Received from the publisher through a Goodreads giveaway. Available February 10, 2015.
This is the first time I've read Kelly Link, and after reading t Received from the publisher through a Goodreads giveaway. Available February 10, 2015.
This is the first time I've read Kelly Link, and after reading this collection I'll start looking into her previous work. Get in Trouble is unlike any other book of short stories I've read before. Link has a relatively unadorned writing style that is, on the surface, straightforward storytelling. However, there's are nuances in each sentence, between characters, or in scenes that push the narrative in directions that were unexpected or that make it much more engaging.
Since the book won't be out for a while I don't want to talk about the individual stories too much, but like all any collections of this kind, there were highlights. My personal favorites were "Secret Identity" and "The New Boyfriend." In my opinion, these were the two most compelling stories, with well-developed characters and effortlessly executed narratives.
I'm glad I was one of the lucky few to receive an advance copy of this. Kelly link is like no other writer I know of, and recommend Get in Trouble to anyone who's looking for a pleasant literary surprise. ...more
I don't read a lot of sports books. I've noticed that most of them fall into the ghost-written athlete I received this as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
I don't read a lot of sports books. I've noticed that most of them fall into the ghost-written athlete autobiography category, or the 300-page Sports Illustrated article category. This book is neither of those. It's well-researched and well-written, and the author spent a good amount of time doing personal interviews and consulting multiple sources. Essentially, this book is an all-access pass to the history of the 1970s Steelers.
The story begins with the young Art Rooney and leads up to Noll's hiring and the selection of Mean Joe Greene in the 1969 draft. The story then centers around Greene, Terry Bradshaw, and Franco Harris, from the Immaculate Reception to the first Super Bowl victory. After that, individual chapters are dedicated to individual players, a series of anecdotes about their playing days and their current lives.
Aside from the obvious sports narrative, Pomerantz also addresses the racial tensions on the team and society. In today's world, it's odd to think that a pro athlete like Terry Bradshaw had never had a black teammate until he played for the Steelers, or the innate distrust of whites that many of the black players from the South carried for their first few seasons. It's also refreshing to know that the Rooneys played a role in hiring black staff and coaches.
Although Pomerantz dedicates a lot of time to the good days - defensive domination, humiliating victories, and four Lombardi trophies - he also spends a lot of time on the price that these players paid when they stepped on to the field. The chapter on Mike Webster shows the dark side of the NFL, and how the collective injuries and brain damage ruined his marriage and his life. It's hard to imagine a former NFL champion being homeless, yet attending Terry Bradshaw's hall of fame ceremony. At his own induction speech, he would ramble incoherently as a result of years of multiple concussions and shots to the head. Other players suffer from neck, back and knee problems, endure multiple surgeries and constant pain.
I'd recommend this book to any fan of the 1970s Steelers, or anyone who is a fan of well-written sports histories. There won't be another team like this, and you can see how all of them together - the Rooneys, Noll, and the players - came together as a family. Together they won, lost, grew up, grew old, and still reminisce about the days they were the best football team in the world.
For a long time, I've been somewhat familiar with Aleister Crowley and who he was. For the most part, I thought of him as a relatively eccentric man w For a long time, I've been somewhat familiar with Aleister Crowley and who he was. For the most part, I thought of him as a relatively eccentric man who climbed mountains, dabbled in magic rituals, and got name checked by the occasional musician. In fact, this book is written by a former member of Blondie.
When I finished the book, I can't say I learned a whole lot about the man except for a few small details here and there, including a minor connection to L. Ron Hubbard near the end of Crowley's life. Sure, Lachman got into the specifics of his magic(k) and personal relationships, but there was nothing there that was really all that interesting. My biggest takeaway is that Crowley was more despicable and contemptible than I had originally thought. Not for his practice of the occult, but instead, for his insurmountable arrogance, narcissism, and lack of respect for anyone or anything around him.
In terms of the actual writing, Lachman provided a chronology of events and people in Crowley's life and wrote them down. Also the subtitle of the book is misleading: rock and roll didn't play a part in Crowley's life at all. After he died, a few musicians took interest in him and his writings which lended approval to the hedonistic lifestyle of rock stars in the 60s and 70s. In the final chapter of the book, Lachman tried to validate his subtitle and included every possible reference that linked Crowley to music, from the well-documented interest of Jimmy Page to stretching this thesis to include the likes of Jay Z and Lady Gaga.
This is the only Crowley book I’ve read, and I don’t know a whole lot about the man, but I know enough that someone interested in Crowley and his magick might want to look around a bit before reading this biography. ...more
I received a copy from the author as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
After reading this book, one might be led to believe that for the last few centurie I received a copy from the author as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
After reading this book, one might be led to believe that for the last few centuries, Russia has been ruled by shamelessly inebriated and despotic rulers, lording over an equally inebriated populace hurled into poverty, starvation, and oppression. According to this book, that assumption would be correct.
Vodka has been an integral part of Russian identity for as long as it has existed, and has permeated culture, society, and politics. Schrad’s book details how the early tsars used vodka as a political and economic tool, as well as a way to essentially sedate and control. His research turns up a few strange and entertaining stories such as Peter the Great’s vodka-fueled celebrations, Stalin’s late night dinners with the Presidium (basically drinking sessions) and also Yeltsin’s stumbling and bumbling in the 90s.
Throughout the book, Schrad never loses sight of the heart of his argument that vodka was and always will be an influence on politics in Russia. The way I read it is that vodka is somewhat comparable to oil in the US in a few ways. The two industries have considerable influence on the government and domestic policy, and they are both huge industries with significant economic impact. Both the dependence on vodka and oil can be used to control officials and the population, but that may be where the comparison ends.
Schrad also spends some time addressing vodka’s role in Russia’s declining health and population. If the statistics are accurate, it’s shocking how much vodka is consumed by Russians, and the number of deaths and decline in life expectancy is something seen only in times of large-scale conflicts like the 2nd World War. Aside from the obvious health issues, vodka actually creates a concern for the long-term survival of the Russian people.
Although Schrad is an assistant professor of political science, Vodka Politics is written in a way that’s accessible to a wider audience. He's the kind of writer who does a lot of research and can also tell a good story. If you are a regular reader of publications like The Economist or The New Yorker, you should read this book. If you’re interested in Russian politics of history, you should find this book and start reading right now.
The Expats actually has a lot more to offer than most in the mystery/thriller/spy genre. The characters are fully developed people, which is not alway The Expats actually has a lot more to offer than most in the mystery/thriller/spy genre. The characters are fully developed people, which is not always the case for these kinds of plot-driven stories. There's also a genuine mystery to be solved that deeply affects the characters and tests their relationships with each other. As a first novel, I think Chris Pavone shows some promise in bridging the gap between mass-market spy thrillers and more literary mystery.
However, I think the story could have been told better if there was less telling and more showing. The last 40ish pages of the book is basically all the main characters sitting around a table and talking about the plot. Interesting stuff, but having that much exposition at the end of the book was anti-climactic and felt rushed.
Overall, it was a fast read and an entertaining book, and I'm interested enough to see what Pavone comes up with in the future....more
I received an uncorrected proof from Crown Publishers as part of a Goodreads Giveaway. Available in the USA in July 2014.
Ben Macintyre's A Spy Among FI received an uncorrected proof from Crown Publishers as part of a Goodreads Giveaway. Available in the USA in July 2014.
Ben Macintyre's A Spy Among Friends is exactly what you'd expect if you've ever read any of his other books. It's a meticulously researched and skillfully written account of Kim Philby, the ultimate deceiver who spied for the Soviet Union during World War II and the Cold War.
Philby was a master actor who managed to hide his true motives, and Macintyre does a great job of showing the duality of his personality and his life. Philby was quintessentially English, complete with a love of cricket and Worcestershire sauce, dressed in tweed and smoking a pipe. He was a husband and father, and a charming and charismatic man who surrounded himself with friends and trusted colleagues. At the very same time, he was a devoted communist, and was betraying his country and everyone close to him.
Macintyre describes a number of the big events in Philby's story: his recruitment into MI6 by Nick Elliott, his relationship with James Angleton, notable missions where his counterintelligence led to unsuccessful (and sometimes deadly) outcomes, and a few close calls that could have exposed him as a double agent. There are also some great descriptions of Philby’s colorful associates. Even though Philby’s story is already well-documented, Ben Macintyre has been given access to previously unavailable materials and he writes nonfiction in a style that’s informative, accessible, and entertaining.
Ultimately, the story is about Kim Philby and his friendship with Nick Elliott, who becomes his ultimate victim. Elliott stood by Philby’s side and defended him from suspicion and accusation, and helped his former friend when he was living in poverty and struggling with alcoholism. Eventually, Elliott was the one who confronted Philby face-to-face. Macintyre’s telling is the culmination of Philby’s struggle with his double life, where he is finally forced to make a choice.
I was one of the lucky ones to get an advance copy of the book for review, and I would certainly recommend picking this up in July when it’s released in the US. If you’re in the mood for double agent stories, I’s also recommend grabbing a copy of Macintyre’s Double Cross The True Story of the D-Day Spies, and while you’re at it get Operation Mincemeat as well. ...more
Having read some of his longer stories, I went into this with relatively low expectations and was pleasantly surprised - it reminded me of Philip K. D Having read some of his longer stories, I went into this with relatively low expectations and was pleasantly surprised - it reminded me of Philip K. Dick's short stories, or maybe something out of a Twilight Zone episode.
I know WOOL started as a short story and was expanded because of feedback from readers. I think Howey's got a talent for writing engaging short fiction, and hope that he looks to the short form more often. ...more
I've read a number of Bukowski's other books, and Hot Water Music just didn't appeal to me like the others. It's a collection of short stories that es I've read a number of Bukowski's other books, and Hot Water Music just didn't appeal to me like the others. It's a collection of short stories that essentially repeat the same formula over and over again. In fact, a lot of these stories could be inserted as chapters in Women, which in my opinion is the weakest of the Bukowski novels.
Even though it's just over 200 pages long, it was a tedious read, aside from a small handful of stories. If you're new to Bukowski, read Ham on Rye or Post Office, and skip this collection. ...more
I didn't really get this book. I don't normally offer criticism in such vague terms, but after finishing the book, I wasn't sure what the author's int I didn't really get this book. I don't normally offer criticism in such vague terms, but after finishing the book, I wasn't sure what the author's intent was. A lot of the other reviews say it's funny, but it's not written as comedy. It's also not really existentialist or whatever philosophy is applied by default because the author is French and the book is a bit weird. It's really just a series of stuff that happens, with the simultaneously narcissistic yet self-loathing protagonist as the common denominator.
Since most other favorable reviews were written in other languages, I'm giving Houllebecq the benefit of the doubt and blaming the translator for any problems the book may have. After all the original French title is Extension du domaine de la lutte, which I'm pretty sure doesn't translate to "Whatever." In the end, it was a kind of interesting read, but I really wouldn't recommend it to casual readers.
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