All Consuming : Novac

A story about "Mort"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:59:02 GMT

by Terry Pratchett

Another great Discworld novel. Pratchett’s Death series is quite fun. I agree that there’s a bit of an annoying Hollywood ending on this one.

A story about "Girl Boy Etc."

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:56:29 GMT

Girl Boy Etc.

by Michael Weinreb

This is a collection of short stories, all from the point of view of a single man. A great insight to relationships with girlfriends and family from the single male perspective.

A story about "The Book of General Ignorance"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:36:33 GMT

The Book of General Ignorance

by John Mitchinson

This is a great book that gives you the answers to questions you never knew you didn’t know. For instance:

Who invented the telephone?
What is the normal state of glass?
What is the Number of the Beast?
How many states are in the US?
What shape did Columbus think the earth was?
How many sheep were on Noah’s Ark?

Despite what you think, you don’t know these answers unless your answers happened to be:

Antonio Meucci
solid
616
46
pear-shaped
14

Be sure to read this book and find out the truth about 230 misconceptions that are considered “common knowledge”. A truly enlightening read.

Not for fans of the movie (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:08:43 GMT

Orchid Thief

by Susan Orlean

This is an example of “The movie was better than the book”. Adaptation was based on The Orchid Thief, but is a completely different story.

This book is a biography of John Laroche, but most of the book is spent discussing the histories behind orchids, Florida land scams, the Seminole Indians, and plenty of other stuff.

If you liked Adaptation, just watch the movie again. If you thoroughly enjoy plants or Florida history, then you’ll probably enjoy this book.

A review of "The Children of Men"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:28:10 GMT

The Children of Men

by P.D. James

James’ book is a great story of survival and redemption in a society that has given up all hope. In this story, the entire world has become sterile, and no one has given birth for over twenty-five years. James describes what England has become after 25 years of optimism followed by hopelessness.
I read this book because I enjoyed the movie, but I quickly found out that this book isn’t really related to the movie. It’s as if someone read the book and thought, “That gives me a great idea for a movie, but I couldn’t use the plot without getting permission from the author.” Nonetheless, the movie makes for a great movie and the book makes for a great book.

A question I have about "The Metamorphosis"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:14:32 GMT

The Metamorphosis

by Franz Kafka

Someone . . . please, someone tell me how this story has any value! Maybe it’s a great story and I just don’t “get” it, but I can’t tell why anyone would bother to translate this into English, let alone republish it.

A review of "The Number 23"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 18:23:02 GMT

The Number 23

by Joel Schumacher

I agree with witchazel—this movie was hardly bearable until the conclusion. It’s unfortunate that all but the last 15 minutes were so laborious to get through.

Enjoy British comedies? Watch Hot Fuzz (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:26:56 GMT

Hot Fuzz (Widescreen Edition)

by Edgar Wright

This movie started out fairly well, but as the plot developed, the movie became more and more predictable. Just as I was bemoaning having to sit through the conclusion of the movie, the plot takes a bit of a twist and plenty of hilarious gunfights and such ensue. I can’t describe it in detail without giving spoilers.
This movie is no Sean of the Dead, but it’s certainly entertaining.

Great ideas to help families bond (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:22:12 GMT

Families That Play Together Stay Together!

by Cameron Partow

This was a very nice book that encourages families to spend time together bonding and getting/keeping healthy. It’s a bit more “rugged” than I am in its ideas, as many of the chapters revolve around camping in the wilderness or spending thousands and thousands of dollars on family vacations to ranches and such. Still, you can take what you want from the book, just like with any other of this genre.

A review of "Money Doesn't Grow On Trees: A Parent's Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:18:33 GMT

Money Doesn't Grow On Trees: A Parent's Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children

by Neale S. Godfrey

This book is a very useful tool to help parents teach their children financial habits that should help them throughout life. The chapter on allowances sheds light on how to properly distribute money to your children (as early as three years old) and ensure that they use their money wisely by giving to charity and saving for medium- and long-term goals. The book also helps you explain to children how banks function and the confusing financial customs such as tipping and taxes. If you have children ages 3-18, you would be well advised to read this book and help your kids gain a mature view of money and finances — you will probably learn a few things about your own finances while you’re at it!

A review of "A Man Without a Country"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:16:22 GMT

A Man Without a Country

by Kurt Vonnegut

Vonnegut has always been one of my favorite authors, particularly since he was categorized by my high school as a “Contemporary Classic.” Thus, I could read plenty of Vonnegut and have it count toward my required reading. A Man Without a Country is one of his more recent works, and is really more a collection of essays. I didn’t appreciate this book as much as I would have liked because there was plenty of anti-Bush and Bush-equals-Hitler rhetoric. I know that Vonnegut was always more of a Socialist than anything else, but I just felt that this baseless blaming is and was above his intellect.

A review of "Firmin: Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:14:56 GMT

Firmin: Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife

by Sam Savage

Firmin is an interesting story of a rat who spends his infancy gnawing on a large book and quickly learning to read books. He spends much of his early life living in a bookstore, reading every book he can get access to. He spends his nights eating in a risqué movie theatre. All these books and movies lead to many grand ideas, but in the end, Firmin remains just a rat, detached from humankind. Finally, Firmin finds a human to bond with, but catastrophe befalls him on multiple levels as he loses his friend and the demolition of his home — Boston’s Scollay Square — destroys all that he knows. The book is a sad story of longing, told from a truly unique perspective.

Kieslowski (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 13:06:16 GMT

Sliding Doors

Any movie based on a Kieslowski movie (“Blind Chance” in this case) has got to be good, and this movie is no exception.

Overhyped Underachievement (rated 1 star)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 12:47:42 GMT

War of the Worlds (Widescreen Edition)

by Steven Spielberg

I’m not a Tom Cruise fan, but that has nothing to do with my disdain for this horrid remake of War of the Worlds.

Acting in this movie? Meh.

Special effects were the huge draw for this film, but even the special effects, which are Spielberg’s specialty, weren’t that great, unless you prefer alien ships that look like huge barstools.

A review of "The Cars That Ate Paris/The Plumber"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Novac) — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 06:02:55 GMT

The Cars That Ate Paris/The Plumber

by Peter Weir

This movie was apparently a spoof on Australian horror movies or something to that effect. I am unfamiliar with that genre, and the movie on its own is just plain awful.