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Please excuse the potentially shocking statement posted above; however, I could not resist sharing for one simple reason: it’s true.  Your physical appearance can only do so much for you… and, once someone attempts to make conversation with you, you better be more than a shiny object because they will lose interest in you swiftly; the worst of it is that you’ve likely already lost interest in yourself.

Books are an exceptional investment.  The material inside fills your mind with ideas, experiences, and adventures that you would not encounter through your own life or another medium.  The material outside {or the physical book itself} becomes an accessory {a fashion accessory if carried under your arm or an accessory for your home if proudly displayed bedside, on a bookshelf, or atop a coffee table}.  Intelligence is the sexiest thing that a woman can possess and, while looks fade, your mind is yours to keep.  So fill it up.  Fill it up with all kinds of extraordinary knowledge.  You’ll be more captivating and captivated {by books, life, all of it} before you know it.  Here are 9 books to get you started {or, if you’re a fellow bookworm, to keep you going}.

1. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera – one of my all-time favorites. A love story… kind of. Throw yourself into an era of political strife, get caught up in a bohemian movement, and become incredibly angry/sympathetic/all-kinds-of-conflicting-emotions at/for a philandering man who has found himself an insanely loyal woman who loves him with a zeal that our generation seems to be lacking.  The equivalent of a psychological and emotional catharsis.
2. The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare – first of all, it’s Shakespeare. That should be enough of a reason to peruse this play.  Secondly, it’s about one intellectually fierce and independent woman… There’s enough snarky dialogue in here to make it worth your time; steal a couple lines to use on the next unwelcome pickup artist that wanders your way.
3. The Art of War by Sun Tzu – I understand this is supposedly about “war”… but it’s really about life.  There are so many lessons in this book that are applicable to your daily life… especially if your are stuck dealing with the occasional mean girl {see: Mean Girls & the Alpha Female} or a random saboteur {read this book and they’ll regret the day they took you on}.
4. V. by Thomas Pynchon – This book is a mind exercise of sorts.  It is highly complex, the language is gorgeous, and I didn’t know what was going on for about 73% of the book {honestly}.  I want to read it again and hopefully I will develop a greater comprehension of Pynchon’s verbal vortex.  The beauty of reading a very difficult book is that it’s the equivalent of lifting brain weights {and real weights… this book is heavy… literally and figuratively}.  After this, you’ll hear men saying, “Look at the mind on that thing!” when you walk by.
5. Juliette by Marquis de Sade – You’re reading Fifty Shades of Grey, you say? Darling, that’s been done.  In fact, if you want to read the original oh-so-sexy-banned-during-its-time book of yesteryear, check out anything by the Marquis de Sade.  Bondage? Check. Pain? Check. A wide-eyed woman who is unwillingly/willingly yielding to all kinds of twisted experiences? Check. As a bonus, your sex drive and your vocabulary will increase. {Bonus Information: the word “sadist” is derived from his name!}
6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – If you need an excuse to read a book, here’s one: the movie is scheduled to come out soon and it’s starring Leo DiCaprio and it’s sure to be a big screen sensation.  You don’t want to seem uneducated when you’re asked by some dreamy young man to accompany him to the movie and he asks what you think of the storyline before you’ve seen the film.  Step up your game and get lost in a world of opulence, mystery, and intrigue.  It’s a darn good love story to boot.
7. Emily Post’s Etiquette – I doubt you would want to read this book cover to cover {though you could, if you’re into that kind of thing}.  This is a book to skim and to have on hand for the occasional etiquette conundrum.  Setting the table? Addressing an invitation? Writing an email? This book tells you precisely {and politely} how to achieve the desired results without appearing some sort of ill-mannered buffoon.
8. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – I believe this is the book that I have recommended to friends and family most frequently.  It is a simple parable about how to live your life.  It is utterly beautiful in its simplicity.  I have read it countless times and garner some new insight each time.  Read it.  It’s like a mini soul cleanse.
9. The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant – One of those totally absorbing books that takes you to another time and place {Renaissance Italy to be exact}.  It follows a strong-willed woman through her intellectual and artistic awakening.  There’s also plenty of mystery and passion to keep you engaged.  A beautiful world to get lost in… and it leaves you with that I-feel-like-I-lost-a-good-friend sensation when you turn the last page.