Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Dream Angus by Alexander McCall Smith
This is a retelling of an Irish and Scottish myth, featuring Angus, a god who is conceived in trickery and grows up clever and mischevious, doling out visions from his bag of dreams. I loved it. I'm really attracted to mythology for so many reasons. It's larger-than-life and magical, especially when told well. This was the first I had read in The Myths, a series by popular modern authors retelling myths from a bunch of different cultures. If you like Neil Gaiman, check these out. This one led me to ...
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
I love Margaret Atwood more than is normal or healthy. I didn't like the Robber Bride (but I didn't used to like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs either so maybe it's time to revisit that) but she is just so good. The Penelopiad is the flip side of The Odyssey, and it's lyrical and lovely and eerie and sad. Penelope tells the story from Hades, with an unflinching objectivity and some deep regrets. While her acquaintances have drunk from the river Lethe to forget their past lives and begin anew, Penelope clings to her only life, eternally aware and ashamed, learning about Vegas and Liposuction from her vexingly perfect rival, Helen. This awareness makes her frank and likable, and the story is heartbreakingly good.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Books About Love that I Don't Hate
Adverbs by Daniel Handler
After I read this book, I ran to the bookstore and bought a copy to send to my friend Kevin. Actually, I drove there, but the point is, everyone should read this book, RIGHT NOW.
Handler is better known for his Series of Unfortunate Events, writing as Lemony Snicket. (that will get its own review later) Adverbs is not quite a novel, not quite short stories. Each character has his own experience, but they float into each others' stories. Each chapter is an adverb, in this case, a way to love. It seems a little gimmicky but actually works quite well. Like in the Snicket books, Handler sometimes explains things in such great detail that the explanation becomes a tangent. To me, these are endearing, as they typically involve awful puns delivered deadpan, and I love a good pun (or a bad one). My mother finds Handler a bit annoying for much the same reason, so it's a wash. One of my all-time favorites.
The A.V. club has a review here.
A Taxonomy of Barnacles by Galt Niederhoffer
Ok, it's been a while since I read this one. I headed over to Amazon to refresh my memory, whereupon I read pretty much the worst reviews I've ever seen there (such as: worst book ever written, whose wife/girlfriend/niece IS this woman, published by mistake, et cetera). So, I will still (sheepishly) admit that I liked it, but I'm not forcing you to go out and read it.
Anyway, all the characters names start with B, which is confusing, and there are twins (also B names) who sometimes pretend to be each other, which is also confusing. The 5 (or 6 or 7?) Barnacle girls are challenged by their father to guarantee that the Barnacle name will live on (King Lear, anyone?), resulting in all sorts of zany adventures (all those B names add a sense of frenzied chaos to the whole thing, although maybe that's just me desperately trying to keep track of them all). The oldest girls love/hate the twin boys, who they've known since childhood, and in their efforts to get together there are all kinds of schemes involving switching places and climbing on fire escapes (Romeo and Juliet, anyone?) and arguing about baseball. There's also a nice little nature/nurture/Darwin thing going on, hence the title, and as you may have noticed, I love that pseudointellectual crap. Anyway, everything is fine in the end, and people learn lessons about love and families and things, but it's not too sentimental.
I thought it was charming, but not in a way that made me ill. Then again, apparently, the rest of the world hated it. So there you go.
After I read this book, I ran to the bookstore and bought a copy to send to my friend Kevin. Actually, I drove there, but the point is, everyone should read this book, RIGHT NOW.
Handler is better known for his Series of Unfortunate Events, writing as Lemony Snicket. (that will get its own review later) Adverbs is not quite a novel, not quite short stories. Each character has his own experience, but they float into each others' stories. Each chapter is an adverb, in this case, a way to love. It seems a little gimmicky but actually works quite well. Like in the Snicket books, Handler sometimes explains things in such great detail that the explanation becomes a tangent. To me, these are endearing, as they typically involve awful puns delivered deadpan, and I love a good pun (or a bad one). My mother finds Handler a bit annoying for much the same reason, so it's a wash. One of my all-time favorites.
The A.V. club has a review here.
A Taxonomy of Barnacles by Galt Niederhoffer
Ok, it's been a while since I read this one. I headed over to Amazon to refresh my memory, whereupon I read pretty much the worst reviews I've ever seen there (such as: worst book ever written, whose wife/girlfriend/niece IS this woman, published by mistake, et cetera). So, I will still (sheepishly) admit that I liked it, but I'm not forcing you to go out and read it.
Anyway, all the characters names start with B, which is confusing, and there are twins (also B names) who sometimes pretend to be each other, which is also confusing. The 5 (or 6 or 7?) Barnacle girls are challenged by their father to guarantee that the Barnacle name will live on (King Lear, anyone?), resulting in all sorts of zany adventures (all those B names add a sense of frenzied chaos to the whole thing, although maybe that's just me desperately trying to keep track of them all). The oldest girls love/hate the twin boys, who they've known since childhood, and in their efforts to get together there are all kinds of schemes involving switching places and climbing on fire escapes (Romeo and Juliet, anyone?) and arguing about baseball. There's also a nice little nature/nurture/Darwin thing going on, hence the title, and as you may have noticed, I love that pseudointellectual crap. Anyway, everything is fine in the end, and people learn lessons about love and families and things, but it's not too sentimental.
I thought it was charming, but not in a way that made me ill. Then again, apparently, the rest of the world hated it. So there you go.
Technorati
So, I've joined up in the hopes of getting some more readership. Here it is: my Technorati Profile. Ta-Da!
No Way To Treat A first Lady by Christopher Buckley
Our intrepid hero, Nick Naylor (from Buckley's Thank You For Smoking) returns, this time on the periphery as a starlet's publicist/handler. The story is really about the Trial of the Millenium, as the first lady has (maybe) killed her husband. Not as thought-provoking as Smoking, but a tasty little farce nonetheless, with all the backstabbing, government conspiracies, and punny headlines a girl could ask for.
Proof Positive by Phillip Margolin
I picked this up hoping for a trashy forensic-science thriller, but it was really more of a courtroom drama (and I always space out during those parts on SVU). Not bad, but the first 5 or so chapters introduce a new character and his/her point of view, and for me, that's a bit much. I like a strangers-lives-intertwine-unexpectedly kind of story, but in a mystery, I'd rather invest in one character's efforts to solve it. Good train or airport read though.
Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs
Ahh, there's my forensic thriller. Not very literary but delicious all the same. You've seen the TV show, but (obviously) the books are better. (I'll save the rant about movie adaptations for when Harry Potter comes out.) Anyway, this one focuses more on Brennan's relationships with Pete and Ryan (analogous to the David Boreanaz character) than on the science, which was too bad, because I like the science part a lot. Makes me feel smart to read about foramens and processes, you know. But, still good.
Our intrepid hero, Nick Naylor (from Buckley's Thank You For Smoking) returns, this time on the periphery as a starlet's publicist/handler. The story is really about the Trial of the Millenium, as the first lady has (maybe) killed her husband. Not as thought-provoking as Smoking, but a tasty little farce nonetheless, with all the backstabbing, government conspiracies, and punny headlines a girl could ask for.
Proof Positive by Phillip Margolin
I picked this up hoping for a trashy forensic-science thriller, but it was really more of a courtroom drama (and I always space out during those parts on SVU). Not bad, but the first 5 or so chapters introduce a new character and his/her point of view, and for me, that's a bit much. I like a strangers-lives-intertwine-unexpectedly kind of story, but in a mystery, I'd rather invest in one character's efforts to solve it. Good train or airport read though.
Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs
Ahh, there's my forensic thriller. Not very literary but delicious all the same. You've seen the TV show, but (obviously) the books are better. (I'll save the rant about movie adaptations for when Harry Potter comes out.) Anyway, this one focuses more on Brennan's relationships with Pete and Ryan (analogous to the David Boreanaz character) than on the science, which was too bad, because I like the science part a lot. Makes me feel smart to read about foramens and processes, you know. But, still good.
Monday, April 30, 2007
I might write more about these later, but:
Paint It Black by Janet Fitch
Oooooh, Janet Fitch and your lovely protagonist. I love you for talking about Brahms and punk rock and understanding both. The suspense was masterful...not heavy-handed, like omg the phone call is coming from INSIDE THE HOUSE suspense, just a little whisper of a mystery. This book made me feel lonely but it was wonderful.
Rumo and His Miraculous Adventures by Walter Moers
Your basic hero-is-born, child-hero-displays-potential-for-greatness, adolescent-hero-grows-up-through-series-of-challenges, hero-gets-girl type epic, but written by the love child of JK Rowling and Douglas Adams. I'm going to look for some more books by Moers.
The Lives of Rocks by Rick Bass
Sweet and sad short stories, filled with the kind of ache you feel when something might have almost happened, but then it didn't, and you feel kind of silly for being sad because hey, nothing happened, but you're sad anyway. (see here) Also, little bits of geology thrown in, and I'm a sucker for rocks.
The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
I've been reading a ton of fantasy lately, not sure why but, hey, evs yo. Anyway, this was good but could have been better. Neil Gaiman wrote this kiss-ass foreword so I thought I might like it, but actually, I think Neil Gaiman might be of those people who think every little thing is amaaaazing. I like his books though.
Anyway, it was about Shakespeare and punk rock and being alone in a big city. The subplot about the fairy war and evil king was a bit hard to follow but otherwise I liked it.
There were about a zillion typos in this book, and it drove me crazy, so I'd like to put this out there: I will edit your manuscript for a reasonable fee. I'm not sure what the going rate for editing is these days, but I will do it for less, unless your book is not good. Then I will charge you full price.
Paint It Black by Janet Fitch
Oooooh, Janet Fitch and your lovely protagonist. I love you for talking about Brahms and punk rock and understanding both. The suspense was masterful...not heavy-handed, like omg the phone call is coming from INSIDE THE HOUSE suspense, just a little whisper of a mystery. This book made me feel lonely but it was wonderful.
Rumo and His Miraculous Adventures by Walter Moers
Your basic hero-is-born, child-hero-displays-potential-for-greatness, adolescent-hero-grows-up-through-series-of-challenges, hero-gets-girl type epic, but written by the love child of JK Rowling and Douglas Adams. I'm going to look for some more books by Moers.
The Lives of Rocks by Rick Bass
Sweet and sad short stories, filled with the kind of ache you feel when something might have almost happened, but then it didn't, and you feel kind of silly for being sad because hey, nothing happened, but you're sad anyway. (see here) Also, little bits of geology thrown in, and I'm a sucker for rocks.
The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
I've been reading a ton of fantasy lately, not sure why but, hey, evs yo. Anyway, this was good but could have been better. Neil Gaiman wrote this kiss-ass foreword so I thought I might like it, but actually, I think Neil Gaiman might be of those people who think every little thing is amaaaazing. I like his books though.
Anyway, it was about Shakespeare and punk rock and being alone in a big city. The subplot about the fairy war and evil king was a bit hard to follow but otherwise I liked it.
There were about a zillion typos in this book, and it drove me crazy, so I'd like to put this out there: I will edit your manuscript for a reasonable fee. I'm not sure what the going rate for editing is these days, but I will do it for less, unless your book is not good. Then I will charge you full price.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Twelve Impossible Things Before Breakfast; St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised By Wolves
Two seriously good books today - Jane Yolen's Twelve Impossible Things Before Breakfast and Karen Russell's St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves.
I've picked one of my favorite books for my first entry. Jane Yolen's collection of children's short stories is alternately dark and whimsical, and sophisticated enough that adults will enjoy it as well. Yolen adds layers of depth to familiar stories such as Where The Wild Things Are (in Wilding), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (in Tough Alice), and Peter Pan (in Lost Girls). But this is no mere collection of fractured fairytales - Yolen's other stories are every bit as good, sweet and scary tales of vampires, fairies, aliens, and monsters. This book is an odd little gem. It compels you to read it again and again.
Recently, I read another collection of fantasy short stories: St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. Much of this collection takes place in the Everglades, and there's a kind of slow, humid haze over the whole book that makes it very comfortable to read. Not that the prose feels thick - on the contrary, it is straightforward but foreboding. Many of the stories feature animals (alligators, minotaurs, a giant conch shell) and it gives them a kind of a mythical, ancient quality.
The author, Karen Russell, is only 25 - what am I doing with my life? Random House has this
interview on their website.
I've picked one of my favorite books for my first entry. Jane Yolen's collection of children's short stories is alternately dark and whimsical, and sophisticated enough that adults will enjoy it as well. Yolen adds layers of depth to familiar stories such as Where The Wild Things Are (in Wilding), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (in Tough Alice), and Peter Pan (in Lost Girls). But this is no mere collection of fractured fairytales - Yolen's other stories are every bit as good, sweet and scary tales of vampires, fairies, aliens, and monsters. This book is an odd little gem. It compels you to read it again and again.
Recently, I read another collection of fantasy short stories: St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. Much of this collection takes place in the Everglades, and there's a kind of slow, humid haze over the whole book that makes it very comfortable to read. Not that the prose feels thick - on the contrary, it is straightforward but foreboding. Many of the stories feature animals (alligators, minotaurs, a giant conch shell) and it gives them a kind of a mythical, ancient quality.
The author, Karen Russell, is only 25 - what am I doing with my life? Random House has this
interview on their website.
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