Pease, Alan & Barbara - The Definitive Book of Body Language

If you can ignore the horrific cover, this book was actually quite interesting. I spied it in Dymocks and found it at the Library on a rare visit totally unintended for the purpose. Cheapskate. I even get a staff discount!

Now I can understand what you are saying when you aren't saying it *cough*. Yes like that'll ever happen.

Wilde, Oscar - The Picture of Dorian Gray

Facinating. Would make a bit of a horror if turned into a movie (Which I think it has been).

Roughly speaking. Dorian is this handsome/rich young man who portrait is painted. While admiring the work he makes a rash wish in a moment of vanity that if only he could stay young forever, or something of the sort. Other influences come by means of a friend, a book etc... Dorains life is altered dramatically when he discovers that any misdeeds translate to his face on the portrait and he looks no different. His soul is personified or displayed within the painting. Naturally he ends up seeking every misdemeanor and the cruelty continues its etching into the paint.

I dare say I missed many connotations and the complete ugliness as I would have had to be paying extremely close attention. There are underlying themes here of homosexuality, vanity, masking, you name it. It's not a pretty book, but it has fair bit to say on life. The notes following the work were really interesting. I actually bothered to read them which is saying a fair bit.

A classic and for a good reason. Much to go over ones head though.

Briggs, Raymond - When the Wind Blows

I usually wouldn't count reading a cartoon book as something I'd put up here, but When the Wind Blows is fairly substantial and I have my reasons. I discovered this book probably five or so years ago now and it still makes my top books list. Never have I been more disturbed by reading a 'picture book'. It's quaint and still horrific. The artist (as I suppose you would call him) through his drawings creates this absoultely definitive message on nuclear war, on war itself and complete misunderstanding. I would also recommend Earnest and Ethel which is a biographical cartoon that Raymond Briggs has done on the lives of his parents.

Custis James, Carolyn - Lost Women of the Bible

I made myself take it slow. A most excellent character study on women in the Bible. I don't know about the whole 'search for significance' thing. Maybe I'm secure already ;)

Highly highly recommend this. There is a LOT of Biblical reference and the author manages to tease out areas less looked at. Makes for facinating reading.

Only thing that bummed me was that she didn't have Rebekah as one of her chapter focuses!