2010, Book 9: The Stranger

Let me start out by saying that the fact that it took me 11 days to read this book should not, in any way, be a reflection of the book. I have been out of sorts lately, as far as reading goes, and not reading as much as I normally do.

That being said, The Stranger is a wonderful, short read. However, it is not a light read. It is just as heavy as any book three times its size. This Camus novel is about a man who goes to the beach with some friends and gets intertwined with some goings on and ultimately pulled into a murder.

The story is told from the perspective of Monsieur Meursault, who is the main character. It begins with him attending the funeral of his mother. He initially appears to be somewhat aloof. The reader can tell that he cares but may be shocked at the types of feelings that he has. I, as a reader, found his feelings easy to relate to because I have a tendency to set the difficult thoughts aside and think of other things. I think that every one's minds work differently and for some reason, mine works similarly to that of the main character in The Stranger.

As the story progresses the Monsieur reveals his relationship with a woman, forms a new friendship with another man who is a tenant in his building, and discusses his relationships with the people he encounters daily and with his job. This is all done in order to help the reader better understand the man and to lead up to the mess that he gets himself into.

Camus forges a tale that leaves the reader guessing and thinking. On one hand, as a reader, there is a bond with the main character and a desire to fight for him and to be on his side. On the other hand, there are doubt and character flaws that may lead the reader to be tempted to side with (what I will call) the opposition. Either way, The Stranger is the type of novel that leads its readers to question their own morals.

I found myself wondering what I would have done. I wondered how I would have reacted and what would have been going through my head. I wondered what other people that I know, who have gone through what Monsieur Meursault went through were thinking. I believe that Camus had this purpose in mind when he crafted this novel. It is truly a masterpiece of modern literature and one that I am proud to have read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something short but not light. It is not at all a light read. I would also recommend it to anyone who was looking to read the type of book that can generate a discussion, and not the light, casual type.

2010, Book 8: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

If you have followed my blog previously, you know that this was not my first walk with Chelsea Handler. I've read her other two books and I was very excited to open up her third novel. I even had it on pre-order before it was actually available. I watch "Chelsea Lately," and I am seeing her live this coming weekend. So, I guess it is safe to say that I am a fan of Chelsea Handler. And now I can say with certainty that I am a fan of her third book as well.

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang did not disappoint in the slightest. It was hilarious from beginning to end. In fact, I read it this weekend while on vacation with my sister. I used nap time as my own personal time to read and unwind and I think my sister was getting a little annoyed with my laughing constantly while she tried to nap.

I think that one of the things that makes Chelsea Handler's books so appealing is that, if you have watched her show, you can practically hear her and see her telling these stories. It is not hard at all to visualize her doing the things she does in her book and to imagine what it must have been like when all of the hilarity actually went down.

Whether she is telling her boyfriend some outrageous lie and actually getting him to believe it or convincing her friend that he caused her a serious injury, reading about Chelsea's life is a lot of fun. I would imagine that it is more fun to live but since reading it is a close second, I truly hope that this is not the last opportunity that she gives us to experience her escapades.

I would recommend Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang to anyone looking for a fun, light read with a lot of personality. It is by no means tough to read or follow and unless you have a very G-rated sense of humor, you will definitely find it hilarious. I cannot think of a single person that I would not recommend this book to. It's great and it is 100% worth the small amount of time it will take you to read.