Finish every book I start reading

Memoirs are the current literary trend.
waning in their popularity gratis James Frey, no doubt.

This is a quick read and a reasonable protrayal of what life is like when your parents are potentially brilliant but lazy alcholoic, emotional-pain-lovers who like to geographically relocate rather than face/solve problems.

it’s encouraging to the large chunk of the world that had super messed up lives. it’s proof positive that many people turn out quite well becuase of-not in spite of!-their bizarre, messed up pasts.

This was so worth the time

by Augusten Burroughs

AB has already found a place in my heart as one of my favorite contemporary authors. he is right up there alongside Chuck Palahniuk. (that says a LOT)

like many other fans of Burroghs, i was somewhat hesitant with the release of this book. his other publications were either his one novel or his two memoirs. this was presented as a collection of non-fiction shorts/essays.

it worked out well, though-i’ll concede-did not play with the mind as eloquently as his other books. it WAS an enjoyable read! but just not up to his par.
it was kind of like proferring up the lost episodes of the Chapelle Show to the fans who have been eagerly awaiting the release of the third season for two years.
it was good and new, but small undigested chunks.
when the demographic wants something slightly larger and more congruent, tangible and meatier.

speaking of more, the end of the book mentioned a new book by Augusten, due out in May of this year. Possible Side Effects
i just now looked that up on Amazon and it appears to be yet another memoir of sorts. again in the short-story format. perhaps this piece will prove itself slightly more refined. we shall see. when i can afford to buy the book, it’s as good as read.

my first journey into the land of nonfiction.
i return satiated, my lust for the experience of reading no longer lingering.
a new genre, even.

now, i want more.
nonfiction.

i haven’t been reading very many books lately and was frustrated as to why. sometimes it just takes that right book to turn me back onto reading.

up next: i’m reading Haunted by Chuck Pahalniuk.

Well, i was expecting scary.
I was expecting something so spiritually distrubing or offensive that i would be inspired to either force myself to vomit or end up choking on some hot bile in the back of my throat.

huh….not at all like that.
the book was alright. it didn’t suck; but neither was it scary.
the movie was decent, as well.
not really all that scary or creepy, either but
it does have some famous scene, visual references to which can inspire deep emotions. I enjoyed experimenting with the visuals of the film and creating my own paintings inspired by certain scenes; urination, crucifix masterbation, the vomitting, etc.

all-in-all: not scary.
if it’s a thrill you seek; this novel will not satiate. sorry.

by Stephen King

i feel i can empathize with the rejects. even though i was “popular” in school, i didn’t fit in with any one clique ever, i had no group-oriented identity. My individuality and independence left me a reject by default.

it was painful to watch Carrie emerge from her overprotected shell and receive 3rd degree burns from the harsh light of reality.
it was more than cheap horror fiction. it was tender and raw.

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

It took past page 200 (out of 500) to get to any actual pill-popping. But the plot establishing the principle characters was more than ample. I’m the type that will put down a book to never read it again if i’m not grabbed by the first sentence.

The characters were delicious, adorable, lusting loathesome, honest representations of humans. We can be wicked and back-stabbing, probably more so than what was depicted in the novel.

Not the best book ever, but what is? Genre-wise it lays somewhere between Danielle Steel and a classic. Definitely a fiesty read. Good either for a rainy day or a day at the beach.

Next one i’ve delved into; Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk

I have completed it at last. And now understand such random geekdom nonsense such as “42”. I particularly enjoyed the manic depressive robot. Marvin is so awesome! This was the funniest book I’ve ever read. I was not expecting funny from a Sci-fi novel. I didn’t know they could be funny. Go figure. One of my bosses said if i thought that was a funny Sci Fi book I should check out Good Omens (by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett).

My next read will be Restaraunt at the End of the Universe, for fear the movie may give it away. (Does anyone know if the movie coming out on Friday covers more than just the first book?)

Let me note the author: David Sedaris.

This was a terrible book. I read about 73 pages and got so sick of it i returned it for a refund today. Not even worth giving it a chance. It’s not even that it was over-hyped; this book would’ve been terrible had no one recommended it.

It was cliche. Obviously there is not a creative bone in his body. He wrote “shocking”/weird/obscure things but did so in such a manner as to give the impression that it was written solely for shock value. Although, i found nothing about it shocking. Probably will never try another of his books and will now think twice when receiving recommends from someone who enjoyed this garbage.

Would’ve saved the hassle of returning and kept as toliet paper, but i prefer triple ply and quilted.

One of the chapters describes his search to be an artist and all of the routes that he found unsuccessful; music, painting, performance art, etc. Obviously writing is not his niche either and he should continue his search (and cease his writing!)

The up-side: now i get to start reading Hgttg!!

I find it hard to believe I finished Invisible Monsters only 3 days ago…but computers don’t lie, right?! It usually takes me forever to finish a book, lately. Maybe it’s because I’ve cut down on TV…oh! and sleep..getting a lot less sleep.

Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs was an excellent novel. Full of stuff some people wouldn’t think of to throw in a book; nothing to bizarre but not too much normalcy either…well…maybe it wasn’t that bizarre because it was too normal. Older men lusting after minors…gay porn…snooping hotel maids…shoppaholic shopping network hosts…stalkers…alcholic pill-poppers…indecent exposure…yeah nevermind; this book wasn’t bizarre. A good read, but not his best (but really good! don’t get me wrong). I prefer his memoirs (Running with Scissors & Dry). The cliche is true: Truth is stranger than fiction. Now if your life doesn’t contain any of those aforementioned characteristics, this book may strike you as bizarre. But an excellent read, worth buying, but no lingering imagery as strong as his memoirs for me (nothing has topped that image of a little boy taking a dump under the piano). It was his first “novel” novel, though, so perhaps his sophomore piece will be more..off.

Next up: David Sedaris’s Me Talk Pretty One Day. I’ve heard good things. Been told if you like Burroughs you’ll like Sedaris and vice versa. Here’s hopin’!