Advice

[rkold]

I'd like some advice on two fronts, and neither requires and interest in dolls or anime. *shock*

Lately, I've been reading at the gym, and I just finished the two books given to me by muscatlove and yanchamonkey The Nanny Diaries and Good Omens. So, I'm looking for some book recommendations. I don't want anything dry or depressing, so nothing involving peak oil or politics. The main characters should be engaging, because I find if I dislike or hate the main characters I can't easily get through something. (i.e. Catcher in the Rye where I kept wanting Holden Caulfield to get hit by a bus.)

My other request is somewhat gym related as well. In 2005, I bought a unique H.Eaven purse in Harajuku. It's lovely in that it holds more than it should, always gets comments, is non-leather, and has a perfect strap. However, it is also big and bulky and I can't stand just carrying it to the gym. So I'm looking for a new small purse. It just needs to hold an ipod, and a few other things. I prefer cloth, I like straps that go around your torso, cause I find that is the easiest way to keep purses on. I know a lot of people love etsy, but I really don't know who is good and when I tried to find "purses" I got a lot of hits and some were for laptop bags ~.~ I'd like something cute and different with not too much white. (which is why I am not using my berry purse)

Any help or suggestions with either query would be most appreciated.

EDIT

LIKED:
Nickel and Dimed
Traitor's Moon
Bed Knobs and Broomsticks
Office Ladies and Salaried Men


Neutral:
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Geisha of Gion


DISLIKED:
Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix

Comments

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

As for purses, usually I carry vintage Dooney & Bourke (the old all-weather line) or Coach, but those are kinda plain. Alas, the most "unique" purses I have are ones my mother picked up for me on her many travels.

Right now, besides manga, I'm reading Memories of Silk and Straw (http://www.amazon.com/Memories-Silk-Straw-Self-Portrait-Small-Town/dp/0870119885/sr=8-2/qid=1170952874/ref=sr_1_2/002-6611800-4776851?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Junichi Saga. It's not fiction, but a series of memoirs based on interviews taped by a country doctor. It's fascinating. People talk about how life was in rural Japan in the 1920's. But I was a history major, so of course I find all that interesting.

Another Japanese-based book that was pretty good (and this one IS fiction!) is The Fox Woman (http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Woman-Kij-Johnson/dp/0312875592/sr=1-1/qid=1170953502/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6611800-4776851?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Kij Johnson. The story follows a family of humans and a family of foxes who share the same house during Heian era Japan. The human husband becomes bewitched by the fox's daughter and chaos ensues.

I'll also fall back on my standard recommendation: Read George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series! The first book is A Game of Thrones (http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Song-Fire-Book/dp/0553573403/sr=1-1/qid=1170953144/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-6611800-4776851?ie=UTF8&s=books). There are four books in the series right now, with a fifth expected within the next year or so. It's absolutely brilliant.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was a History major too XD; It's why most of my jobs were as an administrative assistant. I love interviews and the sociological implications. I'm a huge fan of pop sociology books, as long as they keep the vocabulary and theories in colloquial language.

At one point I was reading some on line letters written by children in the British countryside circa the start of the 20th Century.

The Fox Woman also sounds appealing.

I refuse to read unfinished series other than Harry Potter which I really just read so I can follow the fan-fic XD;;; I use to read David Eddings and I spent a year and a half desperately wanting the last book.

Thank you for the recc's!

I think Dooney & Bourke and Coach are more than I want to pay. Though maybe I will check eBay XD;