Reading Round-up

Hi All!

Today I am going to tell you about what I have been reading lately. I read the first book and then fell into a weird funk where I didn't want to read anything, which is very odd. I read the next items during that funk and it was good because they didn't require extended concentration.

I am happy to say that I am back to reading and just started a new book last night. You will hear about it in the near future, I am sure.

Till We Meet Again by Judith Krantz. I have read a couple other Judith Krantz books in the past and while I am not making her my favorite all time author - she writes books which I enjoy.

This book takes readers on a retrospective journey which covers several decades from before World War I to after World War II. During this journey we meet the women of the Lancel family, a wealthy, titled family from France. First up is the matriarch of the family, Eve. She is a free spirit in a time when women were anything but free. Eve rebels against her future of a "suitable" marriage and runs away from home to live with a man who, of all things, preforms in a music hall. Music Halls were not considered "appropriate" for young ladies of a genteel upbringing.

After following Eve's life for several decades, the story jumps to the lives of her two daughters, Delphine and Freddy. Delphine is an astonishing beauty who drifts in life until finding the magic of French cinema. Freddy is as wild as her mother was and is drawn to the man dominated world of flight.

In the midst of World Wars, this family grows and the woman learn about themselves, their family, and about the world through their missteps and achievements.

I found myself very drawn to all of the woman and their stories while reading this book. The trip along memory lane, such as it is, is in turns enlightening and concerning and the woman face happiness and tragedy. By the last page I felt as if these characters were people whom I have known for a long time.

A delightful read.

Next on the "hit parade" is a magazine. Oprah Magazine to be specific. Now, I know what some of you may be thinking - really, Oprah Magazine? Yes, I myself was a sceptic at first - I mean, the magazine NEVER has anyone but Oprah on the cover! It seems a little self-serving and I thought it might just be preaching about Oprah.

Was I ever wrong! Yes, Oprah is on every single cover but the articles and information in the magazine are well worth the read.

Normally, I am finished reading magazines in a matter of hours but this one is a bit different. I find that the articles are clearly written and are in depth about topics which really make sense in a women's magazine. However, you don't feel the same sense of doom and gloom that some women's magazines give out. Oprah articles actually make you feel uplifted even while telling you to move your lazy butt and exercise.

There are book reviews and music review in every issue which satisfies the bookie in me who is always yearning to hear about what is new in the field of literature. The beauty and fashion sections are tastefully done and written and photographed to appeal to the normal American woman - not just the model-thin ones.

Kudos to Oprah for this magazine which, in my opinion, always has something useful in it as well as something to make you think.

Finally, I read this anthology about the Beatles (I am ashamed to admit that until I read the book I honestly thought you spelled it BEETLES. Oops!).

I bought this book for Hubby - the Beatles nut, several years back when all of the Beatles Anthology CDs and stuff was coming out. It was on sale and I thought Hubby would enjoy it. It contains a ton of pictures spanning the entire career of the Beatles.

Hubby has never even opened the darn thing! *sigh* When will I learn that he is just NOT a book person?

After seeing the Beatles tribute band, Rain, as part of our musical package, I was curious about the Beatles (I was born as their career as a group was winding down. By the time I was listening to music, they were pretty much gone.). I decided that reading this book, which is mostly pictures, might fill in the gaps and answer the questions.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the amount of information in this book. For each year there is a written introduction and then a chronology listing the main events for the year. This is all followed by pictures illustrating the events. Very interesting.

I learned more about the Beatles than I expected to (I still didn't find out if they really let Pete Best go because he was too good looking though!) and also enjoyed the photos which were a real trip back in time.

The Beatles' story is slightly tragic in the way that real life tends to be and also reflects the difficulties of fame and money.

If you are a Beatles fan, or even if you only live with a Beatles fan, this is a good read.

Whew! That was a log in one blog so . . . I am out of here!

Trisha

Voice Update: Still rockin' and rollin'! I am being a good girl and doing exercises. I do need to hit the massage more though. If only I could be PERFECT!