MADreads

Book group reports
A review of Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

 As a new feature, MADreads is going to post reports of Madison Public Library book group discussions.  If you're like us, you're always on the lookout for that next great, discussable book.  Our inaugural report comes from the Sequoya branch.  The Sequoya book group just read ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on March 9, 2010 | 0 comments

Sliced fennel, raspberries, cherry tomatoes and conversation


Guided by Susan Lampert Smith and her husband Matt who brought delicious food from their farm "Blue Valley Gardens", the Go Big Read book discussion Thursday night at Sequoya of Michael Pollan's book In Defense of Food was a lively foray into corporate versus small farms, school lunch ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on September 18, 2009 | 1 comment

That reminds me....
A review of Addaptations by Stephanie Harrison

 It took a recent book display at Sequoya and reading about the death of Grace Paley to remind me how much I enjoy reading short stories.  So this isn’t a book review as such but more of a reminder to anyone else who may have forgotten about this lovely genre. One of the many definitions out there of the short story is one’s ability to read it in one sitting.  What a perfect way to end the day, spend a lunch hour, or wait for an appointment.  (We all know how those ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on September 13, 2007 | 1 comment

40 chefs tell us "How I Learned to Cook"
A review of How I Learned to Cook by Kimberly Witherspoon and Peter Meehan (Editors)

 I probably shouldn’t start out a book review by  saying that this is one of those great little  books to read when you don’t have a lot of time to read.  But hey it’s spring and there’s way too much gardening to do and way too little time.   ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on June 7, 2007 | 0 comments

So many recipes, so little time......
A review of The Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild

 I’ve always been a big fan of Bon Appetite magazine, so much so that I had saved all the magazines and indexes from 1980 on.  It was only when I remodeled my kitchen a few years ago that I sadly got rid of them.  But now comes the new Bon Appetit Cookbook chock full of 1200 recipes!  Sure you can go online to Epicurious and find many of the Bon Appetit ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on January 13, 2007 | 0 comments

This one has them all!
A review of The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson

 I recently attended a workshop featuring Nancy Pearl who many readers will recognize as the author of Book Lust and ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on November 30, 2006 | 0 comments

Abide with Me
A review of Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout

  Tyler Caskey is the new minister in the small town of West Annett, Maine who recently lost his young wife.  A year after her death he continues to suffer other losses.  He’s already lost one of his daughters to his mother who took the child after his wife died.  He’s losing his older daughter Katherine to a silence and peculiar behavior he doesn’t understand.  He’s lost his housekeeper Connie who was a source of stability in his downward spiral of grief.  And ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on November 2, 2006 | 0 comments

Sleep With Me
A review of Sleep With Me by Joanna Briscoe

 Mousy Sylvie.  Unobtrusive Sylvie. Forgettable Sylvie.  But for Richard and Lelia who meet this ordinary woman at a Christmas party, Sylvie Lavigne turns out to be anything but.  In alternating chapters told in the voices of Richard and Lelia we learn about Sylvie and the effect she has on their lives.  From happenstance meetings, anonymous snippets of a novel on Richard’s email, and secret memories from Lelia’s childhood, Sylvie insinuates  ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on June 22, 2006 | 1 comment

Meals Made Too Easy
A review of Meals Made Easy by Renee Schettler

 If you like the look of Real Simple magazine you’ll love the look of Meals Made Easy by its editors. Simply stated it’s beautiful! There’s  big, bold, colored photographs of every recipe included, easy to read ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on June 3, 2006 | 0 comments

Help! Company's Coming
A review of Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by Pam Anderson

 You’re entertaining and you need ideas for what to serve.  Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy - Sequoya on May 10, 2006 | 0 comments

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