Long Over Due Book Review

I'm still powering through The Penguin History of Latin America but lately I've needed a break. Two breaks actually. Today's review is on The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton by Catherine Alliott.

The book was a super easy, light read. I started it this week on Tuesday, reading in between classes and such, and I finished it yesterday. It's long but fast. It's supremely girly. It is about Evie and her family, immediate and extended. She finds out that her husband has a daughter by another woman (don't worry I haven't just ruined the story for you) and it's about how she deals with this news. At some times it's unnervingly insightful into how phschiatic a woman's brain can be. But mostly it's just fun to read. 

This isn't anything that will challenge how you view the world. Although, I did find myself asking 'What would I do?' But its certainly something to read if you're waiting in an airport or if you have lots of free time. 

ENJOY

Chile V Ecuador

As South America has been in the news so much lately, I've had some interesting classes with my students and friends about what it all means. Most every class, lately, has started with "Well, what do you think of the Ecuador situation?" or "Well, what do you think of the Chile situation?" And then based on what my students have told me before, concerning their own beliefs, I try to bring up some aspect of all that has happened every class. Whether it's the political ramifications, or the trials or the police, or the impact of socialism, etc.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

I just finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson. This is the third and final book in the series and it was much, much better then the second.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest wraps up the story that started delightfully in the Dragon Tattoo and dragged on in Fire. I would certainly recommend the series to anyone looking for a great read.

Bear in mind that all three of the books are quite violent and graphic. They deal with women's issues and the abuse of women's issues by men in society. All three read as enjoyable fiction but at certain points in the story you can't help but reflect on the reality of the situation. The books touch on the topic of abuse, mental illness, rape, men's superiority complex, illegal computer hacking, but mostly the issue of right and wrong.

Some of the interesting broad strokes of the story were: sometimes the law doesn't allow for the right thing to be done in a situation or for the wrong thing to be prevented. Sometimes the context really does matter. Sometimes we, ordinary citizens, deal with 'situations' better than any authority could. And last but not least, what does it mean to be sane?

Enjoy! They're all available for the kindle and they'll keep you busy for at least 3 weekends when you've got no money!

MULUB,

Taylor

The Girl Who Played with Fire

I just finished The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. This is the second book in the series that began with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I'm still recommending the series, although I certainly thought that the Dragon Tattoo was much better that Fire This book moved very slowly in the beginning, actually in the first half. It wasn't until nearly 60% (when reading on the Kindle) that I was really, really interested. The first book moved quickly from beginning to end but not this one.

The Girl Who Played with Fire actually reminded me of one of the middle episodes of a season of 24. You have to watch it in order to understand how the season ends, but it's like come on already. That's how I felt about this book. I had to read it but it was like let's get going!

I'm excited about the third and final book. I hope that it's more action packed like the first and ties up some loose ends. Most of all, I hope Lisbeth and Blomkist end up together!

Definitely gets a READ recommendation but beware it's a tad slow.

MULUB,

Taylor

Things to do in Quito when you're dead....

Well, not dead exactly, but just marginally unemployed. July and August are the months in which your students decide that instead of having classes, it would be better if they went to the beach, or the jungle, or Las Vegas to buy a new iPad. Their justifications are unimportant, I had nothing to do. Since, for the time being, I was an ersatz ward of the state, and since my SNES had not yet to arrive, I read. In the following paragraphs I will recount a small review of the books I read.

Lies INC. - Phillip K. Dick

Well, what can you say that hasn't already been said about a book that places a 100 page,non-sequitur acid trip smack dab in the middle? Skip it. Apparently, the book was originally published without the middle section. Read that book.

Player Piano - Kurt Vonnegut

One man's revolt against a glittering tomorrow, so says the cover. In this story machines have taken over all industry, save for the managers and the engineers. It's kinda like in the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when Charlie's father, who screws in toothpaste caps, is replaced by a robot that does the same task. I suppose that's where the similarities end as, much to the chagrin of me and everyone else, Player Piano does not, in fact, have a chocolate factory. Very different from Vonnegut's later works, but a good read nonetheless.

Slapstick - Kurt Vonnegut

The protagonist of Slapstick is a two meter tall, neanderthal ex-president. The book is written as his memoirs. It's a non-linear non-plot. But, it's thoughtful and funny and interesting. When you can't sufficiently explain what a book is about yet you can't stop reading it, that's a good indication that the writer knows what he's doing.

Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut

Jury's out on this one. I certainly liked it, but I'm not sure what he was trying to say with this novel. Every character in this novel has been used by a force greater than themselves for a purpose to which they were wholly indifferent or adversarial. Beyond that.....? Read it, it's good.

Anthem - Ayn Rand

I'll admit, I went into reading this book with preconceived notions. I have a cursory understanding of Ayn Rand and her "philosophy", and that possibly tainted my experience. That said, this book was the most self-important pile of drivel I have ever read. The protagonist is homo superior, or something, I've only ventured to guess, who lives in the ideal of a communal society. Everyone is forced to be equal, but he's not equal, you see, he can't be, get it? The word 'I' is forbidden and people refer to themselves as 'WE'. How can I possibly express how facile this book was. The protagonist might as well have been a 14-year-old kid, "I'm so great and nobody understands me." Anyway, the protagonist escapes, with the greatest of ease, along with his mate who "gets him" and they run away through the woods and live in a derelict cabin. He discovers 'I' and decides he's going to return to society and bring back those who agreed with him, even though he's a self-involved tool, and no previous motive is expressed for why he would want to do such a thing. Nevertheless.... When I read Kurt Vonnegut's books I can tell he had an insight into something and he's thinking about the issues that were concerning him. Evidently the only thing Ayn Rand thought about was Ayn Rand. Alas, I have promised myself I would read her works, and I am currently 30 pages into her (rather long) novel We The Living. Pray. For. Mojo.

Dracula - Bram Stoker

This book gets an honorable mention as I haven't actually finished it, though Lord knows I've tried. To whom it may concern, this book is about a vampire. His name is Count Dracula. He lives in Transylvania. He's rather pale. The first chapter of the book is very exciting, the rest is, well, not that exciting. Dracula would be, by my estimation, 26 pages long if you were to remove the endless paragraphs of Victorian genuflecting. Look, I understand that so-and-so is a goodly woman, honest and noble, and that what-his-face is truly a steadfast friend....... so, if it's not too much to ask, can we please talk about vampires now? The ending is going to have to involve a lightsaber battle for me not to be disappointed. I don't think it will.

That's all for the moment,

-Ryan

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I just finished reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I would definitely recommend it. I thought that it was an easy ready and pretty entertaining. I'm not usually much of a mystery reader, more the history or biography type. I'm not going to tell you anything about the book, except that it can be pretty gruesome in parts. The two things that I really like is that it's part of a series and they're all available for the Kindle.

I'm starting the second book in the series either today or tomorrow and I'm hoping that that one is equally good. I always hate when the second part of something is never as good (Eat, Pray, Love --> Committed, Sex and the City 1 --> Sex and the City 2)

Happy Reading Everyone!

MULUB,

Taylor