dear mr. hemingway’s 2018 holiday books & pairings
Hello Gorgeous Ladies
Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon
Reese’s new book is such a fun read for all of her fans.
From the Publisher (Simon & Schuster): “Academy Award–winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon invites you into her world, where she infuses the southern style, parties, and traditions she loves with contemporary flair and charm. Reese Witherspoon’s grandmother Dorothea always said that a combination of beauty and strength made southern women “whiskey in a teacup.” We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside we’re strong and fiery. Reese’s southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of southern living with practically everyone she meets. She takes the South wherever she goes with bluegrass, big holiday parties, and plenty of Dorothea’s fried chicken. It’s reflected in how she entertains, decorates her home, and makes holidays special for her kids—not to mention how she talks, dances, and does her hair (in these pages, you will learn Reese’s fail-proof, only slightly insane hot-roller technique). Reese loves sharing Dorothea’s most delicious recipes as well as her favorite southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks.
It’s easy to bring a little bit of Reese’s world into your home, no matter where you live. After all, there’s a southern side to every place in the world, right?”
P.S. Pair this book book with these hot rollers for some southern fun with your hair.
Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
One of my all time favorite authors who never disappoints. I can’t wait for the second book in this new series to come out. Famous for her beach reads that take place on Nantucket, Hilderbrand is back at it, but this time with a Caribbean mystery.
From the Publisher (Little, Brown and Company): “Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to skywriting, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a plane crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband’s death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John. After Irene and her sons arrive at this faraway paradise, they make yet another shocking discovery: her husband had been living a secret life. As Irene untangles a web of intrigue and deceit, and as she and her sons find themselves drawn into the vibrant island culture, they have to face the truth about their family, and about their own futures. Rich with the lush beauty of the tropics and the drama, romance, and intrigue only Elin Hilderbrand can deliver, Winter in Paradise is a truly transporting novel, and the exciting start to a new series.”
P.S. The ocean water off of St. John is the color of this gorgeous vase. It will help set the scene for this book even on the coldest day.
Faerie Knitting by Alice Hoffman and Lisa Hoffman
How clever is this? Alice Hoffman, author of Practical Magic, and her daughter Lisa Hoffman, wrote a book together that includes 14 knitting patterns and a short story to go with each one.
From the Publisher (Simon & Schuster): “Featuring fourteen original fairy tales, Faerie Knitting is an entrancing collection of stories of love and loss, trust and perseverance. Seamlessly woven into the plot of each tale is a magical garment or accessory inspired by the bravery and self-reliance of the tale’s heroine and brought to life through an imaginative and bespoke knit pattern.
From the Blue Heron Shawl and the Love Never Ending Cowl, to the Three Wishes Mittens and Amulet Necklace, each project is as wearable as it is magical. Lush, atmospheric photography captures the enchanted faerie domain while beautifully rendered charts and instructions are well suited for beginner and advanced knitters alike.
Presented in an elegant linen case with foil accents that evoke the fairy tale tradition, Faerie Knitting is a rare gift for creators—and lovers—of magic.”
P.S. A needle and supply case for knitters would accompany this book oh so nicely.
Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister
Attention Ladies: Rebecca Traister (All the Single Ladies) is back with another New York Times Best Seller.
From the Publisher (Simon & Schuster): “In the year 2018, it seems as if women’s anger has suddenly erupted into the public conversation. But long before Pantsuit Nation, before the Women’s March, and before the #MeToo movement, women’s anger was not only politically catalytic—but politically problematic. The story of female fury and its cultural significance demonstrates the long history of bitter resentment that has enshrouded women’s slow rise to political power in America, as well as the ways that anger is received when it comes from women as opposed to when it comes from men.
With eloquence and fervor, Rebecca tracks the history of female anger as political fuel—from suffragettes marching on the White House to office workers vacating their buildings after Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the Supreme Court. Here Traister explores women’s anger at both men and other women; anger between ideological allies and foes; the varied ways anger is perceived based on its owner; as well as the history of caricaturing and delegitimizing female anger; and the way women’s collective fury has become transformative political fuel—as is most certainly occurring today. She deconstructs society’s (and the media’s) condemnation of female emotion (notably, rage) and the impact of their resulting repercussions.
Highlighting a double standard perpetuated against women by all sexes, and its disastrous, stultifying effect, Traister’s latest is timely and crucial. It offers a glimpse into the galvanizing force of women’s collective anger, which, when harnessed, can change history.”
P.S. The woman receiving this book as a gift should wear this t-shirt while reading it.
The Pisces by Melissa Broders
Mermaids and Mermen are all the rage these days for kids and adults alike. This book is definitely an adult book though. It is filled with darkness, love, lust and a merman. To be frank, it is also a little erotic. Be prepared to blush.
From the Publisher (Penguin Random House): “Lucy has been writing her dissertation on Sappho for nine years when she and her boyfriend break up in a dramatic flameout. After she bottoms out in Phoenix, her sister in Los Angeles insists Lucy dog-sit for the summer. Annika’s home is a gorgeous glass cube on Venice Beach, but Lucy can find little relief from her anxiety — not in the Greek chorus of women in her love addiction therapy group, not in her frequent Tinder excursions, not even in Dominic the fox hound’s easy affection.
Everything changes when Lucy becomes entranced by an eerily attractive swimmer while sitting alone on the beach rocks one night. But when Lucy learns the truth about his identity, their relationship, and Lucy’s understanding of what love should look like, take a very unexpected turn. A masterful blend of vivid realism and giddy fantasy, pairing hilarious frankness with pulse-racing eroticism, THE PISCES is a story about falling in obsessive love with a merman: a figure of Sirenic fantasy whose very existence pushes Lucy to question everything she thought she knew about love, lust, and meaning in the one life we have.”
P.S. Pair this book with The Academy Award Winning Movie, The Shape of Water for an underwater extravaganza.
Dear Mr. Hemingway’s 2018 Holiday Books & Pairings
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