Let me just start out by saying that the author of this book, Tucker Max, needs to go to Pueblo, CO. He cannot consider himself such a true drinking master, with his own scale of drunkenness until he goes to Pueblo and drinks with some true Pueblo drinkers. I've yet to meet people that can drink like they can in Pueblo and sadly, I think Mr. Max overestimates himself in this area. Pueblo drinkers can drink for a week straight with only 2 hour windows of passing out. They then arise and continue to drink. This is a common occurrence and this happens with groups of 5-6 people. All of them hang in there for the whole week. It's sad, but kind of amazing.
Onward to my point, the review of this book. My husband and I have read a couple of books aloud together and this is one of them. He doesn't like to read and I do,but he frequently takes interest in books so this is my way of getting him to partake of reading. This is totally a guy's book. However, I am somewhat of a guy's girl, so I really enjoyed it. In fact, it is one of the most hilarious things I have ever read.
One of the best parts about this book is that it is not written in chapters. The stories are all separate and not in chronological order, so the reader can go through it at their own pace and can even skip around. Most of the stories are hilarious. Mr. Max seems to get himself into some pretty funny situations and he does not take the most polite or least confrontational ways of getting out of them. He is a sucker for the drama and attention and it lands him in some hilarious spots.
The downside to the book is that Mr. Max does a lot of trash talking to people and he isn't quite as funny as I expected him to be. The situational comedy in the book far exceeds the dialogue. There are entire stories in which the main attraction is his drunken banter with unsuspecting victims, and he is an asshole and obnoxious but he really isn't as funny or creative as he thinks he is.
However, the book is well worth reading. It's refreshing that he doesn't mind admitting to and blatantly being a total jerk. He's candid and uninhibited and he's funny. However, if you are easily offended, have a weak stomach, are sensitive to rudeness, don't approve of excessive drinking, are conservative about sex, or can't laugh at others without feeling guilty I wouldn't recommend reading this book. Also, if the previous two titles I wrote about are right up your alley, this one won't be.
All in all, excellent book. I will read the sequel and will probably go back and re-read certain stories. Mr. Max is an interesting individual and writes well. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who asked.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
#2: The Pilot's Wife
Last night I finished reading "The Pilot's Wife" by Anita Shreve, and I woke up still thinking about what I read. Personally, I find that to be the first sign of a good book. I don't always dream about books or wake up still wondering about the characters. When the characters, or any of the aspects of a book, stay with me it is one of the best indicators that I have read something truly unforgettable.
"The Pilot's Wife," is about a woman named Kathryn who is awakened in the middle of the night to the news that her husband was flying a plane that exploded off the coast of Ireland. After receiving this news Kathryn slowly learns that she may not have known her husband as well as she thought she did. The book follows her through the time following his death and through the discoveries she makes about him and how she copes with them.
I found the ending of the book the be both shocking and kind of comforting at the same time. It really made me stop and think. I asked myself how well I know my own husband and what I would have done if I were Kathryn. I asked myself what I would do if I were Kathryn several times throughout the book. I wondered to myself how I would handle it if my husband died and I evaluated all of her decisions, considering whether they would be my course of action or not.
Although there were things that Kathryn did that I would not have done, I still didn't find much fault with the way that she handled things. "The Pilot's Wife" gives an excellent overview of the way that people grieve. It doesn't go through the grief process in a clinical way, it illustrates the process in a very raw manner. No two people grieve the same way and no two people end up in the same place as a result of grief. Watching Kathryn's journey and learning where she ends up is fascinating. It becomes even more intriguing once the truth is revealed and Kathryn has to evaluate everything that she knows and knew about the man that she loved.
I was impressed with the style of writing and the way the author played the story out. The story is written to include flashbacks of the marriage and the life before the crash. It brings a very revealing sense to the story, making sure that the reader knows the family before they experienced the loss. It also helps to answer the questions regarding what Kathryn knew and didn't know about her husband and in some sense it also serves to deepen the mystery as the story unfolds.
All in all, I loved the book. I would gladly add it to my collection, would happily recommend it to friends, and would probably read it again someday. It is a book well suited to a woman who enjoys suspenseful books but is not exactly looking for a thriller or a mystery. This book is less about the mystery and more about the people. It will not warm your heart but it will make you think. I think it is a must read for women who love to read.
"The Pilot's Wife," is about a woman named Kathryn who is awakened in the middle of the night to the news that her husband was flying a plane that exploded off the coast of Ireland. After receiving this news Kathryn slowly learns that she may not have known her husband as well as she thought she did. The book follows her through the time following his death and through the discoveries she makes about him and how she copes with them.
I found the ending of the book the be both shocking and kind of comforting at the same time. It really made me stop and think. I asked myself how well I know my own husband and what I would have done if I were Kathryn. I asked myself what I would do if I were Kathryn several times throughout the book. I wondered to myself how I would handle it if my husband died and I evaluated all of her decisions, considering whether they would be my course of action or not.
Although there were things that Kathryn did that I would not have done, I still didn't find much fault with the way that she handled things. "The Pilot's Wife" gives an excellent overview of the way that people grieve. It doesn't go through the grief process in a clinical way, it illustrates the process in a very raw manner. No two people grieve the same way and no two people end up in the same place as a result of grief. Watching Kathryn's journey and learning where she ends up is fascinating. It becomes even more intriguing once the truth is revealed and Kathryn has to evaluate everything that she knows and knew about the man that she loved.
I was impressed with the style of writing and the way the author played the story out. The story is written to include flashbacks of the marriage and the life before the crash. It brings a very revealing sense to the story, making sure that the reader knows the family before they experienced the loss. It also helps to answer the questions regarding what Kathryn knew and didn't know about her husband and in some sense it also serves to deepen the mystery as the story unfolds.
All in all, I loved the book. I would gladly add it to my collection, would happily recommend it to friends, and would probably read it again someday. It is a book well suited to a woman who enjoys suspenseful books but is not exactly looking for a thriller or a mystery. This book is less about the mystery and more about the people. It will not warm your heart but it will make you think. I think it is a must read for women who love to read.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
#1: The Knitting Circle
I just finished "The Knitting Circle" by Ann Hood. It is not the type of book I would have picked up on my own, so big thanks belong to my mother in law for loaning it to me to read.
I think the easiest comparison I can give this book is to the movie "How to Make an American Quilt." So as an easy review, if you have seen that and enjoyed it you should enjoy reading "The Knitting Circle."
For those who actually would like to read my thoughts on this book, here it is. The book is about a group of people who gather together to knit. The main character of the book is the newest member of the circle, Mary. Mary has recently lost her daughter who was only five. When she enters the knitting circle, Mary is closed off and wallowing in her despair. She also has the same idea as most people who are deeply grieving; she thinks that she is the only one who has it as bad as she does.
As Mary learns to knit and begins to learn to make new items and use new stitches, she learns the stories of the other members of the knitting circle. Each of them has their own story. They all turned to knitting to cope with something, but all of their reasons are different. The stories of the other women are interspersed throughout the chapters and filled in by "real-time" chapters that show what is going on in Mary's life.
Obviously, by reading what I have written, it is clear that this is kind of a "chick book." The focus of this book is very feminine. It is about how women can lean on each other to heal, the relationships between mothers and daughters, and grief of the highest level. Another point that is illustrated by the book is that everyone has problems.
Mary looks at the women in the knitting circle with jealousy at first. She thinks that they could not possibly understand her pain and she envies the "perfect lives" that she thinks they lead. She quickly learns that while their problems are different, she should not have judged them so quickly.
"The Knitting Circle" explores all manner of relationships. Mary's relationship with her mother is looked at as is her relationship with her husband. Even her relationship with her co-workers is addressed.
Human relationships can be fascinating. I often find myself looking at people that appear to me to have "perfect" lives and wondering what the real story is. Fortunately for me, I have never been to depths of grief that Mary is dealing with in the book. However, I have my own problems and have had my own hurdles in life. I find that when I read stories like this one, I look back on my life and think of the times that I was jealous of someone for not having my problems. All that it takes is that one moment of reflection to realize that while I have problems, I have many blessings as well. All that it takes is that one moment of reflection to realize that you can relate to the character. It's when you relate, that you begin to get absorbed in the book.
While "The Knitting Circle" is not a page turner in the suspenseful sense, it does make you want to turn to the next page. There is a well-defined element of curiosity for the reader of the book. There is a sense that one of the characters is going to be "revealed" and it's not hard to become anxious to see what will be divulged.
I genuinely enjoyed reading "The Knitting Circle." I will admit that it is not going to become a book that I would read over and over again. However, I would gladly add it to my book shelf and lend it out when a friend needs a good recommendation for a book.
I think the easiest comparison I can give this book is to the movie "How to Make an American Quilt." So as an easy review, if you have seen that and enjoyed it you should enjoy reading "The Knitting Circle."
For those who actually would like to read my thoughts on this book, here it is. The book is about a group of people who gather together to knit. The main character of the book is the newest member of the circle, Mary. Mary has recently lost her daughter who was only five. When she enters the knitting circle, Mary is closed off and wallowing in her despair. She also has the same idea as most people who are deeply grieving; she thinks that she is the only one who has it as bad as she does.
As Mary learns to knit and begins to learn to make new items and use new stitches, she learns the stories of the other members of the knitting circle. Each of them has their own story. They all turned to knitting to cope with something, but all of their reasons are different. The stories of the other women are interspersed throughout the chapters and filled in by "real-time" chapters that show what is going on in Mary's life.
Obviously, by reading what I have written, it is clear that this is kind of a "chick book." The focus of this book is very feminine. It is about how women can lean on each other to heal, the relationships between mothers and daughters, and grief of the highest level. Another point that is illustrated by the book is that everyone has problems.
Mary looks at the women in the knitting circle with jealousy at first. She thinks that they could not possibly understand her pain and she envies the "perfect lives" that she thinks they lead. She quickly learns that while their problems are different, she should not have judged them so quickly.
"The Knitting Circle" explores all manner of relationships. Mary's relationship with her mother is looked at as is her relationship with her husband. Even her relationship with her co-workers is addressed.
Human relationships can be fascinating. I often find myself looking at people that appear to me to have "perfect" lives and wondering what the real story is. Fortunately for me, I have never been to depths of grief that Mary is dealing with in the book. However, I have my own problems and have had my own hurdles in life. I find that when I read stories like this one, I look back on my life and think of the times that I was jealous of someone for not having my problems. All that it takes is that one moment of reflection to realize that while I have problems, I have many blessings as well. All that it takes is that one moment of reflection to realize that you can relate to the character. It's when you relate, that you begin to get absorbed in the book.
While "The Knitting Circle" is not a page turner in the suspenseful sense, it does make you want to turn to the next page. There is a well-defined element of curiosity for the reader of the book. There is a sense that one of the characters is going to be "revealed" and it's not hard to become anxious to see what will be divulged.
I genuinely enjoyed reading "The Knitting Circle." I will admit that it is not going to become a book that I would read over and over again. However, I would gladly add it to my book shelf and lend it out when a friend needs a good recommendation for a book.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Beginning
I love to read. I read lots of books and am always reading something new. I even enjoy reading my textbooks for school. Sometimes, I read something that effects me greatly for whatever reasons. There are often times that I really want to write about what I have just finished reading. Since I started blogging about my depression, I have been more and more tempted to blog about the books I read. I have fought the urge to do so, because I feel that it would distract from my purpose on my other blog. However, I decided this morning that the time has come for me to blog about books. Therefore, I will review and write about every single book that I read, right here on this blog. I really cannot predict whether or not anyone will read this, however should people actually do so I would be more than happy to entertain requests and read books that others want me to read. As I said, I love to read and nothing is off limits for me. I am almost done with a book right now, so hopefully I will be posting my first "Book Blog" very soon.
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