Seriously...I'm Kidding- Ellen DeGeneres

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2011
Pages:  241
ISBN:  9780446585026
Genre:  Humour, Memoir

Started: Jan. 9, 2012
Finished:  Jan. 11, 2012 (3 days)

Where Found:  Xmas 2011 gift
Why Read:  I love the fun energy of her show, and I wanted to see how that came through in her book.

Read For:  Mixing It Up Challenge--Journalism/Humour (1/16)

Summary:  The queen of daytime talk chimes in on current social issues, the randomness of life, and general Ellenish things :)

Review:

Is there anyone else you think of first when you hear the name Ellen?  Well, I guess not if your mom or grandma or sister or best friend is named Ellen...But you get the idea :)  Ellen DeGeneres is simply known as Ellen to millions of fans who tune in to her talk show for a guaranteed cure of the blues and blahs.

*SPOILER ALERT*

(HILARITY TO ENSUE IN THIS PARAGRAPH!)

Her book is written in short spurts that tell stories, like the hilarious time she sat on a fork, used the intercom at home to find the cat, and was asked to not eat almonds in a casino (um, okay...why, exactly?), and offer insight on issues such as common courtesy, self-care, and socialization.  There are bits just for fun like a letter to mall security which made me howl, translating a teenager's text message, a cut-off sentence from passing out in a sauna (now that's silly...since when does anyone do that?  Is it me or is it really hot in h--).  There's even a pros and cons list that covers reasons why you should (and shouldn't)...or maybe that should be would (and wouldn't)...or could (and couldn't)--sorry, I digress--read this book.  And there's colouring pages for the kiddies, though I admit to doodling in some myself :)  There are even lessons to be learned, such as "What is the secret of life?" The answer: Hale.  And linguistics: Haiku sounds like a friendly greeting to someone named Ku. "Hi, Ku!"  And English literature as she quoted from Jane Eyre.  That was eerie for me as I had just finished reading it when I started Ellen's book.  Oooooh...

I imagine that the audiobook is probably more entertaining given her keen ability to structure and pace jokes for optimum hilarity.  And hearing her read her own material has got to be fun.  But all in all, her book is a fun, cute escape for a day when, to quote the Bruno Mars song, "I just don't feel like doing anything."

Rank:  (B)- Good

Life Itself- Roger Ebert



Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2011
Pages:  436
ISBN:  9780446584975
Genre:  Nonfiction, Memoir

Started: Dec. 25, 2011
Finished: Dec. 30, 2011 (6 days)

Where Found:  Xmas 2011 gift
Why Read:  I enjoy Ebert's movie reviews and more often than not agree with his opinions, and was interested in learning how he became one of the most revered movie critics worldwide.

Summary:  A reflection of childhood, his start in journalism, interests in reading, travel, memorable interviews and encounters, and his influence by and on the movies.

Review:

Roger Ebert has an inside view of the film industry unlike any other.  He isn't a filmmaker, an actor, or a studio executive, yet he is just as respected, opinionated, and central to the world of movies as those who run the cogs of the machine called Hollywood.  Ebert isn't pounding the pavement but is the one who brings it all together: he watches the finished product, scrutinizes what worked and what didn't, and makes a conclusion that millions of moviegoing public recognize as the inside scoop on the best answer to the inevitable question: "Is there anything good playing at the movies?"

Ebert has a refreshingly honest tone in his memoir, writing as if he has nothing left to prove or hide, which he readily admits when the book comes to the time when Ebert underwent treatment for thyroid and salivary gland cancer.  He starts as all good stories do from the beginning, recounting his start in journalism, encounters with both the famous, including an interview with Lee Marvin and a road trip with Robert Mitchum, but most memorably with the not-so-famous, his stay at the Eyrie Mansion, and his friendship and working relationship with Ebert's complete and utter opposite Gene Siskel.

His transition from Catholic childhood in the chapter "How I Believe in God" fascinated me most and, similarly to myself, a thankfulness for its simplest moral values of honest, kindness, and humility, but not its theology. His bibliophiliac chapter "Books Do Furnish a Room" would make a great book on its own.

The movies don't play as much of a part in this memoir as you would think, but they crop up occasionally.  This book is less about the movies and Ebert as a movie critic, and more wholistic in scope with Ebert's experiences as a journalist and a traveler.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

Emma- Jane Austen

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1815 (mine is the Penguin Classics hardcover edition pictured here)
Pages:  474
ISBN:  9780141192475
Genre:  Classics

Started:  Dec. 14, 2011
Finished:  Dec. 24, 2011 (11 days)

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  I love Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice, so when I spotted this copy (on sale to boot!), I snatched it up.

Summary:  A young lady successful (for the most part) at matchmaking struggles to settle conflicts interfering with her own love life.

Review:

Jane Austen is definitely master of the genre comedy of manners.  She is able to weave together complex social dramas with tongue permanently implanted in cheek.  Formalities and niceties aside, there are glimpses of social situations that are just as sticky to be caught in now as they were then.

Unlike Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice, I wasn't taken with any particular character in Emma but the story is fun and lively.  I found Emma very self-involved, and not very reliable or sympathetic, whereas the turmoils of Elinor & Marianne Dashwood and Elizabeth Bennet were at the heart of the other two novels.  Oh, Knightley...I wish there had been more of him!   He was a sweet, decent character, and I liked him better than Edward Ferrars (not as stuffy) but not quite as much as Mr. Darcy or Col. Brandon.  There is always a secondary character that provides comic relief from the tense romantic plot, and in Emma, it's the bubbly, constantly talkative Miss Bates, who is just hilarious, especially how she describes everything she notices as they walk from the front door to the dining room of the Woodhouse estate, including warning the person just behind her that there is a step down from the floor!

The best moments of Emma are where mistakes are either made or fixed surrounding a person's demeanor, and the humour comes from the extremities between what was once thought and what is actually true.  Judgment, especially about a person's physical appearance, behaviour, or past, is a recurring theme in Austen's novels, and it is especially important in Emma.

Not the best of Jane Austen, but an enjoyable romp.  Dive in and enjoy :)

Some memorable quotations:

"What did she say?  Just what she ought of course.  A lady always does."

"And with all her advantages, natural and domestic, she was now in great danger of suffering from intellectual solitude."

"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken."

Rank:  (B)- Good, Recommend

The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History- John Ortved

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2009
Pages:  332
ISBN:  9781553657965
Genre:  Nonfiction, TV history/criticism

Started:  Dec. 9, 2011
Finished:  Dec. 13, 2011 (4 days)

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  I'm a Simpsons aficionado and love the cultural history books on the show.

Summary:  A compilation of interviews and author commentary on the development of The Simpsons and its behind-the-scenes dramas.

Review:

John Ortved obviously has a passion for The Simpsons and for clarifying misguided lore of its ludicrous media coverage, both before and during the advent of the Internet. Ortved provides an "oral" history of sorts by cleverly editing quotations from prior magazine, TV and radio bits with the three wise men of the show's creation: Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon, and snippets from his own interviews, mostly with staff readers likely won't recognize by name, let alone place in the show's history, and very few heavyweights.  With that impression, you should know that this book is definitely not for casual viewers or readers.

Some chapters were worthwhile and would have been even better if they had been expanded to supercede the more gossipy, less focussed chapters with he said/she said speculations that start becoming redundant.  The chapters most worthwhile were on the writers, the guest voices, and the process of writing funny gags and clever or touching stories with the right dash of cultural reference and satirical irony. 

Conan O'Brien provides hilarious anecdotes of his time (post-Saturday Night Live, pre-late night talk shows) as a Simpsons writer--he is responsible, along with writer George Meyer, for the funniest episodes in the show's history, and Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane graciously acknowledges the Simpsons' influence on his show's success.  Ortved also breaks mythological barriers surrounding stories of Groening being the sole creator and mastermind behind the show--his legendary Midas touch is not without the influence of producers Brooks and Simon, both of whom had prior success jumpstarting Taxi and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. 

Conflicts over money and shareholder rights leave you feeling like not all is well in Springfield when everyone's hands dive into the money pit for their fair share of the show's success and the bottom tier of animators, colourists, and other contributors receive less adequate compensation than network executives.

Ortved references my favourite book on The Simpsons, Chris Turner's exhaustive but fantastic Planet Simpsons, which is more in-depth on the show's significance in pop culture, seasonal trends, individual episodes, quotations, and even gag descriptions, most of the above being fan favourites, and characters ranging from the recognizable Simpsons clan to the more anonymous Comic Book Guy, Bumblebee Man and Squeaky-Voiced Teen.  However, long-time fans of The Simpsons will probably be as powerless to resist this book as Homer is to a sprinkle-covered donut.

Rank:  (B)- Good, Maybe Read It

Pet Sematary- Stephen King

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1983
Pages:  562
ISBN:  9780743412278
Genre:  Horror

Started:  Aug. 28, 2011
Finished:  Sept. 2, 2011 (6 days)

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  On my TBR list; a Stephen King classic I hadn't devoured yet
Read For:  Stephen King challenge (5/6)

Summary:  Dr. Creed and his family move into an old relic with an ancient burial ground that has eerie powers soon perpetuating a series of morbid events that get even more tragic as they close in on the Creeds and their old neighbour with unsettling past experiences.

Review:

This turned out to be better than I expected.  Judging from the book's premise, I figured King had dug up his roots in horror writing with an homage of sorts to the B-movies and magazine serials of his youth with cornball storylines and unspeakable (due to fits of giggling) dialogue.  Yup, he did.  But it's still the intriguing pageturner that you wouldn't expect any less of from King.

The buildup is a tricky plot device in this novel: some people will be irritated by it; others (myself included) see the purpose in laying the plot out one brick at a time for nearly half the novel to give greater depth to the climax because from there on out, it's impossible to stop reading.  The distance between instigating action and climax is rather lengthy, but boy does it hit you once it comes.

I've always been a big fan of King's supporting characters, often the most fascinating and/or horrifying people that steal the main characters' thunder (some of my favourites are Mrs. White in Carrie, Eduard Delacroix in The Green Mile, Mrs. Carmody in The Mist).  In this book, it's Jud Crandall, who is a much more layered character than Louis Creed, with his age offering a plentitude of experiences that carry the weight of the novel.  Granted, Louis is also likeable and ends up taking on his share of weighty experiences, but when it comes to the hero of the story, Jud is it.

I was surprised to find that I like this book as much as I do.  King fans will recognize a different sense of the macabre than say Carrie or The Shining.  I came away with the feeling that King created a quality story from a B-movie idea and infused the characters with likeability to the point that the only villain that exists is an invisible threat and, as horror stories tend to prove, a terror that we can't sense is the scariest of them all.

Rank:  (A)- Excellent, Highly Recommend

Paul Simon: A Life- Marc Eliot

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2010
Pages:  313
ISBN:  9780470433638
Genre:  Biography

Started:  Sept. 2, 2011
Finished:  Sept. 7, 2011 (6 days)

Where Found:  Book Depot
Why Read:  I love his music and the classic tunes by Simon & Garfunkel.  This was a fortuitous find!

Summary:  A tributary biography of singer/musician Paul Simon and his impressive catalogue of hit songs, from his start as half of the duos Tom & Jerry and the legendary Simon and Garfunkel, and his solo career to date.

Review:

Paul Simon is the subject of Marc Eliot's fan-pleasing biography: the "Jerry" to Art Garfunkel's "Tom" in the 1950s teenybopper pop genre, later forming the duo Simon and Garfunkel that recorded 5 original albums in just six years, contributed to one of the most beloved movie soundtracks ever (The Graduate), and boasts a catalogue that rivals the Beatles.  After their magnum opus, Bridge Over Troubled Water, they went their separate ways, Simon releasing his 10th solo album this past year with groundbreaking tunes that introduced world beats into mainstream American pop music and Garfunkel dabbling in movies with supporting roles in Catch-22 and Carnal Knowledge and also releasing his 10th solo album in 2007.

The chronology of Simon's life is presented in a hefty, often breathless timeline with only small bursts of in-depth author commentary, which perhaps would have been more welcome than squeezing a copious amount of subject matter into a limited 300 pages.  Points that matter most to readers--the recording of major albums, the inspiration and meaning of hit songs, details of his personal life--represent the meat of the biography and Eliot's strongest writing.  The result is satisfying but what seems missing is a bigger picture: Simon (with and without Garfunkel)'s place in the history of American pop music.  I also kept wondering what Eliot's interest was in his subject, which is rendered in a touching afterword but not threaded throughout the book.  While a biographer should (and Eliot does) spotlight his subject and not himself, the connections between author and subject are somewhat removed until the end.

I recently watched the documentary The Harmony Game that explores the recording and events leading to and following the release of Bridge Over Troubled Water not long after finishing the biography and it was a fantastic companion, providing interesting insights into the album's composition, the making of an effective yet sadly controversial TV special, and a balance of both funny and touching anecdotes about the final compilation of one of the most iconic duos in American music.

As I state in my summary of the book, Eliot's biography is tributary in style and not very critical, though that doesn't mean that the author ignores or sugarcoats any bitter moments in Simon's life but definitely holds true as a fan and keeps an optimistic, if not readily enthusiastic, front, especially after Simon and Garfunkel go their separate ways.  It's a pleasant read for fans of Simon and is an effective lesson in music history for the iPod generation who has yet to discover his magic.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

American on Purpose- Craig Ferguson

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published: 2009
Pages: 268
ISBN: 9780061719547
Genre: Autobiography

Started: Aug. 4, 2011
Finished:  Aug. 12, 2011 (9 days)

Where Found: Book Depot
Why Read: I happened to spot a copy at the Book Depot and being a big fan of his talk show, I thought it would be great to learn about him and I knew it would be hilarious :)

Summary:  The host of The Late Late Show and former costar on The Drew Carey Show recounts his upbringing in Scotland, drumming for various punk rock bands, battling heavy drug and alcohol addiction, and his writing, producing, and acting efforts in the U.K. and U.S.

Review:

There are so many generic talk shows on TV now that it can be frustrating to find the quintessential host who can at least come close to filling the shoes of classic late night icons Johnny Carson, Steve Allen, and Jack Paar.  While Leno and Letterman have certainly held on to a wide viewership for decades now, it seems that both have since "jumped the shark" and are losing that refreshing quality they (albeit in competition) brought to TV.  It's quite the opposite when I watch Craig Ferguson on The Late, Late Show.  It's as if the proverbial wheel hasn't been reinvented, but is kept rustproof with his down-to-earth, genuine approach that makes the talk show less awkward and more laidback.  Talk may be staged or rehearsed, topics known ahead of taping, but Ferguson's knack for adlibbing at just the right moment makes for good, old-school Carsonesque talk and not the flaky showmanship that comes with most daytime or late night talk shows churned out by the dozens.

Going into this book, I had very little background knowledge on him and was surprised at nearly every chapter by his experiences growing up in Scotland (my hands-down favourite story being a certain washroom-related incident on a bus), drumming for a number of punk rock bands, and the gradual incline of drug and alcohol dependence that crashes around the time his comedy career is just heating up.  A word of advice from Ferguson: you know you've gone too far when you hallucinate about being chased by killer ducks.

Every stage of his memoir comes with purpose, humour, surprise and shock, invariably leading to the reader wondering, "How does all this lead to him becoming a talk show host?"  This unlikely result blooms from a very dark, but often very funny place that Ferguson grew out of and often cannot believe himself.  There is very little written that does not have its place in the writer's future.  If anything, Ferguson could have indulged us a little more about his comedic beginnings, as writing is a bit sparse about The Drew Carey Show and the initial years of his talk show.  But I understand why: there is a humble quality about him that explains why his duties as a talk show host charm audiences and lead many to speculate that Craig Ferguson is this generation's Johnny Carson.  He takes in guests like at a dinner party.  It may be his house but the guests make the party a good one and the host graciously blends into the background.

Read this even if you don't know who Craig Ferguson is.  You may just like him.

Rank:  (B)- Great Read, Recommend

The Giver- Lois Lowry

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1993
Pages: 179
ISBN:  9780440237686
Genre: YA/Sci-Fi/Dystopian

Start Date:  July 4, 2011
Finished Date:  July 6, 2011 (3 days)

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read: On my TBR list

Read For:  Back to the Classics Challenge (5/8)

Summary:  In a desensitized, painless world, a boy turning the milestone age of 12 is reluctantly chosen as his the next Receiver, a job that involves absorbing prior memories of the society from the historian known as the Giver.

Review:

I have to admit that my expectations for this book were very high as I had heard lots of amazing things about The Giver and it still ranks among the best of classic children's literature. I was not much of a sci-fi/fantasy reader as a child, though I ate up lots of Monica Hughes' sci-fi books.  I was more into The Babysitters Club, Gordon Korman, and Paula Danzinger.  That being said, I found the book to be well-written but just not as exciting as I had hoped.  Not to say it's overhyped; it just fell a tad short of my expectations.

The story's content is borderline disturbing for young readers, and I think its message is really deep, maybe too much for its readability level (it is set at a late Grade 5 reading level). I think intermediate students (Grade 7 and 8) would be a more appropriate audience, given its content. The style and dialogue of the novel is deliberately banal, which can get nerve-wracking after a while that you just want to scream. I did not relate as much to Jonas as I did to Lily. I loved her mild precocity and how it winks at the reader, almost to say, "See? There is hope for life in this Stepford Wives world." The prose is often beautiful, bringing to mind how a red rose stands out in a grey fog, and is what I liked most about the story: good enough for me to like it, just not enough for me to love it.

*Small spoiler*
The ending is quite inconclusive and that also irked me. It may suggest hopefulness for Jonas and Gabriel, but the open-endedness was too obvious a path for a sci-fi novel. It would have been more interesting to make a conclusion about their outcome, rather than leaving it up to the reader. Too many novels have that inconclusiveness that I start to wonder if endings are getting harder for writers to conjure up because so many have been recycled to the point of being cliched.

Rank:  (B)- Good, Recommend

The Stone Diaries- Carol Shields

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published: 1993
Pages: 361
ISBN: 9780007268344
Genre: Fictional Biography/Memoir

Start Date: May 5, 2011
Finished Date: May 19, 2011 (14 days)

Where Found: Book Depot
Why Read: On my TBR list; Carol Shields is a name that came up in my Canadian Lit class years ago and I've finally come around to exploring her work.

Read For: What's in a Name 4 Challenge (4/6)

Review:

The Stone Diaries is the type of book that is ordinary and simplistic in individual pieces, but as a whole is rather extraordinary.  Because of this, the book is settling with me better now that I've finished it than it did while I was reading it.  Has this ever happened to you?  Carol Shields wrote in the afterword to this novel that people must all be ordinary or all be extraordinary, and this thesis guides the fictional biography of Daisy Goodwill-Flett from her shocking, unexpected entry into this world through recognizable milestones of childhood, marriage, parenthood, a stint in the working world, retirement, declining health, and finally her death.

The structure is orderly, the characters familiar and the events of Daisy's life are generally a part of everyone's existence.  But it is far from boring as the omniscient narrator sees into feelings, thoughts, regrets, and perspectives that open up the story to become something more than a typical biography.  A centerfold of photos of Shields' own relatives teases readers into believing the novel to be a true biography, and while little detail is known about how much of The Stone Diaries comes from Shields' life, we come to believe that a fictional life story offers tidier conclusions about events and people in the subject's life, and that not a single life is without stories that would make for prime literary material.

But don't get me wrong.  Parts of The Stone Diaries are screaming for more explanation and insight, which resembles the unsolved parts and "plot holes" of our own lives.  What bothered me most about this was that some friends and family members are discarded for no evident reason or are mentioned as an aside like a tiny footnote.  This must be deliberate as not every player in a person's life plays a major part, but why bother creating a character just to reference it offhand and then never revisit the person again?

To pinpoint a theme of the book, "life happens."  The mundane, the exciting, the anxious, the wonderful, and the horrible parts of life are not hyperbolized or edited to make Daisy's life cheerier or more envious, but are laid out honestly and takes more liberties as a novel than a nonfiction biography could take.  This novel proves that indeed even a life that appears ordinary on the surface or even in the mind of  its subject is more special and, to reference a favourite movie of mine, It's a Wonderul Life, has more of an impact on the people we encounter, even if temporarily, than we can ever realize.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Highly Recommend

The Cider House Rules- John Irving

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1985
Pages:  598 (with Author's Notes)
ISBN:  0345387651
Genre:  Literary Fiction

Start Date:  Mar. 26, 2011
Finished Date:  Apr. 15, 2011 (21 days)

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  On my TBR list and I love John Irving's work

Summary:  A naive orphan raised by a doctor who performs abortions fights against assumptions that he will carry on the doctor's practice, instead working in a cider mill where he falls in love with the fiancee of his boss's son.

Review:

It's no secret that I've been a big admirer of John Irving, having read & reviewed The World According to Garp and A Prayer For Owen Meany. Garp remains my favourite but Meany was just as fascinating. With The Cider House Rules, I expected a similar quirkiness in the characters within a family saga type of structure. There certainly were a number of creative figures at the Maine orphanage that feels like a modernized gothic setting with its nods to Dickens and Jane Eyre. I was instantly taken with the backstory of Dr. Wilbur Larch and his loyal nurses with their oppositional personalities. As for their charges, Melony was the strongest, and probably the most interesting character. Her story could have been a novel in itself. But when Homer grows into an adult and moves away from St. Cloud's, the plot takes a considerable drop and slogs through mostly inevitable events until a very busy climax takes place.

Candy and Wally are likeable characters, and their friendship with Homer, as well as the cider mill workers and all their complexities is interesting but I kept wanting to see more of the orphanage  and more of Melony's story. In short, I got bored with the cider house.  Without spoiling the story, a whirlwind of activity in the book occurs, including some deaths and some life-changing moments, seemingly happening all at once, and after that point, things look up and I actually finished  the book liking it. What was missing for me was a certain spark that the Garp and Meany books had. Homer, the main character, needed more of an edge but instead he was purposely dull and empty, leaving the supporting characters to have all the unique qualities expected of an Irving novel.

As for the subject matter, which I will not discuss as I feel socio-political topics such as these are controversial and difficult to address without offending anyone's beliefs and is not the point of reviewing this book in the first place, it was quite powerful. No angle on the issue went unrepresented. It was a brilliant way to broach the subject on Irving's part, leaving no room for accusing Irving of being on any one "side".

I would recommend the book, though I wouldn't consider it a high priority read. If you are new to John Irving, I would definitely suggest you try Garp or Meany first. In general, The Cider House Rules can be difficult to plow through but the end is (mostly) worth the journey.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

Oprah: A Biography- Kitty Kelley

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2010 (my edition is 2011, updated & revised)
Pages:  478 (minus Notes & Index)
ISBN:  9780307394873
Genre:  Biography

Start Date:  Mar. 6, 2011
Finished Date:  Mar. 10, 2011 (5 days)

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  General interest; this is the most prevalent biography on Oprah

Summary:  A comprehensive, highly critical and equally subjective biography of the most powerful, rich mogul/TV host/businessperson, and many people's personal guru/reason for living.

Review:

If this book had been written a few years earlier, my 4th year seminar professor would have been ecstatic!  The course was "The Oprah Effect," a seemingly easy but actually quite aggressive look at Oprah in celebrity culture and her Midas touch on business, TV, American pop culture, and philanthropy.  This professor was so psyched to teach the course that she bought not one but two copies of Oprah's 20th anniversary box set.  If this book were around then, it would definitely have been required reading.

The book starts off startlingly with Oprah's claims of childhood sexual abuse, reflected by a large number of shows she has done on the subject since her show debuted in regular syndication in 1986, which I felt was a bit odd as usually the first chapter of a biography builds a foundation for the entire book, and this topic was only part of the whole story.  From there, it proceeds chronologically with Oprah's childhood in Mississippi, the man she knew as her father but turns out not to be, her distant relationship with her mother, and her clamor to greatness that she often claims to be the will of God.

The book cannot help but be fascinating.  Even if half of it is accurate, it brings to light a number of issues.  Firstly, how her show has evolved from the triangular sex-oddball-newsmaker topics that strarted out as a feminized Jerry Springer (without the chair beatings and hair pulling) to a cycle of celebrity-product-New Age spiritualism.  Secondly, how Oprah's personality, health, and relationships have been represented on her show versus encounters from former employers, Harpo employees (who have either escaped or remained anonymous lest they break the full non-disclosure agreement they sign upon being hired), distant family members, and others who have served her needs over the years.  And the last big issue is the "Oprah Effect" on the public from her book club, her magazine, her "Favourite Things," her girls' school in South Africa, and her endorsement of often highly controversial, sometimes dangerous, and often contradicting products, ideas, and views, which have recently been brought to light in the book Living Oprah by Robin Okrant (another book my professor would have loved to assign us), who attempts to follow all of the Queen of TV's advice.

Kelley, known for her controversial, sensationalized biographies of Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Nancy Reagan, Frank Sinatra, the British royal family, and the Bush family, welcomes scandalous, tabloid-worthy tidbits of celebrities as a means of trying to uncover the "true" identity of the celebrity off-camera.  Of course this means a lot of "he said, she said" games and claims of misappropriation by interviewees after the book goes to press, which sure helps sell books.  Obviously, you cannot believe everything Kelley concludes about Oprah, but she certainly makes her case a number of times with quotations from interviews Oprah gave much more freely in early years that contradict several biographical elements she has shared with the public.

So, what is my take on Oprah?  I think she is still very much a closed book, as she has every right to be, and while I sometimes tune into her show, I am far from a follower.  I sometimes find myself rolling my eyes at the simplistic drivel that gets applause & adulation from her 99% female audience.  And I have to sometimes dial down the volume on my TV when she uses that very annoying, deep-throat yell to introduce guests, and her bad (very un-journalistic) habit of interrupting guests to change direction or add an often useless two cents to the topic.  I do think she has good ideas on the surface for philanthropic missions but deep down, money and fame is fueling her and has since her show debuted 25 years ago. 

As for Oprah: The Biography, it still leaves me wondering about the authenticity of celebrities (not an original thought, I know), and journalists who make tidy conclusions from conflicting accounts of the truth.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

A Twist of Lemmon- Chris Lemmon

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2006
Pages:  193
ISBN:  9781557837394
Genre:  Biography/Memoir

Start Date:  Feb. 19, 2011
Finished Date:  Feb. 22, 2011 (3 days)

Where Found:  Birthday gift
Why Read:  I love many of Jack Lemmon's movies and always thought he was the genuine article (an "everyman").

Summary:  Actor/writer Chris Lemmon writes a touching memoir of his father, legendary actor Jack Lemmon, with a particular focus on their relationship at home, on movie sets, and on the golf course.

Review:

There are not very many biographies of Jack Lemmon in print, so I was delighted to come across this fairly recent book written by his son.  I was not expecting a biography (which technically it isn't) but a nostalgic kind of anecdotal scrapbook (which it is).  I enjoyed the stories, many of which show a side of Jack Lemmon his movie fans would not see on screen--a teller of dirty jokes, cussing continously over a bad slice on the golf course, and loving a good prank.

The younger Lemmon, whose photo on the back cover bears an uncanny resemblance to his father, is a very good storyteller with a keen ability to set the scene without being too flashy yet keeps your interest throughout.  The book's anecdotes are a bit short on what most fans want to know about--his movies--however it offers plenty of personal stories that satisfy.  Near the halfway point, Chris Lemmon starts to get a bit too self-promotional, but his love, admiration, and friendship for his father (often unspoken, undemonstrated, yet understood) shines through.  The reflective nature of the stories is the younger Lemmon's way of forging an adult relationship and saying a final goodbye to his father during his ongoing struggle with aggressive bladder cancer, which claimed the iconic actor's life in 2001.

This book is a wonderful treat for fans of Jack Lemmon and those who enjoy stories about father-son relationships.  It ends with a number of delightful stories from Hollywood friends & costars, including a touching poem by Tony Curtis, his costar in my favourite Lemmon comedy, Some Like It Hot.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

Retro Read Mini-Reviews

I've had a number of draft posts left unfinished on many books that I've read before I started blogging but have yet to publish, probably because I don't have a lot to write about them.  To avoid this pitfall, I'm going to post the rest of my "retro read" reviews here in miniature form.  From now on, all my future reviews will be for contemporary reads.

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

The Stone Angel- Margaret Laurence

Published:  1964
Length:  318 pages

ISBN:  9780226469362

Genre:  Literary Fiction

Start Date:  Summer 2008

Finished Date:  Summer 2008

Where Found:  Public library

Why Read:  I adored The Diviners which I had read the previous year and wanted to read Laurence’s other most revered novel.

Summary:  An elderly woman resisting being placed in a nursing home reflects on her life as a young rebellious bride, the clear favouritism of her oldest son, and the conflicting relationship with her younger son trying to care for her.

Review:

Like the reflective Morag Gunn in The Diviners, Hagar Shipley is a terrific storyteller: honest, funny, unapolegetic, yet is not without regrets.  The narrative is much looser in structure than The Diviners but is still a remarkable story with a number of memorable characters.

A 2007 movie version (made in Canada) starred Ellen Burstyn, Kevin Zegers, Ellen Page, Dylan Baker, and relative unknown Christine Horne who has a striking resemblance to Burstyn.

Rank:  (A)- Excellent, Highly Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

The Silence of the Lambs- Thomas Harris

Published:  1988
Length:  352 pages
ISBN:  9780312195267
Genre:  Mystery/Suspense

Start Date:  Sometime in 2007-8
Finished Date:  Sometime in 2007-8

Where Found:  Used bookstore
Why Read:  Fascination with the characters and word of mouth.  I don’t think I had seen the movie yet (at least not in its entirety).

Summary:  A young FBI agent in training interviews a cannibalistic serial killer and former forensic psychiatrist on death row to track down a serial killer who has kidnapped a Senator’s daughter.

Review:

This was a spine-tingling mystery/thriller with an imaginative, terrifying character that you can't help but like in a twisted, backward kind of way.  The intense, highly suspenseful plot is meticulously constructed and the two main characters, Clarice and Hannibal, are one of the most compatible duos ever written.

The movie with Anthony Hopkins & Jodie Foster was brilliant, especially in the extensive characteristics Hopkins brought to Lecter, vastly improving on the book's depicton of him.  Chronologically, the story goes in this order:  Hannibal Rising (fourth book, fourth movie), Red Dragon (first book, third movie), SOTL (second book, first movie), and Hannibal (third book, second movie).  I've only read SOTL but seen all movies (except Hannibal Rising).  SOTL is the best movie of the series, but the other two are good as well & worth seeing.

Rank:  (A+)- Fantastic, A Must-Read!

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Bridget Jones's Diary- Helen Fielding

Published:  1996
Length:  288 pages
ISBN:  9780143117131
Genre:  Chick Lit, Humour

Start Date:  Sometime in 2003
Finished Date:  Sometime in 2003

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  Loved the movie and wanted to try my first real “chick lit” novel (I was in high school).

Summary:  A single 30-something new journalist in London writes in diary form about her wacky family, loyal friends, weight struggles, competing romances with the charming Daniel and stuck-up Mark, and intakes of alcohol & cigarettes.

Review:

I enjoyed the lightweight story and the bawdy humour, though I'm sure I could relate more to Bridget now than I could then ;)  I'm pleased to say that this was my first "chick lit" novel I ever read...or maybe it was Love Story by Erich Segal, which I read around the same time (funny story: I was looking for a romance novel to compare with Romeo & Juliet for a high school assignment, typed in "love story" in my library's catalogue and this came up first!).  I love the sweet movie adaptation with Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant & Colin Firth.

Rank:  (A)- Excellent, Lots of Fun!


I Am Charlotte Simmons- Tom Wolfe

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2004
Length:  752 pages
ISBN:  9780312424442
Genre:  Literary Fiction

Start Date:  Sometime in 2007-8
Finished Date:  Sometime in 2007-8

Where Found:  Campus bookstore
Why Read:  I had heard about Tom Wolfe’s surveying of American university students and I was interested in how he portrayed college life.

Summary:  Set during her freshman semester at an elitist college, a poor, naïve farm girl is subject to classicism, ridicule, and sexual exploitation.

Review:

At first, this novel was interesting and quite realistic (as well as satiric) about a young girl's entry into college and introduced a number of what I thought would amount to memorable characters.  Once the dorm rooms had been assigned and roommates, jocks, and dorks had been established, the novel became a slippery slope with a mishmash of rather pedestrian forays into popularity, ambiguous self-identity, and sexuality that came off as more relevant to the high school experience than the college one.  Call me a prude, but there was very little attention paid to academics, jobs, family, or sadly, even friendship, rendering much of the novel about newfound enemies, lovers, and other extra-curriculars (both savoury and not).  I would take a definite pass on this one; however I will try other Tom Wolfe books when I get around to it.

Rank:  (D)- Finished but Do Not Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Mystic River- Dennis Lehane

Published:  2001
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  9780060584757
Genre:  Mystery/Suspense

Start Date:  Sometime in 2008
Finished Date:  Sometime in 2008

Where Found:  Used bookstore
Why Read:  After finishing a Jonathan Kellerman novel, I heard that Lehane was a different kind of mystery writer, so I became interested.  I had also seen the movie and wanted some deeper insights on the characters.

Summary:  Set in Boston, a homicide detective is investigating the murder of a childhood friend’s daughter while a third former friend, who survived a childhood molestation & abduction, is under suspicion for the crime.

Review:

This is a strongly written novel with an unusual focus on the characters, allowing the plot to ebb and flow naturally with the characters' actions being trigger points that give it life.  A number of plot events take place, and not in the typical structure of having one central plot with one or more subplots occuring around it, but really, they all had an equal stake in the development of the whole story.

The movie version was directed by Clint Eastwood, and starred Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney & Emmy Rossum.  It was equally as good as the novel--no better, no worse, an unusual occurence in adapting books to movies.  It's worth watching as much as the novel is worth reading.

Rank:  (A)- Excellent, Highly Recommend

Where the Heart Is- Billie Letts

Published:  1995
Length:  384 pages
ISBN:  0340646985
Genre:  "Chick Lit"

Start Date:  Sometime in 2006-7
Finished Date:  Sometime in 2006-7

Where Found:  Used bookstore
Why Read:  I picked this & The Deep End of the Ocean up to try some of Oprah’s Book Club picks.

Summary:  A pregnant teenager is abandoned by her boyfriend at a Wal-Mart in rural Oklahoma where she is taken in and raises her daughter with a kindly woman who mistakes her for someone else, making friends with a nurse having trouble finding a father figure for her kids.

Review:

I loved the quirky qualities of this novel--the characters with interesting names (Novalee, Americus, Sister Husband, and especially Lexie's children all named for snack foods:  Brownie, Praline & Baby Ruth), the oddly coincidental circumstances surrounding an unlucky number, and Novalee forming a close friendship with a complete stranger.  The subplot with her runaway boyfriend Willy Jack and his budding music career as a country singer is a bit lax compared to the boundless energy of her life that follows him leaving her, 17, pregnant, and alone at a Wal-Mart.  I enjoyed reading it, about as much as I enjoy a hot shower--it's soothing, lovely, but not life-changing.

The movie version starred Natalie Portman (fantastic in one of her breakout roles), Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing & Sally Field.  It was sweet, enjoyable, and worth a viewing.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

The Accidental Tourist- Anne Tyler

Published:  1985
Length:  355 pages
ISBN:  039454689X
Genre:  Literary Fiction

Start Date:  Summer 2008
Finished Date:  Summer 2008

Where Found:  Used bookstore
Why Read:  Loved the movie and thought the eccentric characters would be even more enjoyable in the novel. I was right!

Summary:  A stifling travel writer divorcing his wife after the death of their son gradually falls in love with a loopy dog trainer while his publisher develops interest in his client’s sister who cannot pull away from caring for her neurotic brothers.

Review:

I fell in love with Anne Tyler's characters immediately and had a blast reading this!  Her style is distinctly her own, completely incomparable to any other writer.  I can't wait to continue reading more of her work.

The movie version starred William Hurt, a delightful Geena Davis & Kathleen Turner.  It was a fun, lovely movie that I recommend as a companion to the novel.  I saw the movie before reading the book and I enjoyed both immensely, so it doesn't seem to matter what order you read/view this one.

Rank:  (A+)- Fantastic, A Must-Read

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Deception Point- Dan Brown

Published:  2001
Length:  736 pages
ISBN:  0552151764
Genre:  Suspense

Start Date:  Sometime in 2007-8
Finished Date:  Sometime in 2007-8

Where Found:  Borrowed from a coworker after I finished two previous Dan Brown novels (Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code)
Why Read:  My coworker said it was better than DVC and equally good to A&D, which I also liked best.

Summary:  A team of experts, including the daughter of a Senator, is sent to the Arctic Circle to investigate a meteor that may or may not prove the existence of alien life.

Review:

I hate to admit that I can't remember many of the plot details but it was a smart, fast-paced story, a great main character (not Robert Langdon--this book is separate from that series), and was quite addictive.  It was nearly as good as Angels & Demons and better than The DaVinci Code.  I would highly recommend this to fans of Dan Brown or those looking for a fascinating mystery/thriller.
Rank:  (A)- Excellent, Highly recommended

Earth (The Book)- Jon Stewart & staff of the Daily Show

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2010
Pages:  238
ISBN:  9780446579223
Genre:  Humour

Start Date:  Dec. 26, 2010
Finished Date:  Jan. 16, 2011

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo (bought as an Xmas gift for my dad)
Why Read:  After skimming through it & hearing my dad laugh through it all, I had to read the whole thing!

Summary:  An encyclopedic guide to our planet for future alien visitors/invaders.

Review:

After the raucous, side-splitting & scarily accurate roast of government and society in America, Jon Stewart and his minions at The Daily Show (not to be mistaken for The Jon Stewart Show or The John Daily Show) return with a far wider scope in their crosshairs:  Earth.  Divided into broad ranging categories of Earth, life, man, the life cycle, society, commerce, religion, science & culture, writers mix historically accurate facts with acerbic jabs at the hilarity of accomplishing just that.  Oh, and there's some anatomical humour in there, too.

The concept of creating a guidebook for intellectual E.T. superiors to judge the eventual demise of our planet and the human race that once dominated it supports the idea that for all of our cultural and creative accomplishments in our few billion years of existence, we aren't all that far removed from our cavemen ancestors.  If you doubt this in any way, there are a plethora of examples to set you straight.

While the book's content is very comprehensive and organized like an encyclopedia, which no one in their right mind would read cover to cover chronologically, Earth is too rich of a read to be stuck in a bathroom book basket.  Maybe the audiobook is the best way to go.  Overall, the picture captions and small tweakings of photos, documents, and quotations offer the funniest material, but no category is underwritten.  The sections on man, the life cycle, society and culture offer the best laughs.  Case in point: Larry King posing for a lesson on anatomy, Mr. Potato Head modeling the senses, and Barbie & Ken's Dream House bathroom as a prop for maintenance.  What gets a bit tired are the overlong chapter introductions and some of the sections' opening paragraphs where the jokes get stale.  The book is still very funny and worth a read, but to get the most out of it is probably best consumed on audiobook over a longer stretch of time.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

Stephen King Reviews

I've previously featured a series of mini-reviews for books I've read by John Grisham and James Patterson.  They didn't comprise every single book by those authors, but nonetheless provided an overview of many popular ones.  And now for something not completely different :D

With the Stephen King challenge underway (1 down, 5 to go so far for my current challenge level of participation) and having a few backlog reviews of Stephen King books to write, I've decided to post some mini-reviews here collectively.  Links to previously written reviews of King books are available as well.  Books are organized chronologically by publication date.  Enjoy!

Review (A+)

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1977

Length:  464 pages

ISBN:  0451193881
Genre:  Horror

Start Date:  Sometime in 2003-4
Finished Date:  Sometime in 2003-4

Where Found:  Sears book sale
Why:  Stephen King!

Summary:  A recovering alcoholic writer with a short fuse brings his wife and young son, who has seizures and unrealized ethereal visions, to an isolated mountain hotel where he soon develops cabin fever and mayhem ensues.

Review:

Lots of suspenseful buildup leading to a series of haunting, climactic scenes.  Up there with Carrie as King's scariest, most well-written novel.  The 1980 Stanley Kubrick-directed movie with a brilliant, unconventional performance by Jack Nicholson had a different ending than the book but was just as skin-crawling.

Rank:  (A+)- A must-read! One of King’s best

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1979

Pages:  402

ISBN:  045155750

Genre:  Horror

Start Date:  Sometime in 2005-6

Finished Date:  Sometime in 2005-6

Where Found:  Used bookstore

Why Read:  Stephen King!

Summary:  Awakened from a 5-year coma, John Smith develops a sixth sense that allows him to see futuristic consequences often stemming from people’s dirty secrets, including a murder in the area, a tragic accident in the making, and a crooked politician with Presidential ambitions.

Review:

With this novel, King took a break from the all-out gore of his previous work to explore ESP, an offshoot theme from Carrie, in more of a science-fiction vein.  Not that The Dead Zone is completely exempt from horror scenes, but is more about human intent & the possible outcomes stemming from these intentions, visible through a scary "gift" that could spell tragedy.  A terrific David Cronenberg movie adaptation with Christopher Walken was made, as was a TV series running from 2002-7 with Anthony Michael Hall.

Rank:  (A)- Excellent, Highly Recommend

Review (A+)

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1996 (originally in serial form)

Length:  536 pages

ISBN:  0671041789
Genre:  Mystery/Fantasy

Start Date:  Sometime in 2006-7
Finished Date:  Sometime in 2006-7

Where Found:  Originally an X-mas gift for my dad, it found its way back to me
Why Read:  Stephen King!

Summary:  A retired prison guard recalls the summer of 1932 on death row with an ensemble including a giant inmate capable of healing powers, a group of murderous (some remorseful) prisoners, a cocky, masochistic guard with political connections, and the commissioner’s wife dying from an inoperable brain tumour.

Review:

This book is fantastical, horrific, dark, and beautiful all at once.  The ensemble cast of characters provides a multitude of storylines that somehow intertwine seamlessly.  At times there is even comic relief to ease the deep exploration of difficult themes, such as capital punishment, human healing, and longevity.  The 1999 movie starred a phenomenal ensemble:  Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell, Patricia Clarkson, Sam Rockwell, Michael Jeter, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Graham Greene, Doug Hutchison, Barry Pepper, Jeffrey DeMunn, and Harry Dean Stanton.  King publicly stated that the movie is a vast improvement over his novel, and while I do feel that the movie greatly enhances many aspects of the novel, there is a special quality that makes it one of my all-time favourite books.

Rank:  (A+)- One of my all-time favourite novels

Review (A+)

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2006

Length:  355 pages

ISBN:  0743292332

Genre:  Sci-Fi/Horror

Start Date:  Sometime in 2008-9

Finished Date:  Sometime in 2008-9

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo

Why Read:  Stephen King’s latest (at the time)

Summary:  A graphic artist, accompanied by a diminutive sidekick and two young children, attempts to reunite with his son in the midst of a widespread virus transmitted via cell phone signals that cause users to morph into zombies.

Review:

I remember snagging a copy of this very shortly after it came out in paperback, and while it was an exciting, suspensful read, reminiscient of George A. Romero zombie movies (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, etc.), it came across as a Stephen King knockoff rather than an original King novel.  I also felt that the ending was a bit inconclusive.  It's worth reading, but hopefully anyone reading this novel as their first by King won't expect this to be any kind of benchmark, and any fan of King's will like it but probably won't be bowled over by it.

Rank:  (B)- Good, Recommend, just not his best

Review (A)

Review (A)

Review (A)