Thursday, February 6, 2014

A peak into Etiquette & Espionage and The Disappearing Spoon

I gave into temptation.  My new stack of books was looking at me, taunting me, so I started to read Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger along with continuing The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean.

So for Book Beginnings on Friday hosted by Rose City Reader here is ... okay I am totally going to cheat here, and give you a sentence from the bottom of page two because it is such a lovely sentence.

"The bowl landed, in glorious perfection, atop the head of Mrs. Barnaclegoose, who was not the kind of women to appreciate the finer points of being crowned by trifle."

Strawberry Trifle (Source with Recipe
although it really should be custard not pudding.)





And since I gave you the first sentence of chapter one from Disappearing Spoon last time, here are a few sentences from the Introduction ...


(which I just realized do not go well with the trifle, so fair warning this is not a smooth transition in topic) 

"I'm from the Great Plains and had learned in history class that Lewis and Clark had trekked through South Dakota and the rest of the Louisiana Territory with a microscope, compasses, sextants, three mercury thermometers, and other instruments. What I didn't know at first is that they also carried with them six hundred mercury laxatives, each four time the size of an aspirin.  ...  As a handy side effect, Dr. Rush's pill have enabled modern archaeologists to track down campsites used by the explorers. With the weird food and questionable water, someone in their party was always queasy"


And for The Friday 56 hosted at Freda's Voice here is something from page 56 of Etiquette & Espionage ... 

What kind of finishing school has a lady of the night on staff ? 

"Rouge – the red stuff on her cheeks."

"Oh! I though that was jam."

"Oh, really!" Dimity tittered obligingly.


And from page 256 of The Disappearing Spoon

"At the time, spiritualism, a movement imported from America, had overrun the houses of aristocrats and shopkeeps alike all over England. Even someone like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who invented the hyperrational detective Sherlock Holmes, could find room in his capacious mind to accept spiritualism as genuine."
A Spirit Photograph for which Sir Conan Doyle posed Source


13 comments:

  1. I can see why you wanted to post the second page instead. Both of these book sound very interesting.

    My post

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    1. I got to that line and just adored the picture it created in my mind so I had to share it.

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  2. Replies
    1. I liked your Book Beginnings post - sounds very interesting.

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  3. What a 56! Looks like a book to pick up....

    Here is my post

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  4. I want to read that Gail Carriger book!
    Happy weekend!

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    1. I am really enjoying it - pure fun so far.

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  5. I enjoyed your eclectic post! From trifles to laxatives to rouge to spirits -- a little something for everyone. All the books sound good - and the trifle sounds delicious.
    Here's the link to my Friday post: HANK & CHLOE.

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    1. I found out that looking at pictures of trifle is very dangerous - you start craving it very strongly!

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  6. That is a great quote from a book I have on my wish list. I loved Carringer's adult series
    and do want to read this one Click here to go to Mixed Book Bag

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    1. I have only read the first Parasol Protectorate book but really liked it. This one is pure fun so far.

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  7. Etiquette and Espionage is a delightful romp! I just finished the second one and loved it, too.

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  8. This looks very good. THANKS for sharing.

    I didn't get a chance to do a post, but I just finished THE FEVER TREE. It is a beautiful, powerful, mesmerizing book. Reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Shelfari, Booklikes, etc.

    Two giveaways on my blog if you want to stop by.

    http://silversolara.blogspot.com/2014/01/book-giveaway-whos-this-baby.html

    http://silversolara.blogspot.com/2014/02/e-galley-giveaway-of-pilgrim-by-terry.html

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