....that in a recent three-week buying frenzy of books from Amazon and Powerbooks. which brought me back 155 USD + 3335 PhP, the most that ive spent in one month for books, have now me saddled with reading materials, which I cannot finish in two years!
Id like to comment on some, and hope to check back this blog entry in one year to check, which one Ive read...
1. god is not great by christopher hitchens--saw this cited first in an esquire article, entitled "thank god for christopher hitchens." then a couple of other reviews somehow, in divine providence, got to me in succession. It appears that this is cited as the best among the recent deluge of "anti-god" lit. i hope to god it's really an interesting read.
2. nobody's perfect by anthony lane--a good writer. best reviewer of movies that has to be deservingly dissed. i'll put a quote in the next edit.
3. batman. the dark knight returns--when in college, i was already hearing about this. It was supposed to be the basis of the first batman (tim burton) movie. then i saw it at national bookstore branch in cubao again during that same week ive heard about it. But i know i cant afford it. also too big to pilfer. only thought of buying it at amazon again upon knowing that christopher nolan is directing the next batman movie. niwey, was a fantastic feeling when i finally opened, and smell its the pages recently.
4. insanity defense by woody allen--been a fan of woody allen ever since seeing his movies in succession in wowow (that fantastic japanese channel which shows boobies, but now nowhere on air here in the phils now). i think it was mighty aphrodite then annie hall then bullets over broadway in succession that got me... what a line up in one weekend. But the first time i've read him in print was only a year ago. it was "the kugelmass episode" from a collection of love stories (called nothing but you) from the new yorker (which i consider inside my top 3 magazines of all). that short story staggered me. he also knows how to write 'em in real prose (not just screenplay). there is one recent tribute that he wrote for ingmar bergman (not included in the book)... "I learned from his example to try to turn out the best work I'm capable of at that given moment."
5. mere anarchy by woody allen--latest collection. picked up in singapore and charged to the company (daily trip allowance) :-)
i wanna quote one more from his bergman article... "But I did manage to absorb one thing from him, a thing not dependent on genius or even talent but something that can actually be learned and developed. I am talking about what is often very loosely called a work ethic but is really plain discipline."
6. einstein: his life and universe by walter isaacson almost finished. interesting initially... but seems to wane in the last chapters. will quote a memo he served his wife after a fight...
7. stories by t.c. boyle pilfered from national cubao his short story collection "if the river was whiskey," because that store priced that thin book unconscionably.
8. the complete polysyllabic spree by nick hornby read some of hornby;s book review. oks lang.
9. curious incident of a dog in a night time by mark haddon 3/4 read might not be able to finish after all, but i think i got the fantastic impact of empathy from the novel's half
10. america: democracy inaction by daily show was attracted by the textbook-approach cum parody. wondered if we can adapt to a local setting. "philippines: democracy in small portions"?
11. Naked by sedaris. tried three essays. Good but if youve read dress your familyand me talk pretty already, you might feel short changed. pieces in those last two collections, I think, are way better.
12. god delusion by richard dawkins was intending to follow up with this after finishing hitchens. read the new material for this paperback. compelling.
13. this is my best by various bought this thick collection of authors who supposed to have contributed what they think was their best. havent tried anything yet except the one from sedaris (already included in me talk pretty).
14. iv by chuck klosterman bought also at bargain. been reading him at esquire. liked his profile of steve nash there (also included in this collection). tried his 80's cruise piece... great writing style (can it be more a technique?). but i think all essays must not be consumed in straight. the style appears too a smartass-sy. you seem to expect it (the smart turn) too much, loses it's surprise and magic
15. i also finished the last harry potter book--appeal is similar to the satisfaction give by Dragonball Z. was bought by talampunay my love.
anyone who wants to borrow must have something interesting to offer in exchange.
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