Friday, August 8, 2008

The Last Time I was Me

I love to read. I read too muchtrash. I read literature. I read when forced by well-meaning but annoying people non-fiction. I almost always read things that fall into my lap because I'm too lazy too busy to get this done myself. Recently I have been blessed with great finds.





A co-worker gave me the famous EAT PRAY LOVE, and told me I had to read it in a "you need this because you are going off the deep end" kind of way. Of course I was clueless to its fame before receiving it. After reading that I decided I was going to become a convert to meditation. When I have time. Uh-huh.



My assistant and I often trade books. She generally takes more time in searching and has much better taste that I do with my bent towards mindless sexy trash. Last week I had just finished another book she gave me -


And she had raved about it. We had both read Santos' other book, Love Walked In




Now Love Walked In was awesome. Made me laugh. Made me cry. A lot. But I loved it even if it gave me bloodshot, puffy eyes. So I was excited, in a self-inflicted pain kind of way, about Belong to Me. Sadly, her second book didn't move me like the first. My assistant was a little miffed that I didn't love Belong to Me.

So when My assistant handed me this:

I was a bit skeptical. Plus I don't have time to read much right now. I am ridiculously busy at work. It took me a while to read Belong to Me. And I had a painting project scheduled with the kids for the weekend. And, get this - she tells me it's a library book and she only has a week left on it! OK so I'm supposed to take it home and read a little bit and decide if I like it then try to find it elsewhere if I do. HA. sometimes my assistant is too funny for words.

It takes me 3 days to remember to take it home. I innocently picked up the book while waiting for Daughter's summer soccer something or other. And I'm hooked. Over the Painting Weekend I mysteriously disappear for hours on end short periods of time where I read a chapter or two. I stay up nearly all night reading. I am laughing out loud. Crying a lot. Living in the book. I expect to look out my window and see the river flowing. I want to Bash "Slick Dick's" head in. I feel the drama, the sadness, the happiness, the hope. Wow. I haven't been this hooked on a book in a long time.

SO I return to work Monday with the book and put it on my assistant's desk. She comes in to my office, where I have my back to her and am working on my computer, and she shakily says, shocked, "Did you hate it? Why did you give it back?"

I turned around and smiled, "That was the singular best book I have read in a long, long time. I finished it. Thanks for giving me a great weekend."

Um, so yeah, I recommend the book. Just make sure you have blocked out time because you might not be able to put it down. And be prepared for the emotional roller coaster.

10 comments:

Suzanne said...

Sounds good to me too. I have not read the Eat, Pray, Love book yet. I may be the ONLY one who has not.

Alice said...

Thanks for the book recommend. I'll check it out.

But don't worry - I'm a lot more into trashy books too. Yeah baby!

Amy said...

Stupid blogger ate my comment and I can't remember it all! But thanks for the book recomendations.

Persnickety Ticker said...

I usually don't do the "you-have-to-read-this-book-it-will-change-your-life-you-are-a-complete-mental-case-if-you-don't-finish-this-book-and-love-it-like-it-was-sex-on-a-chocolate-cloud" but I am going to take you up on it and see if I can't hunt down this book to read.

Hey, what can I say. My life just isn't full enough of emotional rollercoasters right now.

Thanks for stopping by, been just as busy lately and lacking in my comment blessing, but I promise to try to do better!

KMV said...

if you are looking for an inspirational book (more so than Eat, Pray, Love) check out "Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. tears, laughing, pages turned down - definite recommend for anyone figuring out their life. (which is all of us, right?) :)

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

I just found Eat, Pray, Love for a DOLLAR at a thrift store. Can you say thrilled?! I'm already reading something else but it's next on my list.

katydidnot said...

i loathe reading non-fiction. except bill bryson's stuff. i read great trashy fiction, like all the time.

dkuroiwa said...

Okay...(ahem) my name is Debbie...and I read trashy novels...sometimes REALLY trashy ones. Sometimes/many times I just really want to escape and those help...a lot! (i already adore katydidnot...now will go and see about alice...i think we'll be friends, too!!)

But...thanks for the recommendations...Eat,Pray,Love was actually one I'm waiting for from the States from a friend.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

I will have to try The Last Time I Was Me. I loooooved Love Walked In--I picked it up at the library because I loved the cover. What a great surprise.

just jamie said...

Looks awesome. I read Love Walked in. The other look fantastic. In my next life I will read all the books I never made it to in this one...