"Bel Ami" by Guy de Maupassant

Publish date: 1885

Genre: Fiction/Literature

Number of Pages: 357

"Bel Ami" is a story set in 17th century Paris. A story of social repute, predominance, and coitus measure and the means of acquiring everything one desires and aspires for. The main characters are: George Duroy, Madame de Marelle (aka Clotilde), Madame Forestier (aka Madeleine, along with many other acronyms), and Madame Walter. All of the female characters have their respective spouses, but none seem to leap off the pages as these four do.

The central character is George Duroy, who arrives in Paris, penniless, after finding the military a less than desirable way to make a living. He prefers to reside in a much better habit and is in want of the easiest means possible to achieve said goal. With a few well placed friends, George procures a job as an incipient young journalist for the "Vie Française". Having been interposed to a higher society of people, he longs for riches, and above all prestige. George resorts to seducing and betraying various women of wealth in order to attain these goals.

I long to tell you how this novel ends seeing as how I am an ending person, but alas, no spoilers here! I will say that the novel was deeply engaging, but not what I predicted in the end. And for those of you who are non-readers I have some tasty tidbits for you as well! The new movie version comes out in theaters August 25th, 2011 and will be starring Robert Pattinson as George Duroy, Uma Thurman as Madame Forestier, Christina Ricci as Madame de Marelle, and (I believe) Kristin Scott Thomas as Madame Walter.

~Fin~
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"Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain

pages: 352

Why I read this book: My boss gave this book to me for my birthday, knowing how much I love Anthony Bourdain.

To state first off....Anthony Bourdain is a GOD in my foodie world. The reason? The man spent his childhood in France eating traditional french food and loved it. Early on he was a very adventerous eater and took joy  grossing out his his family by eating things such as raw oysters. Second, he is an older, Sean Connery-esque, handsome man with that bad boy edge. Third, WITTY BANTER-Tony can write astonishingly well.

OK, now on to the book itself. He really does give you a brutal view of the resturant world that most of us would never know about. Tony starts readers at the forefront of what you do not want to hear about where your beloved food comes from and initially I was intimidated to ever eat out again. I also had no idea chefs were such playboys. Apparently they get more ass than most movie stars. Like most hip 20-something punks on a careening spiral to who knows where, Tony is the master.

I do not often read nonfiction, but this was a very fresh and welcome change for me. I enjoyed his writing so much I ordered his sequel to this book ( Nasty Bits ) and will have to try on his fiction as well.

E