Here is a summary of the fiction books I read in 2011.
K is for Killer by Sue Grafton
A fine entry in the long running series of mysteries featuring California PI Kinsey Millhone. I’m way behind on this series. “V is for Vengeance” was published last year.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Maintaining interest in a thousand page novel is no easy task, but that’s what Brandon Sanderson has done in this massive first entry into a planned ten volume series. The trick in writing in the epic fantasy genre is to combine effective and credible world-building with interesting characters and a compelling plot. Sanderson does this very well. His specialty is creating believable “magic systems,” meaning the ways in which the fantastic elements are used are logically worked out and consistent. He is also very good at the narrative pace of the novel. As long as the book is, it is rarely boring and he saves some terrific plot twists for the final few pages. I’m looking forward to the next installment.
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
This clever novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2011. Each chapter in the book is a self-contained short story but together they all end up telling one big story. In addition, each story is told from the perspective of a different character and uses a unique literary style. Egan writes in first person, third person, and even a creative use of second person. One story is told in the form of a Powerpoint presentation!
The “goon squad” of the title refers to the ravages of time on people. Characters who at first are presented as young and full of energy can appear in later stories in pretty bad shape. Events and characters that seem trivial or tangential in one story take on greater importance in later stories.
The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke (audio book)
This is one of those cases where now that I’ve listened to the audio version of James Lee Burke’s excellent crime novel I can’t imagine actually reading it. The narration by Will Patton is perfect. He not only gets the Southern accents of the Louisiana setting just right, he comes up with a wide variety of voices for a considerable number of characters. Burke's ability to show multiple sides of the story, using both police and criminals made me think of the TV series The Wire. The presentation of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is devastating. The story gets quite harrowing at times with some gruesome violence so the book isn’t for everyone.
The 39 Clues books 1 and 2 (audio book)
I listened to the first two volumes of this middle-grade series. If this had been around when I was 12, it probably would have been one of my favorites. The action centers around two children who become involved in a deadly quest around the world to uncover clues to unlock the secret of their powerful family Each book revolves around a historical character. In the ones I listened to, the figures were Benjamin Franklin and Mozart.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I must be one of the last people on the planet to read this popular young adult novel. It certainly is entertaining and makes me want to see the movie. Collins makes some interesting observations about our entertainment obsessed culture by placing the reader into the story making them as much of a voyeur as the people in the novel who are forced to watch the deadly Hunger Games. I have a bad habit of not finishing series so we’ll see if I get around to reading the other two books in 2012.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Book Summary 2011: Christian Books
This is the first part of my summary of books I read in 2011.
Christian books
I read more Christian nooks this year than ever before, partly due to the fact that I joined a Bible study and chose to buy the books (at least most of them) used to facilitate weekly discussions. Here are some brief comments on each one along with a link to my review on Amazon where appropriate.
Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis E. Johnson
This is an excellent commentary on the last book of the Bible from an idealist perspective. My Amazon review is here.
Confessions by Augustine, translated by F. J. Sneed
I’ve gotten rather lazy about reading the classics and have not been following C.S. Lewis’s advice on reading an old book for every new one. At least the one classic I read this year is one of the all time greats, not just a Christian classic but one of the greatest works of Western literature: the Confessions of Saint Augustine.
This is the second time I’ve read the Confessions (although when I first read it I skipped the last few chapters.) There’s so much that could be said but what struck me the most was how contemporary Augustine’s story sounds. He may have lived in the 4th century but his journey from Christian home, to skeptic to one of the greatest theologians in church history is remarkably readable to a modern audience. What he goes through in life, both in regular everyday terms as well as his questions about the nature of God could be written today.
I highly recommend the translation by F. J. Sneed. It is very readable. Do not get any of the free versions available for the Kindle or iPad as they contain vastly outdated and difficult to read translations.
The Next Story by Tim Challies
Tim Challies is a blogger from Canada who posts daily on subjects of interest to Christians who are part of the Reformed tradition. One of his interests is technology and how Christians should relate to it. His book The Next Story deals with this subject in a very informative way. He discusses technology from many different angles and relates each aspect to Christianity. I especially appreciated his chapter on how technology distracts us. If you use Facebook, Twitter, or use a Kindle or iPhone, this book is perfect for you. (And that basically includes everybody.)
Did Adam and Eve Really Exist? By C. John Collins
I enjoyed this brief book on the subject of the historicity of Adam and Eve. My Amazon review is here.
Christian books
I read more Christian nooks this year than ever before, partly due to the fact that I joined a Bible study and chose to buy the books (at least most of them) used to facilitate weekly discussions. Here are some brief comments on each one along with a link to my review on Amazon where appropriate.
Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis E. Johnson
This is an excellent commentary on the last book of the Bible from an idealist perspective. My Amazon review is here.
Confessions by Augustine, translated by F. J. Sneed
I’ve gotten rather lazy about reading the classics and have not been following C.S. Lewis’s advice on reading an old book for every new one. At least the one classic I read this year is one of the all time greats, not just a Christian classic but one of the greatest works of Western literature: the Confessions of Saint Augustine.
This is the second time I’ve read the Confessions (although when I first read it I skipped the last few chapters.) There’s so much that could be said but what struck me the most was how contemporary Augustine’s story sounds. He may have lived in the 4th century but his journey from Christian home, to skeptic to one of the greatest theologians in church history is remarkably readable to a modern audience. What he goes through in life, both in regular everyday terms as well as his questions about the nature of God could be written today.
I highly recommend the translation by F. J. Sneed. It is very readable. Do not get any of the free versions available for the Kindle or iPad as they contain vastly outdated and difficult to read translations.
The Next Story by Tim Challies
Tim Challies is a blogger from Canada who posts daily on subjects of interest to Christians who are part of the Reformed tradition. One of his interests is technology and how Christians should relate to it. His book The Next Story deals with this subject in a very informative way. He discusses technology from many different angles and relates each aspect to Christianity. I especially appreciated his chapter on how technology distracts us. If you use Facebook, Twitter, or use a Kindle or iPhone, this book is perfect for you. (And that basically includes everybody.)
Did Adam and Eve Really Exist? By C. John Collins
I enjoyed this brief book on the subject of the historicity of Adam and Eve. My Amazon review is here.
Monday, August 1, 2011
update
Obviously, I haven't been reviewing any 80s movies recently. I figured this would happen. My next step then is to try, try again, only with a new theme. (I may come back to the 80s at some point.) I'm considering going back to the (wait for it...) 70s! More to come.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Back to the 80s: Prizzi's Honor
We're now up to the second week of June 1985. At last, something for the grown-ups!
Prizzi’s Honor
A hit man for the mob falls in love with a woman, who turns out to be a hit woman. It seems like a good match until they’re ordered to kill each other.
How did it play in 1985? It did fairly well at the box-office but it was more successful at receiving multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor and the award it won, Best Supporting Actress which went to Anjelica HustoN in a role directed by her father John Huston.
Did I see it then? No way. I saw very few R-rated movies in 1985 and probably wouldn’t have been interested in this one anyway. This is the first time I’ve seen it.
How does it play today? Summer movies are usually full of action, comedy and special effects, so it must have been refreshing for a movie aimed at adults to open up alongside the likes of The Goonies and Rambo. Prizzi’s Honor is a mob movie with lots of black comedy. It’ s similar to The Godfather and GoodFellas although it isn’t quite as good as either of those two. I’m sure if it came out today, it would be compared to The Sopranos (a show I never warmed up to).
The film’s main strength is the performances. As mentioned above, Anjelica Huston won an Oscar for her role as the manipulative outcast of the Prizzi family. She’s very good and I wish she’d had more scenes. Also good is William Hickey (better known to some of you as Uncle Lewis in Christmas Vacation) who plays the patriarch of the family. He was only 58 when he made this, but thanks to good acting and makeup he looks twice that age. Jack Nicholson and Kathleen Turner are also good in the leading roles.
I always have a difficult time with mob movies, mainly for the relative morality of the characters. Almost every person is violent and unpleasant. So what’s the attraction? I think audiences are fascinated by the family dynamics of these characters. They struggle to deal with their family, just like everyone does, except their differences are often resolved with guns and knives. The humor, as dark as it is, certainly helps. The most intriguing element of Prizzi’s Honor is the moral choices faced by Nicholson’s character. Will he uphold the Prizzi family honor, or go his own way? Will he remain loyal to his adopted family or will he kill his own wife? Without saying too much, let me once again refer to the film’s moral relativism which is the main problem. The viewer is forced to “root” for one group of immoral people against another. Making a rationally moral choice isn’t an option. The ending left me frustrated.
Next time: A science-fiction movie that was very popular and a fantasy movie that no one saw.
Prizzi’s Honor
A hit man for the mob falls in love with a woman, who turns out to be a hit woman. It seems like a good match until they’re ordered to kill each other.
How did it play in 1985? It did fairly well at the box-office but it was more successful at receiving multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor and the award it won, Best Supporting Actress which went to Anjelica HustoN in a role directed by her father John Huston.
Did I see it then? No way. I saw very few R-rated movies in 1985 and probably wouldn’t have been interested in this one anyway. This is the first time I’ve seen it.
How does it play today? Summer movies are usually full of action, comedy and special effects, so it must have been refreshing for a movie aimed at adults to open up alongside the likes of The Goonies and Rambo. Prizzi’s Honor is a mob movie with lots of black comedy. It’ s similar to The Godfather and GoodFellas although it isn’t quite as good as either of those two. I’m sure if it came out today, it would be compared to The Sopranos (a show I never warmed up to).
The film’s main strength is the performances. As mentioned above, Anjelica Huston won an Oscar for her role as the manipulative outcast of the Prizzi family. She’s very good and I wish she’d had more scenes. Also good is William Hickey (better known to some of you as Uncle Lewis in Christmas Vacation) who plays the patriarch of the family. He was only 58 when he made this, but thanks to good acting and makeup he looks twice that age. Jack Nicholson and Kathleen Turner are also good in the leading roles.
I always have a difficult time with mob movies, mainly for the relative morality of the characters. Almost every person is violent and unpleasant. So what’s the attraction? I think audiences are fascinated by the family dynamics of these characters. They struggle to deal with their family, just like everyone does, except their differences are often resolved with guns and knives. The humor, as dark as it is, certainly helps. The most intriguing element of Prizzi’s Honor is the moral choices faced by Nicholson’s character. Will he uphold the Prizzi family honor, or go his own way? Will he remain loyal to his adopted family or will he kill his own wife? Without saying too much, let me once again refer to the film’s moral relativism which is the main problem. The viewer is forced to “root” for one group of immoral people against another. Making a rationally moral choice isn’t an option. The ending left me frustrated.
Next time: A science-fiction movie that was very popular and a fantasy movie that no one saw.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Back to the 80s: The Goonies
Continuing my series on the summer movies of 1985.
The Goonies
A group of kids try to save their homes from being turned into a country club and have the adventure of a lifetime involving escaped convicts and a pirate treasure in this movie directed by Richard Donner that has become a cult classic.
How did it play in 1985? Very well. It opened in second place behind Rambo and became the ninth highest grossing movie of 1985. It’s continued popularity has led to numerous rumors of a sequel involving the original cast.
Did I see it then? Yes, and I loved it.
How does it play today? This is tough. A large part of my enjoyment of the movie today depends on nostalgia, which makes it difficult to be objective. It’s fun to see actors like Sean Astin and Josh Brolin looking so young. The sense of adventure so critical to the story survives (the many booby-traps are fun in an Indiana Jones sort of way and the pirate ship is still pretty cool) but some of the flaws are more apparent now. It’s much too long and the kids (and some of the adults) yell and talk over each other throughout the film. I doubt an adult who never saw the movie as a kid would get much out of The Goonies and I wonder if today’s kids would enjoy it. I guess it would be fine for kids too young to see the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
The other movie that opened up in the first week of June 1985 was the box-office bomb Perfect starring John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis. I’m not opposed to seeing bad movies, but this sounds so awful it’s not worth it.
Next week: An Oscar nominee for Best Picture.
The Goonies
A group of kids try to save their homes from being turned into a country club and have the adventure of a lifetime involving escaped convicts and a pirate treasure in this movie directed by Richard Donner that has become a cult classic.
How did it play in 1985? Very well. It opened in second place behind Rambo and became the ninth highest grossing movie of 1985. It’s continued popularity has led to numerous rumors of a sequel involving the original cast.
Did I see it then? Yes, and I loved it.
How does it play today? This is tough. A large part of my enjoyment of the movie today depends on nostalgia, which makes it difficult to be objective. It’s fun to see actors like Sean Astin and Josh Brolin looking so young. The sense of adventure so critical to the story survives (the many booby-traps are fun in an Indiana Jones sort of way and the pirate ship is still pretty cool) but some of the flaws are more apparent now. It’s much too long and the kids (and some of the adults) yell and talk over each other throughout the film. I doubt an adult who never saw the movie as a kid would get much out of The Goonies and I wonder if today’s kids would enjoy it. I guess it would be fine for kids too young to see the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
The other movie that opened up in the first week of June 1985 was the box-office bomb Perfect starring John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis. I’m not opposed to seeing bad movies, but this sounds so awful it’s not worth it.
Next week: An Oscar nominee for Best Picture.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Back to the 80s: Memorial Day Weekend 1985
It's time for the first segment of Back to the 80s. If you went to a movie theater on Memorial Day Weekend 1985, what could you have seen?
A View to a Kill
Super-spy James Bond attempts to keep super-villain Max Zorin from creating a massive earthquake that will flood Silicon Valley, thus leaving him with complete control f the world’s microchip market.
How did it play in 1985? Fairly well. It was the 13th highest grossing movie of the year and the 14th (out of 23) in the Bond series. It was the last Bond with Roger Moore in the lead. The critics didn’t think much of it and now it has a reputation as one of the worst Bond films.
Did I see it then? Yes. I don’t recall much about it though.
How does it play today? It’s passable entertainment, more so if you are a fan of the Bond movies. I liked the widescreen cinematography and the John Barry score provides the perfect sonic mood for a Bond film. Unfortunately, most everything else is sub-par. The plot is a retread of previous Bond films and Max Zorin is no Goldfinger. Tanya Roberts is terrible as the leading lady. Only Grace Jones, who plays the requisite villain’s henchmen (henchwoman?) has an impact, although her character is just as underwritten as everyone else‘s. The action scenes are OK, except for a ridiculous chase involving a stolen fire truck and lots of police cars that seems more appropriate to The Blues Brothers.
Rambo: First Blood Part II
The big hit of Memorial Day 1985 was Rambo: First Blood Part II, the action-packed, ultra-violent sequel to the 1982 film First Blood. The plot, such as it is, has Sylvester Stallone’s title character sent into Vietnam on a covert mission to find out if American POWs are still there. He is soon betrayed and must use every weapon in existence to fight his way out and blow as much stuff up as (in)humanly possible.
How did it play in 1985? Huge. It was the number one movie at the box office for 4 weeks in a row and was the second highest grossing movie of he year.
Did I see it then? No. I wanted to, but my parents were pretty strict about letting me see R-rated movies. I didn’t see it until much later.
How does it play today? It’s quite ridiculous and a little offensive. I know this is the kind of movie you’re not supposed to analyze but it’s hard not to roll your eyes at it. The action gets increasingly improbable as the movie goes on as Rambo becomes an unstoppable one-man killing machine.
The script was co-written by Stallone and none other than James Cameron, who had directed The Terminator a year earlier. There are certainly parts of the movie that are quite exciting if you can suspend your disbelief. Perhaps the best thing about Rambo II is the score by Jerry Goldsmith. Using ostinato, odd-metered rhythms, the score pulsates with kinetic energy. The elegiac theme “It’s a Long Road” from the same composer’s score to First Blood, makes several appearances and is masterfully transformed into an action fanfare.
Two other movies opened up in late May 1985. First, was the Richard Pryor/John Candy comedy Brewster’s Millions about a baseball player who must spend $30 million in 30 days without telling anyone why. If he succeeds, he gets $300 million. I remember my sister and I watching this a lot when it was on HBO, but I’m not interested in seeing it again. The Chevy Chase comedy Fletch was a popular movie about an investigative journalist who used multiple disguises to catch the bad guys. It spawned a sequel and there have been several attempts to remake it. I saw it in the theaters and several times thereafter but haven’t seen it recently.
Next week: An infamous bomb and a popular kid's movie.
A View to a Kill
Super-spy James Bond attempts to keep super-villain Max Zorin from creating a massive earthquake that will flood Silicon Valley, thus leaving him with complete control f the world’s microchip market.
How did it play in 1985? Fairly well. It was the 13th highest grossing movie of the year and the 14th (out of 23) in the Bond series. It was the last Bond with Roger Moore in the lead. The critics didn’t think much of it and now it has a reputation as one of the worst Bond films.
Did I see it then? Yes. I don’t recall much about it though.
How does it play today? It’s passable entertainment, more so if you are a fan of the Bond movies. I liked the widescreen cinematography and the John Barry score provides the perfect sonic mood for a Bond film. Unfortunately, most everything else is sub-par. The plot is a retread of previous Bond films and Max Zorin is no Goldfinger. Tanya Roberts is terrible as the leading lady. Only Grace Jones, who plays the requisite villain’s henchmen (henchwoman?) has an impact, although her character is just as underwritten as everyone else‘s. The action scenes are OK, except for a ridiculous chase involving a stolen fire truck and lots of police cars that seems more appropriate to The Blues Brothers.
Rambo: First Blood Part II
The big hit of Memorial Day 1985 was Rambo: First Blood Part II, the action-packed, ultra-violent sequel to the 1982 film First Blood. The plot, such as it is, has Sylvester Stallone’s title character sent into Vietnam on a covert mission to find out if American POWs are still there. He is soon betrayed and must use every weapon in existence to fight his way out and blow as much stuff up as (in)humanly possible.
How did it play in 1985? Huge. It was the number one movie at the box office for 4 weeks in a row and was the second highest grossing movie of he year.
Did I see it then? No. I wanted to, but my parents were pretty strict about letting me see R-rated movies. I didn’t see it until much later.
How does it play today? It’s quite ridiculous and a little offensive. I know this is the kind of movie you’re not supposed to analyze but it’s hard not to roll your eyes at it. The action gets increasingly improbable as the movie goes on as Rambo becomes an unstoppable one-man killing machine.
The script was co-written by Stallone and none other than James Cameron, who had directed The Terminator a year earlier. There are certainly parts of the movie that are quite exciting if you can suspend your disbelief. Perhaps the best thing about Rambo II is the score by Jerry Goldsmith. Using ostinato, odd-metered rhythms, the score pulsates with kinetic energy. The elegiac theme “It’s a Long Road” from the same composer’s score to First Blood, makes several appearances and is masterfully transformed into an action fanfare.
Two other movies opened up in late May 1985. First, was the Richard Pryor/John Candy comedy Brewster’s Millions about a baseball player who must spend $30 million in 30 days without telling anyone why. If he succeeds, he gets $300 million. I remember my sister and I watching this a lot when it was on HBO, but I’m not interested in seeing it again. The Chevy Chase comedy Fletch was a popular movie about an investigative journalist who used multiple disguises to catch the bad guys. It spawned a sequel and there have been several attempts to remake it. I saw it in the theaters and several times thereafter but haven’t seen it recently.
Next week: An infamous bomb and a popular kid's movie.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Back to the 80s: Introduction
Are you a child of the 1980s? Do you love going to the movies but find you don’t enjoy the summer movies as much as you used to? Were movies really better back then, or is it more a matter of maturity that makes today’s movies, especially those released in the summer, look bad in comparison? I’m sure it’s a little bit of both. As an experiment, I plan to recreate a summer movie season from my childhood and see how the movies stack up today. What effect does nostalgia have on my reaction to certain movies? And what about the more mature movies I never saw?
Here’s how it will work. Each weekend, I’ll post a new entry summarizing the movies that came out the same weekend in the past. Due to time constraints, I won’t be able to re-watch every single movie. Plus, there are some I don’t feel all that inclined to revisit. (Do I really need to watch European Vacation again?)
I’m going to begin with the summer of 1985. I was 14 years old, the perfect age for spending way too much time at the movie theater watching special-effects laden movies and enjoying my usual large popcorn, cherry Coke and a bag of Skittles. A wide variety of movies were released that year. There were blockbusters like Rambo 2 and Back to the Future, box-office bombs like The Black Cauldron and Return to Oz (both Disney films) and movies aimed at adults like Prizzi’s Honor and Pale Rider.
Memorial Day Weekend is coming soon. Are you ready to go Back to the 80s?
Here’s how it will work. Each weekend, I’ll post a new entry summarizing the movies that came out the same weekend in the past. Due to time constraints, I won’t be able to re-watch every single movie. Plus, there are some I don’t feel all that inclined to revisit. (Do I really need to watch European Vacation again?)
I’m going to begin with the summer of 1985. I was 14 years old, the perfect age for spending way too much time at the movie theater watching special-effects laden movies and enjoying my usual large popcorn, cherry Coke and a bag of Skittles. A wide variety of movies were released that year. There were blockbusters like Rambo 2 and Back to the Future, box-office bombs like The Black Cauldron and Return to Oz (both Disney films) and movies aimed at adults like Prizzi’s Honor and Pale Rider.
Memorial Day Weekend is coming soon. Are you ready to go Back to the 80s?
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