Reading List of a Book Pusher: Year Four

Is this Blog Dead? No Sir-ree!

2011-07-26T20:12:00.003-06:00

Hey folks,
I know that you've probably left me for dead. Not so! Once a month is not a good way of keeping you here, but I assure you this blog is not far from my mind. At the moment I am feeling that crazy urge to get back to reading those pesky things called books. Maybe it's a blind panic but I feel as if I am getting behind. I need to engage my mind.

I've managed to keep my promise to avoid buying books. Although I despair that I am nowhere near a Borders liquidation sale (the store near us closed it's doors 5 years ago) there's no reason for me to add to the piles of paper that stack up around here. At least books from the library are transitory. Admittedly though I need them to be more transitory. I had successfully managed to get the piles down, but now in this spring book fever they have reemerged.

I find myself obsessing over book reading plans again.

This is all good because I have been very busy (this is no lie, just an excuse) running a writer's workshop and trying to pull off a coup over a neglected library program. Looking to revolutionize your alternative press collection and promote these unique collections? Then I aim to prove that I am your girl.

But the books are calling me again. I can't help but be pulled in.

I hope to contribute more here. And earn back your attentions.
Have a great week! Book Slave.

Update: Blame it on the alcohol. No Really.

2011-06-07T16:39:00.004-06:00

Hey folks,
Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm not dead. Still here, still alive. Just too busy to really read or write about it. It's a good excuse I think. The workshop that I run is starting up so I've been busy putting that together. Add that to the library load. There's only so much awesome me to go around. Here's some highlights bullet-style:
*Met my library-idol Scott Douglass. Still embarassed by my fan-girlish behavior.
*Loved X-Men: First Class. Marvel, bring on the Erik Lensherr: Nazi Hunter prequel series.
*Never thought Woody Allen would be on top of a literary sci-fi trend.
*Participating in 1book1twitter again by reading Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. Yay!
*Dropped out of my other book club, because I don't have time for it. Which is sad, but it had to happen.
*Put together a fantastic event with local artist Jess Smiley which restored my faith in humanity.

That's all I got for you folks, Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 5/3/2011-5/10/2011

2011-05-03T16:22:00.006-06:00

Hey guys,
It's a new month! Let's be happy brothers and sisters. Apologies for being MIA last week, but I was busy, sick, neurotic, tired and there was a wedding...well I had a lot going on. And really not too much time to read. But this week I'm on it. Really. I swear.

Reading List 5/3/2011-5/10/2011
Books
Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith-Terribly excited for this. I loved The Way He Lived, even though it hurt me physically with it's words.
Jimmy Corrigan by Chris Ware

Magazine
Library Journal

Comics
Got some back issues of Unwritten, Morning Glories, and Batgirl for fun.

Also looking forward to digging into Downton Abbey, and Mad Men Season 4. Also there's some small movie about a Norse God that I'll be seeing.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Heads Up! Shameless promotion ahead!

2011-04-20T13:32:00.005-06:00

Hello,
Are interested in hearing what my voice sounds like? Wanna hear me prattle on about the comic books? My friend Ryan invited me to talk on his podcast Audio Vaudeville. I had a delightful time talking with co-hosts Ryan and Conor, as well as doing a olde-timey radio play. Look for it to come down the line on the itunes. Or in fact you could subscribe and it will automatically download onto your audio device of choice. Also I'm told that some pictures will be posted to their tumblr which I've linked above. I'd suggest subscribing to both. All right, shameless promotion over.
Enjoy, Book Slave.

Reading List 4/19/2011-4/26/2011

2011-04-19T13:15:00.001-06:00

Hey folks,
It's rainy again! Seriously I am done with this. Done! I hope that you all are doing better than I. It's obviously stay at home and curl up with a book time. Brew some tea and just escape...this sounds like a plan.

Reading List 4/19/2011-4/26/2011
Books
Bossypants-Tina Fey folks! Tina Fey!
Return of the Dapper Men
Confederacy of Dunces-Hard Boiled Book Club is finally getting me to read this! More proof that book clubs are awesome. They just are.

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comics
Less of the stack of comics. I'll get there guys. Someday.

Books I Have Finished
Astonishing X-Men vol. 3
The Ticking

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 4/12/2011-4/19/2011

2011-04-12T16:10:00.004-06:00

Hey folks,
Howse it rolling? Good I hope. Here's my plan for the next week.

Reading List 4/12/2011-4/19/2011
Books
Seven Soldiers of Victory
Dark Phoenix Saga
Astonishing X-Men vol. 3

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comics
The same stack of comics. Full of Shame.

Books I Have Finished
Flash: Rebirth
Essex County: Ghost Brothers
Wired April 2011
Astonishing X-Men vol. 2

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 4/5/2011-4/12/2011

2011-04-05T16:33:00.003-06:00

Hey,
Apologies for last week but honestly I didn't know what I wanted to read. Sometimes it's hard to choose when I have a myriad of options. I read a wide variety of materials and it's hard when there's nothing that leaps out. That was last week for me. But this week I've got a plan. So there's one thing I've got going for me.

Reading List 4/5/2011-4/12/2011
Books
Flash: Rebirth
Essex County: Ghost Brothers

Magazine
Vanity Fair

Comics
A whole stack of comics folks. Nice.

Books I Finished
X-Men: Nation X
Astonishing X-Men vol. 1 & 2
Batman: Return of Bruce Wayne
Essex County: The Country Nurse

Also if I can pull it together this week I'll post a review of the new Jane Eyre film. (Preview tease: I liked it.) And I'll talk about my current obsession with the X-Men.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 3/22/2011-3/29/2011

2011-03-22T17:55:00.004-06:00

Hey guys,
Apologies for missing last week. It's a busy time for this wee lass. Also the internet is not always free and available to me.

Finished Books
Killing Shakespeare vol. 1 - Very Clever. Yet I did not like the art-style. Definitely for the lit types.
Daytripper - Pure Magic. This book is well worth all the praise that it has received. Do yourself a favor and read this. Now.
The Dead - My annual St. Patrick Days read. The last page still kills me. Oh Joyce.
Essex County vol. 1: Tales from the Farm - A reread for my Graphic Novel Book Club. Lemire is a wonderful purveyor of Canadian sadness.

Reading List 3/22/2011-3/29/2011
Books
The Moviegoer
Irredeemable vol. 4

Magazines
Four Four Two

Comics
More new comic goodness. Some Fantastic Four, Detective, and even Walking Dead. Should be good.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 3/8/2011-3/15/2011

2011-03-08T16:24:00.003-07:00

Hey folks,
In my neck of the woods we just got slammed with a snowpocalypse. Perfect reading weather right? I know what I'll be doing tonight.
So here's the plan this week.

Reading List 3/8/2011-3/15/2011
Books
Kill Shakespeare vol. 1-Looks very Fables-esque.
Daytripper

Comics
Green Lantern #62, Batman #707, New Avengers #8 & 9, Fables #102, Flash #9, Action Comics #897, Walking Dead #81-Finally some new stuff to read! It's been too long.

Finished
Superman Secret Origin

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 3/1/2011

2011-03-01T16:29:00.005-07:00

Hey folks,
Yep I'm still alive. Don't worry. Between the new job, and the continuous piling on at my other job, it leaves very little time for this. However I'm not a quitter. The Reading List will go on! Even if it's just for me.

Here's a list of books I did finish last month. Trust me I still read.
The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke
Brightest Day Vol. 1
Unbearable Lightness
Short Cuts
Nightly News

Of these titles the best book I read this past month was The Outfit. For those who do not know, this is a sequel to Cooke's The Hunter last year. These graphic novel adaptations of Richard Stark's Parker novels continue to impress. If you are not reading these books then you are missing out on something special. They are Darwyn Cooke at the top of his game.

So here's the plan this week.

Reading List 3/1/2011
Books
Superman: Secret Origins
Shopgirl

Magazines
Vanity Fair-Still digging on that Hollywood Issue for March.

Have a great week! Book (and work) Slave.

Reading List 2/8/2011-2/15/2011

2011-02-08T15:23:00.004-07:00

Hey folks,
Hope that y'all are having a good week. Here's my plan, reading-wise:

Reading List 2/8/2011-2/15/2011
Books
Nightly News by Jonathan Hickman
Shopgirl by Steve Martin
"A Case of Identity" by Arthur Conan Doyle - More Sherlock! Yeah.

Magazine
Entertainment Weekly

Comics
Diving back into the oldies stack. I've noticed that I am reading less new comics these days. I guess that happens when you drop Amazing Spider-Man, Superman, and Daredevil.

Also I'm fully enraptured with Doctor Who. If you only watch one episode of this series ever, you need to watch "Blink" from Season 3. It's incredible! This ep also stars Carey Mulligan, who is mind-blowingly fantastic. Do yourself a favor folks and watch it. You'll thank me.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 2/1/2011-2/8/2011

2011-02-01T16:04:00.001-07:00

Hey folks,
It's a horrible bitter cold world out there. Like Siberia or Chicago.
Here's my plan this week:

Reading List 2/1/2011-2/8/2011
Books
Shopgirl by Steve Martin -This is for the reading challenge at work. It's also been sitting on my TBR pile for a long time.
Nightly News by Jonathan Hickman
Heed the Thunder by Jim Thompson

Magazine
Entertainment Weekly

Comics
Batman & Buffy-An interesting combo I gotta say.

Also I'm full on obsessed with Doctor Who. Really. Where has this been all my life? Geektastic.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

The Game's Afoot!: Sherlock

2011-01-26T13:38:00.002-07:00

Hello All,
Spurred on by my love of the new BBC series Sherlock (that I discussed here) I decided that this year I would delve into the world of the famous detective. I wanted to avoid overwhelming myself, as I often do, so I decided that I'd do two short stories a month. So for January I started off with "Scandal in Bohemia" & "The Red-Headed League". An excellent start I have to say.

Although I find myself plagued with one thing: I can't stop picturing the main characters as their film versions. (By the way I'm referring to Mr. RDJ, Mr. Law, and Ms. McAdams. Strangely it's not the wonderful gentleman from the recent BBC series. Perhaps it's because the BBC series performances and stories are so well adapted to the modern world.) It's clear that Holmes & Watson, initially are a bit of a blank slate. A reader's interpretation is built up over a series of stories, they do not jump immediately off the page. In a movie you only have 5-10 minutes to establish the main characters, so it's up to the actors, writers, directors, etc. to create a distinct character right off the bat. Whereas Doyle, as an author, is clearly more plot driven.

I am reminded of Wilkie Collins detective character Sergeant Cuff from The Moonstone, who was wonderfully distinct in a dickens-esque way. I guess since Doyle was writing for the serials, he didn't feel compelled to include character moments over fast-moving plots. I'll wait till I read a few more to see if this is true.

Highly enjoyable tales both of these, and easily readable in one sitting.
Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 1/25/2011-2/1/2011

2011-01-25T13:08:00.001-07:00

Hey folks,
It's a wonderful horrible snowpocalypse outside. It's like a shower of a fluffy white which I can safely observe from the warmish inside of the Hermitage. It's definitely hermit-weather. So here's the plan this week.

Reading List 1/25/2011-2/1/2011
Books
Heed the Thunder by Jim Thompson
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Magazines
Entertainment Weekly-(At Sundance they hand these out like candy.)

Comics
All caught up again, I will be diving back into the quarter bin pick ups. Yes it's back to classics like this:

I'm also gonna spend this week diving into Dr. Who and Wallander dvds, as well as hopefully some laid back time usage. It'll be good for the soul.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 1-18 to 1-25

2011-01-18T20:38:00.001-07:00

Hey folks,
Howse it going? It's delightfully warm and sunny this January. I like it. I like it a lot. You know what I don't like? These books piling around me. Need some motivation. Need some drive. Or I need to know when to give. It's a tough balance that I have trouble maintaining. Thank god I have some major reading/watching/being time piled up next week. So here's some of the plan for next week. (Of course I endeavor to do more, but here's a goal to pitch for)

Reading List 1-18 to 1-25
Books
Now and Here Again and Heed the Thunder-These Jim Thompson books are slow reads. I believe he gets leaner later on. At least I hope so.
And Then There Were None
"The Red-Headed League"-Oh Sherlock! Can't wait.

Comics
Oh the bi-weekly stack of comic goodness has arrived. Good to see some new Comics on deck.

Magazine
Four Four Two.

So I'll be relaxin' & Sundancing this week. Let's see what happens. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 1-11-2011 to 1-18-2011

2011-01-11T23:44:00.001-07:00

Hello,
It's very chilly here in this salty cold desert. I'm really not kidding. Let's get going.

Reading List 1-11-2011 to 1-18-2011
Books
Now and On Earth
And Then There Were None-Agatha Christie is "cozy" right? I think I can make that argument.

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comics
Dakota North Investigations-Yeah this is another $0.25 purchase. I just can't believe this series ever existed.

And a wonderful array of DVDs which are in my possession. One even involves shirtless wolf-boys. (It's from the library folks. I'd never actually pay for that.)

Have a great week. Book Slave.

Old Comics: Incredible Hulk #316

2011-01-05T22:59:00.006-07:00

Hey,
In an attempt to get rid of what's been lying around for far to long, I'm finally getting around to reading some of these old quarter-bin books that I've picked up here and there. So this week I picked up the delightful Incredible Hulk #316. Now I've never really been a Hulk fan but I thought that for a quarter it's worth checking out. I mean look at that cover!

So here's Five Things I Found Delightful About This Old Comic:
1. Opens With A Wonderful Dutch Angle Full Page With She Hulk. John Byrne does a wonderful job bringing us into this issue with a fun off-kilter beginning.
2. That John Byrne Really was great back in 1986. Mind you this was before his legendary "Man of Steel" re-imagining of Superman. Now I must read that series if it's better than this. This was fun.
3. Tony Stark's Wonderful Arrogance. Of course he can take on the Hulk alone. He tells other superheroes to hang back and then gets pummeled. It's great.
4. Namor saves the Day! Then gets his Ass kicked by Doc Samson. Yeah Namor and Doc Samson are also in this book! Also Hercules, Wonder Man and Betty Ross. This book is full of characters all in one issue!
5. First and Last Hulk Conference page. Rather than a letters page there is a delightful little one page which is a mixture of photo and comic. This one-pager stars a 1986 versions of Byrne, Denny O'Neil, Jim Shooter, and the Hulk with word balloons and sound effects. Delightful!

What a great surprise. Sometimes you get lucky. Have a great week. Book Slave.

Reading List 1/4/2010-1/11/2011

2011-01-04T00:42:00.001-07:00

Hey folks,
As always it's the first Tuesday of the year so here's a new Reading List post. It's a hope of mine that I can return to a push to get these books/magazines/comics read throughout the week. That's my intention anyway. So here we go.

Reading List 1/4/2010-1/11/2011
Books
DMZ vol. 1-This is a reread for the Graphic Novel Club program that I run
Now and On Earth by Jim Thompson-Part of my Jim Thompson Year.

Short Story
"A Scandal In Bohemia"-Part of the Sherlock Holmes Year

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comic
The Incredible Hulk #316-Picked up for a 25 cents. Should be fun eh?

So there it is. A New Year. It's amazing that I've done this so long, and that you, Constant Reader, are somehow still reading out there in cyberspace. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Year Four: Origins & Goals

2011-01-01T00:01:00.007-07:00

Hey folks,
Yes Indeed it is YEAR FOUR of this blog. If you go back far enough in the archives you will discover that I began this blog way back in 2008. I've told the origin story before but I will repeat it for those who are new: I had been thinking about putting my own thoughts out on the inter-webs already. I needed an outlet for my thoughts and writings but I didn't see a viable vehicle.

Now why CNN forces Anderson Cooper to spend New Years Eve with Kathy Griffin is beyond me. It seems like unnecessary torture for a man who honorably reports from around the globe. I had to see this train wreck live so there it was New Years Eve and I was watching CNN. They started speculating on goals/resolutions for the new year. Anderson Cooper, looking handsome as ever, said that he wanted to blog more in the new year. And that's when I thought to myself, well if Anderson Cooper has a blog, then why can't I? Then I looked around and knew that one of my resolutions that year was to cut down on the amount of books in my TBR pile. Why not combine both? I would do a blog centered around my reading goals. So on Jan 1, which just happened to be a Tuesday I began The Reading List of a Book Pusher.

In YEAR FOUR here's a few goals and projects I like to through out there:
-I'm going to read 24 Jim Thompson books. That's 2 books per month. I'm really looking forward to this challenge since The Grifters is one of my favorite titles, but I haven't re-read it in 15 years. Nor have I read any other Thompson titles either.
-Going to read 1 short story a week. Could be Sherlock Holmes or a modern author. I just feel that this is a good habit to pick up.
-Zines. These unique materials exist in my department at work and my reader's advisory needs to be sharpened in this regard.
-Sandman. I'm reading it all this year, due to my new-found love of Neil Gaiman.
-Participate in the Get Your Read On challenge at my library. Sometimes I'm very competitive with my co-workers. I also like to read outside of my comfort zone.
-Last but not least: A 25% deduction in the TBR pile. More of a focus on the books I have lying around here, then library books. It's a good idea.

There it is. And I hope to maintain a regular posting schedule for you, Constant Reader. Life can get in the way, but I wouldn't still be doing this blog if I didn't feel it was worth something. So I hope you stick around. Have a great year! Book Slave.

Best of 2010: Lit Podcasts

2010-12-29T15:41:00.002-07:00

Hey folks,
The Beat Goes On.

2010 Best Literary Podcast: Books You Should Read

At the beginning of the year this felt like the podcast that had been left to die. It's happened often enough in my history with podcasts that I barely took notice. To be honest Books You Should Read had never really shown it's full potential as a podcast. In the beginning there wasn't a regular host and it was reliant on listener provided content. Without a really strong execution and push from the Simply Syndicated crew this podcast fell silent quickly.

Enter Kennedy Gordon. Gordon, who was a relative novice to podcasting in the beginning, took the reigns of this show. Although he was a bit stilted in the beginning (oh and the sound! yikes!) I was won over by his anti-snobbery stance and wide variety of commentary. He clearly enjoys reading books of all kinds and enjoys sharing them with the listeners. It's become a new favorite for me amongst the often snooty world of literary commentary.

However as much as I enjoy listening to Kennedy, what put this podcast over the top are the episodes involving the "Leeds" book club. These episodes feature four friends who live in the town of Leeds in the UK, two men & two women, who pick a genre then each discuss a book in that genre. Their wonderful free-wheeling discussion will have you choking with laughter and writing down recommendations. These episodes are truly a treat and are few and far between. I highly suggest the recent episode featuring their discussion of "chick lit." You'll thank me.

More, More, More. Book Slave.

Best of 2010: Television Lit Adaptation

2010-12-28T15:14:00.001-07:00

Hey folks,
Marching on.

Best Television Lit Adaptation: Sherlock

My television watching has gone way down this year as I become less interested in "appointment" television. However there were a few high quality options in this category that made this choice difficult. But those who read here regularly won't be surprised that this great offering from the BBC was an easy selection. I've raved about it already here, so I won't go on too long. Just to say that these three television films were not nearly enough. Cumberbatch is a fantastic modern-day Sherlock Holmes. It's hard to imagine anyone else playing Holmes in this context. He is well-paired with Martin Freeman as Watson. Each actor presents a contrasting energy to their scenes together which makes them a great duo. None of this should work, but it does. Do yourself a favor and see it before it comes back in Fall 2011.

Also Worthy: The Walking Dead, Emma (2010)

More to Come. Yes Indeed, Book Slave.

Best of 2010: Movie Lit Adaptation

2010-12-27T13:46:00.001-07:00

Hey guys,
Time to Reflect and choose what was worthy of remembrance from the previous year. Here we go.

Best Movie Literary Adaptation: Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series

It could of gone so wrong. This is why the Swedish film adaptations of the Millenial trilogy books, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Girl Who Played With Fire and Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest , should be considered small miracles. The Swedes got it right. All the way down the line in my opinion. These movies were engaging, kick-ass, and perfectly cast. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed these films as each one hit my cinema in quick secession.

The filmmakers, first Niel Oplev and later Daniel Alfredson, do not shirk away from the violence that is necessary to understand the stark message of these books. Larsson sought to expose what he felt was a misogny that lies underneath a seemingly sedate Swedish society. Their is a refreshing lack of stylization or downplaying of the violence that is perpetuated on the protagonist. However there are also throw away moments of casual misogny between male characters that also point to Larsson's intentions. This key understanding of the source material allows the writers to shape a fast-paced action film that can discard hefty prose for highly charged visuals. It is unique entertaining filmmaking without the trappings of commercial studio meddling.

However the glue that makes this movie work is the fantastic performance from actress Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander. Such a difficult, insular, character would be a challenge for even the most talented of actresses, but this complete unknown nails it. Her performance is dynamic and spell-binding. Rapace shows us the intelligence (and sometimes scary) emotions behind the punk snarl. The closed off facade is barely breached by journalist Mikael Bloomquist, also well played by Michael Nyvquist, but she still has a long way to go. And she also convincingly kicks ass.

Thankfully these films are available long before the now filming American version. I highly recommend checking them out. Good luck David Fincher, you've got some mighty shoes to fill.

Also Recommend: True Grit, Never Let Me Go, The Social Network, Winter's Bone, Tamara Drewe

More to Come I assure you, Book Slave.

Holiday Ramblings

2010-12-26T11:23:00.015-07:00

Hey,
Well I hope that you all had a fine Christmas yesterday. That you were all able to spend time with your families, and consider what matters most: gross commercialism. Nah I'm just kidding. Actually this holiday weekend I listened to two wonderful versions of one of my favorite holiday writings-O'Henry's Gift of the Magi. Nothing like a little literary irony to stoke those heart fires. Here's a link where you can hear a reading which charmed me. I also enjoy Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas In Wales, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and Joyce's "The Dead". To me these are must-reads. Why would you settle for less? (One might add Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" but that story gives me the creeps. I'm still scarred by the television movie version that featured Capote as narrator. His voice still haunts me.)

I can thank my mom for a wonderful nerdy gift. My brother and I were gifted framed original movie posters from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Wonderful since my brother and I are huge Indiana Jones fans.

Another highlight was watching my luddite brother trying to figure out his new Ipad. Regardless of his avoidance of technology in general, he was very pleased. My mom and I had to explain that he'll have to sign up for an Itunes account to get the full use out of the tablet. He was still hesitant. My brother and I are strangely dissimiliar in some matters and completely alike in others. On one side he's not a big reader and plays video games. He loves Hulu and Youtube. He refuses to get a library card. Yet he loves history as I do, and shares a love of nerdy science fiction like Star Trek. Full of contradictions that kid.

This year the literary haul was thankfully light. I think folks are getting the notion that more books is not what I need. I've got plenty, I assure you. Many folks are psyched to utilize their new Nooks and Kindles this year, but again, I'll stick to the physical thing. Although I hope that you all get enjoy your digital devices nonetheless.

All and all I had a wonderful holiday, I hope that you all did as well. Book Slave.

A Little Puppini...

2010-12-24T11:15:00.002-07:00

Hello All,
A merry christmas to you, Constant Reader. Here's a treat for you all. Enjoy.

Happy Holidays. Book Slave.

Things I Learned this Year 2010, Lit-style

2010-12-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hey,
So it's that reflexive time of year as we gallop from Christmas to New Years. Warning: Self-indulgent navel gazing ahead.
Here's a few things I feel as if I've learned:
-Oh I wish I could read that Mark Twain Autobiography. However if the book is more than 400 pages, then I won't read it.
-Finding a great book club or reading group is awesome. There's a gaping hole left behind when they are gone. I miss my book club. *sigh*
-I love io9, AV Club, and Neil Gaiman's blog.
-1b1t was a wonderful experiment. It showcased the "best" of what the internet can be used for.
-Great Literary adaptations are possible without being completely purist. For example: The Walking Dead, Girl With A Dragon Tattoo series, BBC adaptation of Emma (2010).
-Pairing Unlikely Directors & Writers with the right material can lead to wonderful results. For example Mark Romanek/Alex Garland and Never Let Me Go, Aaron Sorkin and The Social Network, Steven Moffat and Sherlock.
-Endings are difficult.
-Facebook is a key social media tool. It's not something to be afraid of.
-I'm still not interested in Digital Comics.
-Even having an internet interview will give you 15 minutes of fame. Even when you're a geek.
-Librarians shouldn't need databases to do reader's advisory. It's not that hard to keep a list of books to reccommend in your head. Or dare I say it: Just Read Books.
-I await the day when Ipads/tablets will revolutionize library work. I dream of a day when there are no more reference desks.
-Thank you JMS, Danny Way, and Andy Diggle. I was successfully able to drop Superman, Wolverine, and Daredevil thanks to you.
-Joe Kelly should write Amazing Spider-Man. All the time.
-I can cut down on my library reading pile. It feels good to do so.
-Twitter is a wonderful thing if only so that you can follow Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Steve Martin.
-There are still too many books.

I'm sure there's more. However I have Christmas to do. So have a great holiday! Book Slave.

I Don't LIKE Vampires, But I Liked This: American Vampire vol. 1

2010-12-22T10:29:00.005-07:00

Hey,
Here's some thoughts on a book that I finally finished.

I Don't LIKE Vampires, But I Liked This: American Vampire vol. 1

Ever since it started coming out last year I've heard good things. American Vampire was not on my personal must-read list when I first saw it solicited. I had never heard of Scott Snyder. And just the idea of another vampire series made my throat fill with bile. The rise of the "sensitive" vampire has been a tough pill to swallow for me as a reader. This is not the kind of vampire that I want to read. While I will concede that vampires can be sexual, they should not be romanticized. Vampires are vicious violent parasites who prey on the vulnerabilities of those who are weaker than they are. This is the original template designed by Bram Stoker in the 19th century. There was no romance, or existential angst involved.

So whose to blame for this shift? It's the commercial economic power of the teenage girl. Teenage girls will buy into anything that plays on their own romantic notions. Having been a teenage girl myself, I can verify this as true. Shrewdly this vulnerability has been cultivated into a commercially viable source of income for a dying publishing industry. I don't blame them at all for getting what they can out of it. However this is not the kind of "vampire" that I am interested in reading about. Maybe it's my age, some jaded cynicism, what have you.

So when it came to American Vampire, I cast it aside. But then I started to hear that this series was good. It was cool. And it was different. Well I picked up the hardcover when I got the chance and found out that this series fulfills the hype. It delivers on the kind of vampire template that I want to read. How delightful! And surprising!

American Vampire is an original series that is set in LA in 1925. The main protagonist is a hard working girl named Pearl, who can barely make ends meet. She ends up trapped by a horrible group of European vampires, which leads to battle between "old school" vs. "new school." Pearl ends up being helped by a charming, slick, white trash vampire named Skinner Sweet. Sweet is the subject of an enjoyable backup story which is written by Stephen King.

I was delighted by the mix of terror and western that Snyder and King bring to the vampire genre. It feels fresh and new and unique. The western genre naturally lends itself to a harsh realism that fits my preference of the violent vampire. These writers have created a darwinist world with the violence to back it up. Praise is also due to brazilian artist Rafael Albuquerque with his bright reds, and monstrous depiction of these frightening supernatural beings. Vampires in this world are not "beautiful" and they don't sparkle. Thank God.

American Vampire is well worth checking out. I urge those who may have been turned off at first to check this book out.

Reading List 12/21/2010-12/28/2010

2010-12-21T10:15:00.003-07:00

Hello Constant Reader,
Here's the last Reading List post of the year. I just want to say thank you for those who have been sticking out during these lean times. Between computer and time issues it's been tough to keep up a regular posting schedule. However as we head to the end of 2010 there'll be those normal reflective posts that the end of the year seems to demand. So thanks for sticking around, I hope these scribblings bring a modicum of connection between us. And also I like to ramble about books. S0 there's that.

Reading List 12/21/2010-12/28/2010
Books
The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel- Felt like reading something epic. And it is my favorite story of all time.
The Final Solution

Magazine
Entertainment Weekly

Comics
Oh it's a lot. Fables #100, Amazing Spider-Man Big Time, Fantastic Four, Walking Dead. All the heavy hitters.

Looking forward to catching up on some reading now that my time has freed up a bit.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Me, Sherlock, and Television.

2010-11-24T17:52:00.005-07:00

Hey folks,
It's time for some serious talk. Maybe a little ranting. Enjoy.

Those Damn Brits: Sherlock and Literate Television

Why can't we have literate television on network television here in the United States?

I asked myself this question as I was watching the amazing new series Sherlock. In this new BBC series quintessential detective Sherlock Holmes and his faithful assistant Dr. John Watson are rebooted to modern day. As played by Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock is the same arrogant bastard who has created a career for himself as "police consultant." In the first episode of the series he meets up with combat veteran Dr. John Watson, who has returned from Afghanistan with a little PTSD and a limp. In classic fashion they team up to solve a mystery and end up moving into a flat together at 221 Baker Street.

When I first heard about this "reboot" I was filled with uncertainty. Is this what we really need? Another Sherlock Holmes? I just didn't see the point. Also didn't see why television needs a modernized version. There's a severely dumbed down version of CSI's that fill that niche. In the United States it seems we've shifted our crime fighters from cops to scientists. This makes sense completely because one relies on anti-heroes (The Wire, Homicide, NYPD Blue) and the other relies on the age old debate of Science or Nature (Bones, CSI). These have become comfortable formulas for the American public. In the last 10 years American audiences want to watch professionals doing their jobs well. This has led to the glut of CSI's and Law & Order's that dominate our television landscape. These shows are all the same. They are all a comfortable formula of crime fighters with an easy morality who do their jobs well.

Unfortunately, those type of shows aren't good enough for me. I want complexity. I want to be challenged. I want my television to share the same thrill that I feel when I read a great novel. "Literate" television for me includes the following aspects:

-A narrative thru-line so that each episode feels like it's part of a bigger story.
-A continuity that respects the fact that the audience knows when characters are being consistent with prior events.
-Themes and motifs that are longstanding and lasting.
-Effort on the part of the production team to create an interesting and fascinating world.
-Complex characters that take more than a sentence to explain.
-A world of complex moral values, which reflects our own.

I can't be alone in this.

Now just to be clear: I am not a television snob. I love television. Now more than ever it is the medium that reaches the largest audience and can have the greatest impact. However I don't think it's wrong to expect television to pander to highest common denominator, rather than the lowest. I feel as if by raising our expectations and refusing what's comfortable then the entire culture wins.

The only place lately that I've been able to be satisfied with the storytelling quality is in science fiction. I am confident that Lost will go down in history as one of the finest network television shows every produced. It not only demanded that it's audience think and pay attention but it never apologized for being smart. The short-lived Pushing Daisies was delightfully witty and charming. The show never sacrificed what made it so wonderfully original to chase ratings and audiences. To this day I still don't understand why American audiences passed it by. These days I have to go to cable to find novelistic storytelling that isn't science fiction. And even with Mad Men and Breaking Bad, it seems that I'm still chasing sci-fi to find the narrative challenge I crave.

I enjoy watching PBS, Masterpiece Theater, and BBC America aplenty. The educational bent of their programming does tend to get a little dry. However when it comes to "entertainment" programs PBS tends to import everything from BBC. As I understand it in the British Broadcast System each series is paid for in advance, so each series is guaranteed a definite number of episodes. A series will finish its run no matter what the ratings are. So every show has a chance to improve or go downhill. At least it will finish. The BBC never seems to compromise storytelling and character in the name of ratings. Their willing to do 18 part literary adaptations alongside comedy programming like Spaced. Both sides of the scale show the high quality value that seems absent from American network television. And each series is a complete compact chapter. When it's done, it's done. If only network television on this side of the Atlantic were willing to take those risks.

Which brings me back to BBC's Sherlock. In three 90 minute episodes writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss captured all the wonderful things about Sherlock Holmes with a post-modernist spin. In this modern world Sherlock Holmes is a crime fighter but also a complex human being. He works as a scientist. Purposely distancing himself from human emotion but still having a clear moral code. Moffat and Gatiss have found a way to twist Holmes arrogance into a sort of off-kilter nihilism.

How important is it to Holmes to be proven right? What is he willing to sacrifice? This uncertainty makes his final confrontation with James Moriarty in episode three wonderfully thrilling. Moriarty is equally scary due to his amoral code. Holmes can only be saved from the mutually assured destruction scenario presented by Moriarty because he refuses to be beaten.
Holmes has a keen sense of right and wrong, however he is fueled by an inner need to show that he is better than everyone. This arrogance is universal in those who are steeped in the scientific method.

Of course he is humanized by Dr. John Watson, who is a substitute for the audience. They are a great pair of equals in this adaptation. Watson has the skills of a soldier. He is a killer if it's necessary to save other human beings. Yet he is exasperated by Holmes lack of "caring" about those who are under the threat of the mad bomber in episode three. Watson fills in the gaps of humanity that Sherlock is missing within himself.

This is dynamic storytelling. So of course it's British. I'm just saying that it doesn't have to be.

Have a great holiday! Book Slave.

Reading List 11/23/2010-11/30/2010

2010-11-23T17:40:00.001-07:00

Hey Folks,
Getting back to normal around here at the Reading List. At first I was very busy with job #2 & then the internet decided to go wonky. The combination of these things have made me somewhat unreliable. I don't want to lie with you Constant Readers. However look for some more action around the Reading List as we come around to the end of the year.

Reading List 11/23/2010-11/30/2010
Books
Cowboy Ninja Viking
A Room of One's Own

Magazines
People-Folks I am human. Every once and awhile...

Comics
Spiderman #645-647

Also got some Bones Season 5, some Walking Dead episodes. And then there's THANKSGIVING!

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Me, Conservatives, and Meghan McCain

2010-11-19T20:07:00.010-07:00

Hey,
Ready for some politics folks? Feels strangely appropriate at the moment.

Meghan McCain, Republicans, and Me: Dirty Sexy Politics
So I finally finished Meghan McCain's book Dirty Sexy Politics. As I've mentioned before I am a pretty liberal minded citizen who lives in a very conservative state. While I am constantly surrounded by the overtly Republican-minded, I've never felt that my political beliefs shared the same bed with that mind-set. However I also feel that everyone has the right to their own opinions and beliefs. I don't get upset until someone tries to force their politics onto me. Nor is it my right to tell others that they are wrong in their belief system.

I have a feeling that I would get along with Meghan McCain just fine. Throughout her behind the scenes chronicle of the McCain presidential campaign of 2008, she portrays herself as a moderate. She seems able to balance a pro-life standpoint with a pro-gay marriage stance. These beliefs can both exist within the same conservative person. That she also has no problem with drinking beer, pre-marital sex, and Rock Band, also shows that human beings are wonderfully multi-faceted. No one should expect that all conservatives are the same.

In the end McCain's book makes a plea for the conservatives to open up their umbrella to allow more moderates underneath. She writes at being taken aback by the ambition and grandstanding of Sarah Palin. Did she anticipate the political monster that would emerge out of Alaska? Perhaps. However McCain is very careful not to be too critical of her own party. This makes Dirty Sexy Politics a fun breezy read, but in the end it's insubstantial. If she really thinks that the Far Right is going to roll over and give up their political clout she is sadly mistaken.
The Far Right has successfully created a political machine centered around wedge issues and an ignorant citizenry. Meghan McCain may be adorable and fun but if she wants to influence conservative minds she needs to strive for a more critical voice.

Have a great weekend! Book Slave.

Too busy to read & politics.

2010-11-03T17:29:00.003-06:00

Hey Folks,
This week and the next are very busy for this usually boring lass. I have somehow ended up in the crazy position of throwing a swanky party for high class monied individuals. However I will say that I'm carrying around a book that ended up being somewhat prescient. I initially picked up Meghan McCain's book Dirty Sexy Politics because of her interview on Jon Stewart.

Now long time readers will know that I am far from Republican, but I'm interested enough in politics that I want to see both sides. From what I can tell it seems that Meghan McCain sees herself as pulling the Republicans away from the fringe parties. As a person who is the same age as her I am interested in her point of view. I live in a highly conservative state, however the majority of the politics here is very sheep-like. Voters in my state tend to vote strictly based on party and religion alone. All you have to do is look at our election results this week to be able to draw that conclusion.

However I think that the countries political landscape is very vitriolic. Anger and rage and shouting. Nobody wants to pay taxes and everyone's shocked that years of deficit spending has caused all kinds of infrastructure problems. It would be incredibly naive to believe that if we just change parties that everything will fix itself instantly. This is just not possible.

At an early age I understood that in order to make informed decisions you need to be able to see things from all sides. One of my favorite early political books is titled All's Fair. It follows the political romance of James Carville and Mary Matalin. They were each key political players on opposite sides of of the 2002 political campaign. At the same time they are opposing each other politically they are attempting to maintain a relationship outside of the public eye. It's very entertaining, insightful, and balanced. I reccomend it if you can find a copy.

I think that an informed electorate is a key to successful citizenship. These days this is easily forgotten as we all embrace whichever side we are on. Let's not forget this. Complex problems, require a multiple POVs. So I've decided to give this book a chance. And let's face it, it's probably all I have time for and seems a bit amusing. I mean look at that cover.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 10-26-2010 to 11-2-2010

2010-10-26T19:58:00.002-06:00

Hello,
It has been a weekend of blowing, storming, cold fall weather here in my part of the universe. I love fall, but not this version of fall. However I guess beggars can't be choosers eh? Here's the plan for this week chums:

Reading List 10-26-2010 to 11-2-2010
Books
This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley-I've had this on the TBR for awhile but I thought it an appropriate read as I gear up for NaNoWriMo.
American Vampire by Scott Snyder-Season appropriate eh?
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt-Also season appropriate, however more importantly the library wants it back.

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comics
More backup issues. Whoohoo!

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Altruism, Gaiman, And All Hallows Read

2010-10-25T20:07:00.000-06:00

Hey,
For those who follow the magical writer Neil Gaiman this is old news. However I thought that I would add my thoughts to the chorus of praise. He has suggested that for Halloween this year that everyone give a "scary" book to friend, family, or stranger. He then put out a call to his legion of fans for a name for this idea and he chose the phrase "All Hallows Eve." I have to say that I am continually impressed with Mr. Gaiman's use of his influence to promote literacy.

He is clearly a man who wants use his powers for good, rather than fame or book sales. Any cynic would claim this to be a promotional stunt, but Mr. Gaiman doesn't have any new book release to sell. I think that Mr. Gaiman is a lover of books, hell here's a picture of his library:He also was very willing earlier this year to participate in the crowd sourcing experiment "1 book 1 Twitter" project, which centered around his book American Gods. Now in theory he may have earned from book sales, but he also was willing to sit for two sessions of Q&A from Twitter followers. That's private time spent on an older book which he didn't have to do. Mr. Gaiman continues to use innovation "crowd-sourcing" opportunities to keep in touch with his fanbase. He's a long-time blogger and was one of the first authors to use Twitter. However it is original ideas such as "All Hallows Read" that will continually pick him up new readers. I feel that his altruism will continually gain him fans in the book community. He never seems to be out shilling on talk shows or tearing other writer's down in order to succeed. No diva behavior, just a modest good nature. I've never met the man, so I hope that this characterization is true.

So give a scary book this Halloween. It's better than candy. Book Slave.

An Explanation & Reading List 10-19-2010 to 10-26-2010

2010-10-19T20:19:00.003-06:00

Hey,
So Indeed there was no posting last week, however there was a reason. It may not be completely reasonable but it is the truth dear readers. And really this just between us right?

The story begins with last week where I found myself lost. I never lack for reading choices but I felt compelled to stir things up. As a constant reader, and because clearly I'm somewhat OCD, I enjoy creating elaborate systems/schedules/methods that will dictate what I grab from the TBR mountain.

In the past I've used the following organizational methods:
*Page Length-Shortest to longest
*Chronological-Oldest to Most recent
*Alphabetical by authors last name
*Subject

Then it can get more tricky:
*Type of book-paperback, trade, hardcover, other. Then Chronological.
*or then alphabetical by subject
*Or then alphabetical by authors last name...

As you can see it's pure madness really. I blame a dual career in Libraries and Book Stores for this craziness. These things are also to blame for the size of my TBR pile but I digress...

Anyway I find that I like to use one method for awhile and then change things up. Last week I was ready for a change. Hence a reorganization began! And I discovered that I really need to burn through some of these books. There's new piles folks...It's not good.

So after that long explanation here's the plan this week:
Reading List 10-19-2010 to 10-26-2010
Books
New Avengers Vol. 4
Two or Three Things I Know For Sure

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comic
Yes folks I have caught up on the new books. So it's time to dig into the Back Issues. Which is nice.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 10/5 to 10/12

2010-10-05T18:38:00.003-06:00

Hey folks,
I have gotten much reading done this weekend and thrown some books to the side at least for the moment. You'll see in the upcoming days.

However here's a plan for this week:
Reading List 10-5 to 10/12
Comics
A mega stack of comic goodness. Involves some ASM, some Fables, some Flash, some FF. Good times all around.

Books
Accidental Billionaires
New Avengers vol. 4
Battlefields vol. 4

Magazines
Four Four Two

Got some good stuff coming up this October. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Curing the Virus: Censorship in Libraries

2010-10-04T18:56:00.000-06:00

Hello,
As Banned Book Week winds down I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts. Librarians love to share their mutual disgust for book challenges. It is a painful process to reevaluate whether a book should be in the collection or not based on a complaint of one individual. (Most) Librarians love books and feel that information should be freely accessible to all.

But then their are other people who feel that their only action is to self-censor their library. This willful hiding/destruction/theft of materials is the bane of a librarians existence. Ever tried to find a book and it's not there? It is dreadfully annoying and means disappointing a patron. These actions also indicates a stubborn arrogance on the side of the self-censor(s). They believe that they know what is best for everybody. Their opinion matters more than anybody else so they are going to save the community. This savior complex is prideful hubris. How dare anyone tell me what I should be able to read? I can make my own choices, thank you very much.

However before I trot off on my librarian high horse I want to share this story with you all. Starting in the fall of 2008 two library workers took upon themselves to self-censor Alan Moore's graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentleman: The Black Dossier. The entire wonderful story is contained here. To me this story illustrates a fine point: Even those who proclaim to love books will take it upon themselves to circumvent the system. For these women it was a crime of opportunity, rather than desperation. Nobody is immune to the virus of censorship.

If you are a parent then monitor what your kids are reading. Talk to them about books that you are unsure of. Heck even read the books with them and then talk about it.

If you are a kid and you read a book that disturbs you, then talk to your parents about it. Or your teacher. Or your friends. Perhaps that book wasn't appropriate for your age level.

If you are a librarian then spend every moment possible building up your reader's advisory. Develop a list of "clean" books. Develop a list of books for multiple age levels. Be proactive.

If you are a librarian administrator then develop a transparent book challenge process. And keep up with other book challenges across the country. Communicate any concerns you may have with your selectors about placement.

Above All: Do Not Be Give In To Those Few Book Banners Who Would Make Choices For All Of Us.

Reading List 9/28-10/5

2010-09-28T16:00:00.002-06:00

Hey folks,
I know: more of the same. However, future necessity is gonna require some changes coming up. Or some other lit may suddenly catch my attention. I must admit the wonderful transition from summer to fall as well as other insistent plans are making it rough. Focus is hard to maintain. I guess I should keep my eyes on those pesky goals I set for this year. Time for the final push eh?

Here's the plan this week:
Reading List 9/28-10/5
Books
Accidental Billionaires
The Town (formerly known as Prince of Thieves)
(Hey, these books are long. I'm working at it.)
Hellboy: The Great Hunt

Mags
Four Four Two October 2010

Comics
Some Amazing Spider-Man on tap along with some more comic goodness.

Alright look for some censorship commentary this week. More to come. Book Slave.

Let There Be Free Expression.

2010-09-27T16:15:00.001-06:00

Hey folks,
If you've been cruising the blogs this week, or perhaps your local book supplier, it'd be hard not to be knocked over by the commentary on Banned Books Week. Of course it's important to shine a spotlight on this horrible practice and discuss why it should not happen. In the past I have ranted and discussed this topic as is my desire. However this year I feel as if oftentimes we free speech and expression proponents are preaching to the chorus.

For all our liberal anger this ignoble practice still exists all over the country (if not the world). Book challenges and attempts at censorship are made by individuals from all walks of life, even librarians themselves. I read these stories and marvel at the stupidity of it all. These days I find that yelling and getting angry, like certain conservatives, just ends up creating a lot of noise. Logic and the law needs to be employed in the defense of free expression. Does your library have a transparent process to deal with book challenges? Highlight that. Show your patrons that this is not an issue of us vs. them. Book Banners/Challengers are not necessarily monsters. They are simply ignorant, scared, attention seekers. They see themselves as saviors of the community. They have the ability to file a claim, go thru a process, and have their opinion heard. Just like everyone else. Otherwise it's everyone's free choice to decide what to read, think, and express to others here in the United States. While any book banner has the right to disagree with my opinion, they don't have the right to say it is illegal for me to express it.

However while I am preaching tolerance today, I also feel that we should battle for Free Expression. Free Expression and Free Speech lies at the foundation of this countries ideals. Let us not forget. I have been reading the transcripts of the Howl obscenity trial this past week. For those who need some background: In 1957 Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl was published along with some of his other works such as America. A subsequent obscenity trial was brought against Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who ran City Lights Bookstore, the poem's new domestic publisher. Feel free to read more about it here. I ran up against this wonderful passage from the closing argument of defending attorney Jake Ehrlich:

"Let there be light. Let there be honesty. Let there be no running from non-existent destroyers of morals. Let there be honest understanding. In the end four-letter words will not appear draped in glaring headlights, but will be submerged in the decentralization of small thinking in small minds."

Amen, I say amen. Book Slave.

Emotional Honesty: Ginsberg & Kerouac

2010-09-23T16:45:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
So I've been interested in finding some books about "the beats" since I saw the trailer for the upcoming film Howl. It centers around the Howl Obscenity trial back in 1957. If you have not seen it, well I can provide:

Anyway so in my wanderings I found some pretty comprehensive books that were highly enjoyable if not a bit self-reverential. It is true that the "beat" generation have been romanticized to such a degree that it's difficult to sort the mythology from the truth. A de-mythologizer would look at this motley group and say that all they see is a bunch of drunken-partiers who didn't want to get a job. They lucked onto a post-World War 2 disillusionment and rode it. They also didn't seem to like women very much. All these statements are most likely true. However these writers were necessary at a time when the country could of gone in many different directions. Civil Rights and economic depression fueled a group of young people who didn't know where they fit in. This bohemian crowd wasn't interested in the 50s ideal and saw the cracks inherent in that mythology.

However, everybody's gotta eat. Every writer wants to be heard by someone. I don't believe that the writers themselves are to blame for the commercial machinations of their exploiters. Getting published isn't easy. Ginsberg and Kerouac hustled and pushed themselves. As many drunken nights as they spent these guys were compelled to pour out their heart and souls on the page. The outpouring of emotion is felt on every page of Howl and The Subteraneans. Even with a certain amount of success these writers could go one of two ways: Embrace it or Resent it.

Kerouac and Ginsberg are illustrations of this dichotomy. Kerouac lived with a conflicted resentment that ended up killing him. Kerouac's novel Big Sur illustrates this in painful detail. He didn't want to be associated with the hippie movement. Yet he couldn't turn away their money. Unfortunately it was alcohol that ended up winning in the end. He chose to be numb, a cowardly way out especially for a man who felt compelled to share so much of himself in his writing. Without emotion he couldn't write, and without writing he didn't have an outlet. Alcohol became his undoing and a premature death.

Ginsberg on the other hand ended up embracing Buddhism and finding true love. While his 1950s work such as Howl and Kaddish are full of anger and frustration, his later work does show a hint of reconciliation. Ginsberg found peace in the spiritual, rather than the sensual. His life-mate Peter Orlovsky was not interested in any piece of his success. He wanted the man, rather than any association with the "beat" generation. They were together for more than 30 years. Ginsberg rushed headlong into being a part of the hippie movement which matched up with his philosophical sensibilities. Although one gets a sense that as the whole "beat" generation notoriety faded, he was still able to express his soul. The Fall of America, published in 1974, is just as honest as his earlier work. Rather than fade he embraced the "peace" movement and lived a much happier, emotionally honest life centered around a positive force: love.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wish that more focus was thrown Ginsberg's way, rather than the "cool but doomed" Kerouac. Hopefully this year Ginsberg will make a comeback into the public consciousness. Of course I would love to see poetry reach that level of societal importance again. The "beat" generation were important and necessary in difficult times. Where is our modern literary movement? I crave some emotional honesty. Perhaps now is the time for it again.

The Beats: Subterraneans and Kerouac.

2010-09-22T12:44:00.000-06:00

Hey Those Out There In the Great Beyond,
How are you? If you're tired of me talking about Graphic Novels and Funny Books well here's a break. A few years ago while still harboring delusions about the stability of an English degree I took a class on Beat Literature. It was taught by Don Revell who is that kind of English teacher you dream of but never really get a chance to take a class from. He's crazy, irreverent, magical and deeply feels the poetry he's teaching. If you get a chance I highly reccommend checking out his poetry or attending a reading/class.

Anyway, I came to Beat Lit relatively late in regards to my poetry/modern lit experience. As a teen I was not really the rebellious type, my upbringing was full of pragmatism. Workaholics don't have time for drunken rambles and road trips. So while I found Beat Lit intriguing, I looked more toward structural formalist poetry. Modern poetry just didn't make any sense to me as a teenager, and I didn't feel it was relevant. Perhaps Beat Lit isn't really meant to be appreciated by those who haven't experienced a measured amount of turbulent existence. Maybe I just wasn't ready for it.

So I didn't end up picking up 20th century poetry until I was in my early 20s. Now my 20s ended up being the cliched self-discovery odyssey that should be expected. That could be the reason that I responded so strongly to On the Road upon first reading it. (I've talked about it before so I won't go in depth.) Kerouac's Sal Paradise is a reflective surface. The only identity he has is the women, friends, and alcohol that he surrounds himself with. It is not until the end that he discovers that only he can express his own emotional turmoil. He cannot rely on his friends, only himself. In our mid-20s this is an essential lesson. One must develop their own self-identity in order to move on to the next stage. How can you care about someone else if you don't know who you are yourself?

The main characters of Kerouac's novella The Subterraneans, exemplify this dilemma. Leo and Mardou are lost within their surroundings. Their lives are a desperate mixture of extreme emotions and actions. These two are able to equally mete out love and pain within their short coupling. The highs are high and the lows are low. Neither seems to be able to tell the other what they need or expect from each other. Clearly they do not know, because they don't know themselves as individuals. To cope with this Leo drinks too much. Mardou goes to see an analyst. Neither seems to do any good. The ending of their relationship is inevitable.

Knowing that the main character Leo is meant to be Kerouac, The Subterraneans is a form of confessional prose. Writing is Kerouac's safest method of coping with his extreme emotions. Otherwise he ends up drinking too much and getting into bar fights. His prose style tumbles out to the reader as he tries to convey his emotional turmoil. Kerouac needs to share his thoughts and emotions with the reader. He is begging for someone to explain to him what went wrong with Mardou. This emotional style requires the reader to bend a sympathetic ear. It's easy to toss him off as unbearably solipsistic, however Kerouac has no other healthy way to share his turmoil.

For me beat literature contains a wonderful emotional honesty that can be refreshing. Too often, as adults we are urged to loose our humanity in order succeed. "Grow Up" we are told. Kerouac explores the consequences of not being able to integrate his own extreme emotional state and a healthy self identity. Kerouac never manages to do so, and ends up alone.

I'll be writing more about Beat Literature this month so stay tuned. Book Slave.

Reading List 9/21-9/28

2010-09-21T16:39:00.002-06:00

Hey guys,
Has it really been two weeks? Woah. Sometimes it gets away from you.

Here's the plan:
Reading List 9/21-9/28
Books
Accidental Billionaires
The Town (formerly known as Prince of Thieves)

Mags
Rollingstone -Do you see that Mad Men cover? Gorgeous.

Comics
Some Amazing Spider-Man on tap along with some more comic goodness.

Look for some upcoming posts to fulfill your literary commentary needs for the rest of the month. Enjoy, Book Slave.

Reading List 9/7/2010-9/14/2010

2010-09-07T07:49:00.000-06:00

Hello All,
Oh it’s fall and I feel the strange need to clean and improve. I finally put up new curtains (only took 3 years!), not to mention throwing out that office chair that became dangerous to sit in. I also feel the need to clear out some of these books I’ve got lying around. We’ll see what hell that well-intentioned thought brings.

Reading List 9/7/2010-9/14/2010
Books
The Last Olympian-AKA the last Percy Jackson book!
The Subteraneans-Feel like some beat literature in prep for Howl
Accidental Billionaires-In prep for The Social Network

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comics
All caught up! Time for some back issues.

That’s all folks! Have a great week! Book Slave.

How did I get here?: Rasl & Revolver

2010-09-06T08:16:00.005-06:00

Hey Guys & Gals,
So last week I happened to pick up two graphic novels which were bizarrely similar. This was completely by chance. Or was it?

Wherever you go, there you are: Rasl vol. 2 & Revolver
Despite the fact that I am scientifically handicapped in many ways, I enjoy thinking about theoretical physics. Someday I want to read books about string theory and Schrodinger’s cat. I did read Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and Nash’s paper on game theory. Didn’t understand much of it, but I do want to. This same fascination exists with parallel universes. Does every decision you make create a split where the different options play out? Is there different versions of you playing out these scenarios on an infinite number of Earths? It was just my luck that two new graphic novel’s I read this week scratched this itch.

Jeff Smith’s new series Rasl finally came out with his Vol. 2. It’s horribly frustrating that this series is being released in single copies quarterly. Due to the infrequency I just gave up and moved to trades. So it seems like forever since I read Vol. 1, but I vaguely remember the plot enough that I can continue to enjoy this series. Rasl centers on a former scientist turned art thief who jumps around parallel universes. He’s also being chased by a lizard and screwing around with various women.

Unfortunately I am completely turned off by the amoral behavior of the main character. Issue 6 works very hard to make the case that Rasl is a hero. But it’s really too late. It’s very hard to root for a guy who screws everything on two legs and gambling away his art theft money. Meanwhile his girlfriend is waiting for him in a parallel universe under threat. Rasl doesn’t seem to care though.

Vol. 1 dealt with setting up this crazy premise so now in Vol. 2 Smith gets his geek on. Having made it to 6 issues Smith feels confident enough to experiment with non-linear storytelling. The best issue of the series is a mix of science history and flashback as the story of Nikola Tesla is put together with a flashback into Rasl’s past. Rasl, is becoming as lost as Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse Five. He’s a man lost in time and space. Using non-linear storytelling, Smith puts the reader into the same confused state as the main character. This is complex work and wonderfully compelling in it’s execution. I just wish I could get more invested in the motivations of the main character.

I’ve already spoken here about my love of Matt Kindt. Oh yeah, also here. His latest OGN Revolver is another wonderful work to add to his canon. Revolver centers around a main character who finds himself bouncing between his normal banal existence and an apocalyptic parallel universe where he’s forced to kill and survive. He carries his memories and experiences into each world. This starts to wear on him as he realizes how materialistic and meaningless his normal world is compared to a world gone to hell. He struggles to find a purpose. This a natural reaction for someone in their mid-20s, whether their dealing with a world gone crazy or just “the mall.”

Kindt shows amazing skill regarding sequential art. He uses all the facets of the artistic medium to show the emotional journey of the main characters. His art style is rough on purpose, however his composition within the panel can be breathtaking. I was particularly impressed with a full page image where bodies are falling from skyscrapers above. This is clearly meant to bring back images from 9/11 which is echoed when we discover that this is an act of terrorism that pulls the world apart.

In an interesting twist the terrorist is not a religious fundamentalist, he’s a condescending moralist. This is a masterstroke. How often in our mid-20s do we question those who are supposedly moral superior? How often do they end up being wrong? In Revolver Kindt uses a unique premise to tell a story of self-discovery. It’s amazing that he still manages such an upbeat ending that is not sappy in the slightest. Don’t Miss This Book.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

The Last Book Club Meeting?!! Perhaps.

2010-09-02T14:01:00.006-06:00

Hey All,
So longtime readers (I delude myself that their are a few of them) will recall that I attend The Hard Boiled Book Club at my local bookstore the last tuesday of the month. It's moderated by my old co-worker and fellow writer Zach Sampinos. The focus is on new alternative fiction which means the choices can often be odd but are never boring. Unfortunately my attendance has been a bit sporadic as of late because of life stuff getting in the way. Well tragically it turns out that my work wants me to work Tuesday nights from here on in. This bums me out because it's nice to have an excuse to read something new and meet with cool people every month. But such is life so other than the occasional schedule wrangling I'll have to let it go. Well maybe things will change in the future...we'll wait and see.

So this last Tuesday we sat and discussed Sean Ferrell's novel Numb. In this first novel the main character is a man who suffers from amnesia and a condition where he feels no pain. (This is actually real, read about it here.) Due to both these strange circumstances the main character lives an existence that is completely in the present. As I began this novel I was sure that this novel was going to take a typical path. However Ferrell has another intention entirely. Numb it turns out is a commentary on our insta-celebrity culture. Through very little machinations of his own the main character ends up being a freak oddity on Youtube. In this novel Ferrell uses clear cut satire to comment on what he feels is the difference between art and superficiality. Fame vs. real substance. These are the issues he wants to explore.

As important as these subjects are I was dissapointed when the ending came because I felt that we were finally learning something about the main character. He is a horribly passive character. This is pointed out to him by several characters. He is pushed and pulled by everyone else. It isn't until the very end that he takes initiative. It is a fist-pumping moment. I dearly wish that it had come sooner in the narrative. Otherwise the narrative is full of characters that I highly disliked (Emilia, Mal) or didn't know enough about to become invested in (Hiko).

In the end Numb has great moments in it, but lacks character development. Ferrell needs to decide whether he wants his stories to be commentary on subjects or characters. Some writers do both equally well. I'm willing to give him a chance on his next book to see what happens.

Enjoy! Book Slave.

Hey they're making a movie of that.

2010-09-01T22:54:00.018-06:00

Hey folks,
Looking at my calendar I noticed that it's September. September! Yeah!

Don't get me wrong. Summer can be awesome. In my neck of the woods it means insanely high temperatures, the ritualistic burning of my fair skin, and a dryness that will suck every drop of moisture from your body. Oh but I digress.

For me the fall season means that my two passions collide: movies and books. Traditionally high class movie adaptations appear in the fall so that they can be released as award-bait. Hollywood's cynical calculation is my gain as I get excited seeing what's coming up. I will always support movie-adaptations of books because it does drive people to check out the original source material. Whether the movie is good or bad, readers will be naturally drawn to the original which is a great thing. Anything that leads to more reading by our civilization is a beneficial act.

Case in point: Recently I was motivated to finally read Never Let Me Go because I saw the trailer for the upcoming film. I ended up loving this book and now I'm even more psyched for the movie. (read my review here) Now it's completely plausible that this book may have sat on my TBR pile for another 5 years if this movie adaptation didn't happen. Sometimes it takes the simplest of reasons for one book to push to the top.

As I've written before I'm not a purist. I don't expect movies and books to be the same. I'll save that for BBC. I actually expect a screenwriter and director to bring their own style/interpretation to the material. We've all seen Pride and Prejudice a billion times. Same goes for Jane Eyre. I don't want to see what I've seen already. In some strange cases the movie is better than the book. It does happen every once and awhile. I've felt that the Swedish movie adaptations of Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy have been phenomenal. However I also feel that the streamlining of the plot elevates the material. Larsson's books sometimes suffer due to too much detail and not enough editing. The movies increase the action and tension but cuts down on some of the tedious details that I don't care about. If you get the chance to check out the Swedish movie versions I highly reccommend them based on Noomi Rapace's performance alone.

Anyway here's three book to movie adaptations coming out this year (along with the aforementioned Never Let Me Go) that I am now compelled to read the book based on the trailers that I have seen:

*Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. This is the original source material for the film The Social Network.

*The Adjustment Bureau by Philip K. Dick.

*Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan. This is the original source material for the film The Town.

Look for these reviews in the future. (Well Maybe...) Have a great mid-week! Book Slave.

Reading List 8/31/2010-9/7/2010

2010-08-31T22:42:00.000-06:00

Hello you all,
Here's the plan for this week.

Reading List 8/31/2010-9/7/2010
Books
Revolver-OGN by Matt Kindt, not a treatise on the classic Beatles album
Rasl vol. 2

Comics
Daredevil, Walking Dead, and assorted issues.

Magazines
Four Four Two- It's soccer season! Or should I say football?

I have been a somewhat lazy reader as of late but I do want to kick it up a notch this fall. There is much to catch up on before the fall movie-adaptation season begins. More on that soon.
Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 7/24/2010-7/31/2010

2010-08-24T23:00:00.005-06:00

Hey folks,
Here's the reading plan. Please note that just because a book changes, it doesn't mean that it won't reappear. I shake things up, unexpected books drop into my lap, or I'm behind on posting. Just roll with it. I do.

Reading List 7/24/2010-7/31/2010
Books
Revolver
Numb-The Last Book Club book. Sad.

Comics
Some random issues. Strangely I'm kinda caught up on the weekly pile. Finally catching up on the back log.

Magazines
Four Four Two.

Currently stuck in a West Wing k-hole. I can't stop!

Have a great week! Book Slave.

We are Sex bob-omb! Here to make you feel sad and stuff!

2010-08-23T12:47:00.004-06:00

Hey folks,
Catching up on some reviews for books that I read last month during the insane period.

Great Expectations: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour
Just gonna make myself clear up front: I love Scott Pilgrim. Ever since I took home and read volume one titled Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life, I was hooked. I remember sitting down with volume 1 and reading it in the course of an afternoon without being able to stop. It was so much fun. I got instantly caught up in this video game-esque world where vanquishing opponents turns them into coins. So finally we come to Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour. For me, your humble reader, expectations for this conclusion were ridiculously high. Waiting 18 months will do that. As I picked up my pre-ordered copy I was nervous. Would I be elated or disappointed? Well having read the book I’d use a different word to describe my feelings: Surprised.

Writer/Artist Bryan O’Malley finished up his epic with a lot of action, a touch of darkness, and ultimately a hopeful ending. I did not predict that nearly ¾s of the book would be the final battle between Scott and the “super-boss” Gideon Graves. Although we had some cameos from side characters, and wrap up to their stories, this really came down to the triangle of Scott, Ramona, and Gideon. He eschews the focus on characterization in order to give us as much visual eye-candy as he can.

O’Malley has shown great improvement in his use of sequential art over the years. He has always emulated a manga-esque panel style. He mashes it with video games visuals to create a unique look. In volume 6 O’Malley uses this to explore dreamscapes and psychology more in-depth than in previous entries. In particular this pertains to Ramona and her own relationship issues. I found this very interesting because Ramona has maintained an air of mystery and emotional aloofness. It’s been implied that this enhances her attractiveness. It is her ability to constantly be cool but unattainable that has so many evil ex-boyfriends willing to fight for her.

This was a surprising turn in characterization to shift the focus to Ramona. Whereas the book is called Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour it could easily be called Ramona’s Darkest Therapy Session. Like Scott Ramona has her own issues to overcome that are linked to her fears. I never expected any of this from this series. Ramona has been held up on a pedestal until the aforementioned Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe. Call me pathetic or a “shipper” but I’ve always felt invested in the Scott/Ramona romance. I’ve felt that Ramona is a great dream girl in volumes 1-4. Her supercool ever-changing hair color and deft use of the subspace highway are just a few of her awesome attributes. However I was not happy when in Vol. 5 Ramona suddenly became an unlikable character. It was like a betrayal to see this sudden turn in character. She’s pissed and unhappy with Scott at the end of Vol. 5. Now I see that O’Malley was laying the groundwork to de-mystify Ramona in Vol. 6. As we head into the final confrontation Scott and Ramona are on equal footing which completes an emotional arc for the two of them.

Ultimately this elevated storytelling shows a maturity in O’Malley’s writing. It’s unfortunate that O’Malley doesn’t extend this to the side characters as he wraps up this story. I was really hoping for a cool ending for Kim Pine, Stephen Stills, and Wallace. These characters are fun enough to have spin-off books of their own. Instead O’Malley settles for some cheap laughs. I was not impressed and it felt like a step back compared to the finale that O’Malley gave Scott and Ramona. The lack of characterization with these side characters, especially Kim Pine, was particularly cheap.

Endings are hard. As a fan of the series I wanted everything to be great. In the end it turns out that Vol. 6 fits in somewhere in the middle quality-wise. I still feel that the series peaked during volumes 3 & 4 with its strong focus on the characters and relationships. However it’s not like the final volume ruins the whole series for me. It’s hopeful view of Ramona and Scott’s emotional journey is enjoyable, without being schmaltzy. It’s unpredictable and ambiguous which is one of the wonderful things about Scott Pilgrim. I hope that O’Malley continues to maintain this aspect of his style. Can’t wait for his next book.

Hey here's the past reviews for the other books in this series in chronological order (BTW I read Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life before the blog, so no past review to link): Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, Scott Pilgrim vs. the Infinite Sadness, Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together, Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

A little Self-Promotion...

2010-08-20T13:07:00.002-06:00

Hey,
A little self promotion if you please. Within this link is an interview about yours truly. It mostly focuses on The Graphic Novel Club, a program that I started up this year and have been trying to build.

Salt Lake City Weekly-The Graphic Novel Club

Enjoy your weekend! Book Slave.

Things I've Learned...Comics Edition

2010-08-18T22:48:00.003-06:00

Hey folks,
So I finally had some time to sit back and get thru that comic stack that’s been mocking me. Comics yeah. My old friends.

Here’s some conclusions I came to.

5 Things I Learned from Comics this Week

1. Captain America is awesome again. I was very close to dropping the book after the last storyline. Brubaker brought me back with #606, which was the beginning of this new storyline with Baron Zemo. I love how this story delves into the complex psychology of Bucky Barnes. He's been through some stuff being the Winter Soldier and all. With Steve Rogers, the original Cap, back from the dead, Bucky really has to convince us that he has the mental stability to hold the Captain America mantle. Can't wait to see what's next. Still don’t care about the Nomad backup though.

2. Sadly I’m gonna pass on Birds of Prey. I want to love it, but I don’t. Maybe I’ll come back to it in trade.

3. Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark was awesome! C’mon They Get Mixed Up! I’ve loved Ottley’s art on Invincible and he’s a local so I picked it up just for fun. It was remarkably gruesome but hilarious. Ifanboy was right.

4. Fantastic Four is the best Marvel comic right now. It’s wonderfully consistent, smart, and dynamic, without relying on flash. Hickman has made me love a book that I never thought I would even read.FF is worthy of everyone’s attention.

5. The ending of Walking Dead #75 is wonderfully amazing. Kirkman is a magical SOB. You trade-waiters are missing out.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 8/17/2010-8/24/2010

2010-08-17T22:41:00.001-06:00

Hey folks,
Here’s the plan for this week. So nice to see things getting back to normal eh?

Reading List 8/17-8/24/2010
Books
Last Olympian
Chronicles Vol. 1-Due to the fact that I am seeing Bob Dylan in concert tonight. Yes let me repeat that: I am seeing Bob Dylan tonight! (Very excited)

Comics
Amazing Spider-Man-the last two arcs The Grim Hunt & One Moment In Time. I'm so behind. Then some random issues of comics that I've picked up over the last little while.

Magazines
Four Four Two

In addition to this fine reading I've now got time to do the following: Re-Watch the magic that is West Wing. Finally watch Skins Series 1. And the next series of MI-5. It’s nice to be a bit slovenly.

Enjoy your week! Book Slave.

Don't call it a Comeback & Never Let Me Go

2010-08-16T21:56:00.004-06:00

Hey folks,
Yes I am back. I’ve been horribly absent from this blog but trust me it was because of a worthy cause. When I’m not lost in the written word I like to find ways that I can keep myself busy. So that’s where I was. But now I’ve returned like that cat that came back. Thank you those who’ve stuck around to read my literary rantings. I’ll try not to stay away so long.

Never Let Me Go: Go Get the Tissues.

Never Let Me Go by Kazou Ishiguro has been sitting on my TBR pile for a long time. I was motivated when I saw the trailer for the new movie adaptation. That trailer pushed me to the point where I finally picked it up and entered the world of Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy. These three friends are all students of Hailsham, a boarding school for those who are “special.” The story is told in flashback thru the eyes of Kathy who works as a “carer.” I am being purposely vague because I don’t want to lessen the emotional impact of this story. He is subtle in such a way that may lose readers who seek out melodrama. There are neither bombs that explode nor people held at gunfire. The stakes, however, remain just as crucial to our metaphysical existence. What does it mean to have a soul? What does it mean to be human?

Ishiguro uses a limited narration that keeps the readers at a distance. At first Hailsham seems like any other boarding school but slowly the reader gains a feeling of something more sinister. This underlying feeling that there is something “different” about the world in which these characters exist drove me forward. Even though I knew that Kathy’s tone of melancholy meant that there would be no happy endings. Kathy’s acceptance of this makes Ishiguro’s indictment of this society even more tragic. Tears welled up in my eyes upon the devastating climax because it was all so inevitable.

This book hurt my soul. I’ve talked before about books that I can’t read in public because I’ll end up making an emotional mess of myself. Well add another book to the list.

Oh by the way here’s that trailer I was talking about:

It’s good to be back. Have a great summer night, Book Slave.

A little Ranting & Reading List 7/27-8/3

2010-07-27T11:36:00.002-06:00

Hey Folks,
Don't worry I'm still alive! This summer is a very busy thing for your humble reader/blogger. This week I had the chance to sit back and dive back into the wonderful magical world of the reading experience. That respite was a moment of sweet salvation from a very hectic time. It was a great reminder that no matter how crazy the world can get (and it can get crazy), there's a place that you can escape to. Reading is not about just "getting thru it." It's not about getting the slate clean. Even when you have "homework" if what you are reading is well-written then it's not "work." Literature, books, the written word, whatever you want to call it, should be a joy. Let's not forget.

Alright, stepping down from my personal pillory, here's the plan this week.

Reading List 7/27-8/3
Books
Battle of the Labyrinth
Batwoman: Elegy

Comics
A gorgeous stack of goodness.

Magazine
Four Four Two-World Cup Wrap Up.

Google Reader Catch Up Continues. It's at the point where it's not 1000+ which constitutes a lot of hard work folks.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 7/13-7/20

2010-07-13T22:38:00.003-06:00

Hey folks,
So I'm much less busy now that certain Alt Press Festivals are over. Hopefully posting here will become more regular. The Alt Press Festival was a massive success with good music, art and sock puppetry. In fact if you look on certain social networks (such as the Facebook) you'll actually find a decent picture of yours truly, as well as the other committee members. So you'd think that I would just take it slow after such a massive undertaking but no you'd be wrong. Well wasn't it Frances McDormand who said "Be Bold and Mighty Forces will come to your aid" ? So here's the plan this week:

Reading List 7/13-7/20
Books
Powers Definitive Hardcover Vol. 1
With the Old Breed

Comics
A wonderful stack of comic goodness.

Gotta catch up on the Google Reader. It's overflowing.

And that's it folks. Seriously. Have a great week! Book Slave

Reading List 7-6-2010 to 7-13-2010

2010-07-06T00:01:00.004-06:00

Hey,
Oh poor neglected blog. Don't worry I'll be back to posting regularly, I know that you believe in me.

Here it is:
Reading List 7-6-2010 to 7/13/2010
Comics
Batman #866, Amazing Spider-Man 632-635, Fables 96, New Avengers 1, Captain America 606, Walking Dead 73, Fantastic Four 580

I'll also try to attack the Google Reader Inbox. It's overflowing.

And that's all folks. Seriously I may squeeze in a short book, but otherwise I don't have time this week. I'm very busy.

Have a great week, Book Slave. (Well really just Slave this week.)

If only the makers of Jonah Hex had Listened.

2010-06-25T21:26:00.004-06:00

Hey folks,
After I've seen a few disasterous literary adaptations come down the pipe lately I felt compelled to write the following. If only anyone in charge were actually reading. *sigh*

5 Ways Not to Eff-Up A Literary Adaptation

1. It's about the characters.
As long as it's clear that Frodo needs Samwise to save him from the Ring, then I don't care what you change. It is these characters that we love and are willing to follow. That can't be replaced by a special effect or story twist. Strong consistent characters can steer any successful page-to-screen adaptation.

2. It's got to be an interesting World.
The world of the movie has to be made interesting and new by the writers, directors, and cast. The original author went to a lot of trouble describing the world inhabited by these characters. At least do the author the favor of doing the same when you translate it into a visual medium. Actually it might be a good thing just to let the author do the screenplay. If they want to. What you got to lose?

3. Casting is Key.
I don't care if you get the hottest "It" girl/guy of the moment, if she's not right for the part, then your sunk. And not all actresses are Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren or Cate Blanchett. Those actresses can do any part on earth. Frankly if I heard they were gonna be the leads in an adaptation of anything, I would buy a ticket. I tell anyone who will listen that a great performance from any actor will always gain more than a mediocre performance from a "star" actor. Cast for talent not popularity. Please.

4. If it's not good. Then it's not good.
Okay so you may be able to fool those folks who go see anything the first day it comes out, but a book will outlast a bad literary movie adaptation. In the end that bad movie will end up in a bargain bin at Walmart. Go ahead put it out in January, March or September. However no fan of a book wants to see a poor adaptation of their favorite book. If the movie looks like it's gonna be bad, then just cut your losses and move on to the next project. Don't change the ending, or recast, or bury it. Just don't make the movie in the first place.

5. Not Every Book is Meant to Be a Movie.
It's true. For every great movie adaptation of a book that everyone said "couldn't be done" their are utter abhorrent mistakes. Books and movies are two different mediums. One is visual. One is created with words only. Not everything can or should be both. There are also books that are so iconic that you may want to avoid adaptation completely. I'm looking at you On The Road.

So having said all this here are 5 books that I think would make great movies if done right:
Special Topics In Calamity Physics by Marissa Pessl
Northline by Willy Vlautin
Alias by Brian Michael Bendis
Winesburg Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane by Sean McKeever

Have a great weekend! Book Slave.

Admittance of fault: I Kill Giants

2010-06-24T21:52:00.005-06:00

Hey folks,
Alright mark this day in your calendars: I was wrong. Okay I admit it. The following is an explanation of how I ended up enjoying I Kill Giants.

First a flashback: Back in July 2008 I picked up a single issue of an independent comic named I Kill Giants. There was a lot of buzz on the mini-series and it was just 2.99 so I decided to go for it. At the time I hadn't heard of Joe Kelly, who was writing the series. Of course now he's one of my favorite writers after reading his work on Amazing Spider-Man and Deadpool. However in the summer of 2008 I was of a different mindset altogether. After flipping through the first issue I was unimpressed. Maybe it was the heat, but I thought it was derivative of what I had seen in fantasy before. A young girl, different from her peers, who escapes into a fantasy world of her creating which may or may not be real sounded like a Pan's Labyrinth ripoff to me. So I gave it a pass.

However during the next 6 months I Kill Giants was all anyone who reads comics could talk about. It was the Essex County Trilogy of 2008. But still I resisted. Sometimes I have this bizarre irrational stubbornness that makes me retreat from anything that is overtly popular. For the same reason I refuse to see Avatar or read Harry Potter. I fully admit that it's foolish but there it is. I felt the same way about I Kill Giants and so even when the trade came out I said no.

Well then I read Joe Kelly's Amazing Spider-Man arc earlier this year. It was hilarious, funny, and witty. Basically everything I want in a Spider-Man comic. Then I heard a great interview that he gave on Ifanboy and I found out that Kelly had been writing comics since the early 90s. He knows comics. So when I saw the I Kill Giants Titan Edition come thru I decided to give it another chance.

So here it is: I Kill Giants is a wonderful story about a very effed-up 5th grade girl named Barbara Thorson. Barbara keeps two secrets from the world: One is a hammer capable of toppling giants. The other is something far worse. She is different, closed off socially, and finding strength in making the world around her fantastical. But their is obviously something wrong in the Thorson household. The question is whether Barbara is the one with severe emotions problems, or whether she has created a coping mechanism to deal with an external force. Writer Joe Kelly and artist JM Ken Niimura are very savvy to leave us guessing until the final issue. Barbara is an unreliable narrator, but not in a cynical way. The writer is not trying to trick us or smugly wink with hipster cynicism. Rather Barbara's extreme POV endears us to her. She creates a world where she is the strongest person she can be.

However as we find out in this carefully crafted tale, this is not a story of good vs. evil. Barbara cannot kill the most horrifying thing out there: the unknown. Even giants are easier opponents. She has to create a world that she can control because in the "real world" she is helpless. I was very impressed by how Kelly and Niimura deftly switch between POVs. We get to see Barbara from multiple sides who try to understand and help her. It's a very emotional tale at the end. Barbara Thorson goes through a very rich character journey. The reader experiences Barbara's epiphany at the same time that the reader does, which makes it very involving.

So in the end I highly reccomend I Kill Giants. Okay. Are you happy?

Have a great week. Book Slave.

It's a busy time.

2010-06-22T21:31:00.003-06:00

Hello Y'all,
Having a great week? I hope so. In fact tomorrow is my b-day! It's also going to be a day where USA and England win and move on the next round (I hope, please, let it happen). A lot of things. Here's the plan this week.

Reading List 6/22-6/29
Books
Love & Blood - Soccer baby! yeah.
The Ecstatic- Book Club book. I Love my book club.

Comics
A stack to catch up on. End of the month/fiscal year comic crash.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 6/15/2010-6/22/2010

2010-06-15T23:22:00.003-06:00

Hey World,
How are you? Hope you are all having a good summer wherever you reside on this spinning orb. I am a busy bee, but I cannot avoid the lure of the printed page.

Reading List
Books
American Gods-In order to catch up with 1b1t I'll need to read a chapter a day. Can I do it? To Be Continued.
Love & Blood-Decided to pick this up off the TBR pile because it's a World Cup-centric book. By the way I love world cup! Go SPAIN!
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt-Because it'd be weird if I wasn't reading a graphic novel.

Mags
Four Four Two

Comics
Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man, and some older comics. Apparently since I dropped some comics that haven't been good lately (Wolverine I'm looking at you!) means that it's easier to work through my comic stack. Who knew?!

World Cup baby. World Cup. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Time Travel & Booster Gold.

2010-06-14T23:40:00.002-06:00

Hey folks,
A short return to a series I love. I love it so much I've talked about it here and here. Have I mentioned I also love time travel? Oh I do. I do.

Booster Gold Effs Up Everything, Again: Booster Gold Day of Death

I first met Booster Gold in the pages of 52. If you have not read that excellent series then I urge you to do so, especially if you are a DC fan. In 52 Booster emerged as the first character who tried to fill the superhero void when Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman decided to take a break after Infinite Crisis. However it turns out that Booster's major character flaw is that he will do anything for fame and fortune. He is a bit of a douchebag, but he does in the end want to do the right thing. It's just that occasionally he strays. Since the end of 52 Booster's been working with Rip Hunter in his own title Booster Gold. I've loved reading this series in trade paperback, so the moment I saw a copy available I had to snatch it up.

And it didn't disappoint. Time travel is a difficult gambit. It often becomes of question of whether you believe that one can change the future by manipulating a significant event or if you follow a philosophy that some events are just always going to happen. It's complicated. It can hurt your head if you think about it too hard. Booster Gold follows the idea that somethings are just "supposed" to happen, it's been deemed "solidified time." This is illustrated in Booster Gold #5 where Booster cannot stop Barbara Gordon from being shot. He desperately tries again and again but tragically it's just meant to happen.

This precedent regarding the rules of time travel, which was established by Geoff Johns, is key to the story arc in Day of Death. In this arc Booster is sent by Rip Hunter to get some info from the Bat Cave since Bruce Wayne has disappeared. But being Booster Gold, well he screws things up. This is not a spoiler-with Booster it's pretty inevitable. Thank God for Rip Hunter. Of course it is the pairing of these two men that makes this series wonderful. They are polar opposites in a "Odd Couple"-kind've way. It's very entertaining as written by Jurgens in this arc.

Back to time travel, writer Jurgens continues to use these issues to show us DC readers what parts of comic continuity are important. The DC universe needs Dick Grayson and the Teen Titans; Dick Grayson is supposed to become Batman and help Damian; these events are "solidified time." Without this series of events then the DC Universe will be in a bad place. Rip and Booster have to put things right. Will they? C'mon this is a comic book. While the ending was slightly predictable I still enjoyed this series because it doesn't wrap itself in convolution. It's still pretty simple to understand. Even for Booster.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Round Up! The Unwritten, Irredeemable, and Too Cool to be Forgotten

2010-06-12T21:27:00.006-06:00

Hey folks,
It's time for the Graphic Novel Round Up. Been reading a lot of other things, like "fiction" and "non-fiction", but I enjoy reuniting with a constant companion.

Enjoy meta-commentary + literary satire? Then The Unwritten is for you.
The Unwritten follows Tom Taylor, the orphaned only son of a famous children's author. It is presumed that Tommy was the basis for his father Harry Potter-like children's classic. Having failed miserably in the real world, Tommy now lives off his father's legacy at depressing fanboy conventions. Then his parentage is questioned, and Tommy is threatened by a manifestation of his literary archenemisis. This story is wonderfully meta as the writers and artists explore literary culture while also skewering it. Unfortunately it was Issue #5 of the first trade where the action took over the story. It's too bad that the author's step away from what made this story unique and turned to slasher/horror plot conventions.

Want to know what it would be like if Super-man snapped? Then Irredeemable is for you.
I've discussed Irredeemable before, but I did pick up the second trade of this wonderfully evil series. Comic writer Mark Waid goes dark and twisty as he explores what would happen if a super-man like character decides to become the bad guy. After killing 2 billion people he goes after his fellow superhero teammates, who are desperately scrambling to figure out what went wrong. This series is so wonderfully well-written and horrifyingly evil. Waid doesn't hold back, but rather than say Warren Ellis, we can see the psychology behind the Plutonium's change. He doesn't just try to shock you. Continuing in vol. 2 Waid continues to explore the metamorphosis that led a man to become what he abhored.

Like time travel, Back to the Future, 17 Again-like realizations about your teenage years? Then Too Cool To Be Forgotten is for you.
This stories premise is in no way original. In fact we've seen it multiple times ever since the idea of time travel was born. If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently? Everything? Nothing? And is the past only nostalgic in retrospect? Robinson asks all these questions as Andy Wicks, a middle-aged family man, goes to a hypnosis clinic to break a 25-year smoking habit. He ends up traveling back 25 years, inhabiting his high school body but maintaining 25 years of experience. Gradually throughout his journey in the past he at first focuses on the superficial (asking out his highschool dream girl) but ends up finding an emotional regret that he had buried deep. Robinson does an amazing job of mixing humor with real emotional weight. His cartoon-like style belies a mastery of graphic storytelling. He uses intricate lettering and paneling design to visually cue the reader into what the characters are feeling emotionally. It is just as striking when he abandons the panel altogether, creating a visually arresting story.

Have a Great weekend! Book Slave.

Bounce, Bounce, Bounce.

2010-06-10T11:40:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
I hope you are all having a great week. Either by happenstance or fate Thursday has become "Bounce" Day for me. What do I mean? Well first of all a confession: I am a book hoarder. It's true. I tend to let books stack up and create massive TBR piles. This was a big problem when I worked in the book selling biz because I spent a billion dollars on books then I let them sit for longer then 5 years untouched. It's ridiculous.

Becoming financially destitute put an end to that problem. However in many ways I transferred it over to the library. Working at a library has very few privileges. Considering that I have homeless folk curse my name and then beg for computer time to play Farmville, well you gotta enjoy the small things. One of those things is the ability to check out materials. But then again those can also stack up in destructive ways.

Now I've worked very hard in the last 6 mos. to whack my check out count to a reasonable level. But it's still hard to let things go. So on Thursdays I've sat down and looked thru my library stack, figured out what I've had the longest and then I read a chapter. If it doesn't capture me, then it's time for it to go back. If I find myself caught up in the story then I'll keep reading the book, and end up finishing it. And then it can go back. Now this does take away from my normal reading schedule but I've found it to be invaluable. Too many book stacks and I really will end up seeming like the crazy hermit that I already am.

Will I ever have the self-control to keep the book stacks at a reasonable level? Hard to say, I guess we'll just see. So enjoy! Book Slave.

Reading List 6/8/2010-6/15/2010

2010-06-08T23:32:00.008-06:00

Hey folks,
So I'm not dead. Or in a coma. Just needed a month or so to refuel my juices and get some stuff out of the way. I'll be back to a regular posting schedule I assure you. Bringing it all back, you'll see.

We'll start off this Tues. Old School Style.

The Reading List
Books
Irredeemable vol. 2 American Gods (a bit behind of the 1b1t reading schedule)

Comics
Time to catch up on some old comics man so Rebels #10, Adventure Comics #3 & #4, Superman WONK #9, Spider-Woman #2 & #3.

World Cup! Go Spain! Yeah. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 5/11/2010-5/18/2010

2010-05-11T11:12:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
To be honest I'm a bit indecisive this week. Not sure what I want to read next I drift from various choices. The only constant it seems is American Gods for 1b1t, which I've been able to stick to. So let's see what happens, perhaps I can find something that captures my imagination.

Reading List 5/11/2010-5/18/2010
Books
American Gods ch.4-6 for 1b1t
Hellboy Vol. 3
Unwritten vol. 1

Magazine
Wired

Comics
A bunch of comic goodness.

Also got a good stack of DVDs, like Mad Men season 3 (yay!). So bring it, I'm on to your games. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Go to this, If you can.

2010-05-05T00:35:00.003-06:00

Hey folks,
In a moment of shameless promotion, I want to urge you all to go check out Willy Vlautin at Sam Weller's Books on May 5 at 6 pm. Vlautin is an incredible new author whose book Northline was the best piece of fiction that I read in 2009. My write-up on why can be found here. I am psyched to pick up his new book Lean On Pete, but unfortunately I cannot make it.

Here's the details. Check it out. Book Slave.

And we're back folks. With a Vengeance.

2010-05-04T23:42:00.002-06:00

Hey folks,
Don't worry I'm still here. I have had some technical/schedule probs, but a little computer repair DIY and I'm back. You're gonna be hit with a ton of posts soon. Are you ready?

Reading List 5/4-5/11/2010
Books
Nights in Rodanthe
American Gods-As part of 1b1t!
Solar

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comics
Roninhood of the Samurai, Action Comics #888, Daredevil #506, Wolverine #84 & #85

Very happy to be able to chill out a bit and enjoy some summery good times. Have a great week! Book Slave.

1b1t? What is this?

2010-05-04T21:54:00.002-06:00

Hey folks,
Some of you may have heard about this 1b1t book club that is starting on 5/5. What is this? Well here's some info that I've gleaned from various research around the net.

Let's break it down:
*1b1t stands for 1 book, 1 twitter. This whole idea is based around participation from the twitter community.
*It is the brainchild of Jeff Howe, author/proponent of Crowdsourcing, who is currently a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. He is also a writer/editor at Wired Magazine.
*Crowdsourcing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call. Jeff Howe has written an entire book on this idea and how it can apply outside of business.
*1b1t takes a popular program like One City One Book, seen in Seattle and Chicago, and extends it to a global level.
*Using Twitter as a base, participants pick the book based on popular vote. Then commentary/ideas/thoughts are shared using the twitter hashtag #1b1t.

Ultimately Howe seems interested in whether Twitter, an open source application, can create global social capital. When Nancy Pearl first started the One City One Book program in Seattle it was so those citizens by reading The Sweet Hereafter would all have a commonality. This is not a program that is focused on a humanities based outcome. While in Seattle this program was successful, when a "Big Read" program was created in my city it seemed like an utter waste of time. I was never compelled by the choices of books and never felt there was a forum developed to facilitate community connection. I wasn't surprised when the program was dropped after a few years.

So why is 1B1t any different? I have to agree with Howe's argument that Twitter allows its participants to transcend geography. It's also an open source program so any economic class can participate, as long as you have internet access in your community. Also Howe allowed the internet community/future participants to pick the book which ended up being American Gods by Neil Gaiman. In my opinion this is a good choice. It's sci-fi, well-regarded, and Neil Gaiman. Gaiman has been a major proponent of using the internet to connect with his fanbase. He's had a blog for 15 years which he updates regularly. He communicates regularly on Twitter and firmly knows the balance between sharing his personal and professional life online. By allowing the community to choose the book it then gives them a personal stake in participating. This is always a good rule in book clubs, and fits with Howe's intentions.

I've always wanted to read American Gods so I'm gonna participate. I also managed to snag a copy from my library, so that's good too. I'm also gonna read Jeff Howe's book on Crowdsourcing to see if I can connect with his ideas. I do believe that the internet can be a great tool to gain social capital on a global scale. It just depends on how it's utilized. Maybe a global book club could be one of those successful experiments. We'll see.

Captive of my own Solipsism: Captive Audience

2010-04-28T22:42:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
I've said it before, and I'll most likely say it again, that Zach Sampinos can be full of surprises. I've known the guy for a few years now and he still can throw me every once and while. As I've mentioned before Zach is the moderator of the Hard Boiled Book Club that I attend once a month. This book club focuses on first-time authors and alternative fiction. Started attending in order to stretch my reading habit and has introduced me to great work from Willy Vlautin, Murakami and Nam Le.

Our book this month was Captive Audience by Dave Reidy and too be honest I wasn't too impressed by it. This short story collection revolves around the themes of performance and fandom. Personally I felt that a lot of these stories felt like parts of much longer stories. And I guess I have a predilection to dislike short stories that are over 30 pages. In short stories I want a set-up, story, and then a "turn" that brings me to the point of it all. Now admittedly not all short stories need to fit this pattern. Literature can be whatever form it wants as long as it's well-written. But I just wasn't captured by the majority of these stories.

The exceptions to that previous statement was the titular story Captive Audience, which centered around a mentally-ill guy who loves stand up comedy. At first he can listen to old comedy records all day, until a comedy club moves in underneath him. Horribly disturbed he is upset at first, but then he finds a way to help a young comedian. This story featured a keen understanding of the subject and methods of stand up. It was great to see the author break down common techniques of a Newhart monologue from the 60's. Just as the main character is held captive by his own limitations, he finds a positive way to break free. His transcendent moment at the end of the story was wonderfully poignant and life-affirming.

I was also drawn to the story Thingless, which features a highschool kid desperate to find something that other kids will identify him with. He decides to learn guitar, and then tries to share it with the troubled girl next door. Her teenage nihilism toward life in general felt very realistic to me since I see it all the time in the teens that I help. Reidy expertly makes it clear that finding an artistic way to create an identity for yourself is as necessary as food. It nourishes your self-worth, even if you're ability is dubious. It's the compulsion to express an emotion in some way that gives these characters a sense of self. Reidy doesn't always take the easy happy ending which I also appreciated.

So despite my feelings of "meh-ness" I went ready to discuss the book. Upon arrival though I discovered that we would be a very small group and that Zach had arranged for Mr. Reidy to call in and answer some questions. He had done the same thing with Willy Vlautin last fall. See these are the kind of things that Mr. Sampinos can pull off with a seeming effortlessness. Slowly Zach, as well as some others, managed to turn me around. By the time Mr. Reidy called I managed to see the merits of the book. You can read Zach's thoughts on Captive Audience here.

In the end it turns out that discussing a book with others can raise your opinion on a book. This is why I think it's important to escape my own solipsism at least once a month. It was very surprising.

Making Olympians Humans: Percy Jackson

2010-04-28T21:30:00.002-06:00

Hey folks,
This is a bit of a delayed post due to tech problems. Apologies.

Making Olympians Humans: Percy Jackson & The Olympians The Lightning Thief
Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by all things Greek Mythology. On one side I think this originates with early watchings of the 80s classic Clash of the Titans. Titans features a version of the Olympian Gods which is wonderfully human. They bicker, act stubbornly, and have no problem messing with those poor human beings. This version of the greek gods is wonderfully counter to the traditional Judaeo-christian God who is unquestionably perfect. In order to bring understanding to the unexplainable twists of fate it makes more sense that a culture would create a more humanistic almighty that reflects them. I'm just sayin'

Which brings me to Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Howse about a moratorium on long fantasy titles?) where this depiction of the Olympians bears itself out. In Percy Jackson a young man discovers that he is a demigod who has been put in the middle of a feud between Zeus and Poseidon. In order to rectify the brothers he must find Zeus's lightning bolt which has been taken to the Underworld by Hades. Of course this includes a journey across the United States, monster attacks, and encounters with other Olympians.

Now these children are obstensibly rejected by human society due to their bi-racial identity. Particularly in the case of Annabeth, Percy's friend, who was abandoned and rejected by her father. Percy is treated like a misfit troublemaker and ADHD case. These children (Percy is a pre-teen) are expected to negotiate these adult issues of identity, as well as battle monsters. In Riordan's socio-mythological construct these Olympian gods are still utterly irresponsible and petty. They leave their own illegitimate children to figure everything else themselves. Thank god for the Satyrs or these demi-god children would be lying corpses all over the United States.

Riordan does an excellent job integrating the American landscape with this greek mythological tradition. (Although this is not a completely original idea. It is a component in Neil Gaiman's American Gods.) Being knowledgable of these myths led to many a chuckle of recognition. Los Angeles becomes the entrance to the underworld whilst Las Vegas is a version of Circe's Island.

Of course this is another version of the heroes journey and I saw the Campbell-esque parallels. It up to Percy to save the day, and put an end to these stupid Olympian squabbles. This fits perfectly with the now common young adult paradigm where it is a pre-teen/child who saves the day. Of course this is so that the reader (presumably young adult) can see themselves reflected in the main characters. This has been used by storytellers since the beginning of time. In mythology it is has been true that a young boy must complete a great deed in order to become a man. As Hercules had his 7 labours, then Percy Jackson must find Zeus's lightning bolt. It is a part of showing the gods that he is worthy of their attention.

Aren't we all seeking that attention and approval? These humanistic gods are a reflection of our own human desires. If that is so than which would we prefer? A god who reflects us or a god that judges us? In greek mythology we get both, leaving this culture to turn towards their own existential self-reliance. Oddly enough this fits right in with our own American archetype of self-created success rather than reliance on fate itself. It's pretty remarkable that Riordan manages to fit these two mythological structures into a Campbell-esque journey.

Reading List 4/27-5/4/2010

2010-04-27T22:37:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
It is a horribly busy reading week. Kinda insane. Will I survive?

Reading List 4/27/2010-5/4/2010
Books
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Captive Audience
My Life in France
Nights in Rodanthe

Comics
A good stack. And it's Free Comic Book Day!

Magazines
Entertainment Weekly
Wired

Can I do it? Who needs sleep? Either way there's no need to go anywhere because it's effin' snowing. That's right folks. Snow! Book Slave.

Hemingway, Seriously? : The Notebook

2010-04-23T22:29:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
As I've teased in a little Prelude a few weeks ago, I was compelled by a horrific interview in USA Today to read Nicholas Sparks. Now let me make this very clear: I do this of my own volition. No one has put a gun to my head. I kid. I feel that I have the ability to give everyone a chance. I try very hard not to be a snob.

So here we go. Starting with The Notebook I've decided to focus on the central love story between Noah and Allie, in regards to Spark's own idolization of Hemingway. In that USA Today interview he considers himself to be comparable to Hemingway's love stories such as Farewell to Arms.

(By the way I am consciously ignoring the other 1/3 of the book that deals with the older versions of Noah and Allie. While considerably overwrought I was actually touched by the Alzheimer's subplot. However Spark's inability to write anything realistic does the horrible toll of that disease a disservice. Alzheimer's is a scary disease and should not just be used as a plot device. But I digress...)

So here's my first installment.

Hemingway, Seriously? : The Notebook

Nicholas Sparks knows the geography of the South. It's his home region. He knows the wilderness in a Thoreau-like way. Everything about nature is good, and any urbanity is bad. In The Notebook he spends long passages making the connection between our main hero Noah and his link with all things natural. He goes out on a lake every morning so he can watch the dawn. When he wants to impress true love Allie, he takes her out on a lake to float amongst swans. Evidentally Noah is good because he exemplifies the natural environment that surrounds him. This is why he is better than Allie's other suitor who is an urbane money rich attorney.

In reality Hemingway would laugh this away for the trite characterization that it is. Hemingway wrote about nature, but only in juxtaposition to what it said about the nature of man. Hemingway was not an environmentalist. He was a Darwinist in a sense that he felt that it was a man's obligation to fight for what he cares about. A weak man spends the night crying over the fact that his true love is engaged to another man. Hemingway would beat any sensitive man with a club, and tell him he deserved it. If Sparks believes he is akin to Hemingway well then he deserves a similiar beating.

On the other hand the female lead Allie is even weaker. She is caught up in a typical triangle between two men: the true love of her youth or the man her family approves of. What will she do? Of course she'll pick the true love of her youth. Now Noah is in fact the boy that she lost her virginity to and chooses to consummate their reunification in a similiar fashion. However she has not done the same with Lon Hammond Jr-her fiance. In a bizarre way Allie's cheating with Noah is justified because well they were meant to be together all along. The passion between them is so strong that Allie just has no choice. She has no control over her rational mind or physical body. It's sad and insulting how powerless Sparks makes Allie's characterization. She is simply a woman who is ruled by emotion in the great Bronte melodrama fashion.

Which brings me to the conclusion that while Sparks refuses to link himself to "romance" that is exactly where his characterizations can be found. The central romance in The Notebook is a tame version of Bronte all over again. Forget about Hemingway. These folks aren't human or real. They are fantasies from a man who can't admit that he idealizes love and relationships.

Oddly enough I have thought about reading The Notebook before now. The book reached my consciousness because of the movie adaptation a few years ago. I checked it out on cable and thought it was good, because of what the actors brought to the story. Noah and Allie are three-dimensional in a sense that I can understand their motivations. And there are multiple levels at work in their actions. Even though the story is still trapped in Sparks overt romanticism, the actors are in small ways rebelling against the sappiness inherent in the original text.

So in the end I think Sparks could learn a lesson or two on realism from re-reading his Hemingway or watching the movie version of his own book.

Vikings. Blood. Cursing. Yes.

2010-04-21T16:38:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
Brian Wood has become a powerhouse of comics writing. He has written an amazing variety of books and has not sold out. No Marvel or DC, he will only work on original series. This guy has the talent and ability to do whatever he wants. His versatility is impressive. I am hooked on his series Northlanders which features vikings, blood, and cursing. Like Jason Aaron's Scalped, it's not for the weak of heart. I've already written about Northlanders here.

I recently finished Vol. 3 which is a series of 1 shots and 2-3 issue stories. As interesting as these shorter character studies were, I think I prefer this series in longer arcs. The previous volumes were more epic in scope as we focused on one saga thru 6-8 issues. It's like the subject matter requires it. However I did enjoy the return of Sven from vol. 1. It was fun to have a continuity of characters which was a first for this series.

This volume is definitely a good jump on point for new readers, which is a good commercial move for Vertigo. Vertigo has a robust business in trade paperbacks and I think that is the reason for the switch up in story format. There was also a change up in artists in these issues which must also be a catalyst for the change.

I can't wait for the next volume and I urge you guys to check out this series. Book Slave.

Reading List 4/20-4/27/2010

2010-04-20T12:36:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
I have battled thru some tech difficulties, and a staple gun injury, to bring this week's posts to you. I won't lie, this week is kinda insane. I have too much to read, and of course I set my expectations far too high. But hey miracles do happen, right?

Reading List 4/20-4/27
Books
Fables Vol. 1 & 2
Nights in Rodanthe
Northlanders Vol. 3
Ode Less Travelled

Magazines
Wired
Rollingstone

Comics
A few new issues to catch up on.
52 #8

Some great stuff to listen to. A new favorite is a podcast titled Stuff You Missed in History Class from the HowStuffWorks website. It's fun stuff for the history nerd in all of us. Also you all should be watching The Pacific and Treme on HBO because they are fantastic. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Prelude to Hell: Nicholas Sparks

2010-04-19T15:08:00.000-06:00

Hey folks,
Confession time: I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book. I try my best not to be a snob, but I've felt that his writing is just something that I don't have time for. Romance is not my favorite genre to begin with, and the fact that he's unmitigantly sappy, well I have decided to pass. Now just to be clear I do not have a heart of stone. But I'd rather have my love stories be realistic and witty. I have to believe in the characters in order to become invested in their emotional plight. Otherwise I just roll my eyes and move on.

However last month Sparks gave a wonderfully horrible interview in USA Today with teen darling Miley Cyrus. In this interview Sparks proceeded to do the following:
-Compare himself to Ernest Hemingway, Jane Austen, and Shakespeare.
-State: "Nobody writes stories like mine."
-Also states: "I don't write romance novels." His preferred terminology: "Love stories — it's a very different genre."
-Also: "A Farewell to Arms, by Hemingway. Good stuff. That's what I write," he says.
-Cite his own book A Walk to Remember as a seminal coming of age story. Then state that "well everyone has to say To Kill A Mockingbird" as if it were an afterthought.
-Trashes Cormac McCarthy, specifically Blood Meridian.
Well to read more, just click here.

After reading the interview I was a bit stunned. I had no idea that Nick Sparks was that big an ass. In one interview he managed to anger a major part of his audience: female authors and their readers. Seriously, why would you do that? If he doesn't want to be equated with the romance genre, then why use tragic love stories as the center to all your plots. And what's wrong with the romance genre? It's only been a major literary industry since the dawn of time. Romance readers are relentlessly loyal and will follow their writers to other genres. This phenomenon spawned the female literary movement which became known as "chick-lit." Sparks is noticeably distancing himself from a major genre that feeds into his readership. In my opinion this is a disasterous mistake.

Again I don't like making judgments based on something or someone whose work I haven't read myself. Hence, consider this a introduction to a three-part series over the next few weeks where I subject myself to the works of the son of Hemingway, Nicholas Sparks.
Enjoy! Book Slave.

Never Forget: AD New Orleans After the Deluge

2010-04-14T22:10:00.000-06:00

Hey All,
Howse it going? Summer has exploded all over the place. However I expect it to last all of 10 minutes the way things have been here lately. Very busy in my professional work serving the public, but I still got some reading done. Enjoy!

Review: A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge
Spurred on by the amazing new HBO series Treme (which is pronounced truh-may) I finally read this great OGN. Like the rest of the nation in 2005, I was horrified and dismayed by the events of the flooding aftermath when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. A few years prior, I'd visited New Orleans and thoroughly enjoyed my time there . To see the utter failure of the federal government at that time was deeply disturbing. It still angers me, although I know that the city is rebuilding and that the people there are formidable.

A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge follows 7 characters as they go thru those 5 days. Neufeld is smart to pick characters from different walks of life and situations. In this way he is able to cover the event from several different angles and provide a mostly balanced commentary. The upper class doctor who serves cocktails at his own Hurricane Katrina party is contrasted with Denise who finds herself stranded at the Superdome.

However I was most moved by the story of Leo, a comic-book fan, and his girlfriend, Michelle, who will lose everything but each other. We watch as they make the wrenching decision between staying and evacuating. His agony over losing his 15000 issue comic collection is palpable. Through Leo's eyes we understand that not only did they lose a place to live but also possessions that really meant something to him.

By exploring Denise's story Neufeld has a platform to visually show the madness of the flooding. It is horrifying and unflinching in the depiction of the Superdome. Neufeld can be in-your-face in regards to the desperation and anger felt by the citizens who feel racially targeted. It is important that he doesn't shy away. In the last few years graphic novels have taken on a journalistic style which mixes a cartoony look with a strong verisimilitude. Neufeld can portray a horrific scene and it's easier to swallow than if it was a photograph of the same scene. He does stick to the usual panel like structure but is willing to experiment. He is willing to visually show the character's mental states and break the fourth wall.

This is a good read and an important record of these events in 2005. Well worth checking out.

Reading List 4/13/2010-4/20/2010

2010-04-13T08:31:00.000-06:00

Reading List 4/13/2010-4/20/2010
Books
AD: After the Deluge
Nights In Rodanthe (It will all become clear folks, just wait)

Comics
A Heaping stack of goodness.

Magazine
Wired

Oh and just to pile it on I've got a lot of TV on DVD to watch which I'm psyched about. Thank God I can multitask. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 4/6/2010-4/13/2010

2010-04-06T12:04:00.000-06:00

Hey All,
Here it is for the week. Very excited.

Reading List 4/6/2010-4/13/2010
Books
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Notebook

Magazines
Rollingstone

Comics
52 #6
Wolverine #84, Wonder Woman #42, Amazing Spiderman #627, Fantastic Four #577, Batman #697, Detective Comics #863

We'll see folks. It's a busy week for me (well honestly that requires a bit of perspective). Book Slave.

For the Love of Bendis.

2010-04-05T23:05:00.005-06:00

Hey,
Enjoy the continuation of my love affair with the work of Bendis.

For the Love of Bendis: Alias
Jessica Jones is my version of a great comics character. She is tough, cynical, and humanly flawed. On the other hand she occasionally uses her super powers and knows a few costumed folks. She is the star of Brian Michael Bendis's series Alias which ran for 28 issues. Far too short a run in my opinion. Last June I fell in love with this series after reading the first 9 issues, and now I've finished the Omnibus which contains the rest of the series.

I am kicking myself that it took me this long. This series is post-modern, humanistic, and incredible. Bendis allows Jones to occasionally go off the deep end like anyone would in her circumstance. She drinks too much, sleeps around, and gets into fights. But at the core of her character Bendis can illustrate that she is a good person seeking redemption. The girl just has some issues is all.

This series showcases everything that I love about Bendis's work. He is a master of dialogue. Jones is a detective and has to listen to her client's stories, pick out the clues, and separate the truth from the lies. Bendis, aided by dynamic layout from artist Gaydos, illustrates this in scenes which cinematically juxtapose the speaker and Jessica. We see Jessica listening in panels placed above as the client/suspect/witness is speaking. It's a great effect that showcases Bendis's talent for character's voices. Like his other series Powers, Bendis loves to write vernacular dialogue. He's not afraid to have superhero characters speak like everyone else.

In comics there tends to be a need to portray characters as larger-than-life and squeeky clean. Marvel is known for portraying more humanistic characters, but even they have characters like Captain America and Matt Murdock. Cap, Matt Murdock, and even Cyclops are often really dull because they are so straight and narrow. Now don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for that, but I'm much more interested in Bendis's characterizations. Now while Cap and Murdock do make cameos in Alias they are much more real when in scenes with Jones. Bendis also excels in scenes between Jones and her off-again-on-again lover Luke Cage. You can feel the sparks fly between them on the comic page. Poor Scott Lang-the guy didn't have a chance really.

If you get the chance you need to read this book in hardcover omnibus because it showcases the beauty of Michael Gaydos's art. It is amazing and dynamic. I really love his use of panel design which is wildly cinematic. Oftentimes he'll cut conversations just like a film with a combination of close-ups and reaction shots. He's also willing to change it up, especially in the multi-media collage of Rebecca's journal. Now granted sometimes I did get lost and read the panels wrong. In this book that's just a give-in because Gaydos is intent on showcasing an independent spirit. Also I want to shout out Mark Bagley's art in the flashbacks. It was perfect to show Jones's origin in a traditional style considering she's being ret-conned into Marvel continuity.

(BTW I'm not really a continuity nerd, so I loved the idea that she went to school with Peter Parker. It's hilarious that Bendis links her to the very beginning of the Marvel Universe. Her crush on Peter Parker is cute.)

By finally giving the readers Jones's back story with The Purple Man, Bendis shows Johns-like mastery of revitalizing C-grade characters. In Bendis's hands a ridiculous character becomes a nightmare man. Considering how messed up Jessica is, it had to be something psychological. In the past the Purple Man has often been portrayed as foolish. Here he's a dangerous awful man. I understand that Purple Man is also used in Bendis's Daredevil run. If his characterization in this series is any indication, then I've got to read that. Like Now.

It's a crime that Alias ends so soon. Although I love how it ends, I would trade anything to bring it back.

March: Well That Happened.

2010-04-01T19:38:00.005-06:00

Hey All,
It's that time again. March was a busy month, however there was not a lot reading books. Which worries me because I've got goals to reach. I did manage to get out of town for the first time in ever (actually 2005, yeah I never travel) and that was a good time. I walk into April revitalized. Let's see how long that lasts.

March Wrap-Up

Academy Awards 2010. Hosts for 2011: Tina Fey and RDJ. Please.
Graphic Novel-wise I learned about Brit-pop, frailty of superheroes, and the magic of Nostalgia.
The Pacific on HBO blew my mind. And has made me cry every time.
Went to the land of tragic hipsterism. Portland Baby!
Was able to listen to Natalie Merchant sing music from her new album.
Visited the book mecca Powell's.
Sarah Vowell kills me! (with her humor)
Finally read Seamus Heaney.
2nd Year Anniversary of Hard Boiled Book Club! Murakami! Alcohol!

Stats Wise

Total Read=5
Total for the Year=19
Avg. per month=6.1
From Library=3
Books I Own=2
Graphic Novels=3
Fiction=1
Poetry=1

Previews, Things to Come

Finish The Savage Detectives (No really. I will. This time.)
Julia Child!
Finish the Alias Omnibus, Unwritten,
Blackest Night finishes up. Will it blow me away? Wait and see.
Spring?
I'll learn some binding techniques, and then feel like a fraud teaching others.

And then there's this (Insert shameless self-promotion):
If you reside in the SLC area, please come. I'll be leading the discussion and it will be epic!
Have a great weekend! Book Slave.

Murakami & Anniversaries

2010-03-31T23:49:00.007-06:00

Hey all,
On Tuesday night I was able attend the 2 year anniversary of The Hard Boiled Book Club at Sam Weller's Books. I'm one of the few who remember when the book club first started in March 2008. At the time I worked with the moderator Zach Sampinos and figured it would be interesting. Unfortunately at the time I had to work on Tuesday nights so I wasn't able to attend, which bummed me out. However 5 months later my scheduled changed and Tuesday nights opened up. I've been going monthly ever since because it's a good time as well as stretching what I read fiction-wise.

As part of the celebrations there were libations and prizes. Unfortunately I was an utter failure at the Murakami trivia, but I still gained a book as a pity prize. I've definitely been shamed enough that I'll be prepared next time. Zach definitely needs to come up with a plan B if we all suck at the quiz. He was noticeably flummoxed and I don't think it was the booze.

A fun time was had by all as we talked about The Elephant Vanishes by Harucki Murakami, which is a group of short stories featuring the mystical and surreal. I've been apprehensive because I was worried about the translation into English, but I think his dream-like writing style allows for a lack of specification. In fact the majority of the male characters in these stories are literally floating through their lives. They are unemployed, newly-single, working at dead-end jobs, or trying to figure out how an elephant disappeared. The timelessness of their lives lends more to character's going through there own internal emotional pondering. Murakami seems not to be interested in plot at all. Rather he's interested in character studies and rich interior monologue.

As lyrical as his prose is, what I enjoyed the most about this collection was the fact that I had no idea what would happen next. The moment I thought a story would take an awful turn, it never did. I was surprised again and again which is fantastic. Like the concept of a vanishing elephant Murakami is able to see outside the box. I'll admit that it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I'm willing to try one of his novels. I'm certainly intrigued.

Reading List 3/30/2010-4/6/2010

2010-03-30T22:27:00.002-06:00

Hey,
Here's a hopeful week's reading plan.

Reading List
Books
Savage Detectives (Playing Catch up after vacation)
Alias Omnibus

Comics
52 #5 (for that other blog)
Some Comics Catch Up

Magazines
Four Four Two

Also I am a lucky girl because I get to watch the new Emma adaptation which I enjoyed immensely. Also I'll get to see some 12 Angry Men so I can compare it to the play version I saw last month. Good times.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Quotes from the Vowell

2010-03-27T00:47:00.002-06:00

Hey folks,
I have been psyched all week to see Sarah Vowell. She is the closing speaker here at the conference I am attending in the magical world of Portland. Long-time readers of this blogs will remember that I love Sarah Vowell. Here's some quick links to posts that share my heart-filled enjoyment of Vowell and her work:
-Here's a video clip of her on Letterman talking about Wordy Shipmates
-My review of Assassination Vacation

In her speech she pretty much was her funny, irreverent, nerdy self. She read sections from Vacation and Wordy Shipmates, as well as previewing her next book about the history of Hawaii. It sounds fascinating and I can't wait. So here's some great lines that I, and the audience, enjoyed that I've parsed out for you all.

"It turns out I’m an imperialist"
"I end up identifying with the people I set out to loathe."
"The thing I like about books is learning about people who are unlike you."
"I don't know if there's an archivist vs. librarian turf war."
"Libraries are homes to truth."
"The bible is full of anecdotes that prime the pump of treason."
"Go forth and peddle your truth and smut."

Obviously it was very entertaining to see her speak in person and a fitting end to my conference odyssey. Next week we'll be back to book reviews and comics.
Have a great weekend! Book Slave.

Dispatches from a Reading Traveller.

2010-03-25T07:21:00.001-06:00

Hello,
To state the obvious, Powell's Bookstore in Portland Oregon is everything that an independent bookstore should be. Walking around in there today made me miss my former employer Sam Weller's. However Powell's is much more successful and better managed by far. While I marveled at their vast inventory, ultimately I was captured by the little touches of originality that always appear in stores like this. There I was able to find a book that had slipped through my fingers long ago. This is the book:

I snatched it up and will be adding it to the TBR pile. Otherwise I showed a lot of restraint and just marveled at what they have. Every book lover owes it to themselves to visit Powell's. It's a book mecca not to be missed.

Portland & Some Merchant

2010-03-24T05:19:00.000-06:00

Hey,
Sorry that posts have been scarce this week. I am in the magical world of tragic hipsters: Portland, Oregon! For a few days the weather was awesome, but then it fell apart and became horrible. I'm here to attend a librarian conference with people from all over the country. I will try a few short bits now, and a wrap-up of the experience.

On the first day we were graced by a concert by Natalie Merchant featuring material from her new album. Just the very concept of the album Leave Your Sleep already had me interested: Merchant adapted works of poetry, primarily from pre-1920s. Being a poetry nut this was made for me. I enjoyed the material, particularly an adaptation involving a work by E.E. Cumming. However I will say that unless your interested in something unique, offbeat, even quirky, then I don't see Leave Your Sleep being more than an "arty" blip. Music culture has changed so immensely sing Merchant's real hey-dey in the 90s that I don't see this album getting much attention.

In essence she was playing to the right audience, librarians, who ate it up with a spoon. This included myself, but then again I think that Merchant is an auteur who doesn't really care about being the top of the charts. It's not like she does duets with Miley Cyrus. So this new album will play to a very small niche. I still enjoyed her performance and will be seeking out her album when it's released.

I'll try to post more, Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 3/23-3/30/2010

2010-03-23T09:42:00.003-06:00

Hey All,
Here's the plan, it's a little less than usual because I'll spend most of the week either travelling, conferencing or walking about.

Reading List 3/23-3/30/2010
Books
The Elephant Vanishes (Book Club! My first Murakami!)
The Zinester's Guide to Portland
Maybe Savage Detectives (if it can fit)

Magazine
Four Four Two

And that's all folks! Have a great week! Book Slave.

Erin Go Bragh: Seamus Heaney

2010-03-18T22:45:00.004-06:00

Hey,
So I've been holding off reading Seamus Heaney for far too long. I originally first heard of Heaney when I read his version of Beowulf for my classics lit course. His work with that adaptation was epic but still capture the violence and bloodiness of old school mythological heroics. It's the standard now and should be read by everyone.

Here's some background on Seamus Heaney:
*Heaney was born in 1939 in Northern Ireland.
*He won a scholarship to a catholic boarding school. While he was away his 4 year old brother Christopher was killed in a roadside accident.
*He ended up studying and lecturing at Queen's University in Belfast.
*He started publishing poetry in 1962, with his first book being published in 1965.
*In 1995 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
*In 1996 Beowulf: A New Translation is published to great success.

Now really these are just facts. What I find interesting about Heaney is that although he grew up in Northern Ireland he sees himself as Irish rather than British. In fact he asked to be removed from the Penguin Book of Contemporary British Poetry by writing:

"Be advised, my passport's green / No glass of ours was ever raised / To toast the Queen."

The civil war in Northern Ireland was particularly contentious during the 1960s and 70s when bombs and death became commonplace. His poetry is not often overtly political or militant, and is far more concerned with profound observations of the small details of the everyday, far beyond contingent political concerns. He also focuses on history and tries to put the Irish heritage into a larger context of an agricultural society. He also focuses on the tension of the Ulster Industrial Revolution and the tension that it causes between these two dueling developing cultures.

I decided that this St. Pat's I would finally pull down my Seamus Heaney Selected Poems 1966-1987. I was captured by two poems early in this collection: "Digging" and "Mid-Term Break."

I particularly enjoyed "Digging" for how it linked his agricultural roots to his current work as a writer. He cannot match “men like them” with a spade, but he sees that the pen is (for him) mightier, and with it he will dig into his past and celebrate them. Heaney challenges the stereotype of the "paddy with the spade." He sees the dignity, work ethic, and expertise of the agricultural Irishmen. This poem also showcases Heaney's early use of onomatopoeia (where the sound resembles or suggests meaning) in “rasping”, “gravelly”, “sloppily”, “squelch” and “slap”.

Another stand out of Heaney's early work is "Mid-Term Break" which was published in 1966. This work is about the accidental death of his infant brother and the families reaction. He is embarassed and uncomfortable at first with his father's weakness in grieving. In a gender reversal it is his mother's anger that keeps her from crying. Neither parent acts in ways that young Heaney (who was in his teens at the time) expects them too. As a young man he's caught between what he expects and what actually occurs in tragic circumstance. Later he is alone with his brother's corpse and can act naturally. A transferred epithet changes a "bruise" to a poppy that the "sleeping" boy "wears" as if he could take it off. Heaney likens the bruise to the poppy, a flower linked with death and soothing of pain (opiates come from poppies). At the end of the poem Heaney is able to grieve honestly as he poignantly writes in the last line that the size of the coffin is the measure of the child's life.

This poem also has a clear formal structure which makes it a contrast to "Digging." In "Digging" Heaney uses an informal stanza structure where each line is only as long as it needs to be. There's no rhythm or iambic pentameter at work, whereas "Mid-Term Break" is in 3 line stanzas. "Break" has occasional rhymes with the last two lines forming a couplet. "Digging" has none, which seems to emphasize the more rural subject matter. The loose iambic rhymes of "Break" seem to bring out the sadness of the loss of a child. Heaney showcases his skill by being able to utilize all the aspects at his disposal in order to bring his themes home.

Reading List 3/16/2010-3/23/2010

2010-03-16T16:32:00.000-06:00

Hey all,
Here's the plan before I head off to Portland next week. (BTW I'll never tire of saying that.)

Reading List 3/16/2010-3/23/2010
Books
Collected Seamus Heaney
Rocketeer
Dubliners (Perennial re-read every St. Patrick's Day)
A few pages of Savage Detectives if I can fit it in.

Comics
A whole heaping stack. Gotta get it done before next week.

Magazines
Paste
Entertainment Weekly

There's a lot to do. I only hope that I can get done what's listed here, otherwise some tough choices will need to be made. Painful sacrifices, to be sure.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Amazing! Thrilling Exploits! Glorious Nostalgia!

2010-03-15T22:30:00.001-06:00

Retro Fun: The Rocketeer
At the end of the year I heard all this praise for a new hardcover collection of the series The Rocketeer. Apparently it had some amazing coloring work and was just a fun retro read. So when I saw it come through at the library I snatched it up.

My only knowledge of this character was from the movie that came out in 1991. I saw it in theaters during that summer, and remember liking it. I've revisited it a few times over the years since and I still think it's highly enjoyable. The film stars a young Billy Campbell, Alan Arkin, and Jennifer Connelly. Timothy Dalton does a fine job playing an Errol Flynn type actor, although at the time that I saw it originally I only knew him as James Bond. It's just goofy retro fun, and as long as you don't take any of it seriously, then sit back and enjoy.

However because of my limited knowledge I just thought that the Rocketeer was one of those old radio characters like The Shadow. Reading The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures I discovered that this character was created in 1982 by Dave Stevens. The comic series first ran in 1988 but then only sporadic since then. Stevens died in 2009 after a battle with leukemia.

Stevens meant Rocketeer to be a homage to the past pre-war heroes like Doc Savage and The Shadow. His art style is a complete reflection of that. I loved the painterly style and rejection of realism. There is a definite intent to use the art deco edges on the covers, but inside the pages all the characters have a glossy rounded sheen. Cliff is a scrappy guy, not your usual superman type hero. He is often his own worse enemy. I think that Cliff is caught up in that whole 30s-era pilot persona. He's cocky, romantic, and not afraid to throw a punch. Headstrong to a fault, he's just crazy enough to strap a rocket to his back.

(Side Note: Cliff Secord looks exactly like Yorick Brown of Y the Last Man. Of course without the monkey and gendercide. It was a little distracting and strange considering the series were released almost 20 years apart. Go ahead compare them, it's eerie.)

Secord's girlfriend Betty is a straight-up pinup. Obviously Stevens meant her to be Betty Page, whom he was friends with. It was nice to see a woman who was voluptuous but also loyal to her man. It doesn't feel exploitative because Stevens imbues her character with a genuineness. She is caught between love and money. I loved the panel where having been rejected by Cliff, she tells his New York buddy "You said you had a job for him...Make him take it!" It shows that she does care for Cliff, but also understands that he's self-destructive sometimes. Stevens really creates a sense of the old-time 30s romance between them.

In the end this was a wonderful surprise that I suggest to comic readers who like fun. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Luck o' the Irish

2010-03-12T20:41:00.002-07:00

Hello All,
Hope you are all having a great spring-like week. In the City of Salt it has been magical, but every bone in my body tells me that this can't last. I desperately want it to stay awesome since it is St. Patrick's Day weekend. The family and myself will be sitting early tomorrow morning for the parade which is always fun. I've got a steady diet of Irish tunes ready on the Ipod. I'm good to go and excited.

I've always wanted to read more Irish literature, but I've never delved in. Modern Irish stories tend to have a great mix of earthy humor and horrible tragedy. Obviously this is born of their history which is wonderfully rich and interesting. The closest I've come was reading Breakfast On Pluto which I enjoyed. I've already got The Sea and The Gathering sitting on my shelf, but I'm also interested in Roddy Doyle and Sebastian Barry. Again there's just not enough time, ever.

Another St. Pat's day tradition for me is a re-read of the Dubliners which I wrote about here. This year I also want to tackle an Irish poet which I've been meaning to read for some time named Seamus Heaney. Years ago I picked up his Collected Poems and a study guide of lit criticism on his work. I first heard about Heaney in regards to his excellent adaptation of Beowulf. His version of the epic poem is a very earthy, natural translation which I enjoyed reading for school. I highly recommend it. But I really wanted to read some of his modern poetry and now feels like the time. So look for some Heaney talk next week.

Have a great weekend! Book Slave.

Reading List 3/9/2010-3/16/2010

2010-03-09T15:35:00.002-07:00

Hey,
Here's the plan for this week. Let's see what happens.

Reading List
Books
More Savage Detectives
Rocketeer

Magazines
Four Four Two

Comics
52 #2 (for more on this check out here)
Wonder Woman #41, Superman #697, Wolverine #83, Amazing Spider-man #622, Incognito #5 & #6

Also I have some wonderful music to listen to. The Britpop obsession continues.
Have a great week! Book Slave.

Nobody's Perfect. Even superheroes.

2010-03-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hey,
Here's a short review, old school style.

Nobody's Perfect: Infinite Crisis

Infinite Crisis (IC) is a sequel to the legendary Crisis on Infinite Earths (CIE) from 1985. CIE was DC's attempt to clear up it's already convoluted continuity. Trust me there's been plenty of discussion on that event as it is. But the most important thing to remember about CIE is that it wiped out DC's multiverse, trimming down the universe to just Earth-1. Then in IC Batman, Superman and Wonderwoman are at odds with each other. These pillars of the DC Universe have each made choices that are ethically sketchy. It is because of the judgment that is laid down in IC by Alexander Luthor, Superboy Prime, and Kal-L, that these three take a year off.

I have been incredibly intimidated to read anything with Crisis in it's title. Final Crisis had been a very difficult read, and I was worried that Infinite Crisis would be the same. I was very wrong. I have a new motto: In Geoff Johns We Trust. He has the incredible ability of making Silver-Age retro concepts and making them accessible. Here he takes central characters from the original CIE and makes them understandable, even though I haven't read CIE. Superboy Prime is a great villian. He reminds me of every whiny teenager that I deal with on a daily basis. Unfortunately Superboy Prime could punch my head off.

Johns is great at taking superhero characters and giving them human vulnerabilities. I really enjoyed how he resolved the inner conflict of Batman's paranoia. Of course he would isolate himself and not trust anyone. Batman doesn't want to be vulnerable ever and the OMAC crises is the result. Wonder Woman has become a killer, and Superman has to fight his counterpart Kal-L from Earth 2. It's great to see these pillars of the DC Universe given the chance to fight for their existence while realizing that it's okay to be imperfect.

Of course this series requires a much more in-depth analysis but I don't feel like I have enough experience to do it justice. So here's some links where you can find more on Infinite Crisis:
Infinite Crisis
Annotated Infinite Crises
Newsarama
And I really suggest listening to the 7 episodes of coverage by Comic Geek Speak.
And I talk more about Infinite Crisis over at my new blog here that is focusing on the series 52. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Music is Magic: Phonogram vol. 1

2010-03-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hey,
I hope you are all having a great week. I am doing well myself. So let's get into it shall we?

Music is Magic: Phonogram vol. 1: Rue Britannia
Ron Richards at Ifanboy has been championing this book for so long that the moment I saw it was available I snatched it up. Now I usually don't like series that are "magic-heavy." That sounds contradictory because I read stuff about superheroes and I think magicians are cool. However I really disliked The Invisibles because I had no idea what was going on. Morrison seemed to like to thrown in weird stuff with no explanation. This is not true of Phonogram which has enough of a grounding in reality that I never felt lost.

I think this is helped by Jamie McKelvie's art, which is cartoony but realistic at the same time. McKelvie's style isn't flashy or muscley. It oddly reminded me of the same art-style as Brian Michael Bendis when he chooses to draw. This is particularly evident in sequences where one character tells a story directly to the reader. Note the example on the left. His panel design ranges from traditional grid to splash page to pop art. McKelvie likes the Warhol-style homage which considering the subject matter, Britpop music, it leads to some pretty pages. Unfortunately there isn't any sense of movement inside the panels. The static-ness of the image is frustrating in action sequences as well as confusing in the more fantastical sequences. I will say that enjoyed the look of the characters. They are all people that I recognize from real life which fits this story.

This volume of Phonogram follows a mage named David Kohl who uses Britpop music to interpret magic. Kohl's mind is slipping as he deals with the death (and possible resurrection) of his patron Mod goddess Britannia. If that sounded a little too strange for you, then I'd stay away. I was captured by the first few issues which had great dialogue and very specific references to the Britpop scene of the early 90s. Dave Kohl is the kind of jerk that you hate and love at the same time. He's a douchebag that I found myself rooting for.

I will admit that I got lost in the middle issues as the story took more of a fantastical turn. Kohl gets lost in his own mindscape and so did I. This would be okay, except it didn't match the realism of the first few issues. I was already invested in the more real characters, that I don't care about psychological pseudo-exploration. Thank god that the book moves back to characters that have more realistic consequences. Otherwise I probably would have dropped the book.

The music references are very specific and I was grateful for the glossary in the back of my trade. However I still understood the theme of the book without being a major Britpop fan. It's a commentary on music fandom, and how it can have magical properties. I love the idea of goddesses and mythological beings out dancing at the club. It's a cool notion.

Have a great weekend! Book Slave.

Reading List 3/2/2010-3/9/2010

2010-03-02T16:17:00.001-07:00

Reading List 3/2/2010-3/9/2010
Here we go. Bring it on.

Books
The Savage Detectives-Up to pg. 139 w/Bibliolatrist
Rocketeer
Powers: Who killed Retro Girl?

Comics
Walking Dead #60-69
Some other single issue comics goodness.

Magazines
Four Four Two

Have a great week! Book Slave.

It's Already Over: February Wrap-up

2010-03-01T21:11:00.002-07:00

Hey all,
Here's a wrap up for February. Last month was immensely busy, and it looks like March will be as well. Any one want be a patron to a blogger who just wants to sit, read, and writer? Any takers?

February Wrap Up
*I got sick, after 2 weeks of vacation. Arghhh!
*Read and Loved both The Way He Lived & Once Was Lost. Met in person and Interconnected with the authors of those books Emily Wing Smith and Sara Zarr.
*Celebrated Keats on a fake holiday.
*Read and Enjoyed: Chew, Sleeper Season 2, FC: Rogues Revenge, Superman: Red Son.
*Caught Up on Walking Dead
*Learned from Reading Comics.
*Won a dvd at book club.

Stats Wise
Total Read=9
Total for the Year=14
Avg. per month=7

From Library=9
Books I Own=0

Not good for the TBR pile, but at least my library patrons will get a chance.

Fiction=3
Graphic Novels=6

Not bad. 1/3 of the books I read this month were Fiction. Oftentimes I can allow Graphic Novels to dominate what I read because they are quick and fun. However I do have to do reader's advisory on fiction as well.

Previews, Things to Come
*Readalong of The Savage Detectives w/Bibliolatrist.
*Read Murakami for the first time!
*2 Year anniversary of Hard Boiled Book Club. Alcohol will be served.
*Starman Vol. 4, Alias Omnibus, Rocketeer!
*Julia Child. I want to be her.
*I'm going to Portland. Yeah baby yeah.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Mark Millar, You Crazy: Superman Red Son

2010-02-28T12:00:00.001-07:00

Hey,
Time for something crazy. It's Millar time baby!

Elseworlds: Re-envisioning Superman
Last weekend I finally read Mark Millar's mini-series Superman: Red Son. I've been waiting for it to get reprinted in a nice new format, so I was excited to get my grubby hands on the new hardcover Deluxe Edition. In typical Millar fashion he takes an icon and turns it on it's head in a shocking fashion. Superman: Red Son is an Elseworlds tale where Superman is born in the Ukraine, rather than Smallville. He grows up as a devout member of the communist party, is co-opted by Stalin, and becomes a totalitarian dictator.

In this alternate world we also get glimpses of Lois, Lex, and Jimmy. Millar has a great time playing around with characterizations. He does an amazing job in just 3 issues of hitting every part of the Superman mythology. The characterization I enjoyed the most was "Lex Luthor, obsessive mad scientist." It was fun to see Lex portrayed as a "Reed Richard"-type with Brainiac at his side. They even managed to get in Batman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman. And it all works together seamlessly. Millar understands the Superman mythos, and he loves the characters. There is no sign of Millar's signature shock moments like you see in Wanted and Kick Ass. He wouldn't dare soil these characters. Even when Superman becomes a dictator, his actions are still in character. He does what he thinks will be best for his people, even though slowly he's crossing the line into villainy.

Making him communist adds a philosophical edge that bends his relationship with Lex Luthor. In this world Luthor has the support of the American government in his vendetta against Superman. His hubris and intelligence are working to stop the enemy of the United States. Millar is able to subvert our expectations by turning the reader against Superman. In the Orwell-esque communist state that Superman rules, he is not universally loved. Of course Superman's idealism can be twisted and morphed into something evil if he is not put in check by other superheroes. In the Justice League Superman has to answer to Batman, Wonder Woman, and even the Flash.

Though in this scenario Superman is forced into unlimited political power and it's not where he should be. Superman protects the earth by doing good deeds, serving as a symbol, and then letting people alone. Superman does not force his will onto the people that he protects. Millar does a great job showing the consequences of when Superman is co-opted by a particular ideology. On a metatextual level Millar is showing his disdain for whenever that occurs amongst politicians, pundits, or idealogues.

I highly reccommend checking this out in the deluxe hardcover so you can enjoy the art from Dave Johnson. Johnson, who is known these days for the covers of 100 Bullets, draws amazing interior pages. I loved every rendering of these classic characters in a completely different context. It's just as good as the recent work of Gary Frank and Frank Quitely.

Check this out. You won't forget it. Book Slave.

Zombies, Yes More Zombies.

2010-02-25T22:52:00.010-07:00

Hello,
Playing a little catchup on trade reviews before the end of the month.

Continuing to be Awesome: Walking Dead vol. 9 & 10

I've caught up on my Walking Dead trades that continue the story after the shocking ending of vol. 8. Don't worry I wouldn't dare spoil this series for you all. Kirkman continues to be relentless with the tension and action in this book. No character is safe. This series takes me back to Y the Last Man and it's crazy cliff hangers. The reader is placed into the same mentality as this group of survivors. And it's great.

One of the major things I noticed about this series was how quickly I blew through these trades. Seriously I read these two trades which were 12 issues total in an hour. It was that literally that fast. Now this is not simply because of the graphic novel medium, which admittedly can be a quicker read sometimes. Other graphic novels can take much longer to get thru. And it's not a question of art vs. word balloons because Kirkman is not afraid to write the occasional "talking head" issue. I really think it's the continuous threat of violence that these character's exist under.

Also praise should be shown to the art team. Artist Charlie Adlard, who took over from original artist Tony Moore, does a great job setting up the chaos of this world. There always seems to be a zombie somewhere in the frame whenever our characters venture beyond their camp. Vol. 9 introduced the idea of a "zombie herd" which was terrifying due to it's stupifying power. These zombies are for the most part mindless but if there's thousands of them then they can overwhelm you by complete force. There is no way that our protagonist's can make it past these zombie things. Also Adlard is not afraid to use unique angles and splash pages to show the action. My favorite panel would have to be the page which showed Michonne killing a zombie with a sword from the back of the head, through the mouth, from the perspective of look up from below. It was awesome and sick.

Now I'm down to issues on this series so I look forward to being able to follow it month-to-month. Book Slave.

"You think you deserve this pain, but you don't."

2010-02-24T17:44:00.002-07:00

Hey Cyber-world,
This Tuesday was very exciting for me. Some good things happened. You have to hold onto days like that when sometimes you might feel persecuted by fate.

Then Zach Sampinos chooses to surprise you. If you have ever met him, he is a quiet guy, but I tell you don't underestimate him. As moderator of the Hard Boiled Book Club, this week he had a Miranda July Trivia Competition with prizes. Luckily, completely by chance, I had done some googling of July online this afternoon. So guess who rocked the Trivia competition? Yes it was moi. I won a copy of Me You and Everyone We Know on DVD, which was very spiffy. In 2005 I fell in love with the film which she wrote, directed, and starred. It was a wonderful surprise. Again folks if you live in the SLC area and are looking for a fun book club (with occasional prizes!) I urge you to drop on by. Details can be found here.

This month's book club centered around Miranda July's No One Belongs Here More Than You. This was actually a re-read for me. I initially read it when it was released in 2007 because I'm interested by July's mix of emotional truth and offbeat sensibilities. She is an artist who has a very original view of the world that is rooted in her entire being. This bleeds through in all her work. It doesn't feel calculated or posed. Call me naive but I think it's for real.

This time around I was impressed more by the raw honesty that permeates this collection of short stories. Every page is full of complex emotional truth that can be overwhelming and somewhat depressing. The main theme of these stories is the need to be loved, even if it's not in a healthy relationship. There's also a fair share of self-deception and solipsism in her characters. As some of the fellow book-clubbers pointed out the characters were often unlikeable or fair too quirky. I think that this is by design. July writes in a stream of consciousness, first person narrative style that emphasizes the characters self-centered mentalities. I believe that July's message is that it is because of this selfishness that the characters cannot build the relationships that will make them happy and loved. These characters are not supposed to be successful due to their own emotional self-destruction.

Noticeably my favorite characters were the least selfish. Particularly the lead characters in "Swim Team" "Something that Needs Nothing" and "The Sister" find power after laying open their own hearts. I think that July is at her best when she allows her characters to be awkward and vulnerable without being solipsistic. Miranda July's characters are so unafraid to be human, it hurts. But from the pain, magic emerges, and in that magic is the essence of what it means to be human. Again I honestly feel that their is real human emotion on every page.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 2/23/2010-3/2/2010

2010-02-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

Hello,
Here's what I hope to read this week. How will I finish up this month?

Reading List
Books
The Savage Detectives-First 75 pgs. (this is part of a readalong)
Alias Omnibus
Phonogram vol. 1

Comics
Green Arrow & Black Canary #29, Action Comics #886, Amazing Spider-Man #620, Batman & Robin #3 & 4

Magazines
Four Four Two

Also just to be very self-promotional if you live in the SLC area: On Saturday 2/27 @ 1 pm, Main SLCPL on Level 2. I & colleague Mary Anne Heider will be leading a group discussion of Y the Last Man vol. 1 & 2. So come on down. We'll have a great time discussing this seminal comic series.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

I shot a man in Reno.

2010-02-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hey,
More comic thoughts. Well it is what I've been reading lately.

Sometimes it's hard to be a villian: Rogues Revenge & Sleeper Vol. 2

Every great writer (and reader for that matter) will tell you that a hero is only as good as his villain. This is especially true in comics. In the modern era writers such as Alan Moore and Frank Miller have taken the medium to a new level by blurring the line. Recently I picked up two books that expertly examined the psychology of villiany by featuring the bad guys at the center.

Out of the grand chaotic mess that was Final Crisis emerged a small gem of a mini-series called Rogues Revenge. This side trip from the main story focuses on the Rogues from Geoff Johns's run on The Flash. Led by Captain Cold this Rogue team is dealing with the crazy havoc being wrought by Libra. They also are feeling the consequences of their gang murder of Martian Manhunter. Of course this team of villains has it's own share of dysfunctionality.

Geoff Johns is one of the best writer's in comics. That's just a fact. This series was so much fun. He deftly makes Captain Cold a badass, while still revealing his humanity. I was particularly impressed by how Johns brought in Cold's relationship with his sister Golden Glider. Johns understands that even the bad guys are still human beings with human emotions. He finds a way to make them interesting and complex. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fantastic art from Scott Kollins. His pencils are very clear and sharp. He sticks to the traditional panel style but has a great depth of field and detail. It's not photo-realistic though, but it still looks like comics.

While Johns is the perfect writer for the Flash, on the other side of the aisle Brubaker is the best noir writer in comics. I read Season 1 at the end of last year and loved it. You can find that review here. So I could not wait for Season 2 and it didn't disappoint. This series was fantastic. Brubaker masterly mixes the noir and superhero genre. He's not afraid to have his main characters do vicious evil acts. Sleeper centers around Holden Carver, a man who comes into contact with an alien substance and develops a resistance to pain. He is also able to absorb pain from others and then redirect it out towards his enemy. Carver is then recruited to go deep undercover with evil mastermind Tao, where he begins to lose perspective. By the beginning of Season 2 Carver is able to reconnect with his handler Lynch but he has turned double agent and is now morally lost.

This is all incredibly compelling because Brubaker is fearless. In fact my favorite character is Holden's girlfriend Miss Misery. I loved the issue where the reader follows Misery as she goes on a horrible tear through the city just killing people left and right. Miss Misery thrives off committing evil acts, otherwise she gets physically ill. If she is not evil, then she's an invalid. It's a fascinating irony that Brubaker explores. Sleeper is all about these kind of moral quandaries. As a reader I constantly questioned what I would do in the same situation. In this world the line between right and wrong is completely blurred. The dark ending is inevitable and expected, but still satisfying.

The art of Sean Phillips adds to the dark tone of this story. His muted colors are wonderfully noir. He also allows the color red to pop out from the page which emphasizes the horror of the violence in this world. Phillips never shies away from the blood and sex that is inherent in this book. Phillips is an incredible artist whose work I already admired from his work on Brubaker's Criminal. Noir and crime is definitely Phillips's wheelhouse.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Interconnect with Me.

2010-02-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
It is crazy times at chez Book Slave. A lot going on but watch out you're gonna have a great deal to read as we crash into the end of this month. Why does February always seem so short?

I want to throw a shout out to author Emily Wing Smith whose book The Way He Lived I reviewed here. She was nice enough to say hello, shake my hand, and put up with my slobbering praise at an author event in my library. Later on I discovered that she had posted a link to my review on her own author blog which I appreciated immensely. Again I reiterate that I meant every word of praise and can't wait for her next book. On a similiar note I also had a fun time talking to Sara Zarr, author of Once Was Lost, and she was great. Having seen her speak several times it's wonderful that she is still excited to connect with her readers.

I think that this is indicative of author's in the young adult genre. I see a notable enthusiasm whenever I attend an author's event. Why is that? It's clearly to match the reaction of their audience. Despite protestations to the contrary, teenagers are voracious readers. If they get hooked into a series young adults want to read them all. This is especially true of young females, more so than young males. Now I'm no literacy expert but I work with young adults all the time in my job. It seems to me that any young adult, no matter how snotty, will be hooked by a great engaging story. (Well really isn't that the case with anyone? but I digress...)

I've noticed though that those in the YA field are more apt to embrace any way that they can connect with their audience. Twitter is full of crazy wonderful authors such as Maureen Johnson and John Green (one of the famous vlogbrothers, already a youtube sensation) who love to interact. Often these authors have personal blogs which balance information, promotion, and some personal insight. This can only increase connectivity with the so-called Net Generation who have adopted the internet as social media. The pioneer of all this is Neil Gaiman. He has written a blog for 9 years now. 9 years! He often answers questions, posts pictures of his dogs, and sometimes shares what he's working on. Clearly he understands and enjoys being able to share with his audience.

The closeness that the internet provides is a natural progression for a genre that is all about emotions. The YA genre has evolved away from easy moral lessons or cutesy humor. (Well maybe not in Meg Cabot books...) Being a teenager is about discovering your identity, being powerless, and learning that life is not always fair. This does not always lead to cheery subject matter. The best books of this genre in my opinion, such as Speak, have intense raised stakes. The protagonist's reward is often an emotional revelation that's a source of empowerment. The internet allows for a sort of empowerment that is becoming unlimited. That's what the new social media is all about.

Either way I think that it's great for teens who are interested in writing to have an opportunity to meet there favorite author. Definitely before the cold cruel world of cynicism smacks down their dreams. By reaching out and embracing their audience, authors are more likely to mold potential talent and gain readers for life.