The Zombie Survival Guide, by Max Brooks

I like books, right? And everyone knows how I just luurve zombies. So if you add the two together, I’ll like the result, right?

Right?

The Long Walk, by Stephen King

Okay, let me get something out of the way. I do a lot of cardio. A LOT of cardio. I walk, run, whatever, at least five times a week. And I can say unequivocally, without a doubt, that I would be the first mothereffer issued a ticket if I were a contestant in Stephen King’s The Long Walk.

You may remember that I blogged about what not to buy a book lover for Christmas. Although I pride myself on my keen sense of foreshadowing, I never even guessed that this post would result in the best Christmas gift of 2007.

Oh yes. I got a book scarf. In a black bag. Because, you know, death is ahead.

Hm.

Saturday, by Ian McEwan

Oh, shit. I've gone ahead and ruined a good book.

My biggest gripe with Saturday lies not with McEwan or his work, but rather with myself. It was my fault, you see, for reading Saturday immediately after reading Atonement, a novel which blew me away and knocked me senseless. In short, I was setting myself up for failure, for Saturday is no Atonement.

In honor of Mother's Day, I bring you (via McSweeney's) The Magic 8 Ball Amended by my Mother for my Middle-School Years by Kate Hahn.

Happy New Year, everyone! Best wishes for a happy and healthy '08.

Hell House, by Richard Matheson

I know I've said this before, but if I knew of a house with a reputation for killing those who venture there, I wouldn’t visit it. Sure, I’d be curious. I’d probably drive up, maybe even stand on the porch. But go in? And, worse, stay overnight?

Somehow, I've survived another year.

Daily posting will resume next week -- in the meantime, I've got beers that need drinking.

It's gonna be a glorious summer.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

I make no secret of the fact that Halloween is my favorite time of year. I watch every scary movie available, and I pick up a few scary reads as well -- more on them later.

For now, though, you might enjoy this list that came to me via the Texas Pages book blog: a list of the 10 scariest characters in literature.

I posted the list below, but you can follow the above link to read the article in full.

...that, even though I know how it will all end, I still want Anna and Vronsky to be together? Ugh, could they be any cuter?!?

Maybe I should just stop reading now and retain my romantic illusions. Sigh.

As you can tell, I'm really enjoying Anna Karenina; thanks to all who voted for it. It's slow going, but utterly enthralling.

When I finish I'd like to watch a film version...I know there's several out there - can anyone recommend one?

IT'S ALIVE! ALIVE!

I'm back from the brink of death with lots of reviews to post. I have recently fallen prey to my annual back-to-school illness, which left me able to read but not so eager to type. So perhaps it wasn't so much "brink of death-ish," but whatever -- I don't handle illness very well. I'm back, though, and better than ever.

A Spot of Bother, by Mark Haddon

Having already read (and enjoyed) Mark Haddon’s first novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, I was excited to read his new book, A Spot of Bother. Sure, it's not technically new -- it's been out for awhile -- but it's newly in paperback, so let's not argue over semantics, okay?

Three Dollars, by Elliot Perlman

What becomes of our younger, more idealistic selves? When I was in college, I swore I’d never become what I am today: married, suburban, domestic. I can hardly remember what I’d imagined for myself, exactly, but at some point in the intervening years, that person slowly dissolved and was replaced by the woman I have become.

I don’t really mind the loss of my idealistic self. Sure, she was more fun and got in a lot more trouble, but she was also unrealistic, neurotic, and generally unhappy. Now I know that what I once viewed as placid complacency is not actually so. It is possible to retain the good elements of our youth while shedding the bad. It is possible for me to enjoy being all the things I'd once held in contempt. Being a suburban wife is actually pretty awesome.

King Dork, by Frank Portman

Nothing defined my teenage years like depressing music and good books, and I know that nearly everyone can agree that music is never better than when you’re in high school. I spent my teens listening to Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson and feeling as though these heroin-addicted men truly understood my adolescent female torment, as evidenced by such classic tunes like "Cake and Sodomy."

Amnesia Moon, by Jonathan Lethem

I was immediately intrigued upon reading the summary of Lethem’s Amnesia Moon, so much so that I ignored my earlier disappointment in his Fortress of Solitude, which I found to be well written but nevertheless disappointing. (Besides, Amnesia Moon was discounted and only cost three bucks. Three bucks + intriguing summary = Lethem gets another go.)

Here’s the summary that hooked me:

Since the war and the bombs, Hatfork Wyoming is a broken-down, mutant-ridden town.

The Dogs of Babel, by Carolyn Parkhurst

I have to say that I have an unhealthy love for my three dogs. (I also have a cat, but she’s a bitch so I don’t speak of her often. No, seriously, she is a ROYAL bitch. She actually had the balls to leave a turd on the floor because I didn’t say hello to her quickly enough. Asshole.)

The Year of Living Biblically, by A.J. Jacobs

My latest review is up at Pajiba, and you may click here to read it. This time I tackled The Year of Living Biblically, by A.J. Jacobs. Basically, the author follows every rule in the Bible for an entire year.

I've finally done what I've been avoiding for months.

The following links will take you to the culmination of several hours of mind-numbing html-ing: an alphabetical index of authors and an index of titles. You can also find links to these lists above the search box on the right.

Enjoy!

Alphabetical Index of Authors

Alphabetical Index of Titles

Soldier's Heart, by Elizabeth Samet

How do you convince an eighteen-year-old cadet that poetry has any relevance to his life? Poetry seems pretty unimportant in the face of roadside bombs and suicide bombers. Hell, I have a hard time justifying poetry to my eighteen-year-old students, and none of them will ever come close to Iraq. So I read Samet’s Soldier’s Heart with a special interest, although one does not need to be an English teacher to enjoy this memoir.

Via Three Percent, I came across this interesting article regarding Nabokov's last, unfinished work.

Nabokov expressly ordered that this unfinished work be burned. And yet, according to his son, charged with carrying out his father's orders, this last work "would have been a brilliant, original, and potentially totally radical book, in the literary sense very different from the rest of his oeuvre."

Beautiful Children, by Charles Bock

My review on Bock's Beautiful Children is up at Pajiba, so click here to read it.

In a nutshell: A solid debut novel: not perfect, but better than you might think.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

The latest Bookworm Carnival, with the theme of "Women in Literature" is now up for your perusal over at the Armenian Odar Reads. There are many fascinating posts on women around the world - looks like a lot of good reading ahead! Thanks to Myrthe for hosting once again.

The Soul Thief, by Charles Baxter

I'm pleased to report that another review's up over at Pajiba, this time on Charles Baxter's Soul Thief. You can read my review here.

In a nutshell: Adequate...but coulda been so much better.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

180 More: Extraordinary Poems for Every Day, edited by Billy Collins

I've been dreading writing this review (even though I should have done so months ago) because I simply have nothing to say about this collection.

I loved it and thoroughly recommend it, but there is absolutely nothing to say about it, other than it's a must-read for poetry fans. But that's not really interesting.

The McSweeney's Joke Book of Jokes Books

Another review for good ol' Pajiba is up - this time on The McSweeney's Joke Book of Jokes Books.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did - but there are a few pieces I revisted more than once, and each new read elicited genuine laughter. It was well worth the cost of purchase. Click here to read my review.

In a nutshell: While not every one is a winner, I have to say The McSweeney's Joke Book of Jokes Books is pretty damn good overall. But damn the cover creeps me out.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

The First 30 Days, by Ariane de Bonvoisin

How do you deal with change? With stress?

Although I have many fears, I’m proud to say that change isn’t one of them. Then again, little beyond my age and hairstyle has changed much over the years. I’d like to think that I handle change well, but I really can’t be sure.

Mostly, though, I hide from change (or even just stressful things in general), doing anything in my power to avoid dealing with the situation. When this isn’t possible, I’d like to say that I always deal positively, like by exercising or reading. Sometimes this is true, but I’m also liable to shove food and/or alcohol down my throat instead. Good times.

The Invention of Morel, by Adolfo Bioy Casares

The Invention of Morel has been getting a lot of attention recently due to its appearance on Lost. I don’t watch Lost, so don’t expect any great revelations about how Morel explains the show. By the way, are they still on that damn island? I only watch quality television, like Big Brother 9. I like my tv with a side of brainlessness, thank you very much.

The Invention of Morel begins as our unnamed protagonist, a fugitive from the law, hides on an uninhabited island. One day, mysterious tourists suddenly appear, and our fugitive is frightened they have come searching for him. He needn’t have feared, however; it’s clear they are unaware of him.