Avidmom's Reading Garden 2015

The crop so far:

1. My Rescue: A Lucky Cat's Short Memoir by Rick E. McBride
2. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
3. I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak
4. Testimony: The Legacy of Schindler's List and the USC Shoah Foundation
5. Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright
6. Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy
7. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
8. Jon Stewart: Beyond the Moments of Zen by Bruce Watson
9. The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant
10. So Long and Thanks for All The Fish by Douglas Adams
11. American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson
12. Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams
13. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
14. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
15. Hedy's Folly by Richard Rhodes
16. Between a Heart and a Rock Place by Pat Benatar
17. The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
18. I Am Malala by Mulala Yousafzai
19. The Snowden Files by Luke Harding
20. The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith
21. The Boom Boom Retreat by Tayla Lewis
22. Jesus Himself by Andrew Murray
23. Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
24. Bossypants by Tina Fey
25. Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov
26. The Martian by Andy Weir
27. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
28. Scout, Atticus and Boo by Mary Murphy
29. Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now by Maya Angelou
30. Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man by Steve Harvey
31. Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die by Willie Nelson
32. Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. by Sam Wasson
33. Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie
34. Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote
35. The Complete Guide to Personal Finance: For Teenagers
36. The Universe Doesn't Give A Flying Fuck About You by Johnny Truant
37. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
38. Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
39. Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light by Carlos Santana
40. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
41. The Pastures of Heaven by John Steinbeck
42. Can't Wait to Get To Heaven by Fannie Flagg
43. Drama: An Actor's Education by John Lithgow (Audio)
44. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

What a beautiful room! A perfect spot for reading.

>2 VivienneR: Agreed. Sadly it is not mine; simply "borrowed" from the internet. I would love to be there; I probably would never leave. :)

Last year's reading quilt & stats:



16 Fiction/20 Non-Fiction

FAVORITE FICTION 2014
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
The Demon's Parchment by Jeri Westerson

FAVORITE NON-FICTION 2014
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
A Natural Woman by Carole King
Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill
Knee Deep in Paradise by Brett Butler

FAVORITE NON-FICTION/HISTORY 2014
An Easy Burden by Andrew Young
Nothing to Fear: FDR's Inner Circle and the Hundred Days That Created Modern America by Adam Cohen

for Bible reading...


NEW TESTAMENT
The Book of Matthew
The Book of Mark (finished March 4, 2015)
The Book of Luke
The Book of John
The Book of Acts
The Book of Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
First Thessalonians
Second Thessalonians
First Timothy
Second Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude (May 15, 2015)
Revelation

Woo hoo I did it! Read the NT from start to finish. :)
***********************************************
So, back to the front of the Big Book.


Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms

A spot to keep track of those Classic Literature Reads...


The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie
Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
The Pastures of Heaven by John Steinbeck

A spot to keep track of those Musical Reads...


Between A Heart and a Rock Place by Pat Benatar
Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die by Willie Nelson
Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light by Carlos Santana

A spot for those History reads...


Hedy's Folly by Richard Rhodes

Love your reading quilt! What a nice way to present your books read. I may steal your idea sometime!

ETA — Ooops! Sorry to barge into your setup! ;-(

A spot for those SciFi reads...


1. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (free Kindle edition)
2. So Long and Thanks for All The Fish by Douglas Adams
3. Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams
4. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
6. Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov
7. Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

>9 Poquette: Thanks! I don't think it was my idea and now can't even remember who I stole the idea from. Don't apologize for "barging"; I'm happy for the company. XD

A reading garden; what a wonderful idea for a thread. From April to October, the outdoor garden is where most of my reading happens. If I had that room, it would be heaven.

Looking forward to following your reading again this year. I like the way you've set up your thread by type of book.

That definitely is a beautiful room. I couldn't do anything like that, but you are inspiring me to create a better space in which to read. Starred your thread!

>12 SassyLassy: Thanks Sassy. It's a real treat to read outside, and almost a necessity for me here as our house is small and gets rather noisy rather quickly! That room is too perfect; I wonder where it is located.

>13 rebeccanyc: Last year I discovered "tickers" but couldn't always remember the specific password for the specific ticker! I thought this would be so much easier. :)

>14 NanaCC: Thanks! That room is an inspiration, for sure!

Now off to lurk on everyone else's thread.

Nice new thread, avidmom!

>16 kidzdoc: Thanks kidzdoc!

My Rescue: A Lucky Cat's Short Memoir by Rick E. McBride

The title says it all and it is exactly what it sounds like. The story is told from the point of view of the cat, which is cute. Except for a few little kitty cat behavior tidbits, this "book" is incredibly short and probably forgettable. It was a freebie for the new Kindle my nice family bought for me this Christmas.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells*

With my new Kindle in hand, I dug deep into Amazon's free Kindle books and was happy to find some classics there, such as this one. Baswood has read quite a bit of Wells and has, fortunately for us, posted some excellent reviews of his H.G. Wells' reads. His reviews convinced me that a great place to start my sci fi reading would be with this particular author. I was not disappointed.

The Time Machine is such a well known story that I don't think I need to sum it up, except to say that yours truly was not familiar with it. Probably the most I learned about the story before really reading it is when the "Big Bang Theory" did an episode, "The Nerdvana Annihilation," in which one of the characters purchases a life-size replica of the "Time Machine" that was in the movie of the same name. It was Sheldon and Leonard who introduced me to the Morlocks. (Who says sitcoms aren't educational?)

The Time Machine is more than science fiction; it's an essay on societal classes wrapped in a science fiction adventure story. The book kept my attention from the beginning, but as the action of the story revved up, so did my focus. Then, it seemed, as soon as the story got really, really exciting, it was over! So, I guess if I had something to say negatively about this particular book is that there simply wasn't enough of it ...... which I guess is really saying something positive.

This was a good read for me and I admire the way Wells weaves a bit of philosophy his story. Most definitely a classic for a reason. The movie version, which I have never seen, comes on tomorrow and I've already set the DVR. I hope I don't have nightmares like poor Sheldon ...

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*This was a free Amazon Kindle book, and as such, I couldn't get the "cover" of it. OK, I guess, because the cover for the freebie is boring so I just picked the cover I liked the best.

I just picked the cover I liked the best.   That's what I do too! ;-)

>20 Poquette: Great minds think alike! Ha! :)

"The Time Machine" movie 1960

The day after I read The Time Machine, the 1960 movie version came on TV. (What timing!) The movie version is well worth watching, but it is not quite the book - it is more than the book. A lot has been added to flesh the story out, but it does so without killing or altering the story (too much). The Weena here is a lot more intelligent and vocal than she is in the book, but a necessary alteration to get the story across. It was definitely a great way to pass the time on a Saturday evening and a classic for a reason.

It's fun to see what "Oscar winning special effects" in 1960 were compared to our special effects of today.

Glad you enjoyed The Time Machine avidmom, and it was great to read your thoughts about it. I must have seen that 1960 film, but can't remember any of it. I must try and catch it.

Thank you, baswood. I certainly will be reading more from him, and more sci fi. It certainly is a new genre for me, but I've really begun to appreciate it.

I love the old classic movies!

I really enjoyed The Time Machine too. I keep meaning to read more Wells but I've still only read that and War of the Worlds. I've got The Invisible Man coming up this month though for a book club. I also loved the film. (I've succeeded in mostly deleting the remake from my brain.)

Rarely does a remake come up to the level of the original, IMO. I'll be interested in hearing what you think of The Invisible Man, it's on my radar as well. :)

...big things are often just small things that are noticed."

I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak

Ed Kennedy is an underage cab driver living in a going-nowhere town in Australia. There is nothing special about Ed. On his list of achievements is nothing. Absolutely nothing. He just exists day to day, driving his cab, playing cards with his small group of friends, and wishing the girl he loves would remove him from the friend zone. One day going-nowhere Ed inadvertently stops a bank robbery and becomes a hero. After that, mysterious playing cards with names and/or addresses arrive in his mailbox. It's all a mystery: who are these people? what do they need? who are sending these cards? What is the difficulty that Ed is supposed to help them with? And how? One by one the little cases unfold and Ed's fixes range from an incredibly small act of kindness to much more drastic (and unkind) measures. Ignoring the cards is not an option, Ed is being watched, and if he fails in his mission, well, Ed knows there'll be a heavy price to pay.

Zusak's The Book Thief is on my list of favorite books of all time, so naturally, I wanted to read more stuff by him. While I Am The Messenger didn't disappoint me, it will not be put on my list of faves either. The book was quite funny in spots and touching in others; I liked Ed Kennedy and I admit to being hooked until the end and the uniqueness of the story(ies) was fun. However, my expectations were pretty high and I expected something incredibly unique from this author. This particular book, however, reminded me of a Nick Hornby novel. There is nothing wrong with this book, or any of the few Hornby novels I've read, I think I just expected a little more, which may be more my fault than Zusak's.

I'd give this one a good 3 and 1/2 stars.

"It's impeccable how brutal the truth can be at times. You can only admire it."

Testimony: The Legacy of Schindler's List and the USC Shoah Foundation

This is a coffee table book that I borrowed as an e-book from my library. Definitely the hardcover real" book would have been much better; this still turned out to be quite an informative read.

It starts with Spielberg making Schindler's List, the movie whose accolades and awards took a few pages to list at the back of the book, and a chance meeting Spielberg had on the set of Schindler's List with one of the Schindlerjuden. From there the idea was born to collect and video record the testimony of Holocaust survivors. Originally, the Shoah Foundation, which began its life in some tiny production trailers behind Spielberg's office at Amblin Entertainment, had a visionary goal of collecting 50,000 testimonies. Testimonies that would reflect all different geographical locations involved, ages, and a good sample of all the groups who were targeted by the Nazi regime: Jews, Gentile rescuers, political prisoners, homosexuals, etc. (It surprised me to learn Jehovah's Witnesses were a target also of the hate; I never knew that.)

The story of the USC Shoah Foundation is just an incredible story of how one really good idea, leads to another good idea, which leads to this life changing great idea and how the technology over the decade the Foundation was collecting the testimonies, seemed to advance and advance and make the testimonies not only easier to collect, store, and most importantly, save; but also index and catalogue so researchers, students, and educators can now easily access and use the testimonies.

The story of the USC Shoah Foundation is just incredible. The whole thing seems so impossible at first; and then it advances and exceeds even the Foundation's own visionary expectations.

Amazing story.

>27 avidmom: - I've been afraid even to see if Zusak had new books out, much less pick one up. The Book Thief became an immediate favorite, so I couldn't imagine another of his living up to that expectation. Your comments reflect exactly what I expect I'd think, too. Good to know I'm not the only one. :-)

>29 ljbwell: Yay! Another Book Thief fan. I don't know, right off hand, whether I Am The Messenger came before or after TBT. I Am The Messenger is a good book, but it certainly lacked the poetic quality and uniqueness of The Book Thief.

Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright

Wright's journalistic treatment of Scientology is my third book read on the subject. The book itself kept my attention and I certainly appreciated Lawrence Wright's attempt at trying to remain neutral and fair. He usually succeeded, but there were times that stories were just too egregious and he had to step out of his role as neutral reporter and insert his two cents as a human being. The book itself works. It was kind of frustrating to read "this happened" and then a little footnote "the person said this never happened." If this would have been my first read on Scientology, I may have taken it with a very large grain of salt and possibly doubted the author a bit, but, nothing has been said in this book that I haven't read in the other two books I've read on the subject.

If anything, Wright's book kind of filled in the little questions I had about Scientology: why people were drawn to it; why they (quite literally!) bought into it. Wright focuses on (or tries to anyway) the Hollywood types and why Hubbard was specifically kind of "after" them. It made sense (well, as much as something that boggles my imagination can makes sense.) I was pleased that not everybody talked about was drawn as some drone-like Hubbard sycophant (although there were plenty of those as well); that there were (are) people involved in this who are there for sincere reasons - smart people, successful people, people who live "normal" lives.

Wright also brought up some interesting points. If Hubbard was just a pure con man who only was out to make money; why did he spend so much time - to an obsessive degree - writing his Scientology doctrine? Every "new religious movement" goes through a period of persecution; is Scientology just going through what every "new religion" does? And then, most interesting to me, was his assertion that maybe Scientology is not accepted simply because of not only its newness but also because there's not a lot of Scientology branded art around that would make it more normalized in the culture. I take his point, whether you're Christian, Jewish or whatever, everybody probably knows about Da Vinci's painting of "The Last Supper." I think that's one of those things in life you know - that art is important - but never really think about.

So, I didn't learn anything too new here. At times it felt a bit "National Enquiry" to me, but I don't think that's the author's fault; his subject/stories were just strange and unusual (and often sad and scary). I did like his attempt at, despite of all the negatives that were piling up, trying to give Scientology a fair shake. I didn't come away changing my viewpoints on Scientology; but now I think I have a little bit more of a more even handed perspective on the subject. I liked the fact that Wright made an attempt to write about the subject that included the good, the bad, and the ugly all at once.

Of the 3 books I've read on the subject, if you want to read only 1, I would recommend this one for its comprehensiveness.

I think my Scientology tangent is over now. XD

Other books I've read:
Inside Scientology by Janet Reitman
Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige Hill
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Short animated YouTube video: Scientology in a Nutshell
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Not about Scientology or L Ron Hubbard per se, but the similarities are hard to deny:

Hi Avid! Just stopping by to star your thread again and say hello. Great reading room up top! I enjoyed reading your review of The Time Machine, and have recently bought a copy of I Am the Messenger on a whim for my stepson, so appreciated reading your comments.

Thanks Polaris! I hope your stepson likes it.

Catching up. I would like to read Wright's take on Scientology.

>34 dchaikin: I would love to hear your thoughts on it. I think Wright's book is the best one I've read out of the 3.

"For most of my life I have seen myself as eggshell-like, ill-prepared to deal with the gentle rinse, let alone the spin cycle."

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“…Benny is not just a cat who I take care of but a confused, frustrated being who is exactly the same as me. …. Now there were just two misfits staring at each other in a funhouse mirror. Resentment doesn’t work. Rage has no seat at the table. Even confusion steps out for a cigarette. And the scales fall from my eyes. Benny and I are both socially isolated, behaviorally unlubricated, two fingers on the same hand caught in the massive gears. This is what differentiates sympathy from empathy. No matter how much I care for you, it’s not until I recognize me in you and you in me that the veil of gauze is lifted on the world.”


Cat Daddy: What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean by Jackson Galaxy

Cat Daddy is Galaxy’s memoir of how he went from a functioning addict/alcoholic to a functioning business man/cat “whisperer.” He started working with animals almost by accident; he figured it would be less trying than working with people. Also, he just needed a job. Pure and simple. So he lied about his animal experience (except for the few cats he and his roommates already owned, he had none) and managed to land himself a job – after two tries – at an animal shelter in Colorado. It was there where he tapped into his compassion for animals and his special affinity for cats, what he calls “Cat Mojo.” It came about more out of necessity; dogs had more of a chance of getting adopted than the cats did, and he wanted to try and fix that problem. So he studied cats, read about them, and watched his cat, Benny, the cat he rescued from the shelter. In the process of going from shelter worker to animal advocate to cat consultant, he began dealing with his inner demons: his addiction(s) to drugs, illegal and prescribed; alcoholism; even food.

If it weren’t for the gathering of the “community cats” in my neighborhood, and more specifically, my backyard, I probably would never have heard of Galaxy. Our first meeting was through his TV show, “My Cat From Hell.” I’m not really sure what I was expecting the first time I watched the show, but it certainly wasn’t what I saw: - a bald, bearded, tatted up bespectacled New-Agey/hippy/rock-star wannabe who carried not a guitar in his guitar case, but cat toys and a line of sprays, Cat Spirit Essences. He helped the two-footed critters understand their four footed felines and restore harmony to the cats and their cat “guardians” in the process. I know the show helped me with our “community cats.” The funny thing about it, is that Jackson himself never really expected to be here, doing what he’s doing. "Defining moments are surely blissful, but, if you are stubborn enough, like me, to still believe that this life will unfold according to your plan, they are just as starkly terrifying." But sometimes the universe throws surprising stuff at you. Like cats. And Cat Mojo.

It’s a good story; a raw and real one told in an irreverent way. Even though our life experiences were somewhat different, our coming to grips with our inner Cat Mojo was about the same: “Regardless, the universe was gentle with me as it asked me to appreciate both the blessing and the feeling of being completely screwed.”

Before I read this, I read other reviews and it seems the biggest complaint was that there wasn’t enough cat behavior tips in it. There are cat tips sprinkled throughout the story; mainly, though, any cat tips are done as a sidebar. The reality of it is, that this is a book for fans of Galaxy (I know we're out there!) who simply are curious about where he came from. I came away from this book appreciating Galaxy on a whole different level and maybe even absorbing a little of his wisdom (cat and people related) as well.

Okay, Cat Daddy is on my wishlist.

Robert

>37 Mr.Durick: Are you a fan of the "My Cat From Hell" show? The show, sadly, seems to have gone away. I would love to get your feedback on the book.

“What if I can’t keep all of these balls in the air? Why isn’t everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations? What will people think if I fail or give up? When can I stop proving myself to everyone?”
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“We don’t talk about the hustle for worthiness that’s become such a part of our lives that we don’t even realize that we’re dancing. ….. there are days when most of my anxiety grows out of the expectations I put on myself."


The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown

The other day I told my friend that lately I felt like I got out of bed every day and battled three things: Depression, Anxiety and my To Do List. It occurred to me that all of those things are self-imposed and maybe I needed a little help. This book was just what I needed. Brown discusses the three C’s that she thinks are the cornerstones for a fulfilled life: compassion, courage, connection. She calls these three C’s “… the gifts of imperfection.” She doesn’t focus merely on how to accomplish those things but rather what stands in our way of those things. We have a slew of self help books that try to give us steps to happiness but there aren’t many that deal with the obstacles to happiness: shame, fear, - all the negative messages we feed ourselves or let someone else feed to us; the unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves and other people. She comes to her conclusion based on her own research, interviews with people; her own reading; experiences, etc.

Some of it was stuff I already heard, put in a new way. And some of it was new to me altogether. I have read my share of self-help books. They're usually fun while they last and have little lasting impact. Brown's book seems different, somehow, in the way she shifts the focus from the tried and true sure-to-sell self-help platitudes of butterflies and rainbows and getting to the real nitty gritty of what keeps us unhappy and anxious. Altogether, I found it a very helpful book. One that I'll probably pick up again.

“Sometimes it helps me to wake up in the morning and tell myself, “Today, I’m going to believe that showing up is enough.”

This was an easy book to read. I really expected it to be somewhat boring in the *yawn* "I already knew that" way. But I was surprised to find that I did learn some new stuff - nothing earth shattering, maybe, but eye-opening nonetheless. I liked Rath's approach that eating, moving and sleeping as being equally important. He talks about the quality of food being more important than the quantity; that moving - any moving (i.e. get up and walk) - is incredibly important for overall health; and how sleeping is just as important as eating & exercise. (It's one of my pet peeves that we are always telling us not to drink and drive; not drive while buzzed; when trying to function on little or no sleep is just as dangerous.) A few times I thought he got a little "preachy", but then he tempered it by writing about his own temptation/struggles. It's not a diet plan or an exercise plan, or a how to anything. It's really just a common sense approach on how to make little changes in our daily lives; some which we've all heard and some that are a bit new. He cites numerous studies on each of these subjects, so the book seems very well researched.

I liked it.

my first thought was that Eat Move Sleep must be mocking Eat Pray Love, instead of a serious self help book.

I liked your review of Cat Daddy even if the book and topic don't interest me. (i wonder what that says about my cats)

>38 avidmom: I don't know the show. Even if I get the book soon there's no telling when I'll read it. My wishlist is into several hundred works right now, most of which Barny Noble won't let me access until I remove books at the top of the list.

Robert

>36 avidmom: We're casual fans of the 'My Cat From Hell' show, and I like Jackson. Most of the shows lead to one of us or both of us exclaiming that its the poor cats' owners who are invariably the genuinely disturbed ones, rather than Tiddles. No wonder they're perceived as 'problem cats' - wouldn't you want to hide under the bed, bite their ankles, and crap on the rug? Enjoyed your review!

>39 avidmom: I generally shy away from self-help books, but since I know I try to keep "all those balls in the air," maybe I should take a look at this one.

I've learned a few things from My Cat from Hell, mainly to have a bunch of litterboxes. I'm not sure I'd read a book, but I'm glad Jackson Galaxy is doing well and putting books out -- the show is interesting and, yeah, its the owners who have the issues. Which is the same for dogs -- it's the owners who teach their dogs the bad habits without realizing it.

>39 avidmom: The gifts of imperfection sounds like good advice to me

>41 dchaikin: my first thought was that Eat Move Sleep must be mocking Eat Pray Love

That thought crossed my mind as well. HA! (Also, I think that's a good idea). I have never read Eat, Pray, Love or watched the movie. Don't intend to .... unless someone can convince me otherwise. I think the book is intended more for people curious about Jackson Galaxy (that is the one question not answered in the book - how do you come up with a name like that?!) than cats.

>42 Mr.Durick: My wishlist is into several hundred works right now

Oh, dear. I used to keep a list of wishlisted books on my thread, due to other Club Read threads here. I gave up. I would need another thread just for WL books!!!! I believe you can catch archived episodes of the show on Animal Planets website.

>43 Polaris-: the poor cats' owners who are invariably the genuinely disturbed ones,
Mmmm hmmm ..... I have the same opinion about (most) small bratty children and their parents. *grrrr*

>44 rebeccanyc: I certainly would recommend Brown's book to anyone who feels overwhelmed and stressed out. I certainly needed to read it!

>45 RidgewayGirl: its the owners who have the issues. Which is the same for dogs

It kind of baffles me now, after doing research on how to deal with the um, "community cats" here, how little people, in general, know about the little four legged friends we have. I realized I knew surprisingly little about cats, even though I seemed to have inherited and lived with a few during my lifetime. Shoot. I won't buy a vacuum cleaner or a DVD without reading reviews and doing research on the thing. But people will just go and bring a critter home because it's "cute" and then get all bent out of shape when the puppy chews up their shoes. ....... That's kind of messed up, IMO.

Thanks for stopping by, everybody. :)

>46 baswood: It is - and reading it was therapeutic for me.

>47 avidmom: Just ordered it!

>49 rebeccanyc: I checked it out from our library; I think I need to order it too! I hope you like it.

"At home, " ' he never talks about politics or world events,'", Tracey {Stewart's wife} told Oprah Winfrey. " 'I forget how smart he is until I see him on television. ' "
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"I am a tiny, neurotic man, standing in the back of the room throwing tomatoes at the chalk board."


Jon Stewart: Beyond the Moments of Zen by Bruce Watson

"The Daily Show" is a non-negotiable, absolutely cannot miss part of our TV routine here. It started with my oldest son stumbling across it a few years ago; he was hooked. And then I was hooked. Everybody here is. "The Daily Show" is different things to different people. For me, Stewart's show is therapeutic in that I have proof that I'm not the only one who thinks the world - and the media - has gone looney tunes. For my oldest son, who discovered it halfway through his high school career, it was a door into the world of world events, the media, and politics. He went from a typical apathetic and under-informed high school student to someone who is incredibly aware of daily world events and passionate about politics. Often we pause Stewart's show (we DVR it and watch it the next day) and have discussions about world events/politics, etc. As the book says, "... another study suggested that the Daily Show keeps young fans involved in issues they might otherwise dismiss." and then there's this too: "... contrary to Bill O'REilly's suggestion that Stewart's "dopey show" was only for "stoned slackers," Daily Show viewers were better informed than viewers of serious network or cable news."

The book itself is a brief biography of Stewart's somewhat faltering stand-up comedy career and his abysmal and, fortunately, short, acting career (fans of the show know how Stewart often pokes fun at himself on this front. The author even goes so far as making a snarky comment on how Stewart's scene in "The First Wives' Club" was cut but in his other film appearances Stewart wasn't so lucky! HA!) The Daily Show's success seems to have been a happy circumstance of Stewart being at the right place at the right time and being well, him. There were a few surprises here, although not many. Stewart is incredibly private, so any information here seems to be any information that anyone could discover for themself via the internet or IMDB. On that front, it may be a bit disappointing for people who want a real in-depth look at Stewart. But, I think, for most fans of "The Daily Show," - who feel like they know Stewart 'cause it seems to me what you see is what you get with him - this does quite nicely.

It is a story of how one Jersey guy went from not very well known to what Brian Williams calls "... a branch of government" and how one non-journalist guy took a satirical news show to winning awards in, what else? - journalism.

Big fans of Jon Stewart in our house. Not such big fans of the dopes at Comedy Central who think it's okay to air it at 1 a.m.!! (They just assume that EVERYONE has a dvr or Sky+ (TiVo in the UK)) - grrrr...

I record the Daily show too. I don't get to watch it every day, but I try to watch it at lunch time. Jon Stewart is smart and funny, but it seems sad somehow that I would prefer to get my news from a comedian. :-)

>52 Polaris-: I am so thankful that we have Stewart fans across the pond! 1 a.m.? The horror, the horror!!!!!!

>53 NanaCC: ... it seems sad somehow that I would prefer to get my news from a comedian.
True. But then, where else can we go? It seems there is no "real" news to get out there. My friend recommends going to the BBC channel to really get a grip on what's going on in the world. Which is also kind of sad .... *sigh*

Yeah, I subscribe to The Daily Show through iTunes, since I'm in Germany, and it's something I look forward to watching every day as I put dinner together. The Nightly Show is worth watching as well.

>55 RidgewayGirl: I really like Wilmore's show too and am digging the one-subject format, but they've tackled so many "big" topics lately I wonder where it's going to go from here! (Also, isn't the world behind him upside down? Must be a nod to Stewart's rotating globe that goes in the wrong direction.) We also like John Oliver's "Last Week Tonight."

OH, GREAT. I just finish reading the Stewart biography and he goes on does this:

http://www.avclub.com/article/jon-stewart-says-hes-leaving-daily-show-215070

This does not make me happy.

:(

>57 avidmom:. I was just going to ask if you'd heard. So sad.

It was my son who told me.

Darn it. Does this mean I have to pay for therapy now?

*sigh*

Gutted.

"I’m sorry Jon Stewart is stepping down as host of “The Daily Show” after a 16-year run in which he did more to reveal right-wing (and some centrist and right-wing) hypocrisy than anyone else I know. He has shown how satire can be more truthful than pompous displays of righteousness, how humor can be more powerful than high office, and how quiet indignation about the stupid partisan yelling matches that have become cable “news” can bring producers to their senses and even cause shows to be cancelled. For the millennials I teach (and for many others), he’s the most trusted source of news. I really don’t care what happens to NBC’s Brian Williams. But Jon Stewart leaving “The Daily Show” is a genuine loss."

Robert Reich's quote on Facebook this morning

He also had some nice things to say about the University my youngest most likely will be attending soon.

:)

I don't even watch the show anymore, but still bummed he's leaving. Stewart got me through the Bush years.

"But no one names a thing that doesn't have hope. No one names a thing that doesn't have a future. No one names a lost dog."

The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and T heir Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant

Of all the books I read so far this year, this one was the biggest surprise. I wasn't sure if I was even going to like this book but the cover, I admit it, the cover sucked me in - and my love of little pitties - which started with the love of a rather large one, a brindle pit bull my mother and her (now very ex as in what ever happened to that guy?) boyfriend owned way back in three or four other lifetimes ago. I had moved away from home, came back and lo and behold, there was the live-in boyfriend and this gigantic pitbull puppy. Scared me to death; I had heard all the horror stories about pitbulls and here was one laying on my mother's kitchen floor with me beside it .... Fast forward to a few minutes later, and this 65 pound, taller than me when on his hind legs, were in love. He was more like Marmaduke than a vicious killer. The most annoying thing about that dog was his insistence that he was a lap dog, which he most assuredly was not. My mother then began studying the plight of and advocating for pitbulls. So, when the Michael Vick case hit the airwaves, my ears perked up but I didn't really follow the case too closely. I just thought "isn't that awful, what a shame, those poor dogs, and what a jerk" and moved on with my life. I really thought it was the "fighting" part of the equation that was the reason for all the charges, the reality is a bit different: "One experienced law officer estimates that 80 percent of the dogs, even those raised in a professional fighting operation, won't even scratch. That is, they won't even cross the line and engage the other dog.... dogs that won't fight, that don't show that instinctive prerogative to go after any other dog they meet. Such dogs represet lost income .... and so those dogs are usually eliminated." And that is where the case really begins, it wasn't the fighting dogs, it was the dogs that Vick and his crew (Bad Newz Kennels) "eliminated" that was the real impetus for the case.

Gorant does a great job of walking us through the legal aspects of the case while at the same time drawing a pretty decent portrait of the key players. Different government agencies had to come and work together; all from different backgrounds and expertise, but the one thing they had in common was the compassion they felt for the dogs. What made Vicks dogfighting case different from cases in the past was Vick's fame and fortune. The fame was helpful as the general public became aware of dogfighting. "The Humane Society of the United States estimates that there are forty thousand dogfighters in the country, and yet most people are untouched by it." but the Vick case put it forefront on everyone's mind (to some degree anyway). It is a big money making business: The fights, arranged months in advance, ride on significant wagers, up to $20,000 or $30,000 per match ... But, more than Vicks' fame; the thing that really helped was his fortune. "... one of the attorneys had also found a provision {in the Animal Welfare Act} that allowed the feds to pay for the upkeep out of a fund that held the auction proceeds of all the items seized in federal cases - all the houses, cars, boats, jewelry, etc. taken from drug dealers and corporate cheaters and others who run afoul of the law - so it wouldn't cost taxpayers a dime." In other words, the dogs (49 of them) could potentially be saved ... on Vick's dime.

The people who worked on the Vick case really seemed to have the welfare of the dogs uppermost on their mind. No one was out to make a name for themselves, and no one really was too concerned about Vick. (Actually, the local sheriff who worked on the case, was pretty sure working on the case would get him fired.) In one scene, the big players in the story did something unprecedented. They named the dogs! After the naming of the dogs (some names were changed later on, of course), Gorant's book shifts from the legal case to the logistics of caring for the dogs. All the questions of where to place the dogs, when to place the dogs, and the how of it had to be answered. Then, that all being done, Gorant focuses on a few of the dogs and what happened to them. The end of the book list each dog individually in a "where are they now" chapter.

It was a surprising book, one that I'm glad I read and would recommend to any animal lover.

"Every one of the remaining forty-seven dogs would get a chance. They would go to places where the mission of the people around them would be to help them recover and rehabilitate, teaching them that despite their previous experiences, the world was not such a bad place."

*************************************************************
A blip about the dogs and the book on The Early Show in 2010: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GmJNTRhafI

>62 dchaikin: Stewart gets me through every day. *sniff*

"Eight years of crazed wanderings round the Galaxy now seemed to him not so much like a bad dream as like a film he had videotaped off television and now kept in the back of a cupboard without bothering to watch."


So Long And Thanks For All The Fish by Douglas Adams

Arthur Dent has been galavanting around the galaxy for the last 8 years due to the Vogon's destruction of the Earth. And now, he, and the Earth, are back. So are the people, and Arthur's house, and the pub. Most things are the same, yet, a bit different. Arthur wanders into his usual watering hole, explains his 8 year absence very simply and falls in love with a lady who claims that there is something "wrong" with a certain part of her. Arthur finds his home pretty much the same (a bit dusty maybe), except for a fishbowl engraved with the words, "So Long and Thanks for All The Fish." Arthur's love interest also has an identical fishbowl ... where did they come from? who sent them? Hmmm .... Q: Where can you go for answers? A: Wonko the Sane (aka John Watson), who lives on a beach in Southern California in a house that's inside out. Of course....

This book was a lot of fun to read. It's full of all the dry wit and weirdness readers of Douglas Adams expect. My only complaint was the end, which seemed a bit rushed. Or maybe I was just disappointed because all the goofiness was soon to be over.

Off to read Mostly Harmless....

I read a book about an animal shelter in Utah that took in some of Vicks' dogs. It's horrible what happened but amazing how resilient dogs are and how willing they are to trust people.

>66 RidgewayGirl: It amazes me. Was the Utah shelter you read about "Best Friends"? What was the name of the book?

I'm glad The Lost Dogs was a good read. I was a little wary when my brother adopted a pitbull, but he's the sweetest thing. He actually acts a bit more like a cat (loves to have his forehead scratched and paws your arm if you stop), and curls up from being a giant thing to this tiny ball. He also thinks he's a lapdog. My sister still gets sniffy about pits, but you know, when we were kids rottweilers and dobermans were the villain dogs, pits are just the current demonized breed.



I mean, who wouldn't love this guy.

My Pit/Cattledog mix is a lovely, loving dog who adores the children and the cats. She also loves her corner of the sofa, chest rubs, chin scratches and sleeping on the bed. If it starts to rain and the cat is out, she anxiously watches for him and lets me know as soon as he gets to the door.

The book is DogTown: Tales of Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Redemption by Stefan Bechtel. I really enjoyed it.

>68 mabith: He is so adorable! What's his name? Thank you so much for sharing his pic. with me!

My sister still gets sniffy about pits
I am still wary too. But, I've learned long ago that anything - big or small - with teeth and claws can do serious damage. Cats included. I was surprised to learn through reading The Lost Dogs that German Shepherds were actually banned here for a while; and the original pitbull breed was referred to as "nanny dogs" in England.

>69 RidgewayGirl: I'll have to check that book out!

His name is Casper. Oh yeah, I'm wary around any dog I don't know well regardless of breed or size or owners' assurances that they're friendly even (granting I've never felt the need or desire to pet strange dogs), but I've learned not to disparage particular breeds as whole.

Casper seems like a perfect name for him. I'm afraid I have to consciously talk myself out of my dislike for small dogs, chihuahuas in particular. I am a sucker for my besties cream puff Daschunds, though.

>70 avidmom: the original pitbull breed was referred to as "nanny dogs" in England.

They were considered family dogs here, too. His Master's Voice and the dog on Little Rascals were pits.

"I have an addictive personality, I'll try anything a hundred times just to make sure I don't like it."
*********************************************
"Americans taught me failure was only something you went through on the way to success, not just in the sense of career or wealth but as a person."


American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson

Craig Ferguson is the host of "The Late, Late Show" (or is it late, late, late?). No matter how late it's on, it's too late for this gal. So, except for the occasional clip on other shows, I've never seen it. I do remember Ferguson very distinctly from "The Drew Carey Show" where he played Carey's boss. Thanks to syndication, that show was a bit of an addiction at our house for a while a few years ago. It wasn't really Ferguson that attracted me to the book, though. It was the title - and OK, the kilt - that got my attention.

Autobiographies are always on the top of my list of things to read, but I usually am pretty familiar already with whomever I'm reading about. In this case, I knew next to nothing about Ferguson - just some random actor turned talk show host on a show I still have never seen. (I didn't even know he was Scottish until I saw the kilt.) When I finished the book this morning, I thought "aww, I'm going to miss that guy." He just seems like a genuinely nice and funny guy. I like him. Throughout the book he comes through as someone who is sincere, sincerely humble and is more than willing to take responsibility for his past as an addict. He's naturally funny; it seems as if snark and humor is hard-wired into his DNA. He's also more talented than I knew, having dabbled in being a punk rock musician, a stand-up comedian, an actor, and a screenwriter. (He co-wrote the movie "Saving Grace" (another something he's done that I've never seen) and has written a novel Between the Bridge and the River). I think his success here in the States still amuses, thrills him, and bewilders him a bit. It's not the success, in and of itself, that he finds such a miracle, but that he's successful here in the States, a country he dreamed about coming to ever since he aspired to be an astronaut as a little boy in Scotland.

It's a great two-in-one story of an addict's road to recovery, and an immigrant's road to a successful life in his chosen country. Good stuff.

Also, any book that features "...ferocious yet partially imaginary killer ducks in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow." automatically wins, IMHO.

Highly recommended.

>73 RidgewayGirl: Yes. That picture reminds me of the brindle pit my mother owned. When I got all grown up and independent I got a job and moved out of the house - all the way across the street! LOL! It never failed that whenever I pulled up into the driveway of my new digs and got out, that giant dog would come out to the back porch of my "old house" and, stand - what I could best describe as "at attention." He would stand there like that until I unlocked the door, looked across the street and said something to him. At that point, he would wag his tail, maybe bark at me, and go back in the house.

He was keeping tabs on me. It reminds me of Ridgeway's dog (at >69 RidgewayGirl:) keeping tabs on their cat.

I love dogs, but wouldn't want to keep one in a New York City apartment because I like larger dogs. Nevertheless, we live in a very dog-friendly building (and across the street from a park with a dog run right outside our windows), so I have a lot of dog contact without dog responsibility. Funny story: once in our elevator I could tell a dog wanted to come over to me, so I put my hand out so he could sniff it first (as I always do). "Oh," said his owner, "he doesn't like people!" The dog was dying to come over to me!

>76 rebeccanyc: Dogs, I think, are much better judges of people than people. XD

My mother's giant brindle pit was getting too big for her place too so she did the kindest thing and found him a big place out in the country. The family there adored him and told my heartbroken mother she could go visit. She did; he was happy as a clam in his new place. That made it better.

>72 avidmom: Casper's most fetching aspect is his thin layer of black fur around his eyes, just like eyeliner. He's very good at the soulful gaze. I don't care much for small dogs either. Nothing wrong with them, just not what I'd want to own. My granddad had an evil dachshund which was ruthless spoiled and very very fat. It really only liked my granddad and there's an amusing picture of us where he's holding the dog and I'm side-eyeing it, ready to leap aside if it tries to nip me.

>76 rebeccanyc: Some big dogs don't need so much exercise or space! Great Danes are supposed to be great apartment/city dogs. They have a lower metabolism than most dogs and you actually have to be careful not to give them too much exercise, especially when they're growing. They're big sweethearts, though probably best not to have a pure-bred one, given lifespans and health issues. I have such a weakness for them.

>78 mabith: I'd rather have a big dog too. They seem a little bit more calm and collected than small dogs. Great Danes are awesome, but my heart belongs to Labrador retrievers. :)

>77 avidmom: Dogs are totally better judges of people. In my early 20s, I lived in a group apartment and one person there had a dog who really loved everybody and saw everybody who came to visit us a potential playmate. But another roommate had a boyfriend, and long before she realized he was no good, the dog -- who loved everybody else -- clearly showed that she didn't like the boyfriend. That convinced me that dogs know!

>78 mabith: That's interesting about great danes, and I've seen some around the neighborhood.

>79 avidmom: I think really my heart belongs to mutts. I'm not a huge dog person, none of them ever seem to live up to the sweetheart collie mix we had when I was a kid (for one thing she never barked, and she was adorable afraid of soap bubbles).

>80 rebeccanyc: There was a line in Galaxy's book about how one of his cats didn't like one of his girlfriends and how stupid he was not to listen. My dad had a horse, by the way, who also was a pretty good judge of character. XD

I didn't know that about Great Danes either.

>81 mabith: Haha. My love for Labs is purely caused by the dog we had when I was a kid. She did bark, occasionally, and loved popcorn (not a staple of her diet, but if it was around she would have a fit if she didn't get a little and then throw fits of ecstasy when she did). Everybody loved her.

A friend of my mom's had Great Danes in her NYC apartment, so it's one of those weird, random facts I grew up knowing.

This book was, um, "mostly harmless." There were a few funny Adams quips here and there, but overall, not nearly as funny as the first few books in the series. This book wraps up the series well enough .... but it left me feeling a bit rather disappointed.

I wouldn't discourage any Hitchhiker's Guide readers to read it; I wouldn't encourage it either.

I loved the first four books in the trilogy, but I had somehow missed that there was a fifth book. I'll probably just stick with my memories of the other books.

I didn't think Mostly Harmless was as good as the first three books, but I actually preferred it to So Long and Thanks for All the Fish, which I generally found to be the weakest for some reason. I did think the ending of Mostly Harmless was clever and a perfect conclusion to the series, though I can understand why some people, including Adams himself, found it too bleak.

>85 RidgewayGirl: I liked revisiting Adams quirky writing style; but I have to say the first three books in the series will always be my favorites. I think I'll go back and re-read the first few just for the fun of it.

>86 valkyrdeath: I read Mostly Harmless right after reading So Long and Thanks for All the Fish. Maybe if I had have spaced them out, I would have enjoyed the last one more. (?)

'...Actions such as his could come only from a robot, or from a very honorable and decent human being. But you see, you just can't differentiate between a robot and the very best of humans."


I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

This really wasn't what I was expecting. I thought "I, Robot" would be about one robot but it's not. It's a series of short stories strung together conveniently by a journalist interviewing a robopsychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin. Prodded by the journalist's questions, Dr. Calvin is reminiscing about the robot scenarios she has found herself in over the course of a very long career at U.S. Robots. Each one of these little reminiscences morphs into a short story about a robot(s) and the people they are here to serve. The collection of short stories include (to name just a few) a little girl who loves her nursemaid robot to the point it drives her mother crazy*; a robot hiding in plain sight; a mind reading robot; and a politician who may - or may not - be a humanoid robot. The characters, mostly Calvin's coworkers, remain pretty fixed throughout so even though the book itself is a collection of short stories, it is also a coherent whole. The stories also follow a timeline so we can get a feel of how the robots develop from their simplest form in the '90s to their more AI developed counterparts in the mid 21st century.

Each little robot story is a bit of a mystery as Dr. Calvin goes around trying to get to the root of the problem of each little robot scenario. The problems with the robots is not that they don't function the way they're supposed to; it's that they do ... they follow the laws of robotics: a robot may not harm a human; a robot must obey orders; and a robot must not put itself in danger. But what if obeying one law would mean violating another? Every time one problem is resolved, it seems another one arises somewhere else. There are the other big questions too: What if the robots become smarter than us?

"All normal life, Peter, consciously or otherwise, resents domination. If the domination is by an inferior, or by a supposed inferior, the resentment becomes stronger. Physically, and, to an extent, mentally, a robot - any robot - is superior to human beings. What makes him slavish, then? Only the First Law! Why, without it, the first order you tried to give a robot would result in your death. Unstable? What do you think?"

What happens if the people responsible for making the robots can no longer understand the thing they've created? Are robots better suited for running the world than people?

"I like robots. I like them considerably better than I do human beings. If a robot can be created capable of being a civil executive, I think he'd make the best one possible. By the Laws of Robotics, he'd be incapable of harming humans, incapable of tyranny, of corruption, of stupidity, of prejudice. And after he had served a decent term, he would leave, even though he were immortal, because it would be impossible for him to hurt humans by letting them know that a robot had ruled them. It would be most ideal."

There is a lot of philosophizing going on here, but Asimov does it with such a light hand, you're not really aware you've entered into a great debate over man vs. technology until you're actually there. It is probably one of the most entertaining books I've read in a long while.

Highly recommended!

***********************************
*The Robin Williams movie "Bicentennial Man" seems to have had its origins in this short story titled, "Robbie."

Excellent review of I Robot avidmom which I have on my shelf to re-read this year.

>89 baswood: Thanks! It definitely is one of those books that is worth a re-read (or 2, or 3, or ....).

I found this interview with Sigourney Weaver on "The Daily Show" about her new movie, "Chappie" carrying on the same conversation as found in Asimov's book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLe3zDoPQJ0

Love your review of I, Robot, it's definitely bumped it up my to-read list a bit.

>88 avidmom: More people reading Asimov. Good! And great review :)

>92 mabith: Thank you! Science fiction is something I am making a conscious effort to read - since I don't usually. I really wasn't sure if I even would like sci-fi

>93 AnnieMod: Thanks! Asimov is a great writer; I am planning to read more by him in the future.

>94 avidmom:

Good. My usual internet nickname is Venabili - if you had read the Foundation cycle, you know who she is (had to go with my secondary nick here because Venabili was already taken). Asimov had been my favorite author since my middle teens. He may have abysmal way of writing women (except Susan and Dors really) but... I like his ideas and his style despite that :) So I always like seeing people read him...

Enjoyed your review of I, Robot. Interestingly, I just finished Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, which suggests some of the same philosophical issues surrounding Asimov's Laws of Robotics. Dick is using some slightly different interpretations and the androids are all but human, but it might be interesting to compare the two approaches.

Glad to see a positive review of I, Robot! I think Asimov is still my favourite sci-fi author, and I think I've read that one more than any.

The Bicentennial Man movie is actually based on a later story of the same name. It's a great story. Much better than the film, though I didn't really hate the film as much as some.

>94 avidmom: Science fiction is something I generally have to make a conscious effort to read too. There's been stuff I absolutely loved (The Martian and Little Fuzzy top the list), but it's harder genre for me to trawl through since I don't enjoy reading about fictional wars, genocides, racism, revolutions, oppression, and rebellions. If I'm going to read about those topics I'd much rather read non-fiction or historical fiction. I know people who are the opposite though, and find it easier to tackle and understand those issues through something that's entirely fictional.

>95 AnnieMod: I liked Dr. Susan in the book; although, he did seem to go to the "she's smart and career oriented so therefore can't have any kind of a love life" attitude. It didn't bother me - just took it as part of her character - but now that you say he writes women "abysmally" I'll watch for that.

>96 Poquette: That particular book is also available as an e book through my library; so I might just check it out. I think I've read favorable reviews of it here on LT. (Also, I love the title!)

>97 valkyrdeath: It wasn't until I started reading "Robbie" that I even thought of the "Bicentennial Man" film - almost forgot I had seen it. I don't remember liking it all that much or disliking it too much either. I would like to rewatch it now. Where is the later "Robbie" story found?

>98 mabith: The Martian by Andy Weir is next on my list. What really surprised me is how philosophical sci-fi is (at least Asimov's seems to be). I don't know why I was surprised by that; guess I never really thought about it.

I know people who are the opposite though, and find it easier to tackle and understand those issues through something that's entirely fictional.

Your comment reminded me of this quote in the book:

"People say 'it's as plain as the nose on your face.' But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone holds a mirror up to you?"

At least in the tiny bit of sci-fi I've read, there's a bit of fun in it all. Maybe makes the harder stuff more palatable.

>99 avidmom: I thought the film was fairly average too. It wasn't great, but I didn't find it offensively awful. (The I, Robot film on the other hand... however well it might work as an action film, it's nothing to do with Asimov's book at all and that always annoys me.)

The Bicentennial Man is available in a few places. I know it's in Robot Visions and The Complete Robot amongst others. It won both the Hugo and Nebula awards when it came out, so it's probably in a lot of anthologies too.

>99 avidmom: Mostly Asimov just avoided writing women as much as possible. (With a few notable exceptions, of which Susan Calvin is the biggest and most successful.) He felt like he just didn't understand them well enough. Which maybe tells you something about Asimov. Anyway. Calvin definitely plays to "women can be intellectual or loved but not both" stereotypes, but I think she's kind of a great character, anyway. Or adolescent me thought so when I first read I, Robot, at least. She was someone I could really identify with, in a way that I couldn't with the women in most of the SF I was reading. Or most of the anything I was reading, really.

By the way, if you're interested in more Asimov, and particularly in more robot stuff, I recommend The Caves of Steel and its sequel The Naked Sun. They're sort of SF detective novels, and I remember them holding up pretty well. Plus, I've always had a great fondness for R. Daneel Olivaw, the android detective. (There's also a lot more books after that, but things get increasingly complicated, as the robot novels start to intertwine with the Foundation ones.)

>100 valkyrdeath: "The Bicentennial Man" can also be found, logically enough, in The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories. I think it's much better than the movie.

>101 bragan: I really liked that character too. I thought she was incredibly smart and independent. She certainly never was intimidated by anyone or any thing.

Someone else suggested The Caves of Steel too.... must check those out as well. Will look for The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories as well.

>101 bragan: Ha, I should have thought of that one since the story is in the title! I've never read that particular book though, so that's my flimsy excuse. It certainly is much better than the movie.

>102 avidmom: I'd third the recommendation for The Caves of Steel, but it could have been my thread you saw the other recommendation on.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

"... any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the Galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through and still know where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with. Hence a phrase that has passed into hitchhiking slang, as in "Hey, you sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? There's a frood who really knows where his towel is."(Sass: know, be aware of, meet, have sex with; hoopy: really together guy; frood; really amazingly together guy.)"

Arthur Dent is having a bad Thursday. A very bad Thursday. There is a bulldozer on his lawn ready to level his house in order to build a bypass. But that's not really the biggest problem facing him this Thursday. The Vogon ships are quickly approaching Earth ... to level the Earth, to build a bypass. Fortunately, Arthur's out-of-work actor friend, Ford Prefect, turns out to be an alien. More importantly, Ford is an expert hitchhiker and a contributor to the best-selling and very useful "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." The hoopy frood really knows where his towel is, and where to get the best Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster ("...the alcoholic equivalent of a mugging") Without Ford, Arthur would be spacedust by now, but with Ford, Arthur goes on the trip of a lifetime.

I first read the Hitchhiker's series in the 80s after some friends recommended them. I just finished the last two in the series, and thought, hey, why not go back and re-read the first books? I needed a little light-hearted fun reading and this is one of those books that make you laugh out loud in public.

Still one of my all-time favorite books and series of books. You'll never look at a towel the same way again.

"You just come along with me and have a good time. The Galaxy's a fun place. You'll need to have this fish in your ear."

Indeed, and while I've had some odd Thursdays I've never managed on as bad as Arthur's. I, too, discovered these in the 80s. My only concern is that they've not aged too well. At the time a device that fitted in your pocket and contained all the knowledge in the universe was completely fantastic - now every kid has an internet enabled phone - has it lost is sense of wonder?

>105 Helenliz: At the time a device that fitted in your pocket and contained all the knowledge in the universe was completely fantastic - now every kid has an internet enabled phone - has it lost is sense of wonder?

I thought of that too while reading the book - on my Kindle - which I found incredibly ironic.

Adams's snark is eternal; my non-reading kid read it while in high school a few years ago and absolutely loved it.

>106 avidmom: My daughter read the Hitchhiker's Guide books when she was in high school too (about 5 years ago) and she loved them. If she thought anything about the tech being silly/outdated, she didn't mention it.

I feel like maybe young people don't look at cellphones as holding all the knowledge, so Hitchhiker's won't lose its impact in that way.

>104 avidmom: Recently I gave the audio version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy a try. Whether it was the wrong time or the wrong format, I found it was just not for me. Your review could entice me to give it another try.

>110 VivienneR: With few exceptions, audio books and me rarely get along. I think you need to be in the right mood for the sarcastic snark Hitchhiker's serves up. I hope you do give it another go. :)

>111 avidmom: Good tip! I'll pick up the print version at the library and give it another try.

Love your Easter cat and bunny!

I hope you do! :) Maybe not everybody's cup of tea... but how can you dislike a book that has a clinically depressed robot in it? LOL!

Thanks. I posted that pic. The Crazy Cat Lady Who Runs the Universe (or Crazy Guy? Or Whatevs???) sent me a black kitty to love. I have a soft spot in my heart for black cats now.


He's my Bagheera.

Over the last few months, I read books about real-life women. The first was Hedy's Folly, followed by Pat Benatar's Between a Rock and a Heart Place, and then I took a break and read The Wizard of Oz, and then continued with my "women who rock" reading spree and read I Am Malala.

There is a special connection between Malala, The Wizard of Oz, and me. It was a very cool moment in my reading.

“Any girl can be glamorous,” she famously and acidly said. “All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.”



",

I finished this book some time in March and so it's been a while between reading & reviewing. It was an interesting story, to be sure. My love of old classic movies is a bit of a new obsession with me so I don't think I've ever seen a movie with Hedy Lamarr but her face is very iconic and familiar. She was an only child who aspired to be an actress. Her father, a banker, "had encouraged her interest in how the world worked, taking walks with her and explaining the mechanics of the machinery they encountered"

The story is a very interesting one. There are actually two main characters on the stage here: Hedy herself and her new friend, the avant guard composer George Antheil. It was Antheil's knowledge of player pianos (yes, that's right player pianos! that enabled the two to actually invent Hedy's idea of a "frequency-hopping radio signal and synchronizing its frequency changes between a ship or an airplane and a torpedo." Not only did Antheil and Lamar (who filed for the patent under her maiden name) get their invention patented but ".... enabled the development of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, the majority of cordless phones now sold in the US, and myriad other lesser-known niche products.” The Global Positioning System (GPS) uses spread spectrum. So does the U.S. military’s $41 billion MILSATCOM satellite communications network."

Fascinating story, but the book fell a little short for me for some reason. There is some unavoidable technical/science-y stuff that maybe people with a more military and/or science tech bent maybe would enjoy more than I did. The book is not an autobiography of Hedy Lamarr. She was an incredibly private individual who preferred to stay home at night and invent things (!) than hob nob with the Hollywood crowd and Rhodes does do a very good job of focusing on how her invention came to be and how she and Antheil's path seemed to be fated to cross.

Certainly a book worth reading. I learned a lot about Hedy Lamarr, George Antheil (who I'd never heard of) and the role of player pianos.

My neighbor had an old player piano.
It was cool.
Now it seems even cooler! :)

>113 avidmom: What a beautiful guy!

>113 avidmom: Thank you. He's a real sweetheart too ... you know, when he wants to be.

>113 avidmom: He's adorable!

I'm late but enjoyed your reivew of A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe. I've never read it and feel I should whether i like it or not, just to fill in the cultural literacy gap.

I'm now interested in Heddy's Folly. I'd like to understand what she did and how. Seems like it could work in audio.

>118 VivienneR: Thank you. :)

>119 dchaikin: The LibraryThing "will you like this book" gizmo always tells me that I won't like Hitchhiker's, even though it's already in my collection with high marks and it's one of my favorite books.

It's good for in between heavier reads when your brain needs a break. :)

I would definitely recommend Heddy's Folly. It would probably work on audio quite well.

Ok, so now I'm only eh hem, 7 reviews behind on my own thread. I better bet busy ....

"To be considered rock and roll you had to appear like you were always a part of the fringe. Ambition had strict rules as well, and success was to be limited and veiled. No deviation or you’d be seen as a sellout. And women? They weren’t equals, they weren’t rock stars, they weren’t players. Women were girlfriends or groupies. Early on, I saw a lot of these rules for what they were: bullshit."


Between A Heart and A Rock Place by Pat Benatar

Pat Benatar hit the radio airwaves when I was in high school. I was not merely a fan of Pat Benatar; it was much more than that. I wanted to grow up and be Pat Benatar. This is her memoir of what it was like to be one of the first true female rockers of the 80s and the battles she had to fight behind the scenes. "This was rock and roll’s dirty little secret: it was 1980, the women’s movement had been around for almost twenty years, and yet overt sexism and misogyny were alive and well. With all its posturing as a crusader for liberal beliefs, the music business was overrun with chauvinism." Fight she did, mostly by just standing her ground, and sometimes by hitting back with her best shot. ;) With the help of her bandmate/husband, Neil Giraldo, Pat Benatar turned her classically trained voice into rock and roll gold: "Spyder understood that my classical training could be either a plus or a minus, and maybe both. I was always going to have that range and clear quality to my voice, because I’d spent years training for five and six hours a day. Whereas most rock musicians might see that vocal clarity as a detriment, he actually thought the contrast of pristine vocals with hard-edged playing would be unstoppable—the unique combination we needed to produce a powerful sound."

Pat Benatar, aside from being rock and roll royalty, lives a fairly ordinary life. No rehab, addiction, and not a lot of drama. The biggest dramas Pat faced were from her label when she and Neil married, and then *gasp* went off and decided to have a family! *double gasp* She wanted to do it all; have a family and a rock career and she did it. She admits that it was not and is not easy: "At heart, though, I was simply a working mother, and working mothers are all pretty much the same. Our profession is incidental. We all feel like we have no grip, like there aren’t enough hands or hours in the day. Every one of us has to choose between our child and our job every day—and it sucks. There’s absolutely nothing worse than having to pry the fingers of your sick-with-a-101-degree-temperature toddler off your body and walk out the door to go to work. It’s horrible, even when “work” is performing at Madison Square Garden." And because she did it, she paved the way for a lot of other powerful women to come behind her and do it too. She talks about being invited to one of the first Lilith Fairs and how proud she was to be there: "Standing up there with all those successful, capable young women made me think of the early years when every day was a fight just to be a woman in the man’s world of rock and roll."

This was a really fun read for me and I enjoyed reading all the details about how Pat Benatar got to be where she was (is) in rock and roll history. I really loved her incredibly positive and encouraging attitude and advice for girls everywhere: "A true rocker is going to do whatever the hell she wants to, whether she’s a school teacher, a CEO of a large corporation, or someone’s mommy. Because that’s what rock and roll is really about: following your passion with no apologies. Following that sound in your head that only you can hear..... And girls—stand up for yourselves. Demand respect and then return it."

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

A little different than that glorious movie we all love so well, but an incredibly delightful read. Loved it. The actions of some of the characters were a bit surprising to me; The Scarecrow and The Tin Man step in to save the day more than once. They are not depicted as quite that heroic in the movie version so it was fun to see a little different side to them. Really glad I read it.

Nice to see someone enjoying the Oz books! The third and fourth books in the series (Ozma of Oz and Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz) are my favorites, with some of the most interesting worlds.

>124 mabith: It wasn't until recently that I realized the Oz books were a series and not just one book! I will probably get around to reading the others soon. OK "soon-ish." ;)

I know just what you mean by "soon-ish!" Those add up so quickly...

"Jinnah {the founder of Pakistan} said, “No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women.”


I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

It took a long time for me to get around to this library book; it seemed to be perpetually checked out. You would think that a story about a young 15 year old girl getting shot in the face on her way home from school would be unbearably depressing. But it's not. That part of the story is not Malala's story; it's simply part of her story. And, ironically, without that part of her story, we might not have known her story at all. The argument could be made that that would be its own kind of tragedy. Without Malala's story, I know I would never have been able to get at least a little glimpse as to what it's like to grow up in that part of the world or how the Taliban came in and took control of the little corner of it that Malala and her family lived in.

Malala and her family were a bit unique as her father believed " that lack of education was the root of all of Pakistan’s problems." Malala's father founded the school she attended. And then a man took to the airwaves and began "teaching" an extreme form of his religion and became known as " Mullah FM, and Fazlullah as the Radio Mullah." He "warned people to stop listening to music, watching movies and dancing. Sinful acts like these had caused the earthquake, Fazlullah thundered, and if people didn’t stop they would again invite the wrath of God .... Within six months people were getting rid of their TVs, DVDs and CDs." At first girls were encouraged strongly to not attend school; and then the Taliban began blowing up schools (along with other acts of violence to control the people there). Malala and her father, though, still insisted on standing up for education and against the Taliban. "If one man, Fazlullah, can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?"

I encourage anyone and everyone to read this book. Malala does a great job, especially given as young as she is, on teaching us a bit of Pakistan's history, the conflicts between the different religious sects there, and how the Taliban moved in and took hold of the area. Certainly it is a book that is hard to put down but may not be easy to read given some of the events that take place. The one thing that surprised me about Malala was that as precocious, intelligent, and courageous as she is, she still seems to be a typical teenager, having all the typical emotional ups and downs that teenage girls have, arguments with her best friend over silly things and being annoyed to the enth degree by her little brother.

Definitely a five star read and a really important one to read.

*******************************************************************

There was a wonderful moment for me in the book. The last book I read before I picked up Malala's story was The Wizard of Oz. Gordon Brown, the UN special envoy for education, had sent her a stack of books to read during her recovery. I began with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, ....

Now, here's another very important book to read. Without intending to, it reads like a spy novel. But it's not. It's real life and it gives some clarity as how and why Snowden did what he did. I think it also shows us how important journalism and free speech is. How the different governments gather information on their own people and other governments is pretty fascinating and the differences in rules governing free speech is also intriguing.

We also watched "Citizenfour" documentary here, which was also very good (but not nearly as good as his interview on "Last Week Tonight" with John Oliver!)

The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith

Another delightful read from the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series. Mma Matuski strikes out on her own to open her own cafe. Mma Ramotswe must find out the identity of an Indian woman who can't remember who she is. On the home front, there is a change in the garage that affects the agency. There are mysteries to be solved, wrinkles to be ironed out, and conflicts to be resolved. And, of course, the wisdom and friendship of all involved makes everything Ok at the end. These books are like going on a little mini-vacation.

As my friend says, sometimes you just need a "gentle read."

Yep.

The Boom Boom Retreat by Tayla Lewis

This was a Kindle freebie that I have been reading on and off for the past few months. There were other books I found more interesting, I guess, and I think the book started out as rather dark and I was afraid it would get darker by the chapter. It really didn't. It's Lewis's memoir about her life as an older teenager then young adult in a mental institution. I think her point was was that, especially then, some of the treatments used for the mentally ill were abusive and that she had to go back, as an adult, and deal with the trauma of her treatment. Some of the things she did, sneaking out with her friend, trying drugs, etc. are not atypical teenage behaviors, but because she was living in an institution, the consequences for her actions were much more severe.

It was an interesting read but at the end of it I was left wandering what her point was in writing it, since she seemed to simply tell her story and then it just .... ended. Like, OK, I'm done now. Bye.

????

"Jesus Himself" by Andrew Murray

Two sermons by Andrew Murray. (And also a Kindle freebie). My only complaint was the King James English thrown in... that was annoying. Otherwise, a good little enjoyable read for Christians.

Great to catch up with your reading. I was in love with all the Oz books when I was a child and (gasp!) have never seen the movie. To this day, I am terrified of tornadoes largely because of Dorothy's experience, which was very dramatic for me when I read The Wizard of Oz.

>132 rebeccanyc: The movie is so much less Oz-y, and I so dislike the way they change Dorothy's character to be far more meek. The movie made in the eighties, Return to Oz, stays really true to the feeling of Oz, though it's a weird combination of The Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz and the beginning is odd/unnecessary. The Wheelers are what gave me nightmares!

>132 rebeccanyc: Thanks for stopping by! When I was little I saw only the first few minutes of the movie at my grandmother's house. The weather was bad, so my mother insisted we get home before it got any worse. On our way home, I looked out the passenger window and saw way off in the distance a big, ominous, dark funnel cloud that stretched from the ground to the sky. It looked like it was standing still... but, oh, that image is forever etched in my brain! Coming from Southern Illinois, thunderstorms, tornado watches/warnings were a way of life, but that was the one and only time I ever actually saw one. Thank God!

A few years later when the movie came on again and I could watch the whole thing (I must have been a little older - 1st or 2nd grade), I accused my mother of being a "horrible mommy" for making me watch "that ugly mean green wicked witch" and ran into my room and slammed the door shut! LOL! I came out and finished the movie, but only after my mother had a good laugh, and then came and coaxed me out of my room .....

>133 mabith: I thought it was interesting how Malala identified with Dorothy's character because Dorothy, just like Malala, wanted to go back home and couldn't. After I read the rest of the series, I'll look up the movie, but not until then. My sons and I went and saw the most recent 3-D Oz movie a few years ago...... and it made such an impression on me that I can't even remember the title! HA!

avidmom - Are you becoming politicised with all your latest reading. Excellent reviews of I am Malala, Between a heart and a rock place, The Snowden Files and Wizard of Oz.

>134 avidmom: Connecting with Dorothy makes sense especially because while Dorothy finds Oz to be fascinating and eventually enjoys being there, she never stops wanting to go home to Kansas, she doesn't want to just stay in Oz forever. I couldn't bear the 3-D Oz previews, so I knew I wouldn't watch the whole movie. Oz is such a firmly special and important part of my childhood that I have trouble enjoy that type of thing, or books like Wicked.

>135 baswood: Thank you! Politicised?!?! OH, I better watch it!!!! ;)

>136 mabith: I have read Wicked. It left me dazed and confused. The music from the show is nice, though. At least, the little bits and pieces I've heard.

Nice to know Pat Benatar was kind of normal. And nice to catch back with your reading.

>138 dchaikin: She is incredibly normal. There's even a little funny story in the book about it:

"... When Robin’s {Leach, host of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous} aristocratic British voice came to a break, Howard {Stern} chimed in: “Robin, you should have Pat on the show sometime.” Robin deadpanned, “She just spent twenty minutes telling you how boring she is. Why would I do that?"

Thanks for stopping by!

"The song goes, “Morning has broken,” and I’m pretty sure my children broke it."


Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

My sons and I have been fans of Gaffigan's stand up for a while now. He was a perpetually single guy then. Now is he is married and has five kids.... all living in a two bedroom apartment in New York. This book is exactly what you'd expect from a single-stand-up-comedian dad: a humorous observation on parenting. Without this book I wouldn't have known that I was part of a cult. (!) That explains so much! He covers everything from raising a large family in a small apartment; trying to find time (and room on the bed) to sleep; and trying to keep the kid-o's entertained. "Don’t ever go to a museum on a rainy Saturday. It’s like when the Walking Dead took over Atlanta." A really funny book. And somehow therapeutic to know I'm not the only one out here who feels like this: "Most of the time, I feel entirely unqualified to be a parent. I call these times being awake."

Definitely a lot of fun from cover to cover.

Great set of reviews, avidmom! I particularly liked your reviews of Between a Heart and a Rock Place and I Am Malala, and I'll consider reading both books.

Excellent review of Pat Benatar's Between a Heart and a Rock Place. I really enjoyed that one too! And your review of The Snowden Files has prompted me to put it on my reading list.

Thanks Kidzdoc! Of all the books I've read this year, I think Malala's book is the most important one I've read.

Thanks Vivienne! The Snowden Files was a real eye-opener.

Pat Benatar's book led me to a youtube interview with her and her husband. The interviewer asked what music they liked now ("now" being a few years ago) and they mentioned "I'm Shakin'" by Jack White. It's constantly played around here now. Just love it, love it.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkcGuZHPbKk

Ahh, Pat Benatar and husband have good taste in rock!

>144 VivienneR: Agreed! Love that guy dancing at the beginning of the video. Too cool.

"There are never fewer than eight Tracey Ullman characters in any NYC nail salon at any given time."


Bossypants by Tina Fey

This was an enjoyable read and just what I needed last week while dealing with my youngest son's high school graduation (YAY!) and wacked out schedules - both his and mine! I downloaded Bossypants from my library onto my Kindle. It's what I read while doing copious amounts of waiting around last week. Good thing. It proved to be a great de-stresser.

There was a scene near the end of the book that had me laughing so hard I cried when Tina's mother babysit the little Greek kids "Oh, Maria...." Why that struck me as so hysterically funny, I'm not really sure. She gives some good advice: "...So my unsolicited advice to women in the workplace is this. When faced with sexism or ageism or lookism or even really aggressive Buddhism, ask yourself the following question: “Is this person in between me and what I want to do?” If the answer is no, ignore it and move on. Your energy is better used doing your work and outpacing people that way. Then, when you’re in charge, don’t hire the people who were jerky to you." Fortunately, I've never had to deal with any aggressive Buddhists in my lifetime. I absolutely understand this one: I cry. I cry like a three year old who just wants to take her toy cash register into the bathtub.

As enjoyable as this read was, I have to admit that I found Gaffigan's Dad Is Fat funnier and more entertaining. Maybe I related more to Gaffigan's parenting woes and cramped living and/or it could also be that I've seen Gaffigan do his stand up quite often so it was easier to "hear" his voice in my head while I was reading. Fey's book is still very, very well worth the time to read, but I think an audio version would definitely be the way to go on this one. (And I don't like audio books).

As Mr. Durick says, it's all in the delivery.

Aggressive Buddhism...That's a new one to me.

>146 avidmom: Unfortunately it does exist. Buddhist groups are currently persecuting Muslim minorities in Myanmar, including calling for their extermination, killing them, and displacing thousands (and the 20th century has seen other violent Buddhist actions/groups).

The audiobook version of Bossypants is howlingly funny. And there were segments my daughter needed to hear (other parts, not so much!).

>148 mabith: that's interesting and I didn't know that, but curious how it plays out in the workplace.

>151 mabith: It doesn't in the US, I'm sure. Just one of those things that's stuck in my brain, since our view of Buddhism as an extremely peaceful religion has never been quite true (even if we know that on a historical level we may assume that's changed).

All violent religious groups should be....... well ......erm..... exterminated?

mabith & dchaikin: It does seem like an oxymoron, "aggressive Buddhism" doesn't it? I had no idea such a thing existed either.

>152 baswood: I don't think those two words "violent" and "religious" belong together. I take great offense at people who use their religion as an excuse for acting badly.

>149 RidgewayGirl: I wish I would have listened rather than read it. I may have to go back and check out the audio version.

>40 avidmom: Eat Move Sleep - I love sleeping, and eating and moving. But especially sleeping, which so many people seem to so devalue. I'm going to read this book. Thanks for pointing it out.

>154 twogerbils: I'm glad someone pointed out how important sleep is. Forgive me for the late reply. I hope you like it. :)

"Very little was known about the miniaturized state, apparently. It was the misfortune of the Proteus and her crew to be pioneers into a realm that was literally unknown; surely a fantastic voyage if ever there was one."


Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

This was my second Asimov and I continue to really enjoy his writing. Having said that, I can't say that I really was as impressed with Fantastic Voyage as I was with I, Robot. Fantastic Voyage seemed to lack the sophistication and complexity of I, Robot. I think FV was written for a young audience. Still, the hallmark fingerprints of Asimov are there as there is more going on beneath the surface than the story itself. In I, Robot it was the artificial intelligence vs. man argument; here the underlying metaphor is the Cold War/arms race. There is the "Other Side" and the scientist from the "Other Side" who has Very Important Information about the new technique of miniaturization. When the scientist decides to defect, events take place and the scientist ends up being the patient needing saving through the very technique he is trying to perfect. It is an interesting story with a bit of a "James Bond" twist. It certainly was a fun read.

I was pleasantly surprised by the action/adventure twist but was a little surprised with myself that I didn't like this book better than I did. Maybe I expected too much or maybe the idea of "miniaturization" is not that new of a concept anymore (as far as movies/books go). I told my son about it and he said "Oh, like the Magic School Bus?" Which got me to thinking, the idea of making people smaller is not that new anymore... There's the kids' TV show "The Magic School Bus," "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," and my personal fave "Inner Space" with Martin Short, which is "Fantastic Voyage" basically with a comic twist (as far as I can remember - it's been a while.)

I certainly don't regret reading this one and would highly recommend it. I would like to see the old movie.

"... Here is a technological miracle capable of transforming the world and there are only a handful of men who can understand it. Man’s mind is getting away from man.”

Classic Asimov.

The book of Fantastic Voyage was actually a novelisation of the film, which was written by someone else, so it's not really Asimov at his best. I don't think Asimov was ever less than readable though. I'm finally about to start my reread of The Caves of Steel.

>157 valkyrdeath: Thank you for clearing that up! It certainly explains a lot. Still enjoyable. Asimov is swiftly moving onto my list of favorite authors.

>158 avidmom: Asimov, as I recall, did make a point of addressing some of the scientific implausibilities in the script, which was kind of fun. It's been ages since I read it, but I remember a conversation about how it would be possible to breathe if you were shrunk, since you'd be smaller relative to the oxygen molecules. That was all Asimov; whoever wrote the movie script never even thought about it.

"It was a ridiculous sequence of events that led to me almost dying, and an even more ridiculous sequence that led to me surviving."


The Martian by Andy Weir

Any book that starts with the sentence "I'm pretty much f***ed" certainly grabs your attention. Considering Mark Watney's circumstances - inadvertently abandoned on Mars with no way to communicate with his crew or Earth - it seems to be the one and only sentence that sums things up nicely. This book is mostly "Cast Away" with a whole bunch of MacGyver thrown in. It is a lot of fun and what it makes it so is Mark Watney's incredible sense of humour. The movie is coming out in November. Can't wait to see it. :)

I really hope the movie can adequately capture the humor of The Martian. Judging from the trailer they've made a rather large change that I don't approve of (I am an extreme curmudgeon when it comes to book movies).

>161 mabith: I worry too.... Guess we'll have to wait and see.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This was a re-read for me. I enjoyed TKAM the first time I read it, but I was in it for the story - mostly for the "infamous" court case. This time around, though, I read the book for the pure simple pleasure of reading it and I think since I wasn't waiting to turn the page to see what was going to happen next, I actually slowed down and really enjoyed Lee's writing. “Talking to Francis gave me the sensation of settling slowly to the bottom of the ocean. He was the most boring child I ever met.” The characters that make up TKAM: Atticus, Scout, Jem, Dill, Boo, etc. - seemed more vivid to me this second time around. Even the town itself seemed to take on a life of its own.

I'm not sure if I would have picked this up and read it again if it hadn't been my book club's selection for this month, but I am glad I did. It really is a book worth reading.

We had to watch the movie, "To Kill A Mockingbird", of course. My son had never seen the movie or read the book, so we popped the DVD in. The first half of the movie was rather slow going, but it does pick up near the middle. It is a great movie, but it certainly doesn't have the depth and detail the book does. There are many characters and events left out. Even so, the movie does an almost miraculous job of capturing the spirit of the book and characters on film. Gregory Peck will always be Atticus in my mind.

"Even British librarians, who were polled in 2006 and asked, “Which book should every adult read before they die?” voted To Kill a Mockingbird number one. The Bible was number two."


Scout, Atticus & Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill A Mockingbird by Mary Murphy

This was a fun book to read after re-reading To Kill A Mockingbird. It's a collection of essays from famous authors, journalists, and friends and family of Harper Lee on what the book meant to them. People effectively praise and criticize Lee's work and ponder why there was never another book, which seems almost eerie with the recent controversial publication of Go Set A Watchman. Definitely a good read for fans of the book.

Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now

We had to take some stuff back to the library and while we were there, we went to the Friends of the Library's books-for-sale room and voila! I found this for .50 cents. It is certainly a short book, I started and finished it while having my morning coffee one day last week. I liked it, I especially liked her take on what to say to people who say "Don't take this wrong way" (or any other similar verbal nonsense!) ..... :)

Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man by Steve Harvey

I like Steve Harvey. I think it was his "Don't Trip, He Ain't Finished With Me Yet" stand-up special that won me over. The movie, "Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man" isn't ever going to make it to my list of top 10 favorite movies anytime soon, but I liked it well enough to invite my bestie to come watch it. She loved it. I've been thinking of getting this book for her. My library had it so I read it. It was a fun read. A lot of it just seemed like plain old common sense.

I adore TKAM. It's a magical book. How interesting that non-US librarians would consider the one book everyone should read.

I'm very curious about the new book.

Enjoyed your thoughts on a re-read of To Kill a Mockingbird. My bookclub has chosen to read Go Set a Watchman.

>168 dchaikin: It's Scout's first person narration that I love in To Kill A Mockingbird.

>169 baswood: Thanks! I wonder if my bookclub will also choose Go Set A Watchman it for its next selection. Last month they read The Mockingbird Next Door; and now To Kill A Mockingbird. So ....... guess I'll find out tomorrow.

I did listen to part of the first chapter of Go Set A Watchman narrated by Reese Witherspoon. Audiobooks are not usually my thing, but she is a superb narrator!

"I have always wanted to be like my father because people enjoy being around him and feel comfortable in his presence."


Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die by Willie Nelson

I don't know if I would have sought this book out on my own, but it was available through my library in their e-book section and it fits nicely into my "reading about musicians" goal. I am very glad I stumbled across it, though. Who doesn't like Willie Nelson? I am not a country music fan - never have been - but Willie Nelson, is, well, Willie Nelson.

This is not an autobiography or a biography, but just random little thoughts from him "on the road. Most of the passages are written by him but there is other stuff written by his kids, wife, friends, etc. It is a lot of fun to read and he covers just about everything you can think of - from politics to music to pot. "This is a good time for a hit and a hot coffee. I call it hillbilly heroin." There are a few, um, crude jokes thrown in (one I've actually heard before!) and some stories from his past. It kept me up past my bedtime simply because each little section is so short and entertaining. One of his kids compare him to Santa Claus: "MICAH NELSON: "For those who still believe Santa Claus isn’t real, clearly they have never met my father." Then another kid goes on to compare him to Jesus: "He might be Jesus in disguise. Can you tell that I’m proud of him?"

I do like his philosophy: "In the spirit of sharing, here is a collective sample of Papa Willie wisdom: Count your blessings. All we have is now, and it’s always now. Music is the most powerful healing force, because it is the one thing that can instantaneously travel to your soul. Dynamic tension. Practice it daily. We get out of the world what we project onto the world. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Never underestimate your opponent. Spin around fifty times each direction at night before going to sleep to charge your chakras. If you’re scared to do something, do it anyway. Do it because you are afraid. If there’s anything worth doing, it’s worth doing big. Either way, it takes the same amount of energy. If someone rips you off, consider it money well spent for a lesson that you will always remember. Find yourself another sucker. Horses are smarter than people. Don’t pay attention to reviews: if you believe the good ones, then you will have to believe the bad ones. Whatever the problem, ask yourself, “Will it matter in a hundred years?” Physician, heal thyself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Horses are smarter than people. Take my advice and do what you want to do. Don’t be an asshole. Don’t be an asshole. Don’t be an asshole."

"SUMMERTIME Summertime, and the livin’ is easy Oh wait, I didn’t write that! Okay. Moving on."

"Audrey Hepburn didn’t want the part, that the censors were railing against the script, that the studio wanted to cut “Moon River,” that Blake Edwards didn’t know how to end it (he actually shot two separate endings), and that Capote’s novel was considered unadaptable seems almost funny today. But it’s true."


Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and The Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson

I enjoyed this book immensely! It is a look at the scenes behind the scenes of the making of the movie "Breakfast At Tiffany's" and the impact it had on not only movies, but on the social mores of the time. At a time where movie goers had a choice between the very wholesome and chaste Doris Day or the complete opposite, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey's Holly Golightly was a girl somewhere in the middle. Good girls often got their man; bad girls often got what was coming to them. "Tiffany’s was different. It was one of the earliest pictures to ask us to be sympathetic toward a slightly immoral young woman. Movies were beginning to say that if you were imperfect, you didn’t have to be punished."

Wasson traces "Tiffany's" all the way back to Truman Capote and his flock of high society female friends he called "swans." Holly Golightly, the protagonist in "Breakfast At Tiffany's" was an amalgamation of these friends and his mother. Or maybe it was based on Capote's neighbor he had once .... Or maybe???? Whatever the case, according to Wasson, the Holly Golightly on film is a much gentler version of the Holly Golightly of the book. The producers, Jurow and Shepherd, with experience in show biz, but not necessarily producing, worked very hard to convince Capote to let them have the rights to the novel (and Capote did not have an easy time getting it published in the first place). Both Jurow and Shepherd had to fight to convince Hepburn to play the part (Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe), to get the script pass the censors, to find the right person to write the script (their original choice was "fired"), on and on. Yet, it seemed that once the players were in their place (and kept in their place!) things went off fairly smoothly. Kind of.....

There were a lot of details about the movie that come out in the book - like the meticulously choreographed party scene Edwards shot that goes on for nearly 10 minutes or so in the movie - was the most expensive party scene shot at that time. (It also was the seed for another of his movies, "The Party.") It took a week to shoot. "Edwards got the go-ahead from the moneymen, {one of the reasons it was so expensive to shoot was that Edwards insisted on hiring real actors, not extras, for the party goers} and with the bulk of production behind him, prepped and shot one of the most expensive party scenes to date. It took him the better part of November 2 to November 9 to get what he wanted, but it would last only thirteen minutes on film. ... "For the next seven days, Blake led his partiers through 140 gallons of tea and ginger ale, in addition to cold cuts, dips, and sandwiches, over sixty cartons of cigarettes, and over $20,000 worth of production costs later, at last he had the party he wanted. ... "On the last day of the shoot, Edwards replaced the ginger ale with champagne. But be warned: The trick to playing drunk, he told his cast, was to play the scene with the intention of seeming sober." Fans of the movie know that one of the most uncomfortable moments come from Mickey Rooney's playing of Mr. Yunioshi, Holly's stereotypical (over the top stereotypical!) Japanese neighbor: "... Mickey Rooney’s scenes. They incensed George. {George Axelrod, who wrote the script} “Each time he Rooney appeared I said, ‘Jesus, Blake, can’t you see that it fucks up the picture?’ He said, ‘We need comedy in this, and Mickey’s character’s funny.’ But Mickey’s character is a) not funny in that film, and b) he has nothing whatsoever to do with the goddamn story. I got Audrey to agree to re-shoot the last scene, which was the only thing she was in with Rooney, so I could cut out all the Rooney stuff. However, Blake kept it in.” ... "Blake Edwards has since apologized. As for Rooney, he pleads ignorance."

The movie went on that year (1961) to be nominated for 5 Oscars: ... one for Audrey (Best Actress), George Axelrod (Best Adapted Screenplay), the film’s team of art directors, and there were two for Henry Mancini—Best Score, and Best Song, which, if he won, he would share with Johnny Mercer. (Mercer wrote the lyrics to "Moon River"). "Breakfast at Tiffany's" won two Oscars. Both for Mancini's score and his original song, "Moon River," ..... which the powers that be tried to cut out.

"Breakfast At Tiffany's" came out before I was even on the planet, so I had no idea what a stir it or Capote's book of the same name caused back then. I also didn't realize what a watershed moment it was for some of its stars, mainly Hepburn, Edwards and Mancini and for the world of film and women, in real life and on screen. Looking at the movie now from a 20th/21st century perspective is certainly a lot different than what it would have been like then.

Fascinating stuff and a definite must read for fans of Audrey Hepburn and/or the movie, "Breakfast At Tiffany's." (And I am, obviously, both!)

Enjoyed your review of Fifth Avenue, 5 a.m.. Not sure I'm interested enough to read it, but it will be a good go-to gift for a friend.

Oh yes Willie Nelson - should be a national monument. enjoyed your review and Willie's wise words.

Great review of Fifth Avenue: 5 am

>171 avidmom: & >172 avidmom: Nice reviews avid.

>173 mabith: I think it would make an excellent gift! There have been a few times I've browsed CR threads and found an excellent "just right" gift for someone. :)

>174 baswood: Thanks! We don't have a national monument, but Texas (more specifically Austin) always does right by their musical heroes .....





>175 NanaCC: Thanks! I'm trying to keep myself caught up with reviews. Doesn't always work!

Another Kindle free-bee. It was fun to read and I was rather surprised that Disney's version stuck fairly close to the book. However, the Disney version is nice and sweet and fun and the real thing is rather dark - with little boys killing pirates, etc. I think whether it is read as a rather dark adventure story or a delightful, fanciful and exaggerated children's adventure story is up to the reader. I chose the latter and had a good time of it. I have been wanting to read the book for a while and never got around to it - and then when I would go seek it out at our local library it was always gone!

Glad I read it, but am in no way crowing about it....

Fifth avenue: 5 am - loved your review...and I haven't even seen the movie.

>178 dchaikin: Thanks Dan! I'm reading the book now (a novella), and the main character in the book is very different than the Holly Golightly on screen. It's interesting comparing the print Holly to the movie Holly.

Maybe it's good you saw the movie first. You've made me really want to see the movie now, by the way.

>179 avidmom: I read the book long after I saw the movie and I was also struck by how different Holly was. They really lightened her up for the screen.

>180 dchaikin: Good! I hope you like it; we found it on Netflix here. My son likes to watch it..... but I don't think it's the movie; it's just his Hollywood crush on Audrey Hepburn.

>181 rebeccanyc: Which Holly do you like better? I'm swaying towards the print version. Then again .....

>182 avidmom: Well, the movie, and the movie Holly, are delightful, but I think the novella and the print Holly have more depth. So I guess I like both of them! How's that for not answering a question?

>183 rebeccanyc: It makes perfect sense to me! I know from reading Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M., they deliberately made Holly Golightly into a "kook" so as to downplay the way she "supported" herself. They don't deny it in the film, they just distract you from it.

".... I knew damn well I'd never be a movie star. It's too hard; and if you're intelligent, it's too embarrassing. My complexes aren't inferior enough: being a movie star and having a big fat ego are supposed to go hand-in-hand; actually, it's essential not to have any ego at all. I don't mean I'd mind being rich and famous. That's very much on my schedule, and someday I'll try to get around to it; but if it happens, I'd like to have my ego tagging along. I want to still be me when I wake up one fine morning and have breakfast at Tiffany's. ... "



I just finished this this morning. And what a morning it was! We spent a good hour or more on the California freeway - in rush hour traffic - taking kid to his University orientation. He'll get his first taste of dorm living. I should have gotten him a small box to get used to the idea! It was nice. And small. Very, very small. (Thank God he doesn't suffer from claustrophobia!) The campus is gorgeous and the "event" was very well organized. There were some cheerleaders (in kilts no less), and a lot of Very Intelligent Incoming Freshmen who seemed to not even notice. HA! Anyway, when I wake up (up at 4:30 a.m.) I'll review this one for real.

Here's my short review for now: I loved it. It was the ending that made it for me. :)

If you don't say more, i might have to read it just to see what you mean.

Hugs for dropping your son off. That must be much harder on parents then the kids.

>186 dchaikin: Thanks! I think it is harder on the parents. This is only for two days and a night but still .......

".... I knew damn well I'd never be a movie star. It's too hard; and if you're intelligent, it's too embarrassing. My complexes aren't inferior enough: being a movie star and having a big fat ego are supposed to go hand-in-hand; actually, it's essential not to have any ego at all. I don't mean I'd mind being rich and famous. That's very much on my schedule, and someday I'll try to get around to it; but if it happens, I'd like to have my ego tagging along. I want to still be me when I wake up one fine morning and have breakfast at Tiffany's. ... "


Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories by Truman Capote

After reading Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. it was only natural I would read Breakfast At Tiffany's. It is a novella, a mere 113 pages in length but in that 100 or so pages Capote manages to create a world of colorful characters and little subplots. I couldn't help but compare the movie to the book. In the book, the narrator remains unnamed (Holly still calls him "Fred") and there are hints to the fact that he is most probably homosexual - something I wouldn't have even been aware of it it weren't for Wasson's book. This wouldn't have been a factor at all in today's world; but then the late 50s/early 60s, it was something the filmmakers had to figure out how to deal with. (They did so by changing Paul/Fred into a straight and kept man who falls for Holly.) "Fred" loves Holly Golightly, his downstairs neighbor, but not romantically - it's more of a friendship fueled by fascination. This Holly is more street-smart, real and perhaps believable than her movie screen partner. She's still a "...phony." But a "real phony." I really liked the bartender Joe Bell, who has no part to play in the movie at all. The ending is different than the movie, but I think I liked the book ending better.

And then there are the "Three Stories" which are "House of Flowers", "A Diamond Guitar," and "A Christmas Memory."

I read all three of the short stories and enjoyed them all to varying degrees. "House of Flowers" seems like Capote's attempt to write (or retell?) some kind of folk tale. It didn't impress me too much. "A Diamond Guitar" was a bittersweet story of an older inmate who connects with a new, younger inmate. I liked it much better than the first short story. "A Christmas Story" was my absolute favorite of all three. I loved it so much I read it twice. I loved the story and Capote's writing. There seemed to be something incredibly sincere and beautiful about it. He manages to be incredibly sentimental but not schmaltzy. I haven't read too many (if any) authors who can write an incredibly nostalgic, sentimental story like this who can pull that off.

I'm glad I "discovered" this author. He is well worth reading.

The Complete Guide to Personal Finance for Teenagers and College Students by Tamsen Butler

Now that my youngest is off to school and will be facing life on his own I thought this would be a good book to read. I read it first, I guess, to "test" it out. It is a really good book that covers the basics of finances. The first part was boring for me. I know the difference between a checking account and a savings account, so some of the minute details were, for me, snore-worthy. But, an older teen or a younger adult who has never had to do these things will get some really good practical info. There is a great section on credit cards and the pros and cons of getting a credit card. There was also a section on student loans and paying for college. I did actually learn some stuff that I didn't know which surprised me a bit. I learned that people with no credit history are actually easier prey for identity theft - since they really have no way to check for any fraudulent charges - since they don't have an account - until they start getting collection agency calls or bills in the mail. (One of "my" students at at the high school had his identity stolen and he found out when the bills started coming. I don't know all the details, obviously, but it sounds like a ginormous pain to deal with!) I also learned that there are websites that simulate investing in the stock market!

There are case studies in there from other teens/high school and college students along with a few professional $$$ type people who chime in with their advice.

All in all a very helpful read. Not very entertaining, of course, but not boring either. I would recommend this book be read by any teen/young adult just getting started in their $$$ life with a job/college loan/grant. Whatever. If they have money to handle, this book is a great tool to start a pretty practical foundation.

Great review of Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M., avidmom. I would have been six months old when it came out in October 1961; I thought it was an older movie than that.

Enjoyed your reviews of Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories

>190 kidzdoc: & 191 Thanks.

The Universe Doesn't Give A Flying Fuck About You by Johnny Truant

Um, does this even count as a book? I couldn't resist the title. This was a goofy, fun few minutes read. On the great timeline of Life, the Universe and Everything, our little piddly worries don't really count as much as we think they do. So why waste time and life and effort getting all anxiety-ridden and worried over stuff? In the words of the great Willie Nelson, "Will this matter in a hundred years?" Probably not. So, why not quit worrying over all the what ifs and go do some, as the author says, go attempt to be "... awesome" and go do some "... epic sh**", don't worry if you can't pull it off.

Anyway, it's just a little harmless pep talk, really, splattered with an abundance of four letter words. I kept thinking this was something "The Dude" in "The Big Lebowski" might say when all his chakras were open, the planets were aligned and he felt the need to spew out some positive vibes into the Universe.

Far out, man.
Pass the Kahlua.
**********************************************

(This was free for Kindle.... not worth paying for, IMO.)

Could this be a book in the category "the title is the best thing about it"?

Most definitely! And the price. The price is good. ;)

ETA: Now, if Jeff Bridges would read this book as "the Dude", I might feel justified in buying that.

Here's my thoughts on the book:

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

I started this on Friday and finished it last night. It was that easy to read. I liked this book; I didn't love it. It lacks the beautiful wistful narration of Scout in To Kill and Mockingbird, and instead of bringing its point across beautifully, quietly, and powerfully like Lee does in To Kill A Mockingbird, this novel bashes us on the head with it.

So, in this version, Lee's sort of "rough draft" of To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout is now grown (26), living on her own in New York City and is coming home via train to visit her hometown. Her father's younger law partner, Henry, is madly in love with Jean Louise and wants to marry her. Dill is off galavanting around the world. Poor Jem has dropped dead at a young age due to an unknown heart defect. Atticus is now 72 and has almost debilitating rheumatoid arthritis. His sister, Alexandra, now lives with him. Dr. Jack Finch, Jean Louise's crazy, brilliant uncle, lives nearby. Maycomb County is the same - yet totally different. The biggest shock of all comes when Jean Louise finds a racist pamphlet in her father's possession, trails him to a "Citizen's Council" meeting where she recognizes all the men there - her wannabe fiance included. It literally sickens Jean Louise. She had looked up to her father so, and how can she marry Henry now that she finds out he is a bigot? All this shock and disappointment and finding out her "god" (Atticus) has clay feet sends Jean Louise into a tailspin of unequalled measure. It all leads up to her confronting Henry and her father. Which, in turn, leads to Uncle Jack confronting her.

It's tempting to see this as a sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird, which is nowhere near the truth of it. This was Lee's first attempt at her novel. This manuscript was rejected and Lee went back and started over. Still, it's very easy to fall into that trap. I found a way out, though. There is a statement in the book that Atticus had done the unthinkable in Maycomb County earlier in his career and had won an acquittal for one of his African-American clients. From there on it was easier to see Go Set A Watchman as a kind of "alternative universe".

Since I feel I'm on the fence about this one I'll list the pros and cons:

PROS: I liked this book. It was a fun read. I liked Jean Louise's spunky character. She's still refusing to be a proper Southern lady; she still can't live up to Aunt Alexandra's standards of a lady in Southern polite society. There are a few flashbacks to Jean Louise's tomboyish childhood which are just simply laugh out loud funny!!! (These to me, were the best parts of the book - Jean Louise's flashbacks to her childhood memories.) The seeds for the main event, the Tom Robinson case, in To Kill A Mockingbird seem to actually stem from one little sentence in Go Set A Watchman. Budding authors might find some encouragement in that. Amazing what a good editor can do. You can see that Lee's voice as an author is there. Whoever that editor was who told Lee that she had the seeds of something good here, go back and try again, is an unsung literary hero. Seeing the attitude the people on the "Citizen's Council" had is an eye-opener too.

CONS: The characters are a bit two-dimensional. In To Kill A Mockingbird, we spend time with Scout, the people around her, and the town. We get a feel for the place, the time and the people, so when things happen we care. It seems like Lee was so gung-ho to get her anti-prejudice message out there, she doesn't spend any time letting us know any of the characters or the town. That is the beauty of To Kill A Mockingbird, we don't read about Maycomb, we actually go there. Here, it seems we're just speeding down the highway to our destination - Jean Louise's confrontation(s) at the end of the story with Henry, her father, and then Uncle Jack. When we get there, though, they just seem a bit too histrionic and overwrought to really be believable. It was as if everything in the story was leading up to The Confrontation. Because The Confrontation is seen from a miles away, once we get there, it seems incredibly predictable..

It is not a bad story, as far as stories go, but it is no To Kill A Mockingbird. If I could describe this book in one word it would be this: unnecessary. Now, if you can keep your head wrapped around the fact that this was Lee's first attempt at writing what would become her Pulitzer winning American classic, I would suggest reading this to satisfy a curiosity and for some entertainment maybe. (Also, I listened to the first chapter narrated by Reese Witherspoon, she did an amazing job narrating. Her Southern accent works beautifully here.) I like Lee's writing and loved the way she could write a beautiful and/or funny sentence. Her story telling prowess is almost flawless. Dill's participation in the "revival" in the backyard had me in tears, I was laughing so hard. I read it out loud to someone else and it had the same effect. Now, if there was a book out there hiding in a drawer something like "Scout and Jem and Dill's Adventures" that Lee wrote that surfaces for publication, I would buy that in a heartbeat!!!!

And, now here's this guy's review, which I think is spot on and a lot more entertaining than mine!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWiBTrlVQH4

Oh, but your review is terrific. (And I don't have to worry about bothering anyone with sound)

I tsee how GSaW could be very confusing.

Love reading your thoughts on GSAW! Nice observations and very well thought out.

>198 dchaikin: Thanks Dan. It is a little confusing! Fortunately, I don't think it'll have the same staying power as To Kill A Mockingbird.

>199 japaul22: Thank you.

After all that, I still find myself on the fence about it. Very glad I read it though.

Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

I'm not sure I grok this book in its fullness yet. I just finished it. It seemed to be a satire on the whole human race and our quirky mindsets about sex and religion, property, politics, etc. etc.

Valentine Michael Smith's parents go on a mission to Mars, have Mike, die there, and Mike ends up being raised by Martians. The "Old Ones" teach Mike and then one day, he is taken back (or sent back by the "Old Ones") to Earth when another Mission of humans comes to Mars. Mike is fully human, yet he has the Martian ability of teleportation, telepathy, and telekinesis. There are other Martian idiosyncracies that Mike brings with him as well.

The book seems to be in two halves: the first half with Mike being an incredible innocent superstar of sorts who is worth more politically and financially than he is able to grok, so some other humans decide he needs protecting. Mike becomes "water brothers" with these humans and encounters a rich, curmudgeonly worldly-wise old man, Jubal Harshaw. (I liked him the best out of any of the characters.) The two are mutually fascinated with each other and form a somewhat father/son relationship. Then Mike encounters a Religion, the Fosterites. This turns out to be a major turning point (one of two, really) for Mike.

Heinlein's magical innocent Martian draws you in. At first it is a bit funny and cute to see Valentine Michael Smith try to master language and "grok" humans and to see the people around him become in turns terrified and then fascinated with his Martian abilities. Then Mike tries to use these abilities to what he groks is a "goodness"..... Then the book takes on a more serious tone, maybe, but the satire is still there.

*****************************************************
This book, I suppose, could offend some people - especially deeply religious ones. And I admit, I felt my toes stepped on as a Christian a bit, but I was able to laugh at it as well, because, well, there was quite a bit of truth to it! And I'm afraid some of Heinlein's satire was more prophetic than what it should be. *sigh* There was one blatantly misogynistic attitude proclaimed by one character that was offensive and I had a hard time not throwing the book across the room at that point, but I stopped myself and considered when this book was being written. Attitudes were different then. Or maybe Heinlein did it on purpose as satire to show the stupidity? Whatever.

Anyway, I'm glad the reading of this is over. Other people seem to like this much more than I do; but I do appreciate what Heinlein did here. I also see the seeds being planted for what would become Douglas Adams snarky brand of sci fi later on. I also grok that maybe some of the religious poking around was a jab at his contemporary sci fi writer turned "religious" leader, L. Ron Hubbard.

These are questions I have yet to grok answers to.


Rodin's "The Fallen Caryatid Carrying Her Stone"

I've had Stranger in a Strange Land for years and still haven't got round to reading it. I feel like I should at least try it eventually. I've read some Heinlein stories that I've really loved but then a few years ago I had the misfortune to read Farnham's Freehold, possibly the worst book I've ever read, and I've not yet been able to bring myself back to Heinlein for fear it'll be like that one.

I can't figure out whether or not I liked Stranger In A Strange Land yet, even after my review.

>201 avidmom: Was the moment you almost threw the book this one: "Nine times out of ten, if a woman gets raped, it's partly her fault." ?

I read Stranger in a Strange Land back in the 70s when I had a boyfriend who read science fiction and encouraged me to read a few classics. Of course, like so many books I read so long ago, I don't remember it at all. Enjoyed your review.

>204 ursula: It certainly was! I almost quit reading at that point, but since I'd already committed so much time to it already ....

>205 rebeccanyc: Thanks Rebecca. My mother had two bookcases full of sci fi books while I was growing up. I had absolutely no interest in them as a kid, of course, and they all were given away when we made a big move. I don't remember Heinlein being in the mix, though. Glad I read this one for educational purposes, but really, not my favorite. And I'm afraid I'll forget it too in time.

I did find an interesting video on YouTube on the book in the "Books That Changed America" series by American University. The guy speaking said he read this book over and over growing up and says it's not Heinlein's "best work." Although, according to the speaker, it may be the first sci-fi bestseller. (The video is rather long and I haven't finished it yet.)

It seems I haven't posted anything here in more than a month! Wow. I didn't realize how busy I was during August. The school year started, which meant my mini part time job started again at the end of the month. The big deal here was getting my youngest ready to move into his dorm room at UCR. There was a lot of details to work out and shopping to do. A lot of shopping. Towels, sheets, etc. etc. ..... Yesterday was move in day and everything went incredibly smoothly. I have to give it to UCR; they've got their act together when it comes to organizing events! I left my "baby" here:


Aberdeen-Inverness Residence Hall

In bookish news: the authors of The Moor's Account, Laila Lalami and Zealot, Reza Aslan are listed as "associate professors" here. So, of course, that makes my book loving heart all kinds of happy (even if I've only read one of the aforementioned books, and wasn't completely sold on the one I did read.)

In the middle of all this hustle and bustle, I did manage to read some. (This is one of those seasons in my life where I really felt like my reading life saved my sanity!) I finished Carlos Santana's autobiography and an old classic. When I can think straight again, I will review them.

“At the end of 1968 there were a lot of great electric guitar players in the room – a lot of chances to get discouraged and put your guitar down. But that kind of reaction is the ego talking. Whether your reaction is to stick our your chest or to run and hide – superiority or instant inferiority – either one is full of shit. …. You’re supposed to be you….”



I was so thrilled to see Carlos Santana finally getting around to writing his autobiography. His music has always been a part of my life. Santana’s “Abraxas” album took quite a few turns on my mother’s stereo when I was growing up and then in the 90s, I was one of those who loved the Grammy sweeping album, “Supernatural.” “Supernatural Legacy” (a 2 disc set with previously unreleased tracks on it) is my favorite album.

As much as I loved Santana’s music, I didn’t know much about him – except that he came from Mexico and ended up in San Francisco. His autobiography traces his early beginnings all the way from his mother and father’s meeting to his life now with his second wife, Cindy Blackman, Lenny Kravitz’s former drummer. The stuff in between is pretty interesting and surprising. A lot of “did you know?” I was surprised to find who Santana’s musical idols were. You’d think from a rock star guitar genius you’d find other rock stars on his wall of heroes. But no. Santana’s heroes? John Coltrane, Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Vaughan and Stevie Ray Vaughan … and Prince! Because of his eventual standing in the music world he not only managed to meet but to become close personal friends with a lot of these people. He writes pretty lovingly about his interactions with his idol-turned-friends:

“One time there was an outdoor blues festival in San Francisco, and I went to support my heroes – Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and others. The crew came running up to me, saying, “John Lee’s on stage and he called out to you to come over and join him.”…. As soon as he saw me, he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, a good friend of mine – Carlos Santana. Come on, man.”

It was a beautiful day, and from the stage I could see the sky and birds and the Golden Gate Bridge, and all the blues lovers in the audience. I held on to that image and closed my eyes and joined him onstage – just he and I. It was like playing along with a preacher on Sunday morning – I waited for my time to step in, but while he was singing I could hear his voice telling me to start playing. I opened my eyes, and we were together in a groove, playing off each other. … I closed my eyes and kept going. When I finished there was huge applause – people were freaking out. I looked around, but no John Lee!

I played a little more and thanked the people and went backstage, where John Lee was talking with a young girl. He looked up with that smile he had. “Hey, man, y-y-you did pretty good out there.”

“Yeah, but why did you leave me, man?”

“W-W-Well, I was done."

It seems that Carlos Santana is a person committed to evolving: evolving in his personality, personal life and his musical life. He was never afraid to take risks or to explore new possibilities. Going in to this book, I thought I’d find an incredibly humble soul and I did. However, this humility seemed to be something he learned and earned; it wasn’t something he came by naturally. While today’s Santana is humble and sincerely compassionate, he does not take any, as one of his former band members would say, “schick” from anybody. I love people like this: completely humble but also willing to stand up for what they believe in – even to their own hurt.

I loved this book, probably because I love Santana’s music and was so incredibly curious. Given all that, though, there are a few drawbacks to the book. There is a lot of musical name dropping –not that the name dropping is there for name dropping sake – but I was constantly reading about people who I’d never heard of before! I’ve read other reviews and it seems like people complain about there not being enough in depth information on the musical side of his life (especially his career with his band(s)) or that there’s too much career stuff and not enough personal stuff! I thought he did a fine job of putting both his personal and musical life out there. The naysayers probably haven’t got the memo that the man, Carlos Santana and the musician, Santana, are separated by a very thin gray line – not a black and white one. There were a few occasions where I thought the story kind of got bogged down with the details and became a bit slow but then out of the blue, there would be a funny story or snarky paragraph and I’d snap back to attention.

There’s a lot of wisdom to be learned from Santana too. His New Age-y, Eastern mysticism kind of spiritual quest is not for me, but I appreciated his thoughts on how to treat people, religion, etc. At one point, he even stops the story to write a little chapter directly to the reader. That was really different and incredibly poignant.

So, overall a very enjoyable read and one that I’d recommend to any and all Santana fans.

“Music is the amalgamation of sound and intention and emotion and wisdom. To this day my chant is the same – “I am that I am. I am the light. – and that’s what I chant if I feel myself scattered, pulling away from my core, if I feel the Universal Tone separating into different notes. I need all that I am to hit that one note and be in tune. Five things go inside that one note: soul, heart, mind, body, and cojones.”

This was a lot more brutal than I thought it would be. I'm glad I read it. Not in the "Oh, my gosh, that was such a great story!" More along the lines of "Oh, so that's what that's about." I did fall in love with Buck, and was angry when he was mistreated and was happy when he wasn't. I was also glad that this wasn't one of those grab your tissues at the end of the dog story. I said to my son when I was half way through the book how ticked off I would be if Buck died at the end and my son said, "Of course he will. That's how all dog stories end." Thankfully, that's not at all what happened and - duh - judging from the title I should have seen it coming, but no. I know how I wanted it to end and how I did not what it to end and I ended up with neither.

London is pretty straightforward in his storytelling, but I thought he chose to be a little bit too wordy in spots. Occasionally I would run across words that were, as the dictionary defined them, "archaic."

I gave this one 3 stars. (Maybe 3 and 1/2 on a good day.)

The Pastures of Heaven by John Steinbeck

My love of Mr. Steinbeck is no secret. He remains my favorite author even if all his stuff doesn't overly impress me. This would fall under that category. It is one of his earlier writings, his third published as far as I can tell, and it is rather short but I did see the template of Cannery Row being created here where Steinbeck takes a whole bunch of little stories and ties them together. The Pastures of Heaven is a place, a little valley near Salinas (Steinbeck's hometown), that slowly but surely grows into a small town. Steinbeck uses each chapter to tell the backstory of each person and/or family that comes to the town, "Pastos del Cielo," and then continues to explore how each happenstance meeting between these families/people has its effect, for good or ill or neutral, on the people there. It's a good story and Steinbeck's dry wit is here, but it is subdued compared to his later work.

I'd give it 3 and 1/2 stars, 4 on a good day. It was a pleasant read and a great escape, but maybe more suited to already established Steinbeck fans like me.

It is certainly an interesting exercise to read an author's earlier work and compare it to their later works, to really see their voice as a writer develop over time. I've kind of half way committed myself to reading all of Steinbeck, in as close to chronological order as I can. This is the list from the Monterey County Historical Society (http://mchsmuseum.com/steinbeckbooks.html)

Cup of Gold - 1929
The Pastures of Heaven - 1932
The Red Pony - 1933
To A God Unknown - 1933
Tortilla Flat - 1935
In Dubious Battle - 1936
Of Mice and Men - 1937
The Long Valley - 1938
The Grapes of Wrath - 1939
Forgotten Village - 1941
Sea of Cortez - 1941
The Moon Is Down - 1942
Bombs Away - 1942
Cannery Row - 1945
The Pearl - 1947
The Wayward Bus - 1947
A Russian Journal - 1948
Burning Bright - 1950
Log from the Sea of Cortez - 1951
East of Eden - 1952
Sweet Thursday - 1954
The Short Reign of Pippin IV - 1957
Once There Was A War - 1958
Winter of Our Discontent - 1961
Travels With Charley: In Search of America - 1962
America and Americans - 1966
Journal of a Novel - 1969
Viva Zapata - 1975
The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights - 1976
Working Days: The Journal of The Grapes of Wrath - 1989
The Harvest Gypsies: On the Road to the Grapes of Wrath (newspaper articles written in 1936)

I read The Grapes of Wrath in high school but don't remember it very well so I'm not going to give myself credit for that one. It stays on the list.

In a very roundabout way, I found out that In Dubious Battle is being made into a movie for 2016.

I too adore Steinbeck. His writing is just a pleasure to read. I've let things slide on my reading of his books (I've read a fair few, but none for a few years), as audio editions were hard to find. Now I've got an audible subscription I can start rectifying that again. Grapes of Wrath was my gateway to Steinbeck for a college lit course on Depression era lit.

Please to know about a movie of In Dubious Battle (or any movie involving labor strikes, really). There are so many current issues and events that I wish Steinbeck was here to write about.

Yay! Another Steinbeck fan. My cousin and her family used to live in Salinas and we visited a few times. It makes his stories more vivid to me. I would love to one day drive the hours necessary to go to the Steinbeck Festival in that area. That's what I liked about The Pastures of Heaven. The story itself may not have had me jumping up and down, but the writing was such a joy.

There are so many current issues and events that I wish Steinbeck was here to write about.
I've often felt the same way.

By the way, have you seen the movie version Of Mice and Men with Gary Sinise? I love that version and I see that Sinise also narrates the audio version of the book as well.

If Steinbeck wrote Terms of Service agreements I would read them.

I haven't seen any Steinbeck movie adaptations (a few clips from The Grapes of Wrath but no more). It's funny with Of Mice and Men since "Tell me about the rabbits, George," shows up in a ton of older cartoons (Rocky and Bullwinkle, Looney Tunes, etc...) so you grow up hearing that but having no idea where it comes from until high school or later. I have a friend who also likes Steinbeck visiting in a couple weeks, so I'll put that one on our movie list.

If Steinbeck wrote Terms of Service agreements I would read them.

Wouldn't that be grand? HA!

It was my high school kid who said, "Mom, you have to read this!" because he had to read Of Mice and Men for his English class.

I hope you and your friend like the Sinise movie. :)

>211 avidmom: thanks for this post. I'm impressed how much you have read, but I thought he had published more. Is that his fiction only?

I've only read To a God Unknown, which is early, but it's rather complex and thought provoking. A great little book.

>208 avidmom: this was a really fun review. People can be so interesting. I saw Santana play once. He was older. It was maybe 1990.

>209 avidmom: see, I'm glad I read this in high school, enjoyed it then and never need to read it again.

Thanks Dan!

I was a little bit stunned by how much Steinbeck I've already read too. In all fairness, though, most of that reading was due to the 75ers "Steinbeckathon" set up a few years ago. There are a few on that list that aren't fiction: The Log of the Sea of Cortez, Travels With Charley and America and Americans. (I highly recommend that last one.)

My only problem is coming up with all the Steinbecks as our library has most, but not all, of them.

I envy you your Santana concert! That must have been something. One thing that really surprised me, that I didn't mention in my review, is how that Supernatural collaboration with all those contemporary artists wasn't Santana's idea - it was Clive Davis's!

It was a strange hot outdoor daytime concert with a bunch of older drunk shirtless sweaty guys around my then somewhat clean and innocent self, and part of the show involving an insanely messed up looking Joe Walsh. It wasn't all that great an experience. But I learned Santana can really play.

>218 dchaikin: I was at a Dylan concert when I was in college, where I was the youngest by a good decade. And everyone was lovely, and kept urging me to move closer to the stage so I could see better.

>218 dchaikin: & 219 *turns deeper shade of green with envy*
Edited to add: (I could probably do without the drunken, shirtless guys. ... Not too envious about that.)

an insanely messed up looking Joe Walsh.
Not surprised at that one at all. I do get happy, though, when they play a Joe Walsh song on the classic rock radio station here - especially "Life's Been Good."

"Elner Shimfissle had been told that everything that happened, happened for a reason. Of course she couldn't have known it at the time, but the repercussions of her having fallen out of the fig tree turned out to be many and varied.


Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg

Elner Shimfissle, age 80 +, resident of the small town Elmwood Springs, falls out of her fig tree and has an experience with the afterlife. It's fun and incredibly heartwarming to see how Elner's upbeat positivity and love for life, in all its forms, lifts up and touches everybody around her in direct and indirect ways. The characters in the town are fun too. It may be a bit "Hallmark-y" in the way everything works out for everybody in the end, but sometimes you just need a book as sweet as Neighbor Dorothy's Caramel Cake to adjust your attitude a bit. :)

This book has a very special place in my heart. I recommended it to my Book Club for one of our summer reads a few years ago (2009 to be exact.) While I can't remember whether I read it because someone recommended it to me (my aunt probably) or if it was just one of those things where I was walking around the library stacks and the title caught my attention, I do vividly remember finding LibraryThing through it. I wanted to read some more reviews of it before making my book club recommendation official and the first thing that popped up was LT. And here I am still. :)

I remember most of the people in the club liking the book and quite a few of the women in the club showed up having made the recipe for "Neighbor Dorothy's Heavenly Caramel Cake."

It's a good recipe. Mine never looks like the photo, and I've gotten lazy and use canned frosting (I can't seem to get the homemade stuff quite right), but when I announce that a caramel cake is coming, everybody here gets very, very happy.

I usually double the recipe and make a 13 X 9 cake.

Neighbor Dorothy's Heavenly Caramel Cake

Preheat oven to 350

1 3/4 cups cake flour sifted (sift before measuring)
Resift with 1 cup brown sugar
Add:
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 tsp double-acting baking powder
1tsp vanilla

Beat for 3 minutes. Bake in a greased pan for 1/2 hour.

Caramel Frosting
2 Tbs cake flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 tsp salt

Mix flour and milk. Cook to a thick paste over slow flame. Cool. Cream sugars and vanilla with butter and shortening. Beat until light and fluffy. Blend in salt. Mix in cooled paste. Beat until fluffy. Blend. Should look like whipped cream.

I'm going to try that recipe out.

>222 RidgewayGirl: Let me know if you do. There are other recipes in the back of the book as well.... cornbread, pecan pie. All very Southern and definitely NOT diet!

>211 avidmom: Popping past to request a suggestion as to my next Steinbeck. I last read him in school, I think it was Of mice and men but have no recollection of it, apart from I hated it. But as I seem to have come away with a dislike of almost everything I read in school, maybe that's a pair of reverse rose-tinted specs.
I just finished Cannery Row, after having seen someone suggest it as one of his easier books. And I really enjoyed it. So I'm still just dipping the toe in the water, not yet ready to dive in the deep end, which of his books would be a good next few to look out for?

>224 Helenliz: Thanks for stopping by!

It's sad what that word "required" does to our reading! I have an aversion to all things Hemingway - which isn't really fair to him. Oh well.

I answered your question on the "What Are you Reading Now" thread with the easy to go to sequel, Sweet Thursday, but if you want a different kind of fun offering from Steinbeck, The Wayward Bus is maybe a good place to start. He's pretty bawdy there. I like Tortilla Flats too.

Happy Reading. :)

>225 avidmom: It is very fair to him, I promise!

>226 .Monkey.: I think you're right. I've often that if I wouldn't have had to read all those Hemingways back to back maybe I would have a better opinion....

Maybe not.

;)

Not not not! XD

Drama: An Actor's Education by John Lithgow

This was available on audio (and only audio!) through my library's online collection. It was a fun listen to. There were so many things I learned. Lithgow's theatrical leanings can be traced squarely to his father, Arthur Lithgow, whose work in repertory theatre brought Shakespeare's plays to parts of the East Coast and the Midwest - seeds sown long ago that still bear fruit today. Lithgow talks about nearly everything and anything, personal and professional, but his strength is talking about theatre in all its forms. It is a little glimpse into the backstage life of an actor and how things work.

There were things learned about Lithgow himself. He puts on concerts for children? He's written children's books? He won a Tony in the early 70s? That strange accent can be traced to his stint as a Fulbright scholar in England.

There are some famous names dropped in here, of course, but in ways that might surprise. A young Christopher Reeves, David Carradine, Mike Nichols, and a few other notable Hollywood elites make a cameo appearance in Lithgow's story. Probably the best story of all is Lithgow's encounter with a young new Yale graduate, Meryl Streep.

There are stories about performances too. I especially loved the story he tells about the time he was in two very different plays at the same time: Henry Higgins in "Pygmalion" and Lenny (Lenny?!) in "Of Mice and Men." He tells of how the latter Steinbeck was played in the evenings to a crowd of grown-ups, but in the afternoons to a more demanding audience: high school kids - and how their honest, (and rude and unruly) reactions to the play made it so much better.

I was a little disappointed in that there were roles that Lithgow played that he said nothing about, roles I know him for more than his live theatre experience. (Like Lord Farquaad!) There were times where I kind of got the impression that he was a bit, as he himself says, "self absorbed." It seemed to balance out at the end because he's more than happy to admit his abject failures as much as his successes. My biggest disappointment was in the version. There's nothing wrong with the narration, it was a pleasant listen but the physical book has pictures. The audio, of course, does not, and I really think the pictures would have added to the story a bit.

I give this one a solid 3 and a half stars and would recommend to anyone who has a real love of theatre.

My kids liked a book he wrote about manatees.

>230 RidgewayGirl: That's one of the things that really struck me about him. When he talked about children, he seemed to have a real sincere affection and respect for them.

It surprised me how much I did not know about him!

Enjoyed learning that about Lithgow. We had two children's books by him, including one about a squirrel named Micawber.

>232 dchaikin: I've always liked Lithgow, but he's not somebody I would have intentionally sought an autobio. on, but since it was there...

That story about a squirrel-artist makes sense knowing that Lithgow's original passion and plan was to become an artist.

(One of those other things I learned!)

http://cormacmccarthy.cookingwithmarty.com/wp-content/uploads/ATPHTrans.pdf

All the Spanish passages in All the Pretty Horses translated.

I could have used that! Is there one for Cities if the Plain? (A lot less Spanish there so far)

Found it: http://cormacmccarthy.cookingwithmarty.com/wp-content/uploads/COTPTrans.pdf

...And now I know a lot more Spanish is coming (sorry for all the posts)

Ohhh hey that's handy! I was able to make out the gist of lots of it, but not everything, in AtPH and The Crossing. Haven't gotten to #3 yet.

Isn't it great to have that!?!?! A lot easier to navigate through than google translate or a Spanish/English dictionary - especially considering they even list the page number!

¿Verdad?

"... he rode out to the crest of a low rise and dismounted and dropped the reins and walked out and stood like a man come to the end of something."


(I love this cover.)
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

Horses. Seventeen-year-old John Grady Cole loves horses. It's just a part of him; horses are in his blood. So when his grandfather dies and his mother decides to sell their Texas ranch where Cole has grown up, Cole realizes that there's nothing tying him down to the Texas soil. What's a boy to do? Well, you team up with your friend and saddle up your horses and cross the border to Mexico. This is a boy(s)-to-men story, a Western, an adventure, and a romance all in one. I really liked the characters of Cole and Rawlins (and even Blevins) and really want to know what happens to John Cole. (Rawlins too. I hope he shows up again in the series.) So, McCarthy has roped me into his Border Trilogy.

McCarthy's style is something I had to get used to; I think I have a love/hate relationship with it. Someone mentioned that if you like Steinbeck's writing, you will most likely like McCarthy. And I see their point, there are similarities. Like Steinbeck, he does paint a vivid landscape with his words. But, while Steinbeck (mostly) sticks with the conventions of grammar, McCarthy is like a bucking bronco and breaks all the grammar rules. He writes long, lavish run-on sentences that go on for days. This particular McCarthy writing quirk didn't bother me too much at first. By the end of the book, though, I felt he was overusing his paragraph-long sentences - just because he could and he would and so there you go and if you don't like it that's just too bad and I don't think he's wrong it's just that after reading all those "ands" over and over and feeling like I couldn't catch my reading breath it just kind of got on my nerves and please separate these sentences and maybe a comma or two isn't such a bad thing to have here and there. And there is my McCarthy dilemma. The very things about his style that I really loved - because grammar rules were meant to be broken! - were also the same things that drove me nuts. At the beginning of the book, I read this rather long sentence over and over because it just "wowed" me: "{The train} came boring out of the east like some ribald satellite of the coming sun howling and bellowing in the distance and the long light of the headlamp running through the tangled mesquite brakes and creating out of the night the endless fenceline down the dead straight right of way and sucking it back again wire and post mile on mile into the darkness after where the boilersmoke disbanded slowly along the faint new horizon and the sound came lagging and he stood still holding his hat in his hands in the passing ground-shudder watching it till it was gone." I saw all that. Vividly. In living color. He had other quirks as well. He seldom used commas (or apostrophes) and he never used quotation marks for dialogue. I was glad of the no quotation marks; it actually made reading the dialogue easier. The untranslated Spanish was an issue too (until I found the online "cooking with marty") but it also made the book feel very authentic.

My favorite passages in the book were the ones that focused on the horses themselves. What I think elevated this book and gave it its real beauty was the way McCarthy so eloquently and poignantly wrote about the spiritual aspect of the horses. John Cole doesn't love horses because they're merely beautiful. It's a much deeper spiritual connection. "...he dreamt of horses and the horses in his dream moved gravely among the tilted stones like horses come upon an antique site where some ordering of the world had failed and if anything had been written on the stones the weathers had taken it away again and the horses were wary and moved with great circumspection carrying in their blood as they did the recollection of this and other places where horses once had been and would be again. Finally what he saw in his dream was that the order in the horse's heart was more durable for it was written in a place where no rain could erase it."

Cole rides off into Mexico one way and comes back another. It's really not too clear how Cole's adventures have changed him until he seeks out some spiritual guidance from a judge and a preacher near the end of the story. These conversations give us a clear picture of Cole's character. Or maybe, more accurately, gives Cole a clearer picture of his character. At the beginning of the story, Cole seems to be riding away from his life. He's wandering, directionless. By the end, he seems to be riding towards something. Cole's story starts at the end and ends at the beginning. The beginning of what? And where is he going?

Looks like I'll have to read more to find out.

Enjoyed your excellent review of All the pretty horses You did a great job in explaining McCarthy's sentence structure. It was good to read those examples.

>240 avidmom: All The Pretty Horses in on my wishlist, but you make me want to read it NOW.

>240 avidmom: I think that's where listening to the audiobooks Border trilogy really changes the experience. While you don't space out all the 'ands' it's just a different experience when you're listening rather than reading. The main reason I kept asking to go back to a specific week-long summer camp was for the one day we'd ride the horses, so those passages definitely spoke to me.

>241 baswood: Thank you baswood.

>242 FlorenceArt: It was a great escape read for me. This was my first McCarthy. Have you read any others?

>243 mabith: Audiobooks and me don't always get along so well. My library, for some inexplicable reason, has Cities of the Plain available on audio, but not All the Pretty Horses or The Crossing. (!) I listened to an audio sample of Cities of the Plain and am on the fence whether or not I will go the audio route. I do like Frank Muller's voice.

I think anybody could appreciate those horse passages, but I think people who have been around horses will appreciate them much more than someone who hasn't.

Fun review. I love that quote about the train. I don't mind the long sentences, but I do find they sometime conflict with what's around them, like they are almost a break in the flow. Didn't bother me, just sort of noticed. It's not an issue in any of his earlier books, but it is throughout the Border Trilogy where he simplified his style down a great deal making these sections stand out a bit more.

It's kind of a difficult book to capture, no?

What I would worry about on audio is the Spanish. All three books have a lot of it.

>245 dchaikin: Thanks Dan. Yes, it definitely is a hard book to capture!

This is McCarthy's style simplified? Oh dear....

I haven't thought about the Spanish in the audio versions.

Definitely depends on whether you're much of an audio reader in general, I'm sure. I still know enough Spanish that I didn't have trouble there, and it wasn't spoken super quickly. Since Spanish has consistent spelling and pronunciation it's easier to type out and check than plenty of languages. Older books and long bits of French drive me nuts in audiobooks.

>240 avidmom: Will you post this review to the book's page?

>248 RidgewayGirl: Thanks. I did. :)

>244 avidmom: Yes, I read The Road which I loved and Blood Meridian which was more difficult but still a great read.

>250 FlorenceArt: I'm interested in reading more by him - especially The Sunset Limited and The Road. And, of course, the rest of the Border Trilogy.

The garden is still blooming over here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/200214