A much welcomed email from B&N announces the summer sale is here, and the long awaited paperback version of "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown is finally available for pre-order. Best of all, the books will be shipped to my sister's free of charge. This will be a great Christmas present pour moi when she comes back from the States in December.
This is a consolation to the passport blunder last month. I am supposed to attend my cousin's wedding in Toronto, then meet up with my girlfriend for a sojourn in New York City. Suffice to say I find out two nights prior to my departure that my passport has expired three months earlier!! Fortunately, the ticket has not been issued thereby the financial damage is contained, but the disappointment has permeated the rest of June.
I have been receiving post cards and parcels from New York. The "wish you were here" makes my heart glow. I have been so worried the ditched girlfriend from Toronto will be bored to tears braving the Big Apple on her own. Updates from my other girlfriend who lives in Jersey are really upbeat though. The two ladies have bonded so well they both describe as having found a long lost friend. How great is that?
Things happen for a reason. I have missed a lovely wedding and a gal pal trip to my favorite city. In retrospect though, I think it's a blessing in disguise. If not for my stupidity, I would not have known the support from those I have let down, knowing I will be my worst berator for failing them. This detour has been worth it afterall. "All's well that ends well" as the bard would have put it.
Kostova's debut bestseller, "The Historian", is one of my favorite reads. The anticipated release of her second book has me glued to B&N's online store for months. Sadly, "The Swan Thieves" is a huge disappointment. It has taken me three weeks to finish the book. That's telling because I can devour a paperback in days.
The plot revolves around an acclaimed artist Robert Oliver attacking a painting, Leda and the Swan by Gilbert Thomas at the National Gallery of Art in D.C. He is arrested and taken under the psychiatric care of Andrew Marlow. Thus begin Dr. Marlow's investigation into the past of Robert Oliver and the motive behind the attack.
A famous painting, a mad artist, a bundle of fragile old letters, plus globe trotting to Impressionist museums, unravelling of clues and piecing of puzzles spanning a century, the book has the making to be an enthralling read.
For some unfathomable reason Kostova has chosen to write the book with each character delivering a monologue breaking as a chapter. With minimal dialogue in some chapters, the narration has completely failed to engage me and worst of all ruined the tempo of the book.
I think great reads have the ability to entice the reader to identify and empathize with the characters. The feeling of having participated in the story makes the book a lingering and memorable read. A pity this is not one of them.
Bridal bouquets is a beautiful book I got at at a book sale. It is a collaboration between florist Jane Durbridge, writer Antonia Swinson and photographer Craig Fordham. The result is a rare peice of jewel that will grace your coffee table and one that you will relish to leaf through for years to come.
Jane is a celebrated florist who works with a lot of boutique hotels and has an impressive list of private clients. You could see why she is so sought after, while you are admiring the lovely and creative bouquets in the book.
Bridal bouquets is mainly organized into color themes. Jane brilliantly takes you through a journey of the palette, from white and cream to pink, purple, red, orange, green, yellow and blue. She would suggest flower themes to go along with the wedding style and choice of dress. The full dress calls for a grand bouquet and the sleek dress would be perfect with a simple and chic posy.
To complement the bride's bouquet, Jane would suggest flowers for the bride's head dress, as well as posies, garlands, baskets for the bridesmaids. You would marvel at the Jane's overall thoroughness.
I think that the defining moment of the book is Jane's sensitivity to the seasons. Jane is a fan of using seasonal flowers. Flowers in season being more abundant and therefore less pricey.
Jane then points out that spring flowers like lily of the valley and snow white pansies, best complements the soft light in spring. The color scheme of yellow with white and green suggests a summer meadow, with daffodils, marigolds and yellow roses. The spectrum of orange hue sweet peas from peach, apricot, tangerine, vermilion to burnt orange is suited for autumn. Bluish tint red roses and dark, regal purple tulips would stand out in the cool, thin light in winter.
Jane has touched on many aspects of designing a bouquet, from the colors to the texture, to the foliage and her use of sumptuous ribbons to bring out the best in the flowers. Besides being a guidebook for brides in choosing a bouquet, this book has managed to transcend the boundaries of being a wedding book. All in all, this is a book that every flower lover would love.
The Baci Lounge is a concept bookstore located in Auckland, New Zealand, and is the brainstorm of Sharad Paul. Paul is foremost a surgeon in Auckland, but doubles as an author as well. "Baci" means "Kiss" in Italian, and he wanted the Baci Lounge to be a place where you can read leisurely with a good cup of coffee or wine.
The decor is inviting to young writers and book lovers alike. There are comfortable armchairs, tables and booths to read to your heart's delight. There is a wide range of books, with a section devoted to Indian literature, where Paul spent some years in. Visit here and you will find that a part of the profits will be dedicated to literacy programs. Beisdes being a cool place to hang out, you will be doing a good cause to promote literacy.
What a double delight!!
