“Commando”

Tags

autobiography, Books, Commando, Johnny Ramone, Lisa Marie Presley, prostate cancer, Tommy Ramone

Commando

In 1999, Johnny Ramone, guitarist and songwriter of the punk rock band The Ramones was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He began to write his autobiography. In 2004, Ramone died from said cancer. In 2012, his autobiography Commando was published. In it, Ramone shared stories of his childhood, and his life and times with the Ramones. It chronciled his relationship with Linda, including how she had initially dated his brother Joey before leaving Joey for himself. The photos included in the book were picked by Linda. The epilogue was written by close friend Lisa Marie Presley and the foreword being written by only surviving member (at that time) of the Ramones, Tommy Ramone. (Tommy died in 2014 from unsuccessful treatment of bile duct cancer.)

Myron Bolitar Book Series

Tags

Anthony book award, Books, Edgar book award, Esparanza Diaz, finance, Harlan Coben, Little Pocahontas, MB SportsReps, Myron Bolitar, Shamus book award, sports agent, Windsor Horne Lockwood III

Myron Bolitar book series (1995 – 2016)

The Myron Bolitar series of thrillers are written by Harlan Coben. They have won three awards over the years: An Edgar (Fade Away), a Shamus (Drop Shot) and an Anthony (Deal Breaker). Bolitar is a formerly renowned professional basketball player turned sports agent who founded and owns MB SportsReps. The series also stars Esparanza Diaz and Windsor “Win” Horne Lockwood III. Diaz is Bolitar’s associate (who finally makes partner in Book 7 Darkest Fear), a Latina former professional wrestler (Little Pocahontas). Diaz is bright but has a caustic wit. She studied law at New York University via evening classes in addition to her work with MB SportsReps. “Win” is Bolitar’s best friend and serves as the “anti-hero” in the series as displayed by his psychopathic tendencies. Bolitar and Win debate all the time about the ethical nature of various actions. Win handles the financial side of Bolitar’s clients.

As of 2016, there are 11 books in the series.

“Do-It-Yourself Coffins for Pets and People”

Tags

Books, color photographs, construction, Dale Power, Do-It-Yourself Coffins for Pets and People, patterns, Schiffer Publishing, wood working

Do-it-Yourself Coffins For Pets and People (Schiffer Publishing, 1997)

Written by woodworker (which is an important requirement for buying the book!) Dale Power, this book lays out all of the tools and techniques you need to produce strong and beautiful coffins. Color photographs illustrate every step of the construction of three pet-size and three human-size coffins. Detailed patterns are provided and different box construction techniques are revealed. After the coffin is built, it provided moldings, appliques, linings and finishing to customize your coffin.

Amazon reviews however are no so favorable. What people really do like is the title.

“To the Lighthouse”

Tags

1920s, almost no action, Books, little dialogue, thoughts and observations, To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf

To the Lighthouse (Hogarth Press, 1927)

A landmark novel of high modernism, the text, centering on the Ramsay family and their visits to the Isle of Skye in Scotland between 1910 and 1920, skillfully manipulates temporality and psychological exploration. The novel includes little dialogue and almost no action; most of it is written as thoughts and observations. The novel recalls the power of childhood emotions and highlights the impermanence of adult relationships. Among the book’s many tropes and themes are those of loss, subjectivity, and the problem of perception. To the Lighthouse was written by English author Virginia Woolf.

“Gulliver’s Travels”

Tags

1700s, Books, classic, Gulliver's Travels, Irish, Jonathan Swift, Lemuel Gulliver, satire, Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World

Gulliver’s Travels (Benjamin Motte, 1726)

Gulliver’s Travels, or Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships is a prose satire of 1726 by the Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift, satirising both human nature and the “travellers’ tales” literary subgenre. It is Swift’s best known full-length work, and a classic of English literature. Swift claimed that he wrote Gulliver’s Travels “to vex the world rather than divert it”. The book was an immediate success. John Gay remarked “It is universally read, from the cabinet council to the nursery.”

“Pie in the Sky”

Tags

Book, cherry pie, cherry tree, children, father and son, illustrated, Lois Ehlert, Pie in the Sky, seasons

Pie in the Sky (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2004)

In Pie in the Sky a father and son watch over their backyard cherry tree — and all the colorful living things surrounding it — throughout the seasons. At the end of the summer, they harvest the cherries together and make a delicious pie for the whole family to enjoy. Pie in the Sky was written by American best selling author Lois Ehlert.

“I Am Absolutely Too Small for School”

Tags

2000s, Books, children, I Am Absolutely Too Small for School, Lauren Child, Lola and Charlie, school, Soren Lorensen

I Am Absolutely Too Small for School (Candlewick Press, 2003)

Another book in the Lola and Charlie children’s book series is I Am Absolutely Too Small for School. Lola is not so sure about school. After all, why would she need to count higher than ten when she never eats more than ten cookies at a time? Once again, it’s up to ever-patient big brother Charlie to persuade Lola that school is worthwhile — and that her invisible friend, Soren Lorensen, will be welcome too. I Am Absolutely Too Small for School was written and illustrated by English children’s author Lauren Child. She currently is writing three children’s book series. There are 68 Charlie & Lola books, 6 Ruby Redfort books (a young adult series) and 7 Clarice Bean books.

The Pointless Book

Tags

2010s, activity book, Alfie Deyes, best seller, Book, British, police helicopters, reschedule signing, road closures, signing, The Pointless Book, vlogger, YouTube

The Pointless Book (Dorking, 2014)

For those of you who don’t like reading, this could be the “book” for you, just based on title alone. “What are you reading right now?” You: “The Pointless Book.” Ha! Actually, The Pointless Book isn’t even a book, it’s an activity book. “Written” — credited on the cover as “Started by” Alfie Deyes, a British vlogger and YouTuber. The book contains pointless tasks such as baking a cake out of mud or creating a time capsule (that’s pointless?)

So here’s the funny part: The Pointless Book actually topped “The Times of London’s” Bestseller list. At a signing (? it’s an activity book) in London’s Piccadilly Circus, the 8,000 screaming fans (? it’s an activity book!) resulted in road closures and forced police helicopters (?! it’s an activity book!!) to be used. All of this forced Deyes to reschedule the signing at the ExCel (an international conventions center) London. It’s an activity book!!!

“Vanna Speaks”

Tags

1980s, Books, character defense, health and beauty tips, Letter to Gorbachev, letter turner, not a biography, Playboy cover, The Golden Girls, TV celebrity, Vanna Speaks, Wheel of Fortune, without permission

Vanna Speaks (Warner Books, 1987)

Vanna White is one of America’s best known and best loved TV celebrities, now in her 30th decade of being the “letter turner” on the popular American game show, Wheel of Fortune. In 1987, she wrote down her inspiring story and included much advice on how to beautiful in mind, spirit and body. Most readers have called the pointless and boring, one common theme of their review seems to ask, “Why did I read this?” Sales were given a boost thanks to the October 31, 1987 episode of NBC sitcom The Golden Girls “Letter to Gorbachev” in which Dorothy recommended White’s autobiography to Stan’s cousin Madga to read. Adult magazine Playboy put White on the cover using photos she had taken during the early days of her career in Hollywood. They had published these photos without her permission (of course). So it’s quite possible that Vanna Speaks was intended as White’s defense of her character than as a literary masterpiece.

“Observatory Mansions”

Tags

2000s, apartment, Books, debut, dilapidated, Edward Carey, English, Francis Orme, living statue, misfits, Observatory Mansions, woman behaves like dog

Observatory Mansions (Vintage, 2002)

In Observatory Mansions a group of misfits live in a dilapidated apartment complex. What kind of misfits? Francis Orme is a living statue who steals the possessions of others to add to his private museum. Or how about a woman who behaves like a dog. Observatory Mansions was English author Edward Carey’s debut.