The Last Ninety Days.

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

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!

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

Book #29 Books by Larry McMurtry

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

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

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

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.