You might have noticed that I've been taking a semi-break from the blogs lately. I've been doing a lot of reading during that time: I've been devouring everything from the September issue of Vogue to Siddhartha Mukherjee's "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer." In between, there have been issues of "Entertainment Weekly" as well as Jess Walter's affecting novel, "The Financial Lives of the Poets."
While all of it has been interesting, two books have really been food for my soul. Those two books are "The Secret Lives of Dresses" by Erin McKean, and "A Vintage Affair" by Isabel Wolff. Both of these books are about vintage clothing and how these frocks can become a metaphor for life's ups and downs, grief and loss, happiness and rebirth. Both books are well-written, though McKean's is written from an American perspective, whereas Wolff's takes place in England.
I also need to give a shout-out here to Teri Lynn, a lovely lady who first suggested that I read "The Secret Lives of Dresses." She thought, given my love of clothing, I might enjoy it. She was totally right. Not only did I enjoy it, I found it re-energized me. Soon after I finished reading these books, I found a vintage early 1960s Bill Blass for Maurice Rentner little black dress that I plan to list on Anthropologie Treasurebox. This dress screams Jackie Kennedy ... and I cannot wait for it to go on to have a second life with some lovely lady.
At any rate, I wanted to offer these books to one of my readers. If you'd like to receive these books, simply leave your email address in the comments and I will draw a winner at random this coming Wednesday, Sept. 28th. Contest is open to all U.S. and Canadian residents.
20 comments:
I am so glad you talked about these books! I love to read (nose always in a book), and was looking at the author names to order. I hope I win one, then I will buy the other! :)
Can't wait to see that dress listing!
Debra
jayzwoman@hotmail.com
YES!
marleypugh@gmail.com
Exciting and generous!
styleisland@earthlink.net
Thank you!
These both sound so great!
dana.buccos@yahoo.com
Thanks for the shout out Sara, I am so glad you enjoyed it. I also loved A Vintage Affair, the part of the story about the prom dresses has to be one of my most favorite. Both are definitely keepers in your personal library.
Happy to see your post this morning. As a librarian I feel that books can feed the soul in a way nothing else can. Who can resist those covers?
skh519@yahoo.com
Wow! They both sound fabulous! If I happen to win, I think it would be fun to pass along the book in a giveaway to one of my readers after I've finished it, too!
If I don't win, I'm totally adding them to my list for the library! Thank you for posting on them.
pamela
red_head4242 at msn dot com
yup, I'd love to win!
sweetiesuzy@aol.com
I'm new to your blog, and these two books look so fun! I love reading, thanks for the generous giveaway!
tranadeline@gmail.com
Ooh Ever since I saw The Secret Lives of Dresses on Twitter it has been on my wish list!
Yes, please :)
n_dawn@live.com
Ooh! Found your contest and blog via Erin's twitter. Thank you for the reading suggestions, and the giveaway!
Allie@AnalogueChic.com
OOOh exciting!
musingsbyjacquelyn at cox dot net
I've been on a reading kick, too.
I tried to check out "The Secret Lives of Dresses" from the library, but someone had it on hold and I couldn't get it. They both look like interesting reads though.
vance.lexi@gmail.com
ooh vintage + clothing + books + anglophilia + comparative lit? All a winner in my book!
crowrose@aol.com
Yes, I must read about Con, short for Contractor. ;-)
littlegraypixel (at) yahoo (dot) com
I am always looking for a new read! Sounds wonderful.
Oooh, these books sound interesting! Thanks for doing this!
jeanie_lo at hotmail dot com
They both sound like great book to read. I really love vintage clothing, some people just look at the pieces as old clothes but I love to wonder where they have been and what wonderful past occasions they have been a part of and what their future will be.
Looks like fun! Thanks for the suggestions...
tah_daah@yahoo.com
this sounds lovely! swee.tcharade (at) gmail.com
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