Book Review: The Marriage Plot

The second book we read for our book club is The Marriage Plot, by Jeffrey Eugenides, which we read during November and December of 2013. The illustration is by Ward Sutton, and was drawn for the 12 Days of Drawn to Read. Please note that this review does contain plot details and spoilers.

When the book club selected The Marriage Plot, we were hoping to discuss something with a strong central female character. We were disappointed.

The book centers around three Brown students during the eighties, and follows them through their college and postgraduate years. The first, Madeleine Hanna, is a beautiful and privileged English major who has an unfashionable fascination with the classic marriage stories of British literature during a period when her peers are more interested in semiotics and literary theory. Her classmate Mitchell Grammaticus is a theology student with an obsessive crush on Madeline, and spends the book trying to reconcile his religious beliefs with his human failings. Finally, Leonard Bankhead, who dates, and eventually marries, Madeline, is an enigmatic, brilliant, and initially charismatic biologist with self-destructive and manic-depressive tendencies.

Setting Schedules: Life Planner and Daily Routine

I want to make the most productive use of my time, but it can be difficult to be productive when I have the luxury of free time. When there's a day off, it's easy to let the time get away from me; early on, when the entire day is ahead of me, it can be overwhelming, and there isn't the sense of urgency that might motivate me to do something fun or rewarding. Then, when my time is nearly up, it is easy to become either frantic or defeated, and feel unable to get anything done at all.

I've tried various methods of time management and scheduling, including using a few iPhone apps that are designed to help you schedule your day. When I know that I'll have a dedicated period of free time, it can be helpful to plan it out ahead of time. It forces me to think about what I might be able to accomplish, realistically, when I have some time to myself. Just as importantly, it helps motivate me to get started on a particular task rather than dragging my feet and hoping there will be time for it later. I find that it takes less willpower to work on a project if it is already on a schedule and I am being "forced" to do it, because there is less to keep me in line or make me feel obligated when my schedule is open-ended.

Book Review: Everything is Illuminated

I will be posting reviews of the various books I've been reading as part of the book club. The first book on this list is Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran Foer, which we read during October and November of 2013. The illustration is by Gemma Correll, of the Picture Book Report blog. Please note that this review does contain plot details and spoilers.

Everything is Illuminated is ostensibly about the author's search for a woman, pictured in a photograph, who saved his grandfather's life during the destruction of Trachimbrod, a remote Ukranian village, by the Nazis during World War II. However, the story of his search, as narrated by his guide, Alex, is interwoven with the fantastical history of the shtetl itself, and with the story of Alex, his family, and their connection to the story of Trachimbrod.

Booked

In October 2013, my friend Liz and I met up for a low-key afternoon of coffee and chatter. At some point, the two of us got onto the topic of literature, and how we had gotten away from the practice of regularly reading books. Out of that conversation came the idea of starting a book club, and, fortunately, we were able to run with the idea. As a result of that short conversation, I've gotten to read six books that I probably wouldn't have checked out, engaged in interesting conversations, tried out a few cafes, and gotten to know some new friends. The weekly meetings have really been a fun thing to look forward to over the past year.

The group started small, with three active members, but expanded to six in the spring. While life would sometimes get in the way of meetings, and people may occasionally need to sit a book out when other responsibilities take priority, we've persisted and been able to keep up a good pace without abandoning any books.

Mail Order Lifestyles: LeTote

A few weeks ago, my sister recommended LeTote, calling it "Netflix for clothes." Since my curiosity was piqued by the description, and because it sounded like an interesting concept, I decided to give it a shot.

I've been feeling a little bored and dissatisfied with my wardrobe for a while. Some outfits get worn all too often, or are worn out, or looked good when I tried them on but pose unanticipated problems when I'm wearing them out in the world (flimsy buttons, for example). Still, the prospect of going on a shopping spree to find replacement outfits is daunting, and likely to be expensive. Plus, even if I like a piece of clothing well enough in the store, it's difficult to predict whether I'll want to incorporate it into my regular wardrobe.

LeTote helps to alleviate this problem, since it essentially gives you a rotating wardrobe for a $50 subscription fee. If there's an article of clothing you like particularly well, you can buy it (at a discounted price) by holding on to it or ordering it at the website later.

Mail-Order Lifestyles: Blue Apron

When you're working, or even when you have some free time, it can be a challenge to eat well, or develop your cooking skills. It is easy to fall back on the same rotation of frozen and ready-made meals, or overpriced takeout and restaurant dishes. And, even if you want to cook more, it can be intimidating to figure out new foods to try, so it's easy to fall back on the small number of meals you are familiar and comfortable with.

With that in mind, I decided to follow a friend's suggestion and try out Blue Apron, a cooking service which delivers ingredients and recipes to your doorstep on a weekly basis.

When subscribing with the service, you set the number of people who will be eating the meals (2, 4, or 6), and any preferences in terms of meats that you are willing or unwilling to eat. You can also designate a day for the food to be delivered. Once your preferences are in place, the company will ship the ingredients for three meals every week, unless you notify them (at least one week in advance) that you will be skipping a week.