30 Books In 90

The Last Ninety Days.

2009-06-24T10:11:00.001-07:00

I read thirty books in twenty six days. June 24th was my deadline. 30
in 26 just doesn't sound as cool. So that is roughly 1.153846 days for
every book. (editor's note: if you're going out to 6 decimal points, I
don't think it counts as "roughly" anymore) I had fun with 80% of this
challenge. The last two weeks wore on me. I wanted to do anything other
then read. I got past it, with the help of a good book, and finished up
with only *some* whining - Most of which was edited out by the editor.
(editor's note: I like to think I made you look stronger. Like James
Cameron to Ellen Ripley) I don't know how else to end this then to
answer some of the questions I've been asked in the last weeks.

So do I hate reading yet?
No. In fact I'm pretty sure tonight I'm going to start another Mary
Roach book about sex. I will however need to do some SNES playing and
probably watch a season or two of TV to feel balanced out again.

Did I learn anything?
I learned that I can inspire others to do things they normally
wouldn't. My good friend Chris is trying to play thirteen video games
in thirteen weeks, and another friend is going to try and make thirty
art pieces in ninety days. I wish them both (or anyone trying something
like this) luck. overdoing something can drive you pretty close to the
edge of hating it.

The worst part?
Getting a snide comment from the author of one of the books I read that
I didn't like. One that I felt I couldn't post, because it claimed to
be the author but was posted anonymously. So who knows, maybe it was
just a fan who got angry. The snide comment was that I transposed a
letter in the authors name in the title. It was from this they
concluded that I wasn't really "savoring" the books I was reading and
that was why I really didn't like the book. The funny part was, I had
his name right in the body of the review, it was just a typing error. I
read these books only slightly faster then I normally read. My dislike
or like of book has nothing to do with the pace that I read at. My
opinion was based on what I did or didn't take away from the book.

I can honestly say I didn't post the comment because it was anonymous
(but claimed to be the author in the body) so I couldn't respond. Books
should open up a discussion, that's one of the great thigns about them.
I can absolutely hate your favorite book and we can have an open
discussion about all the things I hated or you loved. If I had been
able to respond to the comment, I'd have done so in the hope of
fostering that discussion.

The best part?
Finding a new book for my desert island top five in book #11, Love is a
Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time by Rob Sheffield. I meant
what I said when I reviewed it, I will buy a copy to keep around and
re-read over and over again.

What do I think of the Multnomah County Library system?
If you live in the Portland Metro Area you are lucky to have this
Library system at your disposal. My Library of choice is Midland, it's
hands down the best one in town. The holds and e-mail notices are
great. I could renew online, see where I am in queue for a book and pay
my late fees from any computer in the world. I'm still on hold for
about seven of the books I wanted to read and will pick them up as they
come in. I couldn't have done this challenge without the help of the
library, there is no way I could have purchased all these books. Even
at Powell's awesome used prices. Please don't read this as I'm
anti-book buying, as one of my dreams involves me someday having a room
covered in bookcases filled with books.

Would I do it again?
No. Er, maybe? I say no right now because I still have a bitter taste
in my mouth from forcing myself to read like it were my job. Once that
has been washed away by a few sweet sunny days in the grass with a good
book, I'll probably change my tune. Maybe try for something like thirty
books every ninety days for a year - ninety books in 365 days? Still
works out to a book every three days. Not so bad, right?

Holy fuck, I'm insane. (editor's note: There is no fucking way I'm
letting you do that to yourself)

What do I plan to do with this blog now?
Keep reviewing books as I read them, until I change my mind.

What was my favorite and least favorite reads?
You can pretty much tell from my reviews what books I like and what I
didn't, so to find out go back in the older post and check it out.

Where did reading thirty books in ninety days come from?
I have no idea. A while ago the idea struck me - when and why I can't
recall - and I tried to do this same challenge. I failed and only read
twenty five books, fourteen of which I read on a beach in Hawaii over a
ten day period. That is why this time around I added the review component
to help keep me on track.

This was a good experience, trying and hard to explain, but good. So if
you'll excuse me I have a date with a SNES.

Thanks for reading!
-Bobbie

Book #30 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows By J.K. Ro

2009-06-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
By J K Rowling Illustrated by Mary GrandPre
Scholastic, 2007
0545029368, 9780545029360
759 pages

I like the overall series. However, I still don't really give a flying fuck about Harry. I don't even really care about Hermione or Ron at this point. I want to know about Neville, Ginny, the whole Weasley family, Tonks and Lupin. I feel like a huge part of the story is in these characters and we just get the thinnest etching of them. The one exception is Snape. We see that his "love" for Lily profoundly changed him for the good, but his pursuit of that good was done for all the wrong reasons. It was meant to redeem the character, but I didn't believe in his redemption.

Also, who knew this was going to make an argument for Death with Dignity? Dumbledore knows he has less than a year until the curse will take him over, so he chooses to die before that happens. He's like a terminally ill person who wants go out while they can still think for themselves, on their terms. Maybe the next generation, having grown up with stories like this, will have a change of heart and 47 more states will enact Death with Dignity laws.

I guess the other bit that I didn't really like about the book, is the whole "19 years later" thing. I didn't need it, we already had our happy ending. It was overkill. Great, everyone married their high school sweethearts and had loads of magical kids. I just don't really care.

**Spoilers**

(but the book is three years old so it's sorta not my vault if you don't know, I just don't wanna be one of those 'SnapeKillsDumbledore' people)

**Still Spoilers, the above was just an addendum to my spoiler-warning. Here's the spoilers**

My favorite part of this book is Neville's bad-assery. This guy is on fire and still manages to cut a snakes head off. Where is this kids book? This guy is awesome.

***End Spoilers***

This book is by far the best in the series.

Four out of Four Stars.

DONE!

2009-06-21T09:09:00.001-07:00

Okay Just a fast update. Book #30 is finished, Review to follow later!

Book #29 Books by Larry McMurtry

2009-06-17T20:53:00.001-07:00

Books: A Memoir
By Larry McMurtry
Published by Simon & Schuster, 2008
ISBN 1416583343, 9781416583349
259 pages

"... I realized that reading was probably the cheapest and most stable pleasure of life. Sometimes books excite me, sometimes they sustain me, but rarely do they disappoint me..."

That's pretty much how I feel about reading books. I've always been a reader, my mother will tell you that I had a very bad book habit as a child. I was an outsider with kids my own age, so I made friends with books. Whatever books I could get my hands on.

McMurtry's passion for books, book selling and scouting reminded me why I started this challenge and helped me get over that whiny I-wanna-throw-in-the-towel stage. It also touched the side of me that loved working in the secondhand market. I scouted antiques and collectibles for my mom for years, I spent a number of years working at a brick and motor online resale shop, I had my own small reference library - I can still tell the difference between Murano Vaseline glass and Blenko's.

(editor's note: I have no idea what the fuck any of that shit is, and she STILL does this secondhand market stuff. In the last month she's acquired a SNES, a Genesis, a N64, about 40 games, a Laserdisc Player and about 40 Laserdiscs. She's successfully leveled up to 1997)

Overall the book's a fast read, with interesting one to two page chapters. Even though its a memoir, it's not chronological, It doesn't need to be. The stream-of-consciousness text works perfectly, and I'm rather glad I picked it up as when I did.

Three and a Quarter out of Four Stars.

Book #28 Day Job: A Workplace Reader for the Restless Age by Jonathan Baird

2009-06-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Day Job: A Workplace Reader for the Restless Age
By Jonathan Baird
Compiled by Carol M. Allen
Edition: illustrated
Published by Allen & Osborne, 1998
ISBN 0966080521, 9780966080520
155 pages

This was a quick read, a book that anyone who works in customer service can get right behind. I swear I have heard some of the same shit pour outta my boss' mouth. Corporate gigs seem to be the limbo before total soul death. The book's pages are presented to look as if cut out of a typed (as in typewriter) journal, and pasted onto the page. It's fucking hard to read, the white space is jagged and the leading is uneven. As an art installation, it's visually pleasing, as a read - Headache inducing.

My brain hurts. I finished two books today and this is my sixth review. I'm dizzy with words. I have seven days left and I'm really looking forward to the end. I wanna cry right now. I'm so closed to finished, but I would love to walk away right now. I have an episode of True Blood waiting - waiting for another day. I'm just really tired...

Two out of Four Stars.

Book #27 Why Sh*t Happens: The Science of a Really Bad Day By Peter J. Bentley

2009-06-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

Why Sh*t Happens: The Science of a Really Bad Day

By Peter J. Bentley
Published by Rodale Books, 2009
ISBN 1594869561, 9781594869563
320 pages

I've discovered, while doing this challenge, that I'm drawn to books that explain things. History, mentally retarded inbred royalty sleeping with itself (See Book #24 & #15), what happens to cadavers (See Book #8), and why shit happens. For some reason it makes all those bad days feel better, there's rational explanations for the bad.

Basically this is a book that takes a 'bad thing' premise and breaks down the science that causes it. For example, sleeping through your alarm in the morning. To explain how this happens Bentley explains how sleep cycles work and why this can lead to a late day at work. It's clear that Bentley's goal is to remind us that "Science is respected, trusted and largely misunderstood." This however is not a dry scientific textbook, the text manages to convey scientific information in layman's terms in a witty, easy to read way.

Three out of Four Stars.

Should have been Book #27 Not the End of the World by Kate Atkinson

2009-06-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Not the End of the World: Stories
By Kate Atkinson
Edition: reprint
Published by Back Bay, 2004
ISBN 0316159379, 9780316159371
288 pages

This fucking book should have been #27. I was on a deadline with the due date, so I rushed to start it as soon as I finished Dishwasher. Boy was I disappointed. This book came recommend via Twitter, and whoever you were - you suck. Okay, not really, but damn. I read two of the stories before I cut my losses and moved on. I threw away a whole day of my lead on this book. From the web it seems most people really like this book, I just could not get into it. I certainly don't recommend the two shitty stories I read before I gave up.

no finish = no star rating.

Book #26 Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in all Fifty States by Pete Jordan

2009-06-14T19:43:00.001-07:00

Dishwasher: One Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States
By Pete Jordan
Published by HarperCollins Publishers, 2007
ISBN 0060896426, 9780060896423
353 pages

If you worked in a kitchen, you've seen the life of a dish dog. You know what the the job entails and the little (tiny) perks it provides. Dishwashers trade some of the worst conditions and cleaning jobs you can imagine for the freedom to leave as they please.

Following 'Dishwasher Pete' through his travels is a very sweet and genuine story. However it seems that the real story is about growing up - Giving up something that has been your whole life's work, to have a life.

This book has an awesome Portland connection that I won't spoil.

Three out of Four Stars.

Book #25 Sex with Kings : 500 years adultery, power, rivalry and revenge by Eleanor Hermam

2009-06-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

Sex with kings: 500 years of adultery, power, rivalry, and revenge
By Eleanor Herman
Edition: illustrated
Published by HarperCollins, 2004
ISBN 0060585439, 9780060585433
287 pages

I pretty much said it all in Elanor Herman's other book, Sex with Queens. The first is regal women taking lovers, this is the other side regal men taking lovers.

This was Herman's first book, and it's clear her writing has matured in her second book. In this book she's still struggling to find her niche point of view. I would have to say that her second book is the better read, However both are interesting and easy to follow.

I did have to consult a royalty of Europe family tree online, to keep track of who was whose sister, bastard or mistress. Inbreeding was all the rage, no wonder by the Tudor period half of them are insane. Mistresses were allowed to clean out the Treasury and in some cases run the country, even after they stopped sleeping with the king in one case (You'll have to read the book to find out watch french lady got away with this). All in all a good read.

Two and Three Quarter Stars.

Book #24 Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamine by Nick Sheff

2009-06-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines
By Nic Sheff
Published by Simon and Schuster, 2008
ISBN 1416913629, 9781416913627
325 pages

This book makes my teeth hurt. The few days I spent reading it - I kept getting headaches and I had no idea why, until I finished. I was clenching my teeth the whole read. I have a family member that has been a long time Methamphetamine user (for almost my whole life), I always describe my time with them like watching ten televisions all on different channels and the volume all the way up, It's so overwhelming that I grind/clench my teeth until my jaw is sore and my temples burn. This books reads on that pace.

There is not any time to breathe. Midway though the book things are looking up, he's cleaning up, I was feeling good about the story. Then I realized there's just too many pages left for everything not to fall apart. It was crushing. I really like that this book was about the good kid gone bad. This is a biography, and part of my hope is that he embellished parts - but the other part knows better.

Three out of Four Stars.

Book #23 Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos

2009-06-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

Hole in My Life
By Jack Gantos
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2004
ISBN 0374430896, 9780374430894
199 pages

Maybe it's not possible to write a "I'm going to prison" story without including the first night rape.. I have to imagine that there are more compelling aspects to a life behind bars. Don't mean to sound cold, I know that this is a major issue in prisons. Television, movies and books won't let me forget, they remind me so much so that I've come to regard most of them as stereotype. Prison story = rape.

Gantos' manages to only spend a few pages on the topic and the book's better for it. This is his story of going to jail for sailing a VERY large amount of hash into New York in the 1970's. I think at one point in the book it's pointed out at the time to be the largest bust in history. If you've got a kid over 12, this would be a good "This is why you don't want to go to prison" book, without all the pandering and preaching.

Three out of Four Stars.

Book #22 Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

2009-06-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea
By Chelsea Handler
Published by Harpercollins, 2007
ISBN 0061173398, 9780061173394
224 pages

She calls her Dad Bitch Tits. Either this book missed the mark, or maybe I missed the fucking mark. Chelsea Handler can be really funny, but I'm just not sure what happened here. She was either trying too hard or not hard enough. Don't get me wrong, parts are really funny - But the book has no flow, it feels patched together with paperclips and rubber bands.

I really wanted to like this book. I gave it more than a college try, I feel like I stuck it out through couples counseling with this book. In the end it just wasn't worth it. I feel like I'm that uncool kid on the outside of the joke. Thats it! This book leaves me with the same feeling I got when the popular girls would point and laugh in my general direction. That feeling that even though it's something about you, you're not even cool enough to realize that there is something to laugh about.

One Star out of Four.

Book #21 My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park by Steve Kluger

2009-06-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park
By Steve Kluger
Edition: reprint
Published by Dial Books, 2008
ISBN 0803732279, 9780803732278
403 pages

I really can't recall much of this book. Three teens write stories. One's a diplomats daughter, ones gay and in love the other ones mom is dead so he decides to write her about the Red Sox. Its not even about the championship season, his story is set in 2003. I'd love to say more, but well... Nothing really stuck. I don't know if this book is bad or good. I decline to give this a star rating, it seems unfair. So in keeping with the style of the book, I offer this instead:

Dear Steve,

I appreciate your dedication to the craft of writing, but I regret to say that I can't really remember anything about your book at this time. I'll keep your name on file, mostly as a reminder that whatever it is; it's something to probably pass on, someone will get back to you if there is a change. Thank you for taking the time to think of me the reader.

Respectfully,
BobbieGirl

P.S. Its not Bobbi. Its Bobbie.

Book # 20 The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

2009-06-08T19:32:00.001-07:00

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox
By Maggie O'Farrell
Edition: revised
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008
ISBN 0156033674, 9780156033671
256 pages

The first few pages of the book foreshadow just where this story is going. Not so much foreshadow as yell at you with a bullhorn from on top of a flashing sign: Bad Things Are Coming. And yet, when you finally read it - It's still like a goddamn ton of bricks: What would you do if tomorrow you got a call informing you of the brand new Great Aunt you never knew existed? Your dead grandmothers sister has been in a mental institution for over sixty years, because your Grandmother was too ashamed to admit they were related. Further, what if you discovered that this woman should have never been locked away? What if she changes everything you thought you knew about your family and your self? Would you meet her?

The book asks those, and many other questions of you, and gives you plenty of room to maneuver yourself around in the pages. It's not that the characters are hollow or poorly written, but it's written in a manner that almost pushes you and your own family into the roles printed on the page.

Two out of Four Stars.

Book #19 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

2009-06-08T19:28:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
By J. K. Rowling
Published, 2007
ISBN 1594132216, 9781594132216
831 pages

So I've stopped reviewing the Harry Potter books. I've decided to wait until the end and them give my opinions on the series as a whole. Sound good? Great!

I have hit a wall. This is becoming a fucking second job. I don't even remember why I'm doing this. I have no idea why I thought this was a good idea. I don't want to feel this way. Reading is my go-to, my one real vice. Libraries are my church. I love the smell of old books. So maybe it's the writing part that killing me. I fucking dread finishing a book, maybe in part because it means I've got to just pick up the next and keep reading, but mostly because I have to sit down and put my thoughts on paper. Then every yahoo in the English speaking word can have a chance to ridicule and mock me. Also, it bugs me that very few of my friends, co-workers and none of my family are even checking in. I'd take a mocking from my mom on this point just to know she was even looking at this thing just once.

I really wanna throw in the towel. I'd like to give up and play some fucking Mario Kart, but I won't. I'll pick up the next book, I promise. I'm not giving up an inch of ground I've made on this. I'm six books away from the final count on my last attempt and I still have twenty five days to go. I just have to hold on, once I crest number twenty five I think I'll get excited again. I hope.

Three and Half out of Four Stars.

Book #18 The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

2009-06-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

The Book of Lost Things
By John Connolly
Published by Simon and Schuster, 2006
ISBN 0743298853, 9780743298858
352 pages

One can't help but fall under the spell John Connolly casts in this adult fairy tale cobbled together from bits and pieces of beloved children's tales. David the young boy at the center of the story, is simultaneously sympathetic and repulsive, brave and smart, bitter and angry. At the start of this book you really wonder if he's just going insane. At the end of the story I'm not convinced the events happened anywhere but inside his imagination - but maybe just maybe there really is a world behind the garden wall.

Even if the main plot device is a complete rip off of the Labyrinth, I still enjoyed it. The Crooked Man is no Goblin King and David is not match for Jennifer Connelly's Sarah. David sort of wishes away his little half brother, and only in the end when confronted with his predecessors actions recants and rebukes the Crook Man's offer.

I'm surprised this isn't a film yet. I could see this being a new generations Willow or Dark Crystal even. Yes, I want this done with puppets. I did look it up and like every other book that manages to sell a few thousand copies, the screenplay is in development. Who knows if anything will come of it.

Three out of Four Stars.

Side Note on Some Comics I've Been Reading

2009-05-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

Below are some of the comics I've been spending time reading, when I'm not reading for this challenge.

Phonogram 2: The Singles Club #1 (of 7)
"Pull Shapes"
By Kieron Gillen (Author), Jamie Mckelvie (Illustrator)
Image Comics
32 Pages

“…there are comic titles over the years like Strangers in Paradise, and Stray Bullets hat exemplify the magic that can be produced within the comic book medium for unique and different reasons. Phonogram clearly belongs in that grouping and is my most recent example of just how much fun comic books can be…” -ifanboy

Phonogram 2: The Singles Club #2 (of 7)
"Wine and Bed and More and Again"
By Kieron Gillen (Author), Jamie Mckelvie (Illustrator)
Image Comics
32 Pages

“Just when I think I can’t love this comic any more, Gillen and McKelvie set out to prove me wrong. Rue Britannia was fun to pick apart, and 2.1 was just a cotton-candy bite of pure bliss. but this one made me feel.” -Sarah Jaffe of Newsarama

I Kill Giants
by Joe Kelly (Author), J. M. Ken Nimura (Illustrator)
Image Comics
ISBN-10: 1607060922/13: 978-1607060925
184 pages

"Joe Kelly has written one of the richest character journeys I've read in a good while. By letting us experience the epiphany with Barbara, he's made it an involving story as well. He can do comedy, tragedy, and epic without it feeling inauthentic. Just the right amount of sentiment. Niimura's presentation matches and then enhances that earnestness. The art is loose and fragmented, but always coherent. The murkiness of the watery inks really works for Barbara's mental state. I hope to see more from this team. " -ifanboy.com

Gods & Undergrads Book 1
By Monica Gallagher
Lipstick Press
152 pages

"Lelaina Pentheus is starting her second year at Troy University, and has decided to move on campus and away from home for the first time. Negotiating friends, classes, and crushes is scary enough for the shy sophomore in this coming of age tale. But when her quirks begin to have unusual and frightening effects, Lelaina is forced to confront her unknown past. Characters once lost to ancient mythology pay her a visit, threatening to undo the chasm between gods and mortals, modernity and antiquity, and nearly destroying Lelaina in the process. And just when she started finally making friends and pulling her grades up!" - Atomic Books

Polynothing #1
By Joshua Kemble
Self Published DIY Mini Comic
24 Pages

"I spoke to Josh while he was at his booth. He had a couple other interesting books, but with so many comics to choose from, I was targeting items $5 and under. I chose PolyNothing for $2, which is the beginning of a semi-autobiographical story about losing his father to cancer and "confronting the ghosts of one's past."The way he renders the "ghosts" is really cool, and the sparse dialog gives impact to the story." - The Comics Bin

I suggest you drop by a comic shop or the creators web sites and check these books out.

Book #17 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

2009-05-28T15:18:00.003-07:00

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
By J. K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré
Illustrated by Mary GrandPré
Edition: illustrated
Published by Arthur A. Levine Books, 2003
ISBN 043935806X, 9780439358064
870 pages

A bullet pointed list of my thoughts on this book:

Why is everyone so unfair?
It seems like at the most critical moments not a single adult is paying attention.
I really really hate Snape.
It's nice to see that James is not so perfect, even if Lily is still portrayed as perfect.
WHY IS SIRIUS DEAD? (spoilers, lol)
I kinda sorta hate Dumbledore. Why can't he just be straight forward and totally forthcoming? He's starting remind me of Q from Star Trek. He only gives you the minimum amount of information needed and leaves out important details.
I don't really like Harry all the time, I'm much more endeared to Neville and Luna.

Three out of Four Stars

Book #16 Loving Frank By Nancy Horan

2009-05-28T15:18:00.001-07:00

Loving Frank
By Nancy Horan
Edition: reprint
Published by Random House, Inc., 2008
ISBN 0345495004, 9780345495006
377 pages

I've hit a wall. I'm just over halfway - I should be jumping for joy. I'm not. I'm getting reading fatigue. I don't wanna read anymore. I'm sick to death of the sight of my book pile. The Super Nintendo is calling my name. I need to beat the tar out of Columns on the Genesis. I want to do some sewing, hit a few garage sales, drink beer in the sun WITHOUT A BOOK IN MY LAP. I swear to god I'm getting carpal tunnel and tennis elbow from holding books up. I'm forcing myself to pick up books at the moment. I've had to re-read pages of this book frequently because i'm off in some dream land and have no idea what happened.

Or maybe it's just because this book was terrible. Maybe I'm biased; I really hate Frank Lloyd Wright. He's a liar, a slut and a thief. He took everything he ever did from Louis Sullivan, his mentor. Plus, his shit is overrated. This is a tale of a long running affair between the Wright and Mamah Cheney, both of whom are married. Maybe I just really can't stand to read about cheats. I'm really hoping this book is why I've been in a reading funk.

One out of Four Stars.

Book #15 Sex with queen: 900 years of vile kings, virile lovers and passionate politics by Eleanor Herman

2009-05-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

Sex with the Queen 900 Years of Vile Kings, Virile Lovers, and Passionate Politics
By Eleanor Herman
Published by HarperCollins e-books, 2006
ISBN 0061185159, 9780061185151

I have a minor (okay major) obsession with history. I'm a sucker for historical works. I have both of Eleanor Herman's works on my list, after finishing Sex with the Queen I'm excited to read Sex with Kings.

This book covers it all; The faithful, miserable, faltering, angry, stupid, beautiful, crazy and very sad life of Queens at court, from Princess Diana to Empress Alexandra of Russia. Of course Anne Boleyn isn't left out, though it was nice that she wasn't a major focus of the book.

The underlying thread highlights the women's various statuses through these times, relegated primarily to behind the scenes and in the bedrooms. At worst they were expected to be silent baby factories, at best they ran the kingdom for the king. All of this was at the will of a husband, father or other men of court. On paper they were powerless in most cases.

After I finish this season of "The Tudors," I'll re-read this book. I know how stylized and far from the truth the show is, but damn it's pretty.

Three out of Four Stars.

Book #14 I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max

2009-05-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
By Tucker Max
Edition: illustrated
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006
ISBN 0806527285, 9780806527284
278 pages

I hate myself for laughing at this book. I really do. This book is why fathers meet their daughters dates with shotguns. This book should be standard issue with baby girls. Yes, Daddies of the world, as far as you're concerned, Tucker Max is the Antichrist.

This book is a cross between Dan Merchant and B. Scott Taylor's "The Great American Stay-at-home Wives Conspiracy" and Chad Kultgen's "The Average American Male." Out of the three, This book is the better read. This book is the inner monologue belonging to THAT friend; The one who is fine and nice and cool, until you put a few drinks in them, and then you don't want to admit you know them. Not only is this book written by that guy - It is the glorifcation of that guy.

I should note, I read the updated edition with extras and all that jazz. I'm not sure of all the additional information makes a difference, but it's nice to get some resolution to a few odd situations.

I'll admit I have a guilty pleasure of reading "fratire." I'll pick up a drunk meathead's poorly written tales of sexual woes long before I'll even think to pick up something like "The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing" by Melissa Bank.

Two and a half out of four stars.

Book #13 The Yiddish Policemen's Union By Michael Chabon

2009-05-18T13:27:00.001-07:00

The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel

By Michael Chabon
Published by Harpercollins, 2007
ISBN 0007149824, 9780007149827
432 pages

I won't lie, it took me about a hundred or so pages to realize that this detective story was set in an alternate history timeline. Guess I slept through a few too many history classes.

In film I love Noir, but not so much in books. However this is also a love story wrapped in a whodunit. The peppering of Yiddish words throughout the story adds an extra little level to the storytelling. For example, cops call a gun a sholem, which means "peace," in Yiddish. I liked the book.

Two out of Four Stars.

Book #12 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire By J. K. Rowling,

2009-05-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
By J. K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré
Illustrated by Mary GrandPré
Edition: illustrated
Published by Arthur A. Levine Books, 2000
ISBN 0439139597, 9780439139595
734 pages

I find myself getting into this series more and more. In fact, had it
not been for time constraints on the next four books (can't renew them
due to other people waiting on hold for the books)I'd just finish the
series outright. I've been on the inter tubes enough to know whats
coming (Y'all didn't spoil anything the other night,) but I wanna see
how they got to that point.

The characters I'm most interested in aren't Harry, Ron and Hermione.
I'm most curious about the supporting cast, such as Neville, Hagrid and
The Weasley family.

I wanted to sock Rita Skeeter in the face, the fuckin liar.

Three and Half out of Four Stars

Book #11 Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time by Rob Sheffield

2009-05-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time
By Rob Sheffield
Edition: reprint
Published by Random House Inc, 2007
ISBN 1400083036, 9781400083039
224 pages

This book made me cry, more then once. It's heartbreaking and wonderful all at the same time. I'll just skip to the specific jerking of tears right here: page 66-67.

"...She worries way too much what people thought of her, wore her heart on her sleeve, expected too much from people, and got hurt too easily. She kept other people's secrets... She loved to get up early in the morning. She loved to talk about wild things she wanted to do in the future..."

The way he described Renee. I want someone, someday to write about me like that. To be loved that deeply and to have someone express it in such a sweet way.

I love mix tapes and I miss that people don't make them anymore. I miss getting mix tapes. Trying to find the hidden meaning in the set list.

This book hit me close to the same place High Fidelity hit me. It's my desert island all time favorite book. I so love High Fidelity that on my first date with Bobby, when he told me he'd never read it, I silently handed over a reader copy I would keep in my bag at all times just in case. Love is a Mix Tape feels that same way to me, so yes, once this challenge is over I'm buying it.

Four out of Four Stars.

Book #10 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban By J. K. Rowling

2009-05-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
By J. K. Rowling
Illustrated by Mary GrandPre
Edition: illustrated
Published by Arthur A. Levine Books, 2003
ISBN 0439554926, 9780439554923
435 pages

Rather then review this book, because let's face it y'all already know it's good, I'll explain my state of mind while reading it.

Because I was so behind in reviews, I lost my place as to what book I was on. I thought when I started this book It was #9. I freaked. Somehow I had managed to lose a three day lead on this challenge. I could not believe I had been so stupid, but I also could not figure out where the time had gone. Granted I was still on target, but the panic of being so close to falling behind was killing me.

So I read, I had to stay on task: Monday, start a new book. I finished Harry Potter on Sunday. A full half day ahead of time! I had been so worried about the reading time that I hadn't been reviewing anything.

Normally I write my reviews in the blogger posts because it saves the draft every few minutes. So this also meant I hadn't logged in for a few days. I almost cried when I hit the edit post button. This book was not #9, it was #10. I was still three days ahead. I wasn't losing my mind, I was losing track of all the books. I had fretted for nothing, something that I'm pretty good at.

So, the lesson of Azkaban for me: Write the reviews when you're done so you don't lose track of what book you're on.

Three out of Four Stars.

Book #9 When You Are Engulfed in Flames By David Sedaris

2009-05-11T22:29:00.002-07:00

When You Are Engulfed in Flames
By David Sedaris
Edition: large print
Published by Little, Brown and Company, 2008
ISBN 0316024597, 9780316024594
512 pages

This is the first time I have ever liked a spider story. I almost stopped wanting to feed spiders to my cat. That feeling lasted less than twenty minutes.

I liked Essay #8 That's Amore, a tale of David's rude neighbor named Helen. I want a neighbor like this and when I get old. Actually, I almost want to be this neighbor. That sounds bad, but I just like the idea of watching out my window, yelling at people and being cranky at seventy.

This whole book walks that line that lives between awkward cringing and awkward shoegazing. What the fuck do you do when the person next to you on the plane has been moved to your row because he can't stop crying? Do you address it, allowing yourself to be sucked in to the whole mess or do you give the man his dignity and ignore his sobs?

Three out of Four Stars.

Book #8 Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers By Mary Roach

2009-05-11T22:29:00.001-07:00

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
By Mary Roach
Edition: reprint, illustrated
Published by W. W. Norton & Company, 2004
ISBN 0393324826, 9780393324822
303 pages

So far this challenge has not seemed to affect my life much. I still do the same things I normally do. I mean I spent a whole day this weekend vegging on Lost, and I've seen Star Trek twice.

Maybe I have a morbid streak but the science of death, particularly what happens to the human body. It totally intrigues me. Who knew all the possible uses for a body donated to science? It also seems that the biggest use, in anatomy labs at Medical Schools, will soon be a thing of the past.

Mary Roach relays the history of whats been done with cadavers, interlaced with her own exploration of modern day uses. This book is never icky or overly graphic. In fact I think she
has gone out of her way to remain clinical but understandable. For example, there's a chapter in this book about ballistic testing, including the topic of why humans drop immediately even thought they do not die immediately upon being shot. The idea is to see whether it's a trained condtion, as most animals don't drop once shot, or if something in our bodies causes the reaction. Reading one of the prevaling theories caused me to skip back to Star Trek this weekend, and apply the chapter to the movie: Now I think I know why a Phaser set to
stun would work to immobilize and drop a person. It has to do with the RAS of the brain, but to find out more you'll have to read this book.

Three point Five out of Four Stars.

Book #7 Amy’s Answering Machine: Messages from Mom by Amy Borkowsky

2009-05-08T12:46:00.001-07:00

Amy's Answering Machine: Messages from Mom

By Amy Borkowsky
Published by Simon and Schuster, 2002
ISBN 0743444574, 9780743444576
128 pages

Ever wondered what it's like to have a Jewish mother? Read this book. I swear to God, phrases in this book have been spoken to me by my own mother multiple times this last year alone. This book is is a transcription of answering machine messages left by the author's mother during the last ten years. This is a sweet, fast little read. Good for one of those days you just need to giggle, or on those moments when you just miss your mom. Borrow it from your library or buy it for a Jewish Mother you know.

Two and Three Quarter out of Four Stars.

Book #6 I like you : Hospitality under the influence by Amy Sedaris

2009-05-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence

By Amy Sedaris
Edition: illustrated
Published by Grand Central Publishing, 2006
ISBN 0446578843, 9780446578844
304 pages

Amy Sedaris is very funny. I giggled quite a bit while reading her descriptions of a good guest, or drunk businessman antics. I want to have parties like the ones described in this book. I will Be trying out a number of her pointers and recipes at the next Comic Book Chicken (or maybe Matzoh Ball soup) dinner. If you like to entertain, grew up with a mother who liked to entertain, you'll love this book.

Three and Half Stars out of Four Stars

Book #5 Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

2009-05-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Assassination Vacation

By Sarah Vowell
Edition: illustrated
Published by Simon and Schuster, 2005
ISBN 0743260031, 9780743260039
258 pages

Book number 5 down.

So I was told this book was awesome. It's not.

I can't say it helps that I heard Sarah Vowell in my head as I read, but I picture Violet Parr from the Incredibles. Hearing Invisible Girl talk about presidential assassinations as she would have made the best presidential assassin of all time, is just wrong.

I just found her writing off putting, I couldn't get past the phrasing and composition. It rubbed me the wrong way. Would I recommend the book? Yeah, sure. Would I buy it? Probably not. However if you dig her other stuff, or really like NPR - it's worth a least a check out.

Two out of Four Stars.

Side Note:

Full disclosure, I'm cheating. I'm reading two books at once. This is not just to get done faster. I'm not able to renew a book with the library due to other holds and I'm afraid I won't be able to finish it before it' s due. I did not find this out until I had already started a book. I could just not bring it back, but Library fines suck. I've got my eye on a few other books that will fall into this category if I don't watch it - This shouldn't happen again. Just a heads up, so I don't get e-mails asking how I read so fast.

Back to reading!

Book #4 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets By J. K. Rowling

2009-05-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

By J. K. Rowling

Illustrated by Mary GrandPre

Edition: illustrated

Published by Scholastic, 2002

ISBN 0439203538, 9780439203531

352 pages

Four books in and I've noticed everyone asks two questions:
1) "Why?"
2) "Are you reading such and such by such and who"

Number two usually happens to be their all-time desert-island top-five book.

It's that question that trips me up, usually. I only have thirty plus books on my list, so there is a hell of a good chance I'm not reading your favorite, or even something you like. People hear thirty and think it's a lot, and it is, but it's not really that many. I've added a number of these suggestions to my list (it's over fifty now) as I'm worried that a number of the original thirty aren't gonna be available from the library within the 90 days. I'll apologize now if I don't get to the book you personally suggested in this challenge, but even if I don't fit it in, I'll probably still read it.

I'm starting to dig the Harry Potter series. However, I FUCKING HATE SPIDERS. Nobody told me book 2 has giant talking man-eating spiders. So for most of the last hundred or so pages my skin kept crawling. The dead getting back up and eating people freaks me out so much less then man-eating spiders.

So, yeah. There really isn't much else to say about Chamber of Secrets, the books are getting much better I'm looking forward to the next one. The End.

Three point five out of four stars.

Book #3 I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley

2009-04-30T09:02:00.001-07:00

I Was Told There'd Be Cake

By Sloane Crosley
Published by Riverhead Books, 2008
ISBN 159448306X, 9781594483066
230 pages

Dilemma: So what the hell do I do if one of these 30 books is terrible? Do I make myself finish it or do I just lose the time/pages and move on? Three times I almost tossed book 3 down and moved on, but I didn't, I finished the stupid book.

I should have loved this book, it was right in my wheelhouse. I should be raving that Sloane Crosley is talking to my childhood experience, these are memoirs from a lax Jew, just like me. But I'm not raving. I'm bitching about how truly awful this damn thing was. I read the first essay, The Pony Project, in a magazine awhile back and loved it. I thought the rest of her work would be similarly enjoyable. It's not. It's narcissistic and infantile at best.

Theses essays are desprate to be taken seriously and seen as adult. The book feels like a twelve year old girl in her older sisters outfit and make up, screaming for you to see her as an adult. The adult facade is laughable. Crosley doesn't sound or look or feel adult. The facade makes her look like a slutty doll. This book reads like a slutty doll vomiting endless insecurity onto the page. Don't waste your time.

One Star out of Four.

Book #2 The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon

2009-04-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

The Burn Journals
By Brent Runyon
Published by Random House Children's Books, 2004
ISBN 0375826211, 9780375826214
384 pages

I'm feeling good about this challenge. I'm a day ahead of schedule and still excited. I've just got to keep this momentum going for eighty-eight more days and twenty-eight books.

I really wanted to read The Burn Journals, Then I heard Brent Runyon read the first chapter on This American life's Podcast (episode #209: Didn't Ask to Be Born) a few weeks ago, and I was sold. However so was most of Portland, and the book had over 300 holds on 5 copies in the library system. The memoir of a suicidal eighth grade boy who set himself on fire = Stumptown Blockbuster. After a few weeks wait, the library hold notice popped into my inbox the day before I started this challenge. Great timing right?

I can't remember the last time I read a book that felt so much like listening in on someones thoughts. The story read like the stream of consciousness, mean, awful thoughts followed by regrets and self-reprimands for thinking that way to begin with. The book is unapologetic and blunt.

What bothers me about this book is that by the end, I still feel like Brent won't take responsibility for his actions, won't own up to the mistakes he made. He just wants everyone to forget that he locked himself in his bathroom and lit himself on fire. All the while, with all the therapy he can't actually say the words, he just relies on his family to see it in his eyes. It's a book - I can't see his eyes. He comes off as an entitled jerk, sidestepping what he's put his family through and what they gave up for him.

I don't feel sorry for him, I want to smack him in the back of the head. I know he suffered and depression makes people do stupid things, but he keeps insisting in the book he's better now, but I don't buy it. I have a feeling when he wrote this, Brent Runyon didn't want anyone to feel sorry for him or respect him much. The book makes it seem like he wants to share what it was like in his head, and that I can respect.

Three out of four stars.

Book #1 The Usual Mistakes by Erin Flanagan

2009-04-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

The Usual Mistakes

By Erin Flanagan
Published by U of Nebraska Press, 2005
ISBN 0803220294, 9780803220294
202 pages

So far so good - one book down twenty nine to go.

This feels pretty normal to me. I finished a book, watched the Blazers with some friends, snuck in 2 episodes of Lost and hit Goodwills and Pawn Shops for Nintendo Stuffs, all in the space of about 24 hours. However, tomorrow is a busy day, so getting ahead ANY pages is pretty good.
I started this challenge with a book of short stories and I'm rather pleased I did. I don't want to read the thirty books so fast that all I have done is read the pages, missing out on the words. Knowing that The Usual Mistakes was a collection of short stories made me focus on the words and get what I could out of them.

Some of the shorts stuck with me more then others. I might have connected to this book more if I was from the Midwest, or had at least been to the Midwest in the last 10 years (most of the stories are set there. Think cold.) I do think that geography affects your interpretation of the story
I liked the title story, where an impostor medical assistant at a hotel-like plastic surgery clinic befriends a young girl covered in Neo-Nazi tattoos, and the tale of a couple realizing they have grown up and become Honda People. These stories have no real plot, just a depiction of a particular time of someone’s life. Most of the shorts are more about the emotion of a situation than the situation itself.. Sometimes they’re endearing, and other times, they’re distasteful, but in a way that compels you to discover why.

It's worth checking out from your local libary and giving it a try, however I'm not sure I'd buy this book. Two and a half out of Four. Good but not Great.
On to book two!

The List

2009-04-23T19:11:00.001-07:00

Here are the thirty books I plan to read over the ninety days:

1. The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
8. The Usual Mistakes by Erin Flanagan
9. When You are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
10. I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley
11. Fool: A Novel by Christopher Moore
12. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers By Mary Roach
13. The Yiddish Policeman's Union: A Novel by Michael Chabon
14. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
15. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
16. I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max
17. Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamine by Nick Sheff
18. Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time by Rob Sheffield
19. Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
20. King Dork by Frank Portman
21. This is Not a Love Song: A Novel by Sarahbeth Purcell
22. Loving Frank By Nancy Horan
23. The 19th Wife: A Novel by David Ebershoff
24. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
25. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
26. What is the What by Dave Eggers
27. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
28. This Song is For You by Arthur Phillips
29. Why sh*t Happens: the science of a really bad day by P.J. Bentley
30. Rock On By Dan Kennedy
31. The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl By Barry Lyga
32. Hard-boiled wonderland and the end of the world : a Novel by Haruki Murakami
33. I like you : Hospitality under the influence by Amy Sedaris
34. My Horizontal life: a collection of one-night stands by Chelsea Handler
35. Sex with queen: 900 years of vile kings, virile lovers and passionate politics by Eleanor Herman
36. Sex with Kings : 500 years adultery, power, rivalry and revenge by Eleanor Herma
37. Regina's Song by David & Leigh Eddings (Thanks Anno!)
38. Not the End of the World by Kate Atkinson*
39. Pompeii by Robert Harris*
40. She May Not Leave by Fay Weldon*
41. Madapple by Christina Meldrum*
42. Day Job: A Workplace Reader for the Restless Age by Jonathan Baird*
43. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
44. Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu by Laurence Bergreen*
45. The Half-life by Jonathan Raymond
46. Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in all Fifty States by Pete Jordan*
47: The Banquet of Esther Rosenbaum by Pennt Simpson*
48. Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos*
49. Sweet Cakes, Long Journey: the Chinatowns of Portland Oregon by Marie Rose Wong*
50. Amy’s Answering Machine: Messages from Mom by Amy Borkowsky*
51. Bake Me I’m Yours – Cupcake by Joan and Graham Belgrove
52. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
53. The Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park by Steve Kulger
54. Books By Larry McMurtry

So you've must notice that I have more then thirty books on my list. I have back up plans in case I can't get some of the books. If you have a book you think I would love to read let me know. The bold books have a ton of holds on them with the library (if you have them or any of the books I'd love to borrow them), So there is a good chance they won't be available in my time frame. The books with *'s are ones I have ready to go.
Part of me see's this list as over whelming but the other half is excited to try and do this. (No teasing that I'm just now starting to read Harry Potter!) So here we go!

The Challenge

2009-04-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

It's a simple concept, read thirty books in ninety days. My challenge starts April 24th and ends June 24th. I ruffly need to read one book every three days to hit the goal. After I finish each book I'll post a mini review here on the blog. I figure that if this is in a public medium I'll stay motivated and be less likely to fail.
Before I can start however I need a list of thirty books (I'm taking suggestions), another hitch to the challenge is that I won't be re-reading anything. I also plan to not buy any of my thirty books - I'll use the library for what I can't borrow from friends.

Now you may be asking your self, "Why?"
Well, why the fuck not? Ninety days in a summer, the time spent until you get benefits at a new job, how long it takes to get a passport. I've decide that this will be a better way to mark three months of my life.

You may also be asking, "Don't you have a life?"
Yes, yes I do. Part of the balancing act will be to meet my goal with out loosing my boyfriend, my job and all of my friends. Post a comment or e-mail me if you have a book suggestion and wish me luck!

****Update I had to push the start date so I had more time to get the books together, so Friday it is!********