Okay, I finished the Julie/Julia book, which is a good sign. Means I'm moving out of the rut. And I even enjoyed it. Sometimes, it's not that the books I'm reading/trying to read are bad, just that they aren't the right books for that time. Reading is very much a mood thing for me; I have to have the right books to fit my mood if I'm going to really be satisfied. This is why I have to take at least 10 books with me on any vacation (and I usually buy more), even if I know I'll only actually read one or two.
Anyway, back to Julie/Julia. This is definitely not one that will be of much interest to my students, but it will be of interest to many of my friends - in fact, it was recommended to me by a friend. Since Julie and I are "of an age," I can relate to many of her issues - she's stuck in a job she hates, needs to spice up her marriage, is facing trouble having children (doesn't know if she wants children) - anyway, they're all relevant issues for thirtyish women. And while I don't hate my job, I can certainly relate to her desire to do something with her life.
And her answer (or, her husband's answer, which he lives to regret), is the Julie/Julia project. Julie Powell cooks all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year -and blogs the whole experience. It's a transforming experience for her. She's irreverant and downright profane at times, and an alarming amount of alcohol is consumed with all those French dishes, but sharing the experience with Julie and her husband is quite a trip.