Sometimes it’s not so easy to find bookstore events that I truly wish to attend. In fact, I haven’t actually attended a single one since I’ve started this weekly post. I’m not going to make excuses, I don’t really have any. But, in order to broaden my horizons and find more to report to you I’m going to include the whole bay area as opposed to just SF (I actually started this last week). So… here you go, this weeks events.
Archive for August, 2009
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
For the first time in a long time a book has confused me, all the way through. To the point where I contemplated calling my mother (a former bookstore owner and teacher) and asking her questions. Not deep intellectual questions but just simple ones like, is this a work of fiction or non-fiction? I recognize that this seems like an unusual question particularly since the byline of is “a work of fiction by Tim O’Brien.” But, nonetheless, with such vivid and detailed stories about a place and time which seem so far away (even in 1990 when it was published) I can’t fathom that this is a work of fiction.
There is a part of me that wants to suggest that you, the reader, start reading this book on page 179 with the story “Good Form.” It’s a shortstory, less than a page, but it sort of answers the question I had intended to ask my mom. Yet, it doesn’t, it kind of makes things more confusing. But, if you were to start there perhaps you could make more or at least better sense of O’Brien’s reality and false reality from the beginning which I failed to do.
I had no idea that this is a book of stories as opposed to the singular story, which I had expected. It threw me for a loop. Once I settled in to this fact or rather it settled on me that that’s what this book is, it didn’t take long for me to become engrossed in it. Being relatively young my perception of the Vietnam War is framed by movies like “Apocalypse Now,” “Deer Hunter” & “Full Metal Jacket.” Obviously one book won’t do a lot to paint a better picture of one of our country’s largest blunders but it certainly has given me a new perspective. O’Brien’s stories are startling, amusing, confusing (as I’ve already stated) and insightful.
This past weekend I had the pleasure of flying to LA for Saturday night and returning to SF on Sunday. Quick trip, I know, but these are the things you do for family. Honestly, I don’t mind traveling so much, airports/airplanes are a great excuse to get a lot of reading done and occasionally you may meet some nice people.
While in LA though I decided that I would visit a local independent bookstore and see how it possibly differed from those that I frequent at home. I conveniently chose one which was on the way from my sisters house to my brothers.
Skylight Books at 1818 N. Vermont Avenue is an amazing shop. The layout is great and it feels like a homey store. One indication by which I judge a bookstore is the availability of the books on my list (sometimes some of them are hard to come by, although they are not “rare” books). Skylight passed with flying colors. Before I managed to get my list out I spotted a good number of them not to mention several to add.
Skylight Books
Lamb by Christopher Moore
Aug 11
Lamb by Christopher Moore
I’m speechless, I finished this book less than 15 minutes ago and I am still smiling. This could be one of the most humorous, wittiest and most entertaining books I have ever read. Even the “Afterword” is amusing. For the first time in a long time I can understand how and why a book is touted on the cover as a “National Bestseller.”
As much as I would like to tell you that Christopher Moore is the best fictional humor author ever, I can’t. Only because this is the first of his books I’ve read and I’ve barely scratched the surface of this genre. Like I say about many of the first time authors I review, I will be reading Moore without a doubt.
It would be incredibly difficult to review this book and not completely spoil it for you if you haven’t read it. I am going to do my best to avoid that but be forewarned and don’t come after me if you feel I’ve taken something away from it. I highly doubt that’s possible. Keep going, please, for me?
Yep, I’m following through. I told you that I would be doing this weekly and here it is. I don’t have a whole lot of time myself, and unfortunately I didn’t make it to any of last weeks events but whenever I do find the time you can be sure to find firsthand reports.
See what’s going on…
Being an avid reader (avid being a bit of an understatement) I am frequently seeing, hearing and reading about books old and new that I want to read. Admittedly, a few of them I want to read due to their mainstream appeal but the majority of them spark some sort of interest in me for one reason or another. Some have been on the list for ages while some have just been added.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Oh science fiction how I loathed thee. But now I don’t.
A semi-wise old man (sorry Josh) once suggested that science fiction is difficult to read based on the fact that its central focus relies on religion. At the time, I couldn’t really argue with him. Most of the science fiction that I had read to that point was indeed heavily focused on religion. Shortly after that particular conversation I read a book (to be reviewed later when my copy is returned to me, ahem) that completely and forever reversed my thinking in regard to what Josh had said. That other book is also among my top five books of all time (sorry for the tease). Ender’s Game was not that book, but it’s a close second when it comes to science fiction.
That said, Ender’s Game is a great read. There I said it, those of you who think that all I do is …whine? …complain?
Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles and one of my all time favorite science fiction books The Illustrated Man is celebrating his 89th birthday on August 22, 2009. He’ll be having a shindig at the store Mystery and Imagination in Glendale, California. It’s somewhat bizarre but should you be a fan, big or small, the bookstore has apparently claimed that any birthday cards sent to this address:
Ray Bradbury C/O
Mystery and Imagination
237 North Brand Blvd.
Glendale, Ca 91203
will be delivered to the one and only. He may be old, but i’m sure he still appreciates well wishes on his bday.
Ray Bradbury
I’m trying something new out, so, bear with me. Despite the fact that many of the people who read this blog reside outside of the bay area, I am, regardless going to attempt to provide those of you who do live in this region a weekly calendar of what events (signings, readings, etc.) are going on each week. I will of course be rather biased and will only be notifying of you events that spark my interest. So… without further ado… See where you should be this week
King of Screwups by K.L. Going
Adolescence. Sex (on a desk). Glam Rock. Homosexuals. Trailer parks. Super models.
Sounds like a pretty good recipe for a book to me. So, this is my first young adult (YA) book that I’ve reviewed. Not the first one I’ve read though. What actually makes this a YA book, well the book centers on an adolescent (Liam), and as far as I know that’s what does it.
Overall, the book was enjoyable to read. Any book that takes me less than a day to read usually has that effect on me. I did of course have some problems with this book. Despite it being amusing and being able to relate to it in some ways (remembering those good old high school days) I’ve come to the conclusion that the message or moral of the book is just a bit too in your face. It’s pretty clear that communication is of the utmost importance and that following your dreams is as important as having supportive parents. I didn’t really need to have a couple hundred pages hammering this down. And thats why this post isn’t much longer, so finish reading it!
