How Do I
Geo's Picks
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Sedaris, David
When You Are Engulfed In Flames Nonfiction |
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Where else can you read about an assault with a cough drop, an abduction by a spider, and the boy scout motto, which isn't be prepared to ask people for stuff? David Sedaris does it again, globally.
Recommended by Geo, July 2008 | |
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Adams, Scott
Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain!: Cartoonist Ignores Helpful Advice Nonfiction |
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Having loved all the previous Dilbert books, I didn't hesitate to pick this up. It is at first a disorienting read since this book does not adhere to a business theme, but finding out how brilliant Scott Adams can be in his take on the world from globe to doorstep was startling and satisfying. Adams is a very funny and wise man and writing this review makes me just want to pick the book up and read it again. Anyone who has read Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 thinks about what book they would commit to memory to preserve for generations to come. This would be the one for me.
Recommended June 2008 | |
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Rock, Peter
The Unsettling Short Stories |
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I first discovered Peter Rock when I read
Carnival Wolves(reviewed Sept. 2006).
He reminded me then of the "grotesques" of Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio and this short story collection is also populated by the subtly awry. Rock’s stories beg the question “what if?” His characters are just lost enough to pursue ghosts of temptation. The message throughout this collection seems to be: if you don’t seek, you are never going to find. The quest is its own reward; a variation on the theme that the journey is more important than the destination. Rock doesn’t do anything crass or rude or violent, but he does keep you teetering on a brink that somehow you’ve imagined. Perhaps the title says it all.
Recommended May 2008 | |
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Matheson, Richard I am Legend Horror |
| Richard Matheson’s original story of a man who finds himself alone in a world overrun by the “living” dead is a misanthrope’s fantasy. The plot has been done over and over again since without improvement. Matheson’s version is so practical in its details, it is almost a how-to book for an apocalyptic event. (I found myself taking mental notes just in case I ever ended up being the “one.”) However, if you read this as a simple story of what could go horribly wrong, you will be unseated when the narrative segues into the philosophical side of what it means to be the “other.” This novel could be a truly refreshing interlude for those who need a break from the turmoil of modern life or a timely read for a world threatened by the not so unrealistic consequences of power shift. You will want to read more of Richard Matheson.
Recommended May 2008 | |
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Brookner, Anita
Leaving Home Fiction |
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On the surface, Leaving Home is about a woman trying to reach a decision about her future and is typical of Anita Brookner’s writing. Brookner specializes in real people, unheroic and almost insanely normal. Their outer lives may appear dull, possibly pathetic, but their inner lives are rich with observation, imagination, and projection. They turn the minor events in their lives into adventures and the major events into only temporary excursions away from their practically unassailable equilibrium. The life of the mind makes these people rich and shows up the pursuits of their more active and adventurous counterparts as being shallow and futile. Read Brookner for her character development and a break from writers that try too hard to stimulate only to exhaust or at best provide only a temporary escape. You will think about her characters long after you've finished her books as if you'd actually met them. Her people think and analyze; perhaps a habit we could all benefit from developing.
Recommended April 2008 | |
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Bageant, Joe Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War Nonfiction |
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Remember, not long ago, the horror some of us felt over the result of the last election? Red vs. Blue? How could the very people most brutalized by the current economic system not take a chance on even just the possibilty of relief from these conditions by their vote? The answer is frightening. Bageant understands and even loves these people and his compassion and concern comes through. This is a problem and reality that none of us can afford to remain ignorant about, for it can, and will, engulf us all. I truly feel that there isn't anyone that wouldn't benefit from the insights Deer Hunting With Jesus provides, including the people being discussed.
Recommended February 2008 | |
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Little, Bentley The Vanishing Horror |
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The Vanishing is written almost as a series of vignettes or short stories that traverse time and introduce what, at first appearance, seem to be jarringly unrelated characters, victims, and manifestations of dark and brutal forces. The individual stories are fascinating in their own right, but it is the juxtaposition of past and present, ancestors and progeny, and the karmic play of justice that makes this much more than just a scary story and a bumpy ride. Bentley Little is my new favorite horror author.
Recommended January 2008 | |
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Smith, Scott The Ruins Horror |
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There is something wrong with Scott Smith. Someone call a professional. The Ruins is the most relentless horror experience I have ever had. Page after page, you keep telling yourself it can’t get any worse, and it does. I didn’t care about the characters at all (whether that was the author’s intent or just my personal antipathy, I don’t know) and still cringed throughout the entire story. I don’t want to reveal the nature of the horror, but I guarantee that you have never come close to imagining it. Even as the characters’ horror builds through physical hardship and deprivation, their minds can’t accept what has become their reality. I was experiencing voyeuristic guilt. Just keep in mind you can’t help them or save them without sacrificing not only yourself, but the entire world.
Recommended November 2007 | |
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Skibbins, David The Eight of Swords Mystery |
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David Skibbins’ debut into the mystery genre is a wonder to behold. In a field so crowded and prolific how could it be possible to come up with something not only unique, but potentially long running? Make your reluctant sleuth a fugitive from the law with multiple identities and then you're not cornered. Plots and characters don't all have to disgorge from the same center. How do you provide titular cohesiveness without mimicking what's already out there? Use the great visuals and interpretations inspired by the tarot deck without weighing down the storyline. In this first of the series, Warren Ritter is older, wiser, and nonaffiliated. He reads, loves poetry, philosophizes, and attempts to be a better person. You will like him and root for him even as he tries to evade the sometimes life-and-death responsibilities that befall him.
Recommended October 2007 | |
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Patterson, James The Quickie Fiction |
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I read my first James Patterson, The Quickie, and came to appreciate that the source of his popularity is that he has practically invented a new genre: quickies. The periods don’t even stop you. If there’d been a squad car behind the couch, I would have gotten a ticket for speed-reading. I almost broke my neck tripping over some implausibilities, but I brushed myself off and turned the page. Reading has never been this breathless, reckless, or fat burning. If you’re ever tempted to indulge in an almost unbearably suspenseful read, James Patterson is the man.
Recommended by Geo, September 2007 | |
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found by Kristine Atkinson and Joyce Atkinson Journal : Amy Zoe Mason Fiction |
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Reading Journal is a unique experience. The story, told through notes, letters, and emails, is presented as a gorgeous antique scrapbook. The detritus of life is given a glorious makeover lending background music to the sinister plot. The clues Amy accidentally stumbles upon are inadvertently and alarmingly given a cohesiveness rendering both the reader and narrator helpless in the face of what is to come. While the story is suspenseful, sad, and poignant, the reader can't help enjoying a certain sense of adventure in having "found" the evidence of this horrific crime.
Recommended by Geo, July 2007 | |
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Lancaster, Jen Bitter is the New Black Nonfiction |
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Being a memoir written by a survivor of the dot.com crash which in itself contains enough material to be a superficial kind of hysterical, I was surprised by the amount of real depth and truth contained here. Between the lines about material excess, bloated egos, and entitlement issues, a real story emerges. There is heart among the thorns and the dawning of a true awareness that ironically, some would pay millions to achieve. Jen Lancaster maintains a certain edginess to her tone and sense of humor throughout that never waivers or jars even as she becomes a mature and caring adult. Lancaster's new book, Bright Lights, Big Ass is available at a library near you.
Recommended by Geo, June 2007 | |
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Rapp, Adam The Year of Sorrows Fiction |
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Four young men pursue their dreams in New York City in a reality more conducive to suicide. In spite of that, the main character and novelist wannabee maintains a healthy attitude. While it is hard to understand how these people stay motivated, an almost catatonic, smelly centerpiece of a roommate may be the answer. No one would want to end up like The Loach. Rapp’s language is fresh, although disturbingly olfactory-obsessed at the beginning. The odors blessedly taper off and his wide and wild palette of adjectives is put to better use.
Recommended by Geo, May 2007 | |
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Waldman, Ayelet Nursery Crimes Mysteries |
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As fluff goes, this is a dandelion seed riding its parachute across a playground. So why couldn’t I put this down? The characters are charming. That’s how you know they are the “good” guys. The villains are cliché and stereotypical making them very familiar and adding coziness to the mood. The very pregnant crime buster has a charming husband with whom she has a charming relationship. Her child is imperfectly charming, as are her mothering skills. They all have the right attitude and a buoyancy that while it may not keep them from harm at least guarantees another day. Mysteries and murders are solved almost matter-of-factly and the book is short enough to guarantee a desire for the next installment in the Mommy-Track Mystery Series.
Recommended by Geo, March 2007 | |
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Donovan, Gerald Julius Winsome Fiction | |
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Julius Winsome, surrounded by 3,282 books, is living an idyllic life in a cabin in the woods of Maine. But they've left something out of the guidebooks: the constant sound of gunshots and the killers and victims that they represent. Julius has been under a constant barrage of reminders of mortality his whole life, both historically (both his grandfather and father were soldiers) and daily. When he finds his dog murdered it is as if this is the last death he can tolerate. Something is unleashed in Julius and sets off a need to somehow restore balance to his world. There are times when having sympathy for Julius gets to be a bit much, but that is when another crumb of truth is thrown on the path and you can't help but follow. This is a tight, intense, and eye-opening experience instinctively muted at times and made bearable by Julius's affinity for nature and deep respect for all forms of life.
Recommended by Geo, February 2007 | |
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McCarthy, Cormac The Road Fiction |
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McCarthy serves up the thinnest and most potent sliver of apocalyptic hell in his latest, The Road. As a father and son make their way through a stark and devastated landscape where all the "roads" go nowhere, the reader can't help but wonder, "What is the point?" along with the characters. The difference between hope and survival is blurred leading to the suspicion that hope might just be "will to survive" in a tux and consequently overdressed for this occasion. The subject matter is grim, but the poetic flow makes it impossible to sink or stop swimming. In spite of already knowing the end of the story, readers of The Road will find themselves rushing along to find out how the book about the ultimate end of everything is going to end. Oh, and as an added bonus, you will never look at a grocery cart the same way again.
Recommended by Geo, January 2007 | |
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Collins, Wilkie The Woman in White Classic Fiction |
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Wilkie Collins wrote what was called "sensation" novels in his day. The "sensations" that comprise this novel would probably be considered hohum by today's standards but that aside, The Woman in White still manages to maintain a level of almost excruciating suspense throughout. The story is well-populated with well-drawn and despicable characters acting out against a detailed backdrop of the culture, history, and economics of the time. The result is a rewarding immersion akin to time travel and a sense of familiarity with a humanity that existed before our level of technology.
Recommended by Geo, December 2006 | |
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Bronte, Charlotte Jane Eyre Classic Fiction |
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Having recently reread Jane Eyre, I found that it was far from the book I'd read originally as a teenager. I'd remembered only the bare bones of the story and was surprised that as a teenager I'd loved something so dour. My teenage affections must have been snared by the integrity and resilience of Jane, the protagonist and heroine of the story. I have a new appreciation and admiration for this book which stems from Bronte's amazing development of character and motivation. My favorite character was one I'd forgotten; Jane's zealous missionary cousin, Mr. St. John, who tries to tempt Jane with an interesting proposal of marriage. Mr. St. John's rationalization, manipulation, and will, while recognizable as universal qualities and thoroughly familiar to modern readers, take on a frightening ruthlessness when forged on the anvil of agenda. This work is definitely worth a second look or, if you're lucky enough to have ducked this assignment in school, a first.
Recommended by Geo, November 2006 | |
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Rock, Peter Carnival Wolves Fiction |
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Peter Rock gives the reader a philosophical gift in this portrayal of how perception can alter reality and just being interested can reap fascinating results. Meet Alan Johnson. You may not like him, but you will be drawn to his relationship with the world. Alan supports an appreciation of the most mundane that is contagious and magnetic. A dog falling from a cliff frees Alan from his security guard job and triggers a nomadic non-quest. Through Alan’s wanderings the pathways of the people he meets crisscross in ways that only through the aerial view given the reader can be appreciated. This is a profoundly affecting rendering of the interconnectedness of people and the undeniable power we have over each other, both humbling and inspiring.
Recommended by Geo, September 2006 | |
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Parkhurst, Carolyn The Dogs of Babel Fiction |
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Recommended by Geo, September 2006 | |
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Ishiguro, Kazuo Never Let Me Go Fiction |
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This is a horror story of the most civilized kind. On the surface, Never Let Me Go appears to be a story about a school. You are introduced to students and teachers as you become privy to the mechanics of this intimately enclosed society. The subject matter and time are futuristic without being technological. Mysteries, clues, and questions propel the story until locking in on what is looming over this microcosm; society has taken the potential of cloning to an obscenely organized level of dehumanization. The subject is compelling in and of itself, but Ishiguro's true stroke of genius is generated by the blanket of passivity and acceptance over it all. The horror lies not in the offense, but in the toleration of it. Is humanity beyond experiencing the outrage that could save us from ourselves? Very well written and detailed, you will think about this book a long time after you've turned the last page. And yes, fear.
Recommended by Geo, June 2006 | |
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P.D. James
Cover Her Face Mystery |
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A not-so-innocent victim is murdered at the time when you hate him/her the most. A nucleus of suspects hem and haw exhaling fumes of guilt, while an intriguingly intelligent and potentially dashing police inspector sifts through just the right amount of evidence. The summation is arranged and dramatically delivered with excruciating suspense et voila, the murderer/ess is exposed. Sounds like every good mystery? The difference lies in the details. James, in her first book, provides wonderful interiors and a procession of realistically flawed characters, none of which could ever commit a murder, or could they?
Recommended by Geo, January 2006 | |
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Carlos Maria Dominguez
The House of Paper Fiction |
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Carlos Maria Dominquez turns prose into poetry. He bequeaths visual treasures that you will turn over and over in your mind's eye as if exploring the facets of a rare gem. The House of Paper is a mystery, a quest, a dreamlike parable, and an expose of bibliomania. Take comfort that the characters and locales are exotic because the psychology and motivation will be disarmingly personal. Curiosity, passion, obsession, fear, and the sordid degradation and murder of that most cherished is all contained in these few pages beginning with the most intriguing of first lines: "One day in the spring of 1998, Bluma Lennon bought a secondhand copy of Emily Dickinson's poems in a bookshop in Soho, and as she reached the second poem on the first street corner, she was knocked down by a car." Warning: This book is infusive and in the event that you ever need a transplant will render you only compatible with other people who have been exposed to this book's transformative power. Recommended by Geo, January 2006 | |
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Cynthia Rylant
Boris Poetry | |
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A poignant collection of observations about a mysteriously intriguing cat named Boris. Atmospheric without being maudlin, sympathetic without the requisite death, this was a pleasure to read and will strike a chord with most cat lovers.
Recommended by Geo, October 2005 | |
