Flash Blog! Four Books! One Post!

My dear readers, thank you for waiting so long for a post! I love you!

I've got four great books for you that I've read over the month since we last talked!

The Blithedale Romance by: Nathaniel Hawthorne

If you've graduated high school you've read The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne's most renowned novel. But, if you've read other Hawthorne, you know he's so much more! TSL hardly taps into his dark creativity. You get glimmers of it, but nothing like his short stories. After reading Danielewski, you see where Hawthorne could have been his forefather and mentor. The Blithedale Romance gives you a little more of his creep. About three enigmatic people observed by a friend, the poet Coverdale, as they all try to begin a socialist based farming community. Hollingsworth and Prisiclla hover around mysterious Zenobia. Hawthorne mixes a simple love triangle with mysticism, death, and magic.

If you are short on time and want to get a hit of Hawthorne, pick a book of his short stories. My favorites are The Artist of the Beautiful, Young Goodman Brown, and Rappaccini's Daughter.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

This book was this years winner of the Pulitzer for Fiction and for very good reasons! If you are familiar with McCarthy's books or just movies based from his books (All the Pretty Horses and No Country for Old Men) you expect bloody gore. This book isn't short on suspense but on the gore. Beautifully written, you are sucked into a post apocalyptic America following a man and his son. They are continuously scrounging for food and safety when everything burned and scavenged. They refused to abide by the new law of the land: cannibalism, where men impregnate women to eat the baby, they are in constant fear for the boys life. It's a delicate balance for the man to give his son a safe place to be without worries and how to teach him to be safe in a world that would do horrible things to him before eating him.

Now don't think this is a zombie book, it's a beautiful story about survival and the depths of mankind. If I had a rating system, this one would get the highest rating.

Naked by: David Sedaris

This guy is hilarious. Do those things really happen? Is his family really like that? You betcha. Sedaris' books are usually written in short story format. This book is no different with it's fill of whores, Jesus freaks, quadriplegics, and crazy old ladies. I recommend listening to Sedaris' books on tape. Much funnier to hear him read you stories that you wouldn't believe.

The Cheese Monkeys by: Chip Kidd

This is the book for anyone who remembers their first year of college, especially if they were an art major. This is the story about guy who thinks that an art major at State University is the way to go. He has the craziest teachers, like the one who pours water on her angry cat so the class can do speed sketches. He makes the weirdest friends: the southern belle Maybelle Lee and the drawing, daring, and adventurous Himillsy. His life is as normal as any until he is stuck taking Intro to Graphic Design. This is no ordinary art class, no ordinary teacher, and no ordinary assignments. It pushes him to see his world like he never could and figure out where his life is going.

If you would like to be reminded of your first year of college in a way that makes you say, "Thank god that isn't me" or "It happen's just like that". This book is for you. The Cheese Monkeys is also got some interesting typography that makes the book even more fun to read. I give it a high score!

Commenting on Comments!

My good friend Travis said this:

I'm going to give another vote for books on tape/CD.

I made it through Life of Pi commuting to/from SU however long ago and Summerland on the way back from visiting Lesley in Mississippi. It is amazing how much I loved Wonder Boys and how much I hated Summerland.

A vote for Sedaris too. Quite amusing.

So that's two votes for books on tape/CD and David Sedaris. Now Travis, are you the reason that Life of Pi didn't work when I checked it out?!? ::glare?:: About Summerland, although I've only read Kavalier & Clay, I do know that Summerland was written as a children's books, so then the stories might have been up a different kind of literary road, i.e. simpler, easier plot lines to follow. Plus, Wonder Boys was made into a movie, which means it had to be pretty good. Have you seen the movie? What did you think? I feel a future post coming up about books to movies.

Fionn said this:

I don't think you're sad. I think you're happy and spunky. I thought you were sad at the time. I really enjoy reading Neil Gaiman and Mark Z. Danielewski. What do you recommend to someone who enjoys a good fantasy story?

Well, this is a hard question for me. I haven't read a lot of fantasy myself, except for Only Revolutions by Danielewski. (A good recommendation) and I only feel honest recommending books that I've read. Now a good friend of mine has been raving over Gaiman's Starlight. He says that its much more graphic (sexually and otherwise) thank the movie and that it's truely phenomenal, so if you haven't read that one I would pass along the recommendation. I've also heard a lot about the Dark Tower series, but I honestly know nothing about them. For me the only honest recommendation I can read is a children's series called Redwall, this was my favorite series as I child and I've started to collect them and read them again. This series is Watership Down-esqe meets bedtime. The stories chronicle the history of Redwall Abbey, a home for peaceful animals. The Abbey is continuously warred against by greedy rats and the like. The stories are always full of brotherhood and clever animal warfare. I've always enjoyed these books because of their simplicity and creativity. Plus, this Abbey and it's inhabitants, though animalkind, always gives me hope for the goodness in mankind.

It's a Blog! About Books!

Hello World!

It's been a long time since I've been a-blogging and I know many of you missed me.

I'm trying something new. Why? Because Fionn thinks I'm sad. We're talking the other night and he thinks that I'm sad and maybe I am. I'm not sure. I don't really do a lot of "activities" for myself. I do the basic "watching tv, reading, sleeping" but I don't really have a hobby that I'm good at. I feel like I'm kind of mediocre at everything. Anyway, this is an attempt to talk about something I enjoy, which are books.

I love reading. (Nerds, join in with me) I love learning and experiencing through books. Books have been my best friends. They are always there when you want or need them, they don't get pissed when you don't pay attention to them for weeks, they tell you their problems without wanting to know yours, and if you don't like them you don't have to have a "talk".

I collect books, I'm a self-proclaimed bookaholic. The hardback first editions really get me.

So this is my blog about books. But consider it more like a forum. I want to know what you think of the books I discuss. I love suggestions. What are you reading? If you've written something I'd love to read it and discuss it. I feel that the only way that this sort of thing can survive is with your help and input. So on with the first blog!

Books to Read at Work (Specifically Backstage Theater)

So theater is my other passion and I can get a lot of reading done, but I've come across a few barriers to reading at work, rules if you will.

1. Modern vs. Period. When I'm doing a period play I cannot read a period book. Hearing the same language in my ear and my head makes it incredibly difficult to give my extremely divided attention to both. For example, I'm working on The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde written in 1895. I wanted to read Villette by Charlotte Bronte, written in 1853, but the style of writing and the style of language in the show were too similar, hence: modern vs. period. When one is doing a period play, read a modern book and vice versa. Period novels are hard to read with any sort of distraction anyway, so here's to you!

Suggestions: For period, read the Jane Austen or Bronte sister's canon. How awesome would you feel to say, "Oh, I've read all of Austen's books." Blam-o. People are impressed and probably think you're a sap. Plus! You've read all of Jane Austen's books! Go you! (This is my current goal). If you are looking for a less romantic Austen novel, check out Mansfield Park. There is a stronger class theme rather than mixed up lovers/snotty men theme.
For a modern selection, try The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Five books whose strong points will be propounded on in the next section.

2. Keep is short and sweet. Since I'm at work I need something I can put down quickly and pick back up easily, so this rule is two-fold. I find that a book with lots of short chapters or breaks in it is perfect for backstage reading. I can pace myself easily and still get it read quickly. Plus, I feel like I'm reading it faster when there are shorter sections, it's magic. Also, the shorter the book, the more I read, and then the more accomplished I feel. The "Unread Bookshelf" is becoming a serious problem and I need to keep it in order! Nothing feels better than finishing a book, but if you're at work, make sure to have a back up book or knitting project!

Suggestions: Hitchhiker's Guide by Douglas Adams. Here is a great series of books with smart, witty writing, short sections and chapters, easy to put down and pick up and there is a movie to watch once you finish them! For those of you unfamiliar with the story line: Arthur Dent and Tricia McMillian are the only two humans in the whole galaxy who survived the demolishment of Earth to make way for an interstellar superhighway. Arthur Dent is continuously abused by the galaxy. His friend Ford Perfect a writer for the Hitchhiker's Guide gets him into the most dreadful scrapes. Hilarity. Trust me. (If anyone can explain to me the fourth book and what happens to Fenchurch in the fifth book, I'd really REALLY appreciate it.)
For a more serious taste, try Any Human Heart by William Boyd. Here is a book, written like a diary by a writer. Is it fiction? Is it true? This books emotional turbulence is astounding. I loved to hate reading this book. It was very descriptive sexually, just as a warning.

3. NOT IN THEATER?!? Here's a rule for you!: Books on tape (CD) are the greatest. No, seriously. But again, it has to be with the right job. If you are sitting at a desk where you can listen to the radio, get a book on CD instead. Get a book on CD of the book that has been sitting on your bedside table since Christmas. When you finish all the CD's you'll feel like you've read it and you can put it up with the rest of the "Read Paperbacks". The other great thing about books on tape is that they can go with you in that horrible car ride to and from work AND you get to listen to Sean Connery's sexy voice all day. (Sean Connery is just an example, I do not know if he's narrated a book on tape or not, please don't sue me) Your co-workers might not mind either! Books on CD are expensive so you could all pitch in on the latest bestseller or rip it from each other.

If you don't sit at a desk, you can put it on your iPod (or your ZUNE!!!) Now I cannot think of any books on tape that would make for great workout music, but I've been wrong before. Please let me know if you find one! I listened to six books on tape from my zune when I was working in a library shelving books, bringing me to another great point (this should be it's own blog!)...

Your local (larger) library branch has a worth-perusing section of books on tape. Depending on the city you live in it might be hit or miss. The books on CD selection at Southwestern University was far superior to the "By Donation" selection at the Georgetown Public Library. But please look for yourself! If you are a magnanimous person you could purchase the book on CD you want and donate it to your local library's pathetic collection.

A warning about books on tape: they have a tendency to be abridged. If you are not sure if it is abridged or not, the packaging will usually say along with the length of the collection in some tiny font at the back bottom of the cover. I was jipped out of the complete story of The Nanny Diaries and then the movie did not make sense (there was a hunky love interest?!?! Who knew?)

SUGGESTIONS: Any book on tape by the hilarious David Sedaris. He reads his own works and some stories are cut from live readings. If it's holiday time, read/listen to Holidays on Ice on the way to the grandparents' for ham and quirky gifts. His story Santaland Diaries has been converted into a theatrical show. You could take your parents to see it around Christmas time.

The end. Please, PLEASE send your comments, suggestions, current readings, stories, poems, insults, and love notes (since it's Valentine's).