The Smell Of Sugarcane

The Smell of Sugarcane

Abandoned on foreign soil in a world where language and customs are a mystery, Sophia James, the eldest of six Californian children, is in charge—and she is only eleven. Told through the eyes of the sixty-year-old Sophia as she sits with oils painting a large canvas, The Smell of Sugarcane is based on a true story. Traveling through time with Sophia, the reader witnesses the strength and power that can be found when a human spirit is determined to survive and succeed. As she advances her painting, a remarkable story unfolds in a place where love is hidden and dangers abound and children hold tight. Rich with tropical colors, the book revolves around the island of Puerto Rico. Its factual and descriptive narrative keeps the reader captive as the painting progresses. The reader will skip a heartbeat in moments when the children are in danger and will cry for their fears and injustices or laugh and celebrate victories. The Smell of Sugarcane is about the importance of instilling strong principles and good values at an early age. Without these, the children would have been lost. This book is about picking up the torch of life and holding it high while running with all one’s might. Ultimately, it is about good profoundly triumphing over evil.

By the Smoke and the Smell

Spirits expert Thad Vogler, owner of the James Beard Award–winning Bar Agricole, takes readers around the world, celebrating the vivid characters who produce hand-made spirits like rum, scotch, cognac, and mezcal. From the mountains of Mexico and the forbidden distilleries of Havana, to the wilds of Scotland and the pastoral corners of France and beyond, this adventure will change how you think about your drink. Thad Vogler is one of the most important people in the beverage industry today. He’s a man on a mission to bring “grower spirits”—spirits with provenance, made in the traditional way by individuals rather than by mass conglomerates—to the public eye, before they disappear completely. We care so much about the food we eat: how it is made, by whom, and where. Yet we are far less careful about the spirits we drink, often allowing the biggest brands with the most marketing dollars to control the narrative. In By the Smoke and the Smell, Vogler is here to set the record straight. This remarkable memoir is the first book to ask the tough questions about the booze industry: where our spirits come from, who makes them, and at what cost. By the Smoke and the Smell is also a celebration of the people and places behind the most singular, life-changing spirits on earth. Vogler takes us to Normandy, where we drink calvados with lovable Vikings; to Cuba, a country where Vogler lived for a time, and that has so much more to offer than cigars, classic cars, and mojitos; to the jagged cliffs and crystal-clear lochs of Scotland; to Northern Ireland, Oaxaca, Armagnac, Cognac, Kentucky, and California. Alternately hilarious and heartfelt, Vogler’s memoir will open your eyes to the rich world of traditional, small-scale distilling—and in the process, it will completely change the way you think about and buy spirits.

The Sugar Cane