Kaaterskill Falls by Allegra Goodman: This novel tells the stories of three Orthodox Jewish families that summer in Kaaterskill Falls. Each has a varying degree of observance and commitment to his/her community, and it was interesting to see how that translates into their daily lives. The writing is quite lovely, but I found the novel too diffuse. Just as I'd get into one family's story, we'd shift to another, and I found I wanted her to go deeper. However, the book was interesting enough that I'm planning on reading her other books.

Slumdog Millionaire: This movie by the director of Trainspotting was simply amazing. The story is about a boy from Mumbai, India, who goes on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" to get the attention of a girl. But don't be deceived by the light plot. This is a very heavy movie about the realities of growing up in the slums of Mumbai. The acting was amazing and the story ultimately is uplifting, and it's one of the best movies I've seen in a long, long time.

Giving Up America by Pearl Abraham: I am a huge fan of Abraham's book The Romance Reader, and I was quite surprised at the turn of this book. The story follows the disintegration of a couple's marriage, she a formerly Hasidic girl, him a modern Orthodox Jew. The secondary characters who help propel the story along are not well fleshed out, but Deena was a remarkable character whose progression was both sad but realistic. The religion is a large, but quiet, part of this book as the characters go through their own realizations about what it means to them. Deena's relationship with her family was a lovely one--not the traditional "you've strayed; we sit shiva for you" one that you'd expect. It didn't have the punch of her first novel, but I also felt drawn to it and it's simple way.

The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland: I think I would have enjoyed this historical novel more had I known more about the painter and the time she lived (1600s Italy). It's interesting to see the rules by which a woman in that time lived--her rape forever marked her as a whore, and caused her endless problems--but I never felt that Artemisia was a fully developed character. I wanted to be more inside her head on an emotional level, rather than just an intellectual one. Still, the writing was nice and for the genre it was a good read.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Woody Allen is back! I so loved this film. Funny, despite the Spanish setting, it reminded me of French filmmakers--Eric Rohmer's Boyfriends and Girlfriends (hey, isn't that a great review of that film on the Amazon page? ahem) and Truffaut's Jules and Jim (but in reverse)--in its straightforward dealing of relationships between men and women. I'd never seen Rachel Hall before (Vicky) and while it took a few minutes to get used to her in the Woody Allen role, I really liked her. I've never been one to find Javier Bardem all that attractive, but in this role, oo la la (or whatever the Spanish version of it is). The voice over took a little getting used to as well, but by the end, I was just in the moment of the film, loving the cinematography, the characters, the story. The ending was both pessimistic yet the right ending for the film and it didn't leave me feeling down. Definitely a film that's staying with me.

A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve: Overall, I enjoyed this book about a reunion of high school friends who come together for a wedding, although it was a fairly large leap of faith to figure out why this particular group was all invited--and came--to the wedding. Bridget and Bill dated in high school, but didn't reconnect until they were in their 40s, just after 9/11. Bridge has breast cancer; Bill left his wife to be with her. The stories of relationships aren't the most uplifting--seems there's little hope for solid marriages in this world--but the characters were well drawn and I did like how all of the action took place over the course of a single isolated weekend. It ended a little too neat and tidily, but it was a book I looked forward to returning to each night.

The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik: This book was fine, but really completely forgettable. It was overly predictable (hey, the smart one is actually pretty, too!), but if it's a mindless read your after, this fits the bill.

The Women (2008): The original version of this, from 1939, is so wonderfully catty and campy and fun to watch that this remake never stood a chance. On its own, it's actually a lighthearted fun chick flick and I love that they remain true in this remake to a female-only cast. It loses some of its bite, mainly because the mores of today are so much freer that the scandals of the past are mere everyday fodder now. But the story of a group of women bound over the adultery of one's husband is sweet even if it the story line does take some improbable turns. However, if you have a choice between this and the original, don't hesitate: the 1939 version is a classic!

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan: This novelization of the affair between Mamah Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright really illuminates the strictures of the early 20th century. I'm hoping I have the time to look up and see how much of the story is true, but I've been told by others who have read it that much of it sticks to the known story line. The writing is subtle and well done although I never felt a compulsion for the book--I enjoyed it when I read it but I was never anxious to return to it. The ending is difficult to read, but nicely done by Horan.

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee: This book was recommended by two friends whom I respect the taste of, but I found the writing in this book to be so facile that it was distracting. It was interesting insight into the Asian-American community, but it was depressing--marriage never works, people are always cheaters--and the language was just unoriginal.

Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen: A Novel by Alix Kates Shulman: I didn't know what to make of this fictional story of a girl who rebels against the mores of society, sleeping around, marrying the wrong guy, frustrated career ambitions. It's definitely a powerful book from a feminist perspective, but I can't say how much I actually liked it.

Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee: A fascinating look at South African life. The title refers to so many aspects of the book, and at times it's quite the heavy read in the sense that the plot can be overwhelming in it's portrayal of some of the harsher aspects of what is apparently South African reality. A college professor leaves his post because of an affair and lives for a bit with his daughter on a farm. Worth the read.

Mamma Mia!: Yes, this was silly. Yes, Pierce Brosnan singing is downright cringe inducing. Yes, I went to see this twice. Really. I went once with my future sister-in-law and then I decided to take Pie. And this move was just Pie's speed. The music and the dancing are really fun if you can get past the odd warbling and the ludicrousness of the plot. But fun is fun and I bet I end up buying this for her on DVD... and watching it with her again.

My Kid Could Paint That: This documentary about a four-year-old "prodigy" is an interesting look at how things spiraled out of control for the family of Marla Olmstead, whose painting sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The documentary looks at the modern art world, parenting, greed, and the role of the filmmaker in making the documentary as he wonders what to do after 60 Minutes questions the veracity of Marla as painter. The film leaves you with as many questions as when you started, but it's very well done and quite interesting.

Excellent Women by Barbara Pym: My sister gave this to me for my birthday, and it was really a fabulous read. A more modern version of Jane Austen. Mildred is an unmarried women in her 30s living in post-WWII London. She's a classic spinster type, involved in her church, doing good, yet she's shrewdly observant about the relationships going on around, especially of the tormented couple who lives below her. Quite a window into the manners and mores of the time, but it holds up very well today.

Seamless: A documentary about three of the finalists for the Vogue/Council of Fashion Designers new designer award. It was interesting following three designers in the real world (I am a Project Runway fan, and I found it fascinating how tough the reality is for them, but ultimately, I found the documentary unsatisfying. I wanted more on the designers, on who they were and where they came on. The shooting of the film was rough (technically) and I just didn't love the film (of course, the folks who one were the most arrogant, and not the one I wanted, so maybe that influenced my feelings about the film).

The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler: This was an interesting novel chronicling the marriage (and dissolution of said marriage) of Michael and Pauline. I really enjoyed how each chapter represented a different period of their lives; no awkward transitions or unnecessary info to slow things down. The book follows them from when they first meet at the outset of World War II through 1990. The chapters bound forward, aging children and spouses and the times. But ultimately, there was something too flat about the characters. I found the ending a tad unsatisfying, but then again, Tyler chronicles the tedium of life so well, perhaps that was not completely unintentional.

Wall-E: I took the kids to this on a rainy Sunday. It was Pie's first movie. Pie was not a fan, and she spent the whole time with her head buried in my shoulder until she actually fell asleep. She was the only one who was not a fan. I think much of the movie went over Doodles's head, but he did get the gist of it ("people put a lot of trash on Earth, so they couldn't live there"). I was wondering if it would be a bit slow for him, but he was clearly captivated. I'm not sure how they made a dirty and desolate Earth so beautiful, but the film was gorgeous and really moving. This movie is as good as all the reviews say it is.

The Bubble: I'm not sure what I was expecting from this film, but wow! It completely blew me away. The story of an Israeli man who falls in love with a Palestinian man and their attempts at making their relationship work amid the Israeli/Occupied Territories situation. The story was incredibly moving and I feel like it exposed me to a much more human version of the political situation than I've had in the past. The ending at first disturbed me (I won't give it away) but as I thought about it later (this film really lingered with me), it made such utter sense. Highly, highly recommend this film!

Melinda and Melinda: I love the device in this Woody Allen film of showing the same story from two different perspectives (rather like Sliding Doors). The stories themselves were both interesting and well done and I loved how he used tiny elements (such as props or throwaway lines of dialog) in each one to tie the two halves together. The main weakness came in the framing device, which was too blunt. I felt rather hit over the head with the "message" (much of life depends on how you view it--as comedy or tragedy). Also, Will Ferrell had the Woody Allen role, and as much as I love Ferrell, I just didn't buy him as a Woody Allen schmuck. Still, an enjoyable watch.

Disobedience: A Novel by Naomi Alderman: An interesting story of an English woman, raised in a traditional Orthodox Jewish setting, who flies back to England, from her adopted home in New York, when she hears of her father's death. Her father had been a prominent rabbi and she, as a gay woman, had been ostracized from her community. The story was quite insightful on how a traditional community might deal with a strong woman, never mind a lesbian, and I found the writing to be quite beautiful. I wanted more in places, but was also satisfied that not everything was completely spelled out. Worth the read if you're interested in either traditional Judaism or books about being gay.

Reality Bites: I was too tired to watch a whole movie and this was free on demand, so I decided to watch it, knowing I could turn it off at any time. I, of course, couldn't though, and ended up staying up too late to watch it. This movie still really holds up for me, but mostly because I so identified with the characters of the film at one point of my life. This film was such a part of my young adult years that it's hard to separate it from it's actual qualities as a film. But I will say, very odd to have a film about twentysomethings with nary an iPod, text message, or Internet connection in sight.

Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner: This sequel to Good in Bed is interesting. I love that it takes place thirteen years later (before Cannie's daughter's bat mitzvah) instead of just jumping right back into the story. I also found the two sides of the mother/daughter relationship to be insightful. I thought Weiner did a good job capturing both sides. Ultimately, though, there were too many loose ends to make this satisfying and some of the twists seemed to really be a stretch. Just a so-so vacation read.

Young@Heart: Oh my. I had read on my friend Alisa's Twitter that she sobbed through the Coldplay song in this documentary about a chorus of older folk. I secretly mocked her, thinking, "Yeah, a Coldplay song. Silly pregnancy hormones." Well, I can tell you that I'm definitely, absolutely not pregnant and this movie made me so weepy and the Coldplay song just about put me over the edge. The trailers show a bunch of old people singing rock songs (the Ramones, the Zombies, Sonic Youth), and yes, there is that element and it's fabulous, but the documentary also touches on some of their lives and illnesses and the ending concert feels like an absolute triumph. I'd put this on one of my top documentary lists, absolutely!

For the Bible Tells Me So: An interesting, but one-sided, documentary about evangelical Christians and homosexuality. Fundamentalist families with gay children are interviewed, and this part of the documentary is very moving and insightful. However, the arguments against the biblical injunctions against homosexuality 1) would have been more powerful had they actually interviewed someone with an opposing belief (rather than just show clips of rants) and then argued against that and 2) don't stand up to scrutiny when traditional Judaism is considered, and I was hoping for arguments strong enough to stand up to all religions (part of the argument is, "Well, 'man shall not lie with man' is just one in a long list of commands, such as 'don't mix linens,' 'don't eat swine,' and 'don't cut the corners of your field,' which Christians completely ignore." The fault of this argument, of course, being that Orthodox Jews do follow all these other laws). There was also a rather incongruous part in the middle that is a cartoon discussing why people are gay. However, if you're interested in the subject matter, it's worth the watch.

Walk the Line: I'm a big Johnny Cash fan, so this biopic was lots of fun and an excuse to sing all those old songs. I didn't completely buy all the characterizations (Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Elvis felt forced to me), but the love story was sweet.

Becoming Jane: Damn those English lit classes that gave me the knowledge that Jane Austen ends up alone. Because I so wanted her to find her Mr. Darcy, I terribly wanted her to end up with Lefroy. A lush period piece about one of my favorite authors: What's not to love? Of course, I can't say the same for the friend I watched it with. She fell asleep during it. But that was simply her loss.

Sex and the City: I read the reviews. They sucked. I wanted to see SATC anyway. I mean, these women were a defining part of my young-ish (okay, mid-ish) adult life. They were single and fun-loving when I was single and fun loving. They always were (and still are) a few years older than me, so it was reaffirming to see that there was still hope for me in the work/love/life department and if there wasn't, I wasn't alone. So, despite the miserable reviews I read everywhere, including the Style section of the NYTimes for goodness sake!, I went with some girlfriends to see it. And you know what? It was fun. It was light, it was froufy, it was probably a bit too long, but it was a satisfying film for a fan. Not a fan? Then definitely don't see this. But if you were diehard, you'll enjoy this visit from a bunch of old friends.

The Rabbi's Daughter by Reva Mann: This is one of those memoirs that I read and think, "I want to be friends with this woman." Fascinating account of Mann--who is the granddaughter of the former chief rabbi of Israel--who strayed as far from orthodoxy as you can get but then went to the opposite extreme, becoming an Hasidic wife. She then reverts back to the other extreme. I wish there was more on how she lives her life today, but overall, I learned a lot about the ultra-conservative lifestyle and generally was glued to the book.

The Saturday Wife by Naomi Ragen: I really disliked the other book by Ragen that I had read, but a friend recommended this, so I thought I'd give her another shot. I have to say--and this may be because my expectations were so low--I enjoyed this story of a conniving woman who worms her way into becoming a rabbi's wife. Details of the Orthodox Jewish community were interesting to me, and while the writing wasn't always strong, the character was interesting enough to keep me going.

Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir by Shalom Auslander: I was so looking forward to this book--I even bought it in hardcover--and it turned out to be a real disappointment. Auslander keeps waiting for God to wreak his revenge on him and by the end of the book, I was really hoping he wood. It feels like one very long complaint, without enough supporting material to say why he was complaining. Bummer.

Baby Mama: I felt a little duped by this. All the previews show it as a comedy. So I snuck off with my future sister-in-law on Mother's Day for a lighthearted frolic. But it was as much serious as anything, which would have been fine if that's what I had been expecting. I adore Tina Fey, and in my mind, she can do no wrong, and I did love her here. I just wanted a little more bite to this, a little more oomph. The happy ending as it was presented here just didn't feel true to the story. Don't get me wrong--this wasn't a terrible movie. It just could have been so much more.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri: I was so resistant about this book for so long and now I have to scratch my head and wonder why. I loved her short stories. I think this book was simply overhyped for me, but once I could put all that out of my head, I really enjoyed the story, although the main character, Gogol, never came to life for me like the secondary characters did. But it still swept me away and her writing is so vivid and all-encompassing.

The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania: This quirky documentary about a beauty pageant in a coal town was surprisingly upbeat. This was not your "these girls are freaks" beauty story. The girls in here were genuine and likable and the background info on the coal town was really interesting. Enjoyable.

27 Dresses: I'm hanging with two of my good peeps. We've each got a glass of a lovely port. The kids are all tucked into their respective beds and the husbands are buried in their respective dens. And on pops 27 Dresses. Just the right kind of movie for just that night. Not taxing mentally. Amusing in a chick flick kind of way. Slightly unjustified ending. Totally predictable. Just right. (Although, for the record, I don't find James Marsden in the least attractive. Katherine Heigl needed a better looking leading man.)

Wordplay : A nice little documentary about crossword puzzle doers. I enjoyed the heart of this film, but there was a lot of celebrity commentary that I just didn't care about. I wish it had been more like Spellbound and just concentrated on the stories of the players, who didn't need commentary from Jon Stewart or Bill Clinton to make their lives more interesting. A solid film that could have been so much more...

Juno: Everything that was promised. And so much more. Loved, loved, loved it. When I'm a kid next time around, I so want to be Juno.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir: I confess to be sorely lacking in my history knowledge, so from that standpoint, I found this story of Lady Jane Grey to be quite interesting. But as a novel, it didn't completely pull together. It's told from multiple perspectives, including Lady Jane at the age of four. I'm sorry--I've got a four year old. I'm sure Lady Jane was an incredibly gifted child, but please! I can't believe she was that articulate and had such coherent intricate thoughts. And the language didn't feel true to the era. Finally, the ending was too sentimental. That said, I'd be interested in reading some of Weir's nonfiction, because she seems to know her stuff.

Ushpizin: This is a really interesting Israeli film about a haredi couple in Jerusalem who don't have enough money to build a sukkah. They are not "frum from birth," but have a past to deal with and the husband, Moshe, finds himself with a guest from his old days. The movie was fascinating from a cultural aspect--seeing this aspect of ultra-Orthodox life. It's definitely a movie about faith and people's ability to change and the ending was moving. The characters are very likable and the whole movie has a sort of Yiddish folk tale-feel to it. I'd recommend to anyone interested in Israeli/Jewish film.

Pieces of April: Katie Holmes plays April, a funky NYC type who tries to make some peace with her family over Thanksgiving. I liked the general story and found Holmes so likable here, but the premise is that April was this incredibly difficult, troubled kid, and I just didn't buy it. She probably wasn't an angel, but as portrayed here, she seemed like she was probably just a normal kid who was on the difficult side. But her mother claims she set fires, was obnoxious, and horrible, and it's just not there. That said, the film was sweet without being sappy and I did enjoy it.

The Break-Up: This was free on-demand, I knew Adam would fall asleep, so I turned it on... and, Surprise! I enjoyed it. It wasn't as sappy as I had thought it would be and I thought it hit some realistic notes on breaking ups. I admit I'm a Jennifer Aniston fan, which probably biased me, but I would recommend this for a froufy kind of film night.

Margot at the Wedding: Just the kind of bleak film that I can sink my teeth into. I love dysfunctional family stories. And this was definitely one!

Away by Amy Bloom: The writing in this saga of a young Jewish woman fresh in New York from the Old World is captivating. Lillian Leyb discovers after a short time in New York that her daughter, whom she had thought to be dead, was still alive, and she treks across the country in hopes of making it to Alaska where she will sail across to Siberia to find her. The story lost me a little on the journey, but the writing kept me going and by the end, the story was once again delectable. Beautifully done.

The Pursuit of Happyness: A guilt-inducing film. I feel too guilty and privileged to say I didn't like it, but the truth is, not my favorite.

Sliding Doors: I needed something to watch while Adam dozed in the living room chair, and this was free On Demand. I'd seen it once before years ago. It's a flawed film and I'm not a Gwyneth Paltrow fan, but this film strikes a nerve. I love the concept (how the smallest thing can completely change your life) and I love a lot of the characters. I feel like I shouldn't really like this film, but the fact is, I do.

Class: So, in my defense, there was a writers' strike. So there was nothing on TV. I mean nothing. So Adam and I were watching Lipstick Jungle, when Adam said, "I don't like Andrew McCarthy. His eyes are too squinty." I was horrified and said, "Don't you dare dis Andrew McCarthy! Ohmygod, I've been in love with him ever since Class!" At which point it came out that Adam had never seen Class. I sent him immediately to two video stores, but they didn't have it, so I was forced to buy it used off of Amazon. It took forever to arrive. But it did. And we watched it. And Adam stayed awake for the entire movie. A first, I think. And I thought Andrew McCarthy was just as dreamy as ever. Sigh. I heart Andrew McCarthy. I heart Class.

Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham: Total chick lit. Fun for escape from the little ones, but really, just chick lit.

Joy Comes in the Morning by Jonathan Rosen: The writing in this story is so seamless that I was engaged even when the plot stretched my patience a bit. The story focuses on a Reform female rabbi and the man she becomes involved with, however, it is much more than that. The man's father had a stroke and seems to struggle with coming to terms with his feelings about Judaism against the devastation of having lost his family in the Holocaust. The man's best friend had a schizophrenic breakdown. The rabbi's family isn't as religious as she is and are wary of her and her devoutness. Issues of competency and feeling a fraud play a large role in this novel. Beautifully written and a satisfying ending.

Ira & Abby: This quirky love story was definitely heavy handed at points, but it was also rather charming and I very much like where it ended up. In a nutshell: uptight neurotic Jew decides to marry free-spirited woman after knowing her for a few hours. I like Jennifer Westfeldt, who was also in Kissing Jessica Stein and is in Notes from the Underbelly.

Sotah by Naomi Ragen: A sotah is a woman accused of adultery and this story is about three sisters in the haredi world of Israel as they are matched off in marriage. The middle daughter is the main character and the one "sotah" refers to. I'm interested enough in the subject matter (the haredi world; not adultery) that I was willing to overlook the choppy writing and lack of depth in the characters. But the ending was so ridiculous and so facile that I actually felt angry at the book for not being better. The characters were cardboard and one-dimensional to the point of ridiculousness. I so wanted to like this book....

The Up Series, Vol. 1 (Seven Up and Seven Plus Seven: I've been meaning to watch this for quite some time and I found it interesting, although the second one more so (it's a series of films, done at seven year intervals, chronicling the lives of a group of kids from different socio-economic classes in Britain, beginning in 1969, based on the idea of the quote, "Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man." ). I'm eager to see more, to discover where the kids end up.

Throw Like a Girl: Stories by Jean Thompson: I was slow to warm to the stories in this book, but by the end, I was captivated. The protagonists are mostly older, everyday women, but Thompson captures the nuances and voice of these women in an incredibly compelling way. "Pie of the Month" is an incredible story about an older woman who makes pies and the political turmoils of her town, but it's done on such an earthy level that it's never bat-you-over-the-head with politics. The title story is incredibly moving. A great collection.

Once: I don't know how many times I'd read in my friend Weegie's blog how much he liked this movie, so I finally rented it. All I can say is, "Wow!" I don't usually like movies that are so heavy on the music, but the music is such an integral part of the story, I became completely sucked in. The story is both bleak and uplifting and I can't get it out of my mind.

Failure to Launch: This was free on demand and I knew Adam would be falling asleep, so I watched it. It was... fine. For what it was. I do like SJP, so that was fun, and Zooey Deschanel is likable. But the movie was a little flat and unsurprising.

For Your Consideration: Not quite as funny as their other movies, but still very entertaining.

Music and Lyrics: What is up with this movie? There was not an iota of chemistry between Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. It was just a tad over the top.

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer: I was fascinated by the story of Morman Fundamentalism, although I felt that Krakauer was unfair to the more mainstream Mormonism; while I have concerns about any religion in the extreme, I thought that he used the fundamentalism to paint a really negative picture of Mormons in general. That said, the story of the murder that's the center of this account is horrifying. I will say, I found it very difficult to keep track of all the players in this book, as everyone had many wives and married stepchildren and whatnot that I found myself just sort of guessing who was related to whom.

Waitress: Go watch this film. NOW! I mean it. I loved, loved, loved this film. I've been a huge fan of Adrienne Shelley ever since The Unbelievable Truth and she does an amazing job with this film. On the surface, it's a fairly bleak movie: a waitress becomes pregnant by her abusive husband, thus trapping her in her marriage. But--much like those Hal Hartley films--Shelley finds the humor in it all and it turns into quite the empowering, uplifting story. Everyone in it is so good: Keri Russell (not a hint of Felicity here!), Cheryl Hines, Shelley, and even Andy Griffith! Are you still reading this? Damn it, stop! Go rent this!

Superbad: Okay, to be honest, I planned to watch this while I finished writing holiday cards. Nope. This film was really funny and deserved more than half my attention. It was so much fun, and the high school dialogue was dead-on. A perfect snowy day film.

Tolstoy Lied by Rachel Kadish: The premise of this book is that happiness can be just as compelling as unhappiness (from Tolstoy's "happy families are all alike" critique in the beginning of Anna Karenina), and while it's an interesting conceit, I just didn't think this book lived up to it's promise. I think the main problem was I found the hero to be rather creepy and pushy, and I wasn't convinced that this strong protagonist would fall for him. That said, the writing was great with some excellent descriptions. This is a notch higher than chick lit, but I found it a bit too chick lit-y to be really great.

My Kitchen Wars by Betty Fussell: Read my review of it here.

Runaway Jury: Watched for work (but enjoyed).

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert: I wanted to love this book. It had every element that I devour: travel, food, romance. But something stopped me. The book was extremely well written and Gilbert is an immensely likable person. Yet, when I put the book down, I wasn't compelled to pick it back up again and finally, I had to say, "Enough's enough; finish this already." Not sure what my deal was with it. I think I'm the only person alive not to go ga-ga here.

Slummy Mummy by Fiona Neill: Light. Fun. The best of the "mommy lit" that I've read. No one was totally evil, no one was completely blameless and the ending was spot on even in its utter ludicrousness.

Julia Child by Laura Shapiro: Read my review of it here.

Backstage with Julia by Nancy Verde Barr: Read my review of it here.

The Manny by Holly Peterson: Light. Froufy. Fun. A solid beach read.

Rashi's Daughters, Book I: Joheved by Maggie Anton: What an incredibly disappointing book. I was quite interested in the subject matter--a woman in medieval times studying Talmud--but the writing was heavy handed and uninspiring. I learned little about the Talmud, little about medieval times, and little about the lives of people in the time. The characters were broadly drawn, clearly meant to illustrate a point. I won't be reading the sequel.

Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman: Wow. This book blew me away. A newborn daughter dies of SIDS and the mom must still forge a relationship with her somewhat unlikable five-year-old stepson. Waldman creates such a rounded, believable character--Emelia is immensely flawed and at times the reader wonders about her--but so real. Beautifully written. Superb.

Confetti: I'm a sucker for British films. And a sucker for mockumentaries. So give me a British mockumentary, and I'm a happy camper. This was cute. I wouldn't recommend it unless you too are a fan of either British films or mockumentaries, but it was fun, the story of a three couples competing for the weirdest wedding award.

Daniel Isn't Talking by Marti Lembech: American woman, standoffish British husband, lovely daughter, autistic son: Elements about Daniel's autism are strikingly portrayed, but the husband and the therapist are surprisingly one-dimensional. The romance is too predictable but the aspects of mothering an autistic child make the book worthwhile.

Me, You, and Everyone We Know: Quirky! Almost vignette in quality, the individual stories do tie together, but each person is so lonely and so lost. Ending is as happy as could be, and the feeling is oddly upbeat.

Running with Scissors: Downright tedious.

The Holiday: I love Jack Black but his character in this film was just creepy and I couldn't figure out why Kate Winslet liked him. Speaking of which, I really love Kate Winslet; so why did they give all the screentime to Cameron Diaz? Such wasted potential here...

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult: I was blown away by the writing in this book. The story is of a thirteen-year-old girl, Anna, who sues her parents for medical emancipation because she's tired of being a donor for her sister with leukemia. Anna was a designer baby, meaning she was created with her sister's needs in mind to help her in her fight against the cancer. Picoult really got into the complexities of the matter and while I didn't always buy the mother's character, I found the story incredibly riveting. I stayed up late way too many nights to finish this. The ending felt a little cheated to me (and I won't give that away here), but still, I would kill to write like she does.

Motherland by Vineeta Vijayaraghavan: I appreciated the insights into Indian culture in this coming-of-age story of a teen-aged girl who returns to India to spend the summer with family. The descriptions are beautiful and Maya, the protagonist, is immensely likable. However I felt a political subplot (about Tamil Tigers) felt forced and it detracted from the lyrical story.

Madagascar: This was the guilt movie; the one we let Doodles rent after taking him to the ER instead of a carnival. It was cute, but definitely not one of my favorite animated flicks. I'm not ultimately sure what the message was supposed to be, other than "sushi is good," which is like, "Duh!"

Company by Max Barry: On the one hand, this book was utterly over the top and ridiculous. On the other hand, I couldn't put it down. Definitely some laugh-out-loud moments in this satire of the modern workplace, complete with its bizarre office politics and odd management styles that ring frighteningly true to anyone who's worked in corporate America (although Barry is Australian, so what does that tell you?). Fun, fun, fun!

The 40-Year-Old Virgin: After loving Knocked Up so much, we simply had to see this right away. And it was good. But not nearly as good as Knocked Up. Would have probably liked it more if friends hadn't hyped it up so much (they thought this was the better of the two).

Knocked Up: It's probably just where we are in life, but Adam and I were dying in this one. (It could also be that it was our first night out in who knows how long. A movie! In the theaters! Together!) So, so, so funny. Maybe a tad on the long side, but so funny it was completely forgivable.

The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory: As with The Other Boleyn Girl, this book whisked me away to another time and place. But perhaps I read it too soon after the other book, as I found the historical mode tiresome after awhile. I was also bothered by the (very well historical fact--I don't know enough to even claim to have a hint of knowing) frailty of Queen Elizabeth. Everything I've seen and read till now had her as such a strong matriarch that is was unsettling to view her as such an uncertain young woman. But overall, the writing was as captivating as ever and a fun read.

A Model Summer by Paulina Porizkova: Depressing that someone with such a successful modeling career turns out to be a fine writer. Definitely cream of the crop in the "summer reading" genre, with solid writing, a likable character, and an ambiguous enough ending to keep me happy. Much better than the roman a clefs written by those who actually profess to have a writing background. Should be on the top of anyone's beach read list.

Jesus Camp: I a sucker for those documentaries, and this one was fascinating albeit horrifying, about the Evangelical Christians are indoctrinating their kids (although I'm sure you could substitue any religion in here). A couple of slow points when they were concentrating on the kids' pastor--the kids were the really interesting ones--but overall a solid documentary.

Job by Joseph Roth: A lovely retelling of the story of Job. I've loved other books by Roth and was surprised at how different, yet still successful, the tone of this book was. Felt very Yiddish-y, for lack of a better word, like how the older folks tell stories.

Wedding Season by Darcy Cosper: I hestitate to call this chick lit because of the wonderfully refreshing ending, but it may indeed fall into that category. I like the riffs on marriage, although at times, there was a bit of a "I get it already" feeling, but the characters are likable and sympathetic and it was a fun read.

Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris: I'm partial to office stories, but Ferris took it to the next level with this novel, cleverly told in the third person plural. An advertising agency is falling apart--folks getting laid off, people cracking up--and it's all oh-so-amusing.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby: Just the right speed (no pun intended) for where I am now. Really fun. Some nice quotable lines. Will Ferrell is hysterical. Perfect.

The No-Cry Discipline Solution by Elizabeth Pantley: Read for work.

The Lives of Others: What an astoundingly powerful film. Truly caught me up, and that's hard to do these days, given how tired I am. Didn't even notice it was subtitled, it was so compelling. Story of the Stasi in East Berlin with such a lovely bittersweet ending. Wish there were more films like this one.

Because She Can by Bridie Clark: Oh my! A book that makes The Devil Wears Prada look like literature! I wanted to read because of my own publishing background, but the book was so obvious from the get-go that it was rather painful to read. Skip this one.

Ten Thousand Lovers by Edeet Ravel: I thought that this book about a young woman falling in love with an Israeli army interrogator was going to be dry, but it was anything but. Ravel interweaves pieces of the woman as an adult mom living in Canada with her youth in Israel falling in love. Ravel uses lots of interesting techniques, including looking at the meaning of Hebrew words in a way that really adds depth to the novel.

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory: Totally got sucked into this story. Couldn't put it down! I wish I knew a little bit more of the history, because I understand this deviates quite a bit, but I kept going. Toward the end I thought it went on a bit much--after all, even if you don't know your history very well, we all know what happened to Anne Boleyn--but I found this an immensely satisfying read.

Warm Springs: Traces of a Childhood at FDR's Polio Haven by Susan Richards Shreve: Read for work.

The Devil Wears Prada: Exactly what I expected. Entertaining. Watered down from the book. Forgettable.

Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh: This was slow starting, but it quickly picks up steam. The story of a man as told by his three wives. The writing was strong when it described the women, but it never did a great job of showing why they were with this jerk, Kimble. But it was a compelling enough story to make me want to check out her other books.

When Do We Eat: A terribly disappointing film about a dysfunctional family Passover seder. Such great potential wasted!

Art School Confidential: This was pretty amusing. Of course, coming from a home centered on art, some of the cliches really hit home. It was light and fun and worth watching.

Little Children by Tom Perrotta: This is what Music for Torching should have been! A funny, well-written, dead-on satire of life in the suburbs. I'm bumming they're going to make this a movie. It's too good for a movie!

The Outside World by Tova Mirvis: This is the second book I've read by Mirvis, and she continues to impress me with her glimpses into the Orthodox Jewish world. Her stories are sympathetic yet they don't paint blindly pretty pictures. I looked forward to returning to Tzippy's world every night.

Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant: I don't know much about the Renaissance period, so I have no idea if this book was historically correct, but the writing really swept me away to another time and place. The writing is beautiful and the story of a young woman , her fascination with art, and what comes to her in late 15th-century Florence is magical.

Little Miss Sunshine: Really funny and I'm so happy they didn't sugarcoat the ending. Each character was so well drawn and Toni Collette, well, let's face it, I love Toni Collette no matter what she does but the fact is, she does it very well here.

The Milk Memos: How Real Moms Learned to Mix Business with Babies-and How You Can, Too
by Cate Colburn-Smith and Andrea Serrette: Read for work.

The Snake Charmer by Sanjay Nigam: I was disappointed when this book didn't grab me. The story is of a charmer who briefly finds fame after killing his snake. While I liked the way it evoked an India I'd not read about before, I just never really became engaged.

Thank You for Smoking: Why aren't there more movies like this? It was hilarious and wonderful!! Yeah!

The Family Stone: As much as I love Sarah Jessica Parker and Diane Keaton, this movies was merely annoying. Yet another dysfunctional family without any real bite to it. Would have been soooo much better if they had ended it with the bus scene. Did they really need to hit us over the head with that final piece of triteness?

Music for Torching by A.M. Homes: I've liked her short stories in the past, but I haven't been able to really get into her novels. It felt flat. I think because it was a satire on suburban life, but I couldn't relate to any of the characters--it felt forced, too over the top.

Marie Antoinette: Enjoyable but at times it felt like a music video gone awry. The cinematography was beautiful, but we could have been off with her head a full 45 minutes sooner.

The Three-Martini Playdate: A Practical Guide to Happy Parenting: A cute semi-parody of parenting books that was amusing except when it contradicted what I do.

Preschool Confidential by Sandi Kahn Shelton: I hate to write in cliches, but I did, actually and truly, laugh out loud while I was reading this book. If you don't have a preschooler right now, pass this book by. But if you do, I say it again: I laughed--many times--out loud.

The Queen: I'm no expert on British royalty, but I though Helen Mirren was superb. The Charles character was a little comical as was Philip, but Mirren was captivating and she really made the queen a sympathetic character.

Boychiks in the Hood: Travels in the Hasidic Underground by Robert Eisenberg: An interesting glimpse into the Hasidic world, but they were a little too shallow. I wanted a more in-depth look, which you're really not going to get in a book of essays, so perhaps I was expecting too much. But it was well written and engaging.

The No-Cry Potty Training Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Child Say Good-Bye to Diapers by Elizabeth Pantley: Yes, I admit it, I bought it. Some good ideas. But the Doodles is still not potty trained. 'Nuff said.

It's a Boy: Women Writers on Raising Sons by Andrea J. Buchanan: A light collection of essays--but too many seemed alike. Finishing it, nothing really stood out.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon: What an incredible story. It was especially powerful reading this after George and Sam, as G&S was a memoir about a mother who has two autistic sons, and Curious Incident was written from the point of view of a (high functioning) autistic teenager. I can't say if Haddon accurately portrayed the autistic mind set, but I will say that what I read felt real and believable. Definitely enjoyed this.

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella: Pure chick lit, but really fun chick lit. One of the best of the light genre.

George and Sam by Charlotte Moore: Read for work.

Entourage--The Complete Second Season--I love this show. And the second season didn't disappoint.

BreakupBabe: A Novel by Rebecca Agiewich: I took a class with the author in grad school, so it was a little hard to read this objectively, because I kept picturing Rebecca in the Rachel role (which isn't so far off, because the novel is a thinly veiled version of what happened, as she states in the introduction).

The Diary of an Honest Mum by Jools Oliver: Read for work.

Imagine Me & You: Picked this up on a whim from the video store (yes, we finally admitted defeat with Netflix) even though there were a zillion movies on the shelves that both Adam and I had expressed interest in seeing. What a happy thing! A terribly cute movie that, while predictible, was funny, charming, and lovely. Bride meets a (female) florist on the day of her wedding and is struck by love at first site. If it had been made in the U.S., the husband would have been a cad, but the British production makes all the characters equally sympathetic.

Good Night, and Good Luck: David Strathairn was excellent as Edward R. Murrow and even though everyone going in knows how the story unfolds (or at least, they should), the film is suspenseful. An excellent commentary on the (modern) state of journalism that makes you appreciate how important a free press is.

Scoop: I still heart Woody Allen. This was not his best, but it was still very cute. Now go read my interview with Woody Allen.

Keeping Up with the Steins: Cute. A little cliched. Warm fuzzies. I think you have to be Jewish to truly like it.

Searching for Mary Poppins: Women Write About the Intense Relationship Between Mothers and Nannies edited by Susan Davis and Gina Hyams: Read for work.

Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers' Schemes by Sharon Lamb and Lyn Mikel Brown: Read for work, so I can't comment, but I will say, if you have a daughter, READ THIS!

The Nimrod Flipout: Stories by Etgar Keret: This book of short-short stories by an Israeli author was supremely odd. Some of the stories were so fresh, I continued thinking about them long after I put the bood down. A few just flitted past (including the title piece). But the excellent pieces outweighed the silly, and anyone who likes short-shorts will find this collection intriguing.

Why She Went Home by Lucinda Rosenfeld: I thougt the short story that Rosenfeld originally published in the New Yorker was brilliant; I thought the novel it was excerpted from was good; and I think this sequel is just fine. Certainly a lot better than a lot of the other stuff I've read, but it doesn't live up to the previous pieces. The main character, Phoebe, doesn't hold up as well, and the relationship she ends up in seems vaguely off-putting. But the writing is still quite good and it's better than the average chick lit out there. Maybe that's it: the first novel was too good to be defined as chick lit. It was simply a great novel. This one did feel more like high-quality chick lit.

Havana Salsa: Stories and Recipes by Viviana Carballo: Read for work.

The Overachievers : The Secret Lives of Driven Kids by Alexandra Robbins: Read for work.

Friends with Money: I feel rather ambivalent about this film: on one hand it was well acted and well written; on the other is was a depressing take on marriage and friendship. Definitely not uplifting but certainly thought-provoking.

The Shark God: Encounters with Ghosts and Ancestors in the South Pacific by Charles Montgomery: Read for work.

The Working Gal's Guide to Babyville: Your Must-Have Manual for Life with Baby by Paige Hobey and Allison, M.D. Nied: Read for work.

Devil's Playground: An amazing documentary about Rumspringa, the time when an Amish child turns 16 and s/he is permitted to experience the "English" world. After this period of freedom, a child then chooses whether or not s/he will be baptized and join the Amish community. Really well done--I thought it was pretty balanced too although there were a few more kids featured who did not return. An excellent, excellent documentary that was captivating to watch. I wanted more!

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon : The Story of Oregon's Legendary Coach and Nike's Co-founder by Kenny Moore: Read for work.

Brokeback Mountain: I'm not sure which I liked more, the movie (which was terrific although I thought they did a terrible job of aging the characters so it was hard to tell where we were chronologically) or the fact that I saw a movie IN A MOVIE THEATER while it was still relatively NEW!! Halleluah! Both are glorious. Simply glorious!

The Aristocrats: At first I thought this documentary about the world's dirtiest joke was a one-note film, but it really picked up momentum and was quite funny. At one point, two comdedians tell this joke to their babies (probably both under seven months) and I was horrified, absolutely horrified that anyone would let their babies hear this kind of stuff and I said so to the other person in the room with until I, uh, realized that, uh, I was actually watching the movie with five-month-old Sweetie Pie, so, uh, well, never mind. But it's a good documentary. Keep watching till the very end credits.

Bride and Prejudice: A Bollywood-style remake of Pride and Prejudice, this film is really fun. Colorful, musical, and with terrific Indian actresses (the American actors weren't quite up with the overseas cast) made this a really fun film. The musical numbers were definite highlights.

Must Love Dogs: I expected a little better given how much I love John Cusack (and I'm a Diane Lane fan, too), but it really was a nice, frothy little romance. Not much to say but "cute."

The Wedding Crashers: I think this movie was quite funny. I'm pretty sure it was. It was a little hard to tell over Sweetie Pie's screams, but I did catch some very funny moments in there.

Shooting Water: A Memoir of Second Chances, Family, and Filmmaking by Devyani Saltzman: Read for work.

Fever Pitch: For the record, Adam didn't want to watch this, but I insisted. Hey, who knew? Adam was right. The acting was atrocious! I saw the original and actually thought it was quite good (how could I possibly not like something with Colin Firth in it? Don't be put off by the originally tacky cover); this did not live up to that in anyway shape or form. Both actors came off stilted. Definitely pass on this and see the original.

Raising Helen: I watched this on one of those nasty days when it was too cold to take Sweetie Pie out. It seemed very long to me. I don't think it was that long. It was cute. That's about all there is to say about it.

The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis: A beautifully told story about an outsider who comes into the Orthodox Jewish community in Memphis. Told interestingly enough from the first person plural point of view, but it works. It's so nice to read a story with strong female characters that doesn't center around romance.