The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Oh, my, what a book! When it arrived (used from Amazon), I was intimidated by it's sheer weight and over 1000 pages! It took me awhile to decide to actually delve in.

And delve in, I did. I reassured myself that it was a classic, and it would be worth it. The first hundred pages were interesting, with the exotic setting of Marseilles and some wry wit. So well-written and scenes beautifully described! But I wasn't sure I was following the story. There were so many characters and I was wondering if I could remember them all...but I thought, keep going. Don't give up yet.

And then, suddenly, I was hooked! I was so in love with the main character, and I could see it was going to be hard on him, so I couldn't desert him. And the description of life, manners, and customs of post-Napoleon France and Italy were rich and intriguing. Dumas is a fine observer of Italian sensibilities and often made me laugh out loud. The world he creates in the French prison was hard to inhabit as a reader, yet fascinating.

When our hero comes out on the other side of life, some of the earlier characters reappear and confused me. It took me so long to get to the "other side" that I had forgotten exactly who was who. Next time I read it, I will keep a little journal and go more slowly. I will savor the descriptions and enjoy them without worrying about who's who.

Because this is a translation and it's complex, I often had to slow down and re-read a page or two, just of understand exactly what was going on...I love a challenge like that! There's a reason this is a classic, and I'm now ready to take on another...either The Three Musketeers or Les Miserables... I just need a little break from the heavy concentration and heavy lifting of the book!

Leonard and I watched the Richard Chamberlain movie, and it was okay...rather entertaining, but a very pale shadow of the book. You couldn't possibly fit this story into one movie, so the simplification of it was interesting to see...

The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City by David Lebovitz

My sisters got to see David Lebovitz when he hosted a dinner in the Bay Area. They avidly read his blog before they went to Paris last summer. They both heartily recommended this book to me, and I was not disappointed!

This is nonfiction writing at its most entertaining. Often witty, often ascerbic, always insightful, his view of all things Parisian is very enjoyable reading. I could readily relate to the people he describes after having spent quite a bit of time with Parisians in Berlin in the 70's, and in Paris itself on several occasions. Love it, love it, and, like, Lebovitz, find myself also perplexed!

I also learned quite a few tricks in the kitchen and would enjoy trying out some of the recipes. However, I decided Sierra would enjoy this for her birthday, and so I gave it away. If I ever borrow it back, I would like to try some of the simpler dishes.

French Dirt - The Story of a Garden in the South of France by Richard Goodman

Michael gave this lovely little French blue book with a sunny cover to Sierra, and she brought it over to me one day, thinking I would enjoy it. I did! It was the perfect summer read in 2010. The author took a year off of life in New York to spend it in southern France gardening.

It combines two things I love...France and gardening! The author has a knack for describing the French and assorted other characters and the little village in which they live. The chapters are more like meditations or essays rather than moving through a plot, although time and story do progress. He describes a way of life that resonates with me very strongly: "I was dirty. I was tired. I was sweaty. I was happy."