Thin Blue Smoke

How can anyone resist the temptation of reading a novel about music, food and love?

the book opens with a prologue of a barbecue joint called "smoke meat", which was famous among the reporters of Kansas City Star. followed by bantering between the owner of that joint and his reporter customer of adding D to the 'smoke' (the way it should). i was curious all the way to the end reading this book. i was curious of how the owner's son (who painted "smoke meat") died, of whose initials were those LW and FG of how they're related.

i fell for the book when the author dedicated the book to Rebecca, and in his acknowledgement save the last line "Then there's Rebecca, whose heart is the room where i go to write". sweet.

over the holy weekend, i read the book and cried a lot. i was down with a bad flu and i welcomed the free flow of tears (easier to blow my nose!). this is one of those rare book i really wanted to be in. i wanted to know how each of them look like, i wanted to be in that barbecue joint with hickory and meat smell, i wanted to join the Mother's party, i wanted to be in those churches, i wanted to see Warren, the guy who speak rabbit language!

more than anything, i am thankful i chose to read this book over the weekend (its the thickest in my 'not read yet' books section) and i took time reading it because i have to stop for my cough syrup every 4 hours, 2 glasses of water each hour which resulted on going to the loo repeatedly and checking on youtube for songs featured in the book (blues is certainly an acquired taste of music--i got so irritated and sleepy over most of the songs). i am thankful for chapter 37 Up in Michigan in where Rev Glen said "i dont think we can necessarily make the connection between answered prayers and blessings. i think the only connection is that we are blessed when we pray-the act of praying is itself a blessing. but i dont think it's safe to conclude that when we get what we pray for we can call it a blessing". i never thought of it that way.

o.. this book talked in length of the possible best barbecue in the States. Kansas? Memphis? Texas?. i have no idea. the best pork barbecue in Sabah is somewhere in Tambunan, i dont eat pork, so, that's not telling much.

p/s pembetulan: my sis informed it's Keningau, not Tambunan. she eats pork. she's right.