Entries Tagged as 'michael chabon'

Summerland by Michael Chabon

July 16th, 2010 · No Comments


finished 07.14.10

This book reads exactly like a kid’s-save-the-world movie, and it probably should be made into a movie. It’s imaginitive with made up worlds and characters and species that inhabit the worlds, but still about halfway through… I just wished I was done. The book was written for young adults, so maybe I’m just not the target audience. I have enjoyed many other Chabon books, just didn’t love this one.

Two quotes I did like from the book –

“She did however, insist that you call her “Jennifer T.,” and not just “Jennifer” or, worst of all, “Jenny.”"

one more -

“A baseball game is nothing but a great slow contraption for getting you to pay attention to the cadence of a summer day.”

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The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon

September 22nd, 2009 · 1 Comment


finished 09.21.09

I loved this book. This comes as no surprise, since I have loved everything I’ve read by Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union).

Coincidentally, the Onion’s A.V. Club wrote about The Mysteries of Pittsburgh on the same day I finished it. Interesting to read over all of the comments if you have read the book.

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The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon

June 30th, 2008 · No Comments


finished 06.28.08

After reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay I wasn’t sure if I was a fan of the book or a fan of its author, Michael Chabon. I just knew I liked it.

After reading The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, I knew I was a fan of Michael Chabon’s writing, because I enjoyed this book just as much as Kavalier & Clay, if not more. Sure there are a bunch of Jewish customs and Yiddish words and slang that I didn’t get, but the story made me want to look things up to understand it more. Also, in many cases, when they use a word over and over you start to understand what it is from the context of the sentences. About 3/4 of the way through the book I realized that there’s actually a dictionary in the back of the book, but by then I didn’t really need it.

This book, at its most basic, is a murder mystery in a “what-if,” non-existent scenario of a world. Throw in a down-on-his-luck, flawed Detective Landsman as the main character who is lovable despite his faults and you got me. I’m a sucker for for a murder mystery with a messed up hero.

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Books of 2005

January 3rd, 2006 · 11 Comments

office.jpg
The Office, East Ukrainian Village, Chicago

In 2005 I set my hands on 33 books and finished 24 of them. It’s disappointing that my numbers are down from 2004, but I think I was busier so I’m still proud that I finished a couple dozen. My favorite books from the year were:

Nonfiction:

Fiction:

Here’s a complete list of the books I’ve read this year:

  • Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell finished 12.26.05
  • The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling finished 12.09.05
  • Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving finished 11.23.05
  • The Columnist by Jeffrey Frank finished 11.08.05
  • The Road to Wellville by T. C. Boyle finished 10.30.05
  • The Alienist by Caleb Carr finished 10.09.05
  • Book of Ages 30 by Lockhart Steele, Joshua Albertson, Jonathan Van Gieson
  • The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova finished 09.30.05
  • Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire finished 09.11.05
  • The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon finished 08.14.05
  • The Kaua’i Movie Book by Chris Cook, David Boynton
  • Pupus to Da Max by Douglas Simonson, Pat Sasaki, Ken Sakata
  • A Concise History of the Hawaiian Islands by Phil Barnes finished 07.17.05
  • The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Kidd finished 07.17.05
  • Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner finished 07.17.05
  • The Time Traveler’s Wife Audrey Niffenegger finished 07.08.05
  • Pidgin to Da Max by Douglas Simonson, Pat Sasaki, Ken Sakata
  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain finished 06.26.05
  • Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom finished 06.13.05
  • The East of Eden by John Steinbeck finished 06.07.05
  • The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark finished 05.21.05
  • Tales From The Scale by Erin J. Shea
  • The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell finished 04.25.05
  • The Quince Seed Potion by Morteza Baharloo finished 04.21.05
  • The Little Black Book Of Sushi by Day Zschock finished 04.14.05
  • The Broker by John Grisham finished 04.07.05
  • Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres finished 03.20.05
  • The Namesake: A Novel by Jhumpa Lahiri finished 02.04.05
  • Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver
  • The Perfect Storm : A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger finished 01.22.05

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