Hey there. Anybody watch the Oscars last night? I did. Pretty sweet, eh? Anyways, here are the books I read this month!
Impact - Douglas Preston
I don't really like science fiction, but this book was pretty good. I'm not sure what else to say about it. Yup. It was good and I liked it, but I didn't like it enough to read it a second time. You know the deal.
When You Are Engulfed In Flames - David Sedaris
I wasn't quite sure what this was about at first. All there was on the back cover was quotes about how awesome it is, which bothers me because how am I going to know if I like it if I don't even know what it's about? But anyway, it turned out that I did like it. Each chapter was a kind of short story that could stand alone, but they were all told in first person by the same guy. I love it when I read a book and it reminds me of my own writing, and tons of ideas rush through my head; the downside to this is that I can't decide whether or not to keep reading since the book is so good or to stop and write the stuff that's plowing through my brain. Then I end up having some existential crisis and have to take a nap. So this book reminded me of my short story The Wayfarer that I have been thinking about turning into an entire novel. It's about this guy telling his life story. But it's way cooler than it sounds. When You Are Engulfed In Flames is about some guy telling his life story, so there. And it's funny.
Against The Day - Thomas Pynchon
I usually don't do this, but in this case, I had to stop in the middle of the book and move on to something else. First of all, the book is about a thousand pages long, and second of all, I honestly had no idea what the heck was going on. It's about some people on a boat, I think? But never mind my complete obliviousness to the plot, I kind of enjoyed the book. There were some funny parts and the writing was interesting.
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
This is one of those classic books that everyone says you have to read. Yup, it was a good book, and I, like those other people, recommend you read it too. It was about freedom of speech and stuff like that. And well-written also.
Booky Wook 2 - Russell Brand
The second installment of Russell Brand's life. Not as funny or moving as the first, but still intriguing. It's interesting to see the parallels in his addiction, and his motivation for fame. It's lovely how his love for Katy Perry changed him so much. The book not only says a lot about how fame and sex can manipulate a person, but it also says quite a bit about how love can change a person for the better. Can't wait until he writes a third one; it will probably be about his married life and be more spiritual.
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
I had read this before two or three times, but I wanted to read it again because it is one of my favorite books. Sal Paradise (Jack Kerouac) begins his journey admiring Dean Moriarty's (Neal Cassady) zeal and lust for life. It is a spiritual journey for Sal/Jack in that he is shedding all material possessions and societal rules to become somewhat of a hobo, traveling across the country in search of the meaning of life. Over the course of his adventure, Sal/Jack changes as he sees new parts of the world and the rude and wild, unchanging nature of Dean/Neal. This book really changes my life. Literally. I'm not just saying that because it was awesome. It actually changed my outlook on life. You should read it if you haven't.
Buffalo Lockjaw - Greg Ames
This book was so depressing. The author was trying to be funny, but the situation in which the characters were was a difficult thing to make humorous. But for a debut novel, it was alright.
Time's Arrow - Martin Amis
Now this is a good book. It's told from the point of view of this entity living in this doctor's head experiencing his life backwards from death to birth. It was awesome. You should read it.
The Keep - F. Paul Wilson
My parents have been urging me to read this for a while now, since the whole Repairman Jack series starts with this book, they say. I was wary at first because I don't quite like my mother's taste in books, but I rather liked it. It was a thriller set in World War Two. I think I might read the first Repairman Jack book by F. Paul Wilson, though it kind of depends on how I like that one on whether I will read the rest of the series or not. There are seriously like twenty books in the series. I don't know if I could be that committed...
The Art of Fiction - Ayn Rand
I posted about this here, here, and here. It is a great resource for writers. Take a look at it!
Peace, Aimee
