August Books Read

All in all it was a crazy month, what with my new library job and dealing with some family health issues...but I was still able to squeeze out a few reads. Here's what I read in August:















Our Lady of Pain (2008) - Elena Forbes

I got an ARC of this one from the Amazon Vine program (which you should check out). In a dark, secluded part of London's Holland Park, art dealer Rachel Tenison's body is found frozen, naked and bound with duct tape. Detectives Mark Tartaglia and Sam(antha) Donovan have few clues about the murder and even fewer about Rachel Tenison's strangely secret private life. But the case is eerily similar to another murder committed only a year before.

I enjoy fast-paced crime fiction, especially police procedurals that track one or more detectives attempting to solve strange or unusual crimes with very few clues. Our Lady of Pain succeeds as a fast-paced mystery/crime novel, but I found myself disappointed in the book for many reasons:

I wish more had been made of the London setting. The story could have taken place in any metropolitan (or even smaller, for that matter) city, but I felt the author could have done more to make the city a more integral part of the novel, especially Holland Park, where the body is discovered.

The shifting points of view didn't bother me as much as the amount of melodrama connected with several of the characters. Sure, it's important to know what the characters are thinking and feeling, but many of their inner personal thoughts felt unfocused and unnecessary to the story. Many of the minor characters seem to appear as window-dressing, only to serve the functional purposes of a scene, then exit.

I was surprised by the ending, yet found it rather implausible based on the events in the first half of the book. Ultimately, I was disappointed.
















Running Blind (2000) - Lee Child

I read the first few of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels when they first appeared years ago, but hadn't read one in quite awhile until lately. You can count on a Jack Reacher novel to have at least a few scenes where Jack kicks butt, and this one did, but unfortunately, that was about as entertaining as it got. You can read the Amazon synopsis; I won't go into it here. The entire plot was completely implausible and by the time I got to the ending, the wheels had come flying off. A huge disappointment.
















Brave New World (1932) - Aldous Huxley

Neil Postman was right: Orwell's 1984 doesn't adequately describe where we are now, but Brave New World does. Boy, does it ever. I hadn't read this novel since I was in the ninth grade, which was....well, let's say a long time ago. If you've never read it, do so. Then take a look around you and see who comes closer to hitting the target: Orwell or Huxley.

















Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow (NF YA 2005) - Susan Campbell Bartoletti

A great read, but not only for the YA audience. I listened to the book on audio, so I can't speak for the photos. From what I've heard, the entire package is excellent. A Newbery Honor Book.
















The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (2008) - David Wroblewski

So do you believe the hype? Just how much do you need to know about Hamlet to understand Wroblewski's debut novel? Well, I haven't read Hamlet (yet), but I do think the novel is quite good. Too long? Yes. Overwritten? Maybe. Effective? Yes. I wasn't completely convinced or satisfied with the ending, but thought it was a good read. I would suggest that you go into the book with as little information as possible, thus I am disclosing little here. If you've read it, let me know what you think. Whatever you think, it will be interesting to see what Wroblewski does next.
















Healing for a Broken World: Christian Perspectives on Public Policy (NF 2008) - Steve Monsma

Read this one for a Sunday school class last quarter. Monsma covers a lot of ground, asking what should Christians do about several public policy issues such as poverty, genocide, global AIDS, global warming, terrorism, etc. Monsma contradicts himself at a few points and seems to either lack or fail to provide relevant scriptural references to back up some statements, but the book is a great starting point for good discussion. Definitely worth your time.

















Out Stealing Horses (2007) - Per Petterson

I really enjoyed this quiet, little book from Norwegian writer Petterson (translated by Anne Born). Trond Sander is a man nearing 70 who lives in self-imposed isolation, contemplating the entire scope of his life. He happens upon a childhood friend and begins rethinking the events of 1948, the last year he spent with his father. If you're looking for a page-turner, forget it, but if you're in the mood for a quiet, reflective novel with plenty of power, check it out.

















Eighth Grade Bites: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Book 1 (YA 2007) - Heather Brewer

I was helping select some books for Teen Reads Week and ran across this title. I really wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised by Vladimir Tod and his predicament: Vlad's parents died when he was eleven, three years before this story begins. Since his father was a vampire and his mom was human, Vlad exhibits only some of the common vampire characteristics: he can go out during daylight, but he still needs to drink blood, supplied by his aunt Nellie, who just happens to be a nurse! Sounds lame, but the book is full of humor, action and a sensitive look at adolescence.

















The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (NF 2008) - Timothy Keller

Tim Keller isn't going to beat you over the head with his Bible and he isn't going to beg you to become a Christian, but he is going to address your questions/statements about Christianity head-on, such as "How could a good God allow suffering?" and "The Church is responsible for so much injustice" and "How can a loving God send people to hell?" and much more. He fields questions like these all the time at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. Highly recommended.

August Books Bought

I really started the month of August "on the cheap," but one trip to Daedalus did me in. Still, not a bad month. Here's what I purchased:
















Watchmen (Graphic Novel, originally published 1986-87) - Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons

I know I should have read this before now, but I saw the trailer for the film a few weeks ago and checked out a copy from the library. Then I saw it at a library sale and grabbed it.
Trade Paperback - Price = 10 cents


















Watership Down (1972) - Richard Adams

I actually own a first edition (U.S.) copy of this novel, and even though it's a little weathered, I went ahead and bought a reading copy. Why not? Look at the price.
Mass market paperback - Price = 10 cents
















Poe (or if you prefer, Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe) - (NF 1972) - Daniel Hoffman

Poe criticism. What's not to like? It's Poe!
Trade paperback - Price = 10 cents


















Werewolves in Their Youth: Stories (1999) - Michael Chabon

Okay, I'll admit it right now. The only Michael Chabon I've ever read was The Yiddish Policemen's Union, which blew me away. So purchasing his 1999 collection of short stories wasn't really going out on a limb. The guy's incredible.
Hardcover first edition - Price = $1.99
















William Faulkner : Novels 1930-1935 : As I Lay Dying, Sanctuary, Light in August, Pylon (Library of America)

William Faulkner : Novels 1942-1954 : Go Down, Moses / Intruder in the Dust / Requiem for a Nun / A Fable (Library of America)

All I've got to say is "Blast you, Daedalus Books!" I was doing just fine for the month when I walked in and saw these two (and the only two) Library of America editions of Faulkner. (There are, for those of you keeping score at home, five volumes of Faulkner in the LOA series.) I can't resist Faulkner and I can't resist Library of America. They had me as soon as I entered the store. Blast those guys....
Both volumes brand new hardcovers, not remaindered - Price = $14.98 each


Total Book Expenditures for August: $32.25

Next time: The stuff I actually read

Still Here...

Okay, I know it seems I dropped off the planet for awhile, but I'm still hanging around. Lots of family issues, mostly looking after my mom, but it looks like things are beginning to clear up, at least for awhile.

And yes, I finally finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle! Is it as good as everyone says? Should you believe the hype? Should you wait for the movie? (I don't even know if it's been optioned, but in many ways it would be a challenging story to adapt to film.)

It is a good book and a good read. I'm not ready to break out the anointing oil and proclaim Wroblewski Writer of the Year, but the book is definitely worth your time. It will be interesting to see what he does next.

So you're waiting for me to talk about the book itself. I have a lot of thoughts about it, but I really can't begin to talk about it without giving away too much of the story. I will join a multitude of others in saying it could have been 100 pages shorter, but don't consider that a huge issue. Read it and see what you think. Feel free to comment with a spoiler alert.

Right now I need a little comfortable, familiar reading material, so I chose one of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries. If you have never read one, shame on you. I'm taking my sweet time and reading through all 33 novels and 39 novellas (in order of publication, of course) for the second time.

Writing, Revising and Sending Out Those Things We Call Stories

According to my spreadsheet, I have only two stories in the pipeline, but I'm working on three new ones. After reading my good friend Trent's blog, I remembered four other stories that need another look. I think they're good stories, or at least have the potential to be good stories. Apparently some editors think so too. Two of the four stories have received positive comments, but something about them just isn't there yet. As Trent says, the revision process is not easy and is frequently not fun, but sometimes that's what it takes to see what's really going on.

I was watching an interview with Martin Scorsese the other day. He related a story of not knowing what Raging Bull was really about until well into the production. It's like that with stories sometimes. You really don't know what it's all about until you start revising, at least in some cases. That's one part of the process I enjoy. What's difficult is matching up which tools will fix which problem. It sometimes seems I'm trying to loosen a screw with a hammer. You can probably do that, but it can get pretty messy and doesn't give you quite the outcome you wanted.

And then there's the novel revisions. Man, don't get me started. It's like Jenga: change one thing and it affects everything else. But what are ya gonna do, stop?

No way.

Feeling Pretty Strange...

Robert Aickman (1914-1981)


If you've never read any of Robert Aickman's short stories, I urge you to do so immediately. Last night I read the first story in his collection Painted Devils, a story called "Ravissante." When I finished, I immediately read it again. I had to know how Aickman had succeeded in creeping me out so completely. Reading the story again only added to my unsettling feelings (in a good way). Aickman is too good a writer and I'm too weak a reader to be able to point to a certain paragraph or sentence and say "Here's where the story moves from conventional narrative into the surreal."

I'd read another Aickman collection years ago, Cold Hand in Mine, which left me with the same feeling: an unsettling discomfort that's absolutely delicious. Both of these collections are book club editions, but who cares? Just get your hands on some Aickman in any form you can. (You can probably find some of his stories in several horror anthologies such as David Hartwell's The Dark Descent.) If you love quality supernatural fiction, you won't want to miss Aickman.

(By the way, Aickman preferred the term "strange stories" over "horror stories" or "ghost stories." I can't think of a better term for them.)

At What Point Do You START?

A little different slant from yesterday's post. This morning I was reading a post by Ekaterina Sedia, guest-blogging for Jeff VanderMeer over at Ecstatic Days. For the last couple of days, Sedia has written about three overlooked books and their authors: Mockingbird by Sean Stewart, The Mount by Carol Emshwiller and The Traitor by Michael Cisco.

I own (but have not read) the first two books and have had the Cisco book on my Amazon "Wish List" for months. I now have an overwhelming desire to immediately pick up one (or all) of these books and start reading.

I know, I'm the marketing department's dream come true.

I also know I have the problem of seeing a book I want to read, thinking to myself, "Gee, it's here, the price is reasonable, I want to read this eventually...what the heck - I'll take it!" Thus my home is overtaken by books.

But when do I actually get around to reading it/them? When I'm reminded of a post like Sedia's?

I've tried (I really have) to look at a book I'd really like to read and ask myself the following questions:

(1) Is the library going to get this book? If so,

(1.1) Do I want to wait for it to arrive or wait for all the holds to go down? (as in Edgar Sawtelle) Or just buy the blasted thing? (again, as in Edgar Sawtelle, which was probably a stupid move, since I still haven't finished it.)

(1.2) Are they going to get it on audio? If so,

(1.3) By the time I get the audiobook, are the discs going to be so scratched up it'll be unlistenable? (What do these patrons use the CDs for, anyway, coasters for sandpaper table surfaces?)

(2) Am I ever going to see this book for sale again? When I was running my on-line bookstore, I was in used bookstores and thrift stores nearly every day. I'd frequently find books I knew I couldn't sell for much, but still wanted to read, books I thought I might never see again. So I bought them.

(3) Am I just getting caught up in the moment? This is really dangerous when you go to an author signing. Or maybe EVERYONE'S talking about this book and you've just GOT to read it RIGHT NOW!

But I still end up with shelves of books that I haven't read. (Plus, like an idiot, I've signed up to get ARCs from LibraryThing and Amazon, so the hits just keep on coming.)

So how do you decide what to read next? Does it depend on the mood you're in? Or what everyone's talking about? How do you balance fiction and non-fiction? Young Adult vs. adult fiction?

At What Point Do YOU Give Up?

This week I gave up on two books I'd been reading. I had invested about 100 pages in one, about 75 in the other. Neither was poorly written, but at some point I simply lost interest. With one, the plot was something I'd seen before (many times.) The other book was YA, which can easily fall prey to formula. Yet it wasn't formula that bothered me with this one, but the tone of the book took a drastic turn about six or seven chapters in, which really destroyed the experience for me. It's not that I don't like change or surprise in a book, but the shift in tone was just too abrupt and unnecessary.

Although I keep track of just about everything else in my reading, I don't necessarily keep a list of books I've given up on. If I did, this year's list would probably be around twenty titles. Maybe I just don't have the patience to finish something I'm not enjoying, maybe I've realized that life is too short to spend it reading books that just don't do it for you. (Although I sometimes find myself agreeing with Roger Ebert: "You must read books like The Da Vinci Code to remind you that life is too short to read books like The Da Vinci Code.")

My rule lately has been 100 pages (or three discs if I'm listening to an audiobook). At that point, it either stays or goes. For some reason, it's easier for me to abandon a work of fiction than one of non-fiction. And sometimes I know it's just a case of the right book at the wrong time; I have to be in the mood for certain books. Jane Austen is great, but I don't want to read her every day.

So at what point do you give up on a book? When do you decide "That's it! I've had enough!" or "This just isn't for me right now." ???

July Books Read

Well, I certainly read more books than I bought in July, which is a good thing. I was a little burned out on YA/J-Fic, intending on reading only one title for the month, but ended up reading three. Go figure.

Anyway, here are the books I read in July:
















Darkside (YA 2007) - Tom Becker
A few thoughts about this one here.

















Angels Flight (1999) - Michael Connelly
A word or two here.
















Uglies (YA 2005) - Scott Westerfeld

The concept has been done plenty: Everyone gets "the operation" when they turn sixteen. You know, the operation that makes everyone beautiful. The problem is, Tally, days before her 16th birthday, meets a radical young girl named Shay, who decided a long time ago that she doesn't want to be pretty. Again, you probably think you've seen this all before, but Westerfeld is a very good storyteller and knows when to back off, knows when the science is necessary and when it might get in the way. I enjoyed his Midnighters series, but Uglies is on a higher tier. Concepts of image, social structure and more, all without getting preachy. I definitely plan to read the other books in the series.

















Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (NF 1985) - Neil Postman

Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth about the American Voter (NF 2008) - Rick Shenkman


Thoughts on both books here.


















The Last Apprentice: Wrath of the Bloodeye (J-Fic 2008) - Joseph Delaney

Readers of the previous Last Apprentice books will know the basics: Tom Ward continues his apprenticeship to the Spook, a master foe of witches and other evil beings who practice the dark arts. As Wrath of the Bloodeye opens, the wicked Fiend is at large terrorizing the county by any and all means, including war. After Tom has a close call with a press-gang looking to kidnap potential soldiers, the Spook sends him to train with another spook, former apprentice Bill Arkwright. Although Arkwright's methods are extremely intense and demanding, the Spook feels Tom will be relatively safe from the Fiend. Of course, that's when the trouble really starts.

Fans of the series will no doubt enjoy this volume. Like the previous books, Wrath of the Bloodeye is scary, exciting and non-stop. Delaney generally does a good job of creating creepy atmospheres and settings while moving the reader along at a brisk pace. Those familiar with the series expecting scenes of grisly and sometimes gross-out horror will not be disappointed. What was disappointing to me, at least in this volume, is a lack of focus. The plot and changes in setting seem to meander and wander, especially in the last half of the book. As a narrator, Tom often seems to be capable of a whole litany of extended thoughts and ruminations during the middle of nail-biting action scenes. I won't give away any important details, but some of the confrontations were a bit disappointing.

Kids ask for these books all the time at all the branches I've worked. The books are marketed to ages 10 and up (or grade 5 and up), although they may be too intense for some young readers. Anyone who enjoys the first book will probably enjoy them all, although Wrath of the Bloodeye is not the strongest entry in the series.

















Eternity and Other Stories (2005) - Lucius Shepard

If you enjoy good writing and haven't yet encountered Lucius Shepard, I encourage you to pick up any of his novels or collections (like this one) and lose yourself for a few hours. Shepard's stories usually contain some speculative element and he sometimes gets thrown into the "magic realism" camp, whatever that means, but readers should enjoy these tales for what they are: superb writing.















Salt River (2007) - James Sallis

I'd previously never read any work by Sallis, but had heard his name tossed around for years. This may not be the best place to start reading Sallis, but I enjoyed this short, reflective mystery and plan to read him again.













Five Minds for the Future (NF 2007) - Howard Gardner

Psychologist and Harvard professor Gardner has some excellent thoughts about the types of minds and thinking that will be necessary for people who want to make a difference in the 21st Century, especially in the area of using synthesis as a means of discovery. Maybe I came away with an incorrect interpretation of what Gardner actually says in some parts, but it seems he holds a somewhat naive view that with enough education, respect for others (and ourselves) is a readily attainable worldwide goal. A thought-provoking book.
















Longitudes & Attitudes: Exploring the World after September 11 (NF 2002) - Thomas L. Friedman

I don't always agree with Friedman, but he's always interesting. I believe all of these essays appeared in The New York Times during the year-eighteen-month period after September 11. I'd like to read a follow-up book of his essays now, seven years later to see if his opinions have changed.

That's it for July. Go read something!

Greatness for $1.99

"I've suffered a lot for my music. Now it's your turn."

I get a lot of grief from my friends who don't share my eclectic musical tastes. I haven't run across many people who enjoy Beethoven string quartets, Bob Dylan, Ella Fitzgerald, The White Stripes, Paul Hindemith's music for brass, Bjork, 77s, Sons of the Pioneers and John Coltrane, but that's okay. But what REALLY gets me steamed is hearing someone say

"Well, I like country music."

"How about Hank Williams. Hank Senior, that is."

"Naw, man." (Insert optional tobacco spit here.) "I'm talkin' 'bout real country!" which translates Toby Keith, Gretchen Wilson, Kenny Chesney, etc.

Now I've got nothing against those artists, but if you really want to hear county, you have to listen to Hank. Senior. What better opportunity than to spend two bucks on true greatness: 20 Of Hank Williams' Greatest Hits. You've heard covers of probably all of these tunes. Now listen to the guy who wrote nearly all of them and set the standard for country greatness. Two bucks! And it's today only. You won't be sorry.

July Books Bought

You know it's been a busy month when you buy only three books! Man, what a dry spell! (Of course, Cindy's probably throwing a party with all the money I saved from not buying more books.) Anyway, here we go with the July edition of Books Bought:



Lectures on Literature (NF 1980) - Vladimir Nabokov


I checked this out through Marina (a system that allows library patrons to request books from other counties in Maryland) and decided I needed a longer amount of time to study it. The book is a collection of Nabokov's lectures at Cornell and Wellesley covering the following works:


Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Bleak House - Charles Dickens
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Walk by Swann's Place - Marcel Proust
"The Metamorphosis" - Franz Kafka
Ulysses - James Joyce

I sampled all the chapters but only read the Stevenson chapter in its entirety (as well as two other lectures called "Good Readers and Good Writers" and "The Art of Literature and Common Sense.") Most of what Nabokov seems to discuss is the form and structure of each work.

My plan is to read each work, then study what Nabokov has to say. I'm really weak in form and structure in my own writing, so I'm very eager to start a little self-directed study led by Mr. N.

Trade Paperback; Price = $12.24




The Trinity (NF This edition 1991) - Saint Augustine


Several guys from my church and other churches get together every Monday night to discuss philosophy (as well as eat pizza and drink beer - what's not to like?). They've been meeting for years and have worked through several books, but just started this one a few weeks ago. Josh, a friend of mine who hosts the group, invited me to check it out, so I bought the book. Philosophy is something I always wanted to investigate, but didn't think (1) I had the time and (2) wasn't smart enough to understand it. I'm still convinced (2) is true, but maybe not (1). But it is fascinating. All these guys are waaaaaay smarter than me, so each meeting is both a humbling and a learning experience.

In the book, Augustine seeks to try to understand the divine Trinity from an examination of Old and New Testaments, then argues using the language of philosophy and logic to defend the orthodox thinking of the doctrine of the Trinity against the Arians of his day. Again, deep, difficult stuff, but fascinating.

Trade Paperback; Price = $19.77




Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories (2001) - Alice Munro


I've only read a few stories by Alice Munro, but I've read enough to know that finding a first edition hardcover copy in pristine condition at the Goodwill for two bucks was a no-brainer. This collection includes the story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain," which was adapted into the film Away From Her.

Hardcover; Price = $2.00

Total = $34.01

Next Time: July Books Read

No End in Sight (2007)

Documentaries always fill me with conflicting thoughts. I want to believe that the filmmakers have done their job, giving me a balanced view of both sides of whatever subject matter is presented, but I also understand that film, as a visual media, has its limitations and can easily be manipulated, often serving a filmmaker's agenda. I checked out No End in Sight from the library weeks ago, but didn't watch it until it was nearly due to be returned. Since no one else had a hold on it, I renewed it for another three weeks.

I finally watched it last night and was glued to the screen. The film was written, produced and directed by Charles Ferguson, a former Brookings Institution scholar with a doctorate in political science. Ferguson focuses not on the Iraq War of 2003, but its aftermath, what went wrong and why. Lest you think that Ferguson presents only one side of the story, key figures and players in the Bush administration are seen and referred to, often followed by the on-screen text, "_______________ declined (or I think the words were sometimes 'refused') to be interviewed for this film."

Yet Ferguson was successful in interviewing Walter Slocombe, former director of national security and defense in the Coalition Provisional Authority (the U.S. organization responsible for overseeing Iraq's reconstruction and transition to democratic rule). Slocombe's confident demeanor quickly crumbles as the interviewer presents him with facts, figure and quotes from other members of a transition team who were in Iraq far longer than Slocombe. The members of this team, including Barbara Bodine, an experienced Middle East diplomat, Paul Eaton, an Army major general, Seth Moulton, a Marine Corps lieutenant, and Jay Garner, the retired lieutenant general who served as head of ORHA (Organization of Recovery and Humanitarian Assistance). These were people who voluntarily went to work in support of the Bush administration, yet over and over related stories of the administration's lack of planning, poor preparation, blundering decisions, little support or resources and no tangible goals. When confronted with evidence from people who were there, Slocombe stumbles, repeating phrases like "I wasn't aware of that." Sometimes we just see a dumbfounded stare into the camera.

Perhaps Ferguson's charges of the administration's gross incompetence would have been stronger with more Bush supporters on camera, yet what can you say about the fact that so few of them chose to be interviewed?

And what of the images of destruction and looting in Baghdad? What of the footage of dead Americans being dragged through the streets of Fallujah? Yes, images can be manipulated for the purposes of pushing agendas forward, but how can you argue with what you see over and over? It's hard to imagine these images being taken out of context. What other context is there?

No End in Sight is essential viewing, regardless of your political beliefs. If nothing else, it will give you plenty to talk about. What bothers me almost as much as the content of the film is the apparent lack of interest in it. No one I have spoken to has seen the film and most have never even heard of it. (Maybe I'm just talking to the wrong people.) The Anne Arundel County library system owns six copies of it, five of which are currently checked out, so I'm glad I'm not the only one watching. Rent it from NetFlix or Blockbuster. Just see it, even if you never watch documentaries, even if you hate films by Michael Moore (and this is nothing like Michael Moore), even if you never watch movies. See it and talk about it. There's a lot here to talk about.

Rejection and Motivation

Got another rejection letter in the mail yesterday and opened my files to discover that this is Rejection Letter #100.

100 isn't really that many, not when you consider that I've been sending stories out since 2001. I really should have about three or four hundred rejection letters, but I just haven't been sending out much stuff lately. Well, let's be honest here: I haven't been writing as much lately. A lot of things have been happening personally and professionally and I just haven't gotten it done. But I understand that if I'm to get better at writing, I've got to devote more time to it and less time to other things (like maybe blogging?).

Pianist Artur Rubenstein once said something to the effect of: "If I skip a day of practice, I know it. If I skip two days, the orchestra knows it. If I skip three days, the audience knows it." Well, right now I have no audience and no orchestra. I do have two former students from a writing workshop/forum who are keeping me on track with my novel revisions, so I'm very thankful for them. (They're ruthless, I tell ya. Even when they're on vacation, I still get "How's the novel coming?" and "Did you work on your novel today?" messages.)

So I have to keep at it with greater persistence. Thanks, guys, for keeping me on track. Keep up the good work.

The Truth is Out There, but I Might Not Have Time for It

The new X-Files movie, The X-Files: I Want to Believe is really calling to me this weekend. I doubt I'll get to see it, what with two library shifts, the Core Reference project and a couple of church activities, but you just never know. Plus I bought Season One on DVD (on-the-cheap, of course) last week and am tempted to watch the entire season again.

What? You Want Me to Turn Off My TV??? And READ???

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (NF 1985, 2005 reprint) - Neil Postman; Penguin, 184 pages.

Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth about the American Voter (NF 2008) - Rick Shenkman; Basic Books, 210 pages.


It’s important to keep in mind that Postman’s book was first published in the days before plasma TVs, hundreds of channels, DVDs, iPods, iPhones, Xbox and PlayStation gaming systems and the Internet. If what Postman said in 1985 is true, that we really have been dumbed down by television, what does that say for us in 2008 with an even wider array of devices for our amusement?

Postman begins with a brief discussion of two highly influential, possibly even prophetic novels, Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World. While Orwell was concerned that people would be deprived of truthful information by those in power, Huxley was concerned that we wouldn’t care about the truth because we’d be too busy being entertained. “Orwell,” Postman says, “feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.”

According to Postman, the Age of Typography began its decline with the invention of Morse code and continued on through radio and television. Yet Postman isn’t saying that changes in media necessarily bring about changes in the structure of the mind or cognitive abilities. “My argument is limited to saying that a major new medium changes the structure of discourse; it does so by encouraging certain uses of the intellect, by favoring certain definitions of intelligence and wisdom, and by demanding a certain kind of content - in a phrase, by creating new forms of truth-telling.”

When the medium changes from word-centered to image-centered, people are given less opportunity to examine and analyze a wide variety of information that runs the risk of being presented out of its original context. It’s also true that information in a print medium can be taken out of context, but with a visually based medium, “facts push other facts into and then out of consciousness at speeds that neither permit nor require evaluation.”

Take the television news, for example. Newscasters present news stories with serious, sometimes urgent attention and concentration, but it isn’t long before someone says, “And now, this...”, signaling that it’s time to focus on the next story, relegating the previous one into the realm of the irrelevant.

Yet television goes to great lengths to assure viewers that by watching, they can learn all they need to know about political figures, especially presidential candidates. This idea is a central focus of Rick Shenkman’s new book Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth about the American Voter.

According to Shenkman, the average American voter has not absorbed the basic facts about basic political issues. We embrace misinformation and myth, largely because we haven’t gathered the facts and given them careful thought. Has this happened because we watch television more than we read newspapers, or is there more to it than that? What does it say about us when only “1 in 4 Americans can name more than one of the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment, but more than half of Americans can name at least two members” of The Simpsons?

Is the mythologizing of history to blame? Or is it our reliance on sound bites and thirty-second news clips? And are the newspapers really a more reliable source of information? Can we trust public opinion polls (plus or minus three percent)?

You see it all the time: Democrats pointing fingers at Republicans, Republicans pointing at Democrats, each blaming the other for the current mess we’re in. Yet, as Shenkman states, you never see either side pointing the finger at the American people. The wisdom of the American people (the most informed people in the world, after all) is sacred, not to be questioned.
Shenkman asks,

Why had The People elected to the presidency persons of both political parties wholly lacking in foreign policy experience, and not just once as in the case of George W. Bush, but over and over and over again? Why had The People taken so little interest in international issues that both their media and their leaders felt compelled through the years to limit public debate about foreign policy? Why did The People not pay attention to developments in Afghanistan and the Middle East? And why did they not remember the history of the Middle East - and their country’s role in rearranging the affairs of that region’s countries, putting in power tyrants such as the Shah and conniving to keep in power dictators like Saddam?

Again, we are reluctant to confront our myths. But how can we confront them when we’re surrounded with news of Britney’s custody settlement and Angelina’s twins? Sure, you can find out Obama’s and McCain’s stands on foreign policy, but you might have to dig a little.

Still, Shenkman believes we are not too far gone (or, rather, too far stupid). There is hope and maybe reading Amusing Ourselves to Death and Just How Stupid Are We? is a good first step.

The Dark Knight

There was a time not so long ago when you went to a movie based on a comic book and got your money's worth: action, fighting, explosions, great special effects, cool costumes and gadgets, and an ending promising sequels bound to deliver more of the same "as soon as we can make another one." All that ends with The Dark Knight. You definitely get your money's worth and much, much more.

In Gotham City, Batman (Christian Bale) is both worshiped by imitators and condemned by many as a vigilante. He's so fed up with being the hero that when new District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) comes along, he seems the logical replacement as The Good Guy. While Bruce Wayne's doubts and inner demons stew, along comes the Joker (Heath Ledger), full of twisted games, carnage and anarchy.

At this point, The Dark Knight moves beyond (way beyond) the realm of a summer action movie, venturing into places many moviegoers simply looking for action and special effects may not fully appreciate. Ledger's Joker is about as far from Jack Nicholson's 1989 rendition as you can get. There are what could be construed as "comic moments," but (possibly due to Ledger's tragic death in January) Ledger plays them in such a way that if you do find yourself laughing, all traces of humor quickly vanish into a crevasse of utter despair.

Without giving away too much, the chase and battle scenes (which are excellent) take a backseat to the psychological war waged by the Joker against Batman. A recurring theme in the film is the inevitability of all heroes, given enough time, to become the worst villain imaginable. The Joker knows how to play on Batman's fears and doubts, urging him to give in to chaos and anarchy, the only reasonable choice left to him. This is far more than a clumsy attempt to lure "the noble crime-fighter" over to the Dark Side, it is an examination of ethics and morality in an arena where there are no easy choices, no easy answers. The Joker has made his choice; he has a firm grip on his own twisted philosophical worldview. He's just waiting for Batman to make his. He even taunts Batman at one point with the helplessness of his situation, saying "There's nothing you can do to me."

The Dark Knight is very, very dark indeed, and we're not really talking about cinematography. Filmed mostly in Chicago, director Christopher Nolan's vision of Gotham is frequently grounded in far more realistic tones than Tim Burton's films. When you realize that you're looking at a real city, not some elaborately structured sets that reach up into the clouds, the film just feels darker, grittier. Yet the real darkness occurs inside the minds of the characters, something the writers and director understand very well. The Dark Knight gives you a lot to enjoy visually, but even more to ponder during the drive home and long after you've parked in the garage, turned out the lights and are left with your own reflections on ethics, morality and what it means to be human....or inhuman.

Summertime Blues, More Tomorrow

Things have been pretty busy around here. Cindy and are both taking some time off, trying to tackle several house projects that have been on our "To Do" list for quite some time. Of course, one of those ongoing projects is purging books. Since I shut down the online bookstore a few weeks back, I've moved loads of books.



I'm only throwing one title out there for your consideration. I have three copies of Michael Marshall Smith's More Tomorrow and Other Stories. I'm keeping one of them and will offer the other two copies to the first two friends/acquaintances who respond. They aren't free, but I guarantee you won't have to pay the current price of $44 that they're going for used on Amazon. (At one time used copies were selling for over $200.)

Full Disclosure: These are signed, numbered copies, but they are also ex-library copies with the usual stamps and stickers. They have definitely been around the block; not falling apart, but well-worn. But if all you want is a reading copy, it's not a bad deal. I just don't need three copies.

If you don't know about the book, Tim Lebbon (I believe) wrote an excellent essay about it in Horror: Another 100 Best Books a couple of years back. Again, if you're interested, just let me know.

Update: One copy has been claimed.

A Few Quick Weekend Thoughts

Be Kind Rewind (2008) is not a great movie and probably isn't even a good one, but it is charming. Cindy and I saw it last night and enjoyed it despite its many flaws.




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On a more sobering note, Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman is an excellent read. You may not agree with Postman's opinions, but he gives you plenty to think about. Also consider that the book was written in 1985 before the Internet, cellphones, DVDs, and most of satellite TV. More on this book later.




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Uglies (YA 2005) by Scott Westerfeld is one of the better YA books I've read this year. I enjoyed his Midnighters series, but Uglies is on a higher tier. Westerfeld not only writes a great story, but mixes in some fun sf concepts and examines concepts of image, social structure and much more, all without being preachy. More on this one in the near future also.

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Off to wash a car or two and see some old (actually, Matt, you're not that old) college friends in D.C. later. Everybody have a good weekend and stay away from stale firecrackers at those "Buy One, Get Three Free" sales.

Experiencing Thomas M. Disch

Last night a man walked into the library asking for books by Thomas M. Disch, who, as most sf fans know, tragically took his own life last weekend. Our library system owns four Disch titles: Business Man: A Tale of Terror, The Priest: A Gothic Romance, The Sub: A Study in Witchcraft, and the new book, The Word of God: Or, Holy Writ Rewritten.

I was helping another patron while my co-worker helped the man looking for Disch books. By the time I'd finished with my patron, the man had placed requests outside the county for a couple of Disch titles we didn't carry. He also gave my co-worker his name and number, asking if she could find Disch's Casablanca and to see if she could find it for him.

I told her I'd search it for her, and found that "Casablanca" is not a novel, but a short story available on the SCIFICTION classics archive (which I have bookmarked to read later today). We called the patron and told him. He was delighted.



I have to confess that I haven't read Disch, even though I own two of his novels, 334 and Camp Concentration.



I always feel horrible when an important writer has left us and I haven't taken the time to read any of his work. I actually bought both novels years ago, knowing that they are important works in the sf canon, but used the excuse of "Well, I'm just not in the mood to read that right now" as a way of delaying reading something that might make me uncomfortable or challenge my worldview. And that type of thinking is just flat-out wrong.

I'm putting 334 at the top of my reading stack. I'd also challenge you to read something by Disch, especially if (like me) you haven't read him before.

Angels Flight (1999) - Michael Connelly

It's not fair, but I can't help it: Every time I read (or in this case, listen to) one of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch novels, I visualize Clint Eastwood as Bosch. Maybe that stems from seeing Eastwood in the film Blood Work, which is based on a Michael Connelly novel, albeit a non-Bosch one. I don't care for much of Eastwood's work over the last ten or fifteen years, so maybe I'm trying to recapture the Dirty Harry Eastwood, the "Go ahead, make my day" Eastwood.

Or maybe it's because Bosch, like Eastwood's Dirty Harry, is constantly one thread away from stepping over the line that both he and the reader knows is there, the line separating what you're supposed to do, according to the law, and what you must do to make things right. Walking that thin line is what makes Bosch so interesting as a character. In Angels Flight, Connelly drops Bosch into the middle of a very tricky murder investigation: African American lawyer Howard Elias, famous for suing a long line of LAPD cops for police brutality, has been murdered inside an LA transit train car called Angels Flight. All signs indicate that the murderer was a member of the LAPD and everyone in the city knows it. So why has Bosch, who's not even at the top of the rotation assignment list, been handed the case? And can he solve the case before another riot breaks out?

Early on I feared Angels Flight (1999) might spin out of control, relying too much on a Rodney King-like atmosphere, pushing the reader's emotional buttons too frequently, but Connelly is way too smart to resort to such tactics. Instead, he concentrates on character and procedure, things he knows inside and out, especially where Bosch is concerned. In the three years he was a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, Connelly really kept his eyes and ears open. If what he's writing in his novels isn't the real thing, it sure feels like it.

Angels Flight isn't my favorite Harry Bosch novel and it's probably not a good place to start the series (which would be The Black Echo, the first Harry Bosch novel), but it is a good Summer (or any time of the year) read.

Darkside (YA 2007) - Tom Becker: Where Does It Belong?

Darkside (YA 2007) - Tom Becker

In the first book of a proposed series, Becker creates a dark, underground counterpart to the normal, everyday "Lightside" of London, a place full of werewolves, vampires, and garden-variety nasty folk called (you guessed it) Darkside. As the book opens, a young boy named Ricky has been kidnapped and taken to Darkside by bounty hunter Marianne and her henchmen. Marianne delivers him to Grimshaw, the leader of an entertainment exhibition called Beastilia Exotica. But Grimshaw plans a show consisting of jackals eating two boys in front of a live audience. The other boy, Jonathan, discovers that his father has some sort of strange connection to Darkside. Maybe that's why his dad has been living in a mental hospital.... Jonathan makes several discoveries about Darkside and thinks one of his dad's friends, Carnegie, may be able to help. But Jonathan's going to have to travel to Darkside to find him, all the while avoiding capture by Marianne.

Darkside promises an exciting, action-filled read and on those terms, it delivers. But the book (which is in the YA section of our library system) seems better suited to J-Fiction, what I would consider grades 5-7 or maybe even younger. Both the length and vocabulary are on the level of other J-Fiction books I've read, so the only reason I can think of for placing the book in YA is the dark subject matter. Even so, Darkside is not very graphic or bloody, not nearly as much as a book like Joseph Delaney's The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch, which is in our J-Fiction section. Amazon labels Delaney's book as appropriate for ages 9-12. (Apprentice is also about 100 pages longer than Darkside, but page count is probably no longer a deciding factor in where a book should be placed.)

I think Apprentice is in the right place; it belongs in J-Fic. But so does Darkside. Of course YA is a large category and encompasses a broad range of writing and reading levels. It's conceivable that Darkside could be at the lower edge (not in quality, but in reading level) of YA.

And of course, it could be all about selling books. Would the book sell better as YA or as J-Fic?

Which opens up a whole haunted houseful of doors I'm not ready to go into right now. Just something to think about.

She's Unstoppable!

My Clarion 2004 friend Marjorie M. Liu is unstoppable! Her newest book is called The Iron Hunt, sequel to the novella that appeared in the anthology Wild Thing. You can watch a book trailer (created by another Clarion bud Al Bogdan) here.

June Books Read

Skin Hunger (YA 2007) Kathleen Duey
Skin Hunger (the first volume in a planned trilogy called A Resurrection of Magic) is narrated by two characters in alternating chapters. Sadina, who communicates with animals, keeps house for an intense, abusive scholar named Somiss, headmaster of a secret school (which is about as different from Hogwarts as you can imagine) where boys learn the forbidden art of magic or die trying. Sadina falls in love with Franklin, an instructor who teaches magic largely through food deprivation. One of Franklin’s students, Hahp (born generations after Sadima) narrates his experiences at the school as he struggles to learn the magic arts before he starves to death.

The connections between the two protagonists remain unclear for a long time, which might frustrate readers. Also many scenes seem to repeat themselves without revealing any new insights into this strange world where magic has been outlawed. Be warned that the book ends abruptly with no apparent resolution. Although two sequels are forthcoming, they will probably need to contain more action than this first volume. Yet even with these potential distractions, the story itself and the strangeness of it kept me reading. Duey has done a fine job of creating an unusual world with unusual rules and plenty of mystery and weirdness.

This is a complex book, but for readers who’ve read the Harry Potter books and are ready for something more challenging, Skin Hunger may be just what they’re looking for.





Brittle Innings (1994) - Michael Bishop
Recommended by my good friend Kelly, this is a wonderful novel about a minor league baseball team in the Deep South during World War II. There is an important (and very well done) speculative element that I won't spoil for you; you'll just have to read the book. But I will say that even without the speculative element, Brittle Innings would be a fine novel. This one may be hard to find, but it's worth the effort.







Kit's Wilderness (YA 1999) - David Almond
13-year-old Christopher Watson (nicknamed Kit) moves with his family to an old English mining town, only to discover that an ancestor with the same name died in the mines. So did the ancestors of several of the young people in the town. Kit discovers that many of these kids gather secretly to play the game of "Death." Kit tries to deal with the death around him, both past and present, and how to escape the drudgery and inevitability of life in a mining town.

The book is far richer (as well as darker) and more interesting than what I've just described. I really can't do justice to describing how good this challenging YA novel is. If you think all YA is formulaic and predictable, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by Kit's Wilderness.






Islam at the Crossroads: Understanding Its Beliefs, History, and Conflicts (NF 2002) - Paul A. Marshall, Roberta Green and Lela Gilbert
I wonder, almost seven years after the awful events of 9/11, how much Americans really know about Islam? On television we sometimes hear the talking heads spout generalizations about the religion and perhaps snippets from the Qur’an. I’m not sure what we read in newspapers and magazines is much more accurate. I can only speak for myself: I’m woefully ignorant of Islam, its history, practices and tenets. But I’m learning.

I picked up Islam at the Crossroads in the hopes that the slim volume would at least get me started in understanding the basics of Islam. At only 113 pages of text (and a few maps), the book certainly isn’t going to be a comprehensive study, but it is a pretty good starting point.

The book begins with a chapter entitled “What Muslims Believe,” which includes the five pillars (practices) of Islam, the six principles (beliefs), the three main types of Islam, and a brief examination between the beliefs of Christianity and Islam. Readers should understand that the examination of beliefs in particular is a general one. Christians (and maybe Muslims as well) will find many points of argument, but again, these are generalizations to give the reader a basis for understanding.

Few things are more important to a Muslim than history. It’s not pleasant to hear, but it’s probably true that the average Muslim knows a lot more about history than does the average Christian. The chapters “Islam’s Earliest Days” and “The Rise and Fall of the Ottomans” trace (again, in a very general way) the history of Islam, focusing on the most important names and places. (Yes, the names can be difficult to keep up with, but the number of them is far from overwhelming.)

“Islam in the Modern World” helps the reader understand the perspectives of moderate and radical Islam, the challenges facing the religion, and how world events in the last hundred years have shaped modern Islam. The authors also focus on how radical Islam is organized, financed and structured.

Islam at the Crossroads is a short, fascinating book that probably just scratches the surface of the Islamic religion. It’s not a perfect work, but as a brief introduction full of confusion and misunderstanding, I recommend it as a starting point.





Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal (YA 2007) - Mal Peet
One of my favorite YA reads of late, discussed here.











Willful Creatures: Stories (2005) - Aimee Bender
Enjoyable collection of stories of modern fantasy, surreal, sometimes a bit twisted, often hilarious, always entertaining. My favorite is "End of the Line" in which a man goes to a pet store, buys a little man in a cage, and does some pretty cruel things to him. Many of the stories reminded me a little of Kelly Link. If you like Link, you might like Bender.







Escape from the Deep: A Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew (NF 2008) - Alex Kershaw
For anyone who thinks that non-fiction is boring, read this and let me know if you still have that opinion. Discussed here.








Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues with Timeless Truth (NF 2008) - R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

I bought Culture Shift for two reasons: It deals, obviously, with cultural issues and contains a positive blurb by John Piper, one of my favorite Christian writers. My only regret in buying the book is its brevity. At only 160 pages, I felt like I’d been served a salad when I’d walked into a restaurant after a week of fasting.

Mohler begins the book by asking how Christians can remain faithful in a constantly changing culture. Like it or not, culture is inescapable, yet if Christians are to be effective as followers of Christ, we must understand the culture we live in.

Some of the cultural topics Mohler tackles include faith and politics, law, the Supreme Court and religion, terrorism, the War on Terror, education, science, dishonesty, abortion, natural disasters and character. In several instances, Mohler provides the reader with many scriptural references and in others he simply looks at the big picture in light of the general teachings of the Bible. You might not agree with everything that Mohler (president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) writes, but he certainly gives you plenty to think about.

Each of the book’s twenty chapters is fairly short, most ten pages or less. For anyone interested in a brief overview of Christian responses to cultural issues, this is the perfect length, but if you want a more in-depth treatment, you’ll have to look elsewhere. (Mohler does provide several titles of books, magazines and on-line resources.) If you have any interest at all in the Christian’s role in culture, you should pick up this book.




Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) - Philip K. Dick
Unless you've been living in a maze of subterranean tunnels for the past 30 or so years, you know that the film Blade Runner is based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? But you may not be aware of the differences between the novel and the film. The general story line is the same: Decker, a bounty hunter, is busy tracking down six androids so dangerous they've been banned from Earth. But they're so much like humans, they're hard to detect. From that starting point on, however, a multitude of differences emerge between the book and the film. (Just the film by itself has several different versions, endings, etc., but that's another story for another time.)

You could probably write a dissertation (and maybe someone already has) on the differences between the novel and the film. I won't discuss them here, but if you've only seen the film, you owe it to yourself to experience the richness of the novel. It was hard for me to divorce my reading eye from the visual images from the film (which I've seen many times), but the reward is well worth the attempt. Highly recommended.

(And by the way, anyone who thinks that Philip K. Dick is not worthy to be included in the Library of America series because he wrote sf probably hasn't read Philip K. Dick.)


That's it for June. Get out there and read something.