Sensory Overload

Hyde Park is small-town Chicago.  Away from the hustle and bustle of the Loop, this south side neighborhood is the city away from the city.  Where the intellectually gifted reside, the area around University of Chicago is susceptible to quaint and charming storefronts.  One in particular, O'Gara & Wilson, Ltd. is Chicago's oldest used bookstore--and for this deserves recognition.  What may be a dying breed, O'Gara & Wilson have created a nostalgic brick-and-mortar book browsing experience.  Upon entering the bookshop, you can't help but feel transported to another time of monocles and white gloves.  A used book, aside from the content, has a history of it's own.  Oh, and did I mention the buffalo head is a conversation piece?  Well, as you can see, it adds to the shop's ambiance.
A perfect Sunday agenda: head to Hyde Park, grab a cup o' joe and begin book browsing.

"Eighth Grade Bites"

An overwhelming number of people today are drawn to anything and everything based upon vampire lore.  A fascination that's unarguably extreme, bordering obsessive compulsive.  Books, movies, T.V and more books and more movies beg the question: How many more blood sucking, garlic despising, sun dreading themes can there be?   Answer: Too many.  With that said, I've been apprehensive to read anything vampire-esque.  Until now.  The hook?  The main character, Vladimir Tod, is half vampire.  Simple you say?  As a fellow halves-y, I'm a sucker for anything that I find the least bit relate able.     
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites is like so many vampire novels before (and I'm sure after) yet oddly enough is strong enough to distinguish its self from the rest.  The author, Heather Brewer, draws the reader in through just how "normal" Vlad is, or attempts to be.  I mean, yes his aunt packs his lunch with blood bags that she sneaks from the hospital where she works as a nurse; and yes he once bit his best friend, Harvey, when they were eight-years old; and of course no one at his junior high knows he's a vampire except, obviously, his still-best friend.  Intriguing is his attempt at being normal--as we know vampires are not.  It wasn't the vampire theme that kept me reading but Brewer's depiction of a vampire's struggle to live a "normal" life while balancing the daunting experience that is junior high.  The allure is in Brewer's writing style which flows like a movie.  My students love this series.  Understandably so, but still, another novel based on vampires?  Good thing Brewer's Vlad Tod website is a nice companion.  Click here

start (r)eating

For my first post, I'd like to introduce you to Books and Bites.  Stay informed on all things reading and eating--authors and chefs; novels and recipes; bookstores and restaurants.  My fellow foodies and bookies, I implore you to stay current in all things literary and culinary with just one click.