Yeah, this is a cop-out combination of months – the last two months have been a little crazy, and so the reading lists were on the lighter side. Here we go:
- How to Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran. This was the APW book club book, and is well worth ordering from the UK (it won’t be available in the States until May.) While I don’t agree with Moran on everything (high heels and weddings being two notable exceptions) it’s high time that a contemporary woman came out in favor of “strident feminism.” Hilarious and deeply thought provoking at the same time.
- Little Bee by Chris Cleeve. Woah, this was engaging. A successful switch between two narrators telling the same story, which is not an easy thing to do. A beautiful novel that’s the cover for a fictionalized and personalized take on immigration policies that may just change the way you think about the issue.
- What Is This Thing Called Love by Kim Addonizio. Raw and powerful, the way that the best poems (or, at least, my favorite poems,) are. The first section was my favorite.
- Great House by Nicole Krauss. It took me a while to get into this one, but I ended up liking it a lot. Moments of brilliance – Krauss certainly has a way with words. If you don’t like slow books this one may not be for you.
- Miss Manners’ Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding by Judith Martin and Jacobina Martin. How is it possible that I just got around to reading this book? It’s *hilarious,* as in, one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. I think people who don’t read her don’t realize that Miss Manners is actually a total bitch (in a good way,) just a super, super correct and polite one. I have to say, I don’t agree with her on everything surrounding weddings, but I do agree with a whole lot of it. Worth reading if you’re planning a wedding, or even if you’re just going to a lot of weddings.
- Oak: One Tree, Three Years, Fifty Paintings by Stephen Taylor**. Stephen Taylor painted the same tree for three years, and this book is part art book, part painting process book, and part reflection on nature and the way that we interact with it. A quiet, lovely book.
- Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling. OK, I loved this. It’s light, and funny, but actually very well written. And, I’m not really sure why it’s getting compared to Tina Fey’s book so much, because frankly, it’s head and shoulders above. Great holiday gift for your girlfriends/sisters.
**this book was sent to me by the publisher. please see here for my policy on accepting things for review.
