All Consuming : ArtGunnery

Couldn't put it down (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:03:48 GMT

by Stephenie Meyer

I bought my 8 year old daughter “Twighlight”. She started it. I wanted to read it for appropriateness but she had it, so I grabbed “new Moon”. My daughter gave me a hard time for reading out of order, but I just ignored her and plowed on. Very engaging series. I was worried about gore, but it turned out to be very low. Might be a bit racy for 8 years old, but not as bad as even some Disney movies I have seen. Read it in three days. Very engaging and good for all ages. I rate 4 of 5 stars.

A story about "The Zebra-Striped Hearse (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:00:00 GMT

The Zebra-Striped Hearse (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

by Ross Macdonald

Ross MacDonald is ALMOST as good as Raymond Chandler. I still like Raymond better. But Zebra-Striped Hearse is up there in hard boiled detective stuff. Very entertaining. Good summer read. I rate 4 of 5 stars.

Consumed "The Zebra-Striped Hearse (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:00:00 GMT

The Zebra-Striped Hearse (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

by Ross Macdonald

WORTH IT!

A story about "No Heroics, Please: Uncollected Writings"

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 02:30:39 GMT

No Heroics, Please: Uncollected Writings

by Raymond Carver

i have read everything by Raymond Carver. Now I just finished his “uncollected writings”. I guess that is it. Wish he were still with us to produce more great writing.

Consumed "Valkyrie [Theatrical Release]"

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:57:59 GMT

Valkyrie [Theatrical Release]

WORTH IT!

The dynamic duo let us down (rated 1 star)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:42:11 GMT

Righteous Kill

by Jon Avnet

De Niro and Pacino have made some great movies. Righteous Kill is not one of them. Transparent, boring. A couple of old guys bumbling around an uninteresting plot until final totally obvious twist. Too bad these guys needed money…

A story about "Defenders of the Faith"

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:35:59 GMT

Defenders of the Faith

by Judas Priest

ok, so I am doing file maintenance stuff on my music archive last night. I come across a folder called Judas Priest. In there is every album they have made from 1974 to 2006. So last night I started a flight of Judas Priest with 1974. the last album i listened to last night was 1982 Judas Priest Screaming for Vengeance. That was the anthem album for my senior year in highschool. Listening to it I realized i still knew every word of every song. And it made me type fast. No coffee included. This morning I am continuing the flight with 1984 Defenders of the Faith. This rocks…

A story about "Magic City: A Novel (Thorn Mysteries)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:38:50 GMT

Magic City: A Novel (Thorn Mysteries)

by James W. Hall

my mom sent me this book. I like fiction about florida. This is a good one. Good plot, interesting characters, classic Florida characters (the cut of jeans guy in boat shoes who lives in the Keys). Yum yum. Good plane and summer read. I rate 3 of 5 stars.

A story about "Ten Points"

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:02:49 GMT

Ten Points

by Bill Strickland

I like to ride my bike. Off and on over the years. Some years alot, some years a little. This year I have ridden more than usual. Did 214mi on Seattle to Portland. hacked the Swobo, doing 100mi tomorrow, etc. But I have never been a racer. Racing bikes is a whole nuther kettle of fish. Ten Points wraps all the challenges and demons in life up in trying to win ten points at the Thursday night Crit series. I have ridden the Thursday night Crit (in Seattle). It is brutal. At a certain point, all the racers are fit enough and it comes down to grit, determination and desire to inflict pain on oneself to win or even place.

A very inspiring book about life, bikes and dreams. The important parts, the ability to dream and keep dreaming even when you don’t get your dreams. Everyone should read this book.

I rate 5 of 5 stars.

A story about "1421: The Year China Discovered America (P.S.)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:04:21 GMT

1421: The Year China Discovered America (P.S.)

by Gavin Menzies

On my trip to Indonesia, most of my conversations with locals and Americans were Asia centric rather than Euro centric. That was at first surprising, then obvious. Claude from Nihiwatu suggested this book and how it is re-writing western ideas about discovery of America, and a whole raft of euorcentric history books. I love it. In the same year that England invaded France with about 600 men making huge waves in western historical records, the Chinese emperor was marching an army of over 1 million north against the Mongols without as much as a note in the west. The most fascinating part for me has been reading the maritime exploration parts about a 10,000 ship armada with tankers larger than the largest supertankers today going all over the world to find a Southern Star for navigation. We in the west have alot to learn about World history. Read this book. I rate 5 of 5 stars.

Get Smart kicks Love Guru ass (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:52:44 GMT

Get Smart

by Peter Segal

and rightfully so. Very funny. Not a slapstick rolling funny as the show, but plenty whitty. And a bit smarter I think. Go see this summer fun movie. 4 of 5 stars.

Lots of pictures, few words (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:54:09 GMT

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko

by Daniel H. Pink

I am a minimalist at heart. My house is minimal, all my art is modern, etc. Most books are too thick and have too many words. While I have never been a fan of graphic novels or cartoons generally, a friend suggested this book so I one-click’ed it off Amazon. Got yesterday and read it in about an hour. Entertaining. The “career” advice is pretty standard fare stuff for an old wizened CEO like myself, but will probably be manna from heaven for the 20 something lost generation it is targeted to.

Let me save you the hour if you are that pressed for time.

1. There is no plan
2. Think strengths, not weaknesses.
3. It’s not about you.
4. Persistence trumps talent.
5. Make excellent mistakes.
6. Leave an imprint.

got it?

low grade surf fun (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:25:13 GMT

The Surfer King

by Bernard Murray Jr.

This is Finn’s new favorite movie. Teen romance at a surf wave pool in colorado. WAY overacted and you gotta love the 80’s hairdoos but fun fun fun. Kids love it.

i usually like paulo coelho (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:18:08 GMT

Warrior of the Light: A Manual

by Paulo Coelho

but this is just too pithy and misty eyed. Did not connect. Rate 2 of 5 stars. give it a pass.

A review of "The Silver Swan: A Novel" (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:07:03 GMT

The Silver Swan: A Novel

by Benjamin Black

boring. Give it a skip. 1 of 5 stars.

Black Swan tries but fails (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:06:04 GMT

The Silver Swan: A Novel

by Benjamin Black

i only finished it because I was on a plane. Too English. Not very engaging. Boring really.

Non fiction by a great fiction writer is boring (rated 1 star)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:29:56 GMT

The Innocent Man

by John Grisham

it was on the sale rack. 30% off. I picked it up without checking that it was non-fiction. I just wanted a page turner for the plane. This is definitely not a page turner. It reads more like a long news paper article. Filled with facts, figures, dates and lots of names of people you never get to know enough to care. Billed as an indictment of the death penalty and an expose of small town injustice and railroading, I just thought it was boring. Sure one in a thousand cases happen like this but that doesn’t mean the vast majority of people on death row don’t deserve to be there. One bad case doesn’t indict the whole system. The checks and balances worked here. The guy is free. He didn’t get electrocuted.

If you are looking for a studied argument for or against the death penalty keep looking. And Grisham, leave the true crime to people who are good at it. You are not. I rate 1 of 5 stars. Leave this one in the bargin bin.

Better second effort (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:24:41 GMT

Cruel Sanctuary (Father Mark Townsend Mystery)

by Brad Reynolds

More engaging. Less transparent. Some engaging action around street kids life in Seattle. Seattleites will especially enjoy it. As will people interested in the Jesuits. I rate 3 of 5. Left this one in Nihiwatu.

Jesuit detective (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:22:11 GMT

The Story Knife (Father Mark Townsend Mystery)

by Brad Reynolds

his first book. if you are from northwest especially seattle, alot will be familiar. A bit formuleaic. Lots of “i had no clue what was going on” in the book to drag the plot out. You don’t need that. Just tell the story. I left it in my hotel in Bali. I rate 2 of 5 stars.

Clint at his best

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:14:13 GMT

Dirty Harry Ultimate Collecotr's Edition

Can’t watch this movie enough times. The 70’s background gets better and better. The hair, the vneck sweater under tweed jacket with elbow patches like a professor. But the 44 Magnum in a shoulder holster. Movies today are missing lines like “do you feel lucky punk”. I believe there is an error in the end of the movie though. During the last shoot out I was counting his shots. He shot 6 times. Then he gave his line about “5 or 6 shots, do you feel lucky?” and shot the guy. by my count that is seven. I gotta watch it again to be sure. Wouldn’t doubt that the director just did that to mess with the audience. I rate 4 of 5 stars.

mindless summer fun (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (ArtGunnery) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:09:51 GMT

Mission - Impossible III (Widescreen Edition)

by J.J. Abrams

ok so it was a couple summers ago, but just caught it on HBO in my Bali hotel room. Mindless fun and action. Don’t really like Tom Cruise, but this is fun. I rate 3 of 5 stars.