I laughed out loud about two dozen times. This is especially impressive because some of the essays are quite sad. What is it like when your dad is a sI laughed out loud about two dozen times. This is especially impressive because some of the essays are quite sad. What is it like when your dad is a spy? Lonely. What is it like to be a little kid in Florida? Rather shitty, especially when your mom is poor and refuses to get rid of her abusive, erratic boyfriend. What is it like when your mom accidentally burns down the house she was in the process of selling? Well, your relationship with her certainly isn't going to get better.
DeRuiter seems to be a thoroughgoing optimist now, which surprised me given the circumstances of her upbringing. It sounds as if she married a delightful man, which certainly sweetens life. And she has never been on a diet. And she got a book deal! And I think she and/or her husband might be extremely rich?
One of the essay titles made me gasp: "Bikini Body of Christ." So if you find that title blasphemous or otherwise offensive, that may be a sign that this essay collection is not for you....more
I read this for work. I told my husband, "The last chapter is on nihilism." He said, "OH WHO CARES?!" :-D Anyhow, this is a thoughtful overview of theI read this for work. I told my husband, "The last chapter is on nihilism." He said, "OH WHO CARES?!" :-D Anyhow, this is a thoughtful overview of the greatest hits of Western philosophy, and there is also some philosophy from other regions plus some feminist philosophy....more
Informative but mostly lighthearted account of how Black and Brown people have been portrayed in English-language horror movies. Things have gotten beInformative but mostly lighthearted account of how Black and Brown people have been portrayed in English-language horror movies. Things have gotten better but there are still double standards and omissions. The author explains that Black people deserve portrayals in all genres of movies doing all types of things, just as characters of other races do. I burst out laughing when the author brought home this point by saying, "Black people like Etsy too."...more
Why has true crime become so popular? My favorite theory relates to crime rates dropping in the United States and some other countries. This theory saWhy has true crime become so popular? My favorite theory relates to crime rates dropping in the United States and some other countries. This theory says that if you just got mugged, or your favorite auntie just got mugged, the last thing you want to do is watch a cop show. The associations are too unpleasant. But if you feel safe, and you believe the people you care about are safe, you're more likely to get some thrills out of a 400-page book about, I don't know, ritual disembowelments.
As far as I know there's no solid evidence to back up this theory, but Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell's illustrated memoir sure seems to bear it out. She grew up in a loving, close-knit family with plenty of money and lots of kindhearted neighbors. At one point she lists the professions and former professions of the neighbors, and they're all middle class or upper middle class. (There were drinks and snacks at 5 p.m. most days on Pattie's Patio! I wish I had a neighborhood patio like that!) And much of the talk on the patio and at Thanksgiving dinner and on the weekends was about murder. Murder books, movies, TV shows, and (later on) podcasts.
HFC has had some success as a cartoonist and has done stand-up, both of which help to make this book appealing. She is a sincere and curious person who wonders about the world. And she wonders why she, her mother, her grandmother, and many other family members have fixated on murder for so long. She explores some ideas—genetics? empathy? a need for connection? a desire to figure things out? a craving for putting things in order?—but does not come to any definitive conclusions. She also discusses the fact that murder media usually focuses on white women, even though men are murdered at higher rates and there are plenty of people of color who are also murder victims.
This book is a bit rambling, which I know some other reviewers disliked, but I think it's part of the author's charm. What I didn't find charming was her frequent drawings of herself on the toilet. I didn't think this was immoral or disgusting, but I found it a bit odd. We all have to go sometime, I suppose. ...more
I was delighted to see this biography of Jackie Ormes, whose work I have seen exhibited at the Chicago Cultural Center. I had no idea that the FBI amaI was delighted to see this biography of Jackie Ormes, whose work I have seen exhibited at the Chicago Cultural Center. I had no idea that the FBI amassed a 287-page file on her. Shannon Wright's art is vivid and full of action. The ending is a bit somber for a children's picture book, so you may want to preread before sharing with young children....more
Memoir/manifesto from a powerful writer who has had a few years to get perspective on her divorce but is still angry about her marriage. (She picked aMemoir/manifesto from a powerful writer who has had a few years to get perspective on her divorce but is still angry about her marriage. (She picked a guy whom she loved and who was a good prospect on paper but who expected her to do everything house- and child-related because he made good money. The engineers I know are great, but this guy apparently fits the cold, withholding engineer stereotype.) The marriage ended disastrously, but I can't help thinking that Lenz made a better life for herself than her mother's life. The mother had eight children, homeschooled them, and split and reconciled with her husband many agonizing times. Lenz has an education from a four-year college, two children that she has 50% custody of, a divorce that is in her rear-view mirror, and a lot of physical and intellectual freedom. It sounds like she doesn't have a lot of money at this point, but she can spend what she has however she wants....more
Excellent reporting and analysis from a journalist and author who has had access to nearly all the big names—Trump, Barr, Bannon, and yes, even Mike LExcellent reporting and analysis from a journalist and author who has had access to nearly all the big names—Trump, Barr, Bannon, and yes, even Mike Lindell! "His reputation as a loudmouth preceded him: When you try to talk to Lindell about politics, he shouts at you just as he does in his MyPillow infomercials, but with less credibility."...more
Three and a half stars, rounded up. I wanted a straight-ahead account of this bizarre, ten-year saga of scams, misery, terrorist acts, and incarceratiThree and a half stars, rounded up. I wanted a straight-ahead account of this bizarre, ten-year saga of scams, misery, terrorist acts, and incarcerations. Instead, I got many asides about the writer's own family and state of mind. The fact that the author's father was a spy is minimally interesting and entirely disconnected from the Con Queen case. I'd recommend this book if you love true crime, and I think the author is talented, but be prepared to skim parts....more
This started out a bit ponderous, but I really enjoyed these thoughtful and contemplative essays on "art monsters" including Roman Polanski, Woody AllThis started out a bit ponderous, but I really enjoyed these thoughtful and contemplative essays on "art monsters" including Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, Miles Davis, Sylvia Plath, Doris Lessing, and others. I even laughed out loud a couple of times, which is surprising considering the subject matter....more
More of a memoir than a book of practical advice. In a nutshell: • Everybody's different. • If you decide to retire, make a plan for your retirement. • UMore of a memoir than a book of practical advice. In a nutshell: • Everybody's different. • If you decide to retire, make a plan for your retirement. • Understand that no matter how carefully you plan, circumstances will change and your wants and needs may change too.
I liked the idea that if you're able to find a job that you enjoy and that you're good at, work can be a form of continuing education.
López interviews celebrities, local heroes, spiritual leaders, friends, acquaintances, and regular people. But I would have appreciated interviews with economists, financial planners, and insurance experts. The author claims he hasn't got much money, but this is really a book for upper-class people with education and training and the chance to choose whether or when they retire.
The author is a little unusual in that he is 67 with an 18-year-old daughter, the result of a second marriage. He writes about her with great affection and admiration. But he barely mentions the two sons from the first marriage. He doesn't even thank them in the acknowledgments! Was the divorce so bad that they've never spoken to him since?...more
Brief yet appealing essays about how classic movies compare to the novels that inspired them. I've seen nearly all of these films—they're almost all mBrief yet appealing essays about how classic movies compare to the novels that inspired them. I've seen nearly all of these films—they're almost all mainstream choices that are available on streaming....more
I raced through this one. Sparkling, witty, thoroughly reported account of queerness in American television, mostly from the late 1970s until 2010 or I raced through this one. Sparkling, witty, thoroughly reported account of queerness in American television, mostly from the late 1970s until 2010 or so. The interview with Susan Harris is especially good. She was a driving force behind Soap and The Golden Girls.
My favorite bits of trivia:
• The Golden Girls, an extraordinarily popular and high-quality show, had its origins in a bit of stage patter at a network upfronts presentation. Original title: Miami Nice.
• In 1975 the Federal Communications Commission insisted on a Family Viewing Hour. The idea was that the first hour of prime time television (8 until 9 on the coasts) would be dedicated to family-friendly viewing. It was a disaster. Family-friendly content tended to be boring. Each network made a different determination of what content was family friendly. Networks moved individual episodes with controversial content to 9 o'clock, which confused people when they tried to find the shows they liked. Ratings declined. Conservatives still weren't happy because the scheme basically ignored people in the Central and Mountain time zones. The project ended in 1977.
• One of the lines of dialogue on the Ellen DeGeneres sitcom before she came out went something like this: "People will finally see me for who I am—a homo[pause]wner."
Wall Street Journal reporter chooses songs that he believes exemplify American pop music and interviews the artists, lyricists, songwriters, arrangersWall Street Journal reporter chooses songs that he believes exemplify American pop music and interviews the artists, lyricists, songwriters, arrangers, musicians, producers, promoters, and others. Some of these get very technical in terms of song structure or instruments used. Others focus on the meanings of the songs or their impact on the performers' personal lives. I'll have to see if I can get the first volume....more
Oh how I love an unreliable narrator. I believe this satire has elements of the Bad Art Friend (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/05/ma...), Chloe Gong,Oh how I love an unreliable narrator. I believe this satire has elements of the Bad Art Friend (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/05/ma...), Chloe Gong, American Dirt, and R.F. Kuang's own career, particularly her success as a science fiction author and her attempts to get her work made into movies or TV shows. But of course you'd have to ask the author, and I'm sure she mined some of this from scandals and experiences I don't know a thing about.
I don't think you need to know anything about recent publishing controversies to enjoy this book. It stands well on its own.
I loved that the main character's idea of luxury was renting a one-bedroom apartment in DC and buying anything she wanted from the Ikea catalog. She lacked imagination in more ways than one.
While reading, I kept imagining discussion group questions for the back of the novel—you know, the extra materials publishers often include to encourage book groups to choose the book. The author's point of view seems to be that shit is bullshit and fucked up. Do you agree? Why or why not?...more
I always enjoy learning more about banned books. There's a short blurb about each one, so this is just a quick look rather than a deep exploration of I always enjoy learning more about banned books. There's a short blurb about each one, so this is just a quick look rather than a deep exploration of trends or advice on how to fight a ban or challenge. I especially appreciated the information on books not originally written in English.
I'm interested in the essay I Hate Men by the French author Pauline Harmange, but Amazon wants $12.99 for the 80-page Kindle book. She hates men, and sometimes I hate capitalism....more
This book is based on a long-running podcast series. I had no idea the podcast existed, but I'll check it out. This was an intriguing and entertainingThis book is based on a long-running podcast series. I had no idea the podcast existed, but I'll check it out. This was an intriguing and entertaining look at what the future will be like—not only in terms of science and medicine but also in terms of philosophy, ethics, and sociology. I didn't take notes, but here's a bit of what I learned:
Solar power: This change is already happening and will continue to happen because solar has the lowest startup costs of any energy source. It will likely become less important as we move to other planets that get less sunlight.
Hydrogen power: For about twenty years, people have been saying that the hydrogen revolution is five years away. It may never happen because the power source may be too bulky to be practical. There would have to be a breakthrough in a whole new direction rather than slow, steady progress. This type of breakthrough is possible (it happened with digitization and cell phones and the internet), but it certainly isn't guaranteed.
Nuclear power: The new nuclear power plants make energy out of the nuclear waste from old nuclear power plants. And some of the new plants supposedly cannot melt down. But the startup costs are still high. The authors don't mention anything about terrorists possibly taking over these types of plants.
Solar sails: These will be ready in a few years. They're a great way to power a spaceship because there's no need to carry fuel.
Time travel, forward motion: This is already happening at a rate of one second per second. It might be possible to travel forward in time at a faster rate. Also, it might be possible to alter how we experience time, so a person's life might seem to last much longer than it actually does.
Time travel, backward motion: This breaks the laws of physics and is therefore unlikely.
Tricorders: These already exist! The first flip phones were based on the tricorder idea.
Deep space travel: Probably unlikely until humans become entirely nonbiological. So maybe not for centuries, if ever....more
The author mentions that it's very difficult to persuade QAnon followers to speak on the record because they believe that mainstream media are evil prThe author mentions that it's very difficult to persuade QAnon followers to speak on the record because they believe that mainstream media are evil presences that are trying to bring about the destruction of society. And I couldn't help thinking, Yes, and they definitely won't talk to YOU because lots of them are anti-Semites and your last name is Rothschild.
This is an in-depth and interesting look at what QAnon is, how it started, and what it may become. The author points out that many Q believers are quite sane and voluntarily choose to follow Q because they get satisfaction and fellowship out of it. Some of what I learned:
• Cult experts disagree on whether QAnon is a cult. It has cultlike aspects but can function and grow even without the participation of Q (whoever that is or was).
• There are definitely grifters profiting from QAnon, but it isn't 100 percent grift. Lots of prominent people within the movement make no money from it.
• QAnon uses many of the newest technologies and techniques, but it unfortunately promotes anti-Semitic lies and slanders that are centuries old.
• Many so-called "pastel QAnon" followers joined the movement after it began emphasizing the dangers of child sex trafficking. However, at least one agency that works to prevent CST has said that QAnon actually hurts their cause because QAnon makes CST a trending topic on social media but just "raises awareness" and doesn't actually fundraise for or provide links to groups that fight sex trafficking. The Q folks generate so much noise about the topic that they drown out the messages from people who are trying to accomplish practical tasks related to this issue. Also, focusing on CST is a great way to get around bans by social media platforms because almost everybody is against CST.
The author is intelligent and talented but could have used a better editor. He misuses a few words, and the Kindle edition has more typos than I would expect from a mainstream, well-marketed, top-selling book....more
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