This week I thought I'd look at an alleged chick lit staple: shopping.
Of course I had to start with the queen of shopping - Becky Bloomwood. The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic, the first of Sophie Kinsella's super-successful series is a laugh-out loud cautionary tale of what happens when you lose track of your spending. Becky Bloomwood is a financial advisor who hasn't got a clue how to save. From racing away from work to buy designer scarves to filling her house full of greetings cards for no apparent reason, her impulse spending makes even the most seasoned shopper look like a spendthrift. Despite her (many) faults and unbelievably stupid spending sprees, our heroine is still the kind of character you can't help rooting for throughout. From the hilarious letters to her bank manager that start each chapter to the tales of her burgeoning romance with the lovely Luke Brandon and her warts-and-all friendship with Sloaney Suze, the pages fly by.
But what if you're not a seasoned shopper? How do you know what to buy? Well India Knight's gorgeous, The Shops, will help with that. 'The Shops: How, why and where to shop' is an unashamedly self-indulgent gem filled with tales of the author's shopping excursions and littered with product recommendations, shopping favourites and gift ideas. Whether you're a seasoned shopper or the kind of person who dreads a trip to Oxford Street, this book is a mine of information and a great read to dip in and out of. It covers everything from maternity clothing to organic food, and is full of top tips, personal recommendations and silly stories. Invest in it now and halve your Christmas shopping time!
Of course some people don't like to shop and others don't think excessive shopping is ethical. But could you go a whole year without buying anything? No clothes, no books (argh!), no cinema tickets or meals out? What would you do if you weren't part of the consumer economy and only bought the barest of essentials? And how would other people react?
To answer all those questions and more, Judith Levine (along with her partner, Paul) took on a mammoth challenge: a year of Not Buying It. This book looks at issues of world economics, environmental concerns and social responsibility and in this sense is enlightening, if a bit depressing at times. It's a thought-provoking read, and I can't imagine that anyone who reads it will ever forget some of the lessons of the book.
