phyncke | Entries tagged with book review

Thanksgiving has come and gone. I had a really nice time with friends here in the Bay Area - we cooked - we hung out - we relaxed and now I have set up my Christmas tree and I am on to the next holiday. Yessiree. Onward. So back to work tomorrow.

I just finish a really good book - a memoir called Bastards by Mary Anna King about her and her somewhat unconventional family. Her parents kept having children that they had to give away because they could not afford them. She was raised by her grandparents and adopted by them (along with one of her other siblings) and her other siblings were adopted by other families. The adoptions were all arranged with the agreement that the children could find out about their birth parents and other siblings when they were of age. It was a really well written and touching book.

We also got into the amazon series "The Man in the High Castle" which is based on the Philip K. Dick novel of the same name. It is an AU historical story which imagines what might have happened if the Allies had been defeated by Germany and Japan and if the United States had been conquered by them. Very interesting to see it all play out and I bought the book for m kindle and am interested enough to read it.

So that is all I have. Hope those in the US had a great Thanksgiving and everyone is everywhere is doing well.

www.laurahonest.com photo rpp-lhg-thanksappleharvest-phyncke_zpsmolrytzq.gif

www.laurahonest.com photo rpp-lhg-thanksappleharvest-phyncke_zpsmolrytzq.gif

by laurahonest on livejournal

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Location: Home
Current Music: La
Crossposts: http://phyncke.livejournal.com/751616.html

I made a mistake at work - on a room cancellation - and it is irking me now. Everyone makes mistakes but I guess it is bothering me now. I will try and work it out but my supervisor is disappointed and I really hate that. Just expressing and I don't want to go into details about it. Uggles. Also - people at work are driving me crazy. My co-worker is injured and I could use a day off to de-stress but that is not going to happen. Letting off steam here.

So last night I read a really good essay on guns, gun violence and gun control in the US by Stephen King called "Guns". It is a short work on the kindle. He really lays it out there quite clearly and passionately. This kept me up pretty late finishing it in one sitting and I highly recommend it if you care at all about gun control and this issue. He is a good writer and really punches it.

http://www.stephenking.com/promo/guns/

Hope you all are having a good week. Cheers.

yueshi mondlichtung photo angel-girl-phynckeMYGK4Ustpg_yueshi_mondlichtung_zps7563ba1f.gif

yueshi mondlichtung photo angel-girl-phynckeMYGK4Ustpg_yueshi_mondlichtung_zps7563ba1f.gif

by yueshi at mondlichtung

Current Mood: anxious
Current Location: Home
Crossposts: http://phyncke.livejournal.com/693161.html

Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000)
Story: Today's Special
by David Sedaris

Summary: (from Wiki)
Sedaris has trouble understanding the many complex food items on menus.

This story is an amusing reflection on the modern experience of eating in a New York restaurant and the author bemoans the chi chi food, the plating style and the lack of sustenance. He cannot find macaroni salad, or salisbury steak anywhere. The food is elegantly plated yet not fulfilling. One can totally relate to the overpriced, pretentions of the modern restaurant.

I laughed my way through this story and found it totally entertaining. Really good. Sedaris is just SO funny and he really gets it.

Link to the wiki on the book:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_Talk_Pretty_One_Day

Overall rating:
Excellent

Recommend:
Yes, you will laugh!

Warnings:
None. Don't drink a beverage while reading.

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post 66/100 in the 100 things challenge

by debi_i_am at juicy_grapes

Current Mood: awake
Current Location: Home!

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (2011)
by Seth Grahame-Smith

Book overview:
In his secret journals, Abraham Lincoln describes his exploits as a vampire hunter of incredible skill and the "real" Civil War that was fought and won as well as the true nature of slavery and slaughter that marked American history.

I was prepared to find this as ridiculous as it sounds but I love a good vampire yarn and this is riveting. Well told with the journal structure and shifting POV. The voices and writing style shift and are carried throughout the story. We clearly know when Abe is writing in his private journal and when the narrator is describing and writing the "true" history of this time period. I was looking for holes and did not find them. Compelling, entertaining and a diabolical vampire plot if ever there was one. This revises American history in a really well done way. Great. GREAT!

I am going to see the movie this weekend and wanted to read this before I did. I was not disappointed. Loved this and enjoyed every page.

Amazon descrip:
http://www.amazon.com/Abraham-Lincoln-Vampire-Hunter-ebook/dp/B00351DSCS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340148145&sr=8-2&keywords=abraham+lincoln+vampire+hunter

Overall rating:
Really good. Surprisingly good!

Recommend:
Yeah!

Warnings:
Descriptions of violence and gore.

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post 61/100 in the 100 things challenge

by crescive

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Location: Work!

Big Boy (from Me Talk Pretty One Day)
by David Sedaris (humorist)
Story Review

Summary: At a party, Sedaris finds himself trying to get rid of a huge turd that was left as a present by the previous visitor to the bathroom.

The collection, Me Talk Pretty One Day, are personal reflections from his life experiences. I am going to review the stories one by one as I read them. I put this book on my Kindle and am reading them one at a time.

I am finding that these stories resonate and this story because of its clarity of the moment and absolute humor, was just amazing. I was laughing out loud. It really was about the potty and it really was so very funny. The author was caught in this horrible situation that anyone of us could have been caught in and it was truly, wickedly funny. This tremendous turd. Yes, the story was about a turd. Nothing is off limits for Sedaris. That is why these stories work so well - nothing off limits.

I was laughing and saying "oh no!" as I read this. No kidding.

Website: (wiki)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_Talk_Pretty_One_Day#Contents

David Sedaris (wiki):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sedaris

Overall rating:
Excellent! Very funny!

Recommend:
Yes!

Warnings:
Potty humour.

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post 37/100 in the 100 things challenge

by yueshi @ mondlichtung

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Location: Home for now!

Go Carolina (from Me Talk Pretty One Day)
by David Sedaris (humorist)
Story Review

Summary: Sedaris is forced to go to his elementary school speech therapist for his lisp.

The collection, Me Talk Pretty One Day, are personal reflections from his life experiences. I am going to review the stories one by one as I read them. I put this book on my Kindle and am reading them one at a time.

This story is of the author's experiences with a grammar school speech therapist and pull out sessions to deal with his lisp and overcome that. The title relates to her interest in sports and her asking him which sports team he favors. The therapist is an avid sports fan and he makes up an answer to the question since it is of no interest to him. This story provides insight into the whole "pull out" thing for kids. What is it like to be one of those kids singled out for special instruction. He also talks about how he adjusted his speech to avoid his impediment. He would turn the "s" into a "th" so he would studiously avoid words with the letter "s". Pretty smart kid. He never did overcome his speech problem but the therapist moved on to another job feeling a profound sense of failure at his school. We end with her last session with Sedaris.

The writing in this story is crystal clear, with humor and it does illuminate aspects of the public school system. I found it funny and touching at the same time. This is my first read of anything by David Sedaris and I really enjoyed it. I like the short length of each story and find that just right.

Website: (wiki)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_Talk_Pretty_One_Day#Contents

David Sedaris (wiki):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sedaris

Overall rating:
Excellent!

Recommend:
Yes!

Warnings:
None.

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post 29/100 in the 100 things challenge

by yueshi

Current Mood: awake
Current Location: Home for the day!

Third and final book review in this series.

Mockingjay (Hunger Games book 3)
by Suzanne Collins
Book Review

Set in one possible future when North America has dissolved away to the country of Panem, a realm where the decadent Capitol dominates 12 provinces through the mechanism of exacting tribute through the Hunger Games. The tribute are children, offered up in combat to the death in an arena. Two, a boy and a girl, from each district and only one can triumph. The games are televised, broadcast live for all to see. This system has been in place for seventy four years, ever since the districts revolted and lost the rebellion. Before the revolt, there were 13 districts but one was obliterated by the Capitol in the war.

This book continues just where the second one leaves off at the end of the quarter quell. ( For spoilers... )

This book is more political than the other ones and less about Hunger Games than the situation that the characters are embroiled in. It was predictable to me but I found it to be a satisfactory conclusion to a really good story. It kept some of the elements of the Hunger Game structure in there...the aspects of the game so that is interesting. I poured through all of these books rapidly and lived and breathed them. I am writing this review after some distance on the material. Collins is logical about where she takes the story. It follows a pattern in political theory and the rise and fall of states and empires. So that works. The one thing I like is that we are always with Katniss, always in her head and her thoughts are very real. This is a series well worth staying with and finishing.

Overall rating:
Good!

Recommend:
If you read the other books!

Warnings:
Story is violent and disturbing.

Companion Video: Haymitch's Second Quarter Quell (warning, very violent! strong warning!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mUjssn86h4

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post 28/100 in the 100 things challenge

Current Mood: chipper
Current Location: Home yays!

Second review in this series.

Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins
Book Review

Set in one possible future when North America has dissolved away to the country of Panem, a realm where the decadent Capitol dominates 12 provinces through the mechanism of exacting tribute through the Hunger Games. The tribute are children, offered up in combat to the death in an arena. Two, a boy and a girl, from each district and only one can triumph. The games are televised, broadcast live for all to see. This system has been in place for seventy four years, ever since the districts revolted and lost the rebellion. Before the revolt, there were 13 districts but one was obliterated by the Capitol in the war.

This book continues just where the first leaves off and I am going to attempt to write this review without any plot spoilers whatsoever, which is hard but I will try to. I know that some people are probably reading the series. The focal point of this story is still the Hunger Games, in that it is the 25 year mark (year 75) and it is time for a Quarter Quell which has special rules. An envelope is opened and a special stipulation is read for the special arena game. That is all I will say. We are introduced to a whole new host of characters while continuing our relationship with Peeta and Katniss.

This book is not as tightly written as the first one but it is a solid installation in the series. I found the characters compelling and I read it with keen interest. I was totally sucked into the structure of the arena, the dangers they faced and the way it evolved. Not giving anything away here but it all worked for me. Working in this same premise, lots of new elements are introduced that surprise and keep interest for the reader. We learn new things about our main protaganist, Katniss and the perspective is still her POV. We are with her the whole way, in her head and following her thoughts and feelings. She is very real, she has doubts and since we have her limited information, we are trying to figure things out with her.

Good stuff, interesting and very dramatic. I love this book. And love this series. I cannot wait to see this realized as a movie. Really looking forward to that.

Overall rating:
Excellent!

Recommend:
Highly!

Warnings:
Story is violent and disturbing.

Companion Video: Haymitch's Second Quarter Quell (warning, very violent! strong warning!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mUjssn86h4

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post 15/100 in the 100 things challenge

by nienna_weeper

Current Mood: awake
Current Location: Home for now

I just finished the last in the series and thought I would begin my reviews of the trilogy. So here I go.

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
Book Review

Set in one possible future when North America has dissolved away to the country of Panem, a realm where the decadent Capitol dominates 12 provinces through the mechanism of exacting tribute through the Hunger Games. The tribute are children, offered up in combat to the death in an arena. Two, a boy and a girl, from each district and only one can triumph. The games are televised, broadcast live for all to see. This system has been in place for seventy four years, ever since the districts revolted and lost the rebellion. Before the revolt, there were 13 districts but one was obliterated by the Capitol in the war.

With this gruesome backdrop of a story, the tale is told with a rich tapestry of writing that holds the reader riveted. Each small description, aptly chosen, lightly written, and so so vivid as to be crystal clear. I find in some writers there is a tendency to overdo it but Ms. Collins application of adjectives and detail is perfect and tells us what we need to really see the world through the eyes and thoughts of the main character and heroine, Katniss Everdeen.

I had trouble putting down this book, took it everywhere with me and read it at every opportunity. I was keenly interested in this story and found Katniss to be a believable heroine and not so perfect as to be annoying. She was very human, with doubts, feelings and all those thoughts that make her a girl in a horrific situation.

I don't want to spoil this for anyone so I won't give away too many plot details. This book achieves much for me - I could see, smell and walk through the world as described and I really sank into it.

Overall rating:
Excellent!

Recommend:
Highly!

Warnings:
Story is violent and disturbing.

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post 1/100 in the 100 things challenge