READ BETWEEN THE VINES

READ BETWEEN THE VINES

Kim Busch's book recommendations with drink pairings

Written by Kim Hashemi

With our newfound downtime, why not use it to indulge in a captivating read? Books educate us, offer comfort, and allow our minds to wander. In case you don’t already have a reservoir of books in order, I asked Kim Busch, co-owner of Folded Hills Winery and avid reader, to share her self-isolation reading list along with beverage pairings, naturally. From fiction to nonfiction, memoir and self-help, these selections will keep you entertained while you’re at home.

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker (2017)

This non-fiction memoir shares the story of a professional journalist turned sommelier. With humor and curiosity, readers are taken on a wine-fueled adventure inside underground tasting groups, exclusive New York City restaurants, California mass-market wine factories, and even a neuroscientist’s fMRI machine. The story teaches us to be in touch with our senses and appreciate the world around us.

Suggested beverage pairing: settle down with a glass of wine, perhaps a 2007 Hundred Acre Ark Cab, and get lost in the world of wine with this page turner.

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (2020)

This fascinating novel tells the story of a middle-class Mexican bookseller Lydia Quixano Pérez who flees Acapulco after a drug cartel violently attacks a quinceañera she’s attending and kills her journalist husband who had profiled the cartel leader. Lydia and her 8-year-old son Luca escape to the United States, meeting countless other migrants along their journey. This compelling story will spark conversation, making for an interesting virtual book club pick.

Suggested beverage pairing: pair this gripping novel with a small batch smoky mezcal.

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan (2017)

Set in Italy and based on a true story, this saga shares the story of a young man’s courage and resilience during World War II. Pino Lella is recruited at the age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler’s left hand in Italy as he falls in love with a woman in the leader’s web. The captivating book tells us about heroism during trying times.

Suggested beverage pairing: pair this spellbinding read with a Stolpman Sangiovese.

The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Igor (2019)

In this memoir by the executive chairman of Disney, Igor shares deep leadership wisdom and the values he embraced during his 15 years as CEO. It’s as if you’re sitting down for a meeting with one of the wisest CEOs to learn about handling key challenges in business today.

Suggested beverage pairing: pair this revelatory read with an Estate Folded Hills Syrah.

The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of the Buddhist Psychology by Jack Kornfield (2008)

This incisive book is a comprehensive and illuminating guide to Buddhist psychology. Both comforting and instructional, the book allows readers to discover the healing power of meditation and live a life of equanimity and poise.

Suggested beverage pairing: read this outside on a sunny April evening with a glass of 2019 Folded Hills Lilly Rosé.

Edith Wharton’s novels written between 1900 and 1922

Kim shares, “Right now during this crazy stressful time I am reading every one of Edith Wharton’s novels. They were written at such an innocent time. It’s the only thing that I can read at bedtime and sleep.”

Suggested beverage pairing: accompany these novels with some warm golden milk and sleep like a baby. *

Chaucer’s Bookstore is open for online and phone orders, for delivery or curbside pickup. chaucersbooks.com