material girl

Books (148)

All books Finished (Newest) Title (A to Z) Title (Z to A) Rating (Highest) Rating (Lowest) Finished (Newest) Finished (Oldest) Published (Newest) Published (Oldest) Added (Newest) Added (Oldest)

- An Omelette and a Glass of Wine (3)
- (Cook's Classic Library)
- By Elizabeth David
- Reading since Jun 23, 2010
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
- The Elegance of the Hedgehog (373)
- By Muriel Barbery
- Reading since Jan 9, 2010
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (160)
- A Novel
- By John le Carré
- Finished on Apr 5, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

對電影和小說的中文感想在這裡: http://materialgl.blogspot.com/2012/04/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy.html

Is this helpful?

— Apr 8, 2012 | Add your feedback
- 挖開兔子洞 (482)
- 深入解讀愛麗絲漫遊奇境
- By 路易斯．卡羅
- Finished on Mar 11, 2012
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
- 吐司 (122)
- 敬！美味人生
- By Nigel Slater, 史奈傑
- Finished on Mar 9, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
吐司

這本書是英國美食名作家 Nigel Slater 的得獎作品，作者以食物回憶自己的童年，充滿愛但是手拙不會做菜的母親，嚴峻的父親，以及作者眼中帶著烹飪巧手入侵家裡的繼母。作者在寫作過程自己也終於得到悲傷童年的療傷。這本書出版後在英國大受好評，BBC 更特別拍了電影，請 Helena Bonham Carter 來飾演作者的繼母。
這是不錯的作品，但是非常悲傷。而且我覺得如果平常是以英文來接觸英國食物的人似乎比較適合讀原文，因為看到中文食物名我常常得先在腦中翻回英文才知道書在說什麼。例如婚禮送的 "糖漬杏仁" (sugared almonds) 其實不是糖漬，而是以糖霜硬殼包裹的杏仁。讀中文能 ... (continue)

這本書是英國美食名作家 Nigel Slater 的得獎作品，作者以食物回憶自己的童年，充滿愛但是手拙不會做菜的母親，嚴峻的父親，以及作者眼中帶著烹飪巧手入侵家裡的繼母。作者在寫作過程自己也終於得到悲傷童年的療傷。這本書出版後在英國大受好評，BBC 更特別拍了電影，請 Helena Bonham Carter 來飾演作者的繼母。
這是不錯的作品，但是非常悲傷。而且我覺得如果平常是以英文來接觸英國食物的人似乎比較適合讀原文，因為看到中文食物名我常常得先在腦中翻回英文才知道書在說什麼。例如婚禮送的 "糖漬杏仁" (sugared almonds) 其實不是糖漬，而是以糖霜硬殼包裹的杏仁。讀中文能讓人專注在食物背後的主角故事，也許英文版或是加了食物註解的中文版更能夠讓人領略書中美食。

Is this helpful?

— Mar 11, 2012 | Add your feedback

- Becoming Queen Victoria (2)
- The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain's Greatest Monarch
- Finished on Feb 25, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Becoming Queen Victoria

This book is the biography on two princesses - from the birth and death of Princess Charlotte, to the rise of Queen Victoria.
The book is very entertaining and is fully referenced. I like this book much better than the gossip-style We Two written by Gillian Gill. The only pity is that the book is t ... (continue)

This book is the biography on two princesses - from the birth and death of Princess Charlotte, to the rise of Queen Victoria.
The book is very entertaining and is fully referenced. I like this book much better than the gossip-style We Two written by Gillian Gill. The only pity is that the book is too short and did not cover the full life of Queen Victoria but only stopped in 1842.

Is this helpful?

— Mar 11, 2012 | Add your feedback
- The Sign of Four (183)
- By Arthur Conan Doyle
- Finished on Jan 31, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
The Sign of Four

The Plot:
People fought for treasure and killed one another. I have to say that the plot is really too simple for modern taste, and probably also true for Victorian time, given that Sherlock Holmes didn't get famous for the first two longer novels but only became a national sensation after the shor ... (continue)

The Plot:
People fought for treasure and killed one another. I have to say that the plot is really too simple for modern taste, and probably also true for Victorian time, given that Sherlock Holmes didn't get famous for the first two longer novels but only became a national sensation after the short stories published in the Strand Magazine.
The Personality:
This book portraits a different side of Sherlock, a description almost like a James Bond in Victorian time - he was excellent in boxing and even could beat prized fighters; he killed time with cocaine; he was excellent in disguise that even Watson couldn't recognize him. And the book had one full chapter dedicated to boat chasing in river Thames. Compared to the brainy detective in A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes here has completely different personality. It is almost like that Sir Arthor Conan Doyle forgot what he wrote, and started all over again. (The wound of Watson also moved from shoulder to leg in this book.)
Once again this book set scene in exotic India. This confirmed my belief that this book is actually James Bond in Victorian time - the exotic location, the chasing, the disguise. The only thing missing is the women and the cool gadgets.
The Romance:
This book is important because it described how Watson met his wife.
The Verdict:
Good to read for educational purposes.

Is this helpful?

— Feb 2, 2012 | Add your feedback
- A Study in Scarlet (428)
- (Classic Crime)
- By Arthur Conan Doyle
- Finished on Jan 26, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
A Study in Scarlet

After 20 years since first reading children's version of Sherlock Holmes, I started rereading the original novels because of the BBC mini series Sherlock. It is very interesting and I have rediscovered many things upon rereads.
The novel is in two parts - the first part was the detective story betw ... (continue)

After 20 years since first reading children's version of Sherlock Holmes, I started rereading the original novels because of the BBC mini series Sherlock. It is very interesting and I have rediscovered many things upon rereads.
The novel is in two parts - the first part was the detective story between Sherlock and Watson, and the second part was the story behind the crime taken place in America. The first part was invaluable - it described the relationship between Sherlock and Watson in detail, their first impressions, and how they started living together in 221B Baker Street. In the children's version, I never learned about the actual personalities of the characters and only focused on the detective stories. This is the first time I got to know the person of Sherlock Holmes.
The second part was the story in America. Compared to the first part of the elite conversation in England between the two intelligent gentlemen, the dialog in the second part was coarse and uneducated. The two parts created a large contrast. England was damp and rainy, and America was dry and harsh. This is surprising but was not really a surprise during Victorian time. To Victorians, America was probably an exotic place full of outlaws, so it was worth for the author to set the story in, just like how the current James Bond likes to go to exotic locations such as Turkey or Russia.
I found it so interesting to read a Victorian detective novel. Yes the plot was simple compared to the 21th century crimes, and this is perhaps why the modern BBC had to change the crime plot to suit modern audience's taste. However the view of Victorians is interesting, and the friendship between Sherlock Holmes and Watson is timeless and classic.
** spoiler **
P.S. I cannot believe the cab driver actually gave two pills to the person he wanted to kill and let him choose!!! Why would anyone want to risk the possibility of not actually killing the person you want to kill? What if the guy picked the harmless pill and the cab driver had to die instead??

Is this helpful?

— Feb 2, 2012 | Add your feedback
- How to Live Like a Lady (2)
- Lessons in Life, Manners, and Style
- By Sarah Tomczak
- Finished on Jan 2, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
How to Live Like a Lady

A very helpful introduction on how attain good manners and behave like a lady.

Is this helpful?

— Jan 3, 2012 | Add your feedback
- 女人要有型 (100)
- 穿得對，一生會改變
- By 齋藤薰 (作者
- Finished on Dec 8, 2011
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
女人要有型

如果說光野桃的 "穿衣的基礎" 是優雅沈靜有如珍珠般一顆顆串起的散文的話，這本 "女人要有型" 就是喋喋不休條列式的穿衣叮嚀了。
在讀的時候雖然讓人十分受不了作者自以為是的囉唆語氣，但是裡面的穿衣哲學卻驚人地有道理。例如千萬不要只是為了重複穿搭而買毫無特色的衣服，重複穿的必須是讓自己變漂亮的衣服，或是質料好有氣質穿一百次也不會厭倦的衣服；或是牛仔褲本身就是把時尚打破的哲學，所以上半身必須要更加華麗才不顯得邋遢等等。讀者如果能夠忍耐作者語氣的話，一定可以在這本書裡學到許多有用的穿衣哲學。

Is this helpful?

— Dec 10, 2011 | Add your feedback

- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (7421)
- (Book 1)
- By J. K. Rowling
- Finished on Oct 12, 2011
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (9599)
- By J. K. Rowling
- Finished on Sep 19, 2011
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

當我看完第七集哈利波特電影時, 失落的感覺彷彿是內心出現了一個無法填補的大洞. 為了填補這個洞, 我開始有如受到蠱惑般地沉迷著閱讀哈利波特小說. 當我讀完第七集哈利波特小說時, 無法填補的洞又回來了. 於是如無窮迴圈般, 我無法控制地打開第一集書本, 繼續著我的魔法之旅...
完整心得在這裡: http://materialgl.blogspot.com/2011/09/blog-post_28.htm…

Is this helpful?

— Sep 29, 2011 | Add your feedback
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (7117)
- By J. K. Rowling
- Finished on Sep 14, 2011
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (6655)
- (Book 5)
- By J. K. Rowling
- Finished on Sep 10, 2011
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

A very good book. I was in tears in the end...

Is this helpful?

— Sep 10, 2011 | 1 feedback
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (5782)
- (Book 4)
- By J. K. Rowling
- Finished on Aug 27, 2011
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List