Thirty-One

I spent Saturday organizing my books. Most bibliophiles would presume that someone that owns as many books as me would already have them in a very particular order. Organized by subject, sub-topic, author, and publication date. What's that you say? You know someone who has it in alphabetical order? Obscene. I'll be by in the hour to take away their Bibliophilic Association of America Membership Card.

I guess mine would have been taken away too. It was really a disgrace the other day when I tried to find a book and it took me 15 minutes of pulling items off the shelves, asking David if he's seen it, accusing David of having moved it, and finally giving up. And then start searching again 10 minutes later, because I know I saw it on the top right of one of the cases when I was clearing stuff off the table. Eventually I found it, though nowhere near where I expected it to be. Wanting to avoid such a situation again, I felt that perhaps it was time to organize my books.

Now, I don't know how others approach their spring cleaning. But I find that generally, in order to organize something, you have to make things a bit messier for awhile. In this case, a lot messier. I first removed every single book from the case and began making "piles" of subjects to sort them into. Fiction, Poetry, Philosophy, Gender Studies, Drama, etc. You get my point. However, the only place I can sort these many books (I have well over 300, even after I did some "cleaning out" a year ago) is my bed. I pulled back the curtain to let in all the sun I was missing out on, and began covering my bed with books.

Hardcovers, trade and mass market paperbacks. Brand new books from B&N and Borders, used books from the Strand and my college library. Books I had read, books I had started, books I never got the chance to read. Books that I had borrowed or had been lent to me with a recommendation. I tried to sort them into categories, but soon the piles began blurring into one another. If I stacked them too high, they would fall over. If I wasn't careful where I put pressure on the bed, the books would slide into each other, unable to tell where one group began and another ended. Occasionally I had a dilemma about how to catalog a book--Does this go into philosophy or gender studies?--but I tried to be decisive.

With almost all the bookcases emptied and dusted, I sat down in my computer chair to relax. I turned the chair and noticed something that I'd somehow missed:
While I was sorting books, I'd been putting all my notebooks and journals onto the table. One atop of another, atop of another, until then there was this tower. How many are there? Thirty-one. Yes, there are 31 notebooks, 1 set of cards and envelopes, and 1 journal that belongs to David. Thirty-one journals that I bought or was gifted. Not a single one of them is completely filled. Heck, some of them I haven't even written in yet. Of those written in, I have notebooks that go as far back as when I was in high school. Random entries from when I was trying to instill the habit of writing everyday. We can see how that went...

I wasn't sure if I should keep them or burn them, so I went back to work. Once I'd finished un-shelving and dusting, I began sorting the fiction titles by their author's last name. Going around the table, I soon had 12 piles of letter groups. I seem to have a lot of books written by people whose last names begin with a C, F or G. And then the re-stacking began. By the time I'd filled two bookcases, my back was starting to ache. But unready to deal with the 31, I pushed forward. Slowly the books began to reappear on the shelves, and all I was left with was the Pile.

I began flipping through the journals, reading a sentence here, a paragraph there. Just musings about how my day went, what I hoped college would be like, ticket stubs of movies and readings I'd been to. To save shelf space, I thought of ripping out the pages I had written on, and gluing them into another notebook. Or maybe just throwing them all away in a very Goldberg-Buddhist moment. I couldn't part with them though. Though the idea of continuing a journal that I left off 7 years ago seems off, there is something satisfying by that prospect at the same time. Now, I don't know if I'll actually do this. But recently I've been writing in a notebook that I purchased at the end of February. So far, it's been going rather well. Perhaps it's the start of a new approach. Or maybe 7 years from now, I'll just toss them all away, and start anew.

Now I just need to actually read the books.

P.S. Though all I did was rearrange them and dust the shelves, I'll be damned if they don't look brand new.

P.P.S. For those wondering how Pride and Prejudice is going...don't ask.

Subspace Highway

Last Sunday, I spent the late evening walking around Union Square with my friend Graham. Though I don't think I told him about the goal of this blog, I did mention my desire for some new reading material. So after browsing the shelves at the Strand, we headed up the block to see if there were any comics I've been missing out on. Aside from wanting to buy two of James Jean's art books, Graham suggested that I give Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life a shot.

The first volume--of what will be a sextet on July 20th, 2010--has at the very least proven to be as interesting as Graham said it would be. Precious Little Life begins the love-adventure of Scott Pilgrim, a 23-year-old bassist who has literally just met the girl of his dreams: Ramona Flowers. A punkish, American, rollerblading, delivery girl for Amazon.ca. Boy meets girl--pretty easy, right?

It would be, except that Pilgrim's story begins not with the fact that he has met Ramona, but that he is dating a high schooler--Knives Chau. Sweet and innocent, Knives is the perfect balm for Scott who has been without a girlfriend for over a year--presumably after a horrible break-up. And then there's the fact that in order for someone to date Ramona, they have to fight and defeat her seven (or six) evil ex-boyfriends. Scott's life just went from what Knives would describe as "so amazing. Soooo amazing" to really complicated.

Bryan Lee O'Malley has made an interesting choice for his second original published piece. I'm inclined, if I must, to label this book of sequential art as OEL (Original English Language) manga. As usual, the label does not quite fit. Very much in line with his publisher's, Oni Press, original dissatisfaction, O'Malley's mix of late-80s to mid-90s pop references, manga-esque artwork/layout and mix genre topics make for anything but a dull read, if a bit choppy at times.

O'Malley frequently breaks one of the first rules I learned in English class: "Avoid using brand names in your writing." However, breaking rules are sometimes the only way to get anything worth reading written. The amusement I felt while finding and understanding these references to my own childhood made the rule seem unnecessary. For example, when Pilgrim refers to an old character from Disney's Ducktales:

Aside from being winks at the audience, O'Malley uses these references to flesh out both the tone of this volume, and just who Scott Pilgrim is. Whether it is Scott's inability to stay focused, being made fun of by his friends, or his complete failure at his first attempt to talk to Ramona, O'Malley uses these brand names and trademarks of geekdom to add depth to how Scott thinks, and how Scott sees himself. Not just as a way for the reader to label him.

Another example of this can be seen in the panel on the right. Ramona asks Scott what the "X" on his parka stands for. "Well, obviously one of us went to Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and one of us didn't" answers Scott. "Obviously one of us is a total nerd" says Ramona. Again, though it could easily be something that would wear a reader out, O'Malley's references only endear one further to Scott's socially-awkward plight. After all, this "gifted youngster" does put his skills as "best fighter in the province" to the test. Only time will tell if such references will resonate with future readers in the years to come.

As always, the strength and interest of the protagonist relies heavily on the supporting cast. With plenty to choose from--a hard-edged female drummer, a kid sister, a Sex Bob-omb fanboy--I'll be most looking forward to Scott's landlord/roomate and friend Wallace Wells.

Though defined several times in this first volume as "Scott's gay roommate", the tone in which the characters explain this exudes a camaraderie and friendship that is always refreshing. Wallace is introduced to the reader, after all, at the same time that we find out Scott's sleeping arrangements: they share the same futon [left panel].

Wallace's friendship with Scott seems to be the only one where Scott is treated as if he is on equal footing (socially, if not financially). Wallace's sarcastic and understanding of Scott's eccentricities makes him not just an essential character, but another one I want to see more of. He seems to offer himself so easily to the fellow characters and the reader, that it really is hard to resist him. Especially if when I get to watch him do this:

Finally, I was at first taken aback by O'Malley's style. In a medium like sequential art, that is no small problem. I found the style reminded me of Eiichiro Oda's work, which I always found difficult to fully enjoy. And then I saw this page [right]. Aside from Ramona's oddly nonchalant stance in the first panel, the lines and panel-by-panel breakdown made me interested to see what else O'Malley could pull off. For some this may seem odd, as many will most likely be impressed with the video-game-like battle at the end. I'll look forward to seeing how this work is poured into other such scenes.

I'm not positive that the word prolific should be tossed around just yet. I'll definitely be interested to see how this series develops, and what O'Malley has planned for when the series is completed this summer. I may even try and go check out his first piece now.

*And for any of you who may be interested, here's the trailer for the movie that debuted either this morning or at some point yesterday.

Unformatted

Desiring something a little more "serious" to read, I picked up Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It was very tough going in the beginning, and by actual page standards I think I'm only on about page 25, but I think I've finally hit a place where I am comfortable with the text. Meaning that, I don't feel like I'm trying to translate sanskrit when I look at the words. However, This is what I have learned thus far:

1. I do not like anthologies in general, and especially on the Kindle. I was never big on buying anthologies because their size alone made me feel that I had to classify the book as "at home" reading. If the book is too big to (a) fit into my bag, or (b) fit into my bag comfortably, it ain't going anywhere. And if it doesn't go, it doesn't get read. One would be correct in observing that this is not the case with the Kindle. The Kindle can hold up to 1,500 eBooks and never grow larger than .5 inches in width. So I started reading Pride and Prejudice from a copy of the Complete Works of Jane Austen I bought when I first got my Kindle. What a great deal! Five books for less than what a Penguin Edition of one costs! However, there are no page numbers. And with no page numbers, those 20,000 locations look mighty foreboding. So I cracked and downloaded a free copy of just Pride and Prejudice. I can breathe much easier as I continue to not read.
2. It isn't all in the formatting. When I first noticed problems with how the formatting appears on some eBooks, I was able to overlook the problem. Sort of. But as I was reading and finding many formatting issues appearing on the screen at once, it was beginning to be annoying. And then I realized that I was allowing myself to miss what I was reading by getting hung up on how the text looked. So I'm thankful that reading on my Kindle is forcing me to face that limitation.
3. Sometimes it is the author's fault. I majored in English Literature in college, and rarely did we sit down and discuss what a writer did incorrectly*. Unless you break into a discussion about juvenilia. So when I sit down to read a book and the author--a well-respected, creator of canonical works at that--does a bit of jumping around and I can't follow it, I just think that maybe that one professors insinuations were correct. Maybe I'm just not that bright. Do not fall for this. Writers are not perfect, and a reader's ability to understand what is going on is not solely their responsibility. No, I don't expect Austen to show up and guide me through the piece. But I do ask that when you begin a new paragraph, stick to the topic at hand! (And yes, plenty of writers still do this, and no it isn't wrong all the time, but damn it if I was not incredibly frustrated for the first few days of trying to read this book).
4. I didn't realize how much I love footnotes. As I continued to read, I began to notice that I was longing for my Penguin Edition footnotes, explaining to me that when Austen mentions Miss Lucas, what she is actually saying is: Charlotte Lucas, oldest, unmarried of Lord Lucas' daughters. Maybe this doesn't seem like a big deal when there are only two Lucas daughters, but with there being five Bennet daughters, it's nice to know that the title isn't used for every young woman, or just for who happens to be present in the room at the time. Needless to say, I'm glad for one of my friends, whom I know see as my living historical footnote.

As I previously mentioned, I'm hopeful that I've finally found my place with this book. Let's see if I'm right. But only time will tell. I've got the apartment to myself for the next week, so perhaps I'll get to it. Maybe I'll even have a review by the end of the week(end?).

* This is not completely true, as a professor of mine was kind enough to give an after class lecture on "bad poetry". Oh captain, my captain...

Reading List

It is complete! Sort of. After asking for suggestions from a bunch of my friends, consulting a random professor's list and going over my own course work from undergrad, I have have made a Reading List. Though saying that it is complete is no more accurate than saying that when you finish reading a book you're done with the story.

So what was the purpose of this list? When I first started compiling the list, it was because I was experiencing a longing for academia. I go through bouts of this, where every once-in-a-while I realize just how much I miss the environment of learning I had experienced when I was pursuing my undergrad. Perhaps it was brought on by my most recent reading endeavor. So, with my goal of this blog in mind, I began searching for a reading list, and found one a professor from Rutgers had posted. But not wanting to solely go with some canonical books, I started asking friends to add on. Any fiction, poetry or nonfiction that they felt would be worth giving a chance. Then with a lot of formatting later (Excel does not translate easily onto Blogger), and the addition of the new Pages widget, the list is now online.

Are the books on this list the only ones I'll be reading? No. I'd be lying if I said that I believed that I could stick to this list and these books alone. Someone will suggest something new, I'll hear buzz about some new release, or re-release, and I'll deviate. Though as far as I'm concerned, it won't be deviating as much as it will be adding on. The list is not something there to restrict myself by, but to provide some guidance along the way. My plan is that I'll link the books on the list to whatever entries I write about them. And of course, I'll add on whatever new book or authors I do read. However, my starting point will be to start off with this list. I began this wanting to add some more "serious" literature in my life, and I won't be losing sight of that goal. But time has taught me, to quote a friend, "sometimes you need a little listless reading in your life."

Feel free to look through the list and suggest anything else you think I should add.

Comes in Threes

Three weeks since my last update. But I can happily report that those three weeks were filled with lots and lots of reading. Whether or not what I read was worth it I cannot say, but I am glad to say that the majority of that time was spent hitting "Next Page" on my Kindle, and sneaking away weekend mornings to a room where I could be left alone to get a few locations* under my belt before the day went on its usual way.

So what have I been reading? What outstanding piece of literature is it that has me so enthralled that I was able to swallow three installments whole in less than 22 days (yes, I am aware that that puts me at only a little under a book a week, but I'm a bit out of practice). I felt like Editor Byron Dobell "suck[ing] [books] like a giant mongoose". It had a faint echo of what it was like to read another book from a simialr genre, but that story will have to be held for some point in the future--or not. (The shame is too great!)

The Southern Vampire Mysteries, aka The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, aka the basis of True Blood. I know, how underwhelming. But, wanting to see how a series I've come to enjoy was developed out of the book series, drove me to at least see the beginning of the series (there are currently 9 books) off. My friend asked that I make my way through the first four, but by the end of the third, my brain was begging for a little more heavy. So I'll try and do a quick treatment of each one of the books below.

Dead Until Dark The first in the series, the book introduces all of the major players in the series. Being a first person narration, and one that does not shift who is doing that narration, there is little character development outside of Sookie. Unless she is reading someone's mind or that person if talking to her, you don't know much about the other characters. This caught me a bit off guard at first, since the television series kept so close to this book, and yet, it was obvious how necessary it was for the script writers to develop their own story lines for the other characters in the series. Overall, the book was alright, though it felt very much life a first. Whether that is a first in a series or first time book, I won't label. But as I read, I felt almost inclined to grant leniency on this basis. Whether or not that is a good thing, I will not go on to say.

Living Dead in Dallas The writing was better in the second installment. Though unlike in the television series (I apologize for those of you who do not find the small-screen comparisons worthwhile, but they were my original introduction to the series) I felt that the "back-at-home" storyline was a bit poor and unnecessary. I would have simply of preferred for the adventures in Dallas to be the end of the story. No need to throw in any extra Greek mythology. Without better tying in the characters to the second plot line (again, as it was done in the series) I cannot say that I was content with it. Either cut the story down, or lengthen the trip to Texas, but don't add in a orgy for the soft-core factor that is already rampant in the series. Less is more.

Club Dead I have no comparison for the series to make, aside that I'm looking forward to see what they will do with it. Poor Sookie has just been beat up one time too many. I couldn't help but wonder if she is going to get some sort of an upgrade where she learns to fight or do something to defend herself. At this point her face bones must be cracked and shift, she'd have scaring in large gashes in her back and in a circle on her abdomen where she was staked. Not to mention puncture wounds from being bitten by vampires all over (regardless of if they are in less visible areas...). There were definitely certain types of character development in both the second and third novel that weren't actually seen or explained properly in either book.

Overall, I can't say that I'm in love with the series, but I'll didn't feel as dirty as I did after the previous guilty pleasure reading (mentioned above). Perhaps I've been dulled to it? I'll probably continue reading them, but I'm not sure if I'd get any actual reading satisfaction out of them, aside from finishing a book.

I'll be holding off from the fourth book until I've gotten some non-vampire literature underneath my belt. I'm almost (hopefully) done with my reading list, which will determine a good amount of my reading for the rest of the year. If I stick to it of course.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the Southern Vampire Series? I'd look forward to reading about it.

Minor note: The leading competitors name of the synthetic blood has changed about three times.

* Instead of page numbers, the Kindle uses "locations" to determine what part of a book you are up to.