Wednesday, October 30, 2002
Ghost World
by Daniel Clowes
Once again I'm bending my rules and reviewing a graphic novel. I had read a review of the movie they made out of this book and so felt inclined to check this out of the library and give it a read. Ghost World isn't one of the usual superhero funny books. It's a tale of two girls, Enid and Becky, making the transition from high school to adulthood. Well, at least that's as close as I could come to figuring out a plotline. On first read, the book comes across as more of a collection of vignettes from Enid and Becky's collective life. It is very well done. I immediately could see a reflection of my own attitudes at that age--struggling to look cool and find a persona with which to cover my own insecurities, gleefully pointing out the shortcomings of others while refusing to notice or acknowledge my own. Unfortunately, I couldn't see much hope in the book. I mean, I eventually grew up (at least I like to think I grew up) and learned to accept and even respect people for who they were. It was a change in the way I thought--rather than expecting people to match my own standard of beauty or wisdom, I learned to try and find the beauty, wisdom and other qualities that reside in each person. There's only the barest hint of that in Ghost World. The girls might eventually get a clue, but you don't know that for sure. Perhaps I'm subconsciously expecting a Hollywood ending. I don't know. Anyway, it is a good book and I can truly recommend that you check it out. Now I'll have to go and rent the movie.
LibraryThing link
Once again I'm bending my rules and reviewing a graphic novel. I had read a review of the movie they made out of this book and so felt inclined to check this out of the library and give it a read. Ghost World isn't one of the usual superhero funny books. It's a tale of two girls, Enid and Becky, making the transition from high school to adulthood. Well, at least that's as close as I could come to figuring out a plotline. On first read, the book comes across as more of a collection of vignettes from Enid and Becky's collective life. It is very well done. I immediately could see a reflection of my own attitudes at that age--struggling to look cool and find a persona with which to cover my own insecurities, gleefully pointing out the shortcomings of others while refusing to notice or acknowledge my own. Unfortunately, I couldn't see much hope in the book. I mean, I eventually grew up (at least I like to think I grew up) and learned to accept and even respect people for who they were. It was a change in the way I thought--rather than expecting people to match my own standard of beauty or wisdom, I learned to try and find the beauty, wisdom and other qualities that reside in each person. There's only the barest hint of that in Ghost World. The girls might eventually get a clue, but you don't know that for sure. Perhaps I'm subconsciously expecting a Hollywood ending. I don't know. Anyway, it is a good book and I can truly recommend that you check it out. Now I'll have to go and rent the movie.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut
Wednesday, October 23, 2002
Studies in the Short Story
edited by Julian L. Maline and James Berkley
My personal library has been built in a variety of ways. This book is a leftover from high school. I think it was a literature class in my freshman year. I don't know why I hung onto it, as there are derogatory comments written on the contents page and in spots throughout the book--boring, dumb, gay. (Back in high school that was an insult...) But hang onto it I did, and now over 20 years later, I have actually read through the whole thing. This was a classic case of casting pearls before swine. As a literature text book, the volume is naturally full of stories that have stood out amongst others and posses a measure of quality. Stories by Poe, Twain, Steinbeck, Faulkner, Wells, and other famous names. Back then I didn't understand them. The only story I recall actually enjoying was Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game". This time around however, there's not a clunker in the lot. I'm going to put it on my shelf and hopefully not wait another 20 years to crack it again. If this weren't a 35 year old textbook, I'd recommend you grab a copy too.
LibraryThing link
My personal library has been built in a variety of ways. This book is a leftover from high school. I think it was a literature class in my freshman year. I don't know why I hung onto it, as there are derogatory comments written on the contents page and in spots throughout the book--boring, dumb, gay. (Back in high school that was an insult...) But hang onto it I did, and now over 20 years later, I have actually read through the whole thing. This was a classic case of casting pearls before swine. As a literature text book, the volume is naturally full of stories that have stood out amongst others and posses a measure of quality. Stories by Poe, Twain, Steinbeck, Faulkner, Wells, and other famous names. Back then I didn't understand them. The only story I recall actually enjoying was Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game". This time around however, there's not a clunker in the lot. I'm going to put it on my shelf and hopefully not wait another 20 years to crack it again. If this weren't a 35 year old textbook, I'd recommend you grab a copy too.
LibraryThing link
Labels: OnMyShelf
Friday, October 18, 2002
Hitler Victorious
edited by Gregory Benford and Martin Harry Greenberg
This book is one I picked up on impulse at the Friends of the Library sale. When I hit the sale, I usually have a handful of books that I specifically look for. Then I peruse my favorite categories and finally I end up by skimming over the science fiction paperbacks and snatching up a couple that catch my eye. This fall I grabbed Hitler Victorious, a collection of short stories that share the theme of "What if the Nazis won World War II?" I didn't know why I grabbed it, save that I enjoy alternate history tales. But now that I've read the introductory essay by Norman Spinrad, I have a clue. He ponders why Hitler and the Nazis have become such icons in our culture while Stalin, Tojo and Il Duce seem well on their way to becoming historical trivia. He has is own opinions, but the one that jumped out at me was that Hitler added an artistic touch to his Reich. To quote, "Hitler ... spent much time, energy, money and attention crafting symbol systems, ceremonies, color schemes, architecture, and even uniforms ...". It doesn't make him or his regime less monstrous, but it does explain why I would snatch up this volume as opposed to one about alternate Churchills or Elvises. Anyway, the tales themselves are fairly good. Most are rather dark, obviously, though a few present a pretty pleasant society... for the aryans, anyway. It's real good waiting room material, just nothing I would rush out to find.
LibraryThing link
This book is one I picked up on impulse at the Friends of the Library sale. When I hit the sale, I usually have a handful of books that I specifically look for. Then I peruse my favorite categories and finally I end up by skimming over the science fiction paperbacks and snatching up a couple that catch my eye. This fall I grabbed Hitler Victorious, a collection of short stories that share the theme of "What if the Nazis won World War II?" I didn't know why I grabbed it, save that I enjoy alternate history tales. But now that I've read the introductory essay by Norman Spinrad, I have a clue. He ponders why Hitler and the Nazis have become such icons in our culture while Stalin, Tojo and Il Duce seem well on their way to becoming historical trivia. He has is own opinions, but the one that jumped out at me was that Hitler added an artistic touch to his Reich. To quote, "Hitler ... spent much time, energy, money and attention crafting symbol systems, ceremonies, color schemes, architecture, and even uniforms ...". It doesn't make him or his regime less monstrous, but it does explain why I would snatch up this volume as opposed to one about alternate Churchills or Elvises. Anyway, the tales themselves are fairly good. Most are rather dark, obviously, though a few present a pretty pleasant society... for the aryans, anyway. It's real good waiting room material, just nothing I would rush out to find.
LibraryThing link
Labels: WaitingRoomMaterial
Friday, October 11, 2002
Unpuzzling Your Past
by Emily Anne Croom
Whenever I get into a hobby (if I can dignify my ephemeral interests with such a term) I usually plunge right in and start messing with whatever has piqued my interest. A few months later, I then get a introductory book on the subject and use it to organize my newly gained experience and fill in some of the things I missed. If I really get into a hobby, I may even go out and buy a book. Anyway, I've confirmed genealogy and my web site as official hobbies by picking up the appropriate introductory volumes at the fall Friends of the Library sale. This is the genealogy one. It's nice enough and has some good, basic info. (as well as some forms to photocopy) However, it's geared toward someone who is writing a family history--complete with recollections and anecdotes. Me, I'm in the facts stage of things. I don't care what odd habits great-great-grandpa had. I want to know what part of Canada he hails from and if he's really part Native American like my aunts and uncles claim. But then, I'm treating this all more like a puzzle to be solved than a heritage to be claimed. Anyway, I've got my 75 cents worth. If you're looking for an intro to genealogy, this is worth checking out, but I suspect there are other books out there which would serve just as well.
LibraryThing link
Whenever I get into a hobby (if I can dignify my ephemeral interests with such a term) I usually plunge right in and start messing with whatever has piqued my interest. A few months later, I then get a introductory book on the subject and use it to organize my newly gained experience and fill in some of the things I missed. If I really get into a hobby, I may even go out and buy a book. Anyway, I've confirmed genealogy and my web site as official hobbies by picking up the appropriate introductory volumes at the fall Friends of the Library sale. This is the genealogy one. It's nice enough and has some good, basic info. (as well as some forms to photocopy) However, it's geared toward someone who is writing a family history--complete with recollections and anecdotes. Me, I'm in the facts stage of things. I don't care what odd habits great-great-grandpa had. I want to know what part of Canada he hails from and if he's really part Native American like my aunts and uncles claim. But then, I'm treating this all more like a puzzle to be solved than a heritage to be claimed. Anyway, I've got my 75 cents worth. If you're looking for an intro to genealogy, this is worth checking out, but I suspect there are other books out there which would serve just as well.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut
Saturday, October 05, 2002
The Nitpicker's Guide for Next Generation Trekkers
by Phil Farrand
Y'know, last fall I picked up Phil Farrand's The Nitpicker's Guide for Classic Trekkers at the Friends of the Library sale and read it before all the other books I bought, as well as the ones I had already started. Now we witness deja vu, save that I managed to stretch this one out over a couple of more days. This book is very trivial, yet very entertaining. It basically goes through the first six seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation and points out all of the plot flaws, continuity errors and general oversights of each episode. Now this concept could make for the most boring book in the world, but this book is anything but. Phil, I mean, Mr. Farrand writes with such an engaging style that I get the feeling that I'm sitting at the kitchen table with a buddy, quaffing a sociable beverage and talking Trek. (I know, I know, that would be a very one sided conversation. But hey, that's how it usually is in real life. Now you know why I write.) Anyway, I'm putting this one on my shelf.
Maybe next year I can get volume 2 or the Deep Space Nine book.
LibraryThing link
Y'know, last fall I picked up Phil Farrand's The Nitpicker's Guide for Classic Trekkers at the Friends of the Library sale and read it before all the other books I bought, as well as the ones I had already started. Now we witness deja vu, save that I managed to stretch this one out over a couple of more days. This book is very trivial, yet very entertaining. It basically goes through the first six seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation and points out all of the plot flaws, continuity errors and general oversights of each episode. Now this concept could make for the most boring book in the world, but this book is anything but. Phil, I mean, Mr. Farrand writes with such an engaging style that I get the feeling that I'm sitting at the kitchen table with a buddy, quaffing a sociable beverage and talking Trek. (I know, I know, that would be a very one sided conversation. But hey, that's how it usually is in real life. Now you know why I write.) Anyway, I'm putting this one on my shelf.
Maybe next year I can get volume 2 or the Deep Space Nine book.
LibraryThing link
Labels: OnMyShelf
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