Mene's 2013 thread

Hi Mene. Long time no see! Didn't know you were at the 75-group. Club Read is a bit smaller, so it's easier to keep track of everyone's reading.

Enjoyed your review of Jane: The woman who loved Tarzan It sounds like a real curiosity and a great idea. Interesting also to read how Robin Maxwell approached the 'sexism' and 'racism' of the original books.

Interesting reviewing format; there's so much information compacted beside the review.

I like the format of your review, especially your inclusion of the blurb (and it's always interesting to compare the blurbs to the actuality of your own reaction to the book) and the text of the first paragraph of the book.

Even though I previously had no interest in Tarzan (even though as a child I saw many a Tarzan movie at the Saturday matinee), you've somehow convinced me to add this to my wishlist!

Not a book I would have considered, but your review is quite interesting and now I'm intrigued. Wow, that review format is thorough, even typo's are listed!

I like your inclusion of spelling errors/typos in your reviews. I have read very few books in the past few years which do not include mistakes.

Very interesting article about the possibilities of plastic free living.

Amazed that you have never seen a movie about Frankenstein, but this made your comments on the book all the more fascinating to read. Glad you enjoyed it.

I'm busy reading The Complete Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, who apparently had a big influence on the ideas in Frankenstein. For example, the subtitle, The Modern Prometheus, is very similar to Percy's Prometheus Unbound.

Enjoyed your review of The United States of Air

Wow--what detailed reviews. The book on plastics sounded very interesting, but I don't read German, so I'll just have to go with what you've said.

I read Frankenstein for the first time about ten years ago, and like you, I had no idea what it was really about. I'd always avoided all things Frankenstein in my life up to that point. I found the novel . . . odd, and I think I may continue to avoid all things Frankenstein.

Do either of the books talk about the health side effects of plastic (causing cancer, etc?). I was in line at the grocery store and this very obnoxious woman in front of me was going on and on about how she doesn't allow any plastic at all in her house and the cashier was cooing back at her how wonderful she is . . . but she had two small children with her, and had put all her produce right on the belt. Including things that are difficult to wash completely like grapes. I felt like saying to her "have you ever seen a report on what they've found on these belts? How would you like some E. coli with those grapes? Salmonella, perhaps?" She seemed like the type of person who didn't vaccinate her kids, either. Silly as she was, I still worry about how plastic has seeped into our food.

Also, an important role was played by a certain kind of candy called "Twinkies". I read half of the book before I finally decided to look up what Twinkies actually are XD Wikipedia knows: sponge cakes with creamy (banana-flavoured) filling.

Love your review of the United States of Air! Goodness! Twinkies! When the Hostess plant here went belly up, we Americans thought it was the end of the world (even those of us who don't eat them, at least not since childhood). In the movie Zombieland one of the main character's main goal in life is to find a Twinkie! Oh, yes, Twinkies are (or were) important! LOL!

http://www.cnbc.com/id/49825581/Sign_of_the_Apocalypse_Mass_Panic_Over_Twinkies

Twinkies have banana-flavoured filling? Who knew? I grew up with Twinkies in our stores, but I don't think I've ever had one. They never appealed to me, and I always suspected they partly made with plastic. (See how I linked this conversation to an earlier one?)

#41 - thanks for all your comments about the plastic books. I try to limit my plastic when possible too, but it's not that easy! We also have a good plastic recycling program here, and I throw everything in the blue bin, so I hope that helps to keep it out of the environment. I will look for the English-language book.

#47 - I just came back from the grocery store, and I'm aghast at how much plastic I didn't avoid. I'm good at not buying the big chunks of plastic, but I'm not so good at the thin, cello-warp type. So I know what area I need to work at!

Thanks for the link.

Thanks for your interesting and detailed review --- not sure I even need to read that book now ;-) . . . but I'm wishlisting it anyway! Good luck with your non-plastic life.

If you ever decide to have kids, watch out! There's a whole new world of plastic waiting out there that you haven't even seen yet. I was a complete snob when my babies were born, so I kept as much plastic out of our lives as possible (exception: cars seats, high chair), but my husband's brother and wife raised their kids with probably 100% plastic everything! I say it's because they were without sense or class, but the reality is for most young parents struggling to get by, their lives are going to be full of plastic. The hardest part for us was the toys they'd get for gifts--most of them went directly into the charity bin, but it's hard to keep the plastic out of your life when you have kids. All the dollar store crap and McDonald's Happy meals stuff -- and even though we avoided all of that, our house still ended up full of it. Thank goodness they grow up--at 16 and 13 now the only plastic they bring into the house is DVDs and video games. And ski boots, that you only have to buy every once in a while.

#49 Wow! I'm glad you mentioned the chapter on feeling overwhelmed, because that's exactly how I feel!

Great stuff on Plastic-free

Fascinated by your review of Plastic-Free, and I learned quite a bit. Much to think about.

This sounds interesting, Mene! I read Babel-17 last year, and quite enjoyed it.

Enjoyed your review of All I ever wanted was A Life Less Ordinary. Sounds like a real road movie of a book and great fun.

I had to chuckle at "Freewheeling Ways". It sounds a bit like a typical morning commute in New Jersey or New York.

My son has tried to get me to join the Dr. Who party with him. I haven't seen much of the series yet, but what I have seen seems really good.
Your review was a lot of fun to read.
"cocky, crazy, cosmic hobo"
Love it!

I'm a huge Doctor Who fan, and it's interesting to see the impressions of someone who's not familiar with the TV series coming into it via a random novelization. I'm actually pleasantly surprised that you didn't find it more confusing!

I'd say "cocky, crazy cosmic hobo" describes the Doctor pretty well, but for the record, his name is not actually "Doctor Who," whatever the back cover text might claim. :)

It sounds like the author of that book needs a talking-to!

Another excellent review mene. I do like the way you set them out.