All Consuming : swilder

A story about "An Idiot Girl's Christmas: True Tales from the Top of the Naughty List"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 02:38:18 GMT

An Idiot Girl's Christmas: True Tales from the Top of the Naughty List

by Laurie Notaro

Laurie Notaro isn’t afraid to be dorky. She writes about every day things in a wonderful way that makes me laugh out loud so that other people stare at me.

A story about "The Closers"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 02:36:59 GMT

The Closers

by Michael Connelly

His latest Harry Bosch novel is as goood as all the others.

A story about "The Black Echo"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:51 GMT

The Black Echo

by Michael Connelly

This is the first book in the Harry Bosch series. Connelly is an excellent writer. Not that I have any way of knowing for sure, but he seems be spot on with the details of the criminal investigation.

A story about "Happy to Be Here"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:51 GMT

Happy to Be Here

by Garrison Keillor

When I was younger, I didn’t get why my parents loved to listen to A Prairie Home Companion. Now I get it. It’s damn good. Last night I listened and heard Garrison Keillor tell a wonderful story. While he was still on the air, I went out and bought three of his books. Now that’s some good story-telling, Mr Keillor.

A story about "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:51 GMT

Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets

by David Simon

David Simon, a reporter with the Baltimore Sun, spent on year shadowing a shift of homicide detectives in Baltimore in 1988, when 234 people were murdered that year.

Simon’s book is the basis for the television series Homicide: Life on the Streets. If you’re a fan of the show, many stories came right out of the book. Simon is an amazing writer. FRom page 18 …

“Your paycheck may come from fiscal services but, goddammit, after six beers you can pretty much convince yourself that you work for the Lord himself… If you are good enough, you will never do anything else as a cop that matters this much. Homicide is the major leagues, the center ring, the show. It always has been. When Cain threw a cap into Abel, you don’t think the Big Guy told of couple of fresh uniforms to go down and work up the prosecution report. Hell no, he sent a fucking detective. And it will always be that way, because the homicide unit of any urban police force has for generations been the natural habitat of that rarefied species, the thinking cop.”

I can’t recommend this one highly enough.

A story about "I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies): True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:50 GMT

I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies): True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl

by Laurie Notaro

Laugh out loud funny. Notaro is wonderful!

A story about "The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:50 GMT

The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things

by Barry Glassner

Amazing book about what’s really going on in America versus what the media makes us think is going on.

A story about "Mystic River"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:50 GMT

Mystic River

by Dennis Lehane

I really enjoyed this and would recommened it to anyone who enjoyes books that focus on complex characters and situations.

A story about "Codex"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:50 GMT

Codex

by Lev Grossman

This book was great – until the disappointing ending. I think this is, in fact, the MOST disappointing ending I’ve ever encoutned in a book. The rest of the book was really quite good, but the final two chapters or so are a big let down.

I think that if you hold the story up to that of the “Viage,” the codex of the title, it sort of makes sense. But I expected more. Like if you went to see the first Lord of the Rings Movie and watch Sam and Frodo sail away in the boat. Even if you read the books and even if you know about the sequel, it’s sort of a shocking. “Hey, that CAN’T be it!” ending. Except in that case, it’s not the ending. In Codex, it is.

At the end of the hardcover edition are 8 blank pages. I think Grossman could have made better use of them. But I’m not sorry I read it and it was terrific fun for the most part.

A story about "Irish Girls About Town: An Anthology of Short Stories"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:50 GMT

Irish Girls About Town: An Anthology of Short Stories

by Maeve Binchy

A book of 16 short stories by Irish women. The proceeds go to charities for children. It makes for great lunchtime reading because the stories are short enough to finish one during an hour long break.

A story about "MoveOn's 50 Ways to Love Your Country: How to Find Your Political Voice and Become a Catalyst for Change"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:50 GMT

MoveOn's 50 Ways to Love Your Country: How to Find Your Political Voice and Become a Catalyst for Change

by Moveon

This ws a really inspiring book. I’m going to use some of the ideas to get more involved with the election this year. I passed this along to a friend.

A story about "The Lovely Bones: A Novel"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:49 GMT

The Lovely Bones: A Novel

by Alice Sebold

This book was hyped so much that I didn’t want anything to do with it. Finally, at least a year after everyone else read it, I broke down. I was missing out. It really is an excellent book.

A story about "Skinny Dip"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:49 GMT

Skinny Dip

by Carl Hiaasen

I LOVE Carl Hiaasen, so I couldn’t wait to get this book. And Skinny Dip brings back Mick Stranahan, his main character from Skin Tight, one of my favorite Hiaasen books.

A story about "Blow Fly"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:49 GMT

Blow Fly

by Patricia Cornwell

I relented and bought the mass market paperback edition. I used to love Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta, but had been really disappointed in her last two books. Kay had become a drama queen. Seriously, stalked by the same serial killer over several books? Get over it. I bought this one because her new book, Trace, sounded good. But now that I’ve started this, I find the impossibly lame serial killer from the last books is STILL after Kay. From prison, no less. I’ve read the first 3 chapters and so far, I’m not impressed. Update: finished this. Really can’t recommend it. The ending was really awful. Lots of build up, then it ended way too fast, like she had a maximum number of pages she could fill and had to rush the ending in with 10 or less. Just not good.

A story about "We're Just Like You, Only Prettier : Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:48 GMT

We're Just Like You, Only Prettier : Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle

by Celia Rivenbark

This a is book of humorous essays and it’s very funny. I keep it at my desk at the office for days when I forget my other book.

A story about "The Eyre Affair"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:48 GMT

The Eyre Affair

by Jasper Fforde

The information on the bacl of the jacket and the first sentence made me buy this book. 12 pages in and I can’t tell if I will like it or hate it. More when I’m further in.

A story about "Maggie by the Book"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:48 GMT

Maggie by the Book

by Kasey Michaels

I really enjoy the Maggie series and this one took the characters to a new level. I can’t wait to see where they go next.

A story about "Moon and Sixpence, The (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (swilder) — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:28:47 GMT

Moon and Sixpence, The (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)

by W. Somerset Maugham

I’m really enjoying this book so far. In fact, I can’t read it without a pen far from hand because I’ve found so many passages I want to remember later.