An excellent read. Thomas really discusses what it means to be black in the hip-hop era without sounding PC about it. There are other books about hip-...moreAn excellent read. Thomas really discusses what it means to be black in the hip-hop era without sounding PC about it. There are other books about hip-hop culture out there, but this one gives a personal spin that makes it better above the rest.(less)
Eh. There was a lot hype surrounding this book. They have a stable of solid writers, but the book just didn't do it for me. Most of them were...meanin...moreEh. There was a lot hype surrounding this book. They have a stable of solid writers, but the book just didn't do it for me. Most of them were...meaningless and rambles. I wish The Millions wouldn't published a book of its essays instead this weak mediation on the future of books(less)
I really loved the novel, up until the last two chapters in the Introduction. I'm not sure if Phillips was in a rush to end that part or he really did...moreI really loved the novel, up until the last two chapters in the Introduction. I'm not sure if Phillips was in a rush to end that part or he really did not know how to end it, but it just seemed...forced.(less)
Please don't judge a book by its cover. After reading the reviews (New Yorker, N+1, NPR and so on) I was under the impression that this book would be...morePlease don't judge a book by its cover. After reading the reviews (New Yorker, N+1, NPR and so on) I was under the impression that this book would be a humorous account about a graduate student in Russian literature at Stanford University. Instead, I got long-winded summaries of Russian novels and a sprinkling of funny stories. The essays that I found good where "Introduction," "Babel in California" and "Who Killed Tolstoy." Everything else painful to read, especially the last essay. Which gives away the entire plot of Dostoevsky's Demons. (less)
I really enjoyed this book, then again, I'm a fan of anything that discusses Sylvia Plath. Badia's thesis is two-fold, the first being that although w...moreI really enjoyed this book, then again, I'm a fan of anything that discusses Sylvia Plath. Badia's thesis is two-fold, the first being that although well intentioned, Plath fans have hindered Plath's work being taken seriously by academia because of their "feminist" leanings. Badia doesn't see anything wrong with Plath fans being feminist, but she wonders if some fans are "reading" Plath correctly. The author does address sexism in academia and Ted Hughes' contribution to the Plath fan hate in hopes of cleaning up his legacy. In all, this book was a good, quick read. I saw a lot of my teenage and college-aged self within those pages.(less)
I'm so thankful my modernism professor suggest this book to me. If you love unreliable narrators, intertextuality and mocking academia, enjoy. Enjoy....moreI'm so thankful my modernism professor suggest this book to me. If you love unreliable narrators, intertextuality and mocking academia, enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy. And take your time, don't rush. Highlight quotes. (less)
If you enjoyed Bechdel's Fun Home, you're going to love this one. It's seriously meta, but I liked the change of pace. Whereas there was a finality to...moreIf you enjoyed Bechdel's Fun Home, you're going to love this one. It's seriously meta, but I liked the change of pace. Whereas there was a finality to Fun Home, Are You My Mother is very open ended and explores her relationship with her mother in detail. I felt I learned more about Bechdel in this book and of course the literary references made me swoon. (less)
The fourth in the Robert Langdon series and I have to say, is so much better than Lost Symbol. Within the world of Dan Brown's writing, I give this bo...moreThe fourth in the Robert Langdon series and I have to say, is so much better than Lost Symbol. Within the world of Dan Brown's writing, I give this book 4 stars. There was a lot of misdirection, which pays off at the end, and only at the end. What Brown needs to work on is his integration of art/history into the narration. It's stogy and slows the dialogue down. But I enjoyed the read. It was light, quick and fun.(less)
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