July 2021 Bookclub News

 

Jan got out the big girl glasses.

 

Dear Bookclub,

Jan tapped into her inner Elliott and entertained our jaunty group with panache. Treated to beautiful summer salads and special wines, Żubrówka was tastefully nowhere to be found, preventing any misdirection of our lovely gathering into a corrupted soiree.

 

Peach Burrata Salad***

 

 

    Our read, W. Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge" was tough to discuss as only two of us had finished it. The pale conversation was enlivened by Jan's telling tales of Estee, her colorful friend who thought very highly of the 1946 film, sharing her enthusiasm as Jan tried to read the book on Estee's porch. (Estee kept her distance as she was still in COVID-cautious mode.) Fun fact about the 1946 production, from Wikipedia:

"Maugham wrote an early draft of the screenplay, but not one word of his version was used in the final script, and as a result Maugham declined Zanuck's request to write a sequel, and never worked in Hollywood again.^"

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Razor%27s_Edge_(1946_film)} 

^{I believe not one word from Maugham or this 1946 screenplay were in the 1984 film. Interesting study of book vs. film.}

 

Chips Channon

 

^{There was some wondering if Larry was Maugham, however this Wikipedia fun fact dispels that idea:}

^{"Another distinct possibility for influence is raised by the anglicised American, British MP Chips Channon in his diaries. During a trip to New York in August 1944, Channon wrote "I saw much of Somerset Maugham, who never before was a friend. He has put me into a book, 'the Razor's Edge' and when I dined with him, I asked him why he had done it, and he explained, with some embarrassment, that he had split me into three characters, and then written a book about all three. So I am Elliott Templeton, Larry, himself the hero of the book, and another: however I am flattered, and the book is a masterpiece ...".  "}

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Razor%27s_Edge} 

Jan's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Nomadland" Jessica Bruder

"50 Words for Rain" Ahsa Lemmie

"These Tangled Vines" Julianne MacLean *chosen

Up next:

Happy reading,

LK

 

 

 

***

Grilled Peach Burrata Salad

Salad & Dressings, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 1 min Servings: Servings: 2 Source: enrilemoine.com

INGREDIENTS

2 cups baby arugula

1 peach sliced

2 slices prosciutto di Parma torn into 4 pieces each

2 4-ounce burrata balls

6 purple basil leaves

1 tablespoon O Blood Orange Olive Oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar reduction

Freshly ground black pepper

DESCRIPTION

Add grilled chicken and chifonade mint to greens

DIRECTIONS

Preheat a non-adherent grill pan to medium heat.

Grill the peaches for a minute, just one side.

Arrange the arugula, peaches, prosciutto and burrata on a salad dish.

Garnish with the basil and drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar reduction.