Italy

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley is a wonderful graphic novel about her lifelong relationship with cooking. Lucy grew up in a household where food was always central. Her mother ran a catering business, grew her own food, and operated a farmer’s market stall. Due to this constant exposure, Lucy based many of her memories on food. Huevos rancheros reminds her of her adventures in Mexico with her best friend. Croissants remind her of the time she backpacked through Europe with a close college friend. Sushi takes her back to her travels in Japan. Hot chocolate, burgers, and fries remind her of traveling Italy with her father. Baking sweets became her way of working through stressful times in her life. Accompanied by these recorded memories are delicious recipes that are fun to make. After reading this graphic novel, you will gain a new appreciation for the importance different types of food can have on impacting people’s lives.

Genre: Non-fiction graphic novel

Setting: Modern-day Mexico, Italy, Japan, New York, and Chicago.

Number of pages: 173

Themes: Family, friendship, travel, growing up, and cooking.

Is this good for a book club? This would be good for book clubs that enjoy books about food.

Objectionable content? There are discussions of alcohol, periods, and pornographic magazines.

Can children read this? Teenagers would enjoy the stories.

Who would like this? Anyone who loves food.

Rating: Five stars

Whether you believe Amanda Knox is guilty or not guilty of killing her college roommate in Italy six years ago, her soon to be released memoir, Waiting To Be Heard, should answer some of the questions the public has.

On November 2, 2007, Amanda’s roommate, Meredith Kercher, was found with her throat slit in the villa they shared in Perugia, Italy. Amanda, her boyfriend, and a third person were convicted of the murder. Two years later, the conviction was overturned. Just this past March, however, Italy’s higher court overturned the acquittal and has ordered a new trial.

Amanda has always maintained her innocence and admits contemplating suicide and fending off unwanted attention from her guards in the Italian prison. She hopes Meredith’s family reads the book as it is all about “setting the record straight”.

Amanda is currently attending school in Seattle and dating an old friend who wrote her letters while she was in prison.

The Cheshire Public Library has the book on order and it should be arriving soon. You may place a hold on it at this time.