Geoffrey's Spring Book Round-Up

I've been doing my best taking advantage of my New York Public Library card (and immaturely smirking everytime I type nypl.org into my naviagtion bar). Here's a quick rundown of the books I've consumed over the last few months...

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
I hadn't read Angela's Ashes or 'Tis, but I saw nothing but stellar reviews when this was a released a few months ago. It took while to get it through the library with all the reserves and requests, but it was well worth the wait. For anyone, like me, who's been thrown into the classroom with minimal training and asked to teach, this book's for you. McCourt taught English in the New York public school system for nearly 30 years, and this collection of stories, recollections, and memoirs is humorous, enveloping, and reflective.

Education of a Coach by Dave Halberstam
A must-read for any big time Patriots/Bill Belichick fan, Halberstam probably devotes more ink to Bill's father, Steve, who was a great football mind and college scout in his own right. A wonderful, insightful look into Belichick's mind, his uprninging, and his relationship with his father.

Open Wide by Dade Hayes and Jonathan Bing
This book follows and tracks 3 movie studio marketing teams as they try to get the word out on their big summer tent-pole film released over July 4th weekend of 2003: Terminator 2, Legally Blonde 2, and Sinbad (that disastrous animated movie that time has already forgotten). Tjis one really puts the "business" in showbusiness, and it discourages anyone who reads it from making a Hollywood movie. The hoops writers and directors must jump through to get their movies made, and then the whole product is torn to shreds once market-research comes back from the field with an unfavorable rating. This books pretty detail-oriented, but has some fascinating parts nevertheless. Sort of takes the fun out of seeing a movie when you realize all the work that goes into the marketing and audience-research behind these movies.

Men And Cartoons by Jonathan Lethem
Great, diverse collection of short stories, many of them involving superheroes in everyday, unusual circumstances. This was the first piece of literature I've read of Lethem's, although I've heard good things about his work for some time.

Killing Yourself To Live by Chuck Klosterman
From the author of Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, one of the most entertaining books I've read in recent memory, comes a new book about Klosterman's road-trip across America visiting places where great rock stars have died. It sounds like a hard sell, but it's a very easy read. You learn a lot about Chuck and a bunch about the rock stars and how they died, but Klosterman's reporting skills around the towns he visits come in handy. I had no idea there would be so much backstory about Klosterman's love life and the significant women in his past and present, but I found it compelling and forthright. Lots of laughs, but a few tears also.

Freaks of the Storm by Randy Cerveny
I'm currently in the middle of this one about the world's strangest true weather stories. A lot of bizarre weather-related things going on in this here world.

Rebels On The Backlot: Six Maverick Directors And How They Connquered The Studio System by Sharon Waxman
Guess the title is fairly self-explanatory. I had wanted to read this for a long time, mainly because these are some of my favorite directors and they made most of my favorite movies during a formative time of my life. This one follows the lives and careers of David O. Russell, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Spike Jonze, David Fincher, Steven Soderbergh as they fight the evil, senseless, suffocating studio systems while trying to get their movies made. Filled with great anecdotes, behind-the-scenes stories, and everything in between.

Front Cover: Great Book Jacket And Cover Design by Alan Powers
Great stuff. Definitely worth a gander.

Don't Get Too Comfortable by David Rakoff
I was a little disappointed in this, Rakoff's second collection of essays, after enjoying Fraud so much. He seems to be grumpier and grouchier with age, and that doesn't equal more humor, bigger laughs, and deeper insight. There are a few nuggets here and there, but I was put off by how many times Rakoff had to mention that he was a single, embittered New York-area gay man in his 40's. No matter what the story or subject matter, that always managed to be brought up and discussed, no matter what the context. It got old real quick.

Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes
From the author of Ghost World is this graphic novel about a group of disparate neighbors who populate a small town. I'm not a huge graphic novel reader- I've read Jimmy Corrigan, Maus, and maybe one or two others, but I've enjoyed them all, and I'd like to read more in the future. I really appreciate Clowes' art style, and his sense of humor can be a bit chilling at times. At times sad, comically perverse, and outright odd, it's a quick read, perhaps to quick. I was left a little mystified by the sudden conclusion, and I wished it was a little longer.