My Life In France by Julia Child (2006)

Finished: 06/20/20

Grade: A

A rose-colored autobiography of Julia Child's life in France, from the first transcendent meal that changed her life, through her time at the cordon bleu and the explosion of her career, all the way up to her twilight years when she finally said Au Revoir to the country she loved so much.

Child's post-war cultural and political commentary are as interesting as her culinary ideas, and as someone who is 27 years old and still trying to find "my calling" it is inspiring to read a show-biz success story that begins at age 32.

This book is easy, fun, and made me want to cook a whole fish.

Important Note: And YES, I read this book becuase I watched the movie Julie and Julia, but let me tell you, if you are thinking about watching that movie, I HIGHLY recommend going on vimeo.com and seraching for "Julia sans Julie." Trust me.

Dharma Bums by Jack Keroac (1958)

Finished: 5/19/20

Grade: A-

An autobiographical (it's labelled fiction, but who are we kidding) account of Jack Kerouac's continued adventures bumming around the US, climbing mountains, and hanging out with his beatnik poet friends. Most of the novel centers around his friendship with Japhy Ryder (based on real life human: Gary Snyder) an outdoorsman and scholar of Chinese poetry.

Kerouac is so earnest about everything it's almost nauseating and sometimes it feels like he's too busy poeticizing about ham and eggs to notice the heavier things happening around him, BUT at it's core this is a novel about the beauty of close male friendships and I think that's great.

Favorite line: "the little flowers grew everywhere around the rocks, and no one had asked them to grow, or me to grow"

Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018)

Finished: 05/03/20

Grade: A-

In a small town in Ireland an unlikely relationship blossoms between two high school students: Marianne (A social outcast from a wealthy family) and Connell (A popular boy from a working class family). The book follows the twists and turns of their on-again-off-again romance as they struggle to find themselves in high school and then through college.

Equal parts romance novel and serious literature, this book is emotionally intense, fast paced, and singularly focused, just like so many teenage relationships.

It starts to drag towards the end, and some of the characters were just shy of believable, but overall a fun book full of truth. Reminded me of some of the worst times of my life! Wow!

Big ups to Margot Downey for loaning me this bad boy!