BOOKS THREAD

Check out the E-book 'A Story Almost Told,' by Rick Karlsruher. Some weird true stories... a great read. And the best part, only $5 at www.jordisbooks.com.

 

A friend at work loaned me the Watchmen graphic novel. And my copy of Andrew Jackson: American Lion came yesterday. After weeks of being starved for something to read ... Not sure which to read first... probably Wathcmen, since it was loaned to me.
I asked from friend if I should read it before or after I see the movie. He suggested before.

 

Realize I probably should have posted here first, sorry for clogging the main board...

**

Wanted to pass on a link to an essay anthology that's in the works and, full disclosure, to which I'm contributing. But there might be areas of interest for you, too -- see writing contest link below. Just speaking for myself, it was refreshing to step outside the sports realm for once and write about something a little more personal. Also, one of the reasons I got involved is that ALL proceeds go to a charitable foundation benefiting at-risk men and boys. From the web site...

"More Than a Few Good Men" is an anthology of essays about what it means to be a man in America today. The authors, a wide cross section of men ages 35 to 60, draw upon their experiences with either childhood, coming of age, work, relationships, fatherhood or death and explore the perspectives they have gained from those moments.

Contributors include such accomplished writers as "Mad Men" creator Matt Wiener, "Memoirs of a Geisha" novelist Arthur Golden, and "Not That You Asked" essayist Steve Almond. An NFL Hall of Famer, a former Sing Sing inmate, a (one-time Wall Street wunderkind, and a photojournalist embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq are among the other contributors.

"More Than a Few Good Men" will be published in spring 2010. All proceeds from the book will benefit the Good Men Foundation, a charitable organization founded to support men and boys at risk.

Anyway, while I'm admittedly starting to spread the word about the book well in advance of the release in places that I frequent (okay, lurk), it really is for a good cause...and there are obviously dozens and dozens of tremendously talented (and predominantly male, from what I can tell) writers here, so I thought I'd throw it out there for you to chew on. And if even one of you felt like jumping into the contest, then all the better. It starts today and runs through May 1st.

Thanks, all.

www.goodmenbook.org

http://goodmenbook.org/writing-contest.html

(p.s. Especially for all you Pats fans, the NFL Hall of Famer mentioned above is Andre Tippett)

 

I liked this story in the New Yorker as a non-wine guy:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/09/03/070903fa_fact_keefe?currentPage=all

 

Just finished The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Sierstad. I ran the gamut of emotions. Some 'characters' are truly loathsome, including the family patriarch, Sultan, his mother Bibi Gul, and son Mansur.

My heart broke as I followed the story of Leila, the youngest of the family, who was pretty much enslaved by the men.

There are stories of despair, stories of hope.

I learned a lot about Afghan culture and I highly recommend this for a read.

 

Sirs, Madames,

I've gone on a Pat Jordan jag this last couple of weeks and made my way through to old obscurities in the PJ canon: Chase the Game, about three ballers, one once a coverboy in SI, another a marginal pro, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, circa '78; and Black Coach, about the eponymous coach taking the job at a recently integrated high school in the south circa 70. Nod to Black Coach. Not quite A False Spring, but better than Suitors of the Spring and much else of the PJ stripe.

o-<

 

I highly recommend "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist." The novel, not the movie, though I suspect the film's quite good too. (I haven't seen it yet).

I'm still not sure why it was in the teen section of my library, with the f--- word on every other page. Maybe because it's a very short book? : There's plenty of relationship drama, that's for sure!

 

I'm in the middle of The Damned Utd. by David Peace. It's the tale of Brian Clough, an legendary English soccer manager, and his time managing Leeds United — 44 days that is. I'm not ready to call it the best sports book I've read regarding the management aspect of athletics, but I can't believe it's going to get worse through the remaining pages. Even though this is a fictional take on Brian Clough, it feels very real and let me emphasize feels. There have been times during the few days I've been reading this where I've broken out into a cold sweat as Clough's passion and deranged desire to crush the memory of his predecessor have taken root in me.

 

I just finished reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Baeh. An amazing read.

 

I'm about to start Cyberadad Days, a collection of short stories and a novella about a sci-fi India in 2047.

 

My apologies if this has already been mentioned, but I've heard David Falk's new book is a fascinating read. On my wish list.

 

Just finished This Side of Paradise, which is kind of fascinating when you realize Fitzgerald wrote all of this by the time he was like 22. You can kind of see how he took his various writings and pieced them into this book. The way his characters continuously argue philosophy (particularly Amory Blaine), gives you the feeling that you're witnessing Fitzgerald's mind evolve and mature. Tortured mind, excruciating process.