Marjane Satrapi - Persepolis

I know almost nothing about Iran so Persopolis is quite an eye-opening read about a part of the world that is very alien to me. The use of the comic book medium in Persopolis is an effective one as it makes a distressing and complicated tale more accessible to readers. The illustrations are simple and cartoonish, a stark contrast against the complex and sometimes harrowing backdrop of Satrapi’s life and journey into adulthood. Despite the simplicity of the illustrations, they still manage to convey with forceful impact the horrors and stifling restrictions of a turbulent life in Iran and the challenges of finding her own identity when she goes to Austria as a teenager. Satrapi pulls you into her story and provides the reader rare insight into a life behind closed doors. I definitely want to watch the movie now and see how it compares to the book.

Helen Garner - The Spare Room

This was sometimes difficult to get through because I have now lost two grandparents to cancer -- one only a few months ago -- and reading about Nicola's pain reminded me of my grandparents' suffering. For such an emotional topic and obviously draining time of the author's life, it was actually surprisingly easy to read (apart from my own personal struggles). I felt for Nicola who tried to brave her cancer in her own way, clinging on to each last desperate hope. However, I could also feel Helen's anger at her friend for being in such deep denial about her condition and the frustration she must have felt in trying to support her, but yet slowly eating away at her with the emotional strain. This was a very moving recount of a tough and trying time and I really admire Helen for telling this story.

PS. I also thought Verity sounded like a real snooty bitch!

Augusten Burroughs - A Wolf at the Table

Augusten Burroughs delves into his childhood with his latest book and at times, it seems a little incredulous that he could remember in such great detail events from his childhood, especially those that happened when he was very young. However, for most parts, I do not doubt the authenticity of what he has gone through. If I look back at my own childhood, events that were traumatic for me as a kid (which did not even come close to what Augusten has been through!), I can still recall them pretty vividly. It truly is remarkable how he has turned his life around, considering everything that has happened to him. It must have been incredibly difficult to tell this story about his father and I admire him for his courage and unflinching honesty in sharing his life with his readers. The epilogue was exceptionally moving and I can just imagine the profound effect the lack of love and affection from his father has had on his life. I hope with this memoir, he is finally able to let go of his past and embrace his future, and continue producing great literary work. I look forward to reading more from Augusten Burroughs.

Douglas Preston & Mario Spezi - The Monster of Florence

This is a remarkable tale about two men who set out on a quest to uncover the mystery behind the Monster of Florence - Italy's own Jack the Ripper - but end up being arrested as the main suspects instead. With all the twists and turns throughout the entire saga, it would be easy to think this is just a made-up story, but as with most things, truth is stranger than fiction.The first half was a little more interesting because it provided the background and history of the Florence killings. The second half focused on the bungled investigation by the Italian police force and the seemingly inept judicial system, especially when the police turn on the authors, accusing Mario Spezi to be the Monster himself and Douglas Preston an accomplice. This section could be a little dry at times but helped to highlight the incredulousness of the situation. In the end, the Monster of Florence remains a mystery and is unsolved to this day. I'm not really a true crime fan, but overall, I thought this was an intriguing read.

Lynne Truss - Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

I lurrrrveee Ms. Truss! So, I won't profess to be an expert on punctuation as Lynne Truss would be, and I'm sure I've messed up the use of a semicolon in my time. What I am at least completely sure of are the basics: you will NEVER find me screwing up 'it's' vs. 'its'; 'your' vs. 'you're'; or getting plurals wrong. For that matter of fact, the same goes with they're/their/there -- but that's a different story altogether. Oh, how I rejoiced when I read this book. Finally, someone else who feels the same way that I do, that this is something extremely easy to grasp, and always irks the hell out of me when I spot such errors, especially when I see these mistakes in the papers. You would think journalists would be able to get this right?! This had me cackling away: "If you still persist in writing, "Good food at it's best", you deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave." My reaction isn't that extreme but I do admit to throwing my hands up in the air sometimes and wonder how people can stuff up something so simple. While it can get a bit dreary at times (I don't really care much about the history) but overall, it's a witty little book that I enjoyed immensely. Who would have thought a book about punctuation could be so full of humour? If you're a stickler for punctuation like me, you will definitely have a laugh reading this book; if you need some help, then this will set you in the right direction. As Lynne Truss would say, sticklers unite! :)