61. Pratchett, Terry. Making Money. 394 pages. 5.29.09.

Making Money is the latest of the "industry" or "government" books in Terry Pratchett's Discworld collection, and is a delightful look at the financial institutions that develop in prosperous communities. Following the themes and ideas established in Going Postal, Making Money once again introduces the lovable conman Moist von Lipwig, and he once again finds himself at the mercy of Vetinari's agendas and - most importantly - his own desires to pursue dangerous vocations. And it is truly amazing how exciting a bank can be.

Like always, Pratchett's satire is both brilliant and captivating, and his sesne of style is unparalleled in modern fiction.


62. Harris, Charlaine. Grave Sight. 320 pages. 5.31.09.

Grave Sight introduces readers to a young woman named Harper Connelly, who gains the ability to find (and marginally communicate with) the deceased after being struck by lightening as a young teenager. In this first novel Harris places Harper in an inbred community in the Ozarks, where she runs into quite a bit of trouble after locating the body of a missing teenage girl.

In comparison to early Sookie Stackhouse books, Grave Sight is very smartly written, and shows quite a bit of growth on the part of the author, Charlaine Harris. As a character, Harper is tragically flawed, which works to increase the reader's interest in her thoughts and actions. Unlike Sookie, there is quite a bit of depth and history to Harper, and the character is strongly developed before the plot of the novel itself even begins. Her weaknesses humanize her, and her narration reveals a deeply skeptical and cynical young woman that (perhaps sadly) fits much more easily into a modern landscape than Harris' vampire-loving waitress.

One of the things I found most interesting about the book itself is the contempt Harper shows for the citizens of a small town in Arkansas. While the Stackhouse books criticize what is identified in the books as a Southern discontent with literal and figurative "outsiders", Grave Sight seems to illustrate the same kind of contempt for small Southern communities in general. Sarne is depicted as backward and corrupt from the very beginning, and is easily identified as an insincere - and often dangerous - place to be.

Another detail that I found interesting in the novel is Harper's relationship with her stepbrother. While Harris overtly "hints" that their relationship raises eyebrows for more than just readers, there is a complexity to the pair that retains interest, and lays the groundwork for several possibilities as the series continues. While the desire to analyze their relationship in a Freudian sense is strong, I am attempting to withhold opinions until Harris herself develops something a bit more concrete.

All in all, Grave Sight is a very interesting book, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in the series.

59. Pratchett, Terry. Going Postal. 377 pages. 5.28.09.

60. Moore, Alan and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen. 416 pages. 5.28.09.

Watchmen was recommended to me by several intelligent friends, and though I have been wary of the genre I figured I'd give the graphic novel a go. I saw the movie when it first came out, and I think that was detrimental to my reading of the original text. As printed material I found Watchmen to be surprisingly unappealing. The film seems to be very close to the original, but far surpasses the comic in terms of visual interest. The women were particularly disturbing, as the movie had lead me to believe they were supposed to be attractive, and not have .. mullets (yes, the original Silk Specter has a mullet in the text).

I wish I had read Moore and Gibbons before seeing the film - I think I would have enjoyed it much more. As it stands, it was actually fairly slow-going for very little end reward.

Toolshed

58. Campbell, Bruce. If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor. 338 pages. 5.25.09.

Last week my husband and I were browsing the bookstore, and I stumbled across If Chins Could Kill. The title immediately caught my attention, and as a fan of the Evil Dead films I was intrigued and amused. However, I walked out of the store empty-handed.

The next morning I woke up with the closest thing I've felt to a pregnancy craving for a book. I just had to read If Chins Could Kill, and it wasn't long before I was back at the bookstore, hunting Campbell down.

I was not at all disappointed. Campbell's autobiography, focusing on the development of his performance career, holds all of the charm and charisma that the actor himself can claim. Here is a faithful "behind the scenes look" at a cult-classic B actor, and the development of some of the most beloved B-movies ever created.

The book itself is fast-paced and witty, and was apparently written with a very clear understanding of the intended audience. Bruce Campbell's narrative almost reads like a film as he takes audiences through his mishaps and triumphs.

If Chins Could Kill is a gratifying autobiography which lives up to all reader expectations. I would highly recommend the book to any with an interest in Campbell, B-movies, or even just biographies in general.

56. Moore, Alan, et al. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. 176 pages. 5.20.09.

Less than entertaining.

57. Pratchett, Terry. The Truth. 348 pages. 5.23.09.

Terry Pratchett is an insightful master of satire and literary/historical allusions. I can't help but feel that categorizing Prachett as "fantasy" is misleading, because there is much much more to his work than wizards and trolls; the fantastic elements serve as a background more than anything else, while the meat of his work focuses on much more universal themes.

The Truth is the first Pratchett novel I ever read, and remains a favorite after all these years. At first I was a bit hesitant by the suggestion - after all, I really have no interest in reading about dwarves and elves and things of the like - but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Although there are several elements of "traditional" fantasy in Pratchett's Discworld books, the motifs are as much a part of his larger satirical work as the "main" subjects. You can take nothing in Pratchett's novels at face value, and his work is a delight for literature enthusiasts (I remember studying obscure 18th-century literature as an undergraduate, and stumbling across a reference to some of the same texts in a Pratchett book I happened to be reading).

The Truth follows a hapless William de Worde as he accidentally becomes involved in the publication of Ankh Morpork's first newspaper. Pratchett creates a world of fabulous characters as he examines how something as pedestrian as a newspaper can change the political and social landscape of a society - for better and for worse. He tackles subjects such as wealth and privilege, politics, and racial prejudices as he effortlessly satirizes all elements of various social institutions. No one is safe from Pratchett's scrutiny and wit, and the result is a truly entertaining and intelligent novel.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Discworld novels, I always recommend The Truth first. I really feel that it has something for everyone, and serves as a wonderful introduction to Pratchett's style while delighting audiences of all kinds.

55. Orwell, George. 1984. 254 pages. 5.19.09.

1984 is one of those novels I have intended to read for years, and had never gotten around to. However, I finally managed to get to it, for better or for worse. Orwell's dystopian novel has left me feeling rather prosaic, and I'm not quite sure how to express my feelings regarding the text. In the simplest terms, I didn't like the novel; but I don't think I was supposed to. And I certainly don't regret taking the time to read it.

54. Lovecraft, H.P. "The Call of Cthulhu." 31 pages. 5.18.09.

"...all the earth would flame with a holocaust of ecstasy and freedom."

I have received numerous recommendations over the years for the work of horror legend H.P. Lovecraft, and have often been met with surprise when I admit that I had never read his work. While I am a horror and gothic enthusiast I always felt apprehensive about Lovecraft's work - after all, how could he possibly compare to such greats as Edgar Allen Poe and Sheridan Le Fanu?

Despite having the Tales of H.P. Lovecraft (edited by Joyce Carol Oates) sitting on my shelf, I decided to download Lovecraft's "The Call of Cthulhu" on my Kindle2 after seeing it mentioned in a group on LibraryThing. ( I apologize now, because I cannot for the life of me remember who brought it up recently, but it inspired me to give Lovecraft a try once and for all).

I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed. "The Call of Cthulhu" is a delightfully dark and twisted tale that has the ability to draw readers in from its first mysterious pages. The tale is presented from the point of view of a secondary source (the nephew and executor of a deceased professor) stumbling upon the research and first-person accounts regarding an ancient and malevolent entity by the name of "Cthulhu." As cult members practice dark arts in order to revive this creature from its watery depths, the narrator realizes with horror that it has already been done, and instills in readers a kind of apprehension that such a thing can be innocently done again, much to the detriment of all living creatures.

Lovecraft's style is at once elegant and non evasive, so his language adds to the understanding and delight of the reader as opposed to detracting from the story with superfluous prose. The evolution from nineteenth-century gothic literature is evident, which helps to ground the short story in a strong literary history, while allowing it to evolve into what audiences now call "horror."

53. Harris, Charlaine. Dead and Gone. 320 pages. 5.17.09.

Dead and Gone is the ninth (and latest) installment in Charlaine Harris' "Sookie Stackhouse" series, which had recently gained increasing attention thanks to the HBO series "True Blood" (the first season of which was based on Harris' first Sookie Stackhouse novel).

I was personally apprehensive about Dead and Gone after the extreme disappointment of From Dead to Worse. Following the seventh book (Altogether Dead), which would have allowed for any number of progressive and fascinating plot lines, From Dead to Worse seemed like Harris was backing away from a number of complicated ideas, and instead spent the novel working out the most shallow "happy endings" she could. It seemed to be a spineless attempt to smooth things over as quickly as possible, and as a reader I did not appreciate it. But now there is Dead and Gone.

The violence and horror of the series escalates as the plot turns towards Sookie's heritage, and the consequences of meeting her paternal great-grandfather. While there are other prominent events in the novel - such as shapeshifters revealing themselves to the world, following in the vampires' footsteps - this installment focuses more on Sookie and her own personal life as opposed to the consequences she faces as a result of working with vampires. As usual with Harris, loose ends from previous books are wrapped up (often in a very hasty and sloppy manner), but the bulk of the narrative is focused on Sookie's psychological development and coping abilities as she moves through a series of traumatic events.

What I found particularly compelling about this book was Harris' ability to relate the absolute horror of violent situations without lingering on gore. She gives her readers minimal details to allow them to understand the actions that have taken place, but doesn't use carnage to "sell" the events (as so many teen horror flicks do). While it seems odd to describe murder and torture in a modern vampire novel as "tasteful," that's the word that comes to mind when I think of the events in Dead and Gone. I think it adds greatly to Harris' credit as an author that she is able to depict the physicality of some very tragic events as secondary, while maintaining a focus on the plot and emotional consequences.

To fans who were disheartened by that last book I would suggest giving it another go - Harris may very well redeem herself.

51. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Seize the Night. 352 pages. 5.9.09.

52. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Sins of the Night. 384 pages. 5.11.09.

From my point of view, Sins of the Night is fairly consistent with other Dark-Hunter novels. While the love scenes have grown more than a little repetitious at this point (Kenyon uses the same phrases, encounters, and descriptions time and time - and time - again), the book itself remains interesting and compelling, and fulfills all expectations of the genre.


HOWEVER, my one big complaint is about the Kindle version - once again, it is chock full of errors that complicate reading. At one point in the novel several pages are repeated, which momentarily left me wondering whether my Kindle has malfunctioned or if I hit a button without realizing it. No, it was just sloppy publishing. Like all the other Dark-Hunter books, Sins of the Night suffers from word omissions, misaligned text, and several other formatting errors. It wouldn't be so annoying if the Kindle version actually cost less than the book, but considering they have the potential to make so much more money from e-books (after all, I have to imagine "printing" costs are significantly reduced!), I would expect a higher quality publication.

50. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. 184 pages. +

I'm at a loss as to how to actually review The Picture of Dorian Gray. When pressed to name a favorite novel, I usually give Wilde's work in response; I enjoy it enough that I gave my son the middle name of "Dorian." I admire the wit and charm, and take great delight in the gothic elements. But to me the story is much more than just Dorian and his plight - it is the story of aestheticism, of 19th-century English culture, of the evolution of art, satire, and human relationships.

One of the things I have asked my students to focus on for our reading of the novel is something Wilde himself said about the book in a letter dated February of 1894: "I am so glad you like the strange coloured book of mine: it contains much of me in it. Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be - in other ages perhaps" (Gillespie ix). In truth, I believe this statement not only speaks to the creation of the principle characters (and throws an interesting light on the events of the novel), but speaks to the complexity of the ideas themselves.

My students are nearly as enthusiastic about the novel as I am, but it's such a joy to discuss in the classroom.

47. Hamilton, Laurell K, Lim, Booth. Guilty Pleasures: Volume 2. 144 pages. 5.5.09.

48. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Kiss of the Night. 382 pages. 5.6.09.

49. Le Fanu, Sheridan. Carmilla. 112 pages. 5.6.09.

I first came across J. Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 novella as part of a graduate independent study of gothic literature. It quickly became a personal favorite, as well as an integral part of what will (hopefully) one day become my dissertation.

Carmilla tells the tale of a vampire (or oupire, as the peasants refer to them in the novella) who preys on young women; Carmilla becomes intimately attached to the daughter or ward of a wealthy family, and in her pursuit of love and friendship (and perhaps other things...) eventually drains her new found "friend" of her blood and her life. Predating Bram Stoker's classic tale by 25 years, and following the publication of Polidori's short story by 53 years, Le Fanu's tale is one of the first to popularize the figure of the vampire in 19th-century English prose, and has done much to help popularize the subject.

What I find particularly interesting about this work is the hybridization of traditional vampire legends (dating back to stories of Lilith herself) and the evolving contemporary vampire mythology of 19th-century England. Like traditional tales, Carmilla is represented as a young woman, and her victims often describe a sense of being strangled in their beds. However, the tale also presents elements of more contemporary ideas, such as a coffin full of blood and long needle-like fangs.

I won't go more in-depth for fear of turning a review into a chapter, but I can't praise Carmilla enough. It is a tale sure to delight anyone with interests in 19th-century prose, gothic literature, or vampires (or any combination thereof). LeFanu is a master of gothic tales, and Carmilla is a credit to his name and his craft.

43. Hamilton, Laurell K., Green, Alves. The First Death. 128 pages. 5.1.09.

44. Kennedy, X.J. and Dana Gioia, eds. Literature: An Introduction... Vol. 2: Poetry. 38 pages (selection). January - May 2009. +

45. Kennedy, X.J. and Dana Gioia, eds. Literature: An Introduction... Vol. 1: Fiction. 74 pages (selection). January - May 2009. +

46. Sleator, William. House of Stairs. 166 pages. 5.3.09.


I decided to read William Sleator's young adult science fiction novel House of Stairs after reading an interesting description in the LibraryThing Group "Name That Book." However, the individual looking for the title of the book described a far more compelling novel than I found Sleator's book to be. The plot and characters are as static as the environment in which they are thrust, and reading the book through to the end seemed almost as mentally difficult as the "physical challenges" the teenagers faced. So little is actually interesting that the novel is beyond intellectual redemption, and it is a tremendous relief to have finished it. I can't think of a single individual or "type" to whom I would recommend this little disaster.