Need to pour liberally for the hordes coming to your home over the holiday, but don’t want to break the bank? I asked the top buyer at Astor Wines & Spirits in New York City to tell me what were the reds and whites she served her own family. To read her hit list, click here.
I’ve just seen two terrific plays on Broadway that made me think deep and hard about families and their mix of stifling and grounding features. Here is the upshot of my musings, posted on the Barron’s website, where I regularly write a blog. Please follow me on Penta, Barron‘s personal affairs publication, to get regular restaurant, book, theater, film, art and culture tips.
Chef Simpson Wong
I convinced one of New York’s greatest food critics, Gael Greene, to take me to the restaurant she thought was one of the best buys in the City. Click here to see what happened.
Any of you heading to Spain any time soon?
If so, I have a hot restaurant tip in Barcelona for you.
Check it out here.
More from up north where my little book appears to be doing quite well.
Here is a fun take from a librarian and book lover with her own blog roll of reviews.
My childhood friend, Eric Felber, lives in Calgary, Canada. He called to tell me he was in his local Costco and The Hundred-Foot Journey was piled high at the front of the store and the good folk of Canada were grabbing my book. Love to hear it. All this because Costco Canada buyer Catherine Bergeron made it her top pick.
Here, too, is a very generous critique in the Toronto Sun by that foodie pro, Rita Demontis.
As my editor says, we need to summer in Canada and winter in Australia. Both these Commonwealth nations have been very good to me and my little book.
Got my Canadian passport dusted off.
I am as riveted by Ken Burns’ Prohibition as I was by his Civil War. Here is my Penta review of his sterling work and how he helps me understand our current confusing times.
Here is my Penta review of one of the greatest books every written about a business family in slow decline.
Just had my first week as Contributing Editor at Barron’s. Great to work with low-key, whip-smart, and decent editors and writers producing highest quality copy. Here is Barron’s editor-in-chief and president, Ed Finn, announcing in his own words the magazine’s personnel changes. My brief is to file stories for Penta, the weekly’s personal affairs magazine for those with $5 million plus in assets.
Here’s my first Penta-blog. Planning to do three a week. Still getting the hang of things. But psyched.
Nord Deutsche Rundfunk is the equivalent of PBS for the northern half of Germany. Part of their cultural programming on the radio this week was “Das Gemischte Doppel,” a literary segment in which two urbane literary critics (Annemarie Stoltenberg and Rainer Moritz) pitched what they believe are the best books getting published in Germany during the fall of 2011. You’ve got to love high-brow Germans – this charming radio show, with breaks, lasted three hours and was moderated by Raliza Nikolov. Germanic love of literature just oozes from this slot.
There is, of course, a self-serving purpose to all this. My German publisher, Pendo Verlag, is publishing The Hundred-Foot Journey on September 29th, under the German title, Madame Mallory und der kleine indische Küchenchef. The erudite critics on the NDR show named my little book one of the top 21 books getting published in Germany this fall, up there with Per Petterson and Pete Dexter.
“Das ist ein so schöner Roman, der von lebeslust und freude gerade so sprühlt,” said Frau Stoltenberg. Roughly translated: “This is such a lovely novel, it sparkles with joie de vivre and fun.” For those who speak German and care to listen in, here is the link to the entire show. My book is introduced roughly 19 minutes into the second stretch. Interestingly, one of the two key themes of German publishing this fall, according to these critics, is “artistic fulfillment” (the other is “old age”.) Herr Moritz has a name for novels like mine – “intelligent entertainment,” which is not to be confused with low-brow entertainment.
Not sure what all this means exactly, but it sure sounds nice. This website has run the NDR critics’ list of 21 books under the headline, “Best Books Of Fall Named Before The Frankfurt Book Fair.” Sweet!
