Hey,
So Indeed there was no posting last week, however there was a reason. It may not be completely reasonable but it is the truth dear readers. And really this just between us right?
The story begins with last week where I found myself lost. I never lack for reading choices but I felt compelled to stir things up. As a constant reader, and because clearly I'm somewhat OCD, I enjoy creating elaborate systems/schedules/methods that will dictate what I grab from the TBR mountain.
In the past I've used the following organizational methods:
*Page Length-Shortest to longest
*Chronological-Oldest to Most recent
*Alphabetical by authors last name
*Subject
Then it can get more tricky:
*Type of book-paperback, trade, hardcover, other. Then Chronological.
*or then alphabetical by subject
*Or then alphabetical by authors last name...
As you can see it's pure madness really. I blame a dual career in Libraries and Book Stores for this craziness. These things are also to blame for the size of my TBR pile but I digress...
Anyway I find that I like to use one method for awhile and then change things up. Last week I was ready for a change. Hence a reorganization began! And I discovered that I really need to burn through some of these books. There's new piles folks...It's not good.
So after that long explanation here's the plan this week:
Reading List 10-19-2010 to 10-26-2010
Books
New Avengers Vol. 4
Two or Three Things I Know For Sure
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comic
Yes folks I have caught up on the new books. So it's time to dig into the Back Issues. Which is nice.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
Showing posts with label reading lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading lists. Show all posts
2009-12-22
Reading List 12/22/09-12/29/09
Hey,
Happy Holidays to you all!
Books
Risk by Colin Harrison
Audacity to Win by David Plouffe
Comics
Comics! Comics! Comics!
Magazines
Vanity Fair
Comic Pull List: Amazing Spider-Man #616, Criminal Sinners #3, Detective Comics #860, Fantastic Four #574, Garth Ennis Battlefields Happy Valley #1, Gotham City Sirens #7, Green Lantern #49, New Avengers #60, Northlanders #23, Powers (New) #2, Spider-Woman #4, Stand Soul Survivors #3, Superman #695, Wonder Woman #39
Happy Holidays! Book Slave.
Happy Holidays to you all!
Books
Risk by Colin Harrison
Audacity to Win by David Plouffe
Comics
Comics! Comics! Comics!
Magazines
Vanity Fair
Comic Pull List: Amazing Spider-Man #616, Criminal Sinners #3, Detective Comics #860, Fantastic Four #574, Garth Ennis Battlefields Happy Valley #1, Gotham City Sirens #7, Green Lantern #49, New Avengers #60, Northlanders #23, Powers (New) #2, Spider-Woman #4, Stand Soul Survivors #3, Superman #695, Wonder Woman #39
Happy Holidays! Book Slave.
2009-12-02
Making Lists: Best Books of the '00s
Hello,
Here we are at the end of the year. Which also means the end of the '00s. 2010 is quickly approaching. Now while that blows my mind, I guess you just have to roll with it. I started thinking back about the books I've read in the last 10 years.
Which also coincides with my years in book selling, strange eh? Well you can certainly tell that by how vast my book collection has grown. But I digress...
So here's a list of 10 books that I've read over the past decade that stand out in my mind. Now before we get started I do want to make this clear: There are many incredible books out there that I have not read yet. I'm sure that there are titles that would make this list that are sitting on my TBR pile as I type. There are also books that frankly I'm not interested in spending time on ie. Twilight so they're not on this list either. If that discredits me in your minds, well...this is a blog after all.
Alright here we go.
The Best Books of the '00s that I Have Read In No Particular Order
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1 (2000) by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill
A wonderful adventure that combines 19th century literary characters with a modern wit.
Past Review: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1
Northline (2008) by Willy Vlautin
Highly emotional story of redemption.
Past Review: Northline
Spanking the Donkey (2006) by Matt Taibbi
Savage discussion of the presidential election of 2004. Taibbi is the next Hunter Thompson.
Areas of My Expertise (2006) by John Hodgman
Amazing satire and humor. Laughed till tears were leaking out of my eyes.
Sex Drugs and Cocoa Puffs (2003) by Chuck Klosterman
A great collection of essays on pop culture. Fave essay: Klosterman's vendetta against Cold Play.
Fingersmith (2002) by Sarah Waters
Amazing mixture of Dickensian mystery and heart-breaking romance. I was shocked by the narrative twists.
Old School (2004) by Tobias Wolff
This is a great fiction novel that celebrates readers who love writers. Best depiction/discussion of Ayn Rand ever.
The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time (2003) by Mark Haddon
Great mystery and expert use of character P.O.V.
Atonement (2002) by Ian McEwan
This book is much more raw and savage then it's romantic reputation. I was so involved in this book while reading it on the train that I missed my stop. Still blown away by the final paragraph.
The Road (2006) by Cormac McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy has captured the enduring need for hope in a world filled with despair. Really, just read it.
Enjoy! Book Slave.
Here we are at the end of the year. Which also means the end of the '00s. 2010 is quickly approaching. Now while that blows my mind, I guess you just have to roll with it. I started thinking back about the books I've read in the last 10 years.
Which also coincides with my years in book selling, strange eh? Well you can certainly tell that by how vast my book collection has grown. But I digress...
So here's a list of 10 books that I've read over the past decade that stand out in my mind. Now before we get started I do want to make this clear: There are many incredible books out there that I have not read yet. I'm sure that there are titles that would make this list that are sitting on my TBR pile as I type. There are also books that frankly I'm not interested in spending time on ie. Twilight so they're not on this list either. If that discredits me in your minds, well...this is a blog after all.
Alright here we go.
The Best Books of the '00s that I Have Read In No Particular Order
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1 (2000) by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill
A wonderful adventure that combines 19th century literary characters with a modern wit.
Past Review: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1
Northline (2008) by Willy Vlautin
Highly emotional story of redemption.
Past Review: Northline
Spanking the Donkey (2006) by Matt Taibbi
Savage discussion of the presidential election of 2004. Taibbi is the next Hunter Thompson.
Areas of My Expertise (2006) by John Hodgman
Amazing satire and humor. Laughed till tears were leaking out of my eyes.
Sex Drugs and Cocoa Puffs (2003) by Chuck Klosterman
A great collection of essays on pop culture. Fave essay: Klosterman's vendetta against Cold Play.
Fingersmith (2002) by Sarah Waters
Amazing mixture of Dickensian mystery and heart-breaking romance. I was shocked by the narrative twists.
Old School (2004) by Tobias Wolff
This is a great fiction novel that celebrates readers who love writers. Best depiction/discussion of Ayn Rand ever.
The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time (2003) by Mark Haddon
Great mystery and expert use of character P.O.V.
Atonement (2002) by Ian McEwan
This book is much more raw and savage then it's romantic reputation. I was so involved in this book while reading it on the train that I missed my stop. Still blown away by the final paragraph.
The Road (2006) by Cormac McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy has captured the enduring need for hope in a world filled with despair. Really, just read it.
Enjoy! Book Slave.
2009-09-30
Beware the Thought Police
Hello All,
It's been a crazy week for me. Myself and two other fine gentlemen did a presentation about Graphic Novels and it went smashingly. Of course me being me, I had to put a massive amount of work into it. Sometimes I really wish I was one of those people who settle for the mediocre at work. Put no, I have to be the best. So I didn't really get any reading done this week. However I do have something to rant about so feel free to sit back and enjoy.
Anyone who follows the book blogs knows that it's Banned Books Week. As a public librarian I know that this is a big deal. Year after year it becomes one of those things that folks shake their fists at and shout "How dare you?" whenever the idea of banned literature is mentioned. Librarians, booksellers, and readers in general pat themselves on the back. Displays are set up so readers can shake their heads and say "I didn't think this was still done."
Here's where I'm going to say something that may stir the small readership of this blog. For all the individuals who I hear all the time who rail against the idea of banned books, I think that are an equal amount of folks who are perfectly fine with the idea. This must be true because the ALA faces book challenges all the time. Of course these challenges are always made in order to either 1) protect the children, or 2) protect the morals of the community. Now public libraries are run by government funding, hence citizens feel that they have a free say in what a library carries. This is worthy of debate. How much obligation does the common citizen have on the morality of it's community? I say none. The only obligation that I have is to my own moral code. It's the actions that I decide to take, not what I think in my mind.
Then there's the Law. Here in the U.S. we as a citizenry have decided that there are certain actions that an individual cannot do in order for us all to live together. I'm down with that, as long as none of that involves telling me how to think. I'm okay with crossing the street when the light is green, as long as a world of extreme anarchy can exist in my head.
Now I can tell you from experience that librarians take their jobs seriously. Collection development is not a joke. If a book contains material that is illegal ie. child pornography then it doesn't make it to the shelf. Why? Because as a society we have decided that child pornography is illegal. You also won't find pornographic magazines in the library I work for because they just end up getting stolen. And because in my state it is the law that pornography has to be kept out of view of kids. Again it's the law. At my library we take this very seriously.
I still cannot figure out why there are groups of people who believe they have a greater right to decide what I can read. Have they forgotten that the word "public" involves all of us? I may think that Twilight is tripe, however I would not tell someone that they have no right to read it. The great thing about a public library is that it is open to everyone. Yep that means "everyone." Until we as a community decide differently then every book has value. From Mein Kampf to the Bible to Huckleberry Finn. I would never tell anyone that they have no right to read a certain book. Why do others feel they have the right to tell me? Because in the end they feel they are morally superior. I wish they would stop. And then there would be no Banned Books Week and we'd all be better off.
Reading List
Books
Preacher
Arkham Asylum
Magazines
Newsweek
Comics
Gotham Sirens #4
Check Out Count: Lower than it's been in forever.
Comic Pull List:Amazing Spider-Man #607, Gotham City Sirens #4, Green Lantern #46, Runaways 3 #14, Superman #692, Wonder Woman #36
Have a great week! Book Slave.
It's been a crazy week for me. Myself and two other fine gentlemen did a presentation about Graphic Novels and it went smashingly. Of course me being me, I had to put a massive amount of work into it. Sometimes I really wish I was one of those people who settle for the mediocre at work. Put no, I have to be the best. So I didn't really get any reading done this week. However I do have something to rant about so feel free to sit back and enjoy.
Anyone who follows the book blogs knows that it's Banned Books Week. As a public librarian I know that this is a big deal. Year after year it becomes one of those things that folks shake their fists at and shout "How dare you?" whenever the idea of banned literature is mentioned. Librarians, booksellers, and readers in general pat themselves on the back. Displays are set up so readers can shake their heads and say "I didn't think this was still done."
Here's where I'm going to say something that may stir the small readership of this blog. For all the individuals who I hear all the time who rail against the idea of banned books, I think that are an equal amount of folks who are perfectly fine with the idea. This must be true because the ALA faces book challenges all the time. Of course these challenges are always made in order to either 1) protect the children, or 2) protect the morals of the community. Now public libraries are run by government funding, hence citizens feel that they have a free say in what a library carries. This is worthy of debate. How much obligation does the common citizen have on the morality of it's community? I say none. The only obligation that I have is to my own moral code. It's the actions that I decide to take, not what I think in my mind.
Then there's the Law. Here in the U.S. we as a citizenry have decided that there are certain actions that an individual cannot do in order for us all to live together. I'm down with that, as long as none of that involves telling me how to think. I'm okay with crossing the street when the light is green, as long as a world of extreme anarchy can exist in my head.
Now I can tell you from experience that librarians take their jobs seriously. Collection development is not a joke. If a book contains material that is illegal ie. child pornography then it doesn't make it to the shelf. Why? Because as a society we have decided that child pornography is illegal. You also won't find pornographic magazines in the library I work for because they just end up getting stolen. And because in my state it is the law that pornography has to be kept out of view of kids. Again it's the law. At my library we take this very seriously.
I still cannot figure out why there are groups of people who believe they have a greater right to decide what I can read. Have they forgotten that the word "public" involves all of us? I may think that Twilight is tripe, however I would not tell someone that they have no right to read it. The great thing about a public library is that it is open to everyone. Yep that means "everyone." Until we as a community decide differently then every book has value. From Mein Kampf to the Bible to Huckleberry Finn. I would never tell anyone that they have no right to read a certain book. Why do others feel they have the right to tell me? Because in the end they feel they are morally superior. I wish they would stop. And then there would be no Banned Books Week and we'd all be better off.
Reading List
Books
Preacher
Arkham Asylum
Magazines
Newsweek
Comics
Gotham Sirens #4
Check Out Count: Lower than it's been in forever.
Comic Pull List:Amazing Spider-Man #607, Gotham City Sirens #4, Green Lantern #46, Runaways 3 #14, Superman #692, Wonder Woman #36
Have a great week! Book Slave.
2009-07-09
Take it Easy
Hello,
I hope you all had an excellent holiday weekend here in the states. I did. Good times, bbq, and family, were all available to be had. In the whereabouts that I reside it has become a sweat lodge and I've received my first major sunburn. Must remember to find the shady tree to read under.
So after last week's review-extravaganza today we are taking it easy. Recently I was captured by Newsweek's What To Read Now issue. I like to think of myself as a well-read individual but I was woefully humbled. I'll definitely be taking a look at some of these titles in the upcoming months. There's also some other cool essays and articles. I particularly enjoy the essays by Jon Meacham and David Gates where they extol the virtues of re-reading.
I wish I could re-read more often. It's great to be able to look at text from a new point of view based on life experience. I had this happen when I re-read My Antonia a while ago. As a highschooler I was caught up in the will-they or won't they romance between the lead characters. However 10 years later when I opened it again I was struck by how this story is more about the strong immigrant women who built their lives from nothing. I wonder what I will see in the text a few years from now, most likely something new. Gotta love a rich text. So it's definitely worth checking out the July 13 issue of Newsweek. Good job again editor Jon Meacham.
Well onward!
Review
Batman Private Casebook
This was a collection of issues from the latest run of Paul Dini's work on Batman Detective. This was a re-read for me because I had read the issues as they came out. I came back to it because lately I've been obsessed with Batman's female characters such as Cat Woman, Zatanna, and the Birds of Prey. These issues are so good, Dini is the best at writing stories that contrasts the differences between Bruce Wayne as a human vs. Bruce Wayne as Batman. In his interactions with Cat Woman and Zatanna as a reader Dini explores the loneliness of being Batman. Other than Alfred and Tim, Bruce is unable to lead a normal life due to his commitment to protect Gotham. Even when he's out "being Bruce Wayne" at a society party he is kidnapped. It is like the evil of Gotham is drawn to him no matter what. Dini gets that. Also want to throw some props out to artist Dustin Nguyen who is an incredible artist. I love his work on the Batman series.
The Reading List
Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies
Escapist
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comics
Wednesday Comics #1
Comic Pull List: Batman #688, Bprd 1947 #1, Green Arrow Black Canary #22, Green Lantern #43, Red Robin #2, Stand American Nightmares #4, Superman World Of New Krypton #5, Wednesday Comics #1
Check out count: Eh?
Have a great week! Bookslave.
I hope you all had an excellent holiday weekend here in the states. I did. Good times, bbq, and family, were all available to be had. In the whereabouts that I reside it has become a sweat lodge and I've received my first major sunburn. Must remember to find the shady tree to read under.
So after last week's review-extravaganza today we are taking it easy. Recently I was captured by Newsweek's What To Read Now issue. I like to think of myself as a well-read individual but I was woefully humbled. I'll definitely be taking a look at some of these titles in the upcoming months. There's also some other cool essays and articles. I particularly enjoy the essays by Jon Meacham and David Gates where they extol the virtues of re-reading.
I wish I could re-read more often. It's great to be able to look at text from a new point of view based on life experience. I had this happen when I re-read My Antonia a while ago. As a highschooler I was caught up in the will-they or won't they romance between the lead characters. However 10 years later when I opened it again I was struck by how this story is more about the strong immigrant women who built their lives from nothing. I wonder what I will see in the text a few years from now, most likely something new. Gotta love a rich text. So it's definitely worth checking out the July 13 issue of Newsweek. Good job again editor Jon Meacham.
Well onward!
Review
Batman Private Casebook
This was a collection of issues from the latest run of Paul Dini's work on Batman Detective. This was a re-read for me because I had read the issues as they came out. I came back to it because lately I've been obsessed with Batman's female characters such as Cat Woman, Zatanna, and the Birds of Prey. These issues are so good, Dini is the best at writing stories that contrasts the differences between Bruce Wayne as a human vs. Bruce Wayne as Batman. In his interactions with Cat Woman and Zatanna as a reader Dini explores the loneliness of being Batman. Other than Alfred and Tim, Bruce is unable to lead a normal life due to his commitment to protect Gotham. Even when he's out "being Bruce Wayne" at a society party he is kidnapped. It is like the evil of Gotham is drawn to him no matter what. Dini gets that. Also want to throw some props out to artist Dustin Nguyen who is an incredible artist. I love his work on the Batman series.
The Reading List
Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies
Escapist
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comics
Wednesday Comics #1
Comic Pull List: Batman #688, Bprd 1947 #1, Green Arrow Black Canary #22, Green Lantern #43, Red Robin #2, Stand American Nightmares #4, Superman World Of New Krypton #5, Wednesday Comics #1
Check out count: Eh?
Have a great week! Bookslave.
2009-02-24
Joker, Manga, and Girls on Fridges
Hello,
Howse it hanging cyberworld? I hope you've all had a great week. I was consumed all weekend by movies (I am a cinemaniac) but I did still manage to get some reading in. I enjoyed the Oscar ceremony, all though there sure was a lot of singing and dancing. But I loved Hugh, we're on a first name basis, and his enthusiasm.
Tonight I went to my Book Club. This month we moved upstairs and sat in our own high back chairs at a table. It was a nice change. We were somewhat secluded and literally surrounded by books. Unfortunately there is one guy who came tonight who likes to dominate the group. He kinda looks and talks like Seth Rogen, so I'll refer to him as Seth. Seth likes to talk, tell personal stories, and compare everything to David Foster Wallace. Seth gets a bit on my nerves, but then again maybe I get on other people's nerves. I don't know. Anyway this is the second time he's appeared in 6 months, so I guess we'll see him next in August. Otherwise it was a good time. I invite y'all to come down, all the info can be found here. There's a review of the Book Club book The Girl on the Fridge below.
Reviews
The Joker
This original graphic novel came out last fall but I haven't picked it up until now. Cynical folk would say that DC is trying to capitalize on the popularity of the Joker post-Dark Knight. However I highly doubt that writer Brian Azzarello and artist Lee Bermejo care at all about making any commercial product. This book is as dirty, grimy, and sick as Gotham City itself. The art/writing style is wonderfully noir as we follow how small time crook Jonny Frost latches onto The Joker. See Joker just got out of Arkham and now he wants to reclaim his crime kingdom. I really enjoyed this book. Azzarello is the perfect choice to write this noir/psychological examination. This reminded me of a controversial issue of Batman that also focused on the crazy mindset of Joker. Joker is a man who sees himself as death, so he's not afraid of dying. His unpredictability makes him the craziest supervillian in comics. Check this out.
Other Reviews
Comics Bulletin | ICv2 | Comic Book Resources
Death Note Vol. 1
After last week's Monster I thought I'd try another manga. While Death Note does have some fantasy elements, I was struck again by the realistic story-telling. The fantastical elements include a notebook where if you write someone's name in it and picture there face they'll die. A teenage student named Light finds a Death Note, as the notebook is called, and decides to kill all the criminals. In his mind he'll create a Utopia of which he'll take over as ruler. Again there is strong questions of morality like I saw in Monster. I was impressed by the discussion of whether Light's intentions are really righteous or self-serving. Also there's a strong chase element as Light eludes the NPG, Japanese FBI, and master detective L. Det. L is a mysterious figure whom we never see their face, just literally the letter L from a computer. This was very enjoyable and smart, I think I'll read some more.
Other Reviews
Pop Culture Shock | IGN | about.com
Girl on the Fridge
I highly enjoyed this collection of short stories from Etgar Keret. He is an Israeli author who focuses on very short vignettes and character portraits. The book reads very quickly as the longest story is 6 pages, and most stories average 2 pages. Keret's stories contain a mix of humor, poignancy, and fantastical elements. In fact they are so short that I lost track of some of the stories in the middle. It is admirable how lean Keret's writing is, he doesn't spare a word. In 600 words he can say more than some author's do in 600 pages. So check this out, I'll definitely be trying some of his other collections.
Other Reviews
New York Times | Pop Matters | Book Forum
The Reading List
Books
Doubt
Poems of Robert Graves
Magazine
Vanity Fair
Comic
Captain Britain and the M13
Check Out Count: Eh.
Comic Pull List: Dynamo 5 #20, Garth Ennis Battlefields Dear Billy #2, Green Lantern #38, Mouse Guard Winter 1152 #5, New Avengers #50, Runaways 3 #7, Superman #685, Trinity #39, Umbrella Academy Dallas #4, Wonder Woman #29
Have a great week! Book Slave.
Howse it hanging cyberworld? I hope you've all had a great week. I was consumed all weekend by movies (I am a cinemaniac) but I did still manage to get some reading in. I enjoyed the Oscar ceremony, all though there sure was a lot of singing and dancing. But I loved Hugh, we're on a first name basis, and his enthusiasm.
Tonight I went to my Book Club. This month we moved upstairs and sat in our own high back chairs at a table. It was a nice change. We were somewhat secluded and literally surrounded by books. Unfortunately there is one guy who came tonight who likes to dominate the group. He kinda looks and talks like Seth Rogen, so I'll refer to him as Seth. Seth likes to talk, tell personal stories, and compare everything to David Foster Wallace. Seth gets a bit on my nerves, but then again maybe I get on other people's nerves. I don't know. Anyway this is the second time he's appeared in 6 months, so I guess we'll see him next in August. Otherwise it was a good time. I invite y'all to come down, all the info can be found here. There's a review of the Book Club book The Girl on the Fridge below.
Reviews
The Joker
This original graphic novel came out last fall but I haven't picked it up until now. Cynical folk would say that DC is trying to capitalize on the popularity of the Joker post-Dark Knight. However I highly doubt that writer Brian Azzarello and artist Lee Bermejo care at all about making any commercial product. This book is as dirty, grimy, and sick as Gotham City itself. The art/writing style is wonderfully noir as we follow how small time crook Jonny Frost latches onto The Joker. See Joker just got out of Arkham and now he wants to reclaim his crime kingdom. I really enjoyed this book. Azzarello is the perfect choice to write this noir/psychological examination. This reminded me of a controversial issue of Batman that also focused on the crazy mindset of Joker. Joker is a man who sees himself as death, so he's not afraid of dying. His unpredictability makes him the craziest supervillian in comics. Check this out.
Other Reviews
Comics Bulletin | ICv2 | Comic Book Resources
Death Note Vol. 1
After last week's Monster I thought I'd try another manga. While Death Note does have some fantasy elements, I was struck again by the realistic story-telling. The fantastical elements include a notebook where if you write someone's name in it and picture there face they'll die. A teenage student named Light finds a Death Note, as the notebook is called, and decides to kill all the criminals. In his mind he'll create a Utopia of which he'll take over as ruler. Again there is strong questions of morality like I saw in Monster. I was impressed by the discussion of whether Light's intentions are really righteous or self-serving. Also there's a strong chase element as Light eludes the NPG, Japanese FBI, and master detective L. Det. L is a mysterious figure whom we never see their face, just literally the letter L from a computer. This was very enjoyable and smart, I think I'll read some more.
Other Reviews
Pop Culture Shock | IGN | about.com
Girl on the Fridge
I highly enjoyed this collection of short stories from Etgar Keret. He is an Israeli author who focuses on very short vignettes and character portraits. The book reads very quickly as the longest story is 6 pages, and most stories average 2 pages. Keret's stories contain a mix of humor, poignancy, and fantastical elements. In fact they are so short that I lost track of some of the stories in the middle. It is admirable how lean Keret's writing is, he doesn't spare a word. In 600 words he can say more than some author's do in 600 pages. So check this out, I'll definitely be trying some of his other collections.
Other Reviews
New York Times | Pop Matters | Book Forum
The Reading List
Books
Doubt
Poems of Robert Graves
Magazine
Vanity Fair
Comic
Captain Britain and the M13
Check Out Count: Eh.
Comic Pull List: Dynamo 5 #20, Garth Ennis Battlefields Dear Billy #2, Green Lantern #38, Mouse Guard Winter 1152 #5, New Avengers #50, Runaways 3 #7, Superman #685, Trinity #39, Umbrella Academy Dallas #4, Wonder Woman #29
Have a great week! Book Slave.
2009-01-27
Catching up: Part 1
Hello,
Howse it hanging? I may have been MIA last week (Sundancing, remember?) but this week I'm back full force. Tonight I attended my book club and it was pretty great. Moderator Zach Sampinos brought in some fun treats, as well as drinks. He's also got a keen mind and is very prepared with discussion. We discussed South by South Bronx (see review below) and an enjoyable hour was spent. If you are free the last Tuesday night of the month @ 6:30 pm come on down to Sam Weller's in SLC. Hey I'll be there.
Talking about events this week the ABA, American Booksellers Association, is coming to town. There Winter Institute Conference will be going on and my store is a major site. I'm invited to some events since I am a very important person (well in my own mind). Hopefully I'll be able to meet some other cool bookseller folk. Or at least take advantage of the open bar. Either way it should be cool, I'll let you know how it goes.
Well because I have two weeks of books to talk about I'll be splitting up the reviews into two parts. So here's part one.
Reviews
South by South Bronx
This was a book club pick and it took a while for it to grow on me. The first 100 pages are disorientated and confusing but then the two narratives came into focus. I think Rodriquez meant this to mirror the state of our characters. The real story for me is the relationship between these two battered souls, Alex and Ava. As we go along it becomes clear that Ava is meant to be a redemptive character, a muse, and femme fatale. Her catalystic function in this story was very interesting. I also enjoyed how Rodriquez emphasized the Puerto Rican regionalism of the South Bronx. As someone who is very white and lives in a very white culture, this book provides a window into a different world.
The mystery/noir elements are fairly traditional. In fact some parts of this book could take place in the 30s and not much would change. Mysterious girl meets damaged man, they struggle to figure out each other's motives, and ultimately end up saving each other. Oh yeah and there's some stolen money. Of course all of this is very familiar. However Rodriguez plays in this novel with multiple narratives, pictures, and different typography. He reworks the standard noir story with post-modern technique. This shows a continuation of experimentation in modern fiction narrative that we've seen over the last few years. I say bring it on.
Other Reviews
Feminist Review| La Bloga
American Sublime & Antebellum Dream Book
When I heard that Elizabeth Alexander was asked to write & recite a work for Barack Obama's inauguration I sought out her other works. As I've talked about before I enjoy hearing and reading poetry, especially post-modernist works. Also there have only been two inaugural poets, Robert Frost and Maya Angelou, so to be chosen is a major honor. So I read her collections American Sublime and Antebellum Dream Book before the inauguration on Jan 20. I wanted to get a sense of what to expect from Alexander. Her best work in these collections are series that focus on race in America. I particularly enjoyed "Passing", and the series "Amistad". Alexander's work is lean, uses modern imagery, and quiet phrasing, to get her thoughts across. She is lyrical and powerful, rather than be angry and in your face. She keeps the amount of finger pointing to a minimum which I greatly appreciated. Her work was impressive and I think I'll seek out some of her other volumes.
Here's a link to her website and footage of her inaugural reading. I thought it was great and really brought the significance of the day into focus.
Official Site: Elizabeth Alexander
The Reading List
Books
Understanding Comics
League of Extraordinary Gentleman: Black Dossier
Comics
Captain Britain
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comic Pull List: Batman #685, Daredevil #115, Final Crisis #7, Garth Ennis Battlefields Dear Billy #1, New Avengers #49, Northlanders #14, Runaways 3 #6, Stand Captain Trips #5, Superman #684, Terry Moores Echo #9, Trinity #35, Umbrella Academy Dallas #3, Wonder Woman #28
Check Out Count: Whoo-eee!
Look out for Part 2 in a few days. Enjoy! Book Slave.
Howse it hanging? I may have been MIA last week (Sundancing, remember?) but this week I'm back full force. Tonight I attended my book club and it was pretty great. Moderator Zach Sampinos brought in some fun treats, as well as drinks. He's also got a keen mind and is very prepared with discussion. We discussed South by South Bronx (see review below) and an enjoyable hour was spent. If you are free the last Tuesday night of the month @ 6:30 pm come on down to Sam Weller's in SLC. Hey I'll be there.
Talking about events this week the ABA, American Booksellers Association, is coming to town. There Winter Institute Conference will be going on and my store is a major site. I'm invited to some events since I am a very important person (well in my own mind). Hopefully I'll be able to meet some other cool bookseller folk. Or at least take advantage of the open bar. Either way it should be cool, I'll let you know how it goes.
Well because I have two weeks of books to talk about I'll be splitting up the reviews into two parts. So here's part one.
Reviews
South by South Bronx
This was a book club pick and it took a while for it to grow on me. The first 100 pages are disorientated and confusing but then the two narratives came into focus. I think Rodriquez meant this to mirror the state of our characters. The real story for me is the relationship between these two battered souls, Alex and Ava. As we go along it becomes clear that Ava is meant to be a redemptive character, a muse, and femme fatale. Her catalystic function in this story was very interesting. I also enjoyed how Rodriquez emphasized the Puerto Rican regionalism of the South Bronx. As someone who is very white and lives in a very white culture, this book provides a window into a different world.
The mystery/noir elements are fairly traditional. In fact some parts of this book could take place in the 30s and not much would change. Mysterious girl meets damaged man, they struggle to figure out each other's motives, and ultimately end up saving each other. Oh yeah and there's some stolen money. Of course all of this is very familiar. However Rodriguez plays in this novel with multiple narratives, pictures, and different typography. He reworks the standard noir story with post-modern technique. This shows a continuation of experimentation in modern fiction narrative that we've seen over the last few years. I say bring it on.
Other Reviews
Feminist Review| La Bloga
American Sublime & Antebellum Dream Book
When I heard that Elizabeth Alexander was asked to write & recite a work for Barack Obama's inauguration I sought out her other works. As I've talked about before I enjoy hearing and reading poetry, especially post-modernist works. Also there have only been two inaugural poets, Robert Frost and Maya Angelou, so to be chosen is a major honor. So I read her collections American Sublime and Antebellum Dream Book before the inauguration on Jan 20. I wanted to get a sense of what to expect from Alexander. Her best work in these collections are series that focus on race in America. I particularly enjoyed "Passing", and the series "Amistad". Alexander's work is lean, uses modern imagery, and quiet phrasing, to get her thoughts across. She is lyrical and powerful, rather than be angry and in your face. She keeps the amount of finger pointing to a minimum which I greatly appreciated. Her work was impressive and I think I'll seek out some of her other volumes.
Here's a link to her website and footage of her inaugural reading. I thought it was great and really brought the significance of the day into focus.
Official Site: Elizabeth Alexander
The Reading List
Books
Understanding Comics
League of Extraordinary Gentleman: Black Dossier
Comics
Captain Britain
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comic Pull List: Batman #685, Daredevil #115, Final Crisis #7, Garth Ennis Battlefields Dear Billy #1, New Avengers #49, Northlanders #14, Runaways 3 #6, Stand Captain Trips #5, Superman #684, Terry Moores Echo #9, Trinity #35, Umbrella Academy Dallas #3, Wonder Woman #28
Check Out Count: Whoo-eee!
Look out for Part 2 in a few days. Enjoy! Book Slave.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)