A mid-year update...

Hey, this is just a quick update...

So, I'm going to be gone the next few days, as we move into July, which is officially the half-year marker for this ridiculousness. Sooo, we'll pretend this is that time. As of the halfway marker in terms of time, I have:

read 32 books from the list.
read just over 10,000 pages. (Catching Fire pushed me over the edge, to 10,258.)
received 2 comments. Hahaha!
read 1/5ish of the list.

Needless to say, I'm way way way off pace. And this blog isn't exactly gathering steam the way I hoped it would. Do you have any suggestions for things that would make this a better/ more enjoyable/ more engaging blog? Have y'all gone and read any of the suggestions?

Anyhoo, that's where I'm at! Thanks to everyone that's reading!

Catching Fire

Okay, this one's a special one- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. It's the second book in The Hunger Games series, and the 3rd is coming out in August.

This one is special because my darling friend Rhonda pestered me for weeks and weeks on end, beginning in March or so, to read the series. I explained to her that I simply had too many books in line, but that in 2011 I'd give it some thought if she was lucky. She returned gloating later to inform me that Catching Fire was on the list, so I'd have to read it... and I think she may have added a few nyah nyahs in there, too.

So, Rhonda knows how I feel about the series, because after the first one, The Hunger Games, I called her and firmly announced that I hated her for getting me hooked, and then we dissected. We also did this yesterday afternoon when I finished the second book in a record 5 hours.

So, on to the book. I LOVED IT. Can't you tell? Let me explain a bit.

The Hunger Games, which is where I have to start, is about a semi post-apocalyptic country that formed in which one central government rules dictatorially over twelve districts. To show off their power, once a year, one male and one female citizen between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district (24 in all) are drawn from a hat and thrown into an arena in which they fight to the death... on television. And the Games are required viewing for the whole country.

Fascinating, right? It is. But here's my favorite part. The characters are sheer brilliance. They're endearing but human, survivalists with hearts, strong and strong-willed but compassionate... I loved every single page. The story line, which I think is genius, would have been nothing without these characters.

I know that I'm basically writing a review on The Hunger Games, not Catching Fire, but for a good reason- I needed to set the foundation. Catching Fire has the same characters, but more of the good vs. evil battle that I love so much. This was amazing and strong, a great sequel that stands alone as its own without riding on the success of the previous book.

So there, I loved it. Will you read it? I promise, it's worth it!

Ablutions

Okay, next one up is Ablutions by Patrick DeWitt. The subtitle, which I'm usually so fond of, is "Notes for a Novel". This is gonna be a short one, just like the book.

So, the premise of this book is that there's a Hollywood bartender that is, just like the subtitle says, taking notes for a novel. He takes notes on customers- former child stars, drug dealers, the whole nine yards. Everyone makes an appearance in the book.

In theory, I love this. The first couple of pages were great- the concept is interesting and thought-provoking, and many of the characters were pure genius.

Buuuuttt.... boy, I hated the book. Honestly. It got more and more depressing as the narrator's notes showed his own life spiralling out of control, the way he was wasting anything and everything, even losing his own marriage. Eventually, it just got plain gross and crude. So I stopped reading it.

There aren't many books I don't finish, but boy... it was nottt good. No thank you.

Care to disagree? C'mon, lemme know!

A Homemade Life

Hey all! Next one on the list was A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from my Kitchen Table, by Molly Wizenberg. She's the creator of the blog Orangette, which is also a major part of the book- so if you're familiar with the blog, you'll see where this is going.

I love subtitles, because so often, you know exactly what you're getting. I mean, how great is it to know just what to expect? Of course, it can't tell you everything, but still, they're pretty great.

Ahem. All that to say that even if you're not familiar with Wizenberg's blog (as I wasn't), the subtitle sums up the book pretty well- it is literally an entire book of life stories and the recipies that went with specific life experiences or phases. She's not a cook (though she could be) and she IS a writer, so this was a pretty easy, interesting read. I loved how affectionate she was about food and how, for her, it was a way to relate to things in the world. Her stories and memories were happy, sad, vulnerable, and relatable- from her dad's death to meeting her husband... it's all in there. I could identify with her, and I wanted to try all of her recipes- now that's what marks the success of a food writer, yeah? I absolutely, unequivocally, LOVED this book.

Now, the bad news. I can't try one darn thing she writes about. BUMMER. I'm 97% sure I'm super allergic to dairy (sigh) and I'm phasing it out completely, which is the only way to know for sure, yaddayaddayadda. Most of what she makes is slathered in butter or cream or something delicious that is now strictly off limits... (double sigh), so I can't even tell you if any of it is good or not. But I CAN tell you that when she described her salad with pistachios and chocolate, chocolate cupcakes with mittersweet glaze, her buttermilk vanilla bean cake with glazed oranges and creme fraiche, her French style yogurt cake with lemon (sensing a pattern here? I was attracted to her desserts...), espresso-walnut toffee, her dad's French toast, Dutch baby pancakes with lemon and sugar, her own ranch dressing, and best of all, her wedding cake... well, I had to keep myself from drooling. Maybe you aren't quite there yet, but oh, you will be...

So will someone please, please, PLEASE try these for me? I want to live vicariously through you. Anyone an Orangette follower? Would you buy this book for the recipes or for the stories?

Asterios Polyp

Hey all! Next one was Asterios Polyp, by David Mazzucchelli, the cartoonist. Asterios Polyp is the name of the main character, an architect in the 70s-ish.

So, the thing about this is that it's a graphic novel. I cringed at the thought, but this is A-MAZING. Changed my perspective on the possibilities that a graphic novel holds. This isn't like an anime graphic novel or anything- it emphasizes the word novel. Mazzucchelli is witty and interesting and detailed, dealing with serious issues that happen to be done in cartoon. As character's views or feelings change, he draws them differently, highlighting the differences in perspective. He uses different colors when illustrating past and present, making the book easy to read. I was constantly surprised, intrigued, and in suspense.

Can you tell I loved it? In short, I think Mazzucchelli's a genius.

The bad news is sort of minor, and you may not be affected by it. There were a few sex scenes that I thought were either unnecessary, or could have been less... revealing. I'm pretty conservative though, so you may not care about that at all, or be bothered by it.

Alright, so there you have it. Look into it, please. Artistically, it's stimulating and easy to follow. Intellectually, it's riveting and detailed; I could have poured over this for a long, long time, soaking in every little thing. Will you take a chance and look for it? Have you got a graphic novel favorite?

Anyways, let me know your thoughts!

The Windup Girl

Hey all, I'm back. Next one up was The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. It's a fantasy novel based in the future (who knows when), after genetic mutations have essentially diseased the world into just a few major cities that struggle to exist against diseases and warfare.

So.

Because, in the book, diseases have wiped out most of the world's natural resources, calories are considered currency- a means to survival. The beginning is fascinating, seeing people's priorities so different, with things like ice being considered a luxury because of the cost of cooling systems.

But then... I got really bored. It's set in Thailand, which I don't know much about, and the cultural customs and language tidbits Bacigalupi threw in there were, I'll be honest, overwhelming. Add to that the terminology that he uses for future technology and, well, I was done. I literally kept reading only because my other books hadn't come from the library. Things about Bacigalupi's writing irritated me and frankly, I'm a bit picky. I started keeping a tally of how many times he used certain words (he called one character "dour" five times in the first 7 chapters or so, and said "tomes" 4 in the same amount of time) because I was annoyed. But I kept reading... and I'm glad I did.

So here's the thing. I like reading about people in desperate situations. Maybe it's a little sick, but I think humans are fascinating in the way we deal with conflict, war, famine, family struggles... whatever. I love reading about, when the rubber meets the road, which survival instinct takes over. I think Bacigalupi does a great job of showing the different ways that people react in dire situations.

So do I recommend this book? Yes. I had a difficult time getting past the hundred page marker, but once I did, I was hooked. Especially if you like the idea of post-apocalyptic, futuristic survival... this one's for you.

So who are my fantasy fans out there? Anything I should know when reading fantasy in the future? I'm not that familiar with the genre; what makes a good fantasy novel? Will you give this one a shot?

Mannahatta

Next book up is Mannahatta, A Natural History of New York City by Eric W. Sanderson. This book celebrates the 400th anniversary of New York last year, 2009.

So.

The author, Sanderson, writes this book primarily as an ecological and historical tribute to New York, researching the beginnings of the city and even anticipating changes that may come in the next 400 years. He himself is an ecologist, and uses some fancy mapping program thingy to show what different parts of New York City looked like 400 years ago, and shows side-by-side comparisons of then and now. The pictures are, in a word, awesome.

Aside from the many, many pictures, Sanderson offers the history of the city, from the tribe, the Lenape, that originally occupied the land, to how industry has affected the landscape and the city. He tells myths from the Lenape and discusses the log books of those that made the earliest voyages to Mannahatta ("Island of Many Hills") and scoped it out, then settled. He is thorough, thorough, thorough, down to the flora and fauna and birds and other animals that are indigenous to New York City. He also predicts, based on science and a little bit of assuming, what NYC will look like in 2409 and what city life will include. He highlights that especially in New York, the resources simply aren't there to sustain the pace of consumption, so something will have to change. Were I an ecologist, this would be an extremely impressive collection of information.

But here's the thing: I'm not an ecologist. I'm not even a New Yorker, nor have I ever desired to be (sorry). So while I found the history absolutely fascinating, the science was... meh. I hate reducing what is OBVIOUSLY a ton of work down to a meh, but there you have it.

Here's the second drawback- this isn't a coffee table book that you can peruse, so it's only for the serious readers. You could, I suppose, just look at the pictures, but in my opinion, their significance would be lost without the text. And this book is heavy- both literally and in information. It's 243 pages of the actual book, then 60+ of appendixes and notes, and 40+ for the bibliography and citations. In the end, it's a hardcover, 350 pages monster of a book, and it costs $40. Yikes.

The good news is really, really good. If you're a New Yorker, love New York, or love science and whatnot- this is a GREAT source of information, neatly compiled into one pot of gold. It would be a great gift or investment if you're at all interested. But this book has a specific target audience, obviously.

So, what do you think? Would you look into this? Any ideas who you might get it for any other questions or comments? Happy reading!

The Anthologist

Next book on the chopping block is The Anthologist, by Nicholson Baker. For some reason, I kept thinking anthropologist, not anthologist, so I realllllly had no idea what to expect.

So, the book is basically about a man that's compiling an anthology of poems (hence that anthologist part) and is having trouble writing the introduction, so... he writes this book about how he's having trouble writing the introduction.

Thank goodness he did.

For the first chapter or so, I literally wrote down something on every page that I wanted to share as hilarious, or true, or randomly delightful. Then I realized that it seemed the whole book was going to be that way, so I'd better knock it off or I'd be copying the whole book onto a library receipt. So here are just a few...

"His name is Paul, and my name is Paul. Paul: What is that crazy U doing there? Paw- U- L" (p5).

" I've always been attracted to short women. They're usually smarter and more interesting than tall women and yet people don't take them as seriously. And it's a bosomy kind of generous smartness, often" (p7). (Truer words have never been spoken :) )

(About sending poems in to be published)"And I'll flip through the newest issue, walking back from my blue mailbox, hunting for the poem he chose over mine, and it'll be the same thing as always. The prose will have pulled back, and the poem will be there, cavorting, saying, I'm a poem, I'm a poem. No, you're not! You're an imposter, you're a toy train of pretend stanzas of chopped garbage. Just like my poem was" (p 23).

"At some point you have to set aside snobbery and what you think is culture and recognize that any random episode of Friends is probably better, more uplifting for the human spirit, than ninety-nine percent of the poetry or drama or fiction or history ever published" (p 77). (I realllllllllllllly want to continue with this one, but I won't.)

"I learn too much and it crowds out what I already know" (p116).

But seriously, I could go on and on. Have you gotten the picture? I absolutely love this book, unabashedly. It's deep without making me feel like I'm drowning, it's real and light hearted and beautiful. Baker gives us a protagonist that is endearing, randomly thoughtful, smart, and funny, though he doesn't know it. He makes this book all about poetry in his life- the way he sees it, hears it, feels it... and yet, it still reads like a novel and a peek into this guy's crazy head.

Were there things I didn't like? Not really. Another book has been added to the "gotta buy" list. For those of you that are skeptical but interested, it was easy to get from the library. I think this is the perfect summer book. Not too long (243 p), not too emotionally draining, and really, really interesting and engaging and likable. Easy to slip in a beach bag and read on a lawn chair, which I wish I had done.

So please, enjoy! Tell me what you think. Have you read any of his other books? Does the idea of a book that's primarily about poetry make you cringe? (If so... give it a shot still, please...) Just tell me your thoughts!

Lush Life

Okie doke, next one on the list was Lush Life by Richard Price, an Academy Award winner for literature and critic favorite, according to what I've heard.

Lush Life was, essentially, a crime novel about people pursuing "lush life" on the Lower East Side. The haves and the have-nots, and how crime links them.

So the good stuff first. Price is a brilliant social author. He writes the way people speak, in convincing scenarios, with realistic characters. I absolutely believe that so much of his story was taken from truth- the police department's beauracratic nonsense, the perception of the rich (and of the poor), the media gluttony that surrounds crimes, what people will do to get and stay rich, etc. I most loved the cop scenes- the red tape they went through to try to solve a crime and the way the department handled it... it was fascinating. The main cop on the case, Matty Price, shows this perfectly in a scene with his immediate supervisor, Berkowitz:
" 'This isn't good.' Berkowitz's voice an urgent murmur.
(Matty)'So you said.'
'They're all trying to find a way out.'
'I'll bet.'
'So. Who authorized this arrest?'
'(Chief)did.'
Exhaling through his nose, Berkowitz quickly scanned the barren corridor, then brought his face even closer.
'Who authorized this arrest?'
'You did?' Matty knowing what Berkowitz wanted to hear.
Another exhalation, another walleyed scan.
'One more time.'
'Are you kidding me?'
Berkowitz glared at him, Matty thinking, Okeydoke.
'I did.' (p161)"

Now, I'm not (at all)saying all departments are like this, but I thought Price did a great job of showing a subordinate's issues within a department like NYPD- in theory.

Here's the bad news, though. For an Academy Award winning author, this was a snooze fest. It was true to life, sure, and real life isn't always spectacular and grandiose. Sometimes it is what it is- going through the motions, crimes that fit the pattern, a diverse but still typical group of people... yeah, that's all true and real and Price does that wonderfully, but *yawn*... I read because I want to escape real life, all right?

So, it's up to you. I tend to lean towards slightly unrealistic books if they're more interesting, but hey, that's me. What about you? Have you read any of Price's other books? Would you read this one?

Sprout

Okay, I think this is book 21 on the list- Sprout by David Peck. The front cover shows a kid with green hair, so that's where the name comes from.

So. This is YA, which you can kind of-sort of tell. It's about a kid in high school who, like everybody, is figuring himself out amidst a ton of baggage. The author's voice is incredibly unique, which was entertaining. He writes exactly like a teenager.

Now, maybe because I read this during naptime at work, or maybe because I'm reading too many books, or maybe because I'm just lame... I thought it was a memoir at first, and I thought it was annoying. Peck wrote so much like a sixteen year old, that it wasn't until I figured out the name difference (duh) that I realized that he had just transformed himself into this character, and had done a remarkable job at it. Here are two examples:

"Since an essay to him was what a hike up Mt. Everest would be to a blindfolded paraplegic with acrophobia and asthma, he wanted revenge (p 35)."

"I'd've though I'd've flinched (there's a lot of apostrophes in that sentence , by the way; sorry)(p203-204)..."

See? Writes like a high school student. It was really engaging, and mostly funny, if not a little offputting at times. Also, the kid, Sprout, is preparing for a high school essay writing contest, which is my favorite kind of contest, so that part of the plot was so fun! I didn't love all of the plotlines, but hey, it's his life, not mine.

So here's the bad news: I don't recommend it. Honestly, without giving too much away, I didn't feel like the plot was resolved. I know I tend to want an ending, even though a cliffhanger ending sometimes is more poetic... but still. I felt like several things were up in the air at the end, and I wanted to feel like even ONE of them had some finality. No dice.

Overall? Even though the author's voice was engaging and interesting, I really didn't like the book enough to recommend it. So sorry, Mr. Peck. Your thoughts? Have you read it? What do you think about cliffhanger endings?