Eye strain
Posted by Lanea on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
When in doubt, read a lot, make lists, and check things off.
They Call Me Naughty Lola: Personal Ads from the London Review of Books by David Rose
This is a silly little book, but pretty entertaining. In short, David Rose started a lonely hearts (a.k.a. singles) column in the LRB, and the brainy, witty people who read the LRB make a big goofy game out of writing strange personal ads. They're not all great, but some of them are real gems. It's a good between-books distraction.
A Woman's Words: Emer and Female Speech in the Ulster Cycle by Joanne Findon
This is a good, interesting, scholarly work about Emer's speech acts in the myths of the Ulster Cycle. The author melds Speech Act theory and Feminist theory to illuminate Emer's unusual role in Irish myth as a powerful yet peaceful female character. I enjoyed the book a great deal, but I am one of those people who likes to read good literary criticism, so, well, I would.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
I decided this one wasn't worth finishing. The book is written as a series of interviews with survivors from a zombie apocalypse. The thing just wasn't believable. I felt like Brooks had to write in circles around his plot rather than actually engage with it. Meh.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
I am an unabashed Bourdain fan. He's no Proust, but he is witty and intensely honest. I love his frankness, particularly about his frailties in the kitchen and in life. Also, I thank Bourdain for reminding me that I really was right not to go to cooking school, because, hot damn! I do not want to work in a restaurant kitchen.
Filed in Books | 4 responses so far
Jenniferon 12 Feb 2009 at 9:20 am 1I love Anthony Bourdain, too ~ his show on the travel channel is always entertaining.
kon 12 Feb 2009 at 6:17 pm 2How funny! I loved World War Z. But it might fall into the “Brainless crap” pile. We have been having fun with everything zombie, though.
minnieon 19 Feb 2009 at 10:02 pm 3i just recently finished reading kitchen confidential myself. i ADORE anthony bourdain. and reading his stuff just makes me miss the professional kitchen that much more (did it for almost 20 years, and sometimes wish i could get back to it, but can’t right now. too many family obligations)
i’ve also just finished A Cook’s Tour, and a m now reading Bone in the Throat. i heart AB
minnieon 19 Feb 2009 at 10:04 pm 4oh, and my son loves me now. he’s a zombie freak, and i jsut requested it from the library. thanks for aiding mother/teen son relations