Underworld -- Don DeLillo ----------------------------- 4 Stars

If you are like me, you have probably not heard of Don DeLillo's Underworld. Nonetheless, it is regarded by many as one of the best novels in the past 25 years.  Thus, I put it on my list of books to read, and, for the most part, I was not disappointed.

It's been kind of hard for me to get into modern or, as many call it, 'postmodern' novels.  Normally, the fiction I read is based on older ideas, issues, or themes so getting into modern fiction is kind of hard.  You know, current, real world stuff.  I struggled through Philip's Roth American Pastoral and this book reminded me of that in many ways, but, this was much better.

A little background:  This book is absolutely SPRAWLING.  Coming in at over 800 pages, this book features many characters, many places, and more importantly, many time periods.    The time period thing is what is really fascinating about the book.  The book starts in the 50's, speeds up to the 90's that jumps back through the 70s and 80s and finishes again with the 50s.   It's pretty crazy.  What's even harder to keep up with about it is that there is random focuses on different characters, often in non-sequential order throughout the novel.

I consider the novel 'modern', as the book is really about just about people and their lives.  A lot if it is about how little things and decisions changes other big things (sort of butterfly effect).  It's also a lot about circumstance, environment, and location of upbringing and how that changes people.  It's also a little bit about baseball.

The book is great because it creates interesting, though not very deep, characters.  It's most great though because of the asynchronous order of the chapters.  It is written very well and DeLillo has a real talent for painting pictures of each scene.  While you don't really fall in love with any characters (I'd have to think more about it, but I think each is flawed), the story and the circumstances around their lives is fascinating.  It's also great because it is about current life.  Whether it be Cold War references, racism issues, adultery, or other items, the book is expressly set in the past half century.

The book's biggest drawback is it's length. Some, or alot, could have been cut, and some additions of chapters about less than important characters could have been skipped.   Had it been edited down to a crisper novel, it would have not taken away much from the story and made it a tighter and easier read.

Overall, it's a very good book.  The Prologue is a wonderfully crafted short story that relates Bobby Thompson's 'Shot heard round the world' that will pull you right into the middle of one of the critical pieces of the entire story.  If you don't mind reading through the superfluous narratives, you'll get a real treat by sticking it through to the end of the story.

The Hunger Games -- Suzanne Collins ------------------------------ 4.5 Stars

So, like pretty much everyone else, I decided to buy into The Hunger Games phenomenon and give it a shot. Although written at an adolescent level (and I believe for that age group), I had heard such strong support of the book from the adult crowd that I though I should at least give it a chance. I was not disappointed.

I wrote a blog along time ago (I was too lazy to find it and provide the link) about how when something becomes a cultural phenomenon (i.e. music, tv show, movies), it's worth buying in to...usually, that many people can't be wrong. Quick examples that prove the point for me: Kanye West, The Sopranos, and now The Hunger Games.

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, The Hunger Games (and it's additional two books in the trilogy) have been huge fan favorites and the recent release of the movie have made it even bigger. In case you know nothing about it, I will provide a one sentence synopsis of the book: In a future world, 24 kids have to fight to death and only one is left as a survivor. Doesn't that sound awesome? Now, throw in some evil people, some good people, imaginative futuristic stuff, and a awesome female, teenage protagonist and you got a hit.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Although it's a fairly long book, it is at such a low reading level and is so interesting, that I couldn't help but finish it in about a week (though it took me 3 weeks to blog about). After a fairly slow start that puts all the pieces in place, it's very fast paced and once you get to the actual competition, it is very difficult to put down at all.

I definitely want to see the movie though I am not sure about whether I'm up for two more books. First, I have not heard such raving reviews about those two. Second, I really feel like I don't want to know more about what happens to the characters and places after what I've already read. I liked how this book ended though I was a bit perturbed that there was sort of an expectation that you continue into the other books. That ending, along with the fact that it really is kind of a kid's book, are what prevented it from getting a full 5 stars. Nonetheless, it was a very entertaining book and received a fairly rare 4.5 star review.

All -- don't be fooled by this being a 'pre-teen' novel, this phenomenon is for real and I would bet that you would enjoy this read as much as I (and millions of others) did.

One on One: Behind the Scenes with the Greats of the Game - John Feinstein -------------------- 3 Stars

Not long ago I heard an awesome radio interview with John Feinstein telling some great stories while promoting his book One on One. They were real great stories that included tales about Mike Kryzerwefski (sp?) and John McEnroe. They were very entertaining and made me super interested in reading his book. Unfortunately, listening to those stories over the radio proved far more entertaining than reading the book itself.

Quick background: Feinstein has written a bunch of books about sports. I have never read any. Supposedly they are very good and his first, about Indiana and Bobby Knight, sort of put him on the map. I see him on TV sometimes in the D.C. area and find him interesting and super arrogant. Anyway, the book is basically an autobiography about his first book about Knight and his books afterwards. In it, it includes a lot of back stories about many different individuals in athletics.

The good parts of the book are also what makes it sort of annoying. I guess Feinstein's deal is that he is like super honest about people. So, the ones he thinks are good people, he shows why over and over and those he thinks are jerks, he explains that over and over. Unfortunately, this ends up just coming off as super petty and really vindictive. I mean, honestly, how many times can he go after Bobby Knight and Tiger Woods and say they are jerks. I get it already; move on.

The book is about 400 pages and gets 3 stars because, while I did enjoy reading it and it was entertaining, the stories got pretty boring by the end and I couldn't stand Feinstein's deal of having to show all the ways he was better or smarter than people along the way. He became incredibly annoying by the end but some of the inside sports stories about athletes was illuminating.

I suppose if you have liked Feinstein's book in the past, this would be a great book for you. If not, perhaps not so much. Like I said, the best part of the book was actually hearing Feinstein tell a couple of the stories over the radio.

Taft 2012 -- Jason Heller ---------------------- 2.5 Stars

Taft 2012 is a fun read. It's a relatively new book by a first time author, and it is the fictional tale about William Howard Taft coming back from the dead to modern times. It's a very fast read, was decently entertaining, but it didn't have a lot to it.

The book is basically a look at the current state of American politics and the author, through Taft, explains his point that our current system is very negative and the two parties lack of bipartisanship is significant. Taft, who you can't help but love as a character, is the center of the novel.

While I enjoyed the silliness of the book, it was a bit slow in portions and the ending, to me, was a bit lame. Though the author did a really good job of relating the modern media environment, by interspersing Twitter updates and talk show interviews between chapters, the book just wasn't a great story after you got past the coolness of Taft trying to figure out modern day life.

The book is certainly not a bad read, and as I said, is a very quick read; but, I would not recommend it one of the better novels. Though it's a fun story and good critique about modern politics, the story struggles to move along and end successfully.

11/22/63 -- Stephen King ------------------------ 4.5 Stars

As I was reading Stephen King's amazing new novel 11/22/63, I knew from about 50 pages in that this would be approaching a 5 star book. As I continued reading, I kept going back in my head about whether it was truly a 5 star novel. I really wanted it to be one (they are pretty rare on this blog), but in the end, I just couldn't do it.

There have only been three 5 star books I have blogged about. All are amazing and they include Steinbeck's East of Eden, Puzo's The Godfather, and Follett's Pillars of the Earth. This book was definitely in their league, and I would argue, was perhaps a more enjoyable and addicting read than those books but to get 5 stars it has to be epic. Alas, that is where this fell a little short.

Quick synopsis about the book that gives nothing a way: it's about this guy who finds a way to time travel, thinks best to help the country by going back to 1963 and stopping the Kennedy assassination. That's about all you need to know to get started. Perhaps what's most exciting about the book is how quickly it does begin. So many novels slowly set up the setting or describe characters but about 20 pages into this novel the time traveling already starts. I absolutely loved the start of this book.

That was one of the reasons I new quickly that I would be debating whether this was a 4.5 or 5 star novel... it was such a page turner. After a dynamite start, I had trouble putting it down for the three weeks it took for me to plow through the 850 pages. Like other Stephen King books, it could have used some trimming. The middle had some parts that got a bit long and did not contribute a great deal to the plot. The book also was a bit simplistic in writing style and at no point did I find myself impressed with any of King's language or intricate writing elements. One of the concerns that I had early was that the idea of time travel can be so 'cheesy' sometimes, but the way King presents is so matter of fact and with so little fluff, that you can't help but go with and say to yourself 'okay, I'll just suspend some disbelief for a while'.

What was impressive was just the unbelievable storytelling power King possesses. As I give ratings mostly on entertainment value, this book knocked it out. As I said earlier, you get hooked in the first few pages and are with the main character throughout. I also love dialogue when I read, and this was chock full of conversations and fun back and forth. It's also written so simply that it's an incredibly easy novel to get through and one that does not take a lot of work to read.

As I mentioned earlier, the only real weakness of the novel is a slow middle section but due to such a strong start you find yourself happily reading through some duller parts waiting for the action to start again...and there is plenty of action too. I would like to write more about the actual plot because I loved the actual elements of the story, the characters, the description and time spent in the 1950s and 1960s and the wonderful ending. However, I don't want to give anything away. I knew just what I gave as a synopsis earlier and that left plenty for my imagination to go wild as I went through the story. As it was, there were so many ways that it could have worked out and part of the fun was trying to guess what might happen.

I strongly recommend this book to all readers and would argue that it's as close as can be to getting a 5. I really would pick it up as soon as possible though I warn you it's going to be hard to do other things once you get started, you are not going to want to put it down.

Scorecasting -- Tobias Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim --------------- 3 Stars

In the vein of other 'huh, I never realized that was the reason why that happened' books like Freakonomics, Blink, and Tipping Points, comes Scorecasting, which is the same type of book but for sports. It's written by two economists who are avid fans that take a look at about a dozen common assumptions about sports and dispel them using a bunch of stats. It's a good read.

Some of the most enjoyable chapters included answers to the real reasons home teams have such a huge advantage, why football coaches should go for it more on 4th down, how to measure to the true value of a blocked shot, do players really get 'hot', and, of course, are the Cubs really cursed? The whole book is an easy read and the authors do a nice job of clearly boiling down some very boring statistics to a couple of easy to understand chapters on each subject. Not in the same league as Freakonomics or Tipping Point for reader enjoyment or useful anecdotes, the book still keeps you interested by moving from question to question quickly and easily explaining the materials to keep maximum interest.

If you are a sports fan, this book is definitely worth the read. If not, I am not sure this book would appeal at all. For those of us who do love sports, this book really is a fun read because so many of the questions that they answers are so applicable to the sports we watch and their answers are so insightful. Not surprising, behavioral and psychological reasons are at the forefront of many of these issues.

So, if you're a looking for a quick, easy read about sports that dispels many commonly held assumptions, this book is for you. It won't blow you out of the water, but you can take 10 minutes here or there to finish most chapters and would be left with much better insight about the games. I will spoil the last chapter about the Cubs though, they're not cursed. They are just cheap.

The Brothers Karamazov -- Fyodor Dostoyevsky ------------------------------ 4 Stars

This is my first ever read and review of one of those crazy/crazy long Russian novels. One of the few books that was on my 'to read' list that was a free download on the Kindle, The Brothers Karamazov ended up being a pretty amazing read. For a while I wanted to read it but I knew it was going to be super long, potentially very boring, and potentially hard to understand. It was all of those at different times, but it was also much more.

The first thing that's worth knowing about the book, is that you've got stick with it and be persistent. I think its about 900 pages, though pages seem much different when reading on a Kindle. What was a bit depressing about the book is while I read it on the Kindle, I would often take a look at my 'percentage bar' at the bottom of the screen that says how far you are in a book. Usually, it moves a percent after a few pages of reading (you know, clicks on the Kindle). It didn't really do that with this book. I would read... and read.... and read and it would still be the same percentage. Finally, I decided to count and I realized, with the standard font, it was 17 pages (or clicks), before a percent went up. Sometimes that's like 15 minutes. So, this is my long about way of saying that the book is really long.

To make this even more painful, the first quarter of the book was really hard to get into. A lot of set up, very slow story telling, etc... it was rough. Additionally, they introduce a ton of characters that you have to keep track of, all with crazy Russian names, and they really, laboriously describe each one.

So, you are probably now asking, why did it get 4 stars? Well, once it got going, it was really good. It was entertaining, fun to read, and a real page turner for many parts. Basic premise of the book is a story about the brothers in the Karamazov family and their dad. There are three brothers, a murder takes place, and there is a trial. That's pretty much the whole book. But, there was so much more.

The book is really about life, about the human experience. Are people good or bad? Can they change? Is it nature or nurture? Is life free will or destined? What is love and how is it defined? Dostoyevsky, in his incredibly informal and collegial writing tone, takes a look at all of these questions. The characters are incredibly real, very deeply created, and easy to relate to. Some are crazy, some religious, some alcoholic, some caring, some madly in love...they include the whole spectrum of the human persona. Indeed, once the book gets going, it's a great read. Between the fairly interesting plot, coupled with the incredible level of meaning of each characters thoughts and actions, the book is really quite good.

(side note admission: I used Sparknotes after many of the chapters. I've never used Sparknotes before but it really added a lot to the reading. I started about half way through as I was reading chapters, thinking there wasn't much too it/I was bored, checked out Sparknotes and realized there was another whole level of depth I completely missed. It made the reading of the rest of the text much more enjoyable and I would recommend it).

So, I didn't really spend a whole bunch of time explaining the greatness of the book, but trust me, it's quite good. If you can stick with it over the first couple hundred of boring (relative to the rest) pages, you'll be in for a treat. One last thing you should know, and this may not surprise many of you, the book is sad. I guess that's sort of classic of Russian literature (unknown to me prior to talking to some others and reading the book). I mean, you can hope for the best and stuff for people but don't hold your breath. Either way, it's still worth the read. Enjoy!

Winesburg, Ohio -- Sherwood Anderson ------------------------------ 2.5 Stars

Sometimes there is just not a lot to say about certain books. Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio falls into that category for me. It was a sort of a good book...yeah.

Let's see. I was reading something that included Winesburg, Ohio as a sort of unsung hero of not so famous but should be American novels. It's about 300 pages and includes 15 or so short stories all revolving around people, or 'grotesques' as Anderson calls them, living in Winesburg. It kind of reminded me of Canterbury Tales. Obviously much easier to read, but both were about characters that sort of stood out compared to others in life/the town.

The stories are all pretty good. They are told very simply and are very straight forward. Because they are just short stories, you don't get a whole bunch of character development and it's more of snapshots of their lives than anything else. The genius of the book, and I think why many critics loved it (and still do), is that so nicely illustrates and describes life in small town America around the turn of the twentieth century.

If you like period pieces, short story fiction, or tales about just 'real' life, this would be a good book for you. It's an easy read and you can get through the stories quickly. The drawback for me, and why it only earned 2.5 stars, was that it just was not entertaining. As most stories had nothing to do with others, it never drew me back into the book to keep reading. Being about 100 years old, the stories are also a bit old in topic and although risque at the time and pushed social norms, compared to modern day 'drama' it does not compare.

Consider the Lobster -- David Foster Wallace ------------------------------ 4 Stars

Very recently I became aware of a wonderful author, who up until a month ago, I absolutely had never heard of. (btw, he would have hated that I just ended this sentence with a preposition, though he would have loved this footnote like parenthetical note). It was through a cool website called grantland.com that posted a gigantic (5,ooo word?) essay Wallace wrote about Roger Federer. Needless to say, it was fantastic. I asked my sister about him and she had heard of him, had a book of his, and recommended a graduation speech he gave, which I ended up also enjoying (read here). She then passed on a book of essays from Wallace titled Consider the Lobster which has led to this review.

This book includes about 10 different non-fictions essays from Wallace that were collected from a variety of magazines and on a variety of subjects. Some are only a few pages, while others go on (and on) into the 70 or 80 page range. I liked them all; well, I guess I should say I like they way they are written. First, Wallace is just plain cool. He understands things very well and his writing style is a joy to read and pleasure to digest. Second, he is unbelievably bright. The most confusing and frustrating essay is a review of a recent dictionary that was released that includes Wallace's views on literary criticism and correct writing techniques and terms. It was about 40 pages long, I was lost for about 37 pages of it yet I still found it enjoyable...that's David Foster Wallace. Third, he is incredibly funny. From being ironic to obvious with jokes to just plain crude, his essays can't help but make you laugh. Fourth, and probably what he is most famous for, he is the master, I say MASTER, of the footnote. He uses them all the time and his footnotes have footnotes. It's almost his claim to fame. They're awesome. Fifth, his insights and conclusions about ideas, events, things, are just so well thoughtful you can't help but keep on reading and smiling.

More about the stories. The title of the book is also the title of a 20 page essay about lobsters, and specifically, should we consider the ethical and moral standards of how lobsters are killed... it was good. Other essays included a biography of a late night radio host, musings about Updike and Kafka (I'm telling you, the guy is wicked smart), and Tracy Austin (fantastic tennis player from the 80's who won a US Open before 18, got hit with the injury bug and never made it back -- great story with great insights). Do be aware that the book starts with a 50 page essay on porn which takes some work to get through but the book is smooth sailing after that.

My favorite essay is called "Up, Simba" taken from a Rolling Stone piece Wallace did during the '00 election as he followed McCain around the campaign trail for 7 days. Being a political guy, I found this essay absolutely captivating and enjoyed reading the 70 pages (which must have included huge amounts that were cut for RS mag). Besides coming away with much more respect for McCain, I came away questioning the intents and reasons why politicians do what they do. It is an excellent, excellent essay.

Overall, the book is very good. Some essays go on too long and some, as I said earlier, are hard to understand. Some subjects are more interesting than others, and some words he uses I don't understand. But, for the most part, the essays are incredibly entertaining. They are smart, funny, clearly written, and incredibly informative.

After finishing the book, I looked to see what other non-fiction stuff he has written. Apparently, he has done a lot of very good fiction and many consider him one of the best writers in the past decade. There is not a lot of other non-fiction stuff he has done. And, perhaps most unfortunately, there will no more writings at all from Wallace; he committed suicide in 2008.

To Heal a Fractured World -- Rabbi Jonathan Sacks ------------------------ 4 Stars

As Thanksgiving begins tomorrow, I find no more fitting a time to reflect upon a very enjoyable book I recently finished titled To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility by Jonathan Sacks. My sister gave this book to me for my birthday and though it's some pretty heavy reading, it's well worth the venture.

The book is really 1 part philosophy, 1 part religious teachings, and 1 part self help. It's divided into three parts which were 'the call to responsibility', 'the theology or responsibility', and 'the responsible life'. The book is very well organized and Sacks has almost a lawyers ability to lay out his arguments in a very logical and straightforward way for the reader to understand.

The major questions this book addresses are what is a persons place in the world? What should we be doing in our lives and what responsibilities do we have as moral human beings? Needless to say, I really enjoyed the book. Although a bit challenging to get through, Sacks does an incredible job of breaking down somewhat archaic religious writings and Bible passages while also including wonderful real life examples to clarify his positions and points. I found the first half of the book, in which he sort of sets up his arguments for why people should be responsible, to be the most enjoyable part. As a Rabbi, he includes a litany of Bible verses and stories, which having not read in many, many years, I found particularly interesting and enjoyable. He even included many a midrash which reminds me of my high school Religion class with Mr. Dependahl. These interepretations and analysis were laid out so clearly and so beautifully thus painting a portrait of what he passionately believes the various passages are trying to say.

As I said, these early parts of the book were my favorite parts. As the text goes on, it turns from making the argument for 'why' we should be responsible and moral people to the specific 'how tos'. While I find that part just as important, I also found it personally less interesting and entertaining. Toward the end, the book gets very 'sefl-helpy' though not in a fake way. By that point in the text, I had been completely sold on his arguments that I definitely supported his suggestions on how to live responsibly.

Much of the book includes many of the suggestions that you would expect from a Rabbi and text on how to live properly. Ideas like giving to others, supporting those in need, believing in a higher power, giving second chances, providing charity and love for others, are prevalent and focused on significantly. Although I believed in these virtues prior to reading this, I found so much enjoyment in reading the Biblical reasoning why these ideas are important. Though I don't consider myself the most religious of people, this book can't help but make a reader reexamine their own belief in the world and faith in general.

I highly recommend this book to any reader looking for insight into their own life, looking to reconnect with the Bible, or would like to read a good book explaining what another person's viewpoint is about responsibility in one's life. Be aware, however, that this book is pretty heavy in the depth of thought/ideas per page. Although less than 300 pages, don't go in thinking you can fly through this text in a weekend. Please, take your time with it. The ideas, thoughts, and viewpoints will probably have you analyzing your own thoughts... which probably is a good thing. Enjoy!

ESPN: These Guys Have All the Fun -- James Andrew MIller and Tom Shales --------------- 3.5 Stars

Well it's been a while since I blogged, but that's because I was working through the monstrous ESPN: These Guys Have all the Fun . If you are not familiar with this book, it's basically a massive biography about the total history of the ESPN corporation from it's inception in Connecticut in the late 70's through last week (no joke). Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is how it's told. Much like the previous collaboration between Miller and Shales, Live from New York (click here for that review), nearly the whole book is told through interviews. This can be both awesome and off -putting. For the most part it's very enjoyable and entertaining. The people speaking are very candid and their free opinions are very interesting. The only problem is that it goes on for 750 pages and can become a bit repetitive stylistically after a while.

Overall, the book is very good. It certainly has sections that are far more interesting than others but the details and insights about the background politics and the 'real' operation of a world wide corporation were illuminating. The beginning of the book was also great as I had no idea how ESPN truly started as a sort of 'mom and pop' operation trying to just show some local sports in the Northeast and growing into the behemoth that it is now.

Obviously, reading about the viewpoints of the various ESPN personalities is cool. More or less, everyone who has been or is on ESPN was interviewed. Some of the most interesting stories and opinions are about the TV people who caused the most controversy/issues. Keith Olbermann, for example, was famous for both his intellect and ego. Tony Kornheiser and Bill Simmons fall into a similar category.

There were some definite drawbacks that limited the book to 3.5 stars. Most significant is the fact that its soooooooooo long. Really, they needed a good editor. While I certainly get and appreciate that they are trying to be totally inclusive, there are many parts that I pretty much glossed over because it was like 10 interviews and 20 pages about the same idea/issue. I mean, I don't need to hear from 8 people from ESPN why getting the World Cup was such a big deal for the network.

The other annoying thing related to the length was their obsession with covering seemingly EVERYTHING. I mean the book was just released and it had things that were going on from like 2 months ago (i.e.30 for 30). They also seemed to feel the need to address and discuss every show (failed or otherwise) that was ever shown on ESPN and it's affiliated networks.

I would recommend this book to any sports fans however. It really is an awesome story, that is, for the most part, very well edited that gives you a real glimpse into the backroom of ESPN and all that they do. Some of the background on how things end up being on your TV is really cool. It's also a good read for anyone interested in hearing the business side of a billion dollar corporation. It makes you realize and appreciate how much decisions and items on TV are decided by people we don't even know.

Friday Night LIghts -- H.G. Bissinger ------------- 3.5 Stars

Well, this is a somewhat noteworthy blog. You see, it is my first book I have ever read on this new fangled device called a Kindle. On a side note, I enjoyed the Kindle, though, like many, I didn't think I would. It's so nice, easy, and simple, and as an added bonus, I have the Kindle app on my phone so I actually read much of this book on my phone...very cool.

Anyway, for those who don't know, Friday Night Lights is not just a movie and a TV show. In fact, most only know FNL from those two places, but well before the movie and show it was a pretty awesome book. As most already know, the story is about a year in the life in West Texas (Odeass specifically) and the story of high school football. I had been familiar with the movie and show (though I'm one of the few who apparently did not love the show).

Some things I learned:
1. They really, really, really love football in Texas. Like, to the point where people's priorities are significantly skewed in life (not to judge, but let's just say education is way, way behind football in importance).
2. The story took place in 1989...I had no idea it was this old.
3. The book is really a story about American culture and life. Sure, it's based around football but for much of the book I almost felt like I was reading an essay on sociology. This to me really was the most enjoyable part and interesting part of the book. Although I loved the football stories (it basically takes you through a whole season of a high school team) and biography's of the best players and coaches, the stories about life in Texas is what made this book great. Learning about the skewed priorities, the obsession with football in people's lives, the lack of time/interest put into education, the danger that is living in Odessa (one of highest murder rates in the country), and the waxing and waning of the economy based on oil prices.

So, you might be asking, how could this book get only 3.5 stars? It sounds awesome. Well, a few reasons. First, the author is a newspaper journalist and the books lacks some of the eloquence of prose that is usually found in other books that I read. It was told well, and straightforwardly, but it never really painted the great picture that you might hope in a book. Second, although I thoroughly enjoyed the non-football parts of the book, sometimes they would go on way too long. I'd be reading about a play in some big game, that flash forwarded to the stands, where the author than stars talking about some guy, and his life, and history, and some random stories about how his interest in football has affected his life. It just became a bit much after a while.

Overall, it was a very good story and a must read if you were into the FNL movie and TV show. For a casual sports/football fan, also a highly suggested read, but just be aware that you are getting a book about life in West Texas...and also, secondary to it, a book about football. Just be prepared that it occasionally drolls on, but it's still worth it, thanks to the great football stories.

The Corrections -- Jonathan Franzen ------------------------ 4 Stars

I think this is going to be a short blog. Yesterday was the wedding of my brother-in-law (which was great) and tomorrow is the first day of school, so I need some rest but first I had to share my thoughts on a very entertaining and enjoyable read The Corrections.

Recently I was looking for a good book to read and this came up in a few places as one of the best novels of the past decade; it did not disappoint. It's what I would call 'modern literature'. I say modern because this book is very much about the current world and all of it's bizarreness. The themes in the book are definitely grown up: sex, drugs, a little violence but this book is really about family. An incredibly dysfunctional, sad, and modern family. The other reason it's 'modern' is because of both the adult themes but also how it's written, which is very informal. It is still very much 'literature' though as the writing is wonderful and creative. The plot has a ton of conflict and there is a lot to it. By that I mean the themes and depictions of the family are superb and so real. You can't help but read this book and feel like you know these people and you know this family. And though the novel never overtly states what anyone is thinking, and dialogue is not hugely insightful, you can't help finishing this book and truly understanding the desires and issues that every person in the story is dealing with it.

I strongly suggest checking out the book. Although a bit long, it moves crisply and the dialogue throughout is incredibly entertaining. The story is told in about 6 month time period and it's basically about 2 older parents and their 3 siblings and then their issues. God almighty each person has their own issues. If your ever thinking "what is a typical dysfunctional Midwestern family like?", this book will answer it but it's great to be there along the way. I promise you'll be entertained.

Life of Pi -- Yann Martel ---------------------------- 1.5 Stars

So, I am not sure if this has ever happened to you reading a book or watching a movie, but it did for me with Life of Pi. What I am talking about is this rather odd phenomenon of expecting that you will like something, and by all reasonable expectations you should, but you just don't. To go ever further, after finishing reading/watching said book/movie, there is even more evidence to suggest that you should have immensely enjoyed what you just finished. However, it just did not happen. Well, that was my experience with Life of Pi.

By all indications, I should have really enjoyed this novel. Great reviews, wonderful word of mouth following, a well-written novel with an interesting plot that included numerous twists and turns, and ending that truly made me re-read various parts and have a conversation with others about it's meaning. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well I suppose it is, but I just didn't get it. I mean, I really disliked the book. Often, it was a struggle to just pick it up and get through it. That's not what I am shooting for when reading a book.

Let's figure out why. First, in general, I like non-fiction books better. When I do read fiction, which I do almost 50% of my reading , it needs to be a book with some basis in reality. Thus, my first major issue with the book. As you might be able to tell from the picture on the cover, the book is about a teenage boy living on a life raft with a gigantic tiger. Yeah, there goes reality. I mean, I guess the book is possible (though he did live with a hyena and orangutan for a while too), but it was a bit too far for my realist mind to bend. Second, I love dialogue. Guess what, this book had little. I suppose this should not sound so surprising since, as I just said, the novel is about a teenage boy and tiger on a boat; I should have figured that pairing doesn't lead to much back and forth. Third, I didn't like the writing style/organization of the text. I felt like the writing didn't flow like other books I read, and it was more of a task to get through then other books. It was a bit too choppy for me. The organization was also a bit weird. The novel starts with an author explaining that this is a true story and sets the stage to show how 'real' it is, though the reader is fully aware that it's a novel. It then goes through the long sea story and fairly cool last part that takes about the aftermath. Again, no great flow. Fourth, the whole book is an allegory. It's all about god and spirituality. This too would be something that I would normally be in to (I like spiritual stuff...see this review), but when something is presented in an allegory, I don't buy in. It seems kind of hokey. Additionally, in the beginning of the book they say that this story will 'make you believe in god'. That was a pretty bold statement that I really feel was not backed up. The whole spiritual/god piece of the book especially turned me off.

Perhaps I was just not in the mood for this type of book as I read it or perhaps it really is just an awful book (though most disagree with me on that). I don't know what to say besides I give my ratings based on how exciting, entertaining, and captivating each book is, and this book failed miserably to hold my attention. I suppose if you don't mind giving up reality almost totally and want to read a fairly deep book, this would be the one for you. Just remember it's still a book about a kid on boat for 7 months with some animals... good luck with that.

Atonement -- Ian McEwan ------------------------ 4.5 Stars

It was incredibly strange to read a great novel with a twist for an ending after already having seen the movie, but, in an unexpected but certainly welcome surprise, it ended up making the book ever better.

I saw the movie Atonement a couple of years ago. I was going in not expecting much, I mean it didn't sound like my type of flavor: English, love story, set 60 years ago... sounds like a recipe for disaster but, alas, it was pretty good. I mean not bad. Then on a whim last week, I thought I should maybe read the book Atonement as I had heard it was a pretty good novel, and I was fairly familiar with the story. Well, I was absolutely shocked by how good it was and how much I enjoyed it.

I really couldn't put it down and read it in a week, which is the most critical element when I review a book...is it captivating?. It was a truly remarkable and probably a perfect novel. The only thing that took a way a .5 star was that I personally just didn't like the ending (bad reason to lose a .5 star, but I write the blog).

I don't feel like there is any need to go through the plot as most people have seen the movie or know in general what it's about so I'd rather just continue to gush about how much I liked the novel. First, I love the way McEwan writes. His prose is just phenomenal and a joy to read. It's almost like poetry how well it flows. He also has a knack for using some fairly obtuse vocabulary, but it seemed liked every word he used actually fit the sentence or paragraph and was never forced. Second, the characters he created seemed so real. Perhaps it was because I had seen the movie and could better picture them but they were so cleanly and fully developed it added so much to the novel to really feel like I 'knew' these people. Third, the story is so intricately and delicately developed that it really is quite genius... truly nothing is overlooked. Fourth, and though I hate to say it, it's a really nice love story. Normally not something I really find that exciting, this one was told so well that but you can't help but love it.

Overall, it really is a perfect novel and one I would recommend wholeheartedly to anyone who has not yet read it (I am a little behind as it came out like 10 years ago). For me, what added to it's enjoyability was the fact that I quasi-remembered parts of it from seeing the movie a few years ago. I remembered just enough to know who the characters were and the basic novel twists but not enough detail where I found it repetitive. Quite the opposite, because I remembered just enough of the story, I better appreciated and enjoyed seeing how it was developed through the written word.

So, if you have the choice, I would say definitely read the book right now if you saw the movie a while ago. Or you could go the route of watching the movie right now and then waiting like 3 years to read it but that takes some real patience.... the choice is yours.

" I Heard You Paint Houses" -- Charles Brandt -------------------- 4 Stars

Before I begin the review of "I Heard you Paint Houses", I have to recognize the accomplishment that is this review: #50! Much like Derek Jeter's 3,000 hit, I have reached a milestone; this is my 50th review of a book on my blog. Who would have thunk that in a short 2.5 years I would have notched 50 book reviews? Not I.... Anyway, let's get started and find out who killed Jimmy Hoffa.

Jimmy Hoffa. When you hear the name, what do you think? Probably, like most, you think about how he was never found. Well, you don't need to worry about that anymore if you read this book. It's got the answers; all of them. What happened to him, how he was killed, where his body went... this book's spills it all.

First, a little background on the title; "I Heard you Paint Houses" is not really about painting houses (you already guessed that?) If you paint houses, you kill people... see, the blood splatters on the wall and that's the paint (yeah, there's some solid violence in this one). Basically, this book is about a mobster named Frank Sheeran. He died some years ago and prior to passing, told most of his life story to the author. Included in this story is what happened to Jimmy Hoffa.

Although you find out much about Sheeran's life, this book's major focus if Jimmy Hoffa. If you don't know alot of about Jimmy Hoffa's life, this book is worth the read just for that. His influence on unions in this country and rivalry with Bobby Kennedy is historic. This book goes into a great deal about his life and Frank Sheeran's close relationship to Hoffa and other major mobsters during the 60s and 70s.

I am not sure what it is about mob and gangster things that make the same interesting. From the Godfather to Sopranos, I consistently fall in love with gangster stories. This one was no different. Although a bit slow in spots and not as excitingly written as other books (which is why it only garners 4 stars), this gangster tale is as good as any others. It's got it all, blood, violence, trickery, deception... all the fun stuff.

If nothing else, it's worth reading the book just for the chapter that explains Hoffa's demise. If you've seen the movie Hoffa, they depict his death at the end of that film.... that movie was made before the book and they got it wrong. There is no doubt in my mind what is described in this book is how Hoffa was really killed. And frankly, the chapter and pages that intimately describe how it went down were memorable. I was actually becoming nervous and sweating as it was going down while I was reading; it's rare for a book to do that to me but the buildup had been coming.

If you like gangster stories, are interested in Hoffa, or just want to read a great true crime novel, do check out "I Heard You Paint Houses" but do me a favor and don't actually paint any houses (you know what I mean).

The Moviegoer -- Walker Percy --------- 3 Stars

Rare is it that one can get through a novel, save the last twenty pages, really not enjoy it, finish the last twenty pages, and then have a totally different view; somehow that's what happened as I finished Walker Percy's The Moviegoer. Bizarrely, I really disliked this book for much of my reading of it, but a final flurry of fascinating writing and a great final chapter elevated this book from a persumptive 1 or 2 stars to a solid 3 star novel.

The Moviegoer, written in the 1960s, was not on my book radar at all, but it was recently recommended as a favorite of someone so I thought I'd give it a whirl. As I began reading it, it reminded me so much of another recent book I read, American Pastoral. There were some distinct similarities: both books are incredibly well written with great prose, both books revolve around a central male character who is a bit 'lost', and in both books nothing really happens. As I explained in my Pastoral review, I like things to happen. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a novel about philosophy of life and metaphysics but those things need to be overt. Those concepts were not in the Moviegoer until the end; but alas that saved the novel.

The book is really about a guy who is living in New Orleans after World War II. He is about 30, successful, wealthy, no real problems yet there is a 'malaise' as he would like to say about his life and his world. Think Holden Caulfield without the craziness. Then he just talks about his daily life. The key to all of his seemingly innocuous stories doesn't dawn on me until the end of the novel; each story is a look into his existence and outlook upon the world. It's one of those few books where I really would enjoy, and would probably get a lot more out, of with a second reading.

Basically, I found most of the main character's stories incredibly boring until the last twenty pages. Really, the book went from 'poor' to 'good' in a matter of two pages. I won't spoil it for you but there is a tirade from his aunt that is truly one of the best speeches I have ever read in a book... where was this passion and writing the whole book (I guess that lack of passion was the point!)?

Overall, it's an interesting book. It's very odd but as I was reading it, I really didn't enjoy it. I didn't look forward to the next chapter or picking it up later during the day. As some may recall, my rating system is based purely on the 'entertainment' value the book provides to me; and this book struggled to entertain me through 95% of it. However, now that it's finished, and I reflect upon the story and major themes, it's gotten better and better. So, if you want to read a book that will keep you interested but not blow you away but THEN, when you are done, really start making you think about what the book was really about (and of course what life is really about), than this is the novel for you.

Switch -- Chip and Dan Heath --------------------- 4 Stars

I have a fixed mindset. That was one of the things I learned in Chip and Dan Heath's fantastic book Switch. That is not a good thing. It means that I think people are static and can not change; which I really do believe. Apparently, this is bad and wrong.

I was recommended this book by a colleague and would have to say it's about half, fun "Outliers" type of book and half, academic type of text. Basically, its a book about how you make changes. Changes in your daily life, changes in the work place, changes in a family, getting other people to change...pretty much any change that is hard to do.

Normally, I am not big into organizational change/self-help type of books but this book was excellent. First, it was well written. Short and easy to read chapters and sentences. Second, it had great stories and anecdotes; they were very well told and applicable. Third, it was easy to understand and broken down into three specific things to do. Fourth, it included great suggestions and links to other books that are related including Nudge and Outliers.

And now, for the million dollar question, I will tell you how you can easily create change and save you from reading the whole book. You ready for it? Here it is:
1. Direct the Rider
2. Motivate the Elephant
3. Shape the Path
Uh, You're Welcome! I just took the whole book and explained it to you. Well, maybe not, but if you would like to read a very interesting and worthwhile book about change (and really understand what those three things are) , do check out Switch.

Amerian Pastoral -- Philip Roth ------------- 2.5 Stars

If you are not familiar with Philip Roth, he is a fairly prolific, modern day novelist who has a huge following and has written dozens of books. Many argue that the best of these books is the Pulitzer Prize winning American Pastoral (it's listed as one of the best novels in the past 25 years). Because of those reasons, and the very positive reviews of this book (not to mention the Roth name), I thought I should check it out. Lo and behold, I was pretty disappointed.

Let's get a few things straight. Roth is an incredible writer. I mean his actual prose. It's perhaps the most spectacular aspect of the book. There are points where I don't think he even changes paragraphs yet I have found myself having turned page after page as it's so engaging. His writing is so eloquent that I often find myself re-reading sentences to fully understand the meaning of the text. Here's the thing about really amazing writing... to me, it's super overrated. I have the same view with song lyrics. Who cares? If you are listening to music for deep meaning in songs, you need to look elsewhere. I mean, about 1 song out of 100 has cool/great lyrics. The rest are about dancing in clubs and straight cash. Listen to music for the sound. The rhythm, the beat; that's what matters. I have the same view of books. I can certainly appreciate great prose but I read books for a great story that includes a cool plot and recognizable characters. This is the crux of the reason why this book won the Pulitzer Prize and I gave it 2.5 stars.

But here's the weirdest thing about this novel: It gets worst the more you read it. It's weird. I don't know if I have ever read a book quite like this. I mean it started out really interesting. It pulled me in, I got excited about the story and characters. Then it just sort of started to drag. It left the interesting characters on the wayside and spent pretty much the rest of the novel focusing on the minutiae. Now, I know that's what makes novels like this great 'literature' but it bored me. It was also super frustrating to get so excited about a book and to keep reading, assuming it will get better, and it just keeps getting worst and worst. I mean, after 25% read it was like 4.5 stars, 3.5 by 50%, 3 stars by 75% and it finished with a 2.5. Err.

Overall, you have to decide what you are looking for in a book if deciding to read this. I read purely for my own entertainment value and this book did not entertain me like others. If you love great writing and a fairly decent story about the unpredictability of life, this books may be for you....just make sure you are prepared to grind it out to finish it.

In the Pit with Piper - "Rowdy" Roddy Piper -- 1 Star

I need to make a confession to explain how I could have possibly finished and reviewed a book that only received (a generous) 1 star... I used to be obsessed with wrestling (or wrastlin' as some might say). Really, I used to love it. As a kid between about ages 7 and 11, I was super into it. I watched it all the time, had my own championship belt, used the figure four leg lock on my sister and even had the Hulk Hogan/Iron the Shiek sheets.. I was nuts about it.

So, when I was recently at a soon to be defunct Books-A-Million and saw Rowdy Piper's In the Pit with Piper, a book on my "Books to Read Eventually" on the right, for only $2.17, I felt obligated to buy it and check it out. I figured, Piper was a pretty awesome wrestler when I was a kid so why shouldn't those skills translate to being a great writer as well? How wrong I was.

So, the book is pretty much awful. I mean, it's really quite bad. Perhaps what was so bad about it was that it was actually kind of long. I mean, it's only 230 pages but it took me weeks to go through as it's kind of a lot of text and so INCREDIBLY boring. I really though it might be interesting. Perhaps talking about some of the famous matches, some insight into the tricks of the trade, maybe some secrets about the famous wrestlers. Nah, none of that. What I did get was the incredible amount of arrogance and ego Piper has. I also got, about 230 pages of the most unbelievably, poorly written sentences and paragraphs ever to grace the pages of an actual book. Seriously, there are grammar mistakes, a complete lack of a theme, and stories that are so disparate and unrelated you wonder how an editor or publishing house sent this out. One thing you know for sure after reading this, there was NO ghost writer. I really was hoping the stories would be better, but so many of them were the same: I wrestled hard one night, I got drunk, me and some buddy's thought it would be funny to _________, I woke up the next morning in a parking lot. Ridiculous.

The only slightly redeeming part that came out of these random thoughts we'll call a 'book' is Piper's chapter on what he dubs "The Sickness". Basically, "The Sickness" is his word to describe the addiction and passion that these wrestler's have to this sport that they love. Now, don't get me wrong, I know, as do you, that wrestling is not real; BUT, it's not totally fake either (another quick annoyance of the book, Piper would never actually say wresting is fake and tells more than few stories about beating guys up who questions wrestling's authenticity...ah, classy). What I mean by not totally fake is that these guys do take a beating. They are still hitting a mat or the ground and getting bounced around night after night (see The Wrestler if you don't know what I'm talking about). Anyway, Piper's point is that wrestlers will do anything to themselves to make sure they can wrestle. They are addicted and literal 'sick' to the point that they HAVE TO WRESTLE. This includes an incredible amount of self-medication. Specifically, alcohol and drugs. It's actually incredibly sad. There are an unbelievable number of wrestlers who have died well before they should have (Google search it) because of heart attacks, drug overdoses and suicides. Piper would argue that's all because of "The Sickness".

Overall, I can't possible recommend you read this book. However, I would recommend you watch or re-watch Wrestlemania I through V... that's some good stuff. And, if you are like me, you might even get to watch a little bit of your childhood with it (tear).