Norwegianne.net

Category: Books

  • Review: French children don’t throw food

    Here’s the thing: I don’t have children. I have no immediate plans to have children (though my gynecologist was quick to point out that children can be unplanned) but this book really resonated with me.

    The book is French Children Don’t Throw Food, and to be perfectly honest – I got it for the title alone. It’s not a perfect manual on how to raise children (I would presume), but I found it funny, and interesting.

    At the same time, I recognize that some of those points that Pamela Druckerman noted in the beginning of her book – kids pulling their parents arm to get attention while the parents are having a conversation with other adults and kids not being able to play on their own but having to be activated by adults the whole time is something that annoys me from real life – so I could definitely see some learning points to bring along for when/if I have kids.

    With the caveat that my mother who is a trained pre-school teacher, and had plenty of child-rearing theories to back her up, had the comment after she had kids: Theory and practical application are two very different things, and kids don’t necessarily conform to the theories you’d like to use.

    But all in all, I found it a good read, and I’ve recommended it to several friends.

  • Books I read in July

    Despite it being summer, I’ve been working in July – and when I haven’t been working, I’ve been working out. Since I discovered that I can bring my iPad, loaded with television shows to the gym, I’ve been zooming through episodes of Castle instead of reading books while stationary bike riding. The weather haven’t been much for spending much time outside, anyway.

    But I managed to get some summer reading in.
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  • Books I read in June

    I somehow felt like I wasn’t reading enough in June, and then I started on book one of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and zoomed through the first ones in about three days.

    Books I read in June:
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  • Books I read in May

    There were a couple of very long weekends in May, and some summertime where I spent my time reading in the sun.
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  • Books I read in April

    April was Easter break, and a lot of books read. Some newly published books, and some books that have been backlisted.

    I’ve ordered myself a trip to Paris this summer, and Eloisa James’ Paris in Love
    was quite instrumental in making me look forward to that with its little tidbits about living in Paris. It’s more a collection of quirky Facebook posts than a book with lengthy essays, but it was just right for now.

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  • Pacing oneself

    Anyone else take a look at their reading list, and allotted time on holiday… and think: “I’ve got to pace myself so I don’t run out of books to read?”

    Just me?

    There would be no downside to running out of the books I’m planning to read. I might actually *gasp* get some other things done instead. Or, you know, be social on some level beyond the literary, and with characters not imaginary.

    But a lovely break ahead.

  • Books I read in March

    You know you have high expectations for your own reading when you do a count of your reading so far on March 6, and think… only 6 books?

    Granted, it’s picked up since then.

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  • Book review: Wishful drinking

    When it comes to Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking, I think how you approach the book matters. It’s sort-of a biography, sort-of comedy, sort-of… well, who knows, and it is the written version of one of her stand-up shows.

    The latter explains why it jumps around a lot, which makes it kind of hard to keep track off things.

    At the same time, I think it is also the strong point of the book (contradicting myself here…) because the voice of the person telling the story comes through so strongly.

    Fisher tells the story of growing up in Hollywood, her problems with alcohol and other substances, and her life. (The follow-up Shockoholic is not nearly as good as this one, but it does tie up some loose ends, as well as her experiences with electroshock therapy.) It’s not a deep, long, heavy biography (it’s a mere 176 pages), but more snapshots from incidents. (And yes, Star Wars and her experiences there are mentioned.)

    Wishful Drinking doesn’t provide any major new revelations, but has several punchy one-liners and inspirational comments, that to me made it worth the read.

    Essentially, it’s a nice little read, that’ll probably have you chuckle a bit here and there.

  • Books I read in February

    I have started a couple of heavier books, but the biography on Queen Anne and (yet another) biography on Queen Elizabeth will probably end up being finished in March and be on March’s list instead. I’m also getting back to reading while biking, or in the walking-breaks between running in the Couch25K programme, so I feel like I’m reading more. Only, not just finishing them for February.
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