Susan D

This is a sweet, introspective book by Bee Wilson about everyday items and their impacts on our lives. She has been divorced and has watched her mother's slow decline through dementia. Certain objects have become particularly dear to her as she remembers them in her mother's hands. The heart-shaped tin from the title is the actual cake pan used for her wedding. It dropped suddenly from a shelf one day, landed at her feet, and provided the inspiration for the book.

In addition to describing her own attachments to beloved kitchen items, Wilson shares several stories of people from other cultures and the significance of treasured objects in their lives. There were times when I was afraid that the book would descend into dark troughs of grief and sentimentality, but Wilson managed to keep the stories light-hearted. As I read, I found myself considering some of the kitchen items and china sets that I own. I'm pretty practical, and know that my four adult daughters will likely not be thrilled to add these to their cabinets. But I hope they'll each take something to remember all the times we cooked and baked together.

I did not realize that the book was a graphic novel. It was my first! I was impressed with the artistry and depictions; it was easy to read. I learned more than I ever needed to know about ginseng, but there was much that I didn't know, such as the fact that Wisconsin is considered to be the ginseng capital, and how difficult it is to farm and raise ginseng successfully. Craig Thompson did a masterful job of portraying the struggles of growing up in a very conservative family that expected all members to work on the farm. He later traveled to China, South Korea, and Laos to learn about improvements in ginseng farming. Ginseng is in much greater demand there.