Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man by Tim Allen

Much like his standup routine (I saw it in May of 2010) Allen's writing tends to bounce around and dabble in areas, providing us glimpses but little true depth. Did I laugh? Outloud, several times. Did I feel better for having read it? Not in the least. I think I took nothing from this book but levity for whatever hours it took to complete it.
There's no shame in that.

God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert

This was the 4th installment in the Dune series and it truly demonstrated the magnitude of this opus. Following a period of time around the end of Leto II's life after we skip millenia of his transformation into a sandworm. He has descendants that play integral parts in this chapter as does his 20th or so rendition of Duncan Idaho.
This segment of the whole story was well crafted, not as much so as perhaps the first book and maybe the second were, and, although referenced the preceding novels, stood well on it's own merits.
I am already half way through the next of the series and look forward to seeing where the Dune saga will end.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

This was a reread from about a decade back. A friend caught me with the book and asked if I was in 7th grade. Some ploys used in this book to lend themselves to that demographic but all in all it is a solid piece of literature. The characters are strong and we feel for them. I do like being shown the world of the future as well. imagining how we will battle and train for it, the control and expertise we will have on how leaders are molded, the way civilization will bloom. Card crafted one great novel in his first try.

Revolution by Ron Paul

I have been reading a number of books concurrently and finished two at nearly the same time. Perhaps is was coincidental, perhaps not, but this thesis of American Politics hit on so many themes that were present in the biography of Thomas Jefferson I was simultaneously reading, it felt a little preordained.

I like Ron Paul. I didn't know enough about him before to know why I liked him. Now I can say I like and respect him. The way his laid out his philosophies in this book was brilliant. Problem, reason, solution, consequence. Pretty clear cut and makes reading a delight. Chapters are, for the most part, independent and stand alone. I already know I will pick this book up again in the future to look back at his philosophy in health care, or America as a world empire. Although I am happy that Barack Obama was elected president, I would have voted differently if I had read this book pre-election. Such a competent, laid out plan, with a real understanding of economics and what our founding fathers knew so plainly.

I recommend this book to anyone who has problems with our government and, even more so, to those who are content with it.

American Sphinx by Joseph Ellis

This is a National Book Award winner. Was it worthy? Probably. Did I like it? Not so much.

American Sphinx gives us a journey through Thomas Jefferson's life. We skip past the childhood and really get into his life around the time he first becomes political. In a truer sense, this book is an analysis of the service Jefferson gave to this country and how, although remarkable, some of his actions and points of view were less socially responsible than we remember.

To start off I want to say that I knew very little about Jefferson before reading this book. I now have a breadth of knowledge as to his actions, consequences and, arguably, his sentiments.

On the flip side of the coin, I don't like the way this book is written. It did not bother me so much in the first chapters but once I figured out what was irking me about the writing style I could not overlook it. It felt like I was ready the research project of a college sophomore, complete with all the swagger only such a writer can muster when attempting to pull the rug out on centuries of historians with minimal references to justify their doing so. Ellis does seem to have done his reading in hundreds of personal correspondence to and from this founder of our nation but, even so, many of his arguments feel forced and unsubstantiated. We are all human and we may all write things at one time or another that are not representative of our true feelings, or even if they are accurate at the moment, may be contrary to what we have felt or will feel in the future.

In this book I would have liked to see less arrogance in 'discoveries' and more of a sense of alluding to possibilities.

Lisey's Story by Stephen King

I have gone years without reading Stephen King even though I was raised on him. My great aunt used to pick up copies of his paperback novels for a quarter at a consignment shop and send them to me when I was 10-14 and I inhaled everything I could. Perhaps this burned me out in regards to his writing. Regardless, I have read two of his books in the past few months and it feels good to be back in such capable hands. The short stories were great and this novel, Lisey's Story, although started years ago and set aside until now, was refreshing.

King has such a way with transporting the reader to a world that could, seemingly, never exist and he does so in a way that makes it seem like it should exist. So vivid and through, nibbling on the perfect details to round out the created environment for all senses.

This story creates and transports the reader to a different world perhaps more than any other he has written.
And I am happy for it. Boo'ya Moon was a creepy AND awe-inspiring place.

American Lion by Jon Meacham

American Lion is a look at our 7th President, Andrew Jackson, primarily in and surrounding the White House.

Before reading this book I knew just a little about Andrew Jackson. I was turned on to him by some friends who were raving about what a great president he had been. He had effectively destroyed the Second bank of the United States, an entity that truly had been manipulating the government through bribery and selective banking. He was the first president to suffer an attempted assassination (twice) and, in one instance, chased after his would-be assailant. I was mostly unaware of the exploits of Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans; a battle whose anniversary was celebrated for decades, or his tragic treatment of Native Americans and the pre-agreed upon treaties they possessed.

American Lion was not a one-sided take of Andrew Jackson. It fairly showed his positive and negative aspects attempting to sway the reader only in sporadic occasions.

This book would be a great read for someone who wants to know about the political times of the 1820’s and 1830’s with just a superficial report of the rest of Jackson’s life. Of nearly 400 pages, the majority, are focused on the years in the White House. The remaining 100 pages give you a feeling of what other events in Jackson’s life on which you may want to read further but that is about as deep as it goes.

In addition to peaking my interest in the Battle of New Orleans, the Trail of Tears, and Jackson’s exploits as a duelist, I am now deeply interested in learning more about Henry Clay and Calhoun (two other would be presidential hopefuls of the era) and the signs of Jackson’s lasting influence in the political sphere.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Pop Culture has always provided easy to interpret references making it clear that there were issues of pederasty broached in this novel. Like many other ‘classics’, I knew very little about Lolita other than it contained a young girl, an older man and one party or the other was responsible for a very taboo seduction. When a copy of this novel appeared within my grasp I jumped at the opportunity to delve in and reveal some of the mysteries clouding my understanding of the all-permeating references.
First and foremost, I love the manner in which this story is told. We are drawn in, thinking we are about to read a very controversial autobiography and the first person narrative maintains this confession feeling throughout. We truly feel that the curtain is pulled aside and we are free to feel even more strongly about our lead characters because of this intimacy.
Humbert Humbert (a pseudonym used by our imaginary autobiographer) has always had a compulsion for nymphs. He considers these 9-14 year old girls of the most lithe and immature limb to be the ultimate aphrodisiac. He spends fruitless years seeking solace apart from and within this desire to no avail.
Any website can give a descriptive summary of the story if that is what my reader seeks but I would just like to comment of the few items which I most appreciated from this work. Nabokov is a brilliant writer. In the Epilogue he claims that he writes best in Russian and feels restricted in English but, all the same, he shows such a complete and utter mastery of the English language that reading this novel is sipping a fine, complex wine. Surface layers are tasty and satisfying, with little, beautifully crafted surprises popping occasionally to the surface. More than his immense vocabulary and articulate style, his French is perfectly sewn throughout, giving the reader a true feel for our narrator and his educated and poetic form of expression.

I love a book that uses other languages without pausing to translate. Even in the instances that I did not understand I enjoyed the use of unsimplified French to such a degree that it matters not what I missed because of my ignorance.

I picked up this Novel 4 days ago and whipped through it’s 300 plus pages always regretting when I would have to set it down to continue with other parts of life. What could be better than a book that takes you so fiercely?

I understand that this a classic because of the unique form of narrative but this story stands on it’s own merits as well. It is a shock to me that I haven’t heard of other Nabokov Novels being read as classics.

Death Valley in ’49 by William Lewis Manly.

A surprisingly eloquent take of pioneer travel during the Gold Rush of 1849. Williams Lewis Manly is not a greatly educated man but he provides a more than capable account of his experiences and those collectively shared by his party as they traveled from the Midwest through Death Valley into California over the winter of 1849-50.

Manly reads and, truly seems to have been, as a tremendously modest and morally upstanding gentlemen. In an era that will forever be shrouded in tales of wild outlaws and Indian massacres, Manly provides and describes a far more civil and humanely obligated take of the times.

This book is really more of an autobiography as it takes us through Manly’s entire life; from boyhood to old age. However, the reason I picked up this book, and the real reason it was published, is the account of Manly’s party dragging themselves through Death Valley, having more brushes with death that can be counted and, coming out better for the suffering on the other end.

This tale resonates particularly well with me as I as a wrestler in High School. There were days when I had been without water for up to 72 hours while working out vigorously. I have lied down in bed and prayed that my suffering would be over soon. Having been through such a degree of dehydration I can empathize with some of the feelings this party shared. Having never been in a situation of not knowing if I would be able to find water or food enough to survive I am not completely able to grasp the emotions that would be involved with certain parts of their journey. Manly seems to know that we would not fully grasp this experience as he states many times: ‘words cannot fully describe the depths of our misery’. He plainly accepts that we will have to transport ourselves to such a time and place as no words would ever fully convey the magnitude of such a hardship.

Death Valley in ’49 is a wonderful take on humanity and a quick read for its content and length. You will feel transported and invigorated to explore and have your own go at wilderness.

The Last Living Slut by Roxana Shirazi

'The Last Living Slut, born in Tehran, raised backstage' was a curious read for me. On the one hand it was completely and utterly what it sells itself to be; a parade of debauchery and pornographic description of pornographic experiences. This book is most certainly NOT about the plot as it is about the storytelling.

Admittedly, when a book steps out and actually describes sex accurately and avoids the typical trashy romance novel metaphors, it's going to be hot. This collection of stories lives up to that descriptor with ease. Its hard to read it and keep your body temperature down.

If I were to make a complaint, it would be that I feel deceived, albeit, unintentionally. When this book was being assembled I am sure it started as a serious of rock band bangs, eventually someone; an editor or publisher, must have decided they wanted more substance. That, in my best guess, is where the 'love and my country' theme comes in. It feels forced and it doesn't live up to what I've come to expect from a through line: consistent, relevant and full circle with a message. In 'The Last Living Slut' the theme feels fabricated, insincere and cliche.

This is not an academic read but for those of us who saw Snakes on a Plane, this book will satisfy to the same extent. You get exactly what you were expecting.

Just Before Sunset by Stephen King

Stephen King was arguably the first author to grab and maintain my readership. My Mother's aunt used to pick up everything by Stephen King at a thrift store and send them my way. Thanks to JoAnn I am an avid reader today and, in particular, a King fanatic. There are very few of this books that I have not read and even less that I have not loved. He has a way of writing that removes any kind of destination or final goal from the mind. Every moment spent reading him is a well spent moment regardless of how the story concludes.

This book is a group of short stories. Some are just pages, others are nearly 50. All of them are inspired by one, stranger than normal, idea that I'm sure he could have developed into a full novel if he so chose. The stories that drew me in most were 'The Cat from Hell' and 'Betsy' (whatever the last one was called) I defy anyone to try reading the last story while eating. I've been digging into some heavy non fiction in addition to training and working a new job over the past month so these morsels of realistic fantasy were just the dose of fiction i needed to maintain my sanity.

Off to heavier reading.

WLT 'A Radio Romance' by Garrison Keillor

This book was an absolute pleasure. Light, fun, well constructed to help jokes pay off, this novel tells the story of a radio station. Nay, not just A radio station, but THE radio station. WLT, started to advertise for the Soderberg family restaurant, becomes their main source of revenue. In this story we are carried along from it's inception through it's demise and along the way we meet quite the cast of characters. From the ladies man gospel singer, to the aura reading actress turned writer of 6 shows daily, to our lead, Francis With, who becomes Frank White, something of a Walter Kronkite figure.

We have already met the majority of the WLT family when we are introduced to Frank and we see them both develop in tandem with WLT eventually becoming a first 'home' for the newscaster to be.

Told in the typical Keillor style, we catch just enough of Ole and Lena jokes to glean the whole picture and we see our characters in all their glory and their flaws stand out in the most hilarious of ways.

My only dig is how this book wraps up. We are thrown 40 years into the future, given allusions of poor character choices that all seem ungrounded but we never get concrete answers and we are left guessing about our main character's integrity. Well, a book has to end somewhere and I suppose this choice was not the worst I've read.

It was a delightful read, I can't wait to bump into another Garrison Keillor book and I do intend to tell people about how great a read it was.

The Red Fox by Anthony Hyde

I love 'faction'. David McCullough and Gore Vidal write some of my favorite books. The red fox would probably not be considered actual faction but it referenced actual historical events enough to spark my intrigue, and filled in the gaps enough to feel like an educational read.
Set in the early 80's and revolving around the declining Communist Russia, The Red Fox follows Robert Thorne, a journalist/novelist with an extensive background in Russia. Thorne finds himself entwined in a mystery unfolding when he comes to aid May Brightman, his former fiance and lifelong friend.

As the plot thickens we learn about May's father and his ties to the early communists of Russia. Naturally, the mystery boils down to money, as all except 'The DaVinci Code' must. We are drawn to believe that May is of famous descent and perhaps she is. We have all heard of Anastasia but this book finally got me to read up about her. Did you remember the theories of her 'disappearance'? Perhaps she had escaped the executions of the royal family? Recent studies would seem to say no, but in the early 80's it was widely accepted.

The story walked a fine line of fluffy and smart. I was drawn in enough to read the novel in a week but at the same time there were very few moments that I thought to myself, 'Oh for stupid'.

I won't actively seek another Hyde novel but if it falls in my lap I will give it a gander.

Skin Tight by Carl Hiaasen

What a fine Finnish name!

I just finished reading this novel. It was what the aqua and orange cover led me to believe it was, fluffy.
Just what I needed as I'm also reading a book analyzing the benefits and shortcomings of higher education in the U.S.

Based upon numerous allusions, it would seem 'Skin Tight' follows a character that runs an entire series by Hiassen. Stranahan is a bad ass who has zero qualms with taking justice into his own hands. This story deals in the world of plastic surgery, exposing some of the flaws, pointing out some of the irrational reasonings, and giving us a villian who has swindled, manipulated and, even, killed to get to his place in the community and to hold his place there.

I enjoyed how quickly I zoomed through this book, but I also appreciated how some of the issues broached resonated with me. There was a character who wanted to fix everything about her body even though, according to two other characters, she was physical perfection. Don't we all see the places for improvement blocking the beauty we contain?

I know I can list off all the problems I'd like to fix with my physique, alphabetically if you like. This book would push me to err on the side of caution. Perhaps it's all my perception of myself? Perhaps I'm perfect the way I am? Now I know that's not the case but still....one man's love handles are another man's treasure.

I will read more Hiaasen next time I need break from the academic.

Sharpe's Triumph by Bernard Cornwell

This book is the second installment of Mr. Cornwell's Sharpe series.

It was lent to me by very eager hands, assuming i would find it to be just as enthralling as he did.

I did not.

Don't get me wrong, the book was fun. The characters were quite fleshed out and the storyline is meant to follow actual historical figures and events but something was still missing. It felt a little too forced.

The character of Sharpe is the everyman who gets lucky. Of course luck is where preparation meets opportunity. He is a very innately capable soldier and is given the chance to prove it in precarious situations.

I guess this character felt a bit like me. I just can't wait to be put in situations to which I'm unfamiliar just so I can show how adept I am at reacting and adapting. Perhaps the same is true for all actors......

I will probably not continue reading this series but I am glad to have reached out and touched a piece of Mr. Cornwell's literature. I can enter a conversation about his writing if the opportunity arises.

furthermore, I can continue to be the Sharpe of LA. Ready without preparation, able to impress, every pressing onward.

"Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

I think I will try to write a quick reflection after each book I read. Yesterday I finished 'Into Thin Air' by Jon Krakauer. First I would like to comment on how disturbing this book was. The idea that a man can be covered with ice, in the elements (100 below with the wind chill) for an entire night, wake from the haze lift himself from the ground, find camp and just keep the body alive is awe-inspiring. The story of two, talented, capable climbers slowly losing their life to the elements is heartbreaking. Although I have never been in that kind of physical distress, I just can't fathom having the capacity to make the climb but not doing it because of environmental difficulties, physical handicaps, and moral dilemmas. Wow. If nothing else, it makes me crave doing something that few others are able to do. To read about how difficult the climb up Everest is, combined with how difficult normal functions are in the oxygen depleted air, only makes me more certain that I could make the climb. I have always had an indomitable self control. From going 3 days without water to make weight for wrestling, to running 2nd place in the mountain run at the men's retreat. When I get my head in the competitive place I can accomplish anything. I need to utilize these talents towards my career. Everyone is running ahead of me, passing me....It's time to put the hammer down and gain some ground. In 5 years I want to be able to look over my shoulder and see specs on the horizon.

Conan and Leno

I, for one, am THRILLED at the recent crash of NBC's late night lineup. First of all, did Leno get greedy? What other reason would explain his willingness to leave the Tonight show, only to immediately, start his own show. Hmmmm....I guess NBC thought they could simply clone the audience of The Tonight Show for a 10pm slot and save themselves millions of dollars by putting up an inexpensive talk show for 5 weekly hours of primetime television. I haven't watched a single minute of the Jay Leno Show, not because I don't like him but because he's taking away the livelihood of numerous writers, actors, crew members and American capital. We want great television. We want intriguing stories. Let's face it, when film and television are basically our only major export, we want to CREATE! So tuck your tail NBC. America, so it seems, has spoken. We will not pander to what you tell us to watch! Instead, people have continued tuning into primetime drama's like 'The Good Wife' showing NBC that if they want a chance at the 10 pm hour they better show us the money.

James P Connolly is The Alien Warrior

Not that anyone might care, nor that those who care would even find this lowly blog, but I hereby declare that Comedian James P Connolly is also Comedian The Alien Warrior. I saw The Alien Warrior perform at the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Universal City Walk. (A lovely venue and the host was my buddy Joe D. A great guy!) Sometime later I heard that same, easily recognizable voice on the XM comedy channel. Sure enough, it was not listed as The Alien Warrior but, instead, as James P Connolly!

There you have it! Seems I was the first to notice it and bring it to the light of day. Although, I'd be pretty shocked if many on the comedy circuit aren't already very well aware of this fact.