What I have been reading lately #54

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)-- Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling, a writer/actor on The Office and, currently, Fox TV's The Mindy Project, recently wrote a book about her life growing up in Massachusetts, going to college at Dartmouth, and becoming a writer in Hollywood. I enjoyed this book.

Good Ol' Snoopy--  Charles M. Schulz

This book collects a number of early Peanuts cartoons related to Snoopy. A lot of them revolve around Snoopy's unhappiness at being called "Fuzzy Face" by Lucy.

Good-Bye To All That-- Robert Graves

I read, for the second, third, or maybe fourth time, Robert Graves memoir of growing up in England in the final days before World War One and his subsequent service as an officer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers on the western front. Everyone should read this book.

Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness-- Edward Abbey

Sometime in the 1950s, Edward Abbey worked as a ranger at the Arches National Monument; a few years after that, he wrote a book about the experience. In this book Abbey discusses, among other topics--

• the desert
• his ideas for reforming the national park system (eliminating roads and cars mostly)
• a uranium-finding/murder/survival story
• going on a cattle drive
• his thoughts about Native Americans (admiration/they need birth control)
• water (and quicksand)
• trying to capture a long-ago escaped horse
• floating down the Colorado River through Glen Canyon one last time before it was dammed
• almost getting trapped forever in a canyon
• searching for and finding a dead body
• climbing Mt. Tukuhnikivats
• exploring a group of canyons known as the Maze.

Similarly to Good-Bye To All That, everyone should read this book.

What I have been reading lately #53

Hillsborough: The Truth-- Phil Scraton

In April of 1989, at the start of an FA Cup semifinal match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death on the terraces at Hillsborough Stadium. Despite what some thought at the time, the deaths were caused not by drunken hooligans but by a combination of poor planning, incompetence, and inaction primarily by the South Yorkshire police. Phil Scraton's disturbing book, a comprehensive narrative covering the entire event and its aftermath (i.e. the attempted police cover-up) , was the first book I read this summer.

The Day of the Hillsborough Disaster: A Narrative Account-- compiled and edited by Rogan Taylor, Andrew Ward, and Tim Newburn

Why read just one book about a horrible sports-related, crushing disaster caused by government and corporate complacency when you can read two? This book was an oral history of the events at Hillsborough and complemented Scraton's book very well. Needless to say, my summer was off to a rosy start.

Above and below: Scenes from the Hillsborough disaster 

The Education of Hopey Glass-- Jaime Hernandez 

The Girl From H.O.P.P.E.R.S.-- Jaime Hernandez

I am not sure why I read things like this. All I can say is a) it seemed like a good idea at the time, and b) neither of these graphic novels involved people being crushed to death in pens while police officers stood idly by and watched.

The Catcher in the Rye-- J.D. Salinger

I take great satisfaction from the fact that I still own the copy of this book I first read in high school (not pictured above, although mine looks almost exactly like that)

Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga (2008 edition)-- Stephen Davis

Growing up in suburban St. Louis in the early 1980s, I tried very, very hard to learn to like Led Zeppelin. (It didn't work.) This book did go a little ways towards reminding me that Led Zeppelin are, despite everything, actually a pretty good band.

LZ - '75: The Lost Chronicles of Led Zeppelin's 1975 American Tour-- Stephen Davis; photographs by Peter Simon

Why read just one book about the most overblown and preposterous rock band of the 1970s when you can read two? This book covered just one of Led Zeppelin's US tours, and it was actually quite enjoyable-- the photographer, Peter Simon, turned out to be singer Carly Simon's brother. Additionally, this book raised an important question for me-- is it possible for an author (in this case, Stephen Davis) to plagiarize their own work?

On High Steel: The Education of an Ironworker-- Mike Cherry

By far the best book I read all summer (and the summer of 2008 and the summer of 2004)-- everyone should read this book. Good luck finding it, though (and no, you can't borrow my copy).

A live version of Led Zeppelin's "Tangerine"

Someone doing a cover version of Led Zeppelin's "Tangerine"


For all you guitar players, Bob from Toronto, Canada teaches how to play Led Zeppelin's "Tangerine" on your own

What I have been reading lately #52

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man-- James Weldon Johnson

I was assigned this in college but never actually read it. It was different from what I expected (and, I'm pretty sure, not all that autobiographical). James Weldon Johnson is perhaps better known as the author of the lyrics to "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (aka "The Negro National Anthem", aka "The Black National Anthem").

The Neighborhood of Baseball-- Barry Gifford

This book is a memoir of one man's relationship with the Chicago Cubs. I've read it several times and have always enjoyed it.

Another Day of Life-- Ryszard Kapuscinski

A Polish journalist's account of the last days of Portuguese colonial rule in Angola. Another book that I've read several times and enjoyed.

There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom-- Louis Sachar

My daughter Alexandra recommended that I read this to my fourth grade class. They enjoyed it very much.

Time for Outrage (Indignez-vous!)-- Stephane Hessel

This book was written recently by a former French resistance fighter about the need to return to the old-fashioned values of liberty, equality, struggle against oppression, etc. A good book, and it only took a few minutes to read.

Change-- Mo Yan

Mo Yan is an author I have enjoyed reading in the past, and I enjoyed this book as well. It is a short memoir of his life growing up during the Cultural Revolution and in the People's Liberation Army.

Moving Through Here-- Don McNeill

This is a collection of article from the Village Voice about the hippies, Yippies, and other assorted folks in New York City and California during the 1960s. McNeill died at a young age in a drowning accident.

Fugitive Days: A Memoir-- Bill Ayers

This is an account of Bill Ayers journey from being an student anti-war activist to helping to found the Weather Underground and spending the better part of the 1970s as a fugitive from the FBI. It was very interesting.

Out of the Whale-- Jonah Raskin

Jonah Raskin wrote this book in the mid-1970s about his life. His parents were members of the Communist Party USA; he became a college professor and then a left-wing radical and Yippie. I enjoyed reading this book.

What I have been reading lately #51

In December of 1944, the German army launched an offensive on the western front in a last-ditch effort to win the war. This offensive is commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge. At that time, Bill Davidson was a U.S. army soldier/journalist covering the war for Yank magazine. During the battle, he found himself trapped behind German lines with two Jewish German children to take care of. This book, written decades after the war was over, retells Davidson's efforts to get back through the lines to the Allied side and the various soldiers, resistance fighters, deserters, black marketeers, famous authors, and possible Nazi spies that he encountered along the way.

Left: Ernest Hemingway


Below: U.S. soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge

After the war, Davidson went on to write several biographies of Hollywood celebrities including Spencer Tracy, Sid Caesar, and Gary Coleman.  For more information, click here.

What I have been reading lately #50

Just this morning, I finished reading Brian Billick's More Than A Game: The Glorious Present and Uncertain Future of the NFL (co-authored by Michael MacCambridge). Billick is a former offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and later head coach of the Baltimore Ravens (with whom he won Super Bowl XXXV). He currently works as a commentator for the FOX network, but his name has been mentioned as a possible candidate to fill the vacant head coaching position in Miami.

This book was published in the fall of 2009 and gives a broad overview of the current state of the NFL from the perspective of league officials, owners, general managers, head coaches, assistant coaches, and players. In the book, Billick draws upon both his personal experiences as a player and coach, as well as the insights he gained from the world of television broadcasting. I enjoyed reading this book; however, I am sure that I will have completely forgotten that I ever even read it within a matter of just a few days.

Below: Brian Billick (left) talking to Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller

What I have been reading lately #49/Abandoned books and/or movies #10

Two books that I finished:

Law of the Jungle: The Hunt for Colombian Guerrillas, American Hostages, and Buried Treasure-- John Otis

Pretty much what it sounds like-- three American contractors (spies) crash in the Colombian jungle and are captured by guerrillas from the FARC. The soldiers from the Colombian army sent out to rescue them get distracted by a large stash of money they find buried in the ground. I won't give away what happens next.

War by Candlelight-- Daniel Alarcon

Above: The cover of the US edition, which I read

Below: The much better cover of the UK edition

Daniel Alarcon is originally from Peru but apparently grew up in Alabama. This collection of short stories is written in English and is his first book. I enjoyed reading this book, but now, just a couple of weeks later, I can't remember much about it.

One book that I did not finish:

Endless Horizon: A Very Messy Motorcycle Journey Around the World-- Dan Walsh

At first I was really enjoying this, but then I wasn't. So I stopped reading it.

What I have been reading lately #48

The Skating Rink-- Roberto Bolano

Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town -- Nick Reding

Tattoo Machine: Tall Tales, True Stories, and My Life in Ink -- Jeff Johnson

What I have been reading lately #47

Cantona: The Rebel Who Would Be King - Philippe Auclair

Cantona after court

Why Cantona had to go to court

Cantona highlights

A specific Cantona highlight

Cantona in Turkey

Cantona throws his jersey

Cantona makes a tackle

Cantona's team prevented from going to the 1994 FIFA World Cup finals

Same video as above--"God is Bulgarian!"

What I have been reading lately #46

On Penalties - Andrew Anthony

When I got this book, I thought it would be a survey of world history and culture from the point of view of penalty kicks. Instead it turned out to be all about the England national team's failure to win three penalty shootouts-- the 1990 World Cup semi-final against Germany, the Euro 1996 semi-final against Germany, and the 1998 World Cup round of 16 match against Argentina. It was an excellent book.

What I've Been Reading Lately

Marley and Me but in Portuguese.

What I have been reading lately #45

Left Foot Forward: A Year in the Life of a Journeyman Footballer by Garry Nelson and Anthony Fowles

Garry Nelson played football in England for many, many years without ever reaching the Premiership (or, before that, the First Division). He played for a number of clubs, such as Southend United, Plymouth Argyle, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Charlton Athletic. He wrote this book during one of the very last years of his career, when he played for Charlton.

Below: Nelson is the player in red.

What I have been reading lately #44

Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans - A.J. Baime

In the early 1960s, the Ford Motor Company decided they wanted to get into racing and spent a lot of money to start winning quickly. Ford especially wanted to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a race which Ferrari had dominated for years. This book is about the 1966 race and the events leading up to it.

This book is one of the saddest books I have read in years. Not only does the wrong team win, but the wrong driver as well. Plus, a lot of people keep dying. I cannot say more than that without spoiling the ending.

Below: Henry Ford II with soon-to-be Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara

Below: Enzo Ferrari

What I have been reading lately #43

Journey to Topaz - Yoshiko Uchida

Journey to Topaz is a novel about a Japanese-American girl named Yuki who is interned along with her family during World War II. I read this book out loud to my class of fifth graders.

Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

This was Arthur Conan Doyle's first collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. Notice that the title does not have the word "the" in it.

I'm Not Scared - Niccolo Ammaniti

This novel is about a boy and his friends growing up in a remote part of Italy during the late 1970s. It is a thriller, and, despite the title, I found it to be very scary.

Shenzhen: A Travelogue From China - Guy Delisle

From the author of Pyongyang and Burma Chronicles, this book is about when Guy Delisle spent some time in China working for an animation studio. It is the last of Delisle's books like this.

The Sign of Four - Arthur Conan Doyle

This is probably my favorite of the Sherlock Holmes novels (as opposed to the story collections). Notice that it only has one "the" in the title.

What I have been reading lately #42

A Dog In a Hat: An American Bike Racer's Story of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium by Joe Parkin

Joe Parkin raced bicycles in Europe (mostly Belgium) in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This book talks about his experience. There are actually fewer stories about performance-enhancing drugs than I had expected and more stories about outright cheating. For example, I did not know that in small kermis races it is (or, at least, was) common for riders in the final stages of the race to makes deals with and offer money to other riders to be allowed to win. Also, it is (or, at least, was) common for riders to be helped and pushed along by team officials riding in nearby cars when no one was around to see.

Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

Guy Delisle is a French-Canadian animator. He spent a few months working in North Korea for a French animation studio and then wrote a comic book about it. Later on, he went with his wife and child to Burma while his wife was working for Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). He wrote a book about that as well.

What I have been reading lately #41

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood by Alexandra Fuller

Alexandra Fuller (see photo above-- she is the youngest daughter) and her family moved to Rhodesia in the early 1970s. There they attempted to farm and ranch; however, the war for equality and independence being waged by the black majority made it difficult. After the war was over, Fuller and her family left Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and ultimately settled in Zambia.

This book tells the story of her family. It is entertainingly written and quite fascinating. If you are interested in learning more about the white Rhodesians and what it was like to be on the losing side of the war, this would be a good book to read.

With Trotsky in Exile: From Prinkipo to Coyoacan by Jean van Heijenoort

During the 1930s, Jean van Heijenoort (pictured above, second from the right, directly behind Frida Kahlo) served as an assistant, collaborator, secretary, and bodyguard to Leon Trotsky during much of the time the Russian revolutionary leader was in exile in Turkey, France, Norway, and Mexico. This book was written in the 1970s and is based upon van Heijenoort's personal memories and papers as well as some of Trotsky's documents. Despite the fact that van Heijenoort later quietly repudiated Marxism and went on to become a mathematics professor, this book is, on the whole, sympathetic to Trotsky and his struggle.

From reading this book, I learned the following facts:

• Leon Trotsky enjoyed fishing, hunting, and riding horses.
• Trotsky was a non-smoker and did not allow others to smoke in his presence.
• Trotsky was very particular about the pens that he used.
• While he had a very strict schedule of meal times, Trotsky was not at all particular about what he ate.
• The only person around whom Trotsky seemed relaxed was Mexican muralist Diego Rivera.
• Trotsky insisted that the outboard motor for the fishing boat in Turkey be operated strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions.