highly recommended...

Super Sad True Love Story -
It's the not too distant future and society is even more sex and technology obsessed than ever. Books are now printed bound artefacts, iPhones have been replaced by apparati [all-seeing, all-doing devices that allow you to instantly judge others on credit rating, sexual proweclss, and self esteem] and career options have been reduced to Retail, Media and Credit. America is on the brink of economic and political collapse.
An updated version of dystopian classics, yet even more easy to imagine. Anti hero Lenny Abramov is the only glimmer of hope left. Dubbed 'the last reader on earth' he still treasures books and keeps perhaps the world's last diary. A sales representative for 'post human services', which attempts to offer immortality for the super-rich, his story begins with him taking a work trip to Italy. There, he falls madly in love with Eunice Park, a 20 year old Korean-American. On his return, he finds he has no desk and his 70 year old boss looks like his better looking younger brother. He attempts to regain control over his career and win Eunice, but riots break out in NYC.... what will happen to these star crossed lovers??
[WOW!! This not only sounds like a brilliant book, but the scary part is that this scenario doesn't seem any more than 10 years away or so. I mean, Kindle anyone?? And, I don't know anybody who writes in their diary with love, effort and true catharsis anymore, or even reminiscient of their younger teenage self? More like scribbled notes in a small pad of paper with one or two coffee stains. I think this book's a MUST READ!!!]


[Becky Brandon [nee Bloomwood] is back!! She thinks after going through marriage, pregnancy, and now looking after Minnie, would be a breeze, but it's trickier than she thought as her two year old has a very different approach to shopping.
Minnie creates havoc from Harrods to Harvey Nichols, but as well as trying to tame Minnie [as well as herself] from spending, Becky seems to face one crisis after another, especially as she and Luke are still living with her parents and Becky's job might be in danger... and then things get really complicated! ]
Having read all the previous Shopaholics in the series, and having seen the film [helloooo Hugh Dancy!] it's fair to say I'm a big fan ofBbeen done under the same premise for the last seven or so books, I hope there's something exciting and truly original in the story somewhere to keep it all going.

[And, that's what stops me buying the hardback edition! I'll wait for paperback! Sorry, Bantam Press!!]

If you haven't been aware of the serious HYPE surrounding this film, or at least HEARD of the book written by Elizabeth Gilbert, based on true events, I have one question for you. Where, oh where, have you been?
The reason why Eat, Pray, Love, not only stormed the bookcharts but is set to be one of the biggest films of the year, too, is because of its brilliant simplicity. I really do believe that we are all very simple creatures at heart, and its only because we live in such a complex world that quite often, more often than not actually, that we have to change who we are, our perspectives, and our outlooks, in order to fit in with what society DEMANDS. And most of the time, it makes us thoroughly miserable. I mean, have you ever been on a long term diet and been completely happy through all of it? Yes, happy with the weight you lose, but not happy you have to exist on alfalfa sprouts and kale shakes every day. In fact, if most women had their own way, I'm pretty sure that making time to eat red velvet cupcakes would have been long passed as an actual law.
Susie Orbach, nutritionist, psychiatrist, and writer of 'Bodies' writes the following:
"This month sees the release of the much anticipated film adaptation of the Elizabeth Gilbert bestseller, Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts.The original book was a New York Times bestseller for 155 weeks and there are 5 million copies of it in print; in fact, it's zoomed back up to No.1 on the official paperback charts in the UK; it's a success and sensation of the highest order.
But what was it that gripped its readers? After an early-thirties meltdown, Gilbert purposefully sets out to find the happiness that eludes her. In the Pray section, she endeavours to make sense of the universe and of her place in it; in Love, she tries to unravel the mysteries of the human heart. There's no doubt that these questions are utterly universal. And in Eat, Gilbert turns eating, and how to do it, into one of the cornerstones of her life overhaul. This is no search for an undiscovered diet, the final solution to the question of how to be thin. Her revelation is simply to move to Italy and eat as much pasta, gelato, pizza, wine, and good cheese as she likes. She savours every delicious mouthful, prizing luscious fruit as highly as milky mozzarella, with no thoughts of 'calories', 'carbs', 'good', 'bad', 'fat', 'thin', or 'diet' involved. These buzz words have become like holy grails for many women in society today, something we live by and can no longer step away from and set ourselves free. We often lament how we feel like we're in 'food prison' but what we don't realize is that we are the ones who can set ourselves free and walk out, which is exactly what Elizabeth does, and she doesn't get fat because of it, either.
Elizabeth's message to us is clear, the underlying question is 'do we dare to follow it?' part of the reason why the book seems to do so well, is that it's suddenly turned into part autobiography, part self help book. and self help books always do well, no matter what the subject, especially as the usual blurb seems to outline that we need this one particular book as a crux in our lives to help us move forward and be throughly enriched and stimulated, living our lives for the better.
What we need to do is focus less negativity on each of the three components of the book, so we can make more room for the other two. In many women's cases, we need to focus less time on Eat so we have more time to Pray, and ESPECIALLY more time to Love.
But, I am sooooooooo looking forward to this movie!!! Bring on the popcorn - with extra salty goodness!!