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What are Divas reading?

newboots

Angel Diva
I get a sort of newsletter from Frank Bruni, a long-time columnist for the NY Times. At the end, he includes quotes of delicious writing. Readers send in suggestions. The quotes used to be only from the Times, but now they come from any newspaper or magazine.

Here is a small sample:

And Bret Stephens, in his weekly back-and-forth with Gail Collins, wrote: “It looks like we have a new superinfectious subvariant of Covid to keep us awake at night. Forget Omicron, now we’ve got Omigod.” (Kris Schaff, Omaha, Neb., and Larry Berman, Westfield, N.J.)
In National Parks magazine, Jacob Baynham reported on a positive reaction to the meatless, fungus-based breakfast patties he cooked for his family one morning: “Our disobedient dog begged at my feet, an endorsement tempered by the fact that he also eats mouth guards, used tissues and socks.” (Peter Alexander, Longmont, Colo.)​
 

Lmk92

Angel Diva
This reminded me of a column Sam Sifton wrote about kombucha:
Kombucha is an effervescent fermented tea, sweet and sour, probiotic and fizzy. It is an acquired taste. The first time I tried it, I thought it might have been made with rotten fruit and a tincture of sweepings from the floor of a health food store. Someone asked me what I thought, and I turned into a wine writer: It was vinegary on the nose; there were afternotes of pond water, acid, fire. I took another taste. That one was better — tart and refreshing. I put the bottle in the refrigerator and took sips from it over the course of a few days, particularly in the morning, when it delivered a jolt that I thought was superior to coffee. It gave me a feeling akin to taking a shower outside, or drinking a Coke poured over pebble ice. Before long I was buying $10 or $15 large bottles of the stuff, shot through with apple, with grape, with pomegranate, cherry, turmeric, ginger, cayenne. This was the start of my journey into the kombucha lifestyle.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Speaking of Frank Bruni I just finished his book The Beauty of Dusk, about losing sight in one eye at age 53 and then realizing how many people he knows who are coping with a disability, or pain, and making it work. Some might find it too "making lemonade from lemons" but I found it inspiring. None of us will be fully abled forever, unless we die an untimely death I guess.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Oh and I finally got Heather Hansman's Powder Days from the library. I liked it a LOT. I thought at first it might just rehash what we've talked about so much here, but she had some really great insights I hadn't expected, particularly about gender. There was a part about the difference in how boys and girls are taught to/discouraged from using their bodies for pleasure. I just loved this quote: "We teach young white men to be messy and selfish and focused on leisure." Young women/girls, not so much. Boy did that ring true to me. Oh and the part about antisocial behavior and ski bumming was super interesting.
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I was going through some books, culling the herd. Anyone interested in a book called Climb to Conquer about the 10th Mt Division of WW2 or the story of the Canadian ski phenom Wurtele sisters? I can pass those along if you send me a PM with your address.

I used to keep a reading log, and then stopped. I don't know why I stopped, but now 9 years later, I decided to start it up again. :confused:
 

Jenny

Angel Diva
I was going through some books, culling the herd. Anyone interested in a book called Climb to Conquer about the 10th Mt Division of WW2 or the story of the Canadian ski phenom Wurtele sisters? I can pass those along if you send me a PM with your address.

I used to keep a reading log, and then stopped. I don't know why I stopped, but now 9 years later, I decided to start it up again. :confused:
If one of the divas who has a tie to the 10th mt division doesn’t take you up on this, I will!

@nopoleskier and someone else @newboots, maybe?
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
The Wurtele twins book is good too. Early Olympic life. And John Eaves is a son....aka James Bond stunt double. I have it so, don't need it.
 

nopoleskier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I was going through some books, culling the herd. Anyone interested in a book called Climb to Conquer about the 10th Mt Division of WW2 or the story of the Canadian ski phenom Wurtele sisters? I can pass those along if you send me a PM with your address.

I used to keep a reading log, and then stopped. I don't know why I stopped, but now 9 years later, I decided to start it up again. :confused:
I haven't read climb to conquer if not claimed I'd love to read it. PM Sent :-) thanks!.
 

SkiBam

Angel Diva
Thanks, but I already have.
I have a copy of No Limits and have lent it to many people. I’m so happy that I was able to get to know the twins and even teach for them for a while. Truly amazing people - and Rhoda is still going quite strong. Sadly, Rhona died a couple of years ago.
 

skibum4ever

Angel Diva
Reviving an old thread to mention a book you might enjoy.

"Bad Decisions Make Great Stories"

I met the author on WWF and he is an avid skier/snowboarder and so much more. He just happens to be a Ski Talker. I really enjoyed reading about all of his adventures to date.


Check this out! https://a.co/d/cT8dpS5
 

Lmk92

Angel Diva
Just bought it for my Kindle. I'm traveling abroad right now, so this looks like a perfect read for the moment! Thank you for the recommendation
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Just finished two truly excellent books:

The Wager, by David Grann. It's nonfiction, and it's about a ship called The Wager that sailed from England into the Pacific in the 1740's and was subsequently shipwrecked on the southwest coast of South America. There's adventure, murder, and mutiny. A real page turner, and I highly recommend it.

A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Eagan. This one really spoke to me, since there are so many parallels with the world we live in today. Also nonfiction, it's about the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana in the 1920's and the con man who drove it along. A truly fascinating book.

Also, just a head's up: a new book by my husband, Jon Clinch, will be coming out on November 14. It's historical fiction, and called The General and Julia. It's about the last days of General Ulysses S. Grant. In it, Grant reflects on the crucial moments of his life as a husband, a father, a general, and a president. Here's the cover:

the-general-and-julia-9781668009789_lg.jpg

Jon is also the author of Finn, Kings of the Earth, The Thief of Auschwitz, and Marley, and he's really good, if I do say so myself.
 
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Tvan

Angel Diva
Just finished "Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi. Powerful read. Could not put it down and cried through the last chapter.
 

Jenny

Angel Diva
Just finished two truly excellent books:

The Wager, by David Grann. It's nonfiction, and it's about a ship called The Wager that sailed from England into the Pacific in the 1740's and was subsequently shipwrecked on the southwest coast of South America. There's adventure, murder, and mutiny. A real page turner, and I highly recommend it.

A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Eagan. This one really spoke to me, since there are so many parallels with the world we live in today. Also nonfiction, it's about the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana in the 1920's and the con man who drove it along. A truly fascinating book.

Also, just a head's up: a new book by my husband, Jon Clinch, will be coming out on November 14. It's historical fiction, and called The General and Julia. It's about the last days of General Ulysses S. Grant. In it, he reflects on the crucial moments of his life as a husband, a father, a general, and a president. Here's the cover:

View attachment 21314

Jon is also the author of Finn, Kings of the Earth, The Thief of Auschwitz, and Marley, and he's really good, if I do say so myself.
Marking November 14th on the calendar!
 

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