Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Link up below! Please and thanks! 

Also, so sorry to anyone I twitter spammed this week- no sure what happened, but I think the problem is solved. 

1. I was listening to a Nerdist podcast and the guys were talking about God-know-what and the subject of mix tapes came up. That somehow turned into "Mix Books"- taking various chapters of books and putting them together for a romantic prospect. If someone had done this for me I would have been total putty in their hands. You want me to what? You just gave me a mix book? Yeah, okay, fine. Maybe I'm just easy.

2. Help me decide what Netflix show to watch while treadmill walking! I have it narrowed down to three: Nip/Tuck, Dexter, or The West Wing. All three are shows I've wanted to watch but my husband has zero interest in. What should I start with?

3. Speaking of shows, holy shit House of Cards season 2 is ridiculous. The first episode alone had us reeling. And I'm sorry, but I like Claire. I know she's a manipulative, maniacal bitch, but I can't help it. Maybe the power and success? The level of control and decorum she maintains? Or maybe it's the fact that I want her finesse when I'm her age. Nonetheless, I admit it.

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4. Last weekend was crazy- I met with my favorite happy hour buddies Friday night (they each had shots of tequila, though, so that wasn't fair), walked four miles with a friend Saturday morning, drove to Orange County Saturday afternoon to visit with my mom, who was briefly in town, went to Ikea on Sunday morning to finish nursery furniture shopping, and then went to my brother's girlfriend's dance recital at UC Irvine that afternoon. Monday I graded and yearbooked for at least 6 hours. 

5. I'm currently reading, and loving, Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake. I received the trilogy (I know! Me! Reading a series!) for by birthday and Christmas, and am kicking myself for not getting on board sooner.

6. There have been zero interesting readings in the greater Los Angeles area the past few months, and none are brewing on the horizon, from what I can tell. This dry spell is ridiculous, and I'm not sure if it's because no one wants to come here or if no one I'm interested in has really put anything out lately. I'm crossing my fingers that the LA Times Festival of Books has some decent people (and also that at 36 or 38 weeks, or whatever I am then, pregnant I'm good to go).

7. I was excited to see that Yosemite (yosemitenps) is now on Instagram today! I follow very few people that aren't my actual friends or family members (exceptions: Pete Souza, the White House photographer, and Giada de Laurentiis, my girl crush), but this was a given.

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8. Can someone please explain why J.K. Rowling is still planning to write under a pseudonym? It's so lame. The cat's out of the bag!

9. I hate it when people say that you can mend split ends with various hair products. The only way to fix split ends is with scissors. People are so delusional. Or maybe they're just magical. Maybe J.K. Rowling should write a freaking book about that.

10. My students have finished their study of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and seem less than impressed. Challenge accepted. 

 

Bridget Jonesapalooza

Bridget Jones definitely fits the bill for "exception" in my book. First of all, I'm not a fan of chic-lit. Secondly, I don't generally read series. And yet last month I reread the first book and read the second and third for the first time (unless I've already read the second? I saw the movie, and didn't own it, but still, I can't believe I skipped it... so I don't know). Anyway, the breakdown:

Bridget Jones's Diary (1996)

This is the original, and in my opinion the strongest. Bridget was a thirty-something year old woman obsessed with losing weight, finding a man, and feeling valued at work, all the while counting calories, units of alcohol, and cigarettes. Her tone was fresh, witty, and hilarious. The parallels to Pride and Prejudice were modern and creative, while it was obvious that she didn't take herself too seriously. I was young at the time (I read it senior year in high school), but I could still relate to Bridget. I knew what it was like to be concerned with appearances, frustrated by guys (if you knew my high school boyfriend you'd sympathize), and always wanting to be improved (sub her self-help books for Seventeen and Cosmo, though, for me). 

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (1999)

The follow up to the first book, Bridget must learn to survive in a relationship with a man very different from herself (politically, socially, and professionally), manage her job, and still battle the calories and cigarettes. Her insecurities haven't vanished, despite Mark Darcy's interest in her, and she must learn to handle her jealousy. Just like in the previous book, Bridget must also mediate between her crazy mother (she brings back a random tribesman from Kenya...) and father. Oh, and she also gets thrown in jail in Thailand for accidentally smuggling drugs. My biggest issue with this book was that I felt that it didn't really do anything new- it was just the same old typical Bridget falling into ridiculous predicaments. There wasn't much growth and there was no sense of maturity in the writing.

Mad About the Boy (2013)

After I finished this book I let out a really long, labored sigh. Bridget is now fifty-one, widowed (RIP Mark Darcy), and the mother of two small children (talk about late in life babies). Honestly, it was a bit ridiculous at times. She was well into middle-aged acting like thirty-year-old again, and her typical irresponsibility was annoying. Her obsession with her looks and men were redundant and some of the episodes were flat out silly. There were some truly entertaining moments, though, and it was interesting to see what happened to Bridget, but it just wasn't strong. Also, there is far too much conversation about lice for me.

I truly hope Fielding doesn't do another Jones book (at the reading I went to Friday night she did seem to leave the door open). What, Bridget at a rest home, hitting on men as she accidentally forgets her dentures and slams back Metamucil? No thanks. As a whole, the series is entertaining, but I think it definitely loses it's steam as it progresses.