I decided to read something funny this time so I read Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris.
What can I say, I love Sedaris's essays. He is so neurotic and obsessive about the littlest things that you can't help but laugh at him. In this collection of essays he writes a lot about his family growing up and presently. This is the second book of his that I have read, I seem to be reading them in backwards order since the first one I read was his most recent collection: When You Are Engulfed in Flames.
I really enjoyed reading this and it was quite refreshing to read a book that was less than 300 pages long and where every word contributed to the neurosis of the author. In many ways Sedaris comes off trying to be better than everyone else and failing miserably and he knows it. And while he may be embarrassed that he isn't what he would like the world to see him as he doesn't hesitate to let reader in on his confusing and plain weird thought process.
This book had me laughing out loud - especially the stories about his younger brother and all his red neck southern glory. I can't recommend this book, this author enough.
You can find Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Next book ideas
I think I need to step away from the teen drama for my next book. I need to read something funny and not so teen angst like. I do have a David Sedaris book that has been calling to me for about a month so that is definitely a choice. I also have some interesting biographies and memoirs on my list.
New Book! Finished too!
Book Choice: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
I know I am a glutton for punishment or some might say that maybe the Twilight series is growing on me. Well both are right and both are wrong. I read the third book in the Twilight series - I don't know why, maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was able to get them from the library at the same time, maybe I am genuinely interested in what happens to this strange family. Who knows for sure, but I did read it - all 629 pages of it.
I wish I could say that Meyer's writing gets better over time or than Bella becomes less pathetic, but I can't. The story had so much potential in the beginning, but then she had to over reach when it came to the conflicts in the story. In fact the book would have been 10 times better if she had just cut out the middle half of the book. The whole training sequence was so boring and didn't lend much to the story. While knowing more about the stories behind each member of the Cullens family did add something to their character she fell flat in too many places. Rosalie's story was pretty good, the writing could have been better, but the overall effect was nice. Unfortunately she bombed out with Jasper's story. It seemed too forced to fit with the coming conflict.
The triangle between Jacob, Bella, and Edward leaved something to be desired. Bella was always too willing to let Jacob get close to her. I understand that that was the point, but someone who is truly and desperately in love would not try to have it both ways. Even when she left Jacob she still tried to keep him for herself. The whole thing left me feeling like Bella was just a stupid teenager who had no clue as to what she really wanted and that she had no business deciding to marry Edward and become a vampire.
I really wanted this to be better - Edward and Alice are good characters, and the rest seem so one dimensional you don't really feel bonded to them in the story. Even Bella is very predictable in her behavior and her thoughts are always very selfish. She doesn't grow as a person or as a character, which is probably why I dislike her so much.
If you are interested in reading Eclipse, you can purchase it from Barnes and Noble or get it from your local library.
I know I am a glutton for punishment or some might say that maybe the Twilight series is growing on me. Well both are right and both are wrong. I read the third book in the Twilight series - I don't know why, maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was able to get them from the library at the same time, maybe I am genuinely interested in what happens to this strange family. Who knows for sure, but I did read it - all 629 pages of it.
I wish I could say that Meyer's writing gets better over time or than Bella becomes less pathetic, but I can't. The story had so much potential in the beginning, but then she had to over reach when it came to the conflicts in the story. In fact the book would have been 10 times better if she had just cut out the middle half of the book. The whole training sequence was so boring and didn't lend much to the story. While knowing more about the stories behind each member of the Cullens family did add something to their character she fell flat in too many places. Rosalie's story was pretty good, the writing could have been better, but the overall effect was nice. Unfortunately she bombed out with Jasper's story. It seemed too forced to fit with the coming conflict.
The triangle between Jacob, Bella, and Edward leaved something to be desired. Bella was always too willing to let Jacob get close to her. I understand that that was the point, but someone who is truly and desperately in love would not try to have it both ways. Even when she left Jacob she still tried to keep him for herself. The whole thing left me feeling like Bella was just a stupid teenager who had no clue as to what she really wanted and that she had no business deciding to marry Edward and become a vampire.
I really wanted this to be better - Edward and Alice are good characters, and the rest seem so one dimensional you don't really feel bonded to them in the story. Even Bella is very predictable in her behavior and her thoughts are always very selfish. She doesn't grow as a person or as a character, which is probably why I dislike her so much.
If you are interested in reading Eclipse, you can purchase it from Barnes and Noble or get it from your local library.
Monday, January 26, 2009
New Moon
I finished New Moon last night. I have to say once again I was disappointed. Meyer's writing style is still immature and lacking polish. The plot line also seemed a little flimsy. I just wasn't believing it. The sad thing about it is that this story line had so much potential but just couldn't make it.
A major thing that is really starting to annoy me is Bella. It's not good when you have a dislike of the main character and who is the voice of the story. She is needy, whiny, and completely incapable of doing anything without thinking how it will affect Edward. I also believe she let Edward off the hook too easy - not at the end - but at the beginning when he told her he was leaving. If she loved him so much why did she let him go so easily!
I also think Angela should be given more storyline. There is so much about the vampire world and the werewolves it makes it hard to remember that there are humans living in Forks as well. Angela's character had some great potential to be a support or another ear for Bella without Bella needing to reveal anything to deep, but someone who could help her sort out her feelings. Although the author meant for Jacob Black to help heal Bella's wounds, it came off like Bella was using Jacob to get back at Edward's betrayal even though he wasn't there physically to see it.
Meyer's first book Twilight was better and the plot line a little more believable (as believable as you can be with vampires.) But New Moon was such a disappointment.
A major thing that is really starting to annoy me is Bella. It's not good when you have a dislike of the main character and who is the voice of the story. She is needy, whiny, and completely incapable of doing anything without thinking how it will affect Edward. I also believe she let Edward off the hook too easy - not at the end - but at the beginning when he told her he was leaving. If she loved him so much why did she let him go so easily!
I also think Angela should be given more storyline. There is so much about the vampire world and the werewolves it makes it hard to remember that there are humans living in Forks as well. Angela's character had some great potential to be a support or another ear for Bella without Bella needing to reveal anything to deep, but someone who could help her sort out her feelings. Although the author meant for Jacob Black to help heal Bella's wounds, it came off like Bella was using Jacob to get back at Edward's betrayal even though he wasn't there physically to see it.
Meyer's first book Twilight was better and the plot line a little more believable (as believable as you can be with vampires.) But New Moon was such a disappointment.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
New Book!
Okay, okay, I know that just a month ago I did some major bad-mouthing about "Twilight". But I have been convinced by a friend of mine to give the sequel a chance. So yes folks this week I am reading "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer.
I'm trying to keep myself from judging too much before I finish the book. However I am about 200 pages in and I am already sick and tired of Bella and her whining. But I am going to refrain from making any more negative comments until I finish the book.
You can find "New Moon" at Barnes and Noble or your favorite book seller. You can also find it at your local library, but be prepared to wait.
I'm trying to keep myself from judging too much before I finish the book. However I am about 200 pages in and I am already sick and tired of Bella and her whining. But I am going to refrain from making any more negative comments until I finish the book.
You can find "New Moon" at Barnes and Noble or your favorite book seller. You can also find it at your local library, but be prepared to wait.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
This was a great book. The beginning was a little slow at first, but got better and better as the story progressed. I really enjoyed the references to classic detective writers such as Agatha Christie and Astrid Lindgren.
Surprisingly my favorite character was the genius hacker Lisbeth Salander. When she first appeared in the story I felt she was a pretty one dimensional character. But as the mystery progresses you get to see how her past experiences have shaped her life and made her the strong willed woman she is.
It's tempting to go into more detail about the story, but then I would be giving away some plot points.
However I need to briefly discuss one aspect of the novel that was chilling and hard for me to read. One of the underlying themes in Larsson's work is violence against women. Some of situations presented in the book were uncomfortable to read - but violence against women shouldn't be comfortable to read about. So if you're a bit squeamish maybe you should pass on this book.
I do recommend this book, it is edgy, contemporary, and full of original characters. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is the first in a trilogy written by Stieg Larsson. Unfortunately the author died after completing the novels. The second in the trilogy "The Girl Who Played with Fire" will be available July 28, 2009.
Surprisingly my favorite character was the genius hacker Lisbeth Salander. When she first appeared in the story I felt she was a pretty one dimensional character. But as the mystery progresses you get to see how her past experiences have shaped her life and made her the strong willed woman she is.
It's tempting to go into more detail about the story, but then I would be giving away some plot points.
However I need to briefly discuss one aspect of the novel that was chilling and hard for me to read. One of the underlying themes in Larsson's work is violence against women. Some of situations presented in the book were uncomfortable to read - but violence against women shouldn't be comfortable to read about. So if you're a bit squeamish maybe you should pass on this book.
I do recommend this book, it is edgy, contemporary, and full of original characters. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is the first in a trilogy written by Stieg Larsson. Unfortunately the author died after completing the novels. The second in the trilogy "The Girl Who Played with Fire" will be available July 28, 2009.
Monday, January 12, 2009
New Book!
Okay finally! My book selection for this week is : The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
It is a murder mystery set in the author's homeland of Sweden. It begins with an uncle's longing to find out what really happened to his niece when she disappeared 40 years ago. Brought in on the search is a young journalist Mikal Blomkvist who has had his reputation called into question when he loses a libel suit against one of the titans of industry in Sweden. So far I am really enjoying it. I usually don't read murder mysteries (except those by Conan Doyle and Hammett), but this year I'm going to try and be more adventurous with my book selections.
You can find this book at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
It is a murder mystery set in the author's homeland of Sweden. It begins with an uncle's longing to find out what really happened to his niece when she disappeared 40 years ago. Brought in on the search is a young journalist Mikal Blomkvist who has had his reputation called into question when he loses a libel suit against one of the titans of industry in Sweden. So far I am really enjoying it. I usually don't read murder mysteries (except those by Conan Doyle and Hammett), but this year I'm going to try and be more adventurous with my book selections.
You can find this book at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Sorry for no updates!
Sorry about not updating this week - I've had a problem with a trojan virus that took a great deal of time and energy to get rid of. I am reading a new book and will have a full update sometime this afternoon.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
First Book of 2009!
I finished Street Gang today! Granted I started reading the book in 2008, but since I finished it in 2009 it totally counts.
To start with I really enjoyed reading about the history (good and bad) of Sesame Street. There were so many components involved in the creation of this ground breaking show. It also introduced me to the mother of it all Joan Ganz Cooney. When people think about Sesame Street they mostly think of Jim Henson and his wonderful muppet creations. But really Jim was just a small piece of the puzzle in what made this show tick. The author had a lot of great primary source material and he didn't gloss over some of the more controversial or negative areas in the creation of Children's Television Workshop and Sesame Street. I do wish he would have gone more into the behind the scenes rivalry in the 1990s between Jon Stone and the new suits at the CTW.
All those positive comments aside, my major complaint about the book was the structure. Davis skipped around so much that it was hard to keep track of where he was in the timeline or who he was talking about. About halfway through the book I had to create a flow chart just so I would know who he was talking about and what their title/position was in that particular chapter.
I do appreciate how he gave a back story to all the key players in the project, but they happened at seemingly random points throughout the text. I also think the pieces about Bob Keeshan and Captain Kangaroo were a bit long and more focused on Keeshan than on his former employees who moved on to become the corner stone of Sesame Street.
I believe it would have made for a more fluid read if Davis had followed more of a timeline for the creation of Sesame Street and also had a portion of the book that was all about the key players. With all the jumping around it was easy to lose track of who was who. I read about the original Gordon, but then no where in the book was there a reason behind the selection of the current actor that plays Gordon. It also neglected to discuss some of the new loved human characters on the show - the author pretty much stopped with the introduction of Gina. He also skipped over much of the 1990s when Sesame Street tried to make some changes that in the end didn't work out.
Overall it was an interesting and honest history of the ground breaking show that taught generations of children how to count and say their ABCs, a show that is loved by millions and continues to withstand the tests of time.
"Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street" by: Michael Davis can be found at your local library or by visiting BarnesandNoble.com
To start with I really enjoyed reading about the history (good and bad) of Sesame Street. There were so many components involved in the creation of this ground breaking show. It also introduced me to the mother of it all Joan Ganz Cooney. When people think about Sesame Street they mostly think of Jim Henson and his wonderful muppet creations. But really Jim was just a small piece of the puzzle in what made this show tick. The author had a lot of great primary source material and he didn't gloss over some of the more controversial or negative areas in the creation of Children's Television Workshop and Sesame Street. I do wish he would have gone more into the behind the scenes rivalry in the 1990s between Jon Stone and the new suits at the CTW.
All those positive comments aside, my major complaint about the book was the structure. Davis skipped around so much that it was hard to keep track of where he was in the timeline or who he was talking about. About halfway through the book I had to create a flow chart just so I would know who he was talking about and what their title/position was in that particular chapter.
I do appreciate how he gave a back story to all the key players in the project, but they happened at seemingly random points throughout the text. I also think the pieces about Bob Keeshan and Captain Kangaroo were a bit long and more focused on Keeshan than on his former employees who moved on to become the corner stone of Sesame Street.
I believe it would have made for a more fluid read if Davis had followed more of a timeline for the creation of Sesame Street and also had a portion of the book that was all about the key players. With all the jumping around it was easy to lose track of who was who. I read about the original Gordon, but then no where in the book was there a reason behind the selection of the current actor that plays Gordon. It also neglected to discuss some of the new loved human characters on the show - the author pretty much stopped with the introduction of Gina. He also skipped over much of the 1990s when Sesame Street tried to make some changes that in the end didn't work out.
Overall it was an interesting and honest history of the ground breaking show that taught generations of children how to count and say their ABCs, a show that is loved by millions and continues to withstand the tests of time.
"Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street" by: Michael Davis can be found at your local library or by visiting BarnesandNoble.com
Friday, January 2, 2009
2008 List
The following is a list of the books I read in 2008. Hopefully I will be able to read more in 2009!
"Great Feuds in History: Ten of the Liveliest Disputes Ever" by Colin Evans
"Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas" by: James Paterson
"Life with Father" by: Clarence Day
"Shakespeare the World as a Stage" by: Bill Bryson
"A Lifetime of Secrets" compiled by: Frank Warren
"Post Secret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives" compiled by: Frank Warren
"Great Feuds in History: Ten of the Liveliest Disputes Ever" by Colin Evans
"Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas" by: James Paterson
"Life with Father" by: Clarence Day
"Shakespeare the World as a Stage" by: Bill Bryson
"A Lifetime of Secrets" compiled by: Frank Warren
"Post Secret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives" compiled by: Frank Warren
"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick
"Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France" by: Leonie Frieda
"Devil in the White City" by: Erik Larson
"The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood" by: Sy Montgomery
"Spell of the Tiger: The Man-Easters of the Sundarbans" by: Sy Montgomery
"Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest" by: Sy Montgomery
"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by: John Boyne
"Honeymoon with My Brother" by: Franz Wisner
"Tall Blondes: A Book About Giraffes" by: Lynn Sherr
"When You Are Engulfed in Flames" by: David Sedaris
"Revolutionary Road" by: Richard Yates
"Diaries 1969-1979: The Python Years" by: Michael Palin
"Twilight" by: Stephenie Meyer
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