Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Nov 15

17

Review: The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on November 17, 2015
Posted in Animals • Books Read in 2015 • Memoir  | Tagged With: , , , | 13 Comments

Tom MichellDESCRIPTION OF PENGUIN LESSONS BY TOM MICHELL


‘I was hoping against hope that the penguin would survive because as of that instant he had a name, and with his name came the beginning of a bond which would last a life-time.’ 

Tom Michell is in his roaring twenties: single, free-spirited and seeking adventure. He has a plane ticket to South America, a teaching position in a prestigious Argentine boarding school, and endless summer holidays. He even has a motorbike, Che Guevara style. What he doesn’t need is a pet. What he really doesn’t need is a pet penguin. Set against Argentina’s turbulent years following the collapse of the corrupt Perónist regime, this is the heart-warming story of Juan Salvador the penguin, rescued by Tom from an oil slick in Uruguay just days before a new term. When the bird refuses to leave Tom’s side, the young teacher has no choice but to smuggle it across the border, through customs, and back to school. 

Whether it’s as the rugby team’s mascot, the housekeeper’s confidant, the host at Tom’s parties or the most flamboyant swimming coach in world history, Juan Salvador transforms the lives of all he meets – in particular one homesick school boy. And as for Tom, he discovers in Juan Salvador a compadre like no other… The Penguin Lessons is a unique and moving true story which has captured imaginations around the globe – for all those who dreamed as a child they might one day talk to the animals.
Watch for my review later in November, 2015.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE PENGUIN LESSONS BY TOM MICHELL

Tom Michell grew up in southern England and wanted to travel.  In his 20’s, he went to teach at a boys boarding school in Argentina so that he could make money and travel.  This was at a time when Argentina’s dollar value fluctuated widely from day to day.  He was given an advance of 1 million pesos and told to spend it all on anything he think he might need right away. Otherwise it wouldn’t buy as much the next day.

When the school was on breaks he got to travel.  He went to Uruguay for a few days and he discovered many penguins by the sea all covered in oil and dead.  However, there was one penguin that was moving and he decided to rescue him.  He took the penguin to the place he was staying and cleaned him up in the bathtub.  He tried to bring him back to the sea where there wasn’t noticeable oil but the penguin followed him.

He figured that the penguin’s feathers were no longer waterproof and felt there was no alternative but to smuggle him across the border to Argentina and bring him back to the school with him.  He named the penguin Juan Salvador and everyone love him.

Tom Michell shares many of the stories and escapades that ensued while Juan Salvador was with him.  He also shared his travels and the turbulent times in Argentina.  This is a tender hearted memoir with lots of laughs and, yes, some tears.  The writing is lyrical and the book was near impossible to put down.  It is a very fast read and enjoyable read.  I adored this book and highly recommend it!

5/5

I received the ebook for my honest review. 


Giveaway Alert 

There is are only 2 days left to enter my giveaway of one print copy of Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell.  Enter here: https://theteddyrosebookreviewsplusmore.com/2015/11/giveaway-the-penguin-lessons-by-tom-michell.html#.Vkro8XarS70


ABOUT TOM MICHELL


Tom Michell

Tom Michell was born and grew up on the rural downs of southern England, where he grew to love animals, birds and plants. After living in Argentina he returned home and settled in Cornwall where he helps with the family business, tends a small plot of what he calls ‘good Cornish soil’ and sings with a local choir. He is an amateur artist and in his spare time he draws and paints subjects from the wildlife around his home, specialising in birds of prey. Tom is an enthusiastic proponent of understanding how humans can live in genuinely sustainable ways. He is married with four children and three grandchildren.

Nov 15

7

Review: Madame Picasso by Anne Girard

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on November 7, 2015
Posted in Books Read in 2015 • Historical Fiction  | Tagged With: , | 7 Comments

Anne GirardDescription of Madame Picasso by Anne Girard

The mesmerizing and untold story of Eva Gouel, the unforgettable woman who stole the heart of the greatest artist of our time. 

When Eva Gouel moves to Paris from the countryside, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Though young and inexperienced, she manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world.

A brilliant but eccentric artist, Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva can’t help but be drawn into his web. But what starts as a torrid affair soon evolves into what will become the first great love of Picasso’s life. 

With sparkling insight and passion, Madame Picasso introduces us to a dazzling heroine, taking us from the salon of Gertrude Stein to the glamorous Moulin Rouge and inside the studio and heart of one of the most enigmatic and iconic artists of the twentieth century.

My Thoughts on Madame Picasso by Anne Girard

I read this book because I like Picasso but I also like historical fiction books with historical or popular figures in them.  I saw the title ‘Madame Picasso’ and was automatically drawn to it for that reason. 

Eva Gouel flees her parent home in the country side when she is told by her father that she must marry a man she does not love.  She has never lived on her own and knows nothing about finding work in the very limited employment pool for women.  However, she meets a woman who works for the Moulin Rouge and she not only gets her a place to live but also helps her get a job.  She starts working at the Moulin Rouge as a seamstress.  She has to quickly make costume repairs during performances.  There is one actress who is very demanding and mean but Eva soon wins her over with her creative work.

Things are going well for Eva and then she meets Picasso and falls for him fast.  However, she soon found out that their is a woman who calls herself “Madame Picasso’.  Has he been deceiving her?  She certainly doesn’t want to be his mistress!

I fell in love with Eva from the beginning.  Yes, she is quite naive when she first move to the city but she learns very quickly how to survive.  She makes friends easily even with Gertrude Stein!  She does get in tight spots but always manages to get through them.

This book gave me a mix of emotions happy, sad, laughter, and also devastation.  I have to say that I sobbed uncontrollably for part of it.  This book was very hard to put down!  If you are a fan of historical fiction, this is a must read for you.  You will not be disappointed.

5/5

I received the ebook from Net Galley for my honest review.

About Anne GirardAnne Girard

Anne Girard is the pen name for author Diane Haeger.

Diane holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from UCLA. A chance meeting with the famed author Irving Stone 25 years ago sharply focused her ambition to tell great stories from history, and write them only after detailed research and extensive travel to the places her characters lived. That determination has provided a fascinating journey that has taken her from the halls of Chenonceaux, to a private interview with one of Pablo Picasso’s last surviving friends, and most recently an invitation inside Jean Harlow’s home.

Since the publication of her acclaimed first novel, Courtesan, in 1993, a novel that remains in print today, her work has been translated into 18 different languages, bringing her international success and award-winning status.

Platinum Doll, under the Anne Girard pen name, is her 15th novel, and will be published in February, 2016.

Oct 15

30

Review: Food 52 Vegan by Gena Hamshaw

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on October 30, 2015
Posted in Books Read in 2015  | Tagged With: , | 3 Comments

Gena HamshawDescription of Food 52 Vegan by Gena Hamshaw:

An essential collection of hassle-free, vibrant vegan recipes, from the author behind Food52’s wildly popular The New Veganism and Vegan Lunch columns.

Omnivore or vegan (or anywhere in between), we’re all looking for memorable, flavorful dishes to cook for ourselves and the people we care about. If those recipes happen to be healthful, nourishing, and friendly to vegetarians and vegans, even better.

With her wildly popular New Veganism column on Food52, Gena Hamshaw has inspired home cooks  to incorporate plant-based recipes into their everyday routine—and even gained some nutritional yeast and cashew cheese converts. This vibrant collection of all-new recipes plus beloved favorites from the column—along with exquisite photography and helpful tips throughout—will show all of us innovative ways to cook with fresh produce and whole foods. 

From Savory Breakfast Polenta to Cauliflower and Oyster Mushroom Tacos to Ginger Roasted Pears with Vanilla Cream, these recipes are delicious, dependable, and deeply satisfying. Cook from this book just a couple of times and you’ll soon find yourself stocking up on coconut oil, blending your own nut milks, seeking the sweetest tomatoes at the market, and looking at plant-based dishes in a whole new way.

My Thoughts on Food 52 Vegan by Gena Hamshaw:

I have been vegan for over 25 years, so I have collected a lot of vegan cookbooks over the years.  They are an addiction so I rarely turn down the chance to review a new one.  So, I jumped at the chance to get the ebook version of ‘Food 52 Vegan’

It covers some of the basics but I would not call it a book for beginner vegans.  It does have some good recipes.

I made the Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes, Kale, and Pesto Vinaigrette.  It was good but not a favorite.  I also made the Snow Pea, Cabbage, and Mizuna Salad with Smokey Tempeh.  I loved this salad! However, I couldn’t find any Mizuna so used Arugula. The Jerk Chili with Quinoa and Kidney Beans was quite good.

I can’t agree that this cookbook is totally “hassle-free” since not all the ingredients are readily available.  I even went to Whole Foods looking for Mizuna and they didn’t have it.  They have quite an extensive produce section and I turn to them to stock up on ingredients I can’t find elsewhere. 

There are 60 recipes in this cookbook but not all sounded that appealing to our palettes in this household and we are not usually that picky. I would certainly make the Snow pea, Cabbage, and Mizuna (arugula), Salad again, in fact, I have already made it three times.  It is an excellent main course salad!

3/5

I received the ebook for my honest review.

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