Bossypants by Tina Fey

This was a good read. It was a well put-together book, great for jumping into whenever I had a few spare minutes for a few pages here and there. Also great for traveling, as it's funny and light-hearted, doesn't require too much concentration to take it in. Fey told funny stories about her childhood, adolescence, all the way into her post-graduate years touring with an acting & improv group, to her time working her way up on SNL, and being the big boss at 30 Rock. What endears Tina Fey to fans and readers, I believe, is her ability to stay grounded, humble and even unaffected by her own fame and acclaim. When she wrote of her accomplishments, she wrote about the stressful or awkward parts in getting there, so you know she's a real person who worked for her success and experienced normal everyman/everywoman stuff like anxiety and weight struggles. But she never dwelled on any of those things in a "I went through a bad time" way - instead she retold them, reflecting on the humorous aspects of her struggles and dilemmas. She talked about professional lessons she learned and the good bosses she had, and talked very little crap on people whom she didn't like.

Fey's positive and amused outlook and poised writer's voice were refreshing in a world of celebrities who all seem to "write" their own books at some point. You can tell Fey is actually a writer, and the stories which were included in the book were short, sweet and to-the-point. It felt appropriately concise and entertaining. This was a story about her life, yet she didn't seem to self-indulge ever. My favorite parts of the story were when she told of her lessons learned from SNL creator Lorne Michaels, and about working with Amy Poehler, who is my all-time favorite SNL actress and comedy actress. Perhaps though, my very favorite thing about this book, was the way Fey delivered her brand of feminism, through humorous musings, without coming off entitled, bitter or bitchy. Choice excerpt: "My unsolicited advice to women in the workplace is this. When faced with sexism or ageism or lookism or even really aggressive Buddhism, ask yourself the following question: "Is this person in between me and what I want to do?" If the answer is no, ignore it and move on. Your energy is better used doing your work and outpacing people that way. Then, when you're in charge, don't hire the people who were jerky to you....don't waste your energy trying to educate or change opinions. Go "Over, Under, Through!" and opinions will change organically when you're the boss. Or they won't. Who cares?...Do your thing and don't care if they like it."

1984 by George Orwell

I had been meaning to read this dystopian novel for years. Just one of those books that I'd heard smart people speak of often, that I knew was important in literature. However, I knew nothing about it before I read it. I try to have as little background information as possible when I read a book for the first time. It lets me better imagine the work at its time of initial composition, publishing and release, and the author's perspective when writing it. Anyway, it took me a long time to read 1984 because the setting and descriptions were the opposite of romantic and it was pretty void of any kind of humor, which are the types of themes and elements I gravitate towards in literature. The reading of the actual text was kind of torturous for me. HOWEVER, this book was super uncanny and disturbingly poignant to read in 2013. In this story, the government literally is always watching what its people are doing. Similarly, in 2013, I noticed such a rise in the ways people's lives were captured and published by themselves and others. For example, I hate the way that now people's facebook pages are used by news stations in order to reveal information about someone in a news story. I feel like there's a true invasion of privacy now that didn't exist even several years ago. I come across places which have security cameras now which I would never expect to have a security camera. And I know that most cameras were installed for safety reasons, but still...it's like...you're always being filmed wherever you go. Big brother really IS watching! Anyway, irregardless of the uncanny accuracy of Orwell's predictions for the future of our society, I liked the love story within. It gave the plot a nice bit of suspense and was the only reason I kept reading. I was very close to putting the book down and never picking it back up at several times, but the love story was interesting. It's not that I didn't like this book, it's just not supposed to be "likeable"...it's not supposed to be one where you could read it again and again. It is supposed to scare you, supposed to move you to worry about what's going on in our world with the government. Anyway...ever since reading 1984, I've been thinking about books and technology in a whole new way. And that is a huge sign of a good piece of art for me--if I continue to think of it long after I've read/viewed/consumed it. So what to say in conclusion? This was a book everyone should read, even if only once and it takes you an entire year to complete it. (I'm not ashamed that it took me a whole year to actually finish it haha).

"My Booky Wook 2: This Time It's Personal" by Russell Brand

I recently finished reading Russell Brand's first installment of his autobiographical "Booky Wook" series and quite enjoyed it. I think I enjoyed this one more. The first one, he tried more and I laughed more I think, but with this one, I could better see the celebrity that I know him as, and he had more stories about time spent in the U.S., which being American I can better relate to. In his first book, there were tedious details about his childhood and adolescence to give background into who he is, but in this one, he made the stories more relevant for what the reader probably wanted. Also, it helped that during this book, he was sober and clean--so that whole dramatic scene was eliminated and other topics could be focused upon. I much liked reading his stories about filming "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" in Hawaii, being friends with Morrissey and Noel from Oasis (respectively), his crush on Helen Mirren and meeting various celebrities during his MTV VMA hosting and filming "Get Him to the Greek." Particularly funny and somewhat inspiring was a story about a media debacle that Brand caused when he joked on air about having sexual relations with one of their guest's granddaughters. In that particular situation, Brand went through a bad time and learned some valuable lessons about going too far with his humor and how to be more vigilant of potential domino effects. I enjoyed Brand's second book and would love to meet him in person someday! I would probably want to discuss his books in detail, as there were many fascinating stories.

Between a Heart and a Rock Place, A Memoir by Pat Benatar

So I now feel like I know Pat Benatar. She seems pretty cool lady who really has her head on straight. Her book was a pretty good read, for women especially, since she's a tough cookie who juggled being the lead singer of a rock band and mothering 2 children. Her husband is her longtime guitarist in her band, which is interesting. I am always way more fascinated by couples who are in the same band together, because I know it's not easy and there are so many layers that can complicate things. When a couple makes it work for the long term, I am awestruck. I respect her for making it work and not giving up. There was a time when Benatar and her now husband were broken up, too, which was inspiring to read about. I liked reading about the mistakes and misjudgements she made while young, because it shows she's human and had a past that wasn't really what you would expect of a famous female rock singer. It wasn't anything bad, just unexpected and interesting. In this particular memoir, it was delightful to find out about the person on the other side of the songs that you hear on the radio. I don't know that I could rouse up one bad things to say about Pat Benatar. She wrote about living in back country Hawaii for a while, which would be so amazing. I don't know why more celebrities don't get homes that are clear away from much civilization and people prying into their private lives. I always admire when people do that, because it seems like a no brainer for gaining a sense of peace aside from the celebrity and vanity of it all. Anyway - what I found most interesting in Benatar's memoir was the battle she and her band went through with their former record label, Chrysalis. It was very eye-opening for a musician. All in all, a good read :) I recommend.

Book Review: "My Booky Wook" by Russell Brand

Russell Brand is a celebrity figure whom I've always found to be fascinating. "Get Him to the Greek" is a permanent fixture in our home - our go-to film when there's nothing good on TV and we want guaranteed entertainment and laughs (despite the fact that we've seen it dozens of times). I think Brand is brilliantly funny in that film.

Part One of Brand's autobiographical series,My Booky Wook, was rather entertaining and amusing. I did find myself laughing out loud every so often during my reading. Nothing in it was really unexpected from what I had already learned about Brand through the media, but some of the details were surprising and interesting. For example, the story about how Brand lost his virginity was not really a shocker, but it explains a lot. It was impressive to me how vividly he seems to recall much of his childhood, adolescence and beyond, especially considering how much drugs and booze he put into his body. I also found both his lexicon and syntax to be rather sophisticated.

I would recommend Brand's book to anyone who's ever been fascinated by the man. If you have never taken an interest in his personality, work or life, then this book probably isn't for you, because it goes really into depth about his life and experiences. Now that I'm finally finished with his first book, I'm just starting his second, "My Booky Wook 2" which seems like it can thankfully pick up where the other left off and tell more about his adult life and experiences as a celebrity. Here are some of my favorite excerpts from My Booky Wook:

"Weeks passed, gerbils germinated. I think Barney disgraced himself by getting pregnant with one of his son's children; I despaired of them. I did consider a Sodom and Gommorah-style smiting, preserving only Barney, but when I looked at their little faces my wrath was assuaged: 'How can I stay mad at you? You incestuous, cannibal little slags.'"

"My mum used to send me these postcards from hospital....There'd always be some encoded, 'Try and be a good boy' message stitched into it. Well, I wish I'd been naughtier, if anything. When I look back, it's not those misdeeds I regret...but the times when I conformed. I regret that I didn't realize...it's all just a trick to indoctrinate you into being a conditioned, tame, placid citizen. Rebel, children, I urge you, fight the turgid slick of conformity with which they seek to smother your glory."

And lastly: "Another thing which happened at that orgy that shouldn't is a washing-machine repair man turned up--not as a guest, but to repair the washing machine. That's bad scheduling, isn't it? 'Are you busy between nine and twelve on Wednesday?' 'No, not really, well...I was planning to have an orgy.'

Book Review: "Not Dead and Not For Sale" By Scott Weiland

It was perfect timing that I bought and read this book in mid-August, as I had tickets to see Stone Temple Pilots play a show on the beach over Labor Day weekend. And they were still really good live!

Something I loved about his book was that Weiland would talk about a certain time in his life, and then talk about a few songs he'd written during that time, and explain what the lyrics were about. As I listened to the songs on my ipod while I read each chapter on the beach, I could make sense of what he was singing and it was a really cool literary-meets-musical experience. Sure, Weiland talked about his experiences getting loaded and doing smack, but he didn't focus on his drug problem. Rather than bragging, it came off like he was just being honest about the history of his music and life as a musician.

He did talk about his childhood, and it surprised me to learn that he grew up in a financially rather well-off family. One part that I found shocking about Weiland's life was a trip he took to Paris one winter. He talked about nearly being murdered and castrated in the Parisian countryside and only barely escaping with his nuts. Crazy.

My favorite part about Weiland's stories was learning what a sensitive, mellow guy he seems to be...not something I'd sensed much from his music, as it's often dark and semi-heavy. He's also really devoted to his family and only really wrote about one woman the whole novel. Quite a contrast from reading the Motley Crue autobiography right before this one. I do recommend Weiland's book if you want a glimpse into the vocals and dynamic of Stone Temple Pilots.

Book Review: "The Dirt" by Motley Crue

Length: 400-some pages
Genre: Band Autobiography

I love to read band and artist autobiographies and biographies. This one, written by all four members of Motley Crue, was riveting! I wasn't expecting this one to be so un-put-downable, but it really was. Obviously the language and literary sophistication left something to be desired, but other than that, I was so into this book! Between the bandmates' detailed stories of their respective childhoods, their meeting, their early days as a band, their mind-bogglingly numerous sexcapades and drug abuse over the years, and their highs and lows as a major touring rock band since the 80s, it was all a lot to take in and all quite shocking to read about. Most interesting, was the fact that it was told from EACH of the bandmates' perspectives, so you really get a real feel for their individual personalities and a full idea of where everyone's heads were at during certain times and events. Additionally, it was hard to keep track of all the girls/girlfriends they wrote about because there were so many!

Other than the shallow goings-on that one might expect in such an artist autobiography, Motley Crue also wrote about some really personal and difficult times that each of them went through apart from the band. From Nikki Sixx's rough childhood and Vince Neil's detailing his daughter's unfortunate health problems, to Mick Mars' health problems and Tommy Lee's jail stint--by the end of these chapters, I was somehow oozing compassion for these guys who had seemed like such pigs at various earlier points throughout the book. It made me see the members of Motley Crue as real people with feelings and sensitivity as musicians, even if their pursuits and music may be lacking in integrity.

Motley Crue knew what they stood for and what they didn't stand for, and they sensed early on that their stories would be valuable and a juicy dish for readers and fans someday. Their story is rare and there will never be another band quite like them--they are four extremely original personalities and artists. Also included in "The Dirt" are about 20 pages of full color glossy photos of the band from their respective childhoods, to their first promotional photos to their respective wedding days. The photos help to visually narrate the lengthy read. I highly recommend this delectably deviant read.

Poem for Max

Little (God's) Creature
by Samuel Hazo

"Do you know what love is? Get a dog."
- Mona Van Duyn

Simply by lying down and being
dog, he demonstrates how
satisfaction differs from fulfillment.
Oscar's fulfilled.

Without
a clock he knows the time
of night, of year, of age.
...

What makes me love this pooch...?
...Is it
because he pays attention
and accepts contentment as life's
best reward?
Is it because
he thinks precisely with his nose
and chats concisely with his tail?
Or is it just his irreplaceability?
Each night he lies beside me
while I read

In dog's arithmetic
he's half my age, but catching up...
How innocent he is of malice,
treachery, impatience, envy
and the fear of death.

I read.
He sleeps.
We share mortality
in silence, breath by breath.

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

I just finished reading this, finally. I mean, war books can take a long time to get through, right? So it goes. Anyway, Slaughterhouse Five is largely about author Kurt Vonnegut's experiences fighting as an American soldier in World War II. His tone and phrasing throughout the book are full of dark humor. A commonly used expression in Slaughterhouse is, "So it goes." It is Vonnegut's unique writer's device, used to transition from A to B in his writing, and to explain the "why" behind unjust events. To me, it's Vonnegut's equivalent of saying "Shit happens," "And that was that." Here's an example of how he uses the phrase: "..they saw some other people moving down by the riverside and they shot at them. They hit some of them. So it goes."

Vonnegut mainly writes about the awfulness of one particular bombing, in which he was present after he'd been captured as a prisoner of war during the final months of World War II. It was the Bombing of Dresden, an air raid bombing in Germany in 1945, whose death toll and destruction Vonnegut implies, were greater than the death toll and destruction of Hiroshima, Japan. (Casualties according to estimates in the 1970s by comparison: Hiroshima - 71,379; Dresden - 135,000). (More recent estimates suggest the casualties from Dresden to be between 22,000-25,000).

The plot of Slaughterhouse Five, and the main characters, are presented in such a way that Vonnegut's timeline of events is extremely erratic. This disjointed storyline is perhaps a coping mechanism for Vonnegut the writer, or to represent a reflection of a soldier's nightmarish memories. OR perhaps a way to make the story more interesting and bearable for readers, or himself. It does make the story more full, more colorful, and much less horrible to read about the destruction and aftermath of the bombing. His erratic plotline, absurd events and darkly comedic commentary make me think that Vonnegut himself must have suffered serious psychological repercussions from having witnessed the firebombing of Dresden. So it goes. (and by the way, I generally found this book to be very entertaining, enjoyable and historically educational).

Favorite excerpts:

[after the author compares the wreckage of Dresden aesthetically to the face of the moon].
"Nobody talked much as the expedition crossed the moon. There was nothing appropriate to say. One thing was clear: Absolutely everybody in the city was supposed to be dead, regardless of what they were, and that anybody that moved in it represented a flaw in the design. There were to be no moon men at all."

"Billy got out of bed in the moonlight. He felt spooky and luminous, felt as though he were wrapped in cool fur that was full of static electricity. He looked down at his bare feet. They were ivory and blue."

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Genre: Self-help; travel-adventure narrative
Length: 445 pages (compact version)
Purchase here (used: $3 ; new: $8)

You've probably heard of this book. I'm not a girly-girl, but personally I found it helpful--even comforting to read. It reminded me that I don't have to be traditional if I don't want to be. It reminded me that I don't HAVE to get married and have kids by age 30--or by any age for that matter.

I can relate in so many ways to Gilbert's journey, reflections and her most cherished role--that of a writer. After a bad breakup--and much deliberation and desperation-- she chose to temporarily leave her life in New York City and travel to Italy, India and Indonesia for one year (4 months each). I too was seeking something more in 2009 when I went to South Korea for one year. The events that lead up to my travels mirrored Gilbert's story in many ways. So, this story spoke to me on a sincere, personal level. But I believe Gilbert's message is so universal--anyone can embark on a similar, soul-searching adventure, (and without the international travel). This is what I took Gilbert's message to be: If you're stuck in a rut and you can't find your way out, take a bold leap and create a new path for yourself--one that might defy convention--one that feels right for YOU. Search yourself and your surroundings--or change your surroundings--be willing to work at it. Don't hold onto your possessions and your attachments so tightly. Be yourself and allow time, space and people to help heal you.

I wasn't much a fan of Gilbert's quirky, informal writing style at first, but I came to appreciate it as her own. She added a lot of needed texture by researching the histories, evolution and etymologies of the things she wrote about and including her findings along with her personal anecdotes and musings--which were oftentimes hilarious. She at times revealed details of her darkest hours--something to which every reader can reach out and connect. I eventually came to like her writing style, but I do think it was very "Sex and the City" at times, too. (Only more cultured, with less drinking and much less sex).

Something that still strikes me as a little peculiar is how "perfectly" everything seemed to evolve throughout the story. I find myself asking several questions. 1. Had Gilbert not had a wealth of prior international travel experience, would she have adapted so well to living in 3 foreign countries for a year during her writings? 2. Had she not had financial support and abundant resources to pull from, would she have been able to fund such a wild, luxurious and therapeutic journey? However, I believe her message is that we should each create our own journey--whatever works for each person's budget and personal needs.

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Ten Things I Wish I'd Known Before Going Into the Real World

Author: Maria Shriver
Genre: self-help

I ordered this one on half.com as an audiobook, because I've only ever done the audiobook thing once in my life before. I got this particular piece by Shriver because I was so inspired by her last little self-help book, and I admire her focus, ambition and ability to multitask career & family. As a woman, that kind of balance is like a fine art. What made me respect her so much in her last book was that her writer's voice uniquely demonstrated her ability to be down-to-earth and laugh at herself - while realistically acknowledging her fortunate background.

I was able to listen to Ten Things...while just driving around to various appointments in the span of 2-3 days. I would recommend this as an audiobook because it seemed like the perfect way to consume/ingest such a story. Shriver's story further inspired me to work through professional and personal obstacles and to not worry about the opinions and judgments of others.

The Language of Blood by Jane Jeong Trenka

Length: 263 pages
Genre: Narrative Memoir/World Cultures
To Purchase: $0.25-$23 on Amazon

This novel is a memoir by a Korean-American adoptee. Brought to the United States in the 1970s, Kyong-Ah left her Korean identity at the time of her adoption by American parents--thereby becoming Jane Brauer. Trenka tells her story chronologically, detailing her grade school years spent in rural Minnesota, and college years in a more urban setting in MN. Later in the book, she tells of her return to Korea and learning all about her family--recovering her Korean identity and establishing special bonds with her Umma (mother) and sisters.

The perspective with which she writes is fascinating and I admire Trenka's style--she is a realist and tells it like it is. Some parts of her story were challenging to get through, but overall it was extremely insightful for anyone interested in topics ranging from cultural studies to adoption. My experience living in S. Korea this past year gave me a deeper appreciation for Trenka's story. I'm grateful my Korean friend Zee was kind enough to lend me this book!

To learn more the author's books and writings, visit her blog here. I'm looking forward to reading her follow-up book. Here are some of my favorite quotes from throughout The Language of Blood:

"Some things I will never know; others I am learning gradually, with effort and determination. In the latter category are Korean manners and language, including the names of things with no English equivalents; Korean history; the difference between Eastern and Western dragons; how not to stereotype other Asian people. I am learning to navigate the gap in perception that lies between my view of the world, the white American view of the world, and the Korean view of the world."

"Consider another recipe: Start with a girl girl whose blood has been steeped in Korea for generations, imprinted with Confucianism and shamanism and war. Extract her from the mountains. Plant her in wheat fields between the Red River and the Mississippi. Baptize her. Indoctrinate her. Tell her who she is. Tell her what is real. See what happens."

"So, like a know-it-all, naive college graduate who thinks she is going to be "alternative" and cool, like a dumb American who tries to mimic the native culture but fails badly without even knowing it--I choose a gold, reversed swastika. I thought it would be great to take back to America because it's a Buddhist symbol, and I would look super-exotic wearing it, and I was so happy with myself for even knowing it was a Buddhist symbol, and so on."

"I have little patience for "ex-pates" who ricochet around the globe in search of the perfect cafe, willing women, cheap wine. Yet there are some whose experiences resonate with me; for those who find their place, their second home, yearning is transformed into something else, something ghostly yet real as flesh."

"All She Wrote" - a poem by Harryette Mullen

The following poem is a favorite of mine and especially lately, having been in Asia for almost 10 months now, it makes a lot of sense to me :) I studied Harryette Mullen's book of poetry Sleeping With the Dictionary in college and it is one of my very favorite poetry books.

All She Wrote

Forgive me, I’m no good at this. I can’t write back. I never read your letter.
I can’t say I got your note. I haven’t had the strength to open the envelope.
The mail stacks up by the door. Your hand’s illegible. Your postcards were
defaced. Wash your wet hair? Any document you meant to send has yet to
reach me. The untied parcel service never delivered. I regret to say I’m
unable to reply to your unexpressed desires. I didn’t get the book you sent.
By the way, my computer was stolen. Now I’m unable to process words. I
suffer from aphasia. I’ve just returned from Kenya and Korea. Didn’t you
get a card from me yet? What can I tell you? I forgot what I was going to
say. I still can’t find a pen that works and then I broke my pencil. You know
how scarce paper is these days. I admit I haven’t been recycling. I never
have time to read the Times. I’m out of shopping bags to put the old news
in. I didn’t get to the market. I meant to clip the coupons. I haven’t read
the mail yet. I can’t get out the door to work, so I called in sick. I went to
bed with writer’s cramp. If I couldn’t get back to writing, I thought I’d catch
up on my reading. Then Oprah came on with a fabulous author plugging
her best selling book.

"Bumping Into Geniuses" by Danny Goldberg

Genre: Narrative rock 'n roll
Length: 288 pgs.
to purchase click here - from $1 (used) to $20 (new)

Music executive Danny Goldberg began his career as a rock fan who "wanted to worm [his] way into...the community of rock critics." Right out of high school, he landed a job at Billboard's head offices in NY, thinking they were a "generic magazine," soon learning that, the rock music that meant so much to him, "was also part of something called the music business." He then takes readers through his eventful and awe-inspired career, working with bands and artists such as Patti Smith, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Kiss, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots and Warren Zevon. Though interspersed with enchanting tales of musicianship, artistry and touring, Goldberg's stories sometimes lulled my interest. They were primarily told from the perspective of a PR businessman, so some parts I forced my way through, like the financial breakdowns of various albums he helped market, etc. That being said, I couldn't put the book down when I read his substantial section on his time working with Nirvana. His perspective on their music and surrounding events was refreshing--seemed more authentic and sincere, like it was coming from a real friend and not a rock critic. In addition, Goldberg also includes a substantial section on one of his later clients, Warren Zevon, whose extensive and inspiring music career I'd have probably never learned about otherwise. All in all, it was a good read for someone like me, who is a bit obsessed with rock music and its history, but maybe not a choice read for a non-music fanatic.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Author: Douglas Adams
Genre: science fiction
Length: about 215 pgs.
available for purchase here ($10-15)

Hmm...what to say about this impossibly clever sci-fi adventure? Apparently, there is a cult of fanatics who are obsessed with this series, but this was my first real science-fiction read (besides reading some Bradbury in HS). HHGG wasn't a book that particularly moved me in a literary sense, BUT it did move me to laugh out loud many times and expand my mind--it was a challenging read with its innovative concepts.
There's so many new concepts and strange names to remember!

The story basically traces the week-long adventure of a human being from Earth, as he's abruptly taken from his doomed planet by his friend, who is actually an alien. Their adventure takes them throughout the galaxy on a state-of-the-art spaceship as they are reunited with old friends and learn about a new, mysterious and man-made planet called Magrathea. The funniest part to me was this one character's name, a resident of Magrathea. His name is Slartibartfast. Every time I read his name I couldn't help but laugh to myself. The plot is hard to explain, as are the characters, and this isn't really my literary genre of expertise, so all I can really say is that it was a really enjoyable and entertaining read. Here's an excerpt from one of my fav. parts of the book:

"Curiously enough, the dolphins had long known of the impending destruction of the planet Earth and had made many attempts to alert mankind to the danger; but most of their communications were misinterpreted as amusing attempts to punch footballs or whistle for tidbits. .... The last ever dolphin message was misinterpreted as a surprisingly sophisticated attempt to do a double-backward somersault through a hoop while whistling the "Star Spangled Banner..."

The Real Frank Zappa

Author: Frank Zappa
Genre: Autobiography
Length: 352 pgs.
To purchase used or new ($11-20)

If you are sincerely interested in rock music sounds and culture, along with its history and evolution, I highly recommend reading the book "The Real Frank Zappa," which my former bandmate lent me a while ago. I loved it so much that I bought my own and frequently buy it as a gift for others. Zappa seemed like my kinda guy--a music nerd with a grand sense of humor. Through his autobiography, he details his origins and history in music and recording (he was one of the early pioneers of rock recording, mixing and production) and all the way through albums and tours. The sweetest part, in my opinion, was reading his reflections on his wife and four children and being a dad. It was touching and fascinating to learn that Zappa's entire lifestyle was far from the stereotype of what one might presume of a longtime rock 'n' roller.

above: front and back cover, (an example of Zappa's amusing illustrations that appear throughout the book).

Book Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

Author: Mark Haddon
Genre: mystery novel
Length: 221 pgs.
available for purchase here ($5-10)

This is a really cool concept. The story is told from the perspective of a
15-year old autistic savant. He lives in England and loves mathematics, Sherlock Holmes, and Toby his pet rat. He's extremely gifted at logic and math, but can't perceive emotion nor express it to accurately communicate his feelings. I read somewhere that it is likely that this character's particular type would classify as Asperger's.

At the beginning of the story, the endearing narrator comes across a "murder victim" as he refers to it, (a dead dog), and with his unrelenting ambition and love for mysteries, he takes it upon himself to solve this murder mystery, (while simultaneously writing a novel about all the subsequent events). It's really quite a cozy and intriguing read once you get into the characters and events--and funny, too. It's an impressive piece of writing, especially considering the author is not autistic and had to put himself in such a mindset throughout the entire novel's composition.

Summing it up well:
"The most lovely and unexpected first-person narrator...Gloriously eccentric and wonderfully intelligent."
- The Boston Globe

"To get an idea of what Mark Haddon's moving new novel is like,...think of The Sound and the Fury crossed with The Catcher in the Rye and one of Oliver Sack's real-life stories."
- The New York Times

Excerpt:
"Terry, who is the older brother of Francis, who is at the school, said...they didn't let spazzers drive rockets that cost billions of pounds. ...I'm not a spazzer, which means spastic, not like Francis, who is a spazzer, and even though I probably won't become an astronaut, I am going to go to university.... But Terry won't go to university. Father says Terry is most likely to end up in prison. Terry has a tattoo on his arm of a heart shape with a knife through the middle of it. But this is what is called digression, and now I am going to go back to the fact that it was a Good Day."

book review: Catcher in the Rye

Author: J.D. Salinger
Genre: Narrative Fiction
Length: 277 pgs.
Available for purchase here ($7-10)

Influencing myriad readers since its initial publication in 1945, this timeless and impossibly famous "coming-of-age" story is one that breaks the rules in a truly badass, authentic and amusing way. Shortly before Christmas break, 15-year old Holden Caulfield gets kicked out of Pencey Prep School and impulsively decides to venture around New York City before going home to face his parents. A lot of the story consists of Caulfield describing the people, places and things that he comes across--and then reflecting on his troubles. His scatter-brained ideas represent his inner turmoil and conflictedness about the past and the future.

As he narrates through his adventures, Caulfield uses terms like "flitty" to describe pervs, and "phony" to describe people who aren't worthy of his time (a.k.a. the 1950s version of a modern day 'd-bag' or 'tool'). Other staple terms include lousy, goddamn, madman and big bang. The speaker's tone, dialect and vocabulary were so amusing--and the timeline and plot kept me in suspense. Somehow, even after majoring in English, I only read this book for the first time last week at age 25. I couldn't put it down, it was so wonderful. I was reading it on the subway the other day and couldn't help but laugh out loud several times during the ride.

My favorite quote from the novel was this:

"You ought to go to a boys' school sometime. Try it sometime," I said. "It's full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques."

book review: Just Who Will You Be?

Author: Maria Shriver

Genre: Self-Help/Leisure
Length: 91 pgs.
Available for purchase here ($3-10)

This is a short, sweet, soul-searcher type of book. You can read it in one sitting and it has a refreshing message.

Shriver, niece of the Kennedy family and wife of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, reflects on how up until a certain point, her life had wholly been about living up to others' expectations. During an awakening, she realized it was okay to not always have a plan of action for where you're headed next. Shriver encourages each reader to be an individual and to not be afraid of changing, evolving and "updating" oneself accordingly. She goes on to tell about the graduation speech she gave for her son's senior high school class and how afterward, students and parents urged her to turn the speech into a book. And Just Who Will You Be is the result.

Here's an excerpt:
"...sometimes life happens to you and--bingo!--your idea of who you think you are just goes up in smoke. That's what happened to me. One day out of nowhere...I was asked to resign. ....Just like that, my career was gone, and with it went the person I'd been for twenty-five years."

book review: Hiroshima

Author: John Hersey
Genre: Journalistic Non-fiction
Length: 152 pgs.
Available for purchase here (new $7, used $3)

Author John Hersey's account of Hiroshima offers the best journalistic reporting on the effects of the first atom bomb, dropped on the city of Hiroshima in 1945. The NYU journalism dept. called Hersey's account the "finest piece of journalism of the 20th century." Hersey tells the story with important background information, but largely from the perspectives of six different survivors of the bomb. He introduces each survivor as a character, describing their life in 1945 and what they were doing that day up until the bomb was dropped. Then he describes the horrific devastation on the city--from inside the only remaining hospital's overwhelmed corridors--to the banks of the river, lined with people severely burned and waiting for rescue by boat.

In the following years, those who did survive, were labeled hibakushas by their culture, a discriminatory term which translates to "explosion-affected people." Hersey details the aftermath of the bomb and its long-term physical, emotional and economic effects on the hibakushas. He also went back forty years later and includes a whole chapter of updates on each survivor.

It was a hard book to read as it was an overwhelming tragedy of humanity--that's a given. But it was fascinating to read about this major historical event from what felt like a Japanese or non-American perspective. Considering the great linguistic, cultural and geographic barriers, it is truly remarkable that such an account was written in English by an American--and in the 1940s no less. On another note, it was really interesting to learn about the various scientific factors that played roles throughout the events. Lastly, it was a great way to educate myself further on the Japanese culture.

background info:
about the publication of Hersey's Hiroshima