August 28th, 2008
Book Talk: Books to Indulge in for the Long Weekend
There are two books in my briefcase right now that have kept me company as I’ve traveled from the shining shores of the Potomac River to the beautiful desert of Arizona: The One Hundred by Nina Garcia and Note to Self by Samara O’Shea. These seemingly different books are, in all honesty, books that I see as books that can see myself giving as gifts to my closest girlfriends.
The One Hundred (A Guide to The Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own) by Nina Garcia is a fabulous treasure of a book. The witty text by Project Runway’s Nina Garcia and the illustrations by Ruben Toldedo provided me the perfect indulgence for a woman on the go and as I traveled over the Rocky Mountains from Dallas to Tucson, I silently congratulated myself as I discovered items I owned, sighed when I discovered items I should have in my closet, and made a face at a few items I can’t imagine ever owning. Reading the forward, though, made me realize the book hitting me just as Ms. Garcia had intended: “Thus if you are not altering each or some of the items on this list to suite your personal style, you are not playing the style game correctly or for yoru benefit.”
Samara O’Shea’s Note to Self: On Keeping a Journal and Other Dangerous Pursuits resonated not only with my brain, but also with my heart. O’Shea gives us encouragement to keep a journal for ourselves. In a world that seems to be all about work, what other people need from you, and visits to therapists, O’Shea reminds us that sometimes the most insightful therapist in the world is truly yourself. With chapters about Love, Daily Life, Passion, Hearbreak and more, each word made me want to record these aspects of my life so that, years from now, I can find wisdom within my own heart. While many books in this vein almost shame the reader into shoulds, Note to Self encourages you to write when you can, even if it’s only on January 1st when you start a new resolution to write more. Be sure and visit O’Shea’s Website fabulous as well.
If you don’t want to wait for a girlfriend to gift you with one of these fabulous books, then indulge yourself and gift them to yourself.
August 29th, 2008 at 4:27 am
Both these books look really interesting and I shall put The One Hundred on my Christmas List. As I’m just about to embark on yet another writing course I shall indulge myself and purchase Note to Self: On Keeping a Journal and Other Dangerous Pursuits. O’Shea’s website looks great so thanks for finding that for us.
November 2nd, 2008 at 4:49 am
[…] re-reading a book (Note to Self: On Keeping a Journal and Other Dangerous Pursuits) - a book I reviewed at ATG in August. I forgot how much I missed simply writing about what is going on. My life […]