Sup Nerds!

Although my reading has slowed these summer months, the selections I’ve made continue to sparkle. Whether I’m at the lake, or turned awkwardly sideways in bed with my headlamp on (so Bry can sleep) I have thoroughly enjoyed all that my eyes have consumed.

Oh, and after my recent visit to the eye doctor I’ve learned I have developed astigmatism! Three cheers for gettin old!

Here’s the lineup:

This book is easily my favorite of the year so far. Hilarity ensues throughout the entirety of this brilliant novel, made even better (for me) by the fact that it takes place in Seattle. It is written from all different points of view and contexts, letters, emails, even news articles. And the dialogue? Bernadette’s inner voice and bazaar idiosyncrasies mixed with the contemplations of those surrounding her make for one heck of a good time as we glimpse into life of a woman stricken with social anxiety, married to a Microsoft guru and treading the waters of Seattle’s elite private schools for her brainiac daughter.

Switching gears (get it? the bike!) to this novel written by the author of the famous, “French Women Don’t Get Fat” I discovered yet again, that french women must have it all figured out. Not one for diet books of any kind, I dove into this not really knowing what to expect. And to be honest, I didn’t learn anything new. Eat seasonally and locally. Sip wine very slowly. Walk everywhere. Quality over quantity people! Really? Yep – pretty sure I already knew all that. I did learn more about the “leek soup diet” which french women supposedly do 2-3 times per month. Leeks are boiled in water for a couple hours and the broth is consumed, and only the broth, for a day or two.

I much prefer the candy corn diet via Romy and Michele.

In keeping with the français theme, “Almost French” tells the story of a young Australian woman who decides to visit a Frenchmen she met on travel in Paris. She stays a week, a month, a year and ends up living there full-time, experiencing all things Parisian. I really enjoyed this book if not for the beautiful depictions of  the city, than the relationship between her and Frederic and trying to make it as a “intercultural” couple. I learned heaps about Paris, French culture and the pride of the people of France. I plan to return to Paris and put my new found knowledge to good use, not being overly friendly to waiters, sipping my wine slowly and abstaining from speaking to fill awkward silences.

I mentioned reading this book whilst on holiday at Lake Chelan, remember? This clever novel is told through letters written by various characters through out the entire book. It starts just after WW2 and gives a vivid glimpse of the lives of the Guernsey Islanders during the German Occupation.  A sucker for good WW2 lit, this novel pulled me in from page 1, like a proverbial moth to the flame.

I am reading this currently and so far, so good. The cover is nice, and like any honest and avid reader – I definitely judge books by their covers :).