I just finished Wil Wheaton's book The Happiest Days of Our Lives, tonight after dinner. It's a quick read, considering I started on Sunday after my last post, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It consists of a selection of stories he's told on his blog, ranging from growing up in 70's and 80's California as a geek in the making, to anecdotes about his stepchildren as an adult. I think it's hard to do it justice in a short description, but if you're a fan of his blog, it's definitely worth a read. My only real criticism is that it doesn't work well as a stand-alone work in the same way that Just a Geek did (which I discuss here), so somebody who didn't know much about him already (or only knew him from his film and TV work) probably wouldn't get as much out of it. It works best as a follow-up to Just a Geek or a companion to the blog, and I think someone who reads it with that intent will find it very entertaining. Wheaton definitely has a gift for writing and mood, whether it be touching, introspective, humorous, or just plain crazy.
One of these days, I need to read his first book, Dancing Barefoot, which I haven't gotten to yet. If it as good as the two of his that I have read, though, I'm sure I'll love it.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
What I'm Reading
I've had a lot going on recently that has distracted me from the blog, but I figured it was time to share what I've been reading over the past few weeks, since the first time I did that was a couple of years ago. So, here you go:
Get Capone, by Jonathan Eig. A nonfiction book about Al Capone's rise to power in 1920's and 30's Chicago, and the attempts by the government to take him down. I found the depictions of the Chicago of that era to be very interesting, and the next time I'm there, I'd like to visit more of the major landmarks and establishments from that time period. A little slow in parts, but quite thoroughly researched and documented, and a book I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in the subject matter.
Mysteries of the Middle Ages, by Thomas Cahill. I'm only partway through this, but I'm not sure where the "mysteries" in this book are, as it mostly discusses important personalities of the time period and how certain institutions and concepts (universities, courtly love, the emergence of reason, etc.) came to be. But even though I don't think the title is all that accurate, it is still a well-written and highly entertaining book. I haven't read anything by Cahill before and don't know much about him as a result, but if his other history works are as clever and engrossing as this one, I will certainly give them a try.
The Dogs of War, by Frederick Forsyth. I've been on a nonfiction kick lately, but I did get a chance to read this novel about mercenaries in Africa as well. Drawing heavily (very, very heavily) on his experiences in Nigeria during the Biafra conflict, Forsyth's novel is unique in how much detail he puts into it, separating it from novels with similar subject matter. The characterization isn't always very strong, and the major characters can be borderline cliched, but it was still a highly entertaining novel and made me want to check out some of his others, such as The Day of the Jackal.
I have other books "on deck" as well, the first of which is The Happiest Days of Our Lives, the most recent one from Wil Wheaton.
Get Capone, by Jonathan Eig. A nonfiction book about Al Capone's rise to power in 1920's and 30's Chicago, and the attempts by the government to take him down. I found the depictions of the Chicago of that era to be very interesting, and the next time I'm there, I'd like to visit more of the major landmarks and establishments from that time period. A little slow in parts, but quite thoroughly researched and documented, and a book I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in the subject matter.
Mysteries of the Middle Ages, by Thomas Cahill. I'm only partway through this, but I'm not sure where the "mysteries" in this book are, as it mostly discusses important personalities of the time period and how certain institutions and concepts (universities, courtly love, the emergence of reason, etc.) came to be. But even though I don't think the title is all that accurate, it is still a well-written and highly entertaining book. I haven't read anything by Cahill before and don't know much about him as a result, but if his other history works are as clever and engrossing as this one, I will certainly give them a try.
The Dogs of War, by Frederick Forsyth. I've been on a nonfiction kick lately, but I did get a chance to read this novel about mercenaries in Africa as well. Drawing heavily (very, very heavily) on his experiences in Nigeria during the Biafra conflict, Forsyth's novel is unique in how much detail he puts into it, separating it from novels with similar subject matter. The characterization isn't always very strong, and the major characters can be borderline cliched, but it was still a highly entertaining novel and made me want to check out some of his others, such as The Day of the Jackal.
I have other books "on deck" as well, the first of which is The Happiest Days of Our Lives, the most recent one from Wil Wheaton.
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