The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada
Lauren Weisberger
Broadway Books

Pretty sure anyone who calls them self a reader has read this book; and anyone in the female race has seen the film. Therefore, it goes without saying that this is  probably one of the most inspiring books ever. I know that’s a stretch but to me- it makes total sense…. hopefully it will be an overly dramatic version of my own yet-to-be-written biography?

Andrea Sachs is a recent college grad with little fashion sense and a degree in English who wants to be in Magazine Publishing (see any parallels here?) so after a few months on her parent’s couch, she moves to the big city to find a job. She finds a job as the second assistant to the most influential person in magazine publishing and fashion, Miranda Priestly of Runway Magazine (think Ana Wintour of Vogue) aka Dragon Lady. The story follows her first few months as “Miranda Girl” and the drama that unfolds. Soon she’s working 26 hour days and her social life starts to fall apart. She has to do some irrational and crazy tasks, each time she fears that she will fail and lose her job (still having problems finding parallels to me?). She puts up with it, knowing that after a year of working for Miranda she will be able to go out and find a job at any mag publisher in the city. So she sucks it up and about 9 months later she is brought to Paris (instead of the first assistant, Emily) and there she has a sudden realization about life and boom the book ends, ok so I left out a bit at the end. But I’m sure you can figure it out.

This book was awesome. Like the rest of Ms. Weisberger’s novels, it is an easy read. You can easily get through it in a weekend. It was light-hearted, funny, and best of all- it was not a love story. It was a coming of age and understanding story. A perfect post grad read, get the book and movie and you have a great gift. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever had problems adjusting to life post grad- it will help you a lot (trust me). This is another book that will change your life… and if you don’t wan to read it, take 2 hours and watch the movie. Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep are the principal characters-how bad can it be?

Bottom line: book was amazing. I believe this was my fourth time reading it… it was well written and witty. Funny and relate-able, and best of all- it was understandable. But don’t take my word for it- go read it.

Morning Glory

Morning Glory
Diana Peterfreund
Ballantine Books

Before I waste my time writing this, don’t waste your time reading this. Rather, read my review and don’t waste your time reading the book. It was overly predictable; in fact, so predictable it was unforgettable. I read this book a few months ago and I couldn’t tell you that much about it. So this post will be sweet.

Becky was fired from her job so she took on a new job as the producer of a morning show that was headed down the toilet. She makes a few drastic changes and bada-bing, her life falls apart and the next think you know everything seems like it’s going to shit… then all of a sudden the ratings raise, her life falls back in place and the world is happy again. Whoops, spoiled that one.

I knew there was a movie based on the book, but what I didn’t know was that the book was based on the movie… always risky and seldom successful. Sorry for the bluntness, but it was bad. So bad I didn’t want to see the film and I love Rachel McAdams…

This one definitely gets a thumbs down. Sorry folks.

Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill

UPDATED:

I originally read and blogged about WFE the moment I finished it in early January. Well, in preparation for the movie that came out last month, I re-read it. I also re-read a few others which, combined with finals and graduating, explains why I’ve been MIA. Anyways, I have to say that nothing about my first assessment has changed. This book is amazing. I honestly suggest it to anyone who asks for a book recommendation (and anyone who doesn’t). It will change your life. After you read the book, go see the film. I was pleasantly surprised with everything from the costumes to the screen play- and I’m a fairly harsh text-to-film critic… bottom line, read my review below, then read the book, and then see the film!

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So I know I said I was not posting anything new until I was all caught up with the old, but I could not hold back with this post. This is by far, the best book I read in 2010… and considering I’ve read at least twenty, that is quite a feat!

Before I go any further in telling you what it’s about and why I think you need to own this book, I want to tell you how I stumbled upon this masterpiece. It was the day before x-mas eve and my mom and I were at Target so she could find a gift, I wandered over to the book section and literally stumbled upon this book… I mean, it fell off the shelf and onto the floor as I was about to pass. A title like Water for Elephants is not easily over looked so I wanted to find out what it .was about, but there was no blurb on the back so I read the prologue, and the first chapter, then the second. Then I was forced to put it down and walk away. The next 24 hours I kept obsessing over the book, finally I decided I needed to read it, and at 5pm on x-mas eve I went to Borders and spent an hour looking for it, they were sold out; so at 6pm on x-mas eve (a Friday) I ran to target and got the copy. I was finished by Sunday evening.

Anyways, Water for Elephants follows the story of a guy named Jacob who is in his 90’s and lives at a nursing home. He finds out that a circus has come to town and starts to have flashbacks of his days as part of a circus in the depression era. I don’t want to give away too much, but it is so vivid and rich in detail. There is a relationship between the reader and the characters that is so incredible, you finish reading and feel like you just had a conversation with your grandfather.

WFE follows Jacob as he is part of a traveling circus during the height of the depression and when circus going was a major event. WFE introduces the reader to characters who have literally run away to join the circus for various reasons and how their lives are irrevocably changed as a result.

It is not really hard to explain why it was so fantastic, and why something so simplistic is so incredible. The narrator is funny and relate-able and the story is timeless. The vocabulary is easy enough to understand and the narrator says it as it is, there is no silly business. There is suspense and there are some obvious plot points. There are times when the book is fast and your pulse is rushing, and others when it is relaxed and fun. There are parts when you feel sympathetic toward some characters and hate toward others; in all, it is a perfect novel.

I haven’t gotten to the best part, it is a major motion picture to be released April 2011 starting Rob Pattenson and Reese Witherspoon; and they look perfect for the part… It will be incredible and I cannot wait.

In conclusion,  READ THIS BOOK, then come with me to watch the movie- it’s going to be uh-mazing!