Saturday, March 29, 2008

Multiple posts, multiple books



After a trip to Elliott Bay that set our household back about $100, I found myself the proud owner of three new books:

1) The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Jean-Dominique Bauby
2) American Gods - Neil Gaiman
3) The Last Harvest - Witold Rybczynski

Plus the partial owner of fourth, entitled The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy. I assume Risajoy will read it first since it's her spring break and she'll blast through the stack she got today in a matter of days. I've never heard of Ms. Dundy but the book is part of the NYRB's collection which I've recently discovered (thanks to the Edmund Wilson book I read a while back and the journal n+1).

Anyhow, I spent some time on the couch, avoiding Joseph Conrad, and padding my statistics with Diving Bell. I loved the movie and had been wanting to read the book ever since.

Buddy




Just finished Buddy Does Seattle, a collection of comics depicting life in Seattle in the early '90s. I wasn't here; I was in Texas and in middle school but I believe it's probably a good representation of those days.

A little over 300 pages, it fits within the criteria I set for graphic novels to count toward my fifty books. It was also a nice break while finishing Tolstoy and starting Conrad.

Whitey

Stuff White People Like

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Aww yeah!



Just finished book number six. I know, I know: I'm really far behind the twelve books that I need to have read to make it to fifty this year. Weighing in at 817 pages, I have every right to count Anna Karenina as maybe three books, but ,for now, I'm just calling it one.

I could offer my insights into this one but I'm sure plenty has already been written about it, by people much more qualified than me. I'll just say that it's not overrated and anyone who has an interest in life, love, death, religion, or horse racing -- especially horse racing -- should give it a go.

Oh, and I took that picture, back in January, during a quick work trip to Hawaii. That's Oahu's Diamond Head in the background.

Next on the to read list: I'm finising up Peter Bagge's collection of Buddy Bradley comics entitled Buddy Does Seattle, as well as Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent. Peter Bagge was reading at the Frye tonight, along with Ellen Forney and someone else, whose name escapes me, and I was working...I still need to make it to the R. Crumb exhibit over there. Jeremy? Phil? let's go.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

check it out

My sister site, for those interested in maybe building some green housing:

Green Housing Collaborative

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Three days, one book



I have to thank Jeremy for introducing me to Scott Heim. He has long been a fan of the author and now I can see why.

Midwest mothers, don't read this one (or maybe you should, but brace yourselves).

If you asked me, I'd say this one was about loneliness, alienation, and not fitting in. The subject matter was "dark"; the writing was remarkable. My favorite alliterative phrase was "pastel pterodactyl"; my favorite religous reference the stigmata manifesting itself as nosebleeds, lesions on a gentleman infected with AIDS, and bloodied nether-regions following a violent encounter with a psychotic "john".

This certainly isn't reading for everyone but it's great nonetheless. I plan on accompanying Jeremy to Scott Heim's reading at Elliott Bay on Thursday, 3/20. Y'all should come.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Poetry and More



Just made it through David Berman's poetry collection entitled "Actual Air." I picked this one up last fall at Elliott Bay mainly because the cover was awesome. Far from a scholar of poetry, I have always leaned toward the alternative variety (I went through the Bukowski phase like the majority of young white men). This stuff was cool and certain parts have cemented themselves in my consciousness. I didn't know the author was the lead singer of the Silver Jews -- a band whose name I'd heard but hadn't listened to -- and an old buddy/bandmate of Stephen Malkmus. It all makes sense now...Anyway, that leaves me with 46 to go for the year. I'm pushing through Anna Karenina and hope to finish it by this time next week.

I also purchased two tickets to my inaugural theater event of 2008: The Imaginary Invalid by Moliere at the Seattle Rep. I was recently introduced to the playwright via the movie Moliere, which had me laughing continuously, on a flight from Honolulu to Seattle, and have been waiting to see a production of his work ever since.

Other stage events for 2008 that I plan on attending:

Eurydice
The Drowsy Chaperone
Sunday in the Park with George
The Little Dog Laughed
All the King's Men

Let me know if you want to go to any of these; we can make it a double date.