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Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris Published: 2010 Illustrated by: Ian Falconer I stumbled upon a David Sedaris book signing a couple years ago. He read a few of his essays, and they were hilarious, so I figured I should probably grab one of his books. I’d seen him on Letterman once before at that point, but that’s about all I’d heard of him. I picked up his newest book soon after that, which was Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, but I only just got around to it now. I had read that this probably wasn’t his best book to start on, since it’s a bit of a departure…
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Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d’Art
Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d’Art by Christopher Moore Published: 2012 I’m a big fan of Moore, and I’ve caught up on all his books now, so it’s a big event when a new one is released. The day Sacre Bleu came out, I ran over to the book store to pick up a copy and was pleasantly surprised to see how cool the first edition hardcover was. They even had signed copies. If you judge a book by its cover, and don’t lie you do, this one gets top marks – beautifully illustrated cover, thick pages with uneven rough edges, very readable blue font, and coloured in-text prints of the…
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Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice (audio) by Jane Austen Published: 1813 Narrator: Kate Reading Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters are under pressure from their crazy mother, and society in general, to find husbands. Elizabeth and her older sister Jane are sensible enough, but the three youngest are a bit idiotic. Marriage is basically the main ambition in their lives, outside of a bit of socializing, reading, and cards. Skip the next paragraph if you don’t want spoilers. Near the beginning we’re introduced to a few potential suitors, one of whom is Mr. Darcy – a man who appears to be uptight, rude, and too full of pride. Over the course of…
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The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Published: 1890 Basil Hallward sees Dorian Gray as his true inspiration as a painter, and the story begins with him finishing a portrait of the young man. During this same afternoon, Basil introduces Dorian to his friend Henry Wotton, a true dandy who swears by a hedonistic lifestyle, wherein the only real pursuits in life should be feeding the senses. Dorian is young and incredibly pliable, and Henry convinces him that beauty is what matters in life and to cherish what he has while he has it. Always! That is a dreadful word. It makes me shudder when I hear it. Women…
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The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games (audio) by Suzanne Collins Published: 2008 Narrated by: Carolyn McCormick With all the hype surrounding the film adaptation of The Hunger Games, I broke down and decided to read it. I was a little worried I was getting myself into the next Twilight, but I’m glad I picked it up. Set in a post-apocalyptic alternative (or is it??….it is) future of our world, a new country of Panem is under rule by a totalitarian government. This government occupies the central capital, whose technology is so advanced as to seem alien to us, and the twelve surrounding districts live in squalor. Seventy-five years ago the districts rose up…
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Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness (audio) by Joseph Conrad Published: 1899 Narrated by: Kenneth Branagh The story is framed by a group of men sitting in a boat on the River Thames, listening to Charles Marlow tell a story from his past. Our narrator is actually one of the unnamed men on the boat, but almost the entire novella is Marlowe telling his story. It’s a story of his time captaining a steamboat on the Congo River. I’m not sure they mention that he’s in The Congo Free State, as it was then called, but I knew this going in. When he first arrives, he stops briefly at a trading station and…
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On a Pale Horse
On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony Published: 1983 This is my first Piers Anthony novel. My dad was a big fan of him when I was growing up, and I always saw his books lying around the house. Curiosity got the best of me, and I thought I’d start with his most famous. Zane is a would-be photographer who has fallen on rough times. The story begins with him in an enchantments store looking for something that will change his life for the better, even though he can barely afford food. It’s an interesting scene, and does a good job of introducing the world. On A Pale Horse is…
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Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (audio) by Mary Roach Published: 2003 Narrated by: Shelly Frasier What uses are there for cadavers? How have they been acquired over the years? What eventually happens to them? These are the questions that Mary Roach sets out to answer in this surprisingly funny, and often disgusting, book. We begin with an introduction into how they’re used medically. From anatomy students to a plastic surgery workshop, the cadavers help train our medical professionals so they don’t screw up on the living. I couldn’t help but imagine accidentally walking in on that plastic surgery workshop just before it had started – a large conference…
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The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Published: ~1590 This play is a little fucked up. Lets just make that clear. I’m not sure how it might have been received at the end of the fourteenth century, but I imagine it would raise the eyebrow of any modern reader. It’s politically incorrect in such a hilariously unapologetic way that you almost have to laugh in mild horror. I’m going to spoil the plot now. I figure anything over five hundred years old is free game. The play begins with an induction. A drunk named Christopher Sly is found unconscious in the street, and a lord orders his servants to…
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A Long Way Down
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby Published: 2005 Years ago I read How to be Good and really enjoyed it. I wasn’t enamoured enough to run out and immediately to buy his entire bibliography, but I did mean to eventually get back to him. Better late than never, I figure. I’m extremely glad I finally did, because I ended up loving this. The premise is simple but genius: four strangers climb to the top of an apartment building in London on New Years Eve with the intention of jumping to their deaths, but when they find each other up there it just kills the whole mood. After some discussion,…