Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Recommendations

To watch:
What You Ought to Know
I love these video podcasts. Very funny.
North and South -- A grittier Pride and Prejudice

To read:
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (if you are open to the idea of what my friend Sara calls "dragon books", but which the rest of the world terms "fantasy")
Citizen Soldiers by Stephen Ambrose (best WWII book I've read yet)
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman (non-fiction, about the Hmong people of Southeast Asia and their cultural clashes with Western medicine)
Babycatcher by Peggy Vincent (very interesting--so interesting, in fact, it almost convinced me to have a non-medicated homebirth. Well, almost convinced me to consider the possibility of a non-medicated homebirth. Maybe just to consider the very remote possibility.)
Canning Season by Polly Horvath (So funny. If you are someone who thinks that people getting eaten by bears can be absolutely hysterically funny, this is the book for you. I'm that kind of person.)

And fun websites to check out:
Creative Chicks at Play -- fun and crafty sisters (I especially like this dress, and this butterfly wall.)
This Young House -- such a fantastic resource for do-it-yourself-ers. They have loads of great ideas.
Pioneer Woman Cooks! -- Doesn't everyone read this? I've never made one of her recipes (although they all get rave reviews), but I think she is worth reading just because she's so funny.

Now I want to get your recommendations. Books? Movies? Websites? Recipes? Craft projects? I'm in the winter doldrums, and I need some fresh material.

7 comments:

brittani c. said...

Two things that I agreed with: North and South (the one with Patrick Swayze, right?) and Pioneer Woman (she is a doll).

Off the top of my head, I've enjoyed these sites that I think you'll particularly like:
http://tutusandturtles.blogspot.com (I think they have fun ideas...lots of little girl things too, which I think you'd like very much)
http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com (I have made and am currently making a lot of her sewing projects)
http://blog.cjanerun.com (what LDS woman doesn't read her???)

Denise said...

thanks for the recommendations! One of our favorite casseroles comes from the pioneer woman website. It is a spagetti/cheese/chicken thing and it is great!

Best book of last year was Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks.

Sara said...

Run far and fast from the dragon books. Just kidding. Someday I'll give in and read it. I promise.

And tutusandturtles is a girl in Fishers 1st ward. I've never been to her house, but I really, really want to.

lauren said...

I love North and South. LOVE IT. Any of the other movies or books by Elizabeth Gaskell also come highly recommended (Wives and Daughters and Cranford).
I also recommend The Butterfly and the Diving Bell. I saw the edited version so I don't know how racy it is but I really liked it.
Book: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.
Website: aroomsomewhere.blogspot.com and theres another one called gainesvillehouse or grantsville something. If anyone knows what it is I have looked at it once and loved it but cant remember the name!

Andrea said...

Thanks for the recommendations. Here are a few of mine:
To READ: I love girly/happy books. So, I loved- The Goose Girl (By Shannon Hale) and Princess Academy (By Shannon Hale.) I also liked Ella Enchanted (it is nothing like the movie.) They are all young adult books so they are very quick, but they are very fun!

INTERNET SITE: I always check in on www.makeandtakes.com. It a blog by a stay at home mom who has fun crafts and projects to do with your kids.
I hope you enjoy!

Elizabeth Reid said...

The Goose Girl is one of my favorites as well. I finally read it after my sister bugged me for a year. I wish I had read it sooner!

Emilee said...

The Goose Girl (which I love) has two follow-ups. Enna Burning, and River Secrets. River Secrets may have been my favorite of the three. Love that Shannon Hale!