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Food -- and especially its preparation -- has always been a central activity in my family. We cook together, then eat huge feasts together at which we talk about cooking. When the Journal of Mythic Arts published an issue on food (Autumn 2005), I wrote In Praise of the Cook, an article that combined my fascination with the role of the cook in fairy tales with a few brief memoirs from my family.
*The art is "The Kitchen" by Vincenzo Campi, 1580s.
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Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling: Black Thorn, White Rose
Edited by Terri Windling: Bordertown: Where Magic Meets Rock & Roll
Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling: Swan Sister: Fairy Tales Retold
Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling: The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest
Edited by Philip Martin: The Writer's Guide to Fantasy Literature: From Dragons Lair to Hero Quest
Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling: Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales
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Margarita Engle: The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano
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David Liss: The Twelfth Enchantment: A Novel
A fantastic romp through Regency England. Lucy Derrick is a wonderful heroine -- whether confronting dark magic, Lord Byron, William Blake or the mythical General Ludd, leader of the Luddites.
Tea Obreht: The Tiger's Wife: A Novel
A stunning first novel combining myth, folklore, and the Balkan War. Read my full review here >>>.
John M. Marzluff: Dog Days, Raven Nights
Drawn from Marzluff's extensive field notes, this is a fascinating account of his research on the Common Raven in Western Maine. Beautiful illustrations as well.
Guy Consolmagno, S.J.: God's Mechanics
Noted Jesuit Vatican Astronomer and self proclaimed geek (big fan of SF and Fantasy Lit too!) discusses the relationship between science and faith. Funny and insightful.
The Heavens Proclaim: Astronomy and the Vatican
A series of terrific and inspiring essays on Astronomy and Physics from the Jesuit Vatican Astronomers.
Gil Adamson: The Outlander
Gorgeous novel about a young widow fleeing her murderous kin at the turn of the 1900s. Taut, elegant prose, a relentless pace -- and a remarkable heroine.
Guy Gavriel Kay: Under Heaven
A terrific historical novel set in an imagine T'ang China. Read the full review here.
Karen Russell: St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
A collection of magic realist short stories set in strange backwater towns. In the title story packs of wild girls are gathered into dormitories where they must shed their raucous and gleeful wolfish natures to become domesticated young women with very mixed results.
Robert Olmstead: Coal Black Horse
Haunting and powerful novel of the Civil War: A hill boy's mythic search to find his father on a battlefield while the war and its devastation threaten to destroy him. Olmstead's prose is exquisite, the dialogue pitch perfect. One of those short but brilliant books that echoes classics like Crane's Red Badge of Courage and Steinbeck's Red Pony.
Nathaniel Rich: The Mayor's Tongue
A quirky first novel about the search for a missing author who may or may not exist. The writing is beautiful and very evocative.
Salman Rushdie: The Enchantress of Florence: A Novel
Another sumptuous novel from Rushdie.
Padma Viswanathan: The Toss of a Lemon
A wonderful novel of the private history of a prominent Brahmin family.
Carlos Ruiz Zafón: The Shadow of the Wind
A haunting, magical realist novel about the passion for secret books.
Luis Alberto Urrea: Into the Beautiful North: A Novel
Inspired watching the movie The Magnificent Seven, a young woman leaves her village in Sinaloa, Mexico and travels north looking for her father and seven Mexican warriors to bring home to small town and save it from the drug lords. A fast and funny novel with a rich cast of characters. Read the longer review here.
Geraldine Brooks: March
A haunting Civil War novel -- told between the lines of a well-known American Classic, Little Women. March, the absent father of the "little women," recounts his experiences in battle, in the bloody hospitals, and in the decaying, corrupt mansions of the post-war South. An extraordinary and moving novel.
Arturo Perez-Reverte: The King's Gold
A terrific new novel of the continuing adventures of 17th c Spain's Captain Alatriste. A veteran of the thirty years war, the Captain is offered a dangerous mission to "liberate" the King's Gold from a secret trading ship. His search for a team of men will include some of Spain's most distinquished veterans as well as some of her most infamous ruffians. One of the best chapters occurs in Seville's notrious prison. Fast paced, witty, and sanguinary. Longer review found here
Flannery O'Connor: Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose
A collection of terrific essays on writing from one of America's most compelling short story authors.
Italo Calvino: Cosmicomics
Calvino's imaginary depiction of the origins of the universe combining mathematics, atoms, dark matter, the moon and planets with sexual awakening, cooking, art, and longing. Gorgeous.
Rabih Alameddine: The Hakawati
This sumptuous novel (whose title roughly translates as "story teller") by Lebanese author Alameddine combines a richly imagined family history juxtaposed with the great mythic tales of the middle east. It is a celebration of the region's cultural bounty and the powerful bonds of love in one amazing family. Read the full reivew here.
Juan Rulfo: Pedro Paramo
Short and brilliant magic realist novel of Mexico. A man returns home to find his father and finds a town full of ghosts. Eerie and beautiful. Read the full review here.
Angela Villalba: Mexican Calendar Girls: Chicas de calendarios Mexicanos
A gorgeous collection of prints from Mexican calendar art. The text is informative and the art inspiring.
Oh My Goodness! I will be pointing my students to this article. Food is so essential, such a source of joy, torment (not to mention plot action) in fairy tales, that we find ourselves discussing it all the time in class.
Posted by: KateW | June 12, 2009 at 04:05 PM