Bloodorange
I'm a GoodReads user testing new waters after the serious website changes. I mostly read fiction, usually Anglophone classics/ modern classics; I like nonfiction (mostly social and cultural history), good fantasy and graphic novels. For guilty pleasure, I read advice and how-to books.
I made at least two reading resolutions recently; 1. read less, live more; 2. read books which give me more pleasure. I have poor filters, and books I find stylistically pleasing tend to be depressing, so I need to do something about that; if you think you know a book that is very well written, but won't make me weep, please drop me a line.
Lessons From Madame Chic: The Top 20 Things I Learned While Living in Paris
This book is the Fifty Shades of Grey of the advice books, and an excellent example in the discussion on what makes one 'an author' these days. In Ms. Scott's case, it's six months she spent with a French family umpteen years ago (six months, or a full year? I think she contradicts herself in this book) plus an ability to regurgitate general health & wellbeing tips from magazines/ the Internet, plus graphomania (the 'scenes from life' she describes...) plus the chutzpah needed to publish these as a book. There's nothing more to it, really. I really tried to give it two stars, but couldn't.
