Finished books

First, a bit of 2009 catch up.

The last book of the year was Christmas: The Original Story. This book was a gift from my mother-in-law and made a great Advent read. I did feel a bit as if I were dropped into the middle of a lecture. I think in order to fully evaluate the author's arguments in this book, I would need to read her earlier book on temple theology. I'm not yet completely convinced of some of the assertions that are bedrock to her interpretation of the Gospel birth stories. I'd like to read her more completely developed arguments for those.

The first book of 2010 was Four Queens. This is a wonderful non-fiction book that reads like a novel. It's the story of four sisters, the daughters of the count of Provence, who grew up to become the queens of France, England, the Holy Roman Empire, and Sicily. The writing is great with lots of sarcastic asides.

A Garden of Thorns is a memoir of the son of Italian immigrants growing up in Dijon, France, during World War II. Dijon was one of the last areas of France that was liberated. It's pretty cheerful as WWII European memoirs go. Michael recommended this to me based on the opening chapter. The writing isn't strong in the rest of the book, but I had an extra interest in the story since we'll be visiting Dijon on our trip in April.

I just finished Vanished Smile. Another easy and yet fascinating read. Michael had to remind me once, or twice, or three times, that if he wanted he could read the book himself, so maybe I could finish this anecdote and then stop talking? Did you know the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 and was missing for two years? Did you know Picasso was one of the suspects and appeared in court to answer charges?

Two things struck me as particularly shocking. One was that the king of France had the Mona Lisa hanging in his bathroom at Fontainebleau for years. Of course. Because all priceless masterpieces love heat and humidity.

The other was that it took several hours from the time someone noticed the Mona Lisa wasn't hanging on the wall before anyone alerted the authorities. The reason?

The camera was becoming an indispensable instrument in the creation, conservation, and reproduction of art, and Director Homolle was so enthusiastic about the new medium that he allowed the photographers unlimited access. Any contract photographer or curator could saunter into a gallery and remove a painting from the wall without making a formal request, obtaining permission, or informing the guard. Because the paintings were simply hung on hooks--not even the most priceless masterpieces were wired or bolted--anyone could take them down and carry them off. page 19-20

So, any other great books about France I should read between now and April?