flea: (Default)
flea ([personal profile] flea) wrote2005-02-21 03:30 pm

reading

re-read: Jennifer Crusie, Fast Women. I like this one more on re-reads than I did at first. At first I found it to be kind of a downer, but I'm better now.

in media: Eloisa James, something or other with a forgettable title (heroine named Beatrix). Chosen because the author "came out" in a NYT editorial on Valentie's day (she is also a literature professor at a NYC college, under her own name). I'd read a book by her before and not liked it much. This one is okay. It's fun and well-written, but not entirely my cup of tea - too much lust, not enough manners. I'll probably finish it.

Jacques Pepin, The Apprentice. A memoir of his career as a chef (partly ghostwritten). Interesting for the chefly parts (anti-Anthony Bourdain!) and the France post-war years upbringing parts. It has this amusing tone that some memoirs have of "and then, this wonderful thing happened to me where I got to hang out with famous people!" I begin to think that people with a certain kind of extreme extroverted personality (plus talent) are not even aware that they have same, and all the things that "fall into their laps" really *are* a surpirse to them. Also, love how he loved working at HoJos (after cooking for DeGaulle). Almost done here.

reading aloud to mr. flea: Laura Hillenbrand, Seabisuit. As I expected it goes well aloud. Though mr. flea finds her writing style a bit overly dramatic sometimes; I think it's more dramatic out loud than silent, and also a deliberate style choice for the topic and period. We're only in Chapter 5; Seabiscuit has just been purchased by Howard.

[identity profile] forodwaith.livejournal.com 2005-02-22 03:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I think James' latest is called Much Ado About You - is that the one?

[identity profile] casperflea.livejournal.com 2005-02-22 05:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Nope, it's A Wild Pursuit: http://www.eloisajames.com/bookshelf/wild.html