Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper by SARK

I grabbed this lovely book at the library a month or so ago. I grabbed it in the writing section and the title was what grabbed me, but the book itself is what made me take it home.

This is the second book that I've seen done in this unique style. It's done by hand. The words are handwritten, the drawings are done by hand, all of it. It's utterly awesome and totally different from what you normally find on the shelves.

Made me feel like we were holding a copy of her art journal in our hands that was all about writing and being creative and being free with your art. Each page is its own piece of art that is unlike a lot of what's out there.

She really does get the message across that you can be creative and free and anything is possible. She even includes some exercises inside to get you going. She message was pretty spot on for me and I greatly enjoyed it.

If you come across this out and about in life or at the library, I suggest you pick it up and leave through it. It's pretty darn cool inside and something that I think you'll really enjoy having a look at.

Recommendation: This is one of those creativity boosters that we all need at one time or another. Pick this up if you'd like a little hand written sunshine in your day.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

My Part Time Paris Life: How Running Away Brought Me Home by Lisa Anselmo

This memoir caught my eye at Chapters while I was roaming around near the travel section. The cover is beautiful and the idea of someone actually running away, following their dreams, and doing the crazy unthinkable sounded like the perfect book.

I wasn't sure exactly what her story was before picking up the book, but I was on board for the ride because it had to do with living in Paris. This isn't just about a woman who through caution to the wind and bought property in another country, but about a woman who loses her mother and seeks to find herself now that the centre of her life isn't there anymore.

The book follows Lisa from the death of her mother, to that first crazy thought of moving to Paris, to her actually buying a home and moving there for more than a couple weeks. There are ups and downs along the way, and we get to read about how the experiences changed her and helped her grow.

It's like the books Eat, Pray, Love and Wild in that it deals with a loss and the need to reinvent or even simply to find yourself again, be who you are, and be happy. I appreciate these memoirs so much because they are so honest and real and about every day people.

It was a fairly quick read, simple but enjoyable. It made me smile, it made me tear up, and it was so well written that I felt like I was there too. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are someone who loves reading about the people who take life into their hands and do awesome things in pursuit of themselves.

Recommendation: For the love of memoirs about thought women who take back their lives and just go for it.