Incontinent on the Continent: My Mother, Her Walker, and Our Grand Tour of Italy by Jane Christmas
I loved the title of this book so much I just had to buy it. I dream of traveling to Italy, but would not ever dream of taking my own incontinent mother with me.
She wouldn’t want to go, anyway; and she would tell me not to go!
The author describes the feeling she has of longing to go to this beautiful, romantic country and also her longing to repair the rifts in her relationship with her mom. Those feelings resonate in my own heart. I could feel the agony and ecstasy as Jane tried to enjoy the sights and sensations of the places she had spent months anticipating, while dealing with her sometimes unreasonable yet sympathetic parent.
We love our moms even when they drive us nuts!



Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith
For the reader who likes to analyze, for the writers and readers who love words, for the American who loves Europe, this series about philosopher Isabell Dalhousie is perfect. I am completely drawn in by this character and her setting. I can’t wait for a BBC mini-series on these books to be produced! (I don’t have any clue; I’m just postulating)
Poor Isabell is so busy trying to reason through philosophical dilemmas and becoming duty-bound to resolve other people’s problems that she misses out on some personal excitement that is within reach. When she is helping her niece Cat she also meets the recipient of a heart transplant and becomes involved in helping him work through some issues. One impulsive assumption sends her off in the wrong direction, but her secret love (a much younger man) helps to set her straight.
Now I need to read book #3 in the series!

Isabel Dalhousie is a 40-year -old Scottish unwed mother of a 3-month old baby boy. She is also a millionaire and a philosopher. Her boyfriend (father of the child) is an attractive, young professional musician. They live and work in Edinburgh. This fun, contemporary book is The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith.
Isabel's thoughts propel the story as the author blends lovely and intriguing ideas with "odd remembered lines that keep popping out like corks". Although religion and faith were never really mentioned, I found it quite interesting that the character uses several biblical quotes in terms of her philosophy.
Isabel is the editor of The Review of Applied Ethics and as such she wields a great deal of self-righteous judgement in my opinion. She jumps to conclusions quite quickly on issues of morality and feels that it is her duty to right wrongs or at least confront those who have done wrong. The fact that she uses her considerable wealth to get revenge on those (of meager means) who have mistreated her does not, however, seem to cause her much moral anguish.
Although the story left me feeling that something was missing, I did enjoy reading this book. Since finishing it, I've learned that it is book 4 of a series featuring Isabel Dalhousie. Perhaps I'll try starting on the first in the series and find some of the missing pieces to round out Isabel's story.