Just Bring It Cold Weather, I Found Myself a Good Book

I picked up my latest read, The Sisters: the Saga of the Mitford Family after hearing a story on npr. I had never heard of them prior to the interview. It chronicles the lives of six sisters which collide with major historical events and figures from the thirties and forties. Two sisters, Diana and Unity becomes a fascists and Unity moves to Germany and becomes friends with Hitler. Another sister, Decca becomes a communist, immigrates to the U.S. and was a civil rights activist. They were distant relatives of Winston Churchill, related through marriage to the Kennedys and one becomes good friends with Maya Angelou! Forrest Gump never sidled his way into as many formative events or people in the twentieth century as these fascinating women. These women were real, flawed and incredibly funny.

Norman Mailer is Dead

Norman Mailer died on Saturday. I'm not really interested in Mailer's work. However, an idea I heard in an interview he gave haunts me. He expressed concern that the novel might experience the same fate as poetry in the twentieth century- becoming more-or-less a fringe art form that doesn't have much relevance daily life.

Though I read novels all the time, as the years go by, I find that I challenge myself less and less with my choices. Reading has become pure Vegas for my psyche. "What happens between the pages, stays between the pages." Be that as it may- the short, hedonistic trips I take between the pages do bring life joy and I will continue to bring a book with me into the twenty first century. Let's hope the power of Oprah will trump Mailer's premonition and the novel will remain relevant to our lives.

Will I Ever Learn to Take My Contacts Out Before I Cut a Jalapeno Pepper Soup?

2 T vegetable or canola oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (optional)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2T ground cumin
1T ground coriander
1 C mild green salsa
4 C chicken stock
1 can (or more) great northern beans
1 handful fresh cilantro chopped
1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
juice of 1 lime
shredded jack cheese

Directions
Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat with the vegetable oil. Add chicken to the hot oil and season liberally w/ salt and pepper. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin coriander and cook 3 - 4 minutes, continuing to stir. Add salsa and chicken stock. Bring chili to a simmer. Add half of the beans. With a fork, mash the other half of the beans and add to soup. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro, parsley and lime juice. Serve with jack cheese.

My eyes are still burning, but it was so worth it!