Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood- Rebecca Wells

Let’s here it for the girls! This is the sequel to Little Altars Everywhere (the book most of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood movie was based on). This story focuses more on Vivi and her life growing up and how the Ya-Ya Sisterhood was formed. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading and definitely recommend to all of my girlfriends.

Let my people go surfing (the education of a reluctant business man)- Yvon Chouinard

I’m sold. Where do I sign? In this book, the founder and owner of Patagonia Inc., details the history of the company and it’s philosophies (from production to human resources). He is fiercely passionate about environmental activism to the point that it seems to have shaped his religious and political views, and he shares it all in the book.

An active outdoorsman, Chouinard founded Patagonia accidentally when he started developing climbing gear for his own personal use before it even existed anywhere else. As climber friends started requesting his gear the demand mandated a more formal operation which evolved into the Patagonia you know today (well….for climbing equipment it‘s Black Diamond Ltd.).

I happened across this book after a segment on NPR about the corporate culture at Patagonia piqued my interest in working for the company. After reading it I am more determined than ever to land a job there. Contacts anyone?

Marching Powder- Rusty Young and Thomas McFadden

An amazing true story of a British drug trafficker arrested in Bolivia. He was assigned to San Pedro prison in La Paz where inmates lead nearly normal lives. Wives and children are allowed to stay the night with their husbands/fathers and leave the prison at will. Inmates are required to buy their own prison cells which more resemble apartments.

San Pedro prison is also where some of the best cocaine is manufactured. The narrator, Thomas, describes it all in detail. He also talks about how he fell into becoming a tour guide for the prison which was listed in Lonely Planet as a place to see. It was an absolutely fascinating book and a quick read. Definitely something I wasn’t ashamed to be caught reading at the airport.

Whiteman- Tony D’Souza

Another out of Africa book and typical Peace Corps read. This book is a fictional story about an NGO worker in Cote d’Ivore during tribal conflict. Most of the story the narrator recounts his village life and the goings-on there. Like many of the other books I read I felt as though I was reading about my life here….only this was written from a guy’s perspective and their lives are a little more….how would I describe it? “Colorful” than the lives of us gals. In any case it was a decent story and a I’d recommend it to guys and girls alike.

The Lost Continent- Bill Bryson

Yep. I liked Bill Bryson so much that I went ahead and read another book of his. This is his witty take on America as he takes a roadtrip across the country in search of the perfect small town. His descriptions of some towns are dripping with sarcasm that will make you laugh out loud, but during the parts of his trip he was bored, he bored me the reader as well. I guess that's fair enough. I liked best reading his thoughts on places I have actually been. I was laughing hysterically at his description of Mackinac Island. And for my LA friends, I can't resist including his bit on it here:

As I was so close to Los Angeles, I toyed with the idea of driving on in,
but I was put off by the smog and the traffic...I think it's only right that
crazy people should have their own city, but I cannot for the life of me see why
a sane person would want to go there.

A Short History of Nearly Everything- Bill Bryson

If you're looking to tap into your inner science geek, this is the book for you. It's actually a short history of nearly everything "scientific." Bryson has done an amazing job putting the most complex scientific topics in layman's terms. In fact, if you're someone who never really got what science is all about, then this is a good book for you as well. I found it incredibly mentally stimulating and entertaining at the same time.

Bryson adds personality to well-known and unknown scientists of all disciplines by including anecdotes and personality quirks. My only bone of contention would be that each chapter seems to cover a topic (i.e., geology, astro-physics) almost entirely independent of the others. To his credit Bryson did create some linkages between the topics, but more than once I would be reading something I was positive contradicted something else I'd read earlier (i.e., how long ago earth was created). Then again, for all the information we know/have in science, there's nearly just as much we don't so maybe the contradictions are the reality rather than an oversight by the author.

Be Honest- You're Not That Into Him Either- Ian Kerner

First and foremost, I am completely embarrassed to be including this title in my list of reviews next to books like The Great Gatsby, but since I read it, I guess I feel obliged. I think the pink cover sucked me in. Believe it or not, there is some substance in this book beyond fluffy confidence boosters for women with no self-esteem. Kerner describes, in detail, the chemical processes at work in both males and females as they relate to sex and relationships. Girls, next time you feel psycho over a guy, you can rest easy. You're not actually psycho, you've just got too much oxytocin in your system (incidentally, it's released during orgasm so quit sleeping around). He also includes a brief history on the sexual revolution of women.

I disliked the "wrap-up" sections at the end of each chapter; "'Be Honest' functions as a two A.M. phone call from your best friend, the voice of reality. 'Raise and Reach,' provides some ideas on how to raise your standards and reach for the love you deserve." Yeah, umm, both sections were the fluff I was talking about and a total waste of time. If you read nothing else, girls, do yourself a favor and read the Conclusion (at the end of the book obviously) written by the author's wife. It's hilarious.