Non-Recommendations

I've started and put down a couple of books recently, and I think it's only fair that I blather about them a little bit.

First is Agaat, a novel set in South Africa that got a ton of great reviews. I just couldn't get into it. It's a translation, and something seems to be lost in the language, or maybe it's just the style - it sort of dumps you into this stream-of-conscious thing and I couldn't figure out who/what/where/when. Not my style at all.

Second is Clara and Mr. Tiffany, an historical novel about the real-life Clara Driscoll, who worked with the great Louis Tiffany and actually designed many of his lamps. I just found the writing a little old-fashioned and kind of tedious, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters.

Third is The Eat-Clean Diet Stripped, which is obviously a diet book. I did read most of it, and there is some good advice, and I already do a lot of what it says. Tosca Reno (who I've never heard of, but she's apparently some sort of fitness celebrity) stresses the importance of "eating clean," which means eating natural foods, to lose weight, particulary that last stubborn 10 pounds. But she cuts out entire categories of food - no dairy, no sugar - and I just can't see myself giving up yogurt and wine (yes, your body sees alcohol as a sugar). I do see the value of eating frequent small meals, and I will make sure I include protein in my meals and not just eat carbs, but that's as far as I'm willing to go.