Sunday Seconds -- there are books that I would really love to re-read -- if I could make the time. Sometimes books have profound impacts on one's reading experience. Sometimes you just know these books could be even greater if you could go back and read them with again better understanding and life experiences under your belt. Sometimes books don't hold up the memory the second time around -- that's the risk. Sunday Seconds will be a cataloging of that kind of wish list.
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THE BOOK OF UNHOLY MISCHIEF by Elle Newmark
It is 1498, the dawn of the Renaissance, and Venice teems with rumors of an ancient book that holds the secret to unimaginable power. It is an alchemist's dream, with recipes for gold, immortality, and undying love. Everyone, rich and poor alike, speculates about the long-buried secrets scrawled in its pages and where it could possibly be hidden within the labyrinthine city. But while those who seek the book will stop at nothing to get it, those who know will die to protect it. As a storm of intrigue and desire circles the republic that grew from the sea, Luciano, a penniless orphan with a quick wit and an even faster hand, is plucked up by an illustrious chef and hired, for reasons he cannot yet begin to understand, as an apprentice in the palace kitchen. There, in the lavish home of the most powerful man in Venice, he is initiated into the chef's rich and aromatic world, with all its seductive ingredients and secrets. Luciano's loyalty to his street friends and the passion he holds for a convent girl named Francesca remain, but it is not long before he, too, is caught up in the madness. After he witnesses a shocking murder in the Palace dining room, he realizes that nothing is as it seems and that no one, not even those he's come to rely on most, can be trusted. Armed with a precocious mind and an insatiable curiosity, Luciano embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth. What he discovers will swing open the shutters of his mind, inflame his deepest desires, and leave an indelible mark on his soul.
It was published in 2008 and has 400 pages. Turned down by a host of publishers and finally self-published as “The Bones of the Dead,” the novel attracted attention when its author, Elle Newmark, organized a virtual launch party, inviting thousands of online guests to enjoy music, “food for thought” and party favors including e-books on writing, Renaissance recipes and an interview with the Hall of Fame chef who inspired the book (and who happens to be the author’s father). Newmark ended up with both an agent and a deal with a New York publisher. Rich with the luxurious colors and textures of Venice, this book delights the senses and breathes fresh life into an age defined by intellectual revival and artistic vibrancy. A luminous and seductive novel, it is, at its heart, a high-spirited tribute to the fruits of knowledge and the extraordinary power of those who hold its key. In a world of violence and intrigue, who guards the truth?
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Today I work on the January issue of Premeditated. I didn't work on it at all yesterday because I'm in a good place on it to get done by next weekend. I was on the internet a bunch then ran some errands in the afternoon. It was actually a nice break. Later this afternoon, Steve will watch the Steelers play. I'm roasting a turkey breast for dinner tonight; just felt that would be good and something different and it would be nice to have leftovers for lunch this week. There may be a nap in my future. :)
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster
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