Tag: Non-Fiction Page 3 of 26

DETAILS:
Publisher: Herb Lester Associates
Publication Date: April 15, 2023
Length: 2 pgs.
Read Date: May 6, 2023

What’s Douglas Adams’ London?

This is a map of important locations (42 of them, of course) in London for Douglas Adams, the Dirk Gently series, and/or the Hitchhiker’s Guide series.

The reverse side explains why the locations were selected and gives some biographical information about Adams’ relation to each spot. I loved learning something about Hotblack Desiato, Fenchurch’s apartment, the pizza place Dirk Gently talked about, and so on.

The Design/Art

The map itself has some nice little bits of art scattered throughout—cartoonish little sketches of things like a dolphin, a sperm whale, and a certain depressed android. Just fantastic illustrations that made an already interesting map into something you want to come back to time and again.

The people at Herb Lester Associates who put this together did a simply wonderful job.

So, what did I think about Douglas Adams’ London?

I’ve already given up on my dream of wandering around London—but, boy, howdy, this makes me want to go even more.

Keller is described as “the planet earth authority on Douglas Adams literary tourism,” and will soon publish a travel guide to London. Who better to put something like this together?

Douglas Adams’ London is a gem—even if you never get the chance to put this information into action, it’s great to have.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Catch-Up Quick Takes: Some Overdue Audiobook Takes

By HCNewton

On April 20, 2023

In (Auto)Biography, Audiobook, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy

This is a post I’d hoped to get up the first week of February, making it…very late. But here we go…

As always, I want to say that the point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Destructive Reasoning

by Scott Meyer, Luke Daniels (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: The Authorities, #2
Publication Date: November 16, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 9 hrs., 21 min.
Read Date: January 5-10, 2023

(the official blurb)
This sequel starts off with a sequence as silly, but slightly less cringe-worthy, as the first book before shifting to the major storyline. This one takes the team to Los Angeles to investigate a series of killings. The common thread amongst the victims is that they were playing a version of Dr. John Watson in a movie/TV series.

Not only have there been some killings, but there are three actors in the area who are currently playing Watson (or a Watson-figure), and the team has to investigate and keep them alive.

We get some mocking of the Entertainment Industry, general silliness when it comes to the team, and even a little more backstory on a couple of characters.

Overall, I didn’t like this quite as much, it felt like Meyer was trying too hard to be funny rather than tell a story in his signature way. Still, it was enjoyable enough to finish and want to see more.

Luke Daniels did his typical bang-up job. Ending the audiobook with bloopers was a fun bonus.

3 Stars

Ms. Demeanor

by Elinor Lipman, Piper Goodeve (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication Date: December 27, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 7 hrs., 27 min.
Read Date: January 17-18, 2023

(the official blurb)
I saw this a few times on my Libby app and decided I wasn’t that interested as cute as it sounded, but at some point, I saw a cover blurb from Richard Russo. So, why not?

Jane Morgan is under house arrest and newly unemployed thanks due to a minor crime, a nosy neighbor, and a judge wanting to make an example of her. She’s forced to try to do things to help the time bearable—including making the acquaintance of someone else in her building also under house arrest.

There’s some romantic comedy here, some self-discovery, and just some warm-hearted fun. It’s not fantastic, but it’s a good way to spend some time. It’ll keep you engaged and entertained.

3 Stars

The Wizard’s Butler

by Nathan Lowell, Tom Taylorson (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: The Wizard's Butler, #1
Publisher: Podium Audio
Publication Date: April 20, 2021
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 12 hrs., 10 min.
Read Date: January 25-27, 2023

(the official blurb)
I feel like I should have a lot to say about this one, but I don’t (which kind of bugs me). It’s the story of a man being hired to be a butler/caretaker of an older man for a year. After that year, the unscrupulous relatives that hired him will pay Roger a disgusting amount of money and will ship Joseph Perry Shackleford off to a retirement home and take control of his money and property.

What is going to make this easier is that Mr. Shackleford forward thinks he’s a wizard. Roger could use the money and likes Mr. Shackleford, so he doesn’t care what the old man thinks he is. Roger wants to help him—and he’s pretty sure that his new bosses are up to no good, maybe he can cause them some trouble.

It turns out, however, that the old man actually is a wizard. Roger gets introduced to a world he couldn’t have imagined was real if he tried.

This book was charming as all get out. I really enjoyed the story, the world, the magic system, the characters (I really enjoyed the characters), and the way that Lowell put this together—Taylorson’s narration was effective and engaging, too.

This is the slowest-paced Urban Fantasy I’ve ever read—with stakes that are so far smaller than we’re used to, which doesn’t stop it from being something that holds your attention. It could probably be safely described as Cozy UF—Fred, the Vampire Accountant books have more violence, and it’s typically tame 90% of the time. And I’m more than ready for more of this kind of story.

3 Stars

Really Good, Actually

by Monica Heisey, Julia Whelan (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication Date: January 17,2023
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 13 min.
Read Date: January 20-25, 2023

(the official blurb)
This is a look at the ups and downs—and further downs, and deeper downs–of a young woman in the year after her divorce. It’s about grieving her relationship, friendship, dating (we’ll be generous/prudish and call it that), and accepting yourself–and accepting help.

I thought the prose and inventiveness in certain scenes were spot-on. There’s a lot of cleverness displayed throughout. But while there are some great moments, but I just didn’t think the journey was worth the destination—and I’m not that crazy about the journey, either.

It’s an utterly fine book.

3 Stars

How to Astronaut:
An Insider’s Guide to
Leaving Planet Earth

by Terry Virts

DETAILS:
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Publication Date: July 15, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 11 hrs., 23 min.
Read Date: January 27-31, 2023

(the official blurb)
This is exactly what you want in an astronaut memoir—he talks about his interest in the program and why he wanted to become an astronaut, his training–both for the Space Shuttle and ISS—actual service on both—(obviously spending more time on the ISS because he spent more time on it and there was more to talk about), as well as what it’s like after returning to Earth. It’s not glowing about NASA or any space program—he’s frank and honest about problems, his own errors, and difficulties as well as what a fantastic opportunity it was for him.

He’s witty, thoughtful, and reflective throughout (in both the writing and his audio narration). I thoroughly enjoyed it and can see myself returning to this one in the future.

3 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, my opinions are my own.

Semicolon (Audiobook) by Cecelia Watson, Pam Ward: No, Really—I Assure You, It’s Interesting

By HCNewton

On March 21, 2023

In Audiobook, Non-Fiction

Semicolon:
The Past, Present, and Future
of a Misunderstood Mark

by Cecelia Watson, Pam Ward (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher:HarperAudio
Publication Date: July 30, 2019
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 3 hrs., 47 min.
Read Date: March 13, 2023

Grammar, in our mythical narrative, is part of the good old days. People used to know grammar properly, we think, the same way they used to walk three miles to school uphill in the snow, and everyone was polite, and better looking and thin, and well dressed.*

* I want to stress that the above represents my guesswork on punctuation, Watson’s is probably superior)

What’s Semicolon About?

I’m going to go the lazy route and just lift from the Publisher’s Website:

A page-turning, existential romp through the life and times of the world’s most polarizing punctuation mark
The semicolon. Stephen King, Hemingway, Vonnegut, and Orwell detest it. Herman Melville, Henry James, and Rebecca Solnit love it. But why? When is it effective? Have we been misusing it? Should we even care?

In Semicolon, Cecelia Watson charts the rise and fall of this infamous punctuation mark, which for years was the trendiest one in the world of letters. But in the nineteenth century, as grammar books became all the rage, the rules of how we use language became both stricter and more confusing, with the semicolon a prime victim. Taking us on a breezy journey through a range of examples—from Milton’s manuscripts to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letters from Birmingham Jail” to Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep—Watson reveals how traditional grammar rules make us less successful at communicating with each other than we’d think. Even the most die-hard grammar fanatics would be better served by tossing the rule books and learning a better way to engage with language.

Through her rollicking biography of the semicolon, Watson writes a guide to grammar that explains why we don’t need guides at all, and refocuses our attention on the deepest, most primary value of language: true communication.

Pam Ward’s Narration

Wow…just wow. Ward throws more emotion, dynamic changes, dramatic changes, and overall oomph! into this narration than several novels I can name. It was so striking, so entertaining, and engaging that most of what I liked and noticed about this book can be attributed to her.

Seriously, immediately before this, I’d listened to a book with multiple murders, other violent crimes, and a natural disaster threatening homes and livelihoods—Ward filled a book about a punctuation mark with more pathos and excitement than that.

At least half the stars down there belong to her.

So, what did I think about Semicolon?

A grammar attack is, quite simply, an ad hominem attack that looks more legitimate becuase it’s dressed up in a cap and gown.

The fact that this ends up being about more than the semicolon is both a strength and a weakness.

It’s a strength because Watson simply doesn’t have enough material to just talk about the semicolon for 200 pages (in the hardcover). The material was so wanting that she really had to spend a lot of time on the case about sales of alcohol in early 20th century Boson than it was worth.

I thought her material on Raymond Chandler and Martin Luther King, Jr. was fantastic. The origins of the semicolon and the ups and downs of its usage pre-grammar textbooks were fascinating.

But when she went off on grammar rules, how they get in the way of communication, can help shut down discourse, etc. The book suffered. Now, she was insightful, helpful, and persuasive on these points (and I say this as someone who reflexively comes down on the “prescriptivist” side in grammar debates). But when she did that, she walked away from “The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark,” and it bugged me. If Watson was going to write something like Emmy J. Favilla’s A World Without “Whom” or Gretchen McCulloch Because Internet, I’d be there in a heartbeat. (also, if she wanted to tackle punctuation beyond the semicolon like Shady Characters by Keith Houston, I’d be all for that) But for this book, she went too far afield for this reader’s taste and lost a lot.

At the end of the day—if you want a rousing celebration and examination of the winking half of an emoticon—or the mark’s more illustrious use and history, this is the book to grab. I almost never recommend a particular format of a book, but you need to listen to at least a sample of Ward’s narration.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals by Mitzi Szereto

By HCNewton

On February 1, 2023

In Book Tour, Non-Fiction

I’m very pleased today to Spotlight Mitzi Szereto’s upcoming release, The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals. It comes out on February 14th—just what your Valentine wants. Assuming your Valentine is into true crime, that is. (I’m not being snarky, I know quite a few people who’d do well to pick this up in lieu of chocolates. Or at least in addition to chocolates).

Anyway, before I make this more awkward, let’s move on to looking at the book.

Book Details:

Title: The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals
Author: Mitzi Szereto
Genre: True Crime
Publisher: Mange
Release date: February 14, 2023
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 252 pages

About the Book:

Infamous Figures Caught in the Act
People from all walks of life commit crimes. But the ones featured in this anthology aren’t your typical neighbors or subway passengers. Actors, musicians, TV personalities—they aren’t always who they appear to be. You might be surprised at just how many household names and Hollywood stars have led nefarious double lives. And after committing their crimes, the world may have kept on turning, but their infamous legacies remain. Get the stories behind these public figures, both contemporary and historical, who turned to lives of crime. The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals offers a fascinating assortment of cases from around the world and from various time frames. Like previous entries in this series, this volume contains all new and original nonfiction accounts penned by international writers from across the literary spectrum, including true crime, crime fiction, and journalism, all expertly arranged by editor Mitzi Szereto. Inside, you’ll find cases that would thrill even the most seasoned true crime addict; stories of Hollywood stars and famous criminals who went down the wrong path; encounters featuring the cases of infamous celebrities like Robert Blake, Jimmy Savile, Fatty Arbuckle, and more.

Book Trailer:

Purchase Links:

Amazon US ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-a-Million ~ Amazon UK ~ Blackwells ~ Amazon Canada ~ Chapters/Indigo ~ Angus & Robertson Australia ~ Booktopia

About the Author:

Mitzi Szereto (mitziszereto.com) is an American-British author, anthology editor, and short story writer whose work spans multiple genres. Her widely acclaimed series The Best New True Crime Stories features the volumes Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals; Unsolved Crimes & Mysteries; Partners in Crime; Crimes of Passion, Obsession & Revenge; Well-Mannered Crooks, Rogues & Criminals; Small Towns; and Serial Killers. Aside from her many popular books, she has the added distinction of being the editor of the first anthology of erotic fiction to include a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Mitzi has appeared internationally on radio and television and at literature festivals, and taught creative writing around the world. She produced and presented the London-based web TV channel Mitzi TV and portrays herself in the pseudo-documentary British film, Lint: The Movie. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @mitziszereto.

Author Links:

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Youtube ~ TikTok ~ Goodreads

One more time, it’s out on Feb. 14th—get your preorder in now.

E.B. White on Dogs edited by Martha White: A Great Collection of Short Pieces

By HCNewton

On January 5, 2023

In Dogs, Humor, Non-Fiction

E. B. White on Dogs

edited by Martha White

DETAILS:
Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers
Publication Date: March 7, 2016
Format: Paperback
Length: 177 pg.
Read Date: December 28-31, 2022

Next year, when Dog Show time comes round, we would like to see a wholly new brand of showmanship introduced into the Garden… A dog should be made to work for his ribbon, each breed in his own wise. Pointers should have to point, Shepherds should be required to herd a band of sheep from the east goal to the west goal. Poodles should be required to jump through a paper hoop, not just follow Mrs. Sherman Hoyt around the ring. English bull terriers should be made to count up to ten, retrievers retrieve rubber ducks, Scotties chew up old shoes. Greyhounds should be put over the high hurdles. St. Bernards carry brandy to anyone in the audience who feels weak, preferably us. Beagles would jolly well have to bealge, or shut up. How about it, dogs—are you dogs or mice?

What’s E. B. White on Dogs About?

This is a collection of essays, articles, letters, and other brief notes written by E.B. White about dogs. In other words, it’s what the title says. Most of the entries are very short—1-2 pages, some are a paragraph long—but (especially toward the end), we get some longer letters and essays.

Most are about White’s dogs—particularly Fred, a beloved dachshund. But there are pieces about dog shows and other dogs, too.

A Few Highlights

This is going to be tough, there are just too many options. Something about Dog Shows brought out the best and/or snarkiest in White, and are possibly my favorite moments.

There’s a point where he describes how a dachshund climbs up and down stairs and the optimum height for said stairs. I don’t know about the height, but he described perfectly how our pug uses the stairs and it’s something I’m going to borrow. He had, over the course of his life, multiple dachshunds and his affection for the breed is evident. But you can tell that Fred had a big impact on White—both during and after his death. The piece White wrote after his death is possibly the highlight of the book.

There’s a long (for this book, anyway) piece about taking a dog on its first coon hunting trip—it’s just wonderful. It’s tonally different from most of the book, which probably helps it stand out—but it didn’t need much help.

Some Non-Dog Moments

Not everything in this book is focused on dogs but involves them tangentially. The best of these pieces are about contemporary politics—I knew some of the names, but not all of them, but that didn’t change things really.

There’s an essay from The New Yorker that I’d probably have paid half the purchase price of the book for—it’s called “Khrushchev and I (A Study in Similarities).” Some newspaper published a feature on the Soviet premier, and from what I can tell, it was the puffiest puff piece around. White takes some parts of that feature to show how much he and Khrushchev are alike—they’re devoted to their families, like walking in the woods, and so on. The last paragraph points out some important differences, too—size, amount of hair left on their heads, the fact that White has never threatened to bury America…the usual differences. And just as he has you chuckling in a different way than he has for a few pages, the last line or two are somber and sober. Fantastic stuff.

So, what did I think about E. B. White on Dogs?

Overall, this was a great collection. It does feel like Martha White hit “Ctrl-F” on an electronic version of everything her grandfather had written and pasted the entire contents of that search into this book. Some of the letters contain one sentence about a dog—not always that cleverly written or interesting—and I had to wonder why she bothered, outside of a drive for thoroughness.

I don’t recommend reading too much of this at once—but maybe that’s just me, my attention waned after too many entries. But if you’re familiar with White’s non-children’s writing, or have the desire to be, and enjoy reading about dogs (and a couple of cats, and a squirrel or two)—you’ll enjoy this.

Speaking of his non-children’s writing—in her note to the reader describing the impetus for the book, and their approach to editing, keeping the pieces “largely as they appeared originally, not attempting to mesh the inconsistencies.” (including some phrasing I don’t think you’d get away with today). Martha White says,

The letters…are more casual in style and my Tillbury House editor was surprised to find that the co-author of The Elements of Style did not always get his that and which correct, especially in the early years. Our hands-off policy nearly killed her.

I feel for that editor and can’t help but chuckle about E.B. White’s divergence from his own book.

All in all, this book delivers what the title promises, and if that’s up your alley, you’ll enjoy it. I sure did.

4 Stars
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
—

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2022

By HCNewton

On January 3, 2023

In Audiobook, Fiction, News/Misc., Non-Fiction

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2022
Last year I kicked off my Year-End Retrospective with a look at my favorite audiobooks, I might as well repeat that this year. How do I keep this from being just a rehash of my other year-end lists? By focusing on the audiobook experience over the content. What was it like to listen to it? How engaging was it, how did the narrator do? Was it a good match in terms of tone, content, and performance? All of these books are/were good—but the audiobooks are a bit better because of the narrator and the rest of the people involved in the production.

(in alphabetical order by author)

The Law

by Jim Butcher

My original post
Sure, I love Harry Dresden—so it’s almost a given that this novella is going to show up somewhere on my end-of-year lists. The fact that Jim Butcher did the narration himself makes this something special (thankfully, he’s still fully intending on having James Marsters do the series). Butcher’s good at this, he’s not great, but he’s good. Hearing his idea about what the characters that we know and love sound like was a lot of fun. Also, after all the epic and emotional moments that Butcher’s put his fans through lately, having something non-epic or world-changing like this is such a nice breather.

4 Stars

Black Nerd Problems:
Essays

by William Evans & Omar Holmon

My original post
Funny, insightful, thoughtful, thought-provoking, passionate (about things both important and trivial). This collection of essays about pop culture, race, and the intersection of those two things was a surprise to me—I thought I’d have a good time with it, I didn’t know I’d have a great time and be moved, too. The authors narrated this themselves—both have backgrounds in poetry jams, and the panache from that shines through. I have quoted this and referred more people to various essays in this than probably anything else this year.

4 Stars

On Eden Street

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

My original post
This one makes the list due to the nature of the book and how well Jackson handled it. The previous book served as a transition point from the DC Smith Mysteries to the Kings Lake series—but this is the one that’s truly different. We have a bunch of new characters to deal with in addition to serving those we’ve grown accustomed to. The nature of the central character and his new boss underlines how different this is from the previous incarnation, but it’s the same books at their core. And Jackson gets both through to the listener. It’s all there in Grainger’s text, no doubt—but it’s the narration that solidifies it for the listener.

4 1/2 Stars

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking

by T. Kingfisher, Patricia Santomasso (Narrator)

My original post
I don’t know if I can put my finger on why this made the list, but as I was looking over the list of audiobooks I read in ’22, as soon as I saw this one, I knew it had to make the list.

Between Kingfisher’s text and Santomasso’s narration, this was just a great experience. The story is fun, the characters (particularly as embodied, or emvoiced?, by Santomasso) were endearing—as a whole, it was an immersive and pleasant time—just what you want in an audiobook.

3.5 Stars

The World Record Book
of Racist Stories

by Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar

My original post
My wife assures me that the paper version of this is well-worth reading, but I can’t imagine having the opportunity to listen to Ruffin and Lamar reading this and passing it up—the goofy voices they employ and little tunes they sing in addition to the reading adds a nice little layer to the book that you’re not going to get with the print edition.

This is a more serious, more somber, book than its predecessor was—by design. But because of that, it feels like they dialed the silliness up to help alleviate things. It can’t be an easy balancing act—discussing the horrors of everyday racism in a way that is entertaining enough that it can educate those that need it the most. Ruffin and Lamar hit that balance in both print and in audio.

4 Stars

How to Be Perfect:
The Correct Answer to
Every Moral Question

by Michael Schur (Writer, Narrator)
with: Michael Schur, Kristen Bell, D’Arcy Carden, Ted Danson, William Jackson Harper, Manny Jacinto, Marc Evan Jackson, Jameela Jamil, and Todd May

My original post
Yeah, that’s a huge cast—but 95+% of the work is done by Schur. The contributions of the rest shouldn’t be overlooked, but when you think about the narration, you’re going to be thinking about the author, Mike Schur. My appreciation for Schur’s writing goes back before I knew who he was on a baseball blog that I really enjoyed. After that, I got on board with this TV writing and became a huge fan. What puts this audiobook on this list is the way that Schur is able (thanks to his own writing) to make this introduction to ethics and philosophy so accessible. It doesn’t feel dry, or head-in-the-clouds at all. Yes, I have significant issues with a lot of the thinking in this book (he rules out theism or morality given to us by a deity from the get -go), but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn from it—I can’t gain an appreciation of the thinking through ethical dilemmas.

I had fun, and I think I learned something. You can’t ask for more.

4 Stars

Movies (And Other Things)

by Shea Serrano, Mario Toscano (Narrator)

My original post
There’s a little bit of the seriousness of Black Nerd Problems in this collection of essays about Movies (and things like it), but Serrano doesn’t spend that much time with it. Serrano’s approach to movies is a wonderful hybrid of fanboy and educated critic that can appeal to people all over that spectrum. This results in a book that’s a great combination of movie knowledge/insight, social commentary, and humor mixed throughout each of these. Even when it came to movies I’ve never seen, have no interest in seeing, or saw ages ago and don’t remember well, Serrano kept me pretty engaged and entertained. Toscano’s narration is so good, so convincing that you have to remind yourself that he’s reading Serrano’s words and isn’t speaking from the heart.

3.5 Stars

We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

by Dennis E. Taylor, Ray Porter (Narrator)

My original post
Stumbling across this series is one of the highlights of 2022 for me. Ray Porter doing the narration is what pushed me to give this story a shot, and I’d be happy I did if only for his narration. I can think of a handful of narrators that could’ve got this gig (based on their other work, etc.) and I’m not sure how many of them would’ve got me to come back so quickly—nothing against Taylor’s text, but it’s Porter’s skill and warmth that elevates this book (and the rest of the series) into something I can see myself revisiting often.

It’s not all about Porter, I should make clear—Taylor has a gift for SF comedy. Throw in Bob’s snark and optimism and the great premise that pretty much opens the door for Taylor to do just about anything he wants in the series for as long as he wants to, and you’ve got yourself a real winner.
3 Stars

The Hobbit, or
There and Back Again

by J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (Narrator)

My original post
As soon as I read that Serkis was doing audiobook versions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, I knew I had to listen to them—what could be better? I mean, for the scene between Bilbo and Gollum alone, you know that The Hobbit is going to be worth the time and expense. And it was.

The rest of the book is great, too, make no mistake. Serkis knows what he’s doing with his voice—because of the nature of a lot of his acting jobs, his voice has to carry the performance that his (own and natural) face can’t. It’s a great skill that he brings to bear on an audiobook’s narration. This is just a joy to listen to.

5 Stars

Free Billy

by Don Winslow, Ed Harris (Narrator)

My original post
Speaking of actors who can do a lot with their voice, here’s Ed Harris. There’s something so natural about his delivery of this short story that I have to wonder why he hasn’t been making audiobooks for years. It’s like Winslow’s words were written solely for him (I’ve heard three of these Audible Originals from this pair and could listen to another 20 this year). This book is a sequel to The Dawn Patrol—one of my All-Time Desert Island books. You get Ed Harris to do the narration on that, and you know I’m going to love it. People who aren’t me are likely going to enjoy it a lot, too.

(sure, there’s part of me that wishes Ray Porter had been used—his work on the audiobook for The Dawn Patrol was stellar, but why be greedy?)

5 Stars

Catch-Up Quick Takes: Some Lighter Reads/Listens

By HCNewton

On December 29, 2022

In (Auto)Biography, Audiobook, Humor, Non-Fiction, Urban Fantasy

I just don’t have a lot to say about these books, so let’s take care of them briefly. The point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Working It Out

by Jo Platt

DETAILS:
Publisher: Canelo
Publication Date: February 3, 2022
Format: eBook
Length: 384 pg.
Read Date: October 1-3, 2022

(the official blurb)
Platt’s voice is great. All the characters were great (well, maybe all but one of them were). But the story just fell flat for me over and over again. The resolution just made me mad. The behavior of the protagonist was supposed to be cute and endearing–but it only served to annoy me. If you take this cast of characters, mature the protagonist a degree, and put them in the service of a better novel, I’d have loved it. But…bah. It was an okay way to burn some time in a hospital waiting room (which is where I was), but that’s about it.
2 Stars

Slaying Monsters for the Feeble

by Annette Marie, Cris Dukehart (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: Guild Codex: Demonized, #2
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2020
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hrs., 27 min.
Read Date: October 6-11, 2022

(the official blurb)
I wasn’t sure how this series was going to really go after that first book, but I’m really pleased by this one. I particularly enjoyed the way that this fits in with the other series in this ‘verse. The action was good, the magic interesting, and the characters grew on me (or continued to, I should say).

I’m not particularly a fan of the friendship/affection/whatever between Robin and Zylas. But I don’t hate it, so there’s that.

This is one that I think I need to see through to the end before I decide about individual books–are some of these plotlines a waste of time? Are they going somewhere satisfying? Are they just going to prove frustrating? It’s too hard to tell. I think I’m going to end up thinking of this positively, but I can’t be sure yet. (I’m a little worried they could end up in the same spot as the Ella Grey series)

Cris Dukehart continues to get the job done and keep the books interesting.

3 Stars

The World’s Worst Assistant

by Sona Movsesian

DETAILS: 
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: July 19, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 5 hrs., 25 min.
Read Date: October 11-12, 2022

(the official blurb)
Sona Movsesian has been Conan O’Brien’s assistant for years–his friend, too. Listening to the two of them on his podcast, you can hear the affection–and get caught up in their odd communal humor. I’ve also listened to enough of her that it feels strange to refer to her as anything but Sona.

The book gives a brief biography of Movsesian before moving into her time working various low-level jobs in television before getting hired by O’Brien as he started to move his show and family to California to take over The Tonight Show. We get a look at some of what happened to him there and then what they did afterward–both professionally and personally.

Essentially, this is a book about Movsesian and her good friend and boss–how much fun they have together, some of the amazing things she’s gotten to do, and the people she’s gotten to meet because of their jobs.

You start off listening to this book (I imagine), because of her boss and wanting to hear what it’s like to work with him–even if you’re the worst assistant in the world (how do you keep the job in that case?). You end up listening to the whole thing because you can’t help but like Movsesian and want to hear her tell stories about her life and laugh along with her.
3 Stars

Declassified:
A Low-Key Guide to
the High-Strung World
of Classical Music

by Arianna Warsaw-Fan Rauch

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: October 11, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 6 hrs., 48 min.
Read Date: October 14-18, 2022

(the official blurb)
This would be tough to describe even if I was doing a full post, not just a quick take. I had a lot of fun with Warsaw-Fan Rauch’s book.

The behind-the-scenes bits about classical music, orchestra, and the education/training involved for today’s performers was great to hear. The jokes, snippy bits, and history of classical music, composers, and various instruments (and those that play them) were a special kind of geeky fun that I appreciated (not as much as someone who’s seriously played and/or studied, I’m sure, but enough for me).

The personal material didn’t do much for me–I don’t know her enough for that to have mattered (and didn’t get enough reason throughout the book). But it’s easy to get over that and focus on the highlights.

This was a pleasant time (and a little educational, too). Give it a listen.
3 Stars

Rebel with a Clause:
Tales and Tips from
a Roving Grammarian

by Ellin Jovin

DETAILS:
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: July 19, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 7 hrs., 38 min.
Read Date: October 18-19, 2022

(the official blurb)
Um…this isn’t as clever as it thinks it is. Maybe, maybe, if I knew who Jovin was before starting this book, I might have a different take. It feels like such a bunch of inside jokes–the kind of stories that fans of someone well-established might relish, but new readers wouldn’t. On the whole, it wasn’t about her points about grammar or language usage (see Dreyer or Favilla for a couple of examples of how to do this), that drove the narrative and humor of the book. It was harder to define, it was more how odd people thought it was that she was traveling around the country giving her opinions on the sidewalk or finding people who cared enough to discuss it.

While picking up the anecdotes for this book, Jovin and her husband were making a movie about her grammar table. That movie might be more entertaining to watch, and I plan on doing that someday. I think it might work better as such–sort of a “man on the street” kind of thing that can work well (see countless talk shows and Youtube series for proof). But this was just dissatisfying.

(also, I wasn’t crazy about the narration)
2 1/2 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember by Lauren Graham: The Actress-Essayist Does It Again

By HCNewton

On December 13, 2022

In (Auto)Biography, Humor, Non-Fiction

Have I Told You This Already?:
Stories I Don’t Want to
Forget to Remember

by Lauren Graham

DETAILS: 
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: November 15, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 186 pg.
Read Date: December 12, 2022

It’s almost as if I’m sending mixed messages, like valuing privacy whilst also being the author of a second book of personal essays.

What’s Have I Told You This Already? About?

This is a collection of essays—mostly personal—about Graham’s career (or things surrounding it) during various stages, some thoughts on filming a TV show and directing, and there’s one essay that’s devoted to just being funny.

She reflects on aging, friendship, making marmalade, and the ridiculous things that women in Hollywood have to do to maintain certain standards of appearance. She opens the book talking about memory and story-telling—where accuracy is necessary and where details can fudged because it makes a story better, and ends up with a tribute to New York City.

Whoops

I should’ve been patient and waited for the audiobook to become available. There’s nothing wrong with reading the paper version of this book—it’s perfectly charming and Graham’s voice shone through.

But.

Hearing it in her actual voice (not just what I assume it would sound like)—a few passages in particular—would be so much better. I listened to her previous book of essays (and the graduation speech) and I think this would’ve been more entertaining in audio format.

So, what did I think about Have I Told You This Already??

He said this as if his memory of the matter was not at all disturbed by something as inconsequential as fact. For years, my father told the same story about how a momentous occasion felt to him; the facts had faded over time, maybe because they weren’t the most relevant part of the day. Sometimes we polish an experience to make facts line up more closely with feelings or exaggerate moments to make a better dinner party tale. And sometimes, mercifully, details become blurry over time, maybe because the sharp reality is too painful to carry.

This was a fast and breezy read. Graham’s really skilled as a writer and her prose sings. She’s funny as you want her to be. The closing paragraph of the second essay is a work of comedic art, a string of puns that I couldn’t believe she was able to keep going as long as she is. I’m never going to quote any part of it—but I’m telling you, it was great.

There were a couple of chapters that didn’t do much for me—the chapter on various health retreats or the chapter on NYC as a friend (although I thought it was some of her strongest writing). And a couple that I was surprised I enjoyed as much as I did—like the chapter about her relationship with the department store, Barney’s. The chapter where she uses Nora Ephron’s essay, “I Feel Bad About My Neck,” to talk about aging in the Entertainment industry, was particularly effective.

Even the essays that underwhelmed me were well written, and I could see what she was trying to do—they just didn’t connect with me–but I found something to grin about or chuckle at in them. The essays that did click with me made me laugh (sometimes a lot). The rest fell somewhere between—but they were all funny (when intended to be), and I’m glad I read them all.

At the same time, I need to stress that this is not all comedy. There are some real emotions and some thinking behind some of these essays—and it’ll provoke some, too. I think in the end you get more comedy than anything else, but it wouldn’t take much for the balance to go the other way.

She has a real gift for a killer last line, too. Openings are important, but with essays of this length (especially if you’re going for comedic), a great last line is essential, and Graham knows what she’s doing there.

In the end, this was a very pleasant and engaging read that makes me really want to see more from her (which goes for pretty much everything she’s written). When her novel was published, I picked it up because I was curious about what this actress could do—I’ve picked up the 3 works since because I like the way she writes. This collection works as evidence that we should maybe think of Graham as a writer who can act.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

The World Record Book of Racist Stories (Audiobook) by Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar: Records No One Should Want to Hold (but too many vie for)

By HCNewton

On December 8, 2022

In Audiobook, Humor, Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs

The World Record Book
of Racist Stories

by Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar

DETAILS:
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: November 22, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 4 hrs., 54 min.
Read Date: November 28-29, 2022

An Issue with Sequels/Follow Ups

As I’m sitting here thinking about what to write, I keep comparing this to last year’s You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism. This is intentional because this is very much a Part II to that book. But it’s different, too. So it makes sense to contrast it so I can give an idea of how it’s different.

At the same time, I run the risk of sounding dull—”You’ll Never Believe did X, The World Record Book did Y,” “The World Record Book is more Z than…,” and so on.

I don’t know how to avoid that—so I guess this is an apology in advance? I’ll try to limit the comparisons and keep this interesting, if only because the book deserves to give a good impression, even if I’m not able to do that.

What’s The World Record Book of Racist Stories About?

Because they got to share a bunch of stories in the first book—primarily about Lacey—the sisters wanted to give the rest of their family, and some friends, the chance to get their stories told. Or, as they put it, “air out [their] dirty racist laundry.”

Ruffin warns:

FYI: You’ll be able to tell the difference between this book and the last book. This one’s gonna be a bit heavier. A touch more serious. The reason for that is with the first book, Lacey and | got to giggle through silly racism stories, and it felt great. So, if the family wants to share their stories too, however they want to share, we welcome that. We want them to feel great and heard and blah, blah, bloo. There’s plenty of silliness, it’s just that the rest of the family is less likely to remember the funnier racist stories. They have not been keeping journals. But those terrible, scary racist stories? Maaaan, they remember those like a mug. So, to emotionally prepare you, I’d call this book fifty-fifty silly-scary racist stories. Okay? So, don’t come to me talking about “It wasn’t like the first book” ‘cause you’ve been warned.

To balance out these stories, the interplay between the sisters seems a bit sillier than before (in the print version, each has their own typeface so you can see it)—up to, and including, them singing their own little ditties in the audio. The authors also include some pictures for illustration of the ridiculousness of the story or for a little burst of joy or cuteness to alleviate the heaviness of the stories they’re telling.

I should add there are a couple of anecdotes that really silly or scary, just heartbreaking.*

* Granted, there’s a sense in which all of these are heartbreaking, humanity’s inhumanity always is. So I guess those stories are extra-heartbreaking. Heartbreaking cubed.

The Organization of the Book

So, the theme of this book is there in the title—it’s a Guinness World Records collection, but no one wants to get their stories told here (names have been changed to protect those involved—according to the authors, at Lamar’s insistence over Ruffin’s intentions). The anecdotes are arranged under broad topics (or for the person they’re about), and they are each given a title like “Most Confusing Racist Phrase,” “Worst Car Service,” “Most Racist Pilot,” “Worst Celebrity Look-Alike,” “Worst Teacher,” and so on. Several of the category names are clearly exercises in creativity by the authors, like “Most Regular Degular, Day-to-Day Racism” or “Most Racist Comment I Was Not Part Of”

These Worsts and Bests, it must be remembered, apply to their family and circle of friends. Most minorities in this country can probably come up with their own “Worst Nursing Home Experience,” “Second Worst Bar Patron,” or “Worst Interview.”

A Variety of Storytellers

In the previous book, the stories were predominately told about things that happened to Ruffin or Lamar, as I’ve said. This time out, they bring in stories about their mother, father, all their siblings, a sibling-in-law, a former Nebraska state senator, and even a couple of white people (for contrast).

In fact, the book opens with an anecdote from a white, male friend about a traffic stop. It’s really atypical encounter, and one that this white, male would enjoy having. But, Ruffin says that it’s the story that shocked her the most. I don’t blame her if what follows is what she’s used to. Roughly midway through the book, we get another five quick anecdotes from a friend that Ruffin trades “opposite stories” with:

Stories where I’m suffering some racist nonsense and she’s getting away with everything but murder. It’s so shocking to me. I can’t believe this is happening to my little bud. Being white is hilarious. So, as you read these next five stories, try to think about how out of place they are in this book. Try to imagine a Black man getting away with any of this. It’s fun because you can’t!

With at least four of these, I agree—I can’t imagine that. Probably not the other, either.

They also include some anecdotes from state senator Tanya Cook, a nice (?) reminder that it’s common to find this kind of behavior anywhere.

So, what did I think about The World Record Book of Racist Stories?

Lamar writes in her closing remarks:

I’m glad our family and people from the community got the chance to share these stories with you. No matter how you feel about them, they have happened and are happening out there to not just a small group of people in Omaha, Nebraska, but to absolutely anyone at anytime, anywhere. I personally feel that by sharing these stories we are shining a light on racism, ignorance, and just some all-around hilarious shit.

That’s a pretty good way to summarize this book. And it’s a light that needs to be shone in a way that the masses will take it in. In our culture, for better or worse, the best way to do that is to make it funny and chopped up into digestible bits*. Which is what Ruffin and Lamar did here.

* See Planet Funny by Ken Jennings for more on that.

I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first—no offense to the authors and contributors, but it wasn’t as fun. If only the Introduction had warned me… But the authors worked hard to make it enjoyable—it’s just hard to do with the subject matter. As it grawlix-ing should be. The fact that they succeeded at all is remarkable.

Pretty much, you can read what I said about You’ll Never Believe and apply it here, just with a little less laughter. But I did laugh audibly at a few points, so there’s that. I also shook my head enough in unbelief/despair/denial that I’m surprised I didn’t pull something.

It may not be my favorite non-fiction read of the year (but it’s close), but it might be the most important one. Pick this (and the predecessor) up, folks.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

The Life and Work of Jesus by Ra McLaughlin and Christopher Caudle: A Broad and Capable Introduction to Christology

By HCNewton

On November 6, 2022

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Life and Work of Jesus

by Ra McLaughlin and Christopher Caudle

DETAILS:
Series: Christian Essentials 
Publisher: P & R Publishing
Publication Date: April 26, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 286 pg.
Read Date: October 8-23, 2022

What’s The Life and Work of Jesus About?

One of the advantages of this series is that I can largely recycle what I said about the first volume (I tried to come up with something new, but it felt like I was wasting time reinventing it).

This is a basic and broad introduction to Christology—starting with the idea of a savior and dealing with the overall plan of salvation before moving into seeing the outworking of that idea in history through the Incarnation and Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Then it moves into a discussion of the offices Christ executes (prophet, priest, and king)–looking at them in the OT shadows, Christ’s fulfillment of them on Earth and now. It’s adapted from curriculum using language that’s easy to translate—particularly into languages that don’t have a well-developed theological vocabulary—so the English is kept basic, too. There’s almost no academic or technical theological language used, and those that are used are well-defined (including in a handy glossary).

The chapters are short (most around fifteen pages) and well-organized. Each contains a handful of side-bars consisting of a paragraph or two with the contents of interviews with pastors and theologians on the topic under discussion. These interviews were with people from a variety of theological perspectives helping broaden the text so that it’s not exclusively from a reformed perspective.

So, what did I think about The Life and Work of Jesus?

I wasn’t blown away by this, but I liked it. It was a good, basic but thorough introduction to both the life and work of Jesus. After the first book in the series, I thought I knew what to expect from this book–and got it, with a little bit more. I’d say these authors covered their topics a bit more thoroughly than the previous book did (but just a bit). I’m not as convinced that the sidebars were as helpful this time out, however, so maybe things evened out.

I didn’t stumble onto anything problematic in this work like I did in the previous one, which was very encouraging.

All in all, this is a solid work that would be great for a new believer or a young student looking to get a better grounding. It’s broad enough to appeal to any evangelical but solid enough to work for those who tend to prefer a bit more precision.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.