Humor | Book Chatter

The Rosie Project
By Graeme Simsion
(Simon & Schuster, Hardcover, 9781476729084, October 2013, 304pp.)

The Short of It:

I don’t read love stories too often but this one is a gem! Sheldon Cooper fans will be able to relate to this one.

The Rest of It:

Don Tillman, a professor of genetics, is trying to find a wife. Except, how does one do that when your entire life is surrounded by science and scientific evidence? You create a survey of course! Don’s survey is to rule out incompatible mates. His friends Gene and Claudia are about the only two people who understand him, and they assist him in finding the perfect mate. Not an easy task when your expectations are so high.

If you happen to be a fan of The Big Bang Theory, you’ll immediately fall in love with this book. Why? Because Don is just like Sheldon Cooper. His mannerisms and his lack of social skills make Don endearing and a major pain in the butt, but sort of charming at the same time.

While trying to find the perfect wife, he meets Rosie. She is a far cry from what he is looking for, but helping her find her real father is something he can do with his eyes closed. So, the two pair up to find her real dad.

What a sweet story! Don is one of those guys that is adorable and a pain in the ass at the same time. So much of what he does is totally reasonable if you pick it apart, but to the average person, he’s uptight, too rigid and bordering on OCD. But did I mention that he’s charming? I wanted to shrink him down and carry him around in my pocket. No lie.

Plus, Rosie is pretty cool too. She’s more complex than you think and the interactions between the two of them are GOLDEN. I mean, there really is some good stuff here. This is an honest, witty, funny and sometimes hysterical take on finding that perfect someone.

I read it on one sitting and was so sad to turn that last page. I heard that a sequel is in the works and it’s already been optioned for film. Many have been hearing about the book but not many have been picking it up. Please do! It’s such a gem that I may have to break down and buy my own copy.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Miss Hildreth Wore Brown
By Olivia deBelle Byrd
(Morgan James Publishing, Paperback, 9781600377488, May, 2010, 176pp.)

The Short of It:

If you don’t have any Southern friends, you’ll want some after reading this.

The Rest of It:

Is it possible to be a Southern Belle without having ever stepped foot in the South? No, I didn’t think so, but as I was reading, I saw so much of myself in what Ms. Byrd shared. Each story is short…sometimes VERY short, as in one or two pages long, but no matter how short, she injects humor and charm into each one. Anyone who loves all things Southern, will enjoy it and it’s short enough to pick up and enjoy at your leisure.

Some of the topics you’ll find in this collection:

The whole debate over wearing white after Labor Day (anyone in their right mind knows that it’s not done, ever!).
The importance of Chanel No 5, its cost and why you should never tell your husband how much you spend for it.
How having coffee at a coffee gathering is an absolute necessity and not up for discussion.
How Thank You cards have gone to the wayside and why they should make a comeback.

Although this is not typically a book I would have sought out on my own, I must say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. The Girl read some of it over my shoulder and although she’s only seven, she laughed at some of the sayings. Especially when I said them with my version of a Southern accent! I had to fix myself some sweet tea after reading it. It was good too!

So if you love everything Southern or know someone who does, this would be a great little book to pick up.

Source: Sent to me by the author.