Sickboy's Literary Lollapalooza, September 2010

I’m a few months behind, mainly because I’ve been kinda lazy, but we’ll all get over it. Eventually. Technically, I should have four posts, but I was too distracted and busy to read anything in November, so we’ll only have three. Since it’s been a few months, I may not have as much to say about some of these books as I would have had I written these on time. Sorry. As always, an “*” denotes a Pulitzer Prize winner. I’ll start things off with Literary Lollapalooza for September of 2010…

BOOKS ACQUIRED SEPTEMBER 2010

Streets of Laredo, Larry McMurtry

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, Rob Sheffield

BOOKS READ SEPTEMBER 2010

Tinkers*, Paul Harding: The only things I can honestly remember about this book four months later is that someone repaired clocks as a hobby, it’s about a father and son, and I enjoyed this book more than I did March and Gilead. I’d love to write more, but other books have filled my brain with other thoughts…

Interpreter of Maladies*, Jhumpa Lahiri: Buy this book, read it, let it sit for a week, then read it again (Says the guy who hasn’t read it a second time. Yet.). A stunning debut of short fiction, every story focuses on the human need for love and connections. Heartbreaking, beautifully crafted, and vividly human, Lahiri’s collection of nine stories is certainly deserving of the first Pulitzer for Fiction awarded this millennium.

Sh*t My Dad Says, Justin Halpern: It’s a Twitter account, a book, and a television sitcom. One of the three is not funny. Thankfully, this book is. Rather than just being a collection of random sayings, Halpern introduces us to his father by giving us insight on growing up under this man’s roof. It’s not just about the irreverent things the man says, it’s also the story of a son’s relationship with his father. It’s a quick, easy read, and it had me roaring with laughter.

One Red Paperclip, Kyle MacDonald: You may have heard about the young man who started with a red paperclip, posted it on Craig’s List for a trade, and worked his way up to a house. One Red Paperclip is the story of the journey, from paperclip to a weekend with Alice Cooper, to a movie role for a film produced by Corbin Bernsen, to a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan, and everything in between. However, the story is just as much about connecting with people, helping others out, and having fun along the way. It’s a fun little read, nothing heavy by any means, but I enjoyed reading about how MacDonald decided which trades to make, and which to reject. You can still read about his current adventures at www.oneredpaperclip.com

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut, Rob Sheffield: I like Duran Duran okay. I like girls a lot. And I enjoyed Sheffield’s first book, Love is a Mix-Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time. So, it would make sense that I would enjoy this book as well, right? Right. In fact, to be perfectly honest, both …Duran Duran and …Mix-Tape are the type of book I wish I had written. Maybe next time around. Sheffield’s belief is that Duran Duran speak the language of women. Girls love them, that’s why they’re still around. And if you can learn the language of Duran Duran, you can talk the language of women. It’s certainly a plausible theory. The book is set up like a mix-tape, Sheffield titles each chapter with the name of one of his favorite songs of the ‘80s, and regales you with stories of finding his way and discovering who he is during his youth. Whether discussing the fact that your boyfriend has probably seen “Pretty Woman” more times than you (“…once for every relationship”), insisting that growing up Catholic prepares you for being a record junkie (I buy it), the fact that you can start a conversation with any guy by mentioning the Clash, Prince’s opening guitar chord in “Purple Rain,” or telling stories about his job driving an ice cream truck, Sheffield knows exactly how music, women, and love fit into the lives of male record geeks everywhere. Instead of continuing on, I’ll let Sheffield entice you to read his book… “Sometimes when a girl goes away, the conversation doesn’t end. You keep talking to her, just in case she can hear.” So very true.

Streets of Laredo, Larry McMurtry: The final installment in the Lonesome Dove series (the second written), Streets of Laredo follows the final adventure of Captain Woodrow Call. Back are familiar faces in Pea Eye, Lorena, Bolivar, and Clara, as Call hunts down a train bandit. Written more with the eloquence of Lonesome Dove than the two prequels were, Laredo was a fitting end for the saga of Call and McRae. Melancholy, funny, and everything in between, Laredo is a worthy of a read.

I think it’s obvious which of these books I enjoyed the most, and remember the best four months later. I’ll be back sometime soon with October and December’s Lollapaloozas!

Happy Reading, everyone!