JUST FINISHED: "Under the Dome" by Stephen King

For starters, I am not a Stephen King mega-fan.  I enjoy reading his books, but I don't regularly search them out.  That being said:
Holy cow!  What an awesome book!

The people of Chester's Mill, Maine, are going about their business on a run of the mill Saturday, running errands, working, playing, commiting felonies.  But suddenly, without rhyme or reason, an invisible dome appears (think like The Simpsons Movie) that isolates the town from the rest of the world. 

King does a fantastic job of introducing the townspeople on Dome Day, layering their points of view with style and twisted humor.  At first, the cast of characters seems overwhelming by sheer number alone, but every character has a purpose in the story, and more importantly, they all have a voice.  Each character introduced is integral to moving the story forward, which is really important because there are 1074 freaking pages. 

As the story unfolds, there is not a soul, whether from military intelligence or leading scientists, that seems to know why the dome has dropped, but the people of Chester's Mill quickly realize that no one and nothing can cross the invisible barrier.  Big Jim Rennie, the town's Second Selectman, imposes makeshift Martial Law to keep the town under his thumb, but all hell breaks loose.

Characters to keep your eyes on (besides Big Jim):
Dale "Barbie" Barbara- a former Army Captain on his way out of town just before the town was isolated.
Junior Rennie- Big Jim's son, nasty in so many ways...
Joe McClatchy- 13 year old genius, an absolute kick in the pants.  "Scarecrow Joe" has made it into my top 5 fictional characters of all time.
Julia Shumway- editor of the local paper.
Eric "Rusty" Everett- Physician's Assistant and the token level head.

Stephen King is masterful in creating the town of Chester's Mill, which is like Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon crossed with Alfred Hitchcock's Bodega Bay, with hints of George Orwell, Shirley Jackson and Ray Bradbury.  I was so wrapped up with this book,  I spent over 5 consecutive hours reading the last 400 pages or so, an honor previously bestowed only upon the final two Harry Potter books. 

This book isn't just a snack, it's a seven course meal; every course tastes so good, but you can't wait to try the next one.

TITLE: Under the Dome

AUTHOR: Stephen King
Copyright: 2009
For more info on the world of Stephen King, visit http://www.stephenking.com/

Just Finished: Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl

As a foodie, it was only a matter of time that I discovered this book. While shopping this last December, I found it at a local bookstore, and feeling so full of masochistic holiday spirit, halfheartedly added it to my Christmas list the minute I arrived home that evening.  Of course, I knew Ruth Reichl by reputation from Gourmet magazine and from a few TV specials, but hadn't realized she had written a memoir of her early years. 


Tender at the Bone is an engaging read, overflowing with love of life and food, and a hint of humor.  From discussing her unconventional family to boarding school in Montreal on thru her college years, the chapters read more like stand alone short stories, but the "moral" of each is a recipe or a special meal that is linked to a turning point in Reichl's life. 

This is the book I wish I could have written.  I don't want to be Ruth Reichl, (although I do envy her career like nobody's business)  but I envy the way that she managed to write such an amazing culinary love letter. 

Tender at the Bone is a literary Moussaka; it could be a disaster in a lesser cook's kitchen, but made with a master's hand it's rich, velvety layers are something to be savored.  And this book should definitely be savored!

What a Crazy Time!!!

Moving and settling in to our new house has taken more time than I anticipated, especially since we moved in the middle of the holiday season.  I have read some great books, but haven't had time to update my blog, so here's a quick list of the books I have managed to read since my last post:

Thursday Next: First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde (Awesome!)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Gripping!)
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (Intriguing, ready to read the sequel)
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie (Whoo!  Go get yourself a copy today!)
My Life in France by Julia Child (A re-read, but I lurves me my Julia!)
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (Last read it in high school, re-reading as an adult, I realize it's not so much a romance, more a horror novel.  Yeesh!  Oh yeah, and Cathy is a BIG Bitch.)

I received about 15 books for Christmas, and also have a few Borders Gift Cards, so there will be a ton of reading, and hopefully, more posts!