Bellisima, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        Now, girls, before I get into discussing Mr. Walter's novel--which, not to keep anyone in suspense, will be recommended highly--I have a revelation of my own to unveil!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          This book will mark an historical benchmark for me, always.  It is the First Book I Ever Read On A Kindle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            That's right, loves!!!!!!!!!!!!  Monsieur, the most beloved of all, gave me a Kindle for my birthday, and, let me tell you, it has its  advantages.  But not to fear--hard copy books will never be completely replaced, as far as I am concerned.  But it is an interesting way to keep up with fiction, and, what's interesting is, because of the way it is constructed, my reading speed on a Kindle is greater than with a regular book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                But back to "Beautiful Ruins."  I had my eyes on this one for a long time, and, I have to confess, one reason is that gorgeous, blue, romantic dust jacket, which promises so much!!!!!!
When I first saw it, I remembered that old adage about judging a book by its cover.  However, in the case of this book, it delivers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                  Imagine if Francoise Sagan met John O'Hara, met Dawn Powell!!!!!!!!  This is both a Hollywood story--and a great piece of fictionalizing real Hollywood icons--a meditation on Fame, and the extraordinary way Fate brings lives together, then pulls them apart.

                                                    Without telling too much, let me say it crosses back and forth between 1962, and the present, Italy and Hollywood, and touches upon, of all things, the debacle surrounding the filming of 20th Century-Fox's monumentally expensive epic, "Cleopatra," and the ensuing romance it created for stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton!!!!!!!!!!!  Then there  are fictional characters hovering around, who are every bit as well drawn, who are peripherally a part of this event and these lives.

                                                        That is all I am going to say.  I could not stop reading, because I could not wait to see where Walter was going to go, with his story next. And while things are wrapped up satisfactorily, I have to confess, I wish it had gone on a bit longer. Which speaks highly of the hold the story has on the reader.

                                                           This is a book not only for all my girls to read, but for those who admire wonderfully crafted literary fiction.  If I end up compiling a Ten Best Books List, I can tell you right now, this will be on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                             As for "Cleopatra," I still have NEVER seen it, but I have always wanted to do the scene, where she marches into Egypt atop the Sphinx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                               Wouldn't I look fabulous, darlings???????????????????