Books I shouldn't read

Some books should not be read, most importantly from me.

Two Kisses for Maddy : A Memoir of Loss & Love
by Matthew Logelin

Maddy's mom dies after she is born, before even
holding her daughter. Maddy's birthday will forever fall on the day before the anniversary of her mothers death. There was no reason for me to read this book. I am off sadness...and vodka. No more sadness and vodka for me.

Reasons it was ok:
Matt is a great dad. And he is funny. This most terrible thing happens to him, but it is comforting to know Maddy will grow up with him for a dad, learning about rock and roll and star wars.

Matt swears often. I especially liked his anger at people who say stupid shit. Such as tickling his daughter's feet and then looking concerned at asking dad "Where's mommy?" or "How fun, Daddy's babysitting." At one point he just looks someone in the eye and replies, "Nope, my wife fucking died."


The Vow : The True Events That Inspired the Movie by Kim Carpenter, Krickitt Carpenter, Dana Wilkerson

I am trying to read one book from every section in BAM. The Christian Living book I chose was The Vow, figuring it was on the paperback bestseller list and was made into a movie, how bad could it be. Real bad is the answer. The faith seemed forced and the writing could have been a lot better. It was also pretty critical of medical personal who were doing their job, which led to Krickitt's recovery. Medical treatment saved her life.

Reasons it was not the most awful thing I've ever read.
The writing was poor but it was readable.
Nobody died.
It took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to read.
I didn't have to buy it.
Now I can reference a book I have actually read from the Christian Living section.

Wishful Drinking

I first watched Star Wars in 6th grade, home sick from school. I was with my dad and we watched all three original episodes. Then I watched them again the next day. Princess Leia was beautiful and strong. She was mouthy and regal and didn't look like a barbie. Her memoirs were as delightful. In Wishful Drinking and Shockaholic, Carrie Fisher tells us about her life, as much as she can remember. Electroshock therapy as well as more than a few bad habits have eroded some of her memories, but she lays those that remain out bare for the delight of her readers. Despite all her flaws, you can feel the love she has in her daughter and the joy she takes from their life together.
My favorite quote
"Let's recap: Eddie and Debbie have me. I grow up, sort of, and I marry Paul Simon. Now Paul is a short, Jewish singer. Eddie Fisher is a short, Jewish singer. My mother makes a blueprint, and I follow it to the letter."
I wish Paul Simon would notice how I brush the hair from my forehead.
Incidentally, my sister, a 6th grader, is home sick today, and I get to be here with her. We are watching Lord of the Rings, my other favorite epic. Although Arwen is hardly mouthy enough, and looks far too much like a barbie. Give me Carrie Fisher in a gold bikini!

Shockaholic and Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher *******

Harry Potter and Philosophy

I lead a young adult philosophy discussion group on Sunday morning for the Unitarian Universalists. It's mostly two teenage girls who have going to UU fellowship their whole lives, sometimes a friend of theirs, my teenage sister, sometimes my pre-teen sister, and myself. The UU's give me 30 dollars a week for this and the younger kids group during the service. Anyway, I found a book called The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy : Hogwarts for Muggles by Gregory Bassham at BAM, so I checked it out, read it, and then used it for discussion with my teens.
One of my favorite discussions we had were regarding patriotism and whether or not it is a virtue. At first the girls were on the side of no, but after some discussion there was some wavering. Patriotism is essentially the belief that you are better than others for something that neither person has any control over. What about Hogwarts though? Harry and Co. are patriotic Griffindors? Is that not virtuous? We concluded that Patriotism could be a virtue, as long as it doesn't infringe on other peoples rights. It can be virtuous to be patriotic and work for the betterment of your country or community, however all beings have the same inherent worth no matter what country or community they hail from.
It was also interesting to discuss a chapter of the book that dealt with J K Rowling's statement regarding Dumbledore's homosexuality.

<<<<"The question was: Did Dumbledore, who believed in the prevailing power of love, ever fall in love himself?

JKR: My truthful answer to you... I always thought of Dumbledore as gay. [ovation.] ... Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald, and that that added to his horror when Grindelwald showed himself to be what he was. To an extent, do we say it excused Dumbledore a little more because falling in love can blind us to an extent? But, he met someone as brilliant as he was, and rather like Bellatrix he was very drawn to this brilliant person, and horribly, terribly let down by him. Yeah, that's how i always saw Dumbledore. In fact, recently I was in a script read through for the sixth film, and they had Dumbledore saying a line to Harry early in the script saying I knew a girl once, whose hair... [laughter]. I had to write a little note in the margin and slide it along to the scriptwriter, "Dumbledore's gay!" [laughter] "If I'd known it would make you so happy, I would have announced it years ago!">>>>

The book describes the 3 primary reactions people had after Rowling made this announcement. People were either overjoyed to have the a character so complex and respected be gay, or furious about Rowling having a "secret gay agenda." The third reaction was less obvious and much more surprising. People disputed Rowling's right to make such an announcement. As she had ended the series, she had lost the right to make additions or amends and was taking away the readers' ownership of characters that they had all made their own interpretations of. At what point does a creative piece cease to belong solely to the creator? Does it ever? Once it is shared with an audience? Is everyone's Dumbledore gay because Rowling's Dumbledore is gay?

These girls are such bright engaging young women and I love our time together. They give me hope for the world.

The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy : Hogwarts for Muggles by Gregory Bassham ********

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns) *****/10
by Mindy Kaling

I knew off Mindy Kaling as the cute, funny girl from The Office. Her book confirmed that she is both cute and funny. I would have liked this book better if I had not read it so close to Tina Fey's Bossypants. It simply was not as funny. Also, Mindy Kaling is not fat, and while she never calls herself fat, she does refer to her body type as chubby, and spend a fair amount of time talking about body types in general. I hate when celebrities do this. It is supposed to a funny, self-deprecating thing to do for the famous who are not scarry thin, and sometimes for those who are, to talk about that they are curvy and proud, or could stand to lose a few, or can eat like a trucker... I suppose there are some that might take comfort in that fact that even famous people have body issues, but I feel vapid enough when I think about my own body issues (I have lost a fair amount of weight (50lbs!) since returning from the Peace Corps, but my nail beds still suck.) and just ridiculous when I spend time giving attention to a celebrity worrying about it. I may as well go buy a Cosmo and write to Mary-Kate for diet advise.
Favorite Part: The pictures of her as a child and the title. In the past I did often worry, and sometimes still do, that everyone is hanging out without me. Then I remember that it is cold outside and I have a heated throw and I like sleeping and who is everyone anyway?

I had a customer ask me to pick out a novel for her and she would buy it. Excited, I returned with The Thirteenth Tale ********* by Diane Setterfield , Her Fearful Symmetry ****** by Audrey Niffenegger , and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ******* by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.

She bought all three.

love, C

I like books

Many people do. We get all sorts at BAM, from the little old lady requesting Ann Coulter's new book of hate, making me feel like Satan's messenger girl going to fetch it, to the mute who loves Manga. I am really enjoying my new job as the Merchandising Specialist and it is a little more like a real job and a little closer to some long term goals than any other job I have done, barring the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps was a little less like a job and more of an extreme heart-wrenching, soul-enriching, body-freezing, tent-living, cat-obsessed comedy of errors. Bam is not like that. It is a job that I like for the most part and then go home at the end of the day. Go home at the end of a day with a book! Employees can check out one book at a time to be returned within two weeks in sell-able condition. So that's what I do, work at a bookstore, read books, and now blog about books. Sometimes I also vacuum, act, and attend concerts and sporting events involving my younger sisters. Oh, and coffee...

------ coffee break ---------

Dark Canyon Snickerdoodle with a little cream and vanilla syrup balancing precariously on my $2.99 yellow plastic lap desk from Hobby Lobby and I am ready to continue. Coffee is so good.

Bossypants ********
by Tina Fey

My first Bam check out was recommended to me first by Miss Camber Carpenter, or C-squared, and I like to do everything Camber tell me to do. I haven't laughed so hard at a book since I read the Georgia Nicholson books in high school. That Tina Fey is funny. I can't ever love her as much as I feel I should however, because of Studio 60. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was a under-rated show by Aaron Sorkin that unfortunately for both shows, premiered the same season as 30 Rock. Both shows' premise is essentially the making of a sketch comedy show. 30 Rock is very funny, Studio 60 is more of a dramedy, also very funny, but is about funny people who are serious about comedy and the real problems in their lives. BTW, Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing is about serious people who are funny. Both shows lost, Studio 60 lasted one season and 30 Rock holds the blame of many fans. So, despite my loyalty to Mr. Sorkin, Tina Fey is a funny gal. I was appearing as Miss Carter, the shrew-ish bank examiner in It's A Wonderful Life with the Black Hills Community Theatre. I was shushed a few times for giggling backstage at Bossypants, which is ironic considering I was dressed a little like a lady Nazi.
Favorite: When Tina Fey gives evidence of how awful she is, especially at the relatives for holidays.