Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
25 down, 75 to go. Finished 8/31/2009
This post was written while
Friday, September 04, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Which Lie Did I Tell by William Goldman
Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
24 down, 76 to go. Finished 8/22/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here:
24 down, 76 to go. Finished 8/22/2009
This post was written while
A Fistful of Rain by Greg Rucka
Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
23 down, 77 to go. Finished 8/15/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here:
23 down, 77 to go. Finished 8/15/2009
This post was written while
Sunday, August 09, 2009
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson
Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
22 down, 78 to go. Finished 8/08/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here:
22 down, 78 to go. Finished 8/08/2009
This post was written while
Friday, July 31, 2009
Chronicles by Bob Dylan
Review coming soon
Book can be found here (not where I bought it):
21 down, 79 to go. Finished 7/29/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here (not where I bought it):
21 down, 79 to go. Finished 7/29/2009
This post was written while
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Smoker by Greg Rucka
Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
20 down, 80 to go. July 5k 1. Finished 6/10/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here:
20 down, 80 to go. July 5k 1. Finished 6/10/2009
This post was written while
Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi
Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
19 down, 81 to go. Finished 6/10/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here:
19 down, 81 to go. Finished 6/10/2009
This post was written while
I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle
Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
18 down, 82 to go. Finished 6/6/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here:
18 down, 82 to go. Finished 6/6/2009
This post was written while
Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'nan
Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
17 down, 83 to go. Finished 5/19/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here:
17 down, 83 to go. Finished 5/19/2009
This post was written while
Finder by Greg Rucka
Review coming soon
Book can be found here:
16 down, 84 to go. Finished 5/16/2009
This post was written while
Book can be found here:
16 down, 84 to go. Finished 5/16/2009
This post was written while
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Review coming soon
Book can be found here (not where I bought it)
http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Bride-Morgensterns-Classic-Adventure/dp/0156035154/ref=ed_oe_p
15 down, 85 to go. April 5K book 5. Finished 5/2/2009 (past the deadline)
This post was written while
Book can be found here (not where I bought it)
http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Bride-Morgensterns-Classic-Adventure/dp/0156035154/ref=ed_oe_p
15 down, 85 to go. April 5K book 5. Finished 5/2/2009 (past the deadline)
This post was written while
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Jarhead by Anthony Swofford
Looks like I'm an Iraqi war behind as well. Awesome book and well suited for competitive reading (a short, fast moving read).
Jarhead is Anthony Swofford's account of his time as Marine, focusing mainly, but not exclusively, on his deployment in Iraq during Desert Storm. It deals with the boredom and tediousness of training, the hurry and waitness (not a word) of the army and the deployment in the Gulf the first time around and the disappointment of not being able to act in what you train for.
The book moves through his time in training, being stationed accross the world (pre-Iraq), Desert Shield/Desert Storm and some time post the war.
While Swofford does come off as the typical "smarter than the average Jarhead along for the ride so he write about it afterwards" it is stil a very god read. In the earlier part of his service, his tiem alternates between boredom, harsh training and chasing booze & women. But it his time in Iraq that is the most intersting.
Swoffors, among many others in his unit, have been training and preparing for this moment for years. They are highly trained, expert killing machines ready and waiting to be unleashed and only miles away from the enemy. Swofford in particular, as a part elite Marine sniper unit, is raring to go. They make it several days into Iraq, and see minimal action, when, all of a sudden it is all over. And then what? What do they do now? What does it mean? Why are they there? What have they accomplished?
Obviously, the new "my experience in Iraq" books are very different from this one. Those will have very little dissapointment at lack of shooting, to & from. Still Jarhead is a great book, an easy ready and interesting insight into the mind of a trained soldier and what the opportunity to act on his training means to him.
Book can be found here (not where I bought it)
http://www.amazon.com/Jarhead-Marines-Chronicle-Other-Battles/dp/0743287215/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240715197&sr=1-1
14 down, 86 to go. April 5K book 4. Finished 4/16/2009 (review written way to late to count)
This post was written while listening to Adam Carolla interview Francis Ford Coppola
Jarhead is Anthony Swofford's account of his time as Marine, focusing mainly, but not exclusively, on his deployment in Iraq during Desert Storm. It deals with the boredom and tediousness of training, the hurry and waitness (not a word) of the army and the deployment in the Gulf the first time around and the disappointment of not being able to act in what you train for.
The book moves through his time in training, being stationed accross the world (pre-Iraq), Desert Shield/Desert Storm and some time post the war.
While Swofford does come off as the typical "smarter than the average Jarhead along for the ride so he write about it afterwards" it is stil a very god read. In the earlier part of his service, his tiem alternates between boredom, harsh training and chasing booze & women. But it his time in Iraq that is the most intersting.
Swoffors, among many others in his unit, have been training and preparing for this moment for years. They are highly trained, expert killing machines ready and waiting to be unleashed and only miles away from the enemy. Swofford in particular, as a part elite Marine sniper unit, is raring to go. They make it several days into Iraq, and see minimal action, when, all of a sudden it is all over. And then what? What do they do now? What does it mean? Why are they there? What have they accomplished?
Obviously, the new "my experience in Iraq" books are very different from this one. Those will have very little dissapointment at lack of shooting, to & from. Still Jarhead is a great book, an easy ready and interesting insight into the mind of a trained soldier and what the opportunity to act on his training means to him.
Book can be found here (not where I bought it)
http://www.amazon.com/Jarhead-Marines-Chronicle-Other-Battles/dp/0743287215/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240715197&sr=1-1
14 down, 86 to go. April 5K book 4. Finished 4/16/2009 (review written way to late to count)
This post was written while listening to Adam Carolla interview Francis Ford Coppola
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
The fuku will get you. In the end it always does.
This book is glorious. It is heart-rendering, hilarious and profound. It must be read by everyone.
Oscar Wao tells us the story of a fat, dorky son of Dominican immigrant growing up in Patterson NJ. Oscar is science fiction and fantasy obsessed kid with no ability to talk to girls and very few friends, who spends hours obsessing over girls and writing multi-volume unpublished novels about battles on distant planets. This is the story of his utter failure to fit in, especially against the super-cool, skirt chasing stereotype of the virile Dominican male. His failings at life are something he is very aware of and something he struggles against (and fails at as well).
But more than that, it tells us the story of the fuku, of the curse, the malaise, the string of tragedy that follows a family from the harsh rule of Trujillo to current day NJ.
The books alternates chapters between the story of Oscar, his smokin' sister Lola, his harsh, overbearing mother and her childhood in DR, his college roommate Yunior (who is the narrator), the tragic history of his grandparents, and some general Dominican history. There are footnotes describing major and minor villains in Dominican history, comic book and science fiction quotes galore, and many, many untranslated Spanish expressions throughout (while it would have been great if I knew what even one meant, you still don't feel that you lose any of the meaning since they are all used as very natural expressions by the characters).
Read this book. Then lend it to someone else so they can read it. Or the fuku will get you to
Book can be found here
http://www.amazon.com/Brief-Wondrous-Life-Oscar-Wao/dp/1594483299/ref=pd_ys_iyr23
13 down, 87 to go. April 5K book 3. Finished 4/21/2009
This post was written while watching the Mets on SNY (I hate the Cardinals).
This book is glorious. It is heart-rendering, hilarious and profound. It must be read by everyone.
Oscar Wao tells us the story of a fat, dorky son of Dominican immigrant growing up in Patterson NJ. Oscar is science fiction and fantasy obsessed kid with no ability to talk to girls and very few friends, who spends hours obsessing over girls and writing multi-volume unpublished novels about battles on distant planets. This is the story of his utter failure to fit in, especially against the super-cool, skirt chasing stereotype of the virile Dominican male. His failings at life are something he is very aware of and something he struggles against (and fails at as well).
But more than that, it tells us the story of the fuku, of the curse, the malaise, the string of tragedy that follows a family from the harsh rule of Trujillo to current day NJ.
The books alternates chapters between the story of Oscar, his smokin' sister Lola, his harsh, overbearing mother and her childhood in DR, his college roommate Yunior (who is the narrator), the tragic history of his grandparents, and some general Dominican history. There are footnotes describing major and minor villains in Dominican history, comic book and science fiction quotes galore, and many, many untranslated Spanish expressions throughout (while it would have been great if I knew what even one meant, you still don't feel that you lose any of the meaning since they are all used as very natural expressions by the characters).
Read this book. Then lend it to someone else so they can read it. Or the fuku will get you to
Book can be found here
http://www.amazon.com/Brief-Wondrous-Life-Oscar-Wao/dp/1594483299/ref=pd_ys_iyr23
13 down, 87 to go. April 5K book 3. Finished 4/21/2009
This post was written while watching the Mets on SNY (I hate the Cardinals).
Friday, April 17, 2009
Spanking the Donkey by Matt Taibi
Looks like I'm an election behind. Does not in any way diminish the entertainment value of this book at all, but it does make it a little hard to remember what he's talking about sometimes.
Spanking the Donkey is compilation of pieces Matt Taibi wrote for various publications during the 2004 election. It details the different insane things Matt did in covering the election and following the the candidates would probably give normal news directors and editors a stroke. He rails violently, profanely and - most importantly - hilariously against the ridiculousness and inanity of following an election, especially on a day-to-day basis. He talks about how to track the repeating and sometimes conflicting pieces of candidates stump speech from campaign stop to campaign stop and how to compete to get your questions in while on the campaign plane (drugs help).
As a fan of Matt's from his pieces in Rolling Stone (several of which I recognized in the book) reading him in long form is great, but it can be a bit overwhelming. His profane rantings against the absurdity of all of the campaigns and the press covering them can be vicious and I probably would have appreciated them even more if I wasn't trying to finish this book in day. This can certainly be read in pieces and would probably be even more enjoyable read that way. If you are looking for a particular portion to cherry-pick from the book, go with the NCAA Basketball style tournament at the end of the book where Matt sets up a competition between the various national columnists in who can write the most egregious, cliche ridden campaign drivel. It is always great when he is attacking his supposed colleagues.
Book can be found here (I bought bargain priced version)
http://www.amazon.com/Spanking-Donkey-Dispatches-Dumb-Season/dp/1565848918/ref=ed_oe_h
12 down, 88 to go. April 5K book 2. Finished 4/16/2009
This post was written listening to Mike Franseca's podcast
Spanking the Donkey is compilation of pieces Matt Taibi wrote for various publications during the 2004 election. It details the different insane things Matt did in covering the election and following the the candidates would probably give normal news directors and editors a stroke. He rails violently, profanely and - most importantly - hilariously against the ridiculousness and inanity of following an election, especially on a day-to-day basis. He talks about how to track the repeating and sometimes conflicting pieces of candidates stump speech from campaign stop to campaign stop and how to compete to get your questions in while on the campaign plane (drugs help).
As a fan of Matt's from his pieces in Rolling Stone (several of which I recognized in the book) reading him in long form is great, but it can be a bit overwhelming. His profane rantings against the absurdity of all of the campaigns and the press covering them can be vicious and I probably would have appreciated them even more if I wasn't trying to finish this book in day. This can certainly be read in pieces and would probably be even more enjoyable read that way. If you are looking for a particular portion to cherry-pick from the book, go with the NCAA Basketball style tournament at the end of the book where Matt sets up a competition between the various national columnists in who can write the most egregious, cliche ridden campaign drivel. It is always great when he is attacking his supposed colleagues.
Book can be found here (I bought bargain priced version)
http://www.amazon.com/Spanking-Donkey-Dispatches-Dumb-Season/dp/1565848918/ref=ed_oe_h
12 down, 88 to go. April 5K book 2. Finished 4/16/2009
This post was written listening to Mike Franseca's podcast
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Every once in while, it is nice to read a serial sci-fi/fantasy serial. It helps where there is a fair amount of mystery involved and no knight-in-shining-armor-on-white-horse type heroes involved (there is here, but he isn't the protagonist, just the sidekick).
Grave Peril is the 3rd book in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. In it, Harry and Micheal (a Knight with some serious backing) are fighting ghosts that keep appearing in Chicago and investigating who is causing them to appear. For those who have read any of the Dresden books, it goes without saying that the investigations do not go smoothly, and it is just a question of how many enemies Harry manages to bring down on himself before the end. This does not end cleanly folks leaving Harry, after a battle with vampires with heartache and the possibility of all-out war (maybe that's in book 4).
A fun quick read and a nice continuation of the series.
I suggest watching the TV show as well.
Book can be found here (not where I bought it)
http://www.amazon.com/Grave-Peril-Dresden-Files-Book/dp/0451458443/ref=ed_oe_p
11 down, 89 to go. April 5K book 1. Finished 4/15/2009
Review written in silence
Grave Peril is the 3rd book in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. In it, Harry and Micheal (a Knight with some serious backing) are fighting ghosts that keep appearing in Chicago and investigating who is causing them to appear. For those who have read any of the Dresden books, it goes without saying that the investigations do not go smoothly, and it is just a question of how many enemies Harry manages to bring down on himself before the end. This does not end cleanly folks leaving Harry, after a battle with vampires with heartache and the possibility of all-out war (maybe that's in book 4).
A fun quick read and a nice continuation of the series.
I suggest watching the TV show as well.
Book can be found here (not where I bought it)
http://www.amazon.com/Grave-Peril-Dresden-Files-Book/dp/0451458443/ref=ed_oe_p
11 down, 89 to go. April 5K book 1. Finished 4/15/2009
Review written in silence
Saturday, April 11, 2009
A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton
An unintentionally hilarious but surprisingly enjoyable. Not entirely sure why I bought a copy (possible chain of events: Marvel comic of Anita Blake book Guilty Pleasures, bought book, bought other book by author) but in the end I was not disappointed.
A Kiss of Shadows is the story of a faerie princess's return to high court and the intrigue and in-fighting that ensues. It takes place in a world and time that faeries and other creatures live among the US and world population, many people have some non-human ancestry and all sorts of people have powers of a kind. Also, the royals of this world are major celebrities and targets of the celebrity gossip media. Think royal intrigue + mythical creatures + alternate history + modern times USA + E! Entertainment Network + adult situations.
Meredith Gentry, a faerie of royal blood (she is the niece of the queen, grandchild of the other ruling court but mortal - don't ask me for more lineage info, I couldn't fully keep track) has been hiding from her murderous relatives as a PI in Los Angeles, working for a firm that specializes in a mythical and mystical related investigations. She has been shielding her true identity from everyone she works with since any knowledge of her true identity will immediately: a) alert her wicked aunt, the queen of the Sidhe Court and b) become national news since she mysteriously and completely disappeared 3 years ago. After an investigation goes wrong, her glamour is broken and her true identity becomes known, leading to a summons back to court. Many attempts on her life follow, causing her and her friends/protectors to speculate as to exactly is trying to kill her and why.
Upon her return to court she is named next in line to throne, along with her cousin (who already was since he is the son of the queen), depending on which of them has a child first. Go forth and multiply - the first to do so wins. Wackiness, mayhem, court conspiracies, bloodshed and torture follows.
In the end, there are 2 winners, and both have their strikes against them:
1 - Meredith: She finds out who is trying to kill her, gets some measure of revenge (if you live forever you can be tortured for a looooooong time), is named a possible heir to the throne, increase her power and is no longer living in hiding. Of course, the people who want to kill her still do (even more so after having lost to her) , she is now a major paparazzo target (with some explicit photos in the European press thanks to a jilted ex-lover) and is one knocked-up female faerie away from being back in a distant 2nd at court.
2 - You the reader: This a fun book to read with many wacky things happening to keep you you involved throughout. The story moves along, and while there are many convoluted parts that hard to follow (especially for those unfamiliar with the ways of the Sidhe), you can skim along those details without getting lost).
The single funniest item I read (although I am certain it was not meant to be funny) was when, at the end of the investigation, Meredith, covered in a narcotic liquid stolen from the faeries that greatly enhances sexual desire and feeling (to the point that it can drive mere mortals mad and will addict all those who come into contact with it and then have relations with a faerie) gets it on with her boyfriend, who had previously lost his shape-shifting abilities (I think some hunters killed his other skin or other self (again, couldn't quiet follow)). The result of the euphoric coupling restores his powers, allowing him to transform into a....
seal. He then leaves the apartment and swims off in the Pacific. (I am not doing this portion of the story justice). Of course, after reading this book, I did find myself feeling a little uneasy about how much I enjoyed and the fact that I would be willing to read another. I was also a little disturbed and intrigued to learn that there are many similar series of books available on Amazon as well. Good thing I have other books to read - this is not a rabbit hole I feel comfortable running down at the moment (but I know I will be back).
Book can be found here (not where I bought it)
http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Shadows-Meredith-Gentry-Book/dp/0345423402/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239506362&sr=1-1
10 down, 90 to go. Finished 4/11/2009
This post was written listening to Bill Simmons' BS Report, a ESPN podcast
A Kiss of Shadows is the story of a faerie princess's return to high court and the intrigue and in-fighting that ensues. It takes place in a world and time that faeries and other creatures live among the US and world population, many people have some non-human ancestry and all sorts of people have powers of a kind. Also, the royals of this world are major celebrities and targets of the celebrity gossip media. Think royal intrigue + mythical creatures + alternate history + modern times USA + E! Entertainment Network + adult situations.
Meredith Gentry, a faerie of royal blood (she is the niece of the queen, grandchild of the other ruling court but mortal - don't ask me for more lineage info, I couldn't fully keep track) has been hiding from her murderous relatives as a PI in Los Angeles, working for a firm that specializes in a mythical and mystical related investigations. She has been shielding her true identity from everyone she works with since any knowledge of her true identity will immediately: a) alert her wicked aunt, the queen of the Sidhe Court and b) become national news since she mysteriously and completely disappeared 3 years ago. After an investigation goes wrong, her glamour is broken and her true identity becomes known, leading to a summons back to court. Many attempts on her life follow, causing her and her friends/protectors to speculate as to exactly is trying to kill her and why.
Upon her return to court she is named next in line to throne, along with her cousin (who already was since he is the son of the queen), depending on which of them has a child first. Go forth and multiply - the first to do so wins. Wackiness, mayhem, court conspiracies, bloodshed and torture follows.
In the end, there are 2 winners, and both have their strikes against them:
1 - Meredith: She finds out who is trying to kill her, gets some measure of revenge (if you live forever you can be tortured for a looooooong time), is named a possible heir to the throne, increase her power and is no longer living in hiding. Of course, the people who want to kill her still do (even more so after having lost to her) , she is now a major paparazzo target (with some explicit photos in the European press thanks to a jilted ex-lover) and is one knocked-up female faerie away from being back in a distant 2nd at court.
2 - You the reader: This a fun book to read with many wacky things happening to keep you you involved throughout. The story moves along, and while there are many convoluted parts that hard to follow (especially for those unfamiliar with the ways of the Sidhe), you can skim along those details without getting lost).
The single funniest item I read (although I am certain it was not meant to be funny) was when, at the end of the investigation, Meredith, covered in a narcotic liquid stolen from the faeries that greatly enhances sexual desire and feeling (to the point that it can drive mere mortals mad and will addict all those who come into contact with it and then have relations with a faerie) gets it on with her boyfriend, who had previously lost his shape-shifting abilities (I think some hunters killed his other skin or other self (again, couldn't quiet follow)). The result of the euphoric coupling restores his powers, allowing him to transform into a....
seal. He then leaves the apartment and swims off in the Pacific. (I am not doing this portion of the story justice). Of course, after reading this book, I did find myself feeling a little uneasy about how much I enjoyed and the fact that I would be willing to read another. I was also a little disturbed and intrigued to learn that there are many similar series of books available on Amazon as well. Good thing I have other books to read - this is not a rabbit hole I feel comfortable running down at the moment (but I know I will be back).
Book can be found here (not where I bought it)
http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Shadows-Meredith-Gentry-Book/dp/0345423402/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239506362&sr=1-1
10 down, 90 to go. Finished 4/11/2009
This post was written listening to Bill Simmons' BS Report, a ESPN podcast
:07 Seconds or Less by Jack McCallum
I enjoy reading a sports book every once in a while. It is usually an easy read on a subject I enjoy reading about. 7 Seconds did not disappoint.
7 Seconds, written by Jack McCallum from Sports Illustrated, tells the story of the Phoenix Suns 2005-06 season. Jack followed the team all year as insider, riding along with them from pre-season through the post-season. It focuses and follows the playoffs, with intermediary chapters about happenings earlier in the season. It is great read because the '05-'06 season was a really interesting one, with Amare Stoudamire out, the change in GMs and a contentious playoff series against the Lakers and Clippers, and the Suns had many interesting characters, especially amongst the coaching staff. I can't tell you how happy reading this book made me about the fact that D'Antoni is now the Knicks coach.
Each chapter(for the most part) is one day during the playoffs (the Suns went 3 rounds that year), whether it was game day or not. It focuses on the day-to-day behavior and interactions of the players and coaches, with enough game detail to keep you riveted but not overwhelmed. McCallum, the long time senior basketball writer for SI, knows and writes basketball well, but also knows how to write about the people playing it. Amongst the players Shawn Marion and Raja Bell emerge as the 2 most interesting characters, both as different flavors of headcases. Shawn is the insecure, supremely talented 3rd banana on the team (behind Steve Nash and the injured Stoudamire, who is prone at times to sulking, poor play, feeling insulted by perceived slights, near transcendent play, all during the same day at times. Raja is the team bad ass, it harshest, meanest defender, its craziest personality and the player most likely to kill Kobe. He is the one true enforcer on the team, but is prone to going to far (he manages to get suspended during the playoffs).
If you like reading, basketball and possibly reading about basketball you will like this book a lot. Even if you just like reading, you will like this book. Though it does help if you aren't a Lakers fan.
Book can be found here (Bargain priced HC, version I bought)
http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Seconds-Less-Season-Phoenix/dp/B000WPM9LG/ref=ed_oe_h_bargain
9 down, 91 to go. Finished 4/09/2009
This post was written listening to Bill Simmons' BS Report, an ESPN podcast
7 Seconds, written by Jack McCallum from Sports Illustrated, tells the story of the Phoenix Suns 2005-06 season. Jack followed the team all year as insider, riding along with them from pre-season through the post-season. It focuses and follows the playoffs, with intermediary chapters about happenings earlier in the season. It is great read because the '05-'06 season was a really interesting one, with Amare Stoudamire out, the change in GMs and a contentious playoff series against the Lakers and Clippers, and the Suns had many interesting characters, especially amongst the coaching staff. I can't tell you how happy reading this book made me about the fact that D'Antoni is now the Knicks coach.
Each chapter(for the most part) is one day during the playoffs (the Suns went 3 rounds that year), whether it was game day or not. It focuses on the day-to-day behavior and interactions of the players and coaches, with enough game detail to keep you riveted but not overwhelmed. McCallum, the long time senior basketball writer for SI, knows and writes basketball well, but also knows how to write about the people playing it. Amongst the players Shawn Marion and Raja Bell emerge as the 2 most interesting characters, both as different flavors of headcases. Shawn is the insecure, supremely talented 3rd banana on the team (behind Steve Nash and the injured Stoudamire, who is prone at times to sulking, poor play, feeling insulted by perceived slights, near transcendent play, all during the same day at times. Raja is the team bad ass, it harshest, meanest defender, its craziest personality and the player most likely to kill Kobe. He is the one true enforcer on the team, but is prone to going to far (he manages to get suspended during the playoffs).
If you like reading, basketball and possibly reading about basketball you will like this book a lot. Even if you just like reading, you will like this book. Though it does help if you aren't a Lakers fan.
Book can be found here (Bargain priced HC, version I bought)
http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Seconds-Less-Season-Phoenix/dp/B000WPM9LG/ref=ed_oe_h_bargain
9 down, 91 to go. Finished 4/09/2009
This post was written listening to Bill Simmons' BS Report, an ESPN podcast
The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
Nothing like the suburbs with their need to conform and the crushing of those who refuse to. Throw in a heaping pile of divorce and some all or nothing, my way or the highway preacher types and followers just to make the box a little more constricting. Someone strike up the Malven Reynolds song from "Weeds."
The Abstinence Teacher tells the story of Ruth Ramsey, a high school sex-ed teacher in the town of Stonewood Heights and Tim Mason, a born again recovering addict who coaches her daughter's soccer team, with the chapters alternating perspective between the 2 of them.
After responding honestly (that'll teacher her) to a somewhat more explicit question in her class, Ruth and her class come under the scrutiny of the school board and the growing local Christian movement, requiring Ruth to change the content of her class to a more abstinence based curriculum. She does so begrudgingly, but continues to run up against the woman running the program, to the point where she refuses to take seriously the re-education seminar she is made to attend when she strays from the approved literature. During all of this, she finally attends one of her daughter's soccer games (they fall under the purview of her ex while she sleeps in on the weekends). At the end of the game Coach Mason ends up gathering the team for a prayer circle, which Ruth protests loudly.
Coach Mason is a former local musician, now mortgage broker who is also a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. He is a member of the local born church, with whose assistance he has overcome his addictions and remarried. After the protest against his post-game prayer he becomes a very reluctant figure in his priest's drive to preach to the masses (who was all for the continuation of the prayer).
After many occurrences, some separate and some related, Ruth and Coach Mason find themselves to be kindred spirits in their silent, loosing battle against the expectations of others in their community. Tim begins to question his place in the church and whether he believes any of it or if he even loves his devoted wife and Ruth, whether she any longer has nay say in what happens to her professionally - how she can continue teaching her subject - or personally - her daughters being drawn to church, her gay friends possibly leaving town to get married. In the end, they don't fight it so much as say go on without us (the coach at least does).
Like I think all Perrotta's books, The Abstinence Teacher focuses on the inabality of certain people to exist with what tehy beleive are the day-to-day expectaions of others in their subburbon lives. One has to believe there are more peopel in the town with these issues, but a book focusing on everyone would probably be to long to read.
Not sure if any of the above made sense, this was written in pieces throughout the day.
Book can be found here
http://www.amazon.com/Abstinence-Teacher-Reading-Group-Gold/dp/0312363540/ref=sr_oe_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239505582&sr=1-1
8 down, 92 to go. Finished 3/20/2009
This post was written listening to the latest SModcast
The Abstinence Teacher tells the story of Ruth Ramsey, a high school sex-ed teacher in the town of Stonewood Heights and Tim Mason, a born again recovering addict who coaches her daughter's soccer team, with the chapters alternating perspective between the 2 of them.
After responding honestly (that'll teacher her) to a somewhat more explicit question in her class, Ruth and her class come under the scrutiny of the school board and the growing local Christian movement, requiring Ruth to change the content of her class to a more abstinence based curriculum. She does so begrudgingly, but continues to run up against the woman running the program, to the point where she refuses to take seriously the re-education seminar she is made to attend when she strays from the approved literature. During all of this, she finally attends one of her daughter's soccer games (they fall under the purview of her ex while she sleeps in on the weekends). At the end of the game Coach Mason ends up gathering the team for a prayer circle, which Ruth protests loudly.
Coach Mason is a former local musician, now mortgage broker who is also a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. He is a member of the local born church, with whose assistance he has overcome his addictions and remarried. After the protest against his post-game prayer he becomes a very reluctant figure in his priest's drive to preach to the masses (who was all for the continuation of the prayer).
After many occurrences, some separate and some related, Ruth and Coach Mason find themselves to be kindred spirits in their silent, loosing battle against the expectations of others in their community. Tim begins to question his place in the church and whether he believes any of it or if he even loves his devoted wife and Ruth, whether she any longer has nay say in what happens to her professionally - how she can continue teaching her subject - or personally - her daughters being drawn to church, her gay friends possibly leaving town to get married. In the end, they don't fight it so much as say go on without us (the coach at least does).
Like I think all Perrotta's books, The Abstinence Teacher focuses on the inabality of certain people to exist with what tehy beleive are the day-to-day expectaions of others in their subburbon lives. One has to believe there are more peopel in the town with these issues, but a book focusing on everyone would probably be to long to read.
Not sure if any of the above made sense, this was written in pieces throughout the day.
Book can be found here
http://www.amazon.com/Abstinence-Teacher-Reading-Group-Gold/dp/0312363540/ref=sr_oe_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239505582&sr=1-1
8 down, 92 to go. Finished 3/20/2009
This post was written listening to the latest SModcast
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Man Gone Down by Michael Thomas
I don't think I read this book correctly. Lately, I read most of my books on the subway while listening to Podcasts and ignoring my fellow commuters. This sometimes prevents me from paying close attention when I need to, like to this book. I could tell before I was halfway in, it would have been better served by reading it at home over a long weekend or something, but what can you do, a boy's gots to earn (or something to that affect).
Man Gone Down is the story of a unnamed man trying to set his life in order over the span of about 6 days at the end of the summer in Brooklyn in Manhattan in 2003 or '04, but it bleeds into his past as a kid in Boston and as a student in Harvard and one of the CUNY schools (I forget which). Some of his past is told straight up and some as his remembrances of it all. His wife and 3 kids are in Boston with his mother-in-law while he tries to get a job and money for an apartment and tuition. All throughout this he struggles against his memories of growing up poor and black in the Boston suburbs, his personal and familial struggle with alcohol, the loss of a friend in the World Trade Center and his never ending fear his white wife will wise up and leave him. He works as a day laborer trying to raise the cash, but it turns out to be another somewhat successful attempt at self-sabotage.
This is a well written tale of a man trying to find himself and right his ship (yes, another one of those) but I wouldn't say he succeeds. Not saying he fails, but nothing comes easy for this man, like trying to manage even the smallest amount of success like winning an amateur night singing contest in a bar, or attempting to collect a much needed debt owed to him by a previous landlord. Even a celebratory birthday dinner with his friend and 2 pretty lawyers is torture for him. Part of me was screaming (silently, remember I was on the subway) "Suck it up dude and try to enjoy yourself" but it obvious this man was and is tortured by his past and somewhat broken beyond repair.
Man Gone Down is certainly worth your time to read it, but try to give it a better time then I did.
Book can be found herehttp://www.amazon.com/Man-Gone-Down-Michael-Thomas/dp/B0018SWAJ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236820549&sr=1-1
7 down, 93 to go. Finished 3/11/2009
This post was written listening to "200 Million Thousand" by Black Lips & "Glasvegas" by Glasvegas
Man Gone Down is the story of a unnamed man trying to set his life in order over the span of about 6 days at the end of the summer in Brooklyn in Manhattan in 2003 or '04, but it bleeds into his past as a kid in Boston and as a student in Harvard and one of the CUNY schools (I forget which). Some of his past is told straight up and some as his remembrances of it all. His wife and 3 kids are in Boston with his mother-in-law while he tries to get a job and money for an apartment and tuition. All throughout this he struggles against his memories of growing up poor and black in the Boston suburbs, his personal and familial struggle with alcohol, the loss of a friend in the World Trade Center and his never ending fear his white wife will wise up and leave him. He works as a day laborer trying to raise the cash, but it turns out to be another somewhat successful attempt at self-sabotage.
This is a well written tale of a man trying to find himself and right his ship (yes, another one of those) but I wouldn't say he succeeds. Not saying he fails, but nothing comes easy for this man, like trying to manage even the smallest amount of success like winning an amateur night singing contest in a bar, or attempting to collect a much needed debt owed to him by a previous landlord. Even a celebratory birthday dinner with his friend and 2 pretty lawyers is torture for him. Part of me was screaming (silently, remember I was on the subway) "Suck it up dude and try to enjoy yourself" but it obvious this man was and is tortured by his past and somewhat broken beyond repair.
Man Gone Down is certainly worth your time to read it, but try to give it a better time then I did.
Book can be found herehttp://www.amazon.com/Man-Gone-Down-Michael-Thomas/dp/B0018SWAJ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236820549&sr=1-1
7 down, 93 to go. Finished 3/11/2009
This post was written listening to "200 Million Thousand" by Black Lips & "Glasvegas" by Glasvegas
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
While I read this without the full appreciation of its context - it isn't the 1950's, I'm not English, a war veteran or suffering (much) from class issue - it is still a glorious book and a fun read. "Lucky Jim" tells the story of a 1st year professor in an English university struggling against his varying levels of boredom and displeasure in with his job, topic, peers, senior professors and faculty, girlfriend (for lack of a better term) and his overall lot in life.
While the context might not be as applicable today as it was when it was written, there is still a lot to like and sympathise with about Jim. He struggles to get a head and succeed in job he doesn't like but needs (in part because he can't do much else), impress bosses he doesn't like, struggles in his relationship with coworkers and neighbors he can't stand, he is just like us (or me at times). Throw in his hilarious fights with the artist son of his Department Head boss and it was all I needed to dive right in and make the push to the end as quickly as possible. he drinks, he smokes, he grouses silently about his dimwitted boss, he plots against his annoying neighbor, he struggles with his suicidal girlfriend and then repeats it all over and over. What more can you ask for.
Read it folks and enjoy. I did.
Book can be found here (not where I got it)
http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Penguin-Classics-Kingsley-Amis/dp/0140186301/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233197845&sr=1-1
6 down, 94 to go. Finished 1/28/2009
This post was written listening to "Sweet Oblivion" by The Screaming Trees & "Twice Upon A Time - The Singles" by Siouxsie & The Banshees
While the context might not be as applicable today as it was when it was written, there is still a lot to like and sympathise with about Jim. He struggles to get a head and succeed in job he doesn't like but needs (in part because he can't do much else), impress bosses he doesn't like, struggles in his relationship with coworkers and neighbors he can't stand, he is just like us (or me at times). Throw in his hilarious fights with the artist son of his Department Head boss and it was all I needed to dive right in and make the push to the end as quickly as possible. he drinks, he smokes, he grouses silently about his dimwitted boss, he plots against his annoying neighbor, he struggles with his suicidal girlfriend and then repeats it all over and over. What more can you ask for.
Read it folks and enjoy. I did.
Book can be found here (not where I got it)
http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Penguin-Classics-Kingsley-Amis/dp/0140186301/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233197845&sr=1-1
6 down, 94 to go. Finished 1/28/2009
This post was written listening to "Sweet Oblivion" by The Screaming Trees & "Twice Upon A Time - The Singles" by Siouxsie & The Banshees
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
We Got the Neutron Bomb by Marc Spitz & Brendan Mullen
Nothing like the memories parent hating children with anger management issues convinced they changed the world and made history, at least until the next group of kids came and screwed it up. Add in a fair amount of East Coast Bias bitching and you have the story of the LA Punk scene. An interesting tale with very interesting characters, but not a book made for reading in one long sitting. Actually the writing style - short chapters made up of interviews of people who were there and those in the know (with no in between narrative), each focusing on a particular piece of the story, with some linear flow from chapter to chapter (they kind of, but don't completely go in chronological order) - makes this book an ideal read 2 chapters, read something else, read some more later kind of book.
"We Got the Neutron Bomb" was written by Marc Spitz (late of Spin) and Brendan Mullen (who was part of the scene and owned one of the clubs some of the chapters take place in) wrote this, as among other things, a West Coast response to Legs McNeil's book "Please Kill Me" (one of the many hundreds in my to-read pile) giving those based in LA their time in the sun (in LA even the punk rockers get sun), covering bands such as X, The Germs, Black Flag, The Runaways and many others. It starts with the beginning of the movement, covering the original haunts and first bands through the progression into many splinter genres, such as Hardcore, New Wave, stuff neo-Nazis surfers liked and Rockabilly, and the eventual commercial success of some bands and the death of a movement.
The problem I sometimes have with books like this is half the time I find myself doing one of two things:
1 - underlining artist, albums and tracks and inevitably buying more CDs then I need
2 - cursing at the current speaker for being such a whiny, self-centered & self-important kvetch who doesn't realize that drunkenly getting on stage with 3 of his fellow high school dropouts in some dingy basement of a 5th rate club in a bad neighborhood of LA and playing mediocre music for the members of the next 6 bands who will be getting on stage does not make you a Genius. It more than likely makes you a semi-talented high school dropout with a drug problem.
I think the above reactions stem from my love of music, interest in Punk in particular (I think X is in my top-ten), my compulsion to keep buying CDs combined with my total inability to have a "This album changed my life" moment or a similar type of reaction to anything I listen to. I guess it all boils down to an "That song was great and I think you're super talented, but let's not get carried away here" attitude about music (and movies or TV for that manner).
An interesting accompaniment to this book is the What We Do Is Secret biopic that came out on DVD about a month ago. I watched as I was trying to finish the book. Certainly worth a Netflixing
Book can be found here
http://www.amazon.com/We-Got-Neutron-Bomb-L/dp/0609807749/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232508891&sr=1-1
5 down, 95 to go. Finished 01/10/2008.
This post was written listening to "The Essential Pebbles Collection - Volume Three European Garage"
"We Got the Neutron Bomb" was written by Marc Spitz (late of Spin) and Brendan Mullen (who was part of the scene and owned one of the clubs some of the chapters take place in) wrote this, as among other things, a West Coast response to Legs McNeil's book "Please Kill Me" (one of the many hundreds in my to-read pile) giving those based in LA their time in the sun (in LA even the punk rockers get sun), covering bands such as X, The Germs, Black Flag, The Runaways and many others. It starts with the beginning of the movement, covering the original haunts and first bands through the progression into many splinter genres, such as Hardcore, New Wave, stuff neo-Nazis surfers liked and Rockabilly, and the eventual commercial success of some bands and the death of a movement.
The problem I sometimes have with books like this is half the time I find myself doing one of two things:
1 - underlining artist, albums and tracks and inevitably buying more CDs then I need
2 - cursing at the current speaker for being such a whiny, self-centered & self-important kvetch who doesn't realize that drunkenly getting on stage with 3 of his fellow high school dropouts in some dingy basement of a 5th rate club in a bad neighborhood of LA and playing mediocre music for the members of the next 6 bands who will be getting on stage does not make you a Genius. It more than likely makes you a semi-talented high school dropout with a drug problem.
I think the above reactions stem from my love of music, interest in Punk in particular (I think X is in my top-ten), my compulsion to keep buying CDs combined with my total inability to have a "This album changed my life" moment or a similar type of reaction to anything I listen to. I guess it all boils down to an "That song was great and I think you're super talented, but let's not get carried away here" attitude about music (and movies or TV for that manner).
An interesting accompaniment to this book is the What We Do Is Secret biopic that came out on DVD about a month ago. I watched as I was trying to finish the book. Certainly worth a Netflixing
Book can be found here
http://www.amazon.com/We-Got-Neutron-Bomb-L/dp/0609807749/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232508891&sr=1-1
5 down, 95 to go. Finished 01/10/2008.
This post was written listening to "The Essential Pebbles Collection - Volume Three European Garage"
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Uneasy Money by P.G. Wodehouse
Engagements wanted and unwanted, made, broken, unbroken, re-broken, re-unbroken - check
Befuddled men and the women who love, tolerate, overpower, ignore and or despise them - check
Money made, lost, inherited, disinherited, re-inherited, spent and possibly (but not often) earned - check
The never ending quest for a financially secure marriage - double check
Snake - check
Monkey - check
Dancing girls - check
Drink - check
Golf - check
Yes folks, we have a Wodehouse novel. Always fun, always enjoyable and always a good read. Yes there is bit (or more) of a formula to Wodehouse novels. So? It is a beautiful formula that works every time (though you might not want to read many of his books back-to-back).
In Uneasy Money we meet:
- Lord Dawlish, owner of a penniless title and recent inheritor of one millions pounds, a reward for fixing a wayward slice, as he attempts to give half of that inheritance to who he believes is the rightful inheritor
- Claire Fenwick, his not quiet successful actress fiancee who has dreams of a much grander life, one she pushes our Lord Dawlish to achieve and provide her
- Elizabeth Boyd, a British girl living in Brookport, Long Island NY, trying to make a go of it raising bees
- Claude Nutcombe Boyd, her unhelpful lush of a brother, pining for his lost fast times as an actor drinking his way through
Plus many other fun characters displaying the general wackiness we all know and love from the late, great Mr. Wodehouse.
Book can be found here (I didn't buy it here):
http://www.amazon.com/Uneasy-Money-P-G-Wodehouse/dp/1585675725/ref=ed_oe_h
4 down, 96 to go. Finished 12/31/2008.
This post was written listening to and watching Elvis Costello's "Kojak Variety", NFL Playoffs and "24 Redemption"
Befuddled men and the women who love, tolerate, overpower, ignore and or despise them - check
Money made, lost, inherited, disinherited, re-inherited, spent and possibly (but not often) earned - check
The never ending quest for a financially secure marriage - double check
Snake - check
Monkey - check
Dancing girls - check
Drink - check
Golf - check
Yes folks, we have a Wodehouse novel. Always fun, always enjoyable and always a good read. Yes there is bit (or more) of a formula to Wodehouse novels. So? It is a beautiful formula that works every time (though you might not want to read many of his books back-to-back).
In Uneasy Money we meet:
- Lord Dawlish, owner of a penniless title and recent inheritor of one millions pounds, a reward for fixing a wayward slice, as he attempts to give half of that inheritance to who he believes is the rightful inheritor
- Claire Fenwick, his not quiet successful actress fiancee who has dreams of a much grander life, one she pushes our Lord Dawlish to achieve and provide her
- Elizabeth Boyd, a British girl living in Brookport, Long Island NY, trying to make a go of it raising bees
- Claude Nutcombe Boyd, her unhelpful lush of a brother, pining for his lost fast times as an actor drinking his way through
Plus many other fun characters displaying the general wackiness we all know and love from the late, great Mr. Wodehouse.
Book can be found here (I didn't buy it here):
http://www.amazon.com/Uneasy-Money-P-G-Wodehouse/dp/1585675725/ref=ed_oe_h
4 down, 96 to go. Finished 12/31/2008.
This post was written listening to and watching Elvis Costello's "Kojak Variety", NFL Playoffs and "24 Redemption"
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