Grounded

Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World
Seth Stevenson

Published: 2010; pages: 304

For her part, Rebecca's been most intrigued to learn that in Mandarin there is no easy way to say "no". It's just not in the language. To express a negative, you can use the word bu - the equivalent of "not" - coupled with the appropriate verb. So if someone inquiries as to whether its raining outside, you could answer, "Not is." Or if someone asks you if you want to go out to a movie, you could say, "Not want." Which, I would argue, sounds much harsher than an unadorned no.

Rebecca, in her endearing way, instantly cottons to this harshness. For a full afternoon, she adopts "not x" as her exclusive means of communicating with me. Rebecca, what time is it? "Not know." Rebecca, do you have the subway map with you? "Not have." Rebecca, this is sort of wearing on me. "Not care!"

 

I have a not-so-secret secret. Are you ready? I would kill to travel. Really. I’m always insanely jealous whenever anyone leaves the country, and then hang on every word they deem to share. I was pathetically excited to go on a plane to Melbourne. My yen to travel is, in fact, so severe it crosses over into the realm of stereotype (I have the whole map and pins on the wall). Because of this, I have a hidden passion for travel literature. I came across Seth Stevenson’s Grounded while browsing in my local bookstore and my armchair adventure yearning came to the forefront and I had to get it.

Journalist Seth Stevenson and his lawyer partner, Rebecca, have become complacent in their lives. They’ve hit a rut, and this realisation comes at quite the shock to the former free spirits. They decide that adventure and travel is the answer to all their problems as so, casting off all the trappings of their lives, they each back a single backpack and set off to see the world.

But what makes Seth and Rebecca different than any other globetrotter? Well, they have a special goal in mind: to circumnavigate the world entirely by use of ground travel. That’s right, they will cross every line of latitude without the aid of planes. Boats, trains, cars, even bikes – that will be the way for them.

I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed Grounded. Stevenson’s journalistic style is fresh, informative, and just cheeky enough. The relationship between he and Rebecca is faithfully and entertainingly shared, and the personalised knowledge he brings about his locations is charming. It will make you want to travel, and it will make you reconsider the beauty of more traditional transport. Highly recommended for the traveller (armchair or otherwise) in everyone. 5/5

The No Nonsense Guide to Soul Mates

The No Excuses Guide to Soul Mates
Stacey DeMarco and Jade Sky

Soul Mate stories can be traced as far back as 3000 BCE Egypt... there has been evidence of Soul Mates throughout the ages, but the difference between our Hollywood inspired kind of soul mate and how the ancients viewed the idea are worlds apart. In most ancient references to Soul Mates, there was more than one type. (12-13)

 

Regular readers of my blog may note that non-fiction – self-help in particular – is not my usual fare, however when approached to review this book, the title intrigued me. And while it’s not a book I would have normally picked up on my own, I can honestly say that I enjoyed reading it, in part because of its novelty to me.

Authors Stacey DeMarco and Jade Sky call on their years of experience as spiritual practitioner and psychic/medium, respectively, to explore, explain and then advice on the subject of soul mates. While their focus is definitely of a spiritual – one might even say mystical – nature, I was impressed by their ability to seamlessly include both historical and scientific information on the subject.

The book takes on the mission to discredit the Hollywood notion of a singular soul mate

“Stacey... didn’t much like the idea that somehow she was fated to meet this person and if she messed it up, well that would be that and she would never be happy.” pg. 5

instead they centre on the idea of multiple soul mates – that a person can not only have more than one soul mate, but attract and possess different varieties that fulfil different purposes throughout their lives.

Being a self-help book, the book offers many suggestions or tips in attracting, keeping or dealing with soul mates. These tips range from the common sense (of the ‘you smile and the world smiles with you’ variety) to the more involved (rituals, or spells). The authors also provide case-studies from their own clients to demonstrate these examples. It should be noted that while the authors write with a genial, friendly tone, that the titles promise of a ‘no nonsense’ approach is certainly delivered.

I cannot honestly say that I was inspired to perform any soul mate-attracting rituals, nor have I discovered a long-lost karmic soul amongst my friends or family. However, as I said above, I did enjoy reading this short book. I was truly impressed by the authors’ attempts (I would say success) at writing a book of this variety that can and should cater to peoples of all lifestyles. The book is an informative and interesting read that would be appealing to those interested in the subject from either a practical or historical standpoint. 3/5

Nebula Awards 2007

Nebula Awards Showcase 2007 Mike Resnick (ed.)
383 pages; published 2007

The Nebula Award is an award established and bestowed by the members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. It targets excellent new examples of Science Fiction and Fantasy in the novel, novella, novelette, short story and script formats.

This year was a showcase of the winners and nominees of the 2007 awards. It held excerpts from the winning novel, as well as full texts of the novellas and short stories. There are also a collection of essays on sci-fi/fantasy as a publishing field and genre, written by several known SF writers.

They were all, obviously, wonderful examples of sci-fi/fantasy, but I was particularly pleased to find it a nice blend of fiction – some very serious, some fantastical, and some downright ridiculous.

A nice collection for fans of the genre. 4/5

Hollywood Snap-shots

Images of Movie Stars Tim Hill 244 pages; published 2005

This beautiful book was a birthday gift from my mother earlier this year. I have a fondness for black and white photography as well as Hollywood of the 1930s and 40s, so this was quite a find.

The book is filled with large (full page or spread) glossy pictures of actors both old and new, all accompanied with a brief caption. Some of these photographs are well known portraits, but others I found to be new and quite interesting.

It’s not a book I’d recommend for a movie buff looking for an interesting read – there were only small tidbits of information scattered throughout – but as a coffee table bo ok it would be perfect. 4/5

A book for every mood…

Book Lust Nancy Pearl
287 pages; published 2003

Reading has always brought me pure joy. I read to encounter new worlds and new ways of looking at our own world. I read to enlarge my horizon, to gain wisdom, to experience beauty,  to understand myself better, and for the pure wonderment of it all. I read and marvel over how writers use language in ways I never thought of. I read for company, and for escape. Because I am incurably interested in the lives of other people, both friends and strangers, I red to meet myriad folks and enter their lives – for me, a way of vanquishing the “otherwise” we all experience. (ix)

Nancy Pearl, librarian, describes herself as being a “professional reader” for over thirty years, and taking one look at this book was enough to convince me of that.

Book Lust boasts ‘recommended reading for every mood, moment and reason’, with books gathered around both general and random topics such as

• Africa: Today and Tomorrow
• Armchair Travel
• Bicycling
• The Classical World
• Mothers and Daughters
• Three-Hanky Reads

For the most part it was a good read: it was well written and the books recommended were a pleasing mix of comforting regulars and never-before-seens. However, I found the format a little off-putting. The premise behind the book is, basically, a big list of books… but the format was not at all list-like, each topic being written up in prose. For some this may be a plus, for me I found that it caused me to skim a lot. 3.5/5

Let me just check my notes…

Twilight: Director’s Notebook Catherine Hardwicke
163 pages; 2009 published

Yep. I read another Twilight related book. I know you’re not likely to believe me, but I’m actually not a big Twilight-er. That would be my sister, I’m just the one who can’t let a book pass through the house without reading it, no matter what it is.

It was actually a pretty good (and very quick) read actually. There were some pretty interesting little tidbits about bts-Twilight, with a sections on location scouting, shooting, stunts and costuming. However, the very best thing about the whole book was the layout. In fact, if I was rating the book on the layout alone I’d have to go 5/5, 10/5 even. It was gorgeous, and the compulsive notebook-keeper in my practically swooned.

 

Over all, give it a read if you’re a big Twilight-fan. It was interesting, but you’d probably get the same info by watching the movie’s audio commentary and reading a few online articles/interviews. 3.5/5

Lights... Camera.... Vampires!

Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion
Mark Cotta Vaz
141 pages; published 2008

The mantra of the movie makers was to be faithful to the novel. Meyer, who approved the final screenplay … also saw the advantage of the old adage of a picture being worth a thousand words – long passages of text where Bella describes the beauty of Edward’s face could be summed up in a single shot, for example. “We just took the book into film language,” Hardwicke [the director], explained. “The novel had to go through the condensing machine for a movie; we had to boil it down to its essence…”

Having an obsessed 18 year old “Twilighter” in the house, this book has been sitting around for about a month now and, seeing how I went to see the movie last week, I was finally able to read it.

The book mostly covered the finding the various locations and the actual shooting of the film - though every once in a while an interesting piece of information (such as the mechanics of Edward dinting the truck) or the invention of a Cullen family crest, would find it’s way through.

Interviews with the director and producers were all smoothly integrated into the behind-the-scenes information. However, I would have liked to see more interviews with the cast and Stephenie Meyers if possible. Also, further information on the writer’s translation from the book to movie would have been good.

For the most part, I’d have to say that it’s aimed more at a fan of the movies than a fan of the books (it is, after all, a movie companion). And with it’s beautiful glossy photographs and clean easy layout it’s sure to be a top seller for Christmas. 3/5

Purchase Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion here

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Teen Reads

Right Book, Right Time: 500 Books for Teenagers

Agnes Nieuwenhuizen
353 pages; published 2007


Read! Read! Read! Read for pleasure, for thrills, for escape, for ideas. Read books that make you laugh and cry and wonder and think. Read for yourself and not for others. (viii)


Yes, that’s right, it’s another list book. I have a sickness. Therapy didn’t work, I’m looking into medication. This was an early Christmas present I bought for myself and my sister, who, as a new ‘reader’ likes recommendations for books. This book was a winner, if the little post-it note taggies popping out the top are any indication.

After having read a few of these books, I’ve decided to change how I review them, focusing on just a few central points, so I hope you’ll bear with me as I iron out the kinks.


THEME: Books for Teenagers.
The premise was a book for every occasion, mood, phase, experience. As the book is aimed at teachers/librarians as well as teenagers, I thought it was a particularly good idea. Teenager or not, you often have to be in the right place for the right book.


FORMAT:
The book is broken up into twelve chapters/sections:

• Action, adventure and crime
• Been and gone
• Extreme and edgy
• Fantastic worlds
• Life, love and loss
• My place in the world
• Not such ordinary lives
• Outside the square
• This sporting life
• War and conflicts
• What if…?
• When you want to laugh

These chapters are broken up by the occasional mini essay or editorial on a variety of topics from “pink books” to graphic novels.

Within chapters are, and this was the best part, full page reviews for each novel/series with the occasional author bio/review.

Each book was classified with its country of origin and reading age:

Y = Young Reader
YA = Young Adult
A = Adult

but then goes on to show the primary audience and the audience who may be interested. For example: a book marked YA/A indicates a YA novel that may be of interest to an adult reader.

In between these reviews were shorter topical lists (“grand love stories”, “extraordinary international lives”, “recent Australian YA books with Shakespearean connections”) with shorter paragraph reviews.

This format made this book not only extremely easy to read and navigate, but also quite pleasing to look at.


SELECTION OF BOOKS:
Here’s where the list book can potentially fall down. You don’t want a generic list of books which you’ve seen a hundred times, but at the same time, you don’t want a list so out there that it’s unrecognisable or unrelatable.

Right Book, Right Time: 500 Great Reads for Teenagers focuses mainly on recent YA novels which, considering the discerning teen audience, is probably a good idea. However, it still includes (in the topical lists mostly) more traditional or enduring teenage and children’s’ classics. The range of books was impressive and very well selected, catering for all tastes and interest. 5/5

Purchase Right Book, Right Time: 500 Great Reads for Teenagers here.

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The Last Lecture

Randy Pausch

206 pages; published 2008

I wasn’t in a suit. I wore no tie. I wasn’t going to get up there in some professorial tweed jacket with leather elbow patches. Instead, I had chosen to give my lecture wearing the most appropriate childhood-dream garb I could find in my closet.

Granted, at first glanced I looked like the guy who’d take your order at a fast-food drive through. But actually, the logo on my short-sleeved polo shirt was an emblem of honor because it’s the one worn by Walt Disney Imagineers – the artists, writers and engineers who create theme-park fantasies. In 1995, I spent a six-month sabbatical as an Imagineer. It was a highlight of my life, the fulfilment of a childhood dream. That’s why I was also wearing the oval “Randy” name badge given to me when I worked at Disney. I was paying tribute to that life experience, and to Walt Disney himself, who famously had said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” (16)

Generally speaking, I’m not a big reader of non-fiction. In fact, with the exception of the occasional book of essays and a biography or two (usually only one or two a year), my reading is almost entirely fiction. Despite this, my cousin (who, admittedly, seems to read more non-fiction than I do) and I both suggested this book for our book club.

The books title, ‘The Last Lecture’ refers to a series of lectures given by respected professors in which they are asked to “consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them” (3). Randy Pausch was one such professor – a computer science professor a Carnegie Mellon University. What makes Randy’s lecture unique, however, is that it is truly to be his last lecture. Having been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Pausch’s took the opportunity presented through the tradition of the last lecture to impart some of his heart-felt wisdom and advice as well as, quite touchingly, preserve a part of himself for his wife and children.

Titling his lecture “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”, Pausch presents his lecture in a manner that is both honest and moving. Part autobiographical, part humour-filled wisdom, he delivers a wealth of common sense knowledge and life-experiences to his audience – yet so comfortably, so familiarly, that one can’t help but imagine the day his children are old enough to listen to his lecture, to pick up this book and read their father’s words.

While reading this book I laughed, and I cried – both in equal measure. Read the book for yourself. It is guaranteed to make you reconsider you smile, to make you think, to make you reconsider the time you have left. Randy Pausch thought he had all the time in the world. He didn’t. This is the legacy he leaves, in lieu of that time. 5/5

Purchase The Last Lecture here.

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Lookie, another list book...

1000 Books to Change Your Life

Jonathan Derbyshire (ed.)

280 pages; published 2007

… there are lots of books around that suggest that […] tell you both how to read and what to read; books that prescribe a canon of great works and then tell you how to go about extracting the ore of significant meaning from them.

But we’ve no intention of being anywhere near so prescriptive. Not because we’re sceptical of the existence of literary value – we’re quite sure you can tell a good book from a bad one – but more because we’re unsure that most people’s reading habits are suited to the kind of strenuous mind-expansion programmes recommended by the latter-day zealots of what used to be called ‘improving’ literature.” (7)

Any regular readers of this blog, or anyone who knows me in the slightest, is aware of my list fixation – in fact, if you do, you probably take part of the gentle but constant teasing of the same. So when I saw this book, "Time Out" 1000 Books to Change Your Life, my fingers itched till it made its way to my shopping cart. It was not, however, what I had expected.

I expected something along the lines of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die – something that was, in essence, a list of 1000 books, perhaps with some contextual information and a bit of a blurb. I was pleasantly surprised with what I found.

1000 Books takes Shakespeare’s ‘Seven Ages of Man’ speech from As You Like It as it’s basic format, breaking the book up into seven main sections – birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, middle age, old age, and death. Within each of these sections are various essays, recommendations from known authors, and various suggestion lists based around a topic – ‘birth and motherhood’, ‘siblings’, ‘illicit liaisons’ and ‘mid-life crises’, just to name a few.

The book was an interestingly engaging read, suited to both a long perusal or picking it up for essay or two here or there. It was well written and the suggestions of books were fresh and wide-spread. A welcome contribution to any book collectors (or list collectors) shelf. 4/5

Purchase "Time Out" 1000 Books to Change Your Life here.

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