Serge Lutens L’eau Froide is better than L’eau. Um, incensed, clean L’eau. Incensed Dryer Sheets.
What?!?!? I don’t know. It is better than L’eau, but it’s still clean and. No and, just that is all. I’ve been holding onto this since November, and I couldn’t think of anything else to write about it except the above. I don’t hate Serge Lutens L’eau Froide at all, it’s easy to wear, it’s fresh incense, I’ve had it on for a few hours, and I kinda like it, but it’s just not memorable. A great entry for mass market appeal.
Hey, let’s talk about books! I just finished The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. Excellent book. It’s a tear-jerker, but not a manipulative one like, say, Bridges of Madison County or other crap that exists simply to make you cry in the most blatant way possible. The book is based on a real person the author met at one of his geekfest thingies he does, so there is a reality to it (the book isn’t any kind of biography, just drew from that persons experience) that is gritty and feels completely authentic. I stayed up late this weekend to finish it, weeping for most of the last part of the book and laughing through my tears. He covers suffering, loss, love, life, and why we risk everything for love knowing it will end. I’m just going to borrow a couple of lines from the book, paraphrased, not a quote at all: We don’t get any choice on whether life hurts us, but we do get some say about who it is that does the hurting. I’m happy with my choices, I hope she’s happy with hers.
I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it that simply before, it’s obvious. Yes, loving people and living will hurt. But when we choose to love, we are deciding who gets to hurt us.
It’s a young adult book, but I think I’m still a young adult. So ***** (five stars, in case you can’t figure out if I”m cursing or redacting) from me for this excellent book.
The book I’m reading now is “Behind the Beautiful Forevers” by Katherine Boo. True story set in Mumbai about the poor, the disenfranchised in a modern India. When I was in India, we went by the worst slums by train and plane, it’s not a place you go as a tourist, but I knew in there is where the real India lives. We saw it more up close in some places, but it was more people who were “poor, but not in misery” as our Berber friend in the Sahara described his family. I think I’m going back to India this year, but it will probably be Nepal first and then southern India, maybe Tamil Nadu, though the beaches of Goa keep calling my name.
What books are you guys reading, anything really profound and interesting and life changing? Or just an amazing read? I need to re-read “Hunger Games” so I’m ready for the movie in March!!
I’m so glad to see you have a tag for book reviews, Patty: when I retire and actually have some time to read, I’ll want to refer back to all these great ideas.
I’m 2nd on the list at my library for Behind the Beautiful Forevers – it’s received some excellent reviews. I hope you’ll tell us what you think about it when you’ve finished it.
I just finished “The Price of Stones” by Twesigye Jackson Kaguri, about building a school (and a lot more) in his Ugandan village. And I started “The Sisters” by Nancy Jensen – very good so far.
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell is a tour de force of writing, an amazing story that spans centuries and totally engulfs the reader in each time period from the 18th century to the distant future. It utilizes non-linear story telling in a completely original way, which pre-dates but it similar to Visit from the Goon Squad, which just won a Pullitzer I think. Cloud Atlas is soon to be a major motion picture: The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer are currently working on an adaptation of Cloud Atlas starring Halle Barry, Hugh Grant, Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy, and Jim Sturgess.
This is a book for people who love to read. Mitchell is a genius and several times has been on the list for the Mann Booker prize.
I have heard that Cloud Atlas is difficult to get into. Did you find that?
I read it last year and loved it. It is …hard to describe. There are several interconnected stories and each one is utterly and completely different from the last, but then you start to see how they are connected and it is amazing. The voice of each one is so perfect and so different.
Thanks for the reminder. I read a tantalizing review, and once I realized he’d written “Jacob de Zoet” that I mentioned above, I knew I had to give this one a try, too.
It’s great to read this list, especially as almost everything mentioned thus far is either a “read it, loved it” or “this is on my TBR list.”
My book recommendations? Ooh, there are lots. Reading is my first passion. Here are some recent finds:
Best book read last year was Unforgiven, hands down.
Two excellent YA series, Chaos Walking trilogy (most original Sci-Fi I’ve encountered in a while), and the Leviathan trilogy (WWI alternative history steampunk, how cool is that?). Most charming children’s book, “The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making”.
If you loved Watership Down, you might want to check out Kenneth Oppel’s Silverwing series. He’s not that well-known outside Canada, which is a shame as he’s an excellent author.
Two recent rediscoveries: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Fahrenheit 451.
Some excellent non-fiction: At Home by Bill Bryson, The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History, Moonwalking with Einstein, Packing for Mars by Mary Roach (I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.)I already mentioned Season to Taste: How I Lost my Sense of Smell and Found my Way in a previous post, but I’ll mention it again.
I just bought Stiff by Mary Roach for my Kindle. It sounds hysterical in a fun and odd way.
Yeah, I’ve read that one too, and it is funny as well as informative. Interesting results when your other half asks what you’re reading when you start laughing, and you read it to them. VERY interesting results. ;)
I’m getting near the end of “Four Freedoms”, by John Crowley … the story of a 4F employee at an aircraft plant in WW2 and the Rosie-The-Riveter types who love him. Along with “The Translator” probably his most accessible novel.
For those who like works of fantasy, his “Little, Big” is in my opinion one of the top five or so fantasy novels of the 20th century. Maybe one of the best post WW2 novels, period.
I love the book recommendations! Books and perfumes..my 2 loves! : )
I just finished The Night CIrcus by Erin Morgenstern…I thought it was a great mix of mysticism and magic and nature of relationships and sacrifice.
Someone else just recommended The Night Circus to me…with two good recommendations, now I have to read it.
Loved the Night Circus!
It didn’t sound like something I’d even like, but I loved the Night Circus.
I agree! I love a book list as much as a perfume list. lol
One book I found really thought-provoking was Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. It deals with the question of whether human civilisation is the pinnacle of evolution and does so through the Socratic dialogue of an 500lb gorilla (Ishmael) who can communicate mind to mind and his student, the unnamed narrator. I first read it for a philosphy course but really enjoyed and have reread several times since.
Simon Schama’s Landscape and Memory is excellent as well. It is a study of myths and how they relate to the landscapes of the originating countries. Mythology fascinates me and this book was really intriguing.
Love the Phillip Pullman Trilogy!
I am just getting started on Henning Mankell’s ‘Kurt Wallander’ series and so far so good!
I’ve mentioned Liza Dalby’s books before because she often focuses on scent, but just in case there are different people here today, I’ll note that I really enjoyed her novels “Hidden Buddhas” and “The Tale of Murasaki.” Decades ago, I loved her first, non-fiction book “Geisha.” On my shelf to read next is her “east wind melts the ice – a memoir through the seasons.” Her books provide many insights into Japanese culture and history, and life in general, and I appreciate her literary company across a lifetime.
I loved Geisha, too. Absolutely fascinating. I had no idea she wrote novels. Must have missed your previous comment. Thanks for the info!
I just re-read Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy, which is another young adult series. Incredibly beautiful books. “Fantasy” is most definitely not my genre, but these books are very, very special. Next up is (finally!) “Guns, Germs, and Steel.”
Oh, I really enjoyed that series, too!
I’m catching up with Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden books. I’m in the middle of ‘Changes’, and ‘Ghost Story’ is next.
I’ve been a fan ever since an actor I liked read a few audiobooks of the Dresden novels. Harry is a wizard and a PI, and his world is strange, fascinating, terrifying, moving, and sometimes LOL funny. I heartily recommend them to anybody who doesn’t mind a touch of well-written fantasy.
I’m also slowly working through the most recent instalment in George R R Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire – ‘A Dance With Dragons’. It’s hard going, but I’ve read all of them and I am determined to finish it! It’s a tad dense though. And like the Stephen King book mentioned above, it’s also bloody heavy. I can’t carry it around, so it only gets picked up when I’m at home. I do most of my reading while commuting, hence, slow going.
I had a hard time slugging through Song of Ice and Fire too. By the last 3rd of the book though it really gets good and by the end leaves you hanging.
I just finished reading Deborah Harkness’s next in her trilogy, Shadow of Night. It’s not out yet; I’m designing it, so I read the manuscript on my Nook. Deborah’s a historian, and it takes place in Tudor England and France and Prague in the same period, so it really comes alive. I think we have some fans here of her first book, A Discovery of Witches. You’d have to read that one before Shadow. Anyway, Shadow of Night is terrific and I was sorry to have it end.
Another book I loved recently was The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoot, which takes place in a Dutch trading enclave in late 17th Century Japan. Highly recommended.
So many books, so little time…
I AM SO JEALOUS!!!
I swallowed down Stephen King’s 11/22/63 in two days recently. I hadn’t read him in years and wouldn’t have read this if a friend gifted it to me (which was hilarious, as it was supposed to be diversion during recovery from hand surgery and it was two months before I pick the hard back up, it must weigh 5lbs at least. Never have I so longed for a Kindle.) It’s not typical SKing at all which is probably why I liked it so much; I loved his books in the 70s while in high school but not since. The descriptions of life in the 50s were really introspective and soothing. The man can really write but I don’t want to go to the dark places anymore.
I too read 11/22/63 and really enjoyed it. You are right the man can write.
Been hearing so much about this one. I feel like everyone had a Stephen King phase in high school and just read all the horror stuff, like I did. I’ve read some of the non-horror, but nothing lately. Will have to check this out.
Me, too! If you were in high school in the 70s, his was your go-to horror. I remember The Shining scaring the polish off my toenails! 😮
xo >-)
ps. rosarita – that visual of your dear, clueless friend makes me chuckle every time. That’s one of those ‘things’ that friends do that is so thoughtful – and thoughtLESS – at the same time, that makes friendship so touching!
Musette, I still remember reading The Shining and having my heart beating so loudly I thought others could hear it. I even remember that the really scarey part had something to do with the smell of oranges..OMG
I read it too and loved it. I still like to go to the dark side, though. :)
I’m reading “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer. It’s been twenty years since Chris McCandless’s misadventure in Alaska, but somehow I missed both the book and the movie. I ended up getting the book after hearing the song “The Ballad of Chris McCandless” by Ellis Paul. Great song, too.
I’m also reading “Before I Go to Sleep” by S.J. Watson. It’s an interesting mystery/thriller about a woman who loses her memory every night; she wakes up not knowing anything about her life. This is pure escapist fiction, but it’s a page-turner and I’ve enjoyed it.
Julian Barnes is such an extraordinary writer. I will have to look for that book, Musette.
I just started reading “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. Oh my, there are so many sad, awful aspects to this book, especially since I’ve become fond of Henrietta, but the book is fascinating to read. It puts a very human face on the scientific venture.
I just finished that last week. Fascinating stuff. Awful the kind of things that were done to people back in the day in the name of science! And I was surprised to find that even today, the laws still aren’t clear about much of this kind of stuff.
I am reading Julian Barnes’s The Sense of An Ending as an antidote to that ridiculous book I had to read for the book club (something about the Dairy Queen – it was just awful). Also reading John C. Maxwell’s Failing Forward.
And 11 back issues of Biomass and Ethanol Producer magazines.
next up: Watership Down. Yes. Can you believe I never read it? neither can I.
xo >-)
Watership Down is such a wonderful book. I’ve reread it several times over the years and always enjoy it; it’s great as a change of perspective.
I heard the Julian Barnes book is fantastic. I’ll have to put it on the list.
Francesa,
It’s one of those weird books that sort of lulls you into it – there’s no precise ‘plot’ – things just sort of meander along and you find yourself meandering right along as well, with the narrator. I’m only 1/3 way through (Things get in the way, like work – and life – 8-| ) so it may become more active – but it’s compelling no matter what.
That’s the beauty of Barnes, imo – he never beats you over the head with the obvious.
xo >-)
Watership is one of my favorites of all time. I haven’t read it in quite a while, perhaps I’ll pick it up.
I remember when everyone was reading Watership Down and for some reason (maybe the fact that I don’t love rabbits) I never read it.
It’s such a good book. I think Watership Down was one of those books that really hooked me on reading. There was a cartoon movie they used to play once a year when I was a kid too.
Last week my teenage son and I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan in tandem on our Nooks. Young adult read or not it’s a powerful work of literature. My son got to the end first while he was in school and he sent me a text warning that the end would make me cry and it did…a good kind of cry. It was a beautiful, happy cry.
I’m still pecking away at Back to Work by Bill Clinton but have been sidetracked by The Birth House by Ami McKay. Love it. Powerful, empowering piece.