Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Erica Bauermeister

Erica Bauermeister is the bestselling author of four novels including The School of Essential Ingredients, Joy for Beginners, The Lost Art of Mixing, and The Scent Keeper.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Bauermeister's reply:
I am an eclectic reader, mixing together research for new books, audio books that keep me company while traveling, and books I read for pleasure. Here’s a sampling of what’s crossed my path recently:

The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It…Every Time by Maria Konnikova

How do you con someone? You find the core belief they never want to give up: I’m handsome. The world is a generous place. People are honest. In many ways a con artist is simply a more careful reader than most of us, able to see things we keep hidden and take advantage of weaknesses we don’t want to admit. Maria Konnikova’s book is a thorough, entertaining look into the perplexities and complexities of human behavior.

Spoonbenders: A Novel by Daryl Gregory

A novel of psychics and con artists (sense a trend?), all set in a plot line that is as intricate as the workings of a fantastical clock. There are Russian spies and space-and-time travel and family dynamics. All the pieces fit together, but I defy you to figure out how before the ending. I listened to the audio version, and the reader was a perfect match for the material.

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin

A big, gorgeous novel about one family and the loss that changes all of them. Tara Conklin’s writing is poignant and insightful. I crawled inside the lives of these characters and didn’t come out until long after the book was finished.

I Am I Am I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O’Farrell

In Maggie O’Farrell’s hands, a topic that might have become morbid or sensational turns into a series of thoughtful, beautiful essays. Each brush with death creates its own insights and philosophical musings. O’Farrell is a novelist as well, and her memoir-in-essays takes full advantage of her literary skills to create a profound reading experience.
Visit Erica Bauermeister's website.

The Page 69 Test: The School of Essential Ingredients.

The Page 69 Test: The Lost Art of Mixing.

--Marshal Zeringue