The andromeda strain

So, yet another book by Michael Crichton. Guess what? I really like him. I swear I have learned more from him than all of my years of schooling. This book, The Andromeda Strain, is a classic. But I have to say, this is not one of my favorite books by him. Quite the contrary in fact, I think it may be my least favorite. For the sole reason it just seemed like he got tired of writing it and just ended it in the cleanest and quickest way possible. I believe he got sick of making up and researching obscure medical facts. Which I can't blame him for. I generally like the book, but, like I said, there were more serious medical and biological facts than I needed. In the final analysis Crichton writes a spellbinding novel with a seemingly real reality for all of his characters. So in concluion 8 pretzel bites.

TEE

Remember "The Lottery?"

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

This is a novel by Shirley Jackson, who's the woman who wrote that short story "The Lottery" that so many people seem to be assigned to read in school. This book is relatively short; only 146 pages. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to the narrator, Mary Katherine (a.k.a Merricat) who is 18 but seems much younger. She lives with her older sister, Constance, her invalid uncle, Julian, and her faithful cat, Jonas. The village people hate Merricat and Constance, and for the most part the pair hide out in their house. The rest of their family was murdered.

Parts of the story were intriguing, and one thing I liked about it was that it was a little vague in what time it was set. There was no fantasy element, yet everything in the story felt a bit fantastical. I also think Jackson did an excellent job with her characters; they felt complex. I enjoyed the book, but it didn't thoroughly grip me. There's was one point where I thought there was going to be a major twist, and then... there wasn't. There were also times when I felt as though something was being built up to, and then whatever it was wasn't as big as I'd expected. I give this book 7 pretzel bites.

KAY

Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in

The Brooklyn Follies

Hmm. Let's see. How can I sum up what this novel (by Paul Auster) is about? It's not really about just one thing. It's about broken families, forgery, almost dying, actually dying, classic literature, and escape. That's a pretty nice collection of topics. However, I will start by saying that I found the narrator irritating. He was easily my least favorite of all the characters in the entire book. Perhaps because of this, I liked the shorter stories of the past within the main story better than the main story itself. I never found myself bored of the book. In fact, it was something I was often in the mood to read, and I enjoyed it while I was reading. That being said, I think it lost a little steam towards the end, and honestly, it failed to make much of an impression on me. I think, in the end, it just didn't make me feel much of anything. 7 pretzel bites

KAY

Economics for people who don't like economics

Superfreakonomics

This is the second book written collaboratively by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, the first being "Freakonomics." I've read both books now, and they're both really interesting. Both of them are nonfiction books that use economic principles to discuss everything from prostitution to global warming to monkeys. I think a lot of people shy away from the books because they hear "economics" and it makes them think "numbers hfdsuig stock market vasuigriutwt economy crash iothsgnsoet boringness," but that's not what the books are like at all. They use economic terms (externalities, incentives, etc.), but explain them in a way that even if you know nothing about economics, you can still get a lot out of the book. If you're looking to read a chapter just to get a feel for the book, I reccommend "Chapter 3: Unbelievable Stories About Apathy and Altruism." That one was my favorite.

What I really like about these books is that Levitt and Dubner get so much information in there without making you feel overloaded. Whenever I flipped back to look at something, I always went, "Oh yeah, I forgot about this part! Oh yeah, and that part, that was interesting too! Wow, there was so much stuff in this chapter!" I learned about some subjects I knew nothing about and, additionally, got a new take on some subjects I was more familiar with. I would say don't read the book for the hook questions they advertise with ("Why should suicide bombers buy life insurance?" for instance), because the answers to those are usually not so interesting, but the other information that accompanies those answers is fascinating. I don't have the greatest patience for non-fiction, so it wasn't exactly the kind of book I couldn't put down, and I definitely liked some sections more than others, but overall it was a really interesting book, and I reccommend it to economists and non-economists alike. 7.5 pretzel bites.

KAY

Read this post and someone somewhere you dont know will die...........

Okay so hopefully you people on the internetz (whoever you may be) have heard of the semi-recent movie, The box. Well the movie is total crap. Sorry Cameron Diaz you can NOT do a southern accent. But this isnt a blog about crap movies. The actual story the movie is based off is about 10 pages. Really short. Yes its true this is a collection of thrilling, creepy, mind blowing, short stories. Which all are really good! Well minus one. But there are always anomalies. Anyway this book really wants me to read more of his stuff. 8 pretzel bites

TEE

Darwin?

Leviathan: Scott Westerfield

Yes, that Westerfield.
The one who wrote all the uglies and pretties and specials. Which are very good books (for the series i give em' a 8(don't tell anybody i sneaked you a double review.))
But i think he should stick with books like that. Steampunk and Scott. Well they just don't click. With that said the ending is very gripping. I have mixed emotions for the sequel. Seriously WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE OTTOMANS?! But the book in general took me a while to finish because the middle section was so long! I like the plot in general, who cant love genetically modified floating whales used as warships or star wars walkerish things? If you don't you have no soul :(
So probably 6.5 pretzel bites

TEE

Bookshaker!

BONESHAKER
So. Ive started reading a new genre. Its called steampunk and the two books i just read are crazily similar. It is mucho frightening because they were both Christmas gifts. The whole steampunk genre is all about alternate history with some of the future thrown in. Boneshaker, is all about some kid whose dad destroyed Seattle then dies and he is trying to prove himself and stuff in this walled off city with zombies and the like. Fun huh?
I like Cherie's writing style but its not exactly what one would call unique. Yes its a good book. But i could also put it down. She does make very likable characters. I could relate in someway shape or from to one or more of the characters. So 6 pretzel bites

TEE