Throwback Thursday - 10 Random Posts From 2015!!!

 

1. National Steinbeck Center

I am a fan of John Steinbeck's writing! My husband and I had the lovely opportunity of visiting the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California in January 2015. The museum aspect of this National Steinbeck Center was very well done. We also enjoyed visiting the gift shop afterwards.

2. Do condoms kill the mood/feel of an erotica book?

Yes, I've read a few erotica novels and short stories over the years, but not as much in recent years. Back in 2015, while looking for things to blog about, I came across an online article with the above title. It was an attention grabbing article for sure, so I decided to read the article and share it with my blog readers.

3. Author Event/Signing with Paula Hawkins --- The Girl on the Train

I still can't believe I haven't read The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins!! I do have a signed copy of the novel to read and the author event was very worthwhile.

4. Garth Stein Author Event & Signing!!

I loved reading The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. So I couldn't resist attending an in-person author signing event featuring Garth Stein at a local indie bookstore. I really enjoyed this author event.

5. Alexander Book Company in San Francisco, California

I visited the Alexander Book Company in downtown San Francisco, California for the first time in May 2015. This three story bookstore was amazing!! I loved it!! Sadly, the Alexander Book Company is now defunct as of 2023 after 32 years of business. Essentially, they weren't seeing enough customers after the pandemic hit, so they had to close their storefront.

6. The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson

I LOVE SUSHI!! So, when I learned about this nonfiction book, I knew I had to read it.

I learned tons of interesting facts about sushi, fish, and rice from reading The Story of Sushi... Too many facts to share here, but the following are some of the interesting factoids I learned while reading The Story of Sushi:

* "The Japanese believe eel meat to be an aphrodisiac." Page 226
* Bluefin tuna are the fastest fish in the sea and can swim 50mph. If they swim too slowly, they'll suffocate. They are also warm blooded and can also weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
* "The modern term for 'sushi' refers not to fish, but to rice -- rice seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Any food made with this seasoned rice can be called sushi, whether it involves fish." Page 27
* "In Japan alone, farmers have cultivated at least 2,000 varieties of rice." Page 38
* The California Roll "was invented in L. A.'s Little Tokyo in the late 1960s, at Tokyo Kaikan, one of the first restaurants to open a sushi bar, and premier Japanese eatery in L. A. The California rolls' inventor was a chef there named Ichir Mashita." Page 81

7. Harriet Klausner, the woman who wrote 31,014 Amazon book reviews, dead at 63

I remember first hearing about Harriet Klausner years ago and found it unbelievable that a single person could read and write so many book reviews on Amazon. But she was actually a real person.

8. Fabulous Wedding Venues For Book Lovers!!

I wish I'd thought of having a bookish themed wedding when I married my husband!! These venues for book lovers look amazing.

9. Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

This indie bookstore is located in San Diego, California and specializes in the horror, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy genres. I loved the layout for this bookstore.

10. Sesame Street's Best Literary Moments!

Who can resist Sesame Street and literary moments? This was a fun find and post to write back in 2015.