 |
On the Road to Mr. Right - Belinda Jones
by xd-o-n-z-x
I've been doing some more reading out in the lovely sunshine. Today, I will be reviewing one of my latest reads.
On The Road To Mr Right is a chick-lit (romantic comedy) book by author Belinda Jones. The book was released in the United Kingdom in 2004. The book is five hundred and twelve pages long. You can buy your copy from ... Amazon for a price of £5.59 which I think is fairly good value for money.
Plot: Belinda loves America and her best friend Emily loves men. So, they both decide that a road trip around America sounds like the perfect thing! Finding the most romantic-sounding name places- they head off to Kissville in California and Cazenovia in New York on the search for men. How will they get on? Read On The Road To Mr Right to find out!
Whilst the plot does sound quite serious, it is in fact quite silly and should be taken with a pinch of salt.
I really enjoyed this book as I found that it made really good 'fun' reading. I was suprised to discover that the book wasn't as predictable as I had imagined it would be. There are a lot of suprises, big and small in this book which I found interesting.
I found this book to be really addictive. As soon as I had started reading it I knew that I was on to a good book. I couldn't put it down as I just kept on having to read on.
The characters in this book were really fun; in a way, when I was reading the book they kept reminding me of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie when they were on their road trip in their show 'The Simple Life'. The characters in this book were really easy to relate to!
She has such a great way with words, and I found the writing to be very entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny at times. I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of Capri; I really felt as though I was there.
This book is a great book for holiday reading as it doesn't require much thinking and so is perfect to read when chilling out.
If you like chick-lit then you will like this - it will certainly get you in the holiday mood!
Thanks for reading!
June 2011
xd-o-n-z-x (also posted under xdonzx on ciao)
Read the complete review |
 |
Notes from a Big Country - Bill Bryson
by victorias_books
I have been a fan of Bill Bryson for at least ten years. There is an enormous array of books which are described as being 'laugh out loud funny' and rarely live up to their promise, but in all of Bryson's offerings, and this one in particular, even my sense of humour has been satisfied.
The novel is actually a collection of ... newspaper columns written by Bryson over more than a year. This means the chapters are limited to perhaps three or four pages, but this is of great benefit to the book. Each chapter covers a different aspect of American life, experienced by the author as he returns to his home country after a long period spent living in the UK. The overwhelming sense you glean from Bryson's narrative is of a genial yet hapless middle age gentleman who is utterly bewildered by life. The chapters cover a whole range of topics including a spoof of a tax form (one of my favourites), DIY, bizarre statistics and return to his home town of Des Moines.
Perhaps the one criticism I have of Notes from a Big Country is that there is not enough space in the column/chapter for the author to explore the topic in any real depth. However, the writing is of a superior quality, and Bryson himself so likable you cannot help but sympathising with his plight. The way in which he describes situations and the inventive description allows the circumstances in which the writer finds himself to leap from the page.
This remains one of my favourite Bryson books, and due its structure and relative lack of continuity can be enjoyed without following it chapter by chapter. It does not have to be 'got in to' and I defy anyone not to identify with Bryson's dilemma at least once. A fantastic read, and highly recommended.
Read the complete review |
|
|
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig
by lights84
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M Pirsig was published in 1974. The book is written in first person as it follows Pirsig's various journies: across the United States, into philosophical and metaphysical realms, and into his past.
For a book on philosophical matters, I found Zen and the Art of Motorcycle ... Maintenance to be very enjoyable and easy to read. Despite his academic nature Pirsig talks of varying philosophical theories with ease, adding personal touches by telling his own life story. I'm not usually a biography fan but I found Pirsig's revelations of his past fascinating: he refers to his 'younger self' as Phaedrus (from Plato's dialogue), a genius with split personality. We learn that Pirsig was a teacher who became obsessed with the idea of what gives anything intrinsic value. He called this 'quality'. He was concerned with ideas of quality and what makes people value the same things, across cultures and countries. Pirsig does hit upon the answer in the book, however the realisation of it leads him to have a mental breakdown. As a result of this, he again leaves behind his life as he knows it, to live an isolated life on a boat which is the lifestyle he still follows today.
Pirsig finds a kind of peace in motorcycle maintenance. He enjoys knowing how parts fit together and work together, and he is self-sufficient in being able to take care of his vehicle as he travels. The motorcycle represents Pirsig's zen: he understands how it works and greatly appreciates its quality, and these things allow him to philosophise on deeper matters while keeping him rooted, also, in reality.
Despite understanding the nature of 'quality', which cost him his former life, Pirsig continues to ask questions that unsettle him, and to which he may never know the answer. I found his questions deeply interesting, though I would not choose to dwell on them myself (due to my own philosophy). Pirsig's life is also no better after he achieves understanding of quality, and although this is a fascinating read, it is also a somewhat sad tale of a man who is, for all his genius, unable to escape his own mind.
The overall message of the book, however, is not so dark: we are left with a profound feeling of having learned something, whether about Pirsig himself, philosophy, or the perils of searching to hard for one's own zen. I recommend this book to anyone who fancies an adventure, something a bit different, or an intriguing introduction to philosophy and man's obsession with it.
Read the complete review |
