Two Fantastic Books

I read two really great books over my winter break: Julie Powell's Julie and Julia, and Susan Jane Gilman's Hypocrite in a Poufy White Dress. Both fall in the memoir/autobiography category, and both authors have really fantastic voices.
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment KitchenBy Julie Powell

Julie Powell wrote the first blog I ever read: The Julie/Julia Project. Julie decided to cook every recipe in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. Julie cussed her way through all 524 recipes but she made it. The blog was fantastic- entertaining, personal, manic, hilarious, honest. I am thrilled to report that the book is even better. Powell writes about her life during "the project" as well as the process of working through the recipes and blogging about them. She gives us a closer look at what she was going through, how the project came about, and how the project has changed her as a person.

Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress
By Susan Jane Gilman
I loved this book. I picked it up while I was in Arkansas over Christmas with the BF's family. I stared it almost immediately, and laughed out loud at least once every other page. Almost every chapter had me thinking, "holy cow, this could be me" (except the one where she falls in love with Mick Jagger....) The author talks about growing up as a child of hippies, listening to Free to Be You and Me. Yeah, that would be me. All in all, this book is honest, hilarious, and very very entertaining- highly recommended!