Elizabeth Gilbert: Eat Love Pray

One Word Summary: eat pray love
More Words: This is like reading a stranger's notes on life. Yes, there are a lot of personal pronouns, there are some wittisisms, there a few life epiphanies, and there are brief references to personal tradgedy. Only the interesting stuff (errr, the stories) are short and vague, ultimately it's still written by a stranger. A stranger I'm not that interested in; unless I can learn the sordid divorce details. It's terrible of me, but it's obvious she wants to dish. However I would settle for more stories featuring Mom on the farm. Anyhow, I'm glad for Elizabeth Gilbert. She is a lucky woman. Unfortunately I'm more of a home body and didn't make it through Italy... I wonder did she ever kiss Giovanni?

Questions:
Did I read a review of the book, or a follow up book in the New Yorker? Last Year? I seem to remember a reference to grandma cutting up a beautiful cloak to make clothes for her children. I liked that review.

Rate: 2

Jaclyn Moriarty: The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie

One Word Summary: Poisonous
More Words: Jaclyn Moriarty, isn't that a great name? And her writing is hilarious. And she's from Australia. Her stories are like very expensive clocks. The Ghosts of Ashbury High is her latest novel, I'm excited to read it.

The Key to Understanding Teenagers:

1. They have a tendency toward reverie
2. They have trouble judging distances
3. They have difficulty with anti-climax

Synopsis: Nobody likes Bindy. She wouldn't believe it if you told her because she's the smartest and friendliest person she knows. What she doesn't see is that she's also the most annoying person anyone knows. To give her credit, she is trying to click with her peers. But it's not easy, especially since her life is falling apart. Could someone be trying to kill her? Poor girl.

Rate: 3 venomous snakes

Scholastic 2006