I can't believe it's taken me so long to read The Lord of the Rings. I've always felt kind of "eh" about fantasy in general...most authors fail to cre...moreI can't believe it's taken me so long to read The Lord of the Rings. I've always felt kind of "eh" about fantasy in general...most authors fail to create a good story. It seems like the emphasis is placed on how ~magical~ and ~unique~ the fantasy world is, but ultimately everything just seems like a caricature to me and I've found few fantasy novels that I can even finish. Obviously I've chosen poorly, and despite my experience I do hold out hope that there are, in fact, GOOD (perhaps even GREAT) fantasy books.
The Fellowship of the Ring is such a book. It's just a downright great story, masterfully told and beautifully crafted. The world and its inhabitants are so precisely written...it seems like Middle-earth is a real place, and Tolkien is merely describing parts of it as needed to tell his story. It seems to exist outside of the story itself. Likewise, the characters are individuals, but each have their own particular traits that reflect their people and where they are from. This adds to the impression that you're reading a story from a chapter in history, concerning a world that has been formed by many untold chapters. There really seems to be a history behind everything--every bit of geography, every character, every weapon or tool.
This results in a rich, multi-faceted story. It also results in some passages that are just incredibly tedious to read (I'm thinking of a few of the accounts during the Council of Elrond). My brain can't even comprehend all the details in this story--all the names, all the different lineages of the many characters--but I still appreciate the depth it adds to the plot and characters.
Rambling! Basically, I thought this was a great story. It's a bit less "playful" than I found The Hobbit to be; more of a serious adventure. But Tolkien still finds plenty of opportunities for wit and humor and weaves everything together perfectly. Looking forward to reading The Two Towers and The Return of the King.(less)
Talk about a disappointing ending. I was feeling pretty "meh" about the whole story, but in the last 20 pages or so it started to get a little interes...moreTalk about a disappointing ending. I was feeling pretty "meh" about the whole story, but in the last 20 pages or so it started to get a little interesting. Then it just fizzled out completely at the very end.
Overall just a rehashing of the Alice storyline/characters, with its own "twist" (the "Alice monster"/Mary Ann). Proposes some interesting concepts that are never fully realized or explored. I didn't care for the cutesy artwork. Dialog was occasionally funny but nothing special.
Basically...pretty bland. Not downright bad, as it did entertain me, but not particularly good.(less)
I love Eleanor Davis's comics & artwork. She knows how to tell a story. As someone who knows her through her more "adult" work, I was curious how...moreI love Eleanor Davis's comics & artwork. She knows how to tell a story. As someone who knows her through her more "adult" work, I was curious how she would tackle a children's story and was excited to see this book at my local library.
Overall, I thought the story was good, albeit simple and a bit predictable. I liked the characters and can definitely see this being the beginning of a series in which the three main characters and their families become more fully developed. I was hoping for something a little more innovative than your standard museum-heist action/mystery. Too simplistic for me but I'm not really the intended audience. Kinda left me feeling like the villain should have mumbled something about meddling kids, ya know?
The characters are the strong point of this book, but I also really enjoyed the layout, which is full of fun details. Davis takes full advantage of the graphic novel format and uses some interesting visual motifs that carry throughout the story and reinforce the science-y theme.
Overall, a fun read that is supported by nice illustrations. Definitely something I would give to my kids to read, if I had any (ha).(less)
This is one of those books that I've always felt that I SHOULD read. I tried before, but didn't make it far. It was too boring. This time, however, I...moreThis is one of those books that I've always felt that I SHOULD read. I tried before, but didn't make it far. It was too boring. This time, however, I got into the story and I liked it.
Tolkien's writing is playful and epic at the same time--that's my favorite part of this story. It's a "serious" adventure, an epic tale, but not without a self-conscious sort of humor that is...endearing.
Definitely funny and packed with great characters, but I feel like I would have appreciated Lenore a lot more if I had read this back in high school.
D...moreDefinitely funny and packed with great characters, but I feel like I would have appreciated Lenore a lot more if I had read this back in high school.
Dirge's short autobiographical comics are hilarious--I would love to read a collection of just those.(less)
For some reason it took me forever to get through this book.
Thumbs up: "The Canary-Colored Caravan of Death" (excerpt from Fun Home) by Alison Bechdel "...moreFor some reason it took me forever to get through this book.
Thumbs up: "The Canary-Colored Caravan of Death" (excerpt from Fun Home) by Alison Bechdel "Just a Bad Seed" and "Once, We Ran" by C. Tyler "Glenn in Bed" by Kevin Huizenga "No Midgets in Midgetville" by Kim Deitch "Won't Be Licked! The Great '37 Flood in Louisville" by Dan Zettwoch
Thumbs down: "Fuc 1997: We Share a Happy Secret, But Beware, Because the Modern World Emerges" by Ron Rege Jr (loved the aesthetics, but so tedious to read) "Untitled (Discrete Operations Vehicle--Burning Gall) by Gary Panter (I'm sorry--I just don't "get" Gary Panter's comics...ugh) "Meet the Dropouts" by Tim Hensley
There are some others that I just felt "meh" about..."Kramer's Ergot" by Paper Rad was definitely one those. The style is cool, trippy, and interesting but ultimately it just made me think "ok...but who cares?" Definitely some good pieces in this collection though.(less)
Hovering between 2 and 3 stars...can't quite decide. I think having seen the movie first is tainting my judgement.
The story is entertaining and the co...moreHovering between 2 and 3 stars...can't quite decide. I think having seen the movie first is tainting my judgement.
The story is entertaining and the concept is interesting. I had no idea this book was part of a series until I looked it up online and the other books popped up in my results. I'll definitely read the rest of the books in the series (eventually...) since I am curious where DuPrau is going with this whole adventure.
There's just SOMETHING about this book, however, that I found unsatisfying. Maybe it was the main characters. They seemed a bit flat. Or maybe it was my desire to be reading a grittier version of the same story (i.e. not the YA book it is). I think the book's primary strength for me is the concept, and it kept me interested despite the execution not being entirely flawless.(less)
Thumbs up: -Excellent introduction by Lynda Barry -"The Thing About Madeline" by Lilli Carre -"The Monkey and the Crab" by Shawn Cheng and Sara Edward-Co...moreThumbs up: -Excellent introduction by Lynda Barry -"The Thing About Madeline" by Lilli Carre -"The Monkey and the Crab" by Shawn Cheng and Sara Edward-Corbett -"Seven Sacks" by Eleanor Davis -"The Thanksgiving Series" by Chris Ware
I wish Seth and Ware's comics hadn't been back-to-back...I actually thought Seth's piece was by Chris Ware. Ooops.
Thumbs down/meh: -Matt Groening strips. They were just so tedious to read, and I almost skipped the last few entirely. -"Dykes to Watch Out For" strips by Alison Bechdel. She has a single page comic in the 2006 volume that is so much stronger than the disjointed series of pages in this volume.
"The Teachers Edition" (Excerpt) by John Mejias is a really great piece, but difficult to read. It's too small and cluttered.
I'm not really into all the excerpts in this volume, although I have to admit that the segment chosen from "Percy Gloom" stands on its own as a strong piece.
Overall, a decent collection. I was kind of underwhelmed because most of the pieces I really liked were from comics I already own, or from artists I already know I love. I like to be surprised with work I've never seen before!(less)
I kind of want to give this book 3 stars, but when I try to think about what I learned from it...the title pretty much sums it up. If a book can't go...moreI kind of want to give this book 3 stars, but when I try to think about what I learned from it...the title pretty much sums it up. If a book can't go beyond its 9-word title, that's a problem for me. Ultimately, Herzog's only certain conclusion seems to be that our relationship with other species is complicated. No kidding! I was hoping for more than that.
It seemed like there was a lot of emphasis on the "Some we love" aspect of the book. Lots of information about pets, including Herzog's speculations about why we have them and why they aren't consistent across cultures. As a dog owner and someone who works with dogs on a daily basis, I found these chapters interesting but the information was sometimes disjointed and didn't seem to contribute to a larger argument. I often felt like the author was presenting information (lots of reference to various studies and books) solely for the sake of saying "Look at all this cool stuff anthrozoologists have discovered!" That's not to say that the information isn't interesting--it is!--but I couldn't see how most of it contributed to explaining the paradoxes and hypocrisy that the author is investigating here.
I thought the most informative part was Chapter 9, in which Herzog discusses the philosophies of Peter Singer and Tom Regan, whose theories have laid the ground work for animal rights activists today. In this chapter he really gets down to the nitty gritty and I wish more of the book had been like this chapter. Herzog's discussion about experimenting on animals (and how the public views such practices) is also interesting.
Overall, I found this book compelling. It was a quick read, full of intriguing facts and interesting anecdotes. I think my rating might be a bit harsh but this book really didn't live up to my expectations (lots of information, few conclusions), and there was an emphasis on the more pleasant human-animal relationships (pets) rather than the more morally troubling relationship between, say, humans and factory farmed animals.(less)
While I wouldn't consider myself one of Gaga's "Little Monsters", I do find her work intriguing...in a I-would-love-to-write-an-art-history-paper-abou...moreWhile I wouldn't consider myself one of Gaga's "Little Monsters", I do find her work intriguing...in a I-would-love-to-write-an-art-history-paper-about-her sort of way. That is, in a critical sense...she is really interesting to pick apart as a living piece of art, a true spectacle.
That said, her formation as an artist and the creation of Lady Gaga is a bit disappointing at best. Ultimately it seems that her success--the part of it that she personally has had control over--is due to her unrelenting drive and calculating nature (I do mean calculating in the best way possible), with a bit of raw talent thrown in. Aside from that, it seems to have been a matter of money and connections.
While this does tend to shatter the epic "myth" of Lady Gaga, it is a reminder of one very important fact: she is human. And behind all the make-up and fashion, she is a 24 year old celebrity whose position was secured through a process that involved much more than her own personal vision and determination. As attractive as the idea is of her emerging, fully formed, as a self-created masterpiece of art, fashion, and music, the truth is that Lady Gaga is the work of many different people.
The idea of a board-meeting being held to come up with the name "Lady Gaga" is particularly uninspiring, but it sums up the effect of this biography. It's a reality check. It takes you behind the spectacle to see the man behind the curtain, so to speak, but in this instance the "man" is an entourage compiled of record company execs, family members, personal friends, professional acquaintances, etc. That's not to say that Gaga hasn't had anything to do with her fame. The author makes it clear, through her own descriptions and quotes from interviews, that Gaga is an exacting artist who demands perfection and is constantly tuned in to the importance of detail. Nonetheless, Callahan calls attention to the many others who have helped create Lady Gaga.
This story is incredibly well crafted. I started the book obviously knowing what was coming to some extent: lots of destruction and certainly some emo...moreThis story is incredibly well crafted. I started the book obviously knowing what was coming to some extent: lots of destruction and certainly some emotional hardship. But as the story progresses (from predictable...a straight-forward memory of a horrific event etched in all our memories) it becomes increasingly surreal and absurd, revealing the even more horrific side of an already terrible event.
For me, the first half the book deserves 3 stars; it's well written and well balanced between building up the characters (I enjoyed the many little side-stories about Zeitoun and his family) and advancing the plot. However, the second half of the book really takes it over the top, and I could barely bring myself to put the book down between reads.
Through Zeitoun's experiences, Eggers highlights the many failings of authority when a sense of order is most needed. If I had to sum up this book in two words, they would be "tragicomic" and "infuriating".(less)
I saw Sakabashira's illustrations before I saw his comics, so when I got this book all I really knew was that I like the way he draws, and I like the...moreI saw Sakabashira's illustrations before I saw his comics, so when I got this book all I really knew was that I like the way he draws, and I like the weirdness of his subject matter. I had actually seen a number of images from this book without knowing they were part of a larger narrative, so it was interesting to see them in context (although I'm not sure how much context is worth in such a strange tale).
Anyway, "The Box Man" really keeps you guessing and wondering what the hell is going on. The ending is hilarious. Sakabashira's drawings are beautiful and full of details. Lots of grotesque, humorous imagery. Overall: Good stuff!(less)
This is a good collection. My rating is based on how I felt this one compared to the 2009 volume I finished a few weeks ago. I thought this was a stro...moreThis is a good collection. My rating is based on how I felt this one compared to the 2009 volume I finished a few weeks ago. I thought this was a stronger collection of comics, and it includes a number of longer stories, which I really enjoyed.(less)
I'm generally not into mystery/suspense/thriller novels but I got a nook for xmas and have sort of been reading random ebooks out of pure excitement....moreI'm generally not into mystery/suspense/thriller novels but I got a nook for xmas and have sort of been reading random ebooks out of pure excitement. Got this one from the library so I figured "why not?"
Overall, the story was entertaining I suppose. Incredibly disturbing, but it certainly kept my attention (probably BECAUSE it was disturbing). However, I don't see much of a point in the story. Granted, as initially stated, I don't really read mystery novels so I don't know what's on par in this genre. Nonetheless, it seemed like the only point was that Naomi gains a sense of self-respect and inner-strength by the end of the book. But such a twisted, complex path was taken to get there. Seemed a bit much for relatively little pay-off. They got the bad guys in the end and there was some peace-of-mind for the victim(s)...can't really ask for more out of this sort of story I guess?
Plot aside, I found the dialog annoying most of the time; it seemed so contrived and ridiculous. I kept thinking in my head, "do people actually talk like this!?" It was difficult for me to really get into most of the characters since they seemed like cheap caricatures most of the time.
Anyway, it was a decent, fast-paced read--2 stars for that!(less)
Not a bad collection, but also not a great collection. I just finished this a week or so ago, and I can only remember a few strips off the top of my h...moreNot a bad collection, but also not a great collection. I just finished this a week or so ago, and I can only remember a few strips off the top of my head...the rest were forgettable.
Glancing back through the table of contents, here are some highlights from the collection and some strips I think it could have done without:
Highlights: "Skim" by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki (excerpt) "The Galactic Funnels" by Dash Shaw "Antoinette" by Koren Shadmi
Not a fan: "Gropius" by Tim Hensley (multiple strips scattered throughout) "Fuzz & Pluck In Splitsville" by Ted Stearn (excerpt) "Dal Tokyo" Gary Panter(less)
I thought Shanker's views and experiences about what it means to be "Fat" were funny and insightful. I had a hard time relating to her on a lot of lev...moreI thought Shanker's views and experiences about what it means to be "Fat" were funny and insightful. I had a hard time relating to her on a lot of levels, however, particularly when it came to her many rants about dieting. It often seemed to me that she was stating the obvious (i.e. diets will not make you skinny, or healthy). I did weight watchers once in high school and that was my first and last experience with "dieting." Overall I can't say I've ever felt any sort of connection to this supposedly universal (for women, at least) obsession with dieting. As a result, the bits about fad diets, pills, and medical procedures were horrifying but didn't strike a particularly personal chord with me.
The most interesting parts of this book to me were the parts that examined the psychological and emotional implications of being (or worrying about being) Fat. Her reflections on the word itself are bold, funny, and incredibly true. Why are we so afraid of this word? And how does such a simple word (a mere physical description, right?) end up with such far reaching implications and connotations?
As other reviewers have noted (perhaps not so much here on Goodreads, but on Amazon), Shanker occasionally fluctuates between self-acceptance and a lingering sense of self-reproach. Others have pointed to this as a major flaw, but I found her honesty refreshing. Anyone with serious body image issues isn't going to wake up one morning and shed those negative perceptions. It was nice to read Shanker's insights as part of a work in progress--a sort of in media res look at her personal journey toward self-acceptance, and a growing sense of pride and courage to not adhere to ridiculous commercialized standards of beauty.
Overall I thought this was an encouraging read, and would absolutely recommend it to any woman who is horrified by the prospect (or reality) of being Fat. I'm pretty sure that's about 99% of us. So go ahead and read this book.(less)
I found some of the general advice in this book helpful. However, it wasn't quite what I expected. The idea of following actual dogs through their pup...moreI found some of the general advice in this book helpful. However, it wasn't quite what I expected. The idea of following actual dogs through their puppyhood is a great idea and seems promising--until you find out that all the puppies are from top-notch breeders and perfectly fit Millan's "calm-submissive" ideal. I know MY puppy certainly does not meet that ideal, nor is she from any sort of top-notch breeder, so it made a lot of the puppy-specific stories kind of useless. This book would be more helpful to read if you're in the process of getting a puppy and want to know what you should take into consideration.
Millan's advice about how to communicate with puppies was somewhat useful--he places a lot of emphasis on understanding that your dog isn't going to respond to normal human communication and that attempting to humanize your dog is a big mistake. The concept of using "calm-assertive energy" is more like a general thing to keep in mind while interacting with your dog...certainly useful, but I guess I was hoping for more concrete advice.
Overall, I think this book provides some useful GENERAL information about raising the "perfect dog." Probably better to read this book well before you've brought your puppy home, however.(less)
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