Outdated and Shallow Book Reviews

Evil

My friend The AY recently said to me, "Maybe if you left your apartment every once in a while and if you weren't always alone, reading, you might meet some new people." The apartment thing I was aware of, but the reading thing was news to me. I'm not a natural reader, but since she mentioned it, I guess it's true that I've been reading more than usual this year.

For the benefit of you Hosers, I figure I'd write an Outdated and Shallow Book Review for the books in my 2007 reading list...

My Life, by Bill Clinton
If I told stories like Bill Clinton, I bet I'd be getting BJs all the time too. Bill is a genius. Even though this book is almost 1000 long, it's a great read. Do it! (Bill, I miss you!)

All Too Human, by George Stephanopoulos
George Stephanopoulos is like Bill Clinton's pet doggie. Loyal... alway by his owner's side... and not all that bright. This book is mostly the author bitching about how stressful life was in the West Wing. Someone needs to toughen up!

It's Not About The Bike, by Lance Armstrong
The reviews say that this story is amazing and inspirational. I say that this book is boring and lacks real story telling. Lance Armstrong has only one ball. (Now you can skip this book.)

The Cracking Codebook, by Simon Singh
YAWN. It's a book about code breaking. Interesting concept in theory (especially if you were a Computer Science major, which is what I studied at university), but poorly executed.

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson
So far, it's the only fiction book that I've read this year and well worth it. Marilynne Robinson is amazing. Her first book, Housekeeping, is still one of my favorite novels of all time. Thinking about Housekeeping makes my feel young again (it's about two children... orphans, runaways, vagrants). Reading Gilead makes me feel old (it's a story about a 76 year old man, near death, writing letters to his son) . Such is the beauty and skill of Marilynne Robinson.

The Killing Fields, by Christopher Hudson
A story about genocide. Who can resist?!

The Supremes' Greatest Hits, by Michael Trachtman
About 34 landmark US Supreme Court decisions. Great read for people who aren't legal experts.

The Supreme Court, by William Rehnquist
A surprising pleasant and interesting read. I thought this book might be a bore, just judging (har har!) by the looks of William Rehnquist. Even before he died, he looked like he had been dead for 10 years. Not true of his prose and story telling. It's actually quite lively!

The Majesty of the Law, by Sandra Day O'Connor
ARGH! Hugely disappointing. I thought this book was going to be good, because Sandra Day O'Connor played such an important role in the court (swing vote). She write like a lawyer though. Boooooo.

The Sushi Economy, by Sasha Issenberg
Eh, I though it was "just OK." All about tuna, which I find to be a cool topic. But story and facts fall a little flat.

The Game, by Neil Strass
Part of my new and intense obsession with VH1's "The Pickup Artist." Although Neil Strauss isn't on the show, this book is partly about Mystery, the guy on the show with the crazy tall hats and giant goggles. Even if you're not trying to pick up chicks, this book is a very entertaining read. Neil Strauss used to write for Rolling Stones and the NYT Style section, so he can actually write.