Coffee, coffee, coffee, tea

As far as I am concerned, there are two kinds of mornings: mornings that start with coffee and mornings that start with tea.

Starting off a morning with coffee for me is nearly the same as ending a sentence with a period, wanting tacos for lunch/dinner/breakfast, and wearing the color blue. Meaning, it happens almost every day. A typical day following a cup (or two or three) of coffee involves schoolwork, work work, and an overwhelming desire to nap. These days include deadlines to be met, papers to be written, and a hefty dose of stress. In other words, the coffee consumed in the morning (and afternoon) acts as a life source. It keeps me from wearing mismatched shoes and reminds me that chocolate is not an appropriate breakfast… by itself. (If it is in the form of a muffin, donut, croissant, and/or cookie, then by all means.)

A day that begins with tea is a whole other ballpark. Less caffeine means less work, obviously. These days include leisure reading, casual laundry, and long bike rides. Maybe I’ll run some errands, go to the bank, or sort through my junk e-mail. Or maybe I’ll rifle through the pantry for the third time before eventually deciding on whole wheat toast and blueberry preserves for breakfast. In any case, the day is sure to end with a healthy balance of productivity and browsing on Pinterest for the best Gilmore Girls quotes.

Can you guess what was in my mug this morning?

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. by Sam Wasson

Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of my favorite movies, ever.

First of all, there's the cast: Hepburn, Neal, Peppard, Ebsen, etc., the fashion (thank you, Edith Head and Givenchy), and the writing.

I've read the novella the movie is based on by Truman Capote, and loved it too, but it made me wonder: how did such a risque story about a call girl and a gay man turn into a Hollywood romance that also features Mickey Rooney as a slightly (very) racist portrayal of an Asian landlord? Why does Holly Golightly eat a danish outside Tiffany's as opposed to, I don't know, an ice cream cone? These are the kinds of questions I want answered.

Thankfully, Sam Wasson's book Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. does just that. Wasson explains how Capote originally wanted Marilyn Monroe to play Holly Golightly, but was rejected because that the role was too scandalous; how no one got along with George Peppard, especially Patricia Neal; and of course, how the signature little black dress changed fashion forever.

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. also looks into the whole film making process of the 1950s/60s. Getting the right director, screenwriter, actor, actress, composer, costume, filming location, etc. is more difficult than I truly realized. Also, having them all get along isn't so easy, either. An example of such controversy: at one point, Audrey was so adamant about keeping the song "Moon River" in the movie that she yelled at a studio executive, who suggested they cut it out, "Over my dead body!" and I'm pretty that had never, ever happened before Breakfast at Tiffany's. Not Audrey disagreeing with an executive, but her yelling at anyone, ever.

Even if you've only seen Breakfast at Tiffany's once, or not at all (is that possible?), Wasson's book offers an intimate look inside the minds of some of Hollywood's best directors, actors, writers, and producers. I highly recommend reading it, whether you're an Audrey devotee or simply interested in how such a revolutionary movie came into being. Either way, it's definitely worth checking out.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Fact #1: Despite the lack of attention I've given my blog as of date, I have not in fact given up reading. I just figured my friends had better things to do than read dry, academic commentaries on Beowulf or Paradise Lost.
Fact #2: I'm probably the last person on earth to have finally read Kathryn Stockett's The Help.


Ever since I heard the buzz surrounding the novel and eventually the movie, I had been meaning to pick up a copy and read. I mean, NPR commented that it's one of the most important books since To Kill a Mockingbird, which, despite one's thoughts of NPR, are some pretty words to live up to.

Thanks to my lovely best friend, I snagged a copy and started reading as soon as finals were over. The story revolves around three main characters: Skeeter, a young college graduate who's more interested in journalism than marriage; Aibileen, a wise and maternal maid who works for Skeeter's friend; and Minny, Aibileen's closest friend despite her bad temper and "sass-mouth." Skeeter wants to do more with her life than just settle down and keep house, so she decides to write a book about maids in Jackson, Mississippi with the help of Aibileen, Minny and various other maids. Set in the early 1960s, the book examines the relationships between white and black women as well as racial prejudice and gender roles of the time.

I was very interested in the story and plot, however I was a little disappointed with Stockett's writing style. She chose to portray each point of view through first person present, and for Minny and Aibileen's characters, that meant using an ethnic lingo that to me, seemed very forced and unnatural. I understand that the story takes place in the South, but if the maids have accents why doesn't Skeeter? I'm not about to call Stockett racist by any means, but it certainly is risky on her part.

Despite my criticism, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters Stockett created. Miss Hilly is an absolute villain that I love to hate, and Aibileen's quiet and patient demeanor is admirable. I'll be interested to see what Stockett writes in the future as well as note how her writing style matures and develops.

Sisterhood Everlasting

I'll be the first to admit it - I'm a huge fan of Ann Brashares' Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. In fact, I'm almost certain Brashares closely studied me and my best friends when creating Lena, Bridget, Tibby, and Carmen simply because they were so incredibly relatable. So, when I found out Brashares had written a sequel to the series, set ten years after the last book, I couldn't wait to read it.

The girls are ten years older, 29, and work, love, and life have taken them in different directions. Tibby has moved to Australia with boyfriend Brian, Carmen leads a fast-paced, glued-to-iPhone-life in New York as a TV actress, Lena teaches at Rhode Island School of Design quietly and contentedly, and Bridget is in California with Eric still as reckless and restless as ever. While their friendship lives on, despite hasty phone calls, few visits, and distracted lives, it's clear to them it's not the same. So, when the Carmen, Lena, and Bridget receive Tibby's invitation to reunite in Greece, they jump at the chance to see one another and relive their younger days.

This book isn't like the others in the series. It's not as lighthearted, as the girls have to deal with tragedy, loss, love, marriage, children, careers; real life. It's a must read by anyone who's grew up with the Traveling Pants as it's not only a tribute to the Sisterhood, but to real, honest-to-goodness friendship.

The Screwtape Letters

Today I finished reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. First published in 1942, the story takes shape in epistolic form - a series of letters written by a senior demon named Screwtape and addressed to his nephew, Wormwood, a young "tempter." The letters concern a human man, only referred to as the "patient." Screwtape advises and critiques Wormwood as he attempts to encourage sin and thus lead the patient away from the Enemy.

From this morally reversed point of view, individual benefit is the ultimate goal and non-sins are twisted into whatever will help lead the patient to Hell. Faith and prayer are alright as long as there is spiritual righteousness, and unselfishness is encouraged as long as the patient is acutely aware that he is, at that moment, being unselfish.

The book is dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien, who warned Lewis of delving deeply into the craft of evil. Lewis would later comment that though the end result was enjoyable, he would never write a "letter" again.

The copy that I read was given to me by a good friend, who was given to her by a friend. I think I'll pass this along to anyone willing, as it is a must read.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

I don't normally read books with covers that look like this.

I don't usually read books with titles like The Girl Who Chased the Moon.

...but sometimes it's nice to read about magical wallpaper and giants and whimsical baking. Just sayin'.

However, whether due to unrealistic expectations or what, I was disappointed with this chick lit. In this book, Allen tends to tell a lot instead of showing a lot, which drives me up a wall. If I get the feeling that a situation is awkward between the characters, I don't need an author to pipe up and say outright, "it was awkward." And another thing: there was way too many women freaking out and seeking comfort in a man/teenage boy's arms. I'm not buying into this idealistic, damsel in distress sense of romance. Seriously.


I also wouldn't normally tell you I've read more by this author. Probably because they're equally girly and cutesy, and not nearly as intellectual as Dostoevsky. But, in this moment of pure and utter honestly, I thought I'd let you know that this isn't as good as Allen's other work.


I hope this doesn't change your view of me too much. I'm still that feminist chick who read Bleak House. 

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

First of all:

DON'T PANIC.

Second of all, I recently finished reading Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. For anyone who knows me, science fiction is not usually my usual go-to genre. However, I had seen the movie years ago and I've been told countless times that Douglas Adams is pure and utter genius. And, it turns out he is. In this Sci-Fi spoof, Arthur Dent travels through the galaxy with his alien friend, Ford Prefect, after the Earth has been demolished in order to make way for an intergalactic bypass. Aided by the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, they encounter planet builders, a depressed robot, and the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. The whole book is filled with Adam's clever wit and comedic dialogue, and I'm looking forward to eventually reading the rest of the series.