Today marks the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination and in a flood of material that's been released to cash in reflect, honor and exam Today marks the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination and in a flood of material that's been released to cash in reflect, honor and examine a pivotal moment in history, LIFE magazine's retrospective coffee table book stands out. It is a beautiful piece of work, thoughtfully put together, a must have for the average history buff and JFK afficionados alike.
The best part for me is the inclusion of a full reprint of LIFE's November 29, 1963 issue (which sold on newsstands for 25 cents!) I poured over every page of this thing, including the ads (which made me think of Mad Men -- all those ads for cigarettes and cars, how could I not?) Reading it really is a form of time travel. Fantastic.
Even though this is my first Tony Burgess read, I'm not exactly a Burgess virgin. He's a bit of a cult figure in Canada, thanks largely in part to the Even though this is my first Tony Burgess read, I'm not exactly a Burgess virgin. He's a bit of a cult figure in Canada, thanks largely in part to the iconic zombie flick Pontypool, based on his novel Pontypool Changes Everything. Confession time: I've seen the movie (it's brilliant), but I never got around to reading Burgess's book. Or anything else by him either. Until now.
Sweet Jebus. I was dimly aware of his reputation as a gore master, a mad splatter genius who frequently pushes boundaries of decency and sanity every chance he gets. It's a reputation well-deserved. Reminiscent of another iconic Canadian's early work -- David Cronenberg -- Burgess delves into body horror in such a way to disarm the reader and distress the shit out of you.
It's not a mere gross out that's easily dismissed as senseless pulp either, but an exercise in relentless brutality that leaves you mentally and emotionally floundering. In a lot of ways, reading The n-Body Problem reminded me of Kafka's The Metamorphosis because I was left feeling similarly shuddering and sad. (view spoiler)[The narrator's fate as an armless, legless torso mummy wrapped and encased in glass is a metamorphosis that leads to much the same kind of alienation and dehumanization experienced by Gregor Samsa. Except the ultimate fate of the narrator here is so much worse, if such horrors can indeed be quantified. (hide spoiler)]
This isn't a book I would easily recommend. It's Grade A disturbing, and very much not nice. I repeat: This is not a nice book. It doesn't want to hold your hand, or stroke your hair. Or make you laugh and feel better about life's absurdities. It wants to show you something very dark and nasty, about humans, about death, about our fear of death and extinction. Approach with caution -- and a very strong stomach. ...more
I have no words to describe the beauty and the powerful message contained within the pages of this little book. Read it!! Buy it!! Give it to someone I have no words to describe the beauty and the powerful message contained within the pages of this little book. Read it!! Buy it!! Give it to someone you love! Teachers share it with your students! Parents share it with your children!
Deciding to tell a story about a physically disfigured child who lusts after his biological mother while living out their lives in the long, judgmenta Deciding to tell a story about a physically disfigured child who lusts after his biological mother while living out their lives in the long, judgmental, crucifying shadow of the Catholic Church in 1950's St. John's Newfoundland ... is ... curious at best. But also weird and ... questionable.
I'm not sure what kind of a book Johnston thought he was writing. At first it seems humorous and whimsical, a slice of Frank McCourt meets a heaping portion of John Irving. There's poverty, a dysfunctional family, religion, sexual awakening, and some odd occurrences that make you laugh just for their very oddness and inappropriateness.
But as the book progresses, the oddities start to fall flat onto the very shoulders of uninteresting and boring. If Son of a Certain Woman is meant to be Johnston's indictment of the corrupt and nasty hold the Catholic Church at one time held over the historic and capital city of St. John's it really doesn't succeed, neither as a parable, or tongue-in-cheek satire (if that's what you're looking for, get Codco on DVD).
Where it really fails is as a meaningful and emotional coming-of-age story. I didn't fall in love with anybody and did not feel as if there were any stakes worth cheering for. (view spoiler)[Despite Percy's precociousness and precarious place in the world, I could not open my mind wide enough to hope that his gob-smackingly, sensual mother finally lays him. (hide spoiler)]
My disappointment here is heartfelt. I love Johnston's writing and his unerring ability to capture the layered realities and eccentricities of my home and my people. I did enjoy some of his descriptions of the 1950's streets of St. John's, but sometimes, in an effort to paint that portrait, the brush strokes felt a little heavy-handed and clumsy, like a travel book or described video.
While it pains me to do it, I am recommending a pass on this one.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The moral of Pete's story is: No matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song....because it's all good.
I'm now convinced tha
The moral of Pete's story is: No matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song....because it's all good.
I'm now convinced that Pete is a hippie, who spends the majority of his time high as a kite. He's just figured out another way of saying "Don't sweat the small stuff" but for the kiddies. Not as groovin' as His Four Groovy Buttons, but still a must for Pete the Cat fans. ...more
This little Faustian ditty is a hoot and a half, let me tell you and should you think my three stars indicates a less than enthusiOCTOBER COUNTRY 2013
This little Faustian ditty is a hoot and a half, let me tell you and should you think my three stars indicates a less than enthusiastic recommendation, think again. I adore Frank Darabont because he is one of the few film directors out there who truly "gets" Stephen King's work (as an artist and as a fan). The proof is in Darabont's King adaptations onto the big screen with stunning cinematic results, including The Green Mile and my personal favourite -- The Shawshank Redemption.
There is a persistent rumor that Darabont is sitting on the film rights to King's Bachman novel The Long Walk, another favorite of mine which I like to re-read every couple of years. Just the thought of Darabont bringing this classic edge-of-your-seat dystopian nightmare to the big screen is enough to send me into a raving fangirl tizzy. So c'mon Darabont, get on that please before the zombies rise up and we're all more concerned with hoarding toilet paper.
But back to Walpuski's Typewriter. Darabont is a talented director, and an equally passionate screenwriter. He knows how to construct a story and give life to characters, but mostly in the visual sense. He is a man who thinks and experiences the world cinematically. Which is why you see his name on movie marquees, not on the New York Times bestsellers list.
But this fantastical tale laced with dark humor and outrageous outcomes showcases Darabont's admiration and respect for the craft of storytelling, in particular for the works of Stephen King and Anthony Boucher. In Walpuski's Typewriter Darabont is paying homage to these men, a short story that proves imitation is the highest form of flattery. King fans will chuckle. There's something here that feels so familiar and honest, in an adorable, tongue-in-cheek way. It's Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt, a delightfully gruesome story ripped from the pages of the 1950's EC horror comics.
It's appropriate I should be reviewing this on November 1st, as thousands of people all over the world sign up to participate in NaNoWriMo. The overwhelming urge to write a novel can make hungering desperadoes out of the most calm and sensible people. As all you NaNo participants venture forth this month to slay your literary dragon, ask yourself how far you would go to succeed in this madcap adventure, to bask in the glory of your triumph and drink from the sweet well of fame and notoriety?
My advice -- stick to pen and paper, and whatever you do, don't resurrect that old typewriter from your uncle's basement or grandma's attic. ...more
Elaine: (on boys giving wedgies) Boys are sick. Jerry: What do girls do? Elaine: We just tease someone 'til they develop an eating disorder.~Seinfeld
Th
Elaine: (on boys giving wedgies) Boys are sick. Jerry: What do girls do? Elaine: We just tease someone 'til they develop an eating disorder.~Seinfeld
There can be something so vicious and primal about the way young women torment and bully each other. It's tribal and unrelenting and it disturbs me to my very core because I have three young nieces, one of who is on the cusp of tweendom. And right now I can't decide what would be worse - to have them grow up to be the bullies? Or the bullied?
All I can think of to do is to support their parents in any way I can, and stand vigilant to all warning signs and distress signals of it going either way (and pray that they will each find a neutral safety zone that falls outside the worst of the predator/prey relationships they are sure to confront).
Meet Regina Afton. She is at the very top of her high school's food chain, orchestrating feeding frenzies and character assassinations on a whim. But all that's about to change when after a drunken party it gets out that Regina had sex with her best friend's boyfriend. It doesn't matter that this is a lie. It doesn't matter that the boyfriend in fact tried to rape Regina. All that matters is what her "friends" are willing to believe.
Suddenly, Regina is enemy number one, being targeted as "slut" and "whore" in a ruthless, protracted campaign that only gets worse with each passing day. Summers paints a brutish portrait of the realities of bullying that left me squirming and feeling sick to my stomach.
Point of note: this is hardcore realistic fiction. There are no punches pulled here. If you are sensitive in any way to teen profanity, sexual content, alcohol consumption or drug abuse, then this book is probably not for you. However, if you are seeking out a well-written, emotional, honest book about the dark side of bullying amongst girls, then please read this. Then after you read it, recommend it to all the young women that you know.
For sure this book is dark. For sure there are scenes that are very difficult to read. However, as Regina fights for her survival, there is also hope and humor as she moves closer to uncovering her greatest strengths (and weaknesses).
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