thank you for smoking

one of the most witty, well written and sharp books i have read in ages. nick naylor's character brings intelligent sexiness back, and his dry sense of humor and quick thinking make for a great protagonist.

EVERYone should read this book. it took me all of 7 hours, so a very quick read. there is a plot, but it not as important as the tone of the novel and the message it is sending.

i don't want to give too much away, since that will be easy to do if i keep gushing, so you should all go out and get it right away. this is one of those few books that mixes social commentary, humor and a storyline very well. i got it from the library, but now am thinking of buying my own copy. can't wait to see the movie in oct...

Cold Mountain

A slow, sad read. I rushed through the ending to find out what happened, but missed much. If you were to pick up this book, be prepared for much detail and description, some warrented and some just a hinderance.

The book follows Inman, a Civil War soldier who ran off from his hospital bed to his sweetheard Ada, whom he left behind on Cold Mountain, and Ada, a rich preacher's daugher, left fatherless and alone on a farm about which she knows nothing. Both struggle to survive and are held up and helped by different characters along the way. As the cast of this novel grew, I realized that this was less about plot than it was about the characters and their own development.

the writing was good but a bit slow at time. the destitution and the desperation of the characters comes across very well, and the author painted a detailed picture of the south in 1864 in vivid and heartbreaking colors.

this is a heavy read with a solid ending. i would reccomend, but on a rainy day, not at the beach.