Committed

by Elizabeth Gilbert

 

I actually enjoyed this book much more than Eat, Pray, Love. I know, I know - what is my problem? Well, I actually found the author to be quite whiny in the first memoir, but in this one, her humor is much less bitter, and more robust. I think that this is due in part to her falling in love with Felipe and peacefully co-inhabiting with him for a year. This memoir, rather than focusing on finding love, deals with what to do when marriage is being forced down your throat be the Homeland Security Department. Gilbert proceeds to interrogate women from different ethnicities, religions, and cultures on their thoughts on, and traditions of, marriage. Full of insight, I felt that this book was very informative, and still had a good plot to it, rather than merely being a history of marriage throughout the world. If you loved her first book - or even if you didn't! - you'll love this one as well.

 

Beautiful Creatures

by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

 

If you loved Twilight, READ THIS BOOK! IT'S BETTER! Set in the Southern town of Gatlin, Ethan can't wait to get out of town. Then, when a mysterious new girl shows up, Ethan is suddenly in less of a hurry to leave. With Southern voodoo mixed in with Civil War culture and Caster magic, this novel is a brilliant new title for anyone looking for another romantic book to fill the void left by Twilight.

 

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress

by Rhoda Janzen

 

This book seems to be making the rounds at the store; Mia, Andrea, Barbara & myself have all read it now. It is laugh out loud funny! Rhoda has the most comical voice when recalling her self-reflective journey back to her Mennonite(ish) roots after her husband leaves her for Bob from Gay.com. A quick and funny read for anyone looking for an upbeat memoir.

 

Official Bookclub Selection

I recently finished reading Official Bookclub Selection by Kathy Griffin.

It's her memoir of trying to succeed in Hollywood as well as her personal autobiography.I find her hilariously funny and since I am a huge fan of her show (My Life on the D-List), I figured that I would enjoy her book. Talk about an understatement! I was laughing out loud at many of the funny tidbits that were scattered throughout the book. What I didn't know about her past life really made me have more respect for her as a person and really admire how hard she has worked to get to were she is in her life. A funny read for anyone who needs a little pick-me-up!

Shakespeare Wrote for Money

So I finally broke down and read my first Nick Hornby book, Shakespeare Wrote for Money, which was really just a collection of articles that he wrote for The Believer Magazine about what reading he did every month. I found his voice to be very entertaining, and I also learned some interesting things about him as well. For instance, did you know that mystery writer Robert Harris is his brother in law? I had no idea, and it was nice to see that there is a comradery between those two. I always am interested in what other people are reading, so finding out what a well known author was reading was intriguing to me.  If you're looking for something short yet enjoyable, that has some great reading suggestions, pick up this book.

London is the Best City in America

I had picked up London is the Best City in America about a year ago and put it down because it didn't initially grab me. Well, I gave Laura Dave's book another try and I really enjoyed it.

The story itself was about dealing with a sibling who's getting married but has also having an affair. The icing on the cake is that the main character has also just gotten out of her engagement and is still trying to cope with that. An interesting debut novel that grips your heartstrings and makes you think about the relationships in your life.

Olive Kitteridge

Finally, I read Olive Kitteridge, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Elizabeth Strout.

As much as I enjoyed the fact that the book is composed of short stories revolving around one character, Olive, I didn't enjoy that character as a person. I was told by a co-worker that I needed to have a little more "life experience" in order to really appreciate the book, and I have a feeling that they're right. Overall, it is an enjoyable, well written novel and I would highly recommend it for a bookclub because there are a lot of interesting talking points. 

Letters to a Young Artist

Letters to a Young Artist by Anna Deveare Smith

This book was assigned reading for a class that I'm taking and I have never enjoyed an assigned book so much! It's a collection of imagined letters to a character of Deveare Smith's creation, advising them on all things dealing with the various forms of art and expression. 

The book also contains some great insights on living your life in general, and is full of little jewels in the form of Deveare's sharp wit and eloquent tongue. A great self-esteem boosting read for anyone who is an aspiring artist or just a person who needs a little advice.