Friday, March 25, 2016

The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: March 2016

Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the works they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.  If you wish to add your own review to the conversation, please sign on to the link list at the end of my post.

Title: Third Helpings
Author: Calvin Trillin
via Goodreads
Once again, I offer you the work of Calvin Trillin.  Third Helpings is the third and final installment of The Tummy Trilogy.  Trillin takes us to Asia this time: Japan and Hong Kong.  He shares his attempts at historical research into chicken wings in Buffalo and baked duck in Louisiana.  We tag along for a bar hop in Reading, Pennsylvania.  Throughout, he is as humorous and gluttonous as ever.

Obviously, Trillin has loomed large for me of late, even turning up in unexpected places.  When we watched Sleepless in Seattle for Mock Squid Soup, a familiar face turned up at the dinner table at Annie's parents' house.  Sure enough, Uncle Milton was played by Calvin Trillin!  Evidently, he and director Nora Ephron are friends.  My wife explained to our daughter, "You know those books Daddy's been reading and giggling over?  That's the guy who wrote them."

I was reminded, too, that I have seen Calvin Trillin interviewed many times on The Daily Show as well.  The following is from an appearance in 2012.  Be forewarned, it is terrifyingly prophetic regarding our current presidential election kerfuffle:

Trillin is loads of fun.  I have enjoyed the trilogy thoroughly and hope to read more of his work in the future.

Please join us and share your own review of your best read from the past month.  This month's link list is below.  I'll keep it open until the end of the day.  I'll post April's tomorrow.  Meetings are the last Friday of each month.  Next gathering is April 29th.


16 comments:

  1. I apologize. I keep missing the Coffeehouse even though it's a favorite of mine. I love reviewing books.

    Love,
    Janie

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  2. Thank you for your review Armchair Squid! I haven't read it. My best read of the month is A Summer in Venice by Nicky Pellegrino one of my favourite authors who always sets her books in Italy. Sorry, but I don't have time to review it, but I highly recommend it to anyone who reads this and likes books set in Italy and family-type story lines.

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    1. A Summer in Venice sounds like fun. Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. What a fun interview! While the food books haven't grabbed me, that DOGFIGHT book sounds fun. And yes, that whole commentary of Trump lingering in the race... #Priceless
    Thanks for sharing!
    V :)

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    1. I expect you would get a kick out of Trillin's work. It's quick reading, too.

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  4. I'm not allowed to watch the video.... mind you I'm not sure I understand American politics anymore than I do English politics.

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    1. That's a shame. Let's just say he saw this whole Trump thing coming.

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  5. I am so glad you enjoyed the whole trilogy! That says a lot and I am definitely intrigued.
    ~Jess

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    1. My wife has since read it them and enjoyed them, too.

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  6. I love the title The Tummy Trilogy. Very clever!

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  7. How interesting you have liked the whole trilogy. Sometimes we like one but the second or third one lets us down.
    I like that story about your wife telling your daughter about who that is in the movie. So perfect.

    cheers, parsnip

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    Replies
    1. The three books - originally published individually over a period of several years - are available now in a single volume.

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  8. I'm going to have to read these after I am done writing my poetry book! I love food writing. :)

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