Hey Folks,
Don't worry I'm still alive! This summer is a very busy thing for your humble reader/blogger. This week I had the chance to sit back and dive back into the wonderful magical world of the reading experience. That respite was a moment of sweet salvation from a very hectic time. It was a great reminder that no matter how crazy the world can get (and it can get crazy), there's a place that you can escape to. Reading is not about just "getting thru it." It's not about getting the slate clean. Even when you have "homework" if what you are reading is well-written then it's not "work." Literature, books, the written word, whatever you want to call it, should be a joy. Let's not forget.
Alright, stepping down from my personal pillory, here's the plan this week.
Reading List 7/27-8/3
Books
Battle of the Labyrinth
Batwoman: Elegy
Comics
A gorgeous stack of goodness.
Magazine
Four Four Two-World Cup Wrap Up.
Google Reader Catch Up Continues. It's at the point where it's not 1000+ which constitutes a lot of hard work folks.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
Showing posts with label reading habits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading habits. Show all posts
2010-06-10
Bounce, Bounce, Bounce.
Hey folks,
I hope you are all having a great week. Either by happenstance or fate Thursday has become "Bounce" Day for me. What do I mean? Well first of all a confession: I am a book hoarder. It's true. I tend to let books stack up and create massive TBR piles. This was a big problem when I worked in the book selling biz because I spent a billion dollars on books then I let them sit for longer then 5 years untouched. It's ridiculous.
Becoming financially destitute put an end to that problem. However in many ways I transferred it over to the library. Working at a library has very few privileges. Considering that I have homeless folk curse my name and then beg for computer time to play Farmville, well you gotta enjoy the small things. One of those things is the ability to check out materials. But then again those can also stack up in destructive ways.
Now I've worked very hard in the last 6 mos. to whack my check out count to a reasonable level. But it's still hard to let things go. So on Thursdays I've sat down and looked thru my library stack, figured out what I've had the longest and then I read a chapter. If it doesn't capture me, then it's time for it to go back. If I find myself caught up in the story then I'll keep reading the book, and end up finishing it. And then it can go back. Now this does take away from my normal reading schedule but I've found it to be invaluable. Too many book stacks and I really will end up seeming like the crazy hermit that I already am.
Will I ever have the self-control to keep the book stacks at a reasonable level? Hard to say, I guess we'll just see. So enjoy! Book Slave.
I hope you are all having a great week. Either by happenstance or fate Thursday has become "Bounce" Day for me. What do I mean? Well first of all a confession: I am a book hoarder. It's true. I tend to let books stack up and create massive TBR piles. This was a big problem when I worked in the book selling biz because I spent a billion dollars on books then I let them sit for longer then 5 years untouched. It's ridiculous.
Becoming financially destitute put an end to that problem. However in many ways I transferred it over to the library. Working at a library has very few privileges. Considering that I have homeless folk curse my name and then beg for computer time to play Farmville, well you gotta enjoy the small things. One of those things is the ability to check out materials. But then again those can also stack up in destructive ways.
Now I've worked very hard in the last 6 mos. to whack my check out count to a reasonable level. But it's still hard to let things go. So on Thursdays I've sat down and looked thru my library stack, figured out what I've had the longest and then I read a chapter. If it doesn't capture me, then it's time for it to go back. If I find myself caught up in the story then I'll keep reading the book, and end up finishing it. And then it can go back. Now this does take away from my normal reading schedule but I've found it to be invaluable. Too many book stacks and I really will end up seeming like the crazy hermit that I already am.
Will I ever have the self-control to keep the book stacks at a reasonable level? Hard to say, I guess we'll just see. So enjoy! Book Slave.
2010-04-19
Prelude to Hell: Nicholas Sparks
Hey folks,
Confession time: I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book. I try my best not to be a snob, but I've felt that his writing is just something that I don't have time for. Romance is not my favorite genre to begin with, and the fact that he's unmitigantly sappy, well I have decided to pass. Now just to be clear I do not have a heart of stone. But I'd rather have my love stories be realistic and witty. I have to believe in the characters in order to become invested in their emotional plight. Otherwise I just roll my eyes and move on.
However last month Sparks gave a wonderfully horrible interview in USA Today with teen darling Miley Cyrus. In this interview Sparks proceeded to do the following:
-Compare himself to Ernest Hemingway, Jane Austen, and Shakespeare.
-State: "Nobody writes stories like mine."
-Also states: "I don't write romance novels." His preferred terminology: "Love stories — it's a very different genre."
-Also: "A Farewell to Arms, by Hemingway. Good stuff. That's what I write," he says.
-Cite his own book A Walk to Remember as a seminal coming of age story. Then state that "well everyone has to say To Kill A Mockingbird" as if it were an afterthought.
-Trashes Cormac McCarthy, specifically Blood Meridian.
Well to read more, just click here.
After reading the interview I was a bit stunned. I had no idea that Nick Sparks was that big an ass. In one interview he managed to anger a major part of his audience: female authors and their readers. Seriously, why would you do that? If he doesn't want to be equated with the romance genre, then why use tragic love stories as the center to all your plots. And what's wrong with the romance genre? It's only been a major literary industry since the dawn of time. Romance readers are relentlessly loyal and will follow their writers to other genres. This phenomenon spawned the female literary movement which became known as "chick-lit." Sparks is noticeably distancing himself from a major genre that feeds into his readership. In my opinion this is a disasterous mistake.
Again I don't like making judgments based on something or someone whose work I haven't read myself. Hence, consider this a introduction to a three-part series over the next few weeks where I subject myself to the works of the son of Hemingway, Nicholas Sparks.
Enjoy! Book Slave.
Confession time: I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book. I try my best not to be a snob, but I've felt that his writing is just something that I don't have time for. Romance is not my favorite genre to begin with, and the fact that he's unmitigantly sappy, well I have decided to pass. Now just to be clear I do not have a heart of stone. But I'd rather have my love stories be realistic and witty. I have to believe in the characters in order to become invested in their emotional plight. Otherwise I just roll my eyes and move on.
However last month Sparks gave a wonderfully horrible interview in USA Today with teen darling Miley Cyrus. In this interview Sparks proceeded to do the following:
-Compare himself to Ernest Hemingway, Jane Austen, and Shakespeare.
-State: "Nobody writes stories like mine."
-Also states: "I don't write romance novels." His preferred terminology: "Love stories — it's a very different genre."
-Also: "A Farewell to Arms, by Hemingway. Good stuff. That's what I write," he says.
-Cite his own book A Walk to Remember as a seminal coming of age story. Then state that "well everyone has to say To Kill A Mockingbird" as if it were an afterthought.
-Trashes Cormac McCarthy, specifically Blood Meridian.
Well to read more, just click here.
After reading the interview I was a bit stunned. I had no idea that Nick Sparks was that big an ass. In one interview he managed to anger a major part of his audience: female authors and their readers. Seriously, why would you do that? If he doesn't want to be equated with the romance genre, then why use tragic love stories as the center to all your plots. And what's wrong with the romance genre? It's only been a major literary industry since the dawn of time. Romance readers are relentlessly loyal and will follow their writers to other genres. This phenomenon spawned the female literary movement which became known as "chick-lit." Sparks is noticeably distancing himself from a major genre that feeds into his readership. In my opinion this is a disasterous mistake.
Again I don't like making judgments based on something or someone whose work I haven't read myself. Hence, consider this a introduction to a three-part series over the next few weeks where I subject myself to the works of the son of Hemingway, Nicholas Sparks.
Enjoy! Book Slave.
2009-12-20
Some Babbling Regarding Next Year
Hey,
Don't you hate it when you know that you need to finish a book but you just can't. I'll just have to push through Audacity to Win. Being a political junkie it's feeding all my needs in that regard. However the book is due folks! And I also have 8 billion other things I want to read before the end of the year. Oh the frustration!
I find this happens far too often. Maybe next year I'll have to make a reassessment of my priorities. Should I focus on books that I own? or books that are due back to my library? Should I pass up good stuff even if I never get a chance to look at it again? Also life does end up interceding on occasion. I am taking a major exam soon, and hopefully grad school will follow that. What to do? Well I'll figure it out. It always ends up balancing itself out in the end.
Ultimately I look forward to 2010, and don't worry I haven't given up on this blogging thing yet.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
Don't you hate it when you know that you need to finish a book but you just can't. I'll just have to push through Audacity to Win. Being a political junkie it's feeding all my needs in that regard. However the book is due folks! And I also have 8 billion other things I want to read before the end of the year. Oh the frustration!
I find this happens far too often. Maybe next year I'll have to make a reassessment of my priorities. Should I focus on books that I own? or books that are due back to my library? Should I pass up good stuff even if I never get a chance to look at it again? Also life does end up interceding on occasion. I am taking a major exam soon, and hopefully grad school will follow that. What to do? Well I'll figure it out. It always ends up balancing itself out in the end.
Ultimately I look forward to 2010, and don't worry I haven't given up on this blogging thing yet.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
2009-12-19
Reading Plays.
Hey,
This is long delayed due to tech delays and the busyness of the world. Enjoy!
Reading Plays: Pitfalls and Epiphanies
As I've written before, ever since I was a high school theater geek I started reading plays. Now conventional wisdom does say that plays are meant to be seen rather than read. However I live in a place where often it's a few years before I'll get the chance to see a play. Ever since I first heard of it during it's Broadway run, I was desperate to know what Angels in America was all about. But I also knew that it was going to be a long while before I got a chance to see it. Luckily I was able to find a copy at the library. This was where I began to critically see plays as literature that can exist outside of their performance.
Playwrights such as Shakespeare, Kushner, and Stoppard write complicated plays that require careful attention. When I started this blog I read Stoppard's Utopia trilogy and it was way over my head intellectually. I can only imagine what it would be like to experience a staged production. I think my head would spin from the philosophical references alone. Without any background information or intellectual insight a Stoppard play can be pretty inaccessible. I still love them though. And as long as I know what I'm in for, I can actually enjoy it better when I do see the play performed eventually.
I bring all this up as context to my re-reading this week of the play Copenhagen by Michael Frayn. Frayn centers the plot around a mysterious meeting between physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. in Copenhagen in 1941. The primary mystery that the 3 characters in the play debate is deceptively simple: Why did Heisenberg come to Copenhagen? The three characters in the play, Heisenberg, Bohr, and Bohr's wife Margrethe speculate openly amongst each other. Frayn allows himself incredible flexibility by having them exist in past and present. Anger, resentment, and forgiveness all play out amongst these former friends. According to Frayn, Bohr and Heisenberg are separated by the scientific ethics and responsibilities regarding the atomic bomb.
Frayn is brilliant in his conception of these characters and the high stakes of their discussion. Before reading this play I had no idea who these men were. I do understand the stakes of the weaponization of atomic energy, but really that's only half the play. By reading the play I was able to delve even further into the scientific concepts of Uncertainty and Schrodinger's Cat. I'm positive that I would have been lost while watching the play performed, no matter how great the actor's ability might be. This is a prime example where I feel that "reading" the play is necessary to gaining even more appreciation for what the playwright has created.
On the other hand I also read Bash: Latter-day Plays by Neil Labute. I've been meaning to pick this up for sometime because Labute is somewhat local. He went to Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, which is very surprising. BYU is known for it's rigid conservatism and uber-religiosity. In Bash Labute discusses the effects of violence on that culture. He uses three monologues made directly to the audience to steer us towards the ugliness inherent in human nature. Of the three I was most affected by Medea Redux. In this monologue a young woman details her seduction and revenge on a high school teacher. The medea reference should give you an idea of how this story ends up. Labute brilliantly is able to capture the exuberance of love but refuses to ignore the consequences. As a writer Labute takes a lot of criticism for his focus on the ugly, but I respect the fact that he refuses to pull any punches.
Unfortunately I think that any empathy or compassion for these characters is lost on the page. His work relies on talented actors to release any sympathy that I may feel towards these characters. Bash is a play that is written to be seen. I think it loses it's power when it is read without the actors as reference. Because of this I'm going to reserve judgment on it until it's possible to see the play in my area. Unfortunately that could be awhile since the LDS don't take kindly to criticism.
In the end what is the conclusion here? It's important to realize that true understanding requires a combination of both reading & watching. If I really want to get at the author's complexities I need to take into account what performance brings to the table.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
This is long delayed due to tech delays and the busyness of the world. Enjoy!
Reading Plays: Pitfalls and Epiphanies
As I've written before, ever since I was a high school theater geek I started reading plays. Now conventional wisdom does say that plays are meant to be seen rather than read. However I live in a place where often it's a few years before I'll get the chance to see a play. Ever since I first heard of it during it's Broadway run, I was desperate to know what Angels in America was all about. But I also knew that it was going to be a long while before I got a chance to see it. Luckily I was able to find a copy at the library. This was where I began to critically see plays as literature that can exist outside of their performance.
Playwrights such as Shakespeare, Kushner, and Stoppard write complicated plays that require careful attention. When I started this blog I read Stoppard's Utopia trilogy and it was way over my head intellectually. I can only imagine what it would be like to experience a staged production. I think my head would spin from the philosophical references alone. Without any background information or intellectual insight a Stoppard play can be pretty inaccessible. I still love them though. And as long as I know what I'm in for, I can actually enjoy it better when I do see the play performed eventually.
I bring all this up as context to my re-reading this week of the play Copenhagen by Michael Frayn. Frayn centers the plot around a mysterious meeting between physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. in Copenhagen in 1941. The primary mystery that the 3 characters in the play debate is deceptively simple: Why did Heisenberg come to Copenhagen? The three characters in the play, Heisenberg, Bohr, and Bohr's wife Margrethe speculate openly amongst each other. Frayn allows himself incredible flexibility by having them exist in past and present. Anger, resentment, and forgiveness all play out amongst these former friends. According to Frayn, Bohr and Heisenberg are separated by the scientific ethics and responsibilities regarding the atomic bomb.
Frayn is brilliant in his conception of these characters and the high stakes of their discussion. Before reading this play I had no idea who these men were. I do understand the stakes of the weaponization of atomic energy, but really that's only half the play. By reading the play I was able to delve even further into the scientific concepts of Uncertainty and Schrodinger's Cat. I'm positive that I would have been lost while watching the play performed, no matter how great the actor's ability might be. This is a prime example where I feel that "reading" the play is necessary to gaining even more appreciation for what the playwright has created.
On the other hand I also read Bash: Latter-day Plays by Neil Labute. I've been meaning to pick this up for sometime because Labute is somewhat local. He went to Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, which is very surprising. BYU is known for it's rigid conservatism and uber-religiosity. In Bash Labute discusses the effects of violence on that culture. He uses three monologues made directly to the audience to steer us towards the ugliness inherent in human nature. Of the three I was most affected by Medea Redux. In this monologue a young woman details her seduction and revenge on a high school teacher. The medea reference should give you an idea of how this story ends up. Labute brilliantly is able to capture the exuberance of love but refuses to ignore the consequences. As a writer Labute takes a lot of criticism for his focus on the ugly, but I respect the fact that he refuses to pull any punches.
Unfortunately I think that any empathy or compassion for these characters is lost on the page. His work relies on talented actors to release any sympathy that I may feel towards these characters. Bash is a play that is written to be seen. I think it loses it's power when it is read without the actors as reference. Because of this I'm going to reserve judgment on it until it's possible to see the play in my area. Unfortunately that could be awhile since the LDS don't take kindly to criticism.
In the end what is the conclusion here? It's important to realize that true understanding requires a combination of both reading & watching. If I really want to get at the author's complexities I need to take into account what performance brings to the table.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
2009-08-11
Homing Instinct of Books
Hello to you all,
Last week has finally seen some relief from the summer heat for us here in the city of Salt. Been able to get a fair amount done without driving myself crazy. What is beguiling is how no matter how much reading I do I'm still buried in books. Will I ever catch up? Highly unlikely. It's difficult. However I do a fair amount of paperback trading online. I also have been hardcore about refusing to buy "new" books, especially in hardback. Waiting for the trade paperback these days usually means about a 6 month wait. That I can do. No more new hardcovers, they are just too expensive. Any way blab, blab, blab. Let's get on with it eh?
Onward!
Reviews
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
This book is a delightful read. It is tailor-made for book lovers like myself. In 1946 London writer Juliet receives a letter from Dawsey Addams about Charles Lamb. Through multiple letters Juliet, and the reader, is introduced to the world of post-occupation Guernsey and it's colorful heroic characters. Writers Barrow & Shaffer deftly handle multiple character voices and move the story along at a fast clip. The use of epistolary is genius since it controls how information is doled out between characters and the reader. When the story gets a little too light in the middle the writers bring in a surprisingly amount of heft when discussing the horrors of war. Islanders begin to recount for Juliet stories of the German Occupation which are grim and realistic. The book is much more substantial than I expected. I was delighted by the wit and humor these characters exhibit. This is a must-read for bibliophiles like myself. Highly enjoyable.
Other Reviews
California Literary Review | blogcritics | London Telegraph
BPRD vol. 5
What else do I need to say? Start here, then rinse and repeat.
The Reading List
Books
Time Traveller's Wife
Back to Brooklyn
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comic
Amazing Spider-man #600
Comic Pull List: Action Comics #880, Amazing Spider-Man #602, Batman #689, Blackest Night #2, Bprd 1947 #2, Deadpool #13, Fables #87, Green Arrow Black Canary #23, Red Robin #3, Wednesday Comics #6
Check Out Count: Why do I do this to myself? *sigh*
Have a great week! Book Slave.
Last week has finally seen some relief from the summer heat for us here in the city of Salt. Been able to get a fair amount done without driving myself crazy. What is beguiling is how no matter how much reading I do I'm still buried in books. Will I ever catch up? Highly unlikely. It's difficult. However I do a fair amount of paperback trading online. I also have been hardcore about refusing to buy "new" books, especially in hardback. Waiting for the trade paperback these days usually means about a 6 month wait. That I can do. No more new hardcovers, they are just too expensive. Any way blab, blab, blab. Let's get on with it eh?
Onward!
Reviews
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
This book is a delightful read. It is tailor-made for book lovers like myself. In 1946 London writer Juliet receives a letter from Dawsey Addams about Charles Lamb. Through multiple letters Juliet, and the reader, is introduced to the world of post-occupation Guernsey and it's colorful heroic characters. Writers Barrow & Shaffer deftly handle multiple character voices and move the story along at a fast clip. The use of epistolary is genius since it controls how information is doled out between characters and the reader. When the story gets a little too light in the middle the writers bring in a surprisingly amount of heft when discussing the horrors of war. Islanders begin to recount for Juliet stories of the German Occupation which are grim and realistic. The book is much more substantial than I expected. I was delighted by the wit and humor these characters exhibit. This is a must-read for bibliophiles like myself. Highly enjoyable.
Other Reviews
California Literary Review | blogcritics | London Telegraph
BPRD vol. 5
What else do I need to say? Start here, then rinse and repeat.
The Reading List
Books
Time Traveller's Wife
Back to Brooklyn
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comic
Amazing Spider-man #600
Comic Pull List: Action Comics #880, Amazing Spider-Man #602, Batman #689, Blackest Night #2, Bprd 1947 #2, Deadpool #13, Fables #87, Green Arrow Black Canary #23, Red Robin #3, Wednesday Comics #6
Check Out Count: Why do I do this to myself? *sigh*
Have a great week! Book Slave.
2009-06-30
This Book Slave is on fire!
Hello Readers,
I don't know what's in the air but this month I have been putting the books away. Unfortunately although I've been reading like crazy it barely makes a dent in the TBR pile. But then again I never want to see the day when I have nothing to read. How sad will that be. May it never come to pass!
Be prepared for a long entry tonight gentle readers.
Tonight I had book club and it was a good time. This month's book was the direct opposite of last month's Northline. Being a part of this club continues to stretch my reading experience. I don't know where Zach, moderator extraordinaire, finds these crazy titles. Now I don't like all the books, still hate Dangerous Laughter, but they are at least off the beaten path. Now I'm not judgey but I really don't understand why reader's are afraid of books that are experimental. Why only read one type of book? Why put limits on yourself? I'm glad I take the time once a month to try something that I would never pick up on my own. If you are looking for something different I'd recommend coming down to The Hard Boiled Book Club, details found here. I'll be there.
Alright folks onward!
Reviews
Birds of Prey: Old Friends, New Enemies
I have become fascinated by the character of Barbara Gordon. For those who don't know Barbara Gordon used to be Batgirl. During the day she was a mild-mannered librarian, at night she fought alongside Batman & Robin. Then in Alan Moore's The Killing Joke she is shot by the Joker. She doesn't die but the bullet severs her spine and she's paralyzed. After dealing with severe depression, she trains herself to become a computer hacker and adopts the moniker Oracle. As Oracle she recruits fellow female superhero Black Canary and forms a new team titled "Birds of Prey." Now Oracle continues to be the only handicapped superhero in the DC universe. In this volume we have a mixed bag of issues. I really loved the issues which focused on the relationship between Black Canary & Oracle. Canary is the muscle, while Oracle is working cyber angle. Dixon writes some great banter between the two of them. Black Canary kicks ass as well. There are some great splash pages that are very cool. Unfortunately some of the issues suffer from crossover-itus. I can appreciate that Dixon was also writing GI Joe but frankly I don't care about The Ravens. And where did the dinosaurs come from? Just bizarre and out of place. I want more of the "Birds of Prey" in my book. So a mixed reaction but fun enough that I'll keep reading.
Comic Info: Barbara Gordon, Birds of Prey
Huntress: Year One
It's fun to read books from the "Year One" line if you want to approach a character fresh. I was not familiar with Huntress beyond her involvement with Birds of Prey. So I decided to give this a try even though I don't know anything about the writer or artist. Like Long Halloween, this is a mafia story that takes place in the Batman Universe. In this series Helena Bertinelli returns to Gotham to avenge the death of her family, get back her money, and take down the mafia. She's intent on kicking ass & taking names. I'll admit that the first few issues were pretty snoozy. A lot of exposition and talk. I never bought the star-crossed lovers story between her and Tony Angelo. However in the last 3 issues once the action moves to Gotham this series becomes great. Writer Ivory Madison brings in great characterizations of Barbara Gordon (whom she would later join with to create the Birds of Prey) and Catwoman. Catwoman is so much fun, very much like in Selina's Big Score. In the end this turns out to be surprising violent but very empowering. Ended up enjoying it so I'll be checking out any new work from writer Ivory Madison.
Other Reviews
Extremely Graphic | The Weekly Crisis | Graphic Novel Reporter
Clumsy
This book was simple, raw, and heartbreaking. Writer Jeffrey Brown depicts his romance with a woman named Theresa with honest emotion. The childlike art style reflects the relationship depicted as it blooms and then falls apart. Brown leaves his heart on the page and is literally naked to the reader. I was surprised by the amount of sex in this book, definitely not for kids, but then again to a man in his early 20s of course that's what he would remember. This book is a must-read. Highly enjoyable.
Other Reviews
Metapsychology | Cinegeek
Thoreau at Walden
This is a great Cliff Notes version of H.D. Thoreau's Walden. Having read Walden I desperately wish that I had this book at my disposal. Writer/Artist John Porcellino uses a simple art style which matches Thoreau's message of simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. Highly enjoyable. Great for high school students.
Other Reviews
School Library Journal | madinkbeard | Watermark Books & Cafe
You Must Be This Happy to Enter
After reading this book I feel as if I can hear the voice of Elizabeth Crane. Now I've never heard her voice in an interview, but her writing in this collection is all about tone. Her extensive use of one voice narration will make or break the reader. I really enjoyed how crazy her satire is in stories such as "Betty the Zombie" and "Emmanuel." Crane pushes the reader into the most absurd hilarious commentary. For me most of the time it worked. I don't think that Crane could maintain this kind of writing for any longer than 10 pages. These stories are exactly the right length. I was also surprised by the immense optimism that is present throughout these stories. It was completely unexpected and welcomed. What is wrong with being happy? Crane is not afraid to defend that position while pointing out that the world isn't perfect. Definitely worth reading for someone looking for a challenge.
Other Reviews
Bookslut | January magazine | Quarterly Conversation
The Reading List
Books
Amazing Adventures of the Escapist Vol. 1
Batman Private Casebook
Magazines
Vanity Fair
Comics
Streets of Gotham #1
Comic Pull List:Batman And Robin #2, Buffy The Vampire Slayer #26, Justice League Cry For Justice #1, Secret Six #11, Terry Moores Echo #13
Check Out Count: Stuck in a rut.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
I don't know what's in the air but this month I have been putting the books away. Unfortunately although I've been reading like crazy it barely makes a dent in the TBR pile. But then again I never want to see the day when I have nothing to read. How sad will that be. May it never come to pass!
Be prepared for a long entry tonight gentle readers.
Tonight I had book club and it was a good time. This month's book was the direct opposite of last month's Northline. Being a part of this club continues to stretch my reading experience. I don't know where Zach, moderator extraordinaire, finds these crazy titles. Now I don't like all the books, still hate Dangerous Laughter, but they are at least off the beaten path. Now I'm not judgey but I really don't understand why reader's are afraid of books that are experimental. Why only read one type of book? Why put limits on yourself? I'm glad I take the time once a month to try something that I would never pick up on my own. If you are looking for something different I'd recommend coming down to The Hard Boiled Book Club, details found here. I'll be there.
Alright folks onward!
Reviews
Birds of Prey: Old Friends, New Enemies
I have become fascinated by the character of Barbara Gordon. For those who don't know Barbara Gordon used to be Batgirl. During the day she was a mild-mannered librarian, at night she fought alongside Batman & Robin. Then in Alan Moore's The Killing Joke she is shot by the Joker. She doesn't die but the bullet severs her spine and she's paralyzed. After dealing with severe depression, she trains herself to become a computer hacker and adopts the moniker Oracle. As Oracle she recruits fellow female superhero Black Canary and forms a new team titled "Birds of Prey." Now Oracle continues to be the only handicapped superhero in the DC universe. In this volume we have a mixed bag of issues. I really loved the issues which focused on the relationship between Black Canary & Oracle. Canary is the muscle, while Oracle is working cyber angle. Dixon writes some great banter between the two of them. Black Canary kicks ass as well. There are some great splash pages that are very cool. Unfortunately some of the issues suffer from crossover-itus. I can appreciate that Dixon was also writing GI Joe but frankly I don't care about The Ravens. And where did the dinosaurs come from? Just bizarre and out of place. I want more of the "Birds of Prey" in my book. So a mixed reaction but fun enough that I'll keep reading.
Comic Info: Barbara Gordon, Birds of Prey
Huntress: Year One
It's fun to read books from the "Year One" line if you want to approach a character fresh. I was not familiar with Huntress beyond her involvement with Birds of Prey. So I decided to give this a try even though I don't know anything about the writer or artist. Like Long Halloween, this is a mafia story that takes place in the Batman Universe. In this series Helena Bertinelli returns to Gotham to avenge the death of her family, get back her money, and take down the mafia. She's intent on kicking ass & taking names. I'll admit that the first few issues were pretty snoozy. A lot of exposition and talk. I never bought the star-crossed lovers story between her and Tony Angelo. However in the last 3 issues once the action moves to Gotham this series becomes great. Writer Ivory Madison brings in great characterizations of Barbara Gordon (whom she would later join with to create the Birds of Prey) and Catwoman. Catwoman is so much fun, very much like in Selina's Big Score. In the end this turns out to be surprising violent but very empowering. Ended up enjoying it so I'll be checking out any new work from writer Ivory Madison.
Other Reviews
Extremely Graphic | The Weekly Crisis | Graphic Novel Reporter
Clumsy
This book was simple, raw, and heartbreaking. Writer Jeffrey Brown depicts his romance with a woman named Theresa with honest emotion. The childlike art style reflects the relationship depicted as it blooms and then falls apart. Brown leaves his heart on the page and is literally naked to the reader. I was surprised by the amount of sex in this book, definitely not for kids, but then again to a man in his early 20s of course that's what he would remember. This book is a must-read. Highly enjoyable.
Other Reviews
Metapsychology | Cinegeek
Thoreau at Walden
This is a great Cliff Notes version of H.D. Thoreau's Walden. Having read Walden I desperately wish that I had this book at my disposal. Writer/Artist John Porcellino uses a simple art style which matches Thoreau's message of simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. Highly enjoyable. Great for high school students.
Other Reviews
School Library Journal | madinkbeard | Watermark Books & Cafe
You Must Be This Happy to Enter
After reading this book I feel as if I can hear the voice of Elizabeth Crane. Now I've never heard her voice in an interview, but her writing in this collection is all about tone. Her extensive use of one voice narration will make or break the reader. I really enjoyed how crazy her satire is in stories such as "Betty the Zombie" and "Emmanuel." Crane pushes the reader into the most absurd hilarious commentary. For me most of the time it worked. I don't think that Crane could maintain this kind of writing for any longer than 10 pages. These stories are exactly the right length. I was also surprised by the immense optimism that is present throughout these stories. It was completely unexpected and welcomed. What is wrong with being happy? Crane is not afraid to defend that position while pointing out that the world isn't perfect. Definitely worth reading for someone looking for a challenge.
Other Reviews
Bookslut | January magazine | Quarterly Conversation
The Reading List
Books
Amazing Adventures of the Escapist Vol. 1
Batman Private Casebook
Magazines
Vanity Fair
Comics
Streets of Gotham #1
Comic Pull List:Batman And Robin #2, Buffy The Vampire Slayer #26, Justice League Cry For Justice #1, Secret Six #11, Terry Moores Echo #13
Check Out Count: Stuck in a rut.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
2009-01-10
Oh this Reading Habit of mine.
Hello,
I hope you all had a great week. I've had a fine one myself. This week was only mired by a power outage and a self-to-blame lack of sleep. Honestly sometimes I feel as if even if it were possible for the day to be extended to 36 hours, I would still not get enough sleep. Again I only have myself to blame.
Tonight I pose a question to my fellow readers in cyberspace: Which is more fulfilling? Should one seek out writings that would challenge you? or stick to comfort food? I find I have much greater respect for writers that challenge my way of thinking. In my mind a great read can change your life. I'd rather have that then something that is reliable and non-threatening. Somebody said that art is about asking questions, not necessarily answering them. However I do acknowledge that I do often find myself walking down familiar paths. There are certain genres *coughromancecough* that I am relentlessly snobby about not wasting my time with. Although I do read a lot of books with the pictures and word balloons. Maybe they are my comfort food. Maybe a balance of the comfortable/challenging is always good.
Regardless January is always about setting goals. Then you either give up on them by the end of the month or strike out on that new path. I'm very goal oriented, although I've learned to have reasonable expectations of myself. So here's some genre specific goals for this year.
*Gotta read titles in the following genres: Science Fiction (spaceships, not capes), romance, a few books in a mystery series like Miss Marple, Cussler-like adventure.
*Foreign authors. Yeah I suck in this regard. Need to be more multi-cultural.
*Want to read Shriver, Lehane, Russo, Tyler. These writer set morality plays that sound challenging.
*Need to read more YA books. It is a part of my job after all to recommend these titles after all.
*Alright I'll try to read more manga. Again it is a large part of my job right?
So there you are. Let's see how this works out. Have a great week. Book Slave.
I hope you all had a great week. I've had a fine one myself. This week was only mired by a power outage and a self-to-blame lack of sleep. Honestly sometimes I feel as if even if it were possible for the day to be extended to 36 hours, I would still not get enough sleep. Again I only have myself to blame.
Tonight I pose a question to my fellow readers in cyberspace: Which is more fulfilling? Should one seek out writings that would challenge you? or stick to comfort food? I find I have much greater respect for writers that challenge my way of thinking. In my mind a great read can change your life. I'd rather have that then something that is reliable and non-threatening. Somebody said that art is about asking questions, not necessarily answering them. However I do acknowledge that I do often find myself walking down familiar paths. There are certain genres *coughromancecough* that I am relentlessly snobby about not wasting my time with. Although I do read a lot of books with the pictures and word balloons. Maybe they are my comfort food. Maybe a balance of the comfortable/challenging is always good.
Regardless January is always about setting goals. Then you either give up on them by the end of the month or strike out on that new path. I'm very goal oriented, although I've learned to have reasonable expectations of myself. So here's some genre specific goals for this year.
*Gotta read titles in the following genres: Science Fiction (spaceships, not capes), romance, a few books in a mystery series like Miss Marple, Cussler-like adventure.
*Foreign authors. Yeah I suck in this regard. Need to be more multi-cultural.
*Want to read Shriver, Lehane, Russo, Tyler. These writer set morality plays that sound challenging.
*Need to read more YA books. It is a part of my job after all to recommend these titles after all.
*Alright I'll try to read more manga. Again it is a large part of my job right?
So there you are. Let's see how this works out. Have a great week. Book Slave.
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