(b)

Irish Proverbs: Traditional Wit & Wisdom
by Fionnuala Carson Williams

OK book, some nice proverbs. Overall quite old-fashioned, not very modern. It did give the English versions complete with Irish equivalents, which is unusual and quite welcomed. No explanations, though.

Nothing special. A quick read. Took no more than 30 minutes to skim through.

(b) book about good food

Julie & Julia
by Julie Powell

I'm all for projects and challenges like every other person. Whether you go through with them or not. Beginnings are always such a thrill, even more so if you actually finish them, I would imagine.

So, this book. It's about Julie Powell, a secretary in New York, quite dissatisfied with her job, who one September day decides she will cook her way through a whole cook-book within a year. Which may not seem such a big deal, but do keep in mind there are 365 days to a year, and there are 524 recipes in the book. Including preparing kidneys, brains and bone marrow sauces, and boning ducks. Not your average "mix flour and water in a bowl" type of recipes, but the old-fashioned ones where cooking took several hours. Nice.

I liked this book. It read quite fast, and I enjoyed Ms Powell's language, she has great style, and a natural knack for writing I might add. She finished her challenge, which is always great. Now I must find a way to see the film, as well.

It's not just a book about a cooking challenge. It's also the path to the proverbial self-discovery, and I would like to quote these words, I hope I'm allowed:

Sometimes, if you want to be happy, you've got to run away to Bath and marry a punk rocker. Sometimes you've got to dye your hair cobalt blue, or wander remote islands in Sicily, or cook your way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year, for no very good reason. (306)

So, yes, a good book. I'd recommend it. I have it, you're welcome to borrow it.

(b) spicy

After handing in my thesis a few weeks ago, I embarked on a journey of reading as much as I can, it is the Year of Reading, after all.
Do excuse my ... eclectic taste in books (for lack of a better word), I go by recommendations, and this received many.

The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl
by Belle de Jour

I don't have much to say about this book. It's non-fiction, a memoir of sorts, actually compiled of almost a year's worth of blog posts by a London call girl. A high class call girl. She's highly educated, I did some Googling and found out she actually received a PhD whilst this book takes place, so indeed.. not your usual stereotype of a prostitute.

She is very outspoken, with wonderful insights into the world of men. Her vocabulary is impressive, and rather academic at times. However, the book was a bit raunchy, to be honest, but this was not unexpected (see title of book).

I did manage to scribble down quite a few quotes, so for me it was worth the read. It's a difficult book to recommend, though. Perhaps for a bit of light reading, if none of your own favourites are at hand? Suit yourselves. I consider this blog more my own reading diary than anything else, anyway.

But yes, a word of warning: rather explicit contents.

(b) Team Cats

I buy a lot of books. Books I usually don't read afterwards, but which have for some reason spoken to me in the store (maybe I just hear things). This one did, too. And I read it. I have a thing for books where the plot contains either books or libraries. Like this one, called:

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
by Vicky Myron and Bret Witter

Well, I think it's rather obvious what this book is about. It is about a cat, Dewey Readmore Books, who lives in a library. And it's a true story.
One cold-cold December morning the manager of Spencer library (in a small-small town) found a little kitten from the book-return box. The little kitten was almost frozen to death. So they took him in, and named him Dewey. He spent the rest of his life living in that library, happy as can be.

It's a touching and a heart-felt story and there is no happy ending, as such.. But what this book does demonstrate, is how intelligent cats are. They can always sense the moods of people: who need comforting, who are mean... As did Dewey. And it's a lovely book, as well, even if a bit sad.
Needless to say, the cat became famous (see title above), and changed the lives of who he came in contact with, in one way or another. He had his own adventures, and misfortunes as every other character in the book, but he lead a long and interesting life.

It's a sad book, sort of, but I would still recommend it. Especially for people who have a thing for books about books and libraries, and/or cats. I liked it, and it affected me, and very few people could remain dry-eyed while reading this book, but then again.. I've always had a huge amount of respect toward cats, who are just.. adorable, but with a temper, you know? Overall rating I'd say about 7/10 (I read a translation, and the authors' writing style was a bit generic most of the time, but the emotions are there!), but still a nice book.

(b) first of the year

Well, the first book I finished this year, am currently reading about six more with a few waiting in line. I will read them one day :). As for this one:

84 Charing Cross Road
by Helene Hanff

This is actually a joint edition of two books, 84 Charing Cross Road and The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. I have labelled this as non-fiction, as surely the first book is, the one which lent the name for the collection. The second one may very well have some fiction in it, to spice things up.
84... is a collection of the correspondence between Helene Hanff in New York and Frank Doel in London, who is the book buyer for Marks & Co. And they wrote to each other for 20 years, with an ocean between them. It is not a love story! But a story of a friendship, rather. The vast difference between the two countries and culture is extremely evident, from the food-rationed London to the liberal American woman, also their so very distinctive styles of writing. Wonderful. There are also letters from others since the word spread quickly about the American, buying books from London and having them delivered over the ocean, when she could have wandered off to a bookshop in New York, and thus Helene forms a circle of friends there.
The second book, The Duchess ..., is the diary she kept while in London. The city she had dreamt of visiting for whole her life, so that when "reading a casual description of London" she'd "put the book down suddenly, engulfed by a want of longing that was like homesickness" (110), and now - she was finally there. It, too, was a lovely book. She has a very approachable style of writing. You understand from the very beginning how deeply she feels for the city, which is very intriguing. How you can absolutely love a country even before you see it. And she is not disappointed, thankfully.
I will not say if she met her friend from 84 after 20 years, it would be giving the plot away, I'm afraid.
But the book comes highly recommended, it's good in the best sense of the word. And it's such a wonderful and a lovely book. A quick read (I wish it lasted longer!), and a must! It's one of the best books I've read in years, in fact.

5 out of 5, to be sure.