Book Chat Issue #136

On the road again

Hello reading friends,

Since we last chatted I’ve been on a road trip to Brisbane to visit my youngest daughter for her birthday. The journey is around nine hours but we stopped overnight on the way and stayed in a comfy little cottage in the middle of nowhere (also known as Uralla).

Uralla was home to Captain Thunderbolt, a famous Australian bushranger who ruled (terrorised?) the New England highways in the 1860s. I’m not entirely sure why he is so famous, but we went to see his rock (hideout) which these days is covered in graffiti.

While we were in Brisbane we visited Stradbroke Island (40 minutes by ferry) where we saw quite a few kangaroos and a slightly wonky-looking koala strolling down the footpath - not sure why because it should really have been in a tree.

It wasn’t warm enough for swimming, but the beaches are very beautiful. We also saw some turtles swimming in a gorge beneath us, which was thrilling as I have only ever seen them at the zoo.

---

What I’ve been reading

Since returning home I’ve been very busy and my reading life has suffered, but I did manage to finish one excellent book and one page-turner which was entertaining, but not particularly memorable. (It was The Move by JP Delaney if you’re interested).

I sometimes get cross with myself when I read commercial fiction as it feels a bit like scrolling on Instagram, (enjoyable but pointless) but I figure everyone needs a varied diet. There’s also something to be said for books that don’t require much mental effort. They are good for holidays and times when you are feeling distracted.

I’d love to know your take on this? Do you ever feel guilty reading commercial fiction, or is it just me?

The book I want to talk about today was recommended by Anne, a lovely subscriber and International Book Club member. Travelling in a Strange Land is a quiet, reflective book by David Park, a ‘new-to-me’ author from Northern Ireland.

It’s a novel about fatherhood, loss and grief. It’s relatively short - less than 200 pages, but definitely packs a punch. I found myself weeping at the end.

In the story, Tom sets off from Belfast to collect his son who is sick and stranded in Sunderland, where he attends University. A terrible snowstorm has grounded all the planes and Christmas is only days away. The journey is around nine hours and the conditions are treacherous. During the journey, Tom reflects on his role as a husband and father, and on the loss of his eldest son.

To say I enjoyed this book sounds counter-intuitive, but it really is a beautifully written and profound book in many ways. It contains many references to music, most of which were unfamiliar to me, so I was thrilled to see that the author had created a playlist of all the tracks mentioned throughout the book. Anne told me that this book stayed with her long after she finished reading it, and I think I will feel the same.

Highly recommended if you enjoy quiet books and definitely on the list for a future book club read.

---

What I’ve been eating

In this newsletter I try to get a nice blend of food that might be considered ‘good for you’ and sweet treats. Regular readers will know that I love cake, but I also love salad and I don’t think these are incompatible. So today I’m going to feature both.

First off, we have a lovely salad I made up with things in my kitchen that I think go together. You may disagree, but hear me out.

I bought a whole cauliflower and then thought, ‘what am I going to do with this?’

Well here’s a recipe for a warm salad. I’ll describe it rather than trying to give precise amounts and you’ll get the idea.

Cauliflower, date, and zucchini salad

Chop some cauliflower and zucchini into small pieces. Fry in olive oil and cumin until slightly soft and a little brown but not soggy. Add a few chopped dates (preferably medjool as they are nice and soft). Cook until jammy. Add some toasted pine nuts. Serve warm or cold with a good squeeze of lemon.

Cauliflower, zucchini and date salad.

I made this date pudding as a cake and it was fabulous. Am I obsessed with dates? Maybe.

It’s a food processor cake, so incredibly easy and not requiring any special skills apart from owning a food processor. Mine is now 40 years old and still going strong.

Photo courtesy of Women’s Weekly Test Kitchen

Here’s the recipe. I strongly recommend making the whole shebang (cake and sauce) but honestly, the cake was yummy on its own.

International Book Club

If you subscribe to Book Chat you are welcome to join our International Book Club. We meet every couple of months and read a wide range of books. We are a friendly group so you don’t need to worry about sounding ‘literary’.

If you’d like to join, please let me know by hitting reply. We also have a WhatsApp group.

---

That’s all for this issue,

Until next time, look after yourself and read as much as you can.

Marg xx