Immature book review #5

Waw this is very overdue, my book reviews are piling up... So here is a partial list of the books I read this summer. Some I liked, some pissed me off, but you decide for yourselves.


This book is AWESOME! Young guys, straight out of college, in Tokyo making lots of money. Supposedly its based on a true story of these ivy league kids that exploited hugely the boom that took place in the mid 90's in Asia. Actually, better to say that they were there for the beginning of the boom. Very interesting; elements of life in Japan, the ex-pat world, ruthless finance, seduction... Excellent stuff!


"Almost French" was fun. It's about this Aussie gal that goes to visit this French dude in Paris and ends up staying! I figured this book would be hilarious because I don't like French dudes. (OK, to be fair I don't know many, but the one's I know have a bigger ego than the Italians even! And while the Italians are playfully about their egotism, the French are dead serious.) Whatever, makes a fun book watching the girl go through the "adjustment" period. It actually explains a lot of things about why French are considered rude by many other Europeans and Americans. I don't know if after reading the book I am convinced that there is a legitimate reason in deed for such "behavior".

This book just annoyed the HECK out of me!!! I was just so appalled by the main character. Even though she has my (nick) name, Alessandra, her actions just pissed me of! I'm not saying the book was bad. It was great in fact. It puts you right there in Florentine Renaissance. Talks about the religious and cultural happenings, the Medici Family and of course art. The story is about this girl who is secretly an artist, who falls for an artist... She was supposed to be an example of a strong woman, one of the first to stand up to societal labels placed on women and to paint in spite of it being unacceptable in these times. However, to me she just seemed weak, naive, and just pathetic! Don't ask me why such a hostile reaction, but I just could not associate with her. I think its just a jumbled up rip off the REAL BOOK about the "first" woman artist accepted in those times, Artemisia. Read that one instead. There is also a movie which is really good too.

This next book was a riot. "In a Sunburned Country" the author travels and makes his observations. Even though its a TRAVEL book, all he does is continuously make fun of Australia. Hey, that's my kind of book! Ok, but if I was an Aussie, I'd be rather annoyed because the author literally digs up material to fuel his fun making. Its OK though, no one wants to read a 300 page commercial anyway describing how perfect everything is. And maybe this book will inspire more curiosity in people to want to see for themselves. I liked the book a lot, lots of facts and history, but in a really fun and relevant way. It's great for anyone that wants to travel to Australia with intentions to do more than just dive the Great Barrier Reef and snap a photo of a kangaroo. Very funny too.

And there we have it. I guess there are some positives associated with my 2 hour commute. Now I'm reading another book about the Caribbean - so great!

Lesson to all young boys: Watch out for little girls, they could get very aggressive!