January 9, 2008 -- Wednesday evening

Reading Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson, for her lit club. She's only about eighty pages into it but is really enjoying it--the author describes the terrain and the scenery and there's a map at the beginning to refer to.

Favorite authors--Tom Robbins and Alice Munro, who makes her forget about where she is when she's reading, and she appreciates the character development; Munro creates characters that are like someone you or I might know.

A book she just finished that was a good read--The Legend of Fire Horse
Woman, by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, the author of Farewell to Manzanar. It's about the Japanese American camp experience. She recommends a recent piece on NPR's Hidden Kitchens about the camps and food.

Books that have affected her--Made in Japan by Akio Morita (she worked for Mr. Morita when he wrote this book, during the '80s before the world's economic bubble burst, and must say, that during her time in Japan, her view of the world opened up completely); The Wisdom of the Enneagram by Riso or Ruso (helped her to realize that there are so many differing viewpoints); Talking to Heaven by James Van Praagh (really consoled her after her dad died); and the Gastronomical Me by MFK Fisher (intelligent writing about food).

Thanks!!