Welcome to our annual winter reading poll! Tell us about a great book to curl up with on a frosty winter night, and what fragrance we should wear while reading it. (Or, do what I do and record here everything you have read since the last reading poll. And if you want more recommendations, scrolling through the literature tag will bring up all the older reading polls.)
My recent reading:
After the pile of Wodehouse I read last fall, I finished re-reading the Blandings Castle series (Service With A Smile, Galahad at Blandings, A Pelican at Blandings and Sunset at Blandings), then I finished a Jeeves & Wooster I had never read, Joy in the Morning, thought by some to be his best. If you have never read any Jeeves & Wooster, it actually might be the best place to start. The fragrance: Aftelier Candide.
I finished five other works of fiction: Bryan Washington Memorial, Ian McEwan Machines Like Me, Olga Tokarczuk Flights, Brit Bennett The Vanishing Half, Sunjeev Sahota China Room. After reading China Room, which I loved (and which would go nicely with a hot weather spice, like Comptoir Sud Pacifique L'Eau du Gouverneur, or maybe better Lubin Idole), I started Sahota's The Year Of The Runaways, but either I didn't like it as well or I wasn't in the mood or both, because I gave it up about 1/3 of the way through.
On the non-fiction front, I gave up on David Graeber and David Wengrow's Dawn of Everything even sooner — maybe about 1/5 of the way through? I did do a bit of quick skimming of the later sections. It is probably as brilliant as everyone says it is, but I suspect I no longer have the will to read 700 pages of history. I don't have it right now, that's for sure. I did start and finish Lyndall Gordon's Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family's Feuds after we did our community project. Since what I knew about Emily Dickinson beforehand could be summed up in a few vague words (poetry, Amherst, recluse), it was all a bit of a shock, and possibly more salacious detail than I wanted.
I read David Sedaris Carnival of Snackery: Diaries (2003-2020) in short spurts, as a kind of palate cleanser to some of the heavier fiction I plowed through this quarter. It was perfect, and now I might go back and read Theft by Finding.
I read three mysteries: Elly Griffiths The Night Hawks (Ruth Galloway #13), and then two by Richard Osman, The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice. All three were enjoyable no-brainers, and I will scent them with Guerlain Cologne du 68.
Note: top image shows detail from Still Life with French novels and glass with a rose, Vincent Van Gogh, 1887, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Happy Weekend!!
I am so behind on reading it’s ridiculous.I think my attention span is also growing shorter the older I get,so there’s that…Lol.
SOTD YSL Kouros,also “fortification” helping to calm a little bit of anxiety regarding this:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZmTaKmKeCQ/?utm_medium=copy_link
The water levels have subsided a little bit at least since this morning,but more rain is expected.
Eager to see recommendations for the upcoming fall/winter reading list.I need to get back to it,I do love a good read.
XO’s
Oh my gosh! Be safe Johano!
I’ll be OK,thanks Lillyjo!The water levels were much worse in 2018,although more rain is expected tonight!The houses are mostly high up on the estate,so we all should be ok!
XO’s
Oh, dear — that certainly would cause anxiety. Take good care; hope the rain has indeed let up.
The rain is expected to flare up again this evening around 9pm,hopefully not too much added to the floodlevel.???
Yikes on the flooding, and I hope it recedes promptly!
It does scare me a bit,I’m surrounded by low bridges that all flooded.Luckily my route to work is short and away from the flooded areas.
Oh my goodness, johano! Glad your house is up high.
Yeah,at least the estate’s housing was planned out pretty well,with most houses completely out of danger,even should the water rise considerably higher.
Be safe my friend.
Thanks Kris,so far so good.?
Wow, that is an impressive flood!! Glad you don’t have to worry about your home, at least.
It’s a massive body of water,every inch of my afternoon walking path is under water!
My biggest concern would be if all my perfumes could fit into a rubberboat!!????✌?
Oh my goodness, that’s some high water. Stay safe!
I’m safe ringthing,no worries!
We funnily enough(or not actually) got a Malaria-outbreak precautionary warning today as well.It’s the rainy season until late March,but since Spring it has been extremely wet,drawing those pesky malaria mosquitoes closer to home.I’m taking plasmaquine just in case…
Yikes, that looks scary! I hope everyone’s okay!
Hi hi hi, everyone! Robin, your reading list looks perfect for a day like today (here in Galway, we have strong wind and lashing rain — exactly what one would expect on a “wild” coast). I, OTOH, am reading Dubliners, most of it for the first time. It calls for a scent of decay, despondency, and heartbreaking beauty. Suggestions?
I’ve been off the radar here for a couple of weeks thanks to multiple health issues among my students, logistical challenges, travel, and actual teaching work. Nothing serious healthwise, fortunately, but COVID is running through the university and so there are a lot of students in isolation. And we’ve had some tummy bugs, some regular flu, and even one genuine common cold.
But: I FINALLY got to Cloon Keen today — had tried three other times, only to find them closed or to get there during their (late) lunch break. It is possible that they are going to have all my money by the end of the term. I wish they did travel sizes or samples. Right now Frosted Moon and Suede Galore top my wishlist, and I left with a hefty spritz of one on either arm. Suede Galore does remind me a lot of Bottega Veneta (though I prefer SG, at least from today’s first encounter). Comments? I will need to return to try Castana and some of the others. My husband — who likes fragrance but hates perfume shops — was impressed with all the fragrances. Glad I convinced him to go with me.
Greetings to all! Apparently, February 1 is the official start of spring in Ireland — I am not convinced!
Frosted Moon…the name alone makes me supercurious to sniff it!Hopefully Cloon Keen reaches our shores as well sometime.
I love your country,the scenery I experienced when I was there way back when in 2005,was breathtaking.Damn cold though!
XO’s
Well, it’s only “my” country until May. I have absolutely no ancestral connections to Ireland, let alone any that would make me eligible for citizenship — to my increasing chagrin. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to spend an extended period of time here.
Yes, “Frosted Moon” is an appealing name and image. The SA said that they do not have a distributor in the U.S., either — they sell directly to a few boutiques in Sag Harbor, Greenwich, Palm Beach (all very posh areas of the U.S.).
Dubliners is such a great book, I should read it again. The Dead is the only one that really stuck with me (helps that they made it into a movie).
Hope the illness load will go down soon, and hope you are enjoying your overseas term despite all the work / logistics??
Oh, yes, it has been just wonderful so far. I still cannot quite believe that the program went forward. Very, very happy to be here, working with great people and helping students explore new topics.
Oh, lucky you getting to visit Cloon Keen!
It’s wonderful! And I’ve just discovered that one of my students stumbled upon the store on her own, and was equally captivated.
If you like Noir Fiction/Mysteries, check out Ken Bruen. He’s a native Galwegian and a fabulous writer. Some of his books have been made into movies, but the books, as usual, are fabulous, the movies dreadful. I love his writing style. Also highly recommend William Trevor, whose short stories are really top of the line in that category, and give a glimpse into an older Ireland, now changed forever. Also, another stunning Irish author is Edna O’Brien, who’s books were banned and burned in Ireland for many years because she dared to speak of female sexuality and many other taboo subjects. She is an amazing lyrical writer and I have memorized entire paragraphs in some of her books because, like a poet, she strings word together is such a fashion that the end result glows and glimmers like a gemstone necklace. All give a much needed look into the real, non-tourist, gritty underbelly of Ireland
Thank you, Deva! What a great list. My reading time belongs to Joyce for most of the term (and Peig Sayers, whom I’ve just learned about and who is fascinating). But thanks for the recs — I do not know Trevor or Bruen at all.
You’re welcome. I have never heard of Sayers, but have now gone on a google hunt to find out more about her, so thank you! Hope you enjoy your time in Ireland!
Hello, everyone! I am wearing AS Saturday today, since my Long Weekend set arrived yesterday. I enjoy this one so far – it is both bright and mellow.
I am reading Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters now. I think it would go well with Hiram Green Lustre or any fresh rose. Not very wintery, of course.
Recently, I started Lynne Messina’s Beatrice Hyde-Clare mysteries. They are a good quality Regency pastiche, and they balance romance and the character’s anxieties rather well. You can read them with Kindle Unlimited. Any perfume with a playful approach would be a good choice. Maybe something like Fat Electrician.
Ah, another I have not read in years (the Gaskell).
How is AS Friday??
I am trying them in order – so I won’t know til Monday, myself. I’ll report back!
🙂
Our internet is unbelievably slow this morning, so I’m hoping to get this posted without having to reboot things. Am in Cuir Amethyste again, which was a gift from an extremely generous NSTer who can no longer wear it. I like it better and better with each wearing, and am even considering tracking down a BUB (the bottle is opaque, so I’m not sure how many more sprays are in there).
Meanwhile, our living room painting is mostly done, so next week it will be time to put that room back together and start clearing the next areas (dining room and hallway, I think). Very happy with the results so far. ?
Yay for new paint, nearly my favorite thing 🙂
Gah — forgot to do the poll! After many months of re-reading old favorites because I couldn’t bear suspense (not even the suspense of just not knowing how a story would end), I am now in the early stages of two books: The French Lieutenant’s Woman, which I am enjoying so far but the somewhat convoluted language of which takes concentration; and Summer Light, And Then Comes The Night, which won the Icelandic Literature Prize and which is written in very simple and spare but beautiful prose … so two very different writing styles. I also still have a toe dipped in an anthology of short stories by various authors about extraterrestrial life, titled Not One of Us — very creepy in parts, and oddly hopeful in others.
Oh, interesting, I should try “Summer Light…” Of course, I just had Sjón’s “Blue Fox” come into the library for me, and had to release my hold because I just have too many books right now and not enough time. I love, love, love Iceland, though.
I remember reading French Lieutenant’s Woman more than 40 years ago. I remember I started it 3 times before one day it fascinated and I became engrossed.
I remember when I read The French Lieutenant’s Woman saying to someone that I couldn’t tell if the author was British or just trying to sound British, and he said, “whoa, that’s bad!” Haha! It was engrossing though.
No reading recs from me, my attention span is minimal at best lately.
I received my ColourPop eyeshadows yesterday and played today with them this morning. I love the Supershock shadows, great for a one and done. I also got a couple of yellow based powder palettes with dark mustardy colors, definitely outside my comfort zone.
I’m wearing Bronze Goddess on this cloudy, cool day.
My ColourPop order also arrived yesterday. I ordered the Can You Beelieve duo and Flown Away duo and the lunar new year highlighter. The shadows are all nice and sparkly with bright springy colours. They just make me feel so happy.
Your shadow choices are so fun! Yes, you are right, they make you happy!
I ordered Lightning Bug, Basic Instinct, Moonwalk and Cuteologist SSS. Plus Lil Ray of Sunshine and Uh Huh Honey pallets. I got a bit carried away! I watched a few Angela Bright tutorials, she’s a master eyeshadow queen!!
Wearing moonwalk today, one of my favorites! Have fun!
Isn’t MW such a wondrous color? I’m afraid ColourPop could be another deep rabbit hole!
And you’re smelling like the Summer I was supposed to have!Haha!
XO’s
Thank you, johano! I love BG all year round. Hope the sun shines on you very soon!
Love ColourPop too especially the supershock blush/highlighters.
I see what you did there ?!
Definitely off my reading game… Should get back in the habit of reading.
Sotd is TF Bitter Peach. The peach is not as fresh and juicy as I’d have liked. I was tempted to buy it but upon further sniffing I think I can resist.
I am reporting back on TF’s Rose trio with a focus on 2 of them! Those interested, read on. 🙂
Rose de Chine was meant to be rose with peony but on my skin it was not as floral and pink as I had hoped. It was more woody and green, slightly herbal/harsh/sappy. The base smoothed out and became just a smidge more “pretty”.
Rose D’Amalfi I did not expect to like it but I did. It was a powdery vanillic, almondy, light pink rose. The middle to base is very, very similar to Le Parfums de Rosine’s Vanille Paradoxe. I did a side by side and they were definitely sisters with strong family resemblance! Since I own VP, I managed to talk myself out of buying Rose D’Amalfi.
Rose de Russe I did spray on as well but the rose and leather blend did not work for me so I washed it off rather quickly without taking much mental note.
Compared to Rose Prick, I find these three less “rosy”. They are definitely rose based but RP had a ripeness, thickness and stronger rose presence.
If anybody had tested these I’d love to know what you think!
Thanks for the detailed report…I am mostly skipping Tom Ford lately and nothing you said made me sorry 🙂
Thank you for reporting in from the field on these! I am sorely tempted to buy the trio travel set but maybe I should try to sniff them locally first if I can. Leather is not my favorite note and the Russe would probably be tough for me too. I am most tempted by the Amalfi one. 🙂
I’ve not read much lately. I’m hoping at some point I’ll pick it up again as a serious pastime. When I was a kid and a teenager, you couldn’t get my nose out of a book; now, it’s all I can do to get through one.
I’m wearing Tolu today, and trying to decide if I like this as much as I do Ta’if. I don’t think so. Ta’if has a certain special richness that I appreciate, and Tolu, while it is beautiful, doesn’t strike me as being quite as special. I wouldn’t refuse a bottle if it landed in my lap, though.
I completely understand about not reading. As a teenager, I always had books and extra books in my purse, backpack, car, so I would never be caught without something to read. Now of course, the phone takes that place. I read my kindle on my phone but can’t concentrate as much anymore.
SOTD is Philosykos.
I am terrible at matching scents to books but will give you a few of my book recommendations. I admit that I read very few non-fiction books so these will all be fiction.
I am currently reading The Family Chao by Lan Samantha Chang. It is part murder mystery, part love story and part comedy. It is about a Chinese American family attempting to live the American Dream.
Other recent books I thought worth reading were as follows:
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood-Chick Literature/Rom-Com
The Judge’s List by John Grisham-Legal Thriller
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson-Contemporary Mystery Thriller
The Maid by Nita Prose-Mystery
The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz-Historical Fiction
The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman-Romance/Historical Fiction
Bright Burning Things by Lisa Harding-Literary Fiction/Psychology
That’s probably enough from me. I read a book or two a week so could go on forever. I am eager to see others’ recommendations.
I forgot that I had a perfume question as well. Have any of you tried any of the Byredo oils? Just curious if they a good alternative to the perfume.
You smell great!
I have a huge stack of library books that all came at the same time (why can’t they space these out better? Some of these I put on hold a year ago, and now I get 5 at once?), and of course now work is too busy for me to have time or the mental space to read. I’ll have to return and come back to some of these.
I do want to come back to Patrick Radden Keefe’s “Empire of Pain” — I got furthest into it but it’s now officially overdue. I know from his history of the Troubles that I want to finish this one. Sally Rooney’s “Beautiful World” came as well; I’ve read about 5 pages and I’m sort of intrigued but not sure. Over the holidays I finally bought and finished Madeline Miller’s “Circe,” which I highly recommend. I also bought “Crying in H Mart” on that trip, which I started at the end of the last flight and need to come back to.
Oh, and my book for curling up by the fire right now is a guidebook to South Africa. Apparently we have to go on our trip to Africa this year after postponing for the past 2 years, or we lose all the safari payments. Zambia’s all set, but I have to figure out South Africa. I so hope this trip actually happens.
Oh yay for coming to my country South Africa!
Lots of perfume shops,p.s!
??????
I am SOOOO looking forward to it, and to perfume shops! Trying to figure out how to spend a week there — we’re flying to Cape Town from Zambia but I’m not sure if we’ll have time to see anything else. (I have a habit of planning, say, Spain in 10 days — Barcelona, Madrid, Segovia, Toledo, Cordoba, Grenada, and Valencia — and while it’s great to see so much it’s…too much and we should maybe have gone deep on one or two places.)
lol, I’ve done the Spain in 10 days trip — or at least Andalusia! It was so much fun. When we travel with our kids, my theory is to do a big loop and spend a couple of nights in several places so they can get a sense of the country and spend longer in specific places when they’re able to go back on their own. We’ve done that in Andalusia, Ireland, England, and Switzerland. They’ve been able to go back (with or without us) and spend longer in Ireland and England, especially Dublin and London. I will say, we’ve also done a full week just in Barcelona with them, staying in an apartment in a real neighborhood, and the same set-up in Rome, Cannes, London. My husband traveled a lot for work until 2020, so we were able to tack on family trips during or after his business trips. I’m dying to get back to international travel!
Yes — me too! You’re right on with that — the racing through countries is mostly for my kid, who gets to see and learn about all the different cultures even within a country. (We did, however, do Germany in-depth with her, because we lived there when my spouse worked there for a year.) But I have loved whenever we could get off the beaten path or stay in one place for a bit longer. (We backpacked across Switzerland, which took almost 3 weeks — that’s the way to go! But pre-kid. We took her back for an overnight trip, though.)
My spouse also used to travel to conferences a lot, so we tacked on trips. (Japan was the most memorable for my kid.) Now he just has to be up at weird hours doing the conferences online. Sigh.
Empire of Pain was a great read, although the bad behaviour of so many people left me outraged.
I liked it too. and appreciated the author’s tone with such an infuriating subject. Easy to think of perfumes to wear while reading it, like Opium or China White – not to be glib about the subject matter!
South Africa is awesome, you will love it!
In our house, my teen started reading crying in h-mart (I plan to use it in my class and liked it ok, but I think the students will like it a lot).
I think they will love it. And I am reading The Firekeeper’s Daughter because my granddaughter is reading it in school and she recommended it.
I find that also happens to me with library books. It a pain when a bunch come through at once,
We’re in the middle of a very cold winter. We have a lovely fireplace. We don’t have kids. ? Those three things combine into a perfect reading situation. I can download books from our library onto my iPad and take advantage of the choices.
Im reading the fiction Prey series by John Sanford. I have his latest one on hold. I read all of Ruth Reichls non-fiction books on food, I love her writing. And I’ve interspersed Jo Nesbo mysteries along the way.
Today I’m wearing an amber oil I bought in Marrakech. It’s warm and cozy, and brings back good memories. Drinking hot chocolate.
I love Ruth Reichl too, but have not read them all. Which was your favorite?
(And pass the hot chocolate!)
Hello and happy weekend to all NST folks.
I’m currently reading A Court of Silver Flames, part 2 by Sarah J. Maas.
As the perfume today is CdG Kyoto borrowed from my mum.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZmBbp0jtHR/?utm_medium=copy_link
Happy weekend, lucasai. Gee, I wish my mom wore CdG perfume, so I could borrow from her! She has great taste.
I meant, your mom has great taste. Mine couldn’t care less about perfume. 🙂
Loved your photo today with Kyoto!
Sotd is FM Synthetic Jungle
I’m reading Galit Atlas’s Emotional Inheritance: A Therapist, Her Patients and The Legacy of Trauma (Trauma is a “jungle” of sorts).
And I’m always trying to work my way through back issues of Psychologies, a French magazine that’s similar to Psychology Today (but deeper, because it’s French!). Since I’m a psychotherapist and Francophile, these magazines are a double pleasure to read.
do you have any other therapy book recs? I’m getting my EdD in counseling psych and had all these grand plans to start a psych book-club with my fellow students.
Here are a few suggestions:
A General Theory of Love
The Body Keeps the Score
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Have you read anything you particularly enjoyed/found helpful?
Thanks! I participated in a (virtual) conference (Evolution of Psychotherapy) and that got me interested in the “book club” idea, but I had no particular book in mind.
That book looks quite good and I’ve added it to my list.
I hope you enjoy it. She blends the theoretical with the applicable/relatable really well.
No scent yet — samples arrived from Luckyscent yesterday, so I’ll be testing those out later.
Can’t say I can match scents to books, but here’s what I’ve been reading lately:
Last year I treated myself to the entire set of Jeeves & Wooster books, so I’ve been slowly reading thru them in order. By coincidence, my most recent read was the same as Robin’s: Joy In The Morning. Fun.
Currently re-reading the Invisible Library series from Genevieve Cogman — I got the newest one a month ago, decided to start from the beginning to refresh my brain on the details before reading the new one.
Read ‘Road Fever’ by Tim Cahill. It certainly made me NOT want to do what they did (speed-drive from the tip of South America to Alaska).
I’ve read a few mysteries lately — ‘The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ by Stuart Turton; reasonably entertaining. And the Anty Boisjoly Mysteries by PJ Fitzsimmons. Imagine if Bertie Wooster had (some of) Jeeves’s brains, and put them to work solving mysteries amongst his social set. Quick fun reads. Also read the first of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, not sure that character is clicking with me.
Oh! I have windows and doors again! No weatherstripping yet, so there’s gaps around all of them, but it’s progress. Should finish Monday, I hope.
Yay for doors and windows!
Yay! You must be so relieved.
Yay! No plastic to blow off (I hope)!
Ah, I listened to most of Cogman’s The Invisisble Library set on tapes, but they switched narrators for the 5th book, and the new narrator was not a pleasure to listen to! Now I know the next one just came out but I haven’t ordered it yet!
Oh yay for your windows and doors, that’s great!
And I am jealous of your complete set. I have mostly stopped buying new books but I did treat myself to a hardback of Joy in the Morning since I knew it would get read multiple times. Some of my older Jeeves & Wooster books are falling to bits now, I might replace a few of those too.
I think the Wimsey books get better, and he becomes less of a caricature and more of a real person, but life is short so I understand giving up on a series that doesn’t grab you.
I’ve been reading lots of non-fiction from the library at work. They have a lot of deeply technical journals, but also plenty of books suitable for a general audience like me. I’m currently reading The New Alchemists – The rise of deceptive health and next is Big Vape, about the Juul vaping thingy.
I’ve also read Ghost Perfumer, about Creed. Very interesting reading for a perfume enthusiast.
In between, I’ve very much enjoyed the first two books in Angela’s Witch series, and am looking forward to the third.
I’m wearing a tiny dab of TF’s Ebene Fumee. It’s nice and I’d be tempted at somewhere around half the price. As it is, I can consider that a huge amount of money saved.
A book about Juul — I did not know! Is The New Alchemists good?
I had dabbed on En Voyage Captured in Amber this morning but after a shower, I’m wearing Cashmere Mist as a palate cleanser from my winter heavy hitters. I bought this bottle because I found it at an Amish owned dented can store for $10, it was so incongruous I had to buy it. Why don’t I ever wear it, it’s very pretty.
No book recommendations, I can’t make myself concentrate enough. Through the long recovery for foot surgery I thought I’d read all the time but I just wanted to watch old movies and that hasn’t changed.
Love old movies. We are TCM junkies. I check their schedule on-line and then set up to record whatever looks appealing. Last night we watched Key Largo, I haven’t seen that in ages.
That’s what I do, TCM is pretty much all I watch. Just saw Key Largo a couple of weeks ago. That boat scene is so suspenseful!
I wanted to get back to you on air frying frozen dumplings – don’t. When I experimented a 2nd time, I reduced the heat to 375 (from 400) and cooking time to 14 minutes (from 18), flipping them halfway through. I also sprinkled water on the dumplings after spraying them with cooking spray. Although the dumplings were softer, the skin still came out like baked bread which is not the texture of dumplings I was looking for.
Instead of air frying, I did what my mom used to do which was to initially fry them (flatter side down) until there’s a crust on the bottom (~ 3 minutes), adding water to the pan to cover the bottom 5th of the dumplings and steaming until the water is gone (another 10 minutes). So far so good with this method and the only negative is I have to scrub the pan – a little sacrifice for good dumplings!
I need to practice. I tried your mom’s method but didn’t pull the dumplings out in time and burnt them to a crisp once the water was gone. We have had better success with steaming but you don’t get any crispness that way.
And thanks for the report!
SOTD = Eris Parfums Scorpio Rising
I said spicy and clean when I first smelled it on a tester strip and I am sticking with it. If you want spicy, you got spicy. For someone who does not generally like very spicy anything, this gave me the right amount. YMMV. It also has incense, woods, leather and the undertone of clean. I kept the tester strip and one day in (yesterday), it smelled soapy clean.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZm2GlMuXZW/?utm_medium=copy_link
For those interested in a split, I will post info along with Mxxx. next week. Sampling or splitting with 2 is more worth it as a chunk of the cost will come from shipping.
I have nothing for the reading poll but have a question. Does anyone here get the / subscribe to the Saturday Evening Post? I, and probably a million other people, can get it for $10 a year, but is it worth it?
Here’s my Caturday post:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZm3RcxOQT2/?utm_medium=copy_link
So cute!
Interested in your split 🙂
I’ve been taking a digital break for a bit, and so actually have started reading a real book. (It seems like a miracle!)
I’m reading “Always Crashing in the Same Car” by Matthew Specktor. It’s really interesting, and about the relationship an L.A. native has with the city, which has always fascinated me for some reason. I would pair it with California Snow or Jasmin et Cigarette.
SOTD is DedCool’s Taunt. Having a super mellow relaxing day, and I hope everyone else is getting a chance to refresh their spirits this weekend.
Sistine! I love Jasmin et Cigarette ?I saw a message of yours here over Christmas in which you mentioned you were thinking of seeing a life coach-well, it reminded me of how much seeing one helped me when I left my teaching career. I didn’t know what type of work I wanted to move into, and I didn’t know how I could even begin to work without a “vocation” to direct me (or so it seemed, as that was what teaching had been). I found it so, so helpful to have someone to talk to who wasn’t a friend, or a therapist, and who just gently asked me questions about values, status, priorities, time, and other interests. I found this person through a friend’s recommendation, and I think it might have a lot to do with personality, and sympathy, but if you find the right person it’s like a safe, secure way of challenging yourself a little and finding out a new direction for yourself. I hope it all works out for you!
I will have to mention that book to my husband. He has a fascination with LA.
I’m in Paris-Edimbourg this morning, on hold for the bizillionth time in the last 36 hours sorting out identity theft (my husband) and the dozens of freezes and alerts we are setting up. Grrrrrr…
Okay. Books. (Hard to think w a Muzak version of ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ on loop for the last 45 mins—I am not kidding! Verizon.)
I finished an audio version of Moby-Dick that I absolutely loved, and now for a change of pace am listening to Ann Burgess’ memoir ‘A Killer by Design’ about her work on the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences team and the early efforts to develop the field of profiling. She is a scientist and a great communicator, but the subject is still brutal murder. I am learning so much and am enjoying it, but YMMV—especially if you have been a victim of a violent crime. Another recent non-fiction book that I enjoyed was Kelly Shannon’s ‘US Foreign Policy and Muslim Women’s Human Rights.’ And at the moment I am reading the novel ‘Intimacies,’ by Katie Kitamura—which has yet to capture me.. The backdrop is the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but the story is really about one woman’s blow by blow thoughts on colleagues, friends and lovers.
Ugh, so sorry about the identity theft!
Very sorry about the identity theft. What a PIT(ROYAL)A!
I read Intimacies and it was a like not a love. I find it hard to approach widely praised books though.
Wow, sorry about the identity theft and sorry about the song…why??? That’s just annoying.
I have mostly been reading for pure escape. Recently, I finished the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka. Alex owns a bookstore and is a wizard. He has to battle various magical bad guys. That series led me to Harry Dresden, also a wizard taking on bad guys. The first couple Harry books were not great, but either the writing has improved or he has grown on me. Both series I would scent with something smoky, as banishing bad wizards apparently involves setting things on fire a lot. I also read “We Came, We Saw, We Left,” about a family’s nine-month trip around the world. With teenagers. Best accompanied by something boozy, as I don’t know how those parents did it. Like Oakland Fresca I read “A Killer by Design” but as a forensic psychologist I disagree with some of her statements and in particular I am in disagreement with the FBI culture, both toward its female employees and toward female suspects. Of course, the FBI is trying to catch them and I was trying to treat them. I also read many very bad books which I won’t list here. Today I am taking it easy since I seem to have tweaked something in my back, and I am wearing Woman in Gold.
Hope your back feels better soon, foxbins, nice to see you.
Are you familiar with the book Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty by Dr. Roy Baumeister? It’s older and I’m sure things have changed in your field of expertise, but I was wondering what you thought of it, if you are familiar with him/it? I read it years ago after a particularly traumatic experience and it did help me to process it. I found it really fascinating, but still very unsettling.
I haven’t read it–it sounds interesting. Thanks!
A bookstore owning wizard? I think I would really like this series
I hope your back is feeling more comfortable today. Are you watching the Winter Olympics?
A massage yesterday helped, so it feels better, thank you. I’m watching the Pebble Beach pro-am golf tournament today. Olympics during the week 🙂
Had a nice morning out in Balboa Park with our monthly dog club walk, had lunch at the Japanese Tea Garden. Now relaxing at home wearing 4160 Tuesdays Salt Rose. Nothing I read would be of interest so no recommendations. 🙂
Have you seen austenfan recently? It’s been a hot minute, but I sometimes skim the blog and miss stuff. Hoping she’s okay..!
No I haven’t, hope she is well.
Me too! I tend to worry, probably too much, about people in the current situation the world is in. ??♀️
Austenfan has not commented since December.
I used to be a ravenous reader, often staying awake the whole night reading and getting up with 2-3 hours sleep to head to work. Not anymore. Most of my “reading” has been via Audible because of my eye situation. I FINALLY got an official word for the condition: aniseikonia! Since my retinal surgery, I’ve been discombobulated with vision. At my age, my brain seems to lack the plasticity to overcome this, but I will say it’s gotten a bit better (or I’ve adjusted to it) over time.
The only reading I’m doing right now is short bursts of studying for ACLS renewal, because of course they’ve (AHA) have changed all their algorithms. Again. So now you have to buy a new ridiculously expensive text to go along with it. Ugh.
I’m in Bvlgari Omnia because it’s like an old friend, and I feel like I need one right now.
I can relate to the eye issues. I have one eye that is radically worse than the other, so bad that it is not correctable with glasses. Dr. says my brain is filtering out all the distorted images being received by the bad eye. This developed over many years. So the answer is yes, your brain will get used to it and it will improve. 🙂
Gah, sorry about your eye! Between the two of us, we should be able to hit the broadside of a barn with a 12 gauge! ?
I’m old! I’ll be your friend!??
Thanks Pal! It’s good to know I have a Soul Sister! ?♀️
https://youtu.be/Tn0-6n_dng4
So 70’s in the very best possible way!! I want those platform shoes so bad, but I don’t think they go with the rolling walker I’m using these days ?
I recently read “On Animals” by Susan Orleans, which is a compilation of previous pieces she did on all sorts of animals. I think she’s a great writer, and I like reading about animals, so it was a no brainer and did not disappoint!
Also read the Perfume Companion, but that’s more of a bedside table read a few reviews before lights out book. Still fun.
The last novel I read was “Year of wonders”, set in medieval England during the plague. A good read, engrossing, felt very timely, but was in fact written prior to the pandemic.
I usually read in a book club, which forces me to try different kinds of fiction than I would pick, but this semester I have a time conflict so I’ll be reading textbooks mostly…
SOTD Habit Rouge, from a swap here, so nice!
I just gifted a friend who is a budding perfumista The Perfume Companion — it’s a great addition to all the perfume review books
It might be really good for someone new to the hobby as it covers all kinds of price ranges in there!
Book I am currently reading is (yet another) Washington biography, titled His Excellency. I feel like this one is more definitive and follows him from his early adulthood and throughout the Revolution, where I have my bookmark. Actually kind of appropriate, given that his birthday is coming up. 🙂
SOTD: Bottega Veneta.
I ended up reading the Chernow instead, but that one looks really good.
It is good. I like biographies that delve into the personality of the subject, not just the history. But I may still check out your rec if I need another George fix, 😉
Have been fairly productive for a Saturday and sampled the rather lackluster Lemon Island today. Really meh. Going to douse myself in something better and richer for the evening.
Just started listening to Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work by Melody Wilding which I stumbled upon after reading an online article the author wrote. Work has been stressful the last couple months. Too early to tell if the book will be helpful but I definitely overthink work things when I am not overthinking vanilla things. 😉
So sorry about the work stress. It becomes an all-consuming thing.
I need to check that out; I overthink everything! Sometimes I exhaust myself..lol
Overthinking, the story of my life. 😉
Well well well… look who’s reading a book!
Ok, technically I haven’t started it yet. I received Norm Macdonald Based on a true story ( not a memoir) for Christmas. I am saving it for the right mood, and am looking forward to it.
My sotd was Organza for a very busy work night. I love this perfume.
You smell wonderful! I might wear Organza today.
I’m in mostly pain and sleep mode after my knee surgery on Thursday. This pain is no joke and I’ve had both hips and one shoulder done. It’s the worst. My friends are taking good care of me and I had my first visit from home therapy PT this morning. Not terrible but I’ve got a long ways to go. I brought a few small samples with me but am not ready yet to use any.
I read a book a philosophy friend of mine wrote recently and I heartily recommend it, especially if you like Jane Austen. There are lots of spin-offs of Pride and Prejudice, but this is unusual in taking up the position of the heroine’s best friend Charlotte, whom everyone pities after she agrees to marry the ridiculous Mr. Collins. There are lots of twists and turns along her way toward her own more happy life. It’s a fun perspective on the novel and includes an interesting visit to Bath, plus a bit more sexy scenes than the original. It uses Austen’s style and is both witty and creative. Here’s a link to a short review of it: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/charlottes-story/?fbclid=IwAR0LuXzkh7XNe0sFg-7ZJyF5pY8xU0peeZL0DKEecf2wxLW1k_3BoMeAsGo.
I read The Perfume Thief and think most everyone here would like it. It weaves together lives of high class courtesans in Occupied Paris with perfume history and secrets, gender blurring, and jazz. Lots of nefarious political stuff too.
My newest read is a re-read for a book study group, The Brothers Karamazov. We’re reading it in the much- praised newer translations by Peavey and ?—his Russian wife. The characters are so varied but you could scent them with Russian tea, booze, smoke, and incense. I’m not sure what perfume that adds up to!
I thought I was commenting directly, see below.
Sorry about the pain-levels!Hang in there!???
Hope your pain eases soon!
So sorry about the pain. I did a trial of all my perfumes by fragrance notes when I was in a lot of pain and trying to cope with the hours between being able to top up on painkillers ( especially during the night) …as I had read about the merits of lavender. I found that all perfumes offered a tad of distraction regardless of the perfume notes but Chypre Mousse was the most peaceful and grounding by far, with Jicky a distant second. Painkillers were far and away best though. Take care of yourself and stay hopeful. You might enjoy the book I suggested below on convalescence.
So sorry about your pain level! I’ve had a knee replacement and it is the worst pain I’ve had. You’ll feel so much better though. Take your meds.
Sunday!
Sunshine and no rain thus far,I went to check on the floodlevels this morning,and stupidly tried to waddle through some low-ish flowing streams.I of course lost my flipflops,one got stuck on some slickety mud so I just removed my foot from the other one and let them join the multitude of crocs,slippers and other flipflops that’s taking a journey by river.Lol.
SOTD on this glorious day is Liquides Imaginaires Fortis.Beast-mode.I smell like I should be somewhere in Marocco,somewhere in the desert,or having turkish coffee with Uncle Serge.Do seek it out if you are looking for religion in fragrance-form.
XO’s
P.S,there are some updated footage of the floodlevel on my Insta,if anybody wants to see.Plus the first 10 seconds of my stupidity before losing said flipflops(I do cuss a bit in afrikaans,sorrynotsorry)
??✌?
Glad all you lost were your flip flops!
Glad the rain has passed. We’ve had days of rain too. Crazy summer
I love this poll! I have discovered such great books through it. If I like a book by a serial author I tend to get their entire back list. This year I have been working my way through Jojo Meyes and Lisa Jewell books. All so great
Wafting Le Lion from yesterday and about to try cross country skiing for the first time!
I am so glad people find good books this way 🙂
Have fun cross country skiing!
Currently in Tobacco Vanille but when I take a shower, I will be switching to something else. I don’t know yet on what I will pick out. I haven’t had the attention span to do any kind of reading in quite a while.
I went years without enough attention to read more than a couple books a year, so I hear you!
First wearing of Les Bains Guerbois Bains Douches, weird name for a fruity ambery incense perfume (Bertrand Duchaufour, naturally). Off for a walk down to the Cuban pastry shop on this Sunday morning, brilliant sun in the mid 70’sF/mid 20’sC.
Enjoy your day and that sun!
Your morning sounds great!
Nice Sunday. Enjoy your pastries.
The fact that you have a Cuban pastry shop in your neighborhood is fantastic! Plus, you smell good. Pastry and perfume for the win.
I’m in another fruity amber — 1804 by Histoires de Parfums.
My big summer reading project (the Bible) has taken a back seat to a couple of shorter works, and I really need to start writing down what I read but I never will. Here’s a couple of recent good books
Nonfiction: Gavin Francis, Recovery: The Art of Getting Better. Written by a doctor this is part history, part examination of the importance of Recovery and Convalescence whether for mental or physical ailments. A call for taking your time. Also looks at the importance of nature, pets etc. in aiding recovery. Interesting and useful.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jan/18/recovery-the-lost-art-of-convalescence-by-dr-gavin-francis-review-the-art-of-getting-better?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
I read a lot of Australian literature and two recent novels:
Larissa Behrendt is an Aboriginal author and After Story tells of a lawyer daughter taking her mother on a literary tour of England. A nice teasing out of English Culture ( dominant) from Indigenous wisdom side of the story.
Jessica Au is a writer from Melbourne with an Asian background. Cold Enough for Snow is another daughter/ mother travel novel, this time the journey is to Japan. The writing is spare, observational and this is a short novella. Visits to galleries, nature, talking and not talking. Not plot driven. Really good book.
Untraceable by Russian author Sergei Lebedev. Not really a thriller but thriller adjacent. A chemist who developed a nerve agent, Neophyte, defects to the West after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Years later a former army commander is tasked with killing him using the same chemical. The book crisscrosses between the two characters and is an examination of Russian power, politics etc. Really interesting
https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/written-in-the-face-on-sergei-lebedevs-untraceable/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/feb/04/cold-enough-for-snow-by-jessica-au-review-a-graceful-novella-about-how-we-pay-attention?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Cold Enough for Snow
https://readingmattersblog.com/2021/09/25/after-story-by-larissa-behrendt/
After Story
Great suggestions! I’ll look into all of these–especially the one on convalescence.
Thanks Kanuka!
Hello everyone! Wore Allure edt today and at some point it became very cosy and comforting so that was a nice surprise. I’m PdE Ambre Russe now and it’s making me think of raisins and pastries, not at all what I expected! Chipping in to recommend The History of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World’s Most Famous Perfume, by Tilar J Mazzeo (I finished it this morning-currently if I finish a book a month I’m doing well. I used to read a couple a week ☹️). It’s good, published more than 10 years ago but still feels timely and very well researched (a shame there are no illustrations or photographs in it though!). Plus, I met the author years ago at a conference in Toronto when I was a grad student, and she was very nice! I did find it increased my dislike of Chanel the person (her business dealings during the second world war are even worse that I had previously thought, from reading biographies, and those are covered in detail here) but it’s an interesting read. Wishing you all peace and comfort today. Whew, what a world.
It is so interesting what an amazing job the brand has done “keeping her legend alive”, isn’t it? I meant to read that book but never did.
I’m reading the His Dark Materials series for the first time and am halfway through the second, The Subtle Knife. i loved The Golden Compass and am glad that The Subtle Knife is finally upping the tension and conflict and pulling me in more. And looking forward to the HBO series once I finish the books. For perfume pairing, maybe Spell 125 or Coven for The Golden Compass.
Prior to His Dark Materials and after finishing Dune in the fall, I read mostly comic/graphic novel series. I finished the Paper Girls series, which was a super fun time travel adventure that will be made into a tv series on Amazon Prime. I also read the two most recent collections of The Ice Cream Man, horror leaning comics. Then in December I read Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes.
No perfume yet today, but I’m thinking of the grape hyacinth perfume from DSH since I have a recently arrived travel spray and it’s sunny and chilly today. I can start to sense the turn towards spring. The DSH is called New Hope so very fitting.
Love that series! Found the third one a little slower but in a way that made sense (as necessary, I mean) and really enjoyed the 2 followup books so far in Book of Dust. Also do recommend the 4 novellas / “companion books” if you can get them at a library.
Oh, good. Thanks for letting me know it’s worth it to continue with those books.
Wearing Baiser de Russie today and need to spritz on more. Slept poorly…my husband isn’t feeling well so was up and down a lot himself. But, I did make it to church and then did some errands, driving home just as the snow was starting. I think that will be off and on much of the day, evening.
My reading has tapered off the last couple of weeks. I have about 5 e-books on hold at the library. Still sitting here is the hardback of “Pops”, which is the bio of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachout. Hopefully I will get to it before it’s due back. I’ve mostly read books that came up at cheap or free recommendations. “Deconstructed” by Liz Talley was amusing fluff. The Z-Day trilogy by Daniel Humphrey was entertaining, especially as it was written in 2016 – pre-dating the pandemic (vaccines do come up). I don’t normally read those kinds of books, but I enjoyed these three. Also read White Heron, which is first book in a new JJ Marsh series. My county library gave out copies of “Truck: a Love Story” by Michael Perry as part of “Door County Reads 2022”. I haven’t started it yet, but am looking forward to it.
Hey all! Super late to the party, but I love the reading polls. I recently started “Free Love” by Tessa Hadley. I really like her writing, and it’s good so far. I’m also reading a book a friend of mine wrote, which has yet to be published, but I hope it will be eventually! It’s sort of a romance I guess, but more literary than most. She wants my feedback so I have to come up with some good comments.
Today I wore Cap Neroli from my new bottle, and it’s so nice. I’d put it in the same family as L’Eau de L’Artisan and Annick Goutal’s Eau du Sud.
Now I’m going to read the rest of the comments!
Welcome to the party and you smell great!