I was very honored to be asked to review a new book (or pamphlet if you will) recently published by my fellow fashion blogger, Manolo the Shoe Blogger, entitled The Consolation of the Shoes. I had no idea what this new venture of his was to be about, but as a loyal reader of his Shoe Blog, I was already familiar with his talent for writing, so I was more than a little curious.

Of course, I realized immediately that his topic would be related to shoes, not jewelry, but since they are all part of the accessory family, I was still game. Honestly, I'm not sure what I expected. Some of his hilarious jabs at david hasselhoff? Perhaps a book of shoe etiquette? No, none of these. Instead I was given a glimpse into the Manolo, or at least, the Manolo of the past, and served a surprisingly poignant narrative.

I think the introduction of this little book, written by Herr Prof. Dr. Boethius P. von Korncrake, is right on target:

Now, in The Consolation of the Shoes, the Manolo reveals yet another side of himself, recounting a late night visitation from a mysterious woman, a visitation that sends the young Manolo on a quest to find the perfect pair of shoes. Along the way he wrestles with a series of footwear-based teleological and eschatological problems culminating in a transcendent moment of pure shoe joy. Throughout the Manolo remains his usual unusual self, full of cockeyed aphorisms, oddball observations, and trenchant social and cultural commentary, all of it both hilarious and very intelligent.

Philosophy is fused with fashion and a dash or two of nostalgia. If you are already a Manolo fan, then you'll find this little book both funny and thought-provoking. You can find ordering information as well as an excerpt here.