I Love You, Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle

I chortled a number of times right off the top and was pleasantly surprised by a book I was hesitant about. No wonder this guy used to write for the Simpsons. Realising it was a one night romp I settled in for the ride and enjoyed all the bumps the protagonist took along the way. There were some truly great chaotic scenes that were easily imagined (I hear there's a movie) but the best parts for me were the geeky internal deliberations, especially when they took scientific detours. Pure enjoyment for what it was.

October 2013

7.5

The Juvie Three - Gordan Korman

Off the top it seemed to blister through all sorts of aspects which I thought were going to be the story and I remained curious as to why these ample opportunities were being passed up and what was coming up. Even once the premise was finally settled on it got turned on its head with yet another big turn. Mind you since this is a young adult novel all of this whizzed by in a handful of easy read, moderately sized font pages. It relied on a fairly shallow glimpse of the past to bring things in to play now but that's what you get for rushing the set up. The conclusion was explosive and fun, exactly what a teenager would enjoy and I'm not going to pretend I didn't get a kick from this throwback to my childhood.

Sept 2013
5.5

In the City of Bikes (Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist) - Pete Jordan

Despite essentially being a journal of a slightly OCD man obsessed with bicycling, the thoroughness of his research really shone through. Beside many of the observations were things that I would find myself interested in, although I wouldn't have the patience to count it all. Especially intriguing was the account of the German occupation during World War II as even focusing on just the cycling aspects of history the scene was still quite vividly drawn. Somehow it managed to captivate my attention from front to back which is an impressive feat especially when you consider the subject matter was simply cycling in Amsterdam.

Sept 2013

7.5

Big Fish - Daniel Wallace

Not the first time I've read the book after seeing the film but the first time it was a cherished film I've seen multiple times. For this reason it was near impossible not to picture the giant as cast by Tim Burton or have Jenny be inextricable from the old lady with the eye. My bias made some aspects of the novel less than they were as it seemed that the film took many of the scenes but reconfigured to make a story that was more linear and cohesive, especially when all brought together in the end in a more satisfactory conclusion. The writing was still as fantastic as the stories and it made the brief chapters easy to breeze through. It will not get the repeated plays that the DVD has but I can see why it would have lit Burton's imagination to make such an epically beautiful film as he did.

August/Sept 2013

7

Hey Nostradamus! - Douglas Coupland

Not exactly a feel good subject written in the obvious wake of columbine Coupland exhibits his prowess yet again in putting relatable characters into odd situations and pulling it off. A touch of otherworldly and religion covered some interesting ground while the entire story stayed grounded. Mind you the mid novel twist certainly was and set up an odd second last section with desperation meeting voodoo and greed. Maybe not the favourite Coupland it was still a strong piece and a worthwhile, quick read.

6.5

August 2013

Ghost Rider - Neil Peart

Neil Peart's way with words extends beyond the lyric booklet of Rush albums and well into the literary world, as proven with the Ghost Rider. Although at times a difficult read for anyone who has lost anyone (essentially anyone), it is a very candid reveal of a man going through often excruciating grieving and yet persevering. As the miles and motels run together he continues to push the stages of what he is feeling in a respectable tell-all way. Perhaps not the most gripping tale it comes across as entirely authentic, with things to be realized and learned from the experiences of another. The epilogue is a short dose of damn near cheer following the hundreds of pages of gloom but remains respectful and grounded - I suppose as a ray of hope for anyone who has related throughout.

May-July 2013
6

In Cold Blood - Truman Capote

As a genre inventing, or at least defining, work In Cold Blood is a triumph. The level of detail gone into researching, allowing for the story to be presented as a consistently fresh mix of background story, first hand accounts, and real evidence. The structure must have taken some real massaging to come off in the logical and entertaining sequence that flows from beginning to end. The case on its own is somewhat interesting but the details could easily be glossed over; it is the storyteller that really wove a tale. It was interesting, even odd, that he attempted to build pathos for one of the admittedly guilty cold blooded killers but alas he did and nearly succeeded.[Spoiler Alert] The death row section is a little drawn out but considering how drawn out that was in real life I suppose it was actually compact. Altogether it was a very impressive, highly enjoyable read, if not for the dour subject matter but the writing itself.

June 2013
9

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer

"Often I get annoyed with books like this (Vonnegut etc.). Granted they raise a few interesting, if impractical ideas and provide a good number of quotes but they seem more of an author's indulgence than a legitimate story deserving of a book."

I wrote that early on through the book and was pleased that the story did settle in and become more of a story than an assortment of sporadic ideas and thoughts. That being said much of what happened in the story irked me for one reason or another. It didn't help that I'd started the movie and found it annoying for many of the same reasons, but even worse because you had to actually watch a kid actor acting grown up as written by an adult. 

The lack of wrapping up in the end could probably have been predicted but was still disappointing after having to persist in finishing the book despite reservations. It's not that it didn't have its moments and endearing qualities, just had many bothersome aspects to offset these. Hey - the creative font and photo inserts were neat.

Apr/May 2013

4

No Logo - Naomi Klein

No Logo takes on branding from a variety of angles and speaks of the (mostly ill) effects that it has on us individually and as societies. It comes across as an attack on the corporation and builds a strong case. Over a decade since publication many of the movements talked about have faded or changed but the basis for them has not likey improved drastically. Often during the book I wished for a current reader to tell me what has come of things, or what the modern equivalent is. Unfortunately the problems are massive and the solutions aren't clear cut so there is little in the way of concrete steps to take, but more some flimsy (and optimistic) hopes for the future. The most lasting information is definitely regarding the exploitation of workers in developing nations to produce cheap merchandise. Utterly appalling. 

Feb/Mar 2013
6.5

How To Be Good - Nick Hornby

There were some truly clever remarks to be found; cutting and incisive reflections on the meaning of life for the middle class. These buoyed the otherwise stretch of a story that included an element of witchcraft requiring the suspension of belief that took away from the validity of the work as a whole. Nick writes from a female's perspective which is believable (at least being read by a man) but the idea as a whole seems somewhat half-baked, especially with the lack of a conclusion in the end. This book seems to be a used book store favourite and that is understandable, meaning the consensus is unanimous that although there are redeeming qualities it is not his best work.

February 2013
5

Work Hard. Be Nice - Jay Matthews

An inspiring read about the sacrifice of two young teachers very devoted to the education of their classrooms of children and doing all that they can to improve their situations. The two founders of the KIPP school are presented as tireless advocates fighting in every way possible for the students. Not a book I would necessarily have been attracted to but one with a great deal to offer, read on recommendation. Interesting that the author is not directly linked to the story but seems to have done his homework and presents many of the interactions through imagined dialogue which lends to the immediacy of the book. Nearing the end a few chapters seemed crammed in to give a balanced view but took away from the flow. Regardless a pleasant surprise of a true story that I would surely pass on to any teacher, or even anyone who needs to increase their determination.

January 2013
7.5

I'm a Stranger Here Myself - Bill Bryson

A collection of weekly articles published in a British newspaper by 'the king of everyday' following his return to the USA after some years spent in Britain  Although it was slightly dated with figures and studies coming from the '90s the majority of the sentiments hold true, or are even more pronounced these days. Some truly laugh out loud moments as well as some interesting insights. Perhaps a few too many murder and suicide jokes for my liking but otherwise it's like the jacket says 'Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint [...] and still make us laugh out loud.'

December 2012 - January 2013
8

Paradox of Choice - Barry Schwartz

Seems like a pretty straightforward concept: there's an overwhelming amount of choices in our lives today and we need to make the best decisions. However there's a great deal more that goes into decisions, as well as our feelings following the decisions, that surprised me. Rifling through this book caused some personal reflection and pointed out a few aspects of my personality that seem obvious but weren't recognized until this reflection. Apparently I am a maximizer. There were a few studies mentioned which actually proved the opposite of what many people, myself included, would have reasoned when it comes to decision making. The advice is primarily common sense, but again until you spend the time to contemplate it you may not realize.

January 2013
7

Santaland Diaries - David Sedaris

An overtly sarcastic collection of tongue-in-cheek short stories loosely surrounding the Christmas holiday. The negativity persists even if it is veiled behind the sarcasm and really doesn't make for an uplifting read at all - in fact it was quite the opposite. Not funny so much as borderline offensive at times. The first story, about working as an elf, is the highest point and gives hope that the rest may be worth its while but that expectation is not met.

3
December 2012