Wednesday, January 24, 2007
top chef
Ugh! I hope they decide no one should be Top Chef! An unlikable final four has been winnowed to an absolutely unbearable top two. What a crock--neither deserves the title.
2007 book 10 and cupcakes
John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things
This novel centers on a young boy named David living in England on the brink of WWII. After his mother's death and his father's subsequent remarriage, things start to go a little bit haywire as first he hears books talking to him, and then he gets trapped in a twisted fairy-tale world. Fairy-tale adventures ensue as David learns What Really Matters. Actually this was a good read--can I call it a ripping good yarn?B+.
And here is an awesome punk rock vegan cupcake story, courtesy of Erin. I think that chick is my new hero, even though I am pretty fond of butter!
This novel centers on a young boy named David living in England on the brink of WWII. After his mother's death and his father's subsequent remarriage, things start to go a little bit haywire as first he hears books talking to him, and then he gets trapped in a twisted fairy-tale world. Fairy-tale adventures ensue as David learns What Really Matters. Actually this was a good read--can I call it a ripping good yarn?B+.
And here is an awesome punk rock vegan cupcake story, courtesy of Erin. I think that chick is my new hero, even though I am pretty fond of butter!
2007 books 8 and 9
Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake
I reread this one for the library book group! It's still pretty good.
Gary B. Nash's The Unknown American Revolution
Clearly this was reading for class! Nash basically presents the untold stories of the American Revolution, focusing on the parts played by African-Americans, Native Americans, and women. The first half, discussing events leading up to 1776, is really fascinating, but my eyes glazed over somewhat once he got into the actual war parts. On the plus side, I had way more Pennsylvania pride after reading this, AND got to read all about the North Carolina Regulators (who inspired the name of my all-time favorite bookstore).
I reread this one for the library book group! It's still pretty good.
Gary B. Nash's The Unknown American Revolution
Clearly this was reading for class! Nash basically presents the untold stories of the American Revolution, focusing on the parts played by African-Americans, Native Americans, and women. The first half, discussing events leading up to 1776, is really fascinating, but my eyes glazed over somewhat once he got into the actual war parts. On the plus side, I had way more Pennsylvania pride after reading this, AND got to read all about the North Carolina Regulators (who inspired the name of my all-time favorite bookstore).
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
yay!
I am pretty sure that was a Kingsbury Manx song ("Creature of Habit"? It would be fitting if it was!) closing out Veronica Mars tonight! Congrats, guys!!!
Speaking of VM, it was a pretty stellar episode--cute monkey, cute romantic subplots, and even skanky surfer girls. Can't beat that!
Speaking of VM, it was a pretty stellar episode--cute monkey, cute romantic subplots, and even skanky surfer girls. Can't beat that!
Monday, January 22, 2007
taffy
Speaking of nostalgia, does anyone else remember those Taffy Sinclair books?? Talk about 80s classics. Remember the one where snobby bitch Taffy decides to give one of the non-popular girls a makeover and teaches her to vomit up her cafeteria lunch (until a dramatic intervention by the girl's True Friends)? Proof that ten year old girls are evil.
There's some wholesome reading for impressionable pre-adolescents! I don't remember these being darker than the Babysitters' Club, Sweet Valley Twins, etc, but then again, authors were pretty heavy-handed with their morals back then. I am pretty sure someone died of a drug overdose in one of the first four Sweet Valley High books (which I shouldn't have been reading in elementary school, but they were way more interesting than their juvenile counterparts).
Oooh--here's some weird synchronicity. On checking out the Taffy Sinclair author's website, I see that she also wrote that 80s classic The Great Mom Swap. That book was actually made into a TV movie starring a girl I went to elementary school with. This post totally just went full circle.
There's some wholesome reading for impressionable pre-adolescents! I don't remember these being darker than the Babysitters' Club, Sweet Valley Twins, etc, but then again, authors were pretty heavy-handed with their morals back then. I am pretty sure someone died of a drug overdose in one of the first four Sweet Valley High books (which I shouldn't have been reading in elementary school, but they were way more interesting than their juvenile counterparts).
Oooh--here's some weird synchronicity. On checking out the Taffy Sinclair author's website, I see that she also wrote that 80s classic The Great Mom Swap. That book was actually made into a TV movie starring a girl I went to elementary school with. This post totally just went full circle.
eat 'n' park!
One of my favorite nostalgia-inducing food products, the Eat 'n' Park smiley cookie, is now available online! You can even customize its colors for any special occasion.
I think a smiley cookie would be perfect on a rainy day like today. I am pretty sure we haven't had sunshine in over a week. What gives, Florida???
I think a smiley cookie would be perfect on a rainy day like today. I am pretty sure we haven't had sunshine in over a week. What gives, Florida???
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Multimedia message
Gratuitous relaxing cat photo!
So, the only bad thing about Battlestar Galactica moving to Sundays is that I'm totally hyped up at the end of it and won't be falling asleep anytime soon. Thank goodness for caffeine.
So, the only bad thing about Battlestar Galactica moving to Sundays is that I'm totally hyped up at the end of it and won't be falling asleep anytime soon. Thank goodness for caffeine.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
NBCC finalists
The National Book Critics Circle Award finalists have been announced.
This list is actually pretty strong--none of those books I thought were overhyped are on it, and there's only one I'm actively avoiding (the Cormac McCarthy one, b/c I really don't like his writing).
This list is actually pretty strong--none of those books I thought were overhyped are on it, and there's only one I'm actively avoiding (the Cormac McCarthy one, b/c I really don't like his writing).
Friday, January 19, 2007
Multimedia message
We went to see Camera Obscura at Down Under tonight--I know, a band I like actually came to Tallahassee! What are the odds?! (Not too bad, actually--Yo La Tengo will be here in a week and a half.) I brought gingerbread squirrels for the band, but forgot to take pictures (sorry, Pinky!).
Anyway, really fun show, and probably the most packed I've seen the place (TraceyAnne asked at one point, "Are you all here to see us?" Well, we sure weren't there to see the opening band and no one else was playing!). We were especially enthralled with Francois, who played many, many instruments very, very well. He was reminiscent of a French Robert Biggers.
Anyway, really fun show, and probably the most packed I've seen the place (TraceyAnne asked at one point, "Are you all here to see us?" Well, we sure weren't there to see the opening band and no one else was playing!). We were especially enthralled with Francois, who played many, many instruments very, very well. He was reminiscent of a French Robert Biggers.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
another best books list
Library Journal recently put out their list of the best books of 2006 (including genre fiction and how-to books). I've only read four on the list (two of those I disliked, and one--The Echo Maker--even made my list of crappy books that keep getting critical acclaim for reasons I'll never fathom) but this may be a good place to look if, like me, you're saddened by the dearth of good books being published right now. Is it spring yet???
scarlett thomas
Here is a nice review of Scarlett Thomas' The End of Mr. Y, which was one of my favorite books of 2006. I recently read a negative review of this book in Bust (the reviewer was not really into all the discussion of Derrida), but it doesn't seem to be online, and anyway I obviously agree with the one in Salon. :)
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
2006 book 7
John Green's An Abundance of Katherines
Intially, I was reluctant to read this YA novel b/c it kept getting compared to King Dork, which I disliked. However, my friend Betsy, a fellow fan of YA books and hater of King Dork gave it her approval, so I immediately got it from the library. And it was really good! It's about Colin, a prodigy-type who just graduated high school and also just got dumped by his 19th girlfriend named Katherine. I realize that sentence sounds like it has a dangling modifier, but all of his girlfriends have been named Katherine. Anyway, he and his best (and only) friend head on a road trip and end up in a small town in Tennessee, where Colin attempts to create a theorem explaining his bad luck in love (there is actual math explained in an actual appendix, which I did not read), and where he and his friend meet all sorts of really great characters, learn about life, etc. But not in an annoying way, in a really interesting and sweet way. A.
Intially, I was reluctant to read this YA novel b/c it kept getting compared to King Dork, which I disliked. However, my friend Betsy, a fellow fan of YA books and hater of King Dork gave it her approval, so I immediately got it from the library. And it was really good! It's about Colin, a prodigy-type who just graduated high school and also just got dumped by his 19th girlfriend named Katherine. I realize that sentence sounds like it has a dangling modifier, but all of his girlfriends have been named Katherine. Anyway, he and his best (and only) friend head on a road trip and end up in a small town in Tennessee, where Colin attempts to create a theorem explaining his bad luck in love (there is actual math explained in an actual appendix, which I did not read), and where he and his friend meet all sorts of really great characters, learn about life, etc. But not in an annoying way, in a really interesting and sweet way. A.
2007 book 6
Charles H. Lippy's Being Religious, American Style
This is a pretty readable history of popular religion in America. It's (inevitably) Protestant-heavy, and definitely gives short shrift to Native American religions, but it does provide some nice comments on gender and on the supernatural elements of popular religion. He occasionally brings music into the mix, and clearly isn't a music scholar, and much of his material on Judaism came from an encyclopedia, so it wasn't perfect. Plus, it was written in '94 and shows it--I'd love to see an update for the last decade or so. However, for someone just looking for an overview, it's definitely helpful; I barely remembered anything from pre-1880s from all my college courses (except the Oneidas and the Shakers), so it was a good refresher.
I'm not going to grade the books I read for class, since the grades are generally based on my enjoyment of a particular book, and I'm not reading these for enjoyment, per se.
This is a pretty readable history of popular religion in America. It's (inevitably) Protestant-heavy, and definitely gives short shrift to Native American religions, but it does provide some nice comments on gender and on the supernatural elements of popular religion. He occasionally brings music into the mix, and clearly isn't a music scholar, and much of his material on Judaism came from an encyclopedia, so it wasn't perfect. Plus, it was written in '94 and shows it--I'd love to see an update for the last decade or so. However, for someone just looking for an overview, it's definitely helpful; I barely remembered anything from pre-1880s from all my college courses (except the Oneidas and the Shakers), so it was a good refresher.
I'm not going to grade the books I read for class, since the grades are generally based on my enjoyment of a particular book, and I'm not reading these for enjoyment, per se.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
2007 book 5
Uzodinma Iweala's Beasts of No Nation
Iweala--a Harvard grad who's like 24 or something--writes a powerful and troubling first novel about a young boy who's swept up into a guerilla army during some war in some unnamed African country. However, I'm taking points off for the writing style, which is faux-"I'm just learning English and can't get my tenses quite right". B+.
Iweala--a Harvard grad who's like 24 or something--writes a powerful and troubling first novel about a young boy who's swept up into a guerilla army during some war in some unnamed African country. However, I'm taking points off for the writing style, which is faux-"I'm just learning English and can't get my tenses quite right". B+.
Monday, January 15, 2007
2007 book 4
William Boyd's Restless
This riveting story focuses on a young British woman, Ruth, in the 70s whose mother reveals that she worked for the British Secret Service during World War II. The mother's story is interwoven with Ruth's own, as she tries to come to terms with her mother's secrets. The book's jacket description makes it seem more dramatic than it actually is, which worked for me. Although her mother's tale is full of intrigue, I liked that Ruth's was more of a normal life. It's a nice balance. Anyway, I really enjoyed this--A.
This riveting story focuses on a young British woman, Ruth, in the 70s whose mother reveals that she worked for the British Secret Service during World War II. The mother's story is interwoven with Ruth's own, as she tries to come to terms with her mother's secrets. The book's jacket description makes it seem more dramatic than it actually is, which worked for me. Although her mother's tale is full of intrigue, I liked that Ruth's was more of a normal life. It's a nice balance. Anyway, I really enjoyed this--A.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
2007 book 3
Vendela Vida's And Now You Can Go
It seemed like synchronicity--Jenny mentioned her, and then she turned up on Gawker's list of most annoying literary power couples (I guess she's married to Dave Eggers, whose writing is annoying enough for both of them [which is also how I feel about another member of the list, Jonathan Safran Foer]). Anyway, this book actually wasn't annoying at all, which isn't to say I was in love with it or anything. Let's say it was . . . pretty good. It's about a young girl grad student who gets held up at gunpoint, and she's sort of traumatized and deals with it with the help of various young men who love her or something, and then she and her mom go on a medical mission to the Philippines. It's nothing earth-shattering or revelatory (for me, or for the characters), but it was ok. B.
It seemed like synchronicity--Jenny mentioned her, and then she turned up on Gawker's list of most annoying literary power couples (I guess she's married to Dave Eggers, whose writing is annoying enough for both of them [which is also how I feel about another member of the list, Jonathan Safran Foer]). Anyway, this book actually wasn't annoying at all, which isn't to say I was in love with it or anything. Let's say it was . . . pretty good. It's about a young girl grad student who gets held up at gunpoint, and she's sort of traumatized and deals with it with the help of various young men who love her or something, and then she and her mom go on a medical mission to the Philippines. It's nothing earth-shattering or revelatory (for me, or for the characters), but it was ok. B.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
appliances
My dream house has appliances color-coordinated to match my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer. :)
Speaking of appliances, Amazon is still having a superduper clearance in the Kitchen and Housewares category. I scored a 3-cup food processor for 47 bucks! I also picked up one of those nonstick mat things you all have been raving about.
Speaking of appliances, Amazon is still having a superduper clearance in the Kitchen and Housewares category. I scored a 3-cup food processor for 47 bucks! I also picked up one of those nonstick mat things you all have been raving about.
partially read
Daniel Handler's Watch Your Mouth
As some of you may recall, Handler's work has always been hit or miss for me (looooved Basic 8, HAAAATED Adverbs) so I began this book with some trepidation. But page five was all about Pittsburgh, and you know I'm a sucker for books about my hometown! However, the Pittsburgh in this book is some sort of alternate version, where the Benedum Center is the Benedrum Center, and there are all sorts of landmarks that don't actually exist. Anyway, the narrator is a college student (who imagines his life as an opera) who's gone home with his girlfriend to Pittsburgh for the summer to be counselors at a Jewish day camp (just like the one I went to!). Unfortunately, her family turns out to be pretty crazy, and after 89 pages of people obsessively discussing incest (and apparently one incident of actual incest), I had to call it quits.
As some of you may recall, Handler's work has always been hit or miss for me (looooved Basic 8, HAAAATED Adverbs) so I began this book with some trepidation. But page five was all about Pittsburgh, and you know I'm a sucker for books about my hometown! However, the Pittsburgh in this book is some sort of alternate version, where the Benedum Center is the Benedrum Center, and there are all sorts of landmarks that don't actually exist. Anyway, the narrator is a college student (who imagines his life as an opera) who's gone home with his girlfriend to Pittsburgh for the summer to be counselors at a Jewish day camp (just like the one I went to!). Unfortunately, her family turns out to be pretty crazy, and after 89 pages of people obsessively discussing incest (and apparently one incident of actual incest), I had to call it quits.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
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