Bibliolatry

Reading Resolution: June Update

2009-07-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

Time to gather some links and rack up my progress for the month of June. Not that great, but I was traveling for a good bit.

RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN JUNE: 2

Eco, Umberto. The Name of the Rose
Irving, John. The World According to Garp

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN JUNE: 6

Brown, Kevin and Annette Presley. The Liberation Diet
von Daniken, Erich. Chariots of the Gods
Doyle, Larry. I Love You, Beth Cooper
Kurlansky, Mark. The Food of a Younger Land
Waters, Sarah. Fingersmith
Wood, Patricia. Lottery

TOTAL TITLES READ IN MAY: 8

CURRENT RESOLUTION PROGRESS: 27 / 88

TOTAL BOOKS READ IN 2009: 41

I will not make a finger joke, I will not make a finger joke, Iwillnotmakeafingerjoke

2009-06-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

Fingersmith
Sarah Waters

Sarah Waters is one of those authors I often hear praised, but yet have never read myself. After a respected fellow booklover (Nymeth from things mean a lot) told me to read Fingersmith, I thought I could excuse myself from my darned resolution to try a little Waters. AND THANK HEAVENS I DID.

Fingersmith is many things -- thriller, mystery, Gothic romance -- but the one thing it's not is predictable. Just when you think you've put your finger on it (sorry, I could only hold out so long...just count your blessings it wasn't a worse finger joke, cause I have a few), you find out you're wrong.

First, a warning: If you think you're interested in this novel, I'd stay away from any online summaries. I read them after the fact, and they give a wee bit more information than is strictly necessary. I only read the book's back cover, and that suited me just fine. Anything more is too much.

A quick, spoiler-free overview: Sue Trinder is an orphan raised by thieves in Victorian England. Despite the excitement of living outside the law, life really picks up when "Gentleman," a member of their merry band, arrives with a plan to make their fortunes. His plan is simple: dupe a rich girl into marrying him, then dump her in a madhouse. Sue, acting as maid to said rich girl, is to aid Gentleman's plot by talking him up. It won't be long before the marriage is legalized and the riches are shared. Huzzah!

Of course, it won't be that easy. I could say more, but in this case, I think the rest of the plot is better left unsaid. What follows is a complex and intricate plot that twists and turns much like Sue's native Borough. This hefty novel (about 600 pages) flew by in quick gulps, and I finished it faster than novels half its length.

True, it's not perfect: there were a few elements I'd like better explained at the end, and a couple things that didn't really make sense to me, but these trivialities pale in the face of the novel's entirety. My biggest complaint is that I didn't read it in the fall, because it would be perfect in October thanks to a hefty dose of fog and mist, a dark and oppressive English manor, one or two madhouses, and, of course, the cramped and dirty streets of London. Did I mention the fog?

In a nutshell: With its gorgeous prose, riveting plot, and enthralling characters, Fingersmith delivers on all counts. Now, the only question that remains is, which Waters' novel should I next read?

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

A world rich with lunacy and sorrow

2009-06-25T05:00:00.001-05:00

The World According to Garp
John Irving

Don't think I haven't forgotten my reading resolution; I've just given myself some slack with it. Instead of reading ONLY resolution titles, I'm allowing myself the occasional splurge, but I'm still plugging on.

My latest resolution title is one that gave me some trouble at first. I started reading The World According to Garp at the beginning of May, but it took me awhile to really get into the story. The beginning of the novel, which seemed like so much unnecessary backstory (more about this in a sec), weighed me down and prevented me from reading faster. However, once Garp got out of high school, the story picked up and I couldn't put it down.

Although I found the beginning of the book slow, I wouldn't delete a single word now that I look back on it. We begin well before Garp's birth by meeting his mother, Jenny. Garp himself doesn't make an appearance right away, but, while this information bored me at first, I soon found that it allowed me to truly come to know Garp and his family as though they were flesh and blood.

I feel as though I'm the only person left who hasn't yet read this book (or seen the movie starring Robin Williams. Really? Robin Williams as Garp? I wouldn't have thunk it), so a summary probably isn't necessary, but here goes: Garp's born, he's a bit quirky, his mother's even quirkier, Garp becomes a writer, shit happens to him and a lot of others and life goes on. That's pretty much the entire book, and yet it's somehow so much more. In fact, I felt as though I lived a lifetime while reading about Garp.

In a nutshell: Has anyone read anything else by John Irving? Because Garp was so good, I'm going back for seconds. Irving also has a new novel out in October, entitled Last Night in Twisted River... so be on the lookout, Irving fans!

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming...

2009-06-24T15:00:00.000-05:00

No, I haven't really gone fishin (anyone who knows me knows I'd last about two seconds before resigning in boredom), but I will be away from all that is Internetty for about 10 days.

I have scheduled a few posts to appear in my absence, so it will seem as though I'm routinely posting, but don't be offended if I don't reply to comments or emails. I'll tend to them all after I return, so please go ahead and comment away.

Hope you all have a lovely week ahead and that many good reads come your way.

A smarter review of the behemoth

2009-06-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

Drood
Dan Simmons

Although I've already reviewed Drood here, I wrote another, more "legit" review for the awesome Pajiba. This new review is a little longer, better developed, and a little less "omg Dan Simmons Iloveyou."

If you'd like to read it, by all means, click here.

Learning to free ourselves from insane passion for the truth

2009-06-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Name of the Rose
Umberto Eco

Once upon a time -- forever ago, it seems -- I was in high school. My years at this drab institution were colored by a variety of characters, including one particular young lady whom I'll call...Jane.

Jane was one of those annoying little twats who was too smart for her own damn good. Of course, being smart is never a bad thing -- unless, like Jane, you take every opportunity to shove your erudition into the face of EVERY SINGLE PERSON within a 10-mile radius.

a dead-ringer the little know-it-all snit

(True story, though: During my senior year, members of my physics class were forced to take a national test euphemistically called "The Physics Bowl." Why labeling a test as a "bowl" should make it more palatable is beyond me, but, as it didn't affect my actual grade, I didn't really sweat it. Anyway, as they announced the winners -- and here I shit you not -- Jane stood to accept the grand prize...only they didn't call her name. Who did win, you ask? ME! She was none too happy that I had taken the highly-coveted (snort) prize, and even more embarrassed that she had stood to collect a prize that wasn't hers. I still have that plaque to this day. Victory = mine.)

Why do I bring this up? Well, as much as I hate to say it, Umberto Eco reminds me of my old nemesis, Jane. Like Jane, Eco loves showing off how much he knows, as he did the last time I encountered him. Still, EVERYONE praises The Name of the Rose, and it was another title in my reading resolution, so I plowed though like any good reader would do.

For those who don't know, The Name of the Rose follows William of Baskerville, a monk who investigates a death at a monastery. With him is his loyal but obtuse sidekick, Adso. William is a unique monk, since he is quite rational and given to logical arguments, even if logic leads him to beliefs counter to those of the Catholic Church. The Church is in upheaval at this time, and heresies are not taken lightly. But what, exactly, is heresy? Is it heresy to believe that Jesus owned property, or that he didn't? Is it heresy to believe that Jesus laughed? These monks argued such issues NONSTOP. Really, it was a bit much after the third or fifth (or tenth) such argument.

In truth, The Name of the Rose is a great book, but I just wish Eco didn't put in EVERYTHING he knew about the times, the beliefs, the customs, etc. of the period. However, the central issue of the whodunit is what really pushed me to the end. I was fascinated by the mysterious library at the center of the abbey, loved the Borges connections, enjoyed the semiotics at the heart of the novel, and found the ultimate solution to the mystery quite compelling.

In a nutshell: I'd have liked it more if there had been less arguing and more murdering. Just kidding, at least as far as the murdering goes. But seriously, some paring down and I'd have adored it. Still, I recognize that I'll appreciate it even more after I reread it...in a few years.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

Take a ride on the Insane Train

2009-06-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

Chariots of the Gods
Erich von Daniken

Every once in awhile, I've had it with reality. When this happens, I make myself a very special treat. I take a hefty dose of ground-up vicodin and a few tablespoons of some quality methamphetamine and sprinkle them all over my Lucky Charms. You might think I next add milk to this healthy concoction, but you'd be wrong. Gin is the only way to complement this tasty confection. Sweet, cheap gin. Then I turn on Intervention and laugh and laugh and laugh.

It was on one of these galactic escapades that I met Erich von Daniken. He started to tell me all kinds of crazy shit, like God is really an interstellar astronaut. Then he took a big hit on a glass bong and flew up into the heavens on his great purple wings. Now that's some good shit!

Drugs are bad, kids

Usually I chalk up such visions to an overdose, but I kept thinking of him long after the meds had worn off. That's when I found Chariots of the Gods. It wasn't a dream after all!

Using points from the Bible and other religious scriptures, von Daniken theorizes that, long ago, interstellar astronauts came to earth and bred with us. They returned at other key moments in our development and didn't always like what they found. When that happened, they just killed us off, a la Noah and the great flood. He uses Egyptian and Sumerian art to argue that what are assumed to be depictions of the gods are really depictions of interstellar travelers.

To be fair, von Daniken doesn't assert that his theories are true. He does, however, believe that more research is needed. At times, he argues convincingly (he is at his most convincing when comparing the mythologies of several early cultures), but not at others. A lot of the book is simply question-raising. Why do we see this? Why do we believe that? Why do high-waisted pants make women look fat?

In a nutshell: Many questions, few answers, but interesting overall. Until we meet again, von Daniken.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars

A Return to Simpler Times

2009-06-11T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal
Mark Kurlansky

This is a hard book to summarize, so I'm going to allow the book jacket to do the honors:

Award-winning New York Times–bestselling author Mark Kurlansky takes us back to the food and eating habits of a younger America: Before the national highway system brought the country closer together; before chain restaurants imposed uniformity and low quality; and before the Frigidaire meant frozen food in mass quantities, the nation’s food was seasonal, regional, and traditional. It helped form the distinct character, attitudes, and customs of those who ate it.

In the 1930s, with the country gripped by the Great Depression and millions of Americans struggling to get by, FDR created the Federal Writers’ Project under the New Deal as a make-work program for artists and authors. A number of writers, including Zora Neale Hurston, Eudora Welty, and Nelson Algren, were dispatched all across America to chronicle the eating habits, traditions, and struggles of local people. The project, called “America Eats,” was abandoned in the early 1940s because of the World War and never completed.

The Food of a Younger Land unearths this forgotten literary and historical treasure and brings it to exuberant life. Mark Kurlansky’s brilliant book captures these remarkable stories, and combined with authentic recipes, anecdotes, photos, and his own musings and analysis, evokes a bygone era when Americans had never heard of fast food and the grocery superstore was a thing of the future. Kurlansky serves as a guide to this hearty and poignant look at the country’s roots. From New York automats to Georgia Coca-Cola parties, from Arkansas possum-eating clubs to Puget Sound salmon feasts, from Choctaw funerals to South Carolina barbecues, the WPA writers found Americans in their regional niches and eating an enormous diversity of meals. From Mississippi chittlins to Indiana persimmon puddings, Maine lobsters, and Montana beavertails, they recorded the curiosities, commonalities, and communities of American food.

I was fascinated by the eating habits of America's younger years, and even marked a few recipes to try later. The book is divided into geographical sections (the Northeast, the Southwest, etc.) and I enjoyed seeing how traditions varied from place to place.

In fact, in reading The Food of a Younger Land I couldn't help but think the authors of The Liberation Diet would enjoy this book. In the past, Americans ate lots of whole-fat foods, lots of animal fats, and lots of locally grown produce. I'm still not swayed.

In a nutshell: This is not a book to be read straight-through, as one would a novel, but rather to be digested slowly, in small bites, as one would a sumptuous feast.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

If it tastes good, spit it out

2009-06-10T10:29:00.005-05:00

The Liberation Diet: Setting America Free from the Bondage of Health Misinformation!
Kevin Brown and Annette Presley

For the record, I think diet books and weight-loss plans are stupid. As someone who has struggled with her weight (and who has lost a good amount of poundage as well), I know losing weight isn't easy. Sure, I'd like nothing more than to eat pizza and french fries while sitting my ass on the sofa with a good book, but doing so will prevent me looking the way I want to look. Eating healthy foods, eating smaller portions, and exercising daily are unfortunately the only way to go.

The authors of The Liberation Diet, however, take issue with the current notion of what constitutes "healthy" food. In fact, they even go so far as to say that a lot of exercise isn't necessary. Hm. You know what they say: if it sounds too good to be true...

First, a run down of some of their main points:

1. Crisco is actually industrial waste marketed as a healthy alternative to lard and butter. Beware this and other false foods.

2. The USDA food guide pyramid (with the base -- and largest portion -- devoted to grains) was specifically designed to boost the sale of agricultural products; it was NOT designed to promote health. In fact, a great number of industries benefit from our current food guide pyramid -- not individual Americans and their health. Instead, one should buy locally grown, fresh food, which cannot be mass produced and distributed.

3. Animal fats are good for you - in fact, the authors note that "the heart gets its fuel from saturated fat, and it is the only organ in the body that does not succumb to cancer."

4. Carbohydrates (even whole grains) make you fat and one should not eat more than two servings of them a day.

5. Calorie counting is a waste of time because there is no way to be totally sure how many calories are being consumed or burned at any given time.

6. Instead of following the current recommendation of several small meals a day, one should eat 2 to 3 meals a day.

7. One should only eat breakfast if hungry.

8. Fasting, at least in moderation, is good.

9. Pretty much ignore food labels, since many are misleading. However, if a food has more than 12g of carbs or 5g of sugar, don't eat it.

10. Exercise accounts for only 20% of weight loss; diet accounts for 80%.

THE GOOD

1. Many of their points are sound, but a lot are common sense. It should hardly come as a surprise that Crisco is a fake food and therefore bad for you.

2. As for point #3 above, it sounds good, but then again those six vodka-cranberries sounded good to me last Friday, and look where they got me.

3. I'm all about point #9. In fact, I'll go even further and say that if there isn't at least 4g of fiber in those 12g, pass on it.

THE BAD

1. The exclamation mark at the end of the super-long title is a bit twee, don't you think?

2. I wholly disagree with their stance on calorie counting. I know we can never be totally sure of how many calories we consume (then again, can we ever be truly sure of anything? sigh.), but to discount calorie counting as a whole seems a bit dumb. I personally got my chubby ass in to some EXTREMELY TINY pants through constant calorie counting and daily exercise AND YES I COULD CUT A BITCH AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF SUCH DEPRIVATION but it was all worth it. Right? Right????

3. Fasting may be good in theory, but just ask my husband how lovely I am after I haven't eaten for a few hours.

4. I take issue with point #7. I'm very pro-breakfast. In fact, I'm a big fan of the "inverted pyramid" approach to eating: my breakfast is my biggest meal, lunch is medium-sized, and my dinner is quite small. Takes some getting used to but has worked quite well for me.

And that, ultimately, is what I think many need to keep in mind when it comes to dieting: what works for one person might not work for another. So take this approach with a grain of salt. But not too much salt. Salt makes you bloated, even if it IS quite tasty.

In a nutshell: I still say eat a little and exercise a lot, but what do I know? Still, The Liberation Diet taught me some things I didn't know, reaffirmed some things I did, and made me disagree with still others.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars

The power of Twitter

2009-06-08T05:00:00.002-05:00

Lottery
Patricia Wood

Truly we live in an age of wonders: Twitter has saved me from hating a book.

Lottery recounts the story of 32-year-old Perry L. Crandall, a slow adult who happens to win the lottery. With an IQ of 76 (one point higher than those deemed mentally retarded), Perry is nevertheless in danger of getting taken advantage of, and false friends (and family) appear on all sides immediately after his big win. Thankfully, Perry keeps in mind the sage advice of his late grandmother and experiences both ups and downs as he learns to deal with his newfound fame and fortune.

Despite its readability, it was taking me forever to get through Lottery. I found it cloying, too perfect, too predictable. The narrator was just oh-so wonderful, the antagonists too facile. Add to these the fact that Lottery was deemed one of the Washington Post Book World's Best Books of the Year, and my indignation was nearly complete.

I was about to throw the book across the room after nearly suffocating from the sickeningly sweet nature of Mr. Perry L. -- by the way, the L. stands for Lucky (gag me) -- Crandall, when I happened across a tweet by one Mr. Nigel Beale (@nigelbeale). Beale, whose litblog Nota Bene Books is well worth your time if you aren't already familiar with it, tweeted that "a book should be evaluated in terms of its capacity to elicit 'real' feelings rather than upon how 'realistic' it might be."

Right: Patricia Wood, not Nigel Beale (obviously)

Beale's tweet couldn't have arrived at a more fortuitous moment. Upon reading these words, I was immediately chagrined. I was condemning Lottery because I believed Perry much too insightful for a man with an IQ of 76. I was criticizing the unrealistic superficiality and one-sidedness of the antagonists and hating the unrealistic "good" characters, who were equally superficial. The whole thing's totally unrealistic! I crowed.

And then, I encountered a scene in the final third of the book. Despite my previous feelings about the novel, this scene -- a wholly unexpected one, I might add -- elicited real tears. (Nevermind that I cry at the drop of a hat.) What had happened? The unbelievable had occurred: Lottery had moved me.

And so, what had been a mediocre, predictable read was transformed into . . . well, if not a outstanding read, at least a moving experience. I came to care for Perry and had his best interests at heart. The rest of the book flew by in a blur of pages, and I finished Lottery feeling as though I had spent my time well.

Lesson learned. Many thanks, Mr. Beale.

In a nutshell: A fast, easy, enjoyable read with a lovable main character, Lottery elicits real feelings, even if it may not always seem realistic.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

Denis Cooverman Scores One for the Nerds...sorta

2009-06-05T05:00:00.000-05:00

I Love You, Beth Cooper
Larry Doyle

I have to thank HarperCollins for offering I Love You, Beth Cooper in its entirety for free, online. This offer was for a limited time only, but you can try clicking here to see if the offer is still valid. Without this offer, I probably wouldn't have read Doyle's book, and it would have been to my loss.

Denis (one uncomfortable letter away from penis) Cooverman, who speaks nine languages (three of them real), delivers the valedictorian speech at his high school graduation. Deciding to make the most of an opportunity he'll never have again, he decides to let loose about what he really thinks about his peers, especially concerning his love for one Beth Cooper, the hottest girl in school (or at least in Denis' eyes).

What happens as a result of this speech is definitely not in any of the few scenarios imagined by Denis. Denis and his totally-straight best friend soon find themselves experiencing the night of their lives: Denis gets injured more times than is humanly possible; has several encounters with Beth's crazed, military boyfriend; and finally comes to know the real Beth Cooper.

With a nod to more than a few teen movies, Larry Doyle pens a madcap, fast-paced tale. It's not perfect: my biggest beef was with the abrupt (and slightly repetitive) ending. I could have done without a few scenes, including one especially groan-worthy (and unnecessary) scene involving a contact lens. That said, I genuinely laughed out loud several times during the novel, so I think the karmic scales are balanced.

In a nutshell: A perfect summer read. I look forward to the film version later this year (although MY Beth Cooper would never be Hayden Panty-whatsherface).

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

Reading Resolution: May Update

2009-06-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Simply put, May sucked. My general reading sucked, and my reading resolution sucked harder. Why? I was feeling so invigorated, reading-wise. And yet: suckage. Prepare yourselves.

RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN MAY: 0

Zero? ZERO?!?

Zero.

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN MAY: 4

Brown, Dan. Angels and Demons
Oliver, Mary. Evidence: Poems
Vidal, Gore. Julian
Wray, John. Lowboy

TOTAL TITLES READ IN MAY: 4

CURRENT RESOLUTION PROGRESS: 25 / 88

TOTAL BOOKS READ IN 2009: 33

Angels & Demons: Skim and Toss

2009-06-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Angels & Demons
Dan Brown

To be fair, I went into this one with eyes wide open. I knew the writing would be sub-par, some scenes would be melodramatic, and the plot gripping. For the most part, I hit the nail right on the head.

I won't go into the plot, since most people are already familiar with it. Basically, the novel follows symbologist Robert Langdon, who gets embroiled in a mystery that plots the Catholic Church against those who champion science. Of course, Langdon is in a race against time ... yadda yadda yadda.

That said, I enjoyed reading, even if skimming was way too easy. The characterization was a bit shallow, and many points were foreseeable. However, the worst aspect for me was the overly-simple nature of the prose. I would have liked to see this novel written by one with a way with words. In better hands, this novel could have been more than just a page-turner.

In a nutshell: Predictable in places, groan-worthy in others, gripping in still others. A perfect beach book.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars

You give, and you are given

2009-05-29T04:00:00.001-05:00

Evidence: Poems
Mary Oliver

I have to thank both Beacon Press and LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program for sending me Evidence, Mary Oliver's latest collection of poetry. I love Oliver's work and this newest collection does not disappoint.

I'm pleased to say that, while not every poem hit home, I enjoyed the majority of poems in the collection, and a few had such an impact on me that I was utterly unable to continue reading -- all I could do was to reread the lines which had affected me so. This happened a number of times, which is always a hallmark of a superior poet.

Oliver's poetry is simple and unpretentious; that's not to say, however, that it's facile or simple-minded. I love how she glories in the world around her, and finds beauty in every aspect of nature.

This ability is most clearly seen in "Prince Buzzard," one of my favorite poems in the collection. Here, Oliver is able to make beautiful that which is generally considered to be ugly: a buzzard feeding on carrion. Although this image is not a pleasant one, the poem that results from it is.

"Almost a Conversation" is another of my favorites; in this poem Oliver describes a conversation with an otter. I had quoted a portion of the poem in a previous draft of this review; upon rereading it, however, the power of those lines is not as strong as when attached to the entire poem, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.

At any rate, if you enjoy poetry characterized by simple phrasing, profound thoughts, and a glorification of the natural world, Evidence is for you.

In a nutshell: Oliver uses simple language to create profound poetry.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

Take a ride with Lowboy

2009-05-26T04:00:00.001-05:00

Lowboy
John Wray

I've recently read and reviewed Lowboy for the great Pajiba.

Lowboy follows a troubled teen as he roams New York City's underground. Click here to read my review.

In a nutshell: Lowboy is intriguing, fast-paced, and overall enjoyable.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

Nothing remains but to let the darkness come

2009-05-12T04:00:00.001-05:00

Julian
Gore Vidal

I don't know where on earth I found out about this book (I've never before read Gore Vidal, and I'm not particularly interested in the Ancient Romans), but I'm so glad whoever it was introduced me to Julian. Simply put, this book was amazing.

My surprise at the awesomeness of Julian comes as a result of a few hefty handicaps already stacked against it: for one, I keep confusing Gore Vidal with Al Gore, a man who -- despite his good intentions -- seems to me synonymous with TEH BORE. For another, the summary of the book made me feel like reading Julian would be as much fun as reading a textbook. Clearly, I was wrong on both counts.

Although such an overview is laughably superficial, I'll do my best to give a quasi-informed look at the man that was Julian Augustus. The emperor Julian was many things: philosopher, military strategist, essayist, and Hellenist. As a Hellenist, he rejected Christianity (as advocated by his uncle, Constantine the Great). However, Julian (also known as Julian the Apostate) did not want to force his countrymen to worship the old gods; rather, he sought to institute a society of religious tolerance in which all could worship freely. Unfortunately, not everyone was thrilled at such freedom.

Julian

Julian, for his part, never sought the throne. From the time he was a young boy, he aspired only to be a philosopher. The fates had their way, however, and Julian eventually took the throne. Vidal chronicles Julian's life from the time he was a young boy up to his death at the age of 32. The novel is told from a few perspectives: that of the Emperor himself, and two of his friends, the philosophers Priscus and Libanius.

Julian's portion is told from a manuscript taken after his death; Priscus and Libanius have their say via letters to one another and in notes annotating the text. This interplay often gave rise to humor, especially as rivalries and jealousies arise between the two old philosophers.

In a nutshell: In rereading this review, I feel I've made an awfully good book sound frightfully boring. This couldn't be further from the truth. Julian is what historical fiction should be: fascinatingly intelligent, deeply moving, and highly entertaining.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

Sunday Sonnet

2009-05-10T05:00:00.001-05:00

SONNETS ARE FULL OF LOVE
by Christina Rossetti

Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome
Has many sonnets: so here now shall be
One sonnet more, a love sonnet, from me
To her whose heart is my heart’s quiet home,
To my first Love, my Mother, on whose knee
I learnt love-lore that is not troublesome;
Whose service is my special dignity,
And she my loadstar while I go and come
And so because you love me, and because
I love you, Mother, I have woven a wreath
Of rhymes wherewith to crown your honored name:
In you not fourscore years can dim the flame
Of love, whose blessed glow transcends the laws
Of time and change and mortal life and death.

Reading Resolution: April Update

2009-05-05T04:00:00.000-05:00

Finally -- the spell has been broken. The monstrous grip held by both LOST and Drood has been broken, and I can now return my full attention to my reading resolution. April wasn't the best of months as far as my resolution was concerned, but I'm getting back to it. Really, I swear.

RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN APRIL: 4

Ferris, Joshua. Then We Came to the End
Freund, Harry. I Never Saw Paris
Mabanckou, Alain. African Psycho
Thomson, Rupert. The Book of Revelation

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN APRIL: 3

Lerman, Eleanor. The Blonde on the Train
Matheson, Richard. Button, Button
Simmons, Dan. Drood

TOTAL TITLES READ IN APRIL: 7

CURRENT RESOLUTION PROGRESS: 25 / 88

TOTAL BOOKS READ IN 2009: 29

Ah, push it -- p-push it real good

2009-05-04T04:00:00.000-05:00

Button, Button: Uncanny Stories
Richard Matheson

I was interested in reading "Button, Button" after hearing a film version starring Cameron Diaz would be released this summer. "Button, Button" is a short, gripping, and fast read, so I took a gander at the rest of the stories. For the most part, I wasn't disappointed.

The premise behind "Button, Button" is an intriguing one: would you kill a total stranger in return for 50,000? Okay, this story was written in the seventies, so, adjusting for inflation and keeping in mind our current "hard economic times," would you do it for a million? All you have to do is push a nice little button. That's it. Somewhere in the world, someone will die. You'll get the money and can live guilt-free. I mean, it's not like you actually know the person, right? And, of course, there's always the possibility that no one will die at all. Anyway, I'd like to think I wouldn't do it, but I suppose I'll never know. And I won't tell you want the characters in the story will do, either. IT WILL BE A TOTAL SURPRISE TO YOU.*

The other stories were, for the most part, just as good as "Button, Button." There were a few stories that fell flat for me, but the majority of these 12 stories kept me entertained. Considering I read the entire collection in under a day, I'm pretty pleased.

Of the others I enjoyed, there's "No Such Thing as a Vampire," which puts a cool spin on the Dracula myth; "Girl of my Dreams," in which a girl who dreams the future is used by her enterprising boyfriend; "Tis the Season to Be Jelly," which illustrates the effects of playing with science; and "A Flourish of Strumpets," which introduces the reader to some very unique marketing techniques.

So, dear readers, I have to know: would you push a button that kills a random stranger in return for an insane amount of money? Be honest now...

In a nutshell: Not every story wowed me, but this collection was an entertaining read that didn't hurt ye olde braine too much.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

*Actually, that's not entirely true. But it's still a good story anyway.

Poop or get off the pot

2009-04-30T04:00:00.004-05:00

African Psycho
Alain Mabanckou

Shh. Listen. Can you hear that?

That's the sound of me tearing through another title in my reading resolution. Woot. Woot. Although, to be fair, this was an easy one: Mabanckou's African Psycho is a slim book at a little over 150 pages.

African Psycho, as one might expect, is the African version of American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. However, unlike Patrick Bateman, who had a thirst for murder and (may have) racked up more than a few bodies, Gregoire Nakobomayo is more a murderer in thought than in deed.

You see, Gregoire wants to kill, but somehow never manages to do so. He wants more than anything to please the soul of his dead idol, the serial killer known as Angoualima. Gregoire visits Angoualima's grave frequently, and imagines the ghost of his idol berating him for his failed attempts at infamy. Vowing to please his idol at last, Gregoire plans to kill his girlfriend by the end of the year.

Murdering his girlfriend will have another important effect than just getting Gregoire in Angoualima's good graces: it will help him be somebody and do something important. Gregoire imagines that murdering his prostitute girlfriend will actually benefit his city in the end.

Unfortunately, it's Gregoire himself who gets in his way. As one might have guessed, our poor narrator thinks too much and as a result does very little. Consequently, African Psycho is a frequently humorous, if not entirely violent, novel.

In a nutshell: Psychological and philosophical, African Psycho is intriguing but not necessarily enjoyable. The disappointing ending prevented it from being a solid four stars.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars

Trying to be a good person, one review at a time

2009-04-27T04:00:00.002-05:00

I Never Saw Paris: A Novel of the Afterlife
Harry Freund

Oh, brother. What to say about this book that won't make me sound like an asshole? In the spirit of Christian fellowship (much like the focus of I Never Saw Paris), I'm going to try to say 10 nice things about this book.

1. I Never Saw Paris is part of my 2009 reading resolution.

2. I Never Saw Paris is a really quick read.

3. I Never Saw Paris concerns the immediate afterlife of five people who perish in an accident.

4. I Never Saw Paris reminds us to love one another and to enjoy every minute of our lives.

5. I Never Saw Paris cautions us that every action, no matter how innocuous this action may seem, has a consequence.

6. I Never Saw Paris teaches us that even not-so-admirable individuals have redeeming characteristics.

7. I didn't pay for I Never Saw Paris.

8. . . . .Let's see . . . . . number 8. . . . . .

Okay, I can't do it. I can't quit carbs, I can't run for longer than two minutes at a time, and I can't say more than 7 good things about this book. If I may, though, I'd like to point out some not-so-good things:

1. What could be an intriguing story is undermined by overly simple writing.

2. Cliches abound.

3. I'm a little uncomfortable with the notion that gay men are not truly men, especially when Brett, the gay character, bemoans his being born with the heart of a "softhearted, warm, and cuddly girl" instead of having "a bald head, big ears. . . .and the heart and soul of a man." Alrighty, then. . .

4. Also, the book just kinda sucked all-around. How in the hell did it get so many five-star reviews on Amazon.com??

Look: the book's heart is in the right place, but I just didn't feel the telling was a particularly good one.

In a nutshell: While I may not have enjoyed the book, Freund's point is a valid one: We never know when the reaper will come a'knockin, so stop being a douchebag while there's still time.

Bibliolatry Scale: 1 out of 6 stars

And the winner is...

2009-04-20T15:51:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Olive Kitteridge, the winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.

I received Olive Kitteridge as an ARC a year ago, and I was amazed by what was truly an unexpected gem.

Click here to read my review.

No easy answers here

2009-04-20T04:00:00.002-05:00

The Book of Revelation
Rupert Thomson

This far in my reading resolution, I've somehow avoided works by those authors whose names appear toward the end of the alphabet. Seeking to balance things out, I picked up Thomson's The Book of Revelation. I was surprised to find this book such a mind-blowing read.

Here's what I knew going into the novel: a man goes out for cigarettes. Instead of reaching his destination, he is instead kidnapped. Obviously, his life is forever changed.

The reality, however, is much, much more unsettling. He is held for eighteen days by three women whose faces are never revealed to him. They abuse, rape, and mutilate him repeatedly during his captivity. And then, without warning, he is released, returned to life.

Except, of course, returning to life will not be that easy.

He becomes obsessed with his captors, intent on finding them and having his revenge. Knowing only their nakedness, not their faces, he goes to extreme lengths to learn whether each woman who has crossed his path is innocent or not. The result demonstrates the effects of violence both on the individual and on society at large.

The Book of Revelation is a simple enough read, but is one that stays with you for a time after it's finished. Be warned that it's disturbing, but quite powerful. I came to care for our nameless narrator and know that -- somewhere, somehow -- he's found peace at last.

In a nutshell: Intense, disturbing, and gripping...The Book of Revelation won't easily be forgotten. The narrator's captivity and abuse is only a small portion of the novel, so readers shouldn't be dissuaded from reading based on this aspect of the novel.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

We are all the same human beings with the same potential to be good

2009-04-17T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Blonde on the Train
Eleanor Lerman

My latest review for Pajiba is up, and this time I had the pleasure of reviewing The Blonde on the Train, the latest collection of short fiction from award-winning poet Eleanor Lerman.

The Blonde on the Train is different from my usual reading fare, but Lerman's prose is relatable and enjoyable. You may read my full review here.

In a nutshell: An intriguing collection of stories, The Blonde on the Train reminds us that we're more alike than we are different.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time

2009-04-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

Then We Came to the End
Joshua Ferris

Once upon a time, I worked in an office. It was the most depressing, most soul-crushing, most horrible time of my life. The seconds passed like hours, the days like weeks. I often had no work to do, yet had to appear busy (which is more difficult than it sounds, trust me). Everyone was miserable. The only relief came during those ten blissful minutes during which I tramped outside for a smoke break. In fact, even writing these few short sentences is enough to bring this time back in all its depressing glory. That's why I'm surprised to find I liked Then We Came to the End as much as I did. Although it often struck too close to home, it is truly, as The New Yorker said, a "masterwork of pitch and tone."

Then We Came to the End is both comic and tragic, both uplifting and utterly depressing. If you've spent time in an office, you'll understand how this can be so, and so you'll recognize yourself in these pages. If you've never worked in an office -- you're quite lucky, aren't you? -- allow Ferris to take you on a tour of the life that could have been yours. True, such a life is filled with moments of humor (gossip, interoffice intrigue, the occasional anecdote that helps to lighten a day), but it is often filled with moments of pain, as well, as interoffice politics, layoffs, and a general malaise abound.

Then We Came to the End follows several characters who work in an ad agency, but this novel is not so much about these characters as it is about the effect office life has on the soul. To this end, Ferris employs the first-person plural, a corporate We, if you will. This technique doesn't feel old or overdone, and it's a testament to Ferris' skill as a writer that he is able to maintain this voice for the duration of the novel (except for a short divagation to the third person in the middle). I was surprised by how connected I felt to these characters both as a group and as individuals. Although I'm not counting Then We Came to the End among the best books I've ever read, I'm glad I had the experience.

(Note: Because of the monster Drood, Then We Came to the End is the first entry in April's reading resolution.)

In a nutshell: Full of humor and pathos, Then We Came to the End lives up to the hype.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars