Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Eimer's Top Reads of 2020

In early 2020, after posting my Top 9 Great Post Apocalyptic Reads way back in March 14, the place that I work sent everyone home to partake in mandatory WFH fun for the rest of the year. Which then turned into the beginning of 2021. And now, more than likely, it's looking like this WFH parade will extend well into the summer of 2021 ... if not probably beyond. 

With everything shut down, nowhere to go, and nothing to do, I thought Governor Dewine's Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Order would prompt me to sit back, cuddle up with a nice glass of whiskey, and read, and read, a read to my hearts content maybe even surpassing a personal record of total books read. 

Well, I was wrong. Except for the whiskey part. 

After March, the procrastination got worse. All of the things I wanted to do, I put off. And, pretty much, just started drinking .... anything I could possibly get my hands on. The depression transformed into gluttony, which transformed into sadness, then anger and finally acceptance. Finally, in the summer of 2020, I woke up from my doldrums, started working out again, drawing again, creating again ... and yes, even, reading again. 

With this newfound creativity, I was able to knock out a bunch of relevant, interesting, fun, topical books. Well, some not so topical but still nevertheless damn interesting. So here, folks, is my list of 2020 Top Reads, in no particular order:

Beastie Boys Book 

by Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz

Loved. Loved. Loved this book and not just because I'm a Beastie Boys fan. Well, that's probably half of it. But, it's just an inspiring story of three creative kids finding new sounds, meeting new people and pushing that imagination bar. From sampling, to writing, to music, everything that the Beastie Boys did was steeped in creativity, trying new things and just seeing what sticks. Making music was their platform, but having fun and creating great friendships was key to this fruitful collaboration between three bad brothers you know so well. From the days of Rick Rubin and Licensed to Ill, to sampling with the Dust Brothers in California, to returning to their musical instrument roots in Check Your Head, and beyond all the way to the death of MCA (Adam Yauch), the story is filled with a historical breakdown of music that inspired, warts and all creative process, and the inspirational, musical-minded folks they met along the way who helped shape these guys into the band that they became, and the fantastic experimental music they made along the way. It's a long book, but well worth the read. May even inspire you to get off your butt and do something, anything .. in the spirit of creativity.


The Library Book

by Susan Orlean

I never thought I'd find a book about a library so intriguing. Then, I found out that Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief, was at the helm. In subsequent chapters, this immersive book takes you through the history of The Los Angeles Public Library as well as the hunt for the 'arsonist' who started the 1986 library fire that destroyed more than one million books. As a fan of my local library in Martins Ferry, as well as the Grandview, Columbus, Hudson, and Upper Arlington public libraries in Ohio (which I have visited, continue visiting, and borrowing with full gusto), I enjoyed this book which goes through the inner-workings of a library and brings back that warm, welcoming, nostalgic feeling that you get whenever you walk through its doors. Orlean weaves three distinct books into one; true detective, historical, and educational, which comes together for a really enthralling read.


Full Throttle

by Joe Hill

Wow! Joe Hill is pumping out some pretty, pretty, pretty kick-ass short stories. Check out 21st-Century Ghosts and Strange Weather. This collection contains a ton of goodies. Some of my faves include Wolverton Station, Faun, All I Care About is You, Mums, and Dark Carousel. The audio version did not include Twittering from the Circus of The Dead. So, I'm curious about that one. But, all in all, a great collection. But, by far, the most inspiring writing comes from the Prologue, which is titled 'Who's Your Daddy?' in which he waxes nostalgic about growing up around his dad and the many different inspirations for his eventual career in writing.


Borne

by Jeff VanderMeer

Thoroughly enjoyed VanderMeer's first book in the Southern Reach Trilogy (Annihilation). The other two books, not so much. But, I was intrigued that he decided to delve into science-fiction once again with Borne. Man, this is an odd book. The tone reminded a little bit of Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake. But, this book can stand on its own as an odd piece of post-apocalyptic sci-fi. I don't want to give too much away but VanderMeer's imagination is able to run wild with a humungous, angry lab-grown grizzly bear followed by an army of smaller grizzly bears, robots, bio-tech, destruction, mayhem, magicians and an odd little creature named Borne. Just an entertaining read from start to finish. It's an odd one. But if you're a sci-fi fan, you'll be happy you picked it up.


Recursion

by Blake Crouch

I'm a sucker for time travel books and this one definitely delivered. I would consider this a fresh take on the 'sometimes-tired' time travel genre. But this was a page turner. Great writing from Blake Crouch. This motivated me to snag his other book 'Dark Matter' and check out his scripted TV series 'Wayward Pines'. I just found out that this will be made into a Netflix series as well. Look, if you like sci-fi, time travel and just a different 'out there' supernatural story, this is a great book for you. 'Nuff said


Fire!: The Zora Neale Hurston Story

by Peter Bagge

In his later years, Cartoonist/Writer Peter Bagge (of 'Buddy Bradley' and 'Hate 'fame) has decided to turn his muse lens towards strong-willed, tenacious female character studies such as 'Woman Rebel', 'Credo', and finally 'Fire!'. In Fire!, Bagge tells the warts and all story of writer Zora Neale Hurston (best known for her novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God'), who was a free-spirited black woman in the early 1900's when 'black' and 'woman' and 'free-spirit' were considered taboo by the white elite. It's a fun, entertaining, thoughtful ride with snippets of Zora Neale's life peppered across the pages in Bagge's famous cartoon style. I tip my hat to Bagge, a white male, who had the courage to take on the subject matter. Some may balk at a white man telling the story of a black woman. But, like I said, this is a story of a strong-willed woman who found success despite the obstacles thrown at her, which I think is an uplifting story that will inspire women and men of all ages. Looking forward to reading Woman Rebel and Credo in the near future.


Stranger in the Woods

by Michael Finkel

What a great book to read during the Covid 19 pandemic! The story is a true-life story of Chris Knight, who wandered into the woods in the early 80's and, pretty much, never came out until getting arrested 26 years later. The book makes you question what's important in this world. Getting likes on Facebook or Instagram? Or just enjoying life and the great outdoors as the day is here? Obviously we don't all have to be a hermit like Chris Knight and hide in the woods for 26 years, but there's some nice little snippets about enjoying life that I'll definitely take with me on my life journey. Minus all the burglary charges held against him and some of his personal psychological flaws, this Knight guy may be one of the smartest guys in the world. Stay tuned and I'll let you know in (hopefully) 40 years.


Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio

by Derf Backderf

Great book by Backderf. Lots of research and interviews went into this book, which follows the fateful days leading up to the killings of four students at Kent State in 1970. The history, the backstory and the character arcs (and of course the art), had me transfixed from the first few pages, then I was hooked. What a great undertaking to create this book. Hopefully he gets the awards and recognition for this. Personally, I didn't know much about the Kent State shootings, this totally filled in the blanks (and then some). Just a great story overall. If you liked this, I highly recommend Derf's other books, 'My Friend Dahmer' and 'Trashed' as well.


March - Book One

by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell

What an extremely appropriate book to read in 2020. About the life, story, and heroism of John Lewis. I knew a little bit about John Lewis, but this book is packed full of history, biography, and crazy racial injustices that didn't happen too long ago. It's amazing how far we think we've come, only to continue to be reminded that we've got a lot of work to do together as a nation to heal our wounds. With great story arc by Lewis and Aydin as well as fantastic artwork by Powell; I probably should've picked up this book sooner. But, I'm sort of glad I saved it for right here, right now. Looking forward to Book Two and Book Three of the series

Other Top Reads From Year's Past:
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Thursday, December 27, 2018

Eimer's Best Reads of 2018


When it came to book-reading in 2018, it was an okay year for me. Not good. Not bad. Just okay. For some odd reason, I would fall asleep after reading 1-2 pages of a book and then lose my spot. And then have to go back and read it again, and again, and again. Sigh. Besides listening to audiobooks, I didn't really get into a book-reading rhythm this year, which is a bummer because, well, it sucks.

In hindsight, I think it was the overall quality of the books as well. I look back on other years, like 2016 and 2014 and, even, 2009 in awe. I truly came across some great books in those years that stretched throughout the 365 days. Well, I guess, just like Billy Bob Thornton's Santa said to the chubby kid in Bad Santa, "They all can't be winners."

Nonetheless, even though it wasn't the best crop of books to pop into my cranium, it was an interesting grab-bag year of graphic novels (two by the same author and illustrator), marketing tomes, biographies and post-apocalyptic treachery. Sort of like the 'Potpourri' category on Jeopardy.

Well, I could keep writing, and I will--but it's going to be in the form of the reviews, so enjoy!

The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide by Jenna Fischer
I'm a big fan of the television show 'The Office' ... and Pam (played by Jenna Fischer). And, even
though I'm not an actor, I found this helpful survival guide very entertaining and informative. Fischer shares snippets of her career from high school to being tossed into the L.A. actor carousel including getting noticed, movie roles, firings and the endless disappointments that come with auditioning - and to her eventual acting role on The Office. But, this book is also a self-help book for up and coming actors who traveled from god knows where to Hollywood and then - bam! - they don't know what to do, or where to start. Very well written with fantastic tips and advice. For myself, it was nice to see a snapshot of this interesting industry through Fischer's eyes.

 The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story by Douglas Preston
Great biographic read. It's almost like David Grann's highly recommended adventure biographical
novel 'The Lost City of Z'. But, his one turned out to be a success. Just a blow-by-blow account of the history, the failed expeditions and, finally, to the last-ditch effort to find the fabled city using the latest technology. Wonderfully written book. If you're an adventure seeker, a backpacker, hiker, or someone that loves that 'Raiders of The Lost Ark' mentality of unearthing valuable unfound treasures - then this is the book for you. Not much more to say, but check it out!!

The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama Bin Laden by Robert O'Neill
If you're a history buff, a war buff, a hater of Osama Bin Laden & Al Qaida, or simply someone
that likes to pick up a biography and live someone else's life for a couple weeks - then this is the
book for you. Following Robert O'Neill through grueling Navy Seal training to multiple missions including Captain Phillips' rescue, followed by the grand finale - a blow-by-blow account of the killing of the most hated man in the United States. Just a well-written book that lets you experience what it's like to be Navy Seal. Makes my one-hour commute to cushy corporate life look like a daycare center. Also, it's going to motivate me to run that extra mile or do that extra pushup when I really don't feel like it. Hats off to these guys protecting our country. And thanks for Robert O'Neill writing this. I know he got a lot of crap for it from his Seal brethren, but it definitely puts an end to all of the conspiracy theories, lies and innuendo that you heard when President Obama told the entire nation of the Bin Laden's death. Now I want to watch Zero Dark Thirty again.

 Strange Weather by Joe Hill
Four unique, creepy, disturbing - yet entertaining - stories about four different weather patterns. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son, but he has his own voice steeped in 80's pop-culture references. The first story is - well - strange, but it shows some deep thinking about technology, about photography, and evil, and forgetfulness. The second story is the best of the four (in my opinion) about gun ownership and violence in America. Third story is a fun, fantasy that literally takes place in the clouds. Fourth story is just plain disturbing - like a 'what if' of weather, which sort of echoed the second episode of the new Netflix 'Lost In Space' series. Don't want to give the Strange Weather plot points away, but they're all worth a good read.

 Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol
Beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel by Vera Brosgol. A coming-of-age story about a tween female attending camp for the very first time ... warts and all. Perfect for the tween or female graphic novel enthusiast in your family. Heck, perfect for anyone. This is a fun, entertaining graphic novel.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Very interesting post-apocalyptic read about a traveling group of thespians who have come together
after a massive, deadly flu outbreak wipes out 99% of the world. They travel from town to town
along the Great Lakes (mostly Michigan) and put on Shakespeare productions to small cities. But it's
more than that. There's a whole sci-fi story called Station Eleven that comes into play as well as the
death of a famous actor prior to the outbreak while performing King Lear. Sounds odd, right? Well, it
is. But it all works. And each plot piece that's introduced has some sort of cosmic meaning that
comes to a crescendo at the end of the book. 

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
I'm on a post-apocalyptic novel kick nowadays. It's not by choice, it's just the order that I have the
books in my Goodreads 'To-Read' slot. This novel features the post-apocalyptic odd-couple of two
men fighting off hordes of f'd up humans after a killer flu wipes out most of the United States. A mix
of 'The Road' and a previous novel that I had just read called 'Station Eleven', it's an interesting story
told matter of factly in first person narrative of a pacifist pilot that's forced to kill. A former army
marine that's trained to kill, and sort of likes it--all in the name of protecting the airport that they call
home. The two form a crazy, odd bond that works well in printed form. And probably could stretch
into a movie version with the right actors. It's sad. It's melancholy. It questions our humanity. I
praises relationships and kinships that form. And it adds a bit of warmth in this depressing,
despicable, lonely planet that the flu virus has left behind.

The Shining by Stephen King
Great haunted house/hotel thriller from Stephen King. I've read the articles. King hates Kubrick's
film adaptation. But I don't care, I loved the film. It's one of my all-time favorites. But, I enjoyed the book on its own. Some of the key differences that I've found awesome about the book were the wife was actually a character with feelings and heart, the creepy hedge animals, the fact that the Overlook wanted Danny more than Jack, Dick Halloran's backstory and overall importance to the plot, the ongoing references to wasps (the insects), and a nice sinister backstory to the hotel itself - which is explained in gory and sadomasochistic detail. Again, I loved Kubrick's movie more than this book (sorry Mr. King!), but that shouldn't stop you from picking this one up and checking it out. It's
very good, and creepy.

 The Power of Moments by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
A fantastic book sure to help any advertising or creative team out with marketing conundrums that 
may arise during their day-to-day brainstorms and strategy sessions. Figuring out those key 'moments' where you can surprise and delight your customers is key to any great marketing strategy. Not even for marketing. Human Resources. Print Facilities. IT. Small businesses. Agencies. Whatever business you have, you can pull something valuable out of this book to help support consumers, customers, and employees. Some of the key things I learned is that (a) it's okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them (b) a good starting point to great strategy is to always look out for those key problem points or celebration points in your customer's or employee's journey and try to figure out ways to make them better and (c) customer experience should be mostly forgettable and occasionally remarkable - among other things. This book gave me a great idea to help out our creative group's onboarding strategy, which celebrates the new employees rather than tosses them into an empty cubicle watching endless corporate videos. I'll probably pick up this book again for more inspiration and ideas down the line.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
Another well-written, fantastically illustrated female-centric graphic novel by Brosgol. Although I enjoyed 'Be Prepared' a tiny bit more for more personal reasons than anything else - I like that Brosgol took this story down a more fantasy, thriller route than just your normal coming-of-age, angst-ridden teen dramedy. Check it out for the visuals. Stay for the fun, creepyish plot.

Other Top Reads From Year's Past:
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Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Eimer's Best Reads of 2017

     

To all of those unaware, I love Goodreads, a website/app that allows you to keep track of the books you previously read, books you want to read, and currently reading. It's a great book community site that, frankly, is a lot better than Facebook. It's been a real help for me when I enter a bookstore, or a library, or Amazon.com and my mind freezes and I can't remember what book I want to read next.

Well, I bring this up because, every year, I enter a reading challenge. It's sort of a motivator to kickstart my book-reading for the year. This year, I didn't do too shabby ...


That said, I came across a number of great books. Some good. Some bad. Most of which weren't printed in 2017. But, who cares, I'm playing catch-up with other decades (as you'll see below). Enjoy the list.

And, if you have time, send me the favorite book you've read in 2017. Of course, I'll toss it on my Goodreads 'to-read' queue. Links to Amazon.com if you're interested in purchasing.

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
Although J.D. Vance is from Kentucky and grew up in Middleton, Ohio. And although he had more difficult parental issues than I could ever imagine, his account of life as a 'hillbilly' and the economic struggles his family entailed hits close to home. Great autobiographical, warts-and-all account of Vance's youthful upbringing. On a personal note, I grew up in Martins Ferry, Ohio (near Wheeling, West Virginia). I had a great life. I have great childhood memories. I was also very fortunate to have both a mother and father and loving relatives that helped raise me. But, I also grew up with a lot of poverty. You could honestly toss Vance's story into my hometown and not miss a beat. The cast of real-life family characters in his book echoes a lot of families in my small town (including my own). Look, I echo Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's sentiment that if you're born white, you automatically have a monstrous advantage — educationally, economically, culturally, in this society. But, for whatever reason, it doesn't feel like it if you grew up in this part of the country. Regardless if you're black or white, right or left, you have to feel for a lot of the other people that are trying to make ends meet in the hollers of Appalachian America. Again, good read. Highly recommended.

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
Great modern-day fantasy novel. The begining starts off a bit slow, but give it time - you'll be happy you did. I admire Hawkins creative mind and this is definitely a unique idea - one that hasn't been rehashed that's for sure. Don't want to give too much away, but there's a mixture of gods, lions, packs of wild dogs, people getting burned alive and resurrection. Just an oddly fantastical book that I would recommend to my fantasy-loving friends.

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
From a writing and structure perspective, this book is uniquely written - shooting from past to present with narrative and character changes in truly a unique fashion. And, surprisingly, it all works. I'm trying to jar my brain for a book that's been written in this exact way, but I'm at a loss. Perhaps Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five minus the time traveling? No. Through each chapter, we learn more and more about the passengers of a plane that crashed into the Atlantic traveling from Long Island back to New York. We also learn more about our main protagonist Scott Burroughs - with the police, FBI and national media on his tail. Is he a hero? Is he behind the crash? Is he in it for the money? It's interesting how Hawley (of Fargo TV series fame) weaves this rather mundane story into a page-turner of a novel. Check 'er out!

How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gil
As someone that's (a) growing older, (b) currently going through career existentialism and (c) in the advertising field, this books hits home on a lot of different ways to me. Gill, is a much more successful advertising figure than myself and - after more than 15+ years at JWT finds himself out on his ass, due to seemingly two things (a) his big salary and (b) his age. Such is the life of a marketer. I've been told that 50-years old is the cut-off, termination point for many top creatives in the field. I guess old people can't be creative or something. They can't speak to the current purchasing generation, which I find is both insulting and bullshit. If this is the case, then I'm about 6 years away from searching for a new identity. Gill was as well. And, with his back against the wall, he decided to take a job at Starbucks - mainly for the insurance. But, in this transformation, from the man who had it all , to the man shilling drinks at a local coffee shop - Gill finds true happiness. This is a great read. Again, it hits home for me. But I think it could speak to people of all ages who are looking for something new, something different, something drastic change in their career.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
For the past 20 years, I was dragging my feet on this book. "How could a book about a hermaphrodite be any good?" I would naively ruminate as I circled this book over and over again. Well, two thumbs up from three of my co-workers motivated me to give it a shot and color me impressed. This book is more than a person with male and female organs. It's a history lesson about Greece, it paints a picture of growing up in hustling-bustling pre-poverty stricken Detroit. It's filled with humor and action and fantastic dialogue. It's a wonderful, pleasant surprise! Should have read it about 20 years ago!

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Great read. Merging two stories 50 years apart - one illustrated, one written - into one beautiful story. Not going to give away the ending, but, now, I would love to head to the two museums highlighted in the book and check out the creations that they discuss. Again, highly recommended. Almost could be compared to The Invention of Hugo Cabret in the sense that this book is a mystery that unfolds like the peels of an onion as each chapter continues.

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
Fantastic illustrations. Believable teenage dialogue. And a strong storyline. Highly recommended for everyone. Kids and adults.

Hypercapitalism by Larry Gonick and Tim Kasser
I'm not a big business type of guy. Financially, I understand how the world works, but that's just about it. Sometimes I need a visual representation to get me through some of the heavy topics of life. In this case, capitalism. Kasser's book is good. But with added illustrative representation by Larry Gonic, it's a fantastic read. It reminds me of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics but with Capitalism. Kasser and Gonic take you through a history of capitalism in our country and around the world followed by it's steady rise into hypercapitalism. But it doesn't stop there, they also highlight ways to reverse the trends of corporate greed, low pay, and gluttonous buying. All in all, a great read - even for those people who have a hard time grasping these heady concepts ... like yours truly. 

11/22/63 by Stephen King
Great book. Originally I thought this was going to be a yawner. A big slog through the JFK assassination. But, man, it turned out to be a suspenseful thriller, a history lesson on Lee Harvey Oswald and the fateful day, a romantic novel, plus a little science-fiction dabbled in - all in one. It's long. You've been warned. But, nevertheless, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. One piece of feedback. The narrator kept saying the word 'obdurate' and 'harmonize' over and over again. I get that he was trying to set this up for something to come in the novel, but that's very minor. Stephen King never fails to surprise me though. Just a big fan of his writing, even when I think I'm going to hate it.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Quick, fast read. There are better time travel books out there, but you have got to tip your hat to the imagination of H.G. Wells. He laid the groundwork and the inspiration for all of the other time travel books and movies that you see today. If you've seen the 1960 film, then - pretty much - this book will be very familiar (with the exception to the size and features of the two creatures). All in all, it's a pretty bleak look into the future. But, again, hats off to Wells and his fantastic vocabulary and writing style.

Other Top Reads From Year's Past:
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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Eimer's Best Reads of 2016



According to the awesome book-cataloging site Goodreads, last year I plowed through 21 books, read more than 6,776 pages, and gave an 3.4 (out of 5) average rating on said books.

Not to brag ... but I've read harder.

 This year, I started reading more books off my Kindle, which might not be a good thing. I still prefer a book book, but I hate reading a book book at night. I like to lug a book book around, but I don't like the bright light of a Kindle book. I like the convenience of book-marking a book book to see how you've progressed (almost like running a marathon), but I don't like a "percentage" of how fast you're reading as a sign of progression through a book... it makes it feel more like a contest than enjoyment.

 We'll see how long this Kindle experiment will last. I'm still not sold.

 In any event, I checked out a wide-array of books from a wide-array of genres including horror, graphic novels, biographies, mysteries, fantasy, etc. etc. etc. Below are my favs from 2016. Not my best list (see 2012) but I felt there were some solid choices in the bunch nonetheless.

 Enjoy ... with links to Amazon for easy-buying.

Old Man's War by John Scalzi
Great read! Almost like a mix between Avatar, Cocoon, and Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Fun, fast entertaining read. Highly recommended if you're a fan of science-fiction.

 Trashed by Derf Backderf
Every Christmas, I always tip our sanitation works. After reading this book, I may tip them even more. Jus a terrific graphic novel following a character's (Derf) two years working for the sanitation department. Also, with tons of interesting tidbits about trash and refuse. I find myself thinking about this book quite often, especially the statistics about trash. Very interesting read and highly recommended. If you like this book, also check out Derf's other graphic novel 'My Friend Dahmer'.

 But Enough About Me: A Memoir by Burt Reynolds
I grew up watching Burt Reynolds films in the 70's and 80's. Sharky's Machine. Cannonball Run 1 & 2. Hooper. The End. Deliverance. So, there's a special place in my heart for Burt. In this book, Burt takes a look at his entire life from his childhood all the way to Boogie Nights and beyond peppered with great stories - warts and all - about the movie industry, his financial ups and downs, the various ladies in his life and the friends he met along the way. Highly recommended if you're a Reynolds fan.

Will Not Attend: Lively Stories of Detachment and Isolation by Adam Resnick
First off, Cabin Boy is a movie that's near and dear to my heart. I saw it twice (TWICE!) in the movie theater. Many people hated it. I loved it. So, I was really excited to hear that the man who wrote the screenplay for Cabin Boy (among other things) had written a book. A memoir nonetheless. I heard about the book on Mark Maron's WTF podcast and thought 'What the hell? I'll pick it up.' What I found inside where some of the funniest autobiographical stories I've read in quite some time. Just some strong, witty, deeply sarcastic writing that pulled memories of Harvey Pekar's 'American Splendor' as well as Paul Feig's autobiographical work 'Superstud' and 'Kick Me, Adventures in Adolescence' - all recommended by the way. Just a fun, quick read that will - at the very least - have you chuckling to yourself. 

Annihilation (Southern Reach #1) by Jeff VanderMeer
When I found out that Writer/Director Alex Garland (of Ex-Machina fame) was adapting this into a movie with Natalie Portman playing the lead, suffice to say I was intrigued. And I didn't put the book down. After a bit of contemplation, it reminds me a bit of the 90's video games MYST and RIVEN - dystopian, green lands void of humans but filled with mystery around every corner - but it's much more than that. It's a science-fiction mystery, it's a study in psychology and biology, it's horrific, and it's a soap box message about humans interaction with it's surrounding environment. It's pretty damn interesting is what it is and I can totally see why Garland optioned this as his next film. Check 'er out. For your information I read the other two books in the series and I thought they sucked. So, you've been warned.

Most final trilogy installments suck. I'm looking at you Hunger Games, Southern Reach & Chaos Walking trilogies. I've fawned over Cronin's two previous 'vampire' novels (The Passage and The Twelve) and often contemplated this final installment. How's he going to bring everything together? How will he tie up all the loose ends? Will the story make sense? Well, Cronin succeeds mightily. This is a long trilogy with combined pages totaling more than 2,400. There was a head scratching moment in the middle of the novel discussing the life of a certain person who shall not be named at this moment. But, it works to the overall storyline so well and would be a tragic deletion to the overall scope of the book. Just like Harry Potter, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and the Lord of the Rings - this journey is well worth it. What more can I say? Well written. Well executed. Fantastic dialogue. And the ability to weave words into beautiful sentences that paints the perfect, tragic, violent picture. Highly Recommended.

I'm a sucker for time-travel books. This time-travel book delivers ... and even offers up a different twist in the genra. After you live your life, you get to live it again from birth all the way to death. Over and over and over again. But, it's much more than a time-travel book, it's a bit of a mystery and a thriller. Our protagonist and antagonist going tete-a-tete with one another over the same centuries. Year after freakin' year. Hats off to Claire North. Seems to me like she did her homework on this. Packed with great dialogue and well-written prose, this is one of the better fiction books I've come across this year. Keeps you thinking days and months after reading it.


Funny book. Follows Spade's life as he grows up, enters college, strikes out with the babes, gets accepted into the SNL cast and beyond. Great behind the scenes stories. And just funny, funny stuff - especially if you like Spade. Highly recommended to listen via Audio because Spade reads the book himself. Enjoy!

The Circle by Dave Eggers
Very great, thought-provoking read. Almost a horror novel in a sense. It's almost like the precursor to Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Orwell's 1984 - more so the latter. A Google-esque company strives for total transparency with no secrets, no lies, and no whispers. Is it good? Is it bad? I'm sure plenty of people will lean on one side or another. For me, it's a lesson: once in a while, maybe more often than not, we all should put down that evil rectangular handheld computer device in our hands. Take a moment to step away from the vehicle, look around at our surroundings - and simply go out and stare at the clouds ... without saving it to the cloud.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Great inspirational read. Motivates you to toss your fears aside, and start getting busy on your writing, your art, your gardening, your DIY project, your jewelry - whatever you do that's creative. One of my speed bumps in life is whether or not I'm going to eventually make some money off of my creative work. Gilbert's book puts all of that crap into perspective with a big 'Who cares!!". I always feel the most satisfied after I send off a cartoon, a piece of writing or finishing a chapter in my forever unpublished book. We should be chasing those creative feelings and not the monetary ones. This book talks about that and much, much more with plenty of mistakes and uh-oh moments that Gilbert made along her journey - which is always nice, and motivating, to read about as well.


Other Top Reads From Year's Past:
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