Ok, lots of books, proly not a complete list of what I've consumed in the last few months but close... So speed reviews so I can catch up...
Fiction...
"Domino Men" by Jonathan Barnes was a fun Queen Victoria era meets present day alternate reality house of Winsor maybe sold out the populace of London to some sort of evil entity and now a hapless civil servant has to fix it all kinda book. By the guy who did Somnambulist.
"The Dark Volume" by Gordon Dahlquist was a little more convoluted sequel to a kinda victorian alternate reality dark version of something that reminds me of the Golden Compass with a tear in reality where all the good/bad things bleed through sorta book. Not bad if you need a diversion but proly worth reading the Glass Eaters first.
"Drood" by Dan Simmons was an exploration into a possible Dicken's era explanation for Dicken's last book based on history and a bit of playfulness. Kinda long (like he's just filling pages sometimes) but overall enjoyable read with a dark twist.
"The Last Dickens" by Matthew Pearl was oddly also about Dicken's last unfinished novel but this time not so much fantasy as unexplored mystery by the writer who brought us The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow. Both of these books together give you a pretty good sense of Charles Dickens and his spellbinding ability to perform in public as well as captivate his readers. Also a nice exploration of piracy and copyright (America was like Napster or China back then).
"People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks follows an ancient illustrated holy jewish book from lebanon backwards in time across continents. Not bad, sorta soft.
"A Fraction of a Whole" by Steve Toltz kinda reminds me of something written by Chuck P if he were less of a minimalist. The story of a very disfunctional Australian father and son and the destruction of many things and the living of life inside and outside the lines. I liked it.
"Pygmy" by Chuck Palahniuk was a short little riff on super smart chinese children agents that are bred to be adopted by hapless American christians to deploy a plot to destroy the US, love ensues. Fun, fast.
"My French Whore" by Gene Wilder is a short little book (really more like a novella) that finds Gene's protagonist in World War One France, behind enemy lines and ultimately fooling the Germans and finding love. Nicely done.
"The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet" by Reif Larsen really kills me. The story of a 12 year old Montana boy who draws and maps everything (from real world places to ways things work) in the margins of his travelogue as he runs away from home to find his fame as the invited guest of the Smithsonian. Buy it.
Non-Fiction...
"A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson is a sometimes funny walking trip along the Appalachian Trails. Bears seem to predominate Bill's thoughts. Great history of the trail and the times that made it and the kinds of people who walk it.
"A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson isn't always completely factually accurate (at least not based on current theories) but is a pretty nicely pulled together history of the universe all the way up to people. Mostly a rumination on scientists who are thought crazy, dismissed, discovered to be correct (or more correct), probably after their death, and who end up having someone else take the credit for their discovery. And lots of scary bad ways of imagining the scale of things (like the energy under Yellowstone is akin to taking the state of Rhode Island and piling it six miles high with TNT). If you like the history of science it's worth a read.
"1434" by Gavin Menzies is one of those books that you hope is like "The Man Who Loved China" but instead is painful after the first few chapters (mostly because he can't stop trying to prove he's right and that he and his wife had a delightful vacation finding out all they did). Ok, I get it. China's emperor back in the 1400's wants the world to know that China rules and invented everything, sends out an armada to bring the good news (and get tributes) to the uncivilized (like those people in the dark ages of Europe), they leave maps and slave girls along the way, in places like Venice and the Vatican... maps of the entire world including details of North and South America, Australia, etc. hundreds of years before they were all discovered. Leave drawings of all the things Leonardo later "invented" but maybe just did a better job illustrating, and then they all returned to China and were maybe mostly destroyed by a huge comet that left actual evidence of Chinese junkets in Oregon, California, South America, and New Zealand.
"How We Decide" by Jonah Lehrer is the second book in his exploration of how we think (the last one was about how artists probably discovered much of what we now are starting to understand about our brains decades or centuries ago). It reads a bit more like a Gladwell book than I'd like but it is full of fun examples and experiments. Worth reading.
Music...
Passion Pit, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear... all good...
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Books, etc. February 2009
Books...
"The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Disai was a painful story about a group of people and their experiences (mostly of helplessness, slow decline and resignation). Not an uplifting book at all but very well written. A slow downward spiral.
"The Invention of Air" by Stephen Johnson was an enjoyable journey through the biography of Joseph Priestley (the man who discovered oxygen and figured out a way to make soda water). It gives you a glimpse into the early days of America, how the founders thought about science, and how amateur experimenters could uncover entire new fields. Stephen is kinda hung up on "long zoom" history telling and hobbyist innovators (see "Ghost Map"). Worth reading if you like science and history. Not as fun for some reason as his last book.
"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell is all about people not exactly in the center of the bell curve and how they got there. From the best hockey players (they all happen to be born around the first few months of the year in Canada because of the cut-off date for junior competition... so kids born just after the cutoff date tend to be bigger and more experienced by the time they get to play), to the Beatles (they played about 10,000 hours worth of time together in brothels in Germany before becoming an overnight success in the US), to airline pilots (beware flight crews that are from cultures where there is a large gap between superiors and subordinates). Seems fluffy and light as a book without the feel of any real direction or heft but cotton candy is nice sometimes so it made me think for a day or two.
"The Monsters of Templeton" by Lauren Goff is a first novel that does a nice job of exploring life in a small town, with monsters. The primary monster is something that lives in the lake but there are plenty of other monsters along the way. Of course the monsters aren't quite what you expect when the book begins but over time it becomes apparent. An author worth watching.
"Shame" by Salman Rushdie came out soon after his masterful exploration of India. This time its about a fantasy land that might (obviously) just be Pakistan. Not quite as playful as Midnight's Children but it has its moments. If you like SR you'll like this book. If you're interested in history many of the characters will seem oddly similar to real people from the history of Pakistan. It is a rough book though with a girl who's blush burns and who soon turns into a fury, a boy raised by three moms in a vast house, family feuds that span generations, the shamed and the shameless. I just love SR so I'm not going to be able to say anything but read it.
"The Man Who Loved China" by Simon Winchester is a deep exploration of Joseph Needham's life and masterwork. Needham was an eccentric scientist who fell in love with China (although it started with falling in love with his mistress/coworker-scientist from China). He wrote the canonical history of science and technology in the middle kingdom. I little rough going at the beginning of the book as he sets the stage but it fast becomes apparent that Joseph was an extrordinary researcher. He planned on publishing a book about Chinese technology and science and being done in 10 years and when he died decades later he was still writing. All told there turned out to be volumes and volumes of the work that completely changed western perceptions of China. A few examples? up until Needham discovered and popularized the inventions, few knew that China had printing presses with movable type centuries before the west, or that it had developed crossbows in the 5th century BC or gunpowder or multistage rockets, or even lowly simple things like stirrups. Examples of their mastery of engineering include waterways and dams that have been in operation up to the present day for thousands of years that would stun modern day engineers. At the end of the day the book as a popularization of Needham's life and a love story across time and culture. Nicely done. Worth the read.
Music, etc...
"Everything That Happens Will Happen Today" by David Bryne and Brian Eno is great if you like either of these two (though its pretty heavily Bryne oriented.)
"Rachel Getting Married" by Jonathan Demme is really well done. Made me want to go back and watch "Something Wild." Good soundtrack as well (as always).
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" directed by Julian Schnabel is ethereal and luminous. It is the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby who was the editor-in-chief of the french version of Elle magazine. He had a stroke in the prime of life and dictated his autobigraphy purely with the blink of one eye. I don't think the movie is perfect, but its pretty close. You could also freezeframe just about any moment in the film and frame it. Simple and wonderful cinematography.
"The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Disai was a painful story about a group of people and their experiences (mostly of helplessness, slow decline and resignation). Not an uplifting book at all but very well written. A slow downward spiral.
"The Invention of Air" by Stephen Johnson was an enjoyable journey through the biography of Joseph Priestley (the man who discovered oxygen and figured out a way to make soda water). It gives you a glimpse into the early days of America, how the founders thought about science, and how amateur experimenters could uncover entire new fields. Stephen is kinda hung up on "long zoom" history telling and hobbyist innovators (see "Ghost Map"). Worth reading if you like science and history. Not as fun for some reason as his last book.
"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell is all about people not exactly in the center of the bell curve and how they got there. From the best hockey players (they all happen to be born around the first few months of the year in Canada because of the cut-off date for junior competition... so kids born just after the cutoff date tend to be bigger and more experienced by the time they get to play), to the Beatles (they played about 10,000 hours worth of time together in brothels in Germany before becoming an overnight success in the US), to airline pilots (beware flight crews that are from cultures where there is a large gap between superiors and subordinates). Seems fluffy and light as a book without the feel of any real direction or heft but cotton candy is nice sometimes so it made me think for a day or two.
"The Monsters of Templeton" by Lauren Goff is a first novel that does a nice job of exploring life in a small town, with monsters. The primary monster is something that lives in the lake but there are plenty of other monsters along the way. Of course the monsters aren't quite what you expect when the book begins but over time it becomes apparent. An author worth watching.
"Shame" by Salman Rushdie came out soon after his masterful exploration of India. This time its about a fantasy land that might (obviously) just be Pakistan. Not quite as playful as Midnight's Children but it has its moments. If you like SR you'll like this book. If you're interested in history many of the characters will seem oddly similar to real people from the history of Pakistan. It is a rough book though with a girl who's blush burns and who soon turns into a fury, a boy raised by three moms in a vast house, family feuds that span generations, the shamed and the shameless. I just love SR so I'm not going to be able to say anything but read it.
"The Man Who Loved China" by Simon Winchester is a deep exploration of Joseph Needham's life and masterwork. Needham was an eccentric scientist who fell in love with China (although it started with falling in love with his mistress/coworker-scientist from China). He wrote the canonical history of science and technology in the middle kingdom. I little rough going at the beginning of the book as he sets the stage but it fast becomes apparent that Joseph was an extrordinary researcher. He planned on publishing a book about Chinese technology and science and being done in 10 years and when he died decades later he was still writing. All told there turned out to be volumes and volumes of the work that completely changed western perceptions of China. A few examples? up until Needham discovered and popularized the inventions, few knew that China had printing presses with movable type centuries before the west, or that it had developed crossbows in the 5th century BC or gunpowder or multistage rockets, or even lowly simple things like stirrups. Examples of their mastery of engineering include waterways and dams that have been in operation up to the present day for thousands of years that would stun modern day engineers. At the end of the day the book as a popularization of Needham's life and a love story across time and culture. Nicely done. Worth the read.
Music, etc...
"Everything That Happens Will Happen Today" by David Bryne and Brian Eno is great if you like either of these two (though its pretty heavily Bryne oriented.)
"Rachel Getting Married" by Jonathan Demme is really well done. Made me want to go back and watch "Something Wild." Good soundtrack as well (as always).
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" directed by Julian Schnabel is ethereal and luminous. It is the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby who was the editor-in-chief of the french version of Elle magazine. He had a stroke in the prime of life and dictated his autobigraphy purely with the blink of one eye. I don't think the movie is perfect, but its pretty close. You could also freezeframe just about any moment in the film and frame it. Simple and wonderful cinematography.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Books, Etc... December 2008
"Sea of Poppies" by Amitav Ghosh was an engaging bit of historic fiction set in the 19th century on a slave ship (well indentured servants) during the time when opium was bolstering British commerce. It is clearly a setup for more books, building the backstory for a group of travelers from very different walks of life. The mixture (and history) of English and Indian language was fun (in this way it reminded me of Vikram Chandra's work). A quick read.
"Shantaram" was I book I read a while back and just realized I never reviewed it. Apparently true story of a man who falls out of favor with the law (guns and drugs) and ending up (at various times) in solitary confinement, escaping to India, living in the slums, learning to love the city, falling into disfavor with local thugs, befriending hookers and thieves, treating and dolling out medicine to the poorest of the poor, extradition to prison, repeat, finally getting out, and then writing a book about it. Not the greatest writer (kinda wacky in some ways) but a really solid tale.
"Ender in Exile" by Orson Scott Card is a bit of backfill in the Ender saga. Basically "the lost years" right after "Ender's Game." If you like OSC you'll like this one. If you've never read his stuff, read "Game" first. I originally found OSC by reading a short story in "Omni Magazine" called "Unaccompanied Sonata." If you can find it read it. The story haunted me for years. When he's on as a writer he really can nail it. I don't think he's working too hard with "Exile" but its a fun universe of way too smart kids, clever strategies and the occasional alien mystery.
"The Golden Compass" trilogy was OK. Not sure what all the fuss was about but it held my interest for a few days. Basically alternate worlds that are slowly falling apart because of all the holes between them coupled with some kids that are the main characters/heroes trying to grow up. Good book for teens (though some have been dismayed by the portrayal of organized religion I don't think its all that bad).
"The Epicure's Lament" is the story of a dying (antihero) scion from a washed up family on the eastern seaboard. As he slowly smokes and drinks himself to death he dabbles in screwing up other family members lives. In between these machinations he cooks, ruminates about cooking, and generally laments his life (or society's existence). Fun book.
"The Ghost in Love" by Jonathan Carroll is a quirky fantasy ghost story with bizarre and thoughtful twists and turns. Man dies, ghost falls in love with his girlfriend, man somehow isn't really dead, entire life death system on the fritz, etc. I haven't loved all of his books but this one is pretty good (not mind blowing or anything, but pretty good).
"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick is a beautifully constructed art object in itself. Part picture book, part novel, words and images intermingle. I think my sister met the author and is always on the lookout for books for her classroom full of kids. She forced me to buy it one day. Ostensibly a book for children (intimidating at first glance but satisfying to the little whipper snappers because it really is a fast read). It is the story of the first magician film maker, a boy who fixes things, invention, love and lost history. Perfect gift.
Other?
Australia (the movie) was worth seeing for parts of the story, bits of the breathtaking countryside, and elements of the film making methodology, but really not anywhere close to Romeo & Juliet or Moulin Rouge. A diversion.
808s & Heartbreak is Kanye's newest album. Proof that an old Roland 808 synthesizer, a bit of heartbreak and serious use of an autotuner to help make Kanye sound like Cher is really all you need to make a good album. And it is good. Especially his mutation of Tears for Fears' "Memories Fade" song, recast as "Coldest Winter." Makes me want an autotuner and musical ability.
"Shantaram" was I book I read a while back and just realized I never reviewed it. Apparently true story of a man who falls out of favor with the law (guns and drugs) and ending up (at various times) in solitary confinement, escaping to India, living in the slums, learning to love the city, falling into disfavor with local thugs, befriending hookers and thieves, treating and dolling out medicine to the poorest of the poor, extradition to prison, repeat, finally getting out, and then writing a book about it. Not the greatest writer (kinda wacky in some ways) but a really solid tale.
"Ender in Exile" by Orson Scott Card is a bit of backfill in the Ender saga. Basically "the lost years" right after "Ender's Game." If you like OSC you'll like this one. If you've never read his stuff, read "Game" first. I originally found OSC by reading a short story in "Omni Magazine" called "Unaccompanied Sonata." If you can find it read it. The story haunted me for years. When he's on as a writer he really can nail it. I don't think he's working too hard with "Exile" but its a fun universe of way too smart kids, clever strategies and the occasional alien mystery.
"The Golden Compass" trilogy was OK. Not sure what all the fuss was about but it held my interest for a few days. Basically alternate worlds that are slowly falling apart because of all the holes between them coupled with some kids that are the main characters/heroes trying to grow up. Good book for teens (though some have been dismayed by the portrayal of organized religion I don't think its all that bad).
"The Epicure's Lament" is the story of a dying (antihero) scion from a washed up family on the eastern seaboard. As he slowly smokes and drinks himself to death he dabbles in screwing up other family members lives. In between these machinations he cooks, ruminates about cooking, and generally laments his life (or society's existence). Fun book.
"The Ghost in Love" by Jonathan Carroll is a quirky fantasy ghost story with bizarre and thoughtful twists and turns. Man dies, ghost falls in love with his girlfriend, man somehow isn't really dead, entire life death system on the fritz, etc. I haven't loved all of his books but this one is pretty good (not mind blowing or anything, but pretty good).
"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick is a beautifully constructed art object in itself. Part picture book, part novel, words and images intermingle. I think my sister met the author and is always on the lookout for books for her classroom full of kids. She forced me to buy it one day. Ostensibly a book for children (intimidating at first glance but satisfying to the little whipper snappers because it really is a fast read). It is the story of the first magician film maker, a boy who fixes things, invention, love and lost history. Perfect gift.
Other?
Australia (the movie) was worth seeing for parts of the story, bits of the breathtaking countryside, and elements of the film making methodology, but really not anywhere close to Romeo & Juliet or Moulin Rouge. A diversion.
808s & Heartbreak is Kanye's newest album. Proof that an old Roland 808 synthesizer, a bit of heartbreak and serious use of an autotuner to help make Kanye sound like Cher is really all you need to make a good album. And it is good. Especially his mutation of Tears for Fears' "Memories Fade" song, recast as "Coldest Winter." Makes me want an autotuner and musical ability.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
A few more books...
"Anathem" by Neal Stephenson is ok if you like math-geek monks living out the rises and falls of civilization "long-now"-wise with the chance that those mathics have maybe learned new technologies that involve the many worlds interpretation of the universe, and then top it off with the intrusion of visitors from one of the other world-strands who are probably not visitors but invaders. I can't quite tell what he was thinking in writing this book. After the wonderful dive into historic fiction of his last few I wanted more of the same. Still fun to read if you like that sorta stuff.
"The Little Book" by Seldon Edwards is a time travel love story set at the turn of the last century in Vienna. It is the first (and probably only book) by the author (he spent his life writing it). It reads like it took someone maybe a bit too long to write it (overwrought?) That being said it was a fun exploration of time travel (of course with a young Hitler), Freud, and a time and place many of us don't know much about. I enjoyed it.
"The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga just won the Man Booker Prize (I thought Salman's book should have won it by the way because even though it wasn't his best it was richer than this one). All that being parenthetically said, I enjoyed the read. It is another first time writer (though an accomplished reporter). It is a mildly comic "murderer coming of age in a pretty screwed up have and have not world" sort of story (oh yes another one of those). Very compact exploration of Indian Society and the mind of an antihero.
"Slam" by Nick Hornby is yet another coming of age tale (About a Boy and High Fidelity where coming of age stories in different vein). Set in working class London with a teen who idolizes Tony Hawk (and maybe talks to him). The main character gets slammed pretty hard by life, maybe travels occasionally through time (hmm is time travel the new black?), and ultimately makes it through to the other side, older than his years. Small, good, and quick read.
Other things...
Films?
"Sunshine" by Danny Boyle (of Trainspotting & Millions & 28 Days Later fame) is a bit bloody but blindingly buildingly brilliant exploration of science fiction themes (like the sun is going out, we're all trapped on an ark and there is a murderer loose, space travel is long stretches of boredom complimented by moments of terror, and ecologies are fragile things). Anything Danny makes I will watch and this is no exception. He has a new one out called "Slumdog Millionaires" that promises to be good as well.
"Synecdoche, NY" is confusing, difficult, looping, lingering, halting, sprawling, small, dark, and somehow ultimately worth seeing again (I think people will love or hate it or a little of both and if you love it you'll end up wanting to see it again 24 hours after seeing it for the first time).
Music?
Department of Eagles and Beirut. Good.
"The Little Book" by Seldon Edwards is a time travel love story set at the turn of the last century in Vienna. It is the first (and probably only book) by the author (he spent his life writing it). It reads like it took someone maybe a bit too long to write it (overwrought?) That being said it was a fun exploration of time travel (of course with a young Hitler), Freud, and a time and place many of us don't know much about. I enjoyed it.
"The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga just won the Man Booker Prize (I thought Salman's book should have won it by the way because even though it wasn't his best it was richer than this one). All that being parenthetically said, I enjoyed the read. It is another first time writer (though an accomplished reporter). It is a mildly comic "murderer coming of age in a pretty screwed up have and have not world" sort of story (oh yes another one of those). Very compact exploration of Indian Society and the mind of an antihero.
"Slam" by Nick Hornby is yet another coming of age tale (About a Boy and High Fidelity where coming of age stories in different vein). Set in working class London with a teen who idolizes Tony Hawk (and maybe talks to him). The main character gets slammed pretty hard by life, maybe travels occasionally through time (hmm is time travel the new black?), and ultimately makes it through to the other side, older than his years. Small, good, and quick read.
Other things...
Films?
"Sunshine" by Danny Boyle (of Trainspotting & Millions & 28 Days Later fame) is a bit bloody but blindingly buildingly brilliant exploration of science fiction themes (like the sun is going out, we're all trapped on an ark and there is a murderer loose, space travel is long stretches of boredom complimented by moments of terror, and ecologies are fragile things). Anything Danny makes I will watch and this is no exception. He has a new one out called "Slumdog Millionaires" that promises to be good as well.
"Synecdoche, NY" is confusing, difficult, looping, lingering, halting, sprawling, small, dark, and somehow ultimately worth seeing again (I think people will love or hate it or a little of both and if you love it you'll end up wanting to see it again 24 hours after seeing it for the first time).
Music?
Department of Eagles and Beirut. Good.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Books 'n' Stuff January 08
A few of the books and such that I've finished up recently...
"Halting States" by Charles Stross was a great little mini-thriller/detective story/day after tomorrow future/geek/gaming fun house. Basic premise? a bunch of orcs break into an online world and rob the vault, but in reality they maybe are chinese hackers trying to take down the economy in the real world (or substantial parts of it). Not as unlikely as it sounds. Team up a reclusive geek and a sword wielding analyst and add some random english wit and you've got another diverting ride from Mr. Stross. I recommend just about anything he's ever written.
"Nova Swing" by M. John Harrison was a book. Meh. Not bad, I liked some of his other work but this one seemed like just too much for me to get my head into. I finally did and it wasn't bad, but not worth spending money on. Set in a world where some alien artifact, manifested as a sort of dimensional tear in the fabric of things, makes predicting what will happen if you walk down a street hard to do. People (or something like them) start coming out of the tear and others are adventurers who want to go in. Whatever.
"Beautiful Children" by Charles Bock is a richly detailed journey into the seedier side of Las Vegas, adolescence, wasted youth, run away children, lost dreams and crushing helplessness. Well done. Bleak. Kinda reminded me in some parts of Chuck Palahniuk's work (though without the evil giggle burbling out of the edges of the page).
"Firstborn" is another time odyssey book by Arthur C. Clark and Stephen Baxter. Fluffy sorta hard sci-fi. Nothing really to see but distracting if you need that sorta thing.
"Proust was a Neuroscientist" by Jonah Lehrer is an interesting attempt to meld science and art. The author is the editor of Seed magazine which is a pretty nicely crafted art/science journal in itself. In this book he takes a number of artists (Proust, Cezanne, Walt Whitman, Auguste Escoffier, etc.) and explores how their art predated, predicted, explored current advances in science decades ahead of time. I enjoyed some aspects of the book and found others a bit of a stretch. Jonah is a really smart guy and I'll keep an eye out for more from him.
"Einstein: His Life and Universe" by Walter Isaacson was a great exploration of Einstein's life and theories. Written to be accessible to a broader audience, Isaacson tries hard to explain some pretty heavy stuff. The biography is based on some recently released personal papers and as such is probably the most complete history of Einstein's life. Great nuggets? He graduated from school and spent 2 years or more trying to get a job and couldn't get anyone to give him the time of day (probably in part because he was jewish and in part because he sorta alienated a few of his professors). Worth reading.
"The Age of Turbulence" by Alan Greenspan was both a memoir (he dated Barbara Walters, was dragged to celebrity parties, and declined Nixon's offer of a job in the white house after seeing Nixon lose it during a high pressure meeting for instance) and economic treatise (his basic theory is that market economies supported by an evenly applied rule of law and strong property rights have done more to raise the standard of living throughout the world than any other form of government AND that they are incredibly resilient to the ebb and flow of the human psyche). If you're interested in the economic implications of the current and future world (on its current trajectory), read it.
"The World To Come" by Dara Horn was a nice surprise. I picked it up on the road without really knowing what to expect and really enjoyed it. The story revolves around a child prodigy, artists from Russia (Chagall figures prominently), generational love stories and the plight of Russian Jews. In a sense its a book of stories about the world to come, many resurrected from lost Russian writers. Lyrical, imaginative, poignant, and captivating.
Other things...
Yeah Juno is actually really well done, and the sound track crackles, Charlie Wilson's War is pitch perfect, funny and deeply sad and I really did not like Sweeney Todd (I really can't stand musicals and almost walked out a few times even though I wanted so much to like it).
"Halting States" by Charles Stross was a great little mini-thriller/detective story/day after tomorrow future/geek/gaming fun house. Basic premise? a bunch of orcs break into an online world and rob the vault, but in reality they maybe are chinese hackers trying to take down the economy in the real world (or substantial parts of it). Not as unlikely as it sounds. Team up a reclusive geek and a sword wielding analyst and add some random english wit and you've got another diverting ride from Mr. Stross. I recommend just about anything he's ever written.
"Nova Swing" by M. John Harrison was a book. Meh. Not bad, I liked some of his other work but this one seemed like just too much for me to get my head into. I finally did and it wasn't bad, but not worth spending money on. Set in a world where some alien artifact, manifested as a sort of dimensional tear in the fabric of things, makes predicting what will happen if you walk down a street hard to do. People (or something like them) start coming out of the tear and others are adventurers who want to go in. Whatever.
"Beautiful Children" by Charles Bock is a richly detailed journey into the seedier side of Las Vegas, adolescence, wasted youth, run away children, lost dreams and crushing helplessness. Well done. Bleak. Kinda reminded me in some parts of Chuck Palahniuk's work (though without the evil giggle burbling out of the edges of the page).
"Firstborn" is another time odyssey book by Arthur C. Clark and Stephen Baxter. Fluffy sorta hard sci-fi. Nothing really to see but distracting if you need that sorta thing.
"Proust was a Neuroscientist" by Jonah Lehrer is an interesting attempt to meld science and art. The author is the editor of Seed magazine which is a pretty nicely crafted art/science journal in itself. In this book he takes a number of artists (Proust, Cezanne, Walt Whitman, Auguste Escoffier, etc.) and explores how their art predated, predicted, explored current advances in science decades ahead of time. I enjoyed some aspects of the book and found others a bit of a stretch. Jonah is a really smart guy and I'll keep an eye out for more from him.
"Einstein: His Life and Universe" by Walter Isaacson was a great exploration of Einstein's life and theories. Written to be accessible to a broader audience, Isaacson tries hard to explain some pretty heavy stuff. The biography is based on some recently released personal papers and as such is probably the most complete history of Einstein's life. Great nuggets? He graduated from school and spent 2 years or more trying to get a job and couldn't get anyone to give him the time of day (probably in part because he was jewish and in part because he sorta alienated a few of his professors). Worth reading.
"The Age of Turbulence" by Alan Greenspan was both a memoir (he dated Barbara Walters, was dragged to celebrity parties, and declined Nixon's offer of a job in the white house after seeing Nixon lose it during a high pressure meeting for instance) and economic treatise (his basic theory is that market economies supported by an evenly applied rule of law and strong property rights have done more to raise the standard of living throughout the world than any other form of government AND that they are incredibly resilient to the ebb and flow of the human psyche). If you're interested in the economic implications of the current and future world (on its current trajectory), read it.
"The World To Come" by Dara Horn was a nice surprise. I picked it up on the road without really knowing what to expect and really enjoyed it. The story revolves around a child prodigy, artists from Russia (Chagall figures prominently), generational love stories and the plight of Russian Jews. In a sense its a book of stories about the world to come, many resurrected from lost Russian writers. Lyrical, imaginative, poignant, and captivating.
Other things...
Yeah Juno is actually really well done, and the sound track crackles, Charlie Wilson's War is pitch perfect, funny and deeply sad and I really did not like Sweeney Todd (I really can't stand musicals and almost walked out a few times even though I wanted so much to like it).
Monday, December 24, 2007
Books 'n' Stuff December 07
I'm about at the point where I need a really good book to read. I don't seem to be able get through Al Gores newish one or Steven Pinker's either (though I'll keep working on them over grape nuts and the morning sun). So I'm just going to capture some of the things I have managed to read/see/etc in the last few weeks.
"Born Standing Up" by Steve Martin is a memoir about growing up as a magician, banjo-player, comic. He's a good writer and this is a solid bit of flashback that captures the hard lessons of fame and practice and inventiveness and humor. He was an overnight success that of course took years of people thinking he was just weird before the actual night came. Nicely done, short, sweet.
"I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson has been re-released with the release of a new movie remake ("The Omega Man" was an example of a sorta previous retelling of the story). It was released along with a collection of his other stories, all written mid-century. It's a good capsule reminder of the mores of the time as well as a perfect, tight little gem of a story that turns the vampire myth on its head. Worth reading if you like horror or classic pulp fiction.
"Samedi the Deafness" by Jesse Ball is trying so hard to be good but it falls down in many ways. I had to start 3 times before I could care enough to get through his format. In the end it was an OK bit of fiction. An evil genius is plotting to commit some horrendous act on the country and our protagonist stumbles upon (or is meant to stumble upon?) the machinations. Some have said the book was like Lewis Carroll meets Kafka. Meh. It is a first novel so I'll suspend judgment.
I saved the best for last...
"No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin (she wrote "Team of Rivals" which was easily the best book I've read in a long while) is a perfect glimpse into life in America in the late 30's and 40's during the run up to and culmination of the war and in particular how the Roosevelts (Eleanor, Franklin, and their extended clan) managed to guide the country out of the depression and into its adolescence. It came out a few years ago but I was hungry for something more by this author so I searched it out. It is perfect. Franklin was masterful and his wife was clearly the wife of the country. I didn't know much about Eleanor (or Franklin) beyond the broad strokes of their story. As with "Team" Doris does a deep dive into actual letters, notes, newspaper articles, and interviews with family members to give the reader a deep sense of the time and the minds behind the people. It is a testament to another incredible pair of people who helped America come of age. Read it.
Not books...
"No Country for Old Men" by the brothers Coen was really a compact little movie about the senselessness of evil and the ultimate randomness of life.
"The Fountain" was a movie not many people saw (now on DVD) that integrated the story of genesis, the story of Spain's search for the fountain of youth (and plundering of the Americas), and the MAYAn history of the beginning of the universe, in the form of a love story (possibly) across time. Wonderfully brooding soundtrack (Kronos Quartet), perfect special effects that seem effortless (and apparently were mostly microphotographic films of liquids and bacteria), nicely drawn story. By the director that brought us the painful and powerful "Requiem for a Dream."
"I'm Not There" is a movie about Bob Dylan in the form of a collection of stories about fictional characters that shared many of Bob's life experiences. The film is more collage than straightforward biopic. I enjoyed it, although it may be seen as flawed in any number of ways, mostly because it stretched the boundaries of storytelling in new ways. Great soundtrack, Antony and the Johnsons brings a seriously heavy rotationwise cover of "Knocking on Heaven's Door" to the mix and Jim James and Colexico shake it up with "Going to Acapulco."
"The Knee Plays" was a tight little series of abstract plays performed in the eighties back when we lived in Chicago. It was a collaboration between Robert Wilson and David Byrne (with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band providing backup). I bought the cassette tape that night and played it until it was in tatters. David just re-issued it as a CD, I've been waiting for years. Classic fun with words and music. My favorite song is called "In the Future" and is just a running list of conflicting predictions of the future (like "we will all have our own unique style" and "people with boring jobs will take pills to relieve the boredom").
"Born Standing Up" by Steve Martin is a memoir about growing up as a magician, banjo-player, comic. He's a good writer and this is a solid bit of flashback that captures the hard lessons of fame and practice and inventiveness and humor. He was an overnight success that of course took years of people thinking he was just weird before the actual night came. Nicely done, short, sweet.
"I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson has been re-released with the release of a new movie remake ("The Omega Man" was an example of a sorta previous retelling of the story). It was released along with a collection of his other stories, all written mid-century. It's a good capsule reminder of the mores of the time as well as a perfect, tight little gem of a story that turns the vampire myth on its head. Worth reading if you like horror or classic pulp fiction.
"Samedi the Deafness" by Jesse Ball is trying so hard to be good but it falls down in many ways. I had to start 3 times before I could care enough to get through his format. In the end it was an OK bit of fiction. An evil genius is plotting to commit some horrendous act on the country and our protagonist stumbles upon (or is meant to stumble upon?) the machinations. Some have said the book was like Lewis Carroll meets Kafka. Meh. It is a first novel so I'll suspend judgment.
I saved the best for last...
"No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin (she wrote "Team of Rivals" which was easily the best book I've read in a long while) is a perfect glimpse into life in America in the late 30's and 40's during the run up to and culmination of the war and in particular how the Roosevelts (Eleanor, Franklin, and their extended clan) managed to guide the country out of the depression and into its adolescence. It came out a few years ago but I was hungry for something more by this author so I searched it out. It is perfect. Franklin was masterful and his wife was clearly the wife of the country. I didn't know much about Eleanor (or Franklin) beyond the broad strokes of their story. As with "Team" Doris does a deep dive into actual letters, notes, newspaper articles, and interviews with family members to give the reader a deep sense of the time and the minds behind the people. It is a testament to another incredible pair of people who helped America come of age. Read it.
Not books...
"No Country for Old Men" by the brothers Coen was really a compact little movie about the senselessness of evil and the ultimate randomness of life.
"The Fountain" was a movie not many people saw (now on DVD) that integrated the story of genesis, the story of Spain's search for the fountain of youth (and plundering of the Americas), and the MAYAn history of the beginning of the universe, in the form of a love story (possibly) across time. Wonderfully brooding soundtrack (Kronos Quartet), perfect special effects that seem effortless (and apparently were mostly microphotographic films of liquids and bacteria), nicely drawn story. By the director that brought us the painful and powerful "Requiem for a Dream."
"I'm Not There" is a movie about Bob Dylan in the form of a collection of stories about fictional characters that shared many of Bob's life experiences. The film is more collage than straightforward biopic. I enjoyed it, although it may be seen as flawed in any number of ways, mostly because it stretched the boundaries of storytelling in new ways. Great soundtrack, Antony and the Johnsons brings a seriously heavy rotationwise cover of "Knocking on Heaven's Door" to the mix and Jim James and Colexico shake it up with "Going to Acapulco."
"The Knee Plays" was a tight little series of abstract plays performed in the eighties back when we lived in Chicago. It was a collaboration between Robert Wilson and David Byrne (with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band providing backup). I bought the cassette tape that night and played it until it was in tatters. David just re-issued it as a CD, I've been waiting for years. Classic fun with words and music. My favorite song is called "In the Future" and is just a running list of conflicting predictions of the future (like "we will all have our own unique style" and "people with boring jobs will take pills to relieve the boredom").
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Books 'n' stuff, September 07
Something to do while the paint dries on my soul.
"Afterword" by Jeff Van de Meer is an eccentric, convoluted, multithreaded memoir of a sister trying to piece together a brother's life in the fungus underground. It's written in the form of an afterword that just won't end with asides, and backtracks and notes in the margin from the brother that she thinks is dead to his sister that he can't find. Its set in some alternate world where the citizens above aren't quite sure that the citizens below are real. Worth reading if you don't mind density and an expose from another place and time.
"Sunborn" by Gregory Benford is a fine read for those who like this killer B's style of hard science fiction. In this case the story is about life between star systems made of very tenuous plasma born of the sun and the earthlings who are trying to figure out what exactly is going on.
"Spook Country" by William Gibson feels like a stretch from someone who has worn out his welcome in cyberspace. It's not a bad story as far as stories go, fun to read, tightly paced, good characters. But. But he tries so hard to coin new words that feel dated the moment you read about them, that feel obvious the moment he says them. His big idea this time? GPS-based augmented localized overlay art. Just don't look for the next Neuromancer and you'll be fine.
"Brass Man" by Neil Asher is one of a series, "Grid Link" is another. I found both of them to be fast and furious reads with a dash of space opera and a touch of "I, Robot," and maybe a nod to Sam Spade. Neil is fairly new and worth watching.
"Thirteen" by Richard K. Morgan is a flashback of sorts to Cobra-like supermen ala Timothy Zahn. The premise is simple, mankind has created genetic variants that are throwbacks to a more aggressive time to help fight their wars. When the wars are over what do you do with these poor supermen? Throw in re-engineered humans that have bonobo traits for a little local color and a far flung exile colony on mars, mix it with a bit of post-american breakup commentary and season with CSI Miami and you've pretty much got the story. Appetizing treat.
Music?
Regina Spector (ok, gotta say oddly enough I'm loving the new JCPenney commercials one and all... yes, JCP)
Menomena
Peter Bjorn and John
TV on the Radio
Will.I.Am (ok, he's a bit silly but one or two of his songs channel Kansas or Styx or something)
Feist (remixes and collaborations)
Ben Harper
"Afterword" by Jeff Van de Meer is an eccentric, convoluted, multithreaded memoir of a sister trying to piece together a brother's life in the fungus underground. It's written in the form of an afterword that just won't end with asides, and backtracks and notes in the margin from the brother that she thinks is dead to his sister that he can't find. Its set in some alternate world where the citizens above aren't quite sure that the citizens below are real. Worth reading if you don't mind density and an expose from another place and time.
"Sunborn" by Gregory Benford is a fine read for those who like this killer B's style of hard science fiction. In this case the story is about life between star systems made of very tenuous plasma born of the sun and the earthlings who are trying to figure out what exactly is going on.
"Spook Country" by William Gibson feels like a stretch from someone who has worn out his welcome in cyberspace. It's not a bad story as far as stories go, fun to read, tightly paced, good characters. But. But he tries so hard to coin new words that feel dated the moment you read about them, that feel obvious the moment he says them. His big idea this time? GPS-based augmented localized overlay art. Just don't look for the next Neuromancer and you'll be fine.
"Brass Man" by Neil Asher is one of a series, "Grid Link" is another. I found both of them to be fast and furious reads with a dash of space opera and a touch of "I, Robot," and maybe a nod to Sam Spade. Neil is fairly new and worth watching.
"Thirteen" by Richard K. Morgan is a flashback of sorts to Cobra-like supermen ala Timothy Zahn. The premise is simple, mankind has created genetic variants that are throwbacks to a more aggressive time to help fight their wars. When the wars are over what do you do with these poor supermen? Throw in re-engineered humans that have bonobo traits for a little local color and a far flung exile colony on mars, mix it with a bit of post-american breakup commentary and season with CSI Miami and you've pretty much got the story. Appetizing treat.
Music?
Regina Spector (ok, gotta say oddly enough I'm loving the new JCPenney commercials one and all... yes, JCP)
Menomena
Peter Bjorn and John
TV on the Radio
Will.I.Am (ok, he's a bit silly but one or two of his songs channel Kansas or Styx or something)
Feist (remixes and collaborations)
Ben Harper
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Books 'n' stuff May 07
I've been reading some really good books lately from very different authors and genres.
I'll admit it I like to read.
Top hits?
Jonathan Carroll's "Land of Laughs" is a tight little novel about a writer who visits a town where his hero (a legendary fantasy writer who has long since passed away) used to live. He meets people in the town including his hero's daughter who seem to be oddly reminiscent of characters in his favorite books. Dogs who talk, people who can predict their own demise and a train that hasn't stopped at the town for decades but suddenly does, make this mystery from a slightly different dimension. I like his writing, I've never read his work before. But I'll just point out that I just bought another one of his books. A really good writer with a little bit of Lewis Carroll in him somewhere.
Chuck Palahniuk's "Rant" is, like all of Chuck's work (I'm a big fan), minimalist, brutal, funny, and twisted, but mostly not what it seems. Touted as an oral biography made up of interviews of friends and associates of Buster Casey, the patient zero of a new epidemic of human to human transmitted rabies, it turns out to be a quite different story by the end. Much like his "Fight Club" which turned 180 degrees by its climax Rant is a page turner with a nice twist. It is not for the squeamish. My favorite character is a car salesman who uses his chance to talk to teach the reader a bit about salesmanship.
Douglas Hofstadter recently came out with a new book (you'll probably remember him from his mind bending debut called "Godel, Escher, Bach" from when you were young.) "I Am a Strange Loop" is a sequel of sorts, though I found it much easier to read (is it him or me?) His book takes on "I-ness" and what it is where it comes from and how much you or I have of it versus a bug or a newborn or a hitler or a schweitzer. He relates Godel's creation of a strange self referential loop built out of mathematical theories, along with is own experiments with video feedback loops, to our own looping feedback belief (or hallucination) of consciousness. Its a stimulating ride though sometimes pedantic and a bit goofy (I only mean that in that he sometimes has paragraphs that take three times to read just to comprehend and other times tells page long stories of absurdity in parallel worlds that you come away thinking that you could have gotten in a sentence or two). Bottom line? Is there some magical force that is a soul or is it just something we get for free as an emergent property of the many many feedback loops swirling around in our head as we react and categorize and look for symbols and abstract out all the sensory perceptions that bubble through out brains? Best parts? he reaches into a box of envelopes only to feel a marble somewhere inside the box, maybe in one of the envelopes, he can feel it, sense its spherical nature, but when he takes out all of the individual envelopes there is no marble. When he has others reach in they all feel it but it isn't there. Its really just an illusion that emerges from all the folded over and glued parts of each envelope. Second best part? He posits a thought experiment in that you and I are both video cameras pointing at our own screen so that we are seeing a deep corridor-like feedback loop to infinity, now your screen is over there in the corner of mine, I can just see your feedback loop in mine (though at a far lower resolution), your loop is fed into mine a bit so that my own changes, and visa versa. This is how the mind works. We are emergent patterns of feedback, but strange in that we shift from level to level of abstraction. So when his wife dies is she really gone? If her "I" was a pattern and he had been partially reflecting it and looping it for lo these many years, isn't she still sometimes alive in him? Read the book if you like to read because its a nice aperitif for the soul.
Others that I've consumed while reading these?
"Grave Peril" and "Summer Knight" more dresden files (book three and four, yes I've read four of them now... yikes) by Jim Butcher. Light fluffy wizard living in Chicago stuff, I think I'll refrain from reviewing any more of his books because they are basically all the same book. I'm not a fan of fantasy but he's a good pulp fiction writer and sometimes I need roughage. If you like this sort of thing (sam spade meets the ghost of Bela Lugosi?) you'll enjoy all of his books. I think you'll like them better than the drivel that is called a series on TV (of the same name and from the same creator).
Other stuff?
Just heard William Gibson has a book coming in a few months called "Spook Country" and I've just started "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the author of "The Kite Runner" seems good so far.
Reviews to come? Band of Rivals, Second Chance, and Against the Day (yes it will take me a full year to read that one).
Heavy Rotation?
Regina Spektor who I think someday is gonna make it big, she's got a playful virtuosity to her music.
Blonde Redhead's got something going too.
"Come on Feel the Illinoise" by Sufjan Stevens has some instant classics... (They Are Night Zombies is my favorite).
I'll admit it I like to read.
Top hits?
Jonathan Carroll's "Land of Laughs" is a tight little novel about a writer who visits a town where his hero (a legendary fantasy writer who has long since passed away) used to live. He meets people in the town including his hero's daughter who seem to be oddly reminiscent of characters in his favorite books. Dogs who talk, people who can predict their own demise and a train that hasn't stopped at the town for decades but suddenly does, make this mystery from a slightly different dimension. I like his writing, I've never read his work before. But I'll just point out that I just bought another one of his books. A really good writer with a little bit of Lewis Carroll in him somewhere.
Chuck Palahniuk's "Rant" is, like all of Chuck's work (I'm a big fan), minimalist, brutal, funny, and twisted, but mostly not what it seems. Touted as an oral biography made up of interviews of friends and associates of Buster Casey, the patient zero of a new epidemic of human to human transmitted rabies, it turns out to be a quite different story by the end. Much like his "Fight Club" which turned 180 degrees by its climax Rant is a page turner with a nice twist. It is not for the squeamish. My favorite character is a car salesman who uses his chance to talk to teach the reader a bit about salesmanship.
Douglas Hofstadter recently came out with a new book (you'll probably remember him from his mind bending debut called "Godel, Escher, Bach" from when you were young.) "I Am a Strange Loop" is a sequel of sorts, though I found it much easier to read (is it him or me?) His book takes on "I-ness" and what it is where it comes from and how much you or I have of it versus a bug or a newborn or a hitler or a schweitzer. He relates Godel's creation of a strange self referential loop built out of mathematical theories, along with is own experiments with video feedback loops, to our own looping feedback belief (or hallucination) of consciousness. Its a stimulating ride though sometimes pedantic and a bit goofy (I only mean that in that he sometimes has paragraphs that take three times to read just to comprehend and other times tells page long stories of absurdity in parallel worlds that you come away thinking that you could have gotten in a sentence or two). Bottom line? Is there some magical force that is a soul or is it just something we get for free as an emergent property of the many many feedback loops swirling around in our head as we react and categorize and look for symbols and abstract out all the sensory perceptions that bubble through out brains? Best parts? he reaches into a box of envelopes only to feel a marble somewhere inside the box, maybe in one of the envelopes, he can feel it, sense its spherical nature, but when he takes out all of the individual envelopes there is no marble. When he has others reach in they all feel it but it isn't there. Its really just an illusion that emerges from all the folded over and glued parts of each envelope. Second best part? He posits a thought experiment in that you and I are both video cameras pointing at our own screen so that we are seeing a deep corridor-like feedback loop to infinity, now your screen is over there in the corner of mine, I can just see your feedback loop in mine (though at a far lower resolution), your loop is fed into mine a bit so that my own changes, and visa versa. This is how the mind works. We are emergent patterns of feedback, but strange in that we shift from level to level of abstraction. So when his wife dies is she really gone? If her "I" was a pattern and he had been partially reflecting it and looping it for lo these many years, isn't she still sometimes alive in him? Read the book if you like to read because its a nice aperitif for the soul.
Others that I've consumed while reading these?
"Grave Peril" and "Summer Knight" more dresden files (book three and four, yes I've read four of them now... yikes) by Jim Butcher. Light fluffy wizard living in Chicago stuff, I think I'll refrain from reviewing any more of his books because they are basically all the same book. I'm not a fan of fantasy but he's a good pulp fiction writer and sometimes I need roughage. If you like this sort of thing (sam spade meets the ghost of Bela Lugosi?) you'll enjoy all of his books. I think you'll like them better than the drivel that is called a series on TV (of the same name and from the same creator).
Other stuff?
Just heard William Gibson has a book coming in a few months called "Spook Country" and I've just started "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the author of "The Kite Runner" seems good so far.
Reviews to come? Band of Rivals, Second Chance, and Against the Day (yes it will take me a full year to read that one).
Heavy Rotation?
Regina Spektor who I think someday is gonna make it big, she's got a playful virtuosity to her music.
Blonde Redhead's got something going too.
"Come on Feel the Illinoise" by Sufjan Stevens has some instant classics... (They Are Night Zombies is my favorite).
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Books 'n' stuff March 07
Appetizers
"Dresden Files book 1" by Jim Butcher. about a very bad, drug running wizard. Fun, fast reading if you can stand fantasy, wizards, chicago, and sam spade. Not as bad as the scifi show.
"Dresden Files book 2," about the different flavors of werewolves. Pretty much the same as above, except with wolves. Think American Werewolf in London meets a grimy detective novel and gets its teeth knocked out.
Timothy Zahn's Star Wars book "Outbound Flight" was another aperitif. He's an excellent writer of space opera/tactical thrillers. I'm not sure how I feel even saying I read Star Wars novels, but for Timothy I'll admit it. Just wish he'd get back to writing pure novels.
Specials
"The Jennifer Morgue" by Charles Stross, is Casino Royale meets the IT Crowd by way of Perdido Street Station. Read it now. Especially if you want something fun, geeky, and somehow about math geniuses opening up gateways into very bad dimensions with their geekery. Probably going to be very dated to read in a few years, but just plain good book reading. By the author who brought us Accelerando and The Atrocity Archives (really good reading one and all).
"Why Geography Matters" by Harm de Blij was an interesting book that focused on understanding geography to understand how cultures work. It's thesis centered around 3 major challenges that we face in the new millennium; climate change, the rise of china and global terrorism. Its a sprawling study of the world as viewed by a geographer who was also an editor for the National Geographic Society. His point is that history and culture should be viewed from a spatial as well as a temporal aspect, his other point is that America in particular has lost any awareness of the geographic implications of its actions due in part to a lack of geographic educational programs in our premier universities.
"You Don't Love Me Yet" by Jonathan Lethem is not as big and deep as his previous outings but I just like reading Mr. Lethem. The book revolves around a group of misfits trying to make it in a makeshift band and their brush with fame through one night of art house spontaneousness. And oh yeah, a mysterious stranger, a piece of performance art, and sex.
"Love is a Mixtape" by Rob Sheffield is like High Fidelity but heavier. The true story of a guy who fell in love, got married, suffered a crushing loss, and made it through by listening, making, trading, mixtapes. If you grew up in the 80's, 90's or just love music you'll resonate with this one. Not really long or deep but really good.
"Mimzy Were the Borogoves" by Henry Kuttner was one of Henry's great short stories (now a kid's movie). There is a recent book out with a collection of his art called "The Last Mimzy," worth reading for classic scifi goodness (though not only scifi). He is another one of those titans of storytelling and ideas that nobody really remembers. Mimzy is about a child's godhood toy tossed back in time and found by a child of the 50s.
See "Meet the Robinsons," with a child if you must but see it. Its Disney's new foray into 3d pixarness (and when I say 3d I mean you get glasses if you go to the right theaters and it's clearly a play towards a new kind of movieness that Disney is trying to corner). Its about invention and inventing and accepting failure and not stopping. Take Ritalin before going though. Special bonus is that they show a disney short from walt circa mid-century that was also created in 3d. The trick (for those who are interested in 3dish stuff) is to keep the effect within the frame, when it breaks the frame it collapses. Robinsons does it well. You can feel John L. from Pixar making inroads into the Disney realm in this one, good to see.
Also be afraid because there is a sequel to "The Nightmare Before Christmas" coming... and its in 3d (now if they had just not made it a musical and/or had someone succeeded in kicking Danny Elfman out of his groove... I would go).
Reviews coming soon... (since I'm reading or trying to read these things)...
"The History of the Battle of Lisbon"
"I Am a Strange Loop"
"Against the Day"
Not Fully Recommended by Chef
"Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules" is a short story collection edited by David Sedaris and if you like David Sedaris you may like this too but I didn't. It is quite a collection of classic short stories from the last century but they were hard for me to enjoy. They all seemed fatalistic or too clever for themselves or too too for my taste.
Heavy Rotation?
Marie Antoinette Soundtrack, Arcade Fire, and oddly enough Cold Mountain's soundtrack (by T Bone Burnett maker of all things Oh Brother like)
"Dresden Files book 1" by Jim Butcher. about a very bad, drug running wizard. Fun, fast reading if you can stand fantasy, wizards, chicago, and sam spade. Not as bad as the scifi show.
"Dresden Files book 2," about the different flavors of werewolves. Pretty much the same as above, except with wolves. Think American Werewolf in London meets a grimy detective novel and gets its teeth knocked out.
Timothy Zahn's Star Wars book "Outbound Flight" was another aperitif. He's an excellent writer of space opera/tactical thrillers. I'm not sure how I feel even saying I read Star Wars novels, but for Timothy I'll admit it. Just wish he'd get back to writing pure novels.
Specials
"The Jennifer Morgue" by Charles Stross, is Casino Royale meets the IT Crowd by way of Perdido Street Station. Read it now. Especially if you want something fun, geeky, and somehow about math geniuses opening up gateways into very bad dimensions with their geekery. Probably going to be very dated to read in a few years, but just plain good book reading. By the author who brought us Accelerando and The Atrocity Archives (really good reading one and all).
"Why Geography Matters" by Harm de Blij was an interesting book that focused on understanding geography to understand how cultures work. It's thesis centered around 3 major challenges that we face in the new millennium; climate change, the rise of china and global terrorism. Its a sprawling study of the world as viewed by a geographer who was also an editor for the National Geographic Society. His point is that history and culture should be viewed from a spatial as well as a temporal aspect, his other point is that America in particular has lost any awareness of the geographic implications of its actions due in part to a lack of geographic educational programs in our premier universities.
"You Don't Love Me Yet" by Jonathan Lethem is not as big and deep as his previous outings but I just like reading Mr. Lethem. The book revolves around a group of misfits trying to make it in a makeshift band and their brush with fame through one night of art house spontaneousness. And oh yeah, a mysterious stranger, a piece of performance art, and sex.
"Love is a Mixtape" by Rob Sheffield is like High Fidelity but heavier. The true story of a guy who fell in love, got married, suffered a crushing loss, and made it through by listening, making, trading, mixtapes. If you grew up in the 80's, 90's or just love music you'll resonate with this one. Not really long or deep but really good.
"Mimzy Were the Borogoves" by Henry Kuttner was one of Henry's great short stories (now a kid's movie). There is a recent book out with a collection of his art called "The Last Mimzy," worth reading for classic scifi goodness (though not only scifi). He is another one of those titans of storytelling and ideas that nobody really remembers. Mimzy is about a child's godhood toy tossed back in time and found by a child of the 50s.
See "Meet the Robinsons," with a child if you must but see it. Its Disney's new foray into 3d pixarness (and when I say 3d I mean you get glasses if you go to the right theaters and it's clearly a play towards a new kind of movieness that Disney is trying to corner). Its about invention and inventing and accepting failure and not stopping. Take Ritalin before going though. Special bonus is that they show a disney short from walt circa mid-century that was also created in 3d. The trick (for those who are interested in 3dish stuff) is to keep the effect within the frame, when it breaks the frame it collapses. Robinsons does it well. You can feel John L. from Pixar making inroads into the Disney realm in this one, good to see.
Also be afraid because there is a sequel to "The Nightmare Before Christmas" coming... and its in 3d (now if they had just not made it a musical and/or had someone succeeded in kicking Danny Elfman out of his groove... I would go).
Reviews coming soon... (since I'm reading or trying to read these things)...
"The History of the Battle of Lisbon"
"I Am a Strange Loop"
"Against the Day"
Not Fully Recommended by Chef
"Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules" is a short story collection edited by David Sedaris and if you like David Sedaris you may like this too but I didn't. It is quite a collection of classic short stories from the last century but they were hard for me to enjoy. They all seemed fatalistic or too clever for themselves or too too for my taste.
Heavy Rotation?
Marie Antoinette Soundtrack, Arcade Fire, and oddly enough Cold Mountain's soundtrack (by T Bone Burnett maker of all things Oh Brother like)
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Books 'n' stuff February 07
A few gems and some others that were just filler for my polyunsaturated cupcake of a brain.
"The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss started with an old man trying to make sure that he was noticed every day so that he wouldn't be one of those people that they say "I didn't even know he lived here" and then flashed back and forth through the last 60 years fleshing out his life and the lives of the ones he loved. At times funny and heartbreaking.
"Man Walks Into A Room" by Nicole Krauss the same author as the book above (once I read the first one it was good enough to pique my interest in her writing). Rumination on memory and the holes that are left when it fails. She's a good writer and this was a small story done well.
"The Diviners" by Rick Moody is by the same guy who wrote "The Ice Storm." The book is a "Player" style send-up of the entertainment industry. Readable but no big shakes. Save your money and go buy...
"Sacred Games" by Vikram Chandra is the best book I've read in a while. A fun, deep, telling biography of the city of Bombay (Mumbai) and its surroundings in the form of a crime thriller. The two main characters (aside from the city itself) are a mob kingpin thought to be out of the country who builds a nuclear bunker in the middle of the city (unbeknownst to anyone until the day he's found there locked inside and about to take his life rather than give up to the police) and a police detective tasked with figuring out why the kingpin was back in Bombay, in a bunker, and soon enough, dead. My sense while reading this book was that I was getting a backstage pass to the drama, passion, dysfunction, and ultimate humanity of the indian culture in all of its glory. One of those books you really wish would keep going for just a bit more.
"Lullabies for Little Criminals" by Heather O'Neill captures life on the streets for a young girl raised by her childlike drug addicted father. A rapid descent into all of the things we are warned about while growing up as told by a woman (girl) who knows what its really like. No pity, no bathos, just matter of fact, moment to moment, gut-wrenching storytelling.
"No God But God" by Reza Aslan is the only non-fiction in the group. It dissects (in an attempt to explain to the western world) the rise of Islam from early Meccan pilgrimages at the altar of gods through the life of the prophet (with his jewish, christian, and moslem wives) to the current struggle being fought within the community between extremists and moderates. It draws quite a few parallels to the internal struggles that beset the christian community during the reformation. Fascinating perspective on the evolution of a religion (and its mutations to fit the desires or whims of its leaders after Muhammad's death).
Heavy Rotation...
"Wincing the Night Away" by the Shins
"The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss started with an old man trying to make sure that he was noticed every day so that he wouldn't be one of those people that they say "I didn't even know he lived here" and then flashed back and forth through the last 60 years fleshing out his life and the lives of the ones he loved. At times funny and heartbreaking.
"Man Walks Into A Room" by Nicole Krauss the same author as the book above (once I read the first one it was good enough to pique my interest in her writing). Rumination on memory and the holes that are left when it fails. She's a good writer and this was a small story done well.
"The Diviners" by Rick Moody is by the same guy who wrote "The Ice Storm." The book is a "Player" style send-up of the entertainment industry. Readable but no big shakes. Save your money and go buy...
"Sacred Games" by Vikram Chandra is the best book I've read in a while. A fun, deep, telling biography of the city of Bombay (Mumbai) and its surroundings in the form of a crime thriller. The two main characters (aside from the city itself) are a mob kingpin thought to be out of the country who builds a nuclear bunker in the middle of the city (unbeknownst to anyone until the day he's found there locked inside and about to take his life rather than give up to the police) and a police detective tasked with figuring out why the kingpin was back in Bombay, in a bunker, and soon enough, dead. My sense while reading this book was that I was getting a backstage pass to the drama, passion, dysfunction, and ultimate humanity of the indian culture in all of its glory. One of those books you really wish would keep going for just a bit more.
"Lullabies for Little Criminals" by Heather O'Neill captures life on the streets for a young girl raised by her childlike drug addicted father. A rapid descent into all of the things we are warned about while growing up as told by a woman (girl) who knows what its really like. No pity, no bathos, just matter of fact, moment to moment, gut-wrenching storytelling.
"No God But God" by Reza Aslan is the only non-fiction in the group. It dissects (in an attempt to explain to the western world) the rise of Islam from early Meccan pilgrimages at the altar of gods through the life of the prophet (with his jewish, christian, and moslem wives) to the current struggle being fought within the community between extremists and moderates. It draws quite a few parallels to the internal struggles that beset the christian community during the reformation. Fascinating perspective on the evolution of a religion (and its mutations to fit the desires or whims of its leaders after Muhammad's death).
Heavy Rotation...
"Wincing the Night Away" by the Shins
Monday, December 25, 2006
Books 'n' stuff December 06
I'm kinda failing at finishing books lately, not sure why... possibly I'm sleeping instead.
I did finish a few though, so here goes...
"Thunderstruck" by Erik Larson chronicles both the period in G. Marconi's life when he single handedly pushed through the idea of using wireless transmissions to reach across the ocean and the detective story and chase of a murderer across the ocean waves as wireless transmissions effectively made the world a much smaller (and more transparent) place. It wasn't as good as his previous book about the devil and the white city (hmm, he has a penchant for murder and invention) but it was worth reading if only for the historical context regarding the hard parts of innovation (hint it has very little to do with the technology sometimes).
"A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines" by Janna Levin is a little bit of fiction about two of the giants of math from the 20th century. Kurt Godel and Alan Turing had very different views and contributed to the shape of our current understanding about math and thinking. In other books I've caught a glimpse of Alan (cryptonomicon for one) but in this one you get a pretty good sense of his perspective on the world. He was a major code breaker during world war 2. This book gives you a taste of his private life and his motivations and thoughts. Kurt gave us the notion that math could be incomplete (not solvable) which turned quite a bit of thinking on its head. Janna is a scientist and this book is her first novel. She's written other books though, so I'm off to find them (yes that means this was good).
"Autograph Man" by Zadie Smith was one that I picked up a while ago, she's pretty good and this was a solidly entertaining read about a boy who grows up obsessed with collecting autographs and ultimately tries to track down one of the people that is represented (questionably) as one of his prized possessions. A glimpse into English life and this particular subculture.
"The Zero" by Jess Walters is set on September 12th 2001 and is a tragicomic take (from the point of view of a cop who is slowly losing his eyesight and possibly his mind) on the social aspects of 9/11. In particular it deals with the blunting of emotions, the marketing of tragedy, and the inflated and misguided hunt for enemies within. A tight book.
Heavy Rotation?
Red Hot Chili Pepper's new 2 cd set is not "new" music in that it sounds just like the last RHCP album but if you like the sound, its more of the same.
"The Inside Man" soundtrack. Great indian/hip hop song and some really nice and moody arrangements by Spike Lee's longtime musical collaborator.
"Love" by the Beatles. A new remix by the Beatle survivors of some of their classics. Octopuses (pi?) garden is my favorite on this one...
Sean Lennon has a new album and I like it. The first track is my favorite thus far. He's got a bit of his dad in there somewhere and it is starting to come out.
I did finish a few though, so here goes...
"Thunderstruck" by Erik Larson chronicles both the period in G. Marconi's life when he single handedly pushed through the idea of using wireless transmissions to reach across the ocean and the detective story and chase of a murderer across the ocean waves as wireless transmissions effectively made the world a much smaller (and more transparent) place. It wasn't as good as his previous book about the devil and the white city (hmm, he has a penchant for murder and invention) but it was worth reading if only for the historical context regarding the hard parts of innovation (hint it has very little to do with the technology sometimes).
"A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines" by Janna Levin is a little bit of fiction about two of the giants of math from the 20th century. Kurt Godel and Alan Turing had very different views and contributed to the shape of our current understanding about math and thinking. In other books I've caught a glimpse of Alan (cryptonomicon for one) but in this one you get a pretty good sense of his perspective on the world. He was a major code breaker during world war 2. This book gives you a taste of his private life and his motivations and thoughts. Kurt gave us the notion that math could be incomplete (not solvable) which turned quite a bit of thinking on its head. Janna is a scientist and this book is her first novel. She's written other books though, so I'm off to find them (yes that means this was good).
"Autograph Man" by Zadie Smith was one that I picked up a while ago, she's pretty good and this was a solidly entertaining read about a boy who grows up obsessed with collecting autographs and ultimately tries to track down one of the people that is represented (questionably) as one of his prized possessions. A glimpse into English life and this particular subculture.
"The Zero" by Jess Walters is set on September 12th 2001 and is a tragicomic take (from the point of view of a cop who is slowly losing his eyesight and possibly his mind) on the social aspects of 9/11. In particular it deals with the blunting of emotions, the marketing of tragedy, and the inflated and misguided hunt for enemies within. A tight book.
Heavy Rotation?
Red Hot Chili Pepper's new 2 cd set is not "new" music in that it sounds just like the last RHCP album but if you like the sound, its more of the same.
"The Inside Man" soundtrack. Great indian/hip hop song and some really nice and moody arrangements by Spike Lee's longtime musical collaborator.
"Love" by the Beatles. A new remix by the Beatle survivors of some of their classics. Octopuses (pi?) garden is my favorite on this one...
Sean Lennon has a new album and I like it. The first track is my favorite thus far. He's got a bit of his dad in there somewhere and it is starting to come out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)