Remembering Paul Newman

Paul Newman was many things: actor, director, race car driver, philanthropist and much more, but I’ll always remember him as the actor who got screwed out of a Best Actor Oscar too many times:

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) - lost to David Niven, Separate Tables

The Hustler (1961) - lost to Maximilian Schell, Judgment at Nuremberg

Hud (1963) - lost to Sidney Poitier, Lilies of the Field

Cool Hand Luke (1967) - lost to Rod Steiger, In the Heat of the Night

Absence of Malice (1981) - lost to Henry Fonda, On Golden Pond

The Verdict (1982) - lost to Ben Kingsley, Gandhi

The Color of Money (1986) - won

Nobody’s Fool (1994) - lost to Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump

The loss I remember most was the one to Ben Kingsley. Don’t get me wrong, Kingsley is a fine actor but I remember thinking at the time that he was literally born to play that part. Newman made Frank Galvin come alive as a drunk, ambulance-chasing lawyer that’s had the case of his life dumped in his lap, a case that can set him for life as long as he doesn’t screw it up. Newman never overplays the role, but you can look at him onscreen and rest assured that most of what he’s doing isn’t in the script. It’s a mostly quiet performance, but a virtuoso one.

Some of the other losses were just bad timing. At the 1982 Oscars, Henry Fonda was literally on his deathbed. There was no way in the universe that Fonda wasn’t going to win. Newman would’ve had to give birth on camera to beat him and I’m not even sure that would’ve helped.

Hud and Cool Hand Luke both contain excellent Newman performances, but again, the time wasn’t right for him, not like it was for Poitier and Steiger, for many reasons. But Newman should have won for The Hustler. I challenge anyone to look at Newman’s performance in that film, then look at Schell in Judgment at Nuremberg and tell me who’s left standing. But Nuremberg was a highly emotional film released at the right time.

By the time Newman finally won a Best Actor Oscar for 1986’s The Color of Money, you could tell he didn’t really care. But Katherine Hepburn once said you never get the Oscar for the film you deserved it for. I think she’s right, but what I always remembered was that Newman just didn’t seem to give a rip about it. He just kept doing what he was good at, taking the roles he wanted, giving them his all. The body of work we’re left with is what counts.

Paul Newman (1925-2008)

Paul Newman died Friday at the age of 83. I'll have more to say about Newman, one of my favorite actors, later. If somehow you've lived on this planet for more than 18 years and have never seen a Newman film, correct that situation right now and rent Hud, The Hustler, Hombre, Harper, Cool Hand Luke, The Sting, The Verdict or just about any film he ever made.

The New York Trilogy (1985, 1986) - Paul Auster

You hear the term “Postmodern” thrown around a lot, but it’s hard to find a definition of the term that you can carry around in your pocket. Even that bastion of knowledge Wikipedia claims “Unfortunately, there is no authoritative definition yet.” Maybe that’s the point. The best definition I can come up with is found in the entirely of Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy.

The book consists of three short novels (each originally published separately), City of Glass, Ghosts and The Locked Room. In City of Glass, Quinn, a writer of detective novels, receives a call from a man who mistakes Quinn for a private detective named Paul Auster. (Don’t even think about getting confused yet, okay? Just bear with me.) The man wants to hire Quinn/Auster to find and follow a man named Stillman, whom the man believes is out to kill him. Quinn decides to play along, taking the case.

Ghosts, somewhat similar in plot to City of Glass focuses on Blue, a detective hired by a man named White to spy on a man named Black.

The book concludes with The Locked Room, something of a departure from the other two novels in that it involves more characters (some from the previous stories, including Auster), more settings and more to reflect upon, often referring to the other two stories. A man’s childhood friend named Fanshawe has disappeared, leaving behind a wife, a baby, and several unpublished manuscripts. But what happened to Fanshawe?

Again, all three stories are connected in many ways. They all include writers (including Auster, sort of), detectives, New York and the search for identity. They all examine the role and purpose of writing. What does writing do? Does it influence people? Can it and does it change the way the world works? Do writers lose their identities in the process of writing? When I’ve finished writing a novel, a story, a play, how can I be sure that I’m not actually a part of what I’ve just written and that I’ve somehow lost part of myself to the work I’ve just completed?

In most of the situations in these stories, we don’t meet real detectives, only writers who get wrapped up in acting like detectives, trying to be someone that they’re not. In the process, they segregate themselves from the normalcy of their day-to-day lives, sometimes with devastating consequences.

And what about Auster himself? Is he really writing himself into the stories or is this an unrelated Auster?

Is this life just an exercise in futility? Do we really know who we are and why we’re here or are we caught up in trying to be something or someone we’re not? What is reality? Who are we?

The New York Trilogy is very readable and succeeds in being a flat-out great story, but it also works on so many other levels, asking the reader to look at it from several different angles, each of which shine a different light on what’s going on. The fact that Auster (whomever he might be!) is able to pull this off is stunning. Highly recommended.

I Hate This Time of Year

Actually it could be any time of year. That's the problem. That's right, it time once again for book purging.

There's not an official Book Purging Season, like there's football season or deer-hunting season or Spring Cleaning Season (which isn't actually a season, but I hate that one, too.). I wish we did have a National Book Purging Season, but that presupposes that everyone actually owns books, which would be a good thing, and that they would donate their surplus books to worthy organizations (like The Book Thing, also a good thing) that would disperse the books to those who need them.

Anyway, something's got to go.

Case in point: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. It's a great book. I got an ex-library copy for 10 cents about a year ago. Again, it's a wonderful book, but I doubt I'll ever read it again, and if I do, the book is everywhere you look. Plus it's a brick. I can probably take it off my shelves and replace it with two, maybe three medium-sized books. Or bench press it.

I know I need to go through my library and give hundreds of books the One-Page Test. If I'm not gripped after one page, out it goes, especially if it's something I can get anywhere, anytime.

The problem comes when facing all the books I have that are somewhat rare. Not $1,000 rare, but things you hardly ever see like Peter Crowther's Songs of Leaving, a short story collection (again, an ex-library copy) that's been sitting on the shelf for years. It's not a book you come across every day.

Neither is The Vampire: His Kith and Kin by Montague Summers or From These Ashes: The Complete Short SF of Fredrick Brown. I might never see 'em again! What to do?

I guess I'll get rid of the common stuff first, stuff I can always get from the library or a good used bookstore. Then the One-Page Test. Then?

Plus, they keep coming out with new stuff I've just gotta have. Like this. And this. Okay, throw this one in, too.

See what I mean?

Then you've got this place, which is just pure evil. They know what tempts me and parade it front of me. Evil people, no way around it.

I hate this time of year....

A Gold Mine or the Kiss of Death?

Interesting that since Oprah picked David Wroblewski's The Story of Edgar Sawtelle for her newest book club selection, the book's composite rating on Amazon has gone from 3.5 stars to 2.5 stars. Also of interest: Although both Oprah's and the regular editions of the book retail for $25.95, the book with the Oprah sticker sells on Amazon for $14.27; the regular edition for $15.57. (But if you want to buy it on the cheap, just wait a few months. It'll be on the shelves of every thrift store in the country, alongside all the other Oprah Book Club picks.)

Obviously, as a result of having Oprah anoint him, Wroblewski will make even more money from the book, but he will also be ostracized by many in the literary community? Is this a no-win situation? Or a win-win situation? Or something else entirely?

I guess I shouldn't be surprised at Oprah's pick. It's the type of book she goes goo-goo over. I actually thought the book was pretty good, but now that's she's picked it, I have the urge to distance myself from it. I know that's not logical, but there's something about that "corporate ownership" sticker that's unsettling. Maybe Jonathan Franzen had the right idea in snubbing Oprah with The Corrections.

Does Anybody Really Know What Day It Is?

Things are so busy I literally woke up this morning not knowing what day it is, which determines whether I will go to one library for training, my home library for a regular shift or stumble around with a new story. But I think it's Wednesday. Right?

Somehow in the midst of all the madness, I've managed to read/listen to a few books: John le Carre's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which should be read/listened to in as few sittings as possible. Unfortunately I didn't, but I still enjoyed it. To help make up for it, I checked out the DVDs from the library, all three of them. Of course they're a 3-day rental. Here we go again....

I also read a non-fiction YA book I'd head a lot about: Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex & Brett Harris. More on this one later.

Finally, I'm enjoying Andrew Davidson's debut novel The Gargoyle, although the first chapters are some of the most graphic, stomach-turning reading (mostly of a medical nature) that I've ever experienced. I'm listening to it in the car, so when things really get graphic, I just sing at the top of my lungs until the nastiness has passed. It works, but I'm sure I look like a freak at intersections.

More tomorrow. Which is Saturday, right?

The Outsiders (YA 1967) - S.E. Hinton

S.E. (Susan Eloise) Hinton's The Outsiders first appeared in 1967 when there was no such thing as a YA category. Yet the book was and continues to be a huge seller among teens. I was fortunate enough to purchase a signed copy (not a first edition, however) of the book a few months ago, although I did not get to meet Hinton. I wish I had. I would have asked her how in the world she managed to write The Outsiders at the incredible age of sixteen.

I saw the 1983 film version of the book when it first came out and thought it was pretty good. I was 21 in 1983, about the same age as the character Darry. The movie made a connection with me and probably would have made more of a connection had I been fourteen or fifteen or maybe even seventeen. To be honest, I didn't really think about the film all that much after walking out of the theater.

Now, after reading the book at age 46, I'm even further removed from the ages of the kids in the book. It's not really like I'm standing outside the window looking in, but remembering, trying to put myself in Hinton's mindset as a sixteen-year-old, all the while reading as a 46-year-old.

It really is remarkable that a 16-year-old wrote the book. The passion in it, the conflicting emotion, the characterization - all are quite good. But you can tell it was written by a 16-year-old. The tone is uneven and some of the plot devices are a bit clunky, but still - a book this good from a 16-year-old? I'll take it. When it was over, I knew that Hinton had captured something at 16 that none of us will ever have again. I don't mean that to sound pretentious or grandiose, but honest. We can't go back. But we can go back to how she felt about what was happening around her at 16. Don't get me wrong: I'm glad we can't go back. But it's nice to see a glimmer every now and then of what was.

I Can Take It. You Can Too

I received another rejection letter (or rather, email) this morning, but it wasn't too bad:

"We are saying no to this, but I hope you will send more."

Interesting that the person who sent the email said "We are saying no to this, but I hope you will send more." I can envision a conference room filled with editors sitting at a table, each with a copy of my story in their hands. One of them stands up, vehemently arguing that my story deserves, no, demands to be included in the next issue!!

Okay, well, maybe not.

Anyway....

I've sent stories to this market before and have received the usual form email, so this response isn't bad at all.

Lately I've met several other writers, some of whom work at libraries. "I know I should send things out," they usually say, "but it's hard."

What they mean, I think, is that rejection is hard. I tell them that in 99.9% of the cases, the editor/reader doesn't know you, that they are evaluating your story, not you. "But..." No. You are not your story. Yes, you created your story, you and the muse, but you are not your story. You're bigger than that. I'll bet you probably have more than one story, huh? See, you're bigger than that.

So send stuff out. It's not personal. Really. Don't make rejection hard. See it as an opportunity for someone else to experience your writing. Expanding your audience, if you will.

What is hard, at least for me, is finding another market to send the story that's just been rejected. That can take longer than writing the blasted story itself. I usually have a pretty good idea of what type of story I've written and can come up with at least two or three big markets where the story might potentially fit. Then comes the hard part: You've exhausted the "big" markets and are left with those that pay $10 or $5 or only contributor copies. There's nothing wrong with that; it's not about the money, but it is about (at least part of it is) finding a venue that's legit and has some standards.

To say nothing of a market that will actually respond in, say, a six-month period.

So the big markets are done for this story. We now start the second-tier journey.

Hello, Ralan's! What'cha got?

DO Think Twice, It's NOT Alright

The good news, for Dylan fans, is that Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 will be released next month. The two-disc set includes demos, live versions, alternate takes and several songs that didn't make it onto albums such as Oh Mercy, Time Out of Mind and World Gone Wrong. 2 discs, 27 songs and a 60-page booklet for $16.99 on Amazon.

The bad news is that you can get the deluxe edition for the super-deluxe price of $135.99. (Hey, the retail price is $169.98!) Yikes! So what do I get for that extra $119?

One more disc with twelve songs. A 150 page, 8" x 8" hardcover book of Bob's singles artwork. A 60 page booklet with rare photos, essay, credits. Is this the same 60-page booklet included in the $16.99 version?

Okay, we've got an extra disc; add another ten bucks to the price tag and I'll buy it for $26.99. But the only other thing you're going to give me is an 8" x 8" hardcover book? THAT constitutes a $100 price increase? That sucker better be signed by Bob himself! Sorry, Columbia, I'm not buying. That's outrageous. I've seen Bob live six times and God bless him, I don't know how he's still on this earth, but I'm not paying $135.99 for a dozen more tunes and a book of singles covers I can probably find on the Internet anyway. Give me the $16.99 version. World Gone Wrong indeed.

Too Many Women (1947) - Rex Stout

Rex Stout wrote other stories and novels having nothing to do with the detective Nero Wolfe, but I haven't read any of them. I have, however, read all 72 Nero Wolfe novels and novellas and am currently reading them for a second time. I just finished Too Many Women(1947), the twelfth story in the series. Wolfe's wise-cracking assistant Archie Goodwin has taken both an alias and a job at a Wall Street firm to investigate who killed one of the firm's employees. The firm is filled with, of course, beautiful women, any one of which could have knowledge of the murderer's identity.

As with nearly all the Nero Wolfe stories, who killed whom is of secondary importance. As I reread them, I can never remember who did it anyway. What is important is character, setting and tone. Wolfe, whom Archie frequently reminds us weighs in at "a seventh of a ton" (which is only 285 pounds, but that was probably whale proportions in 1947), guzzles beer, religiously spends four hours a day tending orchids in his upstairs plant rooms, never leaves the house, and has an utter, complete lack of understanding of all things female. Did I mention that Wolfe is a genius?

All of the stories are narrated by Archie, a bachelor who lives with Wolfe and does the legwork for him. Archie is brilliant in his own way, a detective with total recall who can report any conversation (and frequently does) to Wolfe verbatim. (Pictured here portrayed by Timothy Hutton in the A&E television series) He understands everything about women that Wolfe does not, a skill which Wolfe depends on in emergency situations such as those found in Too Many Women. The minor characters are far more than window dressing, although Saul Panzer (the best freelance detective in New York, and probably the world) rises head and shoulders above Fred Durkin, Orrie Cather and the rest, at least in this tale.

Each time I encounter a Nero Wolfe story, I'm struck by how good the characters are, how smart Stout was and how I never tire of the adventures. I give them Wolfe's own highest compliment: "Very satisfactory."

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