Huzzah! The 22nd post!
I decided to go for a slightly unusual book this time around...
"I Lick My Cheese and Other Real Notes from the Roommate Frontlines"
Oonagh O'Hagan
Abrams Image, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-8109-8362-5
Collected here, complete with snarky commentary, are the scribblings of frustration, amusment, and oh-so-carefully-concealed hostility.
I love passive-aggressive (and just plain aggressive) notes. Not necessarily being on the giving or receiving end of such notes, but there's just something hilarious in the way people deal with their problems on paper. I'm a fan of the snarky commentary in this book as well. On a note that reads "You know, that I know that you know that I know that you took it...So give it back", Oonagh comments "This is the kind of message that the mafia would leave for a victim as the first chance to pay up before getting to wear the not-so-fashionable concrete shoes". This books great to just pick up and leaf through and smile, becuase it's not you. :)
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Quick Post: "The Chocolate War"
Believe it or not, in a two sentence summary, there will be spoilers. Ye have been warned!
"The Chocolate War."
Robert Cormier
Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1974
ISBN# 978-0-440-94459-1
Boy stands up to repressive Catholic school bullies and refuses to sell chocolates. Boy gets crap beaten out of him.
This book gets my sense of justice all riled up. Read it. But, be told...it'll enflame your sense of justice and fairness.
"The Chocolate War."
Robert Cormier
Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1974
ISBN# 978-0-440-94459-1
Boy stands up to repressive Catholic school bullies and refuses to sell chocolates. Boy gets crap beaten out of him.
This book gets my sense of justice all riled up. Read it. But, be told...it'll enflame your sense of justice and fairness.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
"Nets"
Squeaking a few in under the wire. This is the first (and only) poetry book I'll probably ever include in this blog. I've been packing a lot lately, and this little volume seemed to miss the box.
"Nets"
Jen Bervin
Ugly Duckling Presse, 2006 (third printing)
ISBN# 0972768432
In a fit of experimentation, Jen Bervin transforms Shakespeare's immortal sonnets into small phrases by letting a few words slip "through the net".
Of all the crazy experimental poetry I had to read for my various poetry classes in undergrad, this is one of the few ones I enjoyed. Jen Bervin takes full Shakespeare sonnets and fades the text except for a few choice words. The effect is one of two sentences (that actually make sense...what a novelty!) that seem to capture the essence of Shakespeare. Because this book isn't so mainstream as our works discussed here, I'm including two examples. (Copyright moment: I don't own them. These works belong to Jen Bervin.)
63
Against my love shall be, as I am now,
With Time's injurious hand crushed and o'er-worn;
When hours have drained his blood and filled his brow
With lines and wrinkles; when his youthful morn
Hath travelled on to age's steepy night,
And all those beauties whereof now he's king
Are vanishing or vanished out of sight,
Stealing away the treasure of his spring;
For such a time do I now fortify
Against confounding age's cruel knife,
That he shall never cut from memory
My sweet love's beauty, though my lover's life:
His beauty shall in these black lines be seen,
And they shall live, and he in them still green.
136
If thy soul check thee that I come so near,
Swear to thy blind soul that I was thy 'Will,'
And will, thy soul knows, is admitted there;
Thus far for love my love-suit, sweet, fulfil.
'Will' will fulfil the treasure of thy love,
Ay, fill it full with wills, and my will one.
In things of great receipt with ease we prove
Among a number one is reckoned none.
Then in the number let me pass untold,
Though in thy store's account I one must be;
For nothing hold me, so it please thee hold
That nothing me, a something sweet to thee:
Make but my name thy love, and love that still,
And then thou lovest me, for my name is 'Will.'
"Nets"
Jen Bervin
Ugly Duckling Presse, 2006 (third printing)
ISBN# 0972768432
In a fit of experimentation, Jen Bervin transforms Shakespeare's immortal sonnets into small phrases by letting a few words slip "through the net".
Of all the crazy experimental poetry I had to read for my various poetry classes in undergrad, this is one of the few ones I enjoyed. Jen Bervin takes full Shakespeare sonnets and fades the text except for a few choice words. The effect is one of two sentences (that actually make sense...what a novelty!) that seem to capture the essence of Shakespeare. Because this book isn't so mainstream as our works discussed here, I'm including two examples. (Copyright moment: I don't own them. These works belong to Jen Bervin.)
63
Against my love shall be, as I am now,
With Time's injurious hand crushed and o'er-worn;
When hours have drained his blood and filled his brow
With lines and wrinkles; when his youthful morn
Hath travelled on to age's steepy night,
And all those beauties whereof now he's king
Are vanishing or vanished out of sight,
Stealing away the treasure of his spring;
For such a time do I now fortify
Against confounding age's cruel knife,
That he shall never cut from memory
My sweet love's beauty, though my lover's life:
His beauty shall in these black lines be seen,
And they shall live, and he in them still green.
136
If thy soul check thee that I come so near,
Swear to thy blind soul that I was thy 'Will,'
And will, thy soul knows, is admitted there;
Thus far for love my love-suit, sweet, fulfil.
'Will' will fulfil the treasure of thy love,
Ay, fill it full with wills, and my will one.
In things of great receipt with ease we prove
Among a number one is reckoned none.
Then in the number let me pass untold,
Though in thy store's account I one must be;
For nothing hold me, so it please thee hold
That nothing me, a something sweet to thee:
Make but my name thy love, and love that still,
And then thou lovest me, for my name is 'Will.'
Thursday, July 23, 2009
"Into the Twilight, Endlessly Grousing"
"Into the Twilight, Endlessly Grousing."
Patrick McManus
Simon and Schuester, 1998
ISBN # 068484799X
In yet another volume of outdoorsman humor, Patrick McManus addresses such serious issues as: Firecrackers and other fun hobbies, what to do when the Stamp People come for you, the hazards of growing a beard, and why men cry.
I always think it's funny that two of my favorite authors don't seem to match up with me in any way. Firstly- Lewis Grizzard, Southern newspaper columnist from the the 70's (and a bit of a good ol' boy), and Secondly- Patrick McManus, an outdoorsman who pursues hunting, fishing, and camping. And yet, I love reading their work because, even though I have no common ground, their writing is so funny, you can have no knowledge of the subject and still get a chuckle. Patrick McManus has written a number of short story/personal essay collections, including "The Good Samaritan Strikes Again", "Real Ponies Don't Go Oink!", and "The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw". While there are some heavily fictionalized stories in this particular book, ("The Chicken Fried Club" and "Sam Spud and the Case of the Maltese Fly" definitely reek of the hard bitten detective genre), there are also some stories that have to be straight from Pat's life (and heart). There's usually a lot of laughs, but there are also a lot of moments that make you pause. One character, the Old Man, always makes me laugh and, at the same time, tear up. And, speaking of characters, Patrick McManus stories are populated with some of the best: Rancid Crabtree, the crotchety old mountain man. Retch Sweeny and Crazy Eddie, Pat's friends. The Troll, Pat's sister. And, my personal favorite, Patrick himself. Even if you aren't into the nature scene, Patrick McManus stories are still laughable.
Patrick McManus
Simon and Schuester, 1998
ISBN # 068484799X
In yet another volume of outdoorsman humor, Patrick McManus addresses such serious issues as: Firecrackers and other fun hobbies, what to do when the Stamp People come for you, the hazards of growing a beard, and why men cry.
I always think it's funny that two of my favorite authors don't seem to match up with me in any way. Firstly- Lewis Grizzard, Southern newspaper columnist from the the 70's (and a bit of a good ol' boy), and Secondly- Patrick McManus, an outdoorsman who pursues hunting, fishing, and camping. And yet, I love reading their work because, even though I have no common ground, their writing is so funny, you can have no knowledge of the subject and still get a chuckle. Patrick McManus has written a number of short story/personal essay collections, including "The Good Samaritan Strikes Again", "Real Ponies Don't Go Oink!", and "The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw". While there are some heavily fictionalized stories in this particular book, ("The Chicken Fried Club" and "Sam Spud and the Case of the Maltese Fly" definitely reek of the hard bitten detective genre), there are also some stories that have to be straight from Pat's life (and heart). There's usually a lot of laughs, but there are also a lot of moments that make you pause. One character, the Old Man, always makes me laugh and, at the same time, tear up. And, speaking of characters, Patrick McManus stories are populated with some of the best: Rancid Crabtree, the crotchety old mountain man. Retch Sweeny and Crazy Eddie, Pat's friends. The Troll, Pat's sister. And, my personal favorite, Patrick himself. Even if you aren't into the nature scene, Patrick McManus stories are still laughable.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Valiant
"Valiant"
Holly Black
Simon Pulse, 2005
ISBN 9-780689-868238
Valerie, betrayed by the people she was closest to, tries to disappear in New York City. When a chance encounter with two other runaway teens leads her to the dark and dangerous world of street life, she finds out there's more living in the dark tunnels of the subway than she ever imagined. Val tries to understand the world of the Faeries, not the average Tinkerbells found in stories, and her connection with a troll may very well be the key back to her life.
Pegged as "A Modern Tale of Faerie", "Valiant" is absolutely creepy. It's a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast", kinda, but it's the first retelling I've ever read where the Beauty is not so self-sacrificing and nauseating. Val is undeniably human, and acts foolishly and impulsively. It makes her a much more sympathetic characters. The cast of street urchins is just as creepy as the Fair Folk they interact with, and Holly Black has a very vivid imagination. Definitely worth a read if you want a little edge to your fairy tales.
Holly Black
Simon Pulse, 2005
ISBN 9-780689-868238
Valerie, betrayed by the people she was closest to, tries to disappear in New York City. When a chance encounter with two other runaway teens leads her to the dark and dangerous world of street life, she finds out there's more living in the dark tunnels of the subway than she ever imagined. Val tries to understand the world of the Faeries, not the average Tinkerbells found in stories, and her connection with a troll may very well be the key back to her life.
Pegged as "A Modern Tale of Faerie", "Valiant" is absolutely creepy. It's a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast", kinda, but it's the first retelling I've ever read where the Beauty is not so self-sacrificing and nauseating. Val is undeniably human, and acts foolishly and impulsively. It makes her a much more sympathetic characters. The cast of street urchins is just as creepy as the Fair Folk they interact with, and Holly Black has a very vivid imagination. Definitely worth a read if you want a little edge to your fairy tales.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
ALA Funness! :)
So, this is technically not a book review, but I was at the ALA national conference all weekend, and I've managed to add to my book collection with tons of galleys, picture books, and freebies. :) Instead of a review, here are some pictures of authors and some books that are now on my shelf.
Mike Thaler, author of "The Teacher from the Black Lagoon" and other similar titles. His shirt read "Read, or Get Laminated!", compliments of "The Librarian from the Black Lagoon".
The marvelous Holly Black, who was signing copies of the galley for "Geekitude", which she edited. What I didn't place together at the time was that she's also the author of "Valiant", which is amazing. :)
Jon Sciezka and Lane Smith might very well jsut be my heroes. Not only have they presented with world with the wonderful "Squids will be Squids", but also "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales". True men of genius. 
Mo Willems, author of the Pigeon books, is just as fun and funny as the pigeon. The original of this picture involved Mo trying to balance the pigeon on his head. Yep. 
Neil Gaiman is, without a doubt, one of my favorite authors of all time. Waiting in line to get his autograph is always worth it. He's extremely polite, cooperative, and he'll draw your name on a tombstone while you gush about how much you love "The Graveyard Book." No lie. 
This is just a bonus picture from the Neil Gaiman line, take two. Yes, I'm that much of a fan.
Mike Thaler, author of "The Teacher from the Black Lagoon" and other similar titles. His shirt read "Read, or Get Laminated!", compliments of "The Librarian from the Black Lagoon".
The marvelous Holly Black, who was signing copies of the galley for "Geekitude", which she edited. What I didn't place together at the time was that she's also the author of "Valiant", which is amazing. :)
Jon Sciezka and Lane Smith might very well jsut be my heroes. Not only have they presented with world with the wonderful "Squids will be Squids", but also "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales". True men of genius.
Mo Willems, author of the Pigeon books, is just as fun and funny as the pigeon. The original of this picture involved Mo trying to balance the pigeon on his head. Yep. 
Neil Gaiman is, without a doubt, one of my favorite authors of all time. Waiting in line to get his autograph is always worth it. He's extremely polite, cooperative, and he'll draw your name on a tombstone while you gush about how much you love "The Graveyard Book." No lie. 
This is just a bonus picture from the Neil Gaiman line, take two. Yes, I'm that much of a fan.Sunday, July 12, 2009
"The Graveyard Book"
:) I'm updating again from Chicago. Yesterday, Neil Gaiman (!!!!!!!) signed my copy of "The Graveyard Book", which just won the Newbery, so here is a quick blogpost.
"The Graveyard Book"
Neil Gaiman
HarpersCollins 2008
Nobody Owens should have been killed when he was just a baby. Instead, he ended up in the Graveyard. But, not as a corpse. Raised by the ghosts of the Graveyard, he tries to come to terms with being living in the land of the dead.
I cannot say enough about how much I love Neil Gaiman's works, and how great this book is. It is YA oriented, but the scene with the ghouls definitely would give even adults the heebie jeebies. The cast of this book is appropriately varied and interesting and with enough life (pun intended) to keep the reader engaged. And, as with any Gaiman's books, the action is balanced with enough character development to keep the story going. And, well, I'm a fan. I can't say anything bad. Read it. :)
"The Graveyard Book"
Neil Gaiman
HarpersCollins 2008
Nobody Owens should have been killed when he was just a baby. Instead, he ended up in the Graveyard. But, not as a corpse. Raised by the ghosts of the Graveyard, he tries to come to terms with being living in the land of the dead.
I cannot say enough about how much I love Neil Gaiman's works, and how great this book is. It is YA oriented, but the scene with the ghouls definitely would give even adults the heebie jeebies. The cast of this book is appropriately varied and interesting and with enough life (pun intended) to keep the reader engaged. And, as with any Gaiman's books, the action is balanced with enough character development to keep the story going. And, well, I'm a fan. I can't say anything bad. Read it. :)
Friday, July 10, 2009
"Confessions of a Shopaholic"
Hahahaha....I'm updating this from Chicago! (ALA convention)
This was the book that was formerly on my shelf, but it made the trip with me. Okay, so sue me. Chick Lit ahoy!
"Confessions of a Shopaholic"
Sophie Kinsella
Bantam Dell 2001
ISBN # 0-440-24141-3
Becky Bloomwood has a massive problem: Her visa bill. She also has a number of other inconveniently large bills to pay, debts to finish off, and, unfortunately, a serious lack of funds. But, there's hope. Convinces she can quash her spening frenzy, Becky tries a number of ways to get out her debt. But it isn't until she starts helping people with their own money problems that she sees the key to hers.
Firstly, I read this book before the movie came out. And, I really liked it. I normally do not get sucked into chick lit (chick flicks, yes. Chick lit, no.) But, there's something about Becky (and indeed, many of Kinsella's leading ladies. They come across as airheads at first, but there's really something deeper to to their characters. You find yourself rooting for them, even when they do ridiculous things. I've never been a great shopper either. (The mother of my homestay family during my semester in Ireland took the two of us girls staying with her to Galway for some girl shopping. It never occurred to me that people actually DO, in real life, devote time to matching shoes to a bag. It was slightly thrilling.) But, something about the pace and the improbabilty of this book, coupled with Becky's character and Kinsella's prose, makes it fun. And fluffy. But mostly fun.
This was the book that was formerly on my shelf, but it made the trip with me. Okay, so sue me. Chick Lit ahoy!
"Confessions of a Shopaholic"
Sophie Kinsella
Bantam Dell 2001
ISBN # 0-440-24141-3
Becky Bloomwood has a massive problem: Her visa bill. She also has a number of other inconveniently large bills to pay, debts to finish off, and, unfortunately, a serious lack of funds. But, there's hope. Convinces she can quash her spening frenzy, Becky tries a number of ways to get out her debt. But it isn't until she starts helping people with their own money problems that she sees the key to hers.
Firstly, I read this book before the movie came out. And, I really liked it. I normally do not get sucked into chick lit (chick flicks, yes. Chick lit, no.) But, there's something about Becky (and indeed, many of Kinsella's leading ladies. They come across as airheads at first, but there's really something deeper to to their characters. You find yourself rooting for them, even when they do ridiculous things. I've never been a great shopper either. (The mother of my homestay family during my semester in Ireland took the two of us girls staying with her to Galway for some girl shopping. It never occurred to me that people actually DO, in real life, devote time to matching shoes to a bag. It was slightly thrilling.) But, something about the pace and the improbabilty of this book, coupled with Becky's character and Kinsella's prose, makes it fun. And fluffy. But mostly fun.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
"White Man's Grave"
"White Man's Grave"
Richard Dooling
Picador1994
ISBN # 0-312-13214-X
Michael Killigan went to West Africa, and "disappeared". Now, Boone Westfall is searching for his missing friend, deep in the jungles and off the beaten track, uncovering more about the countryside and the beliefs that inhabit the brush than he ever wanted to know. But, when disturbing signs point to Michael purposefully disappearing and the dark underbelly of politics behind it all, Boone might never find his friend, or his true self, again in the face of what the brush believes.
When I was a junior in undergrad, I took a course called "Travel Literature", and it was all about the narrative. We slogged through "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "South" by Earnest Shackleton, "On the Road" by Kerouac, and several others. Including this little bit of fiction. Right around the time we were finishing up the book before this one, I had a massive allergy attack coupled with a twenty-four hour bug, and sat, delirious, in my room, reading this book nonstop. Needless to say, not much of it stuck. But, despite it being not even close to anything I'd normally read, I hung on to it and have read and reread it. I still don't understand it.
Dooling has a duel narrative happening, with Boone Westfall deep in Africa looking for Michael, and Michael's father Randall back in Indiana, trying to find out what the mysterious bundle is and if it has anything to do with the Unidentified Bright Object that showed up in his brain after an MRI. I tend to gloss over the parts with Randall, because it gets very heavy into medical terms, and I am very squeamish. Plus, Boone Westfall's narrative contains passages in Krio, which is fun to read. But, no matter how often I read it, I'm still not entirely sure how it ends. I know that sounds ridiculous, but there's something that happens with the timeline and I just lose the thread. Other than that hiccup, it's a very interesting read, and really creepy, especially if you kow nothing about African bush beliefs.
Richard Dooling
Picador1994
ISBN # 0-312-13214-X
Michael Killigan went to West Africa, and "disappeared". Now, Boone Westfall is searching for his missing friend, deep in the jungles and off the beaten track, uncovering more about the countryside and the beliefs that inhabit the brush than he ever wanted to know. But, when disturbing signs point to Michael purposefully disappearing and the dark underbelly of politics behind it all, Boone might never find his friend, or his true self, again in the face of what the brush believes.
When I was a junior in undergrad, I took a course called "Travel Literature", and it was all about the narrative. We slogged through "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "South" by Earnest Shackleton, "On the Road" by Kerouac, and several others. Including this little bit of fiction. Right around the time we were finishing up the book before this one, I had a massive allergy attack coupled with a twenty-four hour bug, and sat, delirious, in my room, reading this book nonstop. Needless to say, not much of it stuck. But, despite it being not even close to anything I'd normally read, I hung on to it and have read and reread it. I still don't understand it.
Dooling has a duel narrative happening, with Boone Westfall deep in Africa looking for Michael, and Michael's father Randall back in Indiana, trying to find out what the mysterious bundle is and if it has anything to do with the Unidentified Bright Object that showed up in his brain after an MRI. I tend to gloss over the parts with Randall, because it gets very heavy into medical terms, and I am very squeamish. Plus, Boone Westfall's narrative contains passages in Krio, which is fun to read. But, no matter how often I read it, I'm still not entirely sure how it ends. I know that sounds ridiculous, but there's something that happens with the timeline and I just lose the thread. Other than that hiccup, it's a very interesting read, and really creepy, especially if you kow nothing about African bush beliefs.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
Okay, so I've been seriously lagging behind in journal entries. Whoops. And, I'm off to the ALA conference on Friday, so it's time to cover some serious ground.
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
Roald Dahl
Puffin Books, 1964
ISBN# 0-14-130115-5
Deserving boy (Charlie) beats out four beastly little children, who all earn their terrible fates, and goes on to win a chocolate factory from an eccentric candy-making genius.
Screw Johnny Depp's version. Say "so long!" to Gene Wilder's. Roald Dahl is the original. 'Nuff said.
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
Roald Dahl
Puffin Books, 1964
ISBN# 0-14-130115-5
Deserving boy (Charlie) beats out four beastly little children, who all earn their terrible fates, and goes on to win a chocolate factory from an eccentric candy-making genius.
Screw Johnny Depp's version. Say "so long!" to Gene Wilder's. Roald Dahl is the original. 'Nuff said.
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