Saturday, November 24, 2012

An introduction plus "Bringing Home The Birkin"

   My first post on my new blog, so I wanted to say, "Hey, welcome to Book Crrr-azy Gal." My mission here is to inspire and entertain you by sharing sneak peeks at books that are inspiring and entertaining me. I love to read as much as I love to write -- it's so much less work and frustration! -- and believe me, when I don't have a good book at my fingertips, I can get even more crrr-azy than normal. That's pretty crrr-azy. So this blog is the best of both worlds for me:  I get to read books and write about them. And I am in an enviable position (although my aching knees don't think so) to work as a shelver at a public library where I get to peruse beaucoup books while I'm putting them away, so I'll be sharing titles off the beaten path of your typical newest-hottest-bestseller reviews. You won't read any thumbs-down reviews here either. If I don't like a book, I put it down and give something else a try. I also may, from time to time, throw in a bonus share from folks I trust about books that may not be my forte but nevertheless deserve a read. 
   Now that you know what to expect, thanks for stopping by and onto the inaugural Roni rave.
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Bringing Home The Birkin

   Michael Tonello is the gay boyfriend I always wished I had:  fashion savvy; exquisite taste in hotels, restaurants, and wines (I'm guessing here as I've never sampled any that he writes about but they sound beyond fabulous); clever and witty, with just the right amount of snarky; and constantly jet-setting to exotic locales. If all that wasn't enough, he has a glamorous (sounding) career doing hair and makeup for commercial photo shoots all over the world. When a gig lands him in Barcelona, Spain, he falls in love with the city and decides that will be his new home. It must be true love too, because a new job as a jewelry middle-man in Barcelona comes calling. The story could have ended there and I would have been a happy reader with all the splendid details of Michael's exciting life and Barcelona's beauty and charm, but it doesn't. The jewelry job falls through; what's my gay boyfriend, who's spent a fortune to settle into his new digs, to do? That's where the real fun begins.
   Needing cash, Michael plunders his overstuffed armoire and finds an Hermès (pronounced ur-mez according to a YouTube video) scarf to auction on eBay. But Michael gets way more than a sale, he gets wish-lists from hordes of hungry-for-Hermès buyers that catapults him into a whole new career as a globe-trotting "Birkin Boy." In case you don't know about Birkins, and I'll admit the only reason I did know was because of a "losing the Birkin" episode of "Sex And The City," they are considered "the world's most coveted handbag" according to Michael. And probably the world's most expensive.  Google "Birkin," you'll see what I mean.
   I'll say no more about the story, don't want to be a big spoiler, except it has all the elements of a great arm-chair adventure:  love; quirky characters (j'adore eBay-buyer Sarah!); frustrating failures until he figures out the Birkin-buying formula; vicarious visits to daydream destinations; and even an international handbag hostage situation. From the fabulous faux-Birkin cover (vermillon croc with gold hardware if I'm not mistaken) to the Hermès-helpful glossary to the interior maps (which I used often so I'd know where the hell he was), "Bringing Home The Birkin" brings home a hilarious read and a chance to experience how the Hermès-half of the world lives.
   Enjoy! I sure did.