I now have a zoo pass thanks to my babysitting activities. It is awesome. I can go to the zoo and hang out whenever I want. And I get free train rides! There is nothing I don't like about this. In other news, there is no other news.
Pop, When the World Falls Apart: Music in the Shadow of Doubt edited by Eric Weisbard.
I'm not exactly a big fan of music, and especially not pop music, but I love talking about it and how it fits into the American psyche and historical context. I enjoy the scholarship of something that is supposed to be light and fluffy, but ends up having a deeper meaning if you put some effort into it. I believe that as much as life abhors a vacuum, humans abhor and absence of meaning and will therefore apply meaning to things, even if they were originally meant to be meaningless (have you seen the theory where that song Friday is actually about the JFK assassination?).
Ghost of the Ozarks: Murder and Memory in the Upland South by Brooks Blevins.
I'm not typically into true crime stories, but I kind of liked that title. Yeah, I pretty much just like the word Ozarks.
Doc by Mary Doria Russell.
Loved The Sparrow so when this came up for review on Netgalley I was all over it. It's also gotten reasonable reviews on the blogosphere.
The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell.
I've heard good things about this author with her not too distantly published Unfamiliar Fishes (2011). Another drawing factor is that I'm listening to it on audiobook and Stephen Colbert makes an appearance. Unfortunately most of the book is narrated by the author, who has a voice that grates on my nerves. Luckily I usually only listen to audiobooks when I'm doing handiwork (i.e. am being crafty) and so there is something else to focus on other than how annoying I personally find the narrator's voice. Also, there's music by They Might Be Giants, which is pretty sweet.
Showing posts with label general update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label general update. Show all posts
10 March 2012
11 February 2012
Post 478: a general update
Some of you are probably not wondering why/how I've been so busy lately. I mean, really, how hard is it to read 2-3 books a week and write two blog posts with enough time to get it to your editor before he goes to sleep the night before? Well. Um. Apparently when you actually do things with your time, it's pretty hard. Anyway, the last
few weekends in January I was attending a tutoring workshop to teach and
adult learner how to read, and on Monday, February 6th I met with my
student for the first time. It felt pretty awesome working with him, and
he made improvements in his reading within the session. And when we met again on the 8th he had made significant improvements from the previous session. Even though he's doing most of the work, it kind of made me feel like a superhero. What's more is he's a pretty cool guy and I genuinely enjoy working with him. I thought for sure he'd be all curmudgeonly, but he's waaaaaay laid back. So yeah, teach someone to read, it's better than anything ever.
Also, uh, I had this weird dooble in my ear that I had removed recently. The theory is that it was a wart. It's gone now, but they had to cut it off and then cauterize it. So yeah, my ear is a bit gross right now because I have to put Neosporin on it and avoid using q-tips and what not so it won't get infected. NNnnghhhh, waxy ear is waxy. And slightly achy. Achy doesn't look like it's spelled correctly. Anyway it is distracting and that was probably way more information than you wanted to know about any crevice on my body. The internet is for TMI.
Oh, hey. Reading. Yeah, let's talk about that.
If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley.
So far it is not dissimilar to At Home by Bill Bryson, only it is not so long and more on topic and has less to do with the things in the home and more to do with what people did in the home. Also, more focused on Georgian and medieval time period.
Holding Our Worlds Together by Brenda J. Child.
For real this time. Because this is February and I can actually post it this month without making the publishers all disappoint.
Sex on the Moon by Ben Mezrich.
Conspiracies are made for gettin' it on with the ladies. Um. I dunno. Sounds like some dude promised his NASA intern girlfriend the moon, and then she was all, "Bitch, I can get that for myself, I don't need you OR YOUR PENIS," and then was all, "Doot do doot doot, breakin' into NASA, stealin' all the rocks." Vague description is dancing around the subject because DANGER WILL ROBINSON SPOILER ALERT. So I have no idea what this book is about, but oooooh look, catchy title! I hope there are boobs. No, I don't take any medication. Why do you ask?
Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa.
First there were patients with Alzheimer's. D: But then there was a kitty. :D Then there were interviews with the spouses and/or children of Alzheimer's patients. D: But then there was a kitty. :D That's about as far as I've gotten with the book so far. So, um, yay kitty! And boo Alzheimer's disease.
Also, uh, I had this weird dooble in my ear that I had removed recently. The theory is that it was a wart. It's gone now, but they had to cut it off and then cauterize it. So yeah, my ear is a bit gross right now because I have to put Neosporin on it and avoid using q-tips and what not so it won't get infected. NNnnghhhh, waxy ear is waxy. And slightly achy. Achy doesn't look like it's spelled correctly. Anyway it is distracting and that was probably way more information than you wanted to know about any crevice on my body. The internet is for TMI.
Oh, hey. Reading. Yeah, let's talk about that.
If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley.
So far it is not dissimilar to At Home by Bill Bryson, only it is not so long and more on topic and has less to do with the things in the home and more to do with what people did in the home. Also, more focused on Georgian and medieval time period.
Holding Our Worlds Together by Brenda J. Child.
For real this time. Because this is February and I can actually post it this month without making the publishers all disappoint.
Sex on the Moon by Ben Mezrich.
Conspiracies are made for gettin' it on with the ladies. Um. I dunno. Sounds like some dude promised his NASA intern girlfriend the moon, and then she was all, "Bitch, I can get that for myself, I don't need you OR YOUR PENIS," and then was all, "Doot do doot doot, breakin' into NASA, stealin' all the rocks." Vague description is dancing around the subject because DANGER WILL ROBINSON SPOILER ALERT. So I have no idea what this book is about, but oooooh look, catchy title! I hope there are boobs. No, I don't take any medication. Why do you ask?
Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa.
First there were patients with Alzheimer's. D: But then there was a kitty. :D Then there were interviews with the spouses and/or children of Alzheimer's patients. D: But then there was a kitty. :D That's about as far as I've gotten with the book so far. So, um, yay kitty! And boo Alzheimer's disease.
24 January 2012
Post 472: a general update
Hello. You missed my birthday.
No worries, I spent Saturday with my mom, her boyfriend, and my brother eating friend chicken, asparagus, lima beans, biscuits, and chocolate cake. Sunday I had plans to spend it with people I've been kid/house/pet sitting for. Last week I made sugar cookies with the four year old. That was fun times. It's sort of weird being of the age to have children, yet not having them and having no possibility of having them and not really wanting them anyway. Er, yeah. I kind of have no reason for living right now, so on second thoughts, it's okay that my birthday was ignored.
Enough with the quarter life crisis.
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin.
I am making progress in this series. The books are long so it's kind of hard to find time to read them, even though once I start I tear through pretty quickly. This is a library eLend, so I have to finish it up by the 23rd, or else get put at the back end of the list which is currently (as of the 12th) 28 patrons long. It could be worse, but let's just say this is near the top of my git-r-done list.
Spellbound by Beauty: Alfred Hitchcock and His Leading Ladies by Donald Spoto.
This was up for grabs on a swap shelf I sometimes peruse. It looked interesting enough, and while Hitchcock films are usually a bit slow paced for my tastes, I still enjoy them now and again. In any case, I'm always interested to know a little bit more about Hollywood before bat-shit crazy became a thing. Okay, so that was always a thing, but let's just say it's at a whole different level nowadays. Winning.
The Portrait by Iain Pears.
Another of those authors that people seem to like/talk about that I haven't read. grabbed it from the library sale table for 25 cents. I'm interested to see how Pears tackles the Critic-Artist dynamic, especially given the loose friendship the two subjects have.
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns.
Another library sale table grab. This one was on my feed for a while last year as it was handed around to various book bloggers by word of mouth. Since I am in small-town The South, I will be able to judge, at least somewhat, its authenticity as being a book that "deftly captured the subtle crosscurrents of small-town Southern life."
No worries, I spent Saturday with my mom, her boyfriend, and my brother eating friend chicken, asparagus, lima beans, biscuits, and chocolate cake. Sunday I had plans to spend it with people I've been kid/house/pet sitting for. Last week I made sugar cookies with the four year old. That was fun times. It's sort of weird being of the age to have children, yet not having them and having no possibility of having them and not really wanting them anyway. Er, yeah. I kind of have no reason for living right now, so on second thoughts, it's okay that my birthday was ignored.
Enough with the quarter life crisis.
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin.
I am making progress in this series. The books are long so it's kind of hard to find time to read them, even though once I start I tear through pretty quickly. This is a library eLend, so I have to finish it up by the 23rd, or else get put at the back end of the list which is currently (as of the 12th) 28 patrons long. It could be worse, but let's just say this is near the top of my git-r-done list.
Spellbound by Beauty: Alfred Hitchcock and His Leading Ladies by Donald Spoto.
This was up for grabs on a swap shelf I sometimes peruse. It looked interesting enough, and while Hitchcock films are usually a bit slow paced for my tastes, I still enjoy them now and again. In any case, I'm always interested to know a little bit more about Hollywood before bat-shit crazy became a thing. Okay, so that was always a thing, but let's just say it's at a whole different level nowadays. Winning.
The Portrait by Iain Pears.
Another of those authors that people seem to like/talk about that I haven't read. grabbed it from the library sale table for 25 cents. I'm interested to see how Pears tackles the Critic-Artist dynamic, especially given the loose friendship the two subjects have.
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns.
Another library sale table grab. This one was on my feed for a while last year as it was handed around to various book bloggers by word of mouth. Since I am in small-town The South, I will be able to judge, at least somewhat, its authenticity as being a book that "deftly captured the subtle crosscurrents of small-town Southern life."
07 January 2012
Post 466: a general update
News! There's not a whole lot of it, other than my awesomest Christmas present was getting my teeth cleaned. It's a big deal when it's been ... so long I don't want to tell you how long it has been. Dental place was hella shady, they didn't do x-rays but told me I had a dozen cavities. My mom and I were all *eyeshift* uh... So I just got back (Jan 5) from a place we decided to follow up with and they were all, "lol no, those are stains, but your gums are lookin' rough." So hurray for no cavities! And... well, let's just say my New Year's resolution is to fuckin' floss like a god damned adult already. Serious business. Floss you guys, it's important.
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan.
I read this a while ago and its been sitting in my brain for a bit now. It's a dystopian take on A Scarlet Letter. It did some interesting things, but it probably would have been better had Jordan just used A Scarlet Letter as a jumping off point and written a completely new work of fiction. I'm a big fan of the Letter, and this did not hold up. I'll discuss my reasoning in my post. There will obviously be spoilers, mostly involving Dimsdale torture... you did have to read this book in high school, right?
Holding Our World Together by Brenda Child and Colin G. Calloway.
I have a weakness for Native American history, particularly when it is written by Native Americans. Particularly when it focuses on the often neglected contributions of minority women. So this hits a bunch of triggers for me. I am excited to read it.
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen.
One day I will read the original Robin Hood stories (or at least the written version of them). In the meantime, this is a version in which Will Scarlet is a fiesty pants wearin' lady. If there is a love triangle in this I will be disappoint. Ladies like more than men falling over themselves and beating each other up for female attention. Anywho, it looked interesting. Am hoping it is not Mary Sue'd like crazy.
The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan.
I've been interested in this book for awhile now. So when I actually saw it on the shelves of my local library in Alabama, which traditionally has almost no investment in books containing sci-fi or supernatural elements, I was excited. Also, Justin Cronin (The Passage) did a great write up of it in the New York Times Book Review, and a good portion of the blogging world was excited about it. My first impressions of it are, "Eh, this is probably more of a dude book." Not that I am into "chick books," but the emotional detachment of the main character is just sooooo appealing and makes it soooo easy for me to invest in the book. He's kind of a big wet dog-smelling blanket with a constant hard on. I'm sure someone on the internet actually sells those.
ಠ_ಠWhen She Woke by Hillary Jordan.
I read this a while ago and its been sitting in my brain for a bit now. It's a dystopian take on A Scarlet Letter. It did some interesting things, but it probably would have been better had Jordan just used A Scarlet Letter as a jumping off point and written a completely new work of fiction. I'm a big fan of the Letter, and this did not hold up. I'll discuss my reasoning in my post. There will obviously be spoilers, mostly involving Dimsdale torture... you did have to read this book in high school, right?
Holding Our World Together by Brenda Child and Colin G. Calloway.
I have a weakness for Native American history, particularly when it is written by Native Americans. Particularly when it focuses on the often neglected contributions of minority women. So this hits a bunch of triggers for me. I am excited to read it.
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen.
One day I will read the original Robin Hood stories (or at least the written version of them). In the meantime, this is a version in which Will Scarlet is a fiesty pants wearin' lady. If there is a love triangle in this I will be disappoint. Ladies like more than men falling over themselves and beating each other up for female attention. Anywho, it looked interesting. Am hoping it is not Mary Sue'd like crazy.
The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan.
I've been interested in this book for awhile now. So when I actually saw it on the shelves of my local library in Alabama, which traditionally has almost no investment in books containing sci-fi or supernatural elements, I was excited. Also, Justin Cronin (The Passage) did a great write up of it in the New York Times Book Review, and a good portion of the blogging world was excited about it. My first impressions of it are, "Eh, this is probably more of a dude book." Not that I am into "chick books," but the emotional detachment of the main character is just sooooo appealing and makes it soooo easy for me to invest in the book. He's kind of a big wet dog-smelling blanket with a constant hard on. I'm sure someone on the internet actually sells those.
24 December 2011
Post 461: a general update
Two more posts left for the year unless I decide to do a year in review, which I probably won't. Hope everyone is having a happy holiday, whichever holiday that may be. I will be attempting to enjoy it by holing myself up with a book and trying to avoid a mass cleaning of the house, or some other form of familial chaos. Now it's time for books and such.
That's Disgusting: Unraveling the Mysteries of Repulsion by Rachel Herz.
Finished this one already. Not bad, but a little heavy on the gender studies... which I have trouble accepting as accurate because it's terribly difficult to determine which gender differences are genuine biological or sociological differences. And since we will never be able to ethically raise children in a sociological vacuum it seems we will never have the answer to that question. Still worth reading, but mostly for the first chapter (which primarily talks about cultural foods) and the "harder" scientific information regarding what happens physiologically to our bodies when we are disgusted.
The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley.
This was a great book for anyone interested in how historians interpret information and account for any prejudices or ulterior motives in their resources, particularly primary documents. Ridley made this transparent without hindering the narrative of her work in any way. Baret was the first (known) woman (in recorded history) to circumnavigate the globe, particularly in a scientific role. There wasn't quite as much information on Baret's botanical work as I was hoping for, but her biographical details are incredible nonetheless.
The Kitchen as Laboratory: Reflection on the Science of Food and Cooking edited by Cesar Vega, Job Ubbink, and Erik Van der Linden.
I had a chemistry professor who taught a course on cooking as/with chemistry. It was after I was able to take a class with him because I had already chosen my major, but I've always loved the idea. For one thing, teaching chemistry through cooking is likely to make it far more applicable and interesting, and for another... who doesn't like eating? Eating science just makes it 20% cooler.
Ragnarok: The End of the Gods by A. S. Byatt.
I am unfamiliar with Byatt's work, so I elected to read it when it showed up on Netgalley. From the description this sounds a bit like Pan's Labyrinth with Norse mythology and Nazis... and as a book instead of a movie. My interest, it is piqued.
That's Disgusting: Unraveling the Mysteries of Repulsion by Rachel Herz.
Finished this one already. Not bad, but a little heavy on the gender studies... which I have trouble accepting as accurate because it's terribly difficult to determine which gender differences are genuine biological or sociological differences. And since we will never be able to ethically raise children in a sociological vacuum it seems we will never have the answer to that question. Still worth reading, but mostly for the first chapter (which primarily talks about cultural foods) and the "harder" scientific information regarding what happens physiologically to our bodies when we are disgusted.
The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley.
This was a great book for anyone interested in how historians interpret information and account for any prejudices or ulterior motives in their resources, particularly primary documents. Ridley made this transparent without hindering the narrative of her work in any way. Baret was the first (known) woman (in recorded history) to circumnavigate the globe, particularly in a scientific role. There wasn't quite as much information on Baret's botanical work as I was hoping for, but her biographical details are incredible nonetheless.
The Kitchen as Laboratory: Reflection on the Science of Food and Cooking edited by Cesar Vega, Job Ubbink, and Erik Van der Linden.
I had a chemistry professor who taught a course on cooking as/with chemistry. It was after I was able to take a class with him because I had already chosen my major, but I've always loved the idea. For one thing, teaching chemistry through cooking is likely to make it far more applicable and interesting, and for another... who doesn't like eating? Eating science just makes it 20% cooler.
Ragnarok: The End of the Gods by A. S. Byatt.
I am unfamiliar with Byatt's work, so I elected to read it when it showed up on Netgalley. From the description this sounds a bit like Pan's Labyrinth with Norse mythology and Nazis... and as a book instead of a movie. My interest, it is piqued.
10 December 2011
Post 456: a general update
Yeah, nothing's going on. Blah, blah, books and shit.
The Whole Story of a Half Girl by Veera Hiranandani.
I had to flip screens about five times to get the author's name spelled correctly, which I hopefully did. I can't recall what drew me to this book, possibly the father's unemployment and the subsequent throwing of the protagonist into a situation where she is now a misfit. I have a soft spot for misfits. Also, I was yanked out of a good school and ended up somewhere I really didn't want to be. Maybe I'll talk about my reaction to that.
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.
I always want to spell that as Westerfield. No idea why. Anyway, it's dystopian, it's about perceptions of beauty and the extremes to obtain it, it is obviously things I like. I liked the premise enough to risk actually buying the first book in the series. (You guys do realize how cheap I am right?)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Anne Barrows.
Before reading the description (just now), I actually had no idea what this was about. I just knew that the blogosphere and book clubs and some word of mouth went crazy about it at some point in the last three years. People on my Goodreads friends list seem to agree it's pretty good, and I was able to buy it for less than ten cents from my library sale. So good job marketers, I picked up a book I had no idea I wanted until I saw it for the right price.
His Majesty's Dragons by Naomi Novik.
It's almost like Westerfeld's Leviathan series (minus the cross dressing) with a bit of McCaffrey's Dragon Riders of Pern. I first learned about this novel from things mean a lot, once again proving the power of blogs to get people to read books. I put a hold on this eBook and got the notification shortly after learning that Anne McCaffrey died. It was a bit spooky, and reading this I feel like there are some definite parallels, although the main character is male (many of the secondary characters are well rounded females though!). It's pretty good so far, and now that I am done blogging for today I think I'll go finish the 60 pages I have left to read.
The Whole Story of a Half Girl by Veera Hiranandani.
I had to flip screens about five times to get the author's name spelled correctly, which I hopefully did. I can't recall what drew me to this book, possibly the father's unemployment and the subsequent throwing of the protagonist into a situation where she is now a misfit. I have a soft spot for misfits. Also, I was yanked out of a good school and ended up somewhere I really didn't want to be. Maybe I'll talk about my reaction to that.
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.
I always want to spell that as Westerfield. No idea why. Anyway, it's dystopian, it's about perceptions of beauty and the extremes to obtain it, it is obviously things I like. I liked the premise enough to risk actually buying the first book in the series. (You guys do realize how cheap I am right?)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Anne Barrows.
Before reading the description (just now), I actually had no idea what this was about. I just knew that the blogosphere and book clubs and some word of mouth went crazy about it at some point in the last three years. People on my Goodreads friends list seem to agree it's pretty good, and I was able to buy it for less than ten cents from my library sale. So good job marketers, I picked up a book I had no idea I wanted until I saw it for the right price.
His Majesty's Dragons by Naomi Novik.
It's almost like Westerfeld's Leviathan series (minus the cross dressing) with a bit of McCaffrey's Dragon Riders of Pern. I first learned about this novel from things mean a lot, once again proving the power of blogs to get people to read books. I put a hold on this eBook and got the notification shortly after learning that Anne McCaffrey died. It was a bit spooky, and reading this I feel like there are some definite parallels, although the main character is male (many of the secondary characters are well rounded females though!). It's pretty good so far, and now that I am done blogging for today I think I'll go finish the 60 pages I have left to read.
22 November 2011
Post 450: general update
So, uh, I am apparently catching up on some popular fiction that I missed earlier this year. The Help and The Night Circus are the two biggies on this list with the last three being from previous years (or YA) and therefore being somewhat less important. Or not. I like to read randomly and rapaciously, possibly even rabidly. I
am a strong believer in reading outside of one's preferred genres... which
I've been doing a lot of because publishers and whatnot are all, "Hey,
hey, you wanna read my book?" And my typical response is, "Er, yeah, okay, that sounds interesting enough." So, these are all actually books I wanted to read, if only because everyone else is talking about them, and I don't want to feel like Mindy Kaling. I already feel like that in real life, thank you much.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
I finished this one a while ago. I have conflicted feelings about it. For now I will say it was an entertaining diversion, but there is a whole lot of discomfort regarding Skeeter's naiveté about race relations (even after figuring out she had issues with them) that makes me really, uh, leery about saying I outright liked the book. It was a good read, and I hope Stockett tackles a different issue in a way that I can wholeheartedly like for her next book.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
The blogosphere went ape shit over this one. It was good. It definitely got a little overblown, but I can see the appeal of it. I think I'll be talking about joining the circus. Because I totally did that (Antioch is almost more circus than educational institution).
Bonk by Mary Roach
Sssssssssssssssssex. This book is about it. How you doin'?
Pattern Recognition by William Gibson.
Sounds a bit like a techno-mystery novel. I dunno, it was one of those library sale buys. One of the people I talk to on Twitter said it was pretty good. Twitter always has good information, right?
Divergent by Veronica Roth.
I've started this one already. It's actually pretty good. Dystopian fiction is perfect for Thanksgiving with the family right? Especially when the premise is based on choosing one of five factions at the age of 16 that will determine how you live the rest of your life.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
I finished this one a while ago. I have conflicted feelings about it. For now I will say it was an entertaining diversion, but there is a whole lot of discomfort regarding Skeeter's naiveté about race relations (even after figuring out she had issues with them) that makes me really, uh, leery about saying I outright liked the book. It was a good read, and I hope Stockett tackles a different issue in a way that I can wholeheartedly like for her next book.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
The blogosphere went ape shit over this one. It was good. It definitely got a little overblown, but I can see the appeal of it. I think I'll be talking about joining the circus. Because I totally did that (Antioch is almost more circus than educational institution).
Bonk by Mary Roach
Sssssssssssssssssex. This book is about it. How you doin'?
Pattern Recognition by William Gibson.
Sounds a bit like a techno-mystery novel. I dunno, it was one of those library sale buys. One of the people I talk to on Twitter said it was pretty good. Twitter always has good information, right?
Divergent by Veronica Roth.
I've started this one already. It's actually pretty good. Dystopian fiction is perfect for Thanksgiving with the family right? Especially when the premise is based on choosing one of five factions at the age of 16 that will determine how you live the rest of your life.
01 November 2011
Post 443: a general update
I hope everyone enjoyed Zombies and Lovecraft. I know I did, well, except Jack Barnes is still an asshole. What's more awesome is this week proved that book bloggers DO sell books. I have proof! Granted, the conversation took place over Twitter,
but I wouldn't have read Lovecraft if it weren't for my blog. So, Barnes and Noble, where's my 10%?
THE UNDENIABLE PROOF (if you have trouble with small fonts you can click the image)
THE UNDENIABLE PROOF (if you have trouble with small fonts you can click the image)
So yeah, let's move some more books, people. Also, if you've bought/read a book because of my blog, I'd appreciate comments that you have done so. Oh, and follow me on Twitter already. Geez.
Books!
The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares by Joyce Carol Oates.
I have not, to my knowledge, actually read any Joyce Carol Oates. This looked fascinating and it was on Netgalley. And yes, I have read a lot of things from Netgalley recently. That tends to happen when they actually have books I'm interested in. It hasn't happened much lately,
so Netgalley titles will probably drop off until summer; summer tends to
be a big publicity push for fall titles. This is apparently an unplanned continuation of Spooky Shit I Read. Looks good though.
The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco.
Again, a first for a particular author I've been meaning to read that popped up on Netgalley. This appears to be a plotty plot of twisty turns and turny twists. Cloak and dagger are makin' out in the darkest closet, ya'll.
The Printmaker's Daughter by Katherine Govier.
I really need to start writing notes to myself about why I want to read these, because I cannot remember. Lemme look at the description, brb. Okay, it's about the daughter of a Japanese printmaker who should be
famous in her own right for her artwork, so Govier wrote a novel about
her... that identifies her as the daughter of a printmaker rather than
as a printmaker herself. Yep. Anyway, looks interesting.
Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan.
There will be actual cloaks and actual daggers in this novel, as it is fantasy, and fantasy has those things. Appears to be a bit of mistaken identity with Our Dashing Heroes being mistaken for king murderers. Sometimes I will read anything.
Sunset Park by Paul Auster.
I won this from Goodreads. Auster is another author I've been meaning to read. I think I'm going to decline forming expectations about this one. I am afraid it will be far more pretentious than what I like, but I hope to be wrong about that.
15 October 2011
Post 436: a general update
Sooooo, I skipped a general post (because I did not include The Tigress of Forli in the last one). There's a reason for that: I'm doing a bit of a theme
with my next batch of books because Halloween is freaking awesome. I didn't do anything special for Halloween last year, for whatever reason. I don't typically do themed posts unless it happens to be on accident, and well, that's kind of what happened again here. I found I was scheduling a lot of zombie books and decided, "Oh look, a thing, let's make that thing a Thing." Thing-a-ling-a-ding-dong. I so ran that through Microsoft Sam at warp speed, and so should you. Oh, and since I was lazy and didn't want to make a whole bunch of library books, not only will there be zombies, there will also be madness, and by madness I mean Lovecraft. It's kind of synonymous really. If you didn't know what synonymous meant, you might think it was an animal, possibly a snake-mouse hybrid. Maybe with wings. Somebody draw me a picture of a "synonymous," I will love you forever.
Eat Your Heart Out by Dayna Ingram.
Yes, that Dayna Ingram. And also that one. She wants her own Wikipedia page, someone should make that happen someday. Anyway, zombies and lesbians, what's not to like?
Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker.
I started reading this October 3rd (to give you an idea of where I am in my reading syllabus). I don't care much for Jack Barnes. He's kind of an asshole; an undead asshole. I really hope a bullet lands in that over-educated brain of his.
Dust by Joan Frances Turner.
I have actually picked this book up and read the dust jacket several times at the library in Bowling Green only to put it back on the shelf because I already had too many books. Then I saw it on the library sale table and since it was less than 10 cents I bought it. Of course, now I don't remember exactly what it's about other than zombies. I seem to remember the blogosphere liking it... or at least not hating it.
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H.P. Lovecraft.
Requested by one of my friends who I used to do a podcast with waaaaaay back in time. He wanted to know why I had never done anything Lovecraftian for the blog and my response was, "Uh... I dunno, hasn't come up yet." So this is his recommendation and I figure Halloweenish would be a good time for the readin's of the Lovecraft.
At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft.
That reason above, read that again.
Eat Your Heart Out by Dayna Ingram.
Yes, that Dayna Ingram. And also that one. She wants her own Wikipedia page, someone should make that happen someday. Anyway, zombies and lesbians, what's not to like?
Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker.
I started reading this October 3rd (to give you an idea of where I am in my reading syllabus). I don't care much for Jack Barnes. He's kind of an asshole; an undead asshole. I really hope a bullet lands in that over-educated brain of his.
Dust by Joan Frances Turner.
I have actually picked this book up and read the dust jacket several times at the library in Bowling Green only to put it back on the shelf because I already had too many books. Then I saw it on the library sale table and since it was less than 10 cents I bought it. Of course, now I don't remember exactly what it's about other than zombies. I seem to remember the blogosphere liking it... or at least not hating it.
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H.P. Lovecraft.
Requested by one of my friends who I used to do a podcast with waaaaaay back in time. He wanted to know why I had never done anything Lovecraftian for the blog and my response was, "Uh... I dunno, hasn't come up yet." So this is his recommendation and I figure Halloweenish would be a good time for the readin's of the Lovecraft.
At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft.
That reason above, read that again.
27 September 2011
Post 430: a general update
Awwww yeah, halfway through Banned Book Week. I am such a pro. Just in case you didn't figure it out, the posts that say "Post" are my regular...posts, and the ones that say Banned Book Week make lovers of freedom everywhere cry. Except that Banned Book Week is awesome. There are of course a naysayers, that Banned Book Week is all propaganda and 'no one in America actually bans books.' The logic behind the argument is that books are widely available for purchase everywhere, and therefore limiting access in one location (such as a school library) does not preclude the ability to procure the book elsewhere. To those people I say, you do realize that Borders closed ALL of their stores recently, right? And that we're in an economic crisis and not everyone can afford to buy ALL of the books they want to read? Because, I mean... that happened and is happening. There are some communities that no longer HAVE a bookstore because Borders ran out all of the small booksellers, and now there is a gaping bookseller shaped hole. Information deserts, ya'll. Anyway, I can't afford to keep feeding you all this thought-food, because I am broke as shit. So I will talk about the books I will talk about. Except of course the Banned Books, because those are SURPRISES.
Grave Matters by Tony Platt.
Finished this on Saturday. Possibly the best book I have ever read that was written by a white guy and explains the issue of Native American burial rights and wanting artifacts and bones returned. It's focused on one Native American group, the Yoruk, in California, but he uses their condition as a way of talking specifically about an issue that affects a large number of people in a similar manner. As someone with a background in history (and a white person), I am complicit in benefiting, however indirectly, from the suffering of Native Americans. That shit is not cool, and I'll be talking more about my feelings regarding the use of research gained through illicit means, i.e. grave robbing.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing of 2011 edited by Mary Roach.
Mary Roach is a science superstar. I want to follow her around on her next research project, if only so I can get more poop stories. I am afraid of reading the news, so I feel like I missed out on a lot of interesting scientific research/developments/
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.
I have no preconceived expectations about this one except that pretty much everyone on my blogging list is all THIS IS GOOD! So, I saw it at the library, and I was all, meh, okay. It will be a nice break from my proscribed reading, because holy crap after this I am pretty much booked until November. Get it, booked? I am a book blogger... Yeah okay, at least I didn't eat paste as a kid.
How to Live Safely in a Science Fiction Universe by Charles YU...
no have a shorter title? Actually, I really like this title, and somehow it makes me really, really want to know how to survive (and safely!) in a science fiction universe. These are things that are relevant to my life. This is why I also own a copy of The Zombie Survival Guide; well, that and I found most of the information also works for stupid people.
Grave Matters by Tony Platt.
Finished this on Saturday. Possibly the best book I have ever read that was written by a white guy and explains the issue of Native American burial rights and wanting artifacts and bones returned. It's focused on one Native American group, the Yoruk, in California, but he uses their condition as a way of talking specifically about an issue that affects a large number of people in a similar manner. As someone with a background in history (and a white person), I am complicit in benefiting, however indirectly, from the suffering of Native Americans. That shit is not cool, and I'll be talking more about my feelings regarding the use of research gained through illicit means, i.e. grave robbing.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing of 2011 edited by Mary Roach.
Mary Roach is a science superstar. I want to follow her around on her next research project, if only so I can get more poop stories. I am afraid of reading the news, so I feel like I missed out on a lot of interesting scientific research/developments/
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.
I have no preconceived expectations about this one except that pretty much everyone on my blogging list is all THIS IS GOOD! So, I saw it at the library, and I was all, meh, okay. It will be a nice break from my proscribed reading, because holy crap after this I am pretty much booked until November. Get it, booked? I am a book blogger... Yeah okay, at least I didn't eat paste as a kid.
How to Live Safely in a Science Fiction Universe by Charles YU...
no have a shorter title? Actually, I really like this title, and somehow it makes me really, really want to know how to survive (and safely!) in a science fiction universe. These are things that are relevant to my life. This is why I also own a copy of The Zombie Survival Guide; well, that and I found most of the information also works for stupid people.
14 September 2011
Post 425: a general update
Hey there, readerlings. Banned Book Week is coming up September 24-October 1. Due to my poor planning, I already have review books scheduled for that week. This is not to say I won't be participating, because my Banned Book posts get traffic, and I do like me some blog traffic. However, I may not actually be reading new books, but rather reflecting on experiences from books I've read previously in my life and enjoyed. These are books I might not have been able to read if they had been banned that have had a positive, or at least enriching, effect on my life. If you don't like them apples, feel free to submit a guest post for that week on a banned book you've read. You can contact me at acampb8@kent.edu.
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.
Why yes, I finally got around to reading this book. I won't say I'm the last person to read this book, because I have read an awful lot of book reviews for books I just picked up that have that statement. Unless you plan to exterminate everyone who has an interest in reading, chances are you will not be the last person to read a book.
Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant.
Hurr, hurr, I like steampunk. I'm blogging when I don't really feel like blogging, can you tell? Also, there is a lot of jibber jabber in the background that is very distracting, my headphones can only block out so much yelled phone conversation. Anyway, I'm about a third through the stories. They are not quite as fantastic as Pump Six and Other Stories, but most are still worth reading. This is another of those Netgalley grabs.
The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Kimberly Cutter.
I have always had a bit of a fascination with Joan of Arc, and female saints in general really. I wrote a whole paper about how some women used eating disorders as a means of attaining sainthood, or at least an elevated position in the community, when they might otherwise have been condemned to a life of childbirth and housekeeping. My history professor made me rewrite it because she didn't believe in feminism, and then complained that I had basically written a completely different paper... yeah. Nobody liked you, history professor who shall not be named. Martyrs are fascinating, well, the not self-proclaimed variety.
Shame the Devil by Debra Brenegan.
Brenegan's publicity person contacted me to review this. I am generally a nice person and agree to review things I have a modicum of interest in. I like to pretend it is good for me, that it will somehow expand my horizons or introduce me to topics/authors I might otherwise ignore. This is a novelization about the life of Fanny Fern, a feminist journalist in the 19th century. It is not totally out of my area of interest as a historian, so I can throw this into professional-ish development and call it a day's work.
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.
Why yes, I finally got around to reading this book. I won't say I'm the last person to read this book, because I have read an awful lot of book reviews for books I just picked up that have that statement. Unless you plan to exterminate everyone who has an interest in reading, chances are you will not be the last person to read a book.
Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant.
Hurr, hurr, I like steampunk. I'm blogging when I don't really feel like blogging, can you tell? Also, there is a lot of jibber jabber in the background that is very distracting, my headphones can only block out so much yelled phone conversation. Anyway, I'm about a third through the stories. They are not quite as fantastic as Pump Six and Other Stories, but most are still worth reading. This is another of those Netgalley grabs.
The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Kimberly Cutter.
I have always had a bit of a fascination with Joan of Arc, and female saints in general really. I wrote a whole paper about how some women used eating disorders as a means of attaining sainthood, or at least an elevated position in the community, when they might otherwise have been condemned to a life of childbirth and housekeeping. My history professor made me rewrite it because she didn't believe in feminism, and then complained that I had basically written a completely different paper... yeah. Nobody liked you, history professor who shall not be named. Martyrs are fascinating, well, the not self-proclaimed variety.
Shame the Devil by Debra Brenegan.
Brenegan's publicity person contacted me to review this. I am generally a nice person and agree to review things I have a modicum of interest in. I like to pretend it is good for me, that it will somehow expand my horizons or introduce me to topics/authors I might otherwise ignore. This is a novelization about the life of Fanny Fern, a feminist journalist in the 19th century. It is not totally out of my area of interest as a historian, so I can throw this into professional-ish development and call it a day's work.
27 August 2011
Post 419: a general update
Readerlings, I have sad news. Recently my fiance and I have decided not to get married. It was a mutual decision, we are still friends, he is still my editor, we still even love each other. Unfortunately, neither of us can eat or pay rent with love as we are just not that attractive.* It is not that we've given up hope or loving each other, just that we've given up faith that things will get better enough that we will be together. We ended it now before it devolved into being totally sick of each other with screaming matches and blame games. In some ways it makes it both the easiest and the worst breakup I've been through.
There is nothing for a breakup like burying myself under a pile of books and refusing to come out until I've finished it. If anyone feels free to hose me down and feed me ice cream once I emerge, I will probably appreciate it.
Dracula in Love by Karen Essex.
Another book from the Goodreads giveaway program. I know how to get free books LIKE A BOSS. My interest was actually piqued by this title a couple of times in the library, but I always put it back because I already had a full armload. I do love that this revisits the idea of sexuality in the Victorian novel, especially as it does so from Mina Harker's point of view. Seriously, Dracula is one of the best novels to read to get an understanding of how scary Victorians thought sex was (they anthropomorphized sex and gave it fangs and an unquenchable appetite)!
Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters.
From the guy who wrote Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, we have the bedbug infestation from hell. Maybe. That is what the blurb promises anyway. And the blurb has never lied. I am sure there will also be cake. And ponies.
We Want to Believe: Faith and Gospel in the X-Files by Amy M. Donaldson.
Most of my X-Files watching was a result of prodding from my mother-in-law. We became good friends, and she was really into it. I still prefer the monster of the week episodes, but I always like philosophical, and sometimes religious, exploration of popular culture phenomena. So far Donaldson has made some interesting observations and I'm looking forward to reading the entire book.
Snuff by Terry Pratchett.
Why yes, this novel doesn't come out until October 13th. I nabbed a review copy from Netgalley. It's been a while since I've had the pleasure of reading Pratchett. Needless to say I am excited. It's all I can do not to shove all of my other books to the side and do nothing but read this until I am finished. Dear Terry Pratchett, be my best friend? I mean for realsy, not just by writing books I love; you are already my best friend that way.
*Editor's Note: I have to admit, I laughed at this, and now I feel bad.*
*LibsNote: Editor happens to be my former fiance. Yes, it is/was a strange relationship.
There is nothing for a breakup like burying myself under a pile of books and refusing to come out until I've finished it. If anyone feels free to hose me down and feed me ice cream once I emerge, I will probably appreciate it.
Dracula in Love by Karen Essex.
Another book from the Goodreads giveaway program. I know how to get free books LIKE A BOSS. My interest was actually piqued by this title a couple of times in the library, but I always put it back because I already had a full armload. I do love that this revisits the idea of sexuality in the Victorian novel, especially as it does so from Mina Harker's point of view. Seriously, Dracula is one of the best novels to read to get an understanding of how scary Victorians thought sex was (they anthropomorphized sex and gave it fangs and an unquenchable appetite)!
Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters.
From the guy who wrote Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, we have the bedbug infestation from hell. Maybe. That is what the blurb promises anyway. And the blurb has never lied. I am sure there will also be cake. And ponies.
We Want to Believe: Faith and Gospel in the X-Files by Amy M. Donaldson.
Most of my X-Files watching was a result of prodding from my mother-in-law. We became good friends, and she was really into it. I still prefer the monster of the week episodes, but I always like philosophical, and sometimes religious, exploration of popular culture phenomena. So far Donaldson has made some interesting observations and I'm looking forward to reading the entire book.
Snuff by Terry Pratchett.
Why yes, this novel doesn't come out until October 13th. I nabbed a review copy from Netgalley. It's been a while since I've had the pleasure of reading Pratchett. Needless to say I am excited. It's all I can do not to shove all of my other books to the side and do nothing but read this until I am finished. Dear Terry Pratchett, be my best friend? I mean for realsy, not just by writing books I love; you are already my best friend that way.
*Editor's Note: I have to admit, I laughed at this, and now I feel bad.*
*LibsNote: Editor happens to be my former fiance. Yes, it is/was a strange relationship.
13 August 2011
Post 414: a general update
Ah, I seem to have acquired quite a few galleys from NetGalley and a couple of publicists. I'll be tackling a number of those. Someday I will get to the pile I've created from buying books from the library sale table (at 3 for a quarter I almost can't refrain from buying them). Not much going on with me this week.
What are you reading?
Fool Me Twice: Fighting the Assault on Science in America by Shawn Lawrence Otto.
Won on Goodreads, but I was very interested in the topic. It didn't occur to me until I saw the title, that Yes, there is a sort of desire to ignore science when it comes to politics and religion. I've already started it, and it's a fairly well-balanced look at our political system and its willingness to completely ignore the implications of scientific research and inquiry.
The Postmortal by Drew Magary.
Mortality has been cured, sort of. John Farrell can't die from old age, but he is still prone to all of the other things people can die from. This appears to be humorous. I love it when authors mock death, it entertains me in a way other literary conditions don't. I'm hoping this will be somewhat similar to The Dirty Job by Christopher Moore.
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer.
This has been floating around for some 10 years to enough acclaim that it automatically went on my To Read Someday When I Can't Find Anything Else list. However, it popped up on NetGalley, so here I am. I have pretty much no expectations for this.
Tankborn by Karen Sandler.
This popped up on my feed as a new title for Dystopian Fiction August at Presenting Lenore. If you are unaware of her blog and the special Zombie Chicken rating, it is worth checking out. Anyway, I saw it again on NetGalley and figured it was worth checking out. There are genetically engineered humans, which are always interesting, especially in combination with a highly-stratified class system.
What are you reading?
Fool Me Twice: Fighting the Assault on Science in America by Shawn Lawrence Otto.
Won on Goodreads, but I was very interested in the topic. It didn't occur to me until I saw the title, that Yes, there is a sort of desire to ignore science when it comes to politics and religion. I've already started it, and it's a fairly well-balanced look at our political system and its willingness to completely ignore the implications of scientific research and inquiry.
The Postmortal by Drew Magary.
Mortality has been cured, sort of. John Farrell can't die from old age, but he is still prone to all of the other things people can die from. This appears to be humorous. I love it when authors mock death, it entertains me in a way other literary conditions don't. I'm hoping this will be somewhat similar to The Dirty Job by Christopher Moore.
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer.
This has been floating around for some 10 years to enough acclaim that it automatically went on my To Read Someday When I Can't Find Anything Else list. However, it popped up on NetGalley, so here I am. I have pretty much no expectations for this.
Tankborn by Karen Sandler.
This popped up on my feed as a new title for Dystopian Fiction August at Presenting Lenore. If you are unaware of her blog and the special Zombie Chicken rating, it is worth checking out. Anyway, I saw it again on NetGalley and figured it was worth checking out. There are genetically engineered humans, which are always interesting, especially in combination with a highly-stratified class system.
30 July 2011
Post 409: a general update
So, I went to the library earlier this month and picked up two books. Then I got them home and I was like, hm, I detect a theme. Which prompted a second library trip to get two more books on the same topic. So here we're going to have a random robot themed week here at Lib's LIB, because why the hell not. I mean, I'm going to be replaced by robots anyway, so fuck it. Good luck getting an automaton to wipe your fines. PS: please pronounce robots as "row-butts" for an increase in entertainment value (or just read the entire thing as Dr. Zoidberg). You're welcome.
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson.
Son of a bitch, I just realized I've been tweeting the title as "Robocalypse." Oh well. Shoot me. Wilson can get a refund on whatever money he paid me to advertise his book (that would be nothing, by the way). So yeah, it's like World War Z only with robots. Some of the characters are written like stereotypes of stereotypes, but complaining about wooden characters is like complaining about Arnold Schwarzenegger's acting in... well, anything. You picked up the action movie version of a book, so what you're getting is a compelling plot and some explosions and some special effects. What, you want more? It does its job. If you want acting, go rent Bicentennial Man (no seriously, it's aged remarkably well and is a good movie despite the cheese factor). Also, shout out to a fellow Tulsan, whoo! Go T-town!
The Most Human Human by Brian Christian.
Not exactly about robots, but about the thing we would put into their "heads" if we were going to build the ultimate robots. I first saw this on the Daily Show (which I need to start watching again, but even the funny news is fucking depressing). Have I always italicized that? I don't know, it's a blog, you get consistency in pieces, not the entire thing. So this is a book about a competition to create the most human computer, but humans also compete to be crowned the most "human" human, hello title. So it'll be interesting to read about what characteristics people see as being more human than others and what computers do well as far as mimicking us. Computer programmers, I dare you to write a program that will write my blog posts for me. Bring it, bitches.
Genesis by Poul Anderson.
It is nearly impossible to find anything at my library in Alabama. Their catalog is a mess and their collection is also a mess. So I just kind of had to hope and pray that I could either stumble across something about robots, or that what was in the catalog was actually in the collection and where it said it was. I didn't quite get I wanted (I really wanted some Philip K. Dick, but who doesn't want Dick?), but I got something. This covers the uploading human consciousness into computers (and I am assuming robots) thing. The cover is a bit wacky, but then sci-fi covers are kind of like that.
Rapture for the Geeks by Richard Dooling.
This was published in 2008 and I'm sure it became obsolete almost as soon as it was published, but hey, someone's gotta write this stuff. You poor technology writer bastards. In this slim volume, Dooling theorizes what might happen when computers get smarter than us. Personally, I hope they turn us into pets and perform upgrades. I so want robot hands, like aJedi boss. I'm pretty sure this is the first time this book has circulated. Popping library book cherries kind of makes me sad, because it means I'm the only one who has enjoyed or suffered through them. Please put a smile on a librarian's face and de-virginize a book... um, not literally. That would make me do the opposite of smile. Also, paper cuts.
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson.
Son of a bitch, I just realized I've been tweeting the title as "Robocalypse." Oh well. Shoot me. Wilson can get a refund on whatever money he paid me to advertise his book (that would be nothing, by the way). So yeah, it's like World War Z only with robots. Some of the characters are written like stereotypes of stereotypes, but complaining about wooden characters is like complaining about Arnold Schwarzenegger's acting in... well, anything. You picked up the action movie version of a book, so what you're getting is a compelling plot and some explosions and some special effects. What, you want more? It does its job. If you want acting, go rent Bicentennial Man (no seriously, it's aged remarkably well and is a good movie despite the cheese factor). Also, shout out to a fellow Tulsan, whoo! Go T-town!
The Most Human Human by Brian Christian.
Not exactly about robots, but about the thing we would put into their "heads" if we were going to build the ultimate robots. I first saw this on the Daily Show (which I need to start watching again, but even the funny news is fucking depressing). Have I always italicized that? I don't know, it's a blog, you get consistency in pieces, not the entire thing. So this is a book about a competition to create the most human computer, but humans also compete to be crowned the most "human" human, hello title. So it'll be interesting to read about what characteristics people see as being more human than others and what computers do well as far as mimicking us. Computer programmers, I dare you to write a program that will write my blog posts for me. Bring it, bitches.
Genesis by Poul Anderson.
It is nearly impossible to find anything at my library in Alabama. Their catalog is a mess and their collection is also a mess. So I just kind of had to hope and pray that I could either stumble across something about robots, or that what was in the catalog was actually in the collection and where it said it was. I didn't quite get I wanted (I really wanted some Philip K. Dick, but who doesn't want Dick?), but I got something. This covers the uploading human consciousness into computers (and I am assuming robots) thing. The cover is a bit wacky, but then sci-fi covers are kind of like that.
Rapture for the Geeks by Richard Dooling.
This was published in 2008 and I'm sure it became obsolete almost as soon as it was published, but hey, someone's gotta write this stuff. You poor technology writer bastards. In this slim volume, Dooling theorizes what might happen when computers get smarter than us. Personally, I hope they turn us into pets and perform upgrades. I so want robot hands, like a
12 July 2011
Post 403: a general update
Meh, my personal life is full of failures and boredom, so let's just skip that. My blog got a whole bunch of hits last month, which was awesome sauce, but those have dropped off. I don't know why, but stats are fun. Also, someone did a search for, "I had no idea poop was such a problem for librarians" and clicked my blog. At the moment I appear as the second Google search result, just below the Wikipedia article for "Shit." Oh, to be so close to greatness; my life goals are now complete, readerlings. Speaking of shit, I'm readin' stuff.
Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir... Of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron.
Publisher was all, you wanna book? And I was all...ehhhhh Jesus? Maybe? And then there was this link to a chapter and I perused it ya'll, and then it was like... Okay! Publishers sending me books makes my blog senses tingle, which are bit like spider senses, only less cobwebby... I'm lying about the cobwebs. So, this is a thing about a guy whose father is in the CIA and the Lying Liars who Lied About Lying, uh, or, you know, how do you know who your dad was if He Has A Secret Identity? I are excite, with slight reservations about possible Religious (beat-you-)Over(-the-head) Tones.
Sex on Six Legs: Lessons on Life, Love, and Language from the Insect World by Marlene Zuk.
Bugs are Sexy... or perhaps... Sixy. But no, I have ALWAYS been fascinated by bugs. I could watch them for hours. I even took an entomology class at Antioch College with the amazing Jill Yager (she discovered a whole CLASS of insects, I mean, awesome). And it's almost high summer in Alabama, so why not immerse myself even more in the swarms? Fucking mosquitos...
What Language is: And What It Isn't and What It Could Be by John H. McWhorter.
That is an awkward subtitle, yo. Then again, that is an awkward last name, my sympathies there, McWhorter (especially if that rhymes with quarter). I had a professor who claimed there was a difference between language and Language. The former often was dead or out of use (i.e. Latin or Victorian English respectively), while the latter requires common and "widespread" usage, must change, and must acquire new words and adaptations in structure, etc. I am vaguely hoping that this will also discuss when slang or abbreviated forms of a language become their own Language, for instance internet speak versus "standard" English: are they even the same language? Wtf, for serious, lol, like, you know what I mean!!!11!!!?
Breathless by Dean Koontz.
Um. I don't know. I haven't read any Dean Koontz before. Someone in high school told me I should try his books. Yeah, here I am, ten years later. I'm awesome.
Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir... Of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron.
Publisher was all, you wanna book? And I was all...ehhhhh Jesus? Maybe? And then there was this link to a chapter and I perused it ya'll, and then it was like... Okay! Publishers sending me books makes my blog senses tingle, which are bit like spider senses, only less cobwebby... I'm lying about the cobwebs. So, this is a thing about a guy whose father is in the CIA and the Lying Liars who Lied About Lying, uh, or, you know, how do you know who your dad was if He Has A Secret Identity? I are excite, with slight reservations about possible Religious (beat-you-)Over(-the-head) Tones.
Sex on Six Legs: Lessons on Life, Love, and Language from the Insect World by Marlene Zuk.
Bugs are Sexy... or perhaps... Sixy. But no, I have ALWAYS been fascinated by bugs. I could watch them for hours. I even took an entomology class at Antioch College with the amazing Jill Yager (she discovered a whole CLASS of insects, I mean, awesome). And it's almost high summer in Alabama, so why not immerse myself even more in the swarms? Fucking mosquitos...
What Language is: And What It Isn't and What It Could Be by John H. McWhorter.
That is an awkward subtitle, yo. Then again, that is an awkward last name, my sympathies there, McWhorter (especially if that rhymes with quarter). I had a professor who claimed there was a difference between language and Language. The former often was dead or out of use (i.e. Latin or Victorian English respectively), while the latter requires common and "widespread" usage, must change, and must acquire new words and adaptations in structure, etc. I am vaguely hoping that this will also discuss when slang or abbreviated forms of a language become their own Language, for instance internet speak versus "standard" English: are they even the same language? Wtf, for serious, lol, like, you know what I mean!!!11!!!?
Breathless by Dean Koontz.
Um. I don't know. I haven't read any Dean Koontz before. Someone in high school told me I should try his books. Yeah, here I am, ten years later. I'm awesome.
25 June 2011
Post 396: a general update
Oh man, I almost forgot to do a general update again. I think I got a little overwhelmed by all of the offers I've been getting by email recently from publishers. Here's a small hint if you want me to accept your title: at the very least include the name of my blog. I am aware I'm a nobody, but come on, the title of my blog is in big, big letters at the top of the page. Take a look at my About Me page, chances are you will learn exactly what my blog is about. If you ask me to put a "review" on my blog for your book, I know you haven't read my About Me page. This is a little different than your average book blog. Oh, and if you're new to the blog, check out that page too. It will explain why I link to my reviews on Goodreads and/or from other sources, and yes they are different. Double the content, double the headaches, for me at least. The extra step, I have taken it.
Books!
Feast by Merrie Destefano.
I actually finished this on the 24th. There were problems, but I was not overly surprised that there were. The cover, it whispered things to me. Speaking of the cover, why is there an early twenty-year old when Maggie has a 9-year old? Marketers, you frustrate me with your choices.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.
I saw someone reading this at ALA 2010 on the subway and I wanted it. I had no idea what it was about, but I knew I wanted to read it. Sometimes there are titles that are like that, plus I think the woman was very involved. Have you ever watched a person read a book and they looked like they were enjoying it so much you just knew you were going to go out and find it at some point? Well, okay, so I'm weird, but that's what happened.
I'm Feeling Lucky: The Confession of Google Employee #59 by Douglas Edwards.
Google is interesting. Because it is Google. Also, maybe I am hoping for more search hits from Google because I will be mentioning Google a lot in that post. Also in this one, Google, Google, Google. Bing. Oh, wait, that last one I was channeling Colbert. Sorry, Google. Where's my $2500 per mention? What? I don't have a million viewers? Well... poop.
Thoughts Without Cigarettes by Oscar Hijuelos.
I won a book, hooray! Thanks to the Goodreads Firstreads program, I was sent this book by the publisher in the hopes that I would read and review it. Since I'm a book blogger, that will actually happen. Why did I want to read this? I liked the title and my focus as an undergraduate was in American immigrant history (that's immigrants to America). I know nothing about Cuban immigrants, or their culture, so we can tally this one on my professional development board. Bam.
Kiss Me Like a Stranger by Gene Wilder.
I can't remember where I first saw/heard about this book. It's Gene Wilder. I love Gene Wilder. Gene Wilder is practically my daddy. I have seen more of his movies in the past year than I have seen of my father in the past five. Also, did you know he's older than Christopher Lloyd? How messed up is that? He and Mel Brooks, in my opinion, are pretty much the only stand-up guys in Hollywood. That town will suffer a severe vacuum of morality and all-around goodness when we lose them, and that town already sucks. (Note: I am generalizing, there are definitely a few other Good Guys out there, but Come On! Also, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure Brooks lives in New York.)
Books!
Feast by Merrie Destefano.
I actually finished this on the 24th. There were problems, but I was not overly surprised that there were. The cover, it whispered things to me. Speaking of the cover, why is there an early twenty-year old when Maggie has a 9-year old? Marketers, you frustrate me with your choices.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.
I saw someone reading this at ALA 2010 on the subway and I wanted it. I had no idea what it was about, but I knew I wanted to read it. Sometimes there are titles that are like that, plus I think the woman was very involved. Have you ever watched a person read a book and they looked like they were enjoying it so much you just knew you were going to go out and find it at some point? Well, okay, so I'm weird, but that's what happened.
I'm Feeling Lucky: The Confession of Google Employee #59 by Douglas Edwards.
Google is interesting. Because it is Google. Also, maybe I am hoping for more search hits from Google because I will be mentioning Google a lot in that post. Also in this one, Google, Google, Google. Bing. Oh, wait, that last one I was channeling Colbert. Sorry, Google. Where's my $2500 per mention? What? I don't have a million viewers? Well... poop.
Thoughts Without Cigarettes by Oscar Hijuelos.
I won a book, hooray! Thanks to the Goodreads Firstreads program, I was sent this book by the publisher in the hopes that I would read and review it. Since I'm a book blogger, that will actually happen. Why did I want to read this? I liked the title and my focus as an undergraduate was in American immigrant history (that's immigrants to America). I know nothing about Cuban immigrants, or their culture, so we can tally this one on my professional development board. Bam.
Kiss Me Like a Stranger by Gene Wilder.
I can't remember where I first saw/heard about this book. It's Gene Wilder. I love Gene Wilder. Gene Wilder is practically my daddy. I have seen more of his movies in the past year than I have seen of my father in the past five. Also, did you know he's older than Christopher Lloyd? How messed up is that? He and Mel Brooks, in my opinion, are pretty much the only stand-up guys in Hollywood. That town will suffer a severe vacuum of morality and all-around goodness when we lose them, and that town already sucks. (Note: I am generalizing, there are definitely a few other Good Guys out there, but Come On! Also, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure Brooks lives in New York.)
07 June 2011
Post 390: a general update
I'm a little slow with this general update. Whoops. I had a huge buffer there for awhile, but if you're following my Goodreads and/or Twitter account, you might notice that I've been reading books I haven't been blogging about. Part of that is because I feel it is healthier for me and more productive for this blog if I am able to read without worrying about what I'm going to write about. The other part is because with the current schedule I'm on I sometimes manage to get the previously mentioned huge buffer. This is good in some ways because it means I am less reliant on guest bloggers, but if I get too far ahead I will be posting information that is very, very, very outdated about my personal life. For instance, that Bookstore job I mentioned? Yeah, I didn't get that. So, I'm still unemployed. I've pretty much given up at this point. I don't know what that means for me, but it probably means I will never be a librarian and now I have to figure out what the hell else to do with my life.
Anyway, that's what's going on with me personally. I keep it short, because who cares, right?
Books! Somehow I got a lot of mystery novels in here, ya'll.
The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair.
Saw this title on NetGalley and love, love, loved the cover design. Sometimes the cover really does sell the book. You'll see what I mean when it posts, it is beautiful. This is about a second generation Indian American named Rakhee. She and her mother go back to India while her mother's marriage falls apart and she learns secrety secrets about her family. However, since this is told as a frame tale, it is within the context of Rakhee keeping this very story secret from her fiance. It asks the question of how much our future spouses need to know/should know about our families and whether we can live with ourselves if they don't know and love us, or if they do know and decide they don't.
Hell at the Breech by Tom Franklin.
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter was SO good that I ended up recommending it to a family friend, who apparently loves Tom Franklin, but didn't realize he had published a "new" novel. Anyway, said friend lent me this a while back, but I had a slew of library books I needed to get through first. I'm sure after a month or so that just about anyone would want their book back already.
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt.
I was gabbing with some people at the local indie bookstore and they mentioned that this was a great read. As always, I am kind of meh about mysteries, but then I magically won this by participating in the #fridayreads hashtag. This is where people all over the interbutts tell you what they're reading. Twitter is kind of amazing like that. If you don't participate in the hashtag yet, you should, it's loads of fun. Anyway, excited to have the opportunity to read a book I probably wouldn't have picked up on my own.
The Third Rail by Michael Harvey.
This and the next book were offered to me by a PR person from the publishing house. I kind of love getting offers like this because it makes me feel like I have Made It as a book blogger. This is stupid of course, because I have so few readers, but I like to think I have quality readers. You guys are awesome. What's this book about? Chaos in Chicago! Riots on the Rails! Sickness in the Subway? Menacing Mystery Men? Okay, enough of that, it's getting silly.
You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz.
Mike was raised in foster care, but now he's fairly successful, has a daughter and wife when SUDDENLY MYSTERY. He remembers things from his past that he had forgotten and now they are back to haunt him and threaten the life he has built. Reviews on Goodreads seem to be generally positive, with the occasional naysayer thrown in. We shall see. Keep in mind, I am already kind of meh about mysteries.
Anyway, that's what's going on with me personally. I keep it short, because who cares, right?
Books! Somehow I got a lot of mystery novels in here, ya'll.
The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair.
Saw this title on NetGalley and love, love, loved the cover design. Sometimes the cover really does sell the book. You'll see what I mean when it posts, it is beautiful. This is about a second generation Indian American named Rakhee. She and her mother go back to India while her mother's marriage falls apart and she learns secrety secrets about her family. However, since this is told as a frame tale, it is within the context of Rakhee keeping this very story secret from her fiance. It asks the question of how much our future spouses need to know/should know about our families and whether we can live with ourselves if they don't know and love us, or if they do know and decide they don't.
Hell at the Breech by Tom Franklin.
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter was SO good that I ended up recommending it to a family friend, who apparently loves Tom Franklin, but didn't realize he had published a "new" novel. Anyway, said friend lent me this a while back, but I had a slew of library books I needed to get through first. I'm sure after a month or so that just about anyone would want their book back already.
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt.
I was gabbing with some people at the local indie bookstore and they mentioned that this was a great read. As always, I am kind of meh about mysteries, but then I magically won this by participating in the #fridayreads hashtag. This is where people all over the interbutts tell you what they're reading. Twitter is kind of amazing like that. If you don't participate in the hashtag yet, you should, it's loads of fun. Anyway, excited to have the opportunity to read a book I probably wouldn't have picked up on my own.
The Third Rail by Michael Harvey.
This and the next book were offered to me by a PR person from the publishing house. I kind of love getting offers like this because it makes me feel like I have Made It as a book blogger. This is stupid of course, because I have so few readers, but I like to think I have quality readers. You guys are awesome. What's this book about? Chaos in Chicago! Riots on the Rails! Sickness in the Subway? Menacing Mystery Men? Okay, enough of that, it's getting silly.
You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz.
Mike was raised in foster care, but now he's fairly successful, has a daughter and wife when SUDDENLY MYSTERY. He remembers things from his past that he had forgotten and now they are back to haunt him and threaten the life he has built. Reviews on Goodreads seem to be generally positive, with the occasional naysayer thrown in. We shall see. Keep in mind, I am already kind of meh about mysteries.
21 May 2011
Post 384: a general update
So I decided not to blog about the "I Hate the 21st Century" Reader. To be honest, many of the topics covered were startlingly out of date. I was sort of hoping for more of a speculative look at where we might be headed. Instead it was kind of, "It's only 2005 and here's why things suck," with a few notable exceptions. It was okay, but I would have ended up reflecting on the somewhat recent capture and death of Osama bin Laden, and I just don't feel like making that corpse dance any more than it really needs to. I also finished up The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell on audio recently and was pretty much blown away by it. Once again, this is one of those books I don't really feel the need to blog about, but if someone wanted to have a discussion about via email or in the comments section, I'd be all for that.
Uh... I had an interview on May 11th (today for me, not so much for you). I'm excited about the prospect of working again, even if it will only be part time and minimum wage. Sigh, where are all those librarians who were supposed to retire/die, ALA? Huh? Oh well, maybe I'll figure something else out in the meantime. Anyway, you don't read my blog for that kind of thing. Books!
Amityville Horror by Jay Anson.
I don't feel like I read enough horror stories and the movie was decent enough. I haven't read something cheesy in awhile either, so if it ends up headed in that direction I will not be overly disappointed.
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.
I added this to my list because Greg over at The New Dork Review of Books really liked it. And uh, I gotta say, this is a REALLY appealing cover to me. I think there must also be some nostalgia factor to this for me as well. Pet books in general bring me back to reading The Yearling which was my first real adult sized book and also the first that didn't make me feel like I was being patronized. It had complex topics and emotions and fully expected me to cope with them. So, yeah, I've been wanting to read this for almost a year now.
The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earth Worms by Amy Stewart.
I have always liked earth worms. My favorite thing to do is go outside after it's rained and just watch them. Their movements are so...earthy. And I find it interesting that a creature that moves so sensuously is hermaphroditic. I mean, if you translated those movements to a lithe young woman, you'd be calling her a slut in seconds and then rushing to find an ATM that dispenses dollar bills. Not to say that worms are sexy, but that are infinitely fascinating for a creature so basic and underfoot. It is easy to imagine that they are hiding something from us in their dark underground world.
The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore by Benjamin Hale.
I saw this on the shelves of the Kent Free Library when I was returning a DVD after visiting my fiance. It's the story of a chimpanzee who develops human-level communication as well as the ability to express deep thoughts and emotions. He falls in love with his researcher. I'm interested to see how far this book goes with this premise and how delicately it's handled. I could see this going from "aw" to "ew" very quickly...but then, how wrong is it to love an animal that reaches that level of sentience? I'll let you know if I was grossed out.
Uh... I had an interview on May 11th (today for me, not so much for you). I'm excited about the prospect of working again, even if it will only be part time and minimum wage. Sigh, where are all those librarians who were supposed to retire/die, ALA? Huh? Oh well, maybe I'll figure something else out in the meantime. Anyway, you don't read my blog for that kind of thing. Books!
Amityville Horror by Jay Anson.
I don't feel like I read enough horror stories and the movie was decent enough. I haven't read something cheesy in awhile either, so if it ends up headed in that direction I will not be overly disappointed.
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.
I added this to my list because Greg over at The New Dork Review of Books really liked it. And uh, I gotta say, this is a REALLY appealing cover to me. I think there must also be some nostalgia factor to this for me as well. Pet books in general bring me back to reading The Yearling which was my first real adult sized book and also the first that didn't make me feel like I was being patronized. It had complex topics and emotions and fully expected me to cope with them. So, yeah, I've been wanting to read this for almost a year now.
The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earth Worms by Amy Stewart.
I have always liked earth worms. My favorite thing to do is go outside after it's rained and just watch them. Their movements are so...earthy. And I find it interesting that a creature that moves so sensuously is hermaphroditic. I mean, if you translated those movements to a lithe young woman, you'd be calling her a slut in seconds and then rushing to find an ATM that dispenses dollar bills. Not to say that worms are sexy, but that are infinitely fascinating for a creature so basic and underfoot. It is easy to imagine that they are hiding something from us in their dark underground world.
The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore by Benjamin Hale.
I saw this on the shelves of the Kent Free Library when I was returning a DVD after visiting my fiance. It's the story of a chimpanzee who develops human-level communication as well as the ability to express deep thoughts and emotions. He falls in love with his researcher. I'm interested to see how far this book goes with this premise and how delicately it's handled. I could see this going from "aw" to "ew" very quickly...but then, how wrong is it to love an animal that reaches that level of sentience? I'll let you know if I was grossed out.
30 April 2011
Post 377: a general update
So I've been in Alabama for over a week now. The public library is not nearly as terrible as I first thought, but it is still much more limited than the library I'm used to. So I'll be participating more in various Bookswap sites. I'm already on Bookcrossing and I'll probably swap through Goodreads and maybe sign up with Paperbackswap as well. If anyone has book swapping sites you really like, let me know. I am interested. So, reading list.
Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condeleezza Rice.
I actually have a small secret crush on Condeleezza. I think she's a smart woman who made some unfortunate political choices. I think if I met her I'd like her and so I'm interested in what she has to say. Anyway, I first heard about this book on The Daily Show. She is absolutely charming and very well-spoken in the interview. She's the kind of person I'd love to have a cocktail or glass of white wine with.
Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail by Caitlin Kelly.
Miss Thang who had a hot journalism career loses her job and has to go into the retail world. It's a book about that.
S'mother: The Story of a Man, His Mom, and the Thousands of Altogether Insane Letters She's Mailed Him by Adam Chester.
Dude, I had to flip screens several times to make sure I got the subtitle right. Are you sure your mother is the crazy one? In any case, I feel your pain man. Crazy moms are hard to deal with, but thanks for the schadenfreude. Let's be friends and trade crazy mother jokes.
The Girl Who Was on Fire edited by Leah Wilson.
This is a collection of essays about The Hunger Games series. I really love deconstructions of novels and whatnot that add to the level of thought. Perhaps this means I need to join a book club and share ideas and things with a bunch of 30+ women. Which I am cool with. Anyone know of a good book club in Alabama? Bueller? Anyway, I was interested in this book, but not planning to go out of my way to get it when the PR person e-mailed me and I was all yeeeeeees!
The I Hate the 21st Century Reader: The Awful, Annoying and Absurd - From Ethnic Cleansing to Frankenscience edited by Nate Hardcastle.
Come on guys, you are breakin' my literary balls with these subtitles. I'm in a weird mood today, can you tell? Anyway I picked this up on a whim because I had book credits and why the hell not? Given that this was written in 2006, I wonder if it's as bad as predicted. Also, this era kind of sucks ass. Word.
The George Carlin Letters: The Permanent Courtship of Sally Wade by... Sally Wade (for some reason Carlin doesn't get a byline).
This a collection and reflection of all the sweet, smart, and sometimes smutty letters Carlin sent to long time girlfriend Sally Wade. I saw this in the grocery store and was happy and surprised to see that the library in Alabama actually carried it. I'm feeling a little lonely right now, so reading someone else's love letters is the perfect fix? Especially when it's from a man I greatly admire for his intellect and dirty, dirty mouth.
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri.
I once ordered this on Netflix and the first time the disk was sent to me it was all scratched up. Then I ordered it again and it was scratched again. So I guess the story must be pretty good because people are watching the hell out of the movie. But yeah, I like names, names are important, especially when you've named someone or something because of a particular significance. So I am interested.
On another note, I think I've decided to intersperse audiobook reflections in between regular posts assuming I'm not behind (which I am very much not since switching to this schedule). So you'll get a bonus post every now and again as I finish those up. Wooo! ... I need to go take my chill pill now.
Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condeleezza Rice.
I actually have a small secret crush on Condeleezza. I think she's a smart woman who made some unfortunate political choices. I think if I met her I'd like her and so I'm interested in what she has to say. Anyway, I first heard about this book on The Daily Show. She is absolutely charming and very well-spoken in the interview. She's the kind of person I'd love to have a cocktail or glass of white wine with.
Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail by Caitlin Kelly.
Miss Thang who had a hot journalism career loses her job and has to go into the retail world. It's a book about that.
S'mother: The Story of a Man, His Mom, and the Thousands of Altogether Insane Letters She's Mailed Him by Adam Chester.
Dude, I had to flip screens several times to make sure I got the subtitle right. Are you sure your mother is the crazy one? In any case, I feel your pain man. Crazy moms are hard to deal with, but thanks for the schadenfreude. Let's be friends and trade crazy mother jokes.
The Girl Who Was on Fire edited by Leah Wilson.
This is a collection of essays about The Hunger Games series. I really love deconstructions of novels and whatnot that add to the level of thought. Perhaps this means I need to join a book club and share ideas and things with a bunch of 30+ women. Which I am cool with. Anyone know of a good book club in Alabama? Bueller? Anyway, I was interested in this book, but not planning to go out of my way to get it when the PR person e-mailed me and I was all yeeeeeees!
The I Hate the 21st Century Reader: The Awful, Annoying and Absurd - From Ethnic Cleansing to Frankenscience edited by Nate Hardcastle.
Come on guys, you are breakin' my literary balls with these subtitles. I'm in a weird mood today, can you tell? Anyway I picked this up on a whim because I had book credits and why the hell not? Given that this was written in 2006, I wonder if it's as bad as predicted. Also, this era kind of sucks ass. Word.
The George Carlin Letters: The Permanent Courtship of Sally Wade by... Sally Wade (for some reason Carlin doesn't get a byline).
This a collection and reflection of all the sweet, smart, and sometimes smutty letters Carlin sent to long time girlfriend Sally Wade. I saw this in the grocery store and was happy and surprised to see that the library in Alabama actually carried it. I'm feeling a little lonely right now, so reading someone else's love letters is the perfect fix? Especially when it's from a man I greatly admire for his intellect and dirty, dirty mouth.
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri.
I once ordered this on Netflix and the first time the disk was sent to me it was all scratched up. Then I ordered it again and it was scratched again. So I guess the story must be pretty good because people are watching the hell out of the movie. But yeah, I like names, names are important, especially when you've named someone or something because of a particular significance. So I am interested.
On another note, I think I've decided to intersperse audiobook reflections in between regular posts assuming I'm not behind (which I am very much not since switching to this schedule). So you'll get a bonus post every now and again as I finish those up. Wooo! ... I need to go take my chill pill now.
13 April 2011
Post 371: a general update
If this was on your reader before, please ignore that. I apparently really cannot use a calendar because I was looking at 2012. Yeah. Okay, so I decided not to make you wait until Thursday for a general update, because that's just not fair. These will occasionally pop up in between regularly scheduled blog posts. Oh, and I decided not to read Invasion by Mercedes Lackey, et al., because I started the first three pages and couldn't stop wincing. Just a little too corny for my tastes. So I left it somewhere so it could torture please someone else. Also! I am moving. I am a huge failure mcfailureson, and because of this I am forced to do penance in Alabama. I have already checked out their library and...
Help. ;_;
I don't want to go, it's like an information desert out there. *sigh* Well, it just means I will have to be more creative with my book obtaining methods. On that note, I've signed up for Bookcrossing, so feel free to check out my wishlist there, or just look at my To-Read list in Goodreads. I'd be willing to set up a regular swap, although I don't buy books often. But if you're feeling generous and want to send me something, shoot me an email (acampb8@kent.edu) and I'll give you my mailing address.
Now that I'm done whining and begging, books!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
Yes, I am finally getting around to reading this. Shush, the wait for the eBook was something like 60+ people. I am not expecting to love it, but I at least hope I like it. Whether I continue with the series very much depends on whether I think it's worth it and whether or not I can get my hands on the next in the series for cheapo.
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore.
I freakin' love Christopher Moore, okay? And I will be all depressed when I move to Alabama, so... yeah, I need my irreverent Bible Thumber-jabbing quotes, alright? The last time you had to put up with a Moore book was all the way back in November, I think we can live with this.
Afterword: Conjuring the Literary Dead by Dale Salwak.
An ask and answer of, "If you could have a conversation with any dead author, who would it be?" etc. I've always sort of wondered what my answer to this question would be, and with so many recently dead authors this question has become even harder. Maybe I'll figure it out reading this, or maybe it will just add to the list.
I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive by Steve Earle.
I am fond of Steve Earle's music, so I figured I'd check out his writing. It's already been well received at Kirkus, and they tend to know their stuff.
The Cellar by A.J. Whitten.
I don't remember requesting this from Netgalley, but there it is so I musta done. Possibly I was attracted to the cover? Perhaps it was the monster angle hinted at in the blurb. We may never know, but I'm going to read the thing anyway.
Help. ;_;
I don't want to go, it's like an information desert out there. *sigh* Well, it just means I will have to be more creative with my book obtaining methods. On that note, I've signed up for Bookcrossing, so feel free to check out my wishlist there, or just look at my To-Read list in Goodreads. I'd be willing to set up a regular swap, although I don't buy books often. But if you're feeling generous and want to send me something, shoot me an email (acampb8@kent.edu) and I'll give you my mailing address.
Now that I'm done whining and begging, books!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
Yes, I am finally getting around to reading this. Shush, the wait for the eBook was something like 60+ people. I am not expecting to love it, but I at least hope I like it. Whether I continue with the series very much depends on whether I think it's worth it and whether or not I can get my hands on the next in the series for cheapo.
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore.
I freakin' love Christopher Moore, okay? And I will be all depressed when I move to Alabama, so... yeah, I need my irreverent Bible Thumber-jabbing quotes, alright? The last time you had to put up with a Moore book was all the way back in November, I think we can live with this.
Afterword: Conjuring the Literary Dead by Dale Salwak.
An ask and answer of, "If you could have a conversation with any dead author, who would it be?" etc. I've always sort of wondered what my answer to this question would be, and with so many recently dead authors this question has become even harder. Maybe I'll figure it out reading this, or maybe it will just add to the list.
I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive by Steve Earle.
I am fond of Steve Earle's music, so I figured I'd check out his writing. It's already been well received at Kirkus, and they tend to know their stuff.
The Cellar by A.J. Whitten.
I don't remember requesting this from Netgalley, but there it is so I musta done. Possibly I was attracted to the cover? Perhaps it was the monster angle hinted at in the blurb. We may never know, but I'm going to read the thing anyway.
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