2.42 My Life in France by Julia Child

Oh goodness. I can't believe it took me so long to read this, a whole six months from the publication date. After reading this, I decided that I would like to be Julia when I grow up. Her time in France was a life-altering experience, one that made her and her persona what it is now. I wish that I had the opportunity to see her/meet her/bump into her while we were both living in the same city, but it was not to be. I hope that she lived her life as well as it sounds in her autobiography and that I do the same.

2.41 Untangling My Chopsticks by Victoria Abbot Riccardi

An interesting read passed along to me by one of my culinary school friends. A non-fiction travelogue about a young American woman who moves to Osaka, Japan to learn about the crazy specific foods involved in the Japanses tea ceremony. Very well written. Only problem was that as soon as I picked up the book, intense cravings for Japanese food of the quality I will probably never eat commenced. Must move to Japan to learn more.

2.40 The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Fantastic piece about the art of mourning and recovery. Not the best choice for late night reading though, as it will make you more than a bit teary-eyed. This is my first time reading Didion and now I'm interested in more. Any recommendations?

2.39 Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

I'd like to be Ruth when I grow up. Successful food writer/editor who somehow finds herself as the restaurant critic for the NY Times despite herself. Now she's the editor in chief of Gourmet magazine. I told the partner that I can't wait until she finishes at Gourmet and decides to write a tell-all about that. She's a great author, even if you're not that interested in food.

2.38 Best American Short Stories Edited by Jane Smiley

Can't really remember anything that jumped out at me. Found the last story by Kincaid difficult to wade through.

2.37 My Year of Meats by Ruth L. Ozeki

Fictional account of the meat processing industry as told by a woman making docu-ads for Japan. Like Fast Food Nation but with more sex. Good read.

2.36 Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

It wasn't as well written as I thought it be. I don't really know what I was expecting either. Maybe the sequel is better?

2.35 The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

Uuh. Don't really remember. Shoot. Yay for Edith Wharton.

2.34 Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin

Dramatic irony=reading the author talk about how much she loves her daughter and needs to eat less salt because of it while knowing that she is going to die of breast cancer in a few short years. Regardless, a well written, funny foodie book. Yes, I am still reading a lot of food books. Report me to the 50 Book Challenge authorites.

I don't think that this will come to the surprise of anyone but, I'm not certain if I'm going to make it this year. Cross your fingers.

2.33 Hey Nostradamus!

Oh goodness, this book was depressing. All about how a survivor of a school shooting, never really moves beyond it and how it affects everyone around him too. Thanks be to the heavens that I'm not in high school anymore and that I've moved on.

Anyone out there read All Families are Psychotic or jPod? What did you think?

2.32 Gastronaut

Food book. Highlight: Chapter about maximizing your ability to produce gas based on your diet.

Announcement, Announcement, Announcement.

I am a bad, bad blogger. I think that it's pretty obvious by now that my interest in this site and the challenge is waning. But I'm making it official now: After this year's completion, this site is dunzo. I started it to keep myself occupied while I worked a dead-end job and thank the goddess I finally figured out that I ought to do what I was telling myself that I couldn't do and now I'm actually doing it. Updates here will still be as sporadic as they have been, but they will end with book #52. Blogging here will continue however. Thanks to my two loyal readers, you know who you are, for coming along for the ride.

2.31 A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

Bought this at Heatherow and was fooled by the ridiculous conversion rates into thinking that 3 paperbacks for 18 pounds is a deal (it is most certainly not). I devoured this on the 18 hour flight back to the States whilst listening to Show Your Bones (have you listened to this yet? I highly recommend it) and watching V is for Vendetta in an endless loop. I had issues sleeping, I also had a killer headache that. Would. Not. Go. Away. No. Matter. What. I. Did. I am a barrel of laughs as a traveling companion, let me tell you. I bet you want to go across the world with me right now, don't you?.

Regardless, all of that was two (holy crap, really?) months ago. You could say that I am a bit behind on the posting. I did really like this book. It was pretty dark and funny, just how I love my British humor. The plot follows a group of people who meet because they are all about to commit suicide by jumping off the same building. Comedy ensues! No, really I swear. The book is a pretty recent release and if you wanted a real review of it, I'm sure you could Google (or Blingo) something. More soon, promise.

2.30 Love Medicine by Louise Erdich

It's been well over a month since I've read this and unfortunately, I don't remember much. I didn't like it as much as Master Butcher's, nor do I think that it was written as well. That's all I got today folks, sorry.