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2billiejean
I thought I should mention to you that my daughter says that when she was in high school (she graduated last year), by consensus, the best lame movie was The Core. You might want to consider that for Thanksgiving.
Thanks for the link to your new thread!
--BJ
Thanks for the link to your new thread!
--BJ
3TomWaitsTables
Book 1: Food Rules by Michael Pollan
Food Rules is a short rulebook on how to eat healthily. Pollan has compiled all of the collective food wisdom of our grandmothers and the eating habits of traditional food cultures (for example, the French, Italians, & Sicilians as opposed to the British, American, and Madison Avenue), and then used science (I'm taking him at his word here) to weed out the ones that don't work, before distilling them into 64 simple rules on how to avoid process "edible food-like substances" and actually use your taste buds instead of just recharging your battery. It's short, simple, and small enough to keep in your glove compartment (reminding me that "It's not food if it came from the window of your car.") or purse.
I, like most people I know, never gave much thought (or cared) about what I ate. But I needed an extra item to put me over the top so I wouldn't have to pay for shipping, and I came across Food Rules (very savvy, Amazon)*. Plus, Bill Moyers had vouched for Michael Pollan (but for Pollan's other book, In Defense of Food, not Food Rules), so I added it to my cart. That it turned out to be an insightful book was a bonus.
I've included some rules from the book, in case anyone wanted an idea about what's inside the book. I wish I could say I put some thought into picking them out, but I just wrote them as I came across them while flipping through the book. You could see it as laziness or a genuine attempt to be fair by selecting them at random so that you might make your own decision without bias . . . Yep, I'm just lazy. Anyway, here they are:
"The banquet is in the first bite."
"If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't."
"Eat only foods that will eventually rot."
"Better to pay the grocer than the doctor."
"Better to go to waste than to (the) waist."
"Don't eat breakfast cereals that change to color of your milk."
"The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead."
---
*Actually, it was the other way around. Food Rules was the first item my cart and I didn't want to pay as much for the shipping. So I needed another item to push it over the $25 bar for free shipping. Guess what? Item #2 was J. Michael Straczynski's Rising Stars Compendium ($37.99), which I have always wanted, but whose cost I could never justify. And then, since I was about to buy it, I thought to myself, I might as well get the hardcover edition (of which I'm too ashamed to admit the cost). Sure, it costs more, but it'll last longer.
And that, gentle-beings, is how my logic works. Thus, wracked by guilt, I took all the money I'd set aside to feed my very unhealthy book-habit and donated it to Red Cross's Help Haiti fund. That puts me back in the "Good" list, right? Yeah, that's not enough. There's no way I can justify spending that much money on books when there are still people subsisting on less than a dollar a day. Okay, the first step is admitting I have a problem. Is there a "Books-o-holics Anonymous" group on LibraryThing? Or is that akin to holding an AA meeting in a wine tasting?
You know what the worst thing is? I haven't even read it yet! It's sitting there on my TBR shelves with the rest of my books. I just hope there's someone worst than I on LibraryThing. Unless . . . that person's not me, is it? Say it isn't so, Jo!
Food Rules is a short rulebook on how to eat healthily. Pollan has compiled all of the collective food wisdom of our grandmothers and the eating habits of traditional food cultures (for example, the French, Italians, & Sicilians as opposed to the British, American, and Madison Avenue), and then used science (I'm taking him at his word here) to weed out the ones that don't work, before distilling them into 64 simple rules on how to avoid process "edible food-like substances" and actually use your taste buds instead of just recharging your battery. It's short, simple, and small enough to keep in your glove compartment (reminding me that "It's not food if it came from the window of your car.") or purse.
I, like most people I know, never gave much thought (or cared) about what I ate. But I needed an extra item to put me over the top so I wouldn't have to pay for shipping, and I came across Food Rules (very savvy, Amazon)*. Plus, Bill Moyers had vouched for Michael Pollan (but for Pollan's other book, In Defense of Food, not Food Rules), so I added it to my cart. That it turned out to be an insightful book was a bonus.
I've included some rules from the book, in case anyone wanted an idea about what's inside the book. I wish I could say I put some thought into picking them out, but I just wrote them as I came across them while flipping through the book. You could see it as laziness or a genuine attempt to be fair by selecting them at random so that you might make your own decision without bias . . . Yep, I'm just lazy. Anyway, here they are:
"The banquet is in the first bite."
"If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't."
"Eat only foods that will eventually rot."
"Better to pay the grocer than the doctor."
"Better to go to waste than to (the) waist."
"Don't eat breakfast cereals that change to color of your milk."
"The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead."
---
*Actually, it was the other way around. Food Rules was the first item my cart and I didn't want to pay as much for the shipping. So I needed another item to push it over the $25 bar for free shipping. Guess what? Item #2 was J. Michael Straczynski's Rising Stars Compendium ($37.99), which I have always wanted, but whose cost I could never justify. And then, since I was about to buy it, I thought to myself, I might as well get the hardcover edition (of which I'm too ashamed to admit the cost). Sure, it costs more, but it'll last longer.
And that, gentle-beings, is how my logic works. Thus, wracked by guilt, I took all the money I'd set aside to feed my very unhealthy book-habit and donated it to Red Cross's Help Haiti fund. That puts me back in the "Good" list, right? Yeah, that's not enough. There's no way I can justify spending that much money on books when there are still people subsisting on less than a dollar a day. Okay, the first step is admitting I have a problem. Is there a "Books-o-holics Anonymous" group on LibraryThing? Or is that akin to holding an AA meeting in a wine tasting?
You know what the worst thing is? I haven't even read it yet! It's sitting there on my TBR shelves with the rest of my books. I just hope there's someone worst than I on LibraryThing. Unless . . . that person's not me, is it? Say it isn't so, Jo!
4billiejean
Food Rules sounds a lot like the Pritikin Diet rules. Maybe I should read that one, too. Today on the news I saw that lettuce is contaminated again. And salad is important to my diet. A doctor on tv actually suggested that everyone grow their own lettuce!! This is the third time I have seen lettuce test contaminated, so I told my husband, "I guess we should try to grow some." I am not too good with plants, but we will see how it all turns out.
--BJ
--BJ
5Tallulah_Rose
Found you here too (and the conversation about the core ;) )
Will star you again, I'm here around somwhere as well, you probably might have a look :)
Will star you again, I'm here around somwhere as well, you probably might have a look :)
6TomWaitsTables
>4 billiejean:
I think you'll really enjoy gardening. I don't have a green thumb, either, but it's relaxing nonetheless. Plus I feel less guilty about waste by composting the leftover plant matter. Circle of life, enriching the soil, and all that. Just have to make sure not to slip on the banana peels :)
But beware! Remember that scene in Secondhand Lions where they bought seeds from a salesman, and meticulously planted rows of corn, tomatoes, lettuce . . . ? Only to find out as the seeds started growing that they mysteriously all look alike . . . :)
I think you'll really enjoy gardening. I don't have a green thumb, either, but it's relaxing nonetheless. Plus I feel less guilty about waste by composting the leftover plant matter. Circle of life, enriching the soil, and all that. Just have to make sure not to slip on the banana peels :)
But beware! Remember that scene in Secondhand Lions where they bought seeds from a salesman, and meticulously planted rows of corn, tomatoes, lettuce . . . ? Only to find out as the seeds started growing that they mysteriously all look alike . . . :)
7TomWaitsTables
Book 2: Sappho's Leap by Erica Jong
"EXTRA! EXTRA! Famous Singer Takes Swan Dive Over Cliff!"
We all know---or think we know---the story of Sappho. Sappho was a singer famed throughout the ancient Greek Mediterranean world. Plato called her the "tenth Muse." And, like most people, all I really cared about Sappho was that she gave birth to the modern meaning of the words lesbian (her birthplace) and sapphic (her name). And if you're looking for a David McCullough-style account of her life, good luck. There is so little known about her, and given that what little we do know are gossip and fragments, anything written about Sappho is bound to be more Rorschach test than biography. And that's exactly what Erica Jong's Sappho's Leap is. It tells us more about what Sappho means to Jong than anything about Sappho herself. In this way, Sappho acts as a sort of Muse/Vessel for everything that Jong has experienced of love and sex and sexuality, feminism and motherhood, independence, adventure, and most striking of all of those, inspiration and the act of creating something, whether you're an artist, dancer, singer, writer, or programmer.
I kind of liked Sappho' Leap. The plot's a little weak, but I;m actually okay with that. I don't know why I'd make an exception for this book and not others, but---I don't know. Maybe it's Jong's candor---she didn't appear afraid to be embarrassed. So in my opinion, it's a pretty okay book. It's just---it could've been great.
I can't help but think of everything that Sappho' Leap could have been. We know that Sappho is going to eventually take a swan dive off the Leucadian cliff. Knowing that, Jong could've focused on what led to Sappho's decision and left out all the crazy, zany adventures that didn't really help except to detract from the story at the core. I mean, once you strip away all the ridiculous stuff with the centaurs and other fantastical elements, you had a story about a young girl chaffing at the strictures placed upon her by society. Who falls in love with a poet who prefers boys and is married off to an old, dying man and gives birth to a daughter she loves more than life. It's about the discovery of life. After the whole self-righteousness of her youth, Sappho comes to terms with motherhood, her love life, her career/fame, creativity/muses and her mother. And all of it was possible because we know about Sappho's rendezvous with destiny: that out of heartache, she decides to leap off the Leucadian cliffs and into the sea.
Sorry. I'm not explaining it very well. Alright, think of it this way. The movie Titanic was very boring. I mean, boy meets girl, and for two hours they do nothing except bat eyes at each other. We should've walked out half an hour into the thing. Except for the fact that every one of us in the audience knows that the Titanic is going to sink. That's what kept us on the edge of our seats the entire time. It wasn't that so much a boy meets girl romance so much as it was about was a Jack and Rose falling in love on the Titanic. And because we are absolutely aware of what's going to happen, we're interested in the Jack and Rose's story. They didn't need to take a detour to the island of the Amazons or wash up on the island of the Centaurs. It worked perfectly, and after reading Sappho's Leap, I just can't help wondering "If only . . ."
SPOILERS
"EXTRA! EXTRA! Famous Singer Takes Swan Dive Over Cliff!"
We all know---or think we know---the story of Sappho. Sappho was a singer famed throughout the ancient Greek Mediterranean world. Plato called her the "tenth Muse." And, like most people, all I really cared about Sappho was that she gave birth to the modern meaning of the words lesbian (her birthplace) and sapphic (her name). And if you're looking for a David McCullough-style account of her life, good luck. There is so little known about her, and given that what little we do know are gossip and fragments, anything written about Sappho is bound to be more Rorschach test than biography. And that's exactly what Erica Jong's Sappho's Leap is. It tells us more about what Sappho means to Jong than anything about Sappho herself. In this way, Sappho acts as a sort of Muse/Vessel for everything that Jong has experienced of love and sex and sexuality, feminism and motherhood, independence, adventure, and most striking of all of those, inspiration and the act of creating something, whether you're an artist, dancer, singer, writer, or programmer.
I kind of liked Sappho' Leap. The plot's a little weak, but I;m actually okay with that. I don't know why I'd make an exception for this book and not others, but---I don't know. Maybe it's Jong's candor---she didn't appear afraid to be embarrassed. So in my opinion, it's a pretty okay book. It's just---it could've been great.
I can't help but think of everything that Sappho' Leap could have been. We know that Sappho is going to eventually take a swan dive off the Leucadian cliff. Knowing that, Jong could've focused on what led to Sappho's decision and left out all the crazy, zany adventures that didn't really help except to detract from the story at the core. I mean, once you strip away all the ridiculous stuff with the centaurs and other fantastical elements, you had a story about a young girl chaffing at the strictures placed upon her by society. Who falls in love with a poet who prefers boys and is married off to an old, dying man and gives birth to a daughter she loves more than life. It's about the discovery of life. After the whole self-righteousness of her youth, Sappho comes to terms with motherhood, her love life, her career/fame, creativity/muses and her mother. And all of it was possible because we know about Sappho's rendezvous with destiny: that out of heartache, she decides to leap off the Leucadian cliffs and into the sea.
Sorry. I'm not explaining it very well. Alright, think of it this way. The movie Titanic was very boring. I mean, boy meets girl, and for two hours they do nothing except bat eyes at each other. We should've walked out half an hour into the thing. Except for the fact that every one of us in the audience knows that the Titanic is going to sink. That's what kept us on the edge of our seats the entire time. It wasn't that so much a boy meets girl romance so much as it was about was a Jack and Rose falling in love on the Titanic. And because we are absolutely aware of what's going to happen, we're interested in the Jack and Rose's story. They didn't need to take a detour to the island of the Amazons or wash up on the island of the Centaurs. It worked perfectly, and after reading Sappho's Leap, I just can't help wondering "If only . . ."
SPOILERS
8TomWaitsTables
Book 3: Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman, in Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? gives Batman the same treatment that Alan Moore gave Superman in his Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? The deluxe edition is very well put together, and the core story is great, and it is a beautiful piece of artwork. But the only reason it's a "deluxe edition" is because DC pegged two superfluous, absolutely meaningless issues to Gaiman's original swan song. Don't buy it. It's not worth the $24.99. Borrow it from a friend who was foolish enough to fork over the cash (as I did) or borrow it from the library. If you did buy it, you can always donate it to the library and deduct part of the cost from your taxes. Then use that savings to buy a ticket to China and publish an illegal print run, in order to teach DC a lesson about taking their readers for granted. On second thought, I happen to like DC. Do it to Marvel. They certainly deserve it.
Gaiman does a pretty good job, though at only two issues, it's pretty bare. The story deals with what Batman means (to Gaiman as a sort of stand-in for the rest of us, who as children grew up reading about Batman, and as adult (albeit immature) . . . who are still reading it/watching him on the silver screen). It's kind of similar to Gaiman's own The Wake. It's a very moving story, nonetheless. Follow the link if you want a more thorough review, but beware, there are spoilers.
SPOILERS
Neil Gaiman, in Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? gives Batman the same treatment that Alan Moore gave Superman in his Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? The deluxe edition is very well put together, and the core story is great, and it is a beautiful piece of artwork. But the only reason it's a "deluxe edition" is because DC pegged two superfluous, absolutely meaningless issues to Gaiman's original swan song. Don't buy it. It's not worth the $24.99. Borrow it from a friend who was foolish enough to fork over the cash (as I did) or borrow it from the library. If you did buy it, you can always donate it to the library and deduct part of the cost from your taxes. Then use that savings to buy a ticket to China and publish an illegal print run, in order to teach DC a lesson about taking their readers for granted. On second thought, I happen to like DC. Do it to Marvel. They certainly deserve it.
Gaiman does a pretty good job, though at only two issues, it's pretty bare. The story deals with what Batman means (to Gaiman as a sort of stand-in for the rest of us, who as children grew up reading about Batman, and as adult (albeit immature) . . . who are still reading it/watching him on the silver screen). It's kind of similar to Gaiman's own The Wake. It's a very moving story, nonetheless. Follow the link if you want a more thorough review, but beware, there are spoilers.
SPOILERS
9TomWaitsTables
Note: I'm on Book #9 (or 23?, depending on how you count) right now, but it'll be a while until I update these posts. I keep meaning to post just a short review, but they keep turning into full-blown book reports. So I keep putting them off. Not just because I'm a procrastinator, but also because I can't really justify the time I'll spend writing about it (which, to be honest, nobody really reads?) when I could spend that time reading another book (only 24 hours in a day, so they say). So they just keep piling up.
So . . . à tout à l’heure (see you in an hour). Hopefully.
So . . . à tout à l’heure (see you in an hour). Hopefully.
10billiejean
I thought of another movie for you. The One with Jet Li. The biggest problem is that I actually like all of the movies that I come up with, so maybe that is a negative. I am not sure. (The Core doesn't count, because that is from the nonscientific High School Poll.)
--BJ
--BJ
11TomWaitsTables
Eloi, eloi, lama sabachtami. I'm sorry for the blasphemy, but this is what I get for procrastinating.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison.
Book 4: Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Book 5: EX MACHINA: Dirty Tricks bu Brian K. Vaughan
Book 6: The Servants' Quarters by Lynn Freed
Good. Really liked the main character, Cressida. Loved her, in fact. And her family, the whole thing. Very well developed character. Bit creeped out by Mr. Harding. Not because of the scars or anything, but the fact that it appeared he was "grooming" her. Creepy and pervy.
That aside, it was beautifully written. And full of quirky characters. Did I mention the characters were incredibly fleshed out? Well, it's worth mentioning again. I mean, just look at Miranda. We get a feel for who she is evne though she appears only briefly.
Also loved how the narrative style changed to reflect Cressida's development as she grows up and her life changes. I mean, wow. Strongly recommend. My first Lynn Freed book, and there's that giddy euphoria I get at discovering a new author whose work I adore.
Normally for a book like this, I'd wish it weren't so short or some other thing. but love it as it is. very good. God, I wish I had the time to really talk about this book.
Book 7: The Books of Faerie by Bronwyn Carlton and John Ney Rieber
Okay. Not great. Don't bother to waste your time.
Book 8: Notes for a War Story by Gipi
love the art direction, it enhances the story, and is verywell done. wish I could remember why i read this. it's not the kind of book i usually read, and wish I could recall who or what prompted me to tread this. it's really good. This and Three Shadows. Whoever recommended those to me, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Book 9: London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel by Gillian Bradshaw
I'll have to say it's a very good book.Am a sucker for Bradshaw, i guess. Make note to go into this in full. It deserves it. I think I read it all in one day, throughout the night.
Book 10: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Read it so long ago when I was a kid. I read it again recently, and it's just as moving, but with more, I don't know, punch. And deeper meaning. And it's so very sad. If I'd been a man, I would've cried.
Book 11: The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Not great. But it was meant for children, so . . . shrug.
Book 12: Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bojalian
I just finished the book this morning, after reading most of it last night. It's not often I say this, but I wish Bohjalian was a horribly inept storyteller. I wish his characters were flat and unbelievable and were as developed as a James Bond villain. I hate you, Bohjalian.
Book 13: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Another Gaiman great.
Book 14: Garage Band by Gipi (Gianni Pacinotti)
It's okay. I checked out this book from the library after reading Gipi's Notes for a War Story. And after reading Garage Band, I can see how Gipi tentatively exploring some of the themes (friendship, class, opportunities) he would later go on to handle so well in Notes for a War Story. You know, kind of like the artillery barrage presaging the assault. Or maybe Gipi was more subtle in Garage Band and I'm too thick-headed to see it.
Book 15: Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
It's . . . okay, a little dated.
Book 16: WISH, Vol. 1 by CLAMP
My sister made me read it. It wasn't that bad. Wasn't that good, either. Don't tell her I said that!
Book 17: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Very good, but a book for children. Okay for Monday nights when there isn't anything good on television. But, it really wasn't too horrible. Children, older children, would probably like it. And Gaiman fans, naturally.
Book 18: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Another book for children. It's set in a World War I where two opposing ideas, the Clankers (Germany, Austria) face off with the Darwinists (Britain, France, Russia). The Clankers are mechanical empires, with giant walking tanks and land-ships. The Darwinists utilize genetically engineered monsters to fight their wars. Kind of like StarCraft, with the Zerg facing off with the Terrans. Interesting, I guess. Westerfeld seems to like to pit one set of ideas against another.
Book 19: Shirahime - Syo by CLAMP
Another CLAMP book my sister made me read. The work seemed, I don't know, hastened. Sad, though. Depressing.
Book 20: Diamond Star by Catherine Asaro
Avoid this book. It read like a Hollywood blockbuster. By that I mean it's hollow. And it's without the visual spectacle to make up for it. I'm not sure whether it's the fond memories of childhood or whether her craft has really declined, but it's a far cry from her earlier works. If I have the time, I'll reread Catch the Lightning and find out.
Book 21: Designated Targets by John Birmingham
Re-read. For guilty pleasure. I was bored by how the villains had all the advantage. Much more interested in the social changes being caused by the time-travelers. Ripples in the pond and all that.
Book 22: Weapons of Choice by John Birmingham
Had to go back and read the first one. Interesting, but I did yawn quite a few times.
Book 23: Final Impact by John Birmingham
Again, one side had all the advantage. In this book, it was the heroes. And again, I was more interested in the projected social changes wrought by the time-travelers, and how they tried to bend the arc of history into something more familiar to the world from which they came from.
Books 21-23, Birmingham's Axis of Time trilogy, are masturbatory. By that I mean they are excessively self-absorbed books. But hey, if you want to read about Americans crushing the Third Reich with superweapons, go ahead. Just don't expect anything out of it.
Book 24: The Books of Magic: The Names of Magic by Dylan Horrocks
No offense to Mr. Horrocks, I'm sure he was sincere, but this book seemed like just another one of those cynical cash grab that made me despise Marvel. I hope DC just lets this series end with grace. Walk into the sunset and all that, instead of resurrecting it for another dejected zombie of a series.
Book 25: Ex Machina, Vol 1: The First Hundred Days by Brian K. Vaughan
A nice healing balm after Book 24. And now that I've read most of his Ex Machina series so far, I noticed some things I did not see the first time around, as well as rediscovering some threads that I'd forgotten.
Book 26: Destiny's Shield by Eric Flint
A crystal-thing goes back in time to help the Byzantine General defeat an evil artificial intelligence that possessed bodies. I think in this book, they're battling it out in Mesopotamia, near Babylon, and there's a siege and river-damming involved. Nice book to flip through if you're bored and it's raining.
Book 27: Fortune's Stroke by Eric Flint
Same as above book, except it concludes some stuff and the Malwa (the Villains) are driven out of Mesopotamia. Nice read, but I don't really recommend it. However, it did lead me google the Kushan Empire and via an incredibly convoluted road, lead me to a dating site for Russian women and a chance to win $76,000 in a Basketball Tournament Free Throw Giveaway. From this, I can safely conclude that I have ADHD.
Book 28: Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of TOmorrow? by Alan Moore
It's really good. The art is, well, dated. But the story . . . if you really really want to like it . . . still stands the test of time.
Book 29: Top Ten, Book 1 by Alan Moore
I hardly ever noticed it before, but the artist, Gene Ha, is incredible. It doesn't distract you from the story, but when you really pay attention, it's amazing. America's Best Comics in sooth.
Book 30: Top Ten, Book 2 by Alan Moore
Ditto. Another great work from the Moore-Ha team. But, um, parental discretion advised. For mature audiences only. Not for the squeamish.
Book 31: Top Ten: The Forty-Niners by Alan Moore
Absolutely stunning work. The water colors! And the best line in a comic I've ever come across:
Ordinary Human Train Passenger: ". . . Are you a vampire?"
Vampire: "I'm a Hungarian-American with an inherited medical condition."
I thought that was awesome.
Book 32: Spawn: Blood Feud by Alan Moore
To be honest, it was lame.
Book 33: The Last Hawk by Catherine Asaro
A not-so-nice trip through memory lane in that it revealed something I've always kind of suspected: Catherin Asaro's work has . . . it hasn't improved or declined with time. It's always been like this. On the other hand, the "Quis" idea was pretty cool. The rest, though, was not something I took delight in.
Book 34: Swamp Thing: The Curse by Alan Moore
It's not the best of Moore's Swamp Thing saga. It's heavy handed in its politics. It was good, for its era. But he's show he can do better.
Book 35: The Ultimates 2, Vol. 1: Gods and Monsters by Mark Millar
It's sad, really. Marvel hasn't hit rock-bottom, but that's only because they keep innovating new ways to drill deeper. On the other hand, the artwork is really good and it did end in a cliff-hanger that made me get the next book.
Book 36: Midnight Nation by J. Michael Straczynski
Now this is how stories should be told. Oh, I love it. I love Straczynski.
Book 37: The Ultimates 2, Vol. 2: Grand Theft America by Mark Millar
Yeah, just finished it. Not worth the time. Very lame. It wraps things up the way people would expect comic books to wrap things up. A simple solution that resolves everything in a couple of panels. I'm ashamed to confess that I actually read this. But people must be warned: stay away! There are only 24 hours in a day; spend it reading something worthy of your time. Like, say, TenNapel's Iron West.
Book 38: Iron West by Doug TenNepal
A fun read. Brief and quick and not as funny or innovative as I had expected after reading the reviews, but a good read nonetheless. I wish it had more depth, though.
Book 39: Knickers in a Twist by Jonathan Bernstein
Humorous and very informative. "Divided by a common language" indeed. It's like they're speaking a whole different language over the pond. If it weren't for Shakespeare, we'd have shucked them long ago. And Ewan McEwan. Alan Moore. Okay, so they've still got it. But really, learn how to speak English!
:)
Book 40: A Bintel Brief ed. by Isaac Metzker
It's an abridged collection of letters written to the Jewish Daily Forward asking for advice. A microcosm of Jewish life back then. You can see the changes, a mirror of the people as they grow up. From the early 1900's as they're working in the sweatshops and see evidence of social agitation and fervent young socialists, to the poverty of the Great Depression and Jewish workers are asking for forgiveness because they must pretend to be Christians to get a job. The shopgirl writing about her husband who she supported through medical school, only to dump her for someone who hasn't worn out by labor. I hope there's a hell, where that bastard is justly received.
Um . . . The letters change when they're grown up and their children are professionals and they're complaining about how their grandchildren are raised or of being estranged from their children.
I wish it was an unabridged work, but considering how many letters there must have been, I'd say Metzker did okay. My only complaint is Golden's foreword. Most of his notes were helpful and the rest weren't so bad.
Book 41: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Sigh. It's a tragic story about love. Because the greater the love, the greater the loss. I don't think the pain, was worth those brief moments of happiness. No, I don't wish for those moments to have never happened for Clare and Henry, it's just that I wish . . . I wish.
Although I have some . . . ah, who cares? It's Niffenegger's first novel, so cut her some slack.
After finishing the book, I went outside and laid down on the grass, just soaking up the sun. Even though my skin is burning, I'm still cold and sad inside. Terribly sad.
Book 42: Toby and the Secrets of the Tree by Timothee de Fombelle
Book 43: SWAMP THING; Book 4: A Murder of Crows by Alan Moore
Book 44: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
Book 45: The Haunted Mesa by Lous L'Amour
Book 46: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE: The DC Stories of Alan Moore by Alan Moore
Book 47: Corsair by Chris Bunch
Book 48: The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
Book 48.5 STAR WARS; X-WING: Isard's Revenge by Michael A. Stackpole
I struggled to get to page 63. I meant to give it a chance at least as far as 101, but it was too horrible. I wasn't going to waste any more time on it. There are only 24 hours in a day and far better things to do.
Book 49: Ex Machina; Book 9: Ring Out the Old by Brian K. Vaughan
Book 50: Raiders From the North by Alex Rutherford
Book 51: Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Book 52: Tom Strong: Book 1 by Alan Moore
Book 53: The Nearest Exit by Olen Steinhauer
Book 54: Tomorrow Stories" Book 1 by Alan Moore
Book 55: Terra Obscura: Book 1 by Alan Moore
Book 56: 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles
Book 57: The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
One of the best books I've read this year.
There. Done. Finished. Finito.
I'll post reviews of the more memorable ones later. And thus I dig my grave ever deeper. You'd think I'd've learned . . .
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison.
Book 4: Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Book 5: EX MACHINA: Dirty Tricks bu Brian K. Vaughan
Book 6: The Servants' Quarters by Lynn Freed
Good. Really liked the main character, Cressida. Loved her, in fact. And her family, the whole thing. Very well developed character. Bit creeped out by Mr. Harding. Not because of the scars or anything, but the fact that it appeared he was "grooming" her. Creepy and pervy.
That aside, it was beautifully written. And full of quirky characters. Did I mention the characters were incredibly fleshed out? Well, it's worth mentioning again. I mean, just look at Miranda. We get a feel for who she is evne though she appears only briefly.
Also loved how the narrative style changed to reflect Cressida's development as she grows up and her life changes. I mean, wow. Strongly recommend. My first Lynn Freed book, and there's that giddy euphoria I get at discovering a new author whose work I adore.
Normally for a book like this, I'd wish it weren't so short or some other thing. but love it as it is. very good. God, I wish I had the time to really talk about this book.
Book 7: The Books of Faerie by Bronwyn Carlton and John Ney Rieber
Okay. Not great. Don't bother to waste your time.
Book 8: Notes for a War Story by Gipi
love the art direction, it enhances the story, and is verywell done. wish I could remember why i read this. it's not the kind of book i usually read, and wish I could recall who or what prompted me to tread this. it's really good. This and Three Shadows. Whoever recommended those to me, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Book 9: London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel by Gillian Bradshaw
I'll have to say it's a very good book.Am a sucker for Bradshaw, i guess. Make note to go into this in full. It deserves it. I think I read it all in one day, throughout the night.
Book 10: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Read it so long ago when I was a kid. I read it again recently, and it's just as moving, but with more, I don't know, punch. And deeper meaning. And it's so very sad. If I'd been a man, I would've cried.
Book 11: The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Not great. But it was meant for children, so . . . shrug.
Book 12: Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bojalian
I just finished the book this morning, after reading most of it last night. It's not often I say this, but I wish Bohjalian was a horribly inept storyteller. I wish his characters were flat and unbelievable and were as developed as a James Bond villain. I hate you, Bohjalian.
Book 13: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Another Gaiman great.
Book 14: Garage Band by Gipi (Gianni Pacinotti)
It's okay. I checked out this book from the library after reading Gipi's Notes for a War Story. And after reading Garage Band, I can see how Gipi tentatively exploring some of the themes (friendship, class, opportunities) he would later go on to handle so well in Notes for a War Story. You know, kind of like the artillery barrage presaging the assault. Or maybe Gipi was more subtle in Garage Band and I'm too thick-headed to see it.
Book 15: Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
It's . . . okay, a little dated.
Book 16: WISH, Vol. 1 by CLAMP
My sister made me read it. It wasn't that bad. Wasn't that good, either. Don't tell her I said that!
Book 17: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Very good, but a book for children. Okay for Monday nights when there isn't anything good on television. But, it really wasn't too horrible. Children, older children, would probably like it. And Gaiman fans, naturally.
Book 18: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Another book for children. It's set in a World War I where two opposing ideas, the Clankers (Germany, Austria) face off with the Darwinists (Britain, France, Russia). The Clankers are mechanical empires, with giant walking tanks and land-ships. The Darwinists utilize genetically engineered monsters to fight their wars. Kind of like StarCraft, with the Zerg facing off with the Terrans. Interesting, I guess. Westerfeld seems to like to pit one set of ideas against another.
Book 19: Shirahime - Syo by CLAMP
Another CLAMP book my sister made me read. The work seemed, I don't know, hastened. Sad, though. Depressing.
Book 20: Diamond Star by Catherine Asaro
Avoid this book. It read like a Hollywood blockbuster. By that I mean it's hollow. And it's without the visual spectacle to make up for it. I'm not sure whether it's the fond memories of childhood or whether her craft has really declined, but it's a far cry from her earlier works. If I have the time, I'll reread Catch the Lightning and find out.
Book 21: Designated Targets by John Birmingham
Re-read. For guilty pleasure. I was bored by how the villains had all the advantage. Much more interested in the social changes being caused by the time-travelers. Ripples in the pond and all that.
Book 22: Weapons of Choice by John Birmingham
Had to go back and read the first one. Interesting, but I did yawn quite a few times.
Book 23: Final Impact by John Birmingham
Again, one side had all the advantage. In this book, it was the heroes. And again, I was more interested in the projected social changes wrought by the time-travelers, and how they tried to bend the arc of history into something more familiar to the world from which they came from.
Books 21-23, Birmingham's Axis of Time trilogy, are masturbatory. By that I mean they are excessively self-absorbed books. But hey, if you want to read about Americans crushing the Third Reich with superweapons, go ahead. Just don't expect anything out of it.
Book 24: The Books of Magic: The Names of Magic by Dylan Horrocks
No offense to Mr. Horrocks, I'm sure he was sincere, but this book seemed like just another one of those cynical cash grab that made me despise Marvel. I hope DC just lets this series end with grace. Walk into the sunset and all that, instead of resurrecting it for another dejected zombie of a series.
Book 25: Ex Machina, Vol 1: The First Hundred Days by Brian K. Vaughan
A nice healing balm after Book 24. And now that I've read most of his Ex Machina series so far, I noticed some things I did not see the first time around, as well as rediscovering some threads that I'd forgotten.
Book 26: Destiny's Shield by Eric Flint
A crystal-thing goes back in time to help the Byzantine General defeat an evil artificial intelligence that possessed bodies. I think in this book, they're battling it out in Mesopotamia, near Babylon, and there's a siege and river-damming involved. Nice book to flip through if you're bored and it's raining.
Book 27: Fortune's Stroke by Eric Flint
Same as above book, except it concludes some stuff and the Malwa (the Villains) are driven out of Mesopotamia. Nice read, but I don't really recommend it. However, it did lead me google the Kushan Empire and via an incredibly convoluted road, lead me to a dating site for Russian women and a chance to win $76,000 in a Basketball Tournament Free Throw Giveaway. From this, I can safely conclude that I have ADHD.
Book 28: Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of TOmorrow? by Alan Moore
It's really good. The art is, well, dated. But the story . . . if you really really want to like it . . . still stands the test of time.
Book 29: Top Ten, Book 1 by Alan Moore
I hardly ever noticed it before, but the artist, Gene Ha, is incredible. It doesn't distract you from the story, but when you really pay attention, it's amazing. America's Best Comics in sooth.
Book 30: Top Ten, Book 2 by Alan Moore
Ditto. Another great work from the Moore-Ha team. But, um, parental discretion advised. For mature audiences only. Not for the squeamish.
Book 31: Top Ten: The Forty-Niners by Alan Moore
Absolutely stunning work. The water colors! And the best line in a comic I've ever come across:
Ordinary Human Train Passenger: ". . . Are you a vampire?"
Vampire: "I'm a Hungarian-American with an inherited medical condition."
I thought that was awesome.
Book 32: Spawn: Blood Feud by Alan Moore
To be honest, it was lame.
Book 33: The Last Hawk by Catherine Asaro
A not-so-nice trip through memory lane in that it revealed something I've always kind of suspected: Catherin Asaro's work has . . . it hasn't improved or declined with time. It's always been like this. On the other hand, the "Quis" idea was pretty cool. The rest, though, was not something I took delight in.
Book 34: Swamp Thing: The Curse by Alan Moore
It's not the best of Moore's Swamp Thing saga. It's heavy handed in its politics. It was good, for its era. But he's show he can do better.
Book 35: The Ultimates 2, Vol. 1: Gods and Monsters by Mark Millar
It's sad, really. Marvel hasn't hit rock-bottom, but that's only because they keep innovating new ways to drill deeper. On the other hand, the artwork is really good and it did end in a cliff-hanger that made me get the next book.
Book 36: Midnight Nation by J. Michael Straczynski
Now this is how stories should be told. Oh, I love it. I love Straczynski.
Book 37: The Ultimates 2, Vol. 2: Grand Theft America by Mark Millar
Yeah, just finished it. Not worth the time. Very lame. It wraps things up the way people would expect comic books to wrap things up. A simple solution that resolves everything in a couple of panels. I'm ashamed to confess that I actually read this. But people must be warned: stay away! There are only 24 hours in a day; spend it reading something worthy of your time. Like, say, TenNapel's Iron West.
Book 38: Iron West by Doug TenNepal
A fun read. Brief and quick and not as funny or innovative as I had expected after reading the reviews, but a good read nonetheless. I wish it had more depth, though.
Book 39: Knickers in a Twist by Jonathan Bernstein
Humorous and very informative. "Divided by a common language" indeed. It's like they're speaking a whole different language over the pond. If it weren't for Shakespeare, we'd have shucked them long ago. And Ewan McEwan. Alan Moore. Okay, so they've still got it. But really, learn how to speak English!
:)
Book 40: A Bintel Brief ed. by Isaac Metzker
It's an abridged collection of letters written to the Jewish Daily Forward asking for advice. A microcosm of Jewish life back then. You can see the changes, a mirror of the people as they grow up. From the early 1900's as they're working in the sweatshops and see evidence of social agitation and fervent young socialists, to the poverty of the Great Depression and Jewish workers are asking for forgiveness because they must pretend to be Christians to get a job. The shopgirl writing about her husband who she supported through medical school, only to dump her for someone who hasn't worn out by labor. I hope there's a hell, where that bastard is justly received.
Um . . . The letters change when they're grown up and their children are professionals and they're complaining about how their grandchildren are raised or of being estranged from their children.
I wish it was an unabridged work, but considering how many letters there must have been, I'd say Metzker did okay. My only complaint is Golden's foreword. Most of his notes were helpful and the rest weren't so bad.
Book 41: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Sigh. It's a tragic story about love. Because the greater the love, the greater the loss. I don't think the pain, was worth those brief moments of happiness. No, I don't wish for those moments to have never happened for Clare and Henry, it's just that I wish . . . I wish.
Although I have some . . . ah, who cares? It's Niffenegger's first novel, so cut her some slack.
After finishing the book, I went outside and laid down on the grass, just soaking up the sun. Even though my skin is burning, I'm still cold and sad inside. Terribly sad.
Book 42: Toby and the Secrets of the Tree by Timothee de Fombelle
Book 43: SWAMP THING; Book 4: A Murder of Crows by Alan Moore
Book 44: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
Book 45: The Haunted Mesa by Lous L'Amour
Book 46: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE: The DC Stories of Alan Moore by Alan Moore
Book 47: Corsair by Chris Bunch
Book 48: The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
Book 48.5 STAR WARS; X-WING: Isard's Revenge by Michael A. Stackpole
I struggled to get to page 63. I meant to give it a chance at least as far as 101, but it was too horrible. I wasn't going to waste any more time on it. There are only 24 hours in a day and far better things to do.
Book 49: Ex Machina; Book 9: Ring Out the Old by Brian K. Vaughan
Book 50: Raiders From the North by Alex Rutherford
Book 51: Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Book 52: Tom Strong: Book 1 by Alan Moore
Book 53: The Nearest Exit by Olen Steinhauer
Book 54: Tomorrow Stories" Book 1 by Alan Moore
Book 55: Terra Obscura: Book 1 by Alan Moore
Book 56: 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles
Book 57: The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
One of the best books I've read this year.
There. Done. Finished. Finito.
I'll post reviews of the more memorable ones later. And thus I dig my grave ever deeper. You'd think I'd've learned . . .
12TomWaitsTables
Those books that stood out (or, Separating the wheat from the chaff):
Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?
kinda.
Outliers: The Story of Success
The Servants' Quarters
Notes for a War Story
London in Chains
The Giving Tree
Skeletons at the Feast
American Gods
Midnight Nation
The Time Traveler's Wife
Swamp Thing, Book 4: A Murder of Crows
eh.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
The Invisible Bridge
Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?
kinda.
Outliers: The Story of Success
The Servants' Quarters
Notes for a War Story
London in Chains
The Giving Tree
Skeletons at the Feast
American Gods
Midnight Nation
The Time Traveler's Wife
Swamp Thing, Book 4: A Murder of Crows
eh.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
The Invisible Bridge
13billiejean
Regarding Book 39: Have you ever seen the movie Snatch?
--BJ
--BJ
14wookiebender
Oh, Midnight Nation is great, isn't it? JMS can do no wrong (although I wish he'd hurry up and do *something*...).
15TomWaitsTables
>13 billiejean:
Brad Pitt was awesome in there. Very fun to watch.
>14 wookiebender:
Oh, Midnight Nation was .. . I've no words. I didn't enjoy it just because it was another Straczynski great. It affected deeply at a uncomfortably personal manner. More on it later.
Nice hearing from you guys again!
Brad Pitt was awesome in there. Very fun to watch.
>14 wookiebender:
Oh, Midnight Nation was .. . I've no words. I didn't enjoy it just because it was another Straczynski great. It affected deeply at a uncomfortably personal manner. More on it later.
Nice hearing from you guys again!
