More great reads this past month. More chick-y than usual and kinda light fare, but hey, who wants to think after New Year's?

Exposed:Confessions of a Wedding Photographer - Claire Lewis

This collection of teeth-grittingly awful stories make me so grateful I never became a wedding photographer. Jam-packed with horrendous Bridezillas, venomous mother-of-the-brides, gad-awful ministers and other fiascos Exposed will make even the most painful wedding seem a painful pleasure cruise in comparison. There are a few stories of wonderful couples and their perfect day, but for the most part Lewis trots are here worst and dimmest. A delightful guilty pleasure of a read.

Call of the Mall - Paco Underhill

What is wrong with the mall? Well, everything, according to consumer behavior specialist Underhill. And, he adds, the rise and fall of the mall has been almost entirely avoidable. Going through a standard mall visit, Underhill points out the numerous ways malls fail to satisfy the consumer. From the architecturally blank outer walls, lack of coat and package check, unreadable maps, terrible merchandise displays and bathrooms hidden down murky hallways, the average mall is designed almost on purpose to irritate the consumer. Why aren't clothes shown on angled racks so you can see everything? Why isn't there anything to eat that isn't fast food, despite high-end stores being mere feet from the food court? How much business do those little carts do (20% of a malls revenue, turns out). A very interesting and enlightening read on why malls are so miserable and why so many are failing.

Camp Camp: Where Fantasy Island Meets Lord of the Flies - Roger Bennet and Jules Shell

Yes, another thrilling tome from the authors of Bar Mitzvah Disco! As in their previous book, you don't need to be a wealthy east-coast Jew to enjoy this collection of stories and pictures from late 70s and 80s sleep-away camps. If you've been to any camp, worn your socks rolled, had huge bangs or listened to Duran Duran waves of nostalgia will come pouring out, like Aqua-Net from the girls bathroom. Great stories, oh-so-familiar bubble-handwriting notes, mix-tapes, cheers and some of the most accurately 80s pictures ever. Love it. http://campcampbook.blogspot.com/

Up for Renewal: What Magazines Taught Me About Love, Sex and Starting Over - Cathy Alter

After deciding that her life is officially a shambles in every area, Alter takes the daring step of remaking her life from women's magazines. That's right, Real Simple, Jane, Cosmo, Vogue, the whole lot. Some of the advice is dead on, while other tidbits turn out crashingly awful. Alter's neurotic, self-conscious and bumbling attempts at everything from wrapping sandwich to trying new sex tips on her boyfriend are painfully documented. In an attempt to be helpful while camping at the speedway for a motorcycle race, Alter cracks out her pre-made popsicle sticks that say "rare," "medium" and "well-done" to mark the burgers. The other women use them to clean their nails. All in all I'd consider her experiment a success. Alter weighs in somewhere in the middle on the messages of the magazines. Yes, they do often give very useful advice, but then again, the purpose of magazines is to tell you your life could be better (preferably when you buy a new products).

Half-Assed: A Memoir - Jeanette Fulda

I have long been a fan of the blog pastaqueen.com and loved every minute of Fulda's book. Topping out at nearly 400 lbs, Jeannette decided to loose over half her body weight. However, instead of the usual attempts - weight loss surgery, liquid diet, WeightWatchers/Atkins/Grapefruit Diet - she did what so few people ever try. She ate less and exercised more. What makes her so wonderful to read is that she never hated herself, even at her most unhealthy times. She rarely berates herself just gently eases into trying new things and going it bit further. For a self-proclaimed homebody she certainly has made a huge impact on many people. The scorching sarcasm and foul-mouthed commentary certainly add to her charm too. Before you start your new year's resolution with a carrot and a 10 mile run, check out Half-assed and/or pastaqueen.com

The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World - Guillame de Laubier

WHOA! It's library porn! Seriously, there are huge center fold out with *drool* spiral staircases, grilled shelves, tromp l'oil ceilings and (oh baby!) rare manuscripts housed in little nooks and alcoves. I think I need to lie down.

Beneath the Roses - Gregory Crewdson

Crewdson's new photo book hits the perfect note between eerie familiarity and creepy confusion. Unlike his past books, the images in this collection don't have the theatrical, almost unbelievably staged, look. Instead, the images are shot in small towns perfect for their generic blandness. Every page gave me irritating deja vu. I've been to that town, haven't I? Isn't that in Wisconsin? Or did we drive through on the way to South Dakota? Or maybe somewhere in Minnesota? While the towns with their gently decaying houses, snow-filled streets, generic businesses and empty parking lots could be anywhere, the subjects of the images are unsettlingly striking. Why are they standing in the half-light in the middle of the intersection and what are they looking at. Who is that scared woman looking at in the mirror? What are they digging in the woods? http://www.luhringaugustine.com/index.php?mode=artists&object_id=66