Popsicle Society

I’m a certified book lover, and any spare moment I get (which is rare these days), I dive into a good read. I adore hard copy books—the smell of paper, the feeling of holding a book in my hands. Yes, I know it’s quirky, but fellow bookworms get it! Walking into a bookstore feels like entering heaven.

That said, I’m a book-buying fiend. The problem? Since moving to Asia and changing houses frequently, I’ve realized my book collection takes up a lot of boxes—and with more boxes comes more hassle. So, I’ve decided to embrace digital books, except when traveling. For every trip, I treat myself to a paper book. With all my recent travels, that means lots of paper books—yay!

For my trip to Italy, I picked up a book by Alice Guerra because I follow her on Instagram, and she never fails to make me laugh. 📚✈️😂

My book # 8 was Dieci cose che ho imparato da Jessica Fletcher by Alice Guerra

Genre:	Detective Story, Thriller (more or less)
Author:	Alice Guerra
Originally Published:	2024
Print Length:	288 pages

Book Summary:

“Maybe Luigino started thinking like me, and that’s why he began wearing watermelon-print shirts. Was it senile dementia or a newfound self-love?” Luigino, a 90-year-old from Mestre who lives with his chickens, mysteriously vanishes one morning. A reluctant Sicilian commissioner, who detests the Veneto region and dreams of relocating, is forced to handle the case. However, the real detective is Alice, who calls herself the “influencer of Mestre” and constantly snoops around, inspired by her idol, Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote.

Guided by her beloved TV show’s principles—like “Even your friend could be a killer,” “If something doesn’t add up, it’s time to dig deeper,” and “Anyone who needs to prove their worth doesn’t have much”—Alice delves into Luigino’s life, discovering surprising parallels with her own. Amid breakfast chats at cafes to extract info from Mestre’s elderly, clumsy stakeouts, and daring (if not always legal) choices, Alice also shares her personal story: dealing with generalized anxiety disorder, years of chasing the wrong things, and dysfunctional relationships.

This engaging, humorous, and potentially true story reminds us that it’s never too late to pursue happiness, even at ninety, when you’re closer to the end than the beginning.

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My Review:

This book is a brilliant and hilarious read with plenty of irony and moments that make you pause and reflect, just like the author’s videos. It’s both entertaining and emotional in its simple yet profound portrayal of human emotions, reminding us that happiness can be found at any age—you just have to recognize it. For those familiar with the author’s work, it’s like you can almost hear her telling the story herself. 🤩

I highly recommend this book if you’re in the mood for something light, sparkling, and super fun. Plus, the sprinkle of Venetian dialect adds a cozy, homey feel. 🏡

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A Few of My Favorite Paragraphs:

“Credo che nella vita ognuno abbia i suoi tempi e i suoi interessi, quello che può essere importante per qualcuno, può non esserlo per qualcun altro. Magari può diventarlo un giorno, o forse mai. Abbiamo il diritto di giudicare o di mettere becco?” (English version: I believe that everyone has their own timing and interests in life. What may be important to one person might not matter to someone else. It could become significant someday, or maybe not at all. Do we have the right to judge or interfere?)

“Poi ho capito che, alla fine dei conti, la compagnia che preferisco ogni giorno della mia vita è quella di me stessa e di pochi altri selezionatissimi. Il tempo che abbiamo su questa terra è troppo breve per passarlo con persone che ci fanno sentire a disagio, per far finta di essere chi non siamo, per omologarci agli altri e per avere i ciglioni frantumati da qualcuno. O sbaglio?” (English version: I realized that, at the end of the day, my favorite company is myself and a select few others. Life is too short to spend time with people who make us uncomfortable, to pretend to be someone we’re not, or to blend in with the crowd just to keep the peace. Why waste time on people who don’t lift us up? Am I wrong?)

“È una questione di scelte: continuare a vivere la tua vita nella comfort zone, sul divano con l’anguria e la maschera, oppure provare a fare un salto nel vuoto e rischiare. Che non significa fare chissà cosa, tipo scalare l’Everest, sapete già che per me è troppo faticoso anche fare qualche piano di scale, e nemmeno significa che smetterò di passare molte ore sul divano; significa anche semplicemente cambiare strada per andare al supermercato…magari ci trovi Brad Pitt alla fermata che aspetta l’autobus, non si sa mai.” (English version: It all comes down to choices: you can either stay in your comfort zone, lounging on the couch with watermelon and a face mask, or take a leap into the unknown and take some risks. That doesn’t mean climbing Everest—I find a few flights of stairs exhausting—or giving up couch time entirely. It could be as simple as taking a different route to the supermarket. Who knows, you might run into Brad Pitt at a bus stop. You never know what surprises life has in store!)

“«Ma perché? La vita è solo una! Ormai sono vecchio, e non voglio più essere triste. Sono stato triste tutta la vita, adesso basta. Avrò tempo per riposarmi nella tomba, no? Voi siete tutti infelici e passate le vostre giornate a rompere i coglioni agli altri, a sparlare di tutti, a dire bugie, a deprimervi, a litigare, a bere, a farvi un sacco di paranoie…»” (English version: “But why? We only live once! I’m old now and don’t want to be sad anymore. I’ve been sad my entire life, and that’s enough. I’ll have plenty of time to rest in the grave, right? You’re all unhappy, spending your days bothering others, gossiping, lying, getting depressed, arguing, drinking, and worrying about everything.”)

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I devoured this book in just three days, juggling work, friends, family, and some downtime back home. I absolutely loved it! I’m not sure if there’s an English version yet, but if you can read a bit of Italian, I highly recommend picking up this book. 📚❤️

Happy Readings!