Saturday was Frankie's 6th birthday party, it was at Chuckee Cheese, and the huge rat with the massive vampire like teeth only made two little kids in our party cry. Two of the people who came with their little girl were my old friend Loren Thomson and his wife (who is also a good friend) Tiffany. I've known Loren since we were crawling around on the dirt side yards between our single wide trailer houses in the Triangle K trailer park on the outskirts of Sturgis S.D.
Loren and Tiffany came over that night and we ordered Chinese food, while Loren and I made fun of each other the kids played and Tiffany curled up on the couch in misery, not sure what this was about but there was mention of severe cat allergies and my three cats.
I tried to get Loren to come to trivia night (he made fun of it and made some reference to my masculinity and the fact that I love yoga, have cats and play trivia and I called him a Neanderthal) but I do not think he is going to come. In our talks my book clubs came up and the fact that two of the trivia team are in book clubs with me and they have ereaders. It was just a passing mention of the fact that Joe and Dave both have ereaders but Loren piped up and said, "I bought Tiffany a nook and she never uses it, do you want it?" Now, I know many people who have both Nooks and Kindles and I've poked fun at them all. I've told them how I want the paper book so I can keep it on a shelf and loan it to my friends and read it in the bath. I've said numerous times I just don't want an ereader, I love books too much, I like to lay covered in books, I like them scattered around the house, I like a couple in the car and all the bathrooms and by my bed and on the coffee table in the living room. I love to have shelves of books some of which I've read some I have not. I like people to take a look at my book collection and form some kind of favorable impression because they are not all romance(Dave) and knitting(Joe) books. I like to have books around that I love and can use to shim up a couch leg or throw at the cat or to burn in the case of nuclear winter.
The truth is I wanted an ereader. I didn't care if it was a Kindle or a Nook, I just wanted one. I always have, I finally got one and I'm happy. Or I was until Kirsten brought in her Nook that was color and had voice books for my kiddo and you could turn it and the text turned as well and was totally touch, now I want that nook. The truth is I was just cheap, of course I wanted a Nook, I wanted a nook so badly, show me a man who doesn't like technology and gadgets and I'll show you a guy the world is leaving behind sad and alone wishing he still had a typewriter and a travel agent.
Sooo, Dave, you have a nook, let's form a gang and make fun of non ereader owning folks and if we run out of them we can find technical faults with the Kindles.
I am so happy!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Assignments (updated)
In the past, I have assigned some of my favorite books. I then watch in horror as those books are not enjoyed the same way I enjoy them. So, this year I am adopting Dave's strategy for assignments, which is to pick books the assignees would not otherwise read. My assignments for 2012:
Dave - Summer Meditations, by Vaclav Havel. (Vaclav Havel died in 2011, and this book is a collection of his thoughts before he took over the presidency and his thoughts on how to manage a country after it had been carved up over the previous century). Also, I assign The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman. Have fun! None of my assigned books could kill a large animal or replace a cinder block, unlike the last few years! You're welcome.
James - I do not imagine you would ever read Chuck Klosterman unless I assign it. I debated between Downtown Owl and The Visible Man, but I think you will enjoy Downtown Owl more. So, I assign it to you, but I grant you the right to switch it for The Visible Man if that sounds more appealing.
Alan - I will give you a choice as well (but partly because I'm not sure if you have or have not read either of these). Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns-Goodwin or Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I also choose these because I have them in paper form and can lend them to you. If you have read them both, I'll be assigning you to read a Jon Ronson book.
So there you have my assignments. Happy reading in 2012.
**************************************************************************************
So, yeah, I figured we could all just appropriate Joe's post and put all our assignments on here. I'm resourceful/lazy like that. Also, since, James and Alan are sort of strangers in all this, they don't have to assign each other anything....unless they want to, in which case...have at it.
Joe- The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman: because you hate westerns and sci-fi, so a combination has got to be good, right? Also, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay because, despite my recommendations and shouts of affection, you will never read Chabon unless I make you, dammit.
James- 1776 by David McCullough. McCullough is one of the best historians I've ever read, and 1776 is a short, but sweet, look at one year in Washington's military; a year that started badly but would end in a huge 'victory" for the Revolutionaries. (I own this, and can lend it to you)
Alan- I know we talked about you reading Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut, and I'm just making it official. Great, Great book. I hope you will like it, and if you don't, I'll never fucking speak to you again.
(Kidding.)
It's Friday night and I just finished Geraldine Brooks's March. This was
probably not the most exciting way in which to spend the start of my weekend but
at least at this moment I am ahead of Dave by a book.
Speaking of Dave, my assignment to you is Winston Churchhill's The Second World War. Now I know that it says on the box that it is complete in 6 volumes and it may seem slightly unfair of me to assign you this rather lengthy treatise of over 2400 pages (especially after you gave me Slaughterhouse Five at 215 pages) but, I think you will like it, and let's face it you're a bit of a machine and this levels the playing field. Just kidding!!!! I want you to read Pillars of the
Earth by Ken Follet, it's a little lengthy but one of my favorite books of the past few years. Trashy fiction maybe but it will keep you engrossed and you'll love it as much as I did I hope.
Joe- You get the The Dark Tower by Stephen King, not all that deep and I read it in high school and remember loving it. I think by assignment is the only way you might pick it up and Dave just finishing the 7th in the series reminded me of it. I believe you need more fiction in your life. I may reread the series myself it’s been a long time since I was in the land of the gunslinger.
James- We have not met, Dave’s correct in that but I want you to read the Social Animal by David Brooks. David Brooks is a New York Times columnist who swings a little right of Barack and me but I thoroughly enjoyed this examination of the psyche and what shapes character and personality. I hope you like it as much as I did.
Dave - Summer Meditations, by Vaclav Havel. (Vaclav Havel died in 2011, and this book is a collection of his thoughts before he took over the presidency and his thoughts on how to manage a country after it had been carved up over the previous century). Also, I assign The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman. Have fun! None of my assigned books could kill a large animal or replace a cinder block, unlike the last few years! You're welcome.
James - I do not imagine you would ever read Chuck Klosterman unless I assign it. I debated between Downtown Owl and The Visible Man, but I think you will enjoy Downtown Owl more. So, I assign it to you, but I grant you the right to switch it for The Visible Man if that sounds more appealing.
Alan - I will give you a choice as well (but partly because I'm not sure if you have or have not read either of these). Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns-Goodwin or Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I also choose these because I have them in paper form and can lend them to you. If you have read them both, I'll be assigning you to read a Jon Ronson book.
So there you have my assignments. Happy reading in 2012.
**************************************************************************************
So, yeah, I figured we could all just appropriate Joe's post and put all our assignments on here. I'm resourceful/lazy like that. Also, since, James and Alan are sort of strangers in all this, they don't have to assign each other anything....unless they want to, in which case...have at it.
Joe- The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman: because you hate westerns and sci-fi, so a combination has got to be good, right? Also, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay because, despite my recommendations and shouts of affection, you will never read Chabon unless I make you, dammit.
James- 1776 by David McCullough. McCullough is one of the best historians I've ever read, and 1776 is a short, but sweet, look at one year in Washington's military; a year that started badly but would end in a huge 'victory" for the Revolutionaries. (I own this, and can lend it to you)
Alan- I know we talked about you reading Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut, and I'm just making it official. Great, Great book. I hope you will like it, and if you don't, I'll never fucking speak to you again.
(Kidding.)
It's Friday night and I just finished Geraldine Brooks's March. This was
probably not the most exciting way in which to spend the start of my weekend but
at least at this moment I am ahead of Dave by a book.
Speaking of Dave, my assignment to you is Winston Churchhill's The Second World War. Now I know that it says on the box that it is complete in 6 volumes and it may seem slightly unfair of me to assign you this rather lengthy treatise of over 2400 pages (especially after you gave me Slaughterhouse Five at 215 pages) but, I think you will like it, and let's face it you're a bit of a machine and this levels the playing field. Just kidding!!!! I want you to read Pillars of the
Earth by Ken Follet, it's a little lengthy but one of my favorite books of the past few years. Trashy fiction maybe but it will keep you engrossed and you'll love it as much as I did I hope.
Joe- You get the The Dark Tower by Stephen King, not all that deep and I read it in high school and remember loving it. I think by assignment is the only way you might pick it up and Dave just finishing the 7th in the series reminded me of it. I believe you need more fiction in your life. I may reread the series myself it’s been a long time since I was in the land of the gunslinger.
James- We have not met, Dave’s correct in that but I want you to read the Social Animal by David Brooks. David Brooks is a New York Times columnist who swings a little right of Barack and me but I thoroughly enjoyed this examination of the psyche and what shapes character and personality. I hope you like it as much as I did.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Dave's Sweet Sixteen
Hey! It's New Years again! 2012! Mayan Apocalypse! British Olympics! Presidential Election! This year is going to suck! So, let's look at the past year in books, a year that I read a personal best 77 books, and destroyed my fellow blogger's total here. (That's a warning, Alan. Know what you're getting into.) Every year, during the year, I think that the quality of books is not up to previous years, and then by December, I look at the best of list and think "best year ever!" And so, join me as we look at the top 16 off the best year of books I've ever had. Why 16? Because it's my blog.
16. The Devil In the White City by Erik Larson
One of those "Non-Fiction which reads like Fiction" books, it's the story of the 1893 Chicago's World's Fair, the "White City" of the title, and H.H. Holmes, viewed by some as America's first Serial Killer, who operated just blocks from the Fair's entrance. While Holmes story provides most of the thrills, I found myself more involved with the architects and their struggles. In fact , my favorite character was Fredrick Olmstead, the landscaping architect who hated flowerbeds, and had a breakdown seemingly every time he appeared.
16. The Devil In the White City by Erik Larson
One of those "Non-Fiction which reads like Fiction" books, it's the story of the 1893 Chicago's World's Fair, the "White City" of the title, and H.H. Holmes, viewed by some as America's first Serial Killer, who operated just blocks from the Fair's entrance. While Holmes story provides most of the thrills, I found myself more involved with the architects and their struggles. In fact , my favorite character was Fredrick Olmstead, the landscaping architect who hated flowerbeds, and had a breakdown seemingly every time he appeared.
Joe's Addendum for 2011
Since my bowl preview, I have read four more books, bringing the final total to 44 for the year. The final top five remains unchanged. But, a few words on the last four I read would make sense. I set my personal record for a year with 44, which was the goal. That would make 45 my goal for next year.
- Bedwetter, by Sarah Silverman. This one goes in the Comedy Conference. I'll put it in a second-place tie with Bossypants. This book was similar to Tina Fey's book in many ways because it was more autobiographical than stand-up comedy. Still, when you wet your bed until you are about 16, that makes for some serious material. A funny and light read.
- Ballad of the Whiskey Robber, by Julian Rubenstein was awesome. The Whiskey Robber is Attila Ambrus, a Transylvanian pelt smuggler, janitor, pro hockey goalie, escapee and bank robber who is scheduled to be released back into Hungarian society in 2016. Thanks to Chris Leger for the recommendation. Just a great and fun read.
Truth is way stranger than fiction and this story proves it. The story takes place in the late 80s and into the late 90s. It's a true story and crazier than you could ever imagine. Ambrus was on the front page (unknown as to identity) as a grainy bank robber in a security camera and, in the same day, shown on the sports page pathetically trying to mind a professional hockey net (he sucked at that... very badly) while again getting beat by double digits. It's like Keystone Kops meet the drunk hockey robber and the story is as mad-capped as anything I've ever read. He left presents for the police chief, scheduled his robberies so he would be featured on "Kriminales," the Hungarian equivalent of "America's Most Wanted," and even had his lawyer hold a press conference next to a cardboard cutout of himself (he became a famous and cult-hero escapee in Hungary). Nonfiction Conference tied with The Corner and Homicide. This was the only late read that threatened to change my final top 5.
- Secrets of Mental Math, by Michael Shermer and Arthur Benjamin. A rigorous course in mental math calculation. I learned a lot of tricks to make mental calculations much faster. As with any book of this type, some of it was a review of things I already do (tips are just not hard to figure), some was interesting and new (much faster multiplication of big numbers), and some of it was just so advanced that I absorbed it, acknowledged the logic of it and decided that I will probably just use a calculator for five-digit multiplication and five-digit square roots, thank you very much. Seriously, this book shows you how to do it in your mind if you are willing to use mnemonics to keep the numbers straight. Again, fascinating, but not something I feel like investing in. That said, I absolutely will invest in the formula for calculating the day of the week of any date in history and two- and three-digit mental multiplication. Although the book was short, the practice problems were arduous. Great practical use tips. Behavior Science Conference, third place.
- Playing Piano in a Brothel, by Terry Frei. A journey through the sports journalism career of Terry Frei. He has covered an impressive array of sports and crossed paths with some great figures of sport. It is a compilation, so it can be hit and miss, but his information on the Colorado Avalanche, his critique of journalism and boxing made the book worth it. I finished this one just before midnight. Non-fiction, fourth place (that's a good conference).
Happy New Year! I am now planning my assignments for the year.
- Bedwetter, by Sarah Silverman. This one goes in the Comedy Conference. I'll put it in a second-place tie with Bossypants. This book was similar to Tina Fey's book in many ways because it was more autobiographical than stand-up comedy. Still, when you wet your bed until you are about 16, that makes for some serious material. A funny and light read.
- Ballad of the Whiskey Robber, by Julian Rubenstein was awesome. The Whiskey Robber is Attila Ambrus, a Transylvanian pelt smuggler, janitor, pro hockey goalie, escapee and bank robber who is scheduled to be released back into Hungarian society in 2016. Thanks to Chris Leger for the recommendation. Just a great and fun read.
Truth is way stranger than fiction and this story proves it. The story takes place in the late 80s and into the late 90s. It's a true story and crazier than you could ever imagine. Ambrus was on the front page (unknown as to identity) as a grainy bank robber in a security camera and, in the same day, shown on the sports page pathetically trying to mind a professional hockey net (he sucked at that... very badly) while again getting beat by double digits. It's like Keystone Kops meet the drunk hockey robber and the story is as mad-capped as anything I've ever read. He left presents for the police chief, scheduled his robberies so he would be featured on "Kriminales," the Hungarian equivalent of "America's Most Wanted," and even had his lawyer hold a press conference next to a cardboard cutout of himself (he became a famous and cult-hero escapee in Hungary). Nonfiction Conference tied with The Corner and Homicide. This was the only late read that threatened to change my final top 5.
- Secrets of Mental Math, by Michael Shermer and Arthur Benjamin. A rigorous course in mental math calculation. I learned a lot of tricks to make mental calculations much faster. As with any book of this type, some of it was a review of things I already do (tips are just not hard to figure), some was interesting and new (much faster multiplication of big numbers), and some of it was just so advanced that I absorbed it, acknowledged the logic of it and decided that I will probably just use a calculator for five-digit multiplication and five-digit square roots, thank you very much. Seriously, this book shows you how to do it in your mind if you are willing to use mnemonics to keep the numbers straight. Again, fascinating, but not something I feel like investing in. That said, I absolutely will invest in the formula for calculating the day of the week of any date in history and two- and three-digit mental multiplication. Although the book was short, the practice problems were arduous. Great practical use tips. Behavior Science Conference, third place.
- Playing Piano in a Brothel, by Terry Frei. A journey through the sports journalism career of Terry Frei. He has covered an impressive array of sports and crossed paths with some great figures of sport. It is a compilation, so it can be hit and miss, but his information on the Colorado Avalanche, his critique of journalism and boxing made the book worth it. I finished this one just before midnight. Non-fiction, fourth place (that's a good conference).
Happy New Year! I am now planning my assignments for the year.
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