Recent Reads VI: Recommendations

One of the best parts of having a blog is connecting with others and ever since I started this regular Recent Reads series, my readers have been sharing all sorts of fantastic books with me.  The only thing that rivals a good book is sharing a good book with fellow lovers of the written word.

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
Sara from Le Petit Village sent along this recommendation.  She had read it after it had been recommended to her as she was moving to her very own 'Le Petit Village' in Provence and remarked at how she could see many of the characters in Mayle's book in her own experiences.  The book itself is a memoir of Englishman Peter Mayle and his wife's first year in Provence having bought an old, rural house in the South of France.  His account follows the calendar year and chronicles settling into Provence, the forever on-going renovations of his 200 year old house, his eccentric neighbours, the tourists, the food and the towns.  The characters are endearing and one really feels like they might be a few steps behind, listening and looking in on life in the French countryside.

What I really loved about this book was Mayle's ability to talk about the eccentricities of Provençal life he encountered as a Brit abroad, frustrations and celebrations, without a hint of judgement or negativity.  In fact, as an expat myself, I found his writing and attitude inspiring.

Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune
by Bill Dedman & Paul Clark Jr Newell
Gesci passed along this recommendation and I'm so glad she did.  It tells the true story of Huguette Clark, an heir to a grand American fortune.  It begins by tracing her father's path to wealth in the settlement days of the United States to building one of the most expensive mansions known to New York City to naming Las Vegas as well as some controversial roles in the US Senate.  Eventually, Huguette inherited this wealth yet despite her easy access to the NYC social scene, she remained reclusive, locked away (by her own will) in her sprawling, Fifth Avenue apartment with her dolls and her art.  While shunning society, Huguette remained a very generous woman, sharing her wealth with the few close to her and when her health began to fail, she checked into a hospital only to stay there for 20 years despite her many multimillion dollar properties and her ability to hire as many staff as required.

While we aren't privy to Huguette's personal thoughts, we do get a very good sense of the woman she was and the motivations behind her life choices.  At times, the novel dragged a bit for me but the story was intriguing and it certainly started discussions of the effect of wealth and what people will do to dip their hands in the bucket. Upon finishing the novel, I was sad to see that Huguette's inheritance is still in the news.  It's disturbing, although not altogether surprising, who comes out of the woodwork when there are millions of dollars at hand.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Jess from The Stroke featured this novel on her blog and I figured it would make the perfect beach-read while on our trip to Mexico.  In actuality, it was such an easy read, I finished it on the plane over.  Attachments tells the story of Lincoln, a smart, almost overeducated guy in a bit of a slump, who takes on a job  as an internet security officer at a newspaper.  Part of his responsibilities include monitoring staff emails and by doing so, he becomes rather involved (at a distance) in the going-ons between two best friends.  While he knows what he is doing is wrong, he can't help but be drawn into their stories.

While the book itself is a tad predictable, the characters are relatable and it's light and fun - perfect for the beach… or the airplane.  Also, because the book takes place in 1999, there's the whole Y2K thing happening which is quite funny to look back on.

Currently reading...
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
This one was passed along to me on Twitter and was highly recommended by a couple of people so after finishing Attachments prior to landing on the beach, I commenced this epic novel.  I say epic because it's long.  It tells the story of a young boy who somehow manages to survive a terrorist attack that kills his mother sending his childhood into a mix of homes of varying degrees as he grapples with the loss of the only person he felt ever cared about him.  Theo struggles with practically everything in his life: his past, his choices, alcohol, drugs, relationships - but, he's one of those characters that despite his many flaws, you really want him to succeed.

I'm about 75% of the way through and yes, it's long but it's also rewarding.

What are you reading?

{Full Disclosure: On a whim, I decided to try out the Amazon Affiliate program which essentially means if you happen to purchase one of the books I linked to from my page, I will earn a very minimal commission.  Up until this point, I have never made a dime on From There To Here and all past Recent Reads posts were linked without having any connection to me.  As for content, nothing changes and I'm not getting paid in advance to write about anything that I haven't already purchased on my own.  Should you choose to purchase a book from my page, I thank you for your support.}