Book Haul

Despite better intentions, this month witnessed a bit too much book buying. After last months excessive splurge I really couldn't justify adding any more books to my ever growing collection but somehow, I did. 

I decided to go down a different route, to me these books can be dipped in and out of. There isn't so much a need to sit down and read them all at once. I suppose they are what you would call coffee table books. This is all a round about way to convincing myself that my bank balance could handle another book binge. It couldn't. Next month I'll have to go cold turkey. Wish me luck! 

642 Things To Write About: The San Francisco Writers' Grotto

This is a notebook of sorts, each page containing a number of prompts to get the creating juices flowing. It's a brilliant idea, forcing you to break your usual writing mould. I can't wait to get stuck into this!

It's Kind of a Funny Story: Ned Vizzini

Ok so this doesn't necessarily fit with my 'coffee table' theme but it was bought in the same order so I'm going to include it anyway. I saw a review of this floating around and that is pretty much the only reason I bought it. I am otherwise going in blind but from the sound of it, I'm expecting great things. The blurb alludes to a tale of depression and mental illness but told in a witty and sensitive manner. 

It: Alexa Chung 

I can't really remember why I started liking Alexa Chung, but there is something about her that I have always liked. She pulls off a fringe in a way that I will always envy and her sense of style is something I will always admire. Again, this a good book to dip in and out of and it has a beautiful dusky pink cloth cover that just made me swoon when it arrived. 

Fashion That Changed the World: Jennifer Croll

I love fashion, I took textiles GCSE and loved every moment of it, my project was inspired by 1960s fashion. With Audrey Hepburn on the front, I could hardly pass up the opportunity to add this to my collection. 

How to be Parisian: Sophie Mas, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, Anne Berest

After finally making my way over to Paris in the summer, I developed a rather unhealthy obsession with the city. As a classicist at heart I was unwilling to admit that a city other than Rome or Athens had been beaten to top spot. But it happened. I loved Paris more than I ever thought I would, for the first time ever I didn't want to return to England. 

Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments!

Eilidh 

Paris

As of a month ago Paris did not feature on my list of top 5 cities to visit. Not that I didn't appreciate the beauty of the city, but rather that as a Classics student, Italy had always held a solid first place in my heart with Greece coming a close second- Rome, Florence and Athens were the cities I dreamt of visiting. But, when my friends decided to go to Paris I was happy to be going away with them, any city would have done. But I well and truly fell in love with Paris, I would go as far as to say that out of all the cities I have visited, it is my favourite.

(view down the Champs-Elysees from the top of the Arc de Triomphe)

(The Eiffel Tower at night)

(at the top of the Eiffel Tower, embracing the wind)

(view from the Eiffel Tower)

All is all I had a brilliant time, we did all the incredibly touristy things, we went up the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower. Spent a couple of hours in the Louvre and then battled through the masses to catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa. We went to the Sacre Coeur, went on a boat tour down the river Seine and did a night bus tour around Paris. Whilst I enjoyed every moment, I can understand why there is a reputation for Parisians leaving the city in the summer, the tourists really took over the city, all traveling in huge groups and I finally saw the infamous selfie stick being used. Ideally I would go back to the city at another time of the year and see it in a different light.

Have you ever been to Paris? What is your favourite city?

Eilidh