Bookworm: March 2017

YIKES. This was a super light month of reading for me, largely due to a ton of other obligations outside of work (and the amount of time I've spent in theaters seeing "Beauty and the Beast," and watching HBO's "Big Little Lies" at home...oops.). I really miss the act of reading - between jam-packed work days, barely surviving the flu, and all the other moving parts in my life, it's been far too long since I sat down and simply read a book. I'm truly ashamed to say this is the first month in I don't even know how long that I didn't read a single new book in its entirety. That said, I snuck a few old favorites in almost as a coping mechanism/security blanket when things got crazy...so without further ado: 

Re-reads: 

Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty: I had to pick this up again after marathoning the show, because I couldn't remember who died and who was the murderer. It'd be a perfect beach or vacation read - it's not totally trashy chick lit, but it's frothy enough to be relaxing. Ms. Moriarty's characters are multi-dimensional, and the twists and turns of the plot are gripping enough to be interesting without being like... "Gone Girl"-esque levels of insane.

A Company of Swans, Eva Ibbotson

Magic Flutes, Eva Ibbotson

The Morning Gift, Eva Ibbotson

A Countess Below Stairs, Eva Ibbotson

A Song of Summer, Eva Ibbotson

A word on Eva Ibbotson: these stories are all young-adult level, which means I can blow through them in about three hours. I've read each of them close to a dozen times since I was an actual young adult (teen) reader. Ibbotson's prose is lovely, and her subject matter holds so much appeal for me - many things I love, including the opera, Brazil, London, both World Wars, and the British nobility, are her common subject matter. They're the literary equivalent of a cozy blanket and warm cup of tea for me, and I love that. 

Here's to more books in my hopefully very-near future!! EEK. Send recommendations!

Bookworm: February 2017

“Read widely, and without apology. Read what you want to read, not what someone tells you you should read.” -Joyce Carol Oates

Loved: 

Blonde, Joyce Carol Oates: I could not put this down. Oates's imagined "inner life of Marilyn Monroe" was so incredibly written. I kept catching things she'd do - shifts in how she addressed Marilyn, changes in pronoun, how the style of writing got progressively more scattered as Marilyn's drug addictions and spiral into depression grew...it was just a beautiful, illuminating, shockingly precise book. I loved it.

The Swans of Fifth Avenue, Melanie Benjamin: Lovely tale of Truman Capote and his unlikely friendship with Babe Paley. Just the right amount of gossipy and scandalous to make me smile, and painted gorgeous portraits of all the characters. 

Enjoyed: 

The Pursuit of Love, Nancy Mitford: As covered in my 101 in 1001 recap on books I read, the two Mitfords I read were on the Listology "1001 Books to Read Before You Die" list. While I wouldn't put them quite that far up on my personal list, I enjoyed the Downton-y overtones of both. 

Love in a Cold Climate, Nancy Mitford: See above. 

My Not-So Perfect Life, Sophie Kinsella: Life in an Instagram world can be punishing if your world isn't picture perfect, as charmingly told by Kinsella, the author of the "Shopaholic" series. This was a quick read on the flight home from Puerto Rico and I enjoyed it for that...just a nice, escapist, light and fun book for vacation. 

Primates of Park Avenue, Wednesday Morgan: This sort of ethnographic peek into the world of the Upper East Side felt very "Gossip Girl" to me. Not a diss - I love "Gossip Girl" as treadmill tv and general escapism. Pick it up if you feel the same. 

Casino Royale, Ian Fleming: BOND, JAMES BOND. I love the Bond franchise unashamedly - I think I've seen all the movies at least once - and finally got around to picking up the book. Fleming's writing style is concise to a fault and you don't really get a lot of illumination into Bond's mind or the character development, but it works for a spy story from the Cold War era. A fun, super super fast read. 

Tolerated: 

None this month, and that's just lovely. 

Re-reads: 

Ditto! All fresh books and that was awesome. 

101 in 1001 #70: Read 25 of the "1001 Books To Read Before You Die."

Continuing on wrapping up my first 101 in 1001 before jumping into List 2...

So in almost three years of reading, I only made it through 14 of the books on the list of 1001 Books To Read Before You Die, which isn't a good indicator for me getting through them all before I, you know, die. The 14 I read as part of the 101 in 1001 brought my total to a paltry 55 books, or exactly 5%, so...yikes, I'm an imbecile. That said, I really enjoyed (most of) the choices I made...and am happy to provide some tongue-in-cheek recommendations for those of you who want to be highbrow and well-read before your own eventual demise! 

1. The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy: This was so Wharton-esque, but set in England. Really enjoyed the multi-generation tale of family feuding, divorce and drama. Recommend if: you’rea fan of Wharton, Jane Austen, or Downton Abbey.

2. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Truman Capote: Legit so many basic bitches I went to college with had the Audrey Hepburn poster on their walls, but I had never read the book. It’s much darker than I feel like I thought it was, and I somehow never realized Holly Golightly was a call girl…Recommend if: you’re a basic bitch with a thing for pearls and breakfast pastries (or if you liked the movie!).

3. Tender is the Night, F. Scott Fitzgerald: I’ve always been a huge fan of Fitzgerald, and this one didn’t disappoint. The social commentary and general depiction of louche money and failing relationships kept me riveted til the end. Recommend if: you’re a fan of “Gatsby.”

4. The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton: Like I said, I enjoy Wharton…The House of Mirth might be my new favorite of hers. New York class commentary, social climbing, and…more significantly…social falling, all at the turn of the century. Recommend if: you’re a fan of Gossip Girl, “The Age of Innocence,” or Daisy Goodwin.

5. The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway: I generally prefer Fitzgerald to his contemporary Hemingway, and this particular Hemingway left me lukewarm. I’d push a reader toward A Farewell to Arms, personally. Recommend if: you like the ocean/deep sea fishing, are a masochist, or like Hemingway in general.

6. Les Liaisons Dangereuses: I read this in French, and while it was an excellent challenge for my language abilities, I think I missed out on just how sexy and scandalous the novel is. It inspired the movie “Cruel Intentions,” and is WAY full of sex for old-school France. Recommend if: you think Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe are still #goals or have a thing for Marie Antoinette and kinky rococo sex.

7. Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe: Probably one of my favorite books I read in 2016, it chronicles New York in the boom of the 1980s in all its over-the-top corrupt glory. I couldn’t put it down, and had a crazy visceral reaction to Wolfe’s writing in general. Recommend if: you loved “Wolf of Wall Street” and “The Big Short.”

8. The End of the Affair, Graham Greene: Another favorite of 2016, set in WWII England. Greene’s Catholic background and subtextual commentary on religion drew me in, but the vivid imagery and multifaceted characters in the throes and aftermath of a torrid affair kept me riveted. Recommend if: you liked “Atonement.”

9. The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene: I picked this up as soon as I finished “The End of the Affair.” Similarly beautiful writing, this time set in Mexico in the 1930s during the Mexican suppression of the Catholic Church. Recommend if: you have already read “The End of the Affair,” which I preferred. Seriously, start Greene with “The End of the Affair.” 

10. Blonde, Joyce Carol Oates: This has been on my list for years - I found snippets online and could never get my hands on a copy. Finally stumbled across an ancient one at Half Price Books and brought it to Miami with me. Couldn't put it down - the artfully-imagined inner life of Marilyn Monroe was gorgeously written. Recommend if: you think diamonds are a girl's best friend, duh. 

11. The Pursuit of Love, Nancy Mitford: I found this on a list of "Books to Read if You Can't Stop Missing Downton Abbey," which is pretty much me to a T. The Mitfords were notorious in the first half of the 20th century (and inspired the Black sisters in Harry Potter!). This story of the prettiest "Radlett" sister, Linda, and her romantic struggles was a tonic to my sad lacking-Downton life. Recommend if: you still think the sun rises and sets on Lady Mary Crawley. 

12. Love in a Cold Climate, Nancy Mitford: More of the Radlett clan, this time centered around a very wealthy and beautiful family friend, Polly, and her scandalous affairs de coeur. Recommend if: you STILL can't get enough Downton after "The Pursuit of Love" (this IS a sequel, after all!). 

13. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath: Everyone knows Plath's background, and this semi-autobiographical roman re: a brilliant schizophrenic's descent into depression, madness and ultimate suicide is even more gripping with that knowledge. Recommend if: you're somewhere sunny and feeling good about life, because you need that to not be brought WAY down by this one. 

14. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood: DARK and dystopian tale about a future in which women have zero rights and are solely used as sex objects or reproductive vessels. I read this in December, and have to say the view of the world it depicts is pretty damn freaky. Recommend if: you're feeling a little paranoid about Planned Parenthood or your birth control.

Bookworm: January 2017

“I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in my life. And I am horribly limited.” - Sylvia Plath

Loved: 

Not really anything this month - it was a fairly un-noteworthy one as far as reading went, and that makes me sad!

Enjoyed: 

Queen of Katwe, Tim Crothers: Heartwarming, lovely tale of perseverance and grit in the face of overwhelming struggle. Phiona, a young Ugandan girl living in one of the world's worst slums, becomes a chess prodigy through dedicated training and with the help of some seriously committed mentors and supporters. A quick and inspiring read.

Scrappy Little Nobody, Anna Kendrick: I just love Anna Kendrick - she's one of my favorite celebs - and her book cemented that status for me. She's witty and self-deprecating in exactly the way I find myself being, which is refreshing. The book was a lightning-fast read and I'd recommend it to anyone who is a fan of her acting!

Fat Girl Walking, Brittany Gibbons: This memoir of one woman's journey to body confidence was witty, pithy and unapologetic. Not to mention, often laugh-out-loud funny. I could identify with so many parts of it - and that was refreshing. 

The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman: I borrowed this from Anna as part of my New Year's resolution to be more intentional, and it was a quick, eye-opening read. I mean, every basic girl in the world has read this, and identified her love language, but I found the parts about interpersonal relationships, especially non-romantic ones, to be informative and useful. (For those curious, I'm [DUH] Words of Affirmation, hahaha.)

Tolerated:

Whole30, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig: I mean, duh, it's a book about a diet plan. Nobody's going to be jumping for joy over that. That said, it was informative and clear, there were funny little one-liners sprinkled throughout, and I enjoyed the success stories that started each segment.

The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath: I had a really hard time with this, and it put me in a weird headspace, but I guess that's the point? The writing is extraordinarily evocative and forceful, but the pace and intensity of the literal downward spiral into insanity, depression, suicide...maybe not the best book choice for a dark, frosty Minnesota January, hmm? (Part of my 101 in 1001 #70, which I am clearly not going to finish...such a shame!)

The Darcys: New Pleasures, Linda Berdoll: Could not even handle this Pride and Prejudice spinoff. I would read like three pages and get distracted by the numerous grammatical errors and typos and generally awful bodice-ripping, and put it down, only to pick it back up and cringe anew. DO NOT RECOMMEND. 

Re-reads: 

Again, none this month and that kind of bums me out too. Time to revisit a few old favorites, I think...

Bookworm: December 2016

“The almanac had a strange, soapy smell and made a cracking noise like fire as she turned the pages. She’d never been the first person to open a book.” 
― Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad

Loved: 

The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood: This was one of those books that left me feeling incredibly icky and uncomfortable while reading because it was so immersive and so darn scary. Set in a dystopian society in which women have no rights to own property, read or even reproduce without state control, it was classic Margaret Atwood in every way. (#10 of 101 in 1001 #70...)

Bring Up The Bodies, Hilary Mantel: Told from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's secretary and general show-runner, the sequel to Wolf Hall chronicles the fall of Anne Boleyn with stunning and evocative prose and incisive commentary on the nature of power and gender in the 1500s. 

Still Star-Crossed, Melinda Taub: A sequel of sorts to "Romeo and Juliet," set in Verona in the month immediately following their double suicide. This one kept me interested solely because I've never really gotten over R&J since reading it for the first time in sixth grade...plus, every chapter starts with a few lines that look like prose but are really in iambic pentameter, and that made me happy. 

When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi: I can't believe it took me this long to read this smash hit of 2016. Kalanithi's impassioned, gorgeously-written saga of being a neurosurgeon dying of lung cancer with brain metastases was easily one of my top five of the year. The story, though heart-rending, is searingly honest and handles life, death, and everything in between with grace and humility. A true, honest-to-God must-read. 

Enjoyed: 

King's Fool, Margaret Campbell Barnes: Another Tudor novel, this time from the perspective of Will Somers, Henry VIII's official jester/fool. Written in the 1940s or 50s, the novel was a refreshing change of pace from the currently-trendy "sexy sex and lying lies in the Tudor court" thing.

The Traveler's Gift, Andy Andrews: A good, light reminder this season to stay focused on what's important...this novel tells the story of a man in despair and how a car crash/mysterious encounters with major historical personages teach him to live his life with grace and intention. A bit cheesy, but a warm-ish fuzzy-ish general feel-gooder.

Tolerated: 

You'll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again, Heather McDonald: Eh. It's by a writer on Chelsea Handler's show, and maybe that's why I didn't find this memoir of a 27-year-old virgin's sexcapades to be particularly funny. That said, it was a super-fast read, and for those of you with better-developed senses of humor than me, it'd probably be great...

The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead: This was an absolutely incredible book. Let me just say that. I only tolerated it because I read it at absolutely 100% the wrong time...wine country is not the setting for a brutal story of slavery and escape. Plus the iBooks download was missing SEVERAL pages and that irrationally bothered me. I highly recommend this - but only if you're in the mood for something seriously heavy. 

Re-reads: 

Eligible, Curtis Sittenfeld: A modern re-telling of "Pride and Prejudice" set in Cincinnati. Jane is a yoga instructor, Liz writes for a magazine, Darcy is a neurosurgeon, and it's all very Millennial and magical and I love it so much. Super long, too - perfect for an hours-long plane ride!

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P, Adelle Waldman: I love this because every time I read it it makes me feel a little less shitty about my love life. Nathaniel - Nate - is a self-centered prick of a thirtysomething in Brooklyn who just can't treat a girl right...but the story is so much more than that. About how two people who seem to have it all just can't seem to make it work, and there's something in that which resonates deeply with me.