Hey LAAAADIES (and Gents)!
Just letting you know I've posted a review over on my personal blog (which is rather unused, so just ignore all that dust please) about the recent steampunk release "Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel" by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris.
You may view it HERE.
Please bother the other Laaaadies about posting more often. Please and thank you.
-Lady Aly
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Time Has No Meaning Here: Metaphysical Fiction
Ahoy and salutations! Lady Aly here with an update regarding self-published works and the joys of bending time and space!
When I first joined Twitter, I made sure to follow Neil Gaiman, author extreme and god of all that is fantastical. Almost instantaneously thereafter, I was followed by someone called Joseph Devon. I was unused to the abrupt familiarity of Twitter early on, but he explained that Amazon.com likened his works to Neil's, and that people who enjoy books by Neil Gaiman might enjoy books by Joseph Devon. Fast forward to about a month ago, when he tweeted that he had some extra signed copies of his book "Probability Angels" and wasn't sure what he was going to do with them. I told him I was interested in reading it and so he graciously sent me a copy for review.
Boom. So there we are.
"Probability Angels" is an action movie wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a self-published softcover. It's one of those stories that is almost too big to pin down on the page, and it's one of those stories that throws you into the deep end of the pool without instructions and it's all you can do to turn the page as you mutter "Wait, WHAT?" and continue to search for answers.
It is a complicated story, with complicated characters, but it is exciting and, at parts, deeply fascinating. It is so complicated, however, that even upon finishing the book I am not sure I could clearly explain to you the exact plot. Suffice it to say that the characters in the story are all dead. They have died (more or less) and are now acting as agents of change and catalysts to the living. They are called testers; they travel by appearing and disappearing at will, and they 'push' the living souls to do or not do certain things. Some are more powerful testers than others, and some are just newbies, barely starting out. Matthew, the protagonist, is a student of the very old, very powerful Epp (who, once upon a time, was a Roman slave) and along with other students Mary (whose true former identity is still a mystery to me, though I have some thoughts) and Bartleby (who is something of a hothead -- literally) finds himself in the midst of what might be a kind of metaphysical rebellion of Epp's enemies (Hector, Gregor, and Nyx, who want to destroy Epp and create chaos).
There are also zombies from time to time, and difficult choices being made both in the past and the present.
I have been told there is a sequel about to be released, and all I can say about that is that I hope there are more answers to the questions of the first book. In a moment of pure honesty, one of my most enormous pet peeves is when authors create questions and stir feelings and uncertainties in their readers, and then straight up decline to provide any hints of answers to those questions and uncertainties. Example: "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire. The man spends hundreds of pages with zero character development and tons of mystery, and by the end of the book you have no idea what some of that was about. He wrote a sequel, "Son of a Witch," and not only do some of the original questions not get answered, but he creates even more questions that he neglects to even hint at answers to. It is a very, very frustrating state of affairs. Does that mean that the story behind "Wicked" isn't good? No. It's a good story. It's poorly executed, but it's a good story.
Here, with "Probability Angels," I feel a similar twinge of nervousness at not having answers. I suspect that if I re-read the book, I might get some of those questions settled, but I really hope that the sequel is more decisive. The story of "Probability Angels" is intriguing, and the action and scope of the tale is fascinating and breathtaking and all good things regarding the abstractness of time and humanity and all sorts of great thoughts like that. But for me, it bordered on unsatisfying regarding the amount of questions I still had at the end.
I do not mean to say that I only enjoy books that are neatly wrapped with a bow at the end, or only books that are precise in their question-and-answer patterns. I really enjoyed reading "Probability Angels" and I won't say no to reading the sequel. I think Joseph Devon has a great vision for epic, action-packed stories, and some of his characters resonated as just being so damn cool (Kyo and Epp, for starters, but I definitely want to know more about Mary). I also would say that I think as far as protagonists go, Matthew serves a specific purpose for this story and it is not the role of the-character-we-all-care-about-the-most. For me as a reader, this is a definite case of supporting characters overshadowing the 'main character' for reader's attentions. Epp is cool as hell, first of all, and Kyo -- once you read through his very dramatic samurai backstory -- is phenomenally interesting and heroic. Matthew is marginally interesting at the beginning, but until the climax of the story he remains marginally interesting. It's almost like partway through, Devon made Epp and Kyo the main characters instead of Matthew. Granted, it's very important the reader understand Epp and Kyo's backgrounds, but I didn't have strong feelings towards Matthew, at least not the same way I did for Kyo and Epp.
Bottom line, Laaaadies and gents? Joseph Devon's epic "Probability Angels" is a fascinating read, and I truly enjoyed it, but if you want more answers than there are questions, or you want to be able to latch onto the protagonist start to finish, or if you want a straight, linear timeline of any length, this might not be for you. If your mind is open and you love unsolved mysteries of the universe, however, give this one a try.
Joseph Devon, I thank you for the book and salute you for being a self-published author and an awesome Twitter friend!
-Lady Aly
When I first joined Twitter, I made sure to follow Neil Gaiman, author extreme and god of all that is fantastical. Almost instantaneously thereafter, I was followed by someone called Joseph Devon. I was unused to the abrupt familiarity of Twitter early on, but he explained that Amazon.com likened his works to Neil's, and that people who enjoy books by Neil Gaiman might enjoy books by Joseph Devon. Fast forward to about a month ago, when he tweeted that he had some extra signed copies of his book "Probability Angels" and wasn't sure what he was going to do with them. I told him I was interested in reading it and so he graciously sent me a copy for review.
Boom. So there we are.
"Probability Angels" is an action movie wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a self-published softcover. It's one of those stories that is almost too big to pin down on the page, and it's one of those stories that throws you into the deep end of the pool without instructions and it's all you can do to turn the page as you mutter "Wait, WHAT?" and continue to search for answers.
It is a complicated story, with complicated characters, but it is exciting and, at parts, deeply fascinating. It is so complicated, however, that even upon finishing the book I am not sure I could clearly explain to you the exact plot. Suffice it to say that the characters in the story are all dead. They have died (more or less) and are now acting as agents of change and catalysts to the living. They are called testers; they travel by appearing and disappearing at will, and they 'push' the living souls to do or not do certain things. Some are more powerful testers than others, and some are just newbies, barely starting out. Matthew, the protagonist, is a student of the very old, very powerful Epp (who, once upon a time, was a Roman slave) and along with other students Mary (whose true former identity is still a mystery to me, though I have some thoughts) and Bartleby (who is something of a hothead -- literally) finds himself in the midst of what might be a kind of metaphysical rebellion of Epp's enemies (Hector, Gregor, and Nyx, who want to destroy Epp and create chaos).
There are also zombies from time to time, and difficult choices being made both in the past and the present.
I have been told there is a sequel about to be released, and all I can say about that is that I hope there are more answers to the questions of the first book. In a moment of pure honesty, one of my most enormous pet peeves is when authors create questions and stir feelings and uncertainties in their readers, and then straight up decline to provide any hints of answers to those questions and uncertainties. Example: "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire. The man spends hundreds of pages with zero character development and tons of mystery, and by the end of the book you have no idea what some of that was about. He wrote a sequel, "Son of a Witch," and not only do some of the original questions not get answered, but he creates even more questions that he neglects to even hint at answers to. It is a very, very frustrating state of affairs. Does that mean that the story behind "Wicked" isn't good? No. It's a good story. It's poorly executed, but it's a good story.
Here, with "Probability Angels," I feel a similar twinge of nervousness at not having answers. I suspect that if I re-read the book, I might get some of those questions settled, but I really hope that the sequel is more decisive. The story of "Probability Angels" is intriguing, and the action and scope of the tale is fascinating and breathtaking and all good things regarding the abstractness of time and humanity and all sorts of great thoughts like that. But for me, it bordered on unsatisfying regarding the amount of questions I still had at the end.
I do not mean to say that I only enjoy books that are neatly wrapped with a bow at the end, or only books that are precise in their question-and-answer patterns. I really enjoyed reading "Probability Angels" and I won't say no to reading the sequel. I think Joseph Devon has a great vision for epic, action-packed stories, and some of his characters resonated as just being so damn cool (Kyo and Epp, for starters, but I definitely want to know more about Mary). I also would say that I think as far as protagonists go, Matthew serves a specific purpose for this story and it is not the role of the-character-we-all-care-about-the-most. For me as a reader, this is a definite case of supporting characters overshadowing the 'main character' for reader's attentions. Epp is cool as hell, first of all, and Kyo -- once you read through his very dramatic samurai backstory -- is phenomenally interesting and heroic. Matthew is marginally interesting at the beginning, but until the climax of the story he remains marginally interesting. It's almost like partway through, Devon made Epp and Kyo the main characters instead of Matthew. Granted, it's very important the reader understand Epp and Kyo's backgrounds, but I didn't have strong feelings towards Matthew, at least not the same way I did for Kyo and Epp.
Bottom line, Laaaadies and gents? Joseph Devon's epic "Probability Angels" is a fascinating read, and I truly enjoyed it, but if you want more answers than there are questions, or you want to be able to latch onto the protagonist start to finish, or if you want a straight, linear timeline of any length, this might not be for you. If your mind is open and you love unsolved mysteries of the universe, however, give this one a try.
Joseph Devon, I thank you for the book and salute you for being a self-published author and an awesome Twitter friend!
-Lady Aly
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
You Are What You Read
What makes us judge other people? One thing I am 100% guilty of, which I will readily admit, is judging people by what I see them reading in public. If I think what they're reading is silly or trivial I will totally make a snap judgment about who they are and the kind of person they are.
Today, sitting in the hallway, reading The Actor's Freedom I was acutely aware of a group of people passing by me silently judging me for reading this book. Was it because I was using my time to read a super old school acting book by Michael Goldman (who is awesome, ps, and anyone interested in critical writing on Shakespeare should check out Shakespeare and the Energies of Drama)? Was it because of the content of the book? What was it that created that weird atmosphere that I was below them simply because I was sitting on the floor reading?
We can't know what anyone else is thinking. Even when their thoughts seem very obvious - you would think that the book someone was reading said a lot about who they are as a person, but, hey turns out that that really isn't true. Just like most things in life, it is never that easy.
Example: I was reading The Actor's Freedom because I like to read everything I can about acting and different acting styles, even ones I find super ridiculous and I don't agree with at all (disclaimer, I have not read James Lipton's book, but I would if someone lent it to me), because I love knowledge. And I love information. But it struck me that some people, unaware of my insatiable thirst for information, may judge me as lame or even (god forbid!) super pretentious for reading something like that.
Why is that? Why do we assume to know anything about another person based on what they choose to read in public? How do we know this wasn't something they have to read for a variety of reasons unknown to us?
Another example!: Confession, I have read the entire Twilight series. It was terrible. It was poorly written, the characters were unbelievably uninteresting and selfish and idiotic, and in general the plot is boring and predictable (although the vampire war at the end of the last book was decently badass, and had it been a part of literally any other series I probably would even, dare I say it, admit to having enjoyed it). But the fact of the matter is, I read those books in public. Where everyone could see me. And silently judge me for thinking I am one of them.
But the truth is, I read that whole terrible, terrible series because my younger sister was obsessed at the time, but refused to read Harry Potter, saying it was stupid and could never be as awesome as Twilight. So I made her a deal: that I would read the entire Twilight series if she would agree to read at least the first four Harry Potter books (she did and quickly converted, realizing the error of her Twilight ways).
But no one could have possibly known that! Perhaps I should have written a giant note and taped a giant note to it that said something along the lines of "I'M READING THIS IRONICALLY, DON'T JUDGE ME PLZ!"
I guess the point I'm trying to make is, next time you're sitting on a subway or waiting in line a the supermarket, or passing by someone in the hallway, and you see them reading something ridiculous go ahead and make a judgment -that's your right- but! perhaps keep in the back of your mind the idea that perhaps their interest in this ridiculous doper is not as simple as it might appear.
And, moreover, don't ever feel embarrassed to read anything in public, because only you will know that those people silently judging you are actually being ....
Happy linking!
Lady Erin
(currently reading: Swamplandia! by Karen Russel, The Actor's Freedom by Michael Goldman, and The Ghost Pirates by William Hope Hodgson)
Today, sitting in the hallway, reading The Actor's Freedom I was acutely aware of a group of people passing by me silently judging me for reading this book. Was it because I was using my time to read a super old school acting book by Michael Goldman (who is awesome, ps, and anyone interested in critical writing on Shakespeare should check out Shakespeare and the Energies of Drama)? Was it because of the content of the book? What was it that created that weird atmosphere that I was below them simply because I was sitting on the floor reading?
We can't know what anyone else is thinking. Even when their thoughts seem very obvious - you would think that the book someone was reading said a lot about who they are as a person, but, hey turns out that that really isn't true. Just like most things in life, it is never that easy.
Example: I was reading The Actor's Freedom because I like to read everything I can about acting and different acting styles, even ones I find super ridiculous and I don't agree with at all (disclaimer, I have not read James Lipton's book, but I would if someone lent it to me), because I love knowledge. And I love information. But it struck me that some people, unaware of my insatiable thirst for information, may judge me as lame or even (god forbid!) super pretentious for reading something like that.
Why is that? Why do we assume to know anything about another person based on what they choose to read in public? How do we know this wasn't something they have to read for a variety of reasons unknown to us?
Another example!: Confession, I have read the entire Twilight series. It was terrible. It was poorly written, the characters were unbelievably uninteresting and selfish and idiotic, and in general the plot is boring and predictable (although the vampire war at the end of the last book was decently badass, and had it been a part of literally any other series I probably would even, dare I say it, admit to having enjoyed it). But the fact of the matter is, I read those books in public. Where everyone could see me. And silently judge me for thinking I am one of them.
But the truth is, I read that whole terrible, terrible series because my younger sister was obsessed at the time, but refused to read Harry Potter, saying it was stupid and could never be as awesome as Twilight. So I made her a deal: that I would read the entire Twilight series if she would agree to read at least the first four Harry Potter books (she did and quickly converted, realizing the error of her Twilight ways).
But no one could have possibly known that! Perhaps I should have written a giant note and taped a giant note to it that said something along the lines of "I'M READING THIS IRONICALLY, DON'T JUDGE ME PLZ!"
I guess the point I'm trying to make is, next time you're sitting on a subway or waiting in line a the supermarket, or passing by someone in the hallway, and you see them reading something ridiculous go ahead and make a judgment -that's your right- but! perhaps keep in the back of your mind the idea that perhaps their interest in this ridiculous doper is not as simple as it might appear.
And, moreover, don't ever feel embarrassed to read anything in public, because only you will know that those people silently judging you are actually being ....
Happy linking!
Lady Erin
(currently reading: Swamplandia! by Karen Russel, The Actor's Freedom by Michael Goldman, and The Ghost Pirates by William Hope Hodgson)
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Zombie Blogs and New Authors
Ahoy and salutations! Lady Aly here with a glimpse of things to come. The future, if you will. The future of literature, the future of the internet....
...and the future includes zombies.
I'm sorry, Alexis, but it's going to happen at some point. And none of us are gonna let you put yourself out of your misery when they come for us. We will fight. Here's why.
One of the things I tend to do on a daily or every-other-daily basis these days is visit Barnes & Noble. I go there before work to wake up, I go after work to decompress, I go to see what's listed on the new literature tables and shelves, I go to see which copies of Neil Gaiman are selling better than others, I go to find new and interesting novels to devour. I'm aware of how creepy all that is. But it's not important right now. I recently discovered a book with a SWEET title and SWEET cover art. Observe.
...and the future includes zombies.
I'm sorry, Alexis, but it's going to happen at some point. And none of us are gonna let you put yourself out of your misery when they come for us. We will fight. Here's why.
One of the things I tend to do on a daily or every-other-daily basis these days is visit Barnes & Noble. I go there before work to wake up, I go after work to decompress, I go to see what's listed on the new literature tables and shelves, I go to see which copies of Neil Gaiman are selling better than others, I go to find new and interesting novels to devour. I'm aware of how creepy all that is. But it's not important right now. I recently discovered a book with a SWEET title and SWEET cover art. Observe.
Allison Hewitt is Trapped. I mean, first of all, she's standing atop a pile of books, possibly wearing Doc Martens, and hefting a SERIOUS axe. (The fact that she's using my name with a different spelling isn't important at all. It's not like I project myself into every heroine I read just to try them on for size or anything. It's not like I imagine playing every heroine I read in a film or TV adaptation of the book. It's not.) The cover art and the title instantly roped me in. Insta-purchase. I knew exactly what it was going to be about and I needed to know how it ended. (Note the use of the word 'need' -- this is a side-effect of good book marketing, okay?)
Author Madeleine Roux is a graduate of Beloit College in my home state of Wisconsin and this book here before you was written originally as a blog. Yes, that's right, a BLOG. Like, a side project. For fun. Here's the original blog for your perusal, but I do highly recommend picking up the actual book. The book itself does keep the blog format for the most part. The general idea is that Allison Hewitt, employee of a local Brooks and Peabody bookstore, is trapped in the break room of said bookstore with her coworkers and a few customers at the time of the 'outbreak' and once she discovers infinite access to the internet thanks to something called the SafetyNet (SNET) she begins blogging through the survival process. Commenters on the blog appear and let Allison know they're not alone, that others have survived, and everyone is just as confused and terrified as they are. Allison's blog posts are relatively frequent, so that her communications of what befalls her and the other survivors are relatively seamless, and let me tell you, the events that unfold are shocking. It starts off with your typical zombie hide-and-seek, run for supplies, search for help kind of ventures, but then things take a turn for the worse. Shit. Gets. Real. Allison Hewitt has to deal with serious shit, but she does it with so much determination it's stunning. It's clear that if anyone is going to survive the Zombiepocalypse, it's Allison Hewitt.
This is one seriously great read. Stayed up all night because I couldn't sleep without knowing what the HELL was going on. It's fast, it's shocking, it's incredibly smart and heartfelt without being sappy (don't know how you could write a sappy zombie novel, though) and the threat of the shuffling, shambling undead seems very real. I applaud Madeleine Roux for her youth, ambition and fucking all-around SKILL at telling this story. I look forward to reading more by this new author.
Moral of the Story: pick up something by an author you don't know. Even if it's just because you like the title or the cover art. Pick up something NEW. And then tell other people about it. Some author out there will love you for it, and it's good karma. Also, I fully expect you to pick up MY book (whatever it is) when it gets published (someday). Good karma, people. Book karma.
Second Moral: get really comfortable with using unusual things as weapons. Just in case.
Lady Aly
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Mr Funny Pants, indeed
So. I walk into a Borders to buy some books of music for an audition I had coming up. If you're curious, keep reading. If not, skip to the second paragraph... I had to assemble an array of POP and ROCK music, for this audition, and I had none. Borders, as we all know, is going out of business, and coincidentally so are my pockets. Perfect match-up. (Though my personal preference would have been to put a bunch of Poprock candies in my mouth, stand there, jaw agape, and motion to the auditors to shut the muck up for a second so they could realize my talent.) But, alas, music books at Borders it was destined to be. ... That felt like a Yoda sentence.
What Destiny! I walked in, and the first table I saw had a big green sign on it marked 30% off Non-Fiction! (Which isn't THAT exciting...but then...) A BUNCH OF BOOKS SENATOR'S MEMOIRS! A MEMOIR ABOUT A GUY WHO HAD A SUPER RELIGIOUS MOM AND A DRUNK DAD IN TEJAS?!?! AAAA....Michael. Showalter. NO. Michael Showalter wrote a memoir?! .... about.... writing.... a ... memoir.
Genius.
Mr. Funny Pants, by Michael Showalter. It was the only copy on the table, and I realized I was glancing around while making the decision to buy it, because I felt like I was depriving someone else of what would surely be a whirlwind of a book.
Duh, I took it. And by ''took'' I mean paid for it like a law-abiding citizen.
If you don't know this, I love Michael Showalter. I think he is absolutely brilliant (intellectually and artistically.) The best way I can describe the kind of humour without making it sound like it's all fart and penis jokes, is that it is like a slight-of-hand trick* --- you're following along on one track, and somehow it's evolved into something else and you're not sure how you got there, and you may be left going "Whaaat the hell?!" but boy, is it great! Even that dumbs it down. It is because of Showalter's intellect that his silly humour is endearing and just makes me downright giggle. If it doesn't make you giggle, then you're probably one of the many folk who write it off as, "This isn't funny. It's just weird." Which is okay! To each his/her/its own.
* I know nothing of Slight-of-Hand tricks, or Magic, or Magik, for that matter.
But you should ask...Will this review be biased? Yes. Do I care? No. Should you? Yes. Probably.
Why on Earth wouldn't you want to read something that'll make you guffaw, snort, even chortle, out loud. Not a question. At 300 pages, filled mostly creative repetitions and turns like the first three chapters entitled, "About the Author," "Aboot the Author (Canadian Version)" and "About Bea Arthur," it is a super fast read.
If you don't like silliness. Don't read this book. If you don't like penis jokes. Don't read this book. If you read things with a monotonous little reader voice in your head. That must be very boring for you, aaaand you probably shouldn't read this book.
Conversely, If you've ever felt like a bit of a nerd or down on yourself, read this book. If you've ever written an angry letter to someone and you've never had the nerve to send it, definitely read this book. And if you love tactful penis jokes, well, you're just awesome.
A little about Mr. Showalter. He's 1/3 of the comedy group STELLA (he's the one in the middle in this clip) and writes screenplays/sketches and also creates/stars in shows that eventually get cancelled (because they're too good...A David Crossim on "good" TV.) He co-wrote and was in Wet Hot American Summer. Also, If you frequent Collegehumour.com, he's got The Michael Showalter Showalter, where he "interviews" celebs.
Mr. Funny Pants deals with the difficult task of writing a memoir. The reason why he's chosen this topic, is because the dude doesn't think he leads enough of an interesting life to just write a straight up non-fiction. So, his approach is to write out everything that comes to his mind. The end product is getting a glimpse inside this self-deprecating, sweater-loving, OCD/anxiety ridden, cat-keeping, quietly raging, comedian's mind through his stream-of-consciousness/associative writing. (Not like super heavy handed, artsy freakin fartsy, stream-of-consciousness...that'd kill it.)
Though this description can make any ''Memoir" seem Seinfeldian, between the silliness in Mr. Funny Pants, the reader is given information on Showalter's recollection of his past; the OCD is real, and there are sections about memories of his childhood, awkward adolescence, failed relationships, the desire to always belong, and how he didn't fully outgrow that in his adulthood.
It is satirical in the way that it is poking fun at "Memoirs" in general. (That is to say, even Didion and Eggers use their creative licences, so no memoir is 100% fact.) Often Showalter demonstrates this by blatantly exaggerating real-life occurrences, or capturing a certain feeling then digressing completely. Both approaches are equally engaging and hilarious.
So pick it up. Or just go to Borders and find something else you want to read, because I think it all has to go by April.
NEXT UP: SWAMPLANDIA! By Karen Russel
OK, bye!
-Lady Atra
What Destiny! I walked in, and the first table I saw had a big green sign on it marked 30% off Non-Fiction! (Which isn't THAT exciting...but then...) A BUNCH OF BOOKS SENATOR'S MEMOIRS! A MEMOIR ABOUT A GUY WHO HAD A SUPER RELIGIOUS MOM AND A DRUNK DAD IN TEJAS?!?! AAAA....Michael. Showalter. NO. Michael Showalter wrote a memoir?! .... about.... writing.... a ... memoir.
Genius.
Mr. Funny Pants, by Michael Showalter. It was the only copy on the table, and I realized I was glancing around while making the decision to buy it, because I felt like I was depriving someone else of what would surely be a whirlwind of a book.
Duh, I took it. And by ''took'' I mean paid for it like a law-abiding citizen.
If you don't know this, I love Michael Showalter. I think he is absolutely brilliant (intellectually and artistically.) The best way I can describe the kind of humour without making it sound like it's all fart and penis jokes, is that it is like a slight-of-hand trick* --- you're following along on one track, and somehow it's evolved into something else and you're not sure how you got there, and you may be left going "Whaaat the hell?!" but boy, is it great! Even that dumbs it down. It is because of Showalter's intellect that his silly humour is endearing and just makes me downright giggle. If it doesn't make you giggle, then you're probably one of the many folk who write it off as, "This isn't funny. It's just weird." Which is okay! To each his/her/its own.
* I know nothing of Slight-of-Hand tricks, or Magic, or Magik, for that matter.
But you should ask...Will this review be biased? Yes. Do I care? No. Should you? Yes. Probably.
Why on Earth wouldn't you want to read something that'll make you guffaw, snort, even chortle, out loud. Not a question. At 300 pages, filled mostly creative repetitions and turns like the first three chapters entitled, "About the Author," "Aboot the Author (Canadian Version)" and "About Bea Arthur," it is a super fast read.
If you don't like silliness. Don't read this book. If you don't like penis jokes. Don't read this book. If you read things with a monotonous little reader voice in your head. That must be very boring for you, aaaand you probably shouldn't read this book.
Conversely, If you've ever felt like a bit of a nerd or down on yourself, read this book. If you've ever written an angry letter to someone and you've never had the nerve to send it, definitely read this book. And if you love tactful penis jokes, well, you're just awesome.
A little about Mr. Showalter. He's 1/3 of the comedy group STELLA (he's the one in the middle in this clip) and writes screenplays/sketches and also creates/stars in shows that eventually get cancelled (because they're too good...A David Crossim on "good" TV.) He co-wrote and was in Wet Hot American Summer. Also, If you frequent Collegehumour.com, he's got The Michael Showalter Showalter, where he "interviews" celebs.
Mr. Funny Pants deals with the difficult task of writing a memoir. The reason why he's chosen this topic, is because the dude doesn't think he leads enough of an interesting life to just write a straight up non-fiction. So, his approach is to write out everything that comes to his mind. The end product is getting a glimpse inside this self-deprecating, sweater-loving, OCD/anxiety ridden, cat-keeping, quietly raging, comedian's mind through his stream-of-consciousness/associative writing. (Not like super heavy handed, artsy freakin fartsy, stream-of-consciousness...that'd kill it.)
Though this description can make any ''Memoir" seem Seinfeldian, between the silliness in Mr. Funny Pants, the reader is given information on Showalter's recollection of his past; the OCD is real, and there are sections about memories of his childhood, awkward adolescence, failed relationships, the desire to always belong, and how he didn't fully outgrow that in his adulthood.
It is satirical in the way that it is poking fun at "Memoirs" in general. (That is to say, even Didion and Eggers use their creative licences, so no memoir is 100% fact.) Often Showalter demonstrates this by blatantly exaggerating real-life occurrences, or capturing a certain feeling then digressing completely. Both approaches are equally engaging and hilarious.
So pick it up. Or just go to Borders and find something else you want to read, because I think it all has to go by April.
NEXT UP: SWAMPLANDIA! By Karen Russel
OK, bye!
-Lady Atra
Brain Splurge
I am facing a crisis. I am reading approximately 1,000 books right now and don't know how to finish any of them. I have this problem where I like reading so much that I think I can read everything all at once. This is a problem because, well, it's impossible. Especially with the "required reading" that comes with college. Fact: I would like to read Vanity Fair. New Fact Number One: Not gonna happen in two weeks. New Fact Number Two: I WANT TO READ WHAT I WANT TO READ!!...get me out of college.
I also have another problem where I love books so much that I buy them in bulk. If I walk out of a bookstore without a purchase I have just exhibited extreme self control and deserve a book as a reward! I just got back from New York where I obviously went to Strand Book Store...twice. Don't look at me with your judging eyes!18 miles of books = me in bliss. And I visited a lovely little book store named Shakespeare & Co. (how could I not!!). I controlled my massive book spending boner (gross?) and only bought five books. A Single Man, Of Mistresses, Tigresses and Other Conquests, Nothing: A Very Short Introduction, Shakespeare: A Very Short Introduction and some book that I can't even think of right now. The cover looked neat and the back sounded interesting...short stories concerning cake? Meh.
So because of my crazy desire to read everything ever written all at once I have resigned my self to reading short things that I can read quickly and stressing about all the other things I "should" be reading. Ugh! Why am I so stressed about reading. Also I should be doing homework right now....BUT I digress.
I just finished reading the play Proof by Chicago native (I think...too lazy to look it up) David Auburn and the first book in the Sally Lockhart Mysteries by Phillip Pullman - God among authors (weird because he hates God). Anyways they were both fantastic.
Proof makes me want to be a mathematician and makes me hate myself a little for not having done math in four years. And now Catherine in that play is on my short list of "want to play" (not so short a list...). Also as my good friend Torie pointed out Hal is hot. (There is clearly more to this play that the previous statements, but my brain is melting so deal with it. I gave you a link!)
The Sally Lockhart mystery: A Ruby in the Smoke was very clever, set in England in the Victorian period, written for young adults, wonderful and readable in a day. I subsequently ordered the whole series and will, theoretically, write a whole blog dedicated to all of them...and the Billie Piper miniseries.
While in New York I started A Single Man (even though I brought 5 other books) which is so beautifully written that it blows my mind!! I will defiantly write a blog (that is well thought out and not a brain splurge) about it, but do yourself a favor and just go fucking read it. The two opening paragraphs are heart breaking. And then I started Nothing: A Very Short Introduction which is also blowing my mind in a scientific, I have to read everything twice, why am I not a scientist, so interesting, why do I have to read Vanity Fair instead of this kind of a way! I am literally 20 pages in and I have had to reread every section - it has taken me an hour to read 20 pages! SCIENCE!
Bleh. So there is my weird book rant. Hopefully I will be able to post something more "substantial" in the near future.
Currently Reading: Oh Gods just kill me already.
Disclamer: I don't actually hate Vanity Fair. In fact it is quite good. I just hate reading on someone elses schedule and then having to prove that I read it....it was suppose to be read two weeks ago. :/ If you see me give me a hug...or a kiss ;-) to make me feel better.
seeyakthaxbyefuck
Lady Alexis
I also have another problem where I love books so much that I buy them in bulk. If I walk out of a bookstore without a purchase I have just exhibited extreme self control and deserve a book as a reward! I just got back from New York where I obviously went to Strand Book Store...twice. Don't look at me with your judging eyes!18 miles of books = me in bliss. And I visited a lovely little book store named Shakespeare & Co. (how could I not!!). I controlled my massive book spending boner (gross?) and only bought five books. A Single Man, Of Mistresses, Tigresses and Other Conquests, Nothing: A Very Short Introduction, Shakespeare: A Very Short Introduction and some book that I can't even think of right now. The cover looked neat and the back sounded interesting...short stories concerning cake? Meh.
So because of my crazy desire to read everything ever written all at once I have resigned my self to reading short things that I can read quickly and stressing about all the other things I "should" be reading. Ugh! Why am I so stressed about reading. Also I should be doing homework right now....BUT I digress.
I just finished reading the play Proof by Chicago native (I think...too lazy to look it up) David Auburn and the first book in the Sally Lockhart Mysteries by Phillip Pullman - God among authors (weird because he hates God). Anyways they were both fantastic.
Proof makes me want to be a mathematician and makes me hate myself a little for not having done math in four years. And now Catherine in that play is on my short list of "want to play" (not so short a list...). Also as my good friend Torie pointed out Hal is hot. (There is clearly more to this play that the previous statements, but my brain is melting so deal with it. I gave you a link!)
The Sally Lockhart mystery: A Ruby in the Smoke was very clever, set in England in the Victorian period, written for young adults, wonderful and readable in a day. I subsequently ordered the whole series and will, theoretically, write a whole blog dedicated to all of them...and the Billie Piper miniseries.
While in New York I started A Single Man (even though I brought 5 other books) which is so beautifully written that it blows my mind!! I will defiantly write a blog (that is well thought out and not a brain splurge) about it, but do yourself a favor and just go fucking read it. The two opening paragraphs are heart breaking. And then I started Nothing: A Very Short Introduction which is also blowing my mind in a scientific, I have to read everything twice, why am I not a scientist, so interesting, why do I have to read Vanity Fair instead of this kind of a way! I am literally 20 pages in and I have had to reread every section - it has taken me an hour to read 20 pages! SCIENCE!
Bleh. So there is my weird book rant. Hopefully I will be able to post something more "substantial" in the near future.
Currently Reading: Oh Gods just kill me already.
Disclamer: I don't actually hate Vanity Fair. In fact it is quite good. I just hate reading on someone elses schedule and then having to prove that I read it....it was suppose to be read two weeks ago. :/ If you see me give me a hug...or a kiss ;-) to make me feel better.
seeyakthaxbyefuck
Lady Alexis
Friday, March 4, 2011
Sweet Tweets
We now have a twitter account. Follow us @LaaaadiesnBooks for all your Lady Book lovin' needs. In addition to links to our new reviews expect fun book articles we find on the interwebs and retweets by our favorite authors!!
In addition to following @LaaaadiesnBooks you can find and follow your Ladies solo.Check out...
Lady Aly @dreamstobecome
Lady Erin @ErngenC
Lady Emily @EmilyJBates
Lady Elise @elisevictoria
Lady Alexis @Nerdgirl28
(Sorry no Lady Atra on twitter.)
Hope you have as much fun with our steamy background as we do....;)
In addition to following @LaaaadiesnBooks you can find and follow your Ladies solo.Check out...
Lady Aly @dreamstobecome
Lady Erin @ErngenC
Lady Emily @EmilyJBates
Lady Elise @elisevictoria
Lady Alexis @Nerdgirl28
(Sorry no Lady Atra on twitter.)
Hope you have as much fun with our steamy background as we do....;)
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