Cookin' By the Book!

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

John F. Kennedy

Let us help you entertain!

Come check out our collection of books and magazines for baking,roasting...whatever you need we have.

The days are dwindling down and the countdown has begun. The holidays are about to begin and we are here to make things a little easier for you. Stop by, get some decorating ideas, find a recipe, see if the tips on setting your table strick your fancy. Don't stress, let us make things go a little smoother for you, and hopefully give you some time to relax, and read a good book.




Happy Thanksgiving!

Different Views

The Expected One

Kathleen McGowan

"No matter how busy you may think you are,
you must find time for reading, or surrender
yourself to self-chosen ignorance."

Atwood H. Townsend.



I have always had a fascination with Mary Magdalene, her relationship with the twelve apostles, and Jesus. With that in mind I looked forward to the Da Vinci Code and I read it way back when it was THE book to read. I thought it was okay, little over the top, and the ending left me feeling like it was a rush job. Seemed that Dan Brown felt like he was done writing and plop, here is the end. I read shortly after that Daniel Silva's The Confessor and will say I enjoyed it much much better. While with The Confessor it had more originality to it, was more realistic and had an ending that brought it to a close, not just stop and leave you wondering what the heck....

I was looking for a book to read (yes, sometimes I even have to think of one) when I remembered a recent book about Mary Magdalene that had come out. This book is fiction, but the author tells us she is a decedent of Mary Magdalen and her book is an account of her life experiences, how she came to this realization, and she has chosen to share it with us via fiction.

Maureen Pascal (really McGowan) has written a book about women who have been treated unfairly by history. Mary Magdalene is one of her women, and also one who she feels strongly about. While in Jerusalem she is given a ring with an usually insignia and then she starts having visions. Strange things continue to occur, people ask her questions about "who" she is, "who" she resembles, that they have been waiting for her. Hence, the title, the Expected One. McGowan has quite a different take on Da Vinci then Brown and Silva have, but it is interesting non the less.

I want to point out that even though you know it is suppose to be about the author, it isn't done in an hokey way. (Hokey is the only word that came to mind)

I liked the book. What comes to light is the finding of the Mary Magdalene Gospels. I wish the book had been all about the Mary Magdalene Gospels and how they came to be. When the author writes from Mary Magdalene viewpoint of what transpired all those centuries ago compared to what we have come to know, I loved it. McGowan makes you feel that you are there observing what is going on, when she writes as present day the writing didn't flow as well for me.

What is great when you read a book is when it grabs your interest and leaves you wanting to read more about the subject, this is what The Expected One did for me. It left me fascinated to learn more about Mary Magdalene and her views of what occurred during her time.

I liked the book and would recommend it, especially to those of you who liked Da Vinci Code and The Confessor.

Happy Reading!

Michael Crichton

"In the information society, nobody thinks.
We expect to banish paper, but we acturally
banish thought."
Michael Crichton 1942-2008


I was saddened when I heard that another writer had died. That makes three in the last few works and I hope the last one for a while.

Michael Crichton was a thriller writer best known for Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, Andromeda Strain and Disclosure. Many of his books were made into movies,. Jurassic Park gave him high profile attention when it was made into a movie directed by his friend, Steven Spielberg, who he also created the TV show ER with. Crichton also directed many of his books into movies as well as directing others.

Michael Crichton believed that we all should challenge our preconceived notions of the world around us and with his books, he did just that. Thanks.

"They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something."

I really liked this quote from Michael Crichton; gives you something to think about.

Studs Terkel

"If solace is any sort of succor to someone,

that is sufficient. I believe in the faith of people,

whatever faith they may have." Studs Terkel 1912-2008

Once again we have to say good-bye to a wonderful writer, Studs Terkel. He moved from NYC to Chicago when he was very young and what a fit Terkel and Chicago made. He was a writer for the common man and woman and believed that American became the country it was because of them. Hard Times: AN Oral History of the Great Depression, made you visualize the 1930's; his book on Race :How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel About the American Obsession is as relevant to day and it was in 1992. Terkel won a Pulitzer Prize for his book, The Good War:An Oral History of World War II. He was on the blacklist during the 1950's, which didn't stop him from what he believed, which was America and her people.

Studs Terkel died just before his last book came out in November, P.S. Further Thoughts From A Lifetime of Listening. This is about his favorite things---writings, travels and people. What a sendoff, thanks Mr. Terkel for sharing so much with us.