Adieux: A Farewell To Sartre Pt 2

The second half of this book is a collection of conversations that took place between Sartre and Beauvoir in August and September of 1974. Some of them seem to ramble, but so far, they spend a lot of time talking about the war during which he was a prisoner of war in Germany. They also talk about how much he enjoyed reading spy and adventure stories as a child.

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Adieux: A Farewell To Sartre Pt 1

If you know nothing about Jean-Paul Sartre, this is NOT the book for you. Unlike most biographies, this book only covers the last 10 years of Sartre’s death. I say death, because that’s how long it took him to deteriorate. Yes, it’s over 400 pages long. Adieux was written by close companion Simone de Beauvoir and translated by none other than Patrick O’Brian. The first section is simply a catalogue of events: We went to Athens. We went to Spain. Sartre wrote an article. Sartre testified in such-and-such a case. Sartre was incontinent.

Oh, and Klaus Croissant is the best name ever!

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Adiamante Final

“I saw men slaughter children, for that they might grow to avenge their dead fathers. I saw children who had escaped such slaughter grown to manhood and become heroes in order that they might slaughter other children to revenge their own dear dead fathers, and in truth, that was what they did.”

“Trust is acting in good faith when you have no reason so to act. Trust is refraining from attacking an enemy first, no matter what the cost. Why is that wise? Because once any person or society strikes first, that action sows the seeds of corruption...Physical survival is not enough, not for either a person or a society. A society’s principles must also survive, and if you betray your principles for physical survival, then you have doomed your offspring and your society.”

Well I ended up liking the book in the end. I definitely wouldn't have gone through the trouble of reading it if I hadn't forced myself to. Can't bring myself to recommend it.

2

Adiamante Pt. 2

“Some people are stupid. We don’t regulate stupidity. You protect it, and it breeds.”
Coordinator Ecktor’s actions begin to bend the ideals of the Construct, Earth’s ethical governance. In choosing not to warn the visiting cybs of certain dangers, many of them are destroyed by predators, and Ecktor is left to question the Construct. If he insists on trusting them, will they ever listen to him? Will his actions provoke a threat from the cybs that will break the Construct? And what do the cybs really have planned?


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Adiamante Pt. 1

Ten thousand years in the future, and Earth is a much different place. Man has evolved to a point where his thoughts are broadcast across a net, cyber-warriors are considered just as human as those whose bodies dictate their abilities, and after war and an exodus of most of the cybs, a universal moral code has been established on the earth.

L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is a prolific writer of science fiction, but this is my first attempt at his literature. Sci-fi and fantasy authors are often tempted to insert new and strange words into the language to give it a futuristic feel, but in this case, it makes it so foreign that there’s not much familiar to give the reader a foothold on the plot. I consider myself somewhat intelligent. I don’t expect ever tenth word in a book to be made up. It took about five chapters for me to really understand what was going on and now that I’m a hundred pages in, I’m slowly warming to the characters.

The cyber-warriors have returned to Earth to find the truth of their past and to see if it truly is a Planet of Death. Ecktor is a demi who has been chosen as coordinator, to deal with the situation and to represent Earth. No one on Earth trusts the cybs and the cybs don’t trust the earthlings.

The book is sprinkled with philosophical sayings: “Society is based on morality. Morality rests on consensus and requires the use of power to remove those who will not accept that consensus.”

Adèle

What ever happened to Adèle Varens, the little girl from Jane Eyre? Emma Tennant tells us her side of the story in this novel. If you'd like to read this book, be sure you've read Jane Eyre first, or you will be thoroughly confused.

The book begins in France where Adèle lives happily with her mother, a great circus performer. When her maman runs off to Italy, Adèle is forced to move to Yorkshire to live with a man she is now to call Papa.

Tennant's writing style was a bit hard to follow sometimes. In the end, the plot wrapped itself up neatly, but as a reader, I was given so little to hold onto, that I spent more time being lost than I was in suspense. Tennant is imaginative and well-versed in the era. She even includes further layers of scandal than Brontë could have intended. It's not something I would read again or necessarily suggest, but I am curious to read Tennant's other book Pemberley to see if she's rewritten Jane Austen.

2

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Adelaide Piper

I know! I know! It's been a whole month since I blogged. Well, I got engaged, and I've been a bit preoccupied. Deal with it. :P

Adelaide Piper is a completely different kind of Christian novel. This is my first experience reading Beth Webb Hart. I didn't even realize she was a Christian author till a few chapters in. All I knew was that the protagonist was from a wealthy Southern family. Not exactly stuff I read for fun.

But I was pleasantly surprised. This is a "coming of age" story (another volley of groans), but for once, it's actually realistic. Good and Evil don't always hang out in the same skin. Even the hero Christians have a full range of neuroses. It's not all easy to stomach, but the events in the book are important to consider. There's no real happy ending, but it was appropriate for Adelaide's story to end without being wrapped up.

Read the book. Give it to teens and young adults especially.

4

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Addition

SMUT!

Which is unfortunate, because I was starting to really like the main character. She had severe OCD and reminded me of my childhood by how she counted everything and had a thing with learning words in alphabetical order. :)

Oh well...

Adding Character

Every so often, I read a book that makes me feel really creative, but it's never the kind of creativity that I can use practically at the time. This book from Better Homes & Gardens is one of them. Adding Character is all about remodeling and decorating your home. Simple design suggestions on how to utilize space and lighting can instantly add character to your home without having to start from scratch or break the budget. To put it in a cliché, this book has something for everyone. It's not limited to what one person may consider "character" but really embraces the option to have your own taste.

I don't have my own home right now, so instead of implementing their ideas, I secreted my creative juices by turning a barn into an upscale home...on paper. Now I feel better. It's a pretty good book. Read it before it loses its character.

3

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Addictive Personality

I promise I'm almost done with all this addictive stuff. I mean...I can quit whenever I want to, right?

This book by Rich Juzwiak is for teens to understand what addiction is and how it can affect your life. It's written simply and straight forward. I should have read it before all these other books about addiction, because by now the information just seemed a bit obvious.

I like that it's not at all insulting or patronizing. A lot of times when drugs are the topic of a book or news report, instead of being a deterrence, it seems to give people ideas on where and how to get their hands on some. This doesn't do that. Plus...I really like the kid's shirt on the cover. This one would be best for a school library.

2

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Addiction

Mystery novels seem to fly by for me. I don't think it's because I'm on the edge of my seat the whole time, but I do think they are some of the least boring novels out there. G. H. Ephron is the writing team for this book. They are writer Hallie Ephron and forensic neuropsychologist Donald A. Davidoff, Ph.D. Addiction is their second mystery starring Dr. Peter Zak, forensic neuropsychologist. Getting the connection yet?

I hate giving away too much of the plot in case someone wants to read it, but I can give away that most of the book is set in the Pearce Psychiatric Institute. The lead suspect in the murder is a disturbed teen by the name of Olivia. The only sad part of the story is that I knew right away who the murderer was. That's not to say that the book wasn't interesting. There were a few parts that tread the "smut" line, but not much focus was put there.

Over all I would recommend it. 3

Addicted To War

What a not at all uplifting experience! This short book by Joel Andreas is an illustrated exposé on the culture of militarism in the US. It is narrated by a rather evil/angry looking mother and child with the use of cartoon drawings of political figures throughout history and the occasional photo of dead people.

Toward the beginning, it uses actual political quotes, which are kindly referenced in the back of the book. It then gradually introduces more and more of Andreas' own statements through the mouths of the various political figures. Historical facts and figures give way to subjective comments like, "The real motive was" and "Almost everyone knows what it was really about". I was surprised that it lacks any comment about the Bush administrations search for weapons of mass destruction.

It would be interesting to see a similar book about world-wide military power and spending to put this all in perspective. Not that I'm naive to think it would make our situation look any more positive.

Throughout the whole book are words in bold that don't seem to indicate vocal inflection. I've no idea what the point is there. They're just sprinkled sporadically throughout.

I can't exactly say I'd recommend this book. 2

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The Addict

Have you ever wondered what addicts go through when they try to quit? This book by Michael Stein is written by a doctor about a year spent with one of his patients. All matters of confidentiality taken care of, Stein describes "Lucy's" journey through her Vicodin addiction from his perspective as her doctor. His approach to opiate addiction is to prescribe buprenorphine and to closely monitor his patients' progress along the way. Bupe, for those of you like me who didn't know, is a synthetic opiate designed specifically for addicts. It produces similar effects as Vicodin without the high.

Media has done so much to portray drug use that unless you're a user, you can't be sure what's realistic and what isn't. This book gave a very honest appraisal of what one experiences mentally, physically, socially, etc. The perspective of the "clear-headed" doctor adds a dose of believability and just happened to be a good advertisement for buprenorphine in the process.

The only bad thing about the book is that it made me dream about drugs. Really disturbing stuff! I've always wondered if I have what one might call an addictive personality. I've never dabbled in drugs and I don't abuse alcohol, but I've always been obsessed with routine, structure, and dependability; some of the things that make drug addiction so difficult to break free from. Even if drugs haven't impacted your life in any way, read this book. It's good for you.

4

Prince of Tennis vol 2. "Adder's Fang"

Variety is certainly the spice of life! Prince of Tennis is a collection of 42 graphic novels by Takeshi Konomi. It has also been made into an anime series. Ryoma Echizen is a 7th grade tennis prodigy who has just moved back from a successful tennis career in the US. He's virtually unknown in Japan, but in volume 2, "Adders Fang" he begins to prove his abilities against older boys at Seishun Academy. I don't read much manga, so I'm unsure how this compares with most. It is listed as being appropriate for all ages, but I can't help noticing the theme of pedophilia throughout. It still makes for an quick enjoyable read. A definite change of pace.

3


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The Adderall Diaries

Smut. And it's not even the romantic kind. Just sex and drugs. I gave it a 60 page chance, but it's just not what I'm interested in filling my mind with.

0

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The A.D.D. and A.D.H.D. Diet!

I have no close contact with anyone diagnosed with A.D.D. or A.D.H.D., so it's hard for me to relate to what sufferers and their loved ones experience. This book by Rachel Bell and Dr. Howard Peiper takes a brief look at how nutrition can exacerbate or relieve the symptoms associated with A.D.D. and A.D.H.D. Yes, I said "symptoms". This book isn't trying to assert some cure-all.

It's a short book, but a lot of information! The layout and structure seem to be A.D.D. friendly, which is nice. The unfortunate part, as Bell and Peiper stress, is that every person is different, and in order to find the perfect diet, one may have to try a million different things. It could be a matter of upping the foods that naturally contain B6 and tryptophan, or it may merely be a food allergy. What instantly and magically works for some, will never work for others. I can only assume that it's worth it.

A couple of interesting quotes:
"To be addicted is to be allergic" - Dr. R. Glen Green, M.D., C.M.
"As a normal occurrence, babies are born with leaky gut (food particles passing through the intestinal wall into the blood stream)."

Chew on those statements. Due to the nature of this book and its specific audience I can only recommend it to the people to whom it applies.

3


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Ada's House book 2 conclusion

Wow! What a whirlwind of romance and villainy! The Bridge of Peace is so different than the first book. Like book 1, Woodsmall seems to make some literary shortcuts to wrap up her plot progression, but this is a Christian romance novel. I suppose most of her readers are more interested in their happy ending than the clichés it may take to get there.

Book 3 doesn't come out until Fall 2011. If I remember, I'll probably check it out, but unlike with Beverly Lewis' Amish novels, I'm not dying to find out what happens next.

2

Ada's House book 2 pt. 1

Well, some of the disappointment from the ending of the last book, has been relieved. Turns out things aren't as simple as they seemed. This book The Bridge of Peace, begins right where the last book ended, but is more focused on another member of this Amish community. Parts of the story are a lot more disturbing and devious than the first book, and I don't feel like I can guess the outcome of each conflict yet. So far, so good.

Ada's House book 1

When I start reading a novel about the Amish, I just assume there's going to be an element of romance in it. Cuz nothing says romance like straw hats and lack of electricity. Seriously though, why aren't there Amish novels aimed at a male audience?

The Ada's House novels are written by Cindy Woodsmall. Like most Amish novels the plot seems to revolve around miscommunication and quick judgements. In the first book The Hope of Refuge, Cara is forced to flee New York City and seek help among her mother's Amish family. Knowing nothing about her own history, she must rely on the help of those who have already condemned her as a thief and a drunkard.

The story follows a typical progression of most Christian novels, but within that there are surprise twists and turns that leave the reader interested in finding resolution. Unfortunately, the resolution was a bit disappointing for me, but I'm sure there are many who would disagree. The second book in this series was just released, and I'll be reading it next. The third and final book won't be out until next fall. I'd recommend it to others. My mom is reading it now.

3

Adaptations conclusion

"This must be heaven," he says. "No. It's Iowa," I reply automatically. Call me sentimental, but that line gets me every time. "Shoeless Joe Jackson Comes To Iowa" by W. P. Kinsella is a MUCH better story than its film counterpart Field of Dreams. I don't know if it's my dislike for Kevin Costner or what. Yes, I've gone and stood on the field where it was filmed and did the touristy thing (There were people there who'd traveled from Scotland to see it), but the film wasn't important to me as an Iowan.

I felt pretty proud of myself for having previously read ONE of the stories in this book. That's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates. Creepy, creepy characters, though I was unaware it had been adapted for film.

All in all, Harrison gave good exposure to some often unacknowledged authors, and that's always a good thing. I recommend this book to anyone who knows how to read.

4

Adaptations pt. 5

Today's reading highlights from Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen by Stephanie Harrison! "The Swimmer" by John Cheever is a story/film I vaguely heard about recently. I think my dad was talking about it. Regardless, it's one I have to watch now that I've read the story. Very sad.

"Memento Mori" by Jonathan Nolan was made into the film Memento by his brother Christopher. I haven't seen the movie, but the story seems to be like a weird combination of 50 First Dates and The Lake House.

And of course who HASN'T seen A Christmas Story based on "Red Ryder Nails the Hammond Kid" by Jean Shepherd? If you haven't, I hereby command you to do so immediately!

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Adaptations pt. 4

I absolutely love "Babylon Revisited" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I've never read much of his work, but this one tugged at my tiny little heart strings. According to Stephanie Harrison however, the film (when finally released) was a far cry from the original story. A few of the other stories from today's reading were "Mr. Blandings Builds His Castle" -- a classic-- and "Bringing Up Baby" by Hagar Wilde.

These are some of the classic stories that made up my adolescence and teenage years. I'm finding it so wonderful that Harrison has put together this book so we can give credit to the brains behind the stories.

Adaptations pt. 3

Today I read some westerns and graphic stories as well as a couple stories that went out of print and nearly didn't make it to the wide audience of film. Not being a fan of westerns or familiar with many graphic novels, I wasn't particularly drawn to the reading today.

Adaptations pt. 2

I apologize for how ridiculously tired I am. It's been a long, fun, sun-burny day. That said, I expanded my exposure to short stories again today. I started with Sci-Fi classics, "The Sentinel" by Arthur C. Clarke, "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" by Brian Aldiss, and "The Minority Report" by Philip K. Dick. It's obvious which movie the last story inspired. "The Sentinel" led to 2001: A Space Odyssey, and "Supertoys" inspired A.I. Artificial Intelligence. I'm already a fan of sci-fi, so these weren't difficult to enjoy.

The next genre that Harrison tackles is horror. Not my favorite. These aren't quite the slasher films we're used to today, but are rather more subtle. "Spurs" by Tod Robbins is about circus characters, and led to the film Freaks, directed by Tod Browning. A coincidence with the names? Not sure. Next was "The Fly" by George Langelaan, which was put to film in both 1958 and 1986. It has officially garnered the description "classic". Last, was "Herbert West - Reanimator: Six Shots by Moonlight" by H.P. Lovecraft. The title is a mouthful, but the story is short and simple and inspired Stuart Gordon to adapt it for film as Re-Animator in 1985. I'm wondering if Stuart is any relation to the Bert I. Gordon that frequently victimized the Joel and the bots in MST3K.

Adaptations pt. 1

They say in art, that every story has already been told in some form or another. In movies, that often leads to filmmakers borrowing and adapting previously written material for the "big screen". Stephanie Harrison gives credit to the authors behind the films in her book Adaptations: From Short Story To Big Screen. Harrison includes 35 short stories that have inspired filmmakers as well as commentary on the genres and process of adapting them.

This book is 600 pages. You have been warned. This will take a while.

Today I read "Part I: The Directors". Harrison describes how a director's relationship to the original author and the text can be one of translation, magic, collaboration, or theft. She uses as examples, the works of Raymond Carver ("Jerry and Molly and Sam"), Julio Cortázar ("Blow-Up"), Budd Schulberg ("Your Arkansas Traveler"), and Cornell Woolrich ("Rear Window"). Each of these stories represent extremely different styles, but were all adapted for screen as Short Cuts, 1993; Blow-Up, 1966; A Face In the Crowd, 1957; and Rear Window, 1954 respectively.

I hate to admit that I've seen none of these films. Yes, even Rear Window. But I plan to correct that major flaw throughout the course of my reading this book.

Adaptation

I remember seeing trailers for the film Adaptation but I hadn't watched it. So...that's what I'm doing right now, since I just finished reading the screenplay. Like his film Being John Malkovich, this is another weird concept from Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother, Donald. The film is about its own creation, while still being fiction.

I really can't describe it much more than that. It's...interesting. A bit raunchy in places. It's not exactly something to be digested while on a severe caffeine downer, but very artsy and fun.

It's hard to rate the book without rating the film itself. So they both get a 3

The Adaptable House

The Adaptable House: Designing Homes for Change by Avi Friedman

This book is all about housing architecture and flexibility in design; catering to the varying socio-economic changes of the residents, landscape and community requirements, and advances in building materials and techniques. It's well written, but I'm not sure who the intended audience is here. I can't say I really got anything out of it. He seems to be speaking to architects and designers, but I imagine they would already know everything in the book. The basic language could perhaps help students, but then again, they have textbooks for that.

Not bad. Not great. A 2

Adams vs. Jefferson conclusion

I'm starting to think things really haven't changed much politically since 1800. One could say things are a bit more tame these days actually. We may get the random preacher burning the Quran, but I don't remember any political rallies in 2008 that involved burning effigies of the president. Maybe I'm mistaken.

Also, ne of u who txt alot, it's officially old news. I was amused to read that Jefferson received inside information in the form of letters from an anonymous "Yr. Friend". Yep, that's right.

Advice for anyone interested in reading this book. You HAVE to be interested. This isn't casual reading. It's only a couple hundred pages, but you really have to be paying attention to stay on track. I did learn a good deal, but I can't say it was an "enjoyable" read. I think I'll give it a 3.

Adams vs. Jefferson pt. 1

Politics, politics. Again, the more I read the more I learn. Simple, I know. Anyway, now I'm reading this book by John Ferling about the election of 1800. It's part of a series of books called Pivotal Moments In American History.

I'm glad I already read the biography of Abigail Adams, because it gives me a bit of an advantage with which to tackle the onslaught of names and events in this book. It kinda makes me proud that I actually retained some of the information. Most of the book so far has given background info on the people and politics involved in the early formation of the US government. How were we to handle the relationship between Britain and France? Should our government be modeled after Britain's or was that just too sore a subject? Slaves or no slaves?

Adams and Jefferson had thought they were inseparable friends, but their differing opinions on the French revolution and the lifestyles they led tore them apart.

Adam's Curse conclusion

I really am starting to learn a lot of things from this reading endeavor. I'm glad I've pursued it. That said...

Sykes managed to keep a typical secular viewpoint without making me uncomfortable in the process. I don't know if it's because I could hear his suave British accent in the pages or what. He has a definite opinion about abortion that surprised me, calling it "murder in the womb." And his idea of the eventual disappearance of men has to do with increasing male infertility and the potential of the mitochondrial DNA (only passed on through women) to do away with producing sons entirely.

It's an interesting theory. One I won't be around to test. But like I said, I learned a lot about genetics that I would have never been able to stomach from a textbook.

I'll give it a 3

Adam's Curse pt. 2

I'm in pain as I type this because I donated plasma and they bruised my pinky finger, trying to get blood out of it. OW!

Nothing terrible controversial happening yet. I'm a little over halfway through the book. In this section, Sykes looks at y-chromosomes in various parts of the world, trying to find their common male ancestor. He also tackles the question of why do we even have sex when we could just clone. His answer isn't that we do it to spread apart the genes and help our evolutionary chances down the road, as some geneticist propose. Rather he narrows it down to the simple fact that the micro-organisms living inside us have a better chance of keeping us alive if they are varied slightly from generation to generation. If we were all exact replicas of our ancestors, we would never have survived the black plague or other major epidemics.

He hasn't talked about this potential future without men yet. We'll see what happens.

Adam's Curse pt. 1

Geneticist, Bryan Sykes, tackles the Y-chromosome in my current book Adam's Curse: A Future Without Men. I thought I was going to really hate this book due to its controversial nature, but so far I'm learning a lot. This is why it benefits to not judge a book by its cover. I'm sure the controversial stuff is soon to follow, but I'm keeping an open and analytical mind.

Sykes is a natural storyteller. This is definitely not textbook hum-drum. Rather, he takes the reader on a journey (cliché) through the history of scientific discovery regarding chromosomes and genes and how they work. It's not too lofty for the novice and not too dumbed down for the expert. It's just an enjoyable read.

So far.

Adam the King conclusion

It was an interesting ending I guess. Lewis' main flaw was that he tried to include himself as part of the story without actually being part of the story. He wrote about things his character couldn't possibly know and then tried to cover it up by suggesting that that's how he imagined it would have been. Kinda takes you out of the story just long enough to stop caring about the characters. He interfered with it, in other words.

So, since I didn't form any connection with the story, I didn't mind terribly when the main character died. Yeah, no spoiler alerts for you. Oh well.

It earned a 2

Adam the King pt. 1

This is a short novel by Jeffrey Lewis. The setting is modern-day Maine, where a wealthy man (Adam) has just built a luxurious new home for him, his new bride, and her two adopted daughters. The locals aren't sure what to make of this rich new stranger, but Verne Hubbard and her boyfriend Roy get involved when Adam offers to purchase Verne's small property for over a million dollars. Verne isn't willing to part with the property because it's all that survives of her fathers legacy. But Roy want to get rich and is pressuring her to accept the offer.

I feel like I'm missing out on some secret information of which Lewis has yet to inform the reader. Adam's new marriage to Maisie seems to be based more on obligation than love. I guess I'll find out as I read more.

A couple of Adams

I had a lot of riding in a car today, so I cracked through two short books.

The first is Adam Sandler by Bill Crawford. Everything you can know about the Sandman is in this short book. That's because he's such a private person. Naw, it's a well done book, very enjoyable. It was written just before Little Nicky came out, so it's not exactly complete, but it's enough to confirm that Adam is a sick, dirty, funny man.

A 2 from me.

The second book is Adam Spencer's Book of Numbers, which is a much more enjoyable read than the similarly named book in the Bible. Spencer goes gives interesting facts about each whole number 1-100. I say "interesting" because it's piques the interest of someone somewhere. It's short. The cover calls it "A bizarre and hilarious journey...", but I'm not sure I'd go THAT far. It's humorous enough for the plebeian and academic enough for the mathematician. If you happen to read it cover to cover, it can drag a bit toward the end, but I'm probably one of the few to do that, so I think you're safe.

It didn't change my life or anything. I give it a 2 as well.

Adam Fuss

Adam Fuss: Essay by Eugenia Parry

Sometimes I have a hard time using the word "artist" to describe myself. This is because so many artists are complete lunatics. In my opinion, true art is creative but also humble. If you have to try to make more out of it than what is really there, it's lost its artistic element. I'm not speaking of abstract art that requires the person to see through the surface to define the work. I'm more talking about the artist himself, who sees something he's done, and then tries desperately to extract some meaning from it to bring some purpose to his own life.

This is how I feel about Adam Fuss. Some of his photography is pretty great, but some of it seems quite vapid. At least the book was short.

1

Adam Bede conclusion

What a strange ending! It almost like the book was too climactic in the middle to justify the long drawn-out ending. Everyone seemed happy in the end, but by then, I had sorta stopped caring.

It was good writing, but not one of her best.
3

Adam Bede pt. 5

WHAT???!!!

Supremely aggravated! Hetty is a moron.

Adam Bede pt. 4

"Pity that consequences are determined not by excuses but by actions!"

The book has gone from interesting to exciting! Why, then, is it taking so long to read? Because it's 600 pages, that's why.

I don't wanna ruin the story for anyone who's not read it, but Hetty is being a MORON!!! I just want to strangle that girl. One of George Eliot's strengths is that her characters can be placed in a crazy storyline and still be realistic. No one is one-dimensional. Everyone has character flaws and everyone has redemptive qualities. I just hope that Adam doesn't get his heart broken too much.

*bites nails*

Adam Bede pt. 3

"All passion become strength when it has an outlet from the narrow limits of our personal lot in the labour of our right arm, the cunning of our right hand, or the still, creative activity of our thought."

Alas, Dinah has gone back home, and Seth has no assurance of ever seeing her again. Meanwhile, BIRTHDAY PARTY!! Arthur Donnethorne, has come of age to inherit and is throwing a party for the whole town. He has currently decided to stop leading Hetty on, but she is still leading Adam on. The big news is that Arthur has hired Adam to be in charge of the woods. No more working for the little guy. Now he'll be working for the MAN.

Adam Bede pt. 2

"Yes! thank God; human feeling is like the mighty rivers that bless the earth: it does not wait for beauty - it flows with resistless force and brings beauty with it."

George Eliot's writing style let's the audience participate in the story. We know this is a story. We are supposed to believe that the story is a true one, and that Eliot is merely retelling it, having heard the account from Adam Bede himself, after the events took place. She also has a way of telling the story in both past and present tense, something which is fervently poo-pooed in writing classes, but works rather well in this case.

By this stage in the book, two men are in love with the same girl. Hetty is the prettiest girl in town, but true to cliche she's doesn't have the beauty of character to compliment her good looks. This is not to say that she's a terrible person, just young, naive, and totally aware of how well she catches the eyes of men in town. Poor Adam Bede loves her. I'm not sure how well he loves her, because I haven't seen them interact yet, but I have a feeling he could just as easily love someone else. Arthur Donnethorne, the local landowner, is also in love with Hetty. He knows however, that she is far beneath his class, and that his attentions toward her could never come of anything serious. Too bad for Hetty that she's already been kissed by Arthur and is now planning the rest of her life with him.

Adam Bede pt. 1

"When death, the great Reconciler, has come, it is never our tenderness that we repent of, but our severity." Adam Bede is one of the lesser-known classics by George Eliot.

This story takes place in 1799 in the rural English town of Hayslope. A young methodist preacher named Dinah has come into town and shaken things up a bit. Adam and his brother Seth Bede have just discovered their father dead in a river after a night of drinking. Seth has taken a pious fancy to Dinah, but she's determined to live the celibate life, while Adam has fallen for her cousin Hetty.

There is a full helping of quotable quotes so far. It'll take a week to read this one, so I'll try to grace the blog with something beyond my normal claptrap.

Adam and Evil pt. 2

Wow. Lots of action in a short period of time. I certainly can't say that this book was believable, but when I read mysteries, I don't need them to be. Our hero, Amanda Pepper came out of the experience alive and found the murderer before the innocent suspect was caught.

There were a few loose ends I would have liked to follow. Like, will Adam's parents finally see how desperately in need of psychiatric help he is? Will the girls in Ms. Pepper's class get to release their expose about the criminal activity within the school?

Well..it is fiction. So the answer to these questions is NO. Because none of this exists. I liked this book. The cast of characters was small enough that it was easy to suspect the real killer at least some of the time. But the subplots were a delightful distraction. I wouldn't call it great literature, but that designation is incredibly rare in mystery fiction.

I'll grace it with a 3

Adam and Evil pt. 1

Sounds daunting, doesn't it? Today's book is Adam and Evil, a mystery novel by Gillian Roberts, another female mystery novelist.

The main character is Amanda Pepper, English teacher at Philly Prep and girlfriend of a homicide policeman. The book opens with her sharing suspicions of one of her students, Adam Evans. So far, Adam fits the description of your typical, teenage sociopath. During a class trip to the library (YAY!), a woman is strangled to death. Adam is suspect (and conveniently disappears), but it could also be the woman's ex-husband, ex-lover, or sister who are involved.

I don't know who done it yet, but I'd sure love to find out. Roberts is an enjoyable read, and she does stick to writing what she knows: a character who loves literature. Unlike some mysteries, the clues are obvious to spot so far. It's just a matter of putting them together and learning more.

Ada Byron Lovelace

Ada Byron Lovelace: the lady and the computer by Mary Dodson Wade is short and sweet. This biography of Lord Byron's daughter is perfect for the curious person (like me) who wants to know who this woman is without having to wade through a 600 page bore fest.

The book tells of Ada's amazing aptitude for mathematics in a time when women were discouraged from in depth study of any kind. The jacket makes the claim that it's her intelligence and imagination that led to the creation of the first computer, but the book ends with her death and doesn't let us understand where the connection is made between her ideas and the eventual success of them. She is depicted as brilliant but rather despicable in her self importance and apathy toward her family.

If you're in high school and need to write a brief biographical essay, pick up this book. Otherwise, this book only earns a 2

Ada Blackjack

In case anyone's curious, and I know you are, I haven't been lazy at reading lately. Just lazy at blog posts.

My latest book is called Ada Blackjack: A True Story of Survival In the Arctic by Jennifer Niven. I was unfamiliar with the history of Ada Blackjack before reading this book, so it was easy to get into the suspense. The book is about the early 1920's expedition by four men and one Eskimo woman to the unexplored Wrangell Island. Using personal diaries, news reports of the time, and letters exchanged between family members, Niven pieces together a well-told story of the experiences of the crew and the famous arctic explorer who funded them, Vilhjalmur Stefansson. In the book, no one is fully hero, victim, or responsible for the troubles experienced.

At first, I thought the book was ill-titled because Niven tells a lot of background about the men on the expedition, but upon reading more, I discovered why that was important. I'm not one who romanticizes the Arctic, and I've never had much desire to visit, but this story was suspenseful and interesting. In case you don't know the ending, I won't be the one to break it to you because I think this book is well worth the read to find out.

A strong 4

BUY BUY BUY!!!

If you're the slightest bit cynical about modern advertising, my current read is for you. Ad Nauseam: A survivor's guide to American consumer culture by Carrie McLaren and Jason Torchinsky has to be the most interesting collection of information about advertising I've ever seen.

We all know that sex sells and violence grabs our attention, but marketing is much more complex than just that. My grandma is always complaining about TV commercials these days because they seem to be completely irrelevant to the product they are advertising. But with TiVo and DVR, it's essential for advertisers to spend most of their efforts in grabbing our attention. Telling us what they're selling is secondary. Even if companies want to spend their time informing us of the product, they have to yell and rave (eg. Menards, OxyClean, etc.). Some cable companies (coughMediacomcough) are even boosting the volume of commercials, just to grab the attention of the ever-evolving viewer before he scrambles for the mute button.

So while Baby Einstein lowers vocabulary skills, SUVs spend most of their time in mall parking lots, and ionizing air purifiers emit ozone, the writers of this book attempt to help me survive this "slow creeping brain death".

Perhaps I should keep reading.

Ad Infinitvm

Ad Infinitvm by Nicholas Ostler is a biography of Latin. At first glance, I was a bit wary of the pop trend of over-using the "v" instead of a "u" in Latin. One chuckles at the film I, Clavdivs and wonders about the university's Hydravlics Laboratory. But I got over it.

The book, itself, is very informative...VERY informative. Those of you who know me, know that I'm a bit of a closet linguist. Thus said, even I had difficulty caring about all the details in the book. If you're studying Latin, feel read it. If you take an interest in European history, you may find it interesting. If you are neither of these people, don't bother.

2

Ad Hoc At Home

This library is going to make a cook out of me yet! This new addition to the library is a cookbook/mentoring guide by Thomas Keller, acclaimed American chef and owner of California's Ad Hoc restaurant.

There are a handful of reasons I love this cookbook.
1. PHOTOS! There is nothing so dull as a cookbook that has no photos. The words themselves can be inspiring, but as most professional chefs know, we taste first with our eyes.
2. Keller himself. Yes, he's an amazing gourmet chef, but he's also very down to earth and hilarious
3. He doesn't make me feel dumb. This book is meant for home cooking, not for a fancy restaurant. Yes, the food is amazing, but it doesn't require me to own tons of obscure cookware or know a bunch of odd techniques. If anything, he's taught me a few cooking tips and I'm excited to try them out.

The only downfall to this book is the sense of jealousy I have when I remember that this isn't California and I can't just go buy monkfish, and I don't have a local cheesemonger.

All in all, I will be consulting this book again. I give it a proud 4

The Accusers

It's the Roman empire and someone's just committed suicide. OR HAS HE???!!! The informer, Marcus Didius Falco, is brought in to find out.

This is the first mystery novel by Lindsey Davis that I've read. A female mystery novelist? Yes, it's cliche, but she's pretty talented. Marcus Didius Falco is a recurring character in her books, and his snarky witticisms just charmed me. The chapters are very brief, and it took me quite a few of them before I had a handle on the character names. I wasn't on the edge of my seat till halfway through, but I had a great time reading this book and would recommend it to anyone.

3

The Accountant's Story

What an interesting book! The Accountant's Story is written by Roberto Escobar with help from David Fisher. As one might guess by the names, it's a first-hand telling of the life of Pablo Escobar, the Colombian legend who ran the largest cocaine cartel in the 1980s.

As Pablo's accountant and brother, Roberto Escobar gives insight on who this man was who became the world's most wanted. One reads about their childhood dreams, the corruption everyone dealt with, how violence was introduced in their world, how they escaped death on so many occasions.

The book is well-written and compelling. I give it a 4

Accordian Crimes conclusion

smut

I tried. I really did. Got 300 pages in before it was just too much. I was so ready to applaud Proulx's writing style too. In each separate story, her writing style changes to match the style of the main characters.

But alas! This book fully earned its 0

I'm changing my rating scale. If I'm going to ever read a book twice, chances are I'll buy it. So here is the new scale.

0 - Couldn't finish it
1 - Wasted my time reading the whole thing
2 - Take it or leave it
3 - Recommend to people interested in the subject
4 - High recommendation to anyone
5 - MUST BUY THIS BOOK!

Accordion Crimes

Sounds hilarious, doesn't it. I'm sure you can think of a few offending accordions, but rest assured, this novel is not what you think. Annie Proulx is a Pulitzer Prize winning author, and I can certainly see why.

I'm only partway through the book so far. It's actually many isolated mini-books held together by a common accordion and the theme of American immigration. The first story is about the Italian accordion maker, and his travel to America near the turn of the century and his difficulties upon reaching New Orleans, where he is ultimately murdered by a rioting mob.
The second story follows three Germans who settle in Iowa (yay). One buys the same accordion at a store, and we read about their journey from building a town to eventually being hated by the Irish and being shunned in their own community.
The accordion is then bought in a store in Texas by a Mexican professional accordion player. His family is struggling to endure the Depression.

So far, the book follows betrayal after betrayal. The characters are rather disgusting. There is a sprinkling of smut throughout, but otherwise very well written. The only person I've felt any pity for is the accordion maker himself. All the other characters seem so evil.

Accomplice To evil

Accomplice To Evil by Michael A. Ledeen sounds like it should be full of fear-mongering, but it isn't. This book explores historical acts of genocide and oppression, and shows how Americas humanistic view, prevent us from seeing evil for what it is until too many atrocities have been committed.

The main focus of the book is the current, and indeed long-lived, situation with Iran's was against America (the Great Satan). How previous attempts at negotiation have failed and how we tend to hope for the best from the Iranian leaders.

It's a lot less boring than I just made it sound, and I feel like I learned a few things, which is always a challenge for any book. ;)

I recommend it. Definitely a 3

The Accomplice

This book by Elizabeth Ironside is supposed to be a mystery novel, but it is by no means typical. Yes, there is a body found. Yes, there is a police investigation. But the real meat of the novel has to do with the relationships among its characters.

Most of the players in the book are Russians living in England. Some of them embrace the English way of life while others are reliving the past. I wasn't kept on the edge of my seat, but I remained fully engrossed in the plot.

The best comment in the book comes from the overzealous policeman, discussing his obsession with a certain unsolved case and his assumptions about the perpetrator. "It's either true but you can't prove it, or it's a fantasy you have created. Either way, it drives you mad...If it's true and you do nothing about it, you're sharing in the crime. You're an accomplice."

This comes at high recommendation from me, though, since I know how it ends, I probably won't be reading it again.

3

Accompany Them With Singing Conclusion

Well I decided to finish the book last night. It ended up having very little to do with singing, and was designed to be read by clergy rather than laity.

After all my ranting from yesterday, the second half of the book turned out to be rather good. One could easily skip the first half and not know the author is crazy. The final chapters outline the role of the church in the ministry of the funeral. How to deal with certain inevitable situations. How to remain focused on the worship aspect without neglecting the expectations of others.

How do I rate a book like this. Quite simply, I wouldn't recommend it to most anyone, but I did still gain a few insights.

2

Accompany Them With Singing Part 1

I have so much to say about this book, that it'll have to be split up in parts. Accompany Them With Singing: The Christian Funeral by Thomas G. Long is like one giant argument.

Long describes Platonism as the belief that the body is just a shell. He is so firm against this belief that he glorifies the body beyond it's importance and claims that this is the only Christian way to view things. He believes that funerals are a sort of baptism journey into heaven, but then says that we are not immortal. "Since we are not immortal, when the body dies, the whole person dies, period. We don't have deathless souls, spirits, or anything else. Only God is immortal." He then moves on to talk about us receiving new imperishable bodies as if he is in no way contradicting himself.

He makes a wide difference between "death" and "Death", natural death and Death, the final enemy. He speaks as if natural death was ALWAYS a part of man instead of tying it in with consequences of the fall of Adam and Eve. He's VERY critical of anyone who may hold different views, calling them "well-meaning Christians" and "overoptimistic".
He's so convinced that we cannot exist without bodies that he spends way too much time arguing with himself about when the switchover happens and we get our new bodies. We can't have gone on immediately when we die cuz our bodies are still there. Do we get our new bodies while the old ones are rotting away under ground? According to him, we are raised from the dead and given new bodies immediately. Thereby, Death has no victory.

Further into the book... "While the biblical evidence is mixed, the overall thrust of the biblical witness seems to encourage a hope for the redemption of all humanity...The notion that the eternal fate of people swings on whether they decide to allow Jesus Christ into their hearts is ruthlessly individualistic and runs counter to the biblical hope of a new creation...Moreover, such a view of salvation puts God's will at the mercy of human decision making." No wonder the jacket describes the author as "one of the most popular preachers in the United States today."

There are some positive elements so far. I appreciate learning about Christian funeral rites through the ages. I also agree that the funeral shouldn't lose the concept that we are accompanying the deceased on their last journey to Christ. Why cremation would hinder that, I'm not sure. Chapter 5, entitled "The Funeral As Worshipful Drama" is very good if a little long winded.

I'm halfway through and not sure when I'll finish the book. I'm leaving for Estonia tomorrow and won't have much time for reading. Will keep you posted when I return!

Accompaniment Method for Guitar

I'm out of Accidents!! yay! Took me long enough

Well Mel Bay wrote this method book for guitar accompaniment, complete with CD for demonstration. I played through it, and it looks like a really great book for anyone aspiring to learn guitar. Most guitar books I see move too quickly through techniques, but this spends a good deal on various strumming and picking styles, which seems to be where most new learners struggle. There's no plucking through "Little Brown Jug" or banging your head with scales, but the book includes all the basics needed to start accompanying yourself or someone else on guitar. It even includes various 7th and barre chords, and, of course, appendices to cover what they've left out.

This comes with high recommendation from me! 3

Accidents In the Home

= smut.

I got 20 pages into this novel by Tessa Hadley before giving up. Now I know what to expect from an author who teaches creative writing at a place called Bath Spa University College

Accidentally On Purpose

Well this was different than I thought it'd be. Accidentally On Purpose by Mary F. Pols sums itself up in the tag line: A one-night stand, my unplanned parenthood, and loving the best mistake I ever made.

As one might guess, this isn't a novel but rather a true story. It is told in story format and is very engaging. Mary is nothing like me and her life is nothing like mine, but she kept me interested the whole way through. Well, most of the way through. She's a Bay Area journalist. 'Nuff said. Near the end of the book, her story takes a completely different turn as she talks about grieving the loss of her father. Suddenly the book about her son, starts feeling like *cough* memoirs and I lost interest for a couple chapters till she brought it back around to the parts I cared about. No offense, but her relationship with her dad was not the part of her life that I was interested in.

The book is unnecessarily vulgar at times, but still well written. I feel like I've walked away from this book unchanged and indifferent, however. I may have approached it with my hopes too high, but it has earned a 2 on my scale.

Accidental Vegan

Another cookbook already! I'm thankful that this one was so short. I'm still cooking my way through the last one.

Sometimes it's good to read the introduction to a book. Devra Gartenstein immediately won me over by letting me know that she isn't vegan. Whew. Maybe I COULD read this book. Most of the first recipes sounded delicious because they were appetizers, and most of them didn't require any modification to make them vegan. Who doesn't like hummus or egg rolls?! Ok, some of you don't, but you're weird.

It all went downhill for me in the middle, when she'd moved on to main courses and they all seemed to have tofu or seitan as meat substitutes. I have nothing against tofu and I've never tried seitan, but these types of foods always seem to sound worse than they actually taste. If I were turning vegan, this book would come in very handy because most of the recipes seem quite simple to make.

In the meantime, I'll just keep eating what I'm eating. Cookbooks are hard to rate, but I'll give this one a 2.

The Accidental Time Machine

I did NOT know where this one was going the whole time I read it. The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman is a Sci-Fi novel including a fairly rational amount of physics, mystery, and flirtation.

The main character, Matt, has accidentally created a time machine while doing a simple project for his boss in the MIT physics department. The novel is set about 50 years in the future, but as he travels (only forward in time) he gets around 30,000 years ahead. From the Second Coming of Jesus (a conspiracy) to Dinosaurs in Indonesia to a colony on the moon, the book keeps the reader wondering how Matt will find his way out of the next crisis.

Like most modern novelists, Haldeman can't seem to avoid smut. He sneaks it in near the end, but it's there nonetheless. The book had potential, but the ending seemed hurried and a bit pointless. Unfortunately, it only gets a 2

Accidental Masterpiece: The Art of Life and Vice Versa

After my last attempt at reading a book about art, I was a bit hesitant to open this one by Michael Kimmelman. Although Kimmelman is an art critic, he seems to be able to speak to the art novice quite easily. No translation necessary.

The book takes a look at art from a different perspective: life. What motivates us? Why do we collect things? Why do we become more creative in times of great struggle and tragedy? I didn't feel like less of a person if I didn't know the artists he was talking about, because I learned about them through the book, and it wasn't all about what significant pieces they created. It was about their drive and passion, their struggles with the world around them, and most of all, Kimmelman found a way to connect each of us to these artists by revealing the similarities in all of us.

I can highly recommend it. 3

The Accidental Housewife

Julie Edelman is the self-professed "Accidental Housewife". As much as I love reading, the one problem with this book is that there is a much better, more accessible, up-to-date webpage instead.

There are a gajillion books about homemaking, but Edelman is kooky and cynical, and the book is short. The combination is magic. I won't recommend reading the book, but I will definitely recommend checking out her website at www.theaccidentalhousewife.com WARNING: She is VERY girly. Be prepared.

The book itself earns a 2

Accidental Guerilla

Long, but intelligent, this book by Dr. David Kilcullen is worth stumbling through. I never thought I'd read a book all about modern counterinsurgency techniques without feeling bored or stupid, but here we are.

If you have no interest in modern warfare, don't read this book. If you have at any point been involved in Iraqi Freedom or the War on Terrorism, it's a must-read. Dr. Kilcullen is certainly the expert on counterinsurgency, having served as Special Advisor for Counterinsurgency to the Secretary of State, among other things.

I think the reason I enjoyed this book so much was because he focuses on the people, not the "problem". The chapters are VERY long and hard to get through in one sitting, but they're worth a look.

3

The Accidental Gourmet

I could spend a considerable amount of time focusing on the modern misuse of the word "gourmet", but that soap box will have to wait. I have finally reached a new genre: the cookbook.

I'm sure you've all been poised on the edges of your seats for my next installment in this ever-so-viral blog of mine. Well I apologize. You see, in order to properly judge a cookbook, one must sample some of its claims to greatness. Sally Sondheim and Suzannah Sloan have taken every weeknight of the year and created a full meal plan for a family of 4.

Each day includes an entrée, salad, and dessert, and some starch somewhere. This is obviously written for someone like me who survives on order and lists, because each meal also has a list of equipment needed AND a countdown with ordered steps, telling the "gourmet" how to complete the full meal so everything comes out just at the right time for eating.

Sounds wonderful, right? Well I've tried 4 of these meals so far. Two were good. Two were so-so. The part that bothers me about this book is not the quality of the meals, however. It's this need that cookbook "authors" feel they have to find cute names for their dishes. Lets face it. There are only so many ingredients in the world and only so many ways to combine them into edible form. So in order to make the recipes their own, Sondheim and Sloan give us themed meals like You're Egging Me On, Yes I Yam, Bluffin' Muffins, and Tomfool Tapioca. Having run out of creativity, they depend on each state for inspiration. For Iowa we have Hawkeyed Sausage, State Fair Salad, and Ames to Be Pudding. However clever you may feel this is, it does pose a problem. The names have VERY LITTLE to do with the dish itself. If I want to search for a pasta dish with shrimp, I have to search through 300 recipes to find one.

I will most likely be consulting this book again, but as a disclaimer, I must recommend NOT getting caught up in the structure of the book. Rather, if something looks good, try it. I give it a 4

The Accidental Fundraiser

What an appropriate time for me to read this! Stephanie Roth and Mimi Ho have put this book together to help anyone who has funds to raise. There are a few things wrong with this book. First off, the title makes no sense. There's nothing accidental about anything. Second, it's thick with propaganda about what types of things they consider to be worthy causes.

I don't think I really gained anything from reading it. The problem with any book of this type is that fund raising needs to become more and more creative. The ideas represented here can become outdated a year after printing. A 1 is all I can grant it.

An Accidental Family

Nothing is quite so cheerful as Russian literature!! I finally got to this classic from Dostoevsky. Like any Dostoevsky, if you're going to read it, make sure you have long stretches of time free. There's no reading a bit here and there. You have to dedicate yourself, or you start forgetting who's who.

Although I don't speak Russian, I can say with certainty that this translation by Richard Freeborn is excellent. Colloquialisms are used where appropriate, the French is left untranslated for clarity, even times when the Russian misspellings are used on purpose, he manages to translate it into English and still convey that to the reader.

The novel is told in first person and directed toward the reader. This system helps Dostoevsky explain certain aspects of the exhibition without it seeming unnatural. The whole of the 600 pages takes place over a short period of time, showing us the struggle of a young man, learning about societal norms, family, and deciding how to participate in them for himself.
If you've never read Dostoevsky, I would suggest beginning with a different book, but I can still recommend it as a good read. 3

The Accidental Empire

Well I've finished this book by Gershom Gorenberg. He's American-born, but now lives in Jerusalem with his family. Although the book deals with the Middle East conflict in general, it is mainly focused on the nation of Israel and its settlements in occupied territory in the late 60's and 70's.

It's difficult to say anything about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict without offending people. Doing so can easily restrict creativity, but Gorenberg somehow manages to combine personal stories, facts and figures, and historical relevance to this book, while maintaining a respectful view (as much as possible) of the persons involved.

An interesting quote to chew on:
"It was not enough to be in sacred space, one had to own it -- the impulse behind conflicts over holy places everywhere. To own a place where God is thought to be palpably present inspires a feeling perilously close to owning God."

I give it a high 3

Middle-Eastern politics

Right now I'm reading An Accidental Empire by Gershom Gorenberg about Israel leading up to, during, and following the Six Days War. The book is mostly chronological, but echoes back to previous events to add context. I had to include this quote!

"The situation today resembles the complex relationship between a Bedouin man and the girl he kidnaps against her will...You Palestinians, as a nation, don't want us today, but we'll change your attitude by forcing our presence on you." Israeli Defense Minister Dayan

An Accidental Cowboy

An Accidental Cowboy by Jameson Parker is *gasp* a memoir. With snapshots and anecdotes, Parker details the circumstances in his life which transformed him from Hollywood actor, to PTSD sufferer, to cowboy.

Unlike most memoirs, there is nothing saccharine or disingenuous in the way he describes his own experiences. He is open and honest about his trials, but doesn't glorify them above himself. He is witty, charming, adventurous. I'm not sure if "actor" mixed with "cowboy" is an automatic recipe for a balanced person, but it nearly works for Parker. Minus the overwhelming suicidal tendencies.

This book is a casual read. Although the life of cowboys is far beyond my grasp of understanding (I don't even watch Westerns), I appreciate the knowledge I picked up and would recommend this book to anyone.

3

A couple of humdingers!

Well that took me long enough!

The two books I've been reading, are two that I was so excited about. I suppose the hype kinda got me disappointed in the end.

The first is Accents: A Manual for Actors by Robert Blumenfeld. If you know me, you know I love language. I love accents, dialects, grammar, everything. I also....love acting, therefore, I must love this book right? Well when I originally wanted to check it out, it was in repair and the library had to order a new one. I put myself first on the list, and snatched it up right away. This book guides the actor on how to speak English in ANY accent from Elizabethan English, to Estonian, to Algerian. Since I have some linguistic experience I found it VERY frustrating that Blumenfeld makes up his own phonetic symbols instead of used standardized IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). I basically had to try and unlearn everything I know to understand what he was writing, and it's not like he's ignorant. He made enough references to actual linguistic terms that I know he has SOME basis of knowledge in the field.

I was starting to wonder if I should write a book of my own and include actual symbols and accurate accent comparisons, when I happened upon the major redeeming factor of this book...the CDs. The two CDs which come with the book demonstrate all the practice material in the book in Blumenfeld's own voice. This guy is VERY talented when it comes to the practical application of his teaching. In other words, his accents are fine. Merely his communication is lacking.

I'm really glad I happened upon this book. I will not be buying it or reading it leisurely, but I will certainly consult it whenever I'm called upon to adopt another accent. It's difficult to judge such a work, so I will give it a 3. I recommend it, merely as a tool for those to whom it applies.

Next on my list was The Accidental Connoisseur by Lawrence Osborne. It's labeled as "An irreverent journey through the wine world," and it is definitely that. I'm not a connoisseur of wine, but I would call myself an oenophile, so I was interested in what Osborne had to say. This book is not for amateurs. Yes, it is witty, but it takes more than just a basic understanding of wine to enjoy. I did pick up a few nuggets of wisdom from it, but not enough to benefit as much as I would like. Sad to say, this book only earned a 2.

Accidental Bride

When I first began this book by Janice Harayda, I thought it was just so clever and funny. But after a whole book of the same snarky comments, I kinda got bored.
Yes, I'm a traditionalist and the whole marriage vs. living together strikes a chord with me, but despite my own opinions, and despite the comedic flavor, I didn't much enjoy the novel.

It's a quick entertaining read for a plane ride or a bus, but that's about it.

2

Accidental Billionaires!

Sorry I haven't been on this in a while. I just got my new MacBook Pro, so I've been spending a lot of time on it. Now that some of the initial glitter has worn off, I'm back to the books.

Accidental Billionaires! by Ben Mezrich promises to be a book about "Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal", and doesn't fail to deliver. By now, all of us have heard of Facebook, most of us are members, and some of us know it was founded by a couple of college students. What I certainly didn't realize is how interesting the story of Facebook really is. The title's tagline isn't just a hook to draw readers, but it literally is full of sex, full of money, full of..well you get the idea.

This book is not for the clean-mouthed nor those who have a strong sense of justice. It is, however, guaranteed to drop your jaw and make you just tad bit jealous. I give it a 3.

Accidental Asian

What DOES ethnicity mean? How do we decide the characteristics of one people group as compared to another? How do they decide themselves?

Eric Liu tackles these questions in his book, Accidental Asian. I found the book in the biography section, and the first chapter led me to believe it was a book about Eric's father Chao-hua Liu, who moved to the US in 1955. The next chapter, however, shifts attention to Eric's life in the States, so then I thought: This is an autobiography. But reading the rest of the book showed me that it is in fact a biography of all those who are referred to a "Asian American." Best quote from the book: "Ethnosclerosis - the hardening of the walls between the races."

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, full of intellect and humility, and free of victimization and fear. It's earned a high 3.

Accidental American

I don't really know what to say about this book by Alex Carr. It's supposed to be a thrilling espionage story, but the way it's pieced together makes it difficult to understand his crazy jumps from one plot point to the next. It was a short novel, which made it a quick read-through, but perhaps it would have benefited with a bit more rounding to the characters.

Just a 2

The Accidental

Sometimes the writing in a novel is so good that one can stomach the smut, just to keep pushing forward to the end. Ali Smith's writing style is somewhere between prose and poetry, but is either way VERY compelling and very creative.

Without giving too much away, the story is about a family vacationing in Norfolk, England. The plot revolves around a mysterious summer visitor and each chapter takes a look at the situation from the viewpoint of a different family member. The smut is annoying, but it could be much worse.

I won't be reading this one again, but I'll definitely check out each new book of hers that I come across. I recommend it....with my smut disclaimer.

3

ACCESSORIZING!!!

Sounds fun, right? Wrong! The Art of Accessorizing by Christi Carter makes sense in theory. Four things make up the art of accessories in the home: wall coverings, personal touches, greenery and flowers, and ambiance. But the photos and examples in the book portray a very uncomfortable space, full of junk, and leaving no surface area uncovered. Although I know Carter is an expert in this area, her implementation of ideas makes me less willing to trust her knowledge.

Sad to say, this one only gets a 2.

More about Access

I just finished reading two books aimed toward those for whom increased accessibility is a need.

The first is The Accessible Home by Nancy Baldrica. As you might guess, this book is about updating your home to accommodate those with certain physical needs (wheelchair, limited eyesight, etc.) I have absolutely no need for the information in this book, but I can say that it was clearly stated, thoughtful, and practical. It even included instructions for certain home improvement projects. I give it a 2

The second was 101 Accessible Vacations by Candy Harrington. Again...I have no use for this book, but it was still well written, including a wide range of vacation ideas for wheelchair-bound people. It includes ideas such as cruises, swimming, accessible skiing, etc. I didn't count if there were actually 101 ideas, and this book would not work as a travel guide, but it's a good start for anyone with a physical disability who needs a vacation. 2

Access to Justice

At first glance, this book by Deborah L. Rhode appears dull. I certainly judged it by its cover. The book is about the American concept of "equal justice under law" and the legal ethics involved. The first chapter is a giant soap box, over-using passionate language such as "shameful," "appalling," etc. I was happy to see that the following chapters were much more objective.
It wasn't nearly as boring as I thought, but I can't go so far as to recommend it unless you have a particular interest in the topic.

2

Access: Seattle

Another travel book!!! A word to the wise, do NOT look at this book while you're hungry. If you're traveling to Seattle, this would be a great book to have with you, but it is otherwise pointless. The book takes the whole city street by street, pointing out hotels, parks, shops, dining, etc. There is even an entire section dedicated to gay Seattle.

Not planning on going anytime soon..and now I'm even more hungry. :( 2

Acceptance World

Acceptance World by Anthony Powell is book three of the first movement of a series of novels entitled, A Dance To the Music of Time. Yep. It's that complicated. Needless to say, I haven't read the rest of the novels, but this one definitely fits in with the more...artistic crowd. The 200 pages kept my interest the whole time, although I'm still not quite sure what the book was about. The style was definitely accurate for the early 1900's and the themes were along the lines of Marxism, art, writing, etc.

Don't get me wrong. I'm an artist of sorts myself, but I generally don't find interest in books about artsy stuff. I will probably read the rest of his books when they come up, but this one only earned a 2.

Coming up next...ACCESS...and more travel.

Acapulco

Travel is a trend this month in my reading. I just finished another Moon travel guide. This one about Acapulco.
I can definitely say after reading, that Acapulco is not a destination I'm interested in. Too many people. Too much beach. Too much Mexico. Not enough....me.
Maybe after reading all these, I'll be able to pinpoint my ideal vacation spot.
2

All kinds of snobbery await

Well I've come across another exception to my reading schedule! I like wine. I'm not a wine expert by any means, but I love learning about it, and I was delighted to come across my next book: Academie du Vin Wine Course from none other than...the Academie du Vin. This book is split into three different courses on wine (basic to advanced) covering tasting, grape varieties, vinification, etc.

Book learning is all fine and well, but experience really does make the difference. That is why I will be keeping this book around for some time while I get a chance to taste a number of the wines it teaches about.

My only qualm with the book is that it was written in 1990 and so much has changed. If I can find an updated version, I will definitely be buying this one. Hooray for another 5!

Academy Award Winners!

Are you obsessed with the Oscars? Ever wanted info on every Academy Award winner at your fingertips? Bruce Henhershon has compiled the movie posters from all the best films and best actors of the Academy Awards.

I "read" this book while still in the library. It's mostly pictures, so it was no problem. But, I wasn't all that impressed. Movie posters are so much better when they're..well..posters

2

First Travel Guide

I admit, travel guides aren't exactly meant to be read, but Moon has put out a book on Acadia National Park, so it was only fitting that I look at it. For those of you who don't already know, Acadia National Park is off the coast of Maine. It's a beautiful area that can be overrun by tourists, but still offers seclusion if you know where to find it.
I've only been to Maine once, and that was in December, but I did manage to get to Bar Harbor (Bah Hahbuh). The book is laid out with recommendations for highlights, whether you have 3 days, a week, children, etc.

There's nothing very profound about the book, of course, so it will have to settle for a 2.

Argh! another decent book turns to smut. My fantasy series got halfway through and smutted it up. So no worth it.

0

Acacia...Part the First

The Acacia series by David Anthony Durham is labeled both as Sci-Fi and Fantasy, but it is definitely more Fantasy. The series consists of two books with books contained in each of them. Having completed the first "book" (Acacia: The War with the Mein: The King's Idyll), I am still getting some of the names mixed up, but that passes quickly. The storyline is interesting, but it does seem suspicious that there is a king named Leodan and that one of the characters discovers a secret passageway while hiding in a wardrobe.

The most difficult thing I'm faced with is knowing which side to favor. There aren't exactly good guys and bad guys. They're all good and bad in their own way, but I guess that's closer to reality.

Ooops!

I'm realizing I never blogged on one of the more depressing books at the library. In late January, I read a book about Abu Ghraib. Well....it wasn't so much reading as it was looking at the paintings of Fernando Botero.

Not enjoyable, of course. I can only give it a 1.

More AC/DC

Despite the fact that my father is an electrician, the study of electricity never made much sense to me in school. I get easily confused by things I can't necessarily see.

My next book was fun nonetheless. AC/DC: The savage tale of the first standards war by Tom McNichol is a fun book about the discovery of electricity and the inventions that followed. If you're a fan of Discovery Channel or History Channel, you've probably heard some about the controversy between alternating and direct current, but if you don't, this is the book to read! The topic may sound dull to some, but just wait till you read about all then animal experimentation.

I could recommend this to anyone. It's short and sweet. 3

FYI!

My next reading endeavor is another fiction series that will take quite a bit of time to get through, so I'll be pushing ahead and blogging on other books in the meantime.

I know you were all concerned.

For those about to read...we salute you

Ah..AC/DC. A band I've never really liked, but at least I can now say I know pretty much anything interesting there is to know about them. AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll by Murray Engleheart with Arnaud Durieux was an entertaining read. The book describes everything a typical biography would, including all the random bits of controversy and success they experienced during their career. Some may argue that their career is still running....but that's just silly.

If you like the band at all, I can definitely recommend this book. It's full of bad language, drugs, alcohol, and rock and roll. And if you're not into those types of things...well...you're probably not a fan of AC/DC.

3

AC Cobra by Brian Laban is definitely "The Complete Story." If it weren't for the fact that the Cobra is my absolute dream car, I wouldn't have been able to finish this book. Yes, it's got great pictures, but it's far too close to a tech manual for my feeble/female brain to grasp.
If you already have a thing for cars, read it. If not...you probably won't gain much from it.

2

From one Shelby to the next

What a great way to finish off the "Ab.." section of the library! ABZ: A Primer for Adults Only by Shel Silverstein is an absolute riot. Despite the fact that this man wrote for Playboy and was the lyricist for many a baudy tune, this book is actually appropriate for the mature child who isn't easily duped by the power of suggestion.

If Shel Silverstein was your favorite author as a child, I highly recommend this for adulthood. A strong 4.

And to continue my library tour, I'm moving on to AC Cobra, a book about the car that Carrol Shelby made famous.

Proof that mystery novels can be smut.

Sad, but true. Abyssinian Proof by Jenny White was a fun read for a while. It takes place in Turkey in the late 1800s. The historical setting is fun, but the writing is too modern. The Muslims are far too secular, using modern slang in conversation. Although it's set in the late 19th century, it could just as easily have been about late 20th century Brooklyn cops.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is her description of female circumcision. It seemed innocent enough, but turned to smut after 200 pages of decent reading. Not necessary. Didn't add to the plot in any way.

So, sadly, this book earned a 0

The Abyssinian conclusion

The Abyssinian in our book turned out to be the apothecary Jean-Baptiste Poncet, despite the fact that he's really French. My interest in the plot did increase gradually as I read. The lovers faced conflict. Lives were at stake. The ending, while happy, was a bit of a let down.

This book barely earned a 2.

It seems as though I'm moving gradually through time. I went from Marie Antoinette in the late 1700's to Louis XIV's kingdom in 1700, and this next book begins in Constantinople in 1453.

The Abyssinian by Jean-Christophe Rufin

Well the novel I'm reading right now is a bit slow going, but still worth getting through. The year is 1699 and King Louis XIV of France is sending ambassadors to Abyssinia to slowly, but surely, convert Africa. Since Abyssinia is VERY hostile toward Catholics, Louis is forced to send a his Jesuit ambassador disguised with an apothecary who is contracted to cure the king of Abyssinia of a skin disease.

Our apothecary, Jean Baptist seems to be one of the main characters so far. There is a very understated, secret love between him and the consul's daughter, Mademoiselle de Maillet. In the second section of the book, they've just left for Abyssinia. We'll see what happens.

Star Wars

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Abyss by Troy Denning is merely one in a gajillion Star Wars books to have been written by a variety of authors since the release of the first film trilogy. As with all the installments, this book begins in the middle and ends in the middle.

Abyss takes place while the Jedi seem to be suffering from some epidemic of insanity. Overall, the book is interesting, but it can never compare to the real thing.

Just a 2.

Abuse and Neglect

What a fun subject. Abuse and Neglect by Sarah Medina is one of the newest additions to my library. It is a short, succinct book describing the various types of abuse, why people become abusers, how to get help, etc. It's appropriate for all ages.

I didn't really learn anything considering I'm already a mandatory reporter, but I would recommend this book to anyone who's curious about the issue.

3

Calling all foragers!

I'm buying this one! Abundantly Wild: Collecting and Cooking Wild Edibles in the Upper Midwest by Teresa Marrone is a keeper. When I was growing up, my favorite thing to do was exploring our backyard or spending time in the woods. Now that I'm older and more sensible, maybe I can do it with a bit more purpose.

This book has lists of all sorts of edible plants that grow in my area, including how to harvest and prepare them. I learned a few things like the fact that black morels can cause lack of muscular coordination in some people and that the best time to find morels is when the nights are above 40, the days are in the 60's and the lilacs are in full bloom. It also dawned on me that the word "scrub" is simply a combination of "scrape" and "rub".

This book has so many typos, it's hilarious, but I simply must have it. It earns a 5.

More abundance. More gardening.

Today's read was Abundant Gardening by Barbara Denk. Like any good book on gardening, it was complete with photos. The book's goal was to take a look at a number of abundant gardens across the country.
As pretty as the pictures were, I can't say I gained a lot from the book. I have exactly zero room for gardening right now...maybe a zen garden, but that's about it.
Still, I gotta give this one a 2.

Marie Antoinette

It's been a while, but my last book was over 500 pages. Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund is a novel written from the perspective of Marie Antoinette. Despite it's thickness, it is a pleasant read, helped by the fact that the chapters are so short. It doesn't qualify as smut in any sense, but there are parts that are more adult in nature. (Imagine reading a 14yr old's diary.)

I don't think I would go so far as purchasing this book, but it would be interesting to read again. I tend to like historical fiction anyway. This book explores every aspect of her life from her relationships, to politics, to scandals. It begins at age 14 as she leaves Austria into France and ends under the guillotine. Sorry if I spoiled the ending. :D

This book earns a solid 4.

Absurd Indeed

I'm just not having much luck today. First of all, when I went to the library, some girl was about to get arrested. I have no idea what she did other than swearing loudly at the girl who called the cops.

I was really excited to read Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart, but once again got to prove that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

Smut = 0

Abstract and Colour Techniques in Painting

This book by Claire Harrigan is laid out as an instructional book but not well-written. All the visual examples are of her own works. She barely makes reference to other artists. There's a lot of "When I paint, I do this." Even her instruction is rather repetitive. Colour is important. Texture is important. Observation is important. Here's how I do it...etc.

Not high on the list of art books out there. Just a 2

The Abstinence Teacher

Deeeeeep breath. First off, this book by Tom Perrotta is a novel, not an instruction book on how to teach abstinence. I read the 150+ pages in one day, but was nervous the whole time. I couldn't relate to any of the characters and they all made me uncomfortable. For those of you who don't know me, I AM an abstinence educator of sorts, so I was biting my lips the whole time I read it.

By the end of the book, nothing is resolved. Despite the sex, drugs, and alcohol, it seems like the author was attempting not to offend God. The comments on the back of the book call Perrotta brave, but it merely seemed he was trying not to make waves with anyone who might read the book. In the end, there was no resolution and everyone just sorta went on with their lives.

I have to give this a 2 because at least it kept my interest.

Mind Absorbing!

The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori is a book about how to educate children in their youngest stages of development. The Montessori method of education is not well-known, but there are Montessori schools planted around the world (including Iowa City).

I don't know much about this method, so I was rather interested in reading the book, until I got to the sentence "If help and salvation are to come, they can only come from the children, for the children are the makers of men." Ok...vague and weird. After reading the word "psychic" seven times in the first eight pages, I decided the book wasn't worth my time.

0

Absolutely Organized

Absolutely Organized by Debbie Lillard appeals to a certain demographic...moms. This concise book about home organization is like candy to me. Although I'm not a mom and some doesn't apply to me, I gained a boost of organizational energy that I definitely needed. Yes, there are a lot of books out there on this topic, but this one seems simpler than most, which I like.

I will probably buy this so I can refer to it again. 5

Absolutely Beautiful

Absolutely Beautiful by Sue Amatangelo is a book about container gardening. It definitely suits a specific audience, but is simple and instructive in its approach. The best part...picture.

I give it a 2

Absolutely American

Well I officially have no computer now, so I'm cramped for time at the library. BUT, I just got done reading an EXCELLENT book. Absolutely American by David Lipsky intimidated me before I had a chance to open it, but I can now recommend it to anyone. Lipsky is a journalist for Rolling Stone but was commissioned to spend 4 years at West Point and write this book about the institution. Whether you have family in the military, are considering joining the military, or hate the military, this book is a good read. Lipsky follows the lives of a handful of cadets through their journey of decisions at the school. We read stories of failure, courage, romance, and even see how West Point reacts on 9/11.
For those of us who are civilians, Lipsky bridges a gap of understanding into the military world and for that I give this book a high 4.

Absolute Trust In the Goodness of the Earth

Yeah. I know. Barf, right? For a Pulitzer Prize winner, Alice Walker's book of poems failed to appeal to me at all. I'm sure there are thousands of people out there who could relate to them in some way, but I didn't find a single poem in this book that stirred anything in me.

This will have to settle for a 1.

Abram's Daughters

It's one thing when you read about people trudging through ice and snow, but it's another to read it while hearing the wind rushing just outside your window. The Abram's Daughters series by Beverly Lewis is five books all about the lives of one Amish family in Lancaster County, PA. It's full of agony, romance, drama and Christian themes: everything you'd expect in a Beverly Lewis novel. I spanned the scope of emotion while reading this, even to the point of wanting to throw books two and three across the room when finished.

All in all, they're a good read. Definitely more suited for the female psyche, but they earned a solid 3.

Sandman fin

Well finishing this book didn't take as long as I'd thought. I enjoyed all the stories apart from "The Tempest." As I should have guessed, the star character is Shakespeare, and for some reason I couldn't get into it.

The best quote from this entire book is from the Sandman himself. "It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor."

I'll probably read the rest of the series, but wont' be reading this one again. It's earned a very high 3.

Absolute Sandman

When you approach a graphic novel, you don't expect it to be 8 1/2" x 14" and over 600 pages long, but with Absolute Sandman by Neil Gaiman, that's what you get. If you've never read any of the Sandman series, think of a darker version of Terry Pratchett. I'm currently reading volume 4 of the series which includes the stories "The Castle" from Vertigo Jam #1, "The Kindly Ones", "The Wake", "Exiles", and "The Tempest".
Having just finished "The Kindly Ones", I can say my thumbs are both up so far. The story is very captivating and the creativity of the artists keeps me asking "How did he think of that?"

Absolute Rage

Despite the title, this is one of the few "absolute" books that wasn't smutty and/or offensive. Absolute Rage by Robert K. Tanenbaum is actually pretty great. Yes, the characters are a bit one-sided, but I LOVE them. Tanenbaum is hands-down a good author and a great legal mind. This book has quirkiness, suspense, a bit of romance thrown in there.
I was a little disappointed about how much romance was thrown in toward the end, but it was paired well with the explosions. If you don't mind a bit of language, I highly recommend this book. A definite 4!

Year In Review

Happy New Year everyone! Here are all the books I read from the tour according to their ratings. Enjoy.

0
About Behaviorism by B.F. Skinner
About Modern Art by David Sylvester
About My Life and the Kept Woman by John Rechy
About Schmidt by Louis Begley
Above the Law by J F Freedman

1
About Looking by John Berger
Above Us Only Sky by Marion Winik
Abraham's Children by Jon Entine
Abraxas and the Earthman by Rick Veitch
Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner

2
Lincoln: A Life of Purpose and Power by Richard Carwardine
The Abenaki by Colin G. Calloway
Abenteuer Hund
Abingdon Marriage Manual by Perry H. Biddle Jr.
The Able Gardener by Kathleen Yeomans
The Abolition of Slavery by Suzanne Cloud Tapper
Abomination by Colleen Coble
Abortion by Richard Brautigan
About Buttons by Peggy Ann Osborne
Ablutions by Patrick DeWitt
About My Sisters by Debra Ginsberg
About Pets
About Your House by Bob Yapp
Above Chicago by Robert Cameron
Above Suspicion by Linda La Plante
Above the Law by Jerome Skolnick
The Abrams Guide to American House Styles by William Morgan
Absinthe: History In a Bottle by Barnaby Conrad III

3
Heloise & Abelard: A New Biography by James Burge
Abigail Adams: Witness To a Revolution by Natalie S. Bober
The Abolition of Britain by Peter Hitchens
Aboriginal Art of Australia by Carol Finley
The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
About Alice by Calvin Trillin
About Cows by Sara Rath
About Philosophy by Robert Paul Wolff
About the Author by John Colapinto
About the Author by Alfred Glossbrenner
About This Life by Barry Lopez
Absent In the Spring by Mary Westmacott
Absolute Friends by John Le Carre
Absolute Poison by Geraldine Evans

4
The Abominable Dr. Faust by H. Takei
About a Boy by Nick Hornby
About Grace by Anthony Doerr
Above All Be Kind by Zoe Weil
Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths by Bruce Feiler
The Abs Diet for Women by David Zinczenko