Atlas Shrugged: A Personal Goal Met

I mean it, the damn thing is thousands of pages long. But everyone says Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is phenomenal, and many people who know me are shocked that I haven't read it. So when I got a Nook, I decided to finally read the book I was scared was going to throw out my back from carrying it. I'll give you this book snob friends, it was as good as promised. Can I just say one thing to anyone who has read it? Am I supposed to finish it and go "But what about Eddie?" Of all the slew of characters, only Eddie's fate concerned me, but then I've always been a sucker for the hardworking best friend character. I mean, the characters in this book are so completely black and white, the heroes, the thinkers, the villains those who would take the thinkers work. But Eddie was just a hardworking guy who kept the railroad together while Dagny went around trying to save the world.

OKAY! I know this book has far reaching influence, and the issues raised in it are relevant today. I even understand the philosophy behind the novel, and Ayn Rands Objectivism. But books are about characters for me mostly, and I loved her main characters. The titans of industry go on strike to show the 'looters' that they can't keep stealing peoples work and giving it to others. Dagny Taggart is one of the few women in the book, and she is really Rand's main character, a dedicated smart hard working woman who is the last of the titans to go on strike. She is surrounded by men who want something for nothing, and who take what they can't make themselves.

You know what? I read a 1200 paged book in less than two weeks, and despite some mighty big words and complicated ideas, I understood and enjoyed it. And now I can read crap for a while.

Kings of the Earth

Finally I have read a book that is actually out! Jon Clinch (author of Finn, did you read Finn? I think I told you to read Finn) just came out with Kings of the Earth. His latest novel, only his second, is wonderful. It follows three men who live on a dairy farm in upstate New York (I think, Clinch lets his characters alternate to tell the story, and since I don't know much about farming or Upstate New York, I might be wrong), their neighbors, parents, brother in law, sister, nephew and the local police. All of these characters take turns telling the story of these strange and backwards men. There is a little bit of a mystery to it, but as with Finn, it's the characters that make it interesting. This time, instead of creating one completely fascinating less than honorable character, he has created a whole cast of characters, some honorable, some not so much, all nuanced with their own voice. If you like really great characters, and talented authors who can create completely individual characters, read this. If you have a Nook, I can lend it to you, once I figure out that feature!

I have no excuse

I have no reason why this is my first post in months. None whatsoever. I haven't been more busy than normal, I've been reading great books...

Oh well, let's catch up. During the past few months I have read a few great books, which I'll post later (I mean it this time). Including Juliet by Anne Fortier, Room by Emma Donohue, and Ape House by Sara Gruen. Can I claim that the reason I haven't posted is that the three books I just mentioned aren't actually out yet? I also read the Hanging Tree by Bryan Gruley, again not out, but check it out when it comes out, my friend Dan is mentioned in the back acknowledgments. Also, its' a great mystery.

In May I went to Book Expo, and had a fabulous time. Oh wait, that was because due to their moving the damn thing to the middle of the week I got to see more of New York than I had in previous trips (The Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, all of Central Park, and what we called musical overload). Despite having a wonderful time, much of BEA was disappointing. Part of it was the two day format, which they are fixing for next year, but still the excruciatingly bad layout, the lack of good authors and the fact not one vendor handed me a cup of coffee during the entire expo was a disappointment after so many years of great shows. Despite that, there were some great moments, like discovering that Kathryn Stockett was signing the Help, and that they were giving out caramel cake for those in line, seeing Jon Stewart, and the fact Random House (despite some really poor line management) brought some seriously great authors this year. And of course, the well deserved lovefest that followed Justin Cronin around.

And this month I bought a Nook (the Barnes and Noble eReader). Two things to note, I love it, and it might just because I like gadgets and the fact my purse is a lot lighter now, and that being able to download books whenever I think of them is very dangerous. Though I wonder... I'm currently reading Atlas Shrugged, because I feel that the Nook is exactly the right format for the over thousand paged book. So I'm sitting on the beach reading today, and I realized, no one knows what I'm reading, they don't know I'm reading something so high brow. I could be reading Nicholas Sparks on the damn thing. Also, because it has a web browser, and online book shopping right at my finger tips, it's making me ADD. Or more ADD...

Look something shinny, time to go!