John's bookshelf: all en-US Sat, 26 Nov 2022 23:42:33 -0800 60 John's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna's Counsel in Time of War]]> 91233 The Bhagavad-Gita has been an essential text of Hindu culture in India since the time of its composition in the first century A.D. One of the great classics of world literature, it has inspired such diverse thinkers as Henry David Thoreau, Mahatma Gandhi, and T.S. Eliot; most recently, it formed the core of Peter Brook's celebrated production of the Mahabharata.]]> 176 Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa 0553213652 John 3 4.03 -400 The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna's Counsel in Time of War
author: Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
name: John
average rating: 4.03
book published: -400
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2022/11/26
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]]> The Neverending Story 327354 377 Ralph Manheim 0140152431 John 4 4.18 1979 The Neverending Story
author: Ralph Manheim
name: John
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1979
rating: 4
read at: 2009/04/13
date added: 2020/10/27
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]]> Life of Pi 170453
The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days while lost at sea.]]> 326 Yann Martel 0156027321 John 3
Cute sensable humor.

Painstaking attention to detail to induce realism.

Tedious substance.

At times preachy and presumptious.

Worthy pay off.

This book has 100 chapters; many are no more than half a page and chapter 75 has one sentence. This wouldn't seem so contrived were it not for this sentence in Chapter 94 (page 285):

"I am a person who believes in form, in harmony of order...For example-I wonder-could you tell my jumbled story in exactly one hundred chapters, not one more, not one less?"

Had the book 99 chapters or even 101 I might have marveled at the mystery of the story. Instead Yann Martel seems a tad bit desperate to convert agnostic thinkers. The synopsis on the back cover stated that the protagonist "practices...Hinduism...Christianity and Islam." This appealed to me, for I very much value the symbolism of many faiths. However, I was disappointed with the nature of Pi's faith which struck me as juvenile. It was unecesarry to follow the doctrine of three faiths. Most of the first part of the book would have been different but parts 2 and 3 could have made a greater impact with Pi whole-heartedly accepting one faith.

Yann Martel is a great writer. I would say that he set out to write an amazing book. His premise is interesting. The tiger and young man stranded in the ocean premise, not so much the "make you believe in God" part. Martel is an apparently detail obsessed writer. He clearly hopes to create a realistic picture and very often succeeds. It is through his research and desire to establish credability that Martel excels. His characterization is okay. Pi seems like a guy who you couldn't nor would you want to say anything cruel about while at the same time, he's not someone I'd want to hang out with. His journey at sea is remarkable and he shows a will to survive, yet I still would say that he is a little pitiful otherwise.

Part 3 makes this book worth reading for the sake of discussion. This novel would be a great book for high school students because there would be a lot of class discussion. It is a book that has created a bit of a buzz and will probably remain a fixture for some time to follow.
]]> 3.88 2001 Life of Pi
author: Yann Martel
name: John
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 2008/09/01
date added: 2015/06/06
shelves:
review:
Intense premise.

Cute sensable humor.

Painstaking attention to detail to induce realism.

Tedious substance.

At times preachy and presumptious.

Worthy pay off.

This book has 100 chapters; many are no more than half a page and chapter 75 has one sentence. This wouldn't seem so contrived were it not for this sentence in Chapter 94 (page 285):

"I am a person who believes in form, in harmony of order...For example-I wonder-could you tell my jumbled story in exactly one hundred chapters, not one more, not one less?"

Had the book 99 chapters or even 101 I might have marveled at the mystery of the story. Instead Yann Martel seems a tad bit desperate to convert agnostic thinkers. The synopsis on the back cover stated that the protagonist "practices...Hinduism...Christianity and Islam." This appealed to me, for I very much value the symbolism of many faiths. However, I was disappointed with the nature of Pi's faith which struck me as juvenile. It was unecesarry to follow the doctrine of three faiths. Most of the first part of the book would have been different but parts 2 and 3 could have made a greater impact with Pi whole-heartedly accepting one faith.

Yann Martel is a great writer. I would say that he set out to write an amazing book. His premise is interesting. The tiger and young man stranded in the ocean premise, not so much the "make you believe in God" part. Martel is an apparently detail obsessed writer. He clearly hopes to create a realistic picture and very often succeeds. It is through his research and desire to establish credability that Martel excels. His characterization is okay. Pi seems like a guy who you couldn't nor would you want to say anything cruel about while at the same time, he's not someone I'd want to hang out with. His journey at sea is remarkable and he shows a will to survive, yet I still would say that he is a little pitiful otherwise.

Part 3 makes this book worth reading for the sake of discussion. This novel would be a great book for high school students because there would be a lot of class discussion. It is a book that has created a bit of a buzz and will probably remain a fixture for some time to follow.

]]> Notes from Underground 586666
“I am a sick man . . . I am a spiteful man,� the irascible voice of a nameless narrator cries out. And so, from underground, emerge the passionate confessions of a suffering man; the brutal self-examination of a tormented soul; the bristling scorn and iconoclasm of alienated individual who has become one of the greatest antiheroes in all literature. Notes From Underground , published in 1864, marks a tuming point in Dostoevsky's it announces the moral political, and social ideas he will treat on a monumental scale in Crime And Punishment , The Idiot , and The Brothers Karamazov . And it remains to this day one of the most searingly honest and universal testaments to human despair ever penned.]]> 158 Fyodor Dostoevsky 0553211447 John 5 4.06 1864 Notes from Underground
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: John
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1864
rating: 5
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date added: 2015/04/05
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]]> The Gods Themselves 724667
Only a few know the terrifying truth--an outcast Earth scientist, a rebellious alien inhabitant of a dying planet, a lunar-born human intuitionist who senses the imminent annihilation of the Sun.ĚýĚýThey know the truth--but who will listen?ĚýĚýThey have foreseen the cost of abundant energy--but who will believe?ĚýĚýThese few beings, human and alien, hold the key to the Earth's survival.]]> 293 Isaac Asimov 0553288105 John 0 currently-reading 3.91 1972 The Gods Themselves
author: Isaac Asimov
name: John
average rating: 3.91
book published: 1972
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/06/17
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Teach Yourself Hinduism 2806062 224 W. Owen Cole 0340859679 John 3 3.38 1995 Teach Yourself Hinduism
author: W. Owen Cole
name: John
average rating: 3.38
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2014/05/29
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review:

]]> Crime and Punishment 3931170 472 Fyodor Dostoevsky John 5 4.12 1866 Crime and Punishment
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: John
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1866
rating: 5
read at: 2008/11/25
date added: 2013/01/05
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Things Fall Apart and Related Readings (Literature Connections)]]> 12777 The choice: traditional or alien culture?
novel by Chinua Achebe
The Second Coming
A vision of society's breakdown
poem by William Butler Yeats
Genesis 22: 1-19
The Sacrifice of Isaac Father, son, and God's will
the Bible
Mother Was a Great Man
The story of a strong Ibo woman
short story by Catherine
Obianuju Acholonu
Prayer to Masks
A promise of the masked spirits
poem by Leopold Sedar Senghor
Shooting an Elephant
The dirty work of empires
essay by George Orwell
The Significance of a Veteran's Day
How to survive "progress"
poem by Simon Ortiz
Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog
An officer and his loving daughter
short story by Stephanie Vaughn
Exiles
Where can you go when you must go away?
poem by Mark Strand]]> 222 Chinua Achebe John 4 3.48 Things Fall Apart and Related Readings (Literature Connections)
author: Chinua Achebe
name: John
average rating: 3.48
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2008/11/28
date added: 2011/05/20
shelves:
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]]> Rich Dad, Poor Dad 7362909 Rich Dad, Poor Dad is Robert's story of growing up with two dads � his real father and the father of his best friend, his rich dad � and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing. The book explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.]]> 288 Robert T. Kiyosaki 044656740X John 4 3.71 1997 Rich Dad, Poor Dad
author: Robert T. Kiyosaki
name: John
average rating: 3.71
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2010/11/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness]]> 6764013 259 Dave Ramsey 159555078X John 3 4.31 1994 The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
author: Dave Ramsey
name: John
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1994
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2010/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> The Magic of Thinking Big 1098828 David J. Schwartz 0879800925 John 4 4.00 1959 The Magic of Thinking Big
author: David J. Schwartz
name: John
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1959
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2010/05/13
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]]> The Phantom Tollbooth 378 Librarian's Note: For an alternate cover edition of the same ISBN, click here.

This beloved story -first published more than fifty years ago- introduces readers to Milo and his adventures in the Lands Beyond.

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason! Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams. . . .]]> 248 Norton Juster 0394820371 John 0 to-read 4.19 1961 The Phantom Tollbooth
author: Norton Juster
name: John
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1961
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2009/03/09
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream]]> 1577513 Ěý
“In our lowdown, dispiriting era, Obama’s talent for proposing humane, sensible solutions with uplifting, elegant prose does fill one with hope.”—Michael Kazin,Ěý The Washington Post
Ěý
In July 2004,Ěýfour years before his presidency,ĚýBarack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listenersâ€� minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Obama called “the audacity of hope.â€�

The Audacity of Hope Ěýis Barack Obama’s call for a different brand of politics—a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship Ěý and alienated by the “endless clash of armiesâ€� we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.â€� He explores those forces—from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media—that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.

At the heart of this book is Barack Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families, the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and the transnational threats—from terrorism to pandemic—that gather beyond our shores. And he grapples with the role that faith plays in a democracy—where it is vital and where it must never intrude. Underlying his storiesĚýis a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.

Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution,ĚýObamaĚýsays, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. Those Americans are out there, he writes—“waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them.”]]> 362 0307237702 John 0 to-read 3.94 2006 The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
author: [Then] President-Ele Barack Obama
name: John
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2009/03/09
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence]]> 239401 364 Robin Karr-Morse 0871137348 John 0 to-read 4.09 1997 Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence
author: Robin Karr-Morse
name: John
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2009/01/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Candide 504791
One of the finest satires ever written, Voltaire’s Candide savagely skewers this very “optimistic� approach to life as a shamefully inadequate response to human suffering. The swift and lively tale follows the absurdly melodramatic adventures of the youthful Candide, who is forced into the army, flogged, shipwrecked, betrayed, robbed, separated from his beloved Cunégonde, and tortured by the Inquisition. As Candide experiences and witnesses calamity upon calamity, he begins to discover that all is not always for the best.

Filled with wit, intelligence, and an abundance of dark humor, Candide is unsparing in its attacks upon corruption and hypocrisy—in religion, government, philosophy, science, and even romance. Ultimately, this celebrated work says that it is possible to challenge blind optimism without losing the will to live and pursue a happy life.

Barnes & Noble Classics offers readers quality editions of enduring works at affordable prices. Each edition presents new scholarship with commentaries, viewpoints, chronologies, notes, and discussion questions.]]> 146 Voltaire 159308028X John 0 to-read 3.72 1759 Candide
author: Voltaire
name: John
average rating: 3.72
book published: 1759
rating: 0
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date added: 2009/01/13
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao]]> 5664311 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao opens our eyes to an astonishing vision of the contemporary American experience and explores the endless human capacity to persevere—and risk it all—in the name of love.]]> 354 Junot Díaz 110114730X John 0 to-read 3.96 2007 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
author: Junot DĂ­az
name: John
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2009/01/13
shelves: to-read
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]]> Unlucky Lucky Days 2556204 Unlucky Lucky Days might well be termed Dr. Seuss for adults. They call to mind Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories as readily as they do Italo Calvino's Cosmicomics, Rikki Ducornet's Butcher's Tales and Woody Allen's most literary writings. Braced on the shoulders of the fabulists, fantasists, absurdists, surrealists and satirists who came before him, Daniel Grandbois dredges up impossible meanings from the mineral and plant kingdoms, as well as the animal, and serves them to us as if they were nothing more fantastic than a plate of eggs and ham.

Daniel Grandbois� other book, The Hermaphrodite (An Hallucinated Memoir), with forty original woodcuts by Argentine printmaker Alfredo Benavidez Bedoya, is forthcoming from Green Integer in fall 2008. Grandbois' writing has appeared in Conjunctions, Fiction, Boulevard, Sentence, Del Sol Review, and the anthologies Freak Lightning and Online Writing: The Best of the First Ten Years, among many others. Also a musician, Daniel plays or has played in three of the pioneering bands of “The Denver Sound:� Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Tarantella, and Munly.

ABA Indie Next Book (2000)]]> 128 Daniel Grandbois 1934414107 John 2 3.80 2008 Unlucky Lucky Days
author: Daniel Grandbois
name: John
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2008
rating: 2
read at: 2008/12/01
date added: 2008/12/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Power of One (The Power of One, #1)]]> 122 544 Bryce Courtenay 034541005X John 0 to-read 4.35 1989 The Power of One (The Power of One, #1)
author: Bryce Courtenay
name: John
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2008/11/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal]]> 28881 Philadelphia Inquirer).

Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Savior's pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But there's no one who loves Josh more—except maybe "Maggie," Mary of Magdala—and Biff isn't about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight.]]> 444 Christopher Moore 0380813815 John 0 to-read 4.23 2002 Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal
author: Christopher Moore
name: John
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2008/11/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea]]> 335397 Two Years Before the Mast is a book by the American author Richard Henry Dana, Jr. written after a two-year sea voyage starting in 1834.

While at Harvard College, Dana had an attack of the measles, which affected his vision. Thinking it might help his sight, Dana, rather than going on a Grand Tour as most of his fellow classmates traditionally did (and unable to afford it anyway) and being something of a non-conformist, left Harvard to enlist as a common sailor on a voyage around Cape Horn on the brig Pilgrim. He returned to Massachusetts two years later aboard the Alert (which left California sooner than the Pilgrim).

He kept a diary throughout the voyage, and after returning he wrote a recognized American classic, Two Years Before the Mast, published in 1840, the same year of his admission to the bar.]]> 292 Richard Henry Dana Jr. 1402179626 John 0 to-read 3.99 1840 Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea
author: Richard Henry Dana Jr.
name: John
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1840
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2008/11/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives]]> 2272880
By showing us the true nature of chance and revealing the psychological illusions that cause us to misjudge the world around us, Mlodinow gives us the tools we need to make more informed decisions. From the classroom to the courtroom and from financial markets to supermarkets, Mlodinow's intriguing and illuminating look at how randomness, chance, and probability affect our daily lives will intrigue, awe, and inspire.]]> 252 Leonard Mlodinow 0375424040 John 0 to-read 3.93 2008 The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives
author: Leonard Mlodinow
name: John
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2008/11/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The God Delusion 747213 463 Richard Dawkins 0618918248 John 2 4.04 2006 The God Delusion
author: Richard Dawkins
name: John
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2006
rating: 2
read at: 2008/11/20
date added: 2008/11/20
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Historian's Craft: Reflections on the Nature and Uses of History and the Techniques and Methods of Those Who Write It.]]> 9051
While the topics of historiography and historical methodology have become increasingly popular, Bloch remains an authority. He argues that history is a whole; no period and no topic can be understood except in relation to other periods and topics. And what is unique about Bloch is that he puts his theories into practice; for example, calling upon both his experience serving in WWI as well as his many years spent in peaceful study and reflection. He also argues that written records are not enough; a historian must draw upon maps, place-names, ancient tools, aerial surveys, folklore, and everything that is available.

This is a work that argues constantly for a wider, more human history. For a history that describes how and why people live and work together. There is a living, breathing connection between the past and the present and it is the historian’s responsibility to do it justice.]]> 197 Marc Bloch 0394705122 John 0 to-read 4.05 1949 The Historian's Craft: Reflections on the Nature and Uses of History and the Techniques and Methods of Those Who Write It.
author: Marc Bloch
name: John
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1949
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2008/11/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions]]> 3044155
When it comes to making decisions in our lives, we think we're in control. We think we're making smart, rational choices. But are we?

In a series of illuminating, often surprising experiments, MIT behavioral economist Dan Ariely refutes the common assumption that we behave in fundamentally rational ways. Blending everyday experience with groundbreaking research, Ariely explains how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities. Not only do we make astonishingly simple mistakes every day, but we make the same types of mistakes, Ariely discovers. We consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. We fail to understand the profound effects of our emotions on what we want, and we overvalue what we already own. Yet these misguided behaviors are neither random nor senseless. They're systematic and predictable — making us predictably irrational.

From drinking coffee to losing weight, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, Ariely explains how to break through these systematic patterns of thought to make better decisions. Predictably Irrational will change the way we interact with the world — one small decision at a time.]]> 280 Dan Ariely 0007263589 John 0 to-read 3.89 2008 Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
author: Dan Ariely
name: John
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2008/10/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest]]> 22626
From Socrates to Sartre presents a rousing and readable introduction to the lives, and times of the great philosophers. This thought-provoking book takes us from the inception of Western society in Plato’s Athens to today when the commanding power of Marxism has captured one third of the world. T. Z. Lavine, Elton Professor of Philosophy at George Washington University, makes philosophy come alive with astonishing clarity to give us a deeper, more meaningful understanding of ourselves and our times.

From Socrates to Sartre discusses Western philosophers in terms of the historical and intellectual environment which influenced them, and it connects their lasting ideas to the public and private choices we face in America today.

From Socrates to Sartre formed the basis of from the PBS television series of the same name.]]> 426 T.Z. Lavine 0553251619 John 3 It was very readable and filled with information and clarity. The primary philosophers addressed here are Plato, Descartes, Hume, Hegel, Marx and Sartre. However the contemporaries of those just mentioned are presented with great detail as well.

It is a book that should be read in high school. My opinion is that philosophy should be mandatory cirriculum to Juniors and/or Seniors, but I digress, this book certainly educated me on the pervading waves of thought throughout (Western) history.

]]> 3.98 1984 From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest
author: T.Z. Lavine
name: John
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1984
rating: 3
read at: 2002/01/01
date added: 2008/10/29
shelves:
review:
A great reference for beginners in philosophic inquiry.
It was very readable and filled with information and clarity. The primary philosophers addressed here are Plato, Descartes, Hume, Hegel, Marx and Sartre. However the contemporaries of those just mentioned are presented with great detail as well.

It is a book that should be read in high school. My opinion is that philosophy should be mandatory cirriculum to Juniors and/or Seniors, but I digress, this book certainly educated me on the pervading waves of thought throughout (Western) history.


]]> A Clockwork Orange 227463 A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil, and the meaning of human freedom. And when the state undertakes to reform Alex to "redeem" him, the novel asks, "At what cost?"

This edition includes the controversial last chapter not published in the first edition and Burgess's introduction "A Clockwork Orange Resucked."]]> 192 Anthony Burgess John 4
This book is special and differs from the motion picture with the addition of the final chapter which was not included in the film version.

A classic anti-hero tale, one of which the reader actively participates. The narrartion is not an appeal for redemption or justification; rather it is like a friend sharing his experiences.

Some will not appreciate the slang, but those who have began to read it and are questioning whether or not they'll understand the slang, rest assured it remains very consistent throughout the book thus you should be able to make sense of it all.

Overall, a very fun book to read, albeit one with gruesome undertones and violence throughout.


]]> 3.98 1962 A Clockwork Orange
author: Anthony Burgess
name: John
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1962
rating: 4
read at: 2008/08/01
date added: 2008/10/29
shelves:
review:
A very fun read. One worth reading with someone else. You may find yourself speaking the same way as Alex.

This book is special and differs from the motion picture with the addition of the final chapter which was not included in the film version.

A classic anti-hero tale, one of which the reader actively participates. The narrartion is not an appeal for redemption or justification; rather it is like a friend sharing his experiences.

Some will not appreciate the slang, but those who have began to read it and are questioning whether or not they'll understand the slang, rest assured it remains very consistent throughout the book thus you should be able to make sense of it all.

Overall, a very fun book to read, albeit one with gruesome undertones and violence throughout.



]]> The Infinity Gauntlet 398916 256 Jim Starlin 0785123490 John 4 4.09 1991 The Infinity Gauntlet
author: Jim Starlin
name: John
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1991
rating: 4
read at: 2008/10/29
date added: 2008/10/29
shelves:
review:

]]> The Stranger 49552 The Stranger has long been considered a classic of twentieth-century literature. Le Monde ranks it as number one on its "100 Books of the Century" list. Through this story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on a sundrenched Algerian beach, Camus explores what he termed "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd."]]> 123 Albert Camus John 4 4.04 1942 The Stranger
author: Albert Camus
name: John
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1942
rating: 4
read at: 2008/10/28
date added: 2008/10/28
shelves:
review:

]]> Death: A Life 3845819 The shocking new memoir from Death--this long-awaited autobiography finally reveals the inner story of one of the most troubling, and troubled, figures in history

At last, the mysterious, feared, and misunderstood being known only as "Death" talks frankly and unforgettably about his infinitely awful existence, chronicling his abusive childhood, his near-fatal addiction to Life, his excruciating time in rehab, and the ultimate triumph of his true nature. For the first time, Death reveals his affairs with the living, his maltreatment at the hands of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the ungodly truth behind the infamous "Jesus Incident," and the loneliness of being the End of All Things.

Intense, unpredictable, and instantly engaging, Death: A Life is not only a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a universe that, despite its profound flaws, gave Death the fiery determination to carve out a successful existence on his own terms.]]> 250 George Pendle 030739560X John 3
This book is absurd and clever. Very dry, very British (I'm putting that in my review).

This book would be great in animated episodic form. Pun after pun and it is at times, fairly charming. It would be great to see.

Certainly not for everyone, but those with a dry sense of humor and/or a liking for dark humor will absolutely enjoy this.

I rather enjoyed this one.
]]> 3.76 2008 Death: A Life
author: George Pendle
name: John
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2008/10/01
date added: 2008/10/23
shelves:
review:
3 and 1/2 stars.

This book is absurd and clever. Very dry, very British (I'm putting that in my review).

This book would be great in animated episodic form. Pun after pun and it is at times, fairly charming. It would be great to see.

Certainly not for everyone, but those with a dry sense of humor and/or a liking for dark humor will absolutely enjoy this.

I rather enjoyed this one.

]]> <![CDATA[Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One]]> 137463 FUNK: It's the only musical genre ever to have transformed the nation into a throbbing army of bell-bottomed, hoop-earringed, rainbow-Afro'd warriors on the dance floor. Its rhythms and lyrics turned bleak urban realties inside out with distinctive, danceable, downright irresistable music.

Funk hasn't received the critical attention that rock, jazz, and the blues have-until now. Colorful, intelligent, and in-you-face, Rickey Vincent's Funk celebrates the songs, the musicians, the philosophy, and the meaning of funk. The book spans from the early work of James Brown (the Godfather of Funk) through today, covering funky soul (Stevie Wonder, the Temptations), so-called "black rock" (Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, the Isely Brothers), jazz-funk (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock), monster funk (Parliament, Funkadelic, Bootsy's Rubber Band), naked funk (Rick James, Gap Band), disco-funk (Chic, K.C. and the Sunshine Band), funky pop (Kool & the Gang, Chaka Khan), P-Funk Hip Hop (Digital Underground, De La Soul), funk-sampling rap (Ice Cube, Dr. Dre), funk rock (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus), and more.

Funk tells a vital, vibrant history-the history of a uniquely American music born out of tradition and community, filled with energy, attitude, anger, hope, and an irrepressible spirit.

]]> 375 Rickey Vincent 0312134991 John 3 the history of FUNK by examining the music, the people and the social/cultural impact. Indeed, much research went into the construction of this book, but one cannot dismiss the fact that this book was written by a fanatic of the Funk. At times the book is afrocentric and self-indulgent, however Vincent has a sincere adoration for the genre and has given the world a necessary reference. Funk is undefinable in how it effects the soul, still credit is due to the spirit and execution of this artform/way of life.

***

PS Rickey Vincent goes in depth on behalf of the whole P Funk phenomena and its influence upon all sentient life. Only Johnny Terry's review on Debbie Reynolds could come close to what Vincent offers George Clinton & company in terms of appreciation and honesty.]]> 4.04 1996 Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One
author: Rickey Vincent
name: John
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1996
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2008/10/17
shelves:
review:
The Funk stretches beyond words and Rickey Vincent would be the first to admit this. This book gives a/the history of FUNK by examining the music, the people and the social/cultural impact. Indeed, much research went into the construction of this book, but one cannot dismiss the fact that this book was written by a fanatic of the Funk. At times the book is afrocentric and self-indulgent, however Vincent has a sincere adoration for the genre and has given the world a necessary reference. Funk is undefinable in how it effects the soul, still credit is due to the spirit and execution of this artform/way of life.

***

PS Rickey Vincent goes in depth on behalf of the whole P Funk phenomena and its influence upon all sentient life. Only Johnny Terry's review on Debbie Reynolds could come close to what Vincent offers George Clinton & company in terms of appreciation and honesty.
]]> The Dharma Bums 412732 On the Road put the Beat Generation on the map, The Dharma Bums is sparked by Kerouac's expansiveness, humor, and a contagious zest for life.]]> 244 Jack Kerouac John 4 3.94 1958 The Dharma Bums
author: Jack Kerouac
name: John
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1958
rating: 4
read at: 2008/10/14
date added: 2008/10/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking]]> 40102 The Tipping Point a classic, Blink changes the way you'll understand every decision you make. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.

Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work - in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

In Blink we meet the psychologist who has learned to predict whether a marriage will last, based on a few minutes of observing a couple; the tennis coach who knows when a player will double-fault before the racket even makes contact with the ball; the antiquities experts who recognize a fake at a glance. Here, too, are great failures of "blink": the election of Warren Harding; "New Coke"; and the shooting of Amadou Diallo by police. Blink reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of "thin-slicing" - filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.]]> 296 Malcolm Gladwell 0316010669 John 4
I enjoyed this book. Malcolm Gladwell is a talented observer. He successfully conveys his observations in a very readable fashion. This book will make you think about the power of thinking without thinking.

To those unfamiliar with the book's premise, it's basically about snap decisions. The reader gets a taste of first impressions in a varity of ways; fraudulent statues to married couples to racial profiling to cola taste-testing to the recording industry etc. etc.

It was a quick read, one that Johnnie Terry could zip through in a mere few hours. It will trigger conversation and works very well for a reading group.

I must admit that the book does leave the reader with a "Okay, so what's the point?" vibe. That's fair enough. Read this and you'll ask yourself questions and consider your first impulses, you wont necessarily find the answers in the text, but rather in your actions.

]]> 3.97 2005 Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
author: Malcolm Gladwell
name: John
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2008/08/01
date added: 2008/10/13
shelves:
review:
I rate this book 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.

I enjoyed this book. Malcolm Gladwell is a talented observer. He successfully conveys his observations in a very readable fashion. This book will make you think about the power of thinking without thinking.

To those unfamiliar with the book's premise, it's basically about snap decisions. The reader gets a taste of first impressions in a varity of ways; fraudulent statues to married couples to racial profiling to cola taste-testing to the recording industry etc. etc.

It was a quick read, one that Johnnie Terry could zip through in a mere few hours. It will trigger conversation and works very well for a reading group.

I must admit that the book does leave the reader with a "Okay, so what's the point?" vibe. That's fair enough. Read this and you'll ask yourself questions and consider your first impulses, you wont necessarily find the answers in the text, but rather in your actions.


]]> <![CDATA[East of the Sun and West of the Moon]]> 633668 48 Mercer Mayer 0689711131 John 0 to-read 4.38 1980 East of the Sun and West of the Moon
author: Mercer Mayer
name: John
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1980
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2008/10/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The New Man 173360 264 Thomas Merton 0374514445 John 3 4.25 1961 The New Man
author: Thomas Merton
name: John
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1961
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2008/10/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Godfather (The Godfather, #1)]]> 22034
Almost fifty years ago, a classic was born. A searing portrayal of the Mafia underworld, The Godfather introduced readers to the first family of American crime fiction, the Corleones, and their powerful legacy of tradition, blood, and honor. The seduction of power, the pitfalls of greed, and the allegiance to family—these are the themes that have resonated with millions of readers around the world and made The Godfather the definitive novel of the violent subculture that, steeped in intrigue and controversy, remains indelibly etched in our collective consciousness.]]> 448 Mario Puzo John 5
The Godfather is no doubt an epic. The story is brilliant in it's pace and is highly readable. Themes of family, honor, violent justification, corruption and a sprawl of others make up the patch work of this masterful novel. Budding Las Vegas, Hollywood Moguls, the New World Order of organized crime pitted against the old traditional way seam the fabric of redemption together. This blanket of genre was crafted with respect for the reader by Mario Puzo, spawning a phenomenon which American pop culture cannot now, do without.
Whether or not you've seen the movies (you haven't seen the movies?) you ought to read this book.

"Life is so Beautiful."]]> 4.39 1969 The Godfather (The Godfather, #1)
author: Mario Puzo
name: John
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1969
rating: 5
read at: 2008/09/01
date added: 2008/10/04
shelves:
review:
I highly recommend this book.

The Godfather is no doubt an epic. The story is brilliant in it's pace and is highly readable. Themes of family, honor, violent justification, corruption and a sprawl of others make up the patch work of this masterful novel. Budding Las Vegas, Hollywood Moguls, the New World Order of organized crime pitted against the old traditional way seam the fabric of redemption together. This blanket of genre was crafted with respect for the reader by Mario Puzo, spawning a phenomenon which American pop culture cannot now, do without.
Whether or not you've seen the movies (you haven't seen the movies?) you ought to read this book.

"Life is so Beautiful."
]]> The Giving Tree 370493
So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.

Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.

This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.]]> 64 Shel Silverstein 0060256656 John 3 4.38 1964 The Giving Tree
author: Shel Silverstein
name: John
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1964
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2008/10/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities]]> 54944 The essential guide for singles and couples who want to explore polyamory in ways that are ethically and emotionally sustainable.

For anyone who has ever dreamed of love, sex, and companionship beyond the limits of traditional monogamy, this groundbreaking guide navigates the infinite possibilities that open relationships can offer. Experienced ethical sluts Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy dispel myths and cover all the skills necessary to maintain a successful and responsible polyamorous lifestyle--from self-reflection and honest communication to practicing safe sex and raising a family. Individuals and their partners will learn how to discuss and honor boundaries, resolve conflicts, and to define relationships on their own terms.

"I couldn't stop reading it, and I for one identify as an ethical slut. This is a book for anyone interested in creating more pleasure in their lives . . . a complete guide to improving any style of relating, from going steady to having an extended family of sexual friends." --Betty Dodson, PhD, author of Sex for One]]> 280 Dossie Easton 1890159018 John 0 to-read 3.88 1997 The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities
author: Dossie Easton
name: John
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts]]> 2860582 292 Carol Tavris 0156033909 John 3
Cognitive dissonance is something this book explores with clarity and substance. The authors Tavris and Aronson do not just paint a picture of what is...they delve into the causes and the causes of the causes.

The subject of justification is illustrated upon many canvases; from marriage to therapy to war and my favorite part of the book, the law.

This is a book worth reading if you're interested in psychology or wonder why the same mistakes are made so often. It'd made a great (if sarcasm is your aim) gift for someone who seems to make excuses all the time.]]> 4.22 2007 Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts
author: Carol Tavris
name: John
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2008/08/01
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves:
review:
This book did encourage me to accept my faults instead of diverting them with excuses. That was worth the reading.

Cognitive dissonance is something this book explores with clarity and substance. The authors Tavris and Aronson do not just paint a picture of what is...they delve into the causes and the causes of the causes.

The subject of justification is illustrated upon many canvases; from marriage to therapy to war and my favorite part of the book, the law.

This is a book worth reading if you're interested in psychology or wonder why the same mistakes are made so often. It'd made a great (if sarcasm is your aim) gift for someone who seems to make excuses all the time.
]]> Brain Droppings 55352 Brain Droppings. Filled with thoughts, musings, questions, lists, beliefs, curiousities, monologues, assertions, assumptions, and other verbal ordeals, Brain Droppings is infectiously funny. Also included are two timeless bonus items from the past, "A Place for Your Stuff" and "Baseball-Football." Readers will get an inside look into Carlin's mind, and they won't be disappointed by what they find: I buy stamps by mail. It works OK until I run out of stamps. What year did Jesus Christ think it was? A tree: first you chop it down, then you chop it up. Have you ever noticed the lawyer is always smiling more than the client? I put a dollar in one of those change machines. Nothing changed. If you ever have chicken at lunch and chicken at dinner, do you ever wonder if the two chickens knew each other?]]> 272 George Carlin 0786891122 John 3 4.08 1997 Brain Droppings
author: George Carlin
name: John
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[David Bowie: We Could Be Heroes: The Stories Behind Every David Bowie Song (Stories Behind Every Song)]]> 94983 208 Chris Welch 156025209X John 3 3.50 1999 David Bowie: We Could Be Heroes: The Stories Behind Every David Bowie Song (Stories Behind Every Song)
author: Chris Welch
name: John
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1999
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How to Become Ceo By Fox Jeffrey J]]> 162818 192 Jeffrey J. Fox 0786864370 John 3 3.84 1998 How to Become Ceo By Fox Jeffrey J
author: Jeffrey J. Fox
name: John
average rating: 3.84
book published: 1998
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> Animal Farm 170448 Librarian's note: There is an Alternate Cover Edition for this edition of this book here.

A farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With flaming idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality. Thus the stage is set for one of the most telling satiric fables ever penned –a razor-edged fairy tale for grown-ups that records the evolution from revolution against tyranny to a totalitarianism just as terrible.
When Animal Farm was first published, Stalinist Russia was seen as its target. Today it is devastatingly clear that wherever and whenever freedom is attacked, under whatever banner, the cutting clarity and savage comedy of George Orwell’s masterpiece have a meaning and message still ferociously fresh.]]> 141 George Orwell 0451526341 John 4 4.07 1945 Animal Farm
author: George Orwell
name: John
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1945
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> Think and Grow Rich 815412 233 Napoleon Hill 0449214923 John 4 3.99 1937 Think and Grow Rich
author: Napoleon Hill
name: John
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1937
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Astrologically Incorrect: Unlock the Secrets of the Signs to Get What You Want When You Want!]]> 464831 224 Terry Marlowe 1580628435 John 1 3.92 2003 Astrologically Incorrect: Unlock the Secrets of the Signs to Get What You Want When You Want!
author: Terry Marlowe
name: John
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2003
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves:
review:
Don't waste your time with this one. There are a ton of books better.
]]> <![CDATA[Socrates, Buddha, Confucius, Jesus (The Great Philosophers, Vol 1)]]> 51492 ]]> 120 Karl Jaspers 0156835800 John 3 3.64 1957 Socrates, Buddha, Confucius, Jesus (The Great Philosophers, Vol 1)
author: Karl Jaspers
name: John
average rating: 3.64
book published: 1957
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2008/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> The New Chinese Astrology 121015 592 Suzanne White 0312151799 John 3 about or on, rather) for the subject may serve as a reference for folks whom find pleasure in examining general personality traits and romantics whom crave the nectar of individualist symbolism. I have never been interested enough to read an astrology book cover to cover; Suzanne White's The New Chinese Astrology is no exception. I simply refer to it on isolated terms for specific study that I feel may reveal subjective insight.

There are twelve chinese signs which correlate a twelve year span. This book does not state that 2008 is the year of the rat without including the actual span that comprises this rat year, 7 Feb 2008-25 Jan 2009. I appreciate that sort of information. Five elements; Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water represent the years ending with 4,5 - 6,7 - 8,9 - 0,1 respectfully. That is to say today (28 Sept 2008) we are around the mid-point of the Year of the Earth Rat. The book, with chapters describes the twelve signs (Rat - Ox - Tiger - Cat - Dragon - Snake - Horse - Goat - Monkey - Rooster - Dog - Pig). An author dedication introduces each sign, a letter if you will. A brief overview on each signs "best" color, flower, fragrance etc. follows. A general survey on each sign for about ten pages precedes a few pages first on the female with the sign then the male. Then there is a synopsis on the how the elements influence the sign. This part is neat because these occur once every sixty years. The next Earth Rat year is 2068. It's a fresh alternative to western astrology which, most equate to the shifting of 30 some-odd days. Practically all of the the mentioned parts are peppered with Suzanne White's experiences with folks born in each fashion while often sharing the beliefs of the east and how the sign impacts their lives. Finally each sign's section ends with a look at it's health recommendations, then a twelve year horoscope (1997-2008, the book was published in 1996). The last two parts focus on the relations between the signs (my favorite section) and a chart that begins with 1516 and ends 1924; 1925-2031 are available in the front of the book.

Again, it is a reference for pseudo-self awareness and is a fun book to look through with a group.]]> 3.87 1993 The New Chinese Astrology
author: Suzanne White
name: John
average rating: 3.87
book published: 1993
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2008/09/28
shelves:
review:
To my way of thinking, astrology is anecdotal. My interest in examining the affects of various star alignments is purely an act of egotism. Nonetheless, books written (not about or on, rather) for the subject may serve as a reference for folks whom find pleasure in examining general personality traits and romantics whom crave the nectar of individualist symbolism. I have never been interested enough to read an astrology book cover to cover; Suzanne White's The New Chinese Astrology is no exception. I simply refer to it on isolated terms for specific study that I feel may reveal subjective insight.

There are twelve chinese signs which correlate a twelve year span. This book does not state that 2008 is the year of the rat without including the actual span that comprises this rat year, 7 Feb 2008-25 Jan 2009. I appreciate that sort of information. Five elements; Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water represent the years ending with 4,5 - 6,7 - 8,9 - 0,1 respectfully. That is to say today (28 Sept 2008) we are around the mid-point of the Year of the Earth Rat. The book, with chapters describes the twelve signs (Rat - Ox - Tiger - Cat - Dragon - Snake - Horse - Goat - Monkey - Rooster - Dog - Pig). An author dedication introduces each sign, a letter if you will. A brief overview on each signs "best" color, flower, fragrance etc. follows. A general survey on each sign for about ten pages precedes a few pages first on the female with the sign then the male. Then there is a synopsis on the how the elements influence the sign. This part is neat because these occur once every sixty years. The next Earth Rat year is 2068. It's a fresh alternative to western astrology which, most equate to the shifting of 30 some-odd days. Practically all of the the mentioned parts are peppered with Suzanne White's experiences with folks born in each fashion while often sharing the beliefs of the east and how the sign impacts their lives. Finally each sign's section ends with a look at it's health recommendations, then a twelve year horoscope (1997-2008, the book was published in 1996). The last two parts focus on the relations between the signs (my favorite section) and a chart that begins with 1516 and ends 1924; 1925-2031 are available in the front of the book.

Again, it is a reference for pseudo-self awareness and is a fun book to look through with a group.
]]> Finding of the Third Eye 255777 186 Vera Stanley Alder 0877280568 John 5 4.22 1968 Finding of the Third Eye
author: Vera Stanley Alder
name: John
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1968
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2008/09/27
shelves:
review:

]]> Narcissus and Goldmund 4196 Narcissus & Goldmund tells of a young man, Goldmund, who wanders throughout Medieval Germany upon leaving Catholic monastery school in search of the meaning of life &, thus, meaning for his life. Narcissus, a gifted young teacher at the cloister school, befriends him, as they are only a few years apart & Goldmund is very bright. Goldmund admires Narcissus, & Narcissus has much fondness for him in return. After straying too far in the fields one day on an errand gathering herbs, Goldmund comes across a beautiful woman, who kisses him & invites him to make love. This encounter is an epiphany. He realizes he was never meant to be a monk. He's filled with the desire to experience everything, learn about life & nature in his own hands-on way. With Narcissus' support, he leaves the monastery & wanders around the countryside, setting the scene for a story contrasting the artist with the thinker. It spans many years, detailing specific incidents where Goldmund learns important things. He often muses on these experiences & the ways of life.
The influence of Nietzsche's theory of the Apollonian versus Dionysian spirit is evident. The polarization of Narcissus's individualist Apollonian character is contrasted to the passionately zealous disposition of Goldmund. In the spirit of The Birth of Tragedy, Hesse completes the equation by creating Goldmund as an Apollonian artist, highlighting the harmonizing relationship of the main characters.
Goldmund develops into a completely rounded character as he comes to embody both Apollonian & Dionysian elements, thus capturing Nietzsche's conception of the ideal tragedy. He embodies the entire spectrum of experience, lusting for the gruesome ecstasy of the Dionysian world yet capturing & representing it thru artistic creativity.
Like most of Hesse's works, the main themes are the struggle between human being & nature & the union of polar opposites. Goldmund represents art & nature, the feminine mind, while Narcissus represents science, logic, god & the masculine mind. These feminine & masculine qualities are drawn from Jungian archetypal theory, & are reminiscent of some of his earlier works, especially Demian. Throughout the novel, Goldmund increasingly becomes aware of memories of his own mother, which ultimately results in his desire to return to the Urmutter.]]> 312 Hermann Hesse 0553058681 John 5 4.09 1930 Narcissus and Goldmund
author: Hermann Hesse
name: John
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1930
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2008/09/27
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review:

]]> The Road 350540 The searing, post-apocalyptic novel about a father and son’s fight to survive.

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, “each the other’s world entire,� are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.]]> 287 Cormac McCarthy 0307387895 John 5 3.99 2006 The Road
author: Cormac McCarthy
name: John
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2008/09/27
shelves:
review:

]]> Watchmen 781206 Watchmen? Possibly only Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns but Watchmen remains the critics' favourite. Why? Because Moore is a better writer, and Watchmen a more complex and dark and literate creation than Miller's fantastic, subversive take on the Batman myth. Moore, renowned for many other of the genre's finest creations (Saga of the Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, and recently From Hell, with Eddie Campbell) first put out Watchmen in 12 issues for DC in 1986-87. It won a comic award at the time (the 1987 Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards for Best Writer/Artist combination) and has continued to garner praise since.The story concerns a group called the Crimebusters and a plot to kill and discredit them. Moore's characterisation is as sophisticated as any novel's. Importantly the costumes do not get in the way of the storytelling, rather they allow Moore to investigate issues of power and control--indeed it was Watchmen, and to a lesser extent Dark Knight, that propelled the comic genre forward, making "adult" comics a reality. The artwork of Gibbons (best known for 2000AD's Rogue Trooper and DC's Green Lantern) is very fine too, echoing Moore's paranoid mood perfectly throughout. Packed with symbolism, some of the overlying themes (arms control, nuclear threat, vigilantes) have dated but the intelligent social and political commentary, the structure of the story itself, its intertextuality (chapters appended with excerpts from other "works" and "studies" on Moore's characters, or with excerpts from another comic book being read by a child within the story), the fine pace of the writing and its humanity mean that Watchmen more than stands up--it retains its crown as the best the genre has yet produced. --Mark Thwaite]]> 424 Alan Moore John 4 4.35 1987 Watchmen
author: Alan Moore
name: John
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1987
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2008/09/27
shelves:
review:

]]>