A Book in Review: The End is Now

The End is Now By: Rob Stennett
Fiction: religion, humor 329 pages
Book Count: 36

The small town of Goodland Kansas has been chosen to be the test market for the rapture and a small boy is the end times prophet. This is the premise of this unusual book. Its part comedy and part drama, written for Christian readers but not preachy, so over all and odd combination of a story. Up to the end the story keeps you guessing what will happen, also keep reading after the 1st "The End", there will be more.

A Book in Review: The Meowmorphosis

The Meowmorphosis By: Franz Kafka & Coleridge Cook
Non-fiction, classics, humour 206 page
Book Count: 35

First, I would like to say that I was for more cats in classic lit, a decade ago. This book is another quirk classics book that combines classic lit. with fun changes. In this one instead of becoming a cockroach, Gregor Samsa wakes up to find that he has become a cat. He has the body of a very large cat, enjoys only foods that cats like, meows and likes cat type things, but part of him is still a man. This gets him in trouble with the other large number of men turned into cats in Prague. Besides the catness this is much like the original book and as such is a bit more depressing then other books remade. Like other books in the series there are Discussion Questions at the end. This ones varies between deep, humorous and just stupid.

An Audiobook in Review: Lamb

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal By: Christopher Moore
Fiction: historic, humor
Book Count: 34

What better book to talk about on this year's date of the end of the world? This is, as the title suggests, the story of Jesus's life (called Joshua in the book) as told by his best friend, Levi called Biff. As anyone who have read other books by this author can guess, this is not meant to be realistic and would be a bit offensive if you read it as such. (Biff is constantly hitting on Mary [Jesus's mother as well as Magdala], one disciple is crazy, one flamingly gay, one smells of dogs, and there is nothing like preforming miracles on a caffeine high [Biff invents the cappuccino.]) The main part of the story goes over the time in Jesus's life that the gospels skip over (childhood, early adult). During this time they deal with accidental miracles, learning to be stone workers, because as Biff points its a desert; no trees, lots of rocks, and then search for the 3 wise men, learning all they can from them.




12 CD's 15 Hrs.

A Book in Review: Curves Rule and Flat is Fabulous

Curves Rule and Flat is Fabulous By: Mauceri & Rubin
Non-fiction: fashion 129 pages
Book Count: 33

This book goes over what to look for in different clothing items based off of differnt body types that you may have. It is good about listing many different shapes the can be combined together, such as having large (or small) breasts, legs, butt, hips, and belly.

A Book in Review: Forever Cool

Forever Cool By: Sherrie Mathieson
Non-Fiction, fashion 235
Book Count: 32

This is a book that shows a fashion for a type of thing (i.e. formal dress, work out clothes, suits etc) that is "Never Cool" and then a "Forever Cool" version of it with info on why one is a bad outfit and one is good. It is mainly a useful book for learning what works and doesn't, but it suffers from only having one author. It is quite clear that she looks good in bright/true reds, oranges, bright green and browns. She insists that if you are past a certain age/weight you can't wear, pink, purple, teal, burgundy or any pastels (except hot pink in preppy styles and if you are a guy) excluding the burgundy these are all colors that most people who can wear oranges and bright reds don't look good in. She does do some talking about coloring, but it doesn't fix with any theory of it that I have ever read. If you look good in the same colors as the author then the only problem is that I have never heard any other modern fashion person say "pleated slacks are always a good bet" even if you have a small waist & athletic thighs, as they make you look fat.

A Book in Review: What you wear can change your life

What you wear can change your life By: Trinny Woodall & Susannah Constantine
Non-fiction: fashion, 263 pages
Book Count: 31

This book was written by the host of the British version of "What Not to Wear". As such it has a lot of advice much like the TV show, but it is in an easy to find format and also includes things that they don't get into on the show like what all the differnt types of makeup do, how to pose for pictures to camoflage flaws, and how to store your things to make it easier to put together outfits. There were some issues with the fact that this was written in England, but most of the products named were brands that are also here and there was enought info given about many of them that you could find an equlivent product.

A Book in Review:Mistress of the Art of Death

Mistress of the Art of Death By: Ariana Franklin
Fiction: Mystery, History 384 pages
Book Count: 30

This book is what the TV show "Bones" would be like if it took place in 1177 England. The main character, Adelia, is a female doctor who is good with reading a body to see what killed them. She with a close Jewish male friend and her Muslin eunic are sent to England to find out who is killing the kids of a town. The townsfolk believe that it is the local Jewish population that killed the children as the story was that the first kid killed was crucified on Good Friday and found right in front of the land of one of the most prominent Jews in town. However, others were killed after the town's Jewish population were all locked in the local castle for their safety. The investigators religions (or lack of in the case of Adelia) cause the investigation to be even harder, as the town is full of mistrust for people "different" then them. And once they think one thing is solved a new problem happens. All and all a very interesting read with many unexpected twist and turns.

Note to Self: Fashions of a Decade The 1920's

Fashions of a Decade The 1920's By: Jacqueline Herald
Non-fiction: history, fashion 59 pages
Book Count: 29

A good mix of pictures and descriptions.

Note to Self: Atomic Bodyslams to Whiskey Zippers

Atomic Bodyslams to Whiskey Zippers: Cocktails for the 21st Century By: Adam Rocke
Non-fiction, food/cooking, 190 pages
Book Count: 28

This is a rather poorly researched book. It lists ales as a type of lager, arranges drinks by how powerful he thinks it is (although not by alcohol amounts), doesn't know why some drinks are shaken and some stirred, has a recipe for soda being "Very similar to COLA, without the color or sugar," has other ones that have the wrong alcohol in it (and in well known ones that everyone agrees on the ingredients to) and has useless hangover cures listed as "Sure-Fire Hangover Remedies". There are a number of easy, good looking recipes in here, but without knowing their names it is hard to find and there are also a number of ones that even he says are gross in the book itself. I am glad that the 50 cents that I spent on the book also went to help my local library, after reading this.

A Book in Review: Roverandom

Roverandom By: J.R.R. Tolkien
fiction: children, fantasy 106 pages
Book Count: 27

This is a children's book that Tolkien started as a story to tell his middle child after his toy dog is lost. It is about a little dog that gets turned into a toy by a wizzard and has all sorts of adventures after it. He goes to the moon and under the sea. It also has a list of notes at the end that tell you the story behind differnt things, clearify terms and the history of the story.

A Book in Review:The Gates

The Gates By: John Connolly
Fiction: science, paranormal, humor (YA?) 293 pages
Book Count: 26

First a couple notes. This book was in the adult fiction area of the library; however, the main character is an elementary school kid and there isn't anything in this book that most people would have a issue with a kid reading. (mild unrealistic violence, no sex, I don't remember any swearing, etc) Which gets to note #2, the full cover reads " The Gates of Hell are About to Open Want to Peek?" as the story is about the gates of hell being opened with the help of the Large Hadron Collider, which would be the one thing that might make it too old for young readers. This book has a lot of complete scientific ideas mixed in with deep philosophical issues. (Not so many religious ones as its Hell is just where all the evil that was created in the Big Bang ended up, so the demons weren't fallen angels, but things of various level of evil from the lovable Nurd to the Great Malevolence.)
Now about the story itself. It is a quick and fun read about an unusual boy that has to stop the end of the world after seeing his new neighbors open a portal to Hell when he was Trick-or-Treating a couple days before Halloween. It has fun titles for each chapter which tell what will happen in it without giving anything away. And the characters are also fun even if most of them are a bit typical (the jock, the nerd, the bad guy that's not that bad, the evil animated gargoyle, etc). Also there are a lot of other great things about this book that I forgot because I read it days ago and then got busy with holiday things.

A Book in Review: Ghostopolis

Ghostopolis By: Doug TenNapel
Fiction: Paranormal, graphic novel 266 pages
Book count: 25


This is a story about a boy who ends up getting trapped in the world of ghosts. The guy who accidentally sent him there also goes to Ghostopolis to bring him back with the help of his ghost ex-girlfriend. The boy also gets to meet the grandfather that he never knew, ride an actual nightmare and fights the evil king of the ghost world.

A Book in Review: The Drunkard's Walk How Randomness Rules Our Lives

The Drunkard's Walk How Randomness Rules Our Lives by: Leonard Mlodinow
Non-fiction: Math, science 219 pages
Book Count: 24

This is a book on the randomness of things that we don't see as such. It deals with probability, bell curves, common errors of logic, the inexactness of many measurements and how they effect lives. It is written so that someone with only a basic understanding of the subjects could enjoy this book, using a lot of real life examples to show the idea that they are talking about.

A Book in Review: Fool

Fool by: Christopher Moore
Fiction: humor, classics, 311 pages
Book Count: 23

This book is a retelling of the Shakespearean play "King Lear" as told by his jester; however, it only loosely follows the play and refers to many of his plays in it. It also combines the time of the most likely real King Lear, the medieval time of the play, modern times and any other that work in the story. But, like other works of his that mix odd things together, it works. It also has some of the most unusual insults I have ever seen in a book. (None of which I will put here as then it will be the one post my mom reads, and as the warning at the front states it is a bawdy tale [like most of Shakespeare's works were.]) Along with all the main characters of King Lear doing the main things that they did (go crazy, die, invade England, etc) it also has the three witches (from you know what), funny named towns, and a ghost.

A Book in Review: Executricks

Executricks or How to Retire While You're Still Working By: Stanley Bing
Non-fiction: humor, business, memior 175 pages
Book Count: 22

This is about about how to enjoy you're working life by using executive tricks that make work more like retirerment. It covers things like getting others to do your work, working outside of the office, travel, working lunching and other non-working work.

A Book in Review: So Now You're a Zombie A Handbook for the Newly Undead

So Now You're a Zombie A Handbook for the Newly Undead By" John Austin
Non-fiction: humor
Book Count: 21

As the title states this is a handbook for the recently zombiefied. It covers such important subjects as how you became a zombie, the food pyramid for zombies (Hint BRRAAINNSS top it), how to fight zombie style, and the zombie code. It is working from a unstoppable virus as cause of zombies and fits in with most modern zombie stories worlds.

A Note to Self: The Late Renaissance and Mannerism

The Late Renaissance and Mannerism By: Linda Murray
Non-fiction: art, history 199 pages
Book Count: 20

This book is on art of the late Renaissance and the Mannerism art style that followed it. It deals with Italian art as well as the art of Flanders, France, Germany, England and Spain. It starts after most of the Ninja Turtles had died, beginning with the end of Michelangelo's life and his work in Rome and continuing on to the how the reformation affected art in the north and the works of El Greco.

A Book in Review: Drinking with George

Drinking with George By: George Wendt with Jonathan Grotenstein
Non-fiction: Autobiography, food, humor 225 pages
Book Count: 19

This book is by the guy who played Norm on Cheers. And it is about beer. It turns out that he did not have to do much acting for the show, as he loves beer. As in he thinks there are 2 type of beer, "good" and "even better". It is also about his life and how drinking played a role in it, from how going to school got in the way of his drinking to how looking for a pub in Ireland ended up with him hanging out with Bono. It also has useful lists of world drinking toasts, ways of saying you are drunk, beer factoids and the 1st beer recipe/poem/hymn.

A Book in Review: Cooking for Geeks

Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food By: Jeff Potter
Non-fiction: cooking science 398 pages
Book Count: 18

This is a book about all things geeky for good cooking. (And ordering pizza when a experiment doesn't turn out the way you want.) It includes information on the science of cooking, people testing old wives tales about food, new tools and ideas for cooking, interviews by chefs, food scientist, Adam Savage and other people that are known for cooking and/or science, a comic from xkcd.com about units of measurement (and how they relate to Summer Glau), and much much more. This book is useful for people who are just learning how to cook, as well as people who have been cooking for years. It is also full of information, so full that it could be read again and again.

Happy Pi Day !!!!

Remember to eat your 3.14 pies today.