my growing book list.

Isn't this an unbelievable stack? These are all of the books I have bought in the past few months that I haven't gotten around to reading...pretty much the only time I do read is right before bed. Though, unfortunately as of lately, I work on the computer until about eleven at night and then crash right into bed. After about ten minutes of reading, I'm pretty much exhausted! My favourite nights would have to be the ones where I'm snuggled under my covers by 9:30, book in hand, and then I can just read until about 10:45. Perfect, I tell ya!

Lately I've been enjoying "Can't Buy My Love" by Jean Kilbourne. I bought it from Half Price Books thinking it was a business book, as it was in the advertising/marketing section, but turns out they had misfiled it. It's actually categorized as Social Sciences/Women's Studies on the back cover. I'm glad I bought it anyway! Studies about advertising fascinate me; this book is definitely eye-opening. Each chapter goes through a different 'lie' that advertising projects onto consumers.

People will always let you down, but this product won't. It's also shocking the different ways women and men are portrayed in advertisements. The subtle (or sometimes overt) sexuality of cigarette advertisements is scary. The idea that alcohol is always there for you; a comfort in difficult times. There's also a recurrent theme of trivializing human relationships and marriage and turning to so-and-so's product instead. It's really sad! But eye-opening at the same time; I think it's important to be aware of how the media is portraying things like friendships and relationships & marriage and sexuality in order to protect ourselves from it. Anyway: all this to say, it's a great book if you are interested in finding out what kind of lies we are being fed everyday. You'll never look at a magazine ad the same way again!

Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy your weekend. I'm looking forward to a wedding with Melody Davis tomorrow and a restful Sunday of nothing-ness.