JANUARY
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
This was amazing, and Michael Keaton as the Vulture is the second-best MCU villain ever.
Doctor Strange (2016)
Very weird, and extremely intense. Leaves you with a lot to chew on afterwards.
Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009)
This cast is loaded - Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherland, Seth Rogen, Stephen Colbert, Paul Rudd, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler and Hugh Laurie. It's a fun movie, and quotable, but otherwise forgettable.
Quigley Down Under (1990)
A Wyoming sharpshooter faces off with a corrupt land baron in Australia in this brutal Tom Selleck Western.
X-Men (2000)
This movie kickstarted the superhero genre, more or less. It's weird. But Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Ian McKellen as Magneto was great casting.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
A unfunny parody of Chinatown using cartoon characters; while it paved the way for Space Jam, it definitely didn't live up to the hype.
Spotlight (2015)
Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo are part of a team of investigative journalists at the Boston Globe working on a huge-scale story of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. It's a somber movie, but worth watching.
High School Musical (2006)
A goofy, throwaway cult classic.
Bridge of Spies (2015)
Tom Hanks stars in this movie about the intricacies of Cold War prisoner exchanges.
Sing (2016)
In an anthropomorphic animal-ized Los Angeles, a theater owner puts on a singing competition. Cat includes Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johannson and John C. Reilly.
A Bug's Life (1998)
An eccentric inventor ant must save his colony from the enslavement of grasshoppers, with the help of troupe of semi-employed circus performers.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Will Ferrell is a NASCAR driver. The plot is pretty self-explanatory.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Robin Williams is an eccentric English teacher at a hidebound 1959 New England boarding school in this sad drama.
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman star in this perfect movie about a woman who gains a family by pretending to be the fiancee of a man in a coma.
Fantastic Four (2015)
Yeesh. Even worse than the first two, this reboot makes everyone ultraserious, explains no background, and all the main characters are one-dimensional and pissed off.
Total watched this month: 15.
FEBRUARY
The Hunger Games (2012)
This worked fairly well as an adaptation.
The Princess Bride (1987)
S. Morgenstern's classic tale of true love and high adventure.
Black Panther (2018)
T'Challa begins his reign as Wakanda's king.
Total watched this month: 3, bringing total to 18.
MARCH
Rewatch of Black Panther.
Ferdinand (2017)
A very loose adaptation of Munro Leaf's classic picture book, starring John Cena, Kate McKinnon and Peyton Manning. I really liked it a lot.
Justice League (2017)
Joss Whedon's direction made this watchable. Being part of the DCEU, it was still a mess, but with soem glimmer of future redemption.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
I hated this movie when I saw it in theaters. I still hated it on rewatch.
Ready Player One (2018)
The much-streamlined and improved adaptation of Ernest Cline's dystopian novel about a treasure hunt for control of the Internet.
Apollo 13 (1995)
Directed by Ron Howard, it stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise and Bill Paxton as astronauts in this enthralling historical account of the moon landing that never happened.
Total watched this month: 5, bringing total to 23.
APRIL
The Village (2004)
A very thinky Gothic suspense/horror movie with a loaded cast, starring Bryce Dallas Howard.
Iron Man (2008)
Everyone has to start somewhere.
The Incredible Hulk (2009)
Edward Norton is a much better Bruce Banner than Mark Ruffalo. This is a fugitive movie, and very forgotten.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Thanos is finally here...
Total watched this month: 4, bringing total to 27.
MAY
Rewatch of Avengers: Infinity War
The Big Sleep (1946)
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall star in this movie based on a Raymond Chandler novel.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)
Not as good as the first, definitely better than the second, most of the cast looked like they felt incredibly out of place. Also, the dance numbers lost all hope of connecting to reality.
Bringing Up Baby (1940)
Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, a leopard, and lightning-paced screwball hijinks. What else do you need?
The Greatest Showman (2017)
A fanciful, not-particularly-accurate biography of P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman), also starring Zendaya and Zac Efron.
12 Strong (2018)
A war movie starring John Krasinski and Michael Pena about the first action of the War on Terror.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
This movie....exists. It falls into 3-A in terms of chronology.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Indiana Jones' first - and probably best - adventure./
Rewatch of While You Were Sleeping
Total watched this month: 7, bringing total to 34.
JUNE
Incredibles 2 (2018)
This sequel really didn't need to be made. It wasn't bad, but really could have benefited from a timejump instead of picking up literally seconds after the first movie ended.
Jurassic Park (1993)
Based on Michael Crichton's novel, this might be even better. Certainly much more terrifying.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
The spirit of the novel was kept extremely well in this film that stars and is directed by Kenneth Branagh.
Total watched this month: 3, bringing total to 37.
JULY
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
This was much better than the first one - following Captain America: Civil War, and set at least partially concurrent to Avengers: Infinity War, Scott and Hope try to rescue Janet Van Dyne from the Quantum Realm.
Total watched this month: 1, bringing total to 38.
AUGUST
Turner and Hooch (1989)
This was an odd movie. Slow-paced, thoughtful, boring, part murder-mystery and part odd-couple comedy, it's extremely violent and has way too much of Tom Hanks in his underwear.
Hotel for Dogs (2009)
Emma Roberts and Don Cheadle star in this movie about a group of teenagers who commit a litany of crimes in the name of rescuing dogs across the city.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
Based on the 2008 novel, this story is sharper different because of the different medium, but an enjoyable, though rather slow, watch.
Total watched this month: 3, bringing total to 41.
SEPTEMBER
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Very thoughtful, if not particularly accurate, look at how Walt Disney secured the rights to adapt P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins. Tom Hanks is a great actor, and it was beautifully filmed.
Crisis on Earth-X (2017)
Not technically a film, or if so, a TV movie, this is a massive Arrowverse crossover across episodes of Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. Nazis and doppelgangers are always good antagonists.
Rewatch of The Village
The Truman Show (1998)
A man's whole life is broadcast as a hit reality show, and he has no idea.
Total watched this month: 3, bringing total to 44.
OCTOBER
Skyscraper (2018)
This movie was very average. Starred The Rock, which is something, but the plot was too simple, the script was terrible, and the acting for the most part was uninspired.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Gothic elements were introduced after Isla Nublar's dinosaurs are no more due to a volcanic explosion. It was easily the best since the original.
New York Minute (2004)
Mix Ferris Bueller with Legally Blonde, and you have the final Olsen twins movie, which is lightweight, thoroughly ridiculous, extremely problematic if thought about for more than twenty seconds and entirely watchable.
Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (2002)
Andrea and Buddy join the Fernfield Junior High baseball team as they try to adjust to life without Josh, who's now at college.
Total watched this month: 4, bringing total to 48.
NOVEMBER
Stardust (2007)
This is loosely based on a Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, it's an odd but mostly satisfying fairy tale.
Miracle (2004)
A mostly-faithful retelling of the Miracle on Ice starring Kurt Russell.
Newsies: The Broadway Musical (2017)
This was a filmed version of a hugely successful stage musical based on a film that flopped horribly 25 years ago, based on the newsboys strike of 1899.
Air Bud: World Pup (2000)
Josh and Buddy take on soccer for Fernfield High, because of a pretty British girl on the team - and she has a Golden Retriever!
Air Bud Spikes Back (2002)
Andrea and Buddy learn volleyball one summer after Tammy moves to California.
Total watched this month: 5, bringing total to 53.
DECEMBER
Air Buddies (2006)
Buddy's puppies can talk, and they need to rescue their parents from a kidnapper.
The Search for Santa Paws (2011)
This was terrible, even by the admittedly-low standards of Christmas movies.
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012)
Also thoroughly terrible and pointless.
It's a Wonderful Life (1947)
The Jimmy Stewart Christmas classic.
Little Women (2018)
This adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel is set in modern times and stars High School Musical's Lucas Grabeel as Laurie and Lea Thompson as Marmee, with Mandy Moore, Anne Hathaway and Shailene Woodley lookalikes as Meg, Jo and Beth. It worked really well and captured the tone of the book perfectly.
Rewatch of Avengers: Infinity War
Rewatch of Ant-Man and the Wasp
Total watched this month: 5, bringing total to for the year.to 58
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
The Best of 2018
Favorite Memory -
It was really great to see Ashland in March, and it was also pretty great to see a play I wrote performed onstage. Very good to see Dr. Mackie, David and Andrew, too. That was a good weekend. Good to catch up with Susan over lunch once during the summer, too.
Favorite Country Song -
"Five More Minutes" by Scotty McCreery. Other good ones: Luke Bryan's "Most People Are Good," Kenny Chesney's "Get Along" and Keith Urban's "Female."
Favorite Non-Country Song -
I'm gonna go with Taylor Swift's "Delicate" here.
Favorite Movie Seen in Theaters -
Avengers: Infinity War has to go here, because of its enormity. But there was a lot to choose from: Black Panther, Ready Player One, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Incredibles 2, Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Favorite New Movie Not Seen in Theaters -
Basically, this just means "2018 movies not seen in theaters" because there's not that many that come to the nearest theater. Skyscraper, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Little Women all qualify. Fallen Kingdom wins, though Little Women was surprisingly not terrible when translated into modern times.
Favorite YouTube Channel -
Gotta be Editing is Everything. That girl Dani is a genius.
There wasn't much that happened this year, really. I covered NASCAR for Frontstretch, superhero TV/movies for Bam Smack Pow, and wrote most of the content for Dog O'Day as site co-expert (editor).
It was really great to see Ashland in March, and it was also pretty great to see a play I wrote performed onstage. Very good to see Dr. Mackie, David and Andrew, too. That was a good weekend. Good to catch up with Susan over lunch once during the summer, too.
Favorite Country Song -
"Five More Minutes" by Scotty McCreery. Other good ones: Luke Bryan's "Most People Are Good," Kenny Chesney's "Get Along" and Keith Urban's "Female."
Favorite Non-Country Song -
I'm gonna go with Taylor Swift's "Delicate" here.
Favorite Movie Seen in Theaters -
Avengers: Infinity War has to go here, because of its enormity. But there was a lot to choose from: Black Panther, Ready Player One, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Incredibles 2, Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Favorite New Movie Not Seen in Theaters -
Basically, this just means "2018 movies not seen in theaters" because there's not that many that come to the nearest theater. Skyscraper, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Little Women all qualify. Fallen Kingdom wins, though Little Women was surprisingly not terrible when translated into modern times.
Favorite YouTube Channel -
Gotta be Editing is Everything. That girl Dani is a genius.
There wasn't much that happened this year, really. I covered NASCAR for Frontstretch, superhero TV/movies for Bam Smack Pow, and wrote most of the content for Dog O'Day as site co-expert (editor).
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Nonfiction of 2018
LATE DECEMBER
Mandolin for Dummies, by Don Julin (2011)
A very good how-to-play-mandolin manual.
Total read so far: 1.
JANUARY
Portrait of Canada, by June Callwood (1981)
A quick history of the country, focusing mainly on political disputes.
A Friday Night Lights Companion: Love, Loss and Football in Dillon, Texas, edited by Leah Wilson (2011)
Essays and commentary on the show.
Grammar Essentials for Dummies, by Geraldine Woods (2010)
Exactly what you'd expect from the title.
Girls of Summer: In Their Own League, by Lois Browne (1992)
A breezy history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League written for the non-sports fan.
Total Truth: Liberating Christianity From its Cultural Captivity, by Nancy Pearcey (2004)
This was one of Courtney's books from the Challies internship. It was pretty good for a book on philosophy.
I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away, by Bill Bryson (1999)
This is a collection of columns written for a British magazine, about the daily life of an American expat returning to life in the States.
Total read this month: 6, bringing nonfiction total to 7.
FEBRUARY
The World According to Star Wars, by Cass R. Sunstein (2016)
Written by a law professor, this is equal parts analysis about the sci-fi megafranchise and the complexities of determining constitutional law.
Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel, by Ben Batchelor (2017)
A well-researched but inconsistently-paced biography.
Now All We Need is a Title: Famous Book Titles and How They Got That Way, by Andre Bernard (1995)
Short anecdotes about how famous and obscure books got their titles, and examples of the (usually much less compelling) working titles.
The Tarantula in My Purse: And 172 Other Wild Pets, by Jean Craighead George (1996)
A memoir of all the exotic pets she and her children raised.
The Western Lit Survival Kit: An Irreverent Guide to the Classics from Homer to Faulkner, by Sandra Newman (2012)
If Dr. Mackie was feeling really snarky, she could have totally written this. It was entertaining and informative, though I disagreed with the author on a lot of the writers that I'd read (for example, Kipling, Twain and Faulkner are all fantastic).
Total read this month: 5, bringing nonfiction total to 12..
MARCH
The Not-So-Lost Soul Companion: More Hope, Strength, and Strategies for Artists and Artists-at-Heart, by Susan M. Brackney (2002)
A little too fluffy to be useful, in small packages it might be inspiring.
The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life, by Os Guinness (1998)
This was well worth reading.
Making a Living Without a Job: Winning Ways for Creating Work that You Love, by Barbara J. Winter (1993)
This felt a little too "rah rah rah" to be helpful, not to mention dated, but it might be helpful for some people.
A Dab of Dickens and a Touch of Twain: Literary Lives from Shakespeare's Old England to Frost's New England, by Eliot Engel (2002)
This is It Happened in America, only about famous authors. It's great.
Making Movies, by Sidney Lumet (1995)
The director of Long Day's Journey Into Night talks about the storytelling process. A little dull, honestly.
Never Leave Your Block: Adventures in Urban Living, by Scott Jacobs (2012)
A Chicago journalist chronicles the happenings in his neighborhood in this collection of essays.
Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father, by John Matteson (2012)
An exhausting, thoroughly well-researched and well-written biography of two passionate, strong-willed people.
Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will, by Kevin DeYoung (2009)
Extremely helpful book.
Total read this month: 8, bringing total to 20.
APRIL
Cary Grant: A Biography, by Marc Eliot (2004)
I was disappointed by this one, after enjoying the author's book about Ronald Reagan.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson (2013)
A look at the American summer of 1927. Lots happened, including Charles Lindbergh's flight over the Atlantic.
A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson (1998)
The author recounts his experience of trying to conquer the Appalachian Trail.
Sports From Hell: My Search for the World's Dumbest Competition, by Rick Reilly (2009)
Did you know chess boxing exists? Me neither.
Ebert's Bigger Little Movie Glossary, by Roger Ebert (1999)
The title says it all...TV Tropes before the internet was really much of a thing.
Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale, by Dan Dye, Mark Beckloff and Richard Simon (2000)
A memoir of a deaf albino Great Dane and the gourmet dog-biscuit company she and her owners founded.
Unfamiliar Fishes, by Sarah Vowell (2011)
A history of Hawaii from Captain Cook to American annexation, written by the historian/radio personality who is the voice of Violet Parr.
For the Love of Books: 115 Celebrated Writers on the Books They Love Most, collected by Ronald B. Schwartz (1998)
Most of these writers I had never heard of, and I doubt I'll ever read Moby Dick or The Brothers Karamazov, but it was interesting to see what books had an impact on them.
Bigger Than the Game: Bo, Boz, the Punky QB, and How the '80's Created the Modern Athlete, by Michael Weinreb (2011)
A very interesting, though also depressing, history and analysis of the 1980's and its impact on pop culture and sports.
Total read this month: 9, bringing total to 29.
MAY
Aspects of the Novel, by E.M. Forster (1927)
E.M. Forster tries to define the elements of a novel as a guest speaker at Yale. Very interesting.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster (2003)
This would have been very helpful when starting college. Funny and well-written, too,
Hang Time: Days and Dreams with Michael Jordan, by Bob Greene (1992)
You always hear about Michael Jordan the basketball player - otherwordly excellent. Michael Jordan the advertising guy - otherworldly excellent. Michael Jordan the baseball player - kind of a disappointment. Michael Jordan the owner/player - rather depressing and pitiful. But you never get to hear about Michael Jordan the human. Bob Greene became friends with him, because he wasn't a sportswriter, and he could listen well.
Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen: Reflections at Sixty and Beyond, by Larry McMurtry (1999)
Reflections on living in north-central Texas, ranching, reading and writing fill this meandering but pleasant read.
Prime-Time Hits: Television's Most Popular Network Programs, 1950 to the Present, by Susan Sackett (1993)
A short overview of the history of top 10 TV shows each decade from the early days to the early nineties.
Travels, by Michael Crichton (1988)
Crichton's journey of trying to understand himself and the world, featuring essays on subjects as varied as medical school, mountain climbing, living in Hollywood and mysticism.
The Intimate Marriage, by R.C. Sproul (written 1978, revised 2003)
R.C. Sproul's guide to marriage.
A Child's Delight, by Noel Perrin (1997)
A series of short essays praising obscure children's literature.
Total read this month: 7, bringing nonfiction total to 36.
JUNE
First Person Rural: Essays of a Sometime Farmer, by Noel Perrin (1978)
Humorous essays on New England country living minutiae.
Fatal: The Poisonous Life of a Female Serial Killer, by Harold Schecter (2003)
A "meh" account of late nineteenth-century New England serial killer Jane Toppan.
Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion, Persecution, Orphans and Pornography, by David Platt (2015)
That subtitle pretty well sums it up... Platt always feels like he's yelling at you in his writing.
Bush League: A Colorful, Factual Account of Minor League Baseball from 1877 to the Present, by Robert Obojski (1975)
A rather dry, academic history of minor league baseball. Would be useful as a reference for historical fiction.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain (2012)
This was very much worth reading. Some of the life-survival tips I'd stumbled across myself, which was also interesting.
Five Patients, by Michael Crichton (1969)
A critical analysis of the hospital environment and medical school practices. Really interesting.
Rebound: The Odyssey of Michael Jordan, by Bob Greene (1995)
The baseball period has always been one of the most fascinating parts about Michael Jordan's life, and one that you rarely heard about. The true story of Space Jam (which was being filmed as this book was in the publishing process) was well worth reading.
Total read this month: 7, bringing nonfiction total to 43.
JULY
Second-Person Rural: More Essays of a Sometime Farmer, by Noel Perrin (1980)
Subjects include the differences between city and country people and an account of taste-testing potato varieties.
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, by Tim Keller (2008)
This was excellent.
Third-Person Rural: Further Essays of a Sometime Farmer, by Noel Perrin (1983)
Subjects include Vermont's weather and the threat of nuclear warfare.
Rapture Ready! Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture, by Daniel Radosh (2008)
This snarky analysis needed to be written, but a Christian could never have written it. So a Jewish agnostic did instead.
Baseball: An Illustrated History, by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns (1994)
This history was masterfully researched and well-written. The photos were interesting, too.
We Made This Country Great, edited by Ken Tate (2002)
Short essays telling about everyday life in America from the 1890s to the 1950s.
Total read this month: 6, bringing total to 49.
AUGUST
Belles on Their Toes, by Ernestine Gilbreth Carey and Frank Gilbreth Jr (1950)
The sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen explains what happened to the Gilbreth clan after their father died.
Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad, by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard (1999)
"Hey, guys! We found a secret code hidden in slave quilts! Unfortunately, we don't understand it." It does make Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use" a little clearer, though, so there was some good to reading this book.
Sam Walton: The Inside Story of America's Richest Man, by Vance Trimble (1990)
This biography wasn't nearly as good as the first handful of times I read it.
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less, by Terry Ryan (2000)
A hilarious, pathetic, miraculous tale of a southwest Ohio family's struggle to survive.
Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society, by Danny Fingeroth (2004)
This is a breezy tone, but deep questions being asked. It's well worth reading.
Bill Peet: An Autobiography, by Bill Peet (1989)
A former Disney animator and picture-book author/illustrator tells his life story, using plenty of drawings to fill in the word-gaps.
Moments: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs, edited by Sheryle and John Leekley (1978)
These pictures....it was like being in the Newseum again. Sometimes, as Dan Rather says in the introduction, it can be discouraging how one image can really say a thousand words.
Total read this month: 7, bringing total to 56.
SEPTEMBER
Yin & Yang Nutrition for Dogs; Maximizing Health with Whole Foods, Not Drugs, by Judy Morgan and Hue Grant (2017)
This is a cookbook for dog-owners who have a ton of extra time and resources to cook natural foods for their pets. I reviewed it for Dog O'Day.
From Lucky to Smart: Leadership Lessons from QuikTrip, by Chester Cadieux and Judie Nera (2008)
A book on management principles from QuikTrip's history. Pretty good book for its kind.
Total read this month: 2, bringing total to 58.
OCTOBER
The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America, by Bill Bryson (1989)
Bryson has two settings: hilarious and insufferable. This book has enough elements of both to wash out into a "meh, that was okay." Still, I was expecting Travels with Charley, so that was somewhat disappointing.
Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites who Ruled Texas Football, by Jim Dent (2007)
This wasn't bad, but it should've been much better, considering that the author was a sportswriter with 30-plus years of experience. The chapters felt disconnected and basic facts didn't quite add up, but if you enjoyed Friday Night Lights, Matt Saracen and Tim Riggins could have been at home here. It tells about the Fort Worth Masonic Home football teams that rose to the top echelon of 1930s Texas high school football.
Sacagawea's Nickname: Essays on the American West, by Larry McMurtry (2001)
Interesting essays on a wide variety of Western characters, places and literature.
Hidden Power: Presidential Marriages That Shaped Our History, by Kati Marton (2001)
This was a really interesting history, especially when viewed with Tevi Troy's book on pop culture and the Presidency.
The Complete Samoyed, by Robert H. and Dolly Ward (1971)
An especially dull academic history of the Samoyeds of dog-show fame. Reviewed for Dog O'Day.
Total read this month: 5, bringing total to 63.
NOVEMBER
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction, by Neil Gaiman (2014)
Essays and introductions by the ever-zany and clever Neil Gaiman.
You Can Write Children's Books, by Tracey Dils (2009)
An easily readable guide to the process of writing children's books.
Face the Nation: My Favorite Stories from the First 50 Years of the Award-Winning Broadcast, by Bob Schieffer (2004)
This was well worth reading, both for political history and TV history, in addition to several good essays on the role of journalism and journalists in the world.
Stolen! A History of Base Stealing, by Russell Roberts (1999)
Exactly what it sounds like, which was so oddly specific to write an entire book about that it made for a book-sale gamble. It wasn't the best baseball book I've ever read, but it wasn't awful, either.
Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family, by Nicholas Pileggi (1985)
This is the book Goodfellas was based on. The movie was better.
Nike is a Goddess: The History of Women in Sports, edited by Lissa Smith (1999)
About half the history in these essays I already knew, but they were still interesting reading, particularly the hockey and soccer chapters.
Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, by Paco Underhill (1999)
This was really interesting, as a "I never would have thought of looking at it that way, but that's awesome!" type of book.
To America: Personal Reflections of an Historian, by Stephen Ambrose (2002)
Somewhat boring, but not terrible as an introduction to his work.
Bare Fists: The History of Bare-Knuckle Prizefighting, by Bob Mee (2002)
This was written well, but there's only so long you can read about 18th century British boxers.
The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer's Block and the Creative Brain, by Alice W. Flaherty (2004)
This was interesting; the author is a mentally-ill writer whose day job is neurology, which made for a unique spin on the subject.
Total read this month: 10, bringing total to 73.
DECEMBER
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell (2005)
Gladwell is always interesting. This is about gut decisions.
Western Christians in Global Mission: What's the Role of the North American Church?, by Paul Borthwick (2012)
This was one of Courtney's textbooks that was lying around. It was pretty good.
The Last Outlaws: The Lives and Legacies of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, by Thom Hatch (2013)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are some of the most interesting outlaws ever, which is saying something. The author has an interesting writing style that fully admits where he might be speculating and not venturing theories when there's zero data to back them up.
Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography, by David Michaelis (2007)
An exhaustively researched and thorough biography of a very complicated man.
The Library Book, by Susan Orlean (2018)
Partially a true crime book about a devastating inferno, partially a history of the Los Angeles City Library, and partially an ode to the wonderfulness of the concept of libraries in general, this is hard to sum up, but well-written and worth reading.
Total read this month: 4, bringing total nonfiction read this year to 77.
Mandolin for Dummies, by Don Julin (2011)
A very good how-to-play-mandolin manual.
Total read so far: 1.
JANUARY
Portrait of Canada, by June Callwood (1981)
A quick history of the country, focusing mainly on political disputes.
A Friday Night Lights Companion: Love, Loss and Football in Dillon, Texas, edited by Leah Wilson (2011)
Essays and commentary on the show.
Grammar Essentials for Dummies, by Geraldine Woods (2010)
Exactly what you'd expect from the title.
Girls of Summer: In Their Own League, by Lois Browne (1992)
A breezy history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League written for the non-sports fan.
Total Truth: Liberating Christianity From its Cultural Captivity, by Nancy Pearcey (2004)
This was one of Courtney's books from the Challies internship. It was pretty good for a book on philosophy.
I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away, by Bill Bryson (1999)
This is a collection of columns written for a British magazine, about the daily life of an American expat returning to life in the States.
Total read this month: 6, bringing nonfiction total to 7.
FEBRUARY
The World According to Star Wars, by Cass R. Sunstein (2016)
Written by a law professor, this is equal parts analysis about the sci-fi megafranchise and the complexities of determining constitutional law.
Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel, by Ben Batchelor (2017)
A well-researched but inconsistently-paced biography.
Now All We Need is a Title: Famous Book Titles and How They Got That Way, by Andre Bernard (1995)
Short anecdotes about how famous and obscure books got their titles, and examples of the (usually much less compelling) working titles.
The Tarantula in My Purse: And 172 Other Wild Pets, by Jean Craighead George (1996)
A memoir of all the exotic pets she and her children raised.
The Western Lit Survival Kit: An Irreverent Guide to the Classics from Homer to Faulkner, by Sandra Newman (2012)
If Dr. Mackie was feeling really snarky, she could have totally written this. It was entertaining and informative, though I disagreed with the author on a lot of the writers that I'd read (for example, Kipling, Twain and Faulkner are all fantastic).
Total read this month: 5, bringing nonfiction total to 12..
MARCH
The Not-So-Lost Soul Companion: More Hope, Strength, and Strategies for Artists and Artists-at-Heart, by Susan M. Brackney (2002)
A little too fluffy to be useful, in small packages it might be inspiring.
The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life, by Os Guinness (1998)
This was well worth reading.
Making a Living Without a Job: Winning Ways for Creating Work that You Love, by Barbara J. Winter (1993)
This felt a little too "rah rah rah" to be helpful, not to mention dated, but it might be helpful for some people.
A Dab of Dickens and a Touch of Twain: Literary Lives from Shakespeare's Old England to Frost's New England, by Eliot Engel (2002)
This is It Happened in America, only about famous authors. It's great.
Making Movies, by Sidney Lumet (1995)
The director of Long Day's Journey Into Night talks about the storytelling process. A little dull, honestly.
Never Leave Your Block: Adventures in Urban Living, by Scott Jacobs (2012)
A Chicago journalist chronicles the happenings in his neighborhood in this collection of essays.
Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father, by John Matteson (2012)
An exhausting, thoroughly well-researched and well-written biography of two passionate, strong-willed people.
Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will, by Kevin DeYoung (2009)
Extremely helpful book.
Total read this month: 8, bringing total to 20.
APRIL
Cary Grant: A Biography, by Marc Eliot (2004)
I was disappointed by this one, after enjoying the author's book about Ronald Reagan.
One Summer: America, 1927, by Bill Bryson (2013)
A look at the American summer of 1927. Lots happened, including Charles Lindbergh's flight over the Atlantic.
A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson (1998)
The author recounts his experience of trying to conquer the Appalachian Trail.
Sports From Hell: My Search for the World's Dumbest Competition, by Rick Reilly (2009)
Did you know chess boxing exists? Me neither.
Ebert's Bigger Little Movie Glossary, by Roger Ebert (1999)
The title says it all...TV Tropes before the internet was really much of a thing.
Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale, by Dan Dye, Mark Beckloff and Richard Simon (2000)
A memoir of a deaf albino Great Dane and the gourmet dog-biscuit company she and her owners founded.
Unfamiliar Fishes, by Sarah Vowell (2011)
A history of Hawaii from Captain Cook to American annexation, written by the historian/radio personality who is the voice of Violet Parr.
For the Love of Books: 115 Celebrated Writers on the Books They Love Most, collected by Ronald B. Schwartz (1998)
Most of these writers I had never heard of, and I doubt I'll ever read Moby Dick or The Brothers Karamazov, but it was interesting to see what books had an impact on them.
Bigger Than the Game: Bo, Boz, the Punky QB, and How the '80's Created the Modern Athlete, by Michael Weinreb (2011)
A very interesting, though also depressing, history and analysis of the 1980's and its impact on pop culture and sports.
Total read this month: 9, bringing total to 29.
MAY
Aspects of the Novel, by E.M. Forster (1927)
E.M. Forster tries to define the elements of a novel as a guest speaker at Yale. Very interesting.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster (2003)
This would have been very helpful when starting college. Funny and well-written, too,
Hang Time: Days and Dreams with Michael Jordan, by Bob Greene (1992)
You always hear about Michael Jordan the basketball player - otherwordly excellent. Michael Jordan the advertising guy - otherworldly excellent. Michael Jordan the baseball player - kind of a disappointment. Michael Jordan the owner/player - rather depressing and pitiful. But you never get to hear about Michael Jordan the human. Bob Greene became friends with him, because he wasn't a sportswriter, and he could listen well.
Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen: Reflections at Sixty and Beyond, by Larry McMurtry (1999)
Reflections on living in north-central Texas, ranching, reading and writing fill this meandering but pleasant read.
Prime-Time Hits: Television's Most Popular Network Programs, 1950 to the Present, by Susan Sackett (1993)
A short overview of the history of top 10 TV shows each decade from the early days to the early nineties.
Travels, by Michael Crichton (1988)
Crichton's journey of trying to understand himself and the world, featuring essays on subjects as varied as medical school, mountain climbing, living in Hollywood and mysticism.
The Intimate Marriage, by R.C. Sproul (written 1978, revised 2003)
R.C. Sproul's guide to marriage.
A Child's Delight, by Noel Perrin (1997)
A series of short essays praising obscure children's literature.
Total read this month: 7, bringing nonfiction total to 36.
JUNE
First Person Rural: Essays of a Sometime Farmer, by Noel Perrin (1978)
Humorous essays on New England country living minutiae.
Fatal: The Poisonous Life of a Female Serial Killer, by Harold Schecter (2003)
A "meh" account of late nineteenth-century New England serial killer Jane Toppan.
Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion, Persecution, Orphans and Pornography, by David Platt (2015)
That subtitle pretty well sums it up... Platt always feels like he's yelling at you in his writing.
Bush League: A Colorful, Factual Account of Minor League Baseball from 1877 to the Present, by Robert Obojski (1975)
A rather dry, academic history of minor league baseball. Would be useful as a reference for historical fiction.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain (2012)
This was very much worth reading. Some of the life-survival tips I'd stumbled across myself, which was also interesting.
Five Patients, by Michael Crichton (1969)
A critical analysis of the hospital environment and medical school practices. Really interesting.
Rebound: The Odyssey of Michael Jordan, by Bob Greene (1995)
The baseball period has always been one of the most fascinating parts about Michael Jordan's life, and one that you rarely heard about. The true story of Space Jam (which was being filmed as this book was in the publishing process) was well worth reading.
Total read this month: 7, bringing nonfiction total to 43.
JULY
Second-Person Rural: More Essays of a Sometime Farmer, by Noel Perrin (1980)
Subjects include the differences between city and country people and an account of taste-testing potato varieties.
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, by Tim Keller (2008)
This was excellent.
Third-Person Rural: Further Essays of a Sometime Farmer, by Noel Perrin (1983)
Subjects include Vermont's weather and the threat of nuclear warfare.
Rapture Ready! Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture, by Daniel Radosh (2008)
This snarky analysis needed to be written, but a Christian could never have written it. So a Jewish agnostic did instead.
Baseball: An Illustrated History, by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns (1994)
This history was masterfully researched and well-written. The photos were interesting, too.
We Made This Country Great, edited by Ken Tate (2002)
Short essays telling about everyday life in America from the 1890s to the 1950s.
Total read this month: 6, bringing total to 49.
AUGUST
Belles on Their Toes, by Ernestine Gilbreth Carey and Frank Gilbreth Jr (1950)
The sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen explains what happened to the Gilbreth clan after their father died.
Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad, by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard (1999)
"Hey, guys! We found a secret code hidden in slave quilts! Unfortunately, we don't understand it." It does make Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use" a little clearer, though, so there was some good to reading this book.
Sam Walton: The Inside Story of America's Richest Man, by Vance Trimble (1990)
This biography wasn't nearly as good as the first handful of times I read it.
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less, by Terry Ryan (2000)
A hilarious, pathetic, miraculous tale of a southwest Ohio family's struggle to survive.
Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society, by Danny Fingeroth (2004)
This is a breezy tone, but deep questions being asked. It's well worth reading.
Bill Peet: An Autobiography, by Bill Peet (1989)
A former Disney animator and picture-book author/illustrator tells his life story, using plenty of drawings to fill in the word-gaps.
Moments: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs, edited by Sheryle and John Leekley (1978)
These pictures....it was like being in the Newseum again. Sometimes, as Dan Rather says in the introduction, it can be discouraging how one image can really say a thousand words.
Total read this month: 7, bringing total to 56.
SEPTEMBER
Yin & Yang Nutrition for Dogs; Maximizing Health with Whole Foods, Not Drugs, by Judy Morgan and Hue Grant (2017)
This is a cookbook for dog-owners who have a ton of extra time and resources to cook natural foods for their pets. I reviewed it for Dog O'Day.
From Lucky to Smart: Leadership Lessons from QuikTrip, by Chester Cadieux and Judie Nera (2008)
A book on management principles from QuikTrip's history. Pretty good book for its kind.
Total read this month: 2, bringing total to 58.
OCTOBER
The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America, by Bill Bryson (1989)
Bryson has two settings: hilarious and insufferable. This book has enough elements of both to wash out into a "meh, that was okay." Still, I was expecting Travels with Charley, so that was somewhat disappointing.
Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites who Ruled Texas Football, by Jim Dent (2007)
This wasn't bad, but it should've been much better, considering that the author was a sportswriter with 30-plus years of experience. The chapters felt disconnected and basic facts didn't quite add up, but if you enjoyed Friday Night Lights, Matt Saracen and Tim Riggins could have been at home here. It tells about the Fort Worth Masonic Home football teams that rose to the top echelon of 1930s Texas high school football.
Sacagawea's Nickname: Essays on the American West, by Larry McMurtry (2001)
Interesting essays on a wide variety of Western characters, places and literature.
Hidden Power: Presidential Marriages That Shaped Our History, by Kati Marton (2001)
This was a really interesting history, especially when viewed with Tevi Troy's book on pop culture and the Presidency.
The Complete Samoyed, by Robert H. and Dolly Ward (1971)
An especially dull academic history of the Samoyeds of dog-show fame. Reviewed for Dog O'Day.
Total read this month: 5, bringing total to 63.
NOVEMBER
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction, by Neil Gaiman (2014)
Essays and introductions by the ever-zany and clever Neil Gaiman.
You Can Write Children's Books, by Tracey Dils (2009)
An easily readable guide to the process of writing children's books.
Face the Nation: My Favorite Stories from the First 50 Years of the Award-Winning Broadcast, by Bob Schieffer (2004)
This was well worth reading, both for political history and TV history, in addition to several good essays on the role of journalism and journalists in the world.
Stolen! A History of Base Stealing, by Russell Roberts (1999)
Exactly what it sounds like, which was so oddly specific to write an entire book about that it made for a book-sale gamble. It wasn't the best baseball book I've ever read, but it wasn't awful, either.
Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family, by Nicholas Pileggi (1985)
This is the book Goodfellas was based on. The movie was better.
Nike is a Goddess: The History of Women in Sports, edited by Lissa Smith (1999)
About half the history in these essays I already knew, but they were still interesting reading, particularly the hockey and soccer chapters.
Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, by Paco Underhill (1999)
This was really interesting, as a "I never would have thought of looking at it that way, but that's awesome!" type of book.
To America: Personal Reflections of an Historian, by Stephen Ambrose (2002)
Somewhat boring, but not terrible as an introduction to his work.
Bare Fists: The History of Bare-Knuckle Prizefighting, by Bob Mee (2002)
This was written well, but there's only so long you can read about 18th century British boxers.
The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer's Block and the Creative Brain, by Alice W. Flaherty (2004)
This was interesting; the author is a mentally-ill writer whose day job is neurology, which made for a unique spin on the subject.
Total read this month: 10, bringing total to 73.
DECEMBER
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell (2005)
Gladwell is always interesting. This is about gut decisions.
Western Christians in Global Mission: What's the Role of the North American Church?, by Paul Borthwick (2012)
This was one of Courtney's textbooks that was lying around. It was pretty good.
The Last Outlaws: The Lives and Legacies of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, by Thom Hatch (2013)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are some of the most interesting outlaws ever, which is saying something. The author has an interesting writing style that fully admits where he might be speculating and not venturing theories when there's zero data to back them up.
Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography, by David Michaelis (2007)
An exhaustively researched and thorough biography of a very complicated man.
The Library Book, by Susan Orlean (2018)
Partially a true crime book about a devastating inferno, partially a history of the Los Angeles City Library, and partially an ode to the wonderfulness of the concept of libraries in general, this is hard to sum up, but well-written and worth reading.
Total read this month: 4, bringing total nonfiction read this year to 77.
Fiction of 2018
LATE DECEMBER
Boone's Lick, by Larry McMurtry (2000)
Shay Cecil recounts the time his mother hauled the family from Boone's Lick, Missouri, clear up to Fort Phil Kearny, Wyoming, in order to break up with her cheating ne'er-do-well husband.
Total read so far: 1.
JANUARY
Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo (2000)
This MG novel is fine, though unspectacular. A ten-year-old preacher's daughter makes friends with a couple of elderly ladies in a small Florida town with the help of her dog.
To Fetch a Thief, by Spencer Quinn (2010)
The third Chet and Bernie mystery, this one involves a kidnapped elephant.
The Dog Who Knew Too Much, by Spencer Quinn (2011)
The fourth Chet and Bernie mystery, involving a missing boy and a murder in the Colorado mountains.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1: The Mysterious Howling, by Maryrose Wood (2009)
In which a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females embarks on a journey of being a governess to three children raised by wolves.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Bool 2: The Hidden Gallery, by Maryrose Wood (2011)
In which Lady Constance decides to go to London, where more questions are raised about the Incorrigibles and Penelope meets a nice young man.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 3: The Unseen Guest, by Maryrose Wood (2012)
In which the Incorrigibles befriend a lost ostrich and discover they are not the only howlers at Ashton Place.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 4: The Interrupted Tale, by Maryrose Wood (2013)
In which Penelope has a speaking engagement at a reunion for graduates of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 5: The Unmapped Sea, bu Maryrose Wood (2015)
In which answers begin to be revealed on vacation in the resort city of Brighton.
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger (1951)
There are a handful of good paragraphs, but, in Crick's words, "It's a stupid book. The kid does nothing but complain the whole time."
Total read this month: 9, bringing total fiction thus far to 10.
FEBRUARY
Auggie and Me: Three Wonder Stories, by R.J. Palacio (2015)
A continuation of Wonder, telling the events from the perspectives of Julian, Christopher in Connectict, and Summer's friend Charlotte.
Dragon Teeth, by Michael Crichton (written around 1974, published in 2017)
This earlyish Crichton novel is about paleontology in the Old West - more specifically, 1876 Wyoming - and is written in the style of a creative nonfiction essay, which doesn't quite work in historical fiction. Still, it was interesting.
Breakfast at Tiffany's, by Truman Capote (1958)
This felt like Gatsby.
Other Voices, Other Rooms, by Truman Capote (1948)
This is definitely Southern Gothic.
Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare (1598)
This is my favorite of all his plays.
Timeline, by Michael Crichton (1999)
Historians are teleported into medieval France. It's one of Crichton's better works.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky (1999)
In 1991-92 western Pennsylvania, a meek freshman named Charlie becomes friends with a group of senior stoners.
Next, by Michael Crichton (2006)
This one deals with transgenic animals; not one of his best, but still solid.
The Grave's a Fine and Private Place, by Alan Bradley (2018)
The newest Flavia de Luce mystery; she solves a case while on vacation.
Total read this month: 9, bringing total to 19.
MARCH
Pirate Latitudes, by Michael Crichton (written 1970s, published 2009)
An adventure set in 1665 Jamaica.
Safe Haven, by Nicholas Sparks (2010)
A young woman finds love in a coastal North Carolina town after escaping from her abusive husband.
Emily of New Moon, by L.M. Montgomery (1923)
An orphan girl is sent to live with her aunts.
Total read this month: 3, bringing total to 22.
APRIL
Emily Climbs, by L.M. Montgomery (1925)
Emily attends Shrewsbury High School and develops her writing skills.
Emily's Quest, by L.M. Montgomery (1927)
Young adulthood can be miserable.
A is for Alibi, by Sue Grafton (1982)
The first of the Kinsey Millhone mysteries. She could be the daughter of Phillip Marlowe and the cousin of Jim Rockford.
Bleachers, by John Grisham (2003)
Former high school football players reunite at the funeral of their tyrannical coach.
Nothing but the Truth, by Avi (1991)
A dispute between a high school freshman and his teacher spirals into a national scandal after the local reporter hears about it.
Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins (2003)
Alice in Wonderland meets Lord of the Rings in this MG novel. It was done well.
The Fantasticks, by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (1960)
A musical that is ridiculous on purpose, simultaneously glorifying and satirizing the cliches of young love.
Star Wars: X-Wing: Rogue Squadron, by Michael Stackpole (1996)
The first of a series of Star Wars Expanded Universe novels about the X-Wing fighter group Rogue Squadron. Entertaining in a meaningless kind of way.
The Starlite Drive-In, by Marjorie Reynolds (1999)
If you threw To Kill a Mockingbird, Shane and Peace Like a River into one book, with maybe a little of Where the Heart Is, this would likely be the result, recalling Callie Anne Benton's twelve-year-old experiences in 1956, when a drifter comes to work for her father at the drive-in.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, by Max Brooks (2006)
Zombies nearly annihilate the human race in a global calamity. This is one of the better novels on the undead.
Total read this month: 10, bringing total to 32.
MAY
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick (1968)
The sci-fi classic Blade Runner was based on.
Main Street, by Sinclair Lewis (1920)
An idealistic city girl is slowly worn down by the conservative small-town existence she finds herself in after marrying a doctor. Rather depressing, though the ending makes it worthwhile, even if it wasn't a classic of the "Small Town America" subgenre.
Total read this month: 2, bringing total to 34.
JUNE
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, by Roger Lancellyn Green (1958)
Retellings of many of the classic Old English mythology. There's something strangely compelling about them.
Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman (2017)
Retellings of many classic Norse myths.
The Lost Lady, by Willa Cather (1920)
A character study, which influenced F. Scott Fitzgerald when creating Daisy Buchanan for The Great Gatsby several years later.
Total read this month: 3, bringing total to 37.
JULY
Disclosure, by Michael Crichton (1993)
Sexual assault is a strange topic for Crichton to tackle.
The Lost World, by Arthur Conan Doyle (1912)
An early sci-fi story following several London scientists and a journalist on their expedition deep into the heart of South America, where they encounter dinosaurs.
Rising Sun, by Michael Crichton (1992)
This murder mystery eventually spills over into a somewhat racist lesson on how international finance works. Not one of my favorites of his, though it does earn points for trying something different.
Great Fairy Tales of Ireland, collected and retold by Mary McGarry (1977)
Irish fairy tales are violent, mystical, random and oddly satisfying.
Eight Cousins, by Louisa May Alcott (1875)
In one of the author's worse efforts, a consumptive girl is restored to health by her doctor uncle and her seven boy cousins, all roughly her same age.
Total read this month: 5, bringing total to 42.
AUGUST
Seven Keys to Baldpate, by Earl Derr Biggers (1911)
A novelist, a lovelorn haberdasher, an actress, a professional hermit, two politicians, a professor and several other people meet by accident in a closed-for-the-season mountain hotel. Mayhem ensues.
Congo, by Michael Crichton (1980)
Late 1970s technowar, gorillas and African politics are the themes of this one.
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather (1913)
This was an amazing, poignant tale of life in western Nebraska in the 1880s.
Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1991)
In rural West Virginia, a boy named Marty rescues the beagle a cruel neighbor is mistreating.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (2008)
In 1946 postwar England, a London author finds her new book - and friendship - after receiving a letter from a stranger, who hints at a tale of reading-powered resiliency during the war.
Total read this month: 5, bringing total to 47.
SEPTEMBER
The Great Train Robbery, by Michael Crichton (1975)
A historical novel about the Great Train Robbery; very interesting to learn about how Victorian England viewed crime.
Shakespeare Bats Cleanup, by Ron Koertge (2003)
14-year-old Kevin is sidelined from baseball season due to a case of mono, so he turns to writing poetry to help him cope with the loss of his mom and figure out life in general. Odd but satisfying.
Star Wars: MedStar I: Battle Surgeons, by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry (2004)
This is one of those Star Wars novels that's worth rereading, because of how human and ground-level the characters are - it mostly follows a group of surgeons in a battle zone, and their efforts to stay sane. ER: Star Wars Edition.
Total read this month: 3, bringing total to 50.
OCTOBER
Mrs. de Winter, by Susan Hill (1993)
An unnecessary sequel to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, but Hill did a good job with this at matching the tone and style.
Upchuck and the Rotten Willy, by Bill Wallace (1998)
It's hard being a cat. Especially when you best friend gets run over, your other best friend moves away, and then your human leaves for college. This book will never get old.
1602, written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Andy Kubert (2006)
What would happen if the Marvel heroes and villains appeared almost 400 years too early, in Elizabethan England?
Foundation, by Isaac Asimov (1951)
There were elements from this that George Lucas swiped into Star Wars, and others that Joss Whedon worked into Firefly, but other than that, this was fairly dull.
The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein (2008)
Narration by a dog? Check. Racing? Check. Big dramatic themes? Check. Saccharine ending? Uh...check? This wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as people say it is, either.
The Backward Bird Dog, by Bill Wallace (1997)
Loosely based on their experience with one of their dogs, JC figures out how to be a great pointer in his own way - with his tail.
Total read this month: 6, bringing total to 56.
NOVEMBER
The Other Typist, by Suzanne Rindell (2013)
This is essentially a gender-flipped version of The Great Gatsby, narrated by a 21st-century woman who finds herself trapped in the 1920s.
Rose in Bloom, by Louisa May Alcott (1876)
This is extremely Alcotty - pleasant on first reading, but on rereading, you think, "This is....REALLY PREACHY AND DULL."
No Dogs Allowed!, by Bill Wallace (2004)
11-year-old Kristine Rankin is determined never to love the new puppy her grandpa got hurt after her favorite horse dies.
The Best of Me, by Nicholas Sparks (2012)
A high school couple reunites after twenty years due to a dear friend's funeral, and must decide where to go next. This is an extremely Sparksy book in every way, both good and bad, but it ends with a gigantic emotional punch that leaves you staring into space for a while.
Quarterback Walk-On, by Thomas J. Dygard (1982)
A practice-squad quarterback finds himself the starter for a key late-season contest due to suspensions and injuries. Even for young adult sports books, this was pretty terrible.
Cujo, by Stephen King (1982)
A rabid St Bernard terrorizes Castle Rock, Maine, the summer of 1980. But it wasn't his fault, he was just sick.
The Lost for Words Bookshop, by Stephanie Butland (2017)
A very introverted, scarred twentysomething woman slowly tries to come out of her shell and the bookstore she works in. Life - and memories - have a way of crashing in.
Total read this month: 7, bringing total to 63.
DECEMBER
Magpie Murders, by Alan Horowitz (2016)
Everything about this mystery was slightly wrong-shaped.
Mitch and Amy, by Beverly Cleary (1967)
Twins Mitch and Amy struggle with dyslexia and math, respectively, and with a bully in the grade above them.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, by Terry Brooks (1999)
The novelization of the first film in the prequel trilogy.
The Complete Peanuts: Volume One, 1950-1952, by Charles M. Schulz (2004)
The first of a series that reproduces every single one of the 18,170 Peanuts strips.
Weirdos From Another Planet!, by Bill Watterson (1990)
A Calvin and Hobbes collection from 1988-89.
Attack f the Giant Killer Monster Snow Goons, by Bill Watterson (1992)
A Calvin and Hobbes collection of mostly winter-themed strips.
Ion, by Euridipes (late 400s BC)
A curious mixture of tragicomedy for Greek drama, this was very interesting.
The Dark Knight Returns, written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Klaus Janson (1986)
This was a very bleak graphic novel of a Batman coming out of retirement to brutally thwart criminals. He fights Superman and kills the Joker.
El Deafo, written and illustrated by Cece Bell (2014)
This graphic novel is partially based on the author's experiences growing up deaf in 1980's Virginia. It was highly recommended by several classmates in Dr. Dial-Driver's Children's Lit, and I can see why.
Secret Wars, written by Jim Shooter, illustrated by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton (1984)
Marvel heroes and villains are transported into a gladiatorial battleground by orders from Mattel to promote a new toy line. It was thoroughly ridiculous, but responsible for giving Spider-Man his symbiote suit.
X-Men: Days of Future Past, written and illustrated by Chris Claremont and John Byrne (1981)
In late 1980, the X-Men travel back from the dystopian future of 2013 to prevent nuclear annihilation at the hands of the Sentinels.
Total read this month: 11, bringing total for the year to 74.
Boone's Lick, by Larry McMurtry (2000)
Shay Cecil recounts the time his mother hauled the family from Boone's Lick, Missouri, clear up to Fort Phil Kearny, Wyoming, in order to break up with her cheating ne'er-do-well husband.
Total read so far: 1.
JANUARY
Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo (2000)
This MG novel is fine, though unspectacular. A ten-year-old preacher's daughter makes friends with a couple of elderly ladies in a small Florida town with the help of her dog.
To Fetch a Thief, by Spencer Quinn (2010)
The third Chet and Bernie mystery, this one involves a kidnapped elephant.
The Dog Who Knew Too Much, by Spencer Quinn (2011)
The fourth Chet and Bernie mystery, involving a missing boy and a murder in the Colorado mountains.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1: The Mysterious Howling, by Maryrose Wood (2009)
In which a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females embarks on a journey of being a governess to three children raised by wolves.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Bool 2: The Hidden Gallery, by Maryrose Wood (2011)
In which Lady Constance decides to go to London, where more questions are raised about the Incorrigibles and Penelope meets a nice young man.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 3: The Unseen Guest, by Maryrose Wood (2012)
In which the Incorrigibles befriend a lost ostrich and discover they are not the only howlers at Ashton Place.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 4: The Interrupted Tale, by Maryrose Wood (2013)
In which Penelope has a speaking engagement at a reunion for graduates of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 5: The Unmapped Sea, bu Maryrose Wood (2015)
In which answers begin to be revealed on vacation in the resort city of Brighton.
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger (1951)
There are a handful of good paragraphs, but, in Crick's words, "It's a stupid book. The kid does nothing but complain the whole time."
Total read this month: 9, bringing total fiction thus far to 10.
FEBRUARY
Auggie and Me: Three Wonder Stories, by R.J. Palacio (2015)
A continuation of Wonder, telling the events from the perspectives of Julian, Christopher in Connectict, and Summer's friend Charlotte.
Dragon Teeth, by Michael Crichton (written around 1974, published in 2017)
This earlyish Crichton novel is about paleontology in the Old West - more specifically, 1876 Wyoming - and is written in the style of a creative nonfiction essay, which doesn't quite work in historical fiction. Still, it was interesting.
Breakfast at Tiffany's, by Truman Capote (1958)
This felt like Gatsby.
Other Voices, Other Rooms, by Truman Capote (1948)
This is definitely Southern Gothic.
Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare (1598)
This is my favorite of all his plays.
Timeline, by Michael Crichton (1999)
Historians are teleported into medieval France. It's one of Crichton's better works.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky (1999)
In 1991-92 western Pennsylvania, a meek freshman named Charlie becomes friends with a group of senior stoners.
Next, by Michael Crichton (2006)
This one deals with transgenic animals; not one of his best, but still solid.
The Grave's a Fine and Private Place, by Alan Bradley (2018)
The newest Flavia de Luce mystery; she solves a case while on vacation.
Total read this month: 9, bringing total to 19.
MARCH
Pirate Latitudes, by Michael Crichton (written 1970s, published 2009)
An adventure set in 1665 Jamaica.
Safe Haven, by Nicholas Sparks (2010)
A young woman finds love in a coastal North Carolina town after escaping from her abusive husband.
Emily of New Moon, by L.M. Montgomery (1923)
An orphan girl is sent to live with her aunts.
Total read this month: 3, bringing total to 22.
APRIL
Emily Climbs, by L.M. Montgomery (1925)
Emily attends Shrewsbury High School and develops her writing skills.
Emily's Quest, by L.M. Montgomery (1927)
Young adulthood can be miserable.
A is for Alibi, by Sue Grafton (1982)
The first of the Kinsey Millhone mysteries. She could be the daughter of Phillip Marlowe and the cousin of Jim Rockford.
Bleachers, by John Grisham (2003)
Former high school football players reunite at the funeral of their tyrannical coach.
Nothing but the Truth, by Avi (1991)
A dispute between a high school freshman and his teacher spirals into a national scandal after the local reporter hears about it.
Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins (2003)
Alice in Wonderland meets Lord of the Rings in this MG novel. It was done well.
The Fantasticks, by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (1960)
A musical that is ridiculous on purpose, simultaneously glorifying and satirizing the cliches of young love.
Star Wars: X-Wing: Rogue Squadron, by Michael Stackpole (1996)
The first of a series of Star Wars Expanded Universe novels about the X-Wing fighter group Rogue Squadron. Entertaining in a meaningless kind of way.
The Starlite Drive-In, by Marjorie Reynolds (1999)
If you threw To Kill a Mockingbird, Shane and Peace Like a River into one book, with maybe a little of Where the Heart Is, this would likely be the result, recalling Callie Anne Benton's twelve-year-old experiences in 1956, when a drifter comes to work for her father at the drive-in.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, by Max Brooks (2006)
Zombies nearly annihilate the human race in a global calamity. This is one of the better novels on the undead.
Total read this month: 10, bringing total to 32.
MAY
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick (1968)
The sci-fi classic Blade Runner was based on.
Main Street, by Sinclair Lewis (1920)
An idealistic city girl is slowly worn down by the conservative small-town existence she finds herself in after marrying a doctor. Rather depressing, though the ending makes it worthwhile, even if it wasn't a classic of the "Small Town America" subgenre.
Total read this month: 2, bringing total to 34.
JUNE
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, by Roger Lancellyn Green (1958)
Retellings of many of the classic Old English mythology. There's something strangely compelling about them.
Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman (2017)
Retellings of many classic Norse myths.
The Lost Lady, by Willa Cather (1920)
A character study, which influenced F. Scott Fitzgerald when creating Daisy Buchanan for The Great Gatsby several years later.
Total read this month: 3, bringing total to 37.
JULY
Disclosure, by Michael Crichton (1993)
Sexual assault is a strange topic for Crichton to tackle.
The Lost World, by Arthur Conan Doyle (1912)
An early sci-fi story following several London scientists and a journalist on their expedition deep into the heart of South America, where they encounter dinosaurs.
Rising Sun, by Michael Crichton (1992)
This murder mystery eventually spills over into a somewhat racist lesson on how international finance works. Not one of my favorites of his, though it does earn points for trying something different.
Great Fairy Tales of Ireland, collected and retold by Mary McGarry (1977)
Irish fairy tales are violent, mystical, random and oddly satisfying.
Eight Cousins, by Louisa May Alcott (1875)
In one of the author's worse efforts, a consumptive girl is restored to health by her doctor uncle and her seven boy cousins, all roughly her same age.
Total read this month: 5, bringing total to 42.
AUGUST
Seven Keys to Baldpate, by Earl Derr Biggers (1911)
A novelist, a lovelorn haberdasher, an actress, a professional hermit, two politicians, a professor and several other people meet by accident in a closed-for-the-season mountain hotel. Mayhem ensues.
Congo, by Michael Crichton (1980)
Late 1970s technowar, gorillas and African politics are the themes of this one.
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather (1913)
This was an amazing, poignant tale of life in western Nebraska in the 1880s.
Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1991)
In rural West Virginia, a boy named Marty rescues the beagle a cruel neighbor is mistreating.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (2008)
In 1946 postwar England, a London author finds her new book - and friendship - after receiving a letter from a stranger, who hints at a tale of reading-powered resiliency during the war.
Total read this month: 5, bringing total to 47.
SEPTEMBER
The Great Train Robbery, by Michael Crichton (1975)
A historical novel about the Great Train Robbery; very interesting to learn about how Victorian England viewed crime.
Shakespeare Bats Cleanup, by Ron Koertge (2003)
14-year-old Kevin is sidelined from baseball season due to a case of mono, so he turns to writing poetry to help him cope with the loss of his mom and figure out life in general. Odd but satisfying.
Star Wars: MedStar I: Battle Surgeons, by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry (2004)
This is one of those Star Wars novels that's worth rereading, because of how human and ground-level the characters are - it mostly follows a group of surgeons in a battle zone, and their efforts to stay sane. ER: Star Wars Edition.
Total read this month: 3, bringing total to 50.
OCTOBER
Mrs. de Winter, by Susan Hill (1993)
An unnecessary sequel to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, but Hill did a good job with this at matching the tone and style.
Upchuck and the Rotten Willy, by Bill Wallace (1998)
It's hard being a cat. Especially when you best friend gets run over, your other best friend moves away, and then your human leaves for college. This book will never get old.
1602, written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Andy Kubert (2006)
What would happen if the Marvel heroes and villains appeared almost 400 years too early, in Elizabethan England?
Foundation, by Isaac Asimov (1951)
There were elements from this that George Lucas swiped into Star Wars, and others that Joss Whedon worked into Firefly, but other than that, this was fairly dull.
The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein (2008)
Narration by a dog? Check. Racing? Check. Big dramatic themes? Check. Saccharine ending? Uh...check? This wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as people say it is, either.
The Backward Bird Dog, by Bill Wallace (1997)
Loosely based on their experience with one of their dogs, JC figures out how to be a great pointer in his own way - with his tail.
Total read this month: 6, bringing total to 56.
NOVEMBER
The Other Typist, by Suzanne Rindell (2013)
This is essentially a gender-flipped version of The Great Gatsby, narrated by a 21st-century woman who finds herself trapped in the 1920s.
Rose in Bloom, by Louisa May Alcott (1876)
This is extremely Alcotty - pleasant on first reading, but on rereading, you think, "This is....REALLY PREACHY AND DULL."
No Dogs Allowed!, by Bill Wallace (2004)
11-year-old Kristine Rankin is determined never to love the new puppy her grandpa got hurt after her favorite horse dies.
The Best of Me, by Nicholas Sparks (2012)
A high school couple reunites after twenty years due to a dear friend's funeral, and must decide where to go next. This is an extremely Sparksy book in every way, both good and bad, but it ends with a gigantic emotional punch that leaves you staring into space for a while.
Quarterback Walk-On, by Thomas J. Dygard (1982)
A practice-squad quarterback finds himself the starter for a key late-season contest due to suspensions and injuries. Even for young adult sports books, this was pretty terrible.
Cujo, by Stephen King (1982)
A rabid St Bernard terrorizes Castle Rock, Maine, the summer of 1980. But it wasn't his fault, he was just sick.
The Lost for Words Bookshop, by Stephanie Butland (2017)
A very introverted, scarred twentysomething woman slowly tries to come out of her shell and the bookstore she works in. Life - and memories - have a way of crashing in.
Total read this month: 7, bringing total to 63.
DECEMBER
Magpie Murders, by Alan Horowitz (2016)
Everything about this mystery was slightly wrong-shaped.
Mitch and Amy, by Beverly Cleary (1967)
Twins Mitch and Amy struggle with dyslexia and math, respectively, and with a bully in the grade above them.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, by Terry Brooks (1999)
The novelization of the first film in the prequel trilogy.
The Complete Peanuts: Volume One, 1950-1952, by Charles M. Schulz (2004)
The first of a series that reproduces every single one of the 18,170 Peanuts strips.
Weirdos From Another Planet!, by Bill Watterson (1990)
A Calvin and Hobbes collection from 1988-89.
Attack f the Giant Killer Monster Snow Goons, by Bill Watterson (1992)
A Calvin and Hobbes collection of mostly winter-themed strips.
Ion, by Euridipes (late 400s BC)
A curious mixture of tragicomedy for Greek drama, this was very interesting.
The Dark Knight Returns, written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Klaus Janson (1986)
This was a very bleak graphic novel of a Batman coming out of retirement to brutally thwart criminals. He fights Superman and kills the Joker.
El Deafo, written and illustrated by Cece Bell (2014)
This graphic novel is partially based on the author's experiences growing up deaf in 1980's Virginia. It was highly recommended by several classmates in Dr. Dial-Driver's Children's Lit, and I can see why.
Secret Wars, written by Jim Shooter, illustrated by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton (1984)
Marvel heroes and villains are transported into a gladiatorial battleground by orders from Mattel to promote a new toy line. It was thoroughly ridiculous, but responsible for giving Spider-Man his symbiote suit.
X-Men: Days of Future Past, written and illustrated by Chris Claremont and John Byrne (1981)
In late 1980, the X-Men travel back from the dystopian future of 2013 to prevent nuclear annihilation at the hands of the Sentinels.
Total read this month: 11, bringing total for the year to 74.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Canadian Candy Bars
So, Jessica was bored a few weeks ago and decided to mail me a package, including some Canadian candy inside. Since I'm currently bored and because it's interesting, I decided to rate them. One thing I found interesting is that the health information is printed in both English and French; not sure whether that's the case all across the country or just if it's a Quebec/Ontario thing.
Crunchie
Made by Cadbury, this is a toffee-flavored candy bar similar in texture to an American Butterfinger. The taste is similar to a Skor or Heath, though the sweetness of the Cadbury chocolate balances out the harshness of the toffee. I liked it, which kind of surprised me. The wrapping is a yellowish-gold and red, with Cadbury purple.
Coffee Crisp
Made by Nestle, this is somewhere between a Little Debbie Nutty Bar and a Kit Kat in texture, if they tasted like mocha coffee. It was delicious! This is Amanda's favorite candy bar, and I can see why. The wrapping is also a yellowish-gold and red.
Aero
Made by Nestle, this was shaped into ten bite-sized pieces similar to Dove chocolate. The taste and texture was similar to a Crunch bar. It was a little underwhelming, though the white and brown color scheme of the wrapping was nicely done.
Bueno
Made by Kinder, this was wrapped two long bars per package like Twix, and filled with wafery bits and hazelnut filling. Somewhere between a Kit Kat and a Nutty Bar in texture, it was delicious and amazing.
Canadian Smarties
These were basically plain M&M's in Spree coatings. Disappointing, but still miles better than American Smarties.
Caramilk
Made by Cadbury, this was a little disappointing - bite-sized milk chocolate formed into a bar with caramel filling. The brown and gold wrapping was impressive, though.
Rankings:
6 - Canadian Smarties
5 - Caramilk
4 - Aero
3 - Crunchie
2 - Bueno
1 - Coffee Crisp
Crunchie
Made by Cadbury, this is a toffee-flavored candy bar similar in texture to an American Butterfinger. The taste is similar to a Skor or Heath, though the sweetness of the Cadbury chocolate balances out the harshness of the toffee. I liked it, which kind of surprised me. The wrapping is a yellowish-gold and red, with Cadbury purple.
Coffee Crisp
Made by Nestle, this is somewhere between a Little Debbie Nutty Bar and a Kit Kat in texture, if they tasted like mocha coffee. It was delicious! This is Amanda's favorite candy bar, and I can see why. The wrapping is also a yellowish-gold and red.
Aero
Made by Nestle, this was shaped into ten bite-sized pieces similar to Dove chocolate. The taste and texture was similar to a Crunch bar. It was a little underwhelming, though the white and brown color scheme of the wrapping was nicely done.
Bueno
Made by Kinder, this was wrapped two long bars per package like Twix, and filled with wafery bits and hazelnut filling. Somewhere between a Kit Kat and a Nutty Bar in texture, it was delicious and amazing.
Canadian Smarties
These were basically plain M&M's in Spree coatings. Disappointing, but still miles better than American Smarties.
Caramilk
Made by Cadbury, this was a little disappointing - bite-sized milk chocolate formed into a bar with caramel filling. The brown and gold wrapping was impressive, though.
Rankings:
6 - Canadian Smarties
5 - Caramilk
4 - Aero
3 - Crunchie
2 - Bueno
1 - Coffee Crisp
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
December Monday
Yesterday didn't go very well.
It was a typical weekend, and then Sunday night the power shut off unexpectedly, which of course kind of freaked me out a little (I don't like darkness all that much). Then it flipped back on about half an hour later, but, being December, we were a little wary of the surge melting everything again. So I didn't get but about four hours sleep, and that was interrupted by bolting awake for no reason.
All the inside cats and outside dogs were fighting all morning long.
There was a problem with WordPress that locked about half the Frontstretch writing staff out, including me, and I had a thousand-word review of Kurt Busch's season due that night .So after trying for most of the day to get into WP, I finally just started writing it as a Word doc and emailed it to the editors.
Still, it got better - Jessica was bored one day and decided to mail a letter, which was nice, as it came in yesterday's mail. And then we went to the library, hadn't been for a couple months, so it was good to be back. Saw Mrs. Jackson, as her theater troupe was performing at the Christmas Open House event in the basement.
It was a typical weekend, and then Sunday night the power shut off unexpectedly, which of course kind of freaked me out a little (I don't like darkness all that much). Then it flipped back on about half an hour later, but, being December, we were a little wary of the surge melting everything again. So I didn't get but about four hours sleep, and that was interrupted by bolting awake for no reason.
All the inside cats and outside dogs were fighting all morning long.
There was a problem with WordPress that locked about half the Frontstretch writing staff out, including me, and I had a thousand-word review of Kurt Busch's season due that night .So after trying for most of the day to get into WP, I finally just started writing it as a Word doc and emailed it to the editors.
Still, it got better - Jessica was bored one day and decided to mail a letter, which was nice, as it came in yesterday's mail. And then we went to the library, hadn't been for a couple months, so it was good to be back. Saw Mrs. Jackson, as her theater troupe was performing at the Christmas Open House event in the basement.
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