Friday Favourites - Your Favourite Biography

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite biography is.

My answer:

Little Princes: One Man's Promise To Bring Home The Lost Children Of Nepal 
Conor Grennan

The amazon.com product description:

In search of adventure, 29-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children’s Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.

Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war—for a huge fee—by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.
For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life’s work.
Little Princes is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, Little Princes is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations.

I first wrote about this book back at the beginning of 2011. That review is here. Since then, it's stayed as my favourite biography read to date. In fact I rather want to read it again. I haven't been able to stop talking about and recommending Little Princes either.

The biggest thing about Conor Grennan's book and why it's stayed in my head so long I think is the way it reminds me that we ordinary people can do something good in the world if we set our minds to it. Essentially, that's what he does in the events that became the book Little Princes.

I also loved the kids we meet throughout the story, even though over the course of the last year and a bit since I read Little Princes, I find that I can't remember their names anymore. Despite that, I remember reading about them and the way they were reunited with their families.

Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home The Lost Children of Nepal is possibly my favourite biography. What's your favourite?

Friday Favourites - Your Favourite Historical Figure?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week my question is really two questions: The first, the one that the title asks is "Who is your favourite historical figure?" However, the alternate question, and one I'm also interested in the answer to is (This was the question I'd meant to ask in the first place, I think) "Who is your favourite historical figure to read about?"

I can see there being two very different answers to those two questions.

My answer to the first question changes on a regular basis. I don't think I have any real "favourites" just interests that change from time to time. At the moment, I'm reading all I can about Alexander the Great, but who knows who my focus will change to next.

In terms of reading about, generally referring to fiction, I have to say my favourite historical figure is Cleopatra - especially as written by Jo Graham in her novel Hand of Isis. There's something about her that captures my imagination - but I'm not just limited to fiction. I've also quite enjoyed reading Stacy Schiff's biography Cleopatra: A Life, although to be honest, I've yet to finish the read.

I think throughout the years, a lot of people have agreed with me on this one - including such notables as Shakespeare. And yet, we don't really know all that much about her - only things said by her opponents really. Could that be part of her allure?

Who's your favourite historical figure, and if the answer is different, who's your favourite historical figure to read about?

Friday Favourites - Your Favourite Book From August

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week it's my usual question for the first week of a new month: What was your favourite book last month?

My answer:

I have a fair number of books to choose from to answer this question this time. August was one of the best reading months I've had in a long time. I'm going to go with No Sailing Waits And Other Ferry Tales: 30 Years Of BC Ferries Cartoons by Adrian Raeside. I haven't laughed as hard as I did when I was reading those in a long time. Actually, I'm still laughing at the memory of some of the cartoons as well. They're that funny - at least if you're familiar with the issues involved. This one might honestly be more of a local-type book.

The amusement was only increased by my recent re-exposure to the BC Ferries system in the past month as well. Ferry waits and all. Although, the Sunshine Breakfast is no more - still I think I remember actually enjoying the Sunshine Breakfast. Maybe I was in the minority?

Regardless, this was my favourite read for the month of August. What was yours?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Classic

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite classic is. And, yes that question could be considered open to debate. After all, there's classic science fiction, classic westerns etc. It'll be amusing if you opt to answer one of those, but I'm actually referring to the more "classic" version: books like Jane Austen's or Charles Dickens etc.

My answer is:

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. It's the only true classic novel that I've been able to read and enjoy multiple times. For some reason I can't get into Jane Austen's books (although I should probably give them another try - it's been more than a few years), and the same thing's been true with most of the other classic's I've tried (other than the children's stories like The Jungle Book). Recently, I've discovered a few more good classics - truly classic science fiction by Jules Verne, but other than that, it's Jane Eyre for me.

There's something about the story that grabs me every time I read it, I don't quite know what, but where a lot of the other classics I've tried have bored me completely (I think it was Shirley that I couldn't get more than a couple of chapters into), this one captures me.

What's your answer?

Please leave either your response in the comments or a link to your response.

Friday Favourites - Your Favourite Author's Blog?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.


This week I'm asking what your favourite author's blog is. It doesn't have to be the blog of your favourite author though (assuming he or she even has a blog), but the author's blog that you check the most or enjoy the posts from the most.


My answer:
I've found that a number of the authors I like have blogs: Elizabeth Moon (The Deed of Paksenarrion, Trading in Danger) has a number, Jo Graham (Hand of Isis) has one, Patricia C. Wrede (Caught In Crystal) has one, as does L.E. Modesitt Jr. (The Parafaith War). Other authors do too - but these are the ones I tend to check the most often.


Of them though, my favourites are Elizabeth Moon's general blog, MoonScape, and her Paksworld blog, closely followed by Patricia C. Wrede's blog. A lot of the reasons I like these three are that (normally at least) they're updated fairly regularly. Also, it's the subject matter involved.


Patricia C. Wrede's blog is almost entirely centered on writing: tips, tricks and techniques. Some posts are about the mechanics of writing, and others are geared around the business side of thing. All in all, for anyone who's interested in writing, fiction or otherwise, I think this is a fascinating blog to check out - if not to bookmark and return to on a regular basis.


Elizabeth Moon's MoonScape blog on LiveJournal is an equally fascinating read for the variety of topics discussed: writing, politics, knitting, cooking and land management are all subjects that come up regularly. Personally, while I find them all interesting, there are two subjects that seem to be inspiring me more than the others: knitting and cooking. Every time I read a post on the latest in her adventures in knitting socks, my determiation to learn to knit socks is reinforced. And, the same thing for cooking. Just recently I tried making beef stock from scratch for the first (and not the last) time.


At the same time, her Paksworld blog is also fascinating to me because the world of The Deed of Paksenarrion is one of my favourite series. I love the insights into that world - the research, background on the writings and the world, and the like. Not to mention the snippets - both not used and from the future books in the series.


What is your favourite author's blog?

Friday Favourites - Your Favourite Non-Fiction Subject To Read About?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.


This week I'm asking what your favourite non-fiction subject is to read about? As much as we all love our novels, I'd be willing to bet there's a non-fiction subject that interests you as well. Books about writing or language? Cookbooks? Current affairs (There's certainly a lot of those)? Sports?


My answer is history. Specifically ancient and medieval history, although I do sometimes venture into other time-periods as well (see my recent review of Peter Ackroyd's book London Under). I'm not even fully sure why I love history so much, but I do. There's something about the Romans and the Greeks especially that has caught my interest for the last several years. Both in terms of the greater events - wars etc, but also concerning individual lives.


I've actually had fun reading a number of my textbooks after the classes were done with. Very few have ended up being sold on. Most are still a part of my ever-growing collection of books. And yet, there are times when history books are the absolute last thing I want to read.


So, what non-fiction subject sparks your interest? Be as general or specific as you want to be either in your own post or in the comments here.

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Book Trend

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite book trend is. It's the opposite of the usual thing I hear, where people are complaining about a current trend, ie zombies or vampires. So, rather than hearing more complaints, I'd love to know what it is you're enjoying - even if it is one of those things that everyone else is complaining about.

For myself, I guess I'm going to have to claim the trend of urban fantasy novels. I'm actually having a lot of trouble answering this question - I guess because I tend to read by authors rather than by trends - however, I'm finding myself to be more likely to pick up an urban fantasy novel by an unknown author - or a historical fiction one, which there's a growing trend for too.

What's your answer?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Book From July?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite book from the month of July was.

My answer (along with an excuse for why I'm so quiet these days):

First the excuse: I've got something stuck under some of the keys on my keyboard right now and need to clean it properly. In the mean time, typing properly is horrible - the enter key and a couple of others feel mushy.

Now for my answer, and it's a book I still need to review:

The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff.

The amazon.com product description:

First in a brand-new urban fantasy series from the author of The Blood Books

The Gale family can change the world with the charms they cast, and they like to keep this in the family. Alysha Gale is tired of having all her aunts try to run her life, both personally and magically. So when the letter from her Gran arrives willing her a "junk" shop in Calgary, Alysha jumps at the chance. It isn't until she gets there that she realizes her customers are fey. And no one told her there's trouble brewing in Calgary-trouble so big that even calling in the family may not save the day...

After a customer recommended this one to me, I decided to give it a try. I know I've loved reading a number of Tanya Huff's other books, namely the "Blood" series, and all the things I loved about those books were present in this one. The setting however, is new: The Enchantment Emporium is set in Calgary, which I have to admit I don't know anything about in terms of geography and architecture. However, it was still a very good read, and I'd be willing to be that for Calgary residents there's the same thrill I got out of Blood Debt, of seeing familiar places described and mentioned.

Definitely a fun read and one I have to recommend to fans of urban fantasy. I'd say more, but I want to save some comments for my actual review.

I do have to say though, that despite loving The Enchantment Emporium, I'm having a nearly impossible time getting into the sequel, Wild Ways.

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Book To Re-read

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

I'm asking what your favourite book to re-read is this week. I'd also be curious to know why you like re-reading that book.

My answer is obvious to anyone who knows me: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I've been reading and re-reading it since I was eleven, possibly a bit younger.

Sometimes, it's to return to a world that's become familiar and comfortable to me - although I wouldn't want to live there at all, too many dangers. But, I know the story - there's no surprises there anymore. Even so, re-reading's not boring in any way.

Other times, when I'm re-reading the Lord of the Rings, I find myself noticing some new details about Tolkien's writing and the world of Middle-Earth. Sometimes it's some nuance of his writing style and vocabulary, other times it's something concerning the customs of one of the cultures in Middle-Earth.

I never quite know which it will be each time either, I just know that it's going to be a really good read which will often leave me in tears by the end - especially when I combine it with a reading of Bilbo's Last Song, my favourite of Tolkiens poems. Quite honestly, I'm glad to see that it's being reissued this fall. The poem, for all that it's short is absolutely my favourite, and lavishly illustrated by Pauline Baynes, it works so well with the chapter The Grey Havens in The Lord of the Rings.

What's your favourite book to re-read?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Genre To Read?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week the question is what your favourite genre to read is. Fantasy? Historical Fiction? Romance? Science Fiction? Something else? It doesn't mean that that's all you read, but what do you know is almost guaranteed to be a read you'll enjoy?


My answer is:
Fantasy. I can't remember really when I wasn't reading fantasy books. Mostly because I can't remember when I hadn't read The Hobbit. I know I was maybe eleven when I wore out my first copy of The Fellowship of the Ring. I still remember when the pages fell out of the Council of Elrond chapter. For a long time though, I didn't venture beyond Tolkien when it came to fantasy.

Boy, oh boy has that ever changed. Now, probably half of my fiction books probably class as fantasy, and many of the books I'm looking forward to are fantasy novels by authors like Mercedes Lackey, Elizabeth Moon and Jo Graham.

I don't really know why I'm so attracted to fantasy novels though. They can be just as formulaic as any other genre, but they can also be downright original and creative in terms of world-building and societies. Maybe that's it, that they're not as constrained by real-world rules. And yet, they've got to be realistic as well.

My definition of fantasy has expanded in recent years too, to include Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romances as well as the traditional fantasy epic like The Deed of Paksenarrion. I just wish I could find more historical fantasy novels along the lines of The Mists of Avalon or Hand of Isis. My wish may have just come true however, as Jo Graham and Melissa Scott's latest collaboration is due out yesterday/today: Lost Things. I have to say the blurb for this one makes it look like a "must have" book for me.

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Book From June

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

Better late than never for two reasons this week: first, that I should have asked this question last week rather than asking about your favourite movie, and second, that I'm posting this so late today.  This week's question is: What was your favourite book from the month of June?

I'm going to have to say that my answer is Peter Ackroyd's book London Under. It was well written, intriguing and gave me a different view of that wonderful old city, while making me wish I was more familiar with it. That was my one gripe with this book: the lack of maps. Peter Ackroyd seems to assume that the reader is going to be familiar enough with London to recognize the districts and geographical features he mentions.

Despite that, this book was one that I found nearly impossible to put down until it was finished, and it left me wishing I could see some of the sites described, such as the Underground station that's been abandoned since the early nineteen hundreds but it still has the old posters on the walls.

What was your favourite book from June?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Movie?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm breaking from the mould a bit for this meme. I'm asking what your favourite movie is - because I was lucky enough to see mine on the TV the other day and it rekindled my love for the movie, and this post gave me the excuse to rave about it further.

My answer is:

The Last Samurai. I first saw it last year, or was it the year before now? with a friend, and then within the week I'd gone out and bought my own copy along with the soundtrack and watched it another three or four times. Since then, I hadn't seen it again until the other night. It's definitely got my favourite listing for the soundtrack. Hans Zimmer has done some wonderful composing for The Last Samurai. (side note: Hans Zimmer has also done my second favourite soundtrack as well: Gladiator)

There's something about this movie that intrigued me - to the point where I've been borrowing or buying a number of books on Japanese history and culture off and on. That's what's inspired my reading of books like James Clavell's Shogun, Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, and the non-fiction book Geisha, a Life by Mineko Iwasaki. Those aren't the only books on Japan that I've read either. I'm on the look-out for more books as well.

Either way, regardless of the way the movie intrigued me, in my mind it has maintained a good balance between all of the various elements, and if you watch your way through the commentaries, it's made clear just how much the makers tried to stay true to the period and to respect the culture - something I really appreciate in a historical movie, whether or not I know much about the period or not.

So, what's your favourite movie of all time?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Book Meme?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite book meme is. There are too many of them to count too: Library Loot, Booking Through Thursdays, "Waiting On" Wednesdays, Teaser Tuesdays, It's Monday! What Are You Reading? etc, etc.

What's your favourite, or do you have more than one? What draws you to a particular meme week after week? Memes about reading in general (Booking Through Thursdays)? or about a specific book each week ("Waiting On" Wednesday)?

My answer:
I seem to phase in and out of participating in the different book memes. I used to participate in most (all) of the memes I listed there, but not so much any more. Of them though, I'm going to have to say that my favourites are Library Loot and It's Monday! What Are You Reading?. Library Loot is the main one I participate in though these days, but I'm not all that regular a library user - hazard of working in a bookstore I think. It's Monday is one I want to participate in more often, but just don't seem to actually do.

Even with my track record, I'm always on the lookout for new book-related memes to read up on and try out.

What's your favourite?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Non-Reading Hobby?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite non-reading hobby is. I'm sure that in terms of hobbies, reading takes the top slot :), but other hobbies are lots of fun too.

My answer:
I've tried a lot of hobbies, and they have tended to shift in terms of favourites and the amount of time I allot to them. In the past were hobbies like cross-stitch, drawing, calligraphy etc that are all year-round and engaging. All of which I still enjoy to an certain extent, but rarely do much of any more. Then there are the seasonal hobbies: gardening, snowshoeing, hiking etc. They're great, but you can only really do them at certain times of the year.

Right now, my priority (aside from reading) hobbies are those involved with yarn-craft. Mostly in this case, that refers to spinning and crochet, although I'd like to try dying some day, and I want to teach myself to knit. It just seems somehow that I have trouble figuring out the instructions for any particular stitch, and the motions don't feel as comfortable as crochet did immediately.

Of those two, I'm honestly not sure if spinning is more a favourite than crochet, or if it's the other way around. They're equally as portable - at least if I'm using the drop-spindle and not the actual wheel ;). I know one thing I love about them is the feeling of accomplishment I get from finishing something. And it doesn't tend to take forever to complete a project.

Spinning is, like photography, one of those hobbies I've stuck with. It has to have been five years or so now since I started using a drop-spindle and thane the wheel, and I'm still going strong. Other hobbies I've picked up for a while and then abandoned more or less completely, such as the time I did some soapstone carving. After a few months, it just got left.

That length of time in itself justifies spinning as being a favourite. Crochet is a more recent addition, but it's definitely got my interest. One of these days I'm intending to combine the two and actually do some crochet with some of the yarn I've spun. To date, I haven't had the confidence to try much crochet with my handspun. I've been sticking with the commercial stuff, at least partially because it's more predictable.

So, what's your favourite non-reading hobby?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Book for May

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite book from last month was.

My answer is, after some thought, True Strength: My Journey From Hercules To Mere Mortal - And How Nearly Dying Saved My Life by Kevin Sorbo. My full review is here. Having been a fan of the show Hercules: The Legendary Journeys since it was on the air - I still watch the DVD sets on occasion, I picked up the book out of curiosity.

I've never been a big fan of actors' biographies and autobiographies before, but this one stood out as being downright inspiring to read. What Kevin Sorbo went through, and the process to his recovery was amazing, and the way he held up to it all...

True Strength is, to me, a book that anyone going through a tough spot in their life might gain some benefit from, be it thanks to illness or bad luck, it's bound to make you appreciate just how wonderful life is.

What was your favourite book from the month of May?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Period in History?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite period of history is.
Please leave either your response in the comments or a link to your response.

I picked this question for this week based on both the movies I've been watching lately (War Horse and Last of the Mohicans) and the last book I finished (Diana Gabaldon's Outlander). However, the question itself isn't specifically about what time periods you like to read, instead it's more general, about your favourite period of history in general.

For myself it's about an even split between Classical (Roman and Greek) and Medieval History. I know for medieval history it was an interesting start - I was inspired to take a couple of general Medieval History courses because I'd been reading some historical fiction and and wanted to find out how much of the story was based on truth. I think the novel in question was Katherine Kurtz's The Temple and the Stone, or perhaps the sequel, The Temple and the Crown. I was lucky enough to have a really good teacher who really sparked my interest.

I don't remember what caught my interest in Greek and Roman history though, but that was what I decided to major in, and I've found it fascinating ever since. I'm still buying books on the subject, along with medieval history as well as borrowing them from the library.

All I know is I find reading about and researching both periods to be absolutely fascinating even after getting a degree in the subject. What really catches my eye with both is the little details about every-day life, crafts, food and the like.

What's your favourite period of history, and why is it so fascinating to you?

Friday Favourites - Your Favourite Cover Artist?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking who your favourite cover artist is. It's a question I'm curious about as despite the saying "don't judge a book by it's cover", everyone does so to a certain extent.

Please leave either your response in the comments or a link to your response.

My answer is:

I've got three favourite cover artists actually.
There's Jody A. Lee, who's done the art on a lot of the books I've read. It's gotten to the point where I can see a book and say "that's a Jody A. Lee cover" before I check the book to be sure. Typically her covers are usually on DAW books. I've noted her artwork on the following to date: Micky Zucker Reichert's Renshai books and  the Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey (and also some of her other titles too), and a number of other authors and titles. She's actually about the only cover artist I can recognize like this - her work is rather distinctive and doesn't change from author to author or series.

My second favourite isn't technically a cover artist to the best of my knowledge: Alan Lee. I love his Lord of the Rings artwork, which was used by HarperCollins for some editions of The Lord of the Rings. Until I checked though just now, I honestly thought their covers for the History of Middle-Earth series were Alan Lee paintings as well. Turns out that they're actually John Howe's artwork instead - my other favourite for Tolkien-themed artwork. There's just something about the atmosphere that Alan Lee manages to invoke in his paintings that's perfect for Middle-Earth in my mind.

The third cover artist on my list is actually juggling for top place: the cover artist for the trade-paperback editions of Hand of Isis and Black Ships (or so I'm guessing - my copy of Black Ships seems to have disappeared again). Actually, as I think I've said before, Hand of Isis is a book I picked up on the strength of the cover alone.

Not only that, but the cover for this edition of Hand of Isis holds place as my all-time favourite piece of cover art, as I noted in a previous Friday Favourites post. There's just something about the way Debra Lill has done these two covers that I absolutely love. I'd be curious to see any other cover art of hers too and see if this particular style is something that's typical of all her work or something specific to her Jo Graham covers.

So, who's your favourite cover artist, and why?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Cookbook

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite cookbook book is.

Please leave either your response in the comments or a link to your response.

My answer:

I`m finding this one to be an extremely challenging one to answer, simply because I love a lot of the cookbooks I have - spending time in the kitchen is a ton of fun. Last year I did manage to narrow the list of my favourites down to five.

I`m particularly partial to Mark Bittman, Jamie Oliver and Michael Smith's books, although I like a number of other authors as well. I wonder if it's the approach they take. None of them are particularly formal in how the recipes are done, nor the the food always super-fancy. It's as likely to be something simple and tasty - comfort food as it were.


When I was writing before, I wasn't as into watching the various cooking shows, so that wasn't shaping my perceptions as much. Now it is more, which is one of the reasons I love Jamie Oliver and Michael Smith as chefs. Well, that and also the fact that their recipes almost never fail me. Whether it's a soup, a casserole or even a drink, it is usually absolutely delicious.

Narrowing things down to one cookbook though, I'm going to have to say it's The Best of Chef At Home by Michael Smith, just based on his approach to cooking. It's inspiring to say the least. Every recipe has some explanation as to why you do something in a particular way, as well as some form of variation to change the flavour. Essentially, it seems to me as though I'm getting double the recipes for my money.

I really love the way he encourages experimentation in the kitchen and with cooking. I'll admit that I'm watching a lot of the Chef At Home T.V. show these days and every single episode I've seen has me wanting to get into the kitchen and try something. But, I get that feeling from the book(s) too. And, I've started experimenting too - using the book for inspiration. Even for something as simple as a salad dressing, or a way to jazz up some carrots.

The most recent successful recipe from this book was an incredible mushroom soup, though I just found a salad dressing I have to try - one of the variations on the salad dressings: a raspberry salad dressing.

But for me it just comes down to the approach that Michael Smith takes: relaxed and fun, family oriented cooking. There's no stress, no need to get it "right" as long as it tastes good, and for me, that works to get me into the kitchen and trying new things.

The things I like about the blue Chef At Home book are true of all his cookbooks too, and the one to the left here, may soon overtake the first one as my favourite. At the moment, it's simple familiarity that keeps it there, and I'm trying new recipes from this one too all the time. So far, my favourite has been the baked acorn squash recipe. It takes a bit of time, but is delicious and goes well with a lot of different meats too.

What's your favourite cookbook?

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Non-Fiction Book?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite non-fiction book is.

Please leave either your response in the comments or a link to your response.

My answer is:

Little Princes: One Man's Promise To Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan.

I first read and reviewed the book back in February of 2011, and I haven't been able to stop raving about it ever since.

The amazon.com product description:

In search of adventure, 29-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children’s Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.

Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war—for a huge fee—by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.
For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life’s work.
Little Princes is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, Little Princes is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations.

Even though I read this book over a year ago, I really want to read it again at some point. I remember wanting to know what happened to each of the kids, and overall, that I couldn't put the book down. As much as this is the story of Conor, it's also the story of each of the kids he met at the Little Princes Children's Home, and they really are sweet kids.

I'd like to think that I got an idea of what it's like in Nepal, or at least what it was like a few years ago from reading this book. All I can say is that it's well-written, vivid and descriptive. I can't stop raving about the book either. It's one of my favourites to recommend at work too.

What's your all-time favourite non-fiction book (or at least, favourite non-fiction book to date)?

Friday Favourites - Your Favourite Book From April?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite book from the month of April is.

Please leave either your response in the comments or a link to your response.

My answer is:

Although I didn't review it, my favourite book for the month was No Talking by Andrew Clements, a book for kids. The suggested reading level is for kids between the ages of nine and twelve years old, but I think it would be amusing for anyone who likes kids books.

Certainly the humour in the book is not just geared towards kids, and the premise of the story is an interesting one.

The amazon.com product description:

It’s boys vs. girls when the noisiest, most talkative, and most competitive fifth graders in history challenge one another to see who can go longer without talking. Teachers and school administrators are in an uproar, until an innovative teacher sees how the kids’ experiment can provide a terrific and unique lesson in communication. In No Talking, Andrew Clements portrays a battle of wills between some spunky kids and a creative teacher with the perfect pitch for elementary school life that made Frindle an instant classic.

Enjoy a nice, lighhearted, quick read, or suggest it to your kids. I think this is one that both boys and girls will like.