JOURNAL February 9, 1998

Claudia Lowe

"LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE"

I have enjoyed reading since a very early age. Books have been companions, friends and teachers that I love. One of my short comings is that once the book becomes a movie, I have to go see it and compare it to the book. At the end, the differences between what goes on the screen and what is written on the pages are striking. I truly enjoy finding the out-points on a movies. Movies are seen through the Directors’ eyes whereas books are seen through the readers’ eyes and the readers’ imagination thanks to the writer.

"Like Water for Chocolate" is one of the movies I saw before reading the book which I just finished reading. By the way, it cost me a sleepless night as I was not able to put the book down until I was done reading it. Needless to say, today, I was not as productive as I should have been. This book took me to a fascinating world enriched not only with imagination, laughter, pain, hate and love, but to the pure enjoyment of the celebration of womanhood. Through its pages, It is so easy to identify with the characters and their lives that one can see an old aunt, a grandmother, a sister, or a niece we have who resembles the pages of the novel.

Everybody who enjoys reading should read this book and share it with someone else. I did, and believe me, not only makes a great conversation topic, it also brings a big smile to the readers’ lips; and that is a great gift to pass on.