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St. Tammany Parish Library
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smatte's rating:
Added Oct 15, 2022
smatte's rating:
Added Aug 25, 2021
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What IS this book? Satirical slapstick comedy? Allegory? Romance? A meditation on mental illness and/or spirituality? It's all of these things at once, and while the tonal shifts and multitude of themes can get confusing, I found the payoff at the end absolutely satisfying and fulfilling.
The Master and Margarita, written over a decade in Soviet Russia but not published for over 20 years after the author's death, manages to be subversive, hilarious, sensual, and thought-provokingly philosophical as it takes the reader on a trip through Stalin's country while Satan is enjoying a mischievous jaunt through Moscow, and a mysterious "master" ponders over his novel-within-a-novel about Pontius Pilate. Not since Don Quixote have I read a novel so full of irreverence, emotion, and pathos. A messy but perfect book. Highly recommended!What IS this book? Satirical slapstick comedy? Allegory? Romance? A meditation on mental illness and/or spirituality? It's all of these things at once, and while the tonal shifts and multitude of themes can get confusing, I found the payoff at the…
The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers GrimmThe Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, BookThe Complete First Edition
by Grimm, JacobBook - 2014Book, 2014
smatte's rating:
Added Jul 23, 2021
Comment:
This is the definitive English translation of Grimms' Fairytales as they originally appeared in two volumes in 1812 and 1815, respectively.
As translator/editor Jack Zipes says in his introduction, the Brothers Grimm, particularly Wilhelm--who outlived Jacob--edited, revised and ultimately toned down these tales between the original editions and the final edition, published in 1857. Therefore, these originals are the raw, creepy, violent versions of fairytales that youngsters often allude to but rarely provide evidence of.
The introduction, endnotes, and list of contributors who provided the brothers with these tales are all worth reading and discovering on their own for sheer literary and historical value. However, I found the stories themselves inconsistent and a bit skeletal.
The sparse nature of these stories gives them a sketch-like structure, almost like listening to the early demos of a favorite recording artist; there are merits to exploring this, and it was endlessly fascinating for me to read early versions of familiar tales such as "Hansel and Gretel," "Cinderella," "Rapunzel," and "Rumpelstiltskin" (and plenty of others), but by the time I got to the inferior and far less familiar tales in Volume II (one would think a collection would improve in quality as it progressed chronologically, but not so here) the stories felt same-y and did not grab my attention like the childhood favorites did. I recommend skimming this for favorites or for use in literary research. Personally, I wish I'd taken more breaks instead of simply trudging through.This is the definitive English translation of Grimms' Fairytales as they originally appeared in two volumes in 1812 and 1815, respectively.
As translator/editor Jack Zipes says in his introduction, the Brothers Grimm, particularly…
smatte's rating:
Added Jul 19, 2021
Comment:
The Phantom Tollbooth is a fun, uplifting fantasy story that I think would serve as an excellent introduction to genre fiction for young people, particularly readers between 8 and 12 years of age. Some wordplay may go over children's heads, but the lively atmosphere and linguistic context should keep it from becoming too dense.
My favorite aspect of the book was the artwork by Jules Feiffer. This volume is filled with the artist's lively illustrations, which manage to be even stranger than those of Roald Dahl, and often reminded me of the work of underground outsider artist Nick Blinko.The Phantom Tollbooth is a fun, uplifting fantasy story that I think would serve as an excellent introduction to genre fiction for young people, particularly readers between 8 and 12 years of age. Some wordplay may go over children's heads, but the…
smatte's rating:
Added Jul 15, 2021
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A rich tapestry of story whose characters and their lives envelop the reader like a patchwork quilt manufactured by an expert who, smartly, concerns himself with executive progression more than plot.
City on Fire is about New York City in the mid-1970s; it's about punk rock, fireworks, power, and blight; junkies and pyromaniacs. But mostly, it's about ideas not so easily articulated, like the nature of love, and family. It's a soul-searching journey through a massive and labyrinthine cityscape, some of which occurs during the infamous blackout of 1977, that demands the reader join in on this trek of introspection and the possibility of redemption despite life's chaos and uncertainty. If any of this appeals to you, pick it up. These 900+ pages fly by faster than expected.A rich tapestry of story whose characters and their lives envelop the reader like a patchwork quilt manufactured by an expert who, smartly, concerns himself with executive progression more than plot.
City on Fire is about New York City in the…
smatte's rating:
Added Jul 13, 2021
Comment:
I would hesitate to recommend this to anyone who isn't a fan of classic sci-fi or 1950s genre fiction. That said, I found it to be a fun read and was continuously entertained by the combination of SF and detective storytelling. The metaphor for society coming to terms with robots makes for a paper-thin metaphor about the intensifying civil rights movement of this era, but it was nonetheless enjoyable, if a bit contrived. The over-the-top noir climax was also fun in a pulpy kind of way.I would hesitate to recommend this to anyone who isn't a fan of classic sci-fi or 1950s genre fiction. That said, I found it to be a fun read and was continuously entertained by the combination of SF and detective storytelling. The metaphor for…
The War of ArtThe War of Art, BookBreak Through the Blocks and Win your Inner Creative Battles
by Pressfield, StevenBook - 2002Book, 2002
smatte's rating:
Added May 25, 2021
smatte's rating:
Added Apr 26, 2021
Comment:
These tales get a little same-y after awhile, but reading them was mostly great fun, and similar stories being combined or told in different ways gave the collection an almost kaleidoscopic feel. I knew virtually nothing about Russian folktales going into this, and I'm glad to say that they measure up with their Western counterparts, yet display a unique quirkiness and narrative asides that were fun to discover.These tales get a little same-y after awhile, but reading them was mostly great fun, and similar stories being combined or told in different ways gave the collection an almost kaleidoscopic feel. I knew virtually nothing about Russian folktales…
smatte's rating:
Added Apr 22, 2021
Comment:
Cummings utilized the terse, yet dreamy language typical of his 1920s expatriate contemporaries and, like these other writers and artists, his poems transcend the time when they were written and have become landmarks in the literary geography of the human condition. Usually employing only lower-case letters and odd punctuation (giving his poems a unique visual quality) these works are an excellent introduction to Cummings's singular poetic style; some are serious, cynical, some hilarious, others heart-wrenchingly romantic. All of them are worth reading and ruminating upon.Cummings utilized the terse, yet dreamy language typical of his 1920s expatriate contemporaries and, like these other writers and artists, his poems transcend the time when they were written and have become landmarks in the literary geography of the…
smatte's rating:
Added Apr 14, 2021
Comment:
The Shining is an undeniable classic, but the unrelenting suspense is almost too much at times. It never once lets up, the tension builds, never quite mounts, and the result is a palpably frustrating read. However, the character development and descriptive narrative are brilliant and by the halfway point, I felt trapped in the Overlook Hotel with the Torrance family, trying to escape a haunted, hallucinatory cocktail party, and turning pages was all I could do to get out. This is the third book in King's chronology (which I am currently working through in order) and his climactic motif is becoming almost overtly familiar, explosive though it may be.The Shining is an undeniable classic, but the unrelenting suspense is almost too much at times. It never once lets up, the tension builds, never quite mounts, and the result is a palpably frustrating read. However, the character development and…
The Collected Poems of Wallace StevensThe Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens, Book
by Stevens, WallaceBook - 1990Book, 1990
smatte's rating:
Added Apr 01, 2021
Comment:
I picked this up because Stevens's poem "The Emperor of Ice Cream" was included as an epigraph in Stephen King's excellent novel 'Salem's Lot, and I found it whimsical, haunting and, most of all, intriguing. Stevens was lyrically brilliant, writing verses that ranged from the sensual to the martial, sometimes within the same poem. At times his words are achingly romantic, at others frustratingly abstract. This is definitely art for art's sake, but it will also make you think. If you are looking for creative meters, odd rhyme schemes, and lines that spark imagery in your head as you read them, go ahead and give Wallace Stevens a try.I picked this up because Stevens's poem "The Emperor of Ice Cream" was included as an epigraph in Stephen King's excellent novel 'Salem's Lot, and I found it whimsical, haunting and, most of all, intriguing. Stevens was lyrically brilliant, writing…
We're Not Here to EntertainWe're Not Here to Entertain, BookPunk Rock, Ronald Reagan, and the Real Culture War of 1980s America
by Mattson, KevinBook - 2020Book, 2020
Added Mar 23, 2021
Comment:
This is an exhaustively-researched book that is, in equal parts, about 1980s American politics and the hardcore punk rock subculture that was a reaction to the corporate behemoth and vacuous entertainment industry embraced by the book's villain, former President Ronald Reagan. While Reagan smiled and embraced a resurgence of Cold War ideology, letting his showmanship guide his trajectory as a world leader, an ever-expanding group of young people were expressing themselves through musical performances at unorthodox locales while printing fanzines and releasing recordings through scaled-down, independently-run word-of-mouth distribution networks. Equipped with a rigorously-detailed bibliography and an expansive collection of endnotes, We're Not Here to Entertain makes the case that '80s hardcore punk, often portrayed as blundering numbskull theater, was actually a serious intellectual movement that encouraged a kind of do-it-yourself artistry and culture that was sorely missing from the larger culture of the time. I recommend this book to anyone interested in punk rock, sociology, music history, modern American history, or any combination thereof.This is an exhaustively-researched book that is, in equal parts, about 1980s American politics and the hardcore punk rock subculture that was a reaction to the corporate behemoth and vacuous entertainment industry embraced by the book's villain,…
Harold and MaudeHarold and Maude, DVD
DVD - 2000DVD, 2000
smatte's rating:
Added Mar 10, 2021
Comment:
This is a quirky, VERY 1970s dramedy about a wealthy young man and a 79-year-old spinster falling for each other through a shared obsession with death and a longing for freedom. The morbid humor and unorthodox romance may be off-putting for some viewers, but the Cat Stevens soundtrack and universal truths about the nature of existence revealed in the script's dialogue are transcendentally beautiful and infinitely moving.This is a quirky, VERY 1970s dramedy about a wealthy young man and a 79-year-old spinster falling for each other through a shared obsession with death and a longing for freedom. The morbid humor and unorthodox romance may be off-putting for some…
We See It AllWe See It All, BookLiberty and Justice in An Age of Perpetual Surveillance
by Fasman, JonBook - 2021Book, 2021
smatte's rating:
Added Mar 09, 2021
Comment:
A well-researched and easy-to-understand book about an intense, complex topic, We See it All examines not only the widespread surveillance we are subjected to as citizens of the modern world, but also where lines should be drawn in terms of technology use in policing.
The book's author, Economist correspondent Jon Fasman, reminds us that our system is designed to be participatory and democratic, whereas technology is usually produced by companies driven by profit that may not have our best interests in mind. At the same time, our police are over-burdened by responsibilities and may overlook discrepancies in technologies that make their job easier. Especially eye-opening were the descriptions of China's oppressive, authoritarian surveillance state and Oakland, CA's community oversight committee that works with police to decide what technologies are or are not appropriate to utilize in the course of their duties.
The main theme of this book is that we are human, and communication is a key component of living in a free and open society. If tech hinders or erases interpersonal connection, it may be best to simply opt out of using it.A well-researched and easy-to-understand book about an intense, complex topic, We See it All examines not only the widespread surveillance we are subjected to as citizens of the modern world, but also where lines should be drawn in terms of…
smatte's rating:
Added Feb 29, 2020
Comment:
I read this book randomly because Jonathan Lethem's name kept coming up in scifi anthologies (particularly his work on Philip K. Dick's catalog) and I was intrigued enough by the title of this book to check it out and read it. I'm glad I did!
Gun, With Occasional Music is at once a paranoid dystopian work of speculative fiction and a classic gumshoe detective (or, in this case, inquisitor) narrative of the post-WWII variety. Sure, it's derivative of authors who came before, but it reads nicely and the world it puts the reader in is a cartoon funhouse of suspense, weird characters and outlandish locales. The witty one-liners that carry the story along are funny enough not to get annoying and would do Raymond Chandler proud. I plan on reading every Lethem book I can find from now on.I read this book randomly because Jonathan Lethem's name kept coming up in scifi anthologies (particularly his work on Philip K. Dick's catalog) and I was intrigued enough by the title of this book to check it out and read it. I'm glad I did!
Gun,…
Hate IncHate Inc, BookWhy Today's Media Makes Us Despise One Another
by Taibbi, MattBook - 2019Book, 2019
smatte's rating:
Added Jan 16, 2020
Comment:
Hate Inc. is an enlightening examination of today's nonstop, profit-driven media landscape. Matt Taibbi, an editor and political writer at Rolling Stone and son of journalist Mike Taibbi, has written lengthy investigative pieces on the global financial crisis of 2008 and failed attempts to audit the Pentagon's finances, among other topics. In Hate Inc., he ponders how much of the 24-hour news cycle (particularly national political coverage) consists of vital information and how much is simply a divisive circus not so far removed from professional wrestling, designed to keep television audiences angry, tuned in, and generating massive profits for corporate conglomerates that own the stations the news is presented on. The book is a strong appeal for Americans to think about what the news may not be telling them, and to move beyond partisan bickering as we move into another prolonged and dramatic election season.Hate Inc. is an enlightening examination of today's nonstop, profit-driven media landscape. Matt Taibbi, an editor and political writer at Rolling Stone and son of journalist Mike Taibbi, has written lengthy investigative pieces on the global…
smatte's rating:
Added Jan 15, 2020
Comment:
This space opera written by a veteran of the Vietnam War is one of the most satisfying sf novels I have read. It is a parable about the effects of being immersed in a war without a foreseeable end and the alienation felt by soldiers returning to societies and homes that they can no longer relate to. It is to Vietnam what Catch-22 was to WWII, and the worlds that it takes place in are as vast as those of Star Wars. Recommended for fans of science fiction, military fiction, dark humor, and good books in general.This space opera written by a veteran of the Vietnam War is one of the most satisfying sf novels I have read. It is a parable about the effects of being immersed in a war without a foreseeable end and the alienation felt by soldiers returning to…
smatte's rating:
Added Jan 06, 2020
smatte's rating:
Added Jan 06, 2020
smatte's rating:
Added Jan 06, 2020
smatte's rating:
Added Dec 30, 2019
Comment:
NOS4A2 is the novel in which Joe Hill fully embraced his lineage, unambiguousy set his story in the same universe that his father's fiction takes place in, and officially became part of the family brand. The results couldn't have been better. This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had reading a horror novel in quite some time. Like many Stephen King novels, the book can be easily categorized as horror, but there is much more going on between the covers of this dense tome: amazing character development, two of the scariest villains in modern horror literature, family dysfunction, and unconditional love in spite of the messiness. NOS4A2 is a horror novel with heart and it's good to see that the son Stephen King is passing the writing torch on to is turning out to be a worthy successor. In short, this guy is no Julian Lennon or Jakob Dylan, artists unable to emerge from beneath their fathers' shadows. Joe Hill established himself and then took the logical next step of honoring his family's legacy by throwing some new tricks into the bag (aside from writing novels and short stories, Hill is heavily involved in the world of comics and his writing has a dark fantasy element that feels more like Neil Gaiman than Stephen King) and further enriching the crew's collective ouevre. If you're in the mood for a satisfying modern horror novel, you couldn't do much better than this.NOS4A2 is the novel in which Joe Hill fully embraced his lineage, unambiguousy set his story in the same universe that his father's fiction takes place in, and officially became part of the family brand. The results couldn't have been better. This…
smatte's rating:
Added Dec 30, 2019
Comment:
The trajectory of Joe Hill's career thus far is amazing: after an acclaimed collection of short stories, a well-received debut novel (Heart Shaped Box), and various comics to his credit, people started to find out that he was Stephen King's son. A quick glance at an author photo would be enough to make most King fans do a double-take. Horns came along at this point and while some readers may consider it a bit of a sophomore slump, I think it is a well-crafted, brilliantly-paced piece of dark fantasy with plenty of the horror the author's family is known for. Equal parts campy and heart-wrenching, the balance of mood and atmosphere made this book a perfect reading experience for me; I flew through it in less than a week. The non-linear timeline would become jumbled in the hands of a lesser author, but it really adds to the pacing of Horns, offering up tidbits of information from various periods in the characters' lives that really keep the pages turning. Recommended for fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and anyone who likes a hint of arthouse styling in their B-movies.The trajectory of Joe Hill's career thus far is amazing: after an acclaimed collection of short stories, a well-received debut novel (Heart Shaped Box), and various comics to his credit, people started to find out that he was Stephen King's son. A…
Mutiny at Muscle BeachMutiny at Muscle Beach, Music CD
by Night Birds (Rock group)Music CD - 2015Music CD, 2015
smatte's rating:
Added Dec 05, 2019
smatte's rating:
Added Nov 27, 2019
Comment:
The Ruins is a formulaic suspense novel that feels like it was tailor-made for Hollywood. However, it is impressive to see characters who initially seemed wooden and interchangeable take on complexity and individuality as they become entangled in a life-threatening predicament. All of the "don't go down the rabbit hole" tropes of classic B-horror are on display, but The Ruins should satisfy your craving for a gruesome read, if you crave such things.The Ruins is a formulaic suspense novel that feels like it was tailor-made for Hollywood. However, it is impressive to see characters who initially seemed wooden and interchangeable take on complexity and individuality as they become entangled in a…
More Fun in the New WorldMore Fun in the New World, BookThe Unmaking and Legacy of L.A. Punk
by Doe, JohnBook - 2019Book, 2019
smatte's rating:
Added Nov 23, 2019
Comment:
While 2017's Under the Big Black Sun examined the L.A. punk rock scene's transformation into hardcore between 1977 and 1982, More Fun in the New World sees a similar cast of characters become disillusioned by the violence, belligerence, and narrow-mindedness of their hometown scene. Exploring a variety of American roots music and focusing on artists and musicians in the fringes of the punk rock scene as the 1980s continue, this book focuses on the legacy that the original L.A. punk scene left behind. The essays in More Fun in the New World prove that this legacy is still growing, and the creative germs produced by punk rock are still spreading in new and exciting ways. Both Under the Big Black Sun and More Fun in the New World are essentially essay collections compiled by John Doe and Adam DeSavia, but Doe's voice is very prominent throughout both books. Despite a longterm immersion in punk rock, I had overlooked Doe's excellent band, X. Thanks to these books, I am now a big fan. The books turned out to be a perfect introduction.While 2017's Under the Big Black Sun examined the L.A. punk rock scene's transformation into hardcore between 1977 and 1982, More Fun in the New World sees a similar cast of characters become disillusioned by the violence, belligerence, and…
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