DD 176-180.999 (Tony) Give It Up!: My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less by Mary Carlomagno (179.90 CAR)

First things first, I must comment of the author's picture on the back of the book. 100% Jersey Girl- now I know- don't judge a book, much less it's author by it's cover. However, the massive amounts of shoes, chocolate, and alcohol consumed by this person- much less the severe withdraws she suffers from giving these items up for one month really helps to prove my point.
I just can't fathom needing to unwind after work with 1 beer or cocktail- much less 2-5 as she claims to have drunk on average before her January of soberity. Same goes with her need for coffee. Chocolate, I kinda understand- I doubt I could go a month without ice cream!
Still, the author is to be commended for her willingness to forgoe certain earthly pleasures for a month at a time. I feel like her in how pervasive the cell phone has become to us. TV too- but like her, I must agree in this day and age, they are both necessasy evils. I do wish I could do like her and give up cussing. I really think her effort to make a donation to a charity for each swear was a wish idea- how else could you really check yourself without something like this to keep you honest.
The weakest challenge for the author was her boycott on "multitasking". I had a hard time understanding what she was trying to accomplish with this task. It's also the weakest chapter in the book. Sadly, since this task occurs in December at the end of her 1 year strike on excess, it causes the book to end on a low note.
In finishing this reveiw, I want to speak to the author for just a moment, because she stikes me as the type of person who actually may read this on the net one day! I give you book an "A-". It was very entertaining and insightful. I do wish you had talked more about withdrawal symptoms in relation to you body, because I refuse to believe you did not have some sort of minor DT's or caffeine headaches- albeit ever so minor. Also, if you ever do a 2nd edition, please re-edit the last chapther. And if you do decide to try this again, I challenge you to go a month without the following- The Internet, Ipods, make up, and meat. I would be very interested to read a second volume on more experiments towards doing without less.
(Now back to the general public)
In closing, it is interesting that I read this book when I did, because I have decided to give up the Dewey Decimal Project for one month- not because I hate doing it!!!! Actually, I have really enjoyed it. However, I turn 30 on 11/24/07 and I being a child of the Force, I have decided as a goal to read all 113+ issues of Marvel Comics' Star Wars series. Some folks have mid-lifes, I read up on the rebal alliance (though I am more of an Imperialist). So until sometime after Thanksgiving, thanks for reading my blog, stay tuned for more, and may the force be with you!!! (Or if you are like me: Long Live the Empire!)