A group of zoo-goers are surrounding the lion cage when the lion reaches out and grabs a little girl in its teeth. Suddenly, a man dodges through the crowd, punches the lion square in the nose and gets the little girl to safety. Standing nearby is a reporter who loudly declares that that act of heroism was the bravest thing he has ever seen.
"I'm a journalist for the New York Times," he says to the hero, "and tomorrow I am going to put you on the front page of the newspaper! Can I have your name, occupation, and political affiliation please?"
The Hero tells the reporter "My name is John Smith, I'm a proud United States Marine and a Republican."
The next day, the Hero grabs a copy of the New York Times to see if the guy followed through. There he was on the front page with the headline: "Man Suckerpunches African Immigrant and Steals His Lunch."
Hahahha....
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
November Books Read
It's so hard to keep up with all the books I have read over the last month. Since I wait all month to post this blog (not to mention being a Barnes and Noble bookseller), I'm thinking of starting a seperate blog that is all books all the time. Any thoughts, please let me know... 
You've seen other Christopher Buckley titles mentioned on this blog - he's one of my favorite authors - and this is the newest book from the hilarious political satirist. A very unpopular president, tired of having every eligible judge he nominates to the Supreme Court be ripped to shreds by the nomination committee, nominates Judge Pepper Cartwright, America's favorite television judge, to the Supreme Court of the United States. [Insert standard "hilarity ensues" comment.]
Last month, I raved about this book's predecessor, "Riding Lessons," this month I equally enjoyed the sequel, "Flying Changes." Sara Gruen, who also wrote "Water for Elephants," is an amazingly talented author. I can't usually relate so much to a middle-aged heroine, and yet Gruen's Annemarie is so entertaining, I can't help but find a way to relate to her insecurities with her boyfriend, the mother-daughter relationships (with both Annemarie and her purely Austrian mother, and Annemarie and her own daughter, Eva), and her love for her horse (who reminds me of my Joey).
This was my first Geradline Brooks novel, though definitely not my last. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her other novel, "March" which tells the story of Little Women from the Father's perspective. It's hard to encapsulate a book as complex as "People of the Book," but here's my attempt. The story starts in 1996, when Hanna, a conservator of books, is assigned to conserve what is known as the Serajevo Haggadah (a real book cherished for it's unusually vibrant images). The conserving of the book goes as planned, except that Hanna finds three mysterious things embedded in the book: the wing of an insect, a small red stain, and a grain of what appears to be salt. The story then weaves between the "people of the book" (those who have played a part in the history, and often the survival of the book), and present day where Hanna attempts to solve the mysteries of the book and the religous strifes of today's world.
Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley
You've seen other Christopher Buckley titles mentioned on this blog - he's one of my favorite authors - and this is the newest book from the hilarious political satirist. A very unpopular president, tired of having every eligible judge he nominates to the Supreme Court be ripped to shreds by the nomination committee, nominates Judge Pepper Cartwright, America's favorite television judge, to the Supreme Court of the United States. [Insert standard "hilarity ensues" comment.] Final Say: A great book for anyone who just wants to see the lighter side of politics for awhile (especially after this last election). And after you enjoy this one, go pick up "Boomsday" (my favorite), or "Thankyou for Smoking."
The Nightingale by Morgana Gallaway
Sorry, there isn't a picture yet for this book, as it is not yet released. One of my favorite things about working at a bookstore is the free advanced reader's copies. Usually, they aren't books expected to do well, and while I usually enjoy the free books I get, they usually aren't ones I will go out of my way to recommend to customers. "The Nightingale" is, however, an exception. In her first novel, Gallaway accomplishes the impossible: covering a controversial topic in a controversial setting while still remaining 'chick-lit.' The main character, Leila, is Iraqi and a translator at the American base, but she could easily be any girl in any culture and country. The story is about Leila falling in love with an American soldier, despite the fact that her father is one of the most wanted terrorists in the city of Mosul.
Final Say: I usually hesitate to pick up books that take place in the current day Middle East; I find they tend to try too hard to make some amazing point that ends up falling flat, but I think this one worked well. Recommended if it's your type of genre.
Flying Changes by Sara Gruen
Last month, I raved about this book's predecessor, "Riding Lessons," this month I equally enjoyed the sequel, "Flying Changes." Sara Gruen, who also wrote "Water for Elephants," is an amazingly talented author. I can't usually relate so much to a middle-aged heroine, and yet Gruen's Annemarie is so entertaining, I can't help but find a way to relate to her insecurities with her boyfriend, the mother-daughter relationships (with both Annemarie and her purely Austrian mother, and Annemarie and her own daughter, Eva), and her love for her horse (who reminds me of my Joey). Final Say: Next month when I post my top ten favorite books of the year, Gruen's books will definitely be on there.
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
This was my first Geradline Brooks novel, though definitely not my last. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her other novel, "March" which tells the story of Little Women from the Father's perspective. It's hard to encapsulate a book as complex as "People of the Book," but here's my attempt. The story starts in 1996, when Hanna, a conservator of books, is assigned to conserve what is known as the Serajevo Haggadah (a real book cherished for it's unusually vibrant images). The conserving of the book goes as planned, except that Hanna finds three mysterious things embedded in the book: the wing of an insect, a small red stain, and a grain of what appears to be salt. The story then weaves between the "people of the book" (those who have played a part in the history, and often the survival of the book), and present day where Hanna attempts to solve the mysteries of the book and the religous strifes of today's world. Final Say: An absolutely amazing novel. This is what I have been recommending to all my customers lately, and I don't think anyone will be disappointed.
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