All Consuming : Galatea

Why I gave up consuming "Heartburn (Virago Modern Classics)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:46:10 GMT

Heartburn (Virago Modern Classics)

by Nora Ephron

This is NOT a book to read in the midst of marital difficulties. It may seem like a good idea, but it’s really not.

Not great, but an okay way to spend a few hours (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 01:45:48 GMT

Must Love Dogs (Widescreen Edition)

by Gary David Goldberg

I like John Cusak, and he was really the best thing this movie had going for it. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either, and unfortunately the chemistry between Cusak and Diane Lane wasn’t really there. Also, the humor was a bit forced at times, and at other times downright not funny. There was a reason this was $6 in the bargain bin. But it was an entertainng way to spend a few hours, a cute romantic comedy to end a blah sort of day.

A review of "Bones of the Moon" (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 21:32:56 GMT

Bones of the Moon

by Jonathan Carroll

From both the cover art and Stephen King’s glowing descriptives (also on the front cover), I expected something dark and creepy. I turned each page wondering when it was going to turn into the horror fantasy I had bought it as, and it just never happened. At the very end it showed glimpses of what could have been a great horror novel, but then it was awkward, and the novel ended in a hurry without sufficient closure. Overall, a disappointment, although I may recommend to people with lower expectations for their fiction.

A review of "The Lovely Bones" (rated 1 star)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:38:09 GMT

The Lovely Bones

by Alice Sebold

I read this years ago when it was still in the midst of its long reign at the top of the NYTimes bestseller’s list. I don’t remember much about it, other than I disliked it, and it’s doubtful that I’ll read it again.

A question I have about "The Writing Life"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 16:46:47 GMT

The Writing Life

by Annie Dillard

The reviews on the cover of the book say that this is “full of joy” and other such positive things.

But when I read this, all I can think of is, “Dear gods she sounds depressed and frustrated.” I am seeing a distinct lack of joy in this book, in fact.

It’s still helpful to me, but it’s not helpful because it has any positive message. I’ve been laughing the the utter absurdity of being a writer. No one would choose to do this to themselves if they didn’t feel it was completely essential to who they are. So far, (I think I’m at chapter 3 or 4) it’s a book full of despair, and reminds me that every time I am frustrated with being a writer, others have been there before, and every time I think my writing is going well, I should savor it while I can because it won’t last.

But, nine days into NaNoWriMo, maybe I’m just biased.

A story about "Blueberry Buckle"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 20:29:55 GMT

Blueberry Buckle

I made this every summer when I was living in Maine, with wild blueberries picked from behind my parents’ house. This year I made it for me and my husband with local cultivated Massachusetts blueberries. It loses something since I didn’t pick the berries myself, but it’s still yummy. (Although I think he would have rather eaten the blueberries straight out of the carton.)

A review of "Spaghetti Carbonara"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 20:22:56 GMT

Spaghetti Carbonara

It makes my cholesterol cry just thinking about it, but it’s definitely worth eating every once in a while. And relatively easy to make, too. I recommend serving it with italian bread to sop up leftover sauce, and expect to fall asleep soon after eating, as this may be one of the heaviest pasta dishes I have ever consumed.

Disturbing

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 15:36:34 GMT

The Long Hard Road Out of Hell

by Marilyn Manson

Ever since watching fragments of a VH1 special on Marilyn Manson, I’ve wanted to read this book. He impressed me with how articulately he spoke, and I was convinced that all the bad rap was misunderstanding. He couldn’t be as bad as all that.

What I have learned:

1. Rock stars do even more drugs than I imagined possible.
2. Shock rockers get involved in more bizzare, twisted, depraved shit (sometimes literally) than I thought possible.
3. Marilyn Manson had a really twisted childhood.
4. He is also extremely arrogant, which goes along with being a shock rocker and a Satanist.
5. He is not, in fact, as bad as “all that”. But it isn’t all an act, either. He really is that dark and twisted.

Even with an acknowledged ghost writer, the prose was not fantastic or riveting. Lucikly, the subject matter was enough to keep me going out of morbid fascination at first, and then just plain stubbornness, and desperation to finish it and move on to something a little bit less cheery.

I’m glad I finally satisfied my curiosity, but I’m glad that I’m done reading this. The coworker who lent it to me commented that it’s “like watching a train wreck” and I agree wholeheartedly. A bloody, animal-entrailed, drug-laden, shock-rocking train wreck. And that’s never good.

Why I want to consume "Society of the Mind: A Cyberthriller"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Thu, 04 May 2006 13:38:29 GMT

Society of the Mind: A Cyberthriller

by Eric L. Harry

My fiancé lent this to me along with a bunch of other books one of the last times he was visiting me on leave from the Army. I have yet to not like any of the books he’s lent me, but I was skeptical about this at first – it looked a little bit too mainstream pop-literature for my tastes. I can’t put the damn thing down, though. It’s kept me up past my bedtime two nights in a row now.

A review of "Silent Hill" (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Tue, 02 May 2006 15:17:24 GMT

Silent Hill

by Christophe Gans

It was pretty, and there were parts I liked, such as the monsters (I thought they got them right on) and overall, the visual effects. Very well done. But the plot was horrible, and it’s a bad sign when the entire audience laughs at dramatic moments. Plus, it just didn’t feel creepy to me, even though I felt as though it should have. Something was missing. Like a reason to care about what happened to any of the characters.

I was told by a Silent Hill fan that it was excellent if you had played and liked the games (I haven’t gotten around to playing more than 20 minutes of SH3 yet, myself, although I want to), and he also agreed that as a movie, it was crap.

I might watch it again, but only if it wasn’t going to cost me anything (ie when my fiancé buys the DVD, since he liked it).

Why it's taking me forever to finish consuming "Don Quixote (P.S.)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Tue, 02 May 2006 15:07:44 GMT

Don Quixote (P.S.)

by Miguel de Cervantes

I can only take so much of Don Quixote doing crazy and/or stupid things that almost always result in him and Pancho Sanchez getting beat yet again. I’m enjoying it, don’t get me wrong, and somehow it never stops being hysterical (my coworkers must think I’m mad for all the outbursts during lunch breaks). But I haven’t picked it up in almost two months and I keep getting distracted by other things.

I’ll finish it one day!

Why I recommend "House of the Spirits"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Tue, 02 May 2006 15:03:40 GMT

House of the Spirits

by Isabel Allende

This is one of my favorite books ever.

A story about the last time I consumed "The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Galatea) — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 21:38:28 GMT

The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set

by C.S. Lewis

A friend and I read through all seven books (the older boxed set that starts with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, not the newer set where the order is all messed up) to each other on Saturday mornings this summer, under a maple tree by my apartment. We’ve continued the tradition with other books, but I think these seven were my favorite for it out of everything we’ve read.