Teach me Larry, I'm willing to learn...

Greetings and Salutations,
I hope y’all had an excellent weekend. My weekend has been pretty solitary. Sometimes things turn out that way. At least I will always have you, gentle reader, out there in cyber-land. You are out there right? Well I can only assume so. Onward with this month’s feature:

Lesson’s From Classic Lit: Lonesome Dove

First of all some background: As I’ve posted previously I read Lonesome Dove written by Larry McMurtry for the first time when I was 13. You can read about that here. I’ve read it a number of times since then, even read it aloud on a road trip once (to my family’s dismay, I’m sure). Dove is the tale of two old Texas Rangers Captain Woodrow Call and Captain Augustus McCrae who decide to leave their settled existence for one more adventure. Call and McCrae, as well as a whole group of characters, round up some cattle and drive them from Texas to Montana. Past and future collide as these two men see the end of the West as they know it. This book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1985 and is McMurtry’s masterpiece.

Here are some lessons I learned from this great epic:
1. You are never too old for an adventure. Call and McCrae are in their 60s. And they are tough MFers.
2. Men are complicated. Thus begins my love/hate relationship with Woodrow Call. I love his stoicism and toughness. But why can't he tell his son that he loves him? Why do we always want the men we can't have.
3. Whores/Prostitutes have dreams too. I love Lorena and her dream of going to San Francisco. It's unbelievably tragic when she loses it all. Again.
4. A real woman knows when to say No. Even if it hurts. Clara is the most awesome independent strong woman. "She'll cut your throat quicker than a comanche," McCrae says. She's also smart enough to know that Augustus McCrae is not a man to settle down with.
5. Nice guys do win out, eventually. For examples I give you Dish Boggett and Sheriff July Johnson. Poor bastards.
6. A promise is a promise. Even if its crazy. The amazing bond between Call and McCrae is to be admired. These are honorable men all the way to the end.
7. If you are in over your head, get out. Get out now. I'm looking at you Jake Spoon.
8. It's wonderful to be saved. Augustus McCrae's single handed rescue abilities are breath-taking.
9. Some people are not meant to leave Texas. Some are meant for adventures, others are fine just where they are.
10. You can quilt pants. I had no idea. Thank you Joshua Deets.

There are many more. The book is over 1000 pages after all. And worth every word. If you haven't read it check it out. This is so much more than just a western.

Have a great beginning of fall! Book Slave.

Review-a-palooza!

Hello world-out-there,
It's gotten a bit colder, summer is biting the dust. Labor Day has come and gone, no more wearing white according to Emily Post. What I do know though is that there will always be books! Onwards!

Reviews
Blowing My Cover
I've been interested in this book for a long time. This memoir takes us through the CIA training/career of C.O. Lindsay Moran. I was fascinated by all the crazy training and psychological games Moran goes through The Farm, the CIA training facility. It's pretty shocking how revealing Moran is. It doesn't seem to have been vetted or censored at all. I was less interested in the latter half of the book which deals with Moran's dissatisfaction with her first assignment turning low level gangsters in Macedonia and Bulgaria. The deglamorization of the spy profession goes on for a bit too long. In the end I found this to be just another mediocre memoir about someone's crazy life experience.

Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1
Seeking something fun I decided to venture into the FF universe. Marvel likes to use the Ultimate Universe to reboot their main characters without the drag of continuity. I enjoyed this almost as much as Ultimate Spider-Man because I could jump right in fresh. It was fun to see a young Reed Richards show his genius. The art was also great, Kubert's Mole monster was great. Highly Enjoyable.

Five Fists of Science
This book was a huge disappointment. I picked it up because I had heard good things about it and it's creator Matt Fraction. Unfortunately this turned out to be a rip off of the League of Extraordinary Gentleman. Now Fraction is a fine writer and their are some funny lines but he's no Alan Moore. And the art is terrible. While I know this is from Image and independent, that's still no excuse. Some panels were so badly sketched that I couldn't tell what was going on. A mighty disappointment.

Scalped Vol. 2
This book continues to be incredible. Jason Aaron finds the good and bad in every character involved in this dark tragic world. In this volume Aaron works more fleshing out the world of "the Rez" and its side characters. I was particularly taken with the issue that focused on Catcher, a man who sees more than anyone knows. Why aren't you reading this series?

Astonishing X-Men Vol. 2
Another enjoyable time although a tad bit too metaphysical for my liking. Whedon is able to catch the angsty voice of these mutants. He is able to make this a book about characters rather than action. I really love how he stays true to each character and stays consistent in their interactions. Cyclops is the heroic leader, Emma Frost the femme fatale. In this volume we do get to see the relationship between Peter and Kitty which comes to a head in an issue of talking head panels. Their dialogue makes clear how these two desperately want to communicate but can't. The art is also consistently amazing which isn't surprising. Cassaday is my favorite X-Men artist. Unfortunately Whedon gets a bit strange here in the end, but he does set up an interesting twist.

Announcements & Shout Outs
I've mentioned that I spend time peddling/pushing books to the masses, well now they've set up a blog page and asked me to contribute. Finally they've posted some of my entries and you can find those here. There I'll be posting some longer reviews and some other free-association musings. So check it out and enjoy some of the other writers there too.

What's In My Bag
Books
In the Woods
Birdwatching

Comic
Kill All Parents

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comic Pull List: TBA

Check Out Count: Improving.

Enjoy your week folks! See you on the interwebs. Bookslave.

Yes, some poetry is nice

Hey folks,
Happy Labor Day! The book business waits for no holiday, so I of course will be laboring tomorrow. Think of me as you kick back hopefully with a good book or *shudder* your family. Anyway I was looking around those interwebs tonight and I found this poem that fit my mood. Yes, I like poetry. I'm shockingly multi-faceted.

So here it is. If you want to hear it aloud click here. Enjoy!

The Day is Done
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 – 1882)

The day is done, and the darkness
Falls from the wings of Night,
As a feather is wafted downward
From an eagle in his flight.

I see the lights of the village
Gleam through the rain and the mist,
And a feeling of sadness comes o’er me
That my soul cannot resist:

A feeling of sadness and longing,
That is not akin to pain,
And resembles sorrow only
As the mist resembles the rain.

Come, read to me some poem,
Some simple and heartfelt lay,
That shall soothe this restless feeling,
And banish the thoughts of day.

Not from the grand old masters,
Not from the bards sublime,
Whose distant footsteps echo
Through the corridors of Time.

For, like strains of martial music,
Their mighty thoughts suggest
Life’s endless toil and endeavor;
And to-night I long for rest.

Read from some humbler poet,
Whose songs gushed from his heart,
As showers from the clouds of summer,
Or tears from the eyelids start;

Who, through long days of labor,
And nights devoid of ease,
Still heard in his soul the music
Of wonderful melodies.

Such songs have power to quiet
The restless pulse of care,
And come like the benediction
That follows after prayer.

Then read from the treasured volume
The poem of thy choice,
And lend to the rhyme of the poet
The beauty of thy voice.

And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares, that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.

Have a great day! Book Slave.

Rocky Mountain High

Hello,
It's convention time! Y'know what I love? CSPAN real time convention coverage and conventioneers dancing. Incredibly awesome. Anyway let's talk books. Onward!

Reviews
Brideshead Revisited
Is it possible to have everything and feel as if you have nothing? Charles Ryder meets Lord Sebastian Flyte at Oxford in 1922. Through his friendship with Sebastian, Ryder is thrust into the center of a life of immense privilege. Ultimately Ryder ends up questioning everything that he believes about truth and faith. I enjoyed this book immensely which I did not expect. I had not seen the famous tv series, or read any Waugh novels before. As I understand this book is very different from his more satirical works. There is comedy in here, Waugh does an excellent job of skewering the wealthy. I was shocked but not surprised by how the Marchmain's react toSebastian's behavior. Lady Marchmain is a well drawn character of someone who believes in molding and controlling her children's every move. Heaven forbid they be allowed to make their own mistakes and choose their own paths. I was also surprised by Waugh's serious discussions of Catholicism in the latter third of the book. Ryder's atheism and philosophy is very well paralleled by the Marchmain's stark Catholic belief. Each side is at a stalemate leaving the ending devastatingly inevitable.

Special Focus: Literary Adaptation
After I finished Brideshead Revisited I went and saw the new movie adaptation. I thought it was really good. In my opinion Emma Thompson can do no wrong and her portrayal of Lady Marchmain was excellent. This got me to thinking about literary adaptation on the big screen and small.

I think there is always a part of us that wants to see our favorite moments/characters/stories brought to life in front of us.
Some of us want to see exact duplications of what we've created in our heads. Or maybe a new spin on a classic tale. I also think there are books that I never want to see adapted such as Catcher in the Rye, On the Road, and The Crying of Lot 49. Stay Away Hollywood! Stay Away!

Having worked in the book business I am continuously reminded that movie adaptations can be helpful. It doesn't matter how many awards a book wins or it's critical esteem. If a movie is coming out then the masses will read the book. I guess if you make it, they will come. Even if the movie is a stinker, look at Memoirs of Geisha. I tell you we could not keep it on the shelf during Christmas 2005. And that movie was a disappointment.

I know it's obvious, but Books are words, movies are "moving pictures." They can't be exact or it wouldn't be a movie. There is a common perception that the movie is never as good as book.

Maybe that's correct but here's 5 movies and 5 television adaptations that I think are pretty darn good that I've seen and read (BTW these are in no particular order):
Movies
1. Bridget Jones's Diary
2. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
3. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
4. English Patient
5. Fried Green Tomatoes

Television
1. Lonesome Dove
2. Anne of Green Gables
3. Band of Brothers
4. Pride and Prejudice (1994)
5. Fingersmith

Now I could go on. I think that there have been a lot of great adaptations. I think it all depends on what your expectations are. One of my favorite stories comes from Dashiell Hammett. He and a friend were sitting and talking. His friend asked Hammett whether he was afraid that Hollywood would take away his story and change it into something different. Hammett said that as long as the book is on the shelve that no one can take it away. Amen, Dash, you speak the truth.

What's In my Bag
Magazine
Four Four Two

Books
Blowing My Cover
In the Woods

Comic
Time Master

Comic Pull List: Catwoman #82, Daredevil #110, New Avengers #44, Runaways 3 #1, Superman #679, Trinity #13, Wolverine #68

Check Out Count: Getting Under Control.

Enjoy the convention and a three day weekend baby! Have a good one! Book Slave.

Important Bulletin

Hey There cyberspace,
Today I thought I throw a little personal insight for you. The picture below is of my bulletin board. It hangs next to my desk in my little apartment. Over time it has accumulated alot. It's multilayered. Lest you think that this is non-literary I've got some literary markers in there. Look for a little explanation below.
Enjoy!


In the upper left hand corner is an insert taken from a horrible exhibit on James Joyce. The booklet was the best part.

Underneath that is an ad card from the wonderful film Tristan Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story. Highly recommend.

The flower right next to George W. is a print that was given to me by a poet named Hector.

Nearby is my English BA tassel hanging. One of the rare tangible gains of that degree.

At the center is Walt Whitman. I am always struck by the look in his eyes.

Below him you'll see the number 52. 52 just happens to be one of my favorite comic series. I got this Wait List # at Sundance completely by chance.

Lower right corner is Allen Ginsberg. I like this picture of him in silhouette. Much like a poet.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Blather and Apologies

Hey folks,
How are you? Doing well? I hope so. It's been an active week y'know. Some things had to be moved around. The world had to shift a little. I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm still working on the adjustments. What I'm trying to say kids is that it's gonna be a short entry tonight. No reviews this week. I'm still working through my reading list.

I do wonder, though, why some lit takes longer to read than others.
Obvious reasons:
1. The Book is terrible. It's well nigh impossible for me to quickly read a book that is poorly written. In this case the only thing that will motivate me is an outside force like school or a manager.

2. Book is written in a difficult style. Works like Faulkner fit into this category. Or Middle English. Tough stuff.

3. Unreliable narrator. There are exceptions here, of course, but in general I don't want to be thrown for a loop. IMO an author has to earn the ability to fool me. Fight Club IMO earned it's big change up.

4. When people do not act how normal people act. It's hard for me to tolerate when characters don't talk or act like the do in the real world. This makes it hard for me to tolerate romance novels.

5. Don't foist your ideologies on me in my fiction. Whether it be communism, the big J.C., or capitalism I don't want to read it. I'm looking at you Ayn Rand.

I could go on and on. But man when you're not connecting with a book it's hard. I will give up eventually, but sometimes it's like biting a bullet.

What's In My Bag
Books
Brideshead Revisited
Blowing My Cover

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comic
Secret Invasion #5

Comics Pull List: Batgirl #2, Batman And The Outsiders #10, Trinity #12

Check Out Count: Diverse.

Apologies, I swear next week I'll be better. Until then I will remain, Book Slave.

Cowboys, Gangsters, and that Anne Girl

Hello,
Hope you all had an excellent weekend! Mine was pretty active. Happy B-day to my younger brother. I hope he enjoys strange books from his older sis. Today I give you another installment of our monthly series:

Life Changing Reads
Kick back as I give you a little autobiography.

1. Lonesome Dove
I had heard of the famous mini-series on TV but when it aired I was too young to follow it. So my first exposure to Larry McMurtry occurred by accident. Occasionally if I felt like it I would spend Saturdays hanging out at my mom's library in Bountiful. I could basically do whatever I wanted all day as long as I didn't get in trouble. Or bug my mom while she was working. I was wandering through the paperbacks and there it was. It was a thick book (over a thousand pages!) but I had heard that it was a classic western. I was into outlaws/gunslingers at the time so I thought I'd give it a shot. I grabbed it and read it in the breakroom for the rest of the day. I begged my mom to check it out for me, which she did. The rest is history. I went on to read Lonesome Dove a couple of times and many other McMurtry novels beside.

2. Billy Bathgate
After I had seen a couple of movies such as Untouchables, Mobsters, and The Godfather I became obsessed with gangsters. I even dressed like a 20s gangster for Halloween with suit, fedora, and fake gun. The school didn't really appreciate the gun. Anyway because of my reading up on the subject I had heard of gangster Dutch Schulz. This led me to Billy Bathgate. I picked up a copy at the Sprague library. It was a hard cover with a kid juggling on the front. I sat down and started reading. Three hours went by and I didn't even know it. I really connected with the lead character and his luck/ability to keep his head above water.

3. Anne of Green Gables series
As a tween girl I was never into Little House on the Prairie or Judy Blume. I was an "Anne" girl. Yes I responded to a book with a red-headed protagonist with a strong imagination. Anne Shirley has a big mouth, fanciful dreams, and a love of literature. She wants to become a writer. I became obsessed with reading this entire series. I picked them up one after another all summer long from the library. I believe Anne's House of Dreams was read while camping. Nature could not compete with Anne's need to find the perfect curtains for her first house with Gilbert!

Have a good week! Book Slave.

Animal Music

Hello,
Sorry for the lateness of the hour. Blame the Olympics. I had to know how the gymnastics and swimming would turn out. Well Onwards!

Reviews
Animal Man Vol. 1
I had to pick this up after I all the praise I had heard for this series. Grant Morrison can sometimes be crazy and weird, but I found this series to be very funny. This story centers around Buddy Baker aka Animal Man and his return to super heroics. He emerges as an animal rights advocate giving him the ability to focus his career. Often Morrison adds a lot of metatextual, as well as goofy likeability to Animal Man's adventures. I especially enjoyed the Coyote issue, as well as his issue with Martian Manhunter. Good read.

Love is a Mix tape
Rob Sheffield, a rock music writer for Rolling Stone and Spin, has written a heartfelt memoir/elegy/tribute that sometimes made my heart hurt. He frames his memoir around the music that reminds him of key events in his life. As someone who also likes to surround herself with music I could easily understand this correlation of music and memory. IMHO the most affecting chapters were his discussion of his marriage and tragic loss. Using music to cope with grief Sheffield is not afraid to show honest emotion on the page. Highly reccomend.

Reading List
Books
Notes on a Life
Blowing My Cover

Comic
Batman and the Outsiders

Magazine
Four Four Two

Check Out Count: Improving

Comic Pull List: Batman #679, Captain Britain And Mi 13 #4, Goon #27, Green Arrow Black Canary #11, Secret Invasion #5, Secret Invasion Runaways Young Avengers #2,
Trinity #11.

Go Team USA! Bookslave.

Some Daily Orwell

Hello,
How are you all? I'm taking a break from the Olympics 2008 to drop you a line. Seriously I think this guy Michael Phelps is a mutant or the long lost son of Aquaman. Have you seen this guy? Anyway back to books. Here's a fascinating new project that I wanted to highlight for y'all.

Special Focus: The Orwell Diaries

I was listening to NPR today and they had a fascinating story about a new project online. A group of folks over at the The Orwell Prize, Britain’s pre-eminent prize for political writing, is publishing George Orwell’s diaries as a blog. From 9th August 2008, Orwell’s domestic and political diaries (from 9th August 1938 until October 1942) will be posted in real-time, exactly 70 years after the entries were written.

Orwell’s ‘domestic’ diaries begin on 9th August 1938/2008; his ‘political’ diaries (which are further categorized as ‘Morocco’, ‘Pre-war’ and ‘Wartime’) begin on 7th September 1938/2008. The diaries are exactly as Orwell wrote them.

As a major fan of George Orwell I found this idea very interesting. While I understand that some entries will be banal and mundane, I also look forward to this look into the man's daily thoughts. It's like being able to reach back 70 years. And if you think about it this is before he wrote his classic 1984. I hope we get to see some early writings that show his intense socio-political mindset.

If this project proves to be successful I wonder if there are some other authors they might do. Here's a list of famous diarists that I'd like to see:

1. Sylvia Plath-Her journals are already available but I would like to see if I can gain any insight into her psychological mindset.

2. Queen Victoria-She kept a diary religiously for over 70 years. A lot of material there.

3. Anais Nin-Hot stuff I'm sure.

4. Dorothy Wordsworth

5. Bloomsbury Group-A collection of different writers could be fun.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

The Good and the Bad

Hello readers,
I hope you enjoyed the last entry. I want to make these a habit. Of course if you want to know the moment that I post, I urge you all to subscribe. It will make your life easier. Really. Okay enough plugging myself, onward!

Reviews
Starman Omnibus Vol. 1
Boy did I love this book. I had to force myself to slow down because I never wanted it to end. This series was written by James Robinson, who is currently writing Superman, beginning in 1994. The series centers around Jack Knight who is forced into becoming Starman, protector of Opal City, after the murder of his brother David. David had taken up the superhero mantle from their father Ted, who is the retired Starman. The twist here is that Jack doesn't really want to be Starman. Robinson expertly portrays the emotional conflict between father and son. It isn't what they say to each other it is what they don't say. Tony Harris art is also amazing. I love the way that he portrays the Mist. I also love the use of black and white and color in the issue where Jack talks to a ghostly David. Check this out.

Ultimates Vol. 1
While entertaining I found that this series fell apart in the end. In this series Bruce Banner, Tony Stark, and Nick Fury team together to try to develop a super team like the Avengers. I enjoyed the beginning which focused on Captain America in WW2 and then when he's reinstated in the modern world. There was a poignancy between Cap and his displacement in 90s America. Millar seeks to bring the entire Marvel universe into the modern world, and I get that. But the pop cuture references are horribly dated. This slowly kills the middle half as the world starts piling onto Bruce Banner like he's Peter Parker. It doesn't work and then the ending gets lost in melodrama.

What's In My Bag
Graphic Novel
Animal Man Vol. 1

Book
Love is a Mix Tape

Comic
Pax Romana

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comic Pull List:Buffy The Vampire Slayer #17, Criminal 2 #4, Detective Comics #847, Final Crisis #3, Nightwing #147, Robin #176, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Season 2 #1, Terry Moores Echo #5, Tor #4, Trinity #10

Check Out Count: Absurd.

Enjoy your week folks. Book Slave.

Teach me Jane, I'm willing to learn...

Hey World Out There,
How lucky are you? Yes, an extra entry this week. I am introducing a new feature:

Lessons I’ve Learned From Classic Lit: Jane Austen


1. Beware those who speak cleverly. Whether it’s Wickam, Willoughby, or Mr. Elton watch out for men who are dangerously attractive. Let’s not forget the Crawfords as well. Austen throughout her 6 books continuously drills this point home.

2. Sisters are important. Of course in her own life Austen depended upon her sister Cassandra and one can’t help but see parallels between two different sets in her books. The relationship between the sisters Dashwood and Bennett play this out. Both sisters are opposites of each other whether it is sense/sensibility or intellect/beauty. They may disagree with each other from time to time, but when a sister is under attack the other sister is there to defend her.

3. Beware mothers who are focused on wealthy marriages rather than happiness. Mrs. Bennett, Mrs, Farrers, Lady Bertram, Enough said.

4. Watch out for false friends who seem to have your best interests at heart. Throughout all six books the main protagonists have their happiness thwarted by their supposed best friend. Cheekily in Emma the false friend is the main character making it a change up in formula. Be paranoid of your friends folks.

5. Marry for love and happiness, not wealth. This is obvious to us today but back in her day marriage meant security. Without marriage you could end up dying penniless in a cottage with your mom and sister. Considering her own personal situation I find it astounding that her books are relentlessly optimistic.

6. True love takes time to develop. Throughout her books, especially in Persuasion, Austen implies that loving relationships require a certain amount of maturity. Elizabeth Bennett has to turn down Mr. Darcy when she does because they are both not ready. In Persuasion, Anne Eliot and Captain Wentworth prove that love may require a long wait.

Well there’s a few, I know there are many more. Jane Austen managed to cram an immense amount of life into 6 books. I’ve never read Lady Susan or Sanditon because I don’t like reading books not finished by the original author. Hence they are not included her. In the future I’ll feature some more eclectic authors, but I thought I’d start with something easy.

Have a great week. Book Slave.

X-Men and Relevancy

Hello multi-verse,
Apologies for the late post. Sometimes the internet is not on your side. This weekend has been full of holiday/Comic con goodness. So let's get on with it eh?

Reviews
X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills
I had heard that this is considered one of the definitive X-Men stories from the Comic Book Queers. In fact this story was so big at the time that Marvel put it out as an individual graphic novel rather than as part of the regular book. This is common now but back in the early 80s it was unheard of. It's been a little difficult for me to track down but I'm so glad I got to read it in this beautiful hard cover edition. The art is great and there are some striking images. This story involves a group led by Rev. Stryker called the Purifiers. Using christian fundamentalism, the Purifiers are hunting down and killing Mutants in cold blood, meanwhile using the media to push their anti-mutant agenda. I was ready to be impressed but the first few pages took my breath away. Claremont does an amazing job of bringing home how Stryker twists religion to suit his own prejudices. The key themes of the X-Men book plays out in this story and I loved it. Anyone who argues that superhero comics are just for kids needs to read this.

Downsize This!
I picked this up back in 2002 when Moore-mania was just gearing up. Shockingly its been sitting on the TBR pile for about 6 years now. It's actually very interesting to read this with 10 years of hindsight. In this book Moore discusses the concerns of a pre-911 world: OJ Simpson, corporate downsizing, and immigration. Reading this book I constantly struggled to find relevancy. This book did not age well. I also think that it is clear that Moore is not a writer of any subtlety or complexity. In this current world I think he is more suited to be a blog/column writer and taken in small bites.

Shoutout
I don't usually do this here but I felt compelled to share this excellent writeup. It changed my perspective on the importance of the romance genre. Check it out here.

What's In My Bag
Graphic Novels
Starman Omnibus Vol. 1
Animal Man Vol. 1

Comic
The Goon

Magazine
Vanity Fair

Comic Pull List:Dynamo 5 #15, Green Lantern #33, Jokers Asylum Two Face #1, Trinity #9, Wolverine #67.

Check Out Count: A lot of coveted books.

Have a great week! Book Slave

Merry Madwoman of Marvel

Hello true believers,
The unending scorching days of summer continue. There's no end in sight! I find myself hanging out in libraries, coffee shops, and books stores not just to be surrounded by books, but to soak up the A.C. Alas it's been hard to finish a great many books. I've noticed that my reading has definitely slowed. Is there a difference between summer and winter here? Is that it? Perhaps so. Well hopefully anyone reading out there can empathize here. Or maybe I need to be slapped around. We'll see.
Either way Onward!

Reviews
Essential Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1
This volume collects the first 20 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man. One of the first major hit series for Marvel these comics established what is known as "the marvel style." I enjoyed a lot of things about these issues: the villains, art, and action. However I still found the style very difficult to deal with. Every damn panel has a word balloon, and there are never less than 5 panels per page. That silver age style of writing is really hard to slog through and I will admit to skimming. What I found the most enjoyable was how the voice of author Stan Lee so often came through on the page. Here's an example:

"Know Something Little Friend? If you're just starting to read this story, we envy you! Because you're gonna have a ball!"

Yes it's heavy on the exclamation points but it really made me excited to find out what would happen. There's a lot of self deprecating humor. I love it when they call themselves the "Merry Madmen of Marvel." I also have to say that I really enjoy how the stories are a mix of the fantastic and the mundane. We see Peter Parker fighting Doc Octopus and worrying about where the money for Aunt May's medicine is gonna come from. Spider-Man is a super hero and an everyday teen.
Here's a clip of Stan Lee explaining this mixture:


So for classic comic reading I found it pretty fun. Although I will say that the dated style is difficult. Perhaps those looking for a re-telling of this should look to the Ultimate Spider-Man series which I enjoyed.

What's In My Bag
Books
Downsize This!
Uncanny X-Men: God Loves Man Kills

Comic
Secret Invasion #4

Magazine
Film Comment

Comic Pull List: Daredevil #109, Jokers Asylum Scarecrow #1, New Avengers #43, Superman #678, Trinity #8, Uncanny X-Men #500
Check Out Count: Diversifying.

Well have an excellent week! Book Slave.

The Difficulty of Sucking it Up

Hello Out There!
How are you? I am doing well. For the first time in awhile I really feel on top of things. Don't get me wrong things aren't perfect but this weekend there's a lot to look forward to. Batman The Dark Knight is coming out! However reading-wise I fear I've taken on a bit more than I can chew. I trudge on though. Due to this fact there'll be no reviews tonight but I do want to discuss a reading dilemma.

Special Focus: Reading Outside the Comfort Zone
As I've mentioned when I'm not fighting crime, I can be found selling/pushing books. This week my boss wanted us to pull together a set of goals for the next year. When it came to Reader's Advisory I set myself the challenge to read some books outside of my comfort zone. There are certain genres that I just can't get into. I'm not a snob, I say to each their own. There's great and terrible books in all genres. All I ask is that a writer take me along a journey that I can lose myself in. When I crack open a book I am willing to give it all the chance to win me over. However I think it's very easy for me to coast along.

To be the best librarian/book seller that I want to be I think that these are the genres I need to tackle:

1. Romance Novels- (Sigh) I've tried, really I've tried. All I ask is for plausible characters acting in adult ways. I don't think it's that much really.

2. Science Fiction-I just have never been able to pick it up. Don't have a problem with superheroes, but I have trouble with the cosmic.

3. Young Adult Coming of Age Male-Do I really have to explain why I can't relate?

4. Christian/LDS/Clean Literature-Don't have a problem with J.C. Just don't hit me over the head with it eh?

5. Books that were originally published in a foreign language-Being a dumb American, I never learned a foreign language. (For my BA degree I learned ASL, which I've somewhat forgotten) So I am always concerned that I'm missing out by being not able to read a book in it's original language. Sure it's translated, but is it really the same? I'm never really sure.

So in the upcoming year I'm going to have to suck it up and tackle some of these. I want to be the most effective person I can be at my job. We'll have to see how I do.

What's In My Bag
Books
Downsize This!
Essential Spider-Man Vol. 1

Comics
Dark Tower: End of the World Almanac

Magazine
Filmcomment

Comic Pull List:Batgirl #1, Batman And The Outsiders #9, Jokers Asylum Poison Ivy #1, Trinity #7, War Is Hell First Flight Phantom Eagle Max #5

Check Out Count: Getting better.

Have a great week! I may post an entry later this week with some reviews. Let's see how it goes. Until then, Bookslave.

What a country!

Hello cyber-world,
I hope you all had a good weekend. I know that I did. It turned out to be more active than I thought it would be. While being active is good, it also means I wasn't able to read as much as I had hoped. Oh well. The road to hell can be paved with good intentions. Well Onward we go!

Review
Assassination Vacation
One of my many interests is American History (yeah folks there's more to me than comic books, who knew?). Although there has been only 200 years or so of the American experiment I think that there has been several interesting undercurrents/events. Author Sarah Vowell mixes her own quirky voice with an examination of the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. Her travel tour of various sites throughout the country is morbidly fun. I found myself laughing at several of her own personal misadventures, like traveling by speedboat in Florida or visiting the Mutter Museum of Medical Curiosities.

Vowell spends about half the book on the Lincoln Assassination and who can blame her. Her attention to all angles is to be commended considering she is not a historian. She not only covers the assassinations themselves but the overall effects that these events had on all those involved. I particularly found fascinating her discussion of the life of Edwin Booth who lived for almost 30 years after his brother John. Her turns on the deaths of Garfield and McKinley are not nearly as comprehensive. However since I didn't know much about these presidents everything was interesting. Vowell shrewdly fills the latter chapters with characters like Emma Goldman and Teddy Roosevelt. Whereas Garfield and McKinley were not given the chance to do anything as presidents their deaths did have meaning. Garfield's death led into the gilded age, which consumed the 1880s and 90s; McKinley gave way to Teddy Roosevelt, one of the most energetic/adventurous presidents in American history.

I liked the fact that Vowell focuses on history rather than babble on about some search for meaning. (I looking at you Elizabeth Gilbert) By sprinkling funny/touching/ironic moments sparingly Vowell avoids self-indulgence. Her dorky interest in morbid historical sites is endearing rather than strange. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an interesting twist on American History.

What's In My Bag
Books
Downsize This!
Essential Spider-Man Vol. 1

Comic
Echo #2

Magazine
Wizard

Comic Pull List: Captain Britain And Mi 13 #3, Detective Comics #846, Goon #26, Green Arrow Black Canary #10, I Kill Giants #1, Jokers Asylum The Penguin #1, Powers #29, Secret Invasion #4, Trinity #6, Wonder Woman #22

Check Out Count: A good mix.

Well, I hope you all have an excellent week. I'll try not to die in a pool of my own sweat. Yours, Book Slave.

Hot, Sweaty, and Tired

Hello folks,
Welcome to living on the sun. Seriously it's hot folks. You could fry an egg on my forehead. To me at the moment the best time of day is the golden hour. I've loved taking a walk around my somewhat eclectic neighborhood to cool down before sunset. Love it! Well admittedly this week's reading has been pretty thin. I've had other writing to work on this weekend (Yes, I do writing other than this, my constant readers), so I've decided to include a little autobiography as well.
So Onward to Breach!

Reviews
Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1
I've decided to dive into more Bendis work after enjoying his work on Secret Invasion/New Avengers. Here we essentially have the Spiderman Origin story, which is very well known by now. I enjoyed the fact that they did write/draw Peter as a 15 year old kid. Watching him go through classic teen angst this book reminded me of a John Hughes movie. I think this is written for teenage boys and fanboys/girls. As someone who hasn't followed the comics for 20 years this was a good introduction.

Middleman Vol. 1
This book is humorous comic fun. The story follows Wendy, an struggling artist, who stumbles into joining a "Men In Black"-style organization and teaming up with a guy who is the classic version of a "dirk square jaw". He just calls himself "The Middleman" and wears a leather jacket while carrying an insanely large gun. All this plot is not the best thing about this book. Javier Grillo-Marxuach's is clearly hilarious because I loved all the jokes and satire throughout this trade. Little touches like Wendy's interactions with her stoner neighbor were just so random and cracked me up. Enjoyed it immensely. Plus there's gangster killer apes!

Life Changing Reads
Kick back as we walk down memory lane.
1. To Kill A Mockingbird
I had seen an old paperback copy of this on the top of our book case for a long time. It was the summer before 7th grade and I had a lot of time on my hands. Even at that age I had heard of the book and the movie, but hadn't picked up either. The cover was simple and the pages were yellowed. I decided that now was the time to pick it up. I read it in about 5 days and loved it immediately. Of course I was struck by the friendship between Jem, Scout and Dell and there adventures. Ultimately though it was the character of Atticus Finch that had the most effect on me. He was the father that everyone wished they had. I still get choked up as I think about the balcony scene.

2. Catcher and the Rye
Picked this up relatively later then a lot of people. I was 18 and I had gotten a gift card for christmas for a multi-media store that no longer exists. It's name escapes me at the moment. Anyway I had picked up some CDs and Videos, but I had about 10 bucks left on the gift card. With the prospect of losing out on $10, which was too little for any good CD or Video, I turned to the puny token book section. What to get? My eyes settled on a $6 buck paperback copy. It had the classic white cover with the rainbow stripe. I finished reading it in 2 days. As I read the final scene between Holden and his little sister on the merry-go-round I found myself tearing up. To me this book is not all about teen rebellion. There is a deeper subtext that strikes me every time I pick it up. Holden Caulfield is looking for unconditional love. Aren't we all?

3. Less Than Zero
First of all let me explain. Before I even had any sense what Brett Easton Ellis was all about he already had a bad reputation in our household. My mom, a librarian, was forced to read American Psycho because of a patron complaint. She hated it in every core of her body. In high school one of my friends Linda read and loved Less Than Zero I avoided it like the plague. Fast forward a few years: I was in a wonderful exchange book store in Sugarhouse and there it was-a paperback copy of Zero. Not any copy though. This one had Robert Downey Jr, Andrew McCarthey, and Jami Gertz staring back at me. It was the movie cover. I had to have it. However I held onto it for awhile without reading it. When I finally picked it up I couldn't believe what I read. I was captured by this story in that "read it till 3 am even though I need to sleep" way.

What's In My Bag
Books
Assassination Vacation
Essential Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1

Comics
Dynamo 5 #13

Magazine
Entertainment Weekly

Check Out Count: Diversifying.

Well kids it's a holiday weekend. 2 days off! It's gonna be awesome and far too quick. Have some fun! Celebrate our country. Throw some prayers to those fighting/dying overseas. Their sacrifice is beyond politics. I think I'll find some way this holiday to take a look over that old "Declaration" of ours. Have a great weekend! Book Slave.

Bad Words and Villians

Hello all those out there!
Yes the summer continues on. Yesterday was my birthday...and I am old. However my family knows me well and nearly half of my gifts were books. There was one particular title that I think deserved special attention. That title is The Librarian's Passionate Knight and here is the cover:

Awesome eh? Oh it gets better. When one opens this classic they will discover that someone has scratched out all the "hells" "Gods" etc. Here's an example:

Now mind you all the sex and romance are firmly intact. Thank god someone has saved me from those "bad" words. Somewhere I hope George Carlin is laughing.
Anyway Onward!

Reviews
Wanted
I had heard about this series before but the upcoming movie release moved me to pick it up. This 6 issue miniseries was created by Mark Millar and drawn by JG Jones. The main character is a young man named Wesley Gibson. Gibson is an office drone who finds himself stymied by his mundane life. His mundanity is shattered when he discovers that he is part of a secret world of supervillains who are really running things behind the scenes. He is trained to become an amoral villain known as The Killer by The Fox and The Professor. The undercurrent of social commentary reminded me a lot of Fight Club, however I think that Millar is more intent on spinning around the classic Heroes Journey. In Wanted we are watching the development of a villain and Millar does not hold back. It is difficult to root for a protagonist who revels in murder and extreme violence. Gibson is set up as the lesser of two evils as he goes up against the inhuman Rictor. Although really I found myself questioning whether I cared about Gibson as a character and frankly I didn't. So what's left then? Well I will say that the art is amazing. The cover in which Gibson emerges in his Supervillain costume is just cool as hell. I also enjoyed the clever satire that Millar has thrown, whereas many characters are represent comic icons. I do recommend this to those who are interested in a crazy, dark, messed up comics. Anyone else needs to watch out. This book is not for the weak.

Catwoman: Selina's Big Score
I absolutely adore Darwyn Cooke. As much as I may like realistic, dark, grim comics, a book like this is just a wonderful read. In this story Selina Kyle, also known as the burglar Catwoman, puts together a major heist. In order to pull it off she pulls together a team that includes former lover/mentor Stark whom she has a complicated past. This book is written with a 1950s-60s crime noir. It's funny and cool, reflecting Cooke's sensibilities. Even though the main protagonist is a thief I still found myself rooting for her which is to Cooke's credit. This is a fun read.

What's In My Bag
Books
Assassination Vacation
Then We Came to the End

Magazine
Entertainment Weekly

Comics
Amazing Spider-Man #560

Checkout Count: Under Control. I hope.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Hot Time! Summer in the City!

Hello,
Yes I now live in an oven. It's the consequence of being surrounded by concrete I suppose. At least I work in air conditioned buildings. On days like today you couldn't pay me to be a construction worker.
On another front I am currently obsessed with Euro2008. Two international games a day! I'm in Heaven! However this does cut down on my reading time so rather than give you a short entry today I'm gonna combine entries. I've promised you a special focus on the book Quiet Please by Scott Douglas so I'm gonna throw it in here. Don't worry you'll also get a review and current reading list. Just gonna throw in a little extra. So let's get it going already!

Special Focus: Quiet Please


When I heard about this memoir I had to pick it up. Quiet Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian written by Scott Douglas tells the story of a young man who starts out as a lowly page in the Anaheim Public library system. He decides reluctantly to become a librarian and the book chronicles his journey through 6 years of service. A little autobiography and context to start off. As any constant reader may surmise I spend some of my days as an assistant librarian. I have spent the majority of my life in libraries because my mom has served, and continues to do so, as a librarian for 30 years. Her dedication to public service deserves to be admired, and I am happy to follow her lead.

As I read this book I was struck by the author's raw, sometimes bitter, honesty about everything. This includes his fellow co-workers, patrons, and enemies. Having worked in libraries myself I often laughed and empathized with Douglas. His no hold barred honesty was refreshing and I think eye-opening.

In my opinion every librarian working today should read this memoir. Many co-workers I've had, young and old, have been burned-out by the negative experiences that they've had. Instead of glossing over those experiences Douglas brings them to light. When he states that he often fears that one of his patron will kill him he is half serious. Poignantly he discusses how there are problem patrons that drive him crazy, but he misses them when they disappear. These chapters were enjoyable and eye-opening.

I took Douglas's commentary to heart, especially when a co-worker reminds him "never to put himself above the public." Librarians are "public servants"-a fact that I think is often forgotten. Again I think that all librarians should read this book. I can't recommend it highly enough.

FYI Scott Douglas blogs here. Check it out.

Reviews
DC Comic Guide to Writing Comics
This instructional book by legendary comic writer Dennis O'Neill was very interesting and informative. I recommend this book to any teen/adult who wants to write comics. O'Neill offers technical and story advice in an easy fun format. He also includes great examples from real comics, however I would like to see an updated version that includes 52, a weekly series, or mega-events that are common today.

What's In My Bag
Comic
Rasl #1

Magazine
Film Comment

Books
Assassination Vacation
Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

Check Out Count: Under Control. I hope.

Alright time to sit in front of the fan and watch nations collide on the soccer field of battle. Enjoy! Book Slave.

Soccer, X-Men, and Booster Gold

Hey folks,
How are you? Doing well I hope. Howse your summer going? Good. Excellent. Well for me this week it's all about Soccer and weddings. Yes my life is uber-exciting. At least I have you out there gentle readers. Or at least the delusional hope that you are out there. Are you? *crickets* Well onward!

Reviews
Booster Gold: 52 Pickup
I've been heavily anticipating this trade/spinoff from the comic series 52. Booster Gold is paired with time guardian Rip hunter as someone is trying to off super heroes "terminator" style by offing there ancestors. I love time travel stories so this book scratched that itch. It's a lot of fun making one's way through DC history as Booster tries to maintain continuity. Of course Booster is still the selfish glory hog he's always been, but this series does more than play his character for laughs. His character is given more dimension as he gives up individual JLA glory to save the team. The best issue of the arc involves Booster revisiting The Killing Joke as he tries to save Barbara Gordon. Good new series.

Astonishing X-Men Vol. 1
Fun new re-imagining of the X-Men from Joss Whedon. The "mutant cure" storyline raises a lot of great action and discussion/commentary. (Gay subtext anyone?) However it is the interaction between the characters where Whedon's writing comes through. There is some great dialogue between characters. I particularly loved the scenes between Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost. BTW How awesome is Emma Frost? Now I see why fanboys love her character. She's funny, adult, and edgy. Much like Faith from the Buffy universe. I'll definitely continue with this series.

Quiet Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian
To sum up quickly: I thought it was awesome. Look for an in-depth blog entry focusing on this title in the next few days.

What's In My Bag
Books
Assassination Vacation
DC Comic Guide to Writing Comics

Magazine
Entertainment Weekly

Comic
Criminal 2 #3

Check Out Count: Finally getting under control.

I know that we are in the middle of NBA finals, but maybe try some international soccer. There will be a game almost everyday for the rest of the month. Perhaps you might like it. I'm just saying. Anyway have an excellent week! Book Slave.

Time of Decadence, the Famine is Over!

Hello,
The world is bright and I am again financially solvent. Thank you US Treasury (byway of China) for stimulating my bank account. Perhaps now I will be financially responsible and hold off on buying every book I see. Then again maybe not.
Onward to the breach!

Reviews
Essex County 1: Tales from the Farm
This award winning graphic novel flew in way under the radar. This is an original graphic novel about an orphan who comes to live with his uncle on the farm. He likes comic books and befriends a local could've been hockey star. While some scenes were very emotionally affecting I felt a bit let down by the story. Perhaps I was expecting more of a climax, but got something closer to reality. I will say the art in hand drawn black and white was beautiful and full of indelible images.

Green Arrow: Year One
I've been "waiting for the trade" on this mini-series since it ran last year. The "Year One" series has always delivered in bringing insight into the well known origin stories of their main characters. This book is no exception. I enjoyed seeing the evolution of drunken playboy jerk to modern day Robin Hood. The other draw here was the incredible work of British artist Jock whom I had enjoyed in The Losers. His pencils/coloring give us a mix of washed out greens and sharp details. It's hard to describe but it goes beyond the usual art. Also the splash pages are amazing.

What's In My Bag
Books
Assassination Vacation
Quiet, Please

Comics
Goon #22

Magazine
Four Four Two

Check Out Count: Embarassing!

Have an excellent week! I will see you in the space between spaces. Book Slave.