For Exposure // Jason Sizemore

Why I'm reading
It seemed interesting; I like Scifi, and I’m sort of interested in publishing. Plus the cover was pretty awesome. Ironically, a few chapters in, Sizemore mentions the cover art was fairly influential in getting people to pick up his new magazine.

Where I got the book
An eBook that I vaguely remember requesting from LibraryThing’s early reviewer giveaway.

Expectations
Well, LT early reviewers summary is what I was working with:

“In this collection of semi-true and sometimes humorous essays, Jason exposes the parties, people, and triumphs that shaped him into the Apex Overlord. He also lays bare the hardships and failures that have threatened to take it all away. Meet Thong Girl, heed the warning about the ham, receive rest stop bathroom wisdom, and visit an emergency room straight out of a horror movie in this extraordinary account of life as a publisher and editor.”

So how was it?

Okay, first of all, it took me nearly a month to finally get myself to read past the first few paragraphs. It was just… weirdly religious, out of the blue, and had nothing to do with publishing. Then I promised myself I’d sit down and read through at least a chapter, and couldn’t put it down.

It’s more or less what LibraryThing described: humorous autobiographical essays, starting with the author’s early life -- a strange mixture of rural Baptist Christianity and Scifi/horror movies -- before moving quickly into the world of fandom and publishing. What really sets this book apart is the writing. The whole “humorous semi-autobiographical essay” genre is full of fun and engaging writing, but Sizemore is unexpectedly sharp and smart. It doesn’t feel like he’s trying too hard to be Witty and impart a Meaningful Message (or, like a lot of the humorous essays I read, a Meaningful Feeling Without Any Actual Point). Something about the writing reminds me of… well, a good Scifi author.

Also notable are the rebuttal essays, written by friends and colleagues, interspersed between chapters. While they're not the funniest part of the book, they provide a second point of view for many of the events he describes, so it feels less like a novelization.

If you’re only looking for insight into the publishing world, this probably isn’t really the book you want. It’s very specific to the world of small, independent Scifi/horror genre magazine publishing.

All 70+ issues of Apex Magazine are available in eBook format. 

Recommendation
Anyone interested in the world of Scifi, short stories, or conventions. Heck, anyone even close to interested; three chapters in, and I was ready to check out every short story collection Greenwich has (...and I cataloged most of them, so…)

Feels
Sharp, smart, blunt, with more action than navel-gazing. He explains the inspiration and creation of Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest in just 303 words, and it’s well done. That’s the kind of thing most authors would needlessly drag out for a chapter or two.

Favorites
The writing, by far -- which means I’m tempted to just copy out all the best sections. But that would take up way too much space. Also, his early con experiences. Both exemplified in this quote:

“Don’t you want to eat something, first? The ham is delicious.”
No. I would not have any ham. The juxtaposition of human thighs and honey-baked ham made me blanch. I wrenched the door opened and rushed out of there.

Least favorites
The prologue. It's not poorly written, but it was a bit too much right off the bat.

Writing style
He’s got a big vocabulary, and knows how to use it. And no, I don’t mean the kind of author who thumbs through their thesaurus looking for fancy words. 

Food : a love story // Jim Gaffigin {Audiobook}

Why I'm reading
His other book was alright.

Where I got the book
Greenwich audiobook.

Expectations
Well, something like Dad is Fat, but about food.

So how was it?

Eh, alright. More relatable for me than his first book, at least for me, since it isn't about kids; it seems less heartfelt, though. It's a lot more similar to his stand-up (especially his "hot pocket" bit).

Recommendation
Fans of his stand-up, and food-related comedy.

Feels
A little repetitive, but funny.

Imitation Game // Benedict Cumberbatch {Movie}

Why I'm watching
I could say that I think Alan Turing is awesome, and it wouldn't be a lie. But I’m really watching this because I’m (still) on a Benedict Cumberbatch kick. I love Turing, but a docu-drama probably wouldn’t normally interest me.

Where I got the movie
Borrowed from Greenwich.

Expectations
Nothing specific; Turing is awesome, Cumberbatch is awesome, Knightly is pretty awesome too. So… awesome. But tragic, all things considered.

So how was it?

Hmm. It pains me to say this, but… not so awesome.

I can’t believe this got an Oscar for screenplay. Worth watching for the acting, absolutely; but the story itself is painfully trite, romanticized, and nowhere near accurate.

The story follows Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), misunderstood mathematical genius, who applies for a job as a code-breaker during WWII. He works to break the German Enigma code, more or less single-handed, often having to fight the rest of his department to do so. The timeline sticks mostly to the WWII era, with a few flashbacks to childhood events, and a small amount of time on Turing's tragic end.

As for the accuracy, well... it's not. I didn’t know most of this when I watched the movie, but it still felt inaccurate because it was just such a textbook hero story. You can read a list of inaccuracies on Wikipedia. Slate also has an interesting article about characterization; I can't bring myself to blame the characterization problems on Cumberbatch, because the entire first half of the plot hinges on Turing being basically on the Autism spectrum. He couldn't have played it any other way (and indeed, when the plot stops harping on the Autism, he becomes a much more engaging character).

Recommendation
It's absolutely still worth the watch if you're interested in Turing's life, gay rights, WWII, cryptography, etc. Don't let my disappointment make this seem like a terrible movie. Just don't expect realism.

Feels
Deliberately classic. Insistently uplifting. Hollywood.

Favorites
Everything about the last few scenes. When Turing breaks down after the project is over, it’s heartbreaking. Apparently Cumberbatch was actually upset.

A police officer also finds him sweeping up cyanide from an experiment -- a nice reference to how historians now think he might have died.

I also appreciated the subtlety and dignity of Turing’s homosexuality. Somehow they got that right, when everything else is so ham-handed. Cumberbatch and Knightly have this fantastic non-sexual chemistry. He manages to deliver a desperate marriage proposal that has all this affection and honestly… and zero romantic interest.

Least favorites
The plot. It’s just so contrived. It tries so hard to be heartfelt, but you can't be heartfelt without being honest and human... which means not relying on a bunch of Heartfelt Tortured Hero tropes. The inaccuracies aren't just inaccuracies; they change the whole tone of the film.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Rush // Ron Howard {Movie}

Why I'm watching
We just watched Imitation Game, and needed to watch… something else. It was kinda disappointing.

Where I got the movie
Suggested by JR, and somehow magicked up from Alex’s server.

Expectations
Not very high, considering it’s a movie about auto racing, but it came recommended.

So how was it?

This was surprisingly good! It’s a semi-biographical story about two Formula One drivers, James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Hunt is your typical gutsy American party boy, and Lauda is a cool, cranky tech-head from Austria; they go head-to-head to win the 1976 Formula One season.

It’s not a fair comparison, since we just randomly watched the two movies on the same night, but I was far more impressed by Rush than Imitation Game.

Recommendation
Definitely not just for race fans -- it absolutely holds its own as a drama. I’d recommend it to just about anyone who likes dramas, especially dramas that don’t center around romance.

Feels
Real, conflicted, painful, funny. It’s clear that the actors are playing real people. Yes, there are racing scenes, but it’s not an action movie.

Favorites
Hunt punching out a reporter.

Least favorites
There wasn’t anything in particular that bothered me about the movie, but apparently (according to the wiki) they exaggerated the rivalry; they were actually pretty good friends. I would have liked to see more of that -- actually, all my favorite parts were the rare moments of friendship.

Sh*t My Dad Says // Justin Halpern

Why I'm reading
I came across it looking for audiobooks, and I know Shatner did the TV adaptation.

Where I got the book
Greeeeenwich!

Expectations
Someone's crotchety old dad saying funny things.

So how was it?

The book is based on the twitter account Shit My Dad Says, which (as you’d expect) consists of funny and insightful quotes from Halpern’s dad. But the book itself is less “funny shit my dad says,” and more “life lessons from my dad, who often says funny shit.”

It’s fairly good, as far as humorous essays go.

Recommendation
I imagine this would mostly appeal to young men, and to people who are close with their fathers (err… not that I’m not the latter).

Feels
Coming-of-age, family bonding. What I imagine Everybody Loves Raymond is trying, and utterly failing, to be.

Choose Your Own Autobiography // Neil Patrick Harris {Audiobook}

Want to read about the life of a gregarious, gay, well-adjusted child actor turned magician, Broadway-TV-movie star, and family man? Yes. Yes you do.

Why I'm reading
It’s Neil Patrick Harris! 

Actually, there is a “why I’m not reading” for this book, or at least a “why I’m listening to the audiobook instead.” I love the idea of a choose-your-own-adventure autobiography, but I always tried to read those wrong, with my fingers bookmarking each and every possible outcome. Plus, I’ve been listening to a lot of autobiographies recently, and for those a book just can’t beat an audiobook read by the author. 


Where I got the book
Audiobook, Greenwich, etc. etc.

Expectations
Fun showbiz stuff, Dougie Howser, sappy stuff about his husband.

So how was it?

It was pretty much exactly what I was expecting. Maybe even more what-I-expected than I was actually expecting (...?!). And of course, since it’s in the format of a choose-your-own-adventure book, it’s peppered with exaggerated fake endings.

I did notice that NPH stuck almost entirely to the positives in his life. I can hardly complain about it, because it was an artistic (and personal) choice that made the book a very fun read... and I'm not all that surprised, either. NPH has always struck me as the kind of person who has a very open and outgoing personality, but is pretty guarded about deeper feelings.

He also talks exactly the right amount about his kids -- you get a glimpse into a very important part of his life, but you don't feel like he just strapped you to the couch and pulled out twelve photo albums and a heap of parenting books.

Recommendation
NPH fans (of course) and basically anyone interested in celebrities.

Feels
Fun, lighthearted, honest, loving, hilarious.

Favorites
Dougie Howser days, of course. I also like how he talked about figuring out his sexuality, but it wasn’t this whole big over dramatic thing… just something he slowly figured out. His stories about David Burtka were adorable.

Least favorites
I really wish he went into more detail about Hedwig (what can I say?) or mentioned John Cameron Mitchell. I’ve seen interviews where he clearly has interesting JCM stories.

Writing style
Awesome. Basically, Barney Stinson telling a really awesome story, except take away all the Barney craziness.

The Salmon of Doubt // Douglas Adams

Merry Christmas! Just got home and finished up the last few chapters on The Salmon of Doubt. The condo is a mess, and we got a waffle iron, a beer making kit (!), a battery backup (!?), and the new Rush R40 box set. In other news, I'll be starting my new job on January 6th! Super excited, except for the hour-twenty I'll be driving every other day, like an idiot. 

Why I'm reading
Finishing up the Douglas Adams classics! Although now I realize there are a few non-fictions I haven't read... 

Where I got the book
The Berlin-Peck Memorial Library. I was completely lazy and put a hold online, so they were waiting for me at the front desk. Even though it's a teeny library, and I occasionally work there, and clearly know where the books are.

Expectations
The third Dirk Gently book, unfinished.

So how was it?

Well... it wasn't the third Dirk Gently book. At least mostly not. That is to say, it did include a few chapters of the unfinished third book, but primarily it was, well, an epilogue to a life that ended way too early. It was the contents of Douglas Adams' computer, collected together by friends and family after his all-too-sudden death, as well as a few writings from people who knew him.

It doesn't sound like a great read, does it? But it really, really was. There were lots of little bits of non-fiction writing, which I -- having never read his non-fiction -- greatly appreciated. It was also, in some parts, a biography written by a friend, and you really feel his loss. And no, there's not a whole lot of moaning and groaning about it, because it's not necessary to realize what a great person and author the world has lost. What he wrote, and the stories about his life, do that perfectly well on their own.

Recommendation
A MUST READ for anyone who likes his other works. The individual essays will appeal to anyone with a quirky, intellectual, but not stuck-up sense of humor -- think Monty Python -- but given the biographical stuff, I would recommend reading his other works first.

Feels
Fun, incredibly insightful, beautiful, silly, down to earth, smart.

Favorites
Discovering Adams' peculiar love of music.

Least favorites
The reason the book was (had to be) written. Sadface.

Writing style
Smart, practical, outrageous, insightful, intellectual, silly, imaginative,
full of weird metaphors... Douglas Adams is a writing style unto himself.

Hyperbole and a Half // Allie Brosh

“Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened ” ; a full-color graphic novel based on the eponymous webcomic.

So, I'm about two weeks out from graduating with my MLS, which means I actually have time to read books again! And look for a job. And let's be honest, TV too. I've been re-watching Star Trek and blogging that -- more reactions than reviews -- which inspired me to do the same for the books I read. I've never tried before, so we'll see.

I'll start with something I read fairly recently, and really loved: Hyperbole and a Half, a graphic novel (sort of) by Allie Brosh. Check out her blog (same idea, same name). If you spent any amount of time on the internet, you've probably encountered at least some of Brosh's work. The Alot is extremely popular, and her (clean) ALL the things! image is a pretty popular meme. Her work doesn't really look like a traditional graphic novel: it's definitely a web comic style of illustration, with chunky sort-of-stick-figures. It works.

She writes stories based on her life: her childhood, adulthood (mostly her dogs), and even her experience with depression. But these aren't your run-of-the-mill trips down memory lane. How do I put it nicely? She's NUTS. In the best of ways. She has this twisted, unique outlook on life - not at all dark, just... special. And honest. At times, incredibly insightful. I've never experienced depression, but I've heard many people say that hers was the most accurate description of depression they've ever encountered. I know that I found it very empathetic, and (I'm not sure how) still incredibly funny. But if you're not interested in reading about depression, please don't let that turn you off from her work; it's just another topic she turns her unique attention to, right next to the simple dog and the Alot.

I'll be honest: there are some duplicated stories from her blog, and she definitely has some blog posts that are funnier. You won't meet the Alot in her book, either (and yes, a lot of people are complaining.) But it was absolutely worth reading.