China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan, 2015

Kevin Kwan's books are enjoyable whirlwind soap operas filled with outlandish characters.  Depictions of the beyond 1%-ers where private planes, multi-million dollar spending sprees and fortunes in the hundreds of millions are scoffed at.

There is a new class of Mainland Chinese whose net worth are in the billions, rivaling Russian oligarchs.  In China Rich Girlfriend, Rachul Chu and Nick Young from Crazy Rich Asians travel to Shanghai where they meet some of these Mainland Chinese billionaires.

Familiar characters Astrid Leong, Eleanor Young and Kitty Pong return while we are introduced to new characters including Carlton Bao and Colette Bing, the aforementioned billionaires.

This is a world where an old money guard is able to charge consulting fees on how to break into the upper echelons of Hong Kong and Singaporean society and provides invaluable advice from how to dress to where to eat.

Despite barely blinking an eye on spending hundreds of thousands for clothes or millions for art, the older generation of Chinese remain thrifty where spending $20 for parking or paying for the overpriced breakfast at the five start hotel is to be avoided at all costs.

Similar to Crazy Rich Asians, observations about ABCs (American born Asians) ring true.  Like Colette's puzzlement as to why Rachel and other American Chinese wear so little jewelry.  When I am on the T in Boston, I can spy the foreign Asians by the amount of jewelry they wear.

The decadence of private jets with koi ponds and teenagers driving million dollar sports cars got a bit overwhelming and I was glad to finish the book before it eroded my sensibilities.  At the same time though, I will be ready for the next installment of the trilogy when it comes out.

Another fun aspect of China Rich Girlfriend is that scenes take place in neighboring Shanghai cities like Hangzhou with its West Lake, places that I have visited with my extended family a few years back.  The lurid and conspicuous wealth that the book depicts seems incongruous to the charming cities that I remember.

The Italians by John Hooper, 2015

While visiting my mom in the hospital, I wandered down to the gift shop.

From every day essentials like slippers to gifts of all types like elaborate floral creations, the gift shop had everything covered for adults and children.

The gift shop also had books, including John Hooper's The Italians.
 
Having lived and worked in Italy, Hooper mixes personal observations and experiences with deep research into the country's political and social history.

Hooper describes Italy's violent past to its present day political landscape, dominating by decades under the colorful and corrupt Silvio Berloscuni.

Observations about Italy include its lack of following rules (only idiots or fessos do this) and generally acceptable culture of lying or misleading for personal gain.  Only fessos would pay full price for a ticket or report actual income for taxes.

Furbo means crafty or sly.  Jumping the queue is furbo and looked upon with positive connotations in Italy although it would be frowned upon in other cultures.  This attitude explains the rampant corruption in Italy.

Dense with facts and astute observations, The Italians provides fascinating insight into the country, and a book I would recommend to anyone traveling to Italy or has an interest in Italy.

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll, 2015

A book that tackles important contemporary issues, Luckiest Girl Alive is a coming of age story.  Ani FaNelli is on the cusp of achieving the dream life she imagined as an insecure, troubled high schooler.

A New Yorker working for a popular women's magazine who happens to be engaged to blue blood banker Luke Harrison, Ani is thrilled to see her years of crafting her image has come to fruition.

No longer the bullied TifAni FaNelli in high school who torments herself for apologizing to her rapists in hopes of remaining popular, Ani is ready to return to The Bradley School, her private high school, to film a documentary and show everyone what a success she has become.

Toggling back and forth between her current wedding and future planning in NYC with Luke and her high school days, Luckiest Girl Alive is not the best written novel, but is an important, thoughtful book.

The central characters are TifAni's high school friends: Arthur, Shark (Beth), HO (Hilary and Olivia), fellow new student and crush Liam, and soccer gods Dean and Peyton.  Mr. Lawson is the teacher who attempts to help TifAni and sees her true self, even after reconnecting as adults when they become Andrew and Ani.