Most recently, read “Citizen Girl”. Its by Emma Mc Laughlin and Nicola Kraus, the authors of “Nanny diaries”. The heroine of “Citizen Girl” is also called “Girl”, fresh in the job market, and looking for jobs in the Journalism/Feminism/Social Work Sector. The book details her travails when she gets a job at “My Company” (her boss is called “Guy”). Work at “My Company” is at the very least an unknown, a very quirky unknown. Interesting book, although “Nanny Diaries” was better.

The “Nanny diaries” is about a nanny (well, duh !), who is called Nanny throughout the book, her employer Mrs.X and her son Grayer. Mrs. X is the original size 2 ice maiden, and thaws only at the extremities, and only for her son and her philandering husband. Nanny wishes to quit faced with such an cold employer (pun intended), but stays on because of the 4 year old Grayer. Initially hostile, Grayer is a genuinely sweet kid. Nanny is a 21 year old at NYU, sharing a tiny apartment with a room-mate and the room-mate’s hairy boyfriend (who often sleeps over).

The book is funny to the point where I’m laughing out loud at places. But it is also emotional and moving; certainly got my heartstrings twanging. A good read, although it does end rather mildly.

Also read “Memoirs of a Geisha” (Arthur Golden) sometime back. The story of Sayuri, a Japanes geisha, this was one interesting book. Told simply, but in sufficient detail, its about Sayuri’s being sold into an okiya (a geisha house), and her life thereafter. I’d recommend this book because it manages to get under your skin, you see how Sayuri and other characters feel and think. This book is being made into a film by Sony Pictures, currently in production, set to release Dec. 9th 2005 . Michelle Yeoh plays the role of Mameha, the geisha who takes Sayuri under her wing, and some information on the film is at one of her sites.

Chick lit and desi food go together, no ? How do I know this ? From my extensive research – read three chick-lit novels in a row : “Can You keep a secret ?”, “Lucy Sullivan’s getting married”, “Nanny diaries”. Two out of the three have the females eating/liking Indian food; might have something to do with the fact that their lives are based in the UK, of course.