Recent Reads

6. The Sixth Extinction
This Pulitzer Prize winner for General Nonfiction (2015) was my book club selection this month, and I listened to the audiobook, which is really well narrated by Anne Twomey.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari was my absolute favorite book last year, so I was primed to read this one. This non-fiction science book briefly covers the major and minor extinction cycles that have occured over the life of the planet, as well as current theories as to what caused them. The book is divided into 13 chapters, and each chapter deals with a specific current extinction, or near extinction, event.

I loved the dots that this book connected for me. I loved that this current extinction cycle (clearly caused by Sapiens) is discussed in the context of the very long history of the planet. I loved learning about things I had no idea about, annual coral reef sex orgies comes to mind, and was saddened to learn about some of the species that have gone the way of the Dodo in my lifetime. I loved the science and learning about some scientists I knew nothing about. There is so much covered here, but all in a very accessible, easy to read manner.

I am surprised that I was left with a feeling of hope at the end of this book. Not because I think that Humans will halt or reverse the processes we have put into play, but rather because after we become extinct, life will continue to find a way. Context is everything. I highly recommend this one. Rating: 5 stars.

7. Evidence: The Art of Candy Jernigan
I am fascinated by how creative people see, experience, and document their encounters with life. Some people write, others draw, or sketch, or take photographs, or write haiku. The author uses the ephemera from her life and travels, and collects them in her journals and art pieces. It seems that nothing misses her attention - receipts, toilet paper, drug vials, tickets, food and drinks, etc. This book is like holding an art installation of the author's work in your hands.

This is the second time I've looked through this book, and her work always inspires me to see, not just look, at all the flotsam of my life. Rating: 4 stars.

8. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days
This volume collects issues #16-19.

Kamala Khan is drowning her sorrows with way too many hot dogs, when she finds out her brother has been kidnapped by the evil, yet incredibly handsome, Kamran. And if that weren't enough, the End of Days are nigh! Good thing she gets a helping hand from Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, herself. What does the future hold in store?

This is my least favorite of the series so far. There is very little plot, though the art is back to being really good again. There are some fun parts, and I loved the scene Kamala has with her mother, but overall, I found this one rather preachy and boring.

The book ends with a couple of issues of Amazing Spiderman, which is pure padding in my opinion. Don't care that Kamala meets up with Spider Man. Different universe, of which I am not a fan, so skimmed that section.

Hopefully, the next run of this comic will get back to the roots of the Kamala story, which is what drew me here in the first place. Rating: 2 stars.

9. Trashed
How many of us think about what happens to the trash we leave out on the curb each week, let alone think about the people who take away said trash?

This graphic novel is part memoir, part fiction, and part non-fiction. The author was a garbage man for a couple of years, and in this book he compiles his "best hits" of stories from that period in his life. He mixes in lots of factual information about garbage statics, much of which is sobering, and way worse than even I had imagined.

This book should be getting higher marks from me. I really liked the art, there are amusing and horrifying vignettes shared, and the facts alone are worth the price of admission, but somehow I found the lack of an overall cohesiveness something that bothered me. The author does state that what started out as a memoir, did not have enough material, so he flushes it out with the data, and therein lies the problem. The books feels like two projects mashed together, with all the seams showing and distracting. Still, I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to understand more about garbage, and that should really be all of us. Rating: 3 stars.

10. Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them
I'm the only one of my siblings without a tattoo, and I'm supposedly the most unconventional one of the lot. Go figure. It's not that I have anything against tats in particular, it's just that I cannot imagine what I'd ink on my body that I would still love a decade from now. I see many people with tats, and I'm always curious as to the story of how they picked that particular design. There are tats I find attractive, and ones I'm horrified by, and when everyone and their mother seems to have one, the notion of tats do not seem that radical, or anti-establishment to me. But, that is just my opinion.

This little book is a collection of artist sketches/paintings of tattoos that people (some famous, some not) have inked on their bodies, and the stories behind them. I liked the art, and it did help me understand and appreciate the reasoning behind the urge to get one. However, this is a collection of images/stories that was compiled from a blog, and I found myself wanting more. Still, it is a fun, quick read for anyone who has a tattoo or two, or anyone interested in reading about the stories behind some of them. Rating: 3 stars.

I love graphic novels

I read comics as a kid, but other than a couple of good ones, most of them were ridiculous and not very interesting, so I am delighted at the wonderful variety of comics available today. I find them at mainstream bookstores and my library, and while I don't love each comic I read, just having access to so many of them makes me quite happy.

If you have not read a comic since you were a kid, do give try them again. Some of the best writing out there today is in comic format.

10 ways to have a better conversation | Celeste Headlee (Video)

I know I am not alone in thinking that all our ever present technology has had the downside of making people poor conversationalists, so this is a wonderful and timely talk.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Journal pages

Rainy days are perfect for playing with art supplies. I am loving my new DIY leather traveler's notebook that I made last month. It just makes me happy.

The pen and watercolor art is inspired by Scott C. I recently flipped through his book, The Great Showdowns, and I quite like his whimsical style of drawing.

Click on image to view larger.

Cinemascope: The Contender

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.




Released in 2003.

Plot line: When the sitting Vice President dies, Senator Laine Hanson is chosen by the President to be the first woman to hold the office. The selection meets with opposition from members of both parties, in particular a powerful political adversary who will seemingly stop at nothing to discredit her. Her confirmation hearings set off a firestorm of controversy as shocking secrets from Hanson's past are revealed, threatening her personal life as well as her political future.

I can barely stand to watch any of the presidential debates or hoopla, so decided to watch a movie that I have loved each and every time I've watched it. And I still do. This is a fantastic political thriller that explores many important issues, and the cast and acting is superb.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Happy International Women's Day (Video)

Here's to Strong Women,
May we know them,
May we raise them,
May we be them.
- Anon.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Recent Reads

1. Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1)
This book is a perfect example of why one should not judge a book by its cover, and I honestly have to wonder if all the rave reviewers are reading the same book!

The basic premise sounded promising, but what grabbed my attention was the creative way the authors decided to tell this story. It plays out as a case file with audio and video transcripts, emails, memos, IMs, ship schematics, journal entries, and my fave, wonderful space images.

Unfortunately, the writing is not great, the plot is rather ridiculous, the characters were flat and had no personality at all, and to top it all off, there is a teen romance thing that made me want to barf. I've said this before, and I'll say it again, it takes a very talented writer to make someone else's romantic mushing not be barf inducing to people not in the relationship, and unfortunately, the authors did not succeed here.

Okay, so they did not nail the teen romance thing, but what about the ships in space thing, or the Artificial Intelligence thing, or the wormholes thing, or, or, or... Honestly, I was bored for much of this one, and kept putting the book down to do others things, and if it had not been for the creative manner the story was packaged, this would have gone into my DNF pile. This one is targeted at the young adult reader, and maybe it plays better for that age group.

I've added an additional star for creativity, but I'll not be picking up the rest of this trilogy. Rating: 2 stars.

2. Hurry Up and Wait
"How long can we stay here?
We hurry around for a while and then it's time to go.
Time to go. Everybody says it. Time to go.

And then we do."

I love art collaborations, and this book is the result of a collab between Maira Kalman (an author whose work I adore), Daniel Handler (a.k.a Lemony Snicket), and The Museum of Modern Art.

You've got to be in the right frame of mind to really get into this one. This little volume has text, paintings, and photographs, and if you really take it slowly, really read and let the text sink in, really look at the photographs and paintings, you cannot help but have a better understanding and appreciation of humanity, time, and this ephemeral thing called life.

I read someplace that this is the second such collab, and have already ordered the first book. Rating: 4 stars.

3. The Blue Whale
The natural world is fascinating, and this wonderful non-fiction picture book would make a great read/read aloud book for both kids and adults. The illustrations in this book are beautiful, and the factual text is conveyed in a simple, straightforward, and entertaining manner. I learned some stuff along the way as well, and would highly recommend this one if you have young readers in your home. Rating: 4 stars.

4. SuperMutant Magic Academy
Let me start this review by saying that I'm not a fan of the short story format. Why does that matter? Because this book is a collection of connected comic strips. Each page is a single vignette of life as experienced by a group of teens in their final years of high school. Yes, it is boarding school, and the kids are all mutants in some manner, but first and foremost they are teens, so prepare to wallow in vats of teen angst.

The mostly black and white art is really sketchy, which I did love it, but I think the author wonderfully captured the humor, anger, moodiness, and snarkiness of that age group. I read some place that is book is a collection of her web comics, and as with any anthology, there are some pieces that are fantastic and others that were merely OK. Still, the ones that are fantastic are breathtakingly on point, and I would highly recommend this one for older teens. Rating: 3 stars.

5. Daily Painting: Paint Small and Often To Become a More Creative, Productive, and Successful Artist
Having just completed of a daily sketching challenge in December, I'm already familiar with the concept of daily painting. This book was not what I expected it to be, and in that the fault is all mine. It does have some interesting background about the author and the Daily Painting blog/meme, but much of the book pertained to oil painting, which is not something I do. However, there are some general tips on composition, value, and color mixing that I found very helpful, and the art throughout is lovely. Rating: 2 stars.

Recent Reads

193. Gaijin: American Prisoner of War

Book blurb: With a white mother and a Japanese father, Koji Miyamoto quickly realizes that his home in San Francisco is no longer a welcoming one after Pearl Harbor is attacked.

I do believe this is the first graphic novel I've read that portrayed the Japanese interment camps, and explored some of what Japanese Americans endured right after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This is an important part of American history, and Koji's coming of age angst weaves well into the historical backdop. The art in this book is wonderful, but ultimately, I was frustrated at the lack of depth in this story - it merely skims the surface. Given that this is a graphic novel targeted at middle grade readers, I guess that makes sense, but this adult reader wanted more.

That being said, this graphic memoir/historical fiction book be a good introduction to this history for kids and adults alike. Rating: 3 stars.

194. George
"When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl."

This middle grade book gently introduces young readers to some of the challenges faced by transgender kids. It's an important book, and while it will be life changing for some kids who see themselves in these pages, I hope that it might lead to some understanding and empathy in non-transgender kids, which is equally important.

This is a sweet and sometimes heartbreaking story of a young kid who is struggling with how the world sees and assigns gender. The plot line around a play of Charlotte's Web is a lovely device. The language is simple, non-flowery, non-preachy, and not very nuanced (recall that the target audience is 8-12 years old). The audiobook is well narrated by Jaime Clayton, who has a voice that does not direct the reader into any particular gender assumptions.

This one made me smile, and nod, and cry. Yes, this is about a transgender kid, but if you have ever not measured up for any reason at all, this one will make you hug your inner five year old tightly. Rating: 4 stars.

195. Urban Sketching and Painting
I've recently discovered these pocket edition art books, and they are fun and small enough to travel with. This one has examples of how you could capture an urban scene in your sketchbook using various media, and has tips and tricks that are fun. I think I would have gotten more out of it had I actually tried some of the exercises, and I can see revisiting this one again at a later date and doing just that. Rating: 3 stars.

196. Lowriders in Space
Book blurb: Lupe Impala, El Chavo Flapjack, and Elirio Malaria love working with cars. You name it, they can fix it. But the team's favorite cars of all are lowriders—cars that hip and hop, dip and drop, go low and slow, bajito y suavecito.

I'm in search of comics that my 11 year old nephew might like, and that's what got me here. I honestly think I might be too old for this one. Lupe is an anthropomorphic fox, Elirio is a mosquito, and Falpjack is an octopus, and the three of them work in a garage and have dreams of opening up their own joint someday. Hoping to win a car competition with a large cash prize, the three amigos(as?) fix up an old junker while traveling around in space - comets, asteroids, Saturn's rings, etc. are used to detail the car.

I liked the sketchy artwork, the liberal use of Spanish, and the fact that Lupe (the girl foxy one) does not have typical gender roles (but, then she's a fox in tight clothes that show off her curves...). Anyways, just not for me. And suddenly I feel rather old. Rating: 2 stars.

197. Nature Anatomy
Can you put aside your adult self for a little while and get back in touch with your 8 to 12 year old self? Remember that fascination with the world around you? Remember being blown away by things you learned every day in Science class? Reading this book was kinda like that.

It is an illustrated guide of the natural (mostly North American) world, and the art is colorful and whimsical. If you are looking for an in depth scientific discourse look elsewhere, but if you are interested in reawakening that wonder you felt as a kid, get a copy of this one, and share it with kids, and other nature lovers in your circles.

I loved this book. Not only did it make me want to get outside with my sketch book and art supplies, but I learned things I did not know, and recalled with delight things I once did. This lovely book interweaves art and science, and reminds us about the wonders of the natural world, whether in large national parks, or small potted gardens. Rating: 5 stars.

198. Ōoku: The Inner Chambers, Vol. 1
Book blurb: In Edo period Japan, a strange new disease called the Red Pox has begun to prey on the country's men. Within eighty years of the first outbreak, the male population has fallen by seventy-five percent. Women have taken on all the roles traditionally granted to men, even that of the Shogun. The men, precious providers of life, are carefully protected. And the most beautiful of the men are sent to serve in the Shogun's Inner Chamber...

Holy smokes, but how have I not heard about this manga series before? And why has HBO not made this into a TV show?

I love the premise, and while the notion of a world dominated by women is not an original one, this one is uniquely set in Edo period Japan. I love the setting, the world building, the characters, and the twists and turns of the story, and am delighted to have nine more books in this series to look forward to. The exploration of reversed gender roles/norms is wonderfully done, and there are interesting nuggets of Japanese culture I picked up along that way. The women characters in this one rock, and oh, did I mention that the author is a woman? So many of my boxes get ticked with this one.

Now, this should have been a 5 star read for me, however I did not love the translation. I get that the speech patterns were formal in that period of time, but the way it is translated into English is actually distracting. Also, I did not love the art, and sometimes had a tough time distinguishing between the various pretty boys. Still, on a different day I might have well ignored these flaws and given it a higher rating.

The book is labeled for Young Adults, and comes with parental warning on the cover. I'd recommend it for mature 16+ readers. If I had to come up with a one line description, I'd say think of this one as Game of Thrones with Samurai. Rating: 4 stars.

199. Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide
This is a collection of essays about the author's time as a Botswana Safari Guide. To say these are essays is a bit of stretch. Each piece is about a page or two long, and while there are really funny anecdotes, it started to get a bit repetitive and rather too fluffy for my tastes. We started reading this one aloud this summer, and after about the first five to seven vignettes or so, lost interest in picking it back up again. So onto the DNF pile it goes. Rating: 1 star.

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And that brings us to the end of all the books I read in 2015. It was a really good year. You can see my top ten reads of the year here. Please do let me know what your faves reads of the year were as well. Happy reading!

Cinemascope: The Knick (Season 1)

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.

Released in 2014.

Plot line: Set in downtown New York in 1900 - The Knick is a groundbreaking new scripted drama from Oscar® and Emmy®-winning director Steven Soderbergh starring Oscar® nominee Clive Owen, who also received a Golden Globe nomination for this series. The Knick centers on the Knickerbocker Hospital (dubbed The Knick), which faces a major upheaval due to poor finances and an exodus of wealthy patients. The one remaining star is Dr. Thackery (played by Clive Owen) who along with the hospital staff of surgeons, nurses and other personnel must struggle to keep both themselves and the hospital going.

I binge watched this series over a couple of days. It is so good. If you are fan of historical fiction, period pieces, or medical dramas, you'll love this one too. The issues addressed are really diverse, and I  love everything about it.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a TV series worth watching.

Recent Reads

188. The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion
Oh, but I am so conflicted about this one. It's a five star idea in two star packaging.

I love so much the basic premise of this book: follow your bliss; be you. What's not to love about the notion of the crossroads of Should and Must? Shoulds are usually externally motivated, while Musts are usually a cry from our authentic self. This book does have some useful exercises and tips, and is a quick read, so I would recommend it to anyone interested in living a life that is fulfilling. Umm, wouldn't that be everyone you ask? Well, yes, but set your expectations appropriately for the hour and a half it will take to read it is all I'm saying. Rating: 3 stars.

189. A Christmas Carol
I listened to the a full cast audio production by the Voices in the Wind Audio Theatre.

This story need no introduction or recap as everyone has either read the book or watched multiple adaptations of it. I hadn't read the book since my school years, and it was interesting to see how much of the actual story got overwritten by the various adaptations I've seen over the years. The original story is so worth going back and reading again. Classic Dickens. Bah Humbug! Rating: 4 stars.

190. Bone, Vol. 1: Out from Boneville
Book blurb: After being run out of Boneville, the three Bone cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, are separated and lost in a vast uncharted desert. Collects issues #1-6.

This is my first foray into this highly rated graphic novel series, and I must confess that I'm at a loss as to what all the fuss is about. There are some cute illustrations, and some fun plot points, but overall this one left me cold. I've already got the next book in the series checked out from my library, though am not sure I care enough to read it. Rating: 1 star.

191. Drawing For Painters
This slim volume is full of wonderful tips and inspiration. No long winded writing, just simple examples of how to improve your drawing. This book gets the rating it does because I simply read it and did not do the exercises in the book - not a fault of the authors - and I can see going back and re-reading this one with art supplies in hand at a future date. Rating: 3 stars.

192. The Ultimate Alphabet
This is a fun book to have around when you've got a group of people gathered. It is puzzle book of sorts; a Where's Waldo for an older crowd.

What is it exactly? It is a fun alphabet book, but nothing like the ones we used as kids. In this one the author/artist illustrates each letter of the alphabet with paintings of hundreds of objects that all begin with that particular letter, and the objective is to see how close you can come to finding/naming all the objects painted. This would be a fun book for both older teens and adults, especially if there is a competitive streak in the group. Rating: 3 stars.

Cinemascope: Whiplash

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.

Released in 2014.

Plot line: A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.

This movie is difficult to watch, and I was tense almost the entire time. It is a story of passion, and music, and commitment, and drive, and the relationship between a teacher and a student. It asks if you have passion, and what you are willing to do for that passion. And where is the line between a teacher pushing a student to be the best that he can be, and abuse? Tough questions, a really good story, and the acting is simply superb.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

One Little Word 2016

This post is a little late this year, but I've been focused on my One Little Word since the start of the year.

If you read my blog, you know that rather than make resolutions, I pick a word each year. I've discovered that having a word as a focus, shapes my year dramatically. I am affected physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually in unexpected ways.

Past years:
2008: Health and Wealth
2009: Passion
2010: Connect
2011: Explore
2012: Light

2013: Begin

2014: Cultivate

My word for 2015 was Capture, and each month I paired my word with the Capture Your 365 photo project. It turned out to be a great word for me last year, and I learned much about myself, and I noticed so many of the little details that make my life mine. You can see the photos I captured last year on Flickr or Instagram.

My word for 2016 is STRETCH. Here are some facets that excite me:

Grow| Expand| Change form| Stretch out| Lengthen| Movement| Adapt

I wanted to take a moment to thank those of you who read along, share your journey, and inspire me. May 2016 be the best year yet.

Recent Reads

183. Friends With Boys
After years of homeschooling, Maggie is about to start High School. Oh, and her mother went walkabout, and the only people she knows in this school are her brothers, and she has to learn to navigate physical, social and emotional hurdles. And if that weren't enough, she is being haunted by a ghost.

This graphic novel is targeted at the tween/teen crowd, and can be summed up in on word: Cute. Will be recommending it to my nieces and nephews. Rating: 3 stars.

184. The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help
Book blurb: Part manifesto, part revelation, this is the story of an artist struggling with the new rules of exchange in the twenty-first century, both on and off the Internet. THE ART OF ASKING will inspire readers to rethink their own ideas about asking, giving, art, and love.

Well, color me pleasantly surprised and rather stunned. I did not know much about Amanda Palmer going into this one. Sure, I'd watched and loved her TED talk, and that lead to me listening to some of her music, much of which is not to my taste, but the ones that are, are incredible. And really, who needs another celebrity memoir? Well, me it turns out.

This is breathtakingly honest, and open, and not only am I an Amanda Palmer fan, but through her writing, I even like her husband, Neil Gaiman, more. What is going on? This is a very feminist, artistic exploration of what art means to both the artist and the audience. It is an exploration of life, and love, and the difference between begging and asking. It is an exploration of vulnerability, and trusting other humans and yourself, and also about the business of art. It is an exploration of the best and the worst of what the internet can enable, and seriously makes me want to hug random strangers.

I listened to the audiobook, which is superbly (why am I still surprised?) narrated by the author, and there are songs and music interludes, which add an extra punch to the book.

So, while I started writing this review with a 4 star rating in mind, I realize that is simply not enough. And dang it, but I think I've just become another Amanda Palmer bot. How did that happen? Rating: 5 stars.

185. A World of Artist Journal Pages: 1000+ Artworks - 230 Artists - 30 Countries
This book is a collection of photos of art journal pages from journals around the world - 230 artists from 30 countries to be precise. As one would expect with a collection like this one, there is wide range of styles represented, and I certainly liked some better than others. If you are a fan of art journaling, this is a fun book to dip into when looking for some inspiration. Rating: 3 stars.

186. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152
My 11 year old nephew, Jonah, is a fan of comics, so I've been reading several middle grade ones to sample what might interest him.

Reading this graphic novel just made me happy. It is the story of mice and mousey things. There is intrigue, and murder, and betrayal, though the plot is a little weak. Think of this as a much watered down Game of Thrones for mice. The art though is sumptuous, and is really the main attraction here. My nephew started reading this one, and is liking it so far. Rating: 3 stars.

187. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
"This is the best book I've read in my whole entire life. You must read it." That's what my 13 year old nephew, Luke, said to me the other day on a book buying trip. Well, how could I not read it after such a recommendation?

Edward Tulane is a rather vain china rabbit, who is much loved and admired, as he should be, in his opinion. Events are about to turn his world upside down, and he encounters situations and people who change him in unexpected ways.

I read this short, sweet novel in one sitting on a flight recently. Sure, there are incredible coincidences, and plot points that stretch an adult's sense of what is possible, but then again this is a book written for middle grade readers. This is a great read during the Christmas season, while we are surrounded by all the conspicuous consumption, to remind us of what really matters. Rating: 4 stars.

Recent Reads

179. American Vampire, Vol. 2
Book blurb: It’s Las Vegas circa 1935, and Skinner Sweet and our gal Pearl are about to learn the hard way that the bloodsuckers in Hollywood were nothing compared to what awaits them in Sin City. This volume collects issues #6-11.

I really like how this vampire story almost reads like historical fiction. A vampire nest in Vegas? Sure explains much no? I liked this one better than the first volume, though am still not enamored with the art style. We spend time with some new characters, and I really like the way actual historical events are woven into the plot. A fun and bloody read. Rating: 3 stars.

180. Exit Wounds
Book blurb: Set in modern-day Tel Aviv, a young man, Koby Franco, receives an urgent phone call from a female soldier. Learning that his estranged father may have been a victim of a suicide bombing in Hadera, Koby reluctantly joins the soldier in searching for clues.

The blurb above is what attracted me to this graphic novel, but unfortunately it did not really work for me. I'm not a fan of the art, and while I found the setting of Israel interesting, the story itself did not pull me in. There is no real emotional depth or pacing to this story, and the characters all seemed like cardboard cutouts who moved about the scenery. My fave parts were actually ones that showcased Koby's uncle and aunt, who are members of the supporting cast. Rating: 2 stars.

181. The Marvels
Book blurb: Two seemingly unrelated stories - one in words, the other in pictures - come together. The illustrated story begins in 1766 with Billy Marvel, the lone survivor of a shipwreck, and charts the adventures of his family of actors over five generations. The prose story opens in 1990 and follows Joseph, who has run away from school to an estranged uncle's puzzling house in London, where he, along with the reader, must piece together many mysteries.

Don't let the almost 700 page count scare you away, as you can finish this book in one or two sittings. The first more than half of the book is like a picture book, no text, just wonderfully detailed black and white drawings. The story unfolds, ebbs and flows, and slowly, deliciously, a story forms in your head. The next section/story is all text, and while I liked it, I did not love it as much, though it is a really fast read, and important puzzle pieces fall into place. In the final section, we are back to the black and white drawings, and seriously people, if you find yourself not moved, you are probably one of those living dead.

These books are targeted at a tween/teen audience, and while this is the first book I've read by the author, it will not be the last. Rating: 4 stars.

182. Trillium
This graphic novel has some of everything: science fiction, romance, first contact, dystopia, and mythology. Our main characters are Nika Temsith, a botanist in the year 3797, and William Pike, an explorer in the year 1921. Oh, then there is the lost Lost Temple of the Incas. And a blue Goddess. Their paths will cross and they will affect each other in unimaginable ways. OK, I just realized that I cannot explain this one adequately, so you'll just have to read it.

One of the really wonderful things about the formatting of this graphic novel, is that sometimes you read the normal way, sometimes you have to read backwards, and other times you have to hold the book upside down. The story is a little on the weak side, and the Lemire draws his characters so they all look the same to me - thank goodness for differently colored hair, and clothing! Still, there is a wonderful freshness and poignancy to this one, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Rating: 4 stars.

Cinemascope: He Named Me Malala

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.

Released in 2015.

Plot line: After the Taliban tries to kill her for speaking out on behalf of girls' education, Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai emerges as a leading advocate for children's rights and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

This documentary about Malala is done in an interesting way - it uses interviews, photos, and animated art to tell her story. As a documentary, it has flaws for sure, but it is hard not to come away inspired and heartened after watching this one. Girl power indeed. 

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Why people believe they can’t draw - and how to prove they can | Graham Shaw (Video)

This just makes me happy. Pick up some paper and a pen and watch this entertaining TED talk.

Why is it that so many people think they can’t draw? Where did we learn to believe that? Graham Shaw will shatter this illusion – quite literally - in a very practical way. He’ll demonstrate how the simple act of drawing has the power to make a positive difference in the world.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Recent Reads

175. The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss
The author inherits a "small and exquisite collection of netsuke. Entranced by their beauty and mystery, he determined to trace the story of his family through the story of the collection."

I decided to listen to the audiobook, which is well narrated by Michael Maloney, on a recent road trip. This book is part memoir, part biography, part history, part sociology, part travel writing, and part art history, and is nothing like I expected it to be.

As the book unfolds, we learn about the netsukes, about the wealthy Ephrussis family, about how members of this family intersect with the artists and royals of their time in Paris and Vienna. Then the Anschluss and World War 2 changes the family's fortunes and futures in ways that were incomprehensible and heartbreaking. And through all these times, we follow the netsukes as they move from one location to another, to another.

This should have been a 5 star read for me, but the entire middle of this book was rather dry and boring, I simply did not care enough about the family and their links to various famous people. It started out well, and I'm so glad I did not bail in the middle, because the sections of the book starting with WW2 and the final several hours of the book are brilliant.

I found parts of this book fascinating, and I really liked the exploration of the legacy of objects passed down through the family. Still, this will not be for everyone, and is not one I'd recommend. Rating: 3 stars.

176. The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2)
The audiobook is well narrated by Robert Glenister, but about 37% of the way through I find myself bored and uninterested in where this story is going. So bailing before I waste any more time on this one. Not for me. Rating: 1 star.

177. American Vampire, Vol. 1
This graphic novel volume collects issues #1-5.

I love vampire stories. Correction, I love gritty, Anne-Rice-style vampire stories. None of these ones that glitter in sunlight for me, thank you very much, so was delighted to discover this series.

The story unfolds via multiple story lines, the American Wild West, and Los Angeles in the 1920s, and recounts the origin story of the American vampire.

This should have been fantastic, but the story and art is not quite fully developed enough for my tastes. Still, a fun, if bloody (doesn't that go without saying?) story, and I've already got the next one in the series started. Rating: 3 stars.

178. Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie, A Tale of Love and Fallout
This book is an illustrated biography of Pierre and Marie Curie, and be forewarned that the cover art glows in , the dark. It took me several moments to realize that I was not experiencing a paranormal event one dark night.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Marie Currie is someone I have been fascinated with since I was a kid, and it was fun to read about her again, and learn quite a few new interesting nuggets in the process. The art in this book is wonderfully evocative - ghostly and luminous, but towards the latter half of the book, there was almost too much text, and muddling of the main story line. Still, I liked it, and will certainly be reading other books by this author. Rating: 3 stars.

Elizabeth Lev: The unheard story of the Sistine Chapel (Video)

This TED talk hits all my sweet spots - a fun combination of art, history, travel and passion. Pour yourself a hot (or cold) beverage and enjoy.

The Sistine Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings on earth — but there's a lot you probably don't know about it. In this tour-de-force talk, art historian Elizabeth Lev guides us across the famous building's ceiling and Michelangelo's vital depiction of traditional stories, showing how the painter reached beyond the religious iconography of the time to chart new artistic waters. Five hundred years after the artist painted it, says Lev, the Sistine Chapel forces us to look around as if it were a mirror and ask, "Who am I, and what role do I play in this great theater of life?"



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Cinemascope: A Little Chaos

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.




Released in 2014.

Plot line: In 17th-century France, King Louis XIV's chief landscape architect (Matthias Schoenaerts) makes an unusual decision to hire a woman (Kate Winslet) to create a lavish garden at Versailles.

I'm a Kate Winslet fan, so will watch anything she does. This one has the late Alan Rickman, who also directs. I'll be the first to admit that this movie does not live up to its potential, but the setting is lovely, and I love the feminist themes in it. If you are in the mood for a slow period piece, give this one a try.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

I Am NOT Black, You are NOT White. (Video)

Something we all know but so often forget.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Recent Reads

171. The Song of Achilles
What you need to know about me before you read this review is that I am huge fan of Greek mythology and the Trojan Wars in particular. When there was a chance we would not be able to take a tour of Troy on a recent trip to Turkey, I was ready to declare war myself.

Now to this particular book. I'd read such rave reviews about this one that I was actually leery of picking it up. That so many people rated this book so highly makes me wonder if we read the same book.

This is the story of the Trojan War from Patroclus' point of view. He meets Achilles at a young age, and soon the boys become tightly bonded, and it is not a spoiler to say, then lovers. I liked how the author creatively filled in some of the gaps in the original story, but the writing is not good, the characters bland, and the story rather boring. How one makes the Trojan War boring is something that still stuns me. This read like a cross between a sappy romance and chick-lit novel, and while I liked how it started, the only reason I did not bail after about 50 pages was because I did enjoy visiting with Achilles, and all the other characters that I know so well.

So, while it won the Orange Prize and is loved by many, I am not the right audience for this book. There are many wonderful books written about the Trojan War, but this was unfortunately not one of them. Rating: 1 star.

172. Travels with Charley: In Search of America
I love travelogues. As Steinbeck says, no two people have the same journey, though our itinerary might be similar. We bring who we are to our travels.

I started this on a long road trip, which by the way is the perfect time to read about the author and his dog taking an American road trip, and the audiobook is well narrated by Ron McClarty.

The writing is direct without any flourishes, and I really loved how the memoir started. However it lost me somewhere about a third of the way through, and then it meandered in a manner that made no sense to me at all. While most pet owners can relate to the long conversations we have with our pets, we at no time share the content of these conversations with others. Steinbeck decides to let us in, and while there are some fun parts, it really sounds like the ramblings of someone who needs to get out more! This was first published in 1962, and the somewhat misogynist overtones did not sit well with me either.Thankfully, the last hour or so of the book gets back on track, but I do confess that the only reason I finished the book was because it was by Steinbeck.

I'd give this a 2.5 star rating, and will round up due to the wonderful opening sections of this story. Rating: 3 stars.

173. The Sketchbook Project World 

Blurb: Destined to go down as one of the era's most astonishing global art projects, the Brooklyn Art Library's Sketchbook Project has, in less than a decade, amassed more than thirty thousand sketchbooks submitted by people of all ages and artistic abilities from more than 130 countries.

Books like this just make me happy. This book is a curated set of pages from this project, and it makes me happy thinking about the wonderful ways people are creative all over the world. Yes, you could go online and look at the digitized pages, and I'd recommend that you do that, but sometimes you just want to hold a book in hand while you sip a beverage of you choice.

Not for everyone, but if you keep a sketchbook, or want to, check this one out and see if you don't get inspired to pull out your art supplies too. Rating: 4 stars.

174. The Sketchnote Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Visual Note Taking
Book Blurb: This gorgeous, fully illustrated handbook tells the story of sketchnotes--why and how you can use them to capture your thinking visually, remember key information more clearly, and share what you've captured with others.

There are things I liked about this book, and things I did not. I am a really good note taker (not bragging, this is just a fact), and I refer to my notes often. I am however not a visual note taker. I do not have sketches or diagrams in my notes. Arrows, and some key notations yes, but my pages do not look like a sketched flow chart.

This book highlights some of the various way to incorporate flows and sketches into your note taking, and if that works for you, or is something you'd like to try, this might be the perfect book for you. I found it too short and way too repetitive, though I did agree with the general premise, and liked the various example styles shown. Rating: 2 stars.

An Underwater Art Museum, Teeming with Life (Video)

So many things about these art installations make me happy.

For sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, the ocean is more than a muse — it's an exhibition space and museum. Taylor creates sculptures of human forms and mundane life on land and sinks them to the ocean floor, where they are subsumed by the sea and transformed from lifeless stone into vibrant habitats for corals, crustaceans and other creatures. The result: Enigmatic, haunting and colorful commentaries about our transient.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Cinemascope: Mr. Holmes

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.

Released in 2015.

Plot line: Long-retired and near the end of his life, Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) grapples with an unreliable memory and must rely on his housekeeper's son as he revisits the still-unsolved case that led to his retirement.

I so enjoyed this quiet movie about an aging Sherlock Holmes. If you are Sherlock fan, you might take issue with the time frame of the movie, but honestly, I didn't care on whit about that. I quite liked the notion of an older Sherlock, who is struggling with early stages of Alzheimer's, and how the various threads in the story come together. If you are fan of period pieces, give this one a try.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

2015 December Daily Art Project (Video)

I had challenged myself to create art every day in the December, and I did it. As usual I love some pages in my journal better than others, but overall, am so pleased with the creative process and results. Below is a video of the completed pages and the supplies used. I'll be posting individual page photos with write ups in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for that.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Recent Reads

167. Supreme: Blue Rose
This volume collects Issues #1-7.

I'll be the first to admit that most of the time I was reading this graphic novel I was clueless as to what was going on. There seemed to be stories within stories, and multiverses, but somehow I simply got lost, and could not find my bearings. Is that what the authors intended? So, not one I'd recommend, though I did find the art interesting. Rating: 2 stars.

168. The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition
Stephen King's novels are something of a tradition for me. I start and end each sailing season by listening to one of his novels, and they bookend my favorite seasons of the year. So, here we are at the end of the November, and I'm another King down.

I've heard about The Stand for ages, and have been saving it. What for? I sure as heck do not know, but clearly it was the right book right now. I decided to go with the audiobook of The Complete and Uncut Edition - might as get the full King effect right? The book is narrated by Grover Gardner, and he gets five stars for this one, which clocked in at just under fifty hours.

What's it about? A super flu wipes out most of the people in the United States, and probably the world. The survivors in the US are gathering into two large groups, and a show-down of sorts is in the cards.

I love how King writes. He is a natural yarn spinner, and he skillfully creates people and situations that grab a hold of you, and don't let go. I love how he weaves supernatural events into the natural world order so seamlessly, that he makes the hairs rise on the back of your neck. The ancient story of Good versus Evil gets the King treatment here.

You know what I did not love? The lack of developed women characters. Every single woman was somehow defined by how fuckable she was to the men around her. What about Mother Abigail you ask? Do not get me started on the "magical negro" trope. So, no interesting women characters, but as least there were women survivors. The same cannot be said for people of color. Sigh.

Clearly I had issues with this one, and it is particularly annoying because King has written wonderful women characters in novels like Dolores Claiborne and Misery. If you have yet to read those, do. Still, this has been a really fun ride, and I enjoyed every minute I was not annoyed with Mr. King, and that is why it gets as high a rating as it does.  Rating: 4 stars.

169. What We See When We Read
Book blurb: A gorgeously unique, fully illustrated exploration into the phenomenology of reading - how we visualize images from reading works of literature. What do we see when we read? Did Tolstoy really describe Anna Karenina? Did Melville ever really tell us what, exactly, Ishmael looked like?

This book clocks in at 425 pages, but don't let that scare you away, and is a must read for anyone who loves to read. It explores what happens in our brains when we read novels, especially as it relates to the characters on the page. How much does the author really tell us, and how is it that we feel like we know certain characters so intimately?

The book itself is chock-full of drawings, maps, diagrams, and images to help illustrate the point the text is making, and it can be read in a couple of sittings, though I took my time with it to let things really sink in. This book made me really think about, and examine how it is that I create worlds and characters in my head, and I have no doubt that this is one that I'll read again once I've had time to marinate on this first reading. Rating: 4 stars. 170. Marvel 1602 Book Blurb: Neil Gaiman presents a unique vision of the Marvel Universe set four hundred years in the past. Classic Marvel icons such as the X-Men, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil appear in this intriguing world of 17th-century science and sorcery, instantly familiar to readers, yest subtly different in this new time. Collects issues #1-8. Holy Molly, but this is such a fun read. I love both historical fiction and graphic novels, and this combines them in such a creative way. Not only do we meet some of the superheros before they they arrived in the Americas, but the story is set in Elizabethan England, and the art is wonderful.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Neil Gaiman rocks the graphic novel genre. Rating: 4 stars.

Adele Carpool Karaoke (Video)

I did some really hard things this week, and this video made me smile. Just what I needed.

While home in London for the holidays, James Corden picks up his friend Adele for a drive around the city singing some of her classic songs before Adele raps Nicki Minaj's "Monster."



If the embedded video does not work, https://youtu.be/Nck6BZga7TQ.

Cinemascope: Mad Max: Fury Road

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.




Released in 2015.

Plot line: Years after the collapse of civilization, the tyrannical Immortan Joe enslaves apocalypse survivors inside the desert fortress the Citadel. When the warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) leads the despot's five wives in a daring escape, she forges an alliance with Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a loner and former captive. Fortified in the massive, armored truck the War Rig, they try to outrun the ruthless warlord and his henchmen in a deadly high-speed chase through the Wasteland.

Remember the Mad Max days of old? Well, this ain't them. The franchise has an updated Cirque du Soleil vibe and effects, and Charlize Theron is wonderful as the bad-ass Furiosa. This movie has great special effects, almost no dialog, and very little in terms of actual plot, but it is a visually fun (if violent) way to spend a couple of hours.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Chris Abani: On humanity (Video)

The power and value of a good storyteller is something we do not often appreciate. This talk moved me and made me cry. A heads up that while there is humor, there he also talks about tough things.

Chris Abani tells stories of people: People standing up to soldiers. People being compassionate. People being human and reclaiming their humanity. It's "ubuntu," he says: the only way for me to be human is for you to reflect my humanity back at me.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Recent Reads

163. Crenshaw
Book blurb: Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

"Imaginary friends are like books. We're created, we're enjoyed, we're dog-eared and creased, an then we're tucked away until we're needed again."

This is a sweet story about a tough topic, and the tone is just right for middle grade (8-12 year old) readers. The chapters are really short, and there is just the right mix of tough stuff and humor, however as an adult reader, I felt at more of a remove from the story.

I would recommend this as a way into exploring these themes with kids, and it would make a good read-aloud/discussion book. Rating: 3 stars.

164. Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova
The world is big.
Anna is small.
The snow is
everywhere
and all around.
But one night . . .

See how wonderfully this picture book for kids starts? I love the idea of biographies that little kids can read, but this one had text that was too bland and boring, especially considering that it was a biography of the ballet star Anna Pavlova. The art however is wonderful and folksy and conveys a fairy tale mood that works well.

I'd rate the text 1 star, and the art 4 stars, so that's a 2.5 average, that I'll round down as I disliked the text so much. Rating: 2 stars.

165. Humans of New York: Stories
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” ― Plato

This book is collection of photos and text lifted from a very popular blog, and I had such fun dipping in over the course of several days. I was reminded of the Plato quote, and found myself falling in love with humanity all over again.

If you have yet to check it out, I would highly recommend the Humans of New York (HONY) blog or Instagram feed to get a daily fix. Rating: 4 stars.

166. An Unnecessary Woman
Book blurb: Aaliya Sohbi lives alone in her Beirut apartment, surrounded by stockpiles of books. Godless, fatherless, divorced, and childless, Aaliya is her family’s "unnecessary appendage.” Every year, she translates a new favorite book into Arabic, then stows it away.

I read this one for my book club, and I don't even think I can put into words how much I loved it. Yes, it is "a love letter to literature and its power to define who we are," and yes, it is a "breathtaking portrait of a reclusive woman’s late-life crisis," but honestly I struggle to explain myself.

There are sentences like this:

"The children grew up embarrassed, if not horrified by their mother. She was so desperate for each of them to have a better life that she raised them not to have a place for her in it. She shows up at all their events and gatherings, incredibly proud of them, and they ashamed of her."

The book is littered with sentences and observations that made me stop and take a breath, and then re-read, all the while shaking my head at how finely the author (a man) is tuned-in to a woman's inner life.

When I first started this one, I was dismayed by all the author name dropping; was this another intellectual showing off his muscles? But once I got past the first twenty or so pages, I realized that there is a purpose to the names dropped. I'll confess that I did feel at times that I was reading this book without taking a prerequisite class, and there are many references I simply did not get. Oh, but entire universes opened up with the ones I did.

A note on the reading medium: I read this one in print form. I had the audio, but found that I needed to pause and re-read, or simply shake my head in wonder too often for the audio to be effective.

I found a reader who complied a list of the authors and books mentioned, so my TBR pile has expanded exponentially, and I have little doubt that I'll be reading this one again at some future point.

This beautifully written novel is indeed an ode to literature and readers, and is quite a feminist novel to boot. The majority of my book club loved it too, and the fun and lively discussions this one sparked was worth of price of admission. Rating: 5 stars.

Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness. (Video)

Something we all already know, and yet somehow forget again and again.

What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Cinemascope: When Marnie Was There

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2014.

Plot line: Sent from her foster home in the city one summer to a sleepy town by the sea in Hokkaido, Anna dreams her days away among the marshes. She believes she’s outside the invisible magic circle to which most people belong – and shuts herself off from everyone around her. Anna never expected to meet a friend like Marnie, who does not judge Anna for being just what she is. But no sooner has Anna learned the loveliness of friendship than she begins to wonder about her newfound friend.

I love Japanese animations, and I loved everything about this girl centered story. The art is wonderful, the story really good, and the main character Anna, is someone I will think about for a long time. This is the story of love, loss, friendship, and art, and would be a great one to watch with the little ones in your life as well.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Best 10 Books of 2015

Goodreads informs me that I've read a little over 200 books in 2015. Here is my Top 10 of that list.

Non-Fiction

1. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
2. Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
3. The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer

Fiction

1. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
2. Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield
3. Lord of the Silver Bow (Troy, #1) by David Gemmell 
4. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine 

Graphic Novels

1. Cairo by G. Willow Wilson, M. Kutlukhan Perker (Standalone)
2. The Complete Hothead Paisan: Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist (Hothead Paisan #1-2) by Diane DiMassa (Collected Volumes)
3. Sweeth Tooth Volumes 1-5 by Jeff Lemire (Completed Series)

Recent Reads

157. The Screaming Staircase
Book blurb: For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

I've read this author before, and am a huge fan of the Bartimaeus Trilogy, so decided to try some of his newer work. This one sounded promising and perfect for Halloween week, but I found it boring and after 60 pages decided to quit. This book is targeted for the middle grade/ high school reader, but unlike my beloved Bartimaeus, this one is missing that magical touch. Rating: 1 star(Did Not Finish).

158. Blacksad
Book blurb: Private investigator John Blacksad is up to his feline ears in mystery, digging into the backstories behind murders, child abductions, and nuclear secrets.

This graphic novel collects three stories, and if you are a fan of mystery/crime/noir stories, you'll really like this one too. The stories are multi-layered and complex, and I loved the art. It's not that these are anthropomorphic animals, it's that the authors use animal faces, bodies and expressions to wonderfully highlight the essence and individuality of humans. Also note, that in spite of all the animals, this is one for adults only. Rating: 4 stars.

159. Alex + Ada, Vol. 1
Book blurb: The last thing in the world Alex wanted was an X5, the latest in realistic androids. But after Ada is dropped into his life, he discovers she is more than just a robot. Collects issues #1-5.

I am conflicted about how I feel about this book. I liked the art, the futuristic setting, and the notion that humans are surrounded by robots of various skills and types. What annoyed me is that yet again, the most interesting ideas and concerns surrounding AI are wrapped up in a sex toy. Really guys? Is that really what people (read men) think about regarding bots - how they might have a sex slave who is not only programmed to obey every command, but is sexy with a barbie doll body?

This story has potential though, and I've got the next two books of the trilogy on my nightstand. Keeping fingers crossed. Rating: 3 stars.

160. Alex + Ada, Vol. 2
This volume collects issues #6-10.

As in the first volume, there are interesting themes that could be explored but are not. This almost reads like the sugary sweet romance novels I read as a teen, and I am not pleased with the way the story played out here. Bots that are cute and made of sugar and spice do not interest me, but based on the rave reviews this series gets, there are loads of people who love it. I've got the final volume in hand, but at this point do not have high hopes. Rating: 2 stars.

161. Chew, Vol. 2: International Flavor

This volume collects issues #6-10.

Okay, this volume settles it for me. I was hoping that the plot and characters would be better developed, but disappointingly they were not. There is not enough meat on the bones of what is a fabulous premise for me, so have bailed on the rest of this graphic novel series. I actually had the next four volumes in hand, and have returned them unread to my library. Don't you just hate when that happens? Rating: 2 stars.

162. Alex + Ada, Vol. 3 
Collects issues #11-15

This is the final book in this graphic novel trilogy, and unfortunately my low expectations were met. Old tropes are recycled with no new light or angle shed on them, and I simply did not care what happened. As for the end? Puhlease. Rating: 1 star.

2015: My year in books

'Twas a good year indeed. Bring on 2016.

You can see an overview of my reading year here.

Stay tuned for my best reads of 2015.

Cinemascope: Home For The Holidays

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.

Released in 1995.

Plot line: Claudia Larson is a single mom who has just been fired from her job as an art restorer due to budget cuts. She flies from Chicago to spend Thanksgiving at the Baltimore home of her parents, Adele and Henry Larson, while her only child Kitt decides to stay home and spend the holiday with her boyfriend. Kitt informs Claudia that she intends to have sex with her boyfriend for the first time. The family gathering also includes Claudia's resentful, conservative sister, Joanne Larson Wedman, her stuffy banker brother-in-law Walter and their two spoiled children. Also there is Claudia's gay brother Tommy and his new friend Leo Fish, along with their eccentric Aunt Glady. While Claudia greatly enjoys Tommy's company, the rest of her family seems to plague her with familiar tension. Meanwhile, Joanne is straining to keep the festivities ordered and traditional.

Families are all crazy in their own unique ways, and after spending a week with family recently, this was a fun movie to watch again. Wonderful acting by an great cast with superb direction by Jodie Foster, this is one that holds up after all these years, and is one I watch once a year.


You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Recent Reads

153. The Conference of the Birds
This is essentially a picture book; an illumination of the twelfth-century Persian epic poem that tells the story of a flock of birds in search of the true king, Simorgh, who lives on the mountain of Kaf.

I read someplace that this was a classic poem, but I had not heard of it before, and did not particularly love it. But oh the art. The art is simply stunning. Each and every page would make a wonderful poster or card. This book is worth picking up just to soak up the art. Rating: 3 stars.

154. Blue Pills: A Positive Love Story
This graphic memoir tells the story of how the author, Fred, met Cati at a party. Time passes. They meet again, and this time connect. As their relationship deepens, Cati tells Fred that she and her three year old son are HIV positive. 

Relationships between people are ever so personal, and yet there are universal themes we can all relate to. I really liked the honesty in the telling, and while the black and white brushwork evokes the right mood, I did not love the art. I also think there might be things lost in translation as the language seems clunky in parts. Rating: 3 stars.

155. Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir
Book blurb: Maggie Thrash has spent basically every summer of her fifteen-year-old life at the one-hundred-year-old Camp Bellflower for Girls, set deep in the heart of Appalachia. She’s from Atlanta, she’s never kissed a guy, she’s into Backstreet Boys in a really deep way, and her long summer days are full of a pleasant, peaceful nothing . . . until one confounding moment.

This graphic memoir is targeted at a teen audience, and is a sweet and angst filled story of the summer that the author fell in love for the first time - wait for it - with a camp counselor who is a girl.

I liked the story, the honesty of it, but was not particularly enamored with the illustration style, especially those strange round empty eyes. Rating: 3 stars.

156. Chew, Vol. 1: Taster's Choice
Book blurb: Tony Chu is a detective with a secret. A weird secret. Tony Chu is Cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. This volume collects issues #1-5.

I love the premise of this graphic novel series - how can one not love the idea of a Cibopath? I also love that Tony is not your typical Asian American, and that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is the most bad-ass crime fighting organization in the US - maybe our current FDA will be inspired by this series. 

The story is set in a post apocalyptic world of sorts where a bird flu wiped out large swatches of the human population. Since then chicken is outlawed - but you just know there is a black market for all things chicken.

This is a fun and rather violent story, but it does not quite deliver on the promise of such a great premise. The characters are not well fleshed out, and there is a bit too much wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am to the pacing of the story, and I do hope that the rest of the series (which I have requested) delivers. A word of caution, do not read this while eating. Trust me. Rating: 3 stars.

Holiday Greetings

Recent Reads

150. Sweet Tooth, Vol. 5: Unnatural Habitats
The fifth installment in this graphic novel series collects issues #26-32.

Unlike the previous books in the series, this one does not start by picking up where we last left our merry band of travelers. Instead, we get an entirely new story line, one set in 1911 Alaska. It's a first contact story - a trope I love, and while I did not love the art in this section as much as the rest of the book, it was interesting to learn some of the mythology behind the mysterious plague.

But what does all this have to do with Gus, and the rest of the gang? Read it and find out. I've got the last book in hand as I type. Rating: 4 stars.

151. Sweet Tooth, Vol. 6: Wild Game 
The sixth and final installment in this graphic novel series collects issues #33-40.

Everyone is in Alaska. The gang is all here, and you just know that an epic showdown is in the cards.

I am often disappointed with how a series ends. So many of them lose their steam along the way, so was braced as this one drew to a close. Imagine my surprise when I found a satisfying ending.

I'd highly recommend this graphic novel series to fans of apocalyptic fiction, fantasy, graphic novels, animal lovers, and environmentalists. So basically anyone with a heart. Zombies need not read this one. Rating: 4 stars.

152. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Book blurb: One hundred thousand years ago, at least six human species inhabited the Earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations, and human rights; to trust money, books, and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables, and consumerism?

Stop for a second and think about the scope of this book. Yes, the author clearly has done immense research, but it is his ability to weave all that research into a narrative that reads like a fast paced thriller that impresses me. This is narrative non-fiction at its best. The book weaves in anthropology, biology, chemistry, sociology, history, philosophy, politics, religion .... no that's not it, I'm just tired of typing.

I was educated, entertained, and had my mind blown by some nugget in almost every chapter. How often can one say that? The audiobook is superbly narrated by Derek Perkins, and I've spent the past month or so immersed in changing my mental maps of the world as I know it.

I am not a re-reader, but I have little doubt that I will read this fantastic book again. Highly recommended.  Rating: 5 stars.

Marina Abramović: An art made of trust, vulnerability and connection (Video)

Here is something that moved me this week. What moved you?

Marina Abramović's art pushes the boundary between audience and artist in pursuit of heightened consciousness and personal change.



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