Robert Camuto is a wickedly charming citizen of New YorkandFrance, but for his latest venture into the wilds of oephilia, Camuto introduces us to the vinyards of Sicily. It's a detailed tour of the wine culture of the region, as well as the best vintages. To accompany the discussion we will, naturally, be hosting a tasting of Sicilian wines provided by the excellent Chamber Street Wines. This is a rare free guided wine tasting by an expert on the region.
.
News of Note
Staff Picks
Two Planks and a Passion
Written by David
by Roland Huntford (Continuum, $29.95)
Until about 3 weeks ago I had never been skiing, nor, for that matter, did I really have much of an interest in it. So, naturally, I had never thought to read Roland Huntford's dramatic history Two Planks and a Passion. A few hours out in the tracks, though, and I wanted to learn everything I could on the subject and couldn't wait to get back to town to buy a copy. The descriptive "passion" here is no overstatement -- he's put together a history that is astoundingly complete and told with an unconcealed, unabashed love of all things ski-related. His enthusiasm is infectious, and if you've ever enjoyed the thrill of sliding on snow, I think you'll find this book as fascinating as I did.
The Siege of Krishnapur
Written by Sarah
by J. G. Farrell (NYRB, $15.95)
This novel was shortlisted with five others for the Best of the Booker award last year. It's a comic novel about a group of British citizens in an outpost on the Gangetic plain of India in 1857, the year of the Great Mutiny. They are holed up in the local administrator's fortified residence, under siege by mutinous, British-trained, Indian soldiers, quickly dying off from bullets, disease and starvation. Their philosophies, their justifications, their bigotries and their skewed colonist moralities are similarly under siege, and begin to fester as if in a warm, damp container, some disintegrating, others flaring up like eruptions of mold. Very funny, very engrossing, and very interesting.
The Quiet American
Written by David
by Graham Greene (Penguin, $15.00)
I love Graham Greene, and I loved this book. Greene had always been one of those old stand-bys for me that I'd turn to when I just couldn't find anything else I wanted to read. I haven't sought him out in a while, though, because I mistakenly thought I'd already read all of his good ones. Oh, how wrong I was. The Quiet American reminded me of why I fell in love with him in the first place. Aside from being superbly constructed and filled with entertainment and intelligence, Greene's books overflow with a style so distinguished it's hard not to wish everyone wrote like him.
Until about 3 weeks ago I had never been skiing, nor, for that matter, did I really have much of an interest in it. So, naturally, I had never thought to read Roland Huntford's dramatic history Two Planks and a Passion. A few hours out in the tracks, though, and I wanted to learn everything I could on the subject and couldn't wait to get back to town to buy a copy. The descriptive "passion" here is no overstatement -- he's put together a history that is astoundingly complete and told with an unconcealed, unabashed love of all things ski-related. His enthusiasm is infectious, and if you've ever enjoyed the thrill of sliding on snow, I think you'll find this book as fascinating as I did.
This novel was shortlisted with five others for the Best of the Booker award last year. It's a comic novel about a group of British citizens in an outpost on the Gangetic plain of India in 1857, the year of the Great Mutiny. They are holed up in the local administrator's fortified residence, under siege by mutinous, British-trained, Indian soldiers, quickly dying off from bullets, disease and starvation. Their philosophies, their justifications, their bigotries and their skewed colonist moralities are similarly under siege, and begin to fester as if in a warm, damp container, some disintegrating, others flaring up like eruptions of mold. Very funny, very engrossing, and very interesting.
I love Graham Greene, and I loved this book. Greene had always been one of those old stand-bys for me that I'd turn to when I just couldn't find anything else I wanted to read. I haven't sought him out in a while, though, because I mistakenly thought I'd already read all of his good ones. Oh, how wrong I was. The Quiet American reminded me of why I fell in love with him in the first place. Aside from being superbly constructed and filled with entertainment and intelligence, Greene's books overflow with a style so distinguished it's hard not to wish everyone wrote like him.