...there was Billy Bathgate. This is a really interesting story about a young kid trying to get into a life of organized crime. I normally don't really enjoy crime and violence in books but this one really was good and the violence, while definitely there, didn't ruin the story for me.
It was weird, as I read the book I kind of realized that something was going to take place, that the characters weren't all going to continue to live their lives as they were doing so, so there was this sense of foreboding. Was the main character going to get knocked off?
I really enjoyed this one and even though it was long, I went through it really fast!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
I would be a terrible detective.
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler is a fun detective story. I like the 1930s historical details like the phone exchanges, people wearing hats, etc. I really enjoyed reading this. The one thing about detective stories is that I can never figure out how the clues are fitting together and then the detective is like, aha! And I'm slightly confused and feel like I missed something. Very clever...I guess that is why I wouldn't be a good detective. That, and the getting shot at all the time.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Details, details.
One of the many things that amazes me about Peanut is her attention to detail. She will notice and remember these little tiny details of things - the blue frog is the one that doesn't light up at Gacky's house, only one of her Playmobil characters has short sleeves, and so on. It is really cool, especially now that she is talking so much, to be able to hear these observations of hers.
Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf is a very detailed look at one day in the life of an English village. Some locals are putting on a pageant and the book takes place just on that day. The way it is written just reminds me of Peanut's details. It wasn't a particularly interesting book from a plot standpoint but I can see why people who are good at literary stuff probably like it! And at least it was shorter than that last book! I have had a string here of a couple in a row that have not been my favorite. Let's hope The Big Sleep turns things around. It's a detective story!
Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf is a very detailed look at one day in the life of an English village. Some locals are putting on a pageant and the book takes place just on that day. The way it is written just reminds me of Peanut's details. It wasn't a particularly interesting book from a plot standpoint but I can see why people who are good at literary stuff probably like it! And at least it was shorter than that last book! I have had a string here of a couple in a row that have not been my favorite. Let's hope The Big Sleep turns things around. It's a detective story!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Hey! I have heard of that guy!
The Betrothed, by Alessandro Manzoni, was long. Really really long. And not the most interesting thing I ever read either. One bright spot was that St. Charles Borromeo showed up in kind of a peripheral way, which was nice. There is a local church here that is named for him.
I really didn't care about Renzo and Lucia, the betrothed characters who were kind of star crossed. The bright spot in the book for me was the religious conversion of the Unnamed bad guy. And what seemed like hundreds of pages about bread riots? Not for me.
I really didn't care about Renzo and Lucia, the betrothed characters who were kind of star crossed. The bright spot in the book for me was the religious conversion of the Unnamed bad guy. And what seemed like hundreds of pages about bread riots? Not for me.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Anna Karenina and Charlie Sheen, separated at birth?
First of all, wow. I finished Anna Karenina yesterday. I feel like I've been listening to it forever. Now that it's over, I sort of miss those crazy Russians. What a story! Full of family complications, jealousy, betrayal, resignation. It is epic. Fine work, Mr. Tolstoy. I salute you.
Now, about the title of my post comparing Ms. Karenina with Mr. Sheen-- why, you ask? HOW? Charlie Sheen has been all over the news lately like white on rice, and it got me thinking that he and Anna Karenina are very similar. First, the adultery and/or exploits. Anna brings Vronsky into her home while her son is there and he totally knows what's going on. Charlie fools around with a porn star and trashes a hotel room while his daughters are in the next room.
Second, substance abuse. Anna is using opium like it's going out of style at one point. I thought that would be her end. Charlie has been in rehab a few times and his alcohol and drug use is well documented.
Third, they both live on the fringes of society and dislike feeling judged by others. Anna can't even go out in society in Moscow and that nasty lady at the opera is really mean to her. She's an outcast because she can't divorce Alexei Alexandrovitch and marry Vronsky, and she has an illegitimate child. Charlie Sheen, although in the limelight, is on the fringes because he has gotten into trouble with the law and his job, to the point that his TV show is cancelled and he is facing custody issues with his recent ex. Anna can't stand being an outcast and often references her "position." Charlie, in his recent interview on 20/20, likened himself to not being of this terrestrial plain and says he has "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA." They are frustrated with how they feel other people feel about them.
Finally, they both come off to me as rather erratic. At one point in the audio book, when Anna is being particularly unreasonable about Vronsky, saying that she doesn't care, and he'll pay for this, and the letter doesn't reach him but she thinks she's been given the brush-off and Vronsky wants to leave her, I literally, after every sentence, said aloud, "Because you're crazy!" Anna was out of her mind. Charlie Sheen has made some comments in interviews that seem unusual, like the tiger blood thing, and generally isn't making sense these days, at least to me.
Besides all that, I admire Anna Karenina and Charlie Sheen for being themselves and not conforming to anyone else's standards. Anna loved Vronsky obsessively and they both paid the price. Charlie Sheen likes his lifestyle and doesn't lie about it, and time will tell what happens next. Do I condone it? No, but I appreciate the honesty.
I think if I had read Anna Karenina I would not have liked it as much. I mentioned before that the reader of the audio book was great, and her name escapes me at the moment, but I will look it up. It was very accessible. And Tolstoy, what a beautiful and heartbreaking piece of literature. I think Charlie Sheen should read it.
Marissa
Now, about the title of my post comparing Ms. Karenina with Mr. Sheen-- why, you ask? HOW? Charlie Sheen has been all over the news lately like white on rice, and it got me thinking that he and Anna Karenina are very similar. First, the adultery and/or exploits. Anna brings Vronsky into her home while her son is there and he totally knows what's going on. Charlie fools around with a porn star and trashes a hotel room while his daughters are in the next room.
Second, substance abuse. Anna is using opium like it's going out of style at one point. I thought that would be her end. Charlie has been in rehab a few times and his alcohol and drug use is well documented.
Third, they both live on the fringes of society and dislike feeling judged by others. Anna can't even go out in society in Moscow and that nasty lady at the opera is really mean to her. She's an outcast because she can't divorce Alexei Alexandrovitch and marry Vronsky, and she has an illegitimate child. Charlie Sheen, although in the limelight, is on the fringes because he has gotten into trouble with the law and his job, to the point that his TV show is cancelled and he is facing custody issues with his recent ex. Anna can't stand being an outcast and often references her "position." Charlie, in his recent interview on 20/20, likened himself to not being of this terrestrial plain and says he has "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA." They are frustrated with how they feel other people feel about them.
Finally, they both come off to me as rather erratic. At one point in the audio book, when Anna is being particularly unreasonable about Vronsky, saying that she doesn't care, and he'll pay for this, and the letter doesn't reach him but she thinks she's been given the brush-off and Vronsky wants to leave her, I literally, after every sentence, said aloud, "Because you're crazy!" Anna was out of her mind. Charlie Sheen has made some comments in interviews that seem unusual, like the tiger blood thing, and generally isn't making sense these days, at least to me.
Besides all that, I admire Anna Karenina and Charlie Sheen for being themselves and not conforming to anyone else's standards. Anna loved Vronsky obsessively and they both paid the price. Charlie Sheen likes his lifestyle and doesn't lie about it, and time will tell what happens next. Do I condone it? No, but I appreciate the honesty.
I think if I had read Anna Karenina I would not have liked it as much. I mentioned before that the reader of the audio book was great, and her name escapes me at the moment, but I will look it up. It was very accessible. And Tolstoy, what a beautiful and heartbreaking piece of literature. I think Charlie Sheen should read it.
Marissa
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Book backwards of sort a.
Every once in a while Peanut asks us to read to her backwards. At first I thought it was really odd but then I realized that maybe it is her way of focusing more on the words, since I tend to read more slowly that way and use my finger to follow along with the words.
La Bete Humaine is not backwards word for word the way that Peanut likes us to read her books. But the premise is kind of backwards. A murder happens pretty early on in the book and there is no disputing who committed it. The rest of the book deals with the fallout from the murder and basically what happens next in the perpetrators' lives. The book also centers around a French railway line and a lot of the activity occurs in train stations and on trains.
Although this book was written in 1840 there are some pretty modern themes in this book and the construction of it seems way ahead of its time. I really, really liked it. This is one of just a few that I highly, highly recommended to Mike that he read. I think he will find it super interesting.
La Bete Humaine is not backwards word for word the way that Peanut likes us to read her books. But the premise is kind of backwards. A murder happens pretty early on in the book and there is no disputing who committed it. The rest of the book deals with the fallout from the murder and basically what happens next in the perpetrators' lives. The book also centers around a French railway line and a lot of the activity occurs in train stations and on trains.
Although this book was written in 1840 there are some pretty modern themes in this book and the construction of it seems way ahead of its time. I really, really liked it. This is one of just a few that I highly, highly recommended to Mike that he read. I think he will find it super interesting.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Really tasty chicken.
I just didn't get Berlin Alexanderplatz at all. Here's this guy, released from prison, going about doing stuff in 1920s Germany, and it just wasn't that interesting, and I really didn't care. I'm sure the book has lots of meaning and significance but I wasn't able to find it at all. Oh well.
So this is how my mom makes these really tasty chicken thighs.
Chicken thighs
Flour
Bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
Poultry seasoning
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 350, and place pan you plan to cook chicken thighs in oven so it gets hot. Meanwhile, in a ziploc bag place equal parts flour and bread crumbs, plus a dash of salt and pepper and some poultry seasoning. Put each chicken piece in the bag individually to coat with the mixture.
When oven is hot, remove pan and immediately place about a tablespoon of olive oil on it, tilting it to coat the whole pan. Place seasoned chicken thighs skin side up in pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove and turn chicken pieces over and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
So this is how my mom makes these really tasty chicken thighs.
Chicken thighs
Flour
Bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
Poultry seasoning
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 350, and place pan you plan to cook chicken thighs in oven so it gets hot. Meanwhile, in a ziploc bag place equal parts flour and bread crumbs, plus a dash of salt and pepper and some poultry seasoning. Put each chicken piece in the bag individually to coat with the mixture.
When oven is hot, remove pan and immediately place about a tablespoon of olive oil on it, tilting it to coat the whole pan. Place seasoned chicken thighs skin side up in pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove and turn chicken pieces over and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
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