Worldwired Close Shangri-La Terrain; Past Feng's Tent; Madeleine's Fire; Widdershins Month of Fun

[maribou]

The Shangri-La Diet, by Seth Roberts
Enh. The guy is not as clever as he thinks he is (hint: if you are going to repeatedly discuss the addictive nature of Pepsi, Coke, et al, at least a NOD to the fact that they contain caffeine might have been useful - he blames it all on the exactness and thus repetition of their formulae). Gave me some useful ideas though (at least at first blush). Can't really recommend it, still feeling skeptical.
(107/250)

Close Friends, by Peter Jenkins
A charming book about (mostly) the author's relationships with various animals he has known over the years. Was pleasantly relieved that it was not stridently or even noticeably God-fearing in tone. (the author is a Christian who thanks various scary-to-me-right-wing-evangelical "names" in his acknowledgements). Really enjoyed this, will be seeking out some of his other stuff.
(108/250)

Worldwired, by Elizabeth Bear
I was really happy with this book. It seems to have taken a step of some sorts above the first two in the trilogy, so that the author has risen in my estimation from 'yes, I can trust this will be enjoyable' to 'Must Find More of Zir Books NOW'. Yay!
(109/250)

In Suspect Terrain, by John McPhee
I have some sort of mental block when it comes to geology, both intellectual and aesthetic, but John McPhee comes closer to letting me get past it than anyone else I know. Er, not that I know him, but. This is a tasty one, even if I'm more out of my depth here than I usually like to be.
(110/250)

Past Lives, Present Tense, edited by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
The intriguing shared premise of these stories is a near-future in which it is possible to absorb some vital part of past persons (their memories and interpretative leanings, basically) into one's own self. So you have stories about "What would it be like to have Leonardo DaVinci or Anne Boleyn or my dead wife in my head?" They're mostly good stories and I loved the premise so much that I didn't get tired of its repetition.
(111/250)

Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille, by Steven Brust
I hadn't read any Steven Brust yet, and had always been meaning to, and this looked fluffier and less dark than his fantasies. It was great! Kind of reminded me of Pohl in a humorous mode without ever losing its originality or tongue-in-cheek-but-still-deadly-serious sensibility.
(112/250)

The Tent, by Margaret Atwood
These short pieces would mostly, I guess, qualify as 'prose poems'. And then there are a few real poems too. I ate this all up in one day, but it left me kind of unsatisfied.
(113/250)

What Fire Cannot Burn, by John Ridley
I had extremely low expectations for this one, but it was so fun! And darker/deeper than I expected too. Very interesting story of cops trying to deal with mutant humans. Will be reading the one before it.
(114/250)

Madeleine's World, by Brian G. Hall
This book is subtitled something like 'the biography of a three-year-old' and I was kind of afraid it would suck. Except it's brilliant! Wonderful! Fascinating! Funny! Touching! And very very down-to-earth. I haven't liked a book about kids this much in ages.
(115/250)

Widdershins, by Charles de Lint
Latest of his Newford books, urban fantasy with great characters and excellent writing. Loved it, read it in one day! I must say that although it is a standalone, I don't think someone who hasn't read any Charles de Lint should start with this one, because it is a major culmination of some stuff from previous books.
(116/250)

A Month of Sundays, by John Updike
I really like how John Updike does things, but I always don't like what he does. So despite finding this exceedingly readable, it drove me up a wall and made me cranky. I haven't given up on him yet, but grrr.
(117/250)

Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel
One would think it difficult to write a memoir featuring one's father's in-the-closet homosexuality, abusive nature, and likely suicide without coming off all tortured and melodramatic. But Bechdel pulls it off flawlessly. This book is a gem, never mawkish, frequently poignant, and beautifully drawn. Major props to apotropaic for lending it to me. On our first meeting, no less. Woman knows how to solidify a good first impression. Heh.
(118/250)

Comments

[raisinbottom.livejournal.com]

All right wing religious people are fucking scary. They're the American Al-Qaeda and I leave that as a blanket statement condemning everyone who subscribes to the belief.

[maribou]

I find there are huge degrees. Jay's mom is not scary to me at all. People like Dr. Dobson or Ted Haggard or Pat Robertson or Dubya? Scary.