Onward and Upward

RECENTLY READ - Steve Martin, Born Standing Up

I find that many people who achieve a certain level of fame also maintain a certain level of opacity about the work that it took to get them there. In this, Steve Martin even gets into the battles with fear and insecurity as he built his career on stand up performances, arriving at the conclusion that there is no shortcut to success. A quick read, but a whole lot to take from it.

RECENTLY READ: Rick Rubin: In The Studio by Jake Brown

I wouldn’t call this a book, as much as I would call it a collection of articles. Jake Brown did a LexisNexis search and came up with every article about Rick Rubin, then combined them chronologically into a biography. It might be a stretch to call Jake Brown the author of this book, but I thank him for his time spent researching. 

That said, Rubin’s life is extremely interesting — amazing how he has made a name for himself by forcing artists to focus on the music itself, and stripping away any excess. For a man that has produced so many great records, he makes his job seem easy, though no one else can do it quite like him. Oh, and his favorite record? Back in Black. 

RECENTLY READ: Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

Though it has been hailed as the latest incarnation of the Great American Novel, I think it fits into a more apt subcategory: the decade-spanning American family novel. It might sit next to Joyce Carol Oates’ We Were The Mulvaneys or David James Duncan’s The Brothers K. Franzen really scores with his constantly shifting narrative perspective, and unlike the aforementioned books, it carries into near-present day without missing a beat. Outstanding book. 

RECENTLY READ: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

Great, quick read that changed the way I exercise. While I haven’t entirely adopted the methods of the Tarahumara, reading about the natural movement of the foot and its interaction with the heel and the knee has caused me to change my stride for the better, eliminating nagging knee pain. Enough about that — the book was entertaining and continued my interest in reading more great pieces about the outdoors. 

RECENTLY READ - Chuck Hogan, Prince of Thieves

This book, a lightning quick read, is the story that Ben Affleck bought and eventually turned into The Town. A highly entertaining read, it was interesting to see how much they had to cut out to streamline the novel into a feature film. Simple, quick action. 

RECENTLY READ: City of Thieves by David Benioff

I can’t remember the last book I stayed up till 2 in the morning to finish. Amanda Peet’s husband weaves a playful, gripping tale about two young men from besieged Stalingrad in search of eggs. So much lurking beneath the surface, and an ending sequence that barrels forward as if Benioff wrote screenplays (he does).

RECENTLY READ - The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry

This book is like a Springsteen song set in Texas - all the teens are trying to get out of their small town in any way possible. An very fun read - makes me excited that McMurtry visits these characters again in Texasville, Duane’s Depressed, and his most recent, Rhino Ranch.

RECENTLY READ - Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Take it from a chef who got into the kitchen because of the abundance of cocaine and women - restaurant life is wild. I was pleasantly surprised at what a great writer Bourdain is. If you have seen his show, it will feel like he dictated the thing in his nervy, hyperbolic style. Not so much a book as a collection of essays, Bourdain pulls the curtain back on what really goes on behind the line. A fun read, my first on the Kindle.

RECENTLY READ - Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

Hands down the best book I have read all year. Enger’s writing reminds me of another favorite, David James Duncan. He spins a riveting story around characters that are full of flaws and full of life, and leads them on a journey that seeks to expose the bonds of family and faith itself. Can’t say enough good things about this one, so I will stop trying. Read it.

RECENTLY READ - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I saw this on the counter at my in-laws’ house and started turning the first few pages. A few hours later, I was done. This book managed to keep me entertained despite the clunky way that Scandinavian languages translate, Larsson’s horrible understanding of technology, cliched and absolutely unbelievable plot twists, and a terribly weak ending to segue into the next book. I suppose that qualifies as a success.

RECENTLY READ - Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

I have always thought that Scandinavian languages translate a bit awkwardly, but this translation of Per Petterson’s work makes the language shimmer. The story of a man trying to unravel his father’s identity through memory is a compelling study on why we remember what we do, especially as children. An excellent read, and absolutely worthy of the praise it has received.

RECENTLY READ - Dirty Work by Larry Brown

I am almost out of Larry Brown books to read, and they just keep getting better. I am going to have to re-read Big Bad Love to see if it holds at the end of this.

Dirty Work is basically a transcription of a conversation between two horrifically wounded Vietnam vets one night in a VA hospital. They talk about their lives, the war, the women they have been with, and why God does certain things to people. I laughed out loud several times at their jokes and was absolutely stunned by the shocking conclusion. This is one of those books that takes a while to process.

Pat Conroy was dead on when he said “Larry Brown writes like a force of nature.”

RECENTLY READ - A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe

I tried to ignore the seething criticism that it seems most of the literary community has for Tom Wolfe, calling his style “elevated journalism” rather than true novel writing. I think ignoring this made me really enjoy this book.

I grew up in Atlanta and found that Charlie Croker is the combination of several Southern business men I knew. Also, I couldn’t help but think of T. Boone Pickens the entire time. Very enjoyable read, and interesting character studies on both ends of the economic spectrum.

RECENTLY READ - Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje

Ondaatje’s latest deals with memory, and how we can alter our own. Fascinating story of a blended California family dealing with a sudden act of violence, then veers off into a slighty disjointed, less fascinating story about a French writer. Still, Ondaatje manages to draw enough parallels to make the stories make sense, even if they are a little uneven.