The sequel to How to Build a Girl. Took me back to the 90’s and reminded me of the good bits. I like CM’s writing, I find it relatable and the story was uplifting. A nice read.
How to be Famous
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Author Archives: al
The Cows
I really enjoyed this. Characters are slightly caricature-ish but the main plot event (a women filmed masturbating on a train) is extremely brave. I found it immensely readable; its up to the minute contemporary and feminist. Don’t follow the herd!
Sober Stick Figure
I quite liked the stick figure cartoons – they were mildly funny and had novelty value. But I felt that the book read like ‘I did this, then I did this, then I did this…’ The book was ok but I’ve read several better drinking memoirs.
Property
Loved this collection of short stories. Beautifully portrayed characters and sharply observed. Utterly convincing as is usual for Ms Shriver. Occasionally deliciously disturbing, in the manner of Tales of the Unexpected.
A Wolf at the Table
This is a very sad story of a young boy (and later man) yearning for the love of his cruel and abusive father. A compulsive and disturbing read.
Salting potatoes
When parboiling potatoes for roasting or chips add 15g salt per litre of water.
Diary of a Bookseller
Read this on Manga’s recommendation. The tales of annoying and cheeky customers reminded me of working in the pub. An enjoyable, gentle read.
I am I am I am
I read this very quickly. M. O’F. has a beautiful writing style which is very easy to read. The book is a memoir comprised of ’17 brushes with death’. Some are more horrific and shocking than others but all of them plunge you deep into her life. Very enjoyable.
Macaroni cheese recipe
Adapted from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8834/bestever-macaroni-cheese
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter
350g spiral or other short pasta
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp English mustard powder
6 tbsp plain flour
1 litre semi-skimmed milk
250g/to taste mature cheddar/any combination of strong cheese, grated or chopped into small pieces
strong hard cheese, grated for topping
Fresh breadcrumbs for topping
Method
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
Boil the pasta for 2 mins less than stated on the pack. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan.
Add the garlic and mustard, cook for 1 min, then stir in the flour.
Cook for 1 min more, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Simmer for 5 mins, whisking all the time until thickened.
Take off the heat, then stir in the cheese.
Stir the pasta and some seasoning into the cheesy sauce. Tip into a large ovenproof dish, or 4 individual dishes.
Scatter over the hard cheese, then cover with breadcrumbs, then bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Can be frozen before baking – defrost thoroughly before cooking.
Variations
Additions to the sauce: leeks/onions, bacon
12 Years A Slave
Read this for reading group. Now I realise that this is an important story. Not a novel but one man’s account of slavery, so that the world could know what happened to him. Undoubtedly many others were in worse situations. I did think the film was very powerful when I watched it back in 2013. But I hated reading the book. Partly because the language felt impenetrable, partly because of the long dull accounts e.g description of sugar cane industry. I didn’t know where any of the places were and there were too many names to remember so it was difficult to relate to. For me, this is not a book to be read for pleasure, rather one to be studied for its historical value.