Well no wonder this book has such a long wait time at the library. It's interesting and helpful. My favorite advice from the author: It's perfectly OKWell no wonder this book has such a long wait time at the library. It's interesting and helpful. My favorite advice from the author: It's perfectly OK to save money without earmarking it for anything. That way you can someday avoid debt when there's an emergency. Or you can buy something that you see as undervalued when there's an opportunity. Or you can give yourself time to figure out what to do when your plans, needs, or wants change.
Merged review:
Well no wonder this book has such a long wait time at the library. It's interesting and helpful. My favorite advice from the author: It's perfectly OK to save money without earmarking it for anything. That way you can someday avoid debt when there's an emergency. Or you can buy something that you see as undervalued when there's an opportunity. Or you can give yourself time to figure out what to do when your plans, needs, or wants change.
Merged review:
Well no wonder this book has such a long wait time at the library. It's interesting and helpful. My favorite advice from the author: It's perfectly OK to save money without earmarking it for anything. That way you can someday avoid debt when there's an emergency. Or you can buy something that you see as undervalued when there's an opportunity. Or you can give yourself time to figure out what to do when your plans, needs, or wants change....more
Charming, action-filled mystery caper from the author of the Thursday Murder Club series. I didn't understand some of the British humo(u)r, but I enjoCharming, action-filled mystery caper from the author of the Thursday Murder Club series. I didn't understand some of the British humo(u)r, but I enjoyed it very much all the same. Richard Osman has created some delightful characters. Is the multimillion-selling author in this one based on Jackie Collins, Jilly Cooper, or someone else?...more
Spicy advice from 1936! There is liquor! There are morals! There are bed jackets! (Apparently three or four different bed jackets are needed for diffeSpicy advice from 1936! There is liquor! There are morals! There are bed jackets! (Apparently three or four different bed jackets are needed for different circumstances. I had no idea. This was decades before the Snuggie.)
I don't live alone right now, but I certainly loved it when I did.
The author assumes that the reader will be able to hire a maid or other servant full-time or part-time for just a few dollars a week. No word on whether that person lives alone and likes it.
Marjorie Hillis was a Vogue employee of many years when she wrote this witty and highly opinionated guide. The book was a huge success in pop culture and financially, and Miss Hillis went on to marry (and stop living alone) three years after its initial publication....more
I read a lot of mysteries, and this is the best one I've read in a few years. Atmospheric, compelling, excellent character development. The fractured I read a lot of mysteries, and this is the best one I've read in a few years. Atmospheric, compelling, excellent character development. The fractured timeline made things a little harder to understand, but it worked for me. I will go back and read Long Bright River, the author's previous mystery....more
Read for work. Fun and informative biography of Edwin Binney. Minus one star because the illustrator made the women and girls cartoonishly, impossiblyRead for work. Fun and informative biography of Edwin Binney. Minus one star because the illustrator made the women and girls cartoonishly, impossibly thin while portraying the men and boys realistically. Gross....more
Very similar to the author's previous mystery, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. Fun romp with corpses. I learned a bit about Australian histoVery similar to the author's previous mystery, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. Fun romp with corpses. I learned a bit about Australian history and geography. Also, now I know that Australians don't rummage in their purses; they fossick in their handbags....more
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker staff writer and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, conducted more than 300 in-depth interviews on the topic of . . . reality teEmily Nussbaum, New Yorker staff writer and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, conducted more than 300 in-depth interviews on the topic of . . . reality television?! The title is a bit of a cheat because it comes from the movie The Truman Show. But the whole thing is written well and held my interest, even though I haven't seen some of the shows Nussbaum writes about. (But I have seen a lot of them. Even The Gong Show.) I didn't know that the whole reality vs. scripted conflict goes all the way back to radio, when people complained that writers and actors and musicians were being thrown out of work by a show called—I'm not kidding—Candid Microphone....more
I laughed out loud about two dozen times. This is especially impressive because some of the essays are quite sad. What is it like when your dad is a sI laughed out loud about two dozen times. This is especially impressive because some of the essays are quite sad. What is it like when your dad is a spy? Lonely. What is it like to be a little kid in Florida? Rather shitty, especially when your mom is poor and refuses to get rid of her abusive, erratic boyfriend. What is it like when your mom accidentally burns down the house she was in the process of selling? Well, your relationship with her certainly isn't going to get better.
DeRuiter seems to be a thoroughgoing optimist now, which surprised me given the circumstances of her upbringing. It sounds as if she married a delightful man, which certainly sweetens life. And she has never been on a diet. And she got a book deal! And I think she and/or her husband might be extremely rich?
One of the essay titles made me gasp: "Bikini Body of Christ." So if you find that title blasphemous or otherwise offensive, that may be a sign that this essay collection is not for you....more
When Kamala Harris ran for California attorney general, her aunt in India lined up 108 coconuts to wish her good luck. It worked! This book is a colorWhen Kamala Harris ran for California attorney general, her aunt in India lined up 108 coconuts to wish her good luck. It worked! This book is a colorful and appealing account of the U.S. vice president....more
I love this series. Fast-paced plots, appealing characters, and so funny. I didn't know that I wanted humor in my mystery novels! I'm sad that this isI love this series. Fast-paced plots, appealing characters, and so funny. I didn't know that I wanted humor in my mystery novels! I'm sad that this is the last in the series so far, but the author has promised to write at least one more....more
Fascinating glimpses of women through the ages—everything from cave art to a specific type of vibrator. I enjoyed learning about the 100 MPH coat, desFascinating glimpses of women through the ages—everything from cave art to a specific type of vibrator. I enjoyed learning about the 100 MPH coat, designed for early motorists, and the bikini, designed for scandal. The audiobook has a stellar array of readers, including Daisy Ridley, Gillian Anderson, Margaret Atwood, and many other notables. ...more
My favorite bit of trivia from this series: On the day Joséphine was crowned empress, she was wearing underwear that had emeralds sewn into it.
I wish My favorite bit of trivia from this series: On the day Joséphine was crowned empress, she was wearing underwear that had emeralds sewn into it.
I wish I had kept track of how many miles I logged on the rowing machine while watching this series of 48 lectures about Marie Antoinette, Madame de Staël, and of course Napoléon. This is a detailed and enthusiastic combination of social history (the words and deeds of regular people), economics, political philosophy, military history, and much more. Dr. Desan makes an effort to include information about women and their rights. I've watched a lot of Teaching Company courses, and this one has more lectures, more images, more animated maps, more political cartoons, more everything....more
Such a charming, funny, murderous series. My only concern is that the author has introduced so many farfetched yet appealing characters that it is staSuch a charming, funny, murderous series. My only concern is that the author has introduced so many farfetched yet appealing characters that it is starting to become difficult to keep track of them all....more
3.5 stars, rounded up. While this is an interesting story, it really should have been a long-form article rather than a book. (I can't blame the autho3.5 stars, rounded up. While this is an interesting story, it really should have been a long-form article rather than a book. (I can't blame the author for snagging a book deal, though.) I skimmed the middle section. A medical student pretends to be a man online. She ends up in romantic, passionate, volatile, manipulative online relationships with a sociologist, a psychologist, an architect, and many other highly accomplished women. To avoid seeing these dupes or even talking to them on the phone, she fakes cancer, the death of a sibling, and many other tragedies. The scammer was outed years before the publication of this book but has never faced any real penalty for her scams—mostly because she did not try to persuade anyone to give her money. She is still a practicing doctor today and has a prestigious job where she works with pregant women and their children....more
Feminist analysis and criticism of what the author calls the Upskirt Decade. She even throws in a cogent explanation of the subprime mortgage crisis iFeminist analysis and criticism of what the author calls the Upskirt Decade. She even throws in a cogent explanation of the subprime mortgage crisis in the chapter on Kim Kardashian. It doesn't really fit there, but I'm impressed anyway. I didn't know much about the wrestler Chyna, so that was the most interesting chapter to me....more
I came for the absurd title and for the funny messages the author has published on Twitter. (She responds enthusiastically to romance fraudsters, tellI came for the absurd title and for the funny messages the author has published on Twitter. (She responds enthusiastically to romance fraudsters, tells them she is a murderer and/or a cannibal, and then sends them photos of her in a helicopter or on a boat and tells them she's coming to see them in person so they can be together forever. They respond with panic, horror, and disgust.) I stayed for the compassionate and practical advice.
What I learned:
• Romance fraudsters often pretend to be military officers or oil-rig workers. These folks travel internationally, are gone for long periods, and are in physically risky jobs, all of which help the fraudsters manipulate others.
• Romance fraudsters and abusive partners share many characteristics, including sudden outbursts, abusive comments, and long periods of the silent treatment followed by love bombing. So people who have been in abusive relationships in the past may be more vulnerable to online romance fraudsters.
• The author thinks it's cruel to say that someone "fell for" a romance scam. She points out that we don't usually say that someone "fell for" a burglary.
• The public are becoming more aware of romance scams, but there's still a ton of victim blaming, which causes many scam victims to avoid coming forward out of embarrassment.
• Women (or people pretending to be women) perpetrate romance frauds on men, but this book is about the ladies.
I read this for work. Very serious story about Ai Weiwei, who grew up in a prison camp, became a famous artist, and made art related to the refugee crI read this for work. Very serious story about Ai Weiwei, who grew up in a prison camp, became a famous artist, and made art related to the refugee crisis....more
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