Book Review: Talking As Fast As I Can

Book: Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between) by Lauren Graham

Source: Library

Description:

In this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood—along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.

In Talking as Fast as I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, “Did you, um, make it?” She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood (“Strangers were worried about me; that’s how long I was single!”), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge on Project Runway (“It’s like I had a fashion-induced blackout”).

In “What It Was Like, Part One,” Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay “What It Was Like, Part Two” reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her.

Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she’s aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls (“If you’re meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you’ve already set the bar too high”), and she’s a card-carrying REI shopper (“My bungee cords now earn points!”).

Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and—of course—talking as fast as you can.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

I wonder if being funny comes naturally to Lauren Graham because I actually laughed out loud while reading this. Talking As Fast As I Can is an interesting and funny read that features 13 essays with pictures included throughout that go over a range of topics including her life, being a judge on Project Runway, describing her time working on the fan favorite TV series Gilmore Girls and the revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life and more.

I found it interesting when she described all the hard work and time she put into pursuing her dream of being an actor. What I like is that she didn't put a time limit on her dream nor did she give up. It eventually worked out but at the time when she was a struggling actress working odd jobs there was no guarantee that it would.

Becoming a writer was not something she planned despite having a Bachelor's degree in English, it sort of just happened. One day, while she was sitting in her trailer after filming her scenes for her TV series Parenthood, she had an idea for a story. She had no plans to get anything she had written published. However, when she had mentioned it to her agent that she had been working on something just for fun that was the start to her eventually (with some hard work) getting her first book Someday, Someday, Maybe published.

I think what surprised her was the implication from some that she didn't really write her first book simply because she was an actress. It's no secret in the world of publishing that many celebrities use ghostwriters for their books which I find disappointing because generally the ghostwriter doesn't get any credit for all the hard work they do in writing the books. Anyway, Graham went over one terrible interview she had in promoting her book, the reporter was standoffish and asked questions as if to get her to admit she didn't write the book. She tried to make the interview cheerful but the reporter didn't seem to be in the mood for humor. Not much you can do in a situation like that.

In two Gilmore Girls essays titled What It Was Like, Part One and Part Two, she goes over details, pictures and behind the scenes information about the show and the revival. Based on what she wrote it's clear that playing Lorelai Gilmore and the Gilmore Girls series are very dear to her. She could have easily distanced herself from both but she loves the character and show just as much as fans do.

This was amusing to read. Graham is a lively person and it definitely comes across in her writing giving the reader the full effect of her funny and smart voice.

Book Review: I'm Judging You

Book: I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual by Luvvie Ajayi

Source: Library


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

We all know not to judge people but sometimes you just have to tell someone the truth especially when they are doing something oh so wrong. And that's just what author Luvvie Ajayi is doing with her humorous and insightful book I'm Judging You. This book which is divided into four sections covers a range of topics such as: bad manners, insta-fame, racism, sexism, social media and so much more.

In Part I: Life this section goes over topics such as bad hygiene, being late and more. There were times when some of the essays were so funny I couldn't stop laughing such as in "When Baehood Goes Bad". In that essay the author was describing the sad and pathetic state of her friend's relationship. For some reason her friend who has her life totally together was pretty much dating a loser and because that friend was so in love she could not see how pitiful her love life had become.

Meanwhile, in Part II: Culture this is where the essays forgoes any attempt at humor to focus on very heavy and important issues such as racism, sexism, homophobia and more. These are serious topics that require the reader to truly look within oneself and if you are not the ones spreading hate then do try to help stand up against it. These were very thought-provoking.

Part III: Social Media shifted back to a more humorous tone going over some of the whacky, weird and sometimes insensitive things people do online from people oversharing to people posting pictures of deceased love ones. When it comes to being online and using social media some seem to lack all of the good sense they should have. 

The last section Part IV: Fame goes over this new era of online celebs, reality TV stars, etc. and how some are willing to do whatever it takes to become famous or infamous including lie just to make their lives seem more exciting. It boggles the mind the strange things people are willing to do to either gain fame or trying their best to hold on to it.

This book is what I would consider to be wry yet unbelievable whip-smart as the author tries to point out our follies in hopes that we can see how we are in this world, be it from exhibiting extremely poor behavior to downright hatefulness. Don't worry she also points out her own. I like how she closes out the book with the epilogue: Do Something That Matters because it inspires hope that we can all make a difference in the world and you don't have to do something big for it to occur. The important thing is to help in whatever way you can.

Currently Reading: I'm Judging You

I'm taking a reading break for The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosley. They're both interesting but I'm just not in the mood to read them at the moment. However, a book I am interested in reading is I'm Judging You by Luvvie Ajayi, I checked out from the library yesterday and already started reading it.


Book: I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual by Luvvie Ajayi

Source: Library

Description:

With over 500,000 readers a month at her enormously popular blog, AwesomelyLuvvie.com, Luvvie Ajayi is a go-to source for smart takes on pop culture. I'm Judging You is her debut book of humorous essays that dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives―from the importance of the newest Shonda Rhimes television drama to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma's wake on Facebook.

With a lighthearted, razor sharp wit and a unique perspective, I'm Judging You is the handbook the world needs, doling out the hard truths and a road map for bringing some "act right" into our lives, social media, and popular culture. It is the Do-Better Manual.

Book of Interest: The Meaning of Michelle

When I think of First Lady Michelle Obama it's of her intelligence, her determination to help children, her style and grace and lastly her kindness and compassion. I added this book to my wishlist because I'm interested in seeing how she inspired others.

I will be picking this up.

Book: The Meaning of Michelle: 16 Writers on the Iconic First Lady and How Her Journey Inspires Our Own edited by Veronica Chambers

Publication: January 10, 2017

Description:

Michelle Obama is unlike any other First Lady in American History. From her first moments on the public stage, she has challenged traditional American notions about what it means to be beautiful, to be strong, to be fashion-conscious, to be healthy, to be First Mom, to be a caretaker and hostess, and to be partner to the most powerful man in the world. What is remarkable is that, at 52, she is just getting started.

While many books have looked at Michelle Obama from a fashion perspective, no book has fully explored what she means to our culture. The Meaning of Michelle does just that, while offering a parting gift to a landmark moment in American history. In addition to a tribute to Michelle Obama, this book is also a rollicking, lively dinner party conversation about race, class, marriage, creativity, womanhood and what it means to be American today.

Contributors include: Ava DuVernay, Veronica Chambers, Benilde Little, Damon Young, Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran, Brittney Cooper, Ylonda Gault Caviness, Chirlane McCray, Cathi Hanauer, Tiffany Dufu, Tanisha Ford, Marcus Samuelsson, Sarah Lewis, Karen Hill Anton, Rebecca Carroll, Phillipa Soo, and Roxane Gay

365 Days of Books of interest: Day #147: Talking as Fast as I Can

I can not wait for the Gilmore Girls' Netflix series, so far there has been no announcement of the official release date. It's been rumored that it will air sometime in late November. If that turns out to be true, then Lauren Graham's second book will be released at a perfect time.

Her second book will feature essays on various topics from her childhood to her popular role as Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls. I will be adding this to my wishlist, the description makes it seem as if this might be a fun read.

Book: Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham

Publication: November 22, 2016

Description:

In her first work of nonfiction, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood recounts her experiences on Gilmore Girls—the first and second time—and shares stories about life, love, and working in Hollywood. This collection of essays is written in the intimate, hilarious, and down-to earth voice that made her novel, Someday Someday Maybe, a New York Times bestseller.

“This book contains some stories from my life: the awkward growing up years, the confusing dating years, the fulfilling working years, and what it was like to be asked to play one of my favorite characters again. You probably think I’m talking about my incredible achievement as Dolly in Hello, Dolly! as a Langley High School junior, a performance my dad called “you’re so much taller than the other kids.” But no! I’m talking about Lorelai Gilmore, who, back in 2008, I wasn’t sure I’d ever see again. Also included: tales of living on a houseboat, meeting guys at awards shows, and that time I was asked to be a butt model. A hint: all three made me seasick.”—Lauren Graham

Book Review: Bad Feminist

Book: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Source: Library

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Either I'm getting really good at picking great books or there are just a lot of well-written ones being made.

This was indeed brilliantly written, the author wrote such thought-provoking essays covering a range of topics. There were some lighthearted essays such as the author describing her time teaching to her foray into competitive Scrabble. And from there the essays start to become these amazing think pieces about race, humor, politics, feminism and more.

For once I think I'm at a lost for words and afraid that my review may not do this book justice. It's almost hard to put into words how fascinating this was because the writing is superb and the author Roxane Gay has no problem speaking her mind (which I love). Sometimes what she has to say isn't easy to read but sometimes the truth isn't especially when she wrote about being sexually assaulted.

Although some things she wrote about have changed since these essays were published but that does not lessen the impact. This book had an interesting mix of wit and humor as the author looked at the world, pop culture and human nature.

365 Days of Books of Interest: Day #116: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

I recently started watching the first season of The Mindy Project on Hulu and so far I'm enjoying the show. I mention this because earlier today while I was on my lunch break, I stopped by the bookstore. As I was browsing the nonfiction display table I spotted this book. Even before I started watching the show, I heard that this was a fun read.

Since, I'm trying to stick to my budget, I sadly didn't buy it. So for now I will add it to my wishlist.

Book: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Description:

Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?”

Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!

In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

New Book Purchase: Two Digital Books: Self-inflicted Wounds and Enemies & Allies

I few minutes ago, I purchased Self-Inflicted Wounds by Aisha Tyler and Enemies & Allies by Kevin J. Anderson for $1.99 each. Generally, I am more likely to buy a physical book than a digital one despite having a reader. However, if I spot a great deal for a digital book (hello $1.99) that will make me interested in buying it.

Book: Self-Inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation by Aisha Tyler

Description:

In her book Self-Inflicted Wounds, comedian, actress, and cohost of CBS’s daytime hit show The Talk, Aisha Tyler recounts a series of epic mistakes and hilarious stories of crushing personal humiliation, and the personal insights and authentic wisdom she gathered along the way.

The essays in Self-Inflicted Wounds are refreshingly and sometimes brutally honest, surprising, and laugh-out-loud funny, vividly translating the brand of humor Tyler has cultivated through her successful standup career, as well as the strong voice and unique point of view she expresses on her taste-making comedy podcast Girl on Guy.

Riotous, revealing, and wonderfully relatable, Aisha Tyler’s Self-Inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation is about the power of calamity to shape life, learning, and success.

Book: Enemies & Allies by Kevin J. Anderson

Description:

The Dark Knight meets the Man of Steel in Enemies & Allies—the thrilling story of the first-ever  meeting between Batman and Superman, brilliantly imagined by New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson. One of today’s most popular writers pits the iconic superheroes against Lex Luthor and the Soviets—and each other—in a spellbinding story of destiny and duty set against the backdrop of America’s Cold War era.

Currently Reading: Bad Feminist

I recently checked this book and three others out from the library. This contains various essays on the subject of feminism. I just started reading it this morning and so far it's off to an interesting start.


Book: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Source: Library

Description:

Pink is my favorite color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be cool, but it is pink—all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and I’m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted the September issue.

In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman of color while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years and commenting on the state of feminism today. The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.

Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better.

365 Days of Books of Interest: Day #47: Self-Inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation

I'm a fan of Aisha Tyler, she's an amazing comedian. I love the character she voices on the animated series Archer, Lana is the best. 

I saw this book a few days ago at the library, maybe I'll go back tomorrow and check it out. Hopefully it's still there.

Book: Self-Inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation by Aisha Tyler

Description:

In her book Self-Inflicted Wounds, comedian, actress, and cohost of CBS’s daytime hit show The Talk, Aisha Tyler recounts a series of epic mistakes and hilarious stories of crushing personal humiliation, and the personal insights and authentic wisdom she gathered along the way.

The essays in Self-Inflicted Wounds are refreshingly and sometimes brutally honest, surprising, and laugh-out-loud funny, vividly translating the brand of humor Tyler has cultivated through her successful standup career, as well as the strong voice and unique point of view she expresses on her taste-making comedy podcast Girl on Guy.

Riotous, revealing, and wonderfully relatable, Aisha Tyler’s Self-Inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation is about the power of calamity to shape life, learning, and success.

365 Days of Books of Interest: Day #29: What I Know For Sure

I've found that good advice never really goes out of style. And if a very successful person such as Oprah Winfrey wants to share some of her life experiences, I certainly wouldn't mind giving it a read.

Book: What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey

Description:

As a creative force, student of the human heart and soul, and champion of living the life you want, Oprah Winfrey stands alone. Over the years, she has made history with a legendary talk show - the highest-rated program of its kind, launched her own television network, become the nation's only African-American billionaire, and been awarded both an honorary degree by Harvard University and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. From all her experiences, she has gleaned life lessons―which, for fourteen years, she's shared in O, The Oprah Magazine's widely popular "What I Know For Sure" column, a monthly source of inspiration and revelation.

Now, for the first time, these thoughtful gems have been revised, updated, and collected in What I Know For Sure, a beautiful cloth bound book with a ribbon marker, packed with insight and revelation from Oprah Winfrey. Organized by theme―joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power―these essays offer a rare, powerful and intimate glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most extraordinary women―while providing readers a guide to becoming their best selves. Candid, moving, exhilarating, uplifting, and frequently humorous, the words Oprah shares in What I Know For Sure shimmer with the sort of truth that readers will turn to again and again.

Book Review: Beauty and Chaos

Book: Beauty and Chaos: Slices and Morsels of Tokyo Life by Michael Pronko

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest Review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Tokyo--City of Contradictions? The largest city in the world teems with chaotic energy and serene, human-scale beauty. Writing about Tokyo for over 15 years, essayist and professor Michael Pronko opens up Tokyo life and reveals what’s beneath the gleaming, puzzling exterior of the biggest city in the world.

Whether contemplating Tokyo’s odd-shaped bonsai houses, endless walls of bottles, pachinko parlors, chopstick ballet or the perilous habit of running for trains, the 45 essays in Beauty and Chaos explore Tokyo from inside to reveal the city’s deeper meanings and daily pleasures. In turns comic, philosophic, descriptive and exasperated, Pronko’s essays have been popular with Japanese readers for more than a decade.

Essay Topics Include:
Cherry Tree Maps
Bonsai Buildings
The Shout of English T-Shirts
Hanging Menus
Inside the Smallest Places
Standing Libraries

If you’re traveling to Tokyo, these essays enlarge the significance and illuminate the contradictions of this fast-paced megalopolis. Part travelogue, part comparative culture, and all creative essay, Beauty and Chaos taps the mysteries of Tokyo and lets the meanings flow.


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Sometimes it's nice to do a little arm chair traveling and see the world through an author's words. Beauty and Chaos is a well-written book filled with essays where the author describes Tokyo from daily living to the architecture. Although, the author has lived in Tokyo for quite a while, there were times in some of his essays where a new experience had him feeling like a total newbie to living in the city.

Many of the essays give you a sense that life in Tokyo (as in most big cities) can be chaotic and frustrating although sometimes you can stumble upon something completely unexpected like seeing the blossoms blooming on the cherry trees. From the author's observations of the city and the people who reside in it, you see humor, drama and the familiar.

There were so many of the essay that I simply enjoyed reading. I laughed as I read some of them meanwhile others had me thinking as well as had me wanting to look at my own city and see if there are things I'm overlooking on a daily basis.

I've never traveled to Tokyo (but would like to one day) and I've seen the city through TV shows, movies and books but it was nice to read about the author's first hand account of living there.  You're never going to get the full grasp of something unless you actually experience it yourself but I found Beauty and Chaos gave me an interesting look at the city through wonderful writing.

Book of Interest: Binge

My bookaholic friend has been recommending to me this book for quite a while. Every time he calls me, the first thing he says is have you read Binge yet. In which I always say "no, I have not". Prior to reading a Seventeen magazine interview of the author which also included an excerpt from this book, I had no idea who he was.

Apparently, he's a YouTube sensation who is known for oversharing. The excerpt seemed interesting and I'm always looking for something new to read so I added it to  my wishlist. Maybe once I give it a read, it will stop my friend from annoying me.


Book: Binge by Tyler Oakley

Description:

Pop-culture phenomenon, social rights advocate, and the most prominent LGBTQ+ voice on YouTube, Tyler Oakley brings you his first collection of witty, personal, and hilarious essays.

For someone who made a career out of over-sharing on the Internet, Tyler has a shocking number of personal mishaps and shenanigans to reveal in his first book: experiencing a legitimate rage blackout in a Cheesecake Factory; negotiating a tense stand­off with a White House official; crashing a car in front of his entire high school, in an Arby’s uniform; projectile vomiting while bartering with a grandmother; and so much more. In Binge, Tyler delivers his best untold, hilariously side-splitting moments with the trademark flair that made him a star.

Upcoming Book Club Read for November: Sex and the City

Last night, I didn't have as much time as I usually take to look through the shelves of the new books at the comic book store because I had to go to my Women's Literature book club. The group took a break during the summer, we just started up last night.

At the meeting, we voted on what book we will be reading next month and it turned out to be Sex and the City (even though I didn't vote for it). This will be a re-read for me, when I read it the first time, I did not like it at all. I thought it was vapid and poorly written.

I wonder if my opinion will change with a second reading?


Book: Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell

Description:

Enter a world where the sometimes shocking and often hilarious mating habits of the privileged are exposed by a true insider.

In essays drawn from her witty and sometimes brutally candid column in the New York Observer, Candace Bushnell introduces us to the young and beautiful who travel in packs from parties to bars to clubs. Meet "Carrie," the quintessential young writer looking for love in all the wrong places..."Mr. Big," the business tycoon who drifts from one relationship to another..."Samantha Jones," the fortyish, successful, "testosterone woman" who uses sex like a man...not to mention "Psycho Moms," "Bicycle Boys," "International Crazy Girls," and the rest of the New Yorkers who have inspired one of the most watched TV series of our time. You've seen them on HBO, now read the book that started it all...

Books of Interest: Carry On and Yes, My Accent Is Real

Everyone I know has been raving about Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and I still haven't even gotten around to reading it yet (yeah, I know it's what I do. I wait until forever to read my books but I have been getting better at that).

Which brings me to the point because my first book of interest is the author's latest book Carry On which is a slight tie-in to the other book. I added this to my wishlist and I'm going to try and pick it up soon. Now I just need to go ahead and read Fangirl.

My second book of interest Yes, My Accent is Real is a nonfiction book with essays written by Kunal Nayyar who is best known for playing the lovable Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory.

According to the description, it looks as if he wrote about a lot things that stood out in his life. It seems like it will be an interesting read.

Book: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Description:

Rainbow Rowell continues to break boundaries with Carry On, an epic fantasy following the triumphs and heartaches of Simon and Baz from her beloved bestseller Fangirl.

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

Book: Yes, My Accent is Real: And Some Other Things I Haven't Told You by Kunal Nayyar

Description:

In the spirit of Mindy Kaling’s bestseller Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, a collection of humorous, autobiographical essays from Kunal Nayyar, best known as Raj on CBS’s #1 hit comedy The Big Bang Theory.

Of all the charming misfits on television, there’s no doubt Raj from The Big Bang Theory—the sincere yet incurably geeky Indian-American astrophysicist—ranks among the misfittingest. Now, we meet the actor who is every bit as loveable as the character he plays on TV. In this revealing collection of essays written in his irreverent, hilarious, and self-deprecating voice, Kunal Nayyar traces his journey from a little boy in New Delhi who mistakes an awkward first kiss for a sacred commitment, gets nosebleeds chugging Coca-Cola to impress other students, and excels in the sport of badminton, to the confident, successful actor on the set of TV’s most-watched sitcom since Friends.

Going behind the scenes of The Big Bang Theory and into his personal experiences, Kunal introduces readers to the people who helped him grow, such as his James Bond-loving, mustachioed father who taught him the most important lessons in life: Treat a beggar as you would a king. There are two sides to every story. A smile goes a long way. And, when in doubt, use a spreadsheet. Kunal also walks us through his college years in Portland, where he takes his first sips of alcohol and learns to let loose with his French, 6’8” gentle-giant roommate, works his first-ever job for the university’s housekeeping department cleaning toilets for minimum wage, and begins a series of romantic exploits that go just about as well as they would for Raj. (That is, until he meets and marries a former Miss India in an elaborate seven-day event that we get to experience in a chapter titled “My Big Fat Indian Wedding.”)

Full of heart, but never taking itself too seriously, this witty and often inspiring collection of underdog tales follows a young man as he traverses two continents in search of a dream, along the way transcending culture and language (and many, many embarrassing incidents) to somehow miraculously land the role of a lifetime.

Book Review: Neptune Noir: Unauthorized Investigations into Veronica Mars

Book: Neptune Noir: Unauthorized Investigations into Veronica Mars, edited by Rob Thomas with essays written by various writers

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication Date: Available now

Publisher: Smart Pop Books

Rating: 2 1/2 stars

Review:

Even now when I think of Veronica Mars there are a couple of things that pop into my mind, first is the theme song and second is that Veronica was no doormat. Yeah, she did a lot of questionable things (mainly for those who were in need of help) but Neptune was a questionable place to live. While helping out her father, who was a private investigator, she learned more than she did sitting in most of her classes.

This was an interesting book that featured 18 essays written by fans, writers, TV insiders, etc. that focused on the first two seasons of Veronica Mars.

There were a few very well-written essays that made me remember why I had enjoyed watching this show however there were far more that made me wonder why I was still reading this. Many of the essays were written in such a boring clinical way that they started to blend together and feel like a chore to read. There was one that made me mad, in one essay the writer compared the pain of her high school break up to how Veronica felt after being raped. Heartbreak...rape, I'm not really sure you can even compare the two.

In the end, this was okay but I would just rewatch the TV series instead of reading this again. There were some good things about this but not enough to make this a must read.

Currently Reading: Neptune Noir: Unauthorized Investigations into Veronica Mars

There is just something about Veronica Mars that makes me a huge fan of the character, maybe it's the blatant way she thumbs her nose at the crooked authority in her town or her simple desire to seek out the truth. Which is why I'm eager to read this, it's filled with numerous essays about both the character and the show (well the first two seasons).

Reading this should be interesting to see how others view Veronica Mars.


Book: Neptune Noir: Unauthorized Investigations into Veronica Mars, edited by Rob Thomas with essays written by various writers

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Smart Pop Books

Description:

Veronica Mars has won the hearts of a small but devoted fanbase drawn to Veronica’s class-torn hometown, where the high school landscape echoes adult patterns of power and privilege, and your best bet for justice is a teenage girl and her private detective father. The show is so snarky, so smart, and so savvy, that the detective show’s biggest mystery is why more people aren’t watching.

This collection of essays on the show’s first two seasons explores the noir roots of Veronica’s blond locks, and the sharp writing and killer plot twists that have catapulted Veronica Mars to the top of smart viewers’ must-watch lists.

Book Review: Women in Clothes

Book: Women in Clothes by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, Leanne Shapton and others

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: PEGUIN GROUP Blue Rider Press

Description:

Women in Clothes is a book unlike any other. It is essentially a conversation among hundreds of women of all nationalities—famous, anonymous, religious, secular, married, single, young, old—on the subject of clothing, and how the garments we put on every day define and shape our lives.

It began with a survey. The editors composed a list of more than fifty questions designed to prompt women to think more deeply about their personal style. Writers, activists, and artists including Cindy Sherman, Kim Gordon, Kalpona Akter, Sarah Nicole Prickett, Tavi Gevinson, Miranda July, Roxane Gay, Lena Dunham, and Molly Ringwald answered these questions with photographs, interviews, personal testimonies, and illustrations.

Even our most basic clothing choices can give us confidence, show the connection between our appearance and our habits of mind, express our values and our politics, bond us with our friends, or function as armor or disguise. They are the tools we use to reinvent ourselves and to transform how others see us. Women in Clothes embraces the complexity of women’s style decisions, revealing the sometimes funny, sometimes strange, always thoughtful impulses that influence our daily ritual of getting dressed.


Rating: 1 star

Review:

Women in Clothes would have made a good documentary with the interviews, essays, comments and pictures about how women (and some men) see fashion but in book form it's very long winded (it's over 500 pages) and boring. This is a book that details how women feel not only about fashion (beauty or their image) but about how they feel about what they wear and how they look.

The authors spoke with everyday women (and a few celebrities) about how fashion and style influenced their lives and experiences.

There is a lot in this book from survey research to pictures of people's collections but with so much stuff it never quite seemed to jell. The book just felt so random. Although this didn't quite work, I can see what the authors were trying to do, they didn't want the typical glossy fashion book that instructs women what to buy and how to wear it. They wanted to take a different approach to how women look at fashion, hear how everyday women deal with fashion. But this just seemed like some weird-indie-I'm-trying-not-be-cool-fashion-book instead of being something interesting to read.

Although, I did find the discussions on ethical shopping, worker exploitation, sweatshops and whether it matters to you where and how your clothes are made. Reading the interviews with some of the people who work in the factories did give me something think about in regards to the fashion industry. That was probably the most worthwhile thing I got out of this book.

Ultimately, this book for better or worse gives the reader insight into how some women see fashion. Unfortunately, there was also a lot of things in this that had absolutely nothing to do with fashion and along with the randomness makes this a disappointing read.

Book Review for Nonfiction Read-a-Thon book #6: Suck It, Wonder Woman!

Book: Suck It, Wonder Woman! The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek by Olivia Munn with Mac Montandon

Rating: 1 star

Review:

Prior to making it big in Hollywood with acting work, Olivia Munn was mostly known for being a host on the geek centric show Attack of the Show.

This was not a very good book and it was definitely written with straight male readers in mind. There are 34 small chapters in this book that range from her moments as a awkward kid to her first appearance on a late night talk show. There is even a chapter with nothing but pictures of her in costumes and another with fanart of her. I can't believe there was even a chapter about her love of pie. I really can't believe I actually read the entire book, I kept waiting for it to get better but it didn't. There was a whole lot of randomness and nonsense in this.

When she wasn't doling out sex and dating advice for guys or talking about all the bad experiences she had as a newbie in Los Angles/Hollywood she was mostly discussing her desires to be popular back when she was the awkward new girl in school. Since her family traveled a lot (she's a military brat), she never felt as if she fit in but the one thing on her mind was trying to be popular.

The only chapter that seems to have any real substance is the one where she described the death of her grandmother. It was both sad and moving because in that chapter she wasn't trying to be funny you got to see the pain of her losing someone who meant a lot to her.

This book isn't all bad I did laugh at some of her attempts at trying to be cool but that's about it. The snippets she gave about her life would have been great if they had been fully detailed (or given to a better writer) such as the time she spent living in Japan or all the other places she's traveled to. There was just so much she could have chosen to write about instead of what appeared in this book.

For a book that has the subtitle of The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek, there was surprisingly no real geek moments in this. However she does proclaim it quite loudly that she is a geek and she likes dating geek guys. I'm sure she is a geek but she shouldn't have to tell people that she's a geek she should just show it.

Suck It, Wonder Woman! is a poorly written book that should have really shown how her being bullied and ostracized at school made her into the person she is today but instead it's lackluster and filled with horribly unfunny humor. The problem with this book is she was trying too hard to be funny, edgy and cool instead of being herself. Which was something she mentioned in the last chapter in the book when she was going to appear on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, she wondered if she should be funny or be herself so the audience could see her personality. I guess she went with trying to be funny with this book which was a total fail.

This book wasn't worth the dollar I paid for it from the dollar store.

Nonfiction Read-a-Thon book #6: Suck It, Wonder Woman!

I only paid $1 for this, I found it at the dollar store. So whether it's a good read or not, this was a total bargain.


Book: Suck It, Wonder Woman! The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek by Olivia Munn with Mac Montandon

Description:

In this hilarious collection you'll find essays like “thought’s About My First Agent’s Girlfriend’s Vagina,” wherein Olivia skewers what it’s like to live in Hollywood. In “Sex: What You Can Do to Help Yourself Have More of It,” she frankly gets down to the business of getting it on, including advice on how to appropriately wrap it and bag it. In “What to Do When the Robots Invade (Yes, When!),” Olivia offers valuable information on . . .  what to do when the robots invade! And just when you thought she couldn’t get any more geeky, she can. This book also includes such handy treasures as a timeline of great moments in Geek history, a flip book, an unofficial FAQ section, and a nifty (read: smokin') foldout poster.

Suck It, Wonder Woman! brings Olivia Munn’s unique humor, incredible wit, and lightning-fast costume changes to a world that needs more scrapbooking, sea monkeys, and for the love of God, a freakin' hoverboard!