One More Thing: Stories & Other Stories

One More Thing: Stories & Other Stories
by B.J. Novak, 276 pages

I'm not typically a reader of short stories, though if intriguing enough, I will. The author is from "The Office" but I've only watched a handful of  episodes, so that wasn't enough of a draw. This book got great reviews, though and it's been circulating well since we received it, so I decided I'd give it a go. I started out listening to this on audio, because it was another lovely humor writer reading his own work, and this one also has guest readers, such as Mindy Kaling and Lena Dunham. Unfortunately, my checkout expired before I got through it and someone else was waiting, so I had to let it go. I finished it up reading the actual book, but I still plan to go back and listen to the portion I didn't finish. This book was that good.
The stories in this are not typical short stories. They are also not anecdotal ones, such as the likes of Augusten Burroughs or David Sedaris. This is just Novak showing us a bit of his warped sense of humor, short story style. Some are just a line or two. I don't think any were more than 20 pages.
This book was laugh out loud funny, you get to know Mr. Novak a little, as some stories were clearly based on parts of his life, and these are off the beaten path enough without being too weird. The book does contain a good amount of profanity (lots of f-bombs), so I wouldn't recommend it to the very young or the very old (unless your grandma likes this sort of thing).
Highlights:
 Julie & the Warlord: a young woman is on a date with a man she met online. Who is he? A merciless warlord from a 3rd world country. This story is just their dialogue, as they sit at a restaurant, eventually ordering chocolate cake for dessert.
The Man Who Invented the Calendar : suffice it to say, we could have ended up with 1000 day, 25 month years.
And probably my favorite of the whole book,  
Pick a Lane, which shows us the all too familiar scenario of one driver swerving between lanes, while another experiences road rage and continuously screams, "pick a lane!" You get inside the head of the person swerving, who, it turns out, really just can't decide which lane to drive in, as they both offer reasons to drive in them. I cannot count the number of times I've been that raged out person, screaming "pick a lane!" inside my car.
This is a quick, funny read for anyone who likes humor with a bit of the profane, and it's definitely worth checking out on audio.

The Circle

The Circle by Dave Eggers, 491 pages

First book I've read by Dave Eggers. It clipped along at a steady pace, and it evoked more <negative, but in a good way> emotion in me than anything I've read in some time. It was our book discussion title for the month and we had a heated and opinionated discussion.
The story revolves around Mae, who has gotten a job at a company called the Circle, thanks to her friend Annie, who is a top employee there. Basically, this is a story about technology and the Internet growing to be an all-encompassing force more powerful than the government. It quickly works to be a part of every single thing people do, and it also gains control of every aspect of people's lives. It has all your information and is constantly monitoring you, suggesting things for you, but more importantly, watching you. If everyone is always being watched, there is complete accountability. No more crime, etc. etc. etc. The peak of this idea is transparency, where an individual chooses to have a camera attached to their person almost 24/7. It can only be turned off in the bathroom (and then only the sound) and after 10pm.
This book was scary because we are already heading so much in this direction with Google and the like. The character of Mae was such a weak and spineless female, willing to do any and everything to keep her job. They realize this and use her as an example to teach with and eventually, essentially as their pawn. There were so many points in this story where I wanted Mae to just stand up and scream, "Enough is enough!" but it never happened. This was exactly what kept the story moving along, however.
An intense and emotional read, that will have you wanting to rip your hair out at parts. If things ever get to where this book goes, I hope that I will have the resolve to resist. I hope you will too.

Food: a Love Story

Food: a Love Story by Jim Gaffigan, 340 pages

Another entertaining audio book, read by the author himself. I recently reviewed Gaffigan's other book, Dad is Fat , which I also listened to in audio, and I found this one to be much funnier. This is probably because, as he points out himself, a fat man writing about food is just good.
Basically, this is just Gaffigan paying homage to all sorts of food, what he likes, what he doesn't, what he will eat even if it ends up killing him.
The food-related portion of his standup is by far his funniest material, so this book is just like an extended standup routine. It doesn't deliver quite as well as watching him, as his facial expressions are part of his humor, but it is still a quick and hilarious read/listen.
There is also a section where he highlights major cities he's toured and the great foods they're known for. Sadly, when he mentions St. Louis, toasted ravioli is the highlight, and I think St. Louis has much better to offer than that.
Any fans of humor or Gaffigan will enjoy this, and the audio is definitely worth the listen.

H.P. Lovecraft: Tales

H.P. Lovecraft: Tales by H.P. Lovecraft, 578 of 807 pages read

My dad would sometimes give me short stories to read as a child, and "Cool Air" by Lovecraft was one that always stuck with me. First, I hadn't read any Lovecraft since childhood, so I figured I'd revisit his works. Second, I also used to have a black cat named Cathulu (a feline appropriate rendition of Cthulhu) but I had never actually read "The Call of Cthulhu", so I felt like it needed to happen. Third, Lovecraft is considered one of the grandfathers of horror, and I have a special place in my heart for good horror. His stuff does, however, also have a sci-fantasy element to it.
I started reading this from the beginning, but then I started jumping around, reading different stories. After the first few, I honestly started to feel like each story was the same as the last. I didn't anticipate feeling this way. Lovecraft style and wording starting feeling too repetitive, which is why I didn't actually end up finishing this book. Some of the stories were also not very short, and seemed to just drag on for too long.
I enjoyed what I did read, and he definitely had a knack for creating elaborate scenes and describing in great detail the mythical beings he dreamed up for his writing. However, he didn't have enough in his head to keep from being repetitive.
I looked up Lovecraft's personal life as I sometimes do when reading an author I know little about, and I found that his works did not actually become the cult classics they've become until well after his death. He died a sad, lonely, penniless man. If only he knew how influential his work was and how many different ways Cthulhu would be referenced and drawn later on.
All in all, Lovecraft is essential for any fan of horror, and anyone who appreciates an author with a vivid imagination. Others who read his work might not find him quite as repetitive as I did.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
by John Green & David Levithan, 310 pages

This book's been on my 'too read' list since it came out. After Tiger recently reviewed it, I decided I needed to finally read it. I rarely read young adult novels, but I do enjoy them in general.
The overall story was entertaining and the message being conveyed came through loud and clear. However, I had a couple issues with this book.
1. I really thought the authors tried to cram too many types of characters into one book. Gay, goth, terribly depressed, super fat kid, etc. Maybe it's just me, but I felt they could have spent less effort on that and more on just developing a couple more intricately. 
2. Although the above details were mentioned, there wasn't much to really give you a feel for how the characters looked. Everyone might not care about this, but I like to have a little something to give me a picture in my head of the characters. For some reason, I pictured nothing.
There are so many books out there now for teens that deal with being gay. I don't know if this is because so many teens are coming out or if it was just a niche that needed to be filled, but I think it's a good thing. When I was in high school, there were kids who were gay, but they did not come out until they left high school and the town, for good. I grew up in a very rural area though, so I know this was a factor. I wonder, however, if it might have been a little different if books such as these were accessible for those teens to read and relate to.
Anyway, though I thought a few things could be improved upon, I did still enjoy reading this, and it was a quick read, as teen novels tend to be.

The Big Book of Hair Metal

Big Book of Hair Metal: The Illustrated Oral History of Heavy Metal's Debauched Decade
by Martin Popoff, 23 out of 221 pages

I was still pretty high from reading Mad World when I selected this, so I was excited for another oral history related to a musical genre. Unfortunately, this book did not hold my interest even remotely as well. This book was set up starting with the decade of the 60s with some outline of the influence of hair metal (both hair metal and new wave took inspiration from black blues musicians in the 60s), continuing with the decade of the 70s (both also took inspiration from British glam) and then of course detailing each year of the 80s, where hair metal reached its heyday (also new wave's heyday). The way this book was organized was not that great, as it had lots of timelines with uninteresting details, album cover pictures scattered throughout, and it was very text heavy. None of these details are really that terrible, but I realized as I was reading this that I was never really a big hair metal fan. I could remember some of the big radio singles, but it was never really a genre that appealed to me. I do like seeing photos of anorexic dudes with huge hair and lots of makeup, similar to many of the new wave artists I adored. The hair metal guys did have a distinct feature, in that they wore lots of skin tight leather and many sported very high heeled platform boots. So, I did flip through the whole book so I could at least see all the photos. But even those weren't really that great.
If you were a true hair metal fan, this book might appeal to you a little more than it did me. If nothing else, it's good for a giggle.

Wanna Cook?

Wanna Cook?: The Complete, Unofficial Companion to Breaking Bad by Ensley F. Guffey + K. Dale Koontz, 433 pages

I kept hearing people talk about Breaking Bad, but I didn't start watching it until it was almost over on television. It is as addictive as the meth that is cooked on the show. Seriously. I love Bryan Cranston and he was phenomenal in this series. So of course, when I saw that this companion existed, I had to read it. It is very detailed, with a chapter dedicated to every episode, explaining characters, plot, etc. It outlines things to watch for in the episodes, brings your attention to cinematography and themes, as well as any errors in the episodes. All this, and the authors are very careful not to give away too much for those who might be reading this before actually having seen the episodes. There are a few specific sections that do contain spoilers, but they tell you this up front.
This book is a must-read for anyone who obsessively watched this show and wants a little extra to think about when going back and obsessively re-watching the episodes. Which I might have done. Maybe.

The Interestings

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, 538 pages

The Interestings follows a small group of friends, who name themselves "the interestings", starting in the summer of 1974 at an arts camp called Spirit-in-the-Woods. Once you are introduced to the characters, the story jumps around a lot, hitting various turning points in the lives of these friends. The story is mostly told from the perspective of Julie aka "Jules" Jacobsen, a member of the group who always felt like she became part of the group by accident, and who is never quite satisfied with her life.
I read this book in a week, which for me, lately, is unheard of. (as in, I haven't been reading anything that fast). I am not sure why it held my interest so much. I guess I just wanted to see what would happen to the characters as they aged and changed, and see if any of them became drastically different than their childhood selves.
This book was a lot about how much people can change over time and yet still ultimately be the same. It is compared to The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides, and having read that recently, I definitely saw some similar themes.

Dad is Fat

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan, 274 pages

"Hot Pocket" comedian Jim Gaffigan humorously (of course) talks about becoming a family man. He and his wife are Catholic and have 5 children.
Some of the best parts of this book were his comparisons between newborns and terrible roommates, fitting his large family into a small NYC apartment, mentioning how extremely pale he and his children are, and of course, many references to eating habits, both those of his children and himself.
Gaffigan continuously praises his wife in this book, not only for being such a natural mother but also for being a wonderful wife. It's refreshing to hear a comedian who doesn't view his wife as a target for disrespectful jokes. He is also one of the cleanest comedians I've ever heard, and he still manages to be hilarious.
I was waiting for the downloadable audio version of his newer book, "Food: A Love Story" so in the meantime, I listened to this, and both are read by Gaffigan himself. It's kind of like listening to his standup, though I didn't find it quite as humorous as his standup. There's a particular voice he uses in his standup that was missing from this narration.
Overall, though, this was an entertaining read/listen, essential for any Gaffigan fan and anyone who likes to laugh.
 And if you haven't watched any of Jim Gaffigan's standup, you need to YouTube it. Seriously.

Here's a good start: Hot Pockets

Black Like Me

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, 157 pages

John Howard Griffin, a white writer, entered the black community in 1961 to see if the deep South's reputation for extreme racism was accurate. Though he already lived in the South (Texas), his travels took him down through Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. He spent a mere two months first as a black man, then alternating between black and his natural skin. He was given medical treatments that changed the pigmentation of his skin, in addition to a dye.
He was horrified by how he was treated, constantly being given what he called the "hate stare" and the complete lack of respect he was given, even on a basic human level.  The conditions most blacks were living in were barely fit for animals, much less humans.
This book was a short, depressing read, as is any material that exposes the disgusting side of human nature.

Wraith

Wraith by Joe Hill & Charles Paul Wilson III, 204 pages

I was excited about the release of this graphic novel, as I really enjoyed NOS4A2, which the Wraith is from. FYI, the Wraith is an old Rolls Royce, featured on the cover.
This gave a good back story on Charlie Manx and how he became the loathsome creature he is. His chauffeur outfit is very reminiscent of Nazi uniforms, in my opinion. I didn't like the artwork in this as much as the Locke & Key graphic novels, however, the Christmasland scenes were very detailed and fun to pore over. The back of the book features an art gallery and there's a cool diagram of Christmasland and the various attractions within.

Megahex

 Megahex by Simon Hanselmann, 207 pages

A witch and a black cat that are sometimes lovers. A werewolf who's known for his outrageous antics at parties. An owl who just wants to find love. A warlock thrown in the mix. This is Megahex! All these lovable characters are also hardcore drug users, fyi. How can an owl have a muffin top when he's not even wearing pants? How does a cat get naked for some skinny dipping? How does a witch fight depression? Who will win the horrible feet contest? Find out in Megahex!
This is a highly entertaining, but definitely meant for grown-ups graphic novel. (Warning on the cover: "strong coarse language, drug use, rimming, depression, mental & physical abuse"). It's set up in grids and was originally done in watercolor.
For an extra laugh, look this Tasmanian-born author up on the Internet. There are many photos of him in drag. Awesome.

Those Who Save Us

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum, 482 pages

I have a fascination with anything pertaining to World War II and this was some of the best historical fiction about it I have read. Those Who Save Us tells the story of Trudy, a middle aged German history professor, herself born in Germany during the war, and her mother Anna, who has come to live with her after a fire destroys the farmhouse of Trudy's childhood, where Anna was still living. Trudy has always had a strained relationship with her mother and she has never been told the story of what led up to herself and her mother coming to live in America with an American soldier.
The book alternates between present day, which is the late 90s, and the late 30s early 40s, when Anna was around the age of 20, living in Nazi Germany.
Trudy embarks on a project for work in which she interviews Germans about their experiences during the war. Her goal in the project is to see if any Germans feel any remorse or responsibility for the tragedies of the Jews.
Trudy learns much in these interviews, including things about herself and eventually, the details from when she was young.

*One of the fun details of this story was that Anna worked in a bakery in Germany when she was young. Many delicious sounding German cakes and breads are mentioned, and the mouth waters just reading about them.

Dexter's Final Cut

Dexter's Final Cut by Jeff Lindsay, 352 pages



Many people don't realize that the very popular TV show Dexter is based on a character from a novel series. I've been reading the series from the beginning, and there are some very drastic differences between the books and the TV show. The last few Dexter novels have progressively gone downhill, and this was the grand finale. The series ended in such a way that I'm quite sure the author was just ready to be done writing and hurriedly crafted a finish, leaving many things unresolved and ultimately ruining the Dexter character and everything he stood for.
The premise behind this installment is that a popular crime TV show wants to film its pilot at the Miami Police Dept. and the main actor and actress are to shadow Dexter and his sister, Deborah, to develop their roles. The main actress has a stalker who has been following her from city to city, killing blond women who resemble her to send her a message.
Dexter is assigned to be the actress's live-in bodyguard and ultimately becomes her lover as well, deciding he no longer wants or needs the family he is a part of as part of his illusion of being a normal member of society.
In case you can't tell, I was utterly disappointed in this book. To be honest, I wasn't too thrilled with how they ended the TV series either. Hmm.

Important post-script: The word 'dithering' was used so many times in this book, I lost count. I'm not sure I had EVER read a book with that word in it prior. :0

Hyde

Hyde by Daniel Levine, 397 pages

As you might guess, this is a retelling of the classic tale, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde". It is told from the perspective of the Hyde personality, both when he is simply inside Henry Jekyll's mind and when he has taken over the body. Also included at the end is the original story, which I'm not sure I had actually read. If I had, it was over 20 years ago. The original story is really just a novella, and doesn't go into a lot of detail with what happens when Hyde has taken over, so Levine did a lot of imagining and filling in with what happens with each personality when it is in control of the body. There is a rather detailed back story that is given in bits and pieces which involves their father abusing them as a child and forcing them to do heinous acts.
This story isn't necessarily about sympathizing with either character, although the author does somewhat portray a "softer side" for Hyde.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read and quite atmospheric.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs, read by Jesse Bernstein, 352 pages.

Jacob's grandfather has always told him stories of living on a magical island near Wales when he was young, where there were many orphan children with 'peculiar' traits, such as a girl who could levitate, and a boy who was invisible. His grandfather even had photographs of these children, but Jacob figured the photos were altered. Jacob just figured his grandfather was making them up. Then Jacob sees his grandfather brutally attacked and killed by what appears to be some sort of monster. He discovers his grandfather has left behind instructions for Jacob to discover the truth behind the stories.
So, Jacob goes with his father to Wales on a bird watching trip and uncovers a sort of portal which takes him back to when his grandfather lived on this island. He meets the children his grandfather had told him about and learns there is an even bigger story taking place and he is a vital part of it.

I listened to this as a downloadable audiobook, and it was especially good because the narrator used some lovely Welsh accents for the characters. However, one of the features of the actual book is that it contains photographs throughout of the various characters and events that take place within the book. The audiobook comes with a PDF file of these, but it was not compatible with my smartphone. So, I still looked at a physical copy of the book so I could see all the photographs.

Night Circus

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, 512 pages.

I love when I find books that immerse me in their stories. Night Circus is one of those books. From beginning to end, I felt like I was a casual observer of everything that happened and the pages turned quickly. It also brought back delicious memories of being a circus-going child.
The Night Circus begins at midnight and ends at dawn. You never know when it might show up near you. You cannot even begin to imagine the sounds and smells and things to see at this circus. Themed all in black and white, it is a multi-sensory experience.
Maybe you will get lost in the Cloud Maze tent, or watch the adorable trained kittens perform acrobatics with the red-headed twins, Poppet and Widget. The next night perhaps you'll make a wish on the Wishing Tree or see the contortionist twist her body into unbelievable poses. The undiscovered tents seem to never end.
And underneath all the magic and awe, a competition is happening. One that changes the circus from night to night, from town to town.
Will a winner emerge?

Locke & Key 6: Alpha & Omega

Locke & Key 6: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez, 191 pages.

Oh man, it gets crazy in the final book in this series!! I can't say too much cause I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but lives are lost and lives are saved, and chaos reigns!!
This was an awesome series!

Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs That Defined the 1980s

Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs that Defined the 1980s by Lori Majewski & Jonathan Bernstein, 319 pages.

Here's another book that I ordered for our collection. My first 10 years on this Earth were in the 80s, so you'd think that maybe my exposure to New Wave would be limited. But I had an older sister and brother, 10 and 9 years older respectively, so I heard all the good stuff through them. (Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Psychedelic Furs, New Order, to name a few.)
This book is set up in interview form, with the two authors introducing each band's section, and then various members of the bands talking about their history and the history of the song they're best known for. I was not familiar with a few of the bands, but I knew all the songs. I YouTubed each song as I read, to hear it again, and especially if the video was referenced as something special.
Almost all of these bands have re-formed at some point for reunion tours, which I wasn't aware of. Most of them have, of course, departed from their big hair and pretty makeup (at least the boys) but they still have their 80s sound.
This book was fascinating and a must-read for any child of the 80s, or for a younger sibling of a child of the 80s. Also, if you're just into New Wave, check it out.
P.S. I was a little disappointed that for the section on Depeche Mode (to this day, one of my favorite bands), they did not interview Dave Gahan or Martin Gore, instead going to Vince Clarke, one of the founding members but no longer with them.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

by Cheryl Strayed, 311 pages

Another female author with a memoir-ish book about a journey they have embarked upon. Is is just me, or do all these women have the same whiny voice? Would I sound the same if I wrote one of these books? I hope not.
Cheryl loses her mom, gets divorced as a result of her own infidelity, and decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail for 3 months, totalling about 1100 miles. She's not really a hiker or a camper, so she mostly relies on the kind staff at REI to advise her on this trip. She meets all sorts of interesting people, encounters many rattlesnakes, a few bears, and even a pretty little red fox. She makes a lot of bad decisions.
I don't know how legit I can even consider her trip, since she mailed herself things at various stops along her route, such as money and food. I guess I'm okay with it since her trip WAS 3 months long and it would be hard to carry 3 months worth of food on your back (her backpack was ridiculous as it was).
Reading about the nature and wilderness she got to experience was the only really good part of this book. It did make me start thinking about a trip such as this myself. Well, actually nothing like this. But I do enjoy nature.