Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

Most people remember this book as being made famous when Victoria Beckham (the skinny bitch personified) was seen carrying it around.

To me this doesn't seem the greatest recommendation for a book so I sort of avoided it like the plague for awhile, and all the people who want to look like Victoria Beckham went and started reading it.
Then my sister (god she gets mentioned a lot in this blog, she's pretty cool though) got it for $3 at a second hand bookstore and again while looking for books to read on the bus she recommended it to me. So prepared to suddenly want to become a vegan after reading it, I plunged straight in. To me at face value it seems to be an animal rights book disguised as a diet book. It is written pretty harshly, but what else would you expect from a book entitled Skinny Bitch? The book harshly attacks both the meat and dairy industries in the USA, tells you pretty much everything will cause something that will likely result in your untimely death, and according to the book will make you grossly overweight and no one will want to be your friend or significant other.
I am a vegetarian so I knew all about the meat industry anyway, but it still disgusted me. I had a boyfriend who used to work in a Meat Works so he used to describe pretty awful things to me while I loudly protested so this was nothing new, just made me all the more glad that I escaped eating animal flesh when I did. The dairy industry part didn't really ring true to me, especially because New Zealand's main industry is the dairy industry, and it is actually pretty humane compared to the industries overseas. This book would have you think that all kinds of milk are just fat, will make you fat and you don't want to be fat for aforementioned reasons. In a way the book seems to use the scientific studies it wants, and ditches the ones it doesn't. Soy milk is described as an apt food replacement all the way through, when several studies have proven it causes cancer if used as a complete replacement.
Also as someone who knows a lot of this stuff already, it read to me like a book I didn't need to read because I knew most of it anyway.
The tone confused me a bit as well, the beginning was all telling you that unless you are vegan and skinny, you are a lazy bitch, a terrible person and everyone will hate you. Then the latter part of the book is like but love yourself. I wonder if they think it is okay to love yourself if you are overweight, in fact I'm convinced there are vegans who are overweight too, either just because they are built that way or because a lot of vegan substitute food is in fact laden with the same preservatives that these girls shun. The list of foods near the end would be great, except that it's all American so useless for anyone in a different country.
Oh and the bit on fasting, don't even get me started on that. Fasting (either liquid only diets or the only drink water one) should only be done under medical supervision, it's very dangerous; bad for your heart, makes you dizzy and prone to collapsing, you lose energy. I'm sure it's a great way to detox but there are easier less dangerous ways. Oh and the suggestion to brush your teeth so you won't want to eat, that reads like something an anorexic would write. Was not impressed.
I think this book could serve as an interesting information source about the meat industry and the cruelties animals go through, but only if you are not educated in this subject already.
Maybe I am a bit scathing of this book, probably because I'm suffering from an eating disorder until this day and a lot of the suggestions in this book reminded me of all the stuff I do myself, which contributes to my disorder...so yeah.

Land of the Living by Nicci French

Nicci French is in actual fact not a single female author, but two authors writing under a pseudonym; Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. I am not a huge fan of their work; but my sister is, so when I asked her to find me books to read on two 12 hour bus rides, she handed me this book. This book opens quite terrifyingly when a woman wakes up of no idea where she is, and discovers she has been taken prisoner and will likely be killed. The prose in this chapter is quite terrifying and as often happens in good books you feel like you are right there with the main character, Abbie as she battles what seems to be a hopeless situation. I think the beginning of this book is classically "thriller", suspenseful and nail-biting.
The book follows on from here as Abbie tries to come back to "the land of the living" and tries to return to normal life but finds this impossible to do, especially when police, psychiatrists and friends all doubt her seemingly impossible story about what has happened.
It is the relentless battle of a victim who no one will believe that drew me to this book. Most victims even if they are believed are terrified that someone does not believe them, so to have a woman actually be told that she is not believed at all sent a chill up my spine (despite being aware that it was a fictional novel). What follows is typical PTSD-esque symptoms, and a fairly believable love affair but terrifying as I tend to suspect everyone in this sort of book.
Plus of course there is a face-off at the end.
Despite following this typical thriller sort of storyline, I did enjoy this book quite a lot, mainly because it was well written and fed off human emotion quite well, or so I thought, but I had been on a bus for a fair while at this point. Oh dear.

Jane Boleyn: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford by Amanda Foreman

I first became aware of Jane Boleyn while reading a Phillipa Gregory book called The Boleyn Inheritance which paints a rather different picture of this woman, however it is meant as a fictional story based on true events. Jane Boleyn on the other hand attempts to paint a broader picture of what life was like for Lady Rochford and to dispel rumours of her apparent sexual deviance.
I found this a not very enlightening historical account of Lady Rochford's life, while it outlined her early life well, much of what was said about her life as a courtier in Henry VIII's court was pure speculation such as "it was quite possible she was in the Queen's coronation". I'm sure I can't judge the book on the whole from this, as it was in the 1500s and there is probably not a lot of readable documentation existing from that time, however I do think that when a book is about facts, it should stick to facts and not speculate as much as this book did, because it makes it difficult to distinguish between what is actual historical fact and what is just this author's particular speculation.
I also had an idea from the back cover of this book that it would go more into the speculation, mainly after her death about her sexual deviance and her aid of Catherine Howard in extramarital affairs while with the King. Instead following the story of her life, and consequent execution there was just a single chapter with regards to the speculation surround her life.
The book however was well written and painted a coherent, well flowing story of not only Jane Boleyn's life but also of 5 of 6 of King Henry's wives and his reasons for divorcing or executing them. Unfortunately because of the purely unhistorical nature of this book, I would not recommend it to anyone very interested in English history, as it also comes up with nothing new, however I think it would serve well as an introduction to 16th century history.

Come As You Are: The story of Nirvana by Michael Azerrad

I will begin this by saying that this is definitely one of my favourite music biographies because it doesn't sensationalise how cool the band was, and it doesn't gloss over what may seem at face value inane facts but were in actual fact important to Nirvana. My other favourite book is Everything: A Book About Manic Street Preachers which is similarly honest.
My Nirvana obsession began when I was thirteen and a friend burnt me the Smells Like Teen Spirit single CD, which I then played on repeat for a month or two annoying most everyone in my family. Now to me, Nirvana have become one of those bands that I don't go out of my way to listen to but will always sing along to as they're just classic, similar to Metallica, Guns n Roses and Queen. So when I got this book from my sister for Christmas I was pleasantly surprised, because the only book I had read about Nirvana before was Who killed Kurt Cobain and I'd also heard good things about it.
The book details the lives of all the different band members that came and went, as well as their unprecedented rise to fame. That is what you expect from a simple music biography however Come As You Are also goes into the darker side, especially of Kurt Cobain's life (understandable as he is probably the member that drew the most interest back when the book was written in 1993). From his recurring problem with heroine and other opiates, to his much criticised relationship with Hole frontwoman Courtney Love. The style of writing is decent, it's not so contemporary and full of metaphors that it takes away from the story, and it is good enough that it makes sense and flows coherently. There are also funny things that I didn't know about stuck in there, such as the fact that Dave Grohl was originally in a speed metal band, compare that to the Foo Fighters sound and laugh with me. Also the Nirvana members detested Guns n Roses, and Kurt referred to Smells like Teen Spirit as "lame".
The book also includes a chapter written after Cobain's death, and instead of the normal practice of accusing every man and his dog of killing Cobain as well as comparing handwriting samples in Kurt's suicide note, it simple reflects on his life and what made him such a brilliant lyricist and song writer.
If you like or have ever liked Nirvana; read this.

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Most people I know have read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, however before I read the entirety of this book I had no idea that there are actually several sequels. If you thought the first book was crazy, you will not believe that it could get any crazier, or any funnier; but it does.
The rest of the books following the original are as follows: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (which if you remember was where the characters were headed at the end of The Hitchhikers Guide); Life, The Universe and Everything; So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish (which details the fleeing of the dolphins as well as continuing to follow the central characters around the universe); Mostly Harmless; Young Zaphod Plays it Safe.
As well as continuing Arthur Dent, Zaphod, Trillian, and Marvin's journeys around the universe; the Ultimate Guide also details parallel universes, the appearance and disappearance of the Earth several times, time travel and other general craziness. I am now 60% sure that Douglas Adams was on some sort of hallucinogen when he wrote the book. Not only is it incredibly random but it is also hilarious. In case you are one of those people who thinks you don't need to read the book(s) because you saw the movie, it is completely different, for one there is no suggestion that Arthur and Trillian ever get together.
Although I think Zooey Deschanel is pretty frickn cool:

The Duchess by Amanda Foreman

This book was originally called "Georgiana" but when a movie with Keira Knightley in it came out about Duchess Georgiana of Devonshire, the book's title was changed which probably led to it getting a lot more sales, which I would say it definitely deserves.
Georgiana Spencer (1757-1806) was definitely a revolutionary woman of her time, one of the first women to participate in a political campaign in England, and a product of a loveless marriage (making her Georgiana Cavendish), and an easily addictive personality. She was also notably, Diana Spencer's ancestor.
The Duchess outlines the life of Georgiana and also details political events of the time, such as the rise and rapid fall of the "Whigs", and the crazy illnesses that plagued the King Charles III at a time when the monarchy still had the power to make or break a political agreement, as well as the Prince who deliberately went against everything his father wished so therefore became a Whig.
The thing that impressed me so much was not only the dramatic insight into Georgiana's gambling addiction, and the loveless (but not nasty) marriage which led her to have several affairs, most notably with Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey. Foreman's tremendous understanding of Georgiana's personality allowed a further understanding of what women at the time went through, although perhaps on a lesser scale. The letters which Foreman had gotten hold of also gave her credibility as not only an enticing author but also an incredible historian.
I would read this book again, not only as what I feel is an important lesson of the life of women in a time I did not know much about but also as an illustration of what was an early form of feminism, even if it was used wrongly by the press.
I would highly recommend this to anyone but only if you are interested in history and accurate portrayals.
Also unlike Keira Knightley and as was popular at the time from portraits at the time it is likely that Georgiana Cavendish was actually a rather voluptuous woman.

Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut

I read this quite a few days ago now, so with some Amazon references I will write what I can.
I always enjoy reading Kurt Vonnegut, there is something about the combination of satire, politics, and the war which he combines magically and he writes like no one else in the world quite can. Well, no one I have read anyway.
Jailbird details the story of Walter F. Starbuck, a former advisor (on Youth Affairs) to Richard Nixon who has just gotten out of jail for his involvement (or not) in the Watergate conspiracy. It reminded me in a lot of ways of other Vonnegut books, such as the continual repetition of 'and on and on' and the re-entry of everyone's favourite random guy Kilgore Trout, who Starbuck meets in jail.
As usual, this book also starts as a seemingly normal sort of epic story about a guy who has been through a lot and been shoved back into a world he no longer understands. However, as with Cat's Cradle another Vonnegut book, it suddenly becomes at the same time a political satire and a very unbelievable but magical story. Most everyone Starbuck meets in this story works at the RAMJAC Corporation, a metaphor for the increasingly capitalist and monopolistic world of the time at which the book was written, it also shows the increasing power large corporations have on the state because of their incredible wealth. The main character's surname (Starbuck) also seems to contribute to this metaphor, especially as Starbucks Coffee was moving to all corners of the world in 1999 when the book was published.
Starbuck continues to meet people he knows in some way or another all throughout the book, and all the characters are brought together within Vonnegut's beautiful prose at the end of the book in a way that is difficult to imagine.
That's one thing you can always rely on with Vonnegut, he's never predictable.

Sorry it's been awhile

Books I have read and will be reviewing in the next few days

Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut
The Duchess by Amanda Foreman
The Ultimate Hitch-hikers guide to the galaxy by Douglas Adams
Come as you are by Michael Azerrad
Jane Boleyn: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford by Julia Fox
Land of the Living – Nicci French
Skinny Bitch - Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman