library – Page 3

Olympic Fleas

August 10, 2012 by rurugby Leave a Comment

Haven’t done a lot of reading this week and the last 2 weeks. The reason, the Olympics and fleas. And of course Olympic fleas are really into the jumping events, and of course having fun in the Olympic village to make more fleas.

Last week’s post was about the last book I finished “Jerusalem” by Guy Delisle as well as touching on Joe Sacco’s two great books on Palestine/Israel: “Palestine” and “Footnotes in Gaza.” Jerusalem was an excellent book. ****

Throttle by Joe Hill and Stephen King: Very cool that this father and son came together to write a tribute to Richard Matheson’s “Duel”. Definitely prefer the Stephen Spielberg movie to this short. Something was very, very spare about the movie (****) that I didn’t get in the book. Also didn’t love the ending. *** I may have the strangest list of Stephen King books that I have read: Throttle, Mile 81, Blockade Billy, The Tom Gordon pop-up book and the Montana Kid.

So in 2 weeks, that’s all I finished which if you read these on Fridays you know is very, very little. And both “Throttle” and “Jerusalem” I finished last week.

But I have read little bits of a ton of books:

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien: loving this so far, not sure why I am not engaging it harder (my guess is the Olympic Fleas) 31%

Moby Dick by Herman Melville: I think I will get through this whale of a story a chapter or two at a time so it will revisit my #FridayReads posts a lot. 16%

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler: Yep, literally went from Moby Dick to this. I like to read chick lit on my Kindle sometimes, including young adult. Lots of fun so far, hit my brainpower better tonight so far. *** 11%

Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and The End of France by Michael Sternberger: Depressing thesis that French food isn’t what it once was. That the French are eating faster like Americans and chefs are using premade cheats again like Americans. Hopefully this doesn’t mean French cuisine turns to Applebee’s … shudder. 10%

Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation (edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman) Excellent compilation of writings by genderqueers and transsexuals. Often hilarious, often makes you think, great stuff. Even includes a cartoon by a Facebook friend, Katie Diamond. Now I want to read the original Gender Outlaws and learn more about gender studies. ***1/2 pg 54 of 302 and lots of pieces after this.

Ballistics by Billy Collins: I think it’s really better to read one book by a poet at a time. I have too much Billy Collins out of the library I think. The books are flowing together. pg. 19 of 112

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen: YA book about being stranded that a co-worker strongly recommended. Was buried for a while but reading through it. Good stuff. *** (pg 61 of 195)

The Town of No by Wesley McNair: Good stuff from a Maine poet. pg 24 of 85

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury: After reading “Bradbury Speaks” I may have hit my fill of Ray Bradbury essays. Good stuff but too soon. Some browsing around and pg 4 of 174.

The Man Who Quit Money by Mark Sundeen: Heard about this book somewhere in the Social Media megaverse and intrigued by it. Money does make things easier, revolting from it is a radical step. Interesting so far, makes you think about what it means to be human in a way. pg. 18 of 260

Slam by Nick Hornby: Recommended by Book Riot. Not sure how far I will get with this YA Nick Hornby. As much as I love “Fever Pitch” and “High Fidelity”, I haven’t really got into other Nick Hornby fiction. Even though he helped me get the idea for this #FridayReads post. pg 6 of 309

Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby: His book “The Polysyllabic Spree” inspired this column (I have a signed copy from my days in NYC (Housing Works Bookstore). Interesting stuff so far, read a few months of it. Interestingly in September 2006 he read no books with the World Cup (France?). I think this is similar to my Olympic/Flea experience. pg 38 of 131 (and the last essay)

Questions About Angels: Poems by Billy Collins: More poems by Billy Collins on pg 44 of 91 (I told you I checked too much out at once).

Click: One Novel, Ten Authors by David Almond, et al: Interesting experiment, first chapter seems a little boring, wondering if I will get through this one. pg 4 of 217

180 More: Extraordinary Poems for Every Day (ed by Billy Collins): Not bad, but too diverse for my taste. Feel similar about most poetry compendiums. One of the reasons I find “Agreeable Friends: Contemporary Animal Poetry” ed. by Alice Persons so great.

Nine Horses by Billy Collins: Yet more Billy Collins, more contemporary than some of the other books and probably the strongest book of the group. pg 48 of 120

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella: Not as good as “Confessions of a Shopaholic” but fun. pg 53 of 417

Going Gray … by Anne Kreamer: pg 68 of 206. Good stuff, but dragging a little for me. Will see how it goes.

Books likeliest to finish this week. “Questions About Angels”, “The Earth, My Butt.”, maybe “Nine Horses” and probably something else not on this list.

I guess I read a little of a lot of books this fortnight. Still feeling like I should finish more books but so it goes.

The Politics of Palestine in Graphic Novels

August 3, 2012 by rurugby 2 Comments

So this week I was finally able to borrow Guy Delisle’s “Jerusalem: Chronicles From the Holy City.” It’s excellent. Maybe not as great as his amazing Pyongyang but fascinating. Delisle is an excellent sarcastic observer of a place. And Jerusalem is surreal, if not quite as bizarre as the cult of the Kims in Pyongyang.

Honestly the first 1 star review of “Jerusalem” in Goodreads is what really got this column going for me. There is a political viewpoint by many in America, and this includes Fox News America, that whatever Israel does is right. This is also the viewpoint of one of the major lobbying groups in American politics, the AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Which is frankly wrong.

The situation in Israel right now is apartheid. One country, two systems. If you are a settler you get walls. You get separate roads, you get police protection.

The most extreme example is in Hebron. Where 500 settlers have 500 policemen/military and separate a West Bank city completely. The Old City and the Cave of the Patriarchs are in the Jewish zone (H2) which is much more settled by Palestinians, and no Jews at all in the H1 zone. It’s a bizarre situation which you can see from the Wikipedia on Hebron. FYI, I love Wikipedia. It started as a minor site with lots of fabrications and has turned into an amazing resource.

Hebron is one of those places that the more you look the more bizarre it is. Here is an example of a Palestian news article. 800 settlers make the lives of 35,000 Palestians in the Isreali military controlled side extremely difficult with 80% unemployment and constant threats of violence.

Delisle shows this with the insanity of having nets above the roofs to capture the stones settlers throw. He also shows that settlers often carry assault weapons on family outings. Graphic novels can show absurdity with a few images in a way that chapters can’t quite describe.

As wonderful as Delisle’s surreal take on Jerusalem is. Joe Sacco’s treatment of Palestine and Gaza is even more devastating. While Delisle is an observer whose wife works for MSF (Doctors Without Borders) in Gaza. Joe Sacco is a reporter and a journalist who use the graphic novel to devastating effect. His work is harsh and brilliant.

Two of Sacco’s classics are “Palestine” and the even more adored “Footnotes in Gaza.” Seth Hahne of the site goodokbad.com does a better job describing both “Palestine” and “Footnotes in Gaza” than I can do and the power of Sacco’s imagery. Here is his review, of “Footnotes in Gaza” his #14 graphic novel of all time. This review also includes comments on Palestine. His review also has images from the amazing graphic novel.

I do support Israel, but Palestinians deserve rights. They deserve the right to move about their country. The right to their land. The right to not have settlers take over and bully them.

Jimmy Carter was right to call Israel an apartheid state and I hope if changes soon. I am not very hopeful.

I have not even finished Delisle’s book yet (I am about 2/3rd of the way through (I got in from the library on Wednesday) and it’s very good. Joe Sacco’s books are amazing. As are his books on Bosnia and being in a seige. Especially “Safe Area Gorzade.” But warning to all they are severe.

I did read some other books this week but will either talk about them tomorrow or likely next week.

Read “Footnotes in Gaza” and “Palestine” though. They will change your views on Israel.

Books are My Precious

July 27, 2012 by rurugby Leave a Comment

Finally started the Hobbit, and about 30% of the way in on Kindle. Wonderful so far, looking forward to reading more. Bilbo just found some ring, I am sure it’s not that important.

Also reading “Moby Dick” which I talked about more early in the week.

Just not in the mood to do my big reading piece right now.

Am reading some nice short pieces too.

Easily the best book I have finished this week is the outstanding short story (around 40 pages) “Warm Moonlight” by Joseph Wurtenbaugh. One of those stories that was beautiful and amazing but I don’t want to say too much about. Women have come a long way in the less than a century, at least in the Western world. ****

Also finished:

In Praise of Hangovers by Evan Rail: Not bad, amazing we don’t know more about the science of hangovers. But as far as hangovers bringing clarity and calming the mind, I would much rather have meditation. **1/2

Wine From These Grapes by Edna St. Vincent Millay: I get that it’s pretty, and she is from Camden, MA. But this poetry was just meh for me. Didn’t touch my heart at all. **

I loved Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight” series, but the 1st section of “The Dark Knight Strikes Again” didn’t work for me at all. **

Also reading:

Moby Dick
The Hobbit
Born to Run

And one of my other big favorites for the week: “Are You My Mother?” by Alison Bechdel. Just beautiful. I am enjoying her more complicated relationship with her mother more than the heartbreaking relationship Bechdel had with her father documented in “Fun Home” ****. pg 214 of 290

I love reading, it makes me happy. Feel more like reading right now, than writing about reading. And that’s okay.

Essays

July 20, 2012 by rurugby Leave a Comment

Essays. Not a word that most of us associate with happiness.

My first association is with school the terrible five paragraph essay we are taught in high school. Opening paragraph, 3 body paragraphs, a conclusion. As any English teacher can tell you, it’s not a format that brings creativity or great writing.

So why talk about essays today for my #FridayReads post.

Two words: Ray Bradbury. I finally finished his ramblings and often amazing book of essays: Bradbury Speaks: Too Soon from the Cave, Too Far from the Stars. In particular his essays on Los Angeles, writing and trains stood out. His was a wonderful life, and all that have been blessed to read his work are thankful. ***1/2

I also enjoy short pieces. Some can be really fascinating like “Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation” edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman. Sometimes short pieces can say more in a few pages, then a lot of books say in 300-500 pages. This collection about what it means to be transgendered or genderqueer, says a lot about how gender isn’t a binary. And it’s just funny, often hilarious. And includes essays, performance pieces, graphic work … Great stuff. ***1/2 (reading in random order like I do for many collections including Bradbury Speaks.)

Also read a few of Thomas Wolfe’s essays in his collection “Hooking Up.” My favorite involved a sculptor whose beautiful work was ignored by the establishment but LOVED by the public. Not a bad collection, but nowhere near as good as his two short non-fiction classics which are: “From Bauhaus to Our House ****” about how the Bauhaus movement changed architecture, I agree with Wolfe for the worse. And “The Spoken Word ****” about how art critics drive art not the other way around.

I also think Kindle is a fine place for short non-fiction. I have enjoyed “Comic-Con Strikes Again” as a Kindle Single about the madness that is San Diego Comic-Con. SDCC sounds more fun on the outside, then the inside to me. The reality of it sounds exhausting. I also downloaded “In Praise of Hangovers” by Evan Rail today, which is fun so far and about the day after of a big night out. Only 17% in but it’s *** so far.

Essays can be fun and are done well in places like “Foreign Affairs”, “Harper’s”, “The Atlantic”, etc. And I think the Kindle provides a new place for them to be loved.

Finished this week:

A Fine, Safe Journey: Poems About Haying and Other Matters by Edward J. Reilly: Short chapbook with a long title about growing up in a Wisconsin Dairy Farm. Solid little chapbook, by a fellow Westbrook, Maine poet. **1/2

Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown: The perfect gift for geek dads everywhere. Very fun for any Star Wars geek to see Darth Vader raise Luke Skywalker as a little boy and have minor hijinks. Great references to Star Wars for any fan from casual to epic. ***1/2

Agreeable Friends: Contemporary Animal Poetry edited by Alice Persons: Marvelous book of poetry about animals I talked a lot about last week. Highly recommended and a great way to learn about some marvelous poets mostly in Maine. ***1/2

Who are We Now? by Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Wonderful book of poetry, didn’t affect me as much as “A Coney Island of the Mind” but I need to read more of this City Lights creator. Amazing how long it took me to read Ferlinghetti, as a long time fan of the beats. ***1/2

Reading:

The Dark Knight Strikes Again by Frank Miler and Lynn Varley: Short graphic novel, disappointing so far. Seems unnecessary with the rich history of Miller’s Dark Knight series. ** pg 32 of 77

The First Four Books of Poems by Louise Gluck: An edition of Gluck’s first four poetry books (Firstborn, The House on Marshland, Descending Figure and The Triumph of Achilles). I loved her book “Ararat” and have read about 20-30 poems so far (of course out of order), looking forward to this one a lot. I like that’s it’s complete books of Gluck instead of “Selected Poems,” I think that a book shows the entirety of a poet at the time in the way a selection can’t. ***

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella: “Confessions of a Shopaholic” is one of my favorite guilty pleasure books. I also liked “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan.” Like mother, like daughter in this tale of a spendthrift toddler with a spendthrift money. Some people aren’t meant to have credit cards, myself included unfortunately. pg. 32 of 420 ***

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: I browsed through this one homeroom in high school and it looked fun. My first time to read this Steinbeck masterpieces about Lennie and George. My Lenny (ie my cat) said I should read it. Honestly it’s just one of those books that’s been on my list a long, long time. Excellent so far. 13%

Are You My Mother: A Comic Drama by Alison Bechdel: So far I like this better then her seminal “Fun Home.” Seems more positive and more complicated. In a many ways Bechdel seemed sorry for her dad and his double life, Bechdel’s relationship with her mother is more complicated. Good stuff. ***1/2 (could easily go to ****) pg. 72 of 290

Seeing Further: The Story of Science and the Royal Society edited by Bill Bryson: Good stuff about one of the most amazing societies of science in the world the Royal Society of London. Very curious what I will learn. Just got this today for $1.99 on the Kindle. 4%

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: Another one of those books I always meant to read. I think I got a few chapters in a few times but got distracted (shocking I know). 9% of the way in and seems fantastic so far, yet I am reading tons of other stuff at the same time. I want to spend an afternoon and just get into the world of Bilbo, Bilbo Baggins. ****

The Illustrated Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame: 57% in. Read this is bits and pieces. One of my favorite books growing up. Another one I should really find time to stick my teeth into. ***1/2

Enough: True Measures of Money, Business and Life by John C. Bogle: Good book about it’s more important to have enough than everything. The greed culture of Wall Street has made a lot of people rich and done lots of harm. Very apropos reading in this time of Mitt Romney and Bain Capital. 39%

Moby Dick (Oxford World’s Classics) by Herman Melville: Another life list book. Unbelievable amount of whale quotes to start the book, I don’t know if that’s the book or the Oxford edition. After reading “Bradbury Speaks” which references Moby Dick several times, Ray Bradbury wrote a Moby Dick screenplay for John Huston, I want to try again. 8%

So many books, so little time. Read on!

Edmund

My wrist hurts

July 13, 2012 by rurugby 1 Comment

Tried out my in-laws silent scott and mowed her little lawn today.

It felt good on my arms, but I think I will have to avoid some bumps because my wrist didn’t like it at all.

So a shorter piece today for my #FridayReads.

Have only finished one book this week. Which was the insane tale that Brew Davis wrote of his wife Jennifer Pharr Davis finishing the Applachian Trail in 46 days. And setting a new record. It’s called “46 Days: Keeping Up with Jennifer Pharr Davis on the Appalachian Trail.”

It definitely takes a LOT of help to do such a record. Ms. Davis has to travel light and have people help her along the way. The Applachian Trail is definitely an interest of mine, and I do want to do some section hiking sometime. However, I can’t imagine doing 50 mile+ days and hiking for a month and a half from 5am-10pm like Ms. Davis did. Good stuff. ***1/2

Read a lot of bits of things as is my nature.

Maine Poems by Richard Bernhardt: pg. 8 of 58. Pretty good so far.

Agreeable Friends: Contemporay Animal Poetry (Alice Persons, Editor): Yet another wonderful compliation by Maine’s own Moon Pie Press. Excellent stuff from 51 different poets. Moon Pie Press is an excellent company and look for them out there if you like poetry. pg. 70 of 113 but have read ahead a lot and in random order as I am apt to do. ***1/2

Hooking Up by Tom Wolfe: Interesting essays, some better than others. Nothing compared to his awesome “The Painted Word” and “From Bauhaus to Our House.” I like Wolfe’s non-fiction better than his fiction. *** Have read a few essays did really like “The Invisible Artist.”

Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation (ed. by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman): I have been fascinated by genderqueers for a long time. Gender is not a bipolar thing, and I love all that can come out as they are. Read a couple essays so far including my Maine’s own Katie Diamond (who I am Facebook friends with) and looking forward to this one a lot.

Who Are We Now? by Lawrence Ferlinghetti: pg 44 of 66. I may finish this one tonight. Was very pleasant to read this while watching my mother-in-law’s kitty and hearing the next door neighbors yapping outside. Not as great as “Coney Island of the Mind” but still wonderful. ***1/2

Bradbury Speaks … by Ray Bradbury: Good stuff. Essays from Ray Bradbury about lots of topics. Loved his LA essays and “Hysteria, Goddess of Flight..” about finally flying for the first time. ***

Going Gray… by Anne Kreamer: Very cool book about the stigmas of going gray in America. Personally I think Ms. Kreamer looks foxy gray, and I look forward to my gray continuing to come in. pg. 20 of 206

Westbrook College Campus by Joyce K. Bibber: Part of the “Campus History Series” from Arcadia Publishing. Interesting pictures of a campus that has been seminary, junior college and part of a larger college and part of 3 towns without moving: Westbrook, Deering and Portland. Would be more invested in this if I had a history with Westbrook College. Although the church I belong to Allen Avenue UU has roots on the Westbrook College campus in Portland, ME. ***

Wine From These Grapes by Edna St. Vincent Millay: Camden, Maine’s own poet. My friend Keith teased me about making a pilgramage to Camden for her gravesite and home. Pretty but not really my thing. The kind of poetry I glossed over in school before I discovered slam. Pg. 20 of 91 **1/2

Very surreal to do this while listening to a “Highlights from Evita” from a Best of Broadway CD. Explains why it felt like a long overture. Weird to hear the songs without someone singing.

City By The Sea: A Photographic History of Portland, Maine by John R. Moon: Very cool book to look through for any Mainer and how much and how little has changed in Maine in the last 100-200 years. A lot of before and after picture. Portland is lucky in how much is still there. ***1/2

Kindle time:

46 Days…
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall: Re-reading a section I have already read of the Tarahumana doing the Leadville Ultramarathon. I would like to get back my running form. Of course I am over 100 pounds heavier than I was in high school. I have been reading this in pieces for a long time but excellent stuff. *** (33% — I think I was around 40-45% when my Kindle died).

and just a little smattering of other things .. Did try to start “Moby Dick” again, it’s is a great white whale of a book. Wondering if every edition starts with tons of whale quotes or just the Oxford edition I downloaded.

Read on, y’all. I guess I got to around 800 words even with a bad wrist.