Knot Sew Crafty

Giveaway! The Impostor's Daughter

Wowza.

I just finished this book and that's all I can say.

Wow.

I took a peek in when it arrived in the mail, and did not put it down until I was finished.

Laurie Sandell grew up in my hometown, but I didn't know her.  I think I babysat for her and her sisters once, but other than that my only knowledge of her comes from reading her magazine articles over the years.  I always liked her magazine writing, and I thought it would be nice to support a hometown girl, so I ordered it.

Wow.

Wow.

I realize that I'm gushing incoherently, so I'll share the blurb on the the cover flap, which says it all better than I ever could:

Laurie Sandell grew up in awe--and sometimes in terror--of her larger-than-life father. A former Green Beret with a law degree, a PhD, and fluency in several languages, he told dazzling tales of life in Buenos Aires, heroism in Vietnam, friendships with Henry Kissinger and the pope. In her childhood drawings, Laurie placed her father prominently among the faces on Mount Rushmore and herself ant-sized, gazing up at him. Beguiled and repelled by outrageous behavior, she grew into a young woman as restless as her father, roaming the globe, trying on her own outsized personalities--Tokyo stripper, seducer of Yeshiva girls, yogi, Ambien addict. Laurie finally lucked into the perfect job: interviewing celebrities for a top women's magazine. Growing up with her extraordinary father gave her a knack for relating to the stars--she slipped easily into their surreal worlds, having lived in one herself. Yet even after meeting so many of entertainment's most intriguing people, it was her father she still desperately wanted to understand.

Her investigation uncovered a staggering secret: her father wasn't the man he had always claimed to be, not even close. His unbelievable stories were in fact an extravagant collection of lies, the discovery of which shook Laurie to the core.

In The Impostor's Daughter, Laurie Sandell asks: if the man whose identity is the basis of my own is a fraud, then who am I? This is a brilliantly original and dramatic graphic memoir, a father-daughter story as achingly loving and heartbreakingly honest as it is visually captivating.

**I love this book so much that I want to send a copy to everyone I know, but since I can't do that, I'm going to send it to one lucky person.  Leave a comment by Friday afternoon, and I'll pick a random winner.  International entrants welcome!

Pretty Shiny Gadget that Oprah Loves

Oh, how I want one!

**I love books. Love them. I have overstuffed bookshelves and stacks of books all over my house. I consider defacing a book to be sacrilege. I revere books.

I also like shiny gadgets, and I feel that reading a pulpy paperback on a Kindle would be ok, and I'd save some trees, and, did I mention that it's shiny and pretty? And I could read blogs on it, too? And newspapers, therefore saving even more trees?

I could never, ever give up beautifully printed books, but I could give up crappy ones!

Crafternoon

I just got a delightful book called Crafternoon, which is chock full of project ideas and recipes to help you start your own monthly crafternoons with friends. I've been wanting to do this for a long time anyway, and now I have a good blueprint and some cheerful encouragement to get me started. As a Knot Sew Crafty person myself, I love that the book does not focus on Martha-like perfection, but instead on fun and camaraderie with would-be crafters of all ages and skill levels.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that I know the literary agent of the author. I promise you, however, that I would never recommend anything that I didn't like, unless, of course, someone wants to offer me buckets of money. In that case, I promise to use a code word so that you'll know that I'm fibbing. If I ever mention the word "persimmon" and it has nothing to do with food or cooking, you'll know to disregard that post...

Recommendations?

Help!! Does anyone have a recommendation for an engaging, not-too-serious, not-too-trashy, not-too-scary, not-too-sad summer read? I can't seem to find the right book these days. My attention span is woefully short and I can't bear anything depressing or pretentious. I'd be very grateful if you'd share your favorites.

Tasha Tudor

Tasha Tudor died last week at the age of 92. She was a fascinating woman--she often said that she was the reincarnation of a sea captain's wife who lived from 1800 to 1840 or 1842, and she lived her life as if she lived during that time period. According to the International Herald Tribune, "She wore kerchiefs, hand-knitted sweaters, fitted bodices and flowing skirts, and often went barefoot. She reared her four children in a home without electricity or running water until her youngest turned 5. She raised her own farm animals; turned flax she had grown into clothing; and lived by homespun wisdom: Sow root crops on a waning moon, above-ground plants on a waxing one." "She told The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk in 1996 that it was her intention to go straight back to the 1830s after her death."

She was also a brilliant illustrator, as you can see in any of her many books.

Check out her book of Heirloom Crafts sometime. You will be impressed.

Auntie J is Sew Crafty

Here is the fantastic bag that Auntie J made for me--or really gave to me after I begged a little--from Lotta Jansdotter.

Don't you love the little bee? I have developed quite a fondness for designs with bees, although not bees themselves, since Bea was born.

Someday I will make a Lotta bag, too.

Sweltering

It is hot here at Knot Sew Crafty HQ and I am feeling really lazy. I read a post on one of my favorite blogs, Betty Lives!, and I thought I'd like to make the "Eggs and Skordalia" from Elizabeth David's Summer Cooking. Then I realized that I'd actually have to go to the store to get ingredients, which would mean leaving the air-conditioning, and I thought that a peanut butter sandwich would be just fine.

Maybe I'll just drink some Sweet Tea and read Summer Cooking. There's value in that, right?

Parisian and Stockholmian Goodness, Via Japan

I promise to post later today about all the wisdom I've gathered in my long forty years on earth, but for now I'll share my birthday present to myself, fabulous Japanese books about interiors in Paris and Stockholm, from Yvestown.

Sorry for the blurry pictures--I'm so giddy about the books, I couldn't hold still!

Practically Perfect in Every Way

Home: A Memoir of My Early Years is the title of the new book by Julie Andrews. It is sitting on my nighttable and I plan to start it today. I have such deep affection for Julie Andrews. She is definitely on the Ultimate List of Reasons to be Happy to be Alive, right up there with sunshine, puppies and Gummy Bears.

In college, I used to rent videos from a local drug store, and very often, in times of stress, I would rent Mary Poppins. It got to the point where the teenager behind the counter would see me coming across the store and just hand it to me. I have it on DVD now, and, while I don't have a lot of time to watch, I'm glad to know it's there.

For your enjoyment, I present Julie with her friend, Carol Burnett at Carnegie Hall. I saw Carol Burnett last year at a performance of Sweeney Todd, and I really had to restrain myself from professing my adoration. I will confess, though, that I did spend most of the play watching her reactions instead of watching the play itself. Carol is also a very strong presence on the List, and Carol and Julie together is almost too much goodness to bear.

Julie & Carol at the Carnegie Hall

How Do I Love Mark Bittman? Let Me Count the Ways.

This is a well-used, well-loved copy of Mark Bittman's book How to Cook Everything. We turn to it often and have cooked everything from bagels (which were stunningly good) to fish (he gives recipes for all kinds) to Raspberry Gratin (hello, Summer!). At this moment, Solveig is baking the Sweet and Rich Muffins from page 250. I add a little vanilla, use white whole wheat flour and substitute soy milk for the milk, but other than that I just make the plain muffins. They look a little bit boring.

The kids love them so much that it's a little surprising. There are no fancy frostings or sprinkles or chocolate chips (although I might have to try that...) and the kids eat them up and their friends demand that they share at lunch time. Hmm.

Mark Bittman has a new book out, called How To Cook Everything Vegetarian, and it is, of course, also fantastic. It makes me love him just a teeny bit more.