Title: Love and Treasure Author: Ayelet Waldman Genre: Historical fiction Overall: 6/10
Synopsis: In 1945 on the outskirts of Salzburg, victorious American soldiers capture a train filled with unspeakable riches: piles of fine gold watches; mountains of fur coats; crates filled with wedding rings, silver picture frames, family heirlooms, and Shabbat candlesticks passed down through generations. Jack Wiseman, a tough, smart New York Jew, is the lieutenant charged with guarding this treasure—a responsibility that grows more complicated when he meets Ilona, a fierce, beautiful Hungarian who has lost everything in the ravages of the Holocaust. Seventy years later, amid the shadowy world of art dealers who profit off the sins of previous generations, Jack gives a necklace to his granddaughter, Natalie Stein, and charges her with searching for an unknown woman—a woman whose portrait and fate come to haunt Natalie, a woman whose secret may help Natalie to understand the guilt her grandfather will take to his grave and to find a way out of the mess she has made of her own life Jo's review:
Three stories taking place at three different times and having three factors in common - the shadow of war, independent women, and a peacock necklace. I was drawn to this book because I find the legend of Nazi gold train very intriguing and curious. It also embraces the topic of women's suffrage, Holocaust, and fate of Hungarian Jews. The first story took place in Salzburg in 1946, it was extremely slow and boringly detailed, characters with very plain personalities. The second story got a little bit more captivating, a mystery of the missing painting and two people of today's world falling in love after very unsuccessful past romantic experiences. And then there was the third, my favourite. Thanks to this story I am glad I reached for this book. A young girl at the beginning of last century who wants to become a doctor but struggles with her parents' pressure to get married. There's also the matter of friendship that turns into affection and the matter of women's liberation. It's a unique story of the Holocaust, for sure. What I didn't like the most was the style of writing, the language at times was dull to the point where my thoughts started drifting away. Favourite quotes: "When I saw that concentration camp I felt like apologizing to my dog for being a member of a human race." "I found and still do find myself furious at the squandering of her gifts, not only for her sake, but for the myriad patients she will never cure, the discoveries she will never make, the lives she will never save. How many people will die, have died, because of the wasted talents of intelligent and gifted women, forced into domestic drudgery, corseted by paternal demands, strangled by denial of opportunity? Too many to count. Too many to contemplate. Too many." "To be female is no picnic."
Title: How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style and Bad Habits. Authors: Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, Sophie Mas. Genre: Nonfiction Overall: 10/10
Synopsis: From four stunning and accomplished French women--at last--a fresh and spirited take on what it really means to be a Parisienne: how they dress, entertain, have fun and attempt to behave themselves. In short, frisky sections, these Parisian women give you their very original views on style, beauty, culture, attitude, and men. The authors--Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, and Sophie Mas--unmarried but attached, with children--have been friends for years. Talented bohemian iconoclasts with careers in the worlds of music, film, fashion and publishing, they are untypically frank and outspoken as they debunk the myths about what it means to be a French woman today. Letting you in on their secrets and flaws, they also make fun of their complicated, often contradictory feelings and behavior. They admit to being snobs, a bit self-centered, unpredictable but not unreliable. Bossy and opinionated, they are also tender and romantic. Jo's review: Definitely not what I expected, thank goodness. I thought it would be a zany and peculiar set of anectodes full of indulgent gaiety. But instead, I got a book that behind a colourful curtain of sarcasm and self-distance provides a guide on how to be Parisienne. Walking the streets of Paris it is extremely easy to determine which women are actually Parisian. They are charming, sassy, smart. They are impossible to miss.The guide is divided into chapters such as Get the Basics, Own Your Bad Habits, Cultivate Your Allure, Dare to Love, and Parisian Tips. It doesn't have any formal structure or story, it's more like a series of snippets of advice on lifestyle, beauty, love and an attitude to the world and to yourself. It's been written by four Parisian women who (with loads of distance, irony and an ability to laugh at themselves) take a look a the Parisienne manner of living. I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoyed the humor, I laughed a lot while reading it, especially the times when I recognized myself in some of the pages. It's a good self-check when you start analyzing the way you carry yourself in the world. It's a one afternoon read filled with sarcasm, aesthetics, and tips on French Joie De Vivre. Favourite bits: “She doesn't have a ring on each finger or a big diamond on each ring. She doesn't wear a gold watch that costs as much as a fancy car. In fact, she doesn't own a fancy car. She doesn't carry an enormous designer bag. But she might have a newspaper under her arm. She might mention Sartre or Foucault in a conversation. It's her personality that sparkles and nothing else: the signs of intellectual wealth.” "Always look as if you're gazing at the sunset. Even during rush hour on the metro. even when picking up frozen pizza from the supermarket." "Take the time to talk to the elderly lady next door, to read a book, to walk to work instead of riding the subway when it’s a beautiful day. Take the time to escape for a weekend with friends. Take the time to listen and to get to know yourself. Take the time to change, to grow, to rest. Take the time to say yes, take the time to say no. Take the time to be quiet. Take the time to look after your body, to eat well. Take the time to ask yourself who you are and what you want. Take the time to take time because nobody else will do it for you.”
Trish from @Between My Lines has created a magnificent, Christmasy tag for all her fellow bookworms! Ans so, obviously, I also had to take part. You can join the bookish fun here! What's your favourite Christmas scene in a book? It has to be Hogsmeade during December festivities in the "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". The third book is my favourite one and the idea of Christmasy Hogsmeade is the coziest thing ever. "Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees."
Do you have any Christmas book traditions? Every year, when December rolls around, I reach for my beloved festive story which is "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. I have a soft spot for timeless classics and when the story is all about Christmas...what can I say, I'm just in love with the idea behind this book. Do you prefer to get presents of book vouchers or books? Vouchers, definitely. Unless it's a person who really knows my taste in literature (and I don't think there's a person on this planet who actually does), I really would prefer to stock my bookshelves on my own. Oh, and unless it's any of the Penguin Clothbound Classics. I know you don't judge a book by its cover, but come on, these editions are just beautiful.
Do you give books as presents? Books are great gifts as long as you know that the person will really enjoy it. Last May in Paris I got a book of Baudelaire's poetry for my friend's birthday but that was only because I knew he loved his poems. What bookish item is on your Christmas list? How about Belle's library from 'The Beauty and the Beast"? And I mean, like, the whole room, please? Because of this story, ever since childhood my expectation of a gift from your boyfriend is really high. Who cares about flowers or chocolate when Belle has been gifted with a bloody library. Very unlikely to happen but a girl can dream, I guess.
What 3 books would you love Santa to have in his sack for you?
Fake Christmas Tree or Real Christmas Tree? Real all the way! That's a must for the main living room, I love the scent of spruce. But I don't mind having smaller fake trees around the house. What's your favourite thing about Christmas? The atmosphere. The jolliness, the fact that it's about giving to others, going home for Christmas, spending time with family and long-unseen friends, Christmas baking, Christmas shopping, Christmas music - it all adds up to the most wonderful time of the year! What Christmas book would you recommend? Previously mentioned "A Christmas Carol". Couldn't praise it enough. It's a magical and touching read and I talk more about it here.
What dish on your Christmas menu are you most looking forward to? Poppy seed cake with delicacies (which for some reason only tastes so good during Christmas) and my mom's creamy mushroom soup! When do you open your Christmas presents? Although I live in the UK, I spend Christmas back home in Poland where the most important day is actually Christmas Eve! So we open presents just after the festive supper in the evening. What's your favourite Christmas song? This cover is simpy perfect.
Are you dreaming of a White Christmas? Every year!
Title: Seven days in the art world Author: Sarah Thornton Genre: Art Overall: 8/10
Synopsis: The art market has been booming. Museum attendance is surging. More people than ever call themselves artists. Contemporary art has become a mass entertainment, a luxury good, a job description, and, for some, a kind of alternative religion. In a series of beautifully paced narratives, Sarah Thornton investigates the drama of a Christie's auction, the workings in Takashi Murakami's studios, the elite at the Basel Art Fair, the eccentricities of Artforum magazine, the competition behind an important art prize, life in a notorious art-school seminar, and the wonderland of the Venice Biennale. She reveals the new dynamics of creativity, taste, status, money, and the search for meaning in life. A judicious and juicy account of the institutions that have the power to shape art history, based on hundreds of interviews with high-profile players, Thornton's entertaining ethnography will change the way you look at contemporary culture. Jo's review: I know many people despise the idea of writing things down in a book but in this case, I just had to use the last page to write down all the page numbers that I'd want to use in the future as a reference. (With a pencil, in my defense). I love reading about the world of art even if it's contemporary. This book is an ethnography, both investigation, and observation, a series of conversations, an insight into seven different places where art is blooming. An auction, a seminar, an art fair, a magazine, a studio, an art competition and a Biennale. All of these places show the distinction and marvellousness of the art world. It focuses mostly on the buyers and the economic side but it still shows the world of absolutely unique people who are usually the crème de la crème of society with quirky but extremely fascinating worldviews. Not the easiest read but it's a great description of a contemporary art scene. Favourite parts: "Creative is definitely a dirty word. It's almost as embarrassing as 'beautiful' or 'sublime' or 'masterpiece'. For these students 'creativity' was a lovey-dovey cliche used by people who are not professionally involved with art. It was an essentialist notion related to that false hero called a genius." "I was so sick of reading Hemingwayesque novels full of muscular lyricism. Contemporary art seemed to be taking more interesting risks than contemporary fiction." "I was taught that one of the defining premises of modern art was its antagonism to mass culture." "If the art world shared a principle, it would probably be that nothing is more important than the art itself."
Title: A Christmas Carol Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Fairy tale Overall: 10/10
Synopsis: Ebenezer Scrooge is an old man, who is well-known for his miserly ways.On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by a series of ghosts, starting with his old business partner, Jacob Marley. The three spirits which follow, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come, show Scrooge how his mean behaviour has affected those around him. At the end of the story, he is relieved to discover that there is still time for him to change and we see him transformed into a generous and kind-hearted human being. Jo's review: “Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug.”This is my favourite Christmas read. Or I should probably say - my favourite Christmas story in general. I love every movie adaptation of Dickens' work almost as much as the book herself. This is a story of the only person in the 19th century London who is not affected by Christmas cheer. Scrooge is cold, bitter and cruel. As the action develops we can see how he completely changes his values. How he grows his moral backbone, figuratively speaking. One of the best things about "A Christmas Carol" is the fact that it's extremely universal. The message is still as relevant as it was in the Victorian era. The only thing that matters it what we give to others, how we live with them, how we treat them, what kind of people we are. It's strange how many wise thoughts can be contained in such a short novel. It's a beautiful and touching read - perfect for December. Favourite quotes: “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” “No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused”
