Rated Marvel 1602 8/10
Edited 47d ago
book
Rated Doctor Who: Fear of the Daleks 8/10
Wants to read Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
Rated Outlawed 8/10
<div>I wouldn't say I'm generally a "Western" fan, but if you involve women, especially queer women, I'm going to pay attention. Though the protagonist is a straight white woman, she at least has the good sense to pay attention to those around her who are different, and her naiveté becomes more a thing of the past. Set in a somewhat alternate western U.S., much parallels our present day struggles.</div>
Wants to read Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space
Wants to read The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human
Rated A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance 10/10
<div>One of the better things I have read this year, and the audiobook narrator is also good. A great mix of history and memoir.</div>
Rated The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things 8/10
<div>I didn't really know much of anything about Jane Austen before reading this, but since I listened to all those audio adaptations of her novels this year, I thought this would be a good way to cap it all off. And it was!<br><br>I admit that I've had an ARC of this book sitting around for 4 different places I've lived now, in the almost 10 years since this was published (oops), but it's for the best that I came to it with a better familiarity with all of Austen's work rather than the bits and pieces I knew back then (mainly, P&P and some of the movie/miniseries adaptations).<br><br>Given that the Austens had family money from opium and "West Indian" plantations, I don't know that Byrne is as analytical as she could be when it comes to the disconnect between that income and Jane's written distaste for slavery. The money takes a bit of a circuitous route to the family through their relations, but given the analysis present on other subjects, we could spend a few more words on that disconnect. Women surviving with what was made available to them, the faraway origins of what is essentially blood money and how the English could turn a blind eye, Jane's love for fashion — any of those topics were a way into deeper discussion that would still fit within the premise of the book. Also, there are a couple of other ways Byrne phrased her descriptions of racial relations in the Regency era that made me say "Hmm, dunno if <em>that's</em> how I'd put <em>that</em>," but having not seen the finished copy, I do not know what later changes were made.<br><br>Otherwise, this was an interesting look at Jane Austen centered around important objects from her life, giving us a larger picture of her personality, family, and career. I learned a lot, and it was fun to see what real life places and things influenced her work.</div><div><br></div>
Rated Valentine 10/10
An excellent, immersive novel set in ‘70s West Texas, where the oil fields bring monstrous men, doing their damndest to chew up the women in their lives. This is not about those men, but the women and the degrees by which they survive. I thought of the North Dakota oil fields while reading — a regional parallel — and how, decades later, these places still exist... that ever-persistent callback to the Wild West. Though the circumstances in VALENTINE are not easy ones, they feel as true as ever. I’m so very glad I read this.
Rated Doctor Who: The Drosten's Curse 8/10
A really solid Doctor Who novel. Some of the bits with side characters got a bit muddled at times, but Kennedy captures the voice of the Fourth Doctor well.<br><br>Edit for the second read-through: I read this to my 11 yr old son before bed, and he enjoyed it. He thought it was a lot funnier than some of the other DW books we've read. And since it had been three years since I'd first read this, I didn't remember every detail. Still good the second time around!
Rated The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 6/10
I liked it all right, but didn't love it. I have some quibbles with the amount of research done, and the ending felt rather anti-climatic, but it's still an interesting read.<br><br>(My full review appears at <a href="http://persephonemagazine.com/2012/11/07/book-review-the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-at-night-time-by-mark-haddon/">Persephone Magazine</a>.)
Rated The Sad Bastard Cookbook: Food You Can Make So You Don't Die 8/10
<div>This book accomplishes what it set out to do — remind people who have a hard time feeding themselves while depressed that there are very basic things you can eat. The intended audience might skew towards those in college/new adults in general, people who have not spent a lot of time cooking for themselves, even when they feel capable.<br><br>The recipes within are less about measurements and more about adequate ideas, with variations depending on how much effort you might want to put into a dish. Even though I have been (to toot my own horn) a really good cook for almost 20 years now, and even though certain prep methods contained within made me go "I CANNOT imagine doing it like that," I know I'm not exactly the intended audience! People who like cooking for themselves and love new recipes are going to be like "Peanut butter on a spoon? Seriously???" But that's not the point here! The point is, when you're knee-deep in some sort of awful circumstance, sometimes you really need someone to say, "Hey, it's fine if all you manage is some instant oatmeal right now."<br><br>BTW, the ebook version of this is free online, so if you need a little extra help, that's one less hurdle to deal with.</div>
Rated Their Eyes Were Watching God 10/10
<div>I am both glad that I read this as a full-on adult, so I could properly appreciate it, and that I read it via audiobook, narrated by Ruby Dee, who does an excellent job with all the different voices.</div>
Rated Red Clocks 10/10
<div>This is a book about choice — both the real, free choices women make, and also the choices they have to make when cornered. And what happens when the outside world keeps bearing down on women, what can they do next? Is it really possible to opt out from what is considered a "respectable" mode of womanhood? <br><br>Excellent characters, an interesting and inventive way of weaving their narratives together, and a real sense of place. Definitely recommend. </div>
Rated American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot 8/10
Much like his monologue, and much like his tweets, Craig Ferguson’s memoir is self-deprecating, funny and honest. And unlike the majority of celebrity memoirs out there, I fully believe he wrote it himself – I’ve read his novel, [b:Between the Bridge and the River], and it’s fantastic.<br><br>Without giving everything away, I can say that some of the best moments come when he talks about the people who influenced his life – from his family, to roommates and longtime friends, and especially the women. He reveres them all, speaks glowingly of their skills and their patience with him, even when he did not deserve it. He gives credit to all the people and places that brought him to where he is today, and it’s a fascinating journey to sobriety and success.<br><br>(Full review can be found at <a href="http://glorifiedloveletters.blogspot.com/2010/04/american-on-purpose-by-craig-ferguson.html">Glorified Love Letters</a>)
Rated Doctor Who: The Oseidon Adventure 6/10
Not bad. Enjoyed having the Master around to ham around with the Doctor.