What I Read This Month

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding, 1996

Sharp, witty and funny. A single 30-something woman living in central London navigates a year of relationship setbacks, career changes and family drama, buoyed by a group of friends who are only a phone call away.



Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy by Mary Tomer, 2009

I was prompted to pick this up after reading Barbara's book review on You Look Fab. It follow the stylish journey of Michelle Obama from the announcement of her husband's bid for the presidency through her first year in the White House. The pictures were gorgeous, as were the clothes. The writing was dull and superfluous; buy it for the pictures only.



The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, 1982

Very well written fascinating story following 4 generations of the del Valle and Trueba family. The story tells of both the personal and political upheavals of the family and the world in which they live. The novel never specifies in what country it is set, but the political story of the novel mirrors the occurences in Chile from the 1930's through the early 1970's and the military coup that resulted in the death of Salvador Allende, the uncle of author Isabel Allende.



Windfall by Penny Vincenzi, 1997

This book was free from a former neighbor who was clearing out her bookshelves. Set in the 1930's, it follows the life of a female doctor who gave up her profession to marry a doctor, raise their children and support her husband in his practice. When she unexpectedly inherits a fortune, she begins developing a more independent life. A good enough story, but seemed very modern for being set in the 1930's. The novel kept tabs on Edward VIII's affair with Wallis Simpson and his eventual abdication, while the character compared her struggles between professional and personal life to the difficulties of the monarch. I enjoyed the story enough, but I'm not sure if I'll read the other Vincenzi novel I received.



Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster, 2009

This is Chicago-based Jen Lancaster's fourth memoir, and it's just as funny as the first three. Pretty in Plaid focuses on her childhood and college years, up through her first job and transition from the insurance industry to a dot-com. It ends about where Bitter is the New Black begins.