The “epilogue” almost ruined it for me, but everything before was Jennifer Crusie at her writing best with hilarious scenes, great characters, sharp dialogue and tight plotting.

Despite seemingly popular opinion I like this album is as good as Hot Fuss. That could partly be because I waited for the flurry to wear off before I listened to the first one, so I had zero expectations. Tracks like “Sam’s Town”, “River is Wild”, and “Why do I keep counting?” are as good as any of their earlier hits.

For some “It” bands I have to wait a couple of years for the hype to wear off before I can give them a listen. My roommate just happened to have stole this album and Sam’s Town and they were both the wait. So damn catchy, so damn fun, so damn good, if a little too produced. I’ll be consuming this one for a while.

I’m too dazed to write anything sensible about it at present. Just…Holy Mackerel.

What an incredible novel. For me it read like a superior Red Harvest: better flow with the plot development, the characterizations, the fleshing out of relationships and that powerful finish. I passed on Halloween parties to stay in and finish it and there are no regrets. Hammett’s novels, besides being great, are so different from what I usually read that it that makes them all the more intriguing.

These tales were all so hilarious, sad, worrying and perfectly captured. I had a great time going through all of them, re-reading familiar tales and learning new ones. And it was always a pleasure to take in the cover and the illustrations on the back and front flaps.

It is always a joy to read well-written, articulate, refreshing literary criticism ringing with clarity. An excellent collection of essays.

I thought that this was a fairly excellent book. The author captured the tone of any smart teenager stuck in an American high school, with it being just dry, ironic and sarcastic enough to be entertaining; it’s balanced by the simple, every-day-variety weirdo parents and the protagonist’s honest, human reactions that keep him from being a hollow, clever asshole.

I loved the way music was so prominently and cleverly written into the plot, helping to establish the character and personality of the protagonist while being funny as hell. (Not everything one did as a teenager had a point or end goal: he’s not in a Rockstar Supernova reality show.)

I also don’t understand the criticism of the protag’s choice of girls. That was the point: how many teenage boys know enough to instinctively go for the smart, funny, cool girl in French class? They’re selfish, inexperienced, clumsy and horny. (I think people have become too used to novels/movies where the hero always makes the right decision in the end after overcoming the inevitable character flaw, “growing” as a person…sort of EXACTLY the point made in the novel. Did anyone read it…?)

Basically Portman captured enough of the reality of a kind teenage life to keep you engaged while exaggerating it enough to entertain and amuse.

I love the old 50’s rock n’ roll vibe that’s in a lot of the songs on this record, most of them with Mick at the mic. Of course, The Prisoner is the best song.

The control of rhythm that this band has is amazing. Holy shit. I can’t listen to “Fancy Claps” without going absolutely crazy. This whole album makes me crazy….delightfully so.