Wants to read Born to Run
book
Rated Doctor Who: The Auntie Matter 8/10
<div>Fun one with the first Romana.</div>
Rated Priestdaddy: A Memoir 10/10
<div>Somehow, Patricia Lockwood's memoir had completely escaped my attention when it first came out. I was familiar with (though I haven't read yet) her more recent novel, and of course, "Miette, her eyes enormous[...]" being one of the best all-time tweets. I'm glad to have rectified this gap in my reading. Her gift for description is perfect, and often hilarious. I kept reading bits aloud to my husband. If you have not read this smart, funny (and forgiving) memoir, please do.</div>
Rated Boo: The Life of the World's Cutest Dog 8/10
Short and adorable. Bought this when the e-book went on sale, and both the kids and I enjoyed it.
Rated Doctor Who: The Shadow of the Scourge 6/10
It wasn't love, but I enjoyed this Doctor/Ace/Benny pairing.
Rated The Small Backs of Children 10/10
Art is a weapon. Lidia Yuknavitch's latest novel explores the lives of people either directly or indirectly related to a photographer who has taken a very famous photo of a girl from war-torn Eastern Europe. There's a performance artist, a poet, and a filmmaker married to a writer who has fallen into a deep depression, and all the words are wrapped up in the bodily reactions people have in the face of trauma.<br><br>The narrative blurs the line between a story once told, a story repeatedly told, and the fractured fourth wall between creator and audience. It's an interesting way to approach complex themes, and though the subject matter may be tough, it's not a tough read.<br><br>(See the rest of my Top 10 Favorites read in 2015 at <a href="http://glorifiedloveletters.blogspot.com/2015/12/glorified-love-letters-top-10-favorite.html">Glorified Love Letters</a>.)
Rated Torchwood: Serenity 8/10
Very much enjoyed this. I'm a sucker for "We have to go undercover as a couple and pretend to be normal" type stories. Also, John Barrowman seems better at this audio adventure than he was in the earlier ones I listened to. Less stilted. Maybe because he wasn't recording it separately? But Gareth David-Lloyd is always excellent in these stories. I need to eventually catch up on the rest of the Torchwood audio adventures.
Rated In Search of Gil Scott-Heron 7/10
<div>This is part memoir, part biography — though a lot of the musical biography is written by Dortheé Nolan and appears as an article at the end of the graphic novel. I knew a little about Gil Scott-Heron's influence on hip-hop, but this book is more about the influence he had on the author's career. That's fine too, but there isn't quite enough introspection here to make us really feel an impact, apart from the frustration of the near-miss and the W years. The art pairs well with the text though, and perhaps the book will make more people seek out Scott-Heron's work.</div><div><br></div>
Rated The Mysteries of Pittsburgh 10/10
This is probably my all-time favorite book. It's lovely, heartbreaking and just about perfect. Chabon's <i>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay</i> is certainly a great book and deserving of its accolades, but this is the one that I revisit repeatedly.
Rated Smart Girl's Guide to the G-Spot 8/10
(review copy from the publisher, review coming)
Wants to read Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
Rated Riddance: Or: The Sybil Joines Vocational School for Ghost Speakers & Hearing-Mouth Children 7/10
<div>I think I should have read this in print and not via audiobook. This sort of "found documents" format might have been a little easier to follow. Your mileage may vary.<br><br>Still, the idea that people who stutter can learn to communicate with the dead is an interesting concept for a novel. I'm not sorry that I read it, for sure, but I should've used the Libro.fm credit for something else!</div>
Rated It Chooses You 10/10
Not to get too heavy-handed with the metaphor, but despite a stack of books at home, this book chose me.<br><br>(My full review can be found at <a href="http://glorifiedloveletters.blogspot.com/2012/05/it-chooses-you-by-miranda-july.html">Glorified Love Letters</a>.)
Rated Into This World 8/10
I read from page 40-ish until the end in one evening, despite the fact that I should've gone to sleep. So that should give you an indicator of its appeal.<br><br>Read my full review at <a href="http://glorifiedloveletters.blogspot.com/2012/05/into-this-world-by-sybil-baker.html">Glorified Love Letters</a>.
Rated The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America 6/10
<div>This is basically a book about the Chicago World's Fair with a longform essay about a serial killer smooshed between chapters. Both have some interesting moments, but the writing is also a bit overwrought and speculative for my tastes in nonfiction. There are some assumptions about different people's mannerisms and inner thoughts that he could not possibly know, most of which do not add anything substantial to the narrative. The overall effect is just an ok book. I learned a few things.</div>
Rated Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind 8/10
Like reading a very fascinating longform article that leaves one with a lot to think about. Harris writes in a clear way, and this is a good entry point for the heavy, sometimes opaque study of the mind.
Rated How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead: Your Words in Print and Your Name in Lights 8/10
What I like about this book is that while it has certain indie-hippie undertones, it doesn’t make any judgements one way or another about what the ‘best’ way to publish is. Self-publish, find an agent, make your own zines, start a blog, go for the big publishing house deal — do whatever works for you. “Be as crazy as you are,” she says.<br><br>Though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to people just beginning the writing process — better to get books that concentrate more on craft for that — but for anyone who has waded in a little or anyone who feels they might be stuck in a success-rut, it can’t hurt to give some of this advice a try.<br><br>(Full review can be found at <a href="http://glorifiedloveletters.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-become-famous-writer-before.html">Glorified Love Letters</a>)