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The Absinthe Forger by Evan Rail

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Bottoms Up! This is an absorbing tour into the world of absinthe, the notorious alcohol that was globally banned by 1915 and then widely legalized again in the early 2000s. The author examines how one man fooled collectors into paying exorbitant prices for bottles of forged “pre-ban” absinthe.     Alongside the uncovering of the forger, we learn about the history of absinthe, the bad reputation it gained, underground absintheurs, as well as bootlegging in Switzerland. There is a mystique about the drink, including the way it visually changes as water is dripped into it over special spoons balancing sugar cubes atop the glasses. Drinking it is almost a ritual. A culture is enmeshed in the absinthe scene that rivals the enthusiasms of oenophiles.  I found all of it very informative and entertaining.    I’m not much of a drinker, but I wouldn’t mind trying this just once. I want to see the whole process—an interactive drinking experience. One should be enough ...
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2023 Book Club Lists

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2023 Book Club Lists 2023 Idaho Book Worms Book Club – my book club  😊 💫Jan - Madhouse at the End of the Earth by Julian Sancton 💫Feb - The Guncle by Steven Rowley 💫Mar - Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest 💫Apr - The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman 💫May/June - The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore 💫Jul - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 💫Aug - West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge 💫Sep - The Time Machine by H.G. Wells 💫Oct - The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner 💫Nov - The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon 💢We do not meet in December since the holidays are hectic enough.   2023 Well-Read Moose Gems wellreadmoose.com 💎 Jan – Bandit Queen Parni Shroff 💎 Feb – House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson 💎 Mar – I Have Some Questions for you by Rebecca Makkai 💎 Apr – Hello, Beautiful by Ann Napolitano 💎 May – No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister    💎 Jun – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See 💎 Jul – The First Ladies by M...
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The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

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 Maugham in Malaya A book worthy of its gorgeous cover! Eloquent prose threads its way through exotic 1921 Malaya when renowned author W. Somerset Maugham visits an old friend. Maugham finds inspiration for his next book in the story of a decade-old murder that serves as a backdrop for the complexities of social mores, cultural clashes, and one’s inner truth. Alluring and moving.   I liked the way Tan Twan Eng blended the lives of Maugham with the struggles of his hostess, along with the woman who murdered a man, and the Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-Sen who fought to bring down the Ching (Qing) Dynasty, a part of history I didn’t know much about (especially the Taiping Rebellion).  The stories were engaging, the setting was striking, and the writing was beautiful. And, I loved the symbolism behind the title of the book.    This book has staying-power and will be talked about for years to come! It's been long-listed for the Booker Prize. Pub date: Oct 17 He...
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Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

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 Remains of the Day This book immediately struck me as a character study. I didn’t expect much action, and predictably, didn’t get much.  Mostly it was about getting inside a stuffy, dignified butler’s head, listening to his internal dialogue, his thought process, and his many recollections of a thirty-year career, annnnnnnnnnd—I LOVED IT!!  ðŸ’— It had such depth and insight that I couldn’t wait to return each day to see what Mr. Stevens would reveal and what the outcome of his quest would be.  I was not disappointed.  In fact, the book stirred me more than I expected.  Yes, those tears fell freely when I wasn’t looking.  It snuck up on me—all of it, all of Mr. Stevens’ days that he shared moved me in some way.   I’m not sure this book is for everyone.  "Boring" is how one friend described it as he politely set it aside. BUT I truly believe if my friend got into his Zen mode and picked it up again, he might—if not quit...
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West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

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 Winner of a Book! This book is in a league of its own; there isn’t enough space to sing its praises!  A totally immersive story of two giraffes being transported across the US in 1938; it’s wonderfully atmospheric, bringing you right into the Great Depression and flashes of the Dust Bowl.  Even more than that it’s about tragedies, resolve, dreams, and love of life, with connections to animals and our fellow humans. A real winner of a book that will stay with me a long time!  It's based on a the true story of two giraffes who survive the devastating Great Hurricane that hit the East Coast in 1938.  Although one giraffe is injured, both survive and are then transported across the country from New York to California on a truck with special-made cages for them.  They are heading to the San Diego Zoo on the direction of Mrs. Belle Benchley, who was the first female zoo director.  Filled with such heart, this story is not just about the ...
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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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  You Go, Girl! Pure love—that’s what I felt about this book!  It’s smart, witty, and emboldening! I don’t know how many countless times I cheered or chuckled.   A female chemist struggles to rise above the chauvinistic male domination of the 1960s and live life on her terms despite ingrained oppression of women.  Hooray for this feminist heroine who points out that just because women’s bodies are smaller than men's doesn’t mean their brains are!   I fell in love with brilliant Elizabeth and her support system:  her impressively  smart daughter Mad; her straightforward neighbor Harriet; her kind-hearted producer Walter, the irreverent Reverend Wakely; and her obstetrician/rower Dr. Mason. Oh, and let’s not forget Six-Thirty, her beloved dog!   I would definitely be one of Elizabeth’s devoted fans of her show,  Supper at Six !  If my kids were still at home, I’d mimic Elizabeth and tell them, “Children, ...
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The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick

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Italy: Just What the Doctor Ordered   This book is a sweet ray of sunshine (with a few stabs to the heart)! A group of grief-stricken people find solace in Italy and each other.   After a husband leaves his self-help radio talk show wife, she invites four random listeners to join her on what would have been her 25 th  wedding anniversary trip to Italy.  On this healing retreat, they each face their own grief in an old-world charming hotel where the innkeeper is stuck in the past and faces his own challenges.    I loved everything about this book:  the setting, the side trips to Florence and Venice, the delicious homemade food the hotel owner whips up, and the friendships formed through bonds of sorrow.   Charming and uplifting!    Pub date: June 6, 2023 If you like books set in Italy you may want to check out: One Italian Summer  by Rebecca Serle The Seamstress of Sardinia  by Bianca Pitzorno Beautiful Ruins  by ...
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