Hungry for books

It's been a little while since I posted a book review here, but I haven't had a chance to do much reading these days! Fall flew by, and the holiday season has been pretty crazy. But I finally got around to reading Food: A Love Story by comedian Jim Gaffigan – a very timely read for a season filled with favorite indulgences – and wanted to share my thoughts on it today (in a fittingly food-centric outfit, of course!).

Food: A Love Story is essentially comedian Jim Gaffigan's food diary that chronicles all the different types of typically American cuisines he's sampled (or rather, engulfed) during his cross-country travels. It serves as a foil to any and all health-conscious reads, and as someone who definitely loves an indulgence or two, I thought I would enjoy this one. Here's the thing, though. Comedy is really hard. It's probably one of the most difficult things you can do as a performer, especially if you aren't blessed with an innate gift for it. And even if you're a successful stand-up comedian (like Jim Gaffigan is), it's difficult to be able to translate that into a medium that people merely read, rather than watch. I actually like Jim, but overall, I felt like he was trying a little too hard to make this book funny – which is pretty much a death sentence in comedy – and like he was really trying to stretch out a very simple concept to fit a certain length. I'm an avid reader, but I really had to slog to get through this one; it became very repetitive very quickly, and honestly, it just wasn't that interesting to me after a while. I've had an on-again-off-again unhealthy relationship with food, and I related to a lot of his sentiments on some level... but even so, I had to force myself to keep reading it – which isn't exactly what you want with a book like this. The book has a lot of positive reviews on Amazon, so perhaps if you're less critical than I am – and you're looking for something lighthearted – you'll enjoy it. It made me think a lot about how acceptable it is within society for a man to be overweight and indulge in whatever he wants virtually without judgment, but women are rarely afforded the same courtesy. As someone who's struggled with weight for most of her life (and as someone for whom food is certainly a vice), perhaps I am just too sensitive to enjoy this book as it should. In addition, I'd rather read a funny memoir than a concept book, so take opinions with a grain of salt (food pun intended). I usually love anything to do with food, but this book let me unsatisfied. At least it gave me an excuse to wear this skirt! The Very Hungry Caterpillar will always be one of my favorite food-related reads. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Food: A Love Story. However, it might just be a really great gift for the junk-food-lover (or basically any dad) in your life. If you're interested, you can find it here!

Outfit Details

Very Hungry Caterpillar Skirt: Interrobang Art & Fashion

Red top: Bernie Dexter (similar)

Belt: from another dress

B.A.I.T. shoes: Zulily

Have you read any good books lately? I'd love some recommendations!

I received this book from the Blogging For Books program in exchange for an honest review.

Have a great weekend!