The second book I read for the Reading Challenge was actually number 49 on the list, the second to last one. I had just decided to read this book cover to cover, so I decided it was as good a candidate as any for the Challenge!
'America Entertains: A Year of Imaginative Parties' by David Tutera, a prestigious party planner, is a non-fiction book that discusses how Tutera coordinates the sophisticated events he puts on, from weddings, to house warming parties, to cookouts.
The television show I connected this one to is a show I watched on Netflix while planning my own wedding, 'My Fair Wedding', which later became 'My Fair Wedding: Unveiled'. The second incarnation made it more about the drama behind the scenes, which wasn't to my tastes, but the first incarnation gave great ideas on how to pick themes, choose colors, decide on tablescapes, and everything in between.
The television show focused on weddings, but this book expands on the types of soirees he plans. The book is broken down into twelve sections, one for each month, and each month shows us a reason to celebrate, from holidays, to anniversaries, to gallery openings, and each in a different city in the U.S. Each chapter discusses the first stages of inspiration and planning, the visuals and atmosphere, and the three E's: essentials, extras, and extravagances.
I love that he broke down the three E's. No one, not even Tutera, is pretending that we can all afford to get carved-ice shot glasses or caviar, but most of us can manage to put together wildflowers, terra-cotta pots for vases, or jazz music to inspire our guests. The three E's change for each event, too. Once the theme and location is chosen, what are the most important aspects that will define the essentials? Will it be flowers in a certain color scheme? Maybe it will be a particular kind of cocktail, or patriotic decoration. Extras are just to add a little splurge, like a decadent dessert. He includes chocolate-dipped rose petals in this section for a Valentine's Day party, and the recipe does not look as hard to make as it sounds! Extravagances are for those extra-special events when you can and want to go all out, like one a custom made velvet tablecloth.
Each chapter also contains recipes for the cocktails, meals, and hors d'oeuvres served, and I cannot wait to start cooking some of these up. I may have to come up with some party excuses just to give them a try!
Rank: A
I really enjoyed this book, as I love putting on parties and events, trying new recipes, and figuring out different ways to celebrate the love I have for my friends and family. This book is a perfect fit for anyone interested in event planning, It's appropriate for any age!
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015
2015 Reading Challenge Review: Witches and Ghosts, Pirates and Thieves, Murder and Mayhem
Wow, it's been a while! I'm sorry for that, everyone. Illness and the passing of a family member put a hold on things, but we're back!
The first book I read for the 2015 Reading Challenge was 'Witches and Ghosts, Pirates and Thieves, Murder and Mayhem: Scary Tales from Colonial Williamsburg' from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation of Williamsburg, Virginia, copyright 2007 and compiled by John P. Hunter.
It may seem odd that a historical society would publish a book of folk tales and ghost stories, but the stories told in this book were stories that were actually told eighteenth-century Virginia. Oral tradition is one of the best way to learn about a society, and offers many ways to better understand their morals and beliefs. After all, almost every fairy tale teaches a lesson to those who listen.
What I found most interesting about the book was that the stories are written as if someone is speaking them, sometimes writing phonetic dialect of the speaker. Nearly all of them are told in first person, and some of them even contain an introduction in the first sentence of the story.
While some of the stories are comical and others rather grim, they are all well researched and included for particular reasons, as the Sources section at the back of the book explains. Each story has a paragraph or two about where it came from, who told it, and any historical documentation that goes along with it. Dark Corners, Black Ink, and The Houseguest are some of my favorites. The Combustible Woman caused me to put the book down and step away from it for a few minutes. As that kind of reaction was probably the goal of the story, I have to say they succeeded.
Rank: A-
I love the stories, the historical significance, and the research done into them. The only thing that dropped it from an A was the writing phonetic writing style, which sometimes drew me out of the book. There is some mild violent content, so I recommend this book for ages 10 and up. If you enjoy scary stories, I highly recommend this book!
The first book I read for the 2015 Reading Challenge was 'Witches and Ghosts, Pirates and Thieves, Murder and Mayhem: Scary Tales from Colonial Williamsburg' from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation of Williamsburg, Virginia, copyright 2007 and compiled by John P. Hunter.
It may seem odd that a historical society would publish a book of folk tales and ghost stories, but the stories told in this book were stories that were actually told eighteenth-century Virginia. Oral tradition is one of the best way to learn about a society, and offers many ways to better understand their morals and beliefs. After all, almost every fairy tale teaches a lesson to those who listen.
What I found most interesting about the book was that the stories are written as if someone is speaking them, sometimes writing phonetic dialect of the speaker. Nearly all of them are told in first person, and some of them even contain an introduction in the first sentence of the story.
While some of the stories are comical and others rather grim, they are all well researched and included for particular reasons, as the Sources section at the back of the book explains. Each story has a paragraph or two about where it came from, who told it, and any historical documentation that goes along with it. Dark Corners, Black Ink, and The Houseguest are some of my favorites. The Combustible Woman caused me to put the book down and step away from it for a few minutes. As that kind of reaction was probably the goal of the story, I have to say they succeeded.
Rank: A-
I love the stories, the historical significance, and the research done into them. The only thing that dropped it from an A was the writing phonetic writing style, which sometimes drew me out of the book. There is some mild violent content, so I recommend this book for ages 10 and up. If you enjoy scary stories, I highly recommend this book!
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