 174

Some of my favorite Risk Pool passages:p. 16: "I was forbidden to climb the tree after the day my mother came out onto the back porch, called my name, and my voice drifted down to her from the second story level, at the very top of the tree's dwarf side. I swung down from branch to branch to show off my dexterity. My mother wasn't impressed. 'If I ever catch you in that tree again...' she said. She either liked unfinished sentences or couldn't think of how to finish them, and I resented her unwillingness to spell out consequences. It was impossible to weigh alternatives without them."

p. 25: "At the water's edge, [Wussy] attached the spinning reels to the rods and ran line through the eyelets all the way to the tips. I watched, full of interest. "Ever fish before?"

I shook my head.

It's about the best thing there is until you're older and can do some other stuff, and it's better than most of the other stuff too."

p.88: "How could you be sure something wouldn't work until it didn't?"

p. 176: "I read some good books that summer...I'd realize I'd understood more than I thought. If I was feeling energetic, I'd look up words I didn't know, but more often I'd be content to wait for the word to crop up again in another context, and by its second or third appearance I'd know what it meant. I began to develop a firm conviction that most efforts to teach people things were wasted. All they needed was to go off some place quiet and read."

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Room of Tears

Book menu for Room of Tears by Linda Merlino

Room of Tears is a mysterious, haunting, and beautiful story.  When I first glanced at the cover, I felt it's too soon to read a book about 9/11. I'm glad I pushed through it. Ms. Merlino has combined unusual ideas and concepts into this brief but lyrical novel. 

ISBN of edition I read: 9781927792100 (trade paperback)

Food mentioned in Room of Tears :
Coffee, 3, 71
     Espresso, 18
Canolis, 3
Napoleons, 3
Lemonade, 8, 12
Irish whiskey, 14
Wine
     Italian red, 14
     Grenache, 98
Calamari, 17
Chili, 21
Cookies, 21, 72
Fried plantains, 45
Empanadas, 45, 78
Revoltillos, 45
Spaghetti and meatballs, 60
Italian frittata with cheese, spinach, and mushrooms, 71
Lasagna, 72
Brownies, 72
Cheese and crackers, 81
Sandwiches, 94
Pancakes and sausage, 107
Sliced fruit, 107
Danish, 127

Books/Authors mentioned in Room of Tears:
Everyman / Anonymous, 1, 40, 80, 110
"Sonnet 60 ", William Shakespeare, 110
Nostradamus, 142

Title mentioned on pages 24, 109, 113:
p. 24 "I close the door to my bedroom and cry. I have cried for so many days that it has become a room of tears."

p. 109 "No one would question Antonio, not even Peter. Not until he became Pope, as his mother predicted, then the two men would sit in the Room of Tears with her handwritten letter, and Antonio would finally be able to explain."  

p. 113 "'The conclave has placed me here, in the Room of Tears.' Peter gestured with wide arms to the walls around them."

Discussion questions for Room of Tears:
1. How do Diane's journal entries affect the overall story?
2. Describe the deal Billy makes with God.
3. After reading the ending, were you compelled to go back and reread certain passages?  Which ones? Why?
4. What surprised you in this story?
5. Describe Room of Tears in a single word.
6. Before reading the book, what was your reaction to the cover?

Philomena

Book menu for Philomena by Martin Sixsmith

ISBN of edition I read: 9780143124726 (trade paperback, movie tie-in ed.)

Food mentioned in Philomena:
Sherry, 1, 40
Candy floss, 7
Toffee apples, 7
Sugar biscuits, 34
Coffee, 55-56
Cake, 55-56
Eggs, toast, and bacon, 58
Tea, 65
Orange Fanta, 94
Cocoa, 97
T-bone steaks, 105
Peaches, 107-108
     Peach pie, 108
Champagne, 169
Milkshake, 186
Hershey bars, 218
Twizzlers, 218
Eggs Benedict, 226
Guinness, 249, 251
Mulled wine, 307
Prosecco, 339
Bouillabaisse, 402

Books/Authors mentioned in Philomena:
Adoption: the parent, the child, the home / Cecil Barrett, 31
W.B. Yeats, 128
     "The Lake Isle of Innisfree", 127
     "A Drinking Song",364, 408-409
John Donne, 128
Robert Frost, 128
Charles Baudelaire, 128, 317
Michael Lermontov (poet), 129
Romeo & Juliet / William Shakespeare, 149
Of Mice and Men / John Steinbeck, 218
Great Expectations / Charles Dickens, 237

Movies mentioned in Philomena:
Kind Hearts and Coronets, 197
Pillow Talk, 348
Bridge over the River Kwai, 356

Music mentioned in Philomena:
Mozart, 131
Beethoven, 131
John Lennon, 131
Jimi Hendrix, 131
Miles Davis, 174
Johnny Mathis, 191
Pearl Bailey, 218
Art Garfunkel, 220
     "I only Have Eyes for You", 220
David Bowie, 220
Janis Ian , 220
Glen Campbell, 220
Kathleen Ferrier, 221
"Jennifer Juniper" / Donovan, 223
"Do You Love an Apple?" / The Bothy Band, 244, 245

Television programs mentioned in Philomena:
The Liberace Show, 138

Magazines mentioned in Philomena:
The Gay Blade, 213

Theater mentioned in Philomena:
Mame (musical), 131, 139
The Pirates of Penzance, 139

Need a list like this for a book you're reading or an upcoming book-related event? Email me at ndemers62@hotmail.com for a free quote. (Please include "Book Menu Request" in the subject line). 

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.