The final few books of 2010 (and a note on why I read so little this year) (hint: I didn't)

.

If you follow Five Books at a Time you may have noticed that I have finished vastly fewer books this year than usual. And perhaps you wonder why that is. Why did Theric read so much less than usual in 2010, you may be thinking.

In short, I don't think I did. Five Books at a Time has never been a terribly thorough listing of what I read. It's only book and they only get posted when I finish them. This year I began the Rejected Books series in which I list books I have made a conscious decision not to finish. So that helps will the void. But I also have read more magazines than usual (I've fallen for The New Yorker; read from a number of anthologies in preparation for Mormons & Monsters like Chabon's/McSweeney's and this one from the early '80s --- both of which are very good and neither of which have I finished; plus all the reading I did for Monsters & Mormons itself. I have read a LOT this year, just not as manifested by books finished.

So perhaps it is appropriate that the last book I finished this year was Hint Fiction. (Well, really my last book was something else, but it sucked. So let's call the year over with Hint Fiction.)

Now I'm all curious to see what my reading habits look like at the end of next year.

Read on!


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062) Grendel: War Child by Matt Wagner, finished December 31


This sucked. If you want to know more....

just under a week


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061) Hint Fiction: An anthology of stories in 25 words or fewer edited by Robert Swartwood, finished December 27


As you will imagine, some of these stories are helpless gimmicks. I am delighted to tell you though that very few are mere gimmicks and nearly all are good and a surprisingly high number are minimiracles of fiction. A great book and I loved it.

But let's start with my primary complaint:

The author bios which seem to follow the same word-count limit as the stories are not directly connected to the stories. After reading the stories, I read the bios, but when I wanted to reread the story connected to the bio (surprisingly often), I had to scan through the table of contents trying to find the proper name (the stories are not alphabetized; the bios are). Had the bios included, say, a page number, I may have reread practically the whole book.

(When my worst complaint is that the book made rereading the book less convenient than possible, you know it's a good book.)

It's split into three sections (life,death; love,hate; this,that) and all are delightful. (The New Yorker's review covers this better than I will.)

Lots of famous names, famousish names, newbies --- one high school senior.

I rarely reread. I see this being reread though. I would like to get copies for my classes as well.

Note: I received this book free from the publisher.

one day unless you include the day a couple weeks ago I read half the introduction which I suppose you should


Previously in 2010 . . . . :

• First Five • Second Five • Third Five • Fourth Five •
• Fifth Five • Sixth Five • Seventh Five •Eighth Five • Ninth Five •
• Tenth Five • Eleventh Five •Twelfth Five •

060) X'ed Out by Charles Burns, finished December 27
059) Halo and Sprocket: Natural Creatures by Kerry Callen, finished December 26
058) I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan, finished December 17
057) All My Friends Are Dead by Avery Monsen and Jory John, finished December 17
056) Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection edited by Matt Dembecki, finished December 5
055) Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, finished December 2 and 3
054) The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry, finished November 27
053) Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis, finished November 25
052) Fish Stick Knife Gun by Jamar Nicholas from Geoffrey Canada's memoir, finished November 18
051) Hamlet by William Shakespeare, finished November 17
050) Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, finished November 4
049) Legal Action Comics Volume 1 edited by "Dirty" Danny Hellman, October 29
048) The Atomics: Spaced Out & Grounded in Snap City! by people who are mostly not Mike Allred, finished October 28
047) The Trial by Frank Kafka, Chantal Montellier, David Sane Mairowitz; finished October 21
046) NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, finished October 6
045) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, finished October 4
044) Song/Cycles by Mormon Artists Group, finished Sept. 15
043) The Complete Peanuts 1973-1974 by Charles M. Schulz, finished September 6
042) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, finished September 5
041) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, finished September 2
040) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, finished September 1
039) Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon: A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There by Mark Di Vincenzo, finished August 28
038) Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut, finished August 25
037) In the Void by Michael R. Collings, finished August 21
036) Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome, finished August 18
035) Utah: Sex and Travel Guide by Calvin Grondahl, finished August 10
034) E Pluribus Unicorn by Theodore Sturgeon, finished August 9
033) The Complete Peanuts, 1971 to 1972 by Charles M. Schulz, finished August 6
032) I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells, finished August 6
031) Rogue Clone by Steven L. Kent, finished July 26
030) Servant of a Dark God by John Brown, finished July 21
029) Drink Me, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog by James Goldberg, finished June 9
028) Out of the Mount (tentative title) edited by Davey Morrison, finished June 8
027) Madman Boogaloo! by Mike Allred, Mike Baron, Bernie Mireault, Steve Rude; finished June 2
026) The Education of Robert Nifkin by Daniel Pinkwater, finished May 22
025) True Grit by Charles Portis, finished May 21
024) Old Man's War by John Scalzi, finished May 15
023) Pandora's Nightmare: Horror Unleashed, finished May 13
022) Anthem by Ayn Rand, finished May 11
021) Look! It's Jesus!: Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life by Harry Choron and Sandra Choron, finished May 9
020) Travels in the Scriptorium: A Novel by Paul Auster, finished May 5
019) Suburban Folklore by Steven Walters, finished May 4
018) The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall, finished April 30
017) Gracie: A Love Story by George Burns by George Burns, finished April 20
016) The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, finished April 15
015) Dispensation: Latter-Day Fiction edited by Angela Hallstrom, finished March 24
014) The Best American Comics 2009 edited by Charles Burns, finished March 22
013) Icon: A Hero's Welcome by Dwayne McDuffie and MD Bright, finished March 17
012) There's Treasure Everywhere by Bill Watterson, finished March 15
011) Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool. Finished right at midnight between March 13 and 14
010) Teen Titans: Year One by Amy Wolfram et al, finished March 7
009) The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, Book One by Bill Watterson, finished March 6
008) Apparition & Late Fictions: A Novella and Stories by Thomas Lynch, finished March 5
007) Stone Rabbit #1: BC Mambo by Erik Craddock, finished March 2
006) The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen, finished February 23
005) Missile Mouse 2 by Jake Parker (MS POLICY), finished February 5
004) Heroes of the Fallen by David J. West, finished February 4
003) Still Life in Milford by Thomas Lynch, finished January 19
002) Rapunzel's Revenge by Hales Shannon Dean and Nathan, finished January 16
001) Mormoniana by Mormon Artists Group, finished January 13

153mph

.

Either the Big O's getting drafted this year or his ball's accelerometer's off.

12th Five

.

.



060) X'ed Out by Charles Burns, finished December 27


Unfortunately, this volume one ends before I could get a real grip on what was happening or whether I cared to know more. It's been too long since I've read Black Hole to really compare them, but I think I might end up liking this more. If I end up remembering to read the future volumes.

as quickly as savoringly possible while standing in the bookstore



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059) Halo and Sprocket: Natural Creatures by Kerry Callen, finished December 26


Smaller in size than the first book and not as long but equally wonderful. Buy and laugh laugh laugh.

two days



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058) I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan, finished December 17


If I had not promised someone I would read this, I wouldn't have made it to page ten. Lucifer's voice is so cloying and clever that it swiftly becomes unbearably dull. His asides and tangents failed to engage me. This is a book that lives or dies by it's voice. If you like the voice, you like the book. If you don't, you don't. I didn't so I didn't.

It took for bleeding ever for the story to finally start and it, at times, engaged. I ended up skimming much of the book and being ultimately disappointed. A capital crime against the reader was committed on page 61 but the ending was very nearly good but not quite.

The best thing I can say about this book is that it inspired a Stephen Coates album which led to one of my favorite shorts from the last ten years.


two or three weeks



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057) All My Friends Are Dead by Avery Monsen and Jory John, finished December 17


You must read this book:

just a few blissful minutes



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056) Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection edited by Matt Dembecki, finished December 5


The authenticity of these stories is proved best by their utter unwillingness to conform to Western expectations of story structure.

My kids loved this book.

The lettering in particular was of inconsistent (read: often bad) quality.

Nice book. Get it in libraries, for sure. Not one I'll be tempted to reread though.

two or three weeks






Previously in 2010 . . . . :

• First Five • Second Five • Third Five • Fourth Five •
• Fifth Five • Sixth Five • Seventh Five •Eighth Five • Ninth Five •
• Tenth Five • Eleventh Five •

055) Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, finished December 2 and 3
054) The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry, finished November 27
053) Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis, finished November 25
052) Fish Stick Knife Gun by Jamar Nicholas from Geoffrey Canada's memoir, finished November 18
051) Hamlet by William Shakespeare, finished November 17
050) Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, finished November 4
049) Legal Action Comics Volume 1 edited by "Dirty" Danny Hellman, October 29
048) The Atomics: Spaced Out & Grounded in Snap City! by people who are mostly not Mike Allred, finished October 28
047) The Trial by Frank Kafka, Chantal Montellier, David Sane Mairowitz; finished October 21
046) NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, finished October 6
045) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, finished October 4
044) Song/Cycles by Mormon Artists Group, finished Sept. 15
043) The Complete Peanuts 1973-1974 by Charles M. Schulz, finished September 6
042) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, finished September 5
041) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, finished September 2
040) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, finished September 1
039) Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon: A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There by Mark Di Vincenzo, finished August 28
038) Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut, finished August 25
037) In the Void by Michael R. Collings, finished August 21
036) Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome, finished August 18
035) Utah: Sex and Travel Guide by Calvin Grondahl, finished August 10
034) E Pluribus Unicorn by Theodore Sturgeon, finished August 9
033) The Complete Peanuts, 1971 to 1972 by Charles M. Schulz, finished August 6
032) I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells, finished August 6
031) Rogue Clone by Steven L. Kent, finished July 26
030) Servant of a Dark God by John Brown, finished July 21
029) Drink Me, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog by James Goldberg, finished June 9
028) Out of the Mount (tentative title) edited by Davey Morrison, finished June 8
027) Madman Boogaloo! by Mike Allred, Mike Baron, Bernie Mireault, Steve Rude; finished June 2
026) The Education of Robert Nifkin by Daniel Pinkwater, finished May 22
025) True Grit by Charles Portis, finished May 21
024) Old Man's War by John Scalzi, finished May 15
023) Pandora's Nightmare: Horror Unleashed, finished May 13
022) Anthem by Ayn Rand, finished May 11
021) Look! It's Jesus!: Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life by Harry Choron and Sandra Choron, finished May 9
020) Travels in the Scriptorium: A Novel by Paul Auster, finished May 5
019) Suburban Folklore by Steven Walters, finished May 4
018) The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall, finished April 30
017) Gracie: A Love Story by George Burns by George Burns, finished April 20
016) The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, finished April 15
015) Dispensation: Latter-Day Fiction edited by Angela Hallstrom, finished March 24
014) The Best American Comics 2009 edited by Charles Burns, finished March 22
013) Icon: A Hero's Welcome by Dwayne McDuffie and MD Bright, finished March 17
012) There's Treasure Everywhere by Bill Watterson, finished March 15
011) Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool. Finished right at midnight between March 13 and 14
010) Teen Titans: Year One by Amy Wolfram et al, finished March 7
009) The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, Book One by Bill Watterson, finished March 6
008) Apparition & Late Fictions: A Novella and Stories by Thomas Lynch, finished March 5
007) Stone Rabbit #1: BC Mambo by Erik Craddock, finished March 2
006) The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen, finished February 23
005) Missile Mouse 2 by Jake Parker (MS POLICY), finished February 5
004) Heroes of the Fallen by David J. West, finished February 4
003) Still Life in Milford by Thomas Lynch, finished January 19
002) Rapunzel's Revenge by Hales Shannon Dean and Nathan, finished January 16
001) Mormoniana by Mormon Artists Group, finished January 13

Merry Christmas

.

So I finally fed that bum Santa enough cookies that he agreed to leave our house. Now I get to go to bed. That's my merry Christmas.

Sexy Ape Trousers

.

I will be referring to the pants company under discussion today as Sexy Ape Trousers (SAT) because I'm not sure I want them coming by Thutopia as they did the last time I talked about them. (Read that post and its comments for context.) For the same reasons, I will not be linking to them today. (But links are available where you just clicked and read.)



When I wrote that post I thought the whole Band of Brothers "application essay" thing was rather silly, but it was not until Moriah noted that SAT seemed to be saying "Prove to us you are WORTHY to wear Sexy Ape Trousers since you obviously aren't wealthy enough to do so." --- which she then hashed as #brandidentityFAIL --- that I realized this was exactly it: They want me to grovel.

And so even though Ninja Marshall wrote to allay my concerns, I never did write them for the discount. Here's his comment in full (in case you didn't read it at the link above):

Gents--

I'm really glad to to see such a robust discussion here. Let me explain the "Band of Brothers" program a little more.

There is NO essaying! We ask guys with careers in public service to write to us and let us know of their interest in the program and our brand, and then we offer them a very large discount (such that we do not make money on those purchases).

We don't do this to pat ourselves on the back. We do it to express gratitude. Our CEO is the son of an immigrant and a schoolteacher. My mother worked nights as a nurse my entire childhood. We have all of us benefited from public service, and we want to give back in the way we're most able: through our company.

Our pants cost a lot because they are manufactured here in America from the best imported fabrics, not because we're padding out wallets. Trust me, we're running a lean team here!

I will gladly answer any questions about our company, our policies, and/or our products--just email me at ninjas@sexyapetrousers.com.

This all happened, if you are good at math, 571 days ago. Thursday night (567 days ago), I suddenly felt inspired to shoot them an email, using the submission form on their website.

(I should mention here that although I lose my lunch at the thought of spending over a hundred bucks on a pair of pants, the idea of pants that actually fit me properly is quite attractive. Plus, SAT has corduroys in freaking awesome colors (see images above).

Before I sent the email I did at least look to see if I could find out just how much the Band of Brothers discount is. I found this guy who thinks that "Prices aren’t bad either (most are between $110 and $130), but what I thought was the most amazing thing was the Band of Brothers discount they gave me for working the field of non-profit/human service." (Holy belly but I clearly need to get me some of that nonprofit action where $130 for pants ain't bad.) Another guy said the BofB price is 50% list which, though a lot, would probably worth it if they're as great as claimed.

Anyway, this is the note I sent them:

I am a teacher and I am interested in a nice pair of pants for a change. Please --- tell me more!

This is the reply I received Friday morning:

Just write up a brief application about who you are, what you teach, maybe why you got into it and we'll let you know!

Cheers,

Derek

I dunno, man. That sure sounds like the application essay Marshall said I wouldn't have to write. I suppose you have to filter out all the cheap hipsters who want to take advantage of you, but what the hey? You'll let me know if why I teach is a good enough reason to warrant sixty bucks off your orange pants? I have a hard time not agreeing with Moriah at this point: Since I'm not rich enough to afford Sexy Ape Trousers, I must make my supplication and pray that you will judge my public-servant worthiness sufficient and then, by thy grace alone, perhaps I'll get a checkout coupon?

#brandidentityFAIL indeed.

Look. I appreciate what your company is trying to be with the quality and the fit and the sewn-in-USA stuff and everything. And I appreciate the gesture to me as a teacher --- I really do --- but your phrasing implies something else. For all the talk about how mom was a teacher, writing "To determine if you are eligible for a Bonobos Band of Brothers discount, write us explaining who you are, what you do, and why you believe you qualify" suggests something less friendly than lordly. We are lowly pilgrims and you are the petulant god whose ways are mysterious and unknowable. Yes, you say that you "aim to accept all applications," but why must your phrasing make me feel like I'm about to rub my face in the dirt?

Hhhhhh.

Still.

I really want a pair of orange corduroy pants. That fit nice.

And no doubt my hyperconsciousness of rhetoric is making me see things not intended by the Sexy Ape ninjas.

But still. It just makes me feel a little cheap.

Sitcom-based svithe: The meaning of Christmas is that Christmas has a meaning.

.

Do you watch Community? It's part of NBC's Thursday-night lineup and it's brilliant and clever and hilarious and meta and I recommend it. The other week they ran their Christmas episode, "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" (temporarily available at NBC and Hulu and you can always just ask Google to find it for you). Here's a clip:

(Incidentally, since Abed is singing new words to the theme song, whenever someone says no shows today have decent original theme songs, I just start humming Community's. I can't help myself.)

The first thing you're apt to notice is the stop-motion. This is not something that Community does every week and I was worried that it would end up being a painful gimmick, but although it was less consistently hilarious than other episodes and perhaps slightly uneven, the stop-motion was not merely a gimmick. It mattered to the story.

Essentially, Abed's Christmas is not quite right and so he's imagining the world in stop-motion and, as stop-motion, the gang sets off to help Abed find the meaning of Christmas on Planet Abed with its 7%-cinnamon atmosphere.

At this point I'm about to move into serious give-away-the-ending SPOILER territory so if that bothers you, go away, watch, return.

Eventually Abed finds the meaning of Christmas and while at first it seems utterly anti-climactic, the more I think about it the more I appreciate it.^*

The meaning of Christmas is that Christmas has a meaning.

The meaning of Christmas is that Christmas has a meaning.

We assign Christmas meaning. For many of us that's wrapped up in baby Jesus and angels and stuff, but not everyone's signed up for Jesus and if, for them, the meaning of Christmas is a warm silence spent around the fire with wine and grandparents then I think that's awesome.

A time of year whose meaning differs for all of us, but can always mean something true and wonderful.

What a beautiful holiday.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Whatever that means for you.

previous svithe

Rolling my eyes to generate electricity

.

Yes, I can run my laptop this way, but I have no idea what Keyboard Cat is doing.

Can I get you something? Cigarette? Cocktail? Orifice?

.

I came up with that line in the shower today and thought it was pretty funny, a nice little triple. But then I started dissecting it (don't do this to jokes) and wondering if the joke were ethical in its assumptions etcetcetc. And then I began to wonder if this would count as a dirty joke. But I'm no expert on these things. I just say crap as I make it up. So I'll open it up to the rest of you. Is this joke worthy of preservation? And if so, under what circumstances could it be best deployed?

It's not Christmas without obnoxious songs you dearly love!

.

As per my brother's recent discussion on Christmas music, I thought I would share this little mini-album which has many of the songs he discussed, including the burglar one and the accent one, and one I mentioned in the comments, the hippo one. Underneath it is the Quithmuth song by Mel Blanc.

Enjoy!

Thanonymity

.

Nosurfgirl recently joined the world of the onymous (cf) which I found charming (for some reason). About the same time, Margaret Blair Young called me out on my own (allegedly hypocritical) anonymity (read these two comments). She may have been joking (probably not), but it still caught me off guard. I'm not, as you know, anonymous --- I just play an anonymous person on the internet.

Clicking the link attached to "Th." on my comment in that above-linked-to thread takes you here which has my name name in all its legal glory. Even here on Thutopia I'm not very well hidden, even if my name proper is inobvious (but it is here, should you care to ctrl+f). I'm not anonymousish because of some deep-seated dread over being fired over what I blog about, though I suppose my faux anonymity is enough to provide a buffer should A Casual Enemy go looking for me.

Besides, I need to be Very Easy To Find for people looking for me in my other capacity as editor/author/professionalawesomator. If you bing me using my last name and either theric or legalname+middleinitial it's all me all the time and mostly sites I would want you to find.

And yet I still have the black bars over my eyes.

Identity in a world in which the real and the virtual are increasingly the same thing is inherently in flux. Nothing static about the state of my identity or the quality of my anonymity. To know me is to know me, whether you call me Th. or the same thing my parents call me. I am me.

And, at the risk of sounding demonic, I'm pretty dang legion.

I have names enough. Call me what you will.

===============================================================================
==================================================
=============================

If this were a group blog with lots of traffic, I would, at this point, ask a series of questions like How do you decide when to use your real name on the internet? or Has your onymity ever gotten you into trouble? or What the heck is wrong with you, putting pictures of your baby on the web for all the perverts to see?, but we're just not that regulated here. Regulation doth not become, here in Thutopia. Not loosygoosy enough.

11th Five Books, 2010

.

KILLING CHILDREN!!!
WOUNDING OTHERS!!!!
KILL A KING AND MARRY WITH HIS WIFE!!!!!
KILL YOUR GRANDMA!!!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!
BUT THE DOG STILL DIES!!!!!!!!

055) Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, finished December 2 and 3


When I started teaching Romeo and Juliet to 14yrolds I was sick up to here with R&J's silliness. I could sell it fine, but srsly, whatta bunch a young idiots our lovebirds are. (Which is exactly why you have to experience R&J as a teenager.)

I'm happy to say now that after a year off, this return to R&J was thoroughly enjoyable. I loved it. Yes, they're numbskulls, but living among their peers as I do, I could appreciate the charm thereof.

One other comment: the more I read a Shakespeare play, the fewer passages I don't understand. With Romeo and Juliet however, practically ever passage I understand for the first time . . . is about sex. This doesn't surprise me, yet somehow I am surprised.

For your edification, test your own knowledge of Romeo and Juliet: Quiz Key

TIME



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054) The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry, finished November 27


This little book is charming and consistently smily if rarely laughy and while the ending is unlikely and overly convenient, it does involve a ton of frozen bat poop which keeps it from getting saccharine.

It's also very short --- just over a hundred pages and loaded with retro photos and ads from the 50s and 60s.

You'll likely enjoy it. I did.

two sittings



===========================================================



053) Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis, finished November 25


Wallis is an Athabaskan herself who has spent time living off the land, so she's uniquely qualified to tell this story of two old women, abandoned by their starving tribe in the midst of winter's famine.

The two old gripers left alone in the dead of winter above the Arctic Circle find forgotten reserves inside themselves and turn certain death into a bestselling adventure story.

The writing of this book is a bit pedestrian but the story is quite enjoyable and at under 150 text-light pages certainly worth your time. It'll take you to a world I'd only really ever experienced through a dog before,White Fang and leave you with enough to think about if that's what you desire --- if not, just enjoy the adventure.

two or possibly three days depending on how you count



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052) Fish Stick Knife Gun by Jamar Nicholas from Geoffrey Canada's memoir, finished November 18


Read about it on Fob Comics:

two days


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051) Hamlet by William Shakespeare, finished November 17


I'm getting too old for Hamlet. And reading it twice a year is getting to me. It's hard to call it the best thing ever written in the English language anymore.

May be time to try King Lear again. Clearly I am old. I've outgrown identification with Romeo and now I'm outgrowing my identification with Hamlet. After Lear, I suppose I'll be done with this life.

I'm too young!

under two weeks



Previously in 2010 . . . . :

• First Five • Second Five • Third Five • Fourth Five •
• Fifth Five • Sixth Five • Seventh Five •Eighth Five • Ninth Five • Tenth Five •

050) Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, finished November 4
049) Legal Action Comics Volume 1 edited by "Dirty" Danny Hellman, October 29
048) The Atomics: Spaced Out & Grounded in Snap City! by people who are mostly not Mike Allred, finished October 28
047) The Trial by Frank Kafka, Chantal Montellier, David Sane Mairowitz; finished October 21
046) NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, finished October 6
045) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, finished October 4
044) Song/Cycles by Mormon Artists Group, finished Sept. 15
043) The Complete Peanuts 1973-1974 by Charles M. Schulz, finished September 6
042) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, finished September 5
041) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, finished September 2
040) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, finished September 1
039) Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon: A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There by Mark Di Vincenzo, finished August 28
038) Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut, finished August 25
037) In the Void by Michael R. Collings, finished August 21
036) Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome, finished August 18
035) Utah: Sex and Travel Guide by Calvin Grondahl, finished August 10
034) E Pluribus Unicorn by Theodore Sturgeon, finished August 9
033) The Complete Peanuts, 1971 to 1972 by Charles M. Schulz, finished August 6
032) I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells, finished August 6
031) Rogue Clone by Steven L. Kent, finished July 26
030) Servant of a Dark God by John Brown, finished July 21
029) Drink Me, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog by James Goldberg, finished June 9
028) Out of the Mount (tentative title) edited by Davey Morrison, finished June 8
027) Madman Boogaloo! by Mike Allred, Mike Baron, Bernie Mireault, Steve Rude; finished June 2
026) The Education of Robert Nifkin by Daniel Pinkwater, finished May 22
025) True Grit by Charles Portis, finished May 21
024) Old Man's War by John Scalzi, finished May 15
023) Pandora's Nightmare: Horror Unleashed, finished May 13
022) Anthem by Ayn Rand, finished May 11
021) Look! It's Jesus!: Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life by Harry Choron and Sandra Choron, finished May 9
020) Travels in the Scriptorium: A Novel by Paul Auster, finished May 5
019) Suburban Folklore by Steven Walters, finished May 4
018) The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall, finished April 30
017) Gracie: A Love Story by George Burns by George Burns, finished April 20
016) The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, finished April 15
015) Dispensation: Latter-Day Fiction edited by Angela Hallstrom, finished March 24
014) The Best American Comics 2009 edited by Charles Burns, finished March 22
013) Icon: A Hero's Welcome by Dwayne McDuffie and MD Bright, finished March 17
012) There's Treasure Everywhere by Bill Watterson, finished March 15
011) Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool. Finished right at midnight between March 13 and 14
010) Teen Titans: Year One by Amy Wolfram et al, finished March 7
009) The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, Book One by Bill Watterson, finished March 6
008) Apparition & Late Fictions: A Novella and Stories by Thomas Lynch, finished March 5
007) Stone Rabbit #1: BC Mambo by Erik Craddock, finished March 2
006) The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen, finished February 23
005) Missile Mouse 2 by Jake Parker (MS POLICY), finished February 5
004) Heroes of the Fallen by David J. West, finished February 4
003) Still Life in Milford by Thomas Lynch, finished January 19
002) Rapunzel's Revenge by Hales Shannon Dean and Nathan, finished January 16
001) Mormoniana by Mormon Artists Group, finished January 13

Congratulations to Farrell Smith for getting through Gmail's spam defenses

.

from: Farrell Smith
reply-to: farrellmsmith@gmail.com
date: Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 5:52 AM
subject: Trouble
signed-by: yahoo.com
hide details 5:52 AM (3 hours ago)

Hi

Apologies for having to reach out to you like this, but I made a quick trip to London,United Kingdom and had my bag stolen from me with my passport and credit cards in it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly without my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills. Unfortunately for me, I can't have access to funds without my credit card, I've made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me some quick funds that I can give back as soon as I get in. I really need to be on the next available flight.

I can forward you details on how you can get the funds to me. You can reach me via hotel's desk phone, the number is +447045749898

I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks,

Farrell Smith

Thanksgiving

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Finally! A holiday named after me!

Svithe: The Uchtdorf Pen Analogy

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Humility directs our attention and love toward others and to Heavenly Father’s purposes. Pride does the opposite. Pride draws its energy and strength from the deep wells of selfishness. The moment we stop obsessing with ourselves and lose ourselves in service, our pride diminishes and begins to die.

My dear brethren, there are so many people in need whom we could be thinking about instead of ourselves. And please don’t ever forget your own family, your own wife. There are so many ways we could be serving. We have no time to become absorbed in ourselves.

I once owned a pen that I loved to use during my career as an airline captain. By simply turning the shaft, I could choose one of four colors. The pen did not complain when I wanted to use red ink instead of blue. It did not say to me, “I would rather not write after 10:00 p.m., in heavy fog, or at high altitudes.” The pen did not say, “Use me only for important documents, not for the daily mundane tasks.” With greatest reliability it performed every task I needed, no matter how important or insignificant. It was always ready to serve.

In a similar way we are tools in the hands of God. When our heart is in the right place, we do not complain that our assigned task is unworthy of our abilities. We gladly serve wherever we are asked. When we do this, the Lord can use us in ways beyond our understanding to accomplish His work.

last week's svithe

How to solve the Iran nuclear problem

(because apparently I am the only person bright enough to solve this problem)

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Back when nuclear energy was about to become a reality, we had to make a decision: uranium or thorium? We chose uranium because it has nasty leftovers that could be used to make bombs.

But we don't need bombs anymore so it's time to switch back to thorium and lots of (but not enough) money is being poured into making thorium a viable energy option. Once it gets going, it will be excitingly more efficient and safe and space-thrifty than uranium. Plus we have tons of it. Here's my favorite introductory article on thorium.

In our quest for thorium-based energy, we should partner with Iran (and other nations), sharing science with each other, and master thorium reactors together. If Iran is serious about only wanting energy, they'll participate. (They're not of course, but we don't have a way to stop them --- might as well take away their moral argument.) This way the US and Iran will share a significant economic link, and as we've learned from Friedman, economic links prevent wars.

The current method for dealing with Iran is stupid and bullheaded. A substantial percentage of Iranians would rather be friends with Obama than the Ayatollah and we should support that feeling as much as possible. Let's make friends, not rap knuckles.

And thorium, it seems to me, is the simplest path to nurturing these friendships.

You're welcome.

In lieu of a svithe, this post on a classic of Mormon architecture

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This is from me, over on AMV, about Theodore Ruegg.

previous svithe

The Next Five Books of 2010

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050) Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, finished November 4

Fortunately this book had ghosts because I took so long reading it that I didn't get around to my planned Halloween book.

The first question I would want to know is whether or not this book is as good as Time Traveler's Wife. Short answer: No. It's not. It's not a fluid --- it gets rather choppy with some scenes not carrying their weight and many of them weirdly abbreviated. But the ending is written so perfectly that this minor imperfections fade away in memory. Really, by most standards, this book is excellent. Even compared to TTW it holds up reasonably well.

My primary complaint (remember, this was my Halloween book) is its utter lack of terror. Except for a couple unsettling surprises that are over in an instant, this is a ghost story without any scariness whatsoever. And that's okay, because that's not what it's trying to do (in fact, had I not read this book in October I would be lauding this innovation), but it's what I wanted.

This tale centers on themes of togetherness and individuality and the roles lies play in our relationships. Two sets of twins, scattered deaths, lonely men, beauty all around.

Even with its flaws, this book still highlights the native beauty of Niffenegger's pen. Read this book. Read TTW. Read her illustrated novels. Read "The Night Bookmobile." I absolutely love the way she blends her literary sensibility with otherworldly situations. Great stuff. Count me a fan.

two or three weeks or maybe a month or more




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049) Legal Action Comics Volume 1 edited by "Dirty" Danny Hellman, October 29

I spent well over a year suffering through this book with the plan to put together an intelligent response to its take on blatant vulgarity and grand obscenity only to realize I can't care that much about it. Sorry. Just: don't buy it. You can find better ways to support the First Amendment

say sixteen months



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048) The Atomics: Spaced Out & Grounded in Snap City! by people who are mostly not Mike Allred, finished October 28

Other artists and writers (mostly) ran the show with Allred's characters this time, but the stories are surprisingly similar all the same, tales of the loss and redemption or relationships. All nice, nothing spectacular.

weekish



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047) The Trial by Frank Kafka, Chantal Montellier, David Sane Mairowitz; finished October 21

Surprisingly, I've never read Kafka's Trial before. So I can't fairly compare this comics adaptation to the original, but I will still end up comparing it to the original's reputation.

Mairowitz translated and adapted the novel into the script that Montellier drew. Mairowits has also adapted The Trial for the stage, so he's clearly been living with this story for a long time.

The art is stark black and white and uses the same drawings over and over again. The panels are strewn with dancing skeletons and sex is a recurring theme. The book is successful, I suppose, in being frustrating, as it should be, but since it's just over 100pp, it never really gets caught in ruts. I never felt frustrated enough. And Joseph K never really seemed trapped. Why didn't he just stop thinking about it? I can't see any reason why he wouldn't just forget about his trial altogether and that strikes me as a failure.

day



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046) NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, finished October 6

For all the praise and suchlike that's been heaped on NurturSchock (all of which, I might add, is well deserved --- go read this book, like yesterday), something I have not read but which needs to be said is this:

This book demonstrates the progress of science to the layman.

To make a litany of facts read like a story, the authors follow the scientists as they turn down deadends and commit misinterpretations and make other errors until they arrive at some fancy new facts which blow the adult mind.

With the uninformed in arms over, to pick one obvious example, vaccinations, seeing the careful, methodical way real scientists puzzle over data on their way to truth has got to be hugely helpful for people who truly just do not understand science.

Other things I can say about this book: I hope it changes the way I parent. We intend to buy our own copy. Because while some paragraphs reinforced what I already believed to be true (gifted programs are crock and I will never let my kids be tested), other things came as a rather shameful shock (I am, for instance, terrible at teaching babies to talk).

Get it! Read it! Dally not!


under three weeks



Previously in 2010 . . . . :

• First Five • Second Five • Third Five • Fourth Five •
• Fifth Five • Sixth Five • Seventh Five •Eighth Five • Ninth Five •

045) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, finished October 4
044) Song/Cycles by Mormon Artists Group, finished Sept. 15
043) The Complete Peanuts 1973-1974 by Charles M. Schulz, finished September 6
042) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, finished September 5
041) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, finished September 2
040) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, finished September 1
039) Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon: A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There by Mark Di Vincenzo, finished August 28
038) Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut, finished August 25
037) In the Void by Michael R. Collings, finished August 21
036) Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome, finished August 18
035) Utah: Sex and Travel Guide by Calvin Grondahl, finished August 10
034) E Pluribus Unicorn by Theodore Sturgeon, finished August 9
033) The Complete Peanuts, 1971 to 1972 by Charles M. Schulz, finished August 6
032) I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells, finished August 6
031) Rogue Clone by Steven L. Kent, finished July 26
030) Servant of a Dark God by John Brown, finished July 21
029) Drink Me, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog by James Goldberg, finished June 9
028) Out of the Mount (tentative title) edited by Davey Morrison, finished June 8
027) Madman Boogaloo! by Mike Allred, Mike Baron, Bernie Mireault, Steve Rude; finished June 2
026) The Education of Robert Nifkin by Daniel Pinkwater, finished May 22
025) True Grit by Charles Portis, finished May 21
024) Old Man's War by John Scalzi, finished May 15
023) Pandora's Nightmare: Horror Unleashed, finished May 13
022) Anthem by Ayn Rand, finished May 11
021) Look! It's Jesus!: Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life by Harry Choron and Sandra Choron, finished May 9
020) Travels in the Scriptorium: A Novel by Paul Auster, finished May 5
019) Suburban Folklore by Steven Walters, finished May 4
018) The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall, finished April 30
017) Gracie: A Love Story by George Burns by George Burns, finished April 20
016) The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, finished April 15
015) Dispensation: Latter-Day Fiction edited by Angela Hallstrom, finished March 24
014) The Best American Comics 2009 edited by Charles Burns, finished March 22
013) Icon: A Hero's Welcome by Dwayne McDuffie and MD Bright, finished March 17
012) There's Treasure Everywhere by Bill Watterson, finished March 15
011) Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool. Finished right at midnight between March 13 and 14
010) Teen Titans: Year One by Amy Wolfram et al, finished March 7
009) The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, Book One by Bill Watterson, finished March 6
008) Apparition & Late Fictions: A Novella and Stories by Thomas Lynch, finished March 5
007) Stone Rabbit #1: BC Mambo by Erik Craddock, finished March 2
006) The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen, finished February 23
005) Missile Mouse 2 by Jake Parker (MS POLICY), finished February 5
004) Heroes of the Fallen by David J. West, finished February 4
003) Still Life in Milford by Thomas Lynch, finished January 19
002) Rapunzel's Revenge by Hales Shannon Dean and Nathan, finished January 16
001) Mormoniana by Mormon Artists Group, finished January 13