Julie & Julia by Julie Powell

Completion Date: 09.21.2010
Rating: <3
Number of Pages:359

Most Memorable Quote: "Fiddling with the damp terragon left me so intensely irritated that when I was done I had to stick the ramekin/mise bowls back in the fridge and go watch both the episode where Xander is possessed by a demon and the one where Giles regresses to his outrageously sexy teen self and has sex with Buffy's mom, just to get over it." -- I think we all know why I love this quote. It's because it mentions Buffy. Also because it portrays Julie's eccentric, bizarre personality and writing style quite well -- straightforward, to the point, slightly unstable, and simply funny.

You know, that quote up there isn't the only quote about Buffy the Vampire Slayer in that book! In fact, Julie mentions it quite often, which rocks. That's probably why I love it so much. I always have another Buffy quote to look forward to. And hey, she even referenced Firefly once! She must be a Whedonite. That fact made me love her, even before I learned how seriously funny and insane she is.

Aside from the Buffy-ness of the book, I really liked Julie and Julia. It was great. It made me literally laugh out loud. OUT LOUD. It has been such a ridiculously long time since I've laughed so hard at a book. Granted, that's because I've been reading thrillers and serious, intense books lately, but still. I was so pleased.

Julie Powell has an awesome writing style. It's just so...honest. She doesn't beat around the bush, sugar coat things...she said a couple of things that were awkward enough to make me squirm a little, which is quite impressive. She doesn't hold back. She puts her entire personality on the page, saturating it with witty, unstable goodness.

I was really shocked at how interesting this book was. I mean, it's about an average New Yorker making a blog about cooking a lot -- but the humor and other little side stories made it worth getting through the stuff that I didn't comprehend in the least.

For a book about cooking, there was a tonnn of swearing and sexual references, so be warned. I mean, honestly, it adds to the charm of the book; without the stream of swears and awkward cooking vs. sex comparisons, it just wouldn't be the same! However, this may make it so that it's not for everyone.

Talking about the story, it's pretty awesome, what Julie Powell did. I know I couldn't cook 524 French recipes in 365 days. That's just silliness. She pulled it off though, which is certainly commendable. And now she's all famous, with a book and a movie. Just goes to show, it doesn't matter what situation you're in -- set goals and accomplish them. You never know what could happen.

Well, I liked it. Mostly for Buffy, but for the rest of it, too. ;)

[CHECK]

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Completion Date: 09.07.2010
Rating: *
Number of Pages:569

Most Memorable Quote -

"All faiths are admonitions that there is something we cannot understand, something to which we are accountable...with faith we are accountable to each other, to ourselves, and to a higher truth. Religion is flawed, but only because man is flawed. If the outside world could see this church as I do, looking beyond the ritual of these walls, they would see a modern miracle...a brotherhood of imperfect, simple souls wanting only to be a voice of compassion in a world spinning out of control."
-- This is when Camerlengo Carlo Vestra is speaking to the world about the Illuminati and the faults of science. This quote is actually quite accurate about the nature of religion, I find. There isn't a religion on the Earth today that is perfect -- men spin in prejudice, politics, weakness . . . no man is infallable, and religious organizations and opinions are formed by men. However, perfection is not what's important in religion. Religion is a moral compass; it is a source of hope, of love, of service . . . despite all error or uncertainty, religion is the root of so much good in this world, and is beautiful.

So, uh. Yes. That is my religious thought of the day. Does that have anything to do with Angels and Demons, the book? No, not really.

On a more related note, I quite enjoyed Angels and Demons! At first I thought I was going to like The DaVinci Code better, as that one's about the history of art, which I find fascinating. However, as I read myself deeper into the Angels and Demons symbology, plot twists, and pure action-packed-goodness, it simply encaptured me.

Now, let me clarify, this was not the best book I've read in my life. Not even close. I know that last paragraph was raving (and goodness gracious, YOU try to come up with as intricate a work of fiction while mixing in so many hard facts and detailed history -- I mean, seriously!) but there were plenty of flaws with this book. Dan Brown is a freaking genius when it comes to the storyline -- the detail, the twists and turns, the characters -- it's all top notch! I simply find that he could probably find more eloquent ways of putting across the mass amounts of information that he shoves into your face. I mean, you hardly notice this because the plot is enough to excite you and keep you enthralled, but his writing style is certainly simple.

Angels and Demons is altogether a good book. Is it my favorite? nah. But it's really, really good.

As a final note, I really wish I could think like Dan Brown. He must be such a smart guy. Sadly, however, my intellectual level is probably about the same as a puppy. Eh, but such is life. Maybe I'll just write a book about what it's like to be completely, utterly, ridiculously ordinary.

[CHECK]