Thanks for Tuning In (Richard Ruelas)

[***] ISBN: 9780975282212

There is a sure-fire test to find out if someone grew up in Arizona any time between 1955 and 1998. Do they remember Wallace and Ladmo? I do. So does Stephen Spielberg. This is the story of Wallace, the driving force behind It's Wallace? and The Wallace and Ladmo Show. The latter is the longest running children's television show ever.

Actually, this starts out as the story of Bill Thompson, the sparky son of a successful New York stockbroker. This early history is fascinating and tells us much about how Bill became and remained Wallace. He just never grew up.

I'm glad the author managed to get all of this information out of Wallace and his family and friends and then got it put into a structure that works. He doesn't hide any of the realities of the long and colorful life of this permanent cut-up. But he doesn't dwell on them either. The result is a lovely portrait of a beloved man behind a beloved character.

Forty Signs of Rain (Kim Stanley Robinson)

[***] ISBN: 9780553803112

This is a well-written, straight-ahead novel about a possible near future of global environmental catastrophe. There are times when it feels like the author is hitting you over the head with a two-by-four of science facts. But these can be excused because they are relevant and interesting.

The characters are well-drawn, charming, and down-to-earth. The author even manages to draw the Bush-like President in a likable, if not flattering way. The settings are mundane, yet evocative. The reader is always present in the places and the weather becomes another character.

The ending of this book is really the set-up for the next book, which makes it a bit unsatisfying. But I will definitely read the next two volumes to see where the story takes me.

Lisey's Story (Stephen King)

[***] ISBN: 9780743289412

It's hard for me to give this book three stars - 'well worth reading'. But it ultimately deserves it, as long as I can qualify the rating. This book is worth reading if you enjoy this sort of thing, or if you want to experience some unique storytelling (and haven't read much by this author, apparently). I fall in the latter camp.

The author truly took some chances here. And he largely pulled it off. Much of the story takes place inside the titular Lisey's mind as she remembers, or is forced to remember, bits of her life with her deceased husband of 25 years, the author Scott Landon. In order to do this, the story needs to jump between the present, Lisey's past with Scott, and Scott's childhood. The mechanism that King uses to do this seemed unique and mostly worked for me. The story also has to jump back and forth between the real world and an alternate world that isn't quite imaginary, but is made of the stuff of dreams and nightmares. This also worked somewhat. The widow's state of mind, along with that of other characters, is often reflected by the language used. As a whole, this worked, too. As an inspiration for how to tell stories, I found this to be a pretty rich experience. It's not your typical novel.

On the other hand, some other reviews I've seen of the book say that many of these elements, and others, are typical King. I'll have to take their word on that. My problem with the book was not that he'd done this all before, but that he did so much of it. This book did not need to be 600 pages long. I got very close to putting it down at several points. We were spending so much time with Lisey's internal monologue that I was convinced she was simply insane, would not get sane, and that the entire story was ultimately just her own fantasy. When it became clear that this was not entirely the case, that real, albeit unbelievable, events were unfolding, I was able to hang in there. But because the story turned out to be so simple, I wish the author would have stripped away about a third of the words.

This might be the sort of thing you'd like, if you like this sort of thing.

The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Charles Lippincott)

[****] ISBN: 9780345477613

This is an amazing book documenting the amazing story of an amazing film. The big revelation for me was that George Lucas really didn't have the whole story of all of the episodes mapped out before he began the process of making the film (which is what SW lore would have you believe). Amazingly, he didn't even have the entire plot of this first film mapped out until after he started shooting (something that is not that uncommon, but I did not really comprehend) and didn't really finish it off until the end. I think I learned more about story development from following this saga than from reading any other texts on how to do it.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Frank Miller)

[****] ISBN: 9781563893421

This is a 5-star graphic novel, but only a 3-star book. I split the difference. The problem I have in being more enthusiastic about this book is that by now, twenty years after it was first published, this ground has been thoroughly covered and trampled to the point where it's hard to turn new dirt. It's obvious why it was considered groundbreaking at the time, but there are ways in which it doesn't wear well (Reagan and the communists are gone, you know). That makes it difficult for it to stand up as a true 'classic' piece of literature.

That being said, I do give it high marks for fresh story telling (especially for the time) and for overall endurance (it still is a decent read).

Lost in Space: Voyage to the Bottom of the Soul (Bill Mumy, Michal Dutkiewicz)

[***] ISBN: 0976543605

This is Bill Mumy's long unfinished epic graphic novel of the Robinson family finally reaching Alpha Centauri. I'm very glad to finally read the whole thing, after having it interrupted when Innovation went out of business over 10 years ago. I liked the story, swiftly read the entire thing in a couple of sittings, and was pleased with the ending. But I have to report some disappointment in the execution.

The good: the story was interesting, true to the characters and held my attention; the preface material by the creators that outlined the history of the book and their history with the franchise was almost the best part

The bad: the storytelling was a bit stiff in spots; the art struck me as varying from lush and beautiful to mushy and awkward; several misspellings in the text

I would recommend this to fans of the series.

Fifty Things To Do When You Turn Fifty (Ronnie Sellers, ed.)

[**] ISBN: 9781569065907

Yes, this is the birthday I had this year. But this book didn't tell me much I didn't already know. It may be enlightening to someone who was caught completely unaware of their age. But I think most folks hitting this milestone will realize that they aren't kids anymore and will have started thinking these issues through.

That's not to say there isn't good stuff here and that I didn't learn anything. It's just that the essays are all rather short and most of them are very predictable (change your eating habits, exercise, rethink your portfolio, try a new hobby, give something back). I would recommend this as a book to skim through and use as a jumping off point to topics that might need more attention one's life.

The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down (Colin Woodard)

[***] ISBN: 9780156034623

I listened to the audio edition of this for a couple of weeks. In some ways, I wish that there had been an edited version, instead of having to listen to 383 pages worth of "the 300 ton sloop this" and "the 400 ton frigate captained by Bob Smith" over and over again. But then again, there is an awful lot of ground to cover when discussing pirates in the eighteenth century and the author does an admirable job of focusing on the key players and taking the reader through the events and politics of the time and region. This is a real eye-opener for anyone interested in the subject.

Disclosure (Michael Crichton)

[**] ISBN: 9780345391056

I'm torn on this one. The story finally sort of paid off. But I actually set it aside for a couple of weeks to read The Golden Compass. It's not that it was bad, the writing was OK. I just didn't care for the characters that much, one of the scenes actually made me very uncomfortable (and not just in the way the author intended), and some of the action hit too close to home (high-tech company politics). That last point could be a little disingenuous on my part, since it's one of the things that attracted me to the book in the first place. I guess I found that I wasn't quite over my recent encounter with that sort of thing (not the sexual harassment stuff per se, just politics).

Anyway, after I picked it up again, the story finally seemed to click and I enjoyed the mystery angle of it all. And I think this type of story will help with the one I'm currently writing, so that's good. But I think there were just a few too many characters, there was a genuine deus ex machina character at the end (someone that had been given one previous scene and then conveniently brought back out of the blue to provide critical information at the critical moment), and I lost a little respect when the author didn't quite get his local facts straight. There is no "Queen Anne's hill" in Seattle. It's simply Queen Anne hill. Wish I could give this three stars, but it only gets two.

The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog (John R. Erickson)

[**] ISBN: 9780877191209

I like children's books. Sometimes it's fun to put one in the mix and read something with a simpler point of view. This isn't a bad one, but I don't think it's a good one. There are some cute concepts, starting with the title character and his 'job'. And there are some interesting supporting characters here. But I think the book falls short on a couple of points.

First, a good children's book doesn't talk down to it's audience. In the most subtle of ways, I think that's what this one does. It's OK to have some rough language in a book about life on a ranch or a farm. But I think the writing here goes a bit too far in an attempt to let kids be in on the joke of a curmudgeonly dog that doesn't take any guff and has a problem with 'eye-crosserosis'.

Second, a good children's book simply shouldn't promote fighting as a way to solve problems. At least not one written in the last twenty years. This one does. OK, 1983 is a bit outside the time window. But I still wouldn't have read it to my kids, if I'd have encountered it back then. This may reflect how dogs act, especially those living on a ranch. That doesn't mean this behavior should be encouraged.

That all being noted, it's not a horrible book. Just disappointing. Perhaps most disappointing was that in a book about a 'cow dog', there were no cows (or other cattle). They're sort of implied by the setting, and maybe the first book in the series had some, but they are not visible in this story.

The Golden Compass (Philip Pullman)

[****] ISBN: 0440238137

It was very refreshing to read a straight ahead story of fantasy and adventure like this. It's quite a feat for an author to make just about anyone identify with a young girl hero. But that seems to be what Pullman has done here. I keep reading and hearing good things about this series every where.

What worked for me was the powerful prose, the breakneck pace, the engrossing (if ultimately unsatisfying) story, amazing places and colorful characters. What didn't really work for me was where the story wound up. In a way it was inevitable, except I didn't quite accept the convergence of the two adults. But it will be interesting to see where the story goes from here.

The Life And Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir (Bill Bryson)

[***] ISBN: 9780739315231 (audio) ISBN: 9780375434303 (hardcover)

Bill Bryson grew up in the fifties in the mid-west. This is his story. I grew up in the sixties in the mid-west and west. A bunch of this is also my story.

In some ways, this is everyone's story. The whole idea of 'kidworld', with its own rules. The inexplicability of adults, especially relatives, and their world. The wonderfulness of creating your own entertainments, followed by television and popular culture taking over and defining our lives.

This is also the story of a disappearing way of life. Neighborhoods full of children playing outside, unchaperoned - vanishing. Cities full of distinctive neighborhoods, stores, and restaurants - homogenized by corporations.

I listened to the author reading his own work, and in this case, he pulled it off. Of course, it's his reminiscence. Even beneath the reading, the words were crafted with poetry and care. The book makes the people and places come alive again, in a distinctive and funny way. I do mark the book down a little (I took away a star) because there are several spots where the author turns a bit preachy on a subject or two, diverting the otherwise delightful stream of memories. Otherwise, I'd recommend this book to anyone that wants a flavor of growing up in the fifties.

Orange County Choppers: The Tale of the Teutuls (Senior, Paulie, Mikie)

[***] ISBN: 9780446528016

This is a good tie-in with the show. Supposedly in their own words, the Tuetuls ('tuttles') and some of their cohorts, describe their pasts, their bikes, their show (American Chopper) and their future.

This isn't really a tell-all book. It's all been told before. But it is comprehensive and colorful, though a bit repetitive (how many times do we need to read that Senior shouts and likes old-school bikes and Paulie is mellow and likes new-school bikes?). The one fact that is not really a surprise, but is under-emphasized elsewhere is the claim that the family makes of being born-again Christians. This does ring true in many ways (they won't do bikes with booze, naked girls or devils). But sometimes the way they act makes you wonder. Then again, who says Christians are perfect (yet)?

All-in-all, a fun read for fans of the show or anyone wondering what it's all about.

It's Good to Be the King: The Seriously Funny Life of Mel Brooks (James Robert Parish)

[****] ISBN: 9780471752677

I didn't realize that Mel Brooks took his work quite so seriously. I also didn't know how hard he had to work to break into show business. I suppose I should have. Most entertainers are only overnight sensations after they put in years of hard work and paying dues.

I learned a few things about screenwriting and writing comedy, in particular. After writing a script in 30 days myself, working mornings and weekends, I thought someone that devoted full time to it would be able to knock one out in a few months. This especially seemed true of Mel Brooks movies, which seem so unrehearsed at times. But no, he took years to write most of them. And he usually did it with a writing partner or two. Comedy is probably easier to write when you have another sense of humor around to fill in your blind spots.

The biographer himself found a good structure for Mel's story and usually writes well. The text is full of attributions, but doesn't come off as a dry academic exercise. The one disappointing spot I found was the very sparse treatment given to developing Blazing Saddles. This is especially puzzling given the importance of this work in bringing Mel into the national spotlight. No matter, I recommend this to anyone that wants to learn more about this great talent.

Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking (Malcolm Gladwell)

[****] ISBN: 9781586217198 (audio)

Blink is a fascinating survey of how the human mind perceives the world, especially in the first two seconds of an encounter. The author balances examples of the mind's incredible power to almost instantly and unconsciously thin slice a situation and reach amazingly accurate conclusions on the slimmest of evidence against it's own tendency to fool itself by semi-consciously over analyzing and yielding to irrelevant input.

Gladwell is a journalist, not a scientist. But that allows him the freedom to wonder far afield to bring together amazingly varied and seemingly unrelated research to build his case. When viewed together, the studies and anecdotes create a tantalizing glimpse of what seems to be happening inside our heads.

Oh, and this is one of the few times when having the author read the audio book works.

Oscar-Winning Screenwriters on Screenwriting (Joel Engel)

[***] ISBN: 9780786886906

This book gives some insight into the grit, heart and soul of writing for film. Mr. Engel interviewed 11 Oscar-winning writers about their craft and edited the result into 11 monologues that often provide zesty insight into the life of a screenwriter. A common lament is the lack of recognition that the writers get in the industry (and by film fans). A common bond is the love of storytelling. Here and there the reader can also pick up some tips on how to write and sell a good script.

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting (Syd Field)

[****] ISBN: 9780385289153

This book is very solid stuff. It's exactly what someone (like me) getting started writing screenplays needs in order to get started and not fly off in the wrong direction. Syd tells you about structure. He tells you about character. He tells you about emotion. This book even gives you a peek at what it will take to market your screenplay (except I haven't read that section because I'm doing Script Frenzy and needed to do more writing). There's a reason why this book is almost always mentioned as a resource to people that want to write for film. I will probably have to get a (more up-to-date) copy of this for my writing bookshelf.

Screenwriting for Hollywood (Michael Hauge)

[***] ISBN: 9781880717608 (audio only)

These are three hours of highlights of a seminar that Mr. Hauge gives over the course of a weekend. It's a fabulous jumpstart for someone that wants to understand how to write a script. It's not quite as invaluable as a good book on screenwriting (like Syd Field's). But it's well worth a listen and easier to access while commuting to work.

The Incredible Journey (Sheila Burnford)

[***] ISBN: 0385322798

I've actually given this one more star than I really got out of it. That's because I can tell it's a good book. It just didn't do anything for me at this point in time. I like reading more junior material from time to time. And I got this one thinking it would be good research for a story I was considering in about the same genre. But I've put that project on the back burner and the story didn't otherwise click with me.

The animals are genuine characters, even though they don't talk. The situations are realistic, interesting, exciting and well told. I think where the author lost me was on the overall motivation of the animals to just take off on the journey. That may be part of the realism--how do you really know what an animal is thinking? But it made it hard for me to stick with it. Maybe I'll pick it up again sometime.

Until Proven Guilty (J.A. Jance)

[**] ISBN: 9781556864148 (audio)

My overall impression of this book is that I didn't like it. I've decided I really don't like the 'hero' J.P. Beaumont. He's not a very good detective and he shows he's much too passive here. He was too easily seduced by the woman in red and I never really quite believed her character at all. Unfortunately, she turned out to be even more key to the story than I was led to believe.

That being said, the writing is not too bad. The settings are vivid. The supporting characters and plot are interesting. And the overall plot was imaginative and surprising. I just won't be spending any more time with detective Beaumont.