Sunday, June 04, 2006

3 Books

I finished reading three books this week:

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
A wonderful book about the German occupation of France during WW II, which quickly involves the reader in the lives of quite a cast of characters. At times this book reads like a diary, and I was often remended of Anne Frank, although it is a novel. Nemirovsky however, was writing the book at the same time as she was experiencing the war, and she imbibes the story with griping and vivid scenes full of emotion. A book you have to pay attention to as you read.
Heavy.

Eat, Pray, Love : One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I finished this and wanted to immediately start reading it again! Loved, loved, loved it. Gilbert is smart, funny, and spiritually aware. I identified with so much of her philosophy, and wished I was her best friend.
Medium.

and

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
♥ ♥ ♥
I loved The Secret Life of Bees by the same author, and really wanted to love this book as well but it just wasn't quite as good. Not a bad story, and in some ways compelling, but I kept waiting for something deeper. Still, an okay and very quick read.
Light.

16 comments:

Brooke said...

"An authentic local Raucherei (smokehouse), serving up fish straight off the boat as well as its own smoked specials."

That's from the Lonely Planet Guidebook to Germany...

Miss Kim said...

Interesting Brooke! At first I had no idea what this related to and thought it was quite bizarre-- then I realised it goes with my last post-LOL!

CanadianSwiss said...

I used to be such a book worm and now... working 150%, I'm glad if I can read 1-2 books a year! You lucky one!

verniciousknids said...

I've been browsing the "Eat, Pray, Love" book for a while now on Amazon...guess I'll have to take the plunge!

Di Mackey said...

I'm not sure if I've told you of this book but 'Fugitive Pieces' by Anne Michaels is stunning.

'Suite Francaise' brought it to mind. Everyone I've recommended this one to has loved it. :)

Cynthia Rae said...

Thanks for the book review. I am almost out of book at home. UGH! I hope to get to Bologna to buy some new ones, and I am always looking for new ideas.

I just read a book called "The Reluctant Tuscan". I thought it was going to be another "I bought a farmhouse in Tuscany" book, but it was one of the funniest books I read. Worth checking out.

Cyn

Ginnie Hart said...

I loved Sue Monk Kidd's Dance of the Dissident Daughter ("A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine") several years ago. On your recommendation, I'll look for Gilbert's book. I LOVE recommndations from people who get to know me. But I also heard what CS said in that even though retired, I'm not reading as much as I'd like. I think Blogrolling (a different kind of reading!) is the culprit and I want to figure that one out. Reading has always been important to me but you sure take the cake for how much YOU read! Again, an inspiration (I say that a lot about you, don't I!).

Katherine said...

I've read excerpts of eat, pray, love and just picked it up from the library this week. I'm anxious to read it all the way through!

Elsa said...

I just "popped in" from Vern Knids website where she linked to this meme post. What is hysterical and very coincidental is that the closes book to me is The Mermaid Chair!!! So you already have done the meme for me :-) The MC is my book club's pick this month and we meet this Wednesday to discuss it so I thought I'd start it this weekend. What are the chances that we both had the same book!?

Paulo Gama said...

HI FROM PORTUGAL
GREAT BLOG
SO MANY INFORMATION
VISIT ME ON MY BLOG TOO
:)

nikinpos said...

Um, You haven't been sneaking around in Positano this week have you? A lady walked into the shop I work with yesterday, she looked exactly like you! She sort of looked at me as if she was testing me, but then smiled and left before I could ask!!

Anonymous said...

Just dropping in to see how you are - hope you are busy and enjoying summer and not languishing with a bug!

Writer and Nomad said...

I'm reading Toni Morrison's Beloved right now. I love Morrison and have read most of her books. This one is ASTOUNDING. it's so hard to read (heart breaking, heavy, emotional.) i was reading it on the bus home and i was just bawling. it's so sad. i ahd to stop reading twice because i looked like an idiot. but it is definitely a masterpiece. I just want to wallow in the language of it. the hard-edged beauty of it. i think it is, by far, the best book I've ever read. And i read like a maniac.

and i loved the life of bees too.

Sarah Elaine said...

That sounds like some good reading. I am especially intrigued by the one on Italy. Must look that one up.

Kristen Beqari said...

I think my next book will have to be eat, pray, love. I have been reading the reviews on it - and debating... but It's a go!
I just finished the DaVinci Code, and am working on the Devil Wears Prada. I am strange and have to read the books before I can see the movies. All because my mom made me read Little Women before she would take me to the movie.
I am usually diaspointed after the movie - but it is interesting to see what Hollywood chooses to add and remove.

Corrie said...

i've heard of the eat pray love one--glad to see you liked it quite a bit! i will take "loved it, loved it, loved it" as a good recommendation to read the book finally :)!