The book fairy has whacked me in the face with her reading wand. Now that the homestead is free from weekend chatter and sports stats, I can read in peace.  Characteristically, I go through reading waves. During the down swing I go without picking up a book for months -during those months I carry around my cute petite handbags.  During the upswing, in a medium to large handbag, I tote a book around and am ready to whip it out at the drop of a subway token or a flash of a metro pass.  Exempt from these parabolic trends, of course, are instances when I travel – one must always be prepared for when your in seat screen doesn’t work, and the week leading up to a job interview -to ensure that I can authentically answer “what are you reading right now?” if the interviewer asks.

However, regardless of when and in between attempts to re-read Fitzgerald, lately I find that I’ve been drawn to books written by ass kicking women; the females who have hustled their way to successes.  It started with the book The Gospel According to Chanel then to Kelly Cutron’s If You Want to Cry Go Outside and then to Tina Fey’s Bossy Pants [perhaps one of the funniest books I’ve EVER read].  This snowballed into a collection of other popular books that I devoured as per Amazon’s recommendations.

The current reading wave I’m riding was sparked by Lena Dunham.  I attended one of her book readings for Not That Kind of Girl.  After hearing her read a chapter from the book and adding in several colourful asides, I knew that her ranting style and comedic stories drawn from mundane life events would command enough interest from page to page to hold my attention. She delivered.  I was uncomfortable, laughing, and diagnosing myself with ailments all at the same time.

My most recent literary conquer is Mindy Kailing’s, Is Everyone Hanging Out with Me? [and Other Concerns].  I may be a little late to board the Kaling train [as I know this book has been out for quite some time] but tardy or not, I LOVE Mindy; both as Mindy Kaling and as Dr. Mindy Lahiri. Her book is filled with chapters of hilarity that describe her foray into the comedy world from her beginnings as a PA on a Psychic TV show to her success as a writer on the Office with her thoughts and opinions on general life topics and lists of specific things in between.  The more I read through her book, the more I decided that Mindy and I had a lot in common.  Besides the whole visible minority thing, we both love Conan O’Brien, admire Tina Fey, are thoroughly amazed by Amy Poehler’s 12-year old pigtailed SNL character Kaitlin, and are over analyzers of the non significant parts in everyday life events.  Great read!

M Y  R E C E N T  B O O K  L I S T  | some books that I’ve read or will be reading soon [all of which are in the ‘kick ass women’ genre]

.Not that Kind of Girl | by Lena Dunham

.Is Everyone Hanging Out With Me? [And Other Concerns]

.How to be Parisian Wherever You are | by Anne Berest, Caroline De Maigret, Audret Diwan + Sophie Mas – effortlesss joie de vivre described through life events from a Parisian eye.  Its an easy read equipped with images that are oh so Parisian cool and will make you want to pack your key fashion pieces and move to Paris.

.I’ll Drink to That | by Rebecca Paiey + Betty Halbreich

.Yes Please | by Amy Poehler

If you’re riding the reading wave or are a reader on the regular, happy reading!

Mike and I [and Amy Poehler] are off to the UK for a week.  For updates on our UK adventure, follow my Instagram, otherwise stay tuned for a future travel post or 3!

Signing off from Toronto Pearson Airport,