fifty/fifty-two

It looks like I might actually hit my goal after all. I finished Steve Martin's Shopgirl last night. It was very short and a quick little read. I think I liked Martin's other novel better, but I can't quite point out why.

It was a little weird to notice his first work also had a character who was obsessed with connections and points meeting points, just like the main character in The Pleasure of My Company. A little hmm.

forty-nine/fifty-two

I'm cheating a little here: I finished all of Kelly Link's Stranger Things Happen except for the last few pages, and it's due back at the library, so I'm counting it as done. Exquisite and surreal; I think I'm developing a taste for dreamlike short stories. I used to hate them, but I enjoyed this collection more than I expected to. I'm looking to add it to my collection (and finish it 100%!) and check out her newer book, Magic for Beginners. By the way, you can download Stranger Things Happen for free from the publisher's website . . . I don't have the link on hand, but I'll add it later. For now, I think you can find it pretty easily if you Google it.

forty-eight/fifty-two

Following the Klosterman trend: Killing Yourself to Live, wherein Señor Klosterman visits the sites of a bunch of rock-n-roll deaths. Again, he allows himself to come off as kind of a dick at times, but acknowledges that he is doing so, which I guess is supposed to make it not so bad. It was an enjoyable read, but I'm glad it was a library book and I didn't pay for it.

forty-seven/fifty-two

Chuck Klosterman's Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. Oh, hipsters. It was good for what it was, but sometimes the tone got a little boring and way too self-involved. Granted, Klosterman ADMITS that he's totally self-centric, but that doesn't help sometimes, you know? It was basically a blog in book form. I'm not saying that negatively, but that describes it best, I think. I did enjoy it, although I know this review makes it sound like I didn't. I'm feeling rushed and always sound more negative when I'm rushed. If you're into popcult, you'll like this book.

forty-six/fifty-two

Okay, these next few reviews are going to be short and sweet and not too descriptive, because I'm playing catch-up (catsup, ketchup).

Amy bought me a copy of Sarah Vowell's Take the Cannoli as a cheer-up present, and I loved it. Loved it much more than Patriot, although that may just be because I was in the mood for her style this time and not last time. It was good, and I've already put her other stuff on my wishlist.

Okay, NEXT.