See how big that picture is?  “Brick Lane” by Monica Ali has the prettiest cover art I’ve ever seen.  The book was ok.  It’s a story contrasting the lives of two sisters, one in Bangladesh & one in London. The 369 pages was worth it just because of several really great quotes I got for my quote book. They are the kind of quotes that make me want to go start a relationship & then break it off abruptly just so I can use some really good break up lines. My feelings about this book were so volatile that I had to introduce a ranking.  Somehow I didn’t think that “the book was ok”, was truly getting my point across.  Especially since I love most of the books I read. Introducing the new ranking system…pop tarts. For copyright purposes I should probably call them toaster pastries.  Introducing the new ranking system…toaster pastries.  “Brick Lane” scored 3.5 out of 5 toaster pastries. They are chocolate strawberry poptarts which to my knowledge don’t exist, but the actual pop tart color looked like a band-aid. I’ll try to go back & add poptarts to all the other books from “Rory’s book club’. If anyone else has read this book I would love to hear your thoughts.

I haven’t had this much fun since I found out about Dorothy Parker’s salt & pepper shaker collection. (That isn’t code, the woman actually focused on collecting salt & pepper shakers when times got rough) I’m not mocking, I just think it is interesting to find out a little bit about the women who shaped our world, whether we recognize them or not. Plus, I see them as such giants in my mind, I like to find out they are just human. I loved “The Bell Jar” so much I wanted to learn a little more about Sylvia Plath. (After all, is anyone else mentioned more on “Gilmore Girls” than Sylvia?)

1. She published her first poem when she was 8.
2. Due to the controversial relationship with her husband, her married last name “Hughes” was chiseled off her gravestone, until the grave was rendered more “tamper proof”

Wow, I really should have more than two points. I do, but I’m still reeling from reading all of this. I need to watch “Slyvia” with Gwenthy Paltrow.  See? That’s how much in awe I am, I’m writing my mental notes down.

It should probably upset me that I relate so closely to the “Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath. Actually, it should probably upset everyone around me. It’s the story of one woman’s descent into madness in 1950. This is the reason they make books. It’s not a “happy” book, but it’s the kind of thing that I felt “aha” when I was done reading it. I had a greater understanding of people, “madness” & a greater love & tolerance for pretty much everyone (Except April & Anna, I am only human). (The “Bell Jar” didn’t change my tendency to write run on sentences, but it’s just a book.) Usually I love to hear people’s opinions.  However, the few times I have heard this book bashed I have been forced to scream “What the crap is wrong with you? Stop trying to be psuedo intellectual & be human for a minute”. This is one of my favorite books, not just on Rory’s booklist, but of all time. I will list this as my favorite book the next time anyone asks me because either the person will A. Read the book, which everyone should or B. Become leery of me & leave me alone thus leaving me with one less stupid person to talk to.  Either way, it’s a win-win.