Well, I seem to have cranked the pace up this month. It's kind of nice to be up to my usual rate of literary digestion. Amazing how much time I seem to have to read for FUN now that I've grad-u-a-ted. So, I tossed my usual propriety to the wind and read (gasp) romances of sorts.
1) An Italian Affair- by Laura Fraser. It's a true story about an ongoing affair this American woman has with a Frenchie. They have trysts all over Europe and San Francisco. It's kind of a travel/ romance/woman's empowerment book. I kept wishing she would just dump the guy for good or find someone more willing to offer her more of himself. Nothing in this book the slightest bit related to England or anything English though. Hm....
2) A Thousand Days in Venice- Marlena de Blasi. This one was better, though along the same lines as the last one. She's a writer in the food business. Blasi is in Venice and this charming Venecian falls in love with her. It's a true story about finding love mid way through life. Almost made me hopeful.....
Okay now I took a sharp left from my usual course of intellectual buffet and steered myself to what I call Fluff reading. Girls at work have been dribbling on about another vampire series and I was up for more so I bit (pun intended).
3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9) were the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. "Dead Until Dark" all the way through to "All Together Dead". Sookie is the main character and she's got the gift of reading people's minds. The books are quick reading for sure but it was interesting to compare the Vampire world in this one compared to the Twilight Vampire folk. Poor Sookie never does quite settle down with any Vampire, Shifter, Were, Wolf, Witch or Faery. Yeah, they're all in there. The TV series "True Blood" follows the first book and Harris has another book coming out this spring to add to the series. Maybe they'll go to England.
And just so you don't think all I do now is read fluff I read some stuff too. Bill Bryson for two in a row.
10) "A short History of Nearly Everything"by Mr. Bryson. It's really interesting to view science from the mind of a smart ass travel writer, but it works. It took me a while to finish it because I kept re-reading parts. He covers a lot but it's worth the time. And, of course he mentions several things British so that gets the Anglicusuam nod.
11) This was a re-read of many years ago. Bill Bryson wrote "Neither Here Nor There" in 1992. It's about a trip across Europe. It's got the usual sarcasm tinged with British wit. I love his liners.
He visits some town and calls it Where the Fuck, Finland. Or how about..."The best that can be said for Norweigian television is that it gives you the sensation of a coma without the worry and inconvenience." Or my favorite..."The other thing I have never understood about the French is why they are so ungrateful. I've always felt that since it was us that liberated them-because let's face it, the French Army couldn't beat a girls hockey team-they ought to give all Allied visitors to the country a book of coupons good for free drinks in Pigalle and a ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower." Or how about..."after Paris, it was just a relief to cross a street without feeling as if I had a bulls eye painted on my butt." Anyway, you get the idea. I like Bill Bryson. He writes like I think-outloud and everything.
Stay tuned.
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