It's been a while, FlyingFlower, but I found it a fascinating glimpse into another world. It's in my bookcase, and I'll read it and enjoy it again some day. But not particularly for decorating help. The world that existed for her was one in which "people" shared their homes with a bunch of underlings. She treated hallways as semipublic corridors, decorating them in a very basic and impersonal way, and virtually all rooms, of course, had doors that could be and were closed against them. Very interestingly for wealthy people who could afford almost everything, almost everything was excluded under the classic style she helped define. The acceptable colors and furniture styles were severely straightjacketed (and have mercifully since been blasted wide open). I don't really remember, but I think she considered only 3 specific colors acceptable for staircase walls. Her guidelines for developing a classic architecture are just as explicit and apparently what made this book a classic, but by the standard she sets the architecture and proportions of my rooms doom them to failure before even starting. For instance of many features "undistinguishing" my hovel, the ceiling of my 17' wide living room falls desperately short of a workable 17' or so at a cavelike 9'. Good book, though. :)

Maybe one day when I can think of my furbaby and not cry I will read the book. It sounds good. Another one is chicken soup for the pet lovers soul. I havent read any of the other chicken soup books...but that one made me cry alot too. I hadnt lost my furbaby as yet....dont think I can handle it now.

About 25% of the book. Though there have been occasions when I have enjoyed the book up to the halfway point and something then happens that totally POOFS! the magic feel, and I will fasforward to the ending. This is mainly for closure. If the ending is just horrible I then toss the book, but if it is intriguing, I will go back and skim to the finish. Woodnymph, I have both Hilary Mantel's novels and am having the same problem as you. These are books I should enjoy but somehow I'm missing the bus. I havent given up yet though. Re: Garcia Marquez - I really x3 tried with One Hundred Years of Solitude, but was just baffled. I hated it. It was for book club so I did manage to get through the whole thing but decided that this type of magic realism is not for me. :)

I'm so glad you're enjoying that, Jasdip! I started to read it when it first came out, and had been billed as sci fi, was appalled in a feminist way with the opening bits, and when it turned out to be Scotland, I threw the book across the room. I've actually enjoyed the TV show, which is ridiculous in the plotting (but no more so than other romantic adventures) but fun, and a feast for the eyes. I admit, there might have been worth in the books past those opening bits, but I just can't go there. I also threw a John Grisham novel across the room. It was from later in his career, so I assume it was suffering from I'm-too-famous-to-be-edited-itis. The only book I regret not finishing is The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead. I read most of it when it first came out, loved it, but real life made me put it down for awhile, and I would have had to start over to finish it. I should put it on my list. Many authors don't know how to end, and there comes a point where they run out of steam 2/3 of the way through. I feel no compunction abandoning them when I feel they’ve abandoned me! But I had wanted to finish The Intuitionist, and really should. @Neely, so sorry! I forgot about the play. That may be the inspiration for the title. The Resistance book is by Sonia Purnell, an Englishwoman of merit. Full title: A Woman of no Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II. I do belong to a group of readers, and every so often we do all read the same thing, but more often we discuss what we're reading, ourselves, or have a general theme where we all choose our own books. Sometimes, it’s more like book reports than a discussion group, but the books are interesting, because people like what they're reading, and when we all read the same book, it's usually something old and seminal, so likely to be enjoyed by all. Usually, people will also be reading up about the authors, related materials, Interpretations in other media, etc., rather than a single book. It's very different from the standard book club format. Re food in novelss, generally, I’m not too impressed. Nero Wolfe was a character who was both gourmet and gourmand, and discussed food a lot. A paperback edition of the books awhile back included afterwords with recipes, I think also by Rex Stout (the author). One of them, which has stuck with me for many years is scrambled eggs. His recommendation: cook on very low heat, and as edges form, worry them, until the eggs are cooked. I've always thought that must lead to phenomenal eggs, but I've never had the urge to try it. ;D Today, I probably don’t have time, but I just got a beautiful cabbage. I read or saw something about braising it with salty things between the leaves. I want to try that.