January came and went with such speed that I feel that Spring is just around the corner. Lots of people were feeling the January blues and having spent three weeks in Australia with a small puppy I wasn’t feeling the same! I joined Apartment Therapy’s Cure program and purged my flat of its excess. So cathartic and only a few more cupboards to reorganise!
There are three books this month that I have read now that I am back reading longer pieces again. I talked about here how after a year of not reading books, highly unusual for me, I found a way to get back into it.
My Story by Jo Malone details events in her childhood that influenced her as an adult and shaped her to become the head of a famous candle brand. A friend of mine suggested I read this late last year after being told at work many times I was being disruptive. I honestly didn’t think I was and was really trying to get the company to foresee problems that would ultimately come to fruition. Whilst I don’t think Jo and I would hang out as friends I did find strength in her words of being disruptive and having an opinion. Something she did throughout her career and didn’t apologise for.
The Family Law by Benjamin Law follows an Australian Chinese family carving their way between the two cultures whilst dealing with family politics. If you can get past the first chapter that has a pretty tasteless joke the rest of the book is funny, sad and very identifiable with crazy family members. I related quite a bit to the Australian anecdotes and I found it quite interesting to understand the history of Chinese restaurants, supermarket and subsequent Thai restaurant ownership.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman is set in London where adult orphan Eleanor is travelling through her adult life disengaged from others and being quite socially awkward. An encounter will an elderly man in the middle of winter who has fallen over opens up Eleanors world and results in her attending a number of social events. Her mother however has a terrifying hold over her and these moments made me cringe willing her to break contact. Honeyman also portrays counselling through the NHS with such accuracy she was able to take me back to my own sessions last year. With many twists and turns I finished this book in three days keen to know the ending!
Hope you had a great weekend and one of these books takes your fancy! PF xo
