Wake Up, Sir!

AUGUST 10, 2005

Jonathan Ames is funny. Granted, I read Pass Like Night a few weeks ago and it wasn't even attempting humor, but after reading his newest I am totally hooked. I keep thinking about Alan, the star of Wake Up, Sir, nearly a week after finishing the book. He's like a neurotic, self-depricating, Jewish, red-haired, sport-coat-wearing Forrest Gump with a valet. In fact, I'm going to stop this review now because that description should be enough. Either you're into that or you're not. Clearly, I'm into it. He has officially been added to my stable of Brooklyn writers.

Note: Apparently, Wake Up, Sir (and The Extra Man) have been optioned for the silver screen. Who should play Alan?

Posted in Book at 8:32 pm.
1 Comment |

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

JULY 27, 2005

If this were an episode in a t.v. show, you would call the Half-Blood Prince a set-up episode. Rowling's style and voice were impeccable as always, but this edition set up a doozy of a story for the final book. I couldn't imagine it being any less than 1,000 pages.

As you might guess, I liked books four and five better but it's still Harry Potter. In no way do I regret picking up the book at midnight on the night of its release. When else will I get to see a crazy fan dressed up as Dumbledore riding around B&N on a segway? Exactly.

Posted in Book at 1:14 am.
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Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

DECEMBER 20, 2004

By far, the most well-crafted book I've read in...well, ever. When you hear the book is nearly 800 pages it's hard to imagine that every sentence is necessary, but it was.

Susanna Clarke tells the story of two magicians who bring magic back to England during the 19th Century. Despite being called "Harry Potter for adults", this book is far from that. They may both be about magic, but this is less about unraveling a mystery and more of a coming-of-age story. In this case, it is magic that is coming of age.

I loved this book, but I wouldn't call it my favorite. That status is reserved for The Master and Margarita, which just happens to have a similar title. Whether you're new or old to fantasy novels, this one wil get you good. Clarke's outstanding writing and her attention to detail will most definitely impress you.

Posted in Book at 1:46 pm.
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The Fortress of Solitude

DECEMBER 16, 2003

This book pulled me out of a fiction funk. I thought I needed to take a break from fiction so I picked up a couple other books, neither of which worked out. Then my friend Zack lent this to me, and I loved it.

I picked up this book mainly because it was based in my neighborhood, Boerum Hill. It's fun to read a book and say, "hey, that's where I get my milk and cereal." This is probably the reason why the first hundred pages were slow; I picked up the book for a cursory reason. Soon thereafter, I was hooked. More than anything, I was able to see how growing up in a neighborhood that is of a different racial makeup than your own can be totally debilitating. There is a great deal more packed into these pages, but that was what stuck out for me.

This one's definitely a keeper. I even bought another book of his, Motherless Brooklyn.

Posted in Book at 5:20 pm.
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Life of Pi

DECEMBER 16, 2003

I finished this a couple months ago but never got around to writing a review. That's too bad because it would have meant that you'd have another two months to go out and find this book.

Definitely one of the more enjoyable books I've read in a long time. It's the story of a young Indian boy who is traveling to America with his family, but the boat sinks in a storm and he spends the entire time on a lifeboat in a precarious situation. The writing is fresh and inviting and I wanted to befriend the main character, Pi.

It is worth noting that the book won the Man Booker Prize in 2002. This means there is a pretty gold seal on the cover. It's nice.

One of my favorite books I've read in the last few years. Find it.

Posted in Book at 1:33 pm.
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