Okay, you guys are starting to know me a little too well. No, Moonstruck was not adapted from a book :) But if it had been, it'd be dog-eared on my bookshelf, believe you me! The quote I wrote down is more of a contemporary classic. A hint? Mellors is the name of the hero. Maybe "bane" was a little strong, but it's certainly annoying that Every Single Term, at least one student asks, with wide-eyed tabloid eyes, if Mary M. and J. really did make babies... Have you heard about those historians who have filed a lawsuit, claiming that Brown plagiarized from one of their books? You know, if my academic work were in ANY way associated with that book, I wouldn't advertize it. To their credit, though, they claim that one of the reasons they've filed the lawsuit is because they feel that being associated with Brown's book makes their own work look bad. I like the idea of a "truth-sorter", though :) Sounds like some sort of futuristic, robotic computer device - like you'd find in a "Jetsons" court room.

I've read dozens and dozens of these books, and own a good percentage of the same, so it's no easy answer for me. First of all, I'm not aware of anything out there that is specific to the SoCal Coast. Most are more general or have a regional bias without making that clear in the title. My all-around favorite is without a doubt: Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods, by Thomas Elias, Peter A. Dykeman. It packs loads of information into a manageable sized book, including harvesting methods, nutritional stats, and preparation instructions. It is the only user friendly edibles guide that can really be used anywhere on the continent. A Taste of Nature by Kahanah Farnsworth is a nice little book for the beginning forager with an obvious SoCal bent, and some useful recipes. Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and The Southwest by Delena Tull is another great resource, although it's too big to take in the field with you. I could not give any recommendations under this topic without mentioning Euell Gibbons. His books remain the most accessible, realistic, and interesting to date. His Stalking the Wild Asparagus is a general guide with a Northeast focus, but includes all of the major edibles that are common anywhere. Finally -- I apologize for the length of this, but you've hit on a passion of mine -- you might want to familiarize yourself with the host of temperate and sub-tropical zone weeds and cultivated edibles. When I go to Southern California, my best finds are not native wild plants, but rather naturalized non-natives. In fact I would say that the native flora of Southern, especially coastal, California is one of the poorest for fleshy fruits especially, and edibles in general. BUT, add to this the multitude of introduced plants that produce numerous luscious things and you have a region that is hard to beat for the forager. So I hope you find some books that suit you, and don't be afraid to check out that vacant lot loaded with fruiting olive trees, pineapple guavas, fruiting palms, or the dandelions in your yard, and the weedy mallow coming up in the park.

Some nonfiction books that I enjoyed: All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House by David Giffels --really liked this book. About a young couple who bought an old and very dilapidated fixer upper in Ohio. Aside from the obvious appeal to anyone who reads this board :), it was a tender and thoughtful look at becoming a family. The Motion of the Ocean: 1 Small Boat, 2 Average Lovers, and a Woman's Search for the Meaning of Wife by Janna Cawrse Esarey -- for anyone who has ever dreamed of or dreaded the idea of setting sail on the high seas, another good book on several levels. The author dishes about lots of the real details of doing that kind of adventure but there is, as with my first recommendation, a very heartfelt look at finding one's true love, getting married and discovering what marriage means. About Alice by Calvin Trillin -- one of the sweetest, most loving books I've ever read by a fabulous writer, about the love of his life, his late wife Alice. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls -- this was a bestseller and deservedly so. A portrait of an almost mythically dysfunctional set of parents by one of the kids who grew up in the direst poverty, but survived to become a journalist and now author. Wonderful book. When Skateboards Will Be Free: A Memoir of a Political Childhood by Sa Sayrafiezadeh -- another growing up memoir. The author's parents, though divorced, were both staunch socialists/communists and his tale of growing up in America through that filter is engrossing. Girlbomb: A Halfway Homeless Memoir and Have You Found Her both by Janice Erlbaum -- I advise reading these in order; the first is the true story of a girl growing up in NYC who ends up in a homeless shelter, the second is a follow up from the same woman, now grown, who befriends a runaway while volunteering at the same shelter. Great writing style, excellent books. Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone by Jenni Ferrari-Adler --a set of essays on just what the title says! Very enjoyable light reading. Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon-And the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller -- this one resonated with me because all three artists are of my generation, and I grew up listening and loving their music. A very entertaining read; lots of insider tidbits about the 60s-70s-80s music scene. Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone by Beth Lisick -- very funny book about a series of adventures undertaken by the author. A slimdown cruise with Richard Simmons, now THERE'S a concept! And many more hilarious experiences. Money Changes Everything: Twenty-Two Writers Tackle the Last Taboo with Tales of Sudden Windfalls, Staggering Debts, and Other Surprising Turns of Fortune by Jenny Offill and Elissa Schappell -- pretty much just what the title says! Very easy read too, would be a good airport companion. Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine -- thought provoking book about a woman who quit buying. Makes you wonder...could YOU go a year without shopping?! OK, enough for now! Happy page-turning, Ann

Quiches, kugels, and couscous : my search for Jewish cooking in France-- Joan Nathan (Appropriate for both Paris and Rosh Hashanah, which starts tonight)