Saturday, June 04, 2005
Book meme, whatever that is...
Heraldblog passed us a book meme yesterday (we had no idea what a book meme was, by the way, but don't tell anyone) so here it is:
Last Book bought: "'French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano. We were hoping it would have some sexy scenes in it, but it's all about what French women eat, and stuff like that.
Last Book read: "Why Not Me" by Al Franken. Really funny and truly bipartisan "political fiction"--a "diary" of a fanciful Franken 2000 presidential candidacy that will make you laugh til you drool. Would have gotten more attention had the farce of the actual 2000 election not overshadowed it. It's too bad right-wingers with sticks up their butts presumed this was a "liberal" book just because Franken wrote it. It isn't. It's mostly just plain silly, and it's hilarious.
Five Books that Meant A Lot:
1. "The Last Hurrah" by Edwin O'Connor.
O'Connor's oft-misunderstood look at the end of old-school politics at the hands of the New Deal is wonderfully funny, and an essential primer for understanding the political, religious, and ethnic tensions that still reverberate just under the surface of east coast society.
2. "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole.
As a rule we're not fond of humor that makes us squirm uncomfortably on behalf of a character, but the genius of Toole's masterpiece will assert itself and make you laugh hours later, when your squeamishness has worn off and just the sheer brilliance of the thing remains. Quite possibly the funniest damn book ever written.
3. "I've Got To Be Me" by Derek Sanderson with Stan Fischler.
The best skills player of his day and once the world's highest-paid athlete, Sanderson was the Joe Namath of hockey: a modish "swinger" who partied, dated multiple beautiful women (at the same time) and owned part of the Playboy Club in Boston. The jury is still out on whether his having a mustache corrupted Boston's youth.
4. "The Proud Tower" by Barbara W. Tuchman
How anyone could even attempt to understand the 20th century without having read this book is beyond us. It's simply not possible.
5. "Much Ado About Nothing" by William Shakespeare.
As a boy we were so infatuated with Beatrice that we searched the world over to find her, and quickly married her when we did.
Now passed to Saheli, Paul Z. Myers, Noble Savage, Diane, and Rogier. Sorry, folks.
Last Book bought: "'French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano. We were hoping it would have some sexy scenes in it, but it's all about what French women eat, and stuff like that.
Last Book read: "Why Not Me" by Al Franken. Really funny and truly bipartisan "political fiction"--a "diary" of a fanciful Franken 2000 presidential candidacy that will make you laugh til you drool. Would have gotten more attention had the farce of the actual 2000 election not overshadowed it. It's too bad right-wingers with sticks up their butts presumed this was a "liberal" book just because Franken wrote it. It isn't. It's mostly just plain silly, and it's hilarious.
Five Books that Meant A Lot:
1. "The Last Hurrah" by Edwin O'Connor.
O'Connor's oft-misunderstood look at the end of old-school politics at the hands of the New Deal is wonderfully funny, and an essential primer for understanding the political, religious, and ethnic tensions that still reverberate just under the surface of east coast society.
2. "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole.
As a rule we're not fond of humor that makes us squirm uncomfortably on behalf of a character, but the genius of Toole's masterpiece will assert itself and make you laugh hours later, when your squeamishness has worn off and just the sheer brilliance of the thing remains. Quite possibly the funniest damn book ever written.
3. "I've Got To Be Me" by Derek Sanderson with Stan Fischler.
The best skills player of his day and once the world's highest-paid athlete, Sanderson was the Joe Namath of hockey: a modish "swinger" who partied, dated multiple beautiful women (at the same time) and owned part of the Playboy Club in Boston. The jury is still out on whether his having a mustache corrupted Boston's youth.
4. "The Proud Tower" by Barbara W. Tuchman
How anyone could even attempt to understand the 20th century without having read this book is beyond us. It's simply not possible.
5. "Much Ado About Nothing" by William Shakespeare.
As a boy we were so infatuated with Beatrice that we searched the world over to find her, and quickly married her when we did.
Now passed to Saheli, Paul Z. Myers, Noble Savage, Diane, and Rogier. Sorry, folks.
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I guess that "meme" really made the rounds! Tran Sient's Watch also tagged me with the same one. My response is posted under the heading "Yikes . . . I've been tagged!" By the way, as I wrote about Tran Sient, no apologies necessary. It's an honor to be selected by quality sites.
-- Jonathan
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-- Jonathan
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