GOOD READS
CROSSINGS Alex Landragin | Pan Macmillan | $32.99 A Parisian bookbinder becomes the unwitting owner of a priceless trio of manuscripts, so of course he can’t help but read them. While the three stories appear totally independent of each other, they are connected in a most unexpected way. The first manuscript is a letter penned by the poet Charles Baudelaire. The second is a love story set in Paris just before it falls to the Nazis in the 1940s. And the third, the most bizarre and complicated of the three, is called Tales of the Albatross. It begins on a remote Pacific island in the late 18th century and follows Alula as she searches for her lost love. This is a truly unique book by a gifted storyteller, and while it is fiction, Alex Landragin weaves his stories in and around the lives of real figures including Baudelaire, Coco Chanel and Walter Benjamin. Crossings is a captivating, imaginative and intelligent read from a first-time novelist.
THE ADVENTURES OF ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT Andrea Wulf | John Murray | $45
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Recline in your favourite reading chair with one of these titles.
In 1799 German scientist Alexander Von Humboldt set sail for South America on an epic voyage of scientific discovery that would radically change humanity’s relationship with nature. Von Humboldt was a scientist, explorer and geographer, spending many years investigating the Americas from a scientific viewpoint. He made many voyages and left behind an enormous body of work, much of which is still used in geographical and scientific circles today. The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf has been an international bestseller since its publication in 2015. It details the life, journeys and scientific findings of Alexander Von Humboldt. To say that The Adventures of Alexander Von Humboldt is a graphic novel adaptation of that book does not adequately describe this unique publication. With artwork by Lillian Melcher, this is a large-format book to be pored over; every page is a delight. The story is very neatly handwritten and each page has an intricate and intriguing illustration. This is a book to treasure – for children and adults, and anyone who appreciates a superbly published book.
THE CORLEONE FAMILY COOKBOOK Liliana Battle | Simon & Schuster | $50
THANKS TO ANNIE’S BOOKS ON PEREGIAN WE HAVE A COPY OF THE ADVENTURES OF ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT TO GIVE AWAY. FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN THIS GREAT PRIZE JUST HEAD TO SALTMAGAZINE.COM.AU AND CLICK ON THE WIN TAB TO ENTER.
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I absolutely loved The Godfather films and the Corleone family. I read the books by Mario Puzo and was addicted to the films. Despite the heinous crimes committed by the Corleone family and the various other Mafia families featured, there was always a sense of real family and their lives appeared to run in an almost normal fashion. The centre of the Corleone home was the kitchen, a traditional feature of European families, where Mamma would put together a delicious feast at a moment’s notice. Many important, dangerous and frightening decisions were made around the table, which held mountains of fabulous Italian food. In this cookbook you can duplicate those meals – they’re all here! Not only are the recipes here, with a photograph of each one, but there is also a lot of information on The Godfather film series, and the place that each recipe had in the films. It’s a unique cookbook, offering delicious, do-able recipes.
SALT
9/09/2019 9:21:19 AM