Thursday, November 27, 2014

The Maker Movement Manifesto


The Maker Movement Manifesto
Mark Hatch
3.5 / 5

Published 2014

First Sentence of the Manifesto
"MAKE: Making is fundamental to what it means to be human."
Publisher's Description:
YOU can create the next breakthrough innovation A revolution is under way. But it's not about tearing down the old guard. It's about building, it's about creating, it's about breathing life into groundbreaking new ideas. It's called the Maker Movement, and it's changing the world.

Mark Hatch has been at the forefront of the Maker Movement since it began. A cofounder of TechShop--the first, largest, and most popular makerspace--Hatch has seen it all. Average people pay a small fee for access to advanced tools--everything from laser cutters and milling machines to 3D printers and AutoCAD software. All they have to bring is their creativity and some positive energy. Prototypes of new products that would have cost $100,000 in the past have been made in his shop for $1,000.

The Maker Movement is where all the next great inventions and innovations are happening--and you can play a part in it.

"The Maker Movement Manifesto" takes you deep into the movement. Hatch describes the remarkable technologies and tools now accessible to you and shares stories of how ordinary people have devised extraordinary products, giving rise to successful new business ventures. He explains how economic upheavals are paving the way for individuals to create, innovate, make a fortune--and even drive positive societal change--with nothing more than their own creativity and some hard work.

It's all occurring right now, all around the world--and possibly in your own neighborhood.

The creative spirit lives inside every human being. We are all makers. Whether you're a banker, lawyer, teacher, tradesman, or politician, you can play an important role in the Maker society.

So fire up your imagination, read "The Maker Movement Manifesto"--and start creating!
Dear Reader,

This book was okay, and Mark Hatch clearly is as enamored by the maker movement as I am. So I loved that. But while it was an interesting look at makerspaces, if you want a great introduction to the phenomenon, do yourself a favor and read Chris Anderson's Makers: The New Industrial Revolution first. Then I would suggest reading this one, because it did a really good job of getting me all raring to go at our local makerspace and with my own project ideas. But I think it helps to understand the import and the history of makerspaces before jumping in with both feet. I just think it's good to know the background and why makerspaces have the potential make such an impact on society and economics.

That the title of this book included the word "manifesto" made it sound as if Hatch was encouraging something revolutionary - which he was, in a sense. The book didn't feel very revolutionary exactly, but the concepts he discusses certainly are!

(Over the past year, I have co-taught a few classes on incorporating makerspaces into libraries, which I think is the perfect marriage of two great open-access models. Trust me, I know it's easy to feel intimidated by the idea of dabbling in electronics, but do yourself a favor & explore a small electronics board like Arduino. Check out some YouTube videos on what can be done - at home and cheaply! - with such an amazing product.)

In any case, what I enjoyed most about this book were Hatch's "success stories" that he scattered throughout the chapters. Those always interest me, to learn what people can think up and then CREATE! It's fantastic. And I was even able to look past what felt like copious editorial mistakes (having the wrong URL when the book was published this year? really, guys?) and still enjoy the concept of the book as whole. But it was kind of difficult not to read the entire book with a grain of salt, knowing that ultimately, Hatch may have written the book as a very long advertisement for the company of which he is CEO, TechShop. Even so, though, I can't blame people for making a little bit of profit off of such a progressive idea, and I am still all for encouraging anyone who has access to visit a makerspace. The fun of experimenting with new ways to create and invent is unbounded. If you want to get yourself all fired up and inspired to invent, definitely read this book and then get thee to a makerspace! :)

Yours,
Arianna

The Maker Movement Manifesto

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Monday, November 24, 2014

Lincoln's Last Days


Lincoln's Last Days:
The Shocking Assassination
that Changed America Forever

Bill O'Reilly
2.5 / 5

Published 2012

First Sentence
"Abraham Lincoln, the man with six weeks to live, is anxious."
Publisher's Description:
Lincoln’s Last Days is a gripping account of one of the most dramatic nights in American history—of how one gunshot changed the country forever. Adapted from Bill O’Reilly’s bestselling historical thriller, Killing Lincoln, this book will have young readers—and grown-ups too—hooked on history.

In the spring of 1865, President Abraham Lincoln travels through Washington, D.C., after finally winning America’s bloody Civil War. In the midst of celebrations, Lincoln is assassinated at Ford’s Theatre by a famous actor named John Wilkes Booth. What follows is a thrilling chase, ending with a fiery shoot-out and swift justice for the perpetrators.

With an unforgettable cast of characters, page-turning action, vivid detail, and art on every spread, Lincoln’s Last Days is history that reads like a thriller. This is a very special book, irresistible on its own or as a compelling companion to Killing Lincoln.
 
Dear Reader,

I would never have chosen this book off a shelf, because I'm decidedly NOT a fan of the author. However, this is not going to be a review of the author, I promise. I received a free copy of this audiobook as a handout at a library conference a few years back, and since it is so short, I figured it was a great listen to follow my last tome of an audiobook. And I was right - this was a very quick read, although I was disappointed when I realized that a large part of what really made this book was supposed to be the illustrations. It's already a shortened version of Killing Lincoln, aimed at an audience of kids. I don't think it translates nearly as well into audio form. Although! Any poor outcome from the transition from page to CD was mitigated by the amazing reading voice of Grandpa Gilmore - I mean, Edward Herrmann. That man has such a great voice. It was perfect for such a grave piece; it lent real weight to the story.

In any case, I did learn a lot more about Lincoln's assassination than I ever knew before; gaining knowledge is something I always enjoy. I had no idea how long Lincoln lived after he was shot; I guess I'd always imagined he had just died immediately, as it was a gunshot wound to the head! Also, you always only hear about John Wilkes Booth, and I do NOT recall being told in elementary school that Lincoln's death was only a small part of a larger assassination (orignally kidnapping!) plot. Granted, that probably wouldn't have been easy to explain in elementary school, but still. I had no idea so many other people were involved; I'd always thought Booth was a crazed, passionate lone gunman who acted spontaneously. But there was a lot of planning and coordinating that went into the plot, and ultimately there were many who were involved and who were convicted for the parts they played.

My favorite parts of the book were actually probably the ones which discussed the botched assassinations of other dignitaries, including the Secretary of State and VP. If those plans had succeeded, we would have ended up with President Foster (from my home state of CT!). Crazy to think about! The only other president pro tem who has gotten that close to the presidential seat that quickly would have been the man who served under Johnson when he was impeached in 1868 (because Johnson had no VP). But they REALLY didn't want that guy - they pardoned Johnson instead!

And for a side note: according to Wikipedia, there have been only 3 heads of the Senate who have become vice president through the line of succession, and from there only one became president (Tyler, after the death of Harrison).

Anyway, I digress - I tend to fall down the rabbit hold of interesting stories when I read nonfiction. I will try to finish this up shortly, but here's a link to more on John Wilkes Booth. (I've always hated how that assassins and evildoers are remembered, which is what they want: fame, immortality. And yet I can't help but be fascinated by this man's history.)

I would recommend reading this short book if you feel you are as unfamiliar with the Lincoln assassination plot as I was prior to this. It's worth knowing more about, especially if you like to geek out over history stuff. However, it's not terribly well written (even Ed Herrmann couldn't save that aspect of it). But you'll pick up a lot of info, which may lead you (if you're anything like me) to want to dig further.

Yours,
Arianna

Lincoln's Last Days

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Thursday, November 20, 2014

The Heart Does Not Grow Back


The Heart Does Not Grow Back
Fred Venturini
3.5/5


Published November 4th, 2014

First Sentence
"Graduation was supposed to go something like this: 


Mack and me on the stage, waiting our turn to snag diplomas."

Publisher's Description:

EVERY SUPERHERO NEEDS TO START SOMEWHERE...

Dale Sampson is used to being a nonperson at his small-town Midwestern high school, picking up the scraps of his charismatic lothario of a best friend, Mack. He comforts himself with the certainty that his stellar academic record and brains will bring him the adulation that has evaded him in high school. But when an unthinkable catastrophe tears away the one girl he ever had a chance with, his life takes a bizarre turn as he discovers an inexplicable power: He can regenerate his organs and limbs.

When a chance encounter brings him face to face with a girl from his past, he decides that he must use his gift to save her from a violent husband and dismal future. His quest takes him to the glitz and greed of Hollywood, and into the crosshairs of shadowy forces bent on using and abusing his gift. Can Dale use his power to redeem himself and those he loves, or will the one thing that finally makes him special be his demise? The Heart Does Not Grow Back is a darkly comic, starkly original take on the superhero tale, introducing an exceptional new literary voice in Fred Venturini.

Dear Reader,

I was very excited to get the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, however, it took me a little past that date. But hey, I'm still in the right month! Funny things is, this book was put on my radar through Netgalley (a little bit contemporary fantasy but leaned more to the dark comedy side), and I was sold. So what did I find funny? When we went to NYC to see Chuck Palahniuk, guess who was the guest Author opening? Yep. Unfortunately the tickets for the event were WAY over sold and we got stuck staring at a pillar, listening to people blow into these glow stick balloons. NOPE. We got out of there fast, none of us wanted to spend a night like that. As upsetting as this event turned out to be, before we left... I did here Chuck endorse this Author and this book, which gave me the added umph to pick it up and finish it, which I'm so glad I did.

I didn't absolutely LOVE this book but I did like it, quite a bit. The story is very original, something I value in an Author, which gives hope for those that think all stories have already been done. No! You just haven't looked in the right area! The Heart Does Not Grow back is about this regular 'joe-shmoe' who happens to gain the power to regenerate his organs. This falls in line with a superhero story, right? Yeah, this book doesn't entirely follow that line... it veers off into a darker place, a place that some may say combines the ugly with the comical, dark comedy anyone? I do love me some of that. Try taking this regenerating 'joe-shmoe' and put him on TV for everyone to witness his magical abilities, make it a reality show! You can see what I'm talking about now, right?

So what makes this only three and a half stars? How the story turns out, and NO... I'm not going to spill anything, I just didn't love the ending. However, I have found an Author to be on the lookout for, one to watch. He has the skills and the imagination to entertain me over and over again and I'll very much be looking forward to that. As with all my reviews of books that use strong language, violence, or graphic descriptions... this is your warning! It has most of that stuff, and I loved every bit of it. As cliche as this might be, if you like Palahniuk, you'll enjoy Venturini too.

Happy Reading,
AmberBug

The Heart Does Not Grow Back: A Novel

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Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Happy Birthday Margaret Atwood!


Happy Birthday Margaret Atwood!
75 years young and still typing up literary gifts.
To celebrate, ShelfNotes has selected a few favorite quotes and links to past reviews posted of her work.


   



“I would like to be the air that inhabits you for a moment only. I would like to be that unnoticed and that necessary.”

“What am I living for and what am I dying for are the same question.”


“Old lovers go the way of old photographs, bleaching out gradually as in a slow bath of acid: first the moles and pimples, then the shadings. Then the faces themselves, until nothing remains but the general outlines.”


“All it takes,” said Crake, “is the elimination of one generation. One generation of anything. Beetles, trees, microbes, scientists, speakers of French, whatever. Break the link in time between one generation and the next, and it’s game over forever.”

"The Eskimo has fifty-two names for snow because it is important to them; there ought to be as many for love." [from Surfacing, 1972]

“Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise." [from Cat's Eye, 1988]

"Nolite te bastardes carbonundorum." (translation: Don't let the bastards grind you down.) [from The Handmaid's Tale, 1985]

On writing: 
"After a year or two of keeping my head down and trying to pass myself off as a normal person, I made contact with the five other people at my university who were interested in writing; and through them, and some of my teachers, I discovered that there was a whole subterranean Wonderland of Canadian writing that was going on just out of general earshot and sight."
and
"Reading and writing, like everything else, improve with practice. And, of course, if there are no young readers and writers, there will shortly be no older ones. Literacy will be dead, and democracy - which many believe goes hand in hand with it - will be dead as well."

And a poem:
Your righteous eyes, your laconic
trigger-fingers people the streets with villains:
as you move, the air in front of you
blossoms with targets

and you leave behind you a heroic
trail of desolation
:
beer bottles
slaughtered by the side
of the road, bird-
skulls bleaching in the sunset.

--"Backdrop addresses cowboy" (1974)



    Margaret Atwood Books Reviewed by ShelfNotes






    Thursday, November 13, 2014

    The Name of the Wind


    The Name of the Wind
    Patrick Rothfuss
    4.5 / 5

    Published 2007

    First Sentence
    "It was night again."
    Publisher's Description:
    Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
    Dear Reader,

    I am kind of stunned that I am finally done with this book. You'd think that once I got really close to finishing the 28+ hours of audiobook (!),I'd be anxious to speed through it, wouldn't you? Well, I started getting scared of having to write this review, and so I put off the last half hour for a few days! (Well, that and I also the files I downloaded from Audible had gotten a bit wonky, so I had to listen on my tablet - because I dropped my phone down a storm drain a few days ago - and that was awkward and difficult to deal with. But! All that is a story for another day....)

    In any case, I think I was so scared to review this (and yet so eager to read it) because this is one of the highest-rated books I've ever encountered on Goodreads. The highest-rated with hundreds of thousands of reviews, I should add. That means something. When you get a book with that many reviews, you tend to see a lot of love vs. hate in the reviews, but a 91% rating is almost unheard of for most books with more than a few readers! Needless to say, I had to check it out. (Apparently, Troy had also recently read & loved it, but...I had no idea at the time I picked the book out for myself.)

    Maybe I should actually talk about the book in this review, huh? (See how I'm putting it off?!) Well, it was a very solid, well-told fantasy story. I liked the strong weight it had on reality more than fantasy; the fantastical parts which came from Rothfuss' imagination were seamlessly written into the story, so that the reader never felt jarred by anything odd or out there. If someone ever wanted to be introduced to the fantasy genre, I think this would be a great stepping stone. A very beautifully woven story. Kvothe (the narrator) is not necessarily likable, and can often be annoying in his arrogance, but his biography rings true and his circumstances believable. From difficult beginnings and loss at an early age, the start of his life story (which this book encompasses) is full of adventure and uncertainty. It was an enjoyable book to read, despite its length. I think I would, however, have preferred to read it than listen - the narrator wasn't the best I've ever encountered, although he did a very good job with voices and accents and strange pronunciations. In any case - I actually don't really know WHAT to write about this book. I can recommend it, but I honestly don't have much to say about it. Perhaps that's because I've been so engrossed in it for over a month. Perhaps I need to step back a bit before I can really assess the book.

    I think I'll do that. I will try to come back to this review, I promise. When I've had a little time.

    18 November 2014
    Okay, I am giving this another go. Let's see - I have to say I really enjoyed the parts of the story which took place in Cote's tavern; they framed the story well and gave the reader a nice "breather". I also thought the story of Kvothe's idyllic childhood was quaint and charming. His parents seemed perfect, which of course they were in a young child's eyes. His work with Ben and how quickly he learned everything was an enjoyable diversion. I suppose that I felt the story itself kind of went south when Kvothe's life did, but I don't know why. I didn't enjoy the narratives of Kvothe dealing with the Chandrian or surviving in the big, bad city. I didn't love how he entered the university, nor how cocky and self-assured he could be. I was, however, charmed by the people he encountered and all of his stories regarding the taverns and his attempts at earning the Pipes, as well as his back-and-forth with Ambrose. Overall, I DID think the book was quite good; it was a comprehensively strong story and there were almost no parts which I tired of reading (the only one that comes to mind are the sidebar sagas which relate the stories of the gods - I didn't yet understand their importance in the grand scheme of the story). There was just something that kept me from LOVING it wholeheartedly. I wonder if that would change were I to continue reading the story in the sequel; perhaps as more things become fleshed out and connected to one another, I could really see the whole picture. I'll have to see...

    Thank you for your patience with me, Reader!

    Yours,
    Arianna

    The Name of the Wind

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    Monday, November 10, 2014

    The Rabbit Back Literature Society


    The Rabbit Back Literature Society
    Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen,
    Translated by Lola M Rogers
    3/5


    First Published in Europe 2006
    U.S. Translation Publication Date Jan. 2015

    First Sentence
    "The reader was at first surprised, then shocked, as the criminal Raskolnikov was abruptly slain in the middle of the street, right before her eyes."

    Publisher's Description:

    Only nine people have ever been chosen by renowned children’s author Laura White to join the Rabbit Back Literature Society, an elite group of writers in the small town of Rabbit Back. Now a tenth member has been selected: a young literature teacher named Ella.

    Soon Ella discovers that the Society is not what it seems. What is its mysterious ritual known as "The Game"? What explains the strange disappearance that occurs at Laura White’s winter party? Why are the words inside books starting to rearrange themselves? Was there once another tenth member, before her? Slowly, as Ella explores the Society and its history, disturbing secrets that had been buried for years start to come to light. . . .

    In Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen’s chilling, darkly funny novel, The Rabbit Back Literature Society, praised as "Twin Peaks meets the Brothers Grimm" (The Telegraph), the uncanny brushes up against the everyday in the most beguiling and unexpected of ways.

    Dear Reader,

    My first impression after starting The Rabbit Back Literature Society was "yes, another book about books, writing and all the bookish awesome you could think of!", I do love these. However, as interested as this book kept me, it wasn't enough to love it... only "like" it. Before I can tell you what I liked and didn't about the book, I think you need a little more background. I usually try not to go into the plot but for my opinions to be clear, you have to know the basics. Ella Amanda Milana is a substitute teacher of Finnish language and literature at the Rabbit Back school, where she finds a discrepancy in a "Crime and Punishment" edition brought to her attention by one of her students. When she return the book to the Librarian, Ingrid Katz, she inquires about the plot changes to that particular edition. The Librarian snatches the book away and tells her it must be a misprint and these things happen. Ella feels the Librarian acted strangely and decides to investigate the situation a little closer. This brings her amongst the Rabbit Black Literature Society, founded by famous Author Laura White. We also learn this society plays something called "the game" and this reveals secrets within each member.

    As you may notice, the plot sounds super intriguing right? Well, the book IS/WAS but the main character fell entirely flat for me. As the other characters grew around Ella, and you started to feel connected with them... you lost that connection with her. The mystery of the society, the game, the Authors, all this held my attention and kept me reading to the end, I'll give it that. I also loved when the Author introduced each new character, how they came with a revealing personal trait or story. For example, Ella with her defective ovaries or Winter getting so fat that he loses sight of his Mister Peter. I haven't yet experienced a book or Author that exposes the character before anything else. It's almost like imagining the crowd before you naked (while on stage) or maybe this is how it feels to be a part of a support group like AA?! The style is very unique and I liked how the Author also embraced this concept and embellished upon it with the societies "game".

    Overall, this book had some interesting style to it. This might be attributed to the cultural differences between Finland and the United States, I haven't picked up many Finnish books or maybe this is truly a style the Author is known for. I have to say, if it weren't for that little bit of uniqueness, I might have rated this book even lower. I'm not going to lie, this will be a book I'll recommend to any writer and maybe even some book lovers, the society itself is a nice magical concept that might sparkle in the eyes of those aspiring for literary greatness. The Rabbit Back Literature Society also focuses on one of my favorite concepts about art, that we create the best art when suffering and emotional, not when life is perfect. I can't knock any book that delves into that topic, but that's my personal opinion.

    Happy Reading,
    AmberBug

    P.S. - This ARC was sent to me by the Publisher & BookBrowse. A shorter version of this review will be posted on BookBrowse for their "First Impressions" program. Please check out the site and consider becoming a member, I love getting the monthly updates from them. 

    The Rabbit Back Literature Society

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    Friday, November 7, 2014

    The House Girl


    The House Girl
    Tara Conklin
    3.5 / 5

    Published 2013

    First Sentence
    "Mister hit Josephine with the palm of his hand across her left cheek and it was then she knew she would run."
    Publisher's Description:
    Virginia, 1852. Seventeen-year-old Josephine Bell decides to run from the failing tobacco farm where she is a slave and nurse to her ailing mistress, the aspiring artist Lu Anne Bell. New York City, 2004. Lina Sparrow, an ambitious first-year associate in an elite law firm, is given a difficult, highly sensitive assignment that could make her career: she must find the “perfect plaintiff” to lead a historic class-action lawsuit worth trillions of dollars in reparations for descendants of American slaves.

    It is through her father, the renowned artist Oscar Sparrow, that Lina discovers Josephine Bell and a controversy roiling the art world: are the iconic paintings long ascribed to Lu Anne Bell really the work of her house slave, Josephine? A descendant of Josephine’s would be the perfect face for the reparations lawsuit—if Lina can find one. While following the runaway girl’s faint trail through old letters and plantation records, Lina finds herself questioning her own family history and the secrets that her father has never revealed: How did Lina’s mother die? And why will he never speak about her?

    Moving between antebellum Virginia and modern-day New York, this searing, suspenseful and heartbreaking tale of art and history, love and secrets, explores what it means to repair a wrong and asks whether truth is sometimes more important than justice.
     
    Dear Reader,

    This book felt like it took me an age to get through, although that might have been because it was requested by another patron at the library before I had even had a chance to start it, and therefore the entire reading of it felt a bit as if I were under pressure. However, this was also because the beginning was SLOW, and the story took quite a while to pick up. I am glad I stuck with it, though, because it was such an interesting concept. I enjoyed the way the story was told by several different people, from several different viewpoints. It echoed the complexities that enmesh real life.

    The story centers mostly around Josephine, a young slave in rural Virginia who is the eponymous house girl; she serves her mistress and master personally, fixing their meals and tending to their illnesses, which means she also holds a relatively special place which includes higher standards of living than the other slaves. This includes learning to read, write, and - most importantly - paint, which turns out to be one of her few escapes from servitude. However, she also suffers more than her fellow slaves in many ways, living so closely alongside her captors.Thus, she yearns for freedom, and plans to run. 

    Over 150 years later, a young lawyer named Lina is asked to look into a reparations case for the many trillions of dollars denied African Americans because of their enforced lives in the antebellum South. Lina becomes more engrossed in the case than she expects, and realizes she cares more about this one than many which have come before. At the same time, she is questioning other parts of her life, as well - especially that of her relationship with her father, the only parent she has ever really known, and the loss of her mother at a young age. Many influences converge upon Lina during this time in her life, which makes her story very engaging. I felt as if Lina's search for the truth, and what she ultimately learns about Josephine Bell - the many mistakes both the slave and others around her made in their lives - is what helps her come to terms with her own issues. I liked that everything came full circle at the end; understanding the flaws that others admitted to is what allowed Lina to forgive the flaws in those around her - and in herself. 

    One passage which many have complained about is the list of slave names which the author chooses to spend an entire page (and a bit more) listing. While I understand how strange and annoying that can be in a novel, my hope (although as yet unconfirmed) is that Conklin actually listed the names of real slaves who had been unjustly considered property before the Civil War. The legal case which the book centers around is all about making those names known; it is pointed out that we know many of the names of the famous white slaveowners to this day, but very few (if any) of the names of their slaves, who were the true workers behind those successful men. Wasn't Conklin simply making a step towards rectifying that imbalance in her own small way? Of course, she couldn't have sold a book which listed hundreds of pages of names. Almost nobody would read a novel like that. But I made sure to spend the time to read every name printed on that page. I thought that was the point of it. I truly hope so.

    Yours,
    Arianna

    The House Girl

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    Wednesday, November 5, 2014

    The Clarence Principle


    The Clarence Principle
    Writer: Fehed Said
    Illustrator: Shari Chankhamma

    5/5


    Published 2007

    First Sentence
    "I was left behind in a dream I once had."

    Publisher's Description:

    Embark on a surreal voyage into an unconventional vision of the afterlife. Clarence wakes to the aftermath of his own suicide and a hidden message spawns his journey beyond. Follow Clarence's twisted tale, as he meets whimsical characters whose fates are destined to intertwine with his. The Clarence Principle is an astounding graphic novel by new talents Fehed Said and Shari Chankhamma.

    Dear Reader,

    Yes, yes, yes. I love the art, the dark comedic style, the quirky characters, and almost everything about this. This was quite some Graphic Novel, completely suited to my tastes. The Clarence Principle is a little bit Anime, slightly dark and mischievous, comical and cartoony with a handful of serious topics thrown in. The main character commits suicide (trust me, this is given to you RIGHT from the first page) and journeys to this dreamscape (a la Wonderland-esque). I love dark comical depictions done in a cartoony style, very Jhonen Vasquez (JtHM). If you don't know Jhonen Vasquez, please turn your eyes to this. I fell in love with his work on Johnny the Homicidal Maniac which then introduced me to the amazing Invader Zim and my obsession with that lovable dog/robot Gir. Bah, I miss all of that. Then I read this, and I remember everything I loved about all of that. Oh wait, I just realized this was published in 2007, which probably means that style I love so much as still "IN", and here I thought this was a comeback. Sad face.

    The story definitely borrows from "Alice in Wonderland" and takes a very grim topic (suicide and dealing with death) but brings it into this strange dream-like world. Every question seems to be answered with a riddle or another question. The creatures and people (if you can call them that) are so far from the realm of plausibility, it makes you think really hard about what might be going on here. The story doesn't feel cheap, it doesn't seem cliche either. My only complaint would be with the ending, but I won't get into that for fear of spoilers.

    As much as I liked the story of The Clarence Principle, the art goes beyond just liking it, I loved it. The black and white style worked really well with this one and didn't take away from it at all. I loved the cartoony skull faces, the anime human characteristics, the overly goofy clothing and gothic feel to everything. I could go on and on and on. So yes, this is perfect for me, which means I might be completely biased with this one. I would recommend this to anyone who appreciates a dark comedy, anime and/or that gothic comic style.

    Happy Reading,
    AmberBug

    The Clarence Principle

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    Monday, November 3, 2014

    You Should Have Known


    You Should Have Known
    Jean Hanff Korelitz
    3.5 / 5

    Published 2014

    First Sentence
    "Usually people cried when they came here for the first time, and this girl looked as if she'd be no exception."
    Publisher's Description:
    Grace Reinhart Sachs is living the only life she ever wanted for herself, devoted to her husband, a pediatric oncologist at a major cancer hospital, their young son Henry, and the patients she sees in her therapy practice. Grace is also the author of You Should Have Known, a book in which she castigates women for not valuing their intuition and calls upon them to examine their first impressions of men for signs of serious trouble later on. But weeks before the book is published, a chasm opens in her own life: a violent death, a missing husband, and, in the place of a man Grace thought she knew, only a chain of terrible revelations. Left behind in the wake of a spreading and very public disast and horrified by the ways in which she has failed to heed her own advice, Grace must dismantle one life and create another for her child and herself.
    Dear Reader,

    Wow, it's been AGES since I finished a book! I mean, "ages" in mine & Amber's time, which really shouldn't count because we're kind of obsessed with books. ;) Anyway - I picked this one up because I had received it as a Goodreads First Read back in April, and I'd been meaning and meaning to read it. The impetus that finally did the trick? We found out that the author would be one of the panelists at the Hachette Book Brunch we attended in New York City a few weekends ago. Because of this (and because I erroneously received my complimentary keynote author's book too late to get started on it), I decided to see how much I could get through You Should Have Known before the event. The verdict? About half, which isn't too shabby considering it was a 400+ page book!

    It didn't take long to get really into the story, though. (Which I am sure helped me fly through it.) I had gotten a very different impression from the book blurb when I entered to win a copy earlier this year, and was entirely blown away by the intensely psychological situation this book explored. I had known the premise was that there was a woman (Grace) who had written an advice book on marriage, just before her own (seemingly perfect) marriage fell apart. I thought it was going to be a book about how a smug know-it-all got her comeuppance (or at least learned about hubris and what it means to be humble). But it was SO much more than that! Because it is the current "it book" to reference, think of the premise I just described, but with a Gone Girl twist: an unexpected and unexplainable mystery is stirred up maybe one-fifth of the way into the book.

    Many people feel as if the main character is unlikeable, which I can absolutely see. But I found I certainly liked her more than I thought I would. She wasn't really full of herself, she was just blind, and perhaps that was even a self-defense mechanism. Who knows. But she really did manage to pick up the pieces of her life relatively well. (Of course, she was lucky that she inherited not one but two homes, and could afford not to have to work immediately after her life had been entirely upheaved. Most don't have those luxuries.)

    Don't let yourself get turned off by Grace's seeming materialistic ways, though - the Birkin bag section which made her sound so petty actually comes around full circle in the end. And I think it was a good way of showing that while she was surrounded by people who could afford $10,000 handbags (multiples of them!) she didn't want that kind of excess for herself. She was content to have a small home and a happy family. Finding out she didn't ultimately have the either, and the repercussions of that discovery, is really what the author was trying to convey. And I think she did a great job of writing one woman's reaction to that.

    Yours,
    Arianna

    You Should Have Known

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    Saturday, November 1, 2014

    Ham: Slices of a Life


    Ham: Slices of a Life
    Sam Harris
    No Rating

    Published 2014

    First Paragraph
    "When I was nineteen years old, while helping my aunt Betty reorganize her kitchen cabinets, I discovered a beaten and worn plastic
    Mary Poppins cup and saucer marooned in the back corner of an ignored shelf. They were issued in 1964, the year of the movie's release. My aunt told me they'd been intended for me when I was little, but my father had returned them to her because I was 'too obsessed with Mary Poppins and singing and dancing.'"
    Publisher's Description:
    For fans of David Sedaris and Chelsea Handler, these stories and essays about friendship, celebrity, growing up and getting sober will have you laughing and crying in equal measure.With a wry style that evokes comparisons to Carrie Fisher, David Rakoff, and Steve Martin, Sam Harris proves that he is a natural humorist. Even The New York Times, in a review of one of his musical performances, called his stories “New Yorker-worthy.”

    Brilliantly written, these sixteen stories span Harris’s life from growing up gay in the buckle of America’s Bible belt to performing on Oprah’s first show after 9/11. In “I Feel, You Feel” he opens for Aretha Franklin during a blizzard. “Promises” is a front-row account of Liza Minnelli’s infamous wedding to “the man whose name shall go unmentioned.” In the title story, “Ham,” he describes how he was upstaged by a young child actor, unknowingly addicted to the spotlight.

    Taking on issues as diverse as addiction, fame, and parenting with his hilarious and deeply human voice, Harris’s entertaining tales trace an arc of personal triumph that is universally accessible and inspiring.

    Dear Reader,

    I never do this. I could barely bring myself to. But: I had to abandon this book at the 47% mark - it was just too much work for me to finish. I kept forcing myself back to it, and I have so many other books I want to read. It was cute but not really up my alley, and SO not similar to David Sedaris, as it was marketed. I think it was a good memoir and great for someone who is dazzled by stars, but I just wasn't getting much out of it. Perhaps I will return to it someday, but for now - I have to abandon it for the sake of other books.

    I hate giving up on a book. But I have to be more picky for the time being. When you keep checking the percentage-done on your Kindle, you know you ought to move on...

    Yours,
    Arianna

    P.S. Full disclosure: I received this via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. And I'm not rating it here, since I did not finish it.


    Ham: Slices of a Life

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