Smokable Clown

Sorry

2005-10-23T12:47:00.000-04:00

It's been ages since I posted.

Busy life schedule has intervened with my writing/reading schedule. Although, that is only partly true, since I am about to finish my fourth book since I last posted.

I'll be back......

The Teeth of the Tiger by Tom Clancy

2005-09-26T18:55:00.000-04:00

Yes! I admit it! I'm a Tom Clancy fan. I have been since I was a teenager. Is that soooo baaaaaad?

But, seriously, though. I'm a foreign policy/politics fanatic who enjoys James Bond and big explosions, so Clancy has always been a draw. While he comes from a stance to the right of center (and I definitely do not), his books are still very reasonable, articulate, and exceedingly detailed. While many have criticized his prose, I actually enjoy it. Some of his best books (Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games) artfully manage numerous sublpots, and then magically draw them together for a big climax.

Now, on to his latest. It was clear from Clancy's last few books that he took his Jack Ryan character as far as it could go - to the Presidency during a time of world war. Where to go next? His SON of course.

"Teeth" stars Jack Ryan, Jr. and two of his young cousins as they become part of a secret intelligence unit set up by Jack Ryan, Sr. before leaving office. The unit is completely "off-the-books" and begins carrying out assassinations in response to a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. I won't give away any more in case you decide to read it.

Overall, the book is a good read - better than "Red Rabbit" which I felt came up short. However, I kept getting the feeling that Clancy was less interested in establishing a new character or in creating a masterpiece, than in showing the current Administration how an effective War on Terrorism should be fought.

You see, the title of the book comes from a phrase: "if you kick a tiger in the ass, you better have a plan for dealing with it's teeth." And that pretty much sums up the point of the novel, and Clancy's own view towards the Bush administration's attempt to deal with the threat of international terrorism: we kicked the tiger in the teeth with our attacks against Afghanistan and Iraq and had no plan for dealing what would come next.

Clancy clearly favors a clandestine approach, identifying and eliminating terrorist targets - and nobody, not even most of the government or fellow terrorists, knowing it happened. It's an old spy story: bad guy is made to look like he had a heart attack. This has the advantages of not stirring up additional anti-U.S. fervor, keeps terrorists off-guard, and keeps the general public from having to live with the daily fear of terrorism.

Clancy picks apart the current approach of the War on Terror with criticisms disguised as dialogue. This is an excellent read, if not just for the story alone. It will get you to think about what we are doing wrong in today's foreign policy, and how we might do it right. Whether or not you agree with the Clancy Solution, you will certainly be forced to think about it.

***

David Sedaris

2005-09-09T16:23:00.000-04:00

Maybe I am funk. Maybe I need to molt like a lobster. Either way I have given up on Dress Your Family in corduroy and Denim. Which is odd. Powells.com simply says its Sedaris' best book.

The beginning of the end was when I saw him live a couple of years ago. Seeing him live was the pinnacle of my Sedaris experience. The affair began when I heard his nasal voice on NPR. Then I discovered Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day. I was not alone. It turns out many of my friends liked him as well.

I missed him on his last book tour, promoting his new book, but I did catch him when he was promoting Me Talk Pretty One Day. He was great. His stories got that little something extra from his voice.

Then, the love affair was over. I have read a few of the stories in Dress Your Family, but they are just are not doing it for me.

However, if you have not heard/read him, I highly recommend him.

The Secret Life of Lobsters -- Trevor Corson

2005-09-09T15:47:00.000-04:00

I used to love lobster. That was after I hated it. Now I am pretty indifferent.

When I was 6 my parents took me to Maine. I don't remember much about the trip. I have some vague memory of being in a rowboat with a leak. But I am no longer sure how much I actually remember, and how much I "remember" from talking about the leaky rowboat. The leaky rowboat is not all that important. What is important is on that trip I refused to eat lobster. I am sure now, especially in light of my parents return to Maine many years later, that whole point of the vacation was to eat Lobster every day. Oops. How was I to know?

Somewhere between 6 and puberty I grew to enjoy Lobster as much as my parents did. We ate frequently, or as frequently as we could considered my mother would not cook it in our house, or serve it on our dishes if we brought it home (it's not kosher). But we overcame these obstacles and ordered it at restaurants. Or even brought it home and ate it cantonese style from a Chinese restaurant on paper plates and with plastic utensils.

As I got older, into my 20s and 30s Lobster just became like Shrimp. It was everywhere. And maybe the abundance lessened some special quality I believed it once had. Now that I could have it pretty much anytime I wanted, I no longer wanted it anymore.

The Secret Life of Lobsters is all most of us will ever need to know about Lobster lifecycles, mating, and lobstermen (women). It was just enough story matched with just enough science to be fun without getting tedious. It sated my appetite for knowledge about lobsters and now I feel like I can move on to something else. If you have ever eaten lobster, or wanted to, you should read this book.

Mission Accomplished -- Book 52

2005-09-09T11:30:00.000-04:00

I started the year with the goal of finishing 52 books in one year. I have reached my goal. This goal was directly copied from SZG. I have been brief with many of my descriptions of the books but that is because they are pretty similar in nature to each other.

Reading... for the past few books has been a bit disappointing and I have not been wow'ed by anyone. My 52nd book was no exception.

Faye Kellerman is a good writer and she went off her beaten path to write a historical fiction novel entitled Straight Into Darkness. THe book drags longer than a man with a club foot lost in the desert. It makes no sense at times and drives the reader batty as Faye obviously has a politically correct agenda.

This could be my interest in history as I have a Bachelor's degree in it. I find that when folks write about history in the 90's and the 2000's they revise it to put it into the context of today. To me, that is dangerous as history is a product of its time. We can learn our lessons from it and recognize that people in the past were bad, but there is no need to revise the way we view it because societal norms have changed.

Straight into Darkness falls victim to that and it frustrated me beyond comprehension.

Book Description
In 1920s Munich, the body of Anna Gross, a young society wife, has been found in the English Gardens, still clothed in finery. Soon a second body is discovered, also a woman of high society. When a third body is found, homicide detective Axel Berg realizes he’s dealing with unprecedented evil. Is the murderer politically motivated? Is he a lone madman? Or worse, is the killer possessed by both political and personal demons? Detective Berg soon finds himself entangled in a web of dangerous intrigue, surrounded by potential enemies. As Munich slips further into turmoil, overrun by political factions and the rise of Hitler, a dedicated policeman can never know who to trust--and one simple mistake could be deadly.

Book 51 -- Lifeguard by James Patterson

2005-09-07T09:06:00.000-04:00

Lifeguard is James Patterson's 89th book of the year.

It is his best book of the year and I was able to finish it in two days... I cannot believe how proficient I feel when I finish a 400 page book in two days.

This books suffers less from the syndrome that james Patterson suffers from.

Get my minimal amount of pages in and then...end the book.

The ending is actually developed.

I love reading UNIMPORTANT books.

Book 50 -- Phillip Margolin's Lost Lake

2005-09-02T17:46:00.000-04:00

Ho hum....

It's done... Time to read James Patterson's summer book.

I think he has a book for every season.

Lifeguard.

Oh wait... I already read Lost Lake...

It wasn't bad... It wasn't great either... It served its purpose.

At least it featured Portland.

Book 49 -- Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin

2005-08-29T10:41:00.000-04:00

Book 49 -- Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin

Ever read a book and feel as though... "Been there.... done that?"

That's how I felt about this book.

I am now reading his last book Lost Lake and I can already tell you (being 25% done with it) that it is a better book.

How Soccer Explains The World -- Franklin Foer

2005-08-24T21:26:00.000-04:00

Soccer does not explain the world. Neither does this book. But, that’s just marketing anyway. The real purpose of the book is hidden the prologue, “Someone needed to write a book on the subject that would require the (oh-so-arduous) task of traveling the world…”

The success of this book is as a travelogue. Foer travels the globe and we get to tag along.

It is written like a series of magazine articles, rather than as a cohesive book, making it really good beach reading.

Book 48 -- Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason

2005-08-23T10:05:00.000-04:00

I have been laboring through a rather well written book The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason that has been compared tot he Da Vinci Code. It is similar to the DVC in that it is a book about a group of really smart people trying to break the code of a book/piece of art. It also combines the riddles of literature and art with a thriller as dead bodies pop up everywhere.

The book is NOT like the DVC in that it is a superbly written book. The details and imagery are fantastic and I especially like it since the whole book takes place on Princeton university.

Now... it deserves the praise that it is receiving...

But here is where I diverge... I recognize all the compliments about the book.. HOWEVER, unlike the DVC, I really don't care about a book called the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a Renaissance text that has vexed scholars throughout history. The DVC gave me an insight into something I know about... the Bible.

This book asks me to solve riddles about a book I don't know or care about.

Whatever... it is still a good book. :)

What I Did on My Summer Vacation (Books 42-47)

2005-08-15T09:25:00.000-04:00

Books 42 through 47

This blog is to be known as the What Did I Do on My Summer
Vacation blog. Muh wife and I went to the beach for the week. We had sunny
days and we had some rainy days. It didn't really matter what the weather
was. I read.

There were four books that I can lump all into one group of books. They
were all by Phillip Margolin. They were. The Undertaker's Widow, Wild Justice, The Associate, and The Ties That Bind. They were relatively easy reads as they were all the same style yet the plots were all unique and interesting. Of the four, Wild Justice was an interesting read as it was easily the
darkest read of the books. Margolin tapped into some really weird shit when he wrote that one and it actually made me laugh with the final words (they will be completely taken out of context here. "The head Arty. Send them the head."

Book 46 was Faithful by Stephen King and Stewart O'Nan. The sub title for the book is entitled "Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season." I am an avid Yankee fan so it gave me great pains to read one of my favorite authors writing about his passion - the Boston Red Sox. This was being written before the season was underway and they just happened to get "lucky" that the Red Sox won the World Series.

Quick side story - I was on my honeymoon when the Yankees collapsed in the ACLS. Muh wife and I got on the boat when it was 3 games to none. When we got off the boat we found out what happened. That set of entries were read with great interest by me as I never followed up how the Yankees collapsed. I just had to accept it as fact when we returned.

The book is laborious to read but it was an interesting tale of insight in what it means to be a fan and to have your dreams finally come to fruition. I don't recommend this book to many, but I was still interested.

My favorite book over the trip was recommended to me by Kelly. (Thanks
Kelly) It was entitled A Man Walks Into a Room by Nicole Krauss. I have NO
IDEA why I was expecting this book to be a romance novel but it was the antithesis of it. It was about a man who loses 24 years of his life to amnesia due to a removal of a tumor. He essentially has to grow up again. His personal trip on a road of discovery is a fascinating read. It should really be read by everyone.

What I did on my summer vacation. I read.

Writing

2005-08-14T10:35:00.000-04:00

I spent the last week on a beach. I was able to get out of my regular routines and move away from the daily stresses of life. I find the beach is one of the few places that truly helps me to refocus on what should be important to me.

One of the goals I always leave the beach with is to write more and better. It is something I have always wanted to do, but I never seem to pursue writing with the vigor that it requires. Part of that is because writing is hard. And I just do not believe I have enough free time for hard things. I do enough of those at work. So, as my regular life consumes my beach life, my noble goal of writing more falls away.

One of the original reasons I approached Smelmoo with the idea for this blog was to help get me into the habit of writing. I figured if I had an outlet that would require me to write regularly, I could force writing into my regular life. I had to make it a priority.

Yet, somehow that goal seems to have been lost. For me, this site evolved into a place where I record what I read and maybe a little commentary about the book being "reviewed." But, once again, I have not approached the writing with the dedication that it demands. I allowed myself to settle for something less. Part of my problem is the medium allows me to be become lax. Just like this piece, I will quickly jot something down, maybe give it a once-over, check my spelling and post it.

Having accomplished my original goal of writing more, I now need to work on the writing better. While this piece will not reflect that goal, my commentaries on the books I read while on vacation will. So, it may take me a little longer than normal to get them posted. Just bear with me.

Quickly, for those that just can't wait, I did finish three books this past week. I think they are three I wrote about before, but here they are again:
1. The Gatekeepers, Jacques Steinberg -- An insider look at the Wesleyan admissions process.
2. How Soccer Explains the World, Franklin Foer -- I am not sure that soccer explains anything.
3. Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, Chuck Klosterman -- How pop culture explains the world.

Book 41 -- The Burning Man by Phillip Margolin

2005-08-05T14:32:00.000-04:00

Book 41 was The Burning Man by Phillip Margolin. I read this a lot while waiting on trains and train stations yesterday and I finished it up this morning.

It was a decent young lawyer in over his head story. I love these stories. They are always misjudged and always find some way to succeed and stick it to the man.

Not a bad read.

I should reading quite a bit over vacation. SZG and I are away at the same time. I have six books I am taking with me. The last four Phillip Margolin books and another by Nicole Krauss (total beach book) and the Red Sox fan book by Stephen King and that other guy as they chronicled last year's magical season.

Getting Ready for Vacation

2005-08-02T18:45:00.000-04:00

My vacation is just about here. 7 days of sitting at the beach, on a deck, anywhere but work and my house.

It will be a time to rejuvenate and begin to really read again. I am putting down my current book, which is hardly an effort since I am barely 50 pages into it. While my bookpile is getting taller as I fall further and further behind my goals, there is nothing quite like getting books for vacation. I like shopping for books almost as much I like reading them.

So, here is my newly improved reading list for vacation:

1. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman -- I am pretty sure the first time I became aware of this book was through Seth Cohen on the OC. 'Nuff said.

2. How Soccer Explains the World, Franklin Foer -- In keeping with my international flavor this year.

3. Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson -- This looks like a doozy of a book, but that's what vacation is for.

If expect to finish the first two and we'll see about #3. Smelmooo and Tangentwoman have graciously loaned me a few books which I will carry with me in case I either finish all three books or If I need to change things up.

I am going to finish out this week (leading into vacation) with The Gate Keepers, Jacques Steinberg. It's all about the college admissions process. I have always been fascinated with that mysterious world and I was able to get the hard back version from the bargain rack. It looks like a quick read and an easy way to get me back into reading.

See y'all on the flipside.

Book 40 - A Return To Phillip Margolin

2005-08-01T12:06:00.000-04:00

For my latest book, I returned to reading the pile of Phillip Margolin books sitting on my desk mocking me.

HA! go read a story about an autistic kid!
HA! Go read an "important" book about Afghanistan!
HA! Go read a book about a wizard boy!

I love my mystery novels...and the next Phillip Margolin's book didn't disappoint me with the intelligent yet mindless read.

This one was called After Dark and it featured the defense of a lawyer who was accused of murdering her Supreme Court Justice husband.

Take out the usual coincidences and hokey twists and I was completely satisfied. I didn't even need the last twist. I was happy with the way it ended with twenty pages still left in the book!

I am reading the next one now (The Burning Man).

Not really reading at all.....

2005-07-26T16:14:00.000-04:00

I have not written in quite a while. I have not read anything for about the same amount of time.

I have a pile of books that I really want to read, but I am not reading any of them. No, that's not really true. I have started one book, Reading Lolita in Tehran. I have just gotten out of my good habit of reading one hour a day. So, it has been slow going the last few weeks.

I have not abandoned our 5 loyal readers. I will be back!!

Book 39 -- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

2005-07-24T22:13:00.000-04:00

Book 39 is in the books and it is called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

I am not really sure what to say about this book. Is it genius or is it a gimmick?

I can't tell and I probably need a bunch more time to think about it.

It is a cleverly written book told from the point of view of an autistic child...who is a genius at math and inept socially. Fascinating and eccentric read that left me... in a weird spot....

It isn't a terribly long commitment..and I recommend it... or do I?

Whatever...

Book 38 - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

2005-07-22T22:28:00.000-04:00

I finished....

When is the next one coming out?

I can't believe I am looking forward to a sequel... in a book!

I want to discuss it but muh wife hasn't read it yet.

Book 37 -- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

2005-07-20T16:27:00.000-04:00

I am not necessarily a fan of "important books." I barely read biographies... unless they are of some pop culture figure and I not about to read a 600 page book on the life of one person. Before I read this book (The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini) and one of the reasons why I kept putting off reading it was that I was under the impression that this was an important book. I needed to read it to talk in snobby social circles (not you SZG and TD and Tangent Woman). I needed to read it in order to belong. It made me not want to read it and read it at the same time.

On APril 23, 2005, SZG wrote -- "The Kite Runner led me again into a world virtually unknown to me, Afghanistan. This a beautifully written novel that follows the travails of Amir from his childhood in Afghanistan in the mid '70s until he returns during the reign of the Taliban in the '90s. Its a book about his relationships both to his father and to his friend and servant Hassan. I hate to classify this as a coming of age story because it is so much more. A truly incredible first novel from Khaled Hosseini. Read this book. "

I agree with SZG's initial assessment of the book. It is more than a coming of age story.. .it is deeper and it invites you into the center of a tortured and deeply horrific situation in Afghanistan.

However... I wasn't nearly as moved by this book as others seem to be. I found the plot to be laborous and unimaginative... I found the only real moving part to be the descriptions of the cities... and the more I think about it... I begin to agree completely with my wife and I get more and more annoyed at the chapter in the middle of the book that changes the character talking in first person. Blech.

I will recommend the book though... It is a good read and an important book... but if you want a more lasting impression of what is going on over there... may I recommend the movie OSAMA. That was moving.Amazon.com: Books: The Kite Runner

Book 36 -- Gone, But Not Forgotten by Phillip Margolin

2005-07-15T14:33:00.000-04:00

Crap... I ruined the ending of a book (Gone, But Not Forgotten) for myself and I didn't even mean too.

I picked up a bunch of paperback versions of Phillip Margolin's books. As many of you LOYAL readers know, I tend to pick up all the books of an author on eBay or something and read them all in chronological order. I am currently working through Phillip Margolin.

At the tops of all the books, even the ones that were written before it, it states "From the New York Times Bestselling Author of Gone, But Not Forgotten" I had never heard of the book, but I figured that that was the book that made him famous... much like all of Dan Brown's books will forever read... "From the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Da Vinci Code!"

I did a search for the book. Nothing much came up but a random DVD version of a movie version of the book did pop up. I looked at it and I realized that one of the actresses was playing two parts. Two parts that as I was reading were distinctively different and unrelated. I kept that thought in the back of my brain and yes... it was a major twist in the book.

It was a good book... I enjoyed the plot twists and turns and the eventual big twist that I mentioned above... I still feel rather goofy though.

I just started reading The Kite Runner today and I plan on reading the new Harry Potter one next.

Book #35: Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules

2005-07-10T20:38:00.000-04:00

Oh boy... I just labored through a book of short stories editted by the wittiest and best comic writer out there -- David Sedaris.

The Book was entitled Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules

These are not HIS stories. These are stories that he likes in a compilation that will benefit a charity in New York City.

I was hoping for a bunch of light and witty stories of lesser known writers... They were anything but light.

One of the best stories-- my favorite by far -- was called Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. His story was so incredibly touching that I was moved..while on a cross trainer of all places.

Others will probably like it... but I am going to have to rserve my judgment and recommendation.

Book 14: The Piano Shop on the Left Bank

2005-07-08T18:45:00.000-04:00

Its been a while.

I hit a little slump. I started on Fugitive Pieces, by Anne Michaels. It was the other recommendation from Joseph Fox Books. Anne Michaels is a poet who was making the transition to novels. Unlike Nicholas Christoper who succesfully made the transition (in particular read Veronica -- one of my favorite books), I found Fugitive Pieces very difficult to follow. After a few pages I just put it down. I may return to it when I am in a different frame of mind, but for now it is on the shelf.

Often, when I put a book down, I find it difficult to get right into my next book. Its as if my habit of reading is broken and I need to restart it again.

I read Thad Carhart's The Piano Shop on the Left Bank. Carhart is an American expat living in Paris. While walking his children to school he discovers a piano repair shop in his quarter. The book explores the world that opens to him as he becomes a part of the community through the repair shop.

I enjoyed it.

Books 33 & 34 -- Holiday Weekends Rock...

2005-07-05T12:12:00.000-04:00

JUly 4th weekend saw a lot of reading and buying of stuff for upcoming picnics. I wanted to have the Kite Runner finished for a picnic this Sunday, but it looks futile as muh wife is reading it.

While she read those, I picked up two other books.

Book 33 was A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. I love NIck Hornby. I think he has some incredibly insightful writing and he taps into the human psyche so incredibly well.

To me... this book was no different. I don't want to give too much away for anyone that will read it but I was satisfied by the ending where a group of people all become better people and yet... I can't tell you how or why they became better people. They just did...and we are walked through the entire process.

What I like most about his writing is that his characters speak the way people actually speak. People make references to music and movies when they discuss their lives with others. It is what we do and Nick Hornby's character interact that way.

I know that SZG may not agree but I was happy to see Nick's book and I was happy to have been a part of it. Is it as good as HIgh Fidelity? No... Is it as good as About a Boy? I would say so...

Book 34 will get almost nothing said about it.... as it is my annual dive into pure drivel and trash. Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich is the 11th and a half installment of the Stephanie Plum series. Ms. Plum is a bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey... and I find Evanovich's descriptions of the area to be sophmoric and pretty darn accurate.

Next up... a collection of stories editted by David Sedaris. I will read those.. but if the Kite Runner opens up while I am reading it... that book of short stories is going back on the shelf.

Books 31 & 32 -- I Was Productive This Week

2005-06-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

Book 31 was a book by one of my favorite New Jersey native sons - Stephen Frey. He isn't a top named author and you won't find his books on the New York TImes bestseller lists.

His books follow a similar plotline yet I am intrigued each time I read one. Find a sap that is a super smart and great fella and put him in the race or threat of his life as the major equity traders in the world try to bring him or her down. Fight fight fight and bring the man down. End of story... everyone is happy a doodle.

The Chairman is no different except that the protagonist is the head of one of these firms and another firm is trying to bring him down. He fights fight sfights and brings the man(men) down. Everyone is almost happy a doodle. Good fluff and insight into the financial world.

Book 32 was a not too far departure for my normal course of reading. It was The Last Innocent Man by Phillip Margolin. I have read so many other books that I strayed away from the new author I was planning on reading. I snuck this novel in while on a trip with the new family as I had ample time by a pool.

THis book was perfect pool reading. IT was engaging enougha nd had a good enough twist at the end to charm my sensibilities. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a book to read on the beach. In addition to the plot and twists, it also focusses on the subject of client/attorney confidentiality that I find so interesting....

This was his second book. It was written in 1983 and his next book was in 1992. Gone, But Not Forgotten seems to be the book that made him a full time author and I will read that after I finish the following books.

A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules -- Short Stories edited by David Sedaris
MAYBE the new Harry Potter book depending on how long it takes to read those other three.

Have a good one.

Book 13: A Long Way Down -- Nick Hornby

2005-06-24T11:43:00.000-04:00

Any book that I finish is at least decent. I never finish the really bad books. And not just bad books, but a whole variety of books that for some reason or another I never finish. Usually I am just not in the right frame of mind for that particular book.

So, if I finish a book, it means something.

Of course, sometimes it does not mean much.

A Long Way Down is just one of those books. I like Nick Hornby. High Fidelity and About a Boy are two of my favorite books. I like Hornby's phrasing/style. That Monty Pythonesqe humor which often does not translate well into the written word. Unfortunately, he's still got the style, this book just lacked the substance.

The basic premise is 4 individuals meet on the top of a building on New Year's eve with the intent of killing themselves. Rather than jump, they create a support structure for each other. The book traces the four characters in a narrative style with each character telling a bit of the story.

The book really wrestles with what it means to truly live. Unfortunately Hornby just can't seem to pump enough life into his own story.

But I finished it, so that must count for something, right?

Movies, Movies and more movies....

2005-06-21T14:33:00.000-04:00

Really only 3 movies.

This weekend my wife and I rented two movies (both her picks). She made me sit through Kinsey. Not great, not terrible, not just right either. For a rental it wasn't bad. But, I wouldn't rent it again.

Even worse, and not unexpectedly so, was Alfie. The remake with Jude Law. Do not rent this movie. It is 90 or so minutes you will never get back. Let me sum it up like this, Alfie is dating a married woman (so she is CHEATING) and he eventually dumps her because she gets too close. Later he runs into this woman again and he feels bad about dumping her. This is all part of some moral lesson that Alfie is learning about himself. The lesson should have been, don't date married woman.

Whatever. Skip it at all costs.

On the bright side, I watched The Motorcycle Diaries last night. Somehow the movie is able to be both melancholy and uplifting all at the same time. A worthwhile movie in the "buddy roadtrip" genre without being inane. I wish I had seen this one on the big screen.

Book 30 ... Already? Yeup

2005-06-20T11:16:00.000-04:00

Book 30 was another of my favorite mystery authors putting out another one of his popular Alex Delaware series novels.

Jonathan Kellerman has written his most recent Alex Delaware novel and it is entitled Rage. Rage premiered this week on the New York Times bestseller list in the number 7 position and will remain for another week.

Kellerman is a talented writer and his latest effort is certainly one of his better Alex Delaware outings.

His novels tend to be dark and intellectual. I would concur that this one certainly delved into that world but I would recommend it for anyone who knows his writing.

Book 29 Took No Time at All

2005-06-16T07:19:00.000-04:00

I finished up James Patterson's 2nd book of the year in three days.

If anyone reads the Women's Mystery Club series that he puts out.

4th of July is easily the worst of them all.

I understand he has another coming out in something like a month.

Insane.

#28 -- A Pretty Long One

2005-06-13T09:37:00.000-04:00

IN anticipation of the upcoming Harry Potter novel, I picked up the fifth one in the series entitled "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

I remember reading this book 2 years ago and thinking to myself that I wasn't as impressed with the other four books -- especially the third one.

Upon reading the 870 page book again, I am surprised at how much I had forgotten and how much I had missed. I think the book was actually better than I had originally thought and has done a great deal in preparing the reader for the final two installments of the series.

The sixth part comes out in JUST over a month and i a looking forward to it.

Will I read it right away? Nah... but muh wife and I will certainly pick it up the day it comes out!

Reading List Gone Awry

2005-06-08T21:28:00.000-04:00

Back in January I posted my inital reading list for the year.

If measured against that list, I have failed miserably. I have read 2 of the 9 initially listed.

But, I am getting back onto reading pace, completing two books since Memorial Day.

The latest two are:

#11 Embers by Sandor Marai
and
#12 To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer

Embers was one of the recommendations I got from the nice people of Joseph Fox Books in Philadelphia. Its a book I would probably never even look at in a bookstore. Originally written in Hungarian in 1942, the story revolves around the relationship of two friends that have not seen each other in almost 40 years after some event drove them apart. That last sentence is such an oversimplification as to be laughable. I am at a complete loss as to how to describe it. To some, it could prove to be a slow lumbering read. But something about the beauty of the words and the story compelled me to keep reading. Let me put it like this, if I had to rank my top 20 books of all-time, Embers makes the cut.

To Your Scattered Bodies Go is the first in the Riverworld Series. I actually caught the horrible telemovie on Sci-Fi earliers this year and thought the story could be an interesting read. It was. Sheer sci-fi pulp. Imagine if everyone who had ever lived on Earth was resurrected and given a second chance. That's it. The story follows Richard Burton as he tries to uncover why they were all resurrected.

It made for a good read. But, I am not going to keep reading the series. First the reviews for the rest of the series progress downwards. Second, much like the Matrix, the premise for the story is interesting enough, but there's no good way to tell the ending.

Random Ramblings

2005-06-04T12:47:00.000-04:00

I have been in the middle of a whirlwind tour. Philadelphia for Memorial Day weekend. Got home Monday night, flew to Chicago Tueday. Landed late last night, back to Phila for a Phillies game today and on a train to DC tommorrow. I will get home Tuesday night and then go to Atlantic City for the following week.

Where to begin?

Books

I like Amazon for its recommendation wizard, and for some reason I have an affinity for Barnes and Noble. But, I always, always, always, try to find an independent book store in my travels. I didn't have time in Chicago. But, in Philadelphia I found two, Joseph Fox Books, 1724 Sansom Street and Big Jar Books, 55 N. 2nd Street. Joseph Fox Books was a delight. It is not very big, but the staff was very helpful, recommending some stuff that I would never have found through Amazon. Big Jar Books is more a used book store, but I found TWO books I had been looking for, so again, a winner.

Another habit I have when flying is to buy magazines I wouldn't ordinarily read. I used to look forward to going to the airport store and picking new stuff out. Well, in Phila and O'Hare (Chicago) the newstands are all run by Hudson News. So the selection in both airports was almost identical and not nearly as extensive as I seem to remember. I was very disappointed.

Before I left, I finished my 10th book, The Perfect Mile by Neil Bascomb. As someone who imagines himself a runner, it was a fun read about the quest for the 4 minute mile.

Movies

So far I have seen two movies on the trip; Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Star Wars, Episode III.

Enron was a scary, albeit a little long, look at the rise and fall of the company. You should see this film.

Star Wars is Star Wars. I saw it in digital format in Chicago. I liked how the story wrapped up, tieing all the loose ends together for the Star Wars many of us love. But otherwise, if I had missed it, I would not have missed much. The digital projection was great, espcially since the movie was shot digitally. But there are limited theatres that have it.

Music
I picked up the new Audioslave (metacritic) I really like those guys.

I was very disappointed by the Virgin Megastore on Michigan Avenue. I was looking to pick up 22-20's album. It is relatively new (April) and a little obscure, but still this is a Virgin Megastore. Another reason to download with Itunes or some other service. No stocking issues.

That's it.

I'm off again.

When I get back I should have completed at least one and maybe even two more books......

#27 -- Election by Tom Perrotta

2005-06-01T22:45:00.000-04:00

The Newark Star Ledger started a new column this week that will run all summer in their Perspective section.

It will feature famous writres that are from new Jersey and they will write a column about New Jersey related topics-ish.

The first column this week was by Tom Perrotta who is from Garfield, New Jersey. His column was interesting and neat even though my complaint is that it just ended without much purpose to it at all.

Regardless... I picked up Election by him as a fun little tribute to him. It is an extremely concise and powerful novel that was turned into a major motion picture with Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon.

The movie was fantastic and the book is tremendous. Perrotta is a talented writer who is able to tap into the human psyche rather well writing about how fallable humans are and shows us their innermost thoughts.

#26 -- Heartstone by Phillip Margolin

2005-05-30T17:26:00.000-04:00

I have not been reading as much as I would like to as I have been doing a lot of new things at work and I have been doing a lot around the house. However, the three day Memorial Day weekend saw me reading the first book in New York Times Bestselling novelist Phillip Margolin bibliography.

All of his books seem to be promoted by saying that Margolin isthe writer of "Gone, But Not Forgotten." That is his third book and I will eventually read it as I really enjoyed this first book (Heartstone) by Margolin.

I will say that I can see why he didn't reach national prominince with this book but it is a good mystery read nonetheless.

I will be reading a lot of other books this summer as I anticipate the new Harry Potter book and the new Nick Hornby book.

This should be a tremendous summer of good reads.

Book #25 -- Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

2005-05-21T17:34:00.000-04:00

This is the book that Dan Brown wrote right before The DaVinci COde.

It is much better than the DaVinci Cde adn a pleasant distraction for when I needed it.

Book 9: Teammates

2005-05-19T22:23:00.000-04:00

I just finished a short book by David Halberstam, Teammates.

Like many books, I am not sure what I expected from it, but I left it wanting a little more than it had to give. The book chronicles the lives of four players, Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky and Bobby Doerr from their playing days on the Boston Red Sox in the late '30s until 2002. Those four players (2 of which are in the Baseball Hall of Fame) essentially grew up in Baseball together and remained friends throughout their lives. In 2002 Ted Williams was dying and Dom DiMaggio and Johnny Pesky made one last road trip to visit their friend.

It was a fascinating look back into a time and an era that may never exist again. These are four men that grew up during the depression, served our country (WWII and for Ted Williams Korea as well), and played America's sport.

If you are a fan of baseball, you'll like this book. If not, you may find it interesting, but I think it lacks something to hold you non baseball fans.....

Book 24 - Two Dollar Bill by Stuart Woods

2005-05-12T23:53:00.000-04:00

Stuart Woods is another one of those prolific mystery writers out there.

He doesn't write nearly as many books as James Patterson, but he still manages to put out at least two a year.

His most popular character is a fella named Stone Barrington who always seems to get laid and solve crime while fighting people who want to kill him and the CIA. They are pretty simple reads but I enjoy them nonetheless.

His latest book Two Dollar Bill qualifies as one of those books that is a simple read and a good read.

Stone gets the girl(s) and is still somehow able to save the world from a southern bad ass prick. Good job Stone.

I also used to do some political campaigns for a living. His novels featuring another one of his characters named Will Lee are neat and insightful into the ways campaigns are run and still manage to weave a mystery whodunit into the plot.

Check out www.stuartwoods.com for more information. I recommend Grass Roots and The Run.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

2005-05-11T14:23:00.000-04:00

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon, had been recommended to me by the Amazon recommendations wizard for a while now. But, something about following an autistic child investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog did not intrigue me all that much. I mean really, how does that sound to you? But, it is a Whitbread award winner, so there had to be something there....

Recently, I found myself sans book and too much time to kill so I bought it on a whim. The timing was a little odd, because I just finished reading this article, which talks about an autistic woman and her work with animals. In particular, how she redesigned slaughterhouses to make them more "animal friendly." I know, I know, it seems a little odd, but what it boils down to is that autistic people see the world differently than most of us, they see the little things that we never recognize, and many animals view the world in a similar way.

Those differences could not have been highlighted any better than in Curious Incident. I had heard someone with autism recently interviewed on NPR (probably by Terry Gross), and they indicated
this book was the most accurate they had read of what its like to be autistic. The book is truly fascinating and eye opening.

Read it.

While I decide what to read next, I have been working through, Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott and Getting Things Done by David Allen.

Book 23 - Maximum Ride by James Patterson

2005-05-06T11:57:00.000-04:00

The world's most prolific writer put out another book about three weeks ago. It is easy to call him that since his last book before that was released on February 14th and his latest book was released on Monday. That's three books in a 2 1/2 month span. I would call that prolific.

I will give him some credit though as I don't think he really writes these books. Almost every single one of the books is done with a co-author. Pretty smart...

This time around though, he wrote a book aimed at the "young adult" audience. He took some of his old characters 98% human and 2% bird characters and made them into more likable characters. He dumbed down his writing a bit.

The result is a book entitled Maximum Ride -- The Angel Experiment.

Even if you are a James Patterson fan... I really suggest skipping this book. It is an extremely laborious read and takes the fun out of being a kid.

Besides... there were too many dead people...for a kid's book.

Book 22 - True Believer by Nicholas Sparks

2005-04-29T06:02:00.000-04:00

Yes... alright... I love Nicholas Sparks... I love the drivel... I love the crap... and I ate the last one right up as well.

It was one of his better books and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to read about two people who "can't" be in love... but manage to find a way to fall in love anyway.

It is called True Believer.

Pages flying by.....

2005-04-25T09:46:00.000-04:00

Wonderland : A Year in the Life of an American High School -- Michael Bamberger. (metacritic)

In an effort of true escapism, I left behind the troubled landscapes of Rwanda and Afghanistan for the halls of Pennsbury High for the 2002 school year. A guilty pleasure to be sure, but a pleasure none the less.

Book 21 - Orange Crushed

2005-04-23T23:37:00.000-04:00

I followed up Pamela Thomas-Graham's Blue Blood with the final installament in the "Ivy League" mysteries series.

This book -- Orange Crushed -- took our hero to Princeton University where she went to meet her mentor and brother. Eventually, her brother became accused of murdering her mentor (but we all know that isn't going to be the truth friends.)

Once again, for everything that I liked about the first two, I enjoyed the third one even more. Even with very familiar and textbook characters, THomas-Graham is able to make a scathing report on the treatment of minorities in higher education. Her insight is tremendous to me.

I still stick to my guns on this statement. "These are decent books - not as good as Stephen White but decent enough!"

I hope there are more... the ending makes you believe there will be.

Two more down.....

2005-04-23T22:30:00.000-04:00

After spending what feels like forever reading We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch, I blew through The Kite Runner in 2 days, reading most of it on the train coming home from Washington.

Both were very good books.

We Wish to Inform You was well written, enlightening and, at times, difficult. Difficult, because the material pushed me out of my comfort zone. Reading about genocide is never pleasant. But I found the reaction of the world community to be just as unpleasant. Its a story we should all hear and read. We may not like it. But, it raises real questions about sovereignty and the world community. I do not think we in the States give that much thought. If I had one gripe with this book, it is a lack of both footnotes/endnotes and/or a real listing of sources. Yes, the author does touch on this through his acknowledgements, but that is not enough. He makes a lot of bold assertions about how the world reacted, the role of NGO's and what happened inside Rwanda and surrounding nations. While I took much of what he wrote on its face, the book would have been strengthened with citations.

The Kite Runner led me again into a world virtually unknown to me, Afghanistan. This a beautifully written novel that follows the travails of Amir from his childhood in Afghanistan in the mid '70s until he returns during the reign of the Taliban in the '90s. Its a book about his relationships both to his father and to his friend and servant Hassan. I hate to classify this as a coming of age story because it is so much more. A truly incredible first novel from Khaled Hosseini. Read this book.

Draft: New Music

2005-04-21T21:06:00.000-04:00

I have been on the run the last few weeks. Over the last two weeks or so I have been to two different conventions in Atlantic City and another two conventions in Washington DC. During the trips I was able to finish "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda" by Philip Gourevitch. I will write a review of that amazing book tomorrow. Also I have almost completed The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I should also have more to say about it this weekend. (Sneak preview: READ THESE BOOKS!)

While my reading has been slow, I have gone a little nuts with music. Over the last two weeks I have picked up: Beck -- Guero, The Futureheads, Sugarcult -- Start Static, and Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros -- Streetcore.

Beck, Guero (metacritic 77, 6.6 from Pitchfork)
I am pleasantly suprised by this album. I am not a huge Beck fan. I liked some of his breakthrough stuff (Gold, Odelay) but not much since. Guero seems to be more of a return to those first albums, although with a little more maturity in the music.

The Futureheads (metacritic 85 , 8.3 from Pitchfork)
I have not really listened to this yet.

Sugarcult, Start Static (not reviewed by either Metacritic or Pitchfork)
After getting hooked on their second album, and loving the single from this album, I had to buy this cd. I wish I had not. It's just ok.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, Streetcore (metacritic 84, 6.9 from Pitchfork)
I have toyed with buying this cd for a few years. I love The Clash. I even liked Big Audio Dynamite. How could I not like this? The reviews were usually favorable. And yet, something kept holding me back. I had a similar experience with Rancid's ...And Out Came the Wolves. After almost a decade, I finally broke down and bought it. Critics argue Rancid is too much like a Clash rip-off, but that's ok for me.

So, after my success with Rancid, I decided to give Joe Strummer a chance. I have listened to the album a few times now, and I am still mixed. I don't love it, but its not too shabby either.

Book 20 - Missing Persons by Stephen White

2005-04-19T23:07:00.000-04:00

Despite my distraction with the Two Pamela Thomas-Graham books, I received notice from the library that the copy of Missing Persons by Stephen White that I wanted to read had finally arrived.

Entitled Missing Persons, the book follows my favorite psychologist come crime fighter as he delves into the world where a little girl goes missing eight years to the day after Jon Benet Ramsey disappears a few houses down from the Ramsey home.

This Colorado native delves into the whole possible kidnapping in a fantastic and interesting journey.

It is the last book in the series so far. It is a worthwhile addition to the series but will not keep the interest of a new reader that comes along. The characters have developed so much from the beginning fo the series to get the full bang out of this book.

I still say though that Stephen White is the smartest relatively unknown mystery writer out there today.

You have to be kidding me...

2005-04-15T16:06:00.000-04:00

... who let Rob Thomas become a homo-boy band guy?

Book 19 - Blue Blood

2005-04-15T10:20:00.000-04:00

I followed up A Darker Shade of Crimson with the second book of three in the Ivy League mysteries series.

It was entitled Blue Blood. For everything that I liked about the first one, it was expanded in the second one. The murder mystery was fun and had a few interesting twists, but what really made this book work for me is the insight of the author in race relations in traditionally privilged white societies such as the Ivy League.

These are decent books - not as good as Stephen White but decent enough!

Darker Shade of Crimson -- Book Something or Other...18

2005-04-10T16:25:00.000-04:00

I picked up a new author. Pamela Thomas-Graham.

She is the author of three mystery/thriller books creaing a series entitled the "Ivy League Mysteries."

The first book is called "A Darker Shade of Crimson" and follows the only black professor in the Economics Department at Harvard. She gets caught up in a mystery and solves the crime.

What makes the series unique is that the black female professor addresses racial issues within the traditional privileged white sanctums of Ivy League schools.

The author herself is a well positioned black woman and doesn't need to write novels. A Harvard graduate herself, she became one of the most influential women in American business when she was named the first black woman partner at McKinsey & Company, the world's largest management consulting firm. Her credits continue ad nauseum.

She is well qualified to discuss the way the marketplace treats mionorities and you can sense that some of her experiences are portrayed in the fictional account she has written.

Next up... Blue Blood (The next book in the Ivy League series and written about Yale.)

Music: Bloc Party, Silent Alarm

2005-04-02T11:24:00.000-05:00

Metacritic: 79
Pitchfork: 8.9

I am always on the lookout for new music. But, my tastes are so particular that I have a diffcult time finding music I like.

Let's be clear, however, I am not a music snob. If I were, I would be gushing all over the new Bright Eyes and Elliot Smith releases. I so desperately want to rant about them, and others in that whole genre of indie-folk-rock. I just cannot understand where "alternative" rock went and how it got replaced on the one side by those types of groups, and the electronica on the other.

But, this is not about them. It is about another genre enjoying a reawakening our musical counsciousness. Its about Franz Ferdinand and the Killers succeeding in a style inspired by Joy Division and The Cure.

To me, Silent Alarm follows The Killers and FF down the same path, but without the hits. In an Itunes inspired playtlist world that might be a problem. But in a "listen to the whole album in your car world," this album solidly hits the mark.

Book 17 - Brian Haig's The President's Assassin

2005-03-28T18:02:00.000-05:00

As you know, I pick up an author and generally read everytihing by him or her in chronological order until I am finished. I then keep up with the author's new books as they come out.

One of the newer authors out there trying to write interesting mystery/thrillers is the son of Alexander Haig -- Brian Haig. Brian is an accomplished and retired Army fella himself and writes about an Army Lawyer who deals with the top secret cases.

The latest installment is about the same character, Sean Drummond, working to track down a group of killers that are trying to get to the President.

You can see the book here.

The previous four books are all better than this one. I really recommend giving one of his earlier books a shot if you are into the mystery thriller type stuff. As a former Army soldier, he has a lot of insight into the ways of the Army.

He is also a resident of Princeton, NJ, so you gotta give him the props that he deserves.

Next book -- Undecided...

Beyond Hotel Rwanda

2005-03-28T10:36:00.000-05:00

As I wrote previously, I was moved by Hotel Rwanda.

I must admit to being embarrassed by how little I know about that conflict. In fact, I know very little about many of the conflicts on the whole continent. Maybe it is one of the luxuries of being an American -- our news organizations are just not geared to cover international news. For many of us, ignorance truly is bliss.

But, I want to know more. So, I picked up, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda. I am about a third of the way through it. What amazes me most, so far, is how my own preconceived notions about the conflict were just dead wrong.

I believed, going in, that this conflict, like many of the others in Africa, was probably caused by colonialism and the seemingly random lines that created countries, dividing some tribes, while putting other tribes together. Yet, that seems not to be the case. While the Germans and the Belgians may have helped fuel the conflict in other ways, this was not a case of political geography. As I understand it, The Hutus and Tutis had coexisted in Rwanda for a significant period of time. Yet, even through their coexistence had managed to retain their individual tribal identities.

I will write more as I move forward with the book.

Good Omens

2005-03-25T10:58:00.000-05:00

My goal of 4 books a month seems to be fading fast. It's more like I have read 4 books in three months. So rather than 48, I am on pace to read 12. I think Smelmooo has already read more than that.

Even so, I have two books under my belt in the past few weeks and feel like I am getting back into a rhythm.

I just completed Good Omens. A collaboration by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. As you will recall, I recently read another Gaiman book and liked it. Pratchett is an entirely different matter altogether.

Pratchett is out of the same literary school as Douglas Adams. Their styles are similar to Monty Python (in fact I believe Adams did write for Python at some point) only with a science fiction bent. Many years ago I was exposed to both authors. Actually, that's not true. I found Pratchett after exhausting all possible material to read by Adams, but still looking for a fix. Unfortunately, at that time, I found Pratchett barely readable. So, after an attempt at one of his novels over a decade ago, I had never read another word he had written until now.

Good Omens is hyped on the cover with a quote from the New York Times, "A direct descendant of The Hithhchikers Guide to the Galaxy." In as much as the earth is destroyed in hitchhikers and GO is about the Apocalypse, both are funny in that Monty Python British sort of a way, then indeed GO is a descendant of Hitchhikers.

I must admit, Douglas Adams, in my mind, was so good, that everything else in the genre is second rate. So, you can imagine my surprise when I found myself laughing out loud at different points of GO.

I think this book succeeds because it marries Gaiman's solid fantasy/mythology storytelling with Pratchett's humor. The book plays to both of their strengths.

A good read.

Robots

2005-03-21T21:29:00.000-05:00

Sunday Matinee with a regular popcorn and a smuggled water for two? Under 20 bucks.

Totally worth it.

At times I felt I was in Disney World watch a pre-movie to some ride. Other times I felt like I was in Disney's MGM theme park watching the movie that Robin Williams stars in as they guide you through their animation department.

But, there were a bunch of kids in the theatre and they were all laughing. My wife was laughing too. So even the hokey script worked for some.

The visuals were pretty impressive. For that alone, it is probably worth it for the big screen.

Oh, and did I mention the trailer for Star Wars? Nice......(only to be disappointed AGAIN when the film comes out).

Book 16 - How to Be Good by Nick Hornby

2005-03-21T16:27:00.000-05:00

Nick Hornby has written a set of novels and they are all good for their various reasons.

High Fidelity is my favorite book with About a Boy coming in a close second.

His last novel of fiction was entitled How to Be Good and wasn't up to snuff with his other books. It is the account of a couple and their possible divorce until the husband goes to extremes of kindness when he reviews his bitter life and attempts to "be good". The catch is that he brings in his two kids and estranged wife with him on his misguided adventure.

I read it about 4 years ago when it first came out and I didn't think much of it then. I couldn't emote with the characters.... and I have to say... that although I can relate more with the characters this time by the virtue of being married, it still isn't as good as Nick Hornby is capable of.

I recommend reading it though if you want to get a flare for Nick Hornby and what he is capable of.

Next up... The President's Assassain by Brian Haig

Books 14 and 15

2005-03-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

My recent trip to Vegas allowed me to read a bunch more on planes and in my spare time.

I finished two and a half books on the plane... but let's just discuss what I DID finish.

I read Blinded by Stephen White. It is the 2004 installment of the serious that I have written about numerous times on here and not his best. His latest one came out a couple of weeks ago... once I read that one, I will be all caught up on his books.

Book 15 was the original Manchurain Candidate by Richard Condon from the 1960s. As a huge fan of the ORIGINAL movie, I found the book form to be a decent read. It was a bit rough in terms of flow but still very well written.

Good reads.

Next Up (1/2 way done) -- Nick Hornby's How to Be Good

Constantine

2005-03-17T23:06:00.000-05:00

It reminded me a lot of American Gods. Which is probably no coincidence since it was based on a comic book and American Gods was written by someone who is a graphic novelist (isn't that just a comic book with more pages?)

The movie was dark, both visually and thematically. It had a nice blend of story and graphics. It was also a little hokey.

I paid full price. It wasn't quite worth it. Matinee? Definitely.

Mix Tapes / Playlists

2005-03-12T16:13:00.000-05:00

Recently, I took part in a CD Exchange. Essentally, each participant creates a mix of music, designs the artwork for the cd, and then sends a copy of their cd to every other member. The end product is often a mixed bag, from the very professional to the song list scribbled on a piece of paper. It can be a great way to hear a lot of music I had not heard before. For some examples, check out the Art of the Mix.

In the process of participating, the most rewarding part for me was not in the receiving of new music, but in creating mine. Its part nostalgic, remembering a time in my past when I would sit at my stereo with my dual cassette deck taping off the radio or from tape to tape. But also, I get to create something. From deciding which songs to include, to how to design the cd booklet, I am moved outside my comfort zone of things I do well and into a place where I do not spend that much time.

After making a few of my own, looking over the CD's I have gotten, and checking out many of the mixes on the Art of the mix, what I am left wondering is this: How do you create your playlists?

Getting Back on Track

2005-03-12T16:00:00.000-05:00

I just finished American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I am not even sure how I got to this book. After finishing Out of Left Field, I got a bad case of reader's block. I tried two different books that I really do want to read, Under the Banner of Heaven and Salt. But neither worked for me. A change of pace was in order. After a trip to my local bookstore (ok, it's a Barnes and Noble, but that sounds so commercial....) I came home with two novels, American Gods and the Kite Runner.

American Gods did the trick. I confess, I had never even heard of Neil Gaiman before almost randomly picking up his novel in the store. While I like some science fiction / fantasy, it has not been a regular part of my reading diet in quite a while.

Without giving away too much, its about an ex-con, Shadow, and his road trip across America. I do not want to deceive you, it is not a road novel like On the Road, or Travels with Charley. This story combines mythology, a little religion, and the author's vivid imagination to tell a fun, although sometimes sluggish, story. It took a little while to get into the spirit of the novel, but once it grabs you, it does not let go.

But, if you are checking it out on Amazon or some other on-line retailer and it does look interesting to you, might I tempt you with a better book?

Veronica by Nicholas Christopher. A poet turned novelist, Christopher's writing far exceeds Gaiman's, and the story is even better. Check it out.

Books 12 & 13 - Jack by A.M. Homes & Honeymoon by James Patterson

2005-03-08T22:42:00.000-05:00

I have been a busy little reader recently.

I picked up two books recently. In my mind, the books were dramataically different from each other.

The first book was Jack by A.M. Homes. The book centers around a 15 year old boy who learns why his parents divorced a few years prior. He is a boy that is an athlete and joins in the taunting of boys who are not like him. He is a "man's man" type of kid. The problem is that his father has recently come out and Jack has to deal with the new world that he is forced to live in.

Jack's father being gay is almost incidental to the main theme of the book - the growth of Jack. For a book that was published in 1989, this was pretty insightful. I have seen copmparisons to Catcher in the Rye and A Separate Piece as it is about a young boy who is forced to grow up quicker than he wanted.

I find this to still be one of my favorite books. The dialogue of the kids is exactly as I remember it in the early 1990's as Jack's character in terms of chronology is only 3 years older than me. So the book seems more real to me than anything else I have read.

One note about the book... A.M. Homes is a woman...and this book caused a similar reaction that The Outsiders did when it was written. Many people questioned how a woman could write about the inner feelings of a boy...well... the answer is simple. They can and did.

It is a worthwhile book...

The other book I read is the latest number one seller by James Patterson entitled Honeymoon. For James Patterson, this is one of his better and recent books. It introduces some new characters yet, they feel comfortable to me. His formula is to write 3-4 page chapters and try to leave you hanging at the end of each chapter. He does so adeptly in this book as well. If you are looking for a good book to read this summer that is smart yet brainless then I have found your book!

Nick Hornby's The Polysyllabic Spree -- Book 11

2005-02-28T14:06:00.000-05:00

It is a collection of essays that Nick Hornby -- author of High Fidelity and About a Boy -- wrote for the Believer, a magazine.

His monthly column that stretched out just over a year and covered a year of turmoil for a famous author in what and how he decided what to read.

Each column features a list of the books he bought and the books he actually read that month. It is a fascinating trail to follow with an author that has a lot of the same tastes that I have.

I recommend reading it if you are a bibliophile, but this is a very tough book to read for the non-reading geek.

Next up -- A.M. Homes - Jack

The Aviator

2005-02-26T23:15:00.000-05:00

A friend warned me that it could be three hours of my life that I could never get back.

While it is true that I will never get that time back, it was worth it. Leo can act. Cate Blanchett is Hepburn -- it's a little uncanny. The story is engrossing and the three hours flew by.

However, The movie was a little too self-indulgent. Like Gangs of New York, Scorsese likes the material more than we do. And, unfortunately, he leaves so many details out, its hard to believe that movie was still three hours long.

If you like movies, for movies sake, this one is worth it. But "Best Picture" -- nope.

The Best Revenge by Stephen White -- Book 10

2005-02-24T15:33:00.000-05:00

Not as good as his other books but still worth the read, Stephen White took me on an adventure that made me re-evaluate my definition of a hero. I wish I could give away the major plot twist that transpired half way through the book as it would help me explain as to what and who a hero should be defined as.

Click here for more information on the book I am talking about.

Stephen White has a knack to make you go... "hrm... I didn't see that coming" about half way through most of his books...and he did it again.

Read this book without any reservations or thoughts about what is real. It will surprise you.

Next on tap -- Nick Hornby's The Polysyllabic Spree

Upcoming Rants

2005-02-24T10:42:00.000-05:00

I do not have the time to write now.

But here are two tirades coming down the pike......

1. Ellitot Smith / Bright Eyes / "Indie-Pop" -- why is all the new music such crap? And why do the so-called critics fawn all over this garbage?

2. Mass Market Paperbacks vs. Trade Paperbacks -- the small books for $7.99 or less and the big books that have the exact same content for $12.99 or more.......

Million Dollar Baby & The Stepford Wives

2005-02-23T13:59:00.000-05:00

Muh wife and I have been watching a ton of movies recently. The last two that we watched were Million Dollar Baby and The Stepford Wives.

They are an interesting study in contrast.

1. Million Dollar Baby is a well made movie that ends in a fashion that just hits you like a ton of bricks. As SZG said in his quip, we are not sure what we were expecting, but it was a lot different than we expected. It was a well made movie and I would certainly have voted for Hillary Swank to take the award this year if I was allowed to submit a ballot. She was incredible. I was also really impressed wiht the power of Clint Eastwood in this film. I don't want to give away too much, but the last 1/3 of movie is simply beyond explanation. The two of them put on the performances of their careers. That is saying a lot for Clint, but not as much for Hillary. I might even want to go on record as saying that she could very well be the single best actress out there right now. She is so understated and phenomenal.

2. On the other hand, there is the Stepford Wives, which might qualify as the single worst movie of the year. This movie features at least FOUR Oscar Winners (Glenn Close, Christopher Walken, Nicole Kidman, and Bette Midler (for music)), a TONY winner (Matthew Broderick) and TWO Grammy winners (Faith Hill and Bette Midler) and this is the crap that they came up with? Jesus... this movie was so bad that muh wife and I flipped around the special features to find something redeeming. We did... the first 30 seconds of the gag & blooper reel.

Horrid.

Books 7, 8 and 9

2005-02-18T10:31:00.000-05:00

The trip to Hawaii wasn't as productive as I thought it was going to be in terms of reading books. This is primarilly because I watched FOUR movies on the 11 hour flight to Hawaii instead of reading.

Anyway...

Book 7 was Five People You Meet in Heaven. I decided to finally succumb and see what the big deal was about this book. I think the overall story was nice and an interesting way to look at heaven, but how and why is this book a major bestseller? I just don't get it. For anyone that reads regularly, it is 196 pages and extremely simplistic in its narration. You should be able to finish it in 2 hours.

Books 8 & 9 were the next two books in the Alan Gregory books by author Stephen White. As I stated in an earlier post, I have been reading his books. His books focus on a psychiatrist in Boulder, Colorado that solves crimes with the help of his D.A wife and his Boulder P.D. best friend. The books focus primarilly on his point of view and they strike intriguing chords witht he readers as they develop deeper and deeper in the psyches of some pretty messed up folks. Stephen White isn't a big name talent but he writes books with real and flawed characters and is still able to literally get me to a point where I have trouble putting the book down.

I was able to read The Program. This is a book about Witness Protection Program. Excellent read.

I was also able to read Warning Signs and this also qualifies as another top notch page turner. This book is about the justice system, terrrorism and vengeance. Halfway through the book, I literally put it on the coffee table, looked at my wife and went... "Wow... I didn't see that coming. That was pretty amazing."

I recommend his books. They are smart and entertaining. I would also recommend reading him from the beginning... you can actually see how much better he gets as he goes along. For more information on Stephen White go to here.

Million Dollar Baby

2005-02-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

A Clint Eastwood film about boxing?

That's what my wife wanted to see Saturday night.

Not really. Our choice was really about 90 minutes. The Aviator, which is 30 minutes longer than Million Dollar Baby, also started about an hour later. Did we want to wait around for 60 minutes and then stay in the movie theatre an extra 30 minutes?

Not this Saturday night.

And I am glad we did not wait. We were pleasantly surprised. I know, it seems sort of odd to be surprised by a nominee for Best Picture, but we were. I am not sure what we expected, but it was well-told story. A little long perhaps. Maybe a few too many cliches about boxing. But so what? I paid full price and I would pay full price again -- it was worth it.

Book 6 -- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

2005-02-08T09:56:00.000-05:00

The Smelmooo and his wife have left for a vacation, so I should have a long list of books that I have finished after that.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was a transitional book as I didn't want to read any of my paperbacks befoer getting to vacation.

A 734 page transitional book, but I finished it nonetheless and thoroughly enjoyed it again.

Excellent!

Reader's Block

2005-02-07T22:31:00.000-05:00

Some folks have difficulty writing, I have difficulty reading. I can not motivate myself to read. Daily distractions and busy days often keep me away from a book. I know, I know, I need to block out time, just like exercising, devoted to reading. My own little oasis time to escape from everything else. That often works. But, sometimes, it does not matter what I do, I feel like I have reader's block.

What to do? What to do?

Switch books? Tried that. No longer reading Salt. I moved on to, Under the Banner of Heaven. An engrossing look at fundamentalist Mormons based around the murder of a mother and her child. But, Szg, how engrossing can it be if you are not reading it?

Good question. When I am reading it, I like it.

HMaybe I need to stop thinking about it and go do something -- like read.....

Hotel Rwanda

2005-02-05T14:49:00.000-05:00

Smelmooo and I went to see Hotel Rwanda last night.

It was a powerful movie. Powerful for the story it told, and for exposing how little I truly know about world affairs.

I am more than a little surprised that it was not nominated by the Academy for "Best Picture." However, if Don Cheadle were to win for Best Actor, that would lessen the blow of Paul Giamatti not being nominated.

But awards, and who wins them, pale in comparison to the story of this movie. It is more than worth your time, it is your responsibility to see it. We should all know more than we do.

Maria Full of Grace Update

2005-02-02T16:12:00.000-05:00

As I was hoping, the lead actress from this powerful movie was nominated for a Best Actress statuette.

Catalina Sandino Moreno was tremendous and deserves every accolade she receives for her performance in this powerful film.

Book 5 -- A Biography -- Last Man Down

2005-01-28T11:59:00.000-05:00

I just finished my fifth book of the year and I appear to be on pace to complete my goal of 52 books in one year.

I recently went to an event that featured New York Fire Department Battalion Chief Richard "Pitch" Picciotto as the keynote speaker. He spoke of his experiences in the latest World Trade Center terrorist attack in September 2001. It was a moving speech.

It moved me enough that I wanted to meet him after the speech and I was lucky to later that night. We spoke for about 15 minutes about his ordeal and how other parts of the country receive him when he speaks to them. It was an inspiring 15 minutes.

I also maintained contact with him and he sent me an autographed copy of his book -- Last Man Down.

The book is a haunting description of his drive to the Towers, his saving of people, and his unfortunate participation and 4 story ride during the collapse of the second tower. This story was even more dramatic for me as I remembered his speech and his voice while reading it.

The book itself isn't well written as it is primarily the conversation and words of a man who isn't eloquent. That is what makes the book so powerful. It isn't a flashy book that uses a thesaurous to make a wordy impression. It is about the subject and one gritty man's relation of the tale.

By the end of the book, I had forgotten the words and profanity and I moved to a feeling of respect and awe for a man who made a difference that day.

This is an interesting perspective to the events of September 11th and it should be a read for anyone who wants to understand the true terror the firemen and Twin Tower employees went through.

Green Day's "American Idiot"

2005-01-27T10:48:00.000-05:00

I finally picked up Green Day’s “American Idiot” yesterday on the recommendation of my co-worker Jason. I wish I had picked it up ages ago. It is one of the best albums of 2004 and deserves every award it gets. Not just because of the political message of the album (very anti-Bush), but the playing and writing is amazing.

It was so easy to write off Green Day. Even for me, who heard “Dookie” incessantly in college in the 90’s. Green Day was the 90’s pop version of the 80’s pop-punk of The Clash and Hüsker Dü. And, much like Nirvana, they owe a big debt to the Pixies.

But, this album is light years ahead of “Dookie.” Like Hüsker Dü, and The Who before them, Green Day has made an ambitious concept album, or, “rock opera.” While concept albums are nothing new, it’s refreshing to see a well-known former MTV darling band basically say “to hell with commercial success, let’s make the album we want - something that means something,” and then be rewarded for it by the press and the public. The accolades are well-deserved and the music industry must start to take notice of the fact that people do want to hear music that is different and challenging, not just simple bubblegum pop (another example: Radiohead).

That is why “American Idiot” is important. This is why it is a great album:

Anyone familiar with The Who or Hüsker Dü will immediately see the musical similarities to the Hüskers’ 1984 punk-opera “Zen Arcade” and The Who’s classic mini rock-opera A Quick One While He’s Away, or even “Tommy.” For those unfamiliar with those albums, believe me: “American Idiot” is a perfect melding of these works into something new and vibrant.

Main songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, lead vocals) maintains the classic Green Day huge guitar sound throughout the album, but throws in bits of 1950’s rock, acoustic passages, vocal harmonies, keyboards, exotic percussion and other sounds that surprise throughout. It’s clear that this album is not just four-chord power rock. Some of the songs are quite challenging and the fact Billie Joe, Mike Dirnt (bass, vocals) and Tré Cool (drums, vocals) are excellent (even underrated) musicians means they can pull off the musical twists totally convincingly.

Two of the songs, Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming, are classic progressive rock-style 9 minute plus songs with rapid fire twists and turns, much like The Who’s A Quick One… But, since Billie Joe has a great mastery of the illusive “rock hook” and catchy melodies, it never sounds like long prog rock. The entire album flows seamlessly and has many highlights and songs that will stick in the listener’s ear all day.

But, the real focus of the album is the subject matter. It tells the story/thoughts of the teenage St. Jimmy of Suburbia and his attempt to make his way in the post-9/11 Bush/Republican/war mongering American suburbs. With lyrics like “The representative of California has the floor/zieg heil to the president gasman/bombs away is your punishment/pulverize the Eiffel Towers/who criticize your government,” it’s clear on which side Billie Joe comes down on. But, the harshness of some of the lyrics never takes away from the album. Billie Joe has a great pop voice and doesn’t sing with an over-the-top punk snarl that could turn the less-than-subtle lyrics into preaching obnoxiousness.

Overall, the lyrics and subject matter are very intelligent and well written. Billie Joe is trying to show how today’s world is confusing teenagers by writing the album from the perspective of St. Jimmy. This is teenage angst music, but not like Nirvana. Instead, “American Idiot” is much more like The Who’s 1973 rock opera/concept album, “Quadrophenia,” where Pete Townsend looks back on the days of the Mods and Rockers in mid-1960’s London (a scene he was a huge part of) not with fond memories, but with the bitterness of someone who now realizes how bad things were.

Like how “Quadrophenia” tells the story of a Mod named Jimmy and how absolutely messed up, confused, and drugged out he was, “American Idiot,” tells the story of a confused, messed up, and drugged out suburban teenager, St. Jimmy (naturally!), has become because of it all. Billie Joe’s songs are teenage angst music that looks at the world around us all and shows everyone how world events are affecting the youth of America (something the government is less than concerned about).

Finally, the last reason why the album is so great: it just rocks and can always be enjoyed on that level if you don’t feel like “getting all political.” The sign of a truly great and multi-dimensional album.

***** out of *****

In Good Company -- The Review

2005-01-25T12:01:00.000-05:00

My wife and I braved the elements this weekend and made it to the movie theater to see the new film -- In Good Company.

The movie centers around two men from different generations who must respond to a recent corporate takeover. The younger of the two -- played by the increasingly annoying and distracting Topher Grace -- is put in a position of power at a magazine. In doing so, he replaces the newly demoted older character -- played by the incomparable Dennis Quaid.

The movie centers on their relationship as the younger Grace essentially keeps Quaid's character around as he strives to get ahead and somehow be more like him at the same time. In the meantime, he meets Quaid's daughter and the two of them have an interesting love affair.

The movie is a bittersweet tale as two generations learn to come to grips with a changing world. Quaid's world is turned upside down as the "evil corporate empire" takes over the old school way of handling things. Essentially, in his mind -- the art of conversation and salesmanship are being deemed uselss by the hipper and go-getter younger generation. It is a hard concept to handle as he is forced to fire many of his long standing and loyal employees. On the other hand, the younger generation views the world from a corporate side and looks to meet the benchmarks of dollars established disregarding the human factor.

The movie is preachy at times but it gets the point across that the world is an arbitrary place. You could be secure one day and "free" the next day. It also gets us evaluating what it is that we actually value in life. Should we put work at the top of our list or should other things such as family come first. Both are forced to strive towards the middle.

I also saw another struggle in the movie. How should we as the younger generation view the older generation? The movie shows evidence of people being discarded as though they don't have anything to offer. The older generation is often regarded as ineffective and useless by the younger generation. I see that in life in my career. We can't do that to them... they have so much to offer... but I digress.

Overall, the movie is a good movie -- albeit that it relies on a lot of product placements that sometimes distract from plot itself.

After seeing this movie, I am more and more convinced that Dennis Quaid is one of the most underrated actors of our time. He can convey so much emotion without even saying a word. For fear of giving away too much of the plot, I will say that there is a moment when he is openning birthday presents that I will never forget...and he doesn't say a single word.

On the other hand, someone please put Topher Grace out of his misery. Stop spending money on his work. It is only encouraging him to act more and push his distracting and annoying voice on us all. Arbitrary statements? Yes... he hurts me and my sensibilities.

Official rating? Matinee...but if you are a Dennis Quaid fan... then it might qualify as a full price movie.

Live from my floor

2005-01-24T13:22:00.000-05:00

I hurt my back. I am currently kneeling at my computer -- my first attempt to even use the computer since Thursday, January 13. You would think that this would have been an ideal time to read a lot. You would be wrong. From last Thursday until Monday I tried to tough out the pain hoping I would get better with rest. I was wrong. The pain has been almost unbearable. But thanks to some prescription drugs and lots of rest over the last week, I am getting better.

Unfortunately, the pain mixed in with the drugs made it difficult to concentrate. So reading has been slow.

I did manage to finish Out of Left Field, How the Mariners Made Baseball Fly in Seattle by Art Thiel.

When I can, I will write a review.

Book 3 of 2005 is Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky. A friend recommended a different Kurlansky book, Cod, but this one was on sale.

2 down, 46 to go.....

Eats Shoots and Leaves

2005-01-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

Book Five was Eats Shoots and Leaves....

This review will be quite short... as I do not want to get into an esoteric review of a book about punctuation.

Essentially, the book served the author as she needed to gripe about the downfall of grammar in this country.

On behalf of muh wife and the rest of you grammar geeks... it gives you something to talk about.

Book a Week...4 down... Different Countdown

2005-01-19T09:33:00.000-05:00

SZG has decided to embark on a goal of about a book a week. I would like to embark on the same goal... This blog will give me a way of maintaining a list of how well I do.

I enjoy reading and for the most part, I enjoy reading inane or mundane garbage that keeps my brain light and thought free. This year has been a good example of that.

Let's get caught up on the first 19 days of 2005.

I began the year by reading "The Stupidest Angel" by Christopher Moore. This was the second time that I read it in the past month. It is a funny Christmas story that only Christopher Moore could tell. It involves Warriors Babes, Vampire Bats, Talking Corpses, Zombies and a Pot Smoking Native American Sheriff. If that doesn't draw you in... nothing will. Moore is a phenomenal satirist and this book is no exception. I actually found myself laughing out loud.

I followed up the Moore book with "Cold Case" by Stephen White. Stephen White writes a series of mystery books featuring a psychiatrist, his District Attorney wife, and their good slovenly benevolent police detective friend. The books take place in Boulder, Colorado. Stephen White is an example of how I find a new author - normally a mystery writer - and read his or her books all in chronological order. eBay makes it easier for me to do as I can buy a "lot" of books and re-sell them when I am done. If you are familiar with Jonathan Kellerman or his wife, then you know the type of books that White writes. White writes in a much smarter way then the other best selling authors write, which probably explains why his books don't sell as well as Kellerman or the super dumbed down James Patterson.

Immediately following the Stephen White book, my local library told me that "Night Fall" by Nelson DeMille was in. "Night Fall" is the latest book from DeMille and features the return of his beloved chauvinist pig character -- John Corey. DeMille writes his FICTIONAL stories around real life events or things that COULD be real life events. When he began his career, he wrote about spy stuff that could take place in a Cold War setting. When the Cold War eventually passed, he moved on to terrorism. His new characters are part of an anti-terrorist group. "Night Fall" looks into the possible conspiracy that was behind the real life TWA Flight 800 explosion and subsequent crash.

Currently, I went super brain dead and picked up a book that is relevant to one of my guilty pleasures... Professional Wrestling. I am reading the biography of one of my favorite wrestlers -- Adam Copeland (a.k.a. Edge). His life is interesting in the same way that most professional wrestler lives are interesting. These are men that completely dedicate their lives to succeeding in a short term business and live in the crappiest of situations to please an audience. I have read a series of these and in absolutely NO CIRCUMSTANCES have I ever read about a person that wants to succeed for money. It is always about entertaining.

Well... that is 4 books so far... I anticipate that my upcoming vacation and the 28 hours that I will spend on a plane - in total - will assist me with this goal.

Maria Full of Grace

2005-01-13T09:59:00.000-05:00

It all began with a mid December issue of Entertainment Weekly, when I read the monthly column of one of my favorite guilty pleasures -- Stephen King. He wrote an article about his top ten favorite movies of the year.

As an avid movie fan, I keep up with all the movies that are released and I have a very good grasp of what movies are "hot" and why they are "hot" whether it is for special effects, a tremendous performance or even a great nude scene.

When I was reading Stephen King's countdown, I was familiar with all the movies that were on his list ... except one. The movie he listed as best movie of the year -- Maria Full of Grace.

After reading that, I was, of course, intrigued. I searched out more information on the movie and saw that it was a critical success across the board. This was later supported by the tons of Top Ten lists that came out. One movie seemed to join Sideways on all the lists of best movies of the year -- Maria Full of Grace. The Yahoo! Movies listing for Maria Full of Grace shows that it received a solid A from the critics (This is an average of all the reviews of the major critics.)

After some quick research, I discovered that it was on DVD, so I immediately added it to my Netflix queue and put it near the top. Two weeks later, my wife and I watched the film.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was a foreign film and that it would be subtitled. I knew that the lead actress was nominated for a Golden Globe nomination and would most likely be nominated for an Academy Award. And, I knew I was ready for a fantastic flick.

The trouble I have when I sit down to watch a movie that has gotten all these accolades is that I am sometimes disappointed that the movie didn't live up to the hype. This time... I was not disappointed.

The plot is simple. "This is the harrowing story of a (not quite) typical mule: Maria Alvarez (Moreno), an intelligent and fiercely independent 17-year-old girl from Colombia who agrees to smuggle a half-kilo of heroin into the United States. " (Yahoo movies)

The movie shows the trip of the 17 year old girl to the United States and what happens to her once she arrives. It is a one hour and forty one minute movie and as soon as she steps on that plane, I couldn't take my eyes off the film. They had successfully created an empathetic character and even though she was breaking the law and causing damage to herself -- psychologically and physically, you rooted for her.

This movie is a triumph. It shows that you can make an incredible film and not spend big money. You can make people sit on the edge of your seat and not have killer robots to do so. You can intrigue people and make them cheer just by watching a young girl work out of her financial despair.

These makes me want to see another heart warming movie ... In America...

1 Down, 47 to go.

2005-01-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

I just completed reading The Making of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman. Having already read The Soul of A Chef (which was written after this book), I had some idea what to expect both from the quality of writing and the material he would cover. I enjoyed The Soul Of A Chef and wanted more.

In the Making of a Chef, Michael Ruhlman attends the Culinary Institute of America and writes about his experiences there, starting from Skills class all the way through to his final block at the American Bounty Restaurant.

Michael Ruhlman has a passion for food and cooking. This enthusiasm carries over into his writing. Throughout the book he ponders whether passion for food and cooking can be taught. Even if it cannot, his certainly carries us along with him. It was an easy read that held my attention and encouraged me to read more. His exuberance for the material not only encouraged me to continue reading, but made me want to be a better cook.

However, the book is not without is share of flaws. His writing is a bit jumpy at different points and sometimes I wish he explained some cooking terms more fully, especially for those of us that are not professional chefs. Also, because he condensed his stay, skipping over some classes and the required externships he was unable to follow one class all the way through their first two years. This leaves him to introduce new characters about midway through his experience. So while we get a taste of life at CIA, and some of the students and instructors that populated its campus in the mid '90s, I kept thinking how much more interesting the book would be if he had followed the same students. In the end, Ruhlman is forced to insert himself into the storyline more than I would ordinarily like for a book of this type.

Overall -- if you have a passing interest in food and cooking, this is a worthwhile read.

***
-- Szg

Any links to commercial establishments are not endorsements, nor do they generate any revenue for this author or the website.

Rating Movies: The Smelmooo Way

2005-01-11T11:58:00.000-05:00

It occurs to me that when I rate movies to friends, I don't generally give them a 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 star rating. I try to figure out what they like and adapt the rating to them. For example, Dawn of the Dead is a pretty good movie with some cool special effects, but if you aren't into fun horror movies then this might not be your type of movie.

How do you quantify your opinions like that?

To put it into perspective, I would give Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King the same rating I would to Ghostbusters. I think they are both completely perfect films, but for much different reasons.

I decided long ago to rate movies in a different manner -- one that suits my way of thinking and still applies actual worth to a film. You will see that the system is essentially a star system but it is more of a real world way of saying what I want to say and enables me to add caveats.

1. Full Price -- The movie was so good -- whatever kind of movie it was -- that I would recommend that you sneak out right now and see it... no matter what it costs. I would even say that if you had to go on a Friday night with everyone else in the world, it would be completely worth it for you. Full price is a big honor.

2. Matinee -- The movie is good. You should see it. You would like it, but I am not quite sure you would love it... so I don't want to be the guy that told you to go see a movie and made you pay full price... Matinees are always good to see... you see a movie and still feel like you saved a few bucks.

3. DVD -- DVDs on average come out 5-7 months after the movie was in the theaters. This level signifies that it was an ok movie, but if you miss it in the theaters, don't sweat it. DVD is good enough... especially in this world of Netflix when it won't cost you much to see it anyway.

4. Cable -- Movies almost always come out on cable one full year after they are released. It is really recommended that you wait that long to see this piece of drivel.

5. Regular TV -- They release stuff on regular television after removing all the bad words, violence and nudity, a few years after it comes out. Seriously... you can wait that long.

6. Ugh... (Self explanatory.)

My Reading List

2005-01-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

About a year ago, I read this post. I am sure that idea was not new or unique, but for some reason it was something that had never occurred to me. 52 magazines in 52 weeks. I did not attempt to read 52 magazines, but I did seek out 5 or 6 that I had never read, just to expose myself to some new things.

Towards the end of last year, again through kottke.org, I came across this. Someone took the original idea one step further and read 52 books in 52 weeks. 52 books!

That idea inspired me. I always want to read more, but never seem to make it a priority. Like so many others, I get sucked into some inane tv show(s) and time that I should have been reading I "waste'" on TV. Do not misunderstand me, not all tv is bad. Having a guilty pleasure -- The O.C. -- is quite alright. Its the 20 other hours a week that I can no longer account for that have me concerned.

What to do?

My goal is to read 48 books this year, or 4 a month. I may adjust that number if I tackle some of the books that perpetually appear on my list (Master of the Senate and The Power Broker) and are of some heft. Below I have outlined what's on my list so far for this year:

1. The Making of a Chef -- Michael Ruhlman (I have just about completed this one)
2. Cloud Atlas -- David Mitchell
3. Out of Left Field, How the Mariners Made Baseball Fly in Seattle -- Art Thiel
4. American Sphinx, The Character of Thomas Jefferson -- Joseph Ellis
5. An Unfinished Life, JFK -- Robert Dallek
6. Master of the Senate -- Robert A. Caro
7. Sam Adams -- David McCullogh
8. The Metaphysical Club -- Louis Menand
9. Under the Banner of Heaven -- Jon Krakauer

Like Nick Hornby's column in The Believer, wherein the books he buys and the books he reads are never the same, this list is subject to change and will change. I will keep you updated on my progress and changes as they occur. If you have any suggestions, I am open to them.

My view of the world

2005-01-07T16:11:00.000-05:00

Before I review a movie, book, or anything else, I thought it important to give you an idea about how I think about these things.

Books -- I read books in spurts. Often I find an author I like and read everything by that author. Other times I find a topic of interest and stick to good books within that topic. And then, other times my reading list is a jumble of books that interest me for some reason or another, but do not follow any rhyme or reason.

What do I like? It's hard to say. I love Douglas Adams, but had an enormously hard time with Terry Pratchett. I loved Christopher Buckley's first few novels, but didn't read the last one and his latest does not look any better.

Over the last year or so, I have been on a nonfiction kick. And I think I am going to remain there for quite some time although I have vowed to read Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

Movies -- I go into every movie that I watch wanting to like it. I have to really hate a movie to dislike it. I am not some snob critic who will pick apart a movie and point out its weaknesses and faults. I watch movies to be entertained and am willing to overlook a films imperfections if I am entertained. Of course, my view of a movie does change if I see in the movies at full price, as a matinee, or as a rental at home.

Music -- Finding "new" music that I like is my most difficult challenge. I always find books to read and movies to enjoy, but new "good" music I find very elusive. Unlike my attitude towards movies, I am much harsher on music. This attitude is probably based on the different role music plays in my life than books and movies. I read a book, I think about it, maybe I build upon that knowledge with another book on the topic, or not, but at the end of the book I move on. Movies too, I enjoy a good movie, and maybe even see it more than once, but once its over, its over. Music is always around. Its on in my office, in my car, on my ipod, etc.... But getting music "right" for my ear is hard.

Unfortunately, that is not really much of an explanation of my view of the world. I guess as I "review" items and think about the role they play, that will help both you and I to better define what my view of these things truly is.

Ocean's 12

2005-01-07T08:59:00.000-05:00

Hi there!

My wife Chris & I went to see "Ocean's 12" over this past weekend. She and I had seen the first together, and wanted to see the sequel. I love sequels. Not because they're better (they usually are not) but because it gives me a chance to compare and look at the first film in a new light.

I have to say that I liked 12, but not as much as 11. It wasn't that 11 was funnier, it was mostly that the novelty was gone. I know, it's weird to call a remake "novel," but, with an ensemble piece, it's the gathering of the different characters that makes the movie. In 12, they tried to replicate that with Andy Garcia's character tracking down each member of the gang, who had taken their shares of the money and started new lives. It was fun, but, lacks the novelty of 11.

What does work in 12, though, are two things: the interactions of the actors, and the locales. First, the actors:

Chris loves Clooney. I mean, she LOVES Clooney! I love Brad Pitt, but I don't LOVE him. I think Clooney is fun and, the wackier character he gets, the better (see "O Brother, Where Art Thou"). The same is true of Pitt (see "12 Monkeys"). In the "Ocean's" films, they both get to be quirky, but not wacky. But what makes them the most dominant on the film (besides the fact that they are the main stars) are their chemistry. This could be seen best in the scene where they are watching TV together at 5AM, both in their bathrobes, drinking a bottle of red. Not only was it hilarious, but they were so natural together, you really felt that Brad popped by George's house often just to have a beer and veg on the couch. That's chemistry!

But, Clooney & Pitt weren't the only actors that chewed scenery. While all the actors were in fine form (my wife thought that Don Cheadle really was British), it was Matt Damon that stood out to me. I got to appreciate him more as an actor in the Bourne films. But, here, he really shines. He plays the clueless young thief so well, and he makes you laugh out loud.

Finally, the locale:

Being set in Europe this time, there are even more beautiful things to marvel at (besides the Bellagio fountain). The scenes at Lake Como are stunning. When my wife and I saw the Amsterdam bar scene, my wife whispered in my ear "I smoked a joint there!" Very funny, but also indicative of how the locale sets the tone of the film. And, how it contrasts with it: nefarious characters like thieves living and surrounded by beauty and grace.

Are these two main things the only reasons to see the film? Certainly not: there are some great gags in the film, and it will make you laugh. But, since the novelty of 11 cannot be replicated in 12, it is these two reasons which make the film worth going to in the theaters, in my opinion.

* * *
- Matt

Harry Potter at the Movies

2005-01-06T16:17:00.000-05:00

Last night, my wife and I popped in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (PoA). It is the third movie in a series of film adaptations.

If I really need to get into Harry Potter and who he is, then let me wipe off the bottom of the rock for you and tuck you back in.

Of the three movies, PoA is the best and the one that I would watch over and over again if given the opportunity.

PoA was a departure from the first two films in two respects. They chose a new director - younger, hipper director that offered a fresh slant to the highly popular and familiar characters and they strayed from the book some. That... for me... made for a much better movie.

The original director - Chris Columbus of Home Alone fame - did a tremendous job adapting the books from book to film. The visuals were stunning and the characters developed exactly as I thought they would. I enjoyed watching the visuals I had created in my head come to life. That is also the reason why I don't necessarily need or want to watch them again.

Although they were triumphs in film making, they were stale. Nothing new was offered. I didn't really need the movie to experience Harry Potter.

PoA however, was fresh. The new director - Alfonso Cuarón - took the book and maintained a strict adherence to the book but didn't rely on all the subject matter. He took what he needed and turned it into a film. He even added new plot elements. He made a better film since I wasn't sure what to expect.

Some of the highlights included:

1. When Harry and Hermione left the inrfirmary to "fix" the problem, (I don't wanna give the plot away to people who want to be surprised) there was a ticking clock. Go back and watch it... it was so subtle but a brilliant addition to the flick.

2. The new director moved the whomping willow tree and Hagrid's hut to a new location -- one that made more sense.

3. I know it is small, but I really appreciated the costume design in this flick. The kids didn't wear those god awful robes for most of the movie. They wore regular kid clothes like sweaters and T-Shirtish type tops with jeans and sneakers. Just a small detail that I appreciated.

4. The casting of some of England's finest actors including one of my top five -- Gary Oldman. When Emma Thompson is playing the smallest of the major roles... you know you got yourself some fine actors.

That's it for now.

Welcome to Smokable Clown

2005-01-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

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