The only good parts about sick days are the sleeping and reading time.
I’ve spent the past two days snuggled up in a blanket with Theraflu and a nasty cold. It’s given me plenty of downtime. I’ve rested, I’ve worked a bit, but mostly, I’ve done a mixture of sleeping and reading. It’s a good combination. I’m not a physician, but I highly recommend it, at least for your mental well-being. I’m ready to return to the real world now, Doc!
I’m through two and a half books so far on this plagued sojourn. Thank goodness I stopped at the library over the weekend – I was itching to start a new book but walked out with three, not knowing that Monday morning I’d wake up sounding like Emperor Palpatine.
The first one was Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding. Having seen the movie, I’ve always been curious about the book. It was a light read. A few moments were quite funny. Nothing too serious. I don’t really like Bridget as a character – her obsession over her weight and her constant non-battles with her vices sort of annoy me and DAMN she needs to work on her self-esteem – but overall, I was lightly entertained by her journal of a year’s worth of worry, chocolate, change, and men. Normally, I’m a non-fiction kind of girl, but I like a light read in between so that I’m not totally bogged down in information.
Next up was I Feel Bad About My Neck And Other Thoughts On Being a Woman by Nora Ephron. Personally, I like her style of writing. I also enjoy her movies – When Harry Met Sally is in my top 10. She had a keen grasp on what women really do think about and I have to say, I enjoyed her takes on aging, food, and New York real estate in this quick page turner, which I plowed through in just an evening. It’s a quick read that will leave you feeling uplifted and slightly humored. I did, however, find myself touching my neck while reading that particular chapter. I can only hope that I’ll age gracefully – or at least with a good sense of humor.
Now, I’m about halfway through The White Album, a collection of essays by Joan Didion. I chose this book because I read that it was one of Anthony Bourdain’s favorites. I love his persona and style of writing, so I figured if he likes it, it has to be good. So far, I’m intrigued. She definitely is unique – the way she describes things is truly an art form. She also has a knack for shocking you or sending a shiver down your spine just when you think you know what’s going on. The way this reads reflects a lot about the subject matter, which in this case, is about the turbulent times of the 60s and 70s in California. We’ve covered everything from the Manson family to a Black Panther Party press conference – and I’m interested to see what’s up next. Will probably finish this in the next day or two.
Afterwards, I’m returning to Guy Kawasaki’s Enchantment. Unfortunately, I only got about 6 pages in before stopping about a week ago (my phone rang, the book was set down, and then a domino effect occurred) and wasn’t enchanted enough at that point to return, but I’m hopeful. I like a lot of his ideas and he’s a really cool guy.
So, read any good books lately?