Recommendations by Josh Duke, Information Services Specialist at the Dublin branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library
Butter
by Asako Yuzuki
In Yuzuki’s hypnotic debut, journalist Rika Machida grows obsessed with convicted serial killer and former chef Manako Kajii. It’s a slow-burning thriller exploring the hunger for control and Japan’s fraught beauty standards. Food is a central theme and is lavishly described. The novel is actually inspired by the real case of a convicted con-woman known as the Konkatsu Killer.
Land of Milk and Honey
by C Pam Zhang
After the world’s crops are ravaged by a thick smog, a chef takes refuge at an elite mountaintop commune where rare delicacies remain. As she cooks for the super-rich, she’s drawn to her enigmatic boss’s daughter, forcing her to confront desire, complicity and survival in a dying world. Zhang delivers a beautifully lush yet morally charged tale.
The Paris Novel
by Ruth Reichl
Stella St. Vincent’s life changes when her estranged mother dies, leaving her a plane ticket and a note reading ‘Go to Paris’. In spite of her fear, she heads to Paris where her appetite for life slowly awakens. Reichl is most at home when writing lush descriptions of food and sensual scenes of Paris life in this familiar, whimsical and bittersweet tale.
Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved o Do is Healthy and Rewarding
by Daniel Lieberman
In Exercised, anthropologist Daniel Lieberman dismantles the many modern fitness myths by examining how human bodies evolved to move and rest. Blending science, history and a global cultural perspective, he reveals why (structured) exercise feels unnatural to many of us and how everyday activity better aligns with our biology. The book is smart, accessible with a dollop of wit.
Every Day with Babs: 101 Family-Friendly Dinners for Every Day of the Week
by Barbara Costello
Beloved Instagram and Tik Tok grandma Barbara Costello serves up 101 comforting, family-friendly recipes with a side of timeless kitchen wisdom. Organized by day, from sheet-pan Mondays to slow-cooker Saturdays, it’s a curated and practical guide for cooks craving simple but classic meals. Babs’s signature charm is peppered throughout making this a great addition to your kitchen library.
Dublin Life Book Club Selection
Editor’s Note: To be added to the Dublin Life Book Club mailing list or for more information, email kgill@cityscenemediagroup.com. The club will meet Weds., June 25 at 7 p.m. Location TBD.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot
A non-fiction biography on the life and death of Henrietta Lacks, an African-American woman passing from cervical cancer in 1951 whose regenerating cells were unknowingly collected and distributed for research, Lack’s cells, or HeLa cells, paved the way for revolutionary medicine and research including the polio and COVID-19 vaccines, although her family remained unaware of her contributions until 20 years after her death.
