52 books - year one

Book 16 of 52

Chasing Harry Winston, by Lauren Weisberger

OK, so I fell waaaayyy short of my goal this year of reading 52 books. But I have absolutely no doubt that I read - and finished - at least twice as many books this year as last. So I'm starting over, and I'll keep trying until I actually get there. But for 2009 (starting a month early, again) I'm going for a more reasonable 50 books (I like those nice round numbers).

Chasing Harry Winston was panned by most of the reviewers on Amazon but luckily I didn't read any of them until just now. I thought it was a delightful chick lit romp, perfect for my mini-vacation over Thanksgiving.

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant

Book 15 of 52

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, by Anne Tyler

I love Anne Tyler. Something about her characters... so rich, so sad, so ordinary.

Let's Spend the Night Together

Book 14 of 52

Let's Spend the Night Together: Backstage secrets of rock muses and supergroupies, by Pamela Des Barres

I love PDB's "I'm with the Band." I was hopeful that this would be more of the same. I was disappointed. Despite her perky commentary, PDB couldn't make some of these "dolls" interesting. I don't really want to know that "Sweet, sweet Connie" is still "doing her act" in Little Rock. Ick.

Such a Pretty Fat

Book 13 of 52

Such a Pretty Fat or Why Pie is not the Answer, by Jen Lancaster

I haven't read Jen's previous two memoirs, but I cracked up when I read the cover of this one "One narcissist's quest to discover if her life makes her ass look big." Jen is most definitely a narcissist, but she is very very funny, and she goes about changing her life and ends up with a slightly smaller ass. Her husband Fletch has got the requisite sense of humor for a man whose wife tells the world about the "manscaping" debris he leaves on the bathroom floor.

Goodnight Nobody

Book 12 of 52

Goodnight Nobody, by Jennifer Weiner

I've been on a bit of a chick lit roll lately. Even though I have another Jennifer Weiner book on my dresser, I went for this one first. I almost didn't buy it, because it is a murder mystery and that's not my thing. But I loved this book! It was smart and funny and engaging, and true to the cover "begs to be read in one sitting." At the end the author mentions some other chick lit mystery authors, and I may check them out as well.

Everyone Worth Knowing

Book 11 of 52

Everyone Worth Knowing, by Lauren Weisberger

This little chick lit confection, by the author of The Devil Wears Prada, was fun to read. Although it seemed a bit improbable to have the main character be a closet romance novel enthusiast, and the ending was a bit of a let-down, it was fun and easy nonetheless, and I'm looking forward to checking out her latest book "Chasing Harry Winston."

Staging your Comeback

Book 10 of 52

Staging your Comeback: a complete beauty revival for women over 45, by Christopher Hopkins

OK, I'm not yet 45. But this is my sister's new favorite so I had to check it out. What I learned:

1. Never wear dark top with light pants (for my body type)
2. I only need one or two colors of eyeshadow (which is good because I always come home with the same few shades anyway)
3. I should biff my turtlenecks.

My sister is on a campaign to get me to return to my (childhood) natural haircolor. She even roped in the author of this book to bolster her claim that losing the warmth of my current base color and ditching the highlights will make me look more dramatic and younger. I'm thinking about it.

For fun, here are two photos showing the difference:

My last known "natural hair color." I think the suggestion is to cover the grey with the dark.


My current hair color (warm brown with ash gold highlights).


Something in between...

Eat, Pray, Love

Book 9 of 52

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

I was a bit skeptical, due to the hype, but my SIL insisted it was a 'must read.' I thoroughly enjoyed Liz's romp through the three I's (Italy, India, Indonesia) and I recognized the character even if I didn't identify with her all that much. We all have *that friend.* The story-book ending was a bit much, I thought, which perhaps is why the tale is so popular. Chicks love a happy ending.

Lord John and the Hand of Devils

Book 8 of 52

Lord John and the Hand of Devils, by Diana Gabaldan

I actually finished this trio of stories months ago. Another fine installment in the Lord John series. My favorite gay British soldier.

The Beck Diet Solution

Book 7 of 52

The Beck Diet Solution, by Judith Beck

Judith Beck is a nationally renowned cognitive behavioral therapist (her dad invented it). She applies CBT techniques to dieting, addressing the thoughts that occur before we eat and how our thoughts influence what we do and how we feel about it. I learned some cognitive behavioral techniques a few years ago when addressing my panic attacks, so the ideas were familiar. Her techniques can be used in conjunction with any diet, and she recommends that you choose two (a plan A and a plan B).

Recommended for those who struggle with their weight.

It's all too much

Book 6 of 52

It's All Too Much: An easy plan for living a richer life with less stuff
by Peter Walsh

I actually finished this about a month ago, but my time has been occupied with co-chairing my son's school auction (success!). This book was recommended by my sister, and it proved to be a great motivator. I took a stab at clearing the clutter from my bedroom (need to go back for round 2) and am ready to tackle more. Since we are unsure whether we will be staying in this house, there is no time like the present to clear the clutter.

Recommended for anyone who has felt overwhelmed by their "stuff."

The Skinny

Book 5 of 52

The Skinny: How to fit into your little black dress forever, by Melissa Clark & Robin Aronson

These ladies have a fresh voice on an old topic - how to eat fewer calories without going insane. Their basic premise is that every slender woman restricts what she eats, whether she realizes (or admits) it or not. That cuts right to the feelings of unfairness that those of who struggle with our weight feel when we see a skinny person eating (ice cream, potato chips, french fries, whatever). They talk about "Happy Skinny" which means enjoying your food AND enjoying your body. They emphasize eating what you want, not eating what you don't want, favoring fruits and veggies, and balancing your meals throughout the day.

These are all common sense notions that are far from common. Yet, it makes perfect sense that skinny people would eat this way. I watch my own friends who have maintained a slender figure. If they have a donut for breakfast, they don't have ice cream at lunch and cookies after dinner. They fill up on the things they do like, and don't bother with the things they don't like. They've learned to be satisfied with smaller portions, which seem "normal" to them. They leave food on the plate.

The last 100 pages are full of recipes, menu suggestions, and a basic glossary. Some interesting combinations in the recipes (all heavily focused on fruits and veggies), and none too difficult.

They even have a website (of course) and blog www.theskinnythebook.com. The tip that got me to order the book (from the library, although I might end up buying it):

"Food is everywhere now. When you don’t know what you want, go with the freshest thing around. The fruit, the steamed green beans, the salad. It may sound less than exciting, but there’s always another more exciting meal around the corner!"

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade

Book 4/52

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, by Diana Gabaldon

I adore Diana Gabaldon. She wrote (is writing, it's not done yet) the Outlander series about a time traveling American woman from the 60's and her Scottish husband from the mid 1700's. But the books only come out every 3 years or so, so it is a long time between. Lord John is a recurring character in the Outlander series, and Ms. Gabaldon has given him a rich story with her side series.

I read Lord John and the Private Matter some years ago, and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this honorable gay British soldier. The story continues in Brotherhood of the Blade, adding a richness to Lord John's character that perfectly complements the other series. If you are a Diana Gabaldon fan, I highly recommend this book (start with The Private Matter). And yes, Jamie makes an appearance in this one too.

Thanks so SIL Melissa, I have the next book in the Lord John series to look forward to.

The Book of Vice

Book 3 of 52

The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things (and how to do them), by Peter Sagal

First, it's not what you think. Second, he doesn't really tell you.

This book takes an outsider's look in to the worlds of swinging, eating, strip clubs, lying, gambling, consumption, and pornography. The 30-second recap:

Swinging: even a smörgåsbord can get boring eventually
Eating: with too much science and "art" food can easily overwhelm
Strip clubs: lonely (for men at female clubs), bonding (for women at male clubs)
Lying: the best chapter (IMO), good liars believe they are telling the (carefully worded) truth
Gambling: too much time on "why" especially the "why" of high stakes games; no new info here
Consumption: best chapter subhead: How to keep up with the Joneses when the Joneses are Insane.
Pornography: if your involvement extends beyond viewing, you'll never live it down

A quick read, a few laugh out loud moments, but the author seemed to be looking for stories that support his hypothesis, rather than drawing any surprising or innovative conclusions.

The Measure of a Man

Book 2 of 52

The Measure of a Man: a spiritual autobiography, by Sidney Poitier

I found this paperback at a used book store that my parents took us to on the Oregon Coast, a place that reminded me of Powell's in it's rambling enormity. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is one of my all-time favorite movies, and the book jacket looked interesting. Having an "Oprah's Book Club" insignia added a certain cache, but also a note of caution.

The book was mildly interesting, at times tediously repetitive, but overall "not bad." Since part of my goal in reading so many books is to branch out a bit, go ahead and plow through difficult books, and expand my reading repertoire, this fit the bill. When the author finally got around to his definition of God (on page 196) it reflected nearly exactly my own:

"I simply believe that there's a very organic, immeasurable consciousness of which we're a part. I believe that this consciousness is a force so powerful that I'm incapable of comprehending its power through the puny instrument of my human mind. And yet I believe that this consciousness is so unimaginable calibrated in its sensitivity that not one leaf falls in the deepest of forests on the darkest of nights unnoticed."

He goes on, but you get the point. Which pretty much sums up most of the book.

52 books

Inspired by pal Dana's commitment two years ago, I have decided to read 52 books in the next 12 months. Rather than wait for January, I started December 1. Since I should have more slack time with my extra days off for the holidays, I figured I could get a jump start.

First up: Dear Catastrophe Waitress by Brendan Halpin

I read a review of this novel in a UUA magazine; one of the main characters is Unitarian and his faith plays a role in the story. I enjoyed the book, and am interested to see what else he has written. There were definitely some holes in the character development, but it was a nice light read. Sort of chick lit but including the guy's perspective. Anyone who has dated a musician (who hasn't?) and had a song written about them (who hasn't?), may find this book especially amusing.