Tag Archives: non-fiction

The Only Thing Better Than Reading Books Is Reading About Them: Cassie-la Delves Into “The Girl Who Was on Fire” from Leah Wilson

25 Jan

The Girl Who Was on Fire - Leah WilsonThe Girl Who Was On Fire (Movie Edition): Your Favorite Authors On Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy [edited] by Leah Wilson (Galley)
Release Date: January 17, 2013
Genre: Non-fiction, literary criticism, dystopia, young adult, let’s geek out with YA authors over other YA books
Rating: 4.26 out of 5 stars

Summary: Sixteen young adult authors discuss the phenomena that is The Hunger Games Trilogy by exploring the fashion, the tropes, the relation to reality television, the characters and anything else that can be analyzed for your nerdy reading pleasure. Because if there’s something that’s better than reading, it’s talking about what you read. Featuring YA fan favorite authors such as Sarah Rees Brennan, Diana Peterfreund and Carrie Ryan, this if the ultimate unofficial, completely unauthorized glimpse into the mechanics of the Hunger Games.

We’ve covered The Hunger Games here on Bibliomantics before, from our thoughts about the upcoming movie (TIM GUNN FOR CINNA!), to the movie itself, ways in which to immerse yourself in the world of Panem and an in-depth review of Mockingjay, but this is the first time we’ve explored other people discussing the literary ramifications of the series. It was super interesting to see their collective thoughts on the trilogy as a whole. Not to be confused with sacred dwarf holes.

According to my research, which is vast and far reaching, this anthology is slightly different from the original collection The Girl Who Was on Fire because it contains three new essays and extra-movie related content. Nothing in particular stuck out at me in terms of movie content, but I can safely say that there are three more essays. Sadly, none of them explore the Sad Gale meme for which I will be forever disappointed.

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My Year in Reading: Cassie-la’s 2012 Best of Reading List

4 Jan

2012 Reading ListHappy 2013!!! It’s a new year already, which means a blank slate in which to read new books, enjoy new worlds and start a brand new list of books read in 365 days. This is the 5th year in a row (since I started keeping a book log) that I made my reading goal and I’ve definitely come a long way from my 50 book goal in 2008 to the 150 I aimed to read in 2012. Yay for meeting goals!

Although to be fair, I was unemployed (yet again) January through part of October, so that might be why I was able to read so much. Here’s hoping I can still hit at least 150 for 2013 since it’s already set in stone on GoodReads, which apparently counts the number of books and the page count. Social media never made being a bibliophile so easy.

In 2012 I read a grand total of 156 books (see full list HERE), hitting my goal and landing on a nice even number. YAY EVEN NUMBERS! 39 of those were novels, 3 were anthologies, 16 were non-fiction, 45 of them were young adult novels, 36 were graphic novels and trades, 16 were children’s books and 1 was a poetry collection.

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Philosophical Musings: Kelly Reviews “A New Myth for America” by James Hilgendorf

26 Jul

A New Myth for America by James Hilgendorf (Submission)
Genre: Philosophy, New Age, Non-Fiction, Religion
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Summary (from back cover): Every great civilization has had its own myth, a cosmic story of how we fit into the universe, a divine story of who we are and where we came from.

Now all the old myths have crumbled to dust.

What we crave is a new consciousness, a new time, new stories, new heroes and heroines, dragons and great knights upon black steeds, the battle, the quest – a story that encompasses the heavens and suns and stars and galaxies and black holes and universes beyond number, yet is bolted down to rocks and rivers and flowers and thunder and rain, finding its tale reverberating through the bones and marrow and hearts of the blacksmith, the nanny, the insurance salesman, the ice cream vendor, the teacher, banker, garbage collector, shoe repairman, mechanic, musician…

This story unfolds here and now.

The real, true dream of America.

There are some bold statements in this author provided summary, so I was really intrigued by this text. I didn’t really know if it was supposed to be fiction, nonfiction, preparation for the apocalypse (that thought may have been planted from our last bookclub!), so I went in with an open mind. If you’re ready to do the same – let’s talk America, philosophy, and Springsteen (always Springsteen).

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An Irreverent Romping Tour de Force: Cassie-la Writes a Cliched Review of “How to Avoid Huge Ships” by Captain John W. Trimmer

25 May

How to Avoid Huge Ships by Captain John W. Trimmer
Genre: Non-fiction, boats, humor, how did this get published?
Rating: 5 out of 5 (in my imagination)

Summary: Ever wondered how to avoid huge ships? Well now you can, with the help of a real boat captain who has plenty of experience avoiding huge ships. As he will tell you in this opus, it’s important to remember not to steer directly into the ship or just sit there as it barrels toward you. I could tell you more, but I don’t want to give away all of his secrets. However, after reading only 112 pages you too will be able to get out of the way of huge ships!

The purpose of this post is two-fold. One, is to celebrate the hilarity that is the Amazon reviews for this ridiculously titled book, an actual published book that is currently going for the low low price of $178.99. And with 190 reviews there is a lot of humor to share with the world. I have included some of the best reviews for your reading pleasure further on in the post.

The second purpose is to try to write a review chock full of cliched words that critics seem to love. This idea came about when Book Riot contributor Elizabeth Bastos wrote this post about her “Least Favorite Book Critic-ish Words and Phrases”. Seeing all the hysterical and oftentimes pompous words in one place made me want to attempt to write a review using as many of them as possible. The only problem, what book do I mock to attempt this challenge? Do I make up a book? Do I base it off a book I had already read- Stephen Colbert’s, I Am a Pole (And So Can You!) came to mind. This is where How to Avoid Huge Ships comes in, the best possible book to perfect my cliched writing with.

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An Argument for the Kindle: Cassie-la Fights for the eReader

27 Apr

A lot of people have a grudge against eReaders. Whether it’s because they think it will signal the downfall of books, they consider its silly to pay money for a non-physical object, or they just enjoy the feel of a physical book, not everyone is all for the eReader. I was once one of these people. I love books, I have a huge library, a Kindle just seemed silly to me. Then my fiance gifted me one for Christmas and my opinion changed. I still collect books with a passion, but there are some things I prefer my Kindle for.

I buy embarrassing eBooks on my reader, classic books in the public domain, read digital copies sent by authors and publishers, snatch up ones that are on sale, and even buy books that I am too impatient to wait for. FYI: Kindle editions go on sale at midnight on the night of the book’s release, an added bonus for books not rewarded release parties. I’ve even used the Kindle Lending Library to loan out eBooks that I wanted to read but my physical copies were currently loaned out.

An Argument for the Kindle in 5 Parts:

1. Book Lovers Will Always Buy Books
2. Entices Non Readers to Read More
3. Expands Your Reading Horizons
4. Makes Things Easier for Reviewers
5. Promotes Library Use

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Ambivalence in Reading: Cassie-la Works Out Her Feelings for “50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True” by Guy P. Harrison

30 Mar

50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True by Guy P. Harrison
Genre: Non-fiction, science, ghosts, aliens, religion, everything but the kitchen sink
Rating: 3.456 out of 5 stars

Summary: Skeptic and journalist Guy P. Harrison explores everything from Atlantis to psychic powers, global warming, and the Holocaust. With 50 varied topics, he covers everything you ever wondered about and things you never cared to know. If you are a skeptic, you will love this novel, however if you’re looking for concrete evidence over arguments, seek for it elsewhere.

I had a lot of trouble with this book, and it wasn’t for lack of trying. When I purchased it I was genuinely interested in reading a scientific take on the paranormal and the various mysteries of the universe. The problem: I seemed to be under the impression there would be concrete evidence to support most of these beliefs, which is silly considering if there was incontrovertible proof against ghosts and cryptozoology we would have seen it. Strike one: my perception of the world. Although to be fair, I didn’t hear anything about a giant squid being captured until I saw a special on the Discovery Channel, so anything is possible.

This is where the problem lies in this novel, there are more arguments than evidence. As is touched upon in this book, it’s incredibly hard to disprove stuff. We can point others in the right direction with reason and logic, but evidence that completely says these beliefs are false is hard to come by. For example, it should be easy to prove the Loch Ness Monster is real (a body), than to disprove it, the only way to do that would be to completely drain Loch Ness and not locate a sea monster. A lack of proof doesn’t necessarily mean that something isn’t true. I am of course applying this to the more fantastical ideas, not necessarily topics about biological race, evolution, and alternative medicine.

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True Crime Alert: Kelly Reviews “Death in the City of Light” by David King

5 Jan

Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris by David King
Genre: True-crime
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary: Paris, 1944, rue Le Sueur. A thick, strange smelling smoke emanating from the house next door prompted neighbors to call the police. When no one answered, police broke in and discovered a truly chilling scene: dismembered body parts being burned, what appeared to be a torture chamber, and a pit filled with a mixture of body parts from countless people. The owner of the building was soon identified as Dr. Marcel Petiot, a wealthy physician who quickly disappeared upon the discovery of this gruesome crime. What follows is a hunt for this killer and the motives he could have for killing. Was he a member of the Resistance movement? Or perhaps working for the Gestapo? Police Commissaire Georges-Victor Massu must unravel the mystery and identities of the many victims, and find Petiot before he disappears in the upheaval of War World II.

Since I ended 2011 with a paranormal note, I decided to start the year off with a cheery, light-hearted romp through true crime. Nothing says “happy new year!” like 350 pages of horrifying and heartbreaking murders that leave you with literal chills and a strong desire to clutch your loved ones close.

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No Clever Titles, Just Awe: Kelly Sees Joan Didion Speak at the New York Public Library

24 Nov

Who: Joan Didion
Where: New York Public Library
When: Monday, November 21, 2011
Why: Recounting my last literary adventure, I wrote of how David Sedaris piqued my interest in creative nonfiction. Once you enter that genre, it doesn’t take long to run into Joan Didion. Her work is mountainous – talked about with reverence by writers, recommended constantly by those who’ve read her. The essay topics range from politics to migraines to waiting for Jim Morrison to show up at the recording studio in the ‘60s. There is wry humor and details that make the pieces pop and perfect pacing and endless superlatives that I could lay at her insanely talented feet. But when I think of Joan Didion’s writing – I think of her writing. She wields words with a surgeon’s precision. Or maybe she’s more of a magician – getting the reader to look one way and then realize we’ve been led the entire time.

Magician, surgeon, whatever metaphor you want – she is one of the most brilliant writers alive and I was beyond thrilled to see her speak at the New York Public Library. Interviewed by Sloane Crosley, a young humor essayist, Didion was witty, honest, thoughtful, sometimes abrupt, and a total badass.

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All Hallow’s Read: Kelly and Cassie-la’s Money Saving Tips and Scariest Picks

30 Oct

For those of you who don’t know, All Hallow’s Read is a newly formed tradition created by fantasy master, author, and all around awesome guy Neil Gaiman in 2010.

The premise is this: there are not enough holidays/traditions which revolve around book giving, so why not give away books to Trick or Treaters or friends on Halloween? All Hallow’s Read is all about gifting people with scary books over gum disease.

This year, there was the added tradition of dropping books around town in public places for people to find, with an All Hallow’s Read sticker inside explaining the books appearance.

For more information on All Hallow’s Read, go to the website: http://www.allhallowsread.com/ and bring the tradition to your neighborhood.

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A Walk Down My Memory Palace: Cassie-la Breaks Down “Moonwalking with Einstein” by Joshua Foer

16 Sep

Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer
Genre: Non-fiction, memory, psychology, humor, you will be too lazy to do any of this in your daily life.
Rating: 4.23 out of 5 stars

Summary: After covering the U.S. Memory Championship, journalist Joshua Foer becomes intrigued with the human ability to remember, and spends the following year of his life researching and practicing to be the next U.S. Memory Champion.

Part memoir, part history lesson, part psychology course, Moonwalking with Einstein is an amusing look at the world of memory competitions and an intriguing study in the capabilities of the human mind.

If the name Joshua Foer sounds familiar, it’s probably  because his brother is Jonathan Safran Foer, author of bestselling novels Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Because of Jonathan, I had an extremely awkward conversation with my ex-boss about how he keeps memories in Ziploc bags. Thankfully I have nothing against Joshua (no Safran) Foer, who helped me memorize a random stranger’s shopping list.

In the driveway of my childhood home there is a giant jar of pickled garlic, on the porch is Claudia Schiffer bathing in a swimming pool of cottage cheese, in the living room where we used to keep our Christmas tree is peat smoked salmon. Next to it on the maroon couch are six bottles of white wine having up-tight conversations with one another. On the side table hanging from a lamp are three pairs of brightly coloured socks, three women are hula-hooping on our dining room table. In our kitchen where I used to mess around with Play-Doh a man in a snorkel is about to dive into our kitchen sink while a dry ice machine is on full blast next to him. My father is at the kitchen table on the computer, emailing a she-male named Sophia.

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