Fashionable Reads

In the run up to my a-level English literature exam I promised myself that I would never read anything ever again, not even road signs, and become completely illiterate. I was so panicked by the exam that even now, over a month later I woke this morning from a nightmare about not being able to answer the question or even having been taught any poetry (which is silly, I was very prepared). Well since the exam is over I have started reading again, because it turns out that I DO remember why I took English Lit in the first place- I enjoy books.

Which is why I was so gutted when I read "fashionable reads" and discovered that it is nothing to do with reading, but about purses that look like books. Instead of being an insightful article about the literature which is inspiring the great and the good at fashion week, it was more about looking intelligent and picking books that can potentially fit in keys and lipstick, I can see no other reason for the choice of "War and Peace". They are, admittedly, quite beautiful. And they have chosen some good ones to turn into arm-candy, and have inspired me to perhaps try my hand at turning an old chickletty type book into a clever secret-gun-in-the-library type bag. Its the only way Tolstoy will avoid being re-cycled.

In the mean time I have been re-reading some old favourites by some FAB authors. I have a beautiful 1940s copy of “Northanger Abbey”, the best of the Austen’s and by far the most readable. Truman Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is better than the film, and doesn’t take long to read because its only about 100 pages. Neil Gaiman is my favourite author ever, and “American Gods” is one of those books which is better every time you read it, I just finished it for the sixth time. And Harlan Coban’s “Miracle Cure” is trashy but entertaining, it kept me up 'till half one reading in order to reach the dénouement.