Friday, July 11, 2008

Friday Finds

Some books I'm excited about this week:

The Story of French. I picked this one up the other day at a substantial
discount, like $7 for the hardcover instead of $25.95- much better, thank you! I'm so spoiled on free books these days that I have to really want something to go out and pay for it, and even then I'm still pretty cheap. But I'm also an unrepentant Francophile and a history of the French language written in a friendly, accessible tone was too good to resist. Did you know that French is the only language besides English taught in every country of the world? Or that 10% of Israelis are Francophones? Or that the number of Francophones worldwide has tripled since World War II? And that's just in the introduction. I don't know quite when I'm going to get around to reading it but I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Also, in the mail this week, courtesy of Random House, is the ARC of Curtis Sittenfeld's new novel, the weighty but very readable American Wife. It's one of those books that I started in on right away- it clocks in around 600 pages, so I won't be reviewing it next week or anything, but I'm enjoying it so far. Fifty or so pages into this first-person story of a woman who grows up to be First Lady, and we have sex and secrets and illness and first love. Should be good!

What did you get this week that you're excited about?

9 comments:

Laura said...

American Wife is one of the books that excites me in this month's ER batch. I can't wait to read your review of it!

Laura said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Florinda said...

I requested American Wife from LT Early Reviewers. I was iffy about Sittenfeld's second novel, but I loved Prep - so I'm sure I'll read this one anyway, but I'm open to sooner rather than later :-). I'll be interested in your opinion of it.

tanabata said...

I'm also a bit of a Francophile so the Story of French sounds really good to me too.

Anonymous said...

Great book bargain - I love when that happens!

I got *American Wife* this week also. It is a BIG book, but I got pulled in to the first chapter...forced myself out to finish a few other books first. I'll check back for your review.

Jill said...

I can't wait to read your view of American Wife. It's on my TBR list. I enjoyed Prep, but not her second one (agreed with Florinda), but I still have high hopes.

moazzam sheikh said...

i guess you can call me a closet francophile. i don't speak it but i have immense respect for what it has given the world of ideas and literature. i remember reading a wonderful review when this book came out a few years ago and since then have mentioned it to some folks. besides, when in paris 14 years ago, i went to proust's grave and laid a flower on it.
- moazzam

Andi said...

I didn't even realize Curtis Sittenfeld had a new one. Or maybe I just forgot. Can't wait to read your final thoughts on it.

Andi said...

I didn't even realize Curtis Sittenfeld had a new one. Or maybe I just forgot. Can't wait to read your final thoughts on it.