A History of The Wife by Marilyn Yalom

I don't remember how A History of The Wife wound up on my tbr list. But I do love microhistories so I was happy to read it. While there was plenty of great information, the book dragged in places and had a tendency to get dry.
Yalom starts in Ancient Greece and Rome, working her way through history and up the continent. She follows English wives to America and remains in America for the last 3-4 chapters. I started referring to this book as the History of the White Wife. There's very little information presented about African-American women and none about Asian, Indian, African, or Latin American brides. A lot of the research she presents is about white women and she's clear about that. I hope there is a sequel to this book talking about the rest of the world.
But Yalom just doesn't rely on research. She uses literature, letters, and diaries to give the reader insight to the day to day lives of women through out history. A lot of the early information about wives was through the eyes of men. She also points out how laws changed through time where women went from property to more equal partners in the relationship. But hearing from the women through letters and diaries was the most effective way to hear about how they struggled with moving to a new country, existing without food, surviving wars, and struggling to balance work and family. The difficulties that women face today, working, maintaining a home, raising kids have been difficulties for women for centuries. It's clear that in order for women "to have it all", we all have to work together, become more of a community where people share responsibilities. More part time jobs or job sharing. More communal living so the household tasks are divided among the residents. I think that flies in the face of the independent American so we have a lot to work on.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants a detailed history of European and American wives. A History of The Wife does show you how women in America today wound up with their struggle to have it all and mommy guilt. Others who shared their thoughts on A History of The Wife: Kittens With Mittens.
This was my tenth read for The Original TBR Challenge.

The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

I choose The Stupidest Angel for the Christmas Spirit Challenge cause I love Christopher Moore. I'm glad I did because this one was no different than his other darkly humorous tales.
So we're back in Pine Cove (the same setting for Practical Demonkeeping and The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove) for Christmas. The town is filled with toursits, charmed by the quaintness of Pine Cove. But everything is business as usual for the residents. Lena and her ex, Dale, get into an altercation over a donation to the Salvation Army. Molly is having a hard staying with reality when she's off her meds. Theo, the town sheriff and Molly's husband, has a missing man, a mysterious glowing man, and a little boy's secret to contend with. I love this crazy cast of characters. At the beginning it's hard to keep everyone straight but all the stories start to mesh and it makes sense (sort of) very quickly.
Not your typical holiday story but filled with zombies, sex, drugs, and liquor. Still it ends up with a very Merry Christmas. Others who shared their thoughts on The Stupidest Angel: The Blue Bookcase, The Guilded Earlobe, and Bookgoonie.
This was my third read for The Christmas Spirit Challenge.

Letters From Father Christmas by JRR Tolkien

I admit I was seduced the length of Letters from Father Christmas (112 pages) and the fact it was written by Tolkien. I knew from the goodreads blurb that these were the letters that Tolkien wrote for his kids every holiday season. Other than the tiny bit of elvish he wrote in one of the letters, this book didn't capture my attention.
Now the art work, the attention to detail were fantastic. The fact that he kept writing about the same characters and sometimes referenced past events over seventeen years was amazing. I felt his kids were very lucky to have such an imaginative dad. The tale he wove about Father Christmas, the polar bear and his helper elves was detailed. But I would only recommended this book to those who are true Tolkien addicts. The original letters and artwork are printed in the book so you can see how detailed the letters were. To me there was no story. Just some really great letters his kids got. Others who shared their thoughts on Letters From Father Christmas: Nose In A Book, The Road Goes Ever Ever On, Pen and Paper, and All Booked Up.
This was my second read for The Christmas Spirit Challenge.

The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn

I'm so glad I picked up The Autobiography of Santa Claus. What a delightful story! Not only is this the story of how Santa came to be but also the story of how Christmas evolved and Santa's role in it. It's obvious that Guinn did a lot of research to tell this story. There's plenty of information on how different countries and cultures celebrate Christmas as well as facts about history. I was completely drawn into Santa's story as well the historical aspects that he saw over the years. Set up to read each chapter over the 24 days leading up to Christmas, I could see a family reading a little bit each night. I read the whole book over the course of a weekend. It was so engaging I had trouble putting it down!
Highly recommended. Others who shared their thoughts on The Autobiography of Santa Claus: AWriter's Life, Candy's Raves, and Book Addiction.
This is the first book I read for The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge.

Ganymede by Cherie Priest

I've been really enjoying the Clockwork Century series so I was happy to get my hands on Ganymede. I think Priest really hit her groove in this one, combining real history with fictional steampunk components.
At the start of Ganymede we're back in Seattle with Brier and Cly. Cly gets a letter from an old flame calling him back to New Orleans for a mysterious job. It happens to be advantageous time for him to make the trip South. A Seattle businessman wants to make improvements to Seattle but needs things found outside the Northwest. This trip could be very profitable to Cly. I loved Civil War era New Orleans. Priest really made the Big Easy come alive.
Great continuation of the series. I'm really looking forward to the next one. Others who shared their thoughts on Ganymede: Karissa's Reading Review, The Merry Genre Go Around Reviews, and Val's Random Comments.
This is my eighth read for the War Through The Generations challenge.

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

I chose to read The Postmistress after reading some glowing reviews when it first came out. At first I was hesitant, not really getting sucked into the story but about halfway through the book, I was hooked.
First I have to say the writing is amazing. You're just reading the story then, bam, there's all this detail. it's told so beautiful that it took my breath away. Then it would go back to the story which got really engaging to me after about page 50 or so.
At the beginning you had so many people with so many stories. Iris, the postmaster, watches the town and struggles to just watch. Harry, the town mechanic, believes that the German U-Boats will find their sleepy Cape Cod town. Emma, the new wife of the town's doctor, floats adrift after her husband leaves to help in England. And Frankie, the war correspondent, trying to bring the war to those at home in America. But each of their secrets and struggles slowly meld into one story.
I truly enjoyed The Postmistress after the slow start, it really picked up and kept me engaged. I think this would be an excellent book club book. There is plenty to discuss! Recommended. Others who shared their thoughts on The Postmistress: Book Journey, Bookfan, This Miss Loves To Read, You've GOTTA Read This, Bibliophile By The Sea, and Beth Fish Reads.
This was my ninth read for The Original TBR challenge.

 

The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

I picked up The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb off the library shelf after hearing so many good things about it. I'm so glad I did. It was a wonderful book that I was sad to finish.
Immediately, I fell in love with Lavinia. She's everything I hope for in a heroine. She's full of spunk. In her twenties, Lavinia ("Vinnie") reaches her full height of 32". Raised in rural New England, Vinnie quickly realizes that life with her family will never be what her heart desires. Vinnie unexpectedly gets the opportunity to join a show, a show aboard a river boat on the Mississippi. That when her life starts.
The world Benjamin creates is so vivid. I could see Vinnie singing and dancing on the river boat. I could feel the excitement of life on the road. I enjoyed all the people that Vinnie met while she toured. I loved little Minnie, Vinnie's tenderhearted sister. Vinnie was the star of the show but Minnie was the heart.
Don't let the title fool you. This is a work of fiction. Benjamin did her research to make sure there were plenty of graphic details. I was quickly sucked into Vinnie's world and really didn't want to leave. While I loved learning about Vinnie, a woman I'd never heard of before this book, I was intrigued by PT Barnum who loomed over Vinnie throughout the book. I highly recommend picking up The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb. Others who shared their thoughts on The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb: Devourer of Books, Lit and Life, The Written World, Children's Books & More, Book Chase, and Bippity Boppity Book.

The Summer Before by Ann M Martin

From Goodreads:
Before there was the Baby-Sitters Club, there were four girls named Kristy Thomas, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi, and Stacey McGill. As they start the summer before seventh grade (also before they start the BSC), each of them is on the cusp of a big change. Kristy is still hung up on hoping that her father will return to her family. Mary Anne has to prove to her father that she's no longer a little girl who needs hundreds of rules. Claudia is navigating her first major crush on a boy. And Stacey is leaving her entire New York City life behind...

...in order to find new friends in Stoneybrook, Connecticut.

The Summer Before . . . is a sweet, moving novel about four girls on the edge of something big - not just the Club that will change their lives, but also all the joys and tribulations of being twelve and thirteen.

I requested from the library The Summer Before because I was a huge Baby-Sitters Club fan back when I was a young girl. I remember rushing to the bookstore on the days the new books were released. I had a huge box that I kept all my BSC books in so I could haul them around with me in the summer. I spent my summers at my parents' work and rather than bring one or two I had to lug my whole collection with me everyday. Man, I loved those books. Especially the Super Special books where the girls took trips to the beach, New York or California. The Summer Before was a lovely trip down memory lane.
The Summer Before is the story of Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacy before they start seventh grade and start the Baby-Sitters Club. If you read the BSC, The Summer Before gives you more background to the girls' lives. If you're new to the BSC, then it's a great story about four girls leaving childhood and moving into their teens. Each chapter is told from a different girl's perspective. I was glad to hear from each of them. When I was first reading the books, I really identified with Mary Anne, with an overprotective father who treated her like young child. My mom struggled to let me do age appropriate things, always erring on the side of caution. Today, reading The Summer Before, I felt more connected to Claudia, who felt that she left childhood behind and was now firmly a teen. I've been feeling like I'm leaving certain friends and habits behind like I've outgrown them. I'm in the same awkward stage where I remember them with comfort but remember that's not really who I am anymore. Overall, I enjoyed The Summer Before. The twelve year old in me cheered about reading a BSC book again. Others who shared their thoughts on The Summer Before: The Serpentine Library, My Books. My Life, Brooke's Box Of Books, and Live Through Books.
This was my twenty-eight read for the YA Reading Challenge.

Squirrel Seeks Chimpmunk by David Sedaris

From Goodreads:
If animals were more like us, if mice kept pets and toads could cuss, if dogs had wives and chipmunks dated, sheep sat still and meditated, then in the forest, field, and dairy you might find this bestiary, read by storks, by rats and kitties, skimmed by cows with milk-stained titties. "I found the book to be most droll," might quip the bear, the owl, the mole, Others, though, would be more coarse. "Bull," could say the pig and horse. As to the scribe, they'd quote the hen: "Trust me, he's no La Fontaine."


I picked up Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk because I do love David Sedaris' writing but I hadn't heard a lot about the book. For some bizarre reason I thought this was a children's book. No, it's not a children's book. In fact I think there are some adults that would be scarred by some of the stories. But it had me chuckling several times though. I am exactly the sick and twisted person that Sedaris wrote this book for.
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk is a series of short stories about animals. The animals act like humans and most of the time they are doing adult things-having romances, working, and going to prison. Almost all the stories involve some sort of inter-species relationship-a squirrel that dates a chipmunk, a hippo and an owl that become friends, and a mouse that owns a pet snake. A lot of the stories are dark-plenty of deaths in this short book. But all the stories are satire, poking fun at the way humans are. I think the comparisons worked out well. 
I enjoyed Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk. But if you don't like anthropomorphic stories then this is not the book for you. If you don't want to read about graphic deaths of innocent animals, then this is definitely not the book for you. But if you like a good satire and enjoy Schadenfreude, then this would be the book for you. Others who shared their thoughts on Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: You've Gotta Read This, The Perfect Binge, and A Good Stopping Point.

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.


I picked up Texas Gothic because I had enjoyed The Splendor Falls so much. Sadly I wasn't as taken with Texas Gothic as I was by The Splendor Falls but it was a great ghost story.
Yes, a ghost story. Such a great book to read at this time of year. Amy and her sister Phin are staying at her aunt's house while their aunt is taking a well-deserved vacation. All the Goodnight's have some paranormal ability. Phin studies preternatural science and tries to collect evidence of ghosts. Their cousin Daisy is a clairvoyant. And Amy, well Amy is tired of being a Goodnight. She doesn't want to use spells and potions. She wants people to think she and her family are normal. Unfortunately all sorts of spooky things start happening after Amy and Phin show up and people are not convinced of their normalcy.
I felt like I was dropped in the middle of the story right from the beginning. It took me a while to get into the story. I don't think I was really engrossed in the story until towards the end. It seemed like every time I had a handle on what was going on, another character would show up or we'd learn another fact about the characters that changed everything. When things seem arbitrary, I had a hard time caring.
I wouldn't recommend rushing out and picking this one up. But it wasn't a terrible read. If this one finds its way to you, I would read it. Others who shared their thoughts on Texas Gothic: Resugo's Bookish Paradise, Ink Scratchers, Shooting Stars Mag, and The Crooked Shelf.
This was my twenty-seventh read for the YA Reading Challenge.

 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

After reading all the hype about The Night Circus, I added it to my queue. The hype is for real. Get your hands on this one. You will not be disappointed.
Not since Harry Potter has a book made me believe in magic. Seriously. I adored the world Morgenstern created and I was very sad to leave when the book was over. I can see rereading this one. Not a fan of magic? That's ok. Because there's a love story, a tale of adventure, and plenty of mystery. In the end the story is about what it is to be human and how we connect and disconnect from the world and others.
At the beginning I felt the story was disjointed. You had Celia over here doing her thing. Marco was doing his. There were side bars about the circus itself, comments from Herr Thiessen. I kept wondering what the heck was going on. But it came together quickly and it became very hard for me to put the book down. It's hard for me to say which character was my favorite because they all became so real to me. Morgenstern did a great job of fleshing out her characters and making their world jump off the page. The circus reminded of Cirque Du Soleil rather than Ringling Brothers which added to my enjoyment of the story.
Highly recommended. One of the best of 2011. Others who shared their thoughts on The Night Circus: The Little Red Reviewer, Jules' Book Reviews, I Write In Books, Book Journey, The Perfect Binge, My Books. My Life, Bibliophile By The Sea, The Written World, Whimpulsive, and Books Devoured.

The Poison Eaters by Holly Black

I added The Poison Eaters to my queue after reading about it on The Written World. I've enjoyed the other stories I've ready by Holly Black and I enjoyed this one too.
There are twelve stories, most of them I enjoyed. I especially liked The Land of Heart's Desire which returns to the Tithe world. My least favorite was The Dog King. All the supernatural folk get at least one story-werewolves, vampires, faeries. I liked that The Night Market was set in the Philippines and added their local lore to the faery myths. The Coat of Stars added Hispanic traditions to the faery myths too. I enjoyed how most of the stories caught me quickly. I wished several of them were longer. I enjoyed them too much.
I would recommend The Poison Eaters to anyone who enjoys Holly Black's writing. The stories are short and the collection is a little more than 200 pages. But still a very satisfying read. Others who shared their thoughts on The Poison Eaters: The Written World, ComaCalm's Corner, and The Zealous Reader.

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

I grabbed The Lover's Dictionary off the shelf because I've enjoyed the other books I read that Levithan coauthored. I really glad I did. I was not disappointed.
Rather than one cohesive novel, the story is told bit by bit through words one might find in the dictionary. And rather than it being the story of two people, I felt it was the story of their relationship.  Sometimes you are reading about the beginning and sometimes you are reading about later parts. I kept making notes of words I especially liked to share with you but I started to mark almost every page. I'm going to share two words out the dozen I marked.

woo, v.

I told you that it was ridiculous to pay thirty dollars for a dozen roses on Valentine's Day. I forbade you to do it.

So that day, when I went to pay for my lunch, what did I find? In my wallet, thirty singles, each with roses printed on it. I imagined you feeding them through your color printer. Oh, the smile that must have played across your face. I had to ask the woman behind the counter to take a quick picture of my own smile, to send it right back to you. page 201

 I was sitting next to Tai when I read it and aww-ed. Tai asked what made me do that so I shared that passage and he agreed that it was sweet.

buffoonery, n.

You were drunk, and I made the mistake of mentioning Showgirls in a near-empty subway car. The pole had no idea what it was about to endure.

There were plenty of these adorable little stories. Which made it incredibly be hard to put down. I kept saying oh, just one more page. Most of the stories were just one page.  It was so easy to read so I read it in a day.
I highly recommend The Lover's Dictionary. It's short and adorable. Others who shared their thoughts on The Lover's Dictionary: The Broke and The Bookish, Read in One Sitting, WalkieTalkie Book Club, Imperfection Is The New Pink, and The Written World.

Masques by Patricia Briggs

I actually picked up Masques for Tai. He's almost caught up in a couple of serial books he reads and I thought Briggs' early fantasy might be something he'd enjoy. After he read it he gave it to me and said he thought I might enjoy it more than he did. And he was right. I really enjoyed Masques.
Now this is the first book Briggs' wrote. The version I got from the library was a a re-release and had been "tidied up". Briggs is clear Masques was rough even in its first published form so if you are a fan of her later books, you might be surprised by how unpolished Masques is. But despite all that I was drawn into Aralorn's world quickly and adored my time there.
Aralorn is our heroine. We meet her on a mercenary mission. On that mission she finds an injured wolf. Something draws her to the wolf so she rescues it and nurses him back to health. After that Wolf becomes her sometimes companion. Frequently Wolf leaves Aralorn for reasons she doesn't know but he always comes back. I loved the interactions between Wolf and Aralorn. Wolf is very mysterious. Aralorn's got her own secrets so maybe it's ok for everyone to just keep them for now.
Mages, dragons, and shapeshifters, oh my! I loved the fantasy aspect of Masques. I especially loved the difference between green magic (something that you are born with that comes from the earth) and human magic (something that you learn and is limited). There are a lot of characters and not all of them are fleshed out. I'm glad this is the beginning of a series. There's a lot to work with.
Overall, I enjoyed Masques. I was able to get past the rough writing and lengthy descriptions quickly. I'm looking forward to its sequel, Wolfbane. Others who shared their thoughts on Masques: Dear Author, Book Addicts, and The Speed of Write.

They Fought Like Demons by DeAnne Blanton and Lauren M Cook

I put They Fought Like Demons on my tbr list after reading about women soldiers in The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest. Since it dovetailed nicely with the War Through The Generations challenge I decided to read it now. 

Blanton and Cook obviously put a lot of research into this book and attempted to show the reader how women got into the armies, fought and avoided or didn't avoid detection. But rather than a fluid story it was fragmented and repetitive. Each chapter is about a different aspect of the woman's life-why she joined the army, how soldiers were injured, life after the war. It was difficult for me to follow at times and the information was very dry. Several times I almost gave up. But I was hoping all this dry knowledge would be woven into a story. Sadly it never happened. Blanton and Cook refrained from too much conjecture, leaving a lot of holes that the facts didn't cover. I would have preferred each chapter talk about one woman from the beginning of her story to the end. They Fought Like Demons was too choppy for my taste. 

I would only recommend They Fought Like Demons if you need more information about a certain aspect of women soldiers lives. I wouldn't recommend reading the book straight through like I did. Others who shared their thoughts on They Fought Like Demons: Principles of Theology, Cootiehog, and Random Thoughts on History.

This was my seventh read for The War Through The Generations Challenge.

Address Unknown by Katherine Kressmann Taylor

I added Address Unknown to my tbr list after reading about it on Lisa's blog. I can't believe I'd never heard of this short bestselling story about two men at the start of World War 2.
This is a short book, 64 pages, but not one that will soon leave you. The story is told through letters between two friends, Max and Martin. Martin has recently returned home to Germany after starting a successful business in America with Max. They have a gallery. Martin has gotten wealthy and returned back to Germany. Martin is proud of his accomplishments and sad at the beginning about the poverty he sees in Germany. But quickly the letters turn to Hitler, who Martin describes as a "Glorious Leader". The friends find themselves at odds as Martin becomes a Hitler devotee and Max learns more about the atrocities being committed to his people, the Jews, in his native county.
The letter format really works here. The writing is exquisite. Each letter is short, only a page or two but tells so much. The tone of the letters and the language make this tiny book seem so much bigger.
Highly recommended. It's such a short book. I read it in less than an hour. But it will give you so much to think about. This would be an excellent book club choice. Others who shared their thoughts on Address Unknown: Happily Ever After...In Seattle, Yorkshire Soul, and Books and Cooks.
This was my eighth read for the Original TBR Challenge.

A Guide To Elegance by Genevieve Dariaux

I added A Guide To Elegance after reading Elegance last year. I assumed it would be a bit dated. The original book was published in 1964 but the copy I read was "updated" in 2003. After reading this bit:

When comfort becomes an end in itself, it is the Public Enemy Number One of elegance. page 32

I like to be comfortable. I knew then that Madame Dariaux and I were not going to get along. Now she doesn't recommend being uncomfortable but in making an effort to be comfortable, elegance isn't going to follow. This book certainly didn't get me to change my comfortable ways. I did appreciate some of the tips about choosing coats and formal wear. I laughed at the parts about wearing gloves and stockings. I don't know anyone who wears either on a regular basis.
Overall it was an interesting fast read. It would be a great resource if you want to dress more elegantly and have the time and money to spend on quality clothes. Others who shared their thoughts on Elegance: The Vintage Traveler, Penny Farthing, and A Striped Armchair.

Underdogs by Markus Zusak

Underdogs is the complete trilogy of the Wolfe Brothers by Markus Zusak. I'm glad I read them in successive order. While reading The Underdog, I thought eh, the writings good but the story is so so. I started to enjoy it more during Fighting Ruben Wolfe, but fell in love with Cameron in Getting The Girl. I actually teared up at the end of Getting The Girl which is unusual for me. I don't get weepy while reading many books.

The Underdog is the story of Cameron and Ruben Wolfe. Cameron is the youngest brother. Ruben is his older brother. Steven is the oldest brother. Sarah is their only sister. The Wolfe family is lower middle class. Their mom tries to make them a decent meal each night but sometimes they have mushrooms as meat. Their dad is a plumber. I loved the language that Cam and Ruben used. It was hard for me to understand their Australian teen slang. A lot of words were similar to British slang so it was ok. In The Underdog you get to know Cam and Ruben and how they feel about their lives. They spend their time planning heists (and not carrying them out), playing One Punch (they share one set of boxing gloves), and walking their neighbors dog, Miffy.

In Fighting Ruben Wolfe, Cam and Ruben are starting to grow up. Cam's relationship with his family starts to change. His relationship with Ruben starts change too. Zusak's writing really pulls you in and you  makes you care about this struggling family, a family of fighters. I really started to fall in love with the whole family but Cameron especially.

Getting The Girl was the best one. Here everything comes to a head. Cam has to make choices and start to grow up. I cannot describe how much I loved how things wrapped up for Cam and Ruben. I was intensely proud of these characters. I don't really say that about a lot of characters but I was rooting for each of the Wolfes. I didn't want them to get everything their little heart's desired but I wanted them to have their own happy endings. 

I cannot express how much I loved this trilogy. While it's nothing like The Book Thief, the writing is amazing. The character development over the trilogy is some of the best I've read. Others who shared their thoughts on Underdogs: It's All About Books, Guys Lit Wire, and Read Love.

This is my twenty-sixth read for the YA Reading Challenge.

Getting The Girl was my seventh read for the Original TBR List.

Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton

I heard the buzz surround this book and I couldn't help but be attracted to the name. Plus it's a food memoir, my favorite kind. I'm really glad I picked this one up. It made me hungry.
Gabrielle doesn't start out looking to become a chef. She falls into easily, thanks to her mother who let her hang out in the kitchen and watch her cook. As Gabriella got older she began learning how her mom made certain dishes, so when she got out in the world she was the most comfortable in the kitchen. I haven't read a lot of books by chefs but this one has to be one of the best food related memoirs I've read. I loved how Hamilton describes everything, very matter of factly. Everything from the butchering of lambs to almost going to prison for Grand Larceny gets similar treatment. Hamilton has a very conversational tone. I like to think she told me this story while we sat in her New York restaurant eating soft cheeses and cured meats. There might have some bread with salted butter too. I loved her time in Italy. I just wanted to move into her mother in law's villa by the sea and make fresh pasta all day. But I could see how all these situations made her a better chef.
Highly recommended for food lovers. Others who shared their thoughts on Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Nervous Cook, My Vermont Kitchen, Amused by Books, and Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Kickboxing Geishas by Veronica Chambers

I picked up Kickboxing Geishas because the title sounded interesting and I'm interested in learning more about Japanese culture (my husband is half-Japanese). While it wasn't everything I hoped it would be, it gave me a good place to start.
Part sociological study, part memoir, Chambers lived in Japan for years. She discussed what women are looking for and what women want in Japan. A lot of reviews on Goodreads mentioned that Chambers was too involved in the story. I almost think she'd have to be. To ask women in a society that's just beginning to give women the allowance to have an opinion to submit to a real study would be ludicrous. Chambers even mention having a difficult time just finding women to talk to her. The idea that one Japanese woman would have something different to say than another Japanese woman wasn't normal when Chambers wrote this book in 2006. I think times have changed and you probably could do better studies especially with the younger women. But I enjoyed Chambers juxtaposition as an American woman with the Japanese women, who did not have a lot of choice until recently.
I think it's a good beginning if you are looking to learn a little about Japanese culture. Others who shared their thoughts on Kickboxing Geishas: Bench Graffiti, su[shu], and Azuki's Book Cafe.