Infinite Jest
the only quibble i have with this book is its abrupt ending. several of the story lines were not entirely resolved. you figure over 1000 pages could wrap up most anything, but you'd be wrong. other than that, a wonderful, magnificent, transcendent novel. not to be missed. run out and read it now. it makes you want to bring wallace back to life so you can smack him for killing himself. what a great loss to the world.
Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
as annoying as his father's miserly ways are, you can't halp but like the plucky holocaust survivor.
Until I Find You: A Novel
i can't but notice that this book is suffering from a distinct lack of bears. it has prostitution, she-males, several tours of europe, a short man overwhelmed by strong women, wrestling, new hampshire, boarding school. i mean it's all pretty much standard irving, but no bears.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
i don't really understand spanish, so i had a little trouble with this book, although i don't think the few parts i couldn't understand had that great an impact on the story. i'm a little confused as to why a book with endless footnotes, would refuse to footnote the frequent foreign language parts, unless the author either assumed you spoke spanish, or wanted to force you to look it up. there were a few sentences in the book that were absolute magic, but overall it had too many forgettable ones. after reading books which have won multiple awards, i usually come away with an impression as to why the book has received such acclaim. here i just scratched my head.
Review
i'm kinda tempted to go back and count all of the breast references in this book, but i think i'd probably reach three digits. follett is a dirty old man, but he paints a really pretty picture. plus there's plague for those of you that like that sort of thing. i'm not entirely sure why this has been on the bestseller list for so long. it's good but not great.
World Without End
i'm kinda tempted to go back and count all of the breast references in this book, but i think i'd probably reach three digits. follett is a dirty old man, but he paints a really pretty picture. plus there's plague for those of you that like that sort of thing. i'm not entirely sure why this has been on the bestseller list for so long. it's good but not great.
The Pillars of the Earth
Ken Follett is obsessed with boobies. Overall good book, if you can get passed the part where it is obviously written by a man with the libido of a 19 year old boy.
Bridge of Sighs: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries)
Not as good as Empire Falls, but still a good quality offering from Russo. Has a few moments that are absolutely magic, and a few that fall short. It's tough to follow up a Pulitzer Prize winning novel, although this one is very readable, I expect more from Russo.
Review
Incredibly funny and personalized by the author with an inscription that reads "please read naked." What more can you ask for. So good you can even excuse the author for being the "Red Sox anti-christ."
: Rants, Exploits, and Obsessions - Steve Almond)
(Not that You Asked): Rants, Exploits, and Obsessions
Incredibly funny and personalized by the author with an inscription that reads "please read naked." What more can you ask for. So good you can even excuse the author for being the "Red Sox anti-christ."
: Rants, Exploits, and Obsessions - Steve Almond)
Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare & Co.
for any idealist who dreams of opening their own bookstore, this is the place i would open. well mine would be cleaner and have working toilets and showers, but this is the place. a meandering book octopus, with beds amongst the stacks for struggling writers and bohemians. run by a communist who dreams big and doesn't much care for money, Shakespeare and Company is an ideal book oasis for those down on their luck, or who just want to experience a book commune. a wonderful magical tale. not recommended for the jaded or remotely realistic.
The Film Club: A True Story of a Father and a Son By David Gilmour (Canadian Edition)
sometimes the idea of a book surpasses what the book is actually able to accomplish. an interesting idea to have a father honestly discuss life with his son. too many reviews have been critical of the author's choice to allow his son to make his own decisions about sex, drinking and drugs. i understand canadian society to be slightly more permissive of these behaviors than american. there also seems to be some sort of confusion as to what a memoir is. they tend to be rather self-serving as a rule. and the poorly written ones tend to be more self-congratulating than anything else. maybe there's a little of that here. but mostly it seems to be honest and somewhat heart wrenching. fairly good traits in a memoir. what i actually like best about this book is the publisher, twelve. we should all have the courage to print our mission statements in our books, or wear them on our sleeves. especially if our mission is as delightfully idealistic and passionate as theirs is. it is something that can only be born out of proudly serving a corporate master, and then thinking better of it. so, good book great pub.
Y: The Last Man, Vol. 10: Whys and Wherefores
overall i would have to say a dissapointing way for one of the best graphic novels ever to come to an end. worth reading bt not as good as any of the previous y's.
