Welcome back friends and patrons.
One of the things that I mentioned in my previous blog post was that I would be giving book recommendations. Well there is no better time to start then right now. In the future I will give you book recommendations based on age, genre or interest, but today I thought, since this is the first book recommendation, it would be purely books that I have read and enjoyed. So here is a short list of books for your to check out, and I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did!
1. The Gargoyle- by Andrew Davidson.
I thought it might be nice to start this recommendation with a local writer. Andrew Davidson is orignally from just outside of Winnipeg. I was recommended this book by a good friend of mine and once I started reading it I could not put it down again. Before I knew it 6 hours had gone by I was reading the last chapter. This book is intense and beautiful. It is the story of a man recovering in the hospital after a horrible accident, when he meets a woman who will change his life in profound ways. The story intertwines with love stories of the past that will break your heart. The story of the Glassblower to this day still gives me shivers. This book could be in its own genre all to itself its so unique. I, without doubt fully recommend this title!
2. The Secret Lives of People in Love- Simon Von Booy
This is a book of short stories that I read last winter. It is the perfect book to read on a cold winter day sitting by your fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate. (I myself love Aztec hot chocolate) As the title suggests all the stories are about love. Now before you start thinking that I am a sucker for a love story, (which I am) love in this case is not told in only one form. There are stories of fathers and sons, friends, lovers, parents and everything in between. The way in which Simon von Booy chooses his words is haunting. His descriptions are like little paintings of words on paper. One of my favorite things about this book is due to the fact that it is short stories of only five to ten pages; if you ever need a little pick me up just grab this book flip to any story and start reading. Even his saddest of stories will leave you with a feeling of hope.
3. I Like You, Hospitality Under the Influence & Simple Times, Crafts for Poor People both by Amy Sedaris.
For something a little bit on the lighter side pick-up either or both of Amy Sedaris’ books. Amy Sedaris is a comedian who very much enjoys the art of crafts and dinner parties. The first book is all about hospitality. There are tips for throwing themed parties, recipes, favors and everything in between. As she is a comedian these are all written with a slight twist. An example to throwing a dinner party for senior citizens, which she reminds you not to make too many hard to chew dinner items. Instead opt for jello. Crafts for Poor people is exactly that; crafts. The crafts she suggests have a very at home feel and just reading them will brighten your day. There are a lot of popsicle sticks used as well as cotton balls and glitter.
4. The Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club- Laurie Notaro
5. The Elegance of the Hedgehog- Muriel Barbery
This was by far the best book I read last summer. This is a dual narrative book set in an apartment building in a rich neighborhood in Paris. The book switches back and forth between the buildings concierge and an eleven year old girl who lives in one of the apartments. Both characters have a perceived persona to the outside world that they have to play up to a certain degree; as well as their hidden persons. The inhabitants of the building assume the concierge is of a certain educational background, yet when they aren’t looking she reads War and Peace and speaks different languages. Same goes with the other main character who seems to be one person but by the end you will see is a completely different character. The way this book is written is beautiful. I was hooked right from the first chapter. The characters and rich and multifaceted, the story is intriguing and the setting is my favorite city in the world!
7. The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things- J.T Leroy
I read this book for the first time in high school and it shocked me. It’s the story of a young boy being raised by his single mother. The best way to describe his mother Sarah is that she should never have been a mother. It is a story of his physical and mental abuse throughout his childhood. It is written through the eyes of a child, and although it sounds like horrifically heavy subject matter it is hard to put down. There was a lot of controversy around this book actually. In 2005 Asia Argento made a film version of this book. She had met with Jt Leroy and collaborated with him on the story. Right before the film was released it was revealed that there was no such person as JT Leroy. A woman had been writing on the assumed name of JT Leroy and had then hired her sister in law to portray the character in person. After everyone, including a lot of celebrities came out publically sympathizing this poor boy for the things that had happened it came out this was purely a work of fiction. So read it and find out what all the fuss is about!
8. Chanel – A Woman of Her Own- Axel Madsen
I have always enjoyed biographies. They have been one of my favorite forms of book for quite some time. I have read biographies on everyone from The Marquis De Sade to Marilyn Manson, Lewis Carroll to Jenna Jamison. How a person gets from a to b and what happens to them in between is fascinating to me. Last summer I spent a great deal of time reading biographies and this one was one of my favorites. Almost everyone knows the name Chanel, but who is the woman behind the name? It turns out she is a amazing person. Some things you may not have known that I found out about her include being accused of being a Nazi sympathiser, she sold her famous #5 perfume for almost nothing and spent her whole life suing the company that owned it for the rights back to her own perfume, and she actually wanted to Yves Saint Laurant to take over the brand now Karl Lagerfeld. (Karl has now been designing for Chanel longer then she did) It’s a really interesting life, told in a very readable way.
9. Postsecret
If you have never heard of postsecret you are missing out! But in case you don’t know yet what it is I’ll fill you in. community mail art project, created by Frank Warren in 2005 as a blog, in which people mail their secrets anonymously on a homemade postcard. The concept of the project was that completely anonymous people decorate a postcard and portray a secret that they had never previously revealed. No restrictions are made on the content of the secret; only that it must be completely truthful and must never have been spoken before. The secrets range from admissions of sexual misconduct and criminal activity to confessions of secret desires, embarrassing habits, hopes and dreams. Some are hilarious and some are horrifying. (When I get angry at my husband I put boogers in his soup, He is in jail for 10 years for something I did are just two examples of 1000’s) The blog updates new secrets every Sunday but there are also four different books full of secrets. They enlighten you, empower you, and make you feel just a little less alone in the world. PostSecret is an ongoing
10. Are You There Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea- Chelsea Handler
For anyone who has seen the show Chelsea Lately you know exactly how hilarious Chelsea Handler can be. This is the second book that she wrote, which is a collection of stories from her life. A large portion is dedicated to antics involving her family. The stories that stick out the most to me involve her father. My favorite story involves her taking her father on a vacation where he gets them upgraded to first class airplane tickets by telling the staff that Chelsea is his new wife not his daughter. Her dry comedic timing and the hilarity of knowing these stories are all true makes for a very funny read.
