BOOKS ONE: JANUARY 2014 READS

Here they are, admittedly exceedingly late, but I guess that's what I'm about.  Either earlier than everyone or so far behind I'm not even sure why I bother, but bother I shall and these are the books I read in January.  One of my goals for 2014 was to read 52 books.  January got me off to a cracking start.  February has been less than stellar, but bemoaning my February lack of reading will have to wait for the February post.  Today, it's all about what I DID read in January.  We are working our way from the bottom to the top.

It by Alexa Chung

Well, this book was cute.  I blasted through it in about 30-40 minutes.  There isn't really any substantial text to read and I think this book probably falls more under decoration than literature.  It's filled with "artsy" photos and doodles as well as little quotes from Alexa.  She delves a bit into her fashion and makeup obsession.  I am glad I have it, but I was hoping it would be more like Grace or The Man Repeller.  Just more substance I suppose.

The Salem With Trials

A Day-By-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege

by Marilynne K. Roach

This book is 588 pages plus five appendixes, endnotes, a bibliography, an index, and acknowledgements.  It begins with hand drawn maps, a prologue and a lengthy introduction.  If you aren't yet deterred allow me to ask this.  Do you like history books?  Not historical novels I mean a good old fashioned history text book.  If not then this is probably not for you.  

I picked this up in Salem, MA at the smallest most overcrowded bookstore I have ever had the pleasure to visit.  I picked up a few other things too but I couldn't wait to read all about this topic and a "day-by-day chronicle" sounded excellent.  It was a bit dry.  Other than the actual days of trial there was not much happening in the colonies at that time other than indian raids and petty squabbles into which I was not interested.  I did manage to get through it and I did learn some things.  I wouldn't recommend though unless you enjoy long dry topic discussions.

Let's Bring Back

An Encyclopedia of Forgotten-Yet-Delightful, Chic, Useful, Curious, and Otherwise Commendable Things from Times Gone By

by Lesley M. M. Blume

Now this book is just plain cute.  I read it in a continual sitting but with it being broken up like an encyclopedia it lends itself to simply picking it up and perusing from time to time.  I enjoyed the author's wit and thought it was a unique way to present history.  The books is based around the idea of bringing particular fashion, phrases, items, or people back into popularity.  It gives you a little history without being overwhelming and teaches you a bit about times gone by.  I would recommend this to anyone.

Bright Young Things

A Modern Guide to the Roaring Twenties

by Alison Maloney

A cute coffee table book.  It doesn't really teach you much about the twenties if you already know a bit, but it does give you some party ideas and drink and food recipes to try.  In other words if you love the twenties, want a cute and inexpensive book to decorate with, or need a prohibition cocktail recipe it might be worth laying your hands on.  

Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

This book, my God, this book.  That's not praise.  That's frustration.  First, let's back track.  I decided to read all the books that Oprah's Book Club had recommended that I hadn't yet read and I buy many of my books at thrift stores for $1.00 or less.  When I saw this on the shelf for a quarter I purchased and brought it home.  The way it had been raved about I jumped it to the front of about a million other books to read.  

I. Loathe. This. Book.  

First, the perspective the book is written from is strange.  It's multi-perspective but also kind of omni-present.  As well as the fact that the father is presented and a really good man and a really terrible man at the same time and a lot of things that happened I just kept reading thinking.  Can this please, please be over?  It didn't bother me so much as I kept thinking no group of people has THIS much bad luck and THIS much unhappiness.  I'm sorry, but I've never heard of or met one family with insanity, incest, early death, abuse, suicide, murder, theft, religion and apathy, boot legging, etc.  I could go on.  I swear the author made a list of all the MOST terrible things she could think of and said let's visit it all on one group of less than 10 people.  Insanity.  Insanity.  It's making me worry about the rest of the recommendations from Oprah.