Our Syria: Recipes from Home

Our Syria: Recipes from Home by Itab Azzam and Dina Mousawi

A cookbook may seem a bit unconventional to include in a list of "books I have read". But, Our Syria is too beautiful not to share. Dina and Itab met in London in 2014 and bonded over their love of food, cooking, and eating. Later they traveled to Beirut to work with a group of Syrian women for a theater project. They realized that this group of women, who had only recently escaped the war in Syria, all shared a love of food. Itab and Dina were invited daily to the women's homes to eat, swap recipes, and learn family recipes.

"That's when we hit upon the idea for this book--to bring to the world the glories of Syrian food and in the process honor these brave women who are fighting back against the destruction of their home with the only weapons they have: pots and pans" (11).
Interspersed with the recipes are stories about some of the contributors. Tahani's story stood out for me. Tahani had given birth to her son Ahmed under seige. A neighbor with a newborn girl found out and asked Tahani to breastfeed her daughter as well. Tahani managed to feed both babies and survive herself. Eventually, Tahani and her son escaped and joined her mother near the Jordanian border. Mona's son Bader died of leukemia and the only obituary they could manage was a text message sent from her husband's phone. Mona continues to make Maqloubeh or stuffed zucchini, her son's favorite dish, as a way to honor and remember him. The authors say that these recipes are the beating heart of Syrian culture and for these women, nothing is more apparent.


For each recipe the authors include the name of the dish in Arabic and a brief history or story about the dish.

Eggplant Fetteh

I plan to purchase this book and try some of the recipes. 

Fall of Poppies

I finished Fall of Poppies a week ago, but haven't had a chance to blog until now.

Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and The Great War is a collection of stories most of which take place shortly before or right after the Armistice on November 11, 1918. Fall of Poppies was mentioned in the book notes for Last Christmas in Paris.

I enjoyed:
"The Record Set Right" by Lauren Willig
"All for the Love of You" by Jennifer Robson
"Something Worth Landing For" by Jessica Brockmole

In my France Today magazine there was this ad for visiting WWI battlefields.

Reading Resolutions

In Sunday's paper, The Gazette, there was an article about how to read more books in 2018. Reading more is a great resolution. Some suggestions for reading more:

1. 1. buy an e-reader: I personally hate reading long articles (for school) or books online. For me, holding books, feeling them, and smelling them is part of the reading experience. But, if you like reading electronically, an e-reader is a great way to do so. E-readers are also less bulky to take on trips. Although, I did once bring back 28 books from France and did not have to pay for heavy bags. 
2. Use the library: I love the library. As long as you don't accrue fines (like me) borrowing from the library is a free way to access books. I also like checking out library books because if I don't like a book or don't have time to finish it before it's due, I haven't wasted money. 
3. Join a book club
4. Join Goodreads or follow reading blogs, like this one for recommendations. 
5. Set aside time to read each day. It could be 10, 20,  or 30 minutes, or if you are truly lucky, an hour or more. I think it's helpful to set aside time to read at the same time each day: before bed, during your commute, on your lunch break, when your child/children are napping.
6. Have a reading spot: A comfy chair or sofa, a blanket, a table to put a drink and a snack on help set a good atmosphere for reading. And of course a cat (or other pet) is a nice addition. 

Last Christmas in Paris

#89 Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

When World War I broke out, politicians and governments declared that it would be over by Christmas. Evelyn (Evie) Elliot, her brother Will, their close friend Thomas (Tom) Harding, and Alice Cuthbert make plans to spend Christmas 1914 in Paris. At that point, Tom and Will, both Lieutenants on the Western Front, will be home. However, the war continues and four Christmases will pass before the Armistice is signed on November 11, 1918. As the war continues, a peaceful Christmas becomes evermore tantalizing and elusive.
...Years later, Tom Harding settles into his apartment in Paris at Christmas to read the packet of letters exchanged between himself, Evie, Will, Alice, and their families during WWI. One final letter, never read, remains from Evie. Perhaps this letter will allow Tom to lay to rest the ghosts of the past.

This epistolary novel was actually written as an exchange of emails between the authors. Hazel would write several of the letters from her home in Ireland and email them to Heather in New York. Heather would read Hazel's latest work, compose her own letters and send those onto to Hazel.

On Christmas day in 1914, troops from both sides  famously laid down their arms and joined together in No Man's Land to mark the holiday.

The movie Joyeux Noel is one fictional version of this truce

And I love this Celtic Thunder song about the truce of 1915

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! It's been a while since I've posted anything, but a new baby and a toddler who is potty training cut into reading time.

I read 5 books in November and December, bringing the total up to 88. These three were worth mentioning.

The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg is a fictionalized account of French author George Sand's scandalous and unconventional life, her lovers, her children, and her career as an author.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris. Jack and Grace Angel appear to have the perfect life. Jack is a  high profile attorney. Grace used to be a purchaser for Harrod's and travel all over the world, but gave up her job when she got married. The Angel's live in a spectacular house, and give lavish dinner parties, with food perfectly cooked by Grace. Grace is a also a doting sister to her younger sibling Millie. Friends and neighbors can't help but be charmed by Jack and Grace.

But Jack and Grace keep others at arm's length. Although she doesn't work, Grace never answers the telephone and often cancels any plans she has made. Grace's purse is empty: no keys, wallet, or phone. Their perfect house is surrounded by a high-security fence.

What really happens behind closed doors?

I don't usually read thrillers, but this was a good read. If you liked The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl, you would probably like this as well.

When Christmas Trees Lit the Sky: Growing up in World War II Germany is a memoir by Anneliese Heider Tisdale. Anneliese  was born in Munich in 1928 and remained in Germany until 1947. In her memoir, she describes her family home, daily life with her parents and older brother Ludwig, early school days, and Christmas traditions. She also describes how World War II affected her family and her daily life. Her brother Ludwig was forced to join the German army and later became a prisoner of war in Russia. Anneliese worked as a interpreter for the American army at the end of the war. In the chapter "Dancing with the Enemy" Anneliese describes the dances that the GIs held for German Girls as part of their peace-keeping activities. At one of these dances, Anneliese met her future husband, Bill from Cedar Rapids Iowa. In 1947 Anneliese and her cousin Mariele left for the United States as war brides. She later became a U.S citizen and attended the University of Iowa and taught in the Cedar Rapids schools. Anneliese's memoir also includes family recipes. 

Happy New Year. May 2018 be a year of literary discovery and exploration, of new authors and beloved favorites.