The Darlingtons

New Book!: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I'm not advising that you get it from Amazon, but you can find it at Costco ;-)

From the review on Amazon:
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Gilbert (The Last American Man) grafts the structure of romantic fiction upon the inquiries of reporting in this sprawling yet methodical travelogue of soul-searching and self-discovery. Plagued with despair after a nasty divorce, the author, in her early 30s, divides a year equally among three dissimilar countries, exploring her competing urges for earthly delights and divine transcendence. First, pleasure: savoring Italy's buffet of delights - the world's best pizza, free-flowing wine and dashing conversation partners - Gilbert consumes la dolce vita as spiritual succor. "I came to Italy pinched and thin," she writes, but soon fills out in waist and soul. Then, prayer and ascetic rigor: seeking communion with the divine at a sacred ashram in India, Gilbert emulates the ways of yogis in grueling hours of meditation, struggling to still her churning mind. Finally, a balancing act in Bali, where Gilbert tries for equipoise "betwixt and between" realms, studies with a merry medicine man and plunges into a charged love affair. Sustaining a chatty, conspiratorial tone, Gilbert fully engages readers in the year's cultural and emotional tapestry - conveying rapture with infectious brio, recalling anguish with touching candor - as she details her exotic tableau with history, anecdote and impression.

Posted by Voodoo Child at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Opening with a cute story from when she was seven and photographed her parents having sex, stand-up comedian Handler goes on to discuss the virtues of the one-night stand, which amount to having sex early enough so you're not months into a relationship before you discover he's into "anal beads and duct tape." She discusses her quest for sex with a "black man," which doesn't work out because the date she finds on ChocolateSingles.com has a penis so large, she "would have had to be the size of the Lincoln Tunnel to accommodate that thing." After him, there's a "little midget," but she sobers up before sleeping with him. Next come a number of would-be partners with penises too small to consider. Finally, there's a guy Handler does sleep with, only an embarrassing incident involving a "giant skid mark" prevents her from seeing him again. By the end, Handler considers settling down with one man, which might actually net her more sex than these mostly unconsummated one-night stands. Anyone who laughs at the mere mention of vaginas and penises may find Handler's book almost as much fun as getting drunk and waking up in some stranger's bed. - from Publisher's Weekly

Link to book: My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands, by Chelsea Handler 

Due Date: 6/10 

Posted by Voodoo Child at 04:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Okay Darlingtons,

I am going to assume that you have all bought the book. Now take it out of the bag. Ha!

So here's what we're working with: the Birth of Venus, by Sarah Dunant. I don't get dollars for posting the link, so don't trip.

You are probably also interested in knowing that it takes place in Florence, Italy, in the 15th Century. The book's title is based on The Birth of Venus by Botticelli. 

So here's some historical links to get you started:

Florence, italy 

Lorenzo de Medici 

Savonarola 

I'll post more as I figure you're moving through the book. I know you're all awaiting some boom boom action, and but I'll let you get through the book before we talk about it! hope you're all getting into the book and loving it like I did. enjoy!

 

char 

Posted by Voodoo Child at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So you know, that if you're going to do anything with me, it's going to require a blog.

Here's the Darlington website for your pleasure, something that will keep all information about the book, the events, and members. I am going to probably post more stuff about the book if you're interested, background information etc.

Yes, I'm pretty much done with the book! It was a good read, and I'm already on another book, so here goes. Feel free to use the comments as an ongoing conversation. I'm going to look for a forum-type thing so we can use that as well. Get to readin' if you haven't already, kids. February will come soon enough!

Kisses,

Char

 

PS: this is not going to be tied to any one brl website, so feel free to use names.   

Posted by Voodoo Child at 03:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)