Michael's comments (member since Jan 04, 2009)

Michael's comments from the All Ears Audiobooks group.

The basic premise is that the author took Jane Austen's original "Pride and Prejudice" and weaved in this subplot where England has been overrun by a plague that makes corpses rise from the grave and scatter through the countryside feeding on brains. Our beloved Bennett sisters are cunning, ruthless Zombie fighters, trained by masters in the Far East.

The gem of this book though is the narration. The narrator gets the drama and accent of 19th century British speech perfectly. To hear her talk one minute about the incorrigible pride of Mr. Darcy and the next minute talking calmly about how Elizabeth has just chopped off the arms and legs of a zombie who was feasting on the brains of a poor carriage driver had me laughing out loud.

Not for Austen purists. However, if you're in the mood for a classic with a dash of the living dead, give it a shot,

Don't forget to add All Ears' business page on Facebook for regular updates and tidbits about goings on in the store.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/San-Jose-C...

Such a cute picture, Julie. The quilt is beautiful. And love your dog's cameo. haha

I recently completed Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. This is the same author who wrote Into the Wild. In this book, Krakauer looks at the history of Mormonism, specifically Mormon fundamentalism. Using the story of a young mother and baby who were murdered by two male relatives who believed they were told by God through a revelation to kill a list of people, Krakauer argues that the current movement of Mormon extremism is a result of the Mormon church's move away from its polygamous, somewhat alternative theology and towards the mainstream. This mainstreaming has resulted in literalist fundamentalist sects that still practice polygamy and move farther and farther away from the mainstream.
I think Krakauer is one of the best non-fiction writers I've read/listened to as of yet. Though I found him to be quite impartial, someone who is either Mormon themselves or is easily offended by criticisms of religion by not get much out of the book. A+ on the narration as well.

I just finished "Adverbs" by Daniel Handler. Handler is the author behind the Lemony Snickett books. I haven't read those, so this was my first exposure to his work.
Oy, what a book. Its a collection of short stories, and each chapter is titled with an adverb. The stories are about love, so an example of the chapter titles are "hopelessly in love, quickly in love, etc"
I understood the premise and the idea is original, but the execution was messy. The plots and character story lines overlap, and there were a few genuinely funny moments. But, overall, I give this a 2 out of 5 stars. Not for someone who likes a solid plot and clear character development.

I recently finished Power Faith and Fantasy by Michael Oren. This book chronicles the history of American and Middle Eastern relations from 1776 to present. Totally unbeknown to me, the U.S has had a very active role in Middle East affairs since its birth.

Anyone ever heard of the Barbary Pirate Wars of the early 19th century? Yeah, me neither...until I listened to this book. This group of Arab pirates based in North Africa basically held American trade in the Mediterranean hostage until the Navy had to intervene.

Lots of information...but very conversational writing style. Plus great, witty narration.

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
2. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
3. Little Children by Tom Perrota
4. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
5. The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho
6. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-time by Mark Haddon
7. Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safron Foer
8. Incantation by Alice Hoffman
9. Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx
10. Beautiful Boy by David Sheff

I just finished Plot Against America by Philip Roth. Very very good book. Its a combination of fantasy, historical fiction, and very solid coming-of-age story. This was a story where you become emotionally involved in the characters and their progress through the story.

The basic premise is that, in 1940, FDR loses the presidential election to Charles Lindbergh, who was an isolationist. Hence, the U.S doesn't enter the second world war. The alternate history story is told through the eyes of a Jewish eight year old and his working class family. Lots of topics are tackled, including religion, the immigration and first generation experience, race relations, and prejudice.

Though its serious and deep, the little boy, whose also named Philip, is one of the most endearing characters.

Great on audio. The story is set in New Jersey and the male narrator's soft New York accent is perfect for the story.