Gigi

 

This is Colette's most famous work, a novella. It's about a playboy and the gossip of his numerous relationships. Eventually, he falls for Gigi a young girl. SPOILERS: I like how Gigi wasn't blown away by his proposal. She just says in the end I'd rather be with you than without you. This isn't my favorite Colette work though. I really love the Claudine books. They are fun and very charming but then so was this. Colette was one of the best things to ever come out of France.   

Venus in the Blind Spot

 

I'm in the middle about this Junji Ito release. I liked the stories "Venus in the Blind Spot" and "Billions Alone". There were two Rampo adaptations "The Human Chair" and "An Unearthly Love." I've read "The Human Chair" by Rampo before and Ito does a good job on it. But the nudity in "An Unearthly Love" made me uncomfortable. Not only that two of the stories featured in this collection have been in other books I own by Ito which makes me feel like I got ripped off. I can't say this is essential to own.

Amazing Things are Happening Here

 

Jacob M. Appel was an author I randomly picked up. I was in the mood for a short story collection at the time. This is the second book of short stories I've read from him. He manages to be quirky and original. My favorite story from this book has to be the one where an old woman reluctantly agrees that her husband can marry a different woman at his nursing home. The woman's husband pressures her to do so. Appel has also written novels so I'll have to see how he does at that.  

Many Waters

 

This is the fourth book in Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quintet series. It's ok. There aren't that many young adult or children's books that delve into Biblical times. The only other one I have read was The Bronze Bow and that was a superior book. I like how this book centers around Sandy and Dennys two characters we have barely got to know in the Time Quintet series. They enter Biblical times when Noah starts building an ark. Most of the book is focused on what will happen to the girl they like Yalith. Will she get drowned with the others?  It took me a while to finish this book so I can't say it was a page-turner. Still, I have to give it to L'Engle. This book was at least different than most books you find in children's literature. 

Daisy Miller

This was an ok novella by Henry James. It's about an American girl who becomes the fascination of a man named Winterbourne. She flirts with an Italian man and after getting a bad reputation Winterbourne loses interest in her. It is only after her death that Winterbourne discovers she did nothing. Winterbourne has to deal with the fact she was a jerk. It was a nice commentary on the damage gossip can do even tainting people who have done nothing. I have no desire to see the movie version by Peter Bogdanovich. My imdb.com ratings says I already watched it and I didn't give it a good rating. I have no memory of it. It probably was forgettable.