Book #22: Weetzie Bat
Author: Francesca Lia Block
Pages: 107
Grade: C
Buyability: 3/10
Status: Owned, but I think I donated it to a book drive recently
Review: I remember wanting to read Block's books when I was a kid...they are really airy, poetic stories, often retellings of fairy tales or myths or this or that, but set against the backdrop of new york or venice beach or something crazy. I never did read one of her bookst ill now, and this was for class - fairy tales - as its supposedly related to Cinderella. I made one note of them mentioning Cinderella but otherwise I didn't get it. I read this book in approximately 30 minutes it was so short - big type! Yay.
Regardless, the story is about a girl named Weetzie who befriends a gay guy, gets 3 wishes from a genie that give her and her friend lovers and a house. Eventually she decides she wants a baby so the two gay guys and her boyfriend all sort of try to impregnate her and one of them does - not sure who - and her boyfriend leaves when he realizes what's happened so the gay guys help her raise her kid and then the boyfriend comes back...the end is sort of abstract and weird but that is the gist.
The point of Block's books though, clearly, aren't the plot because there really isn't any. She manipulates words in a way that paints a world that I'd picture if you could permanently take hold of the feeling of a happy drug - like ectasy or something. Everything is pink and bubbly and floaty and indie and sparkling, yet everything is so realistic at the same time. Her writing is beautiful, but shrouds any hope of 'understanding' the books she writes (i've read a short story of hers for class as well so I get the gist of how she writes).
I can't say I 'reccomend' the book persay because it's so...airy. But if you're into an extremely quick read fantastical long-form poem, then pick it up.
Showing posts with label American. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American. Show all posts
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Book #21: Peyton Place
Book #21: Peyton Place
Author: Grace Metalious
Pages: 372
Grade: A
Buyability: 7/10 (probably in the library, but good enough to own)
Status: My sister got this for HER pop lit class, but I have absorbed it into my own collection
Review: This is a really famous book I read for pop lit class and I devoured it despite the fact it's a bit tough to read here and there cause it's so packed with information! Peyton Place (PP) is actually the basis for modern soap operas in a lot of ways...it really would have been a shocking book for its time so I get the appeal and shock value back then. Did you know the character of "Peyton" on One Tree Hill and the title of Melrose PLACE are both tributes to PP? Yep.
To sum up, it's the story of the inhabitants of a small New England town called Peyton Place, named after a black guy who managed to get a ton of $$$, build a castle, which attracted other people to the area, and then the castle looms over the place forever...the people in the town are BIG on gossip and there happens to be a lot of it to go around. It takes place over 3 sections of time - when the younger characters (Allison, Selena, Norman, Rodney etc.) are at the cusp of high school at 14, when they are just about graduated at 17, and a couple of years after that.
I can't really say much more about the plot cause it's SO interwoven. Nearly every character has a plot arc, some have several. Overall though this book is fabulous, definitely not just another 'school book' for sure! I loved the way it wove between stories so effortlessly, you never sat and read too much about one person or family and you were never bored, especially because you were always surprised. This was a GREAT book! Read it.
Author: Grace Metalious
Pages: 372
Grade: A
Buyability: 7/10 (probably in the library, but good enough to own)
Status: My sister got this for HER pop lit class, but I have absorbed it into my own collection
Review: This is a really famous book I read for pop lit class and I devoured it despite the fact it's a bit tough to read here and there cause it's so packed with information! Peyton Place (PP) is actually the basis for modern soap operas in a lot of ways...it really would have been a shocking book for its time so I get the appeal and shock value back then. Did you know the character of "Peyton" on One Tree Hill and the title of Melrose PLACE are both tributes to PP? Yep.
To sum up, it's the story of the inhabitants of a small New England town called Peyton Place, named after a black guy who managed to get a ton of $$$, build a castle, which attracted other people to the area, and then the castle looms over the place forever...the people in the town are BIG on gossip and there happens to be a lot of it to go around. It takes place over 3 sections of time - when the younger characters (Allison, Selena, Norman, Rodney etc.) are at the cusp of high school at 14, when they are just about graduated at 17, and a couple of years after that.
I can't really say much more about the plot cause it's SO interwoven. Nearly every character has a plot arc, some have several. Overall though this book is fabulous, definitely not just another 'school book' for sure! I loved the way it wove between stories so effortlessly, you never sat and read too much about one person or family and you were never bored, especially because you were always surprised. This was a GREAT book! Read it.
Book #19: How to Win Friends & Influence People
Book #19: How to Win Friends & Influence People
Author: Dale Carneigie
Pages: 250 I think
Grade: C-
Buyability: 4/10 (because if you're actually going to follow the advice of this book, you'll want to keep it on hand)
Status: I think this was in my mom's collection of books, and it probably still resides there.
Review: I do not need a self-help book folks, this was for pop lit. It was interesting to read cause it is quite famous and was written in 1936 believe it or not...which is crazy cause a fair bit of the advice is still relevant, but a lot of it was annoying and manipulative. I tried out a few of the techniques and found it a bit exhausting to always be this person that Carnegie is suggesting you should be...attentive, ask lots of questions, make people feel happy to talk to you etc.
It was an easy read though - I got through it quite quickly. I'd say if anything you should read the beginning of each chapter, the end, and a couple of examples in between and you'll get the gist. Every example simply reillustrates the point of the chapter! There were some good tips though - say it with a smile, remember people's names, be courteous...stuff that is simple but is nicely reinforced in the book. But definitely not the type of self-help book I'd recommend to someone that needs some help!
Author: Dale Carneigie
Pages: 250 I think
Grade: C-
Buyability: 4/10 (because if you're actually going to follow the advice of this book, you'll want to keep it on hand)
Status: I think this was in my mom's collection of books, and it probably still resides there.
Review: I do not need a self-help book folks, this was for pop lit. It was interesting to read cause it is quite famous and was written in 1936 believe it or not...which is crazy cause a fair bit of the advice is still relevant, but a lot of it was annoying and manipulative. I tried out a few of the techniques and found it a bit exhausting to always be this person that Carnegie is suggesting you should be...attentive, ask lots of questions, make people feel happy to talk to you etc.
It was an easy read though - I got through it quite quickly. I'd say if anything you should read the beginning of each chapter, the end, and a couple of examples in between and you'll get the gist. Every example simply reillustrates the point of the chapter! There were some good tips though - say it with a smile, remember people's names, be courteous...stuff that is simple but is nicely reinforced in the book. But definitely not the type of self-help book I'd recommend to someone that needs some help!
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