yep trying to catch up on my reading here too
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yep trying to catch up on my reading here too
Just finished an autobiography. My Last Fight: The True Story of a Hockey Rock Star. It's the story of Darren McCarty who played most of his career with the Detroit Red Wings. It was an interesting book. I had heard of a band called The Grinders, never knew that one of them was a hockey player. Like most of these books, it talks about the rise of a career, riding the highs of the career, and the eventual end of the career. All of the things that go with it, the people who use you for money, the drug and alcohol addictions, the women who pathetically do and say anything in order to get into a bed with a hockey player. The broken marriages, the infidelities, the distance with the children. The difference is this guy hasn't broken away from all his demons and admits it. He's still a work in progress.
He worked for Versus for a while and that's where I remember him from, and he lost his job when NBC took them over. All I can say is...they got rid of McCarty and kept Mike Milbury. Why?? I feel another letter to NBC Sports coming on. I swear they keep Milbury on just to set me off. McCarty never said any of that in his book, for all I know he likes Milbury. But, that's the thought that was in my head as I finished the book.
I was surprised our guys got a very small mention. The band The Grinders had broken up and then reunited, like the Eagles. Hmm...not exactly, but the Grinders getting back together was that important to him personally, so I'll give him a pass on that one.
Last 3 books I read:
Simple Dreams, Linda Ronstadt
No Regrets, Ace Frehley (Ack!!)
Rosalind Franklin and DNA, a science biography
I still keep meaning to get Linda's book! I don't want it on Kindle, I want the 'real' thing.
You didn't like No Regrets?
Oh no, it was pretty good...but when I read autobiographies, if I know what the author's voice sounds like, that's how I hear it read. Ace went around making that ACK noise very frequently during the 70s (and later--it is very prominent in the KISS Meets the Phantom movie)...he is, not surprisingly, a little scathing when he refers to Gene & Paul at times...but a good read!Quote:
Originally Posted by VAisForEagleLovers
I read lindas book but it is on my nook
I read lisa scottoline's latest and it was a quick read very good. "Keep Quiet"
now I am on to my "beach read" type books from elin hildenbrant and Nancy Thayer
I just finished reading the Flowers in the Attic series...didn't realize it was a series when I read the first one...so I had to read the other four!!!...had always heard of this book but had never read it before...it was really good but man that family was so screwed up!!! next up...I think...Pride and Prejudice...
Sounds funny, but I've been re-reading and blocking through (setting into disparate blocks of lines) stanzaic segments of John Keats' "Endymion," "Hyperion," and "The Fall of Hyperion." I'm piecing at the thematic unifying devices from the first theme through the three books, and I'm thinking about other types of syntactical elements.
Seems less funny: I think I might look at the new "Washington's Spies."
Interesting! I'm teaching Keats in my English Literature II course. Do you want to share some of your insights?
I'll have too look at my notes. I wrote a little outline with a few thoughts on Keats, but I don't have it with me--the outline has a few of my own ideas about the two lyric Romantic Poets, who are traditionally John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley.
I've noticed a number of couplets organized by in "Endymion" that seem intended for muse, Fanny.
Theme one of "Endymion," "A thing of beauty is a joy forever,...--to period is derived from the (King James) Bible's psalms, paraphrased and newly worded. Its exposition draws from mostly John Milton and William Shakespeare to paint the words. Most of the big blocks of writing are derived from Milton's "Paradise Lost." The changes in usage into the triplet and sextuplet within the stanza often are segments that paraphrase and rewrite ideas and lines from William Shakespeare.
Endymion is a lesser god, a minor figure out of the Greek myths. He is literal in his prior existence. Ditto; Hyperion; who is also a minor god in the Greek pantheon.
I hope this is helpful. I'll think about this.
For fun Inspiration: PBShelley, Prometheus Unbound: Act III, Scene iv, line 190--The Spirit of the Hour: "The painted veil, by those who were, called life," (Idea of life as we know it veiling the platonic ideal of the concrete world around us.)
I see! Regarding this:
If you're trying to tie in more Romantic poets, Blake was obsessed with Milton. He even did some engravings for a version of Paradise Lost. Then again, I suppose adding too many authors might dilute your analysis. I've always loved Milton so it interests me very much when people talk about his influence on the poets of the Romantic era.Quote:
Theme one of "Endymion," "A thing of beauty is a joy forever,...--to period is derived from the (King James) Bible's psalms, paraphrased and newly worded. Its exposition draws from mostly John Milton and William Shakespeare to paint the words. Most of the big blocks of writing are derived from Milton's "Paradise Lost."
Me, too. I admire Milton's grand design and flowing elocution. Thanks for the note about William Blake. ? ("Tyger, Tyger...") . I'll have to look for the material connecting him to editions of Milton.
English Literature II sounds like a fun class! You must get to cover a lot by the time the term winds down! I was thinking that you were going to give a course entirely on Keats(!) Now I can see what you mean.
I'd love to teach a course entirely on Keats, but surveys of English Literature are much more popular amongst students! It is definitely fun to teach, though.
That's a lot of preparation--your class will go well!
Just finished reading "Welcome to My Jungle: An Unauthorized Account of How a Regular Guy Like Me Survived Years of Touring With Guns N' Roses, Pet Wallabies, Crazed Groupies, ...One of the Greatest Rock Bands of All Time" by Craig Duswalt.
Craig was Axl's assistant and the book doesn't get into the personalities or interactions between band members at all. It was still interesting, but now I must read Duff and Slash's books as well.
I was at the library looking for something to read. This title caught my eye - Apart at the Seams. On the inside cover, it said she fell in love at first sight with a lean, longhaired bass player. That did it. I checked it out, and it was really good.
omg you crack me up!!!...I'll have to look that book up!!! :hilarious:Quote:
Originally Posted by SallyGee
ok its on my list now lolQuote:
Originally Posted by SallyGee
so do you think the author is a tbs fan??
I finished the matchmacker
good book.
i love her books
I just finished The Man Who Seduced Hollywood: The Life and Loves of Greg Bautzer, Tinseltown's Most Powerful Lawyer. It was an interesting read. Definitely a man who worked hard and played hard, and he definitely had a way with the ladies.
I finished "Sports Illustrated 50 Years of Great Writing: 1954 - 2004 50th Anniversary" by the Editors of SI. Apparently, their idea of great writing differs from mine. Some were good, others were either boring or pointless.
I also read what I usually call 'smut books', aka Romance, and disappointingly enough there was no 'smut'! It's all good, though, Sherryl Woods writes interesting books, and while she follows the rules of romance (two people, a big conflict they surmount, happy ever after), she's a lot less predictable than other romance writers.
Now I'm reading "Queen Victoria's Youngest Son: The Untold Story of Prince Leopold" I'm about a third of the way through and so far it's interesting.
Just finished "Nantucket sisters by nancy Thayer
""have a nice guilt trip "by lisa scottoline and francescia serratella.
It was picked as a top ten roadtrip book by oprah and beach read for the summer from People Magazine this week
""Match maker "by elin hildenbrandt "
Now I am reading 'Never give up " by Nobel L Thompson Jr MD"
he is a retired doc at our hospital and the radiology dept was giving out his books for anyone who wanted to "borrow " it for two weeks so I am humping to finish it.
I have a pre order coming out on tues so am looking forward to that one too.
Definitely going to look for that one! LolQuote:
Originally Posted by SallyGee
I just finished reading Sold by Patricia McCormick. It's about a young Nepalese girl who's step father sells her into prostitution after their crop fails. It's horrific and amazing all at once. Thankfully, it isn't as graphic as it could have been, but there are parts that just made me cry. It's a powerful book.
Just finished Heaven is for Real- Todd Burpo
It was good, I totally believe there is life after death
LOVED that book! I totally believe the whole story, but my hubby is skeptical that it's all true. I haven't seen the movie, but want to.Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ
Yep great book
I'm a Christian and if that book makes people want to know more about Jesus, I'm all for it. I don't think the child is lying, or they're trying to scam anyone.
That said...
I haven't read the book, but I saw the movie. The movie had a lot of feel good tropes that are nowhere to be found in the Bible - most notably, the idea that while Heaven is for real, Hell is not - and I left hoping that people weren't taking it as Biblical truth. However, I don't know how reflective the movie's mentality is of the book's stance on the afterlife. Does the book make it clear that those who have rejected Christ are not going to be experiencing that beautiful place his son describes?
Right now I'm most looking forward to Joe Perry's (of Aerosmith fame) new autobio to be out in October. We've read the band autobio and Steven's personal autobio - I think it's time for Joe (the other toxic twin!) to get his story out.
I've always liked Joe Perry. To me he seemed to be a cool introverted rockstar that was a bit on the quiet side but let himself come out of his shell with his guitar onstage and be Mr. Cool, yet if you read interviews or watch videos of him and Steven, Steven does the talking and the small talk. Joe just keeps to himself yet still manages to say what's on his mind. I dig that. And I think he has the best stage persona, next to Mr. Page. In fact I think Jimmy is much like Joe, much quieter than Robert and a bit of an introvert yet still dominates the stage. I think Page, Perry, and Slash all have similar identifiable stage antics yet all very different but it's obvious that it's a chain thing starting with Page who was Perry's idol, and Perry who was Slash's idol. I think Slash is a bit more social than Page or Perry though, and a bit more of a talker.
I hope I'm not disappointed by his book. Between Steven's book and the Walk This Way book, I much prefer Walk This Way. I thought Steven came off kinda poorly in his autobio. I hope there is some geetar deets in Joe's book to go along with the excess stories and drama. :hilarious:
It's been a couple years since I read it, but I don't remember there being much talk about hell. It was mostly about what the boy saw in heaven and who was there. You should read the book. A very easy read and not long.Quote:
Originally Posted by sodascouts
Agreed not much in the book about hell, and I don't think the boy lied either.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooke
A quick story, when my son was about 5 at the dinner table one night he said I killed my first buck (deer) at 16 to help feed my family. I said what do you mean, he said my parents were killed and I had to help my brothers and sisters. Freaked me out, he had not seen anything about this as far as I know and especially at 5. Then this past weekend (he's 19 now) he reminded us of when he saw the White floating figure in his bedroom, when he was about the same age. I did rememeber him telling me about that, it's just kinda freaky.
Yikes, DJ, very freaky!
Anyone read "Gone Girl"...I'd like to see the movie...but I think I want to read the book first...
I've read the book and won't bother with the film. Given the choice, I think I'd see the film first. My sister didn't get on with the book - she loves crime novels, particularly procedurals - whereas I thought it was an ok read but didn't live up to the hype.Quote:
Originally Posted by zeldabjr
Got the Joe Perry book today. Can't wait to read it...one of my biggest heroes.
I tried to download it this weekend, but Kobo wouldn't accept my coupon code. LOL. I guess I'll have to pay full price since I'm a Joe fan. Lemme know what you think of it!Quote:
Originally Posted by WalshFan88
my Jimmy Page book was shipped...can't wait!
Just finished it...Quote:
Originally Posted by The Disco Strangler
It was without a doubt the best rock autobio I've read. And I've got probably one of the largest library of them of anyone here.
Compared to Steven Tyler's book - it was about the most humble down to earth life story you could read. And compared to other rock autobio's, it's still extremely humble.
It's more about how he started out as a child and the progression from year to year and a true life story than a juicy tellall or a book that screams egocentric poor pitiful me self-victimization like Steven Tyler's book. It talks A LOT more about the band, creation of the music, and business dealings in the band than it does sex and drugs (although there is parts of that of course). It's much more mature in a way than most books I've read. He doesn't put most of the blame on the other guys (Steven especially), he takes some of the blame as well and while he does inject jabs at Steven or talks about him being hard to work with, they are much more lighthearted yet serious and not so childish. And he isn't making Steven out to be the bad guy all the time.
I have to say it was very well done and made me have that much more respect for Joe. I have to say, his book and Steven's are polar opposites in approach to writing and they way it comes off.
Perhaps Steven's is more of an exciting read for those who love juicy details and excess stories or just plain drama, but for a music lover and someone interested in the creation of Aerosmith's music and the fly on the wall stuff, Joe's book was more my style.
I know this was posted awhile ago, but I'm just catching up a little bit. I think the book is worth the read. I won't spoil any of it for you, but the beginning and middle are stronger than the end. Once it got going, I had a hard time putting it down. I would definitely read the book first.Quote:
Originally Posted by zeldabjr
I did read the book...loved it..until the end...not so crazy about how it ended...Quote:
Originally Posted by tjh532
I know - I hated the ending! I just went "ugh!" a bit unrealistic, too.Quote:
Originally Posted by zeldabjr