The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger

Such a fun, fluff summer read!  As I was already a fan of the movie, I was delighted to find that the book was not all that different.  

**************Some spoilers ahead detailing differences between book & movie - STOP now and read the book if you want to be surprised! **************

Though decently written with vivid descriptions, the language (lottttttsssssss of F-words) was a little disappointing.  

She doesn't ever sleep with Christian in Paris.  YAY for the morality of the character, but I do wish Weisberger had spent more time developing that little flirtatious relationship.  It was fun.  :)

The story is told from Andrea's point of view, which causes the reader to commiserate a bit more with her character.  Unlike in the movie, Anne Hathaway's portrayal of Andy makes you want to hate her just a bit when she becomes absorbed in Miranda Priestly's world.  The novel's Andy, because we the readers are privy to her thoughts, is much more likable.  

Her boyfriend, named Alex - not Nate - is a saint.  He teaches at an underprivileged urban school, typically goes above and beyond in the classroom and extracurricularly, and is something of a frustrating character for that very reason.  He's as much a workaholic as Andy is.  Perhaps that's due to her lifestyle, and the changes therefore in their relationship.  Hmm.  Regardless.  He's not brooding; he's not a chef; and he's more manly, I think, than Adrien Grenier's Nate.

Certain characters are combined in the movie.  Stanley Tucci's character Nigel plays a relatively insignificant role in the book - maybe five whole sentences in the entire 375 page novel - but combined with the characters James and Jeffy of the book, Nigel comes to life on screen.  

Miranda's British, and Emily's not.

Lily, Andy's best friend, is pretty trampy.  The story weaves her story into Andy's... mainly due to the drama Lily causes.  It's Lily's alcoholism that brings about the climax of the story.

The novel ends dramatically differently than the movie.  There is no mutual respect between Miranda and Andy.  They have a significant falling-out, actually.  But this falling-out causes Andrea to receive several consequential job offers.  

**************End of spoilers!**************

Easy-peasy summer reading.  So much fun.  If you liked the movie, you will LOVE the book.  And I guarantee that you will feel like you need Prada and Gucci products after this one.  I don't even know what such brands look like, except in my imagination... but I want them.

something droll

Considering I've had such a lack of motivation to read (and, therefore, to write)... 

...here's something droll I found online.  

But in reality, I would love for someone to give out these awards.  To me.

Which one(s) would you want to win?

The Help

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

I realize I'm about a year or two late in reading this gem, but I must admit I have an aversion to reading the "trendy" ones.  So I had to wait.  And, since I picked it up at the airport when I had finished the only book I brought on our trip to Jersey, I guess you could say I was almost forced into reading it now.  But what a glad and unexpected incident!  

This book, as I'm sure you know, discusses at length the racial segregation of the South during the 1960s.  This topic is near and dear to my heart, having grown up at Camp Beechpoint, ministering to and with a primarily African American population.  Racism didn't (and doesn't) make sense to me, honestly.  So, in reading this book, it was tough for me to remember it is set in the '60s.  Not all that long ago.  That was the foremost tragedy to me.  Beyond that, that this tragedy still occurs to a large degree in our country.  Perhaps not to the same extent, and not protected by law, but the culture is still there.  That hurts my heart. 

I loved the theme of reconciliation.  It's an important one.  The book signed for Skeeter by the hundreds of black churchgoers who applauded her stand, the work she did to give them a voice... made me cry.  More so than any other part of the book, I think.  I loved the relationships.  I loved the anecdotes.  

The movie is on its way from Netflix, and I am excited to see faces and voices set to these vibrant and boisterous characters.  They practically leapt off the page at me, anyway.  

If you haven't read this one yet, please do yourself a favor and pick it up.  It's one you certainly won't regret as a gratuitous summer read.  

The Anglo Files

The Anglo Files, by Sarah Lyall

Oh my goodness, what a delightful read!  The subtitle reads, A field guide to the British, and it is just that: everything you wished someone had told you about the Brits before being immersed in their culture.  Lyall is an American journalist living in London with her Brit husband and two daughters.  Her descriptions are vivid, hilarious, and thought-provoking.

Some topics covered in depth:

• Cricket as metaphor
• Meaning behind the bad food
• Princess Di and the emotional revolution she began
• Loving animals more openly than other people
• The connection between repressed feelings and drinking
• Euphemisms
• Hereditary titles and the House of Lords
• Weather, and speaking about the weather

If you have any interest whatsoever in the British tradition, nation, culture, or identifying yourself as an anglophile, this book is for you!

7.1 [currently reading]

Currently reading:

The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis - still amazed by his brilliance. Reading for fun. 1/2 complete.

The Anglo Files, Sarah Lyall - observations of an American living among Brits, the low-down on the current and traditional society for non-Briton anglophiles like me.  Reading for fun. 1/4 complete.

Why We're Not Emergent, DeYoung and Kluck - arguments against postmodernism in Christianity manifest in churches like Rob Bell's Mars Hill and writers like Brian McLaren.  A call for renewal and revitalization in traditional Christianity.  Reading through with one of our elders and his wife.  1/8 complete.

The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer - a true pastor of the Church and martyr in Nazi Germany.  Reading to discuss with Faith on our weekly coffee dates.  1/32 complete.

The Call, Guinness - a definitive work on a Christian's purpose; a call to a Person rather than a job or place or things.  Reading with Faith.  Just finished.

It's interesting... I hate reading multiple books at once, but such is my schedule.  

Even more interesting, I think, is that they're all nonfiction.  

Rarely, if ever, am I not reading something fictional.  

Especially in the summertime.  

If you have any recommendations for my next fictional read, feel free!

score at the thrift store!

Yes.  

Ok, so the first one is a DVD.

And the last one is a gratuitous summer read.

Judge not: all this for $4!

Eats, Shoots & Leaves

Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss

Brief: I read this comedic look at grammar and punctuation maybe five or six years ago, and loved it as much now as I did then!  Am I that much of a nerd?  Maybe.  If you're interested (or outraged!) in the breakdown of our language with the advent of texting and instant messaging, and the general ignorance of English speakers... this book is for you!

Freak the Mighty

Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick

Brief: I read this in 5th or 6th grade and couldn't remember beyond the basic gist of the plot, so I read it on my final day of student teaching.  While the rest of the class read the first three pages.  Oh yes.  READ IT.  You'll be surprised by the depth, the humor, and the innocence. 

Breakfast of Champions

Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut

Brief: My first venture into Vonnegut, and it's... not really my cup of tea.  If you're looking for something dark - a bleak look into the hearts of men (with but a hint of humor) - this may be for you.  If you'd rather not, and spare yourself the crude language and content, I'd say you're better off.  I wanted to enjoy it; I really did!

The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber

The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber, by Julian Rubinstein

Brief: Such a fun read!  It's nonfiction, but I could barely tell.  This guy robs banks and lives a horrible lifestyle, but you can't help but want to be his friend.  HIGHLY recommend.

April 23

He reads much;

He is a great observer, and he looks

quite through the deeds of men.

(Julius Caesar, 1.2.209).

Happy 448th Birthday, dear Shakespeare!

I would be remiss, having a blog solely devoted to books, not to acknowledge the life of English literature-and-language's premier and exemplar.

There is much to be learned from this well-read, observant, and discerning man.

Read some.

Observe some.

What's your favorite:

Sonnet?

History?

Tragedy?

Comedy?

(If you can't answer these questions, please do yourself a favor and read/see Shakespeare.  

And form an opinion.)

For further inspiration, see this article.  

street vendor

Yes, you're seeing this right.

an italian leather book cover (with lion emblem)

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, with inscription to "Larry" in '48

Theories for Everything: an illustrated history of science from the invention of numbers to string theory

all for under $5 at a roadside stand.  

my husband loves me :)

Born to Kvetch

Currently reading Born to Kvetch, by Michael Wex

Yes.  I love all things Jewish.  Little did I know I would so enjoy the Yiddish language (in all its moods, of which there are many).  This book is more linguistically-driven than I thought it would be, and while it can be a bit dry in places, the overall effect is delightful.  Yiddish is a language that developed not necessarily out of necessity, but rather for the mere amusement of its speakers.  Yiddish is a past-time: a lifestyle born out of adversity, created for the purpose of making light of any and every situation.

I'm about half-way through this read.  Check back later to see a full review!