Never Got Into: "Spinners" by Anthony McCarten

Never Got Into: Spinners by Anthony McCarten, 1999, 0688163033.

I ran across this somewhere. Not sure where though. Maybe the book was referenced, maybe I stumbled across it in the catalog. I just didn't get into it and it ended up at the bottom of a pile and it's now time to clear house on a bunch of overdue stuff.

Girl working at processing plant in rural New Zealand claims she was gangbanged by aliens from a flying saucer. Meanwhile the ex-con nephew of the town mayor (is 'mayor' the title ? I don't recall) has come to restart the library. That's where I quit.

Looked Through: "Secrets of BuIlding an Alcohol Producing Still" by Vincent R. Gingery

Looked through: Secrets of Building and Alcohol Producing Still by Vincent R. Gingery, 1994, 1878087169.

I wanted to learn about the distilling process so I ordered a couple books from other libraries. Gingery self-published this as a guide for people looking to produce alternative fuel. He himself had trouble finding directions in building and operating a still to produce alcohol based auto fuel and decided to write a guide.

I looked through this book a bit and the building process was a little interesting to read about. But, as Gingery himself notes, the manufacturing process he details would likely not be safe to produce booze for consumption. For that matter, Gingery's directions never address alcohol for consumption. Not that it matters to me. Even if I were inclined to distill my own booze I would never bother because of the multiple legal issues.

Just Finished: "Jenny Green's Killer Junior Year" by Amy Belasen and Jacob Osborn

Just Finished: Jenny Green's Killer Junior Year by Amy Belasen and Jacob Osborn, 2008, 9781416967927.

I ran across this when looking for fiction set in Montreal. I wish that John Farrow (pen name) would write another police novel. There is not a lot of logic and realism in the novel but I ended up liking it quite a bit.

Jenny Green has a craptastic sophomore year in HS back in Long Island. She convinces her parents to let her enroll at Molson Academy in Montreal. Molson is a private boarding school where her former junior high crush Joshua attends.

Molson student housing is college style with a housemom or dad in charge of each house or dorm. Jenny ends up in a house full of pot-smoking hippies and weirdos. Jenny is a stereotypical Jewish American Princess and is even more stuck-up and snotty than the average HS girl.

Jenny ends up meeting Josh and dating. Jenny loses her virginity to Josh. Jenny realizes Josh is an ass and dumps him. Josh wants her back. Josh shows up and tries to rape her. Jenny kills Josh by smashing her roommate's bong over his head and stabbing him to death with the broken glass shaft. Jenny dispoes of body and sets up convincing enough suicide scene.

This murder scene takes a while to get to but the book improves measurably after that. Jenny dates a guy calling himself Dizzy-D. Dizzy is a smooth guy but a drug dealer who takes her as a challenge to bang. She gives him a blowjob and sticks her thumb in his ass. Jenny finds ourt Dizzy filmed it all and shares it with friends. Jenny kills Dizzy by tasering him and jamming an apple down his throat.

Jenny kills guy at party who sticks a pill in her friend's drink. Jenny kills fellow student who was planning a school shooting. Jenny kills her favorite teacher when guy tries to screw her. Jenny goes on the run and is about to return to the U.S.

Comments:

1. This is exactly the kind of novel that you would expect to get challenged with teen sex - Jenny is 16, drug use, various sexual realtionships among students, vicious violence, a creepy professor, lesbians, etc.

2. Lots of cracks by Jenny and others at the expense of Jews.

3. The psychological/behavioral accuracy of Jenny must be suspect but I don't freaking care.

4. Co-author Osborn went to UW-Madison.

5. The five killings and the time leading to them were the best parts.

Read a Couple Weeks Ago: "Die A Little" by Megan Abbott

Read A Couple Weeks Ago: Die A Little by Megan Abbott,2005, 9780743261708.

I was incredibly impressed with this book. I have not read all of Abbott's books but I liked this one head and shoulders above them all. Abbott mentioned what a big fan of Ellroy she is. Die fits right into Ellroy's '50s novels of L.A. Booze, squares mixing with rough types, secret prostitution ring, wealthy and famous johns, secrecy and conspiracy, double dealing and distrust.

Lora King and her brother Bill are in their twenties and very close. They grew up orphaned and reaised by their grandparents in L.A. They share a house in Pasadena while Bill works as a investigator for the D.A. and Lora teaches high school. Bill meets and falls hard for the Alice. Alice is beautiful and lively. Alice's personality makes her the center of all attention. Alice and Bill marry. Lora is a bit jealous of losing her brother, she does move out after all, But, Alice's manic behaviour and intense efforts to be the perfect suburban wife are odd. Alice's past is very secretive. Alice, too, is an orphan and talks little of her life before working as a seamstress for a movie studio.

Lora meets Alice's messed up friend Lois and cracks start to show. Lois gets in trouble with men and to the reader is obviously doped up. Lois realtionship with Alice seems deeper than friends. By chance Lora also meets a sharkskinned suit operator friend of Alice's and starts to learn more and more about Alice.

Well, it turns out Alice is not that bad. But, Alice is an ex-hooker and a fairly ruthless pimp. Lois is murdered and Lora starts digging and brings in the police. Things happen. Lois has guilt. Lois worries for her brother. Lois uncovers it all and solves the problem without the professional or personal downfall of her beloved brother.

Comments:

1. Die is told by Lora and therefore we see her mistakes, misassumptions, and the lies about herself. For example, Lora has a relationship with a guy. Late in the novel the guy mentions how Lora was in his bed within three hours of meeting him and likes to get turned over and banged hard with her face in a pillow. That was a surprise to read. Lora does not portray herself as a wilting flower but she skips over a few details.

2. This is not a mystery. This is Lora's story of herself and her family. She had accepted Alice as a sister but when it seemed Alice may be playing with Bill or maybe ruining him she cuts Alice off.

3. Great setting by Abbott. Setting is definitely one of her great strengths just as in Queenpin and The-Arizona-one-I-cannot-remember-the-title-to. Alice's cooking fanaticism, mixed drinks, cocktail parties, cultural mores of the time. I did spot an anachronism but do not recall what it was.

4. How long until Abbott's mother googles her way over here? Again?

5. Strength of setting is not to say her plot and characters are weak.

6. I really have to get those Muskego interviews transferred off that damned, digital tape and onto my hard drive.

7. The whole femme-fatal- from-the-inside-out was a great idea for Abbott to pursue.

8. I did not get too into the dichotomy/duality of Lora/Lois and Lora/Alice but did cathc on to it. Am I less dense than I used to be, or did Abbott make it clear?

9. If I had typed in these notes directly after reading this I would have gushed. I'm glad I took a while before getting to it.

Fast Graphic Novel Read: "100 Bullets: first shot, last call" by Brian Azzarello

Fast graphic novel read: 100 Bullets: first shot, last call by Brain Azzarello, 2000, 9781563896453.

Compilation of five stories listed as 100 Bullets 1-5 and Vertigo: Winter's Edge 3.

I just don't get worked up about comic book novels like some people do. I like Sacco's work quite a bit, and the Astro City series had some great stories, but mostly I am left unfulfilled. Azzarello has received heaps of praise for 100 Bullets. 100 was really just a brief collection of short stories and the stories are only loosely held together by a single character, Agent Graves. The stories were good but there was nothing spectacular. I am also fairly picky about artwork, if I don't like the artist's style I won't like the book.

Agent Graves suddenly appears in the lives of different victims and offers them vengeance. The protagonist will be untouchable by any law enforcement agency and all investigations cease once the fired rounds are recovered. Person ponders, person decides, things happen.

Listened to: "Holidays on Ice" by David Sedaris

Listened to: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris, 1997, downloaded from Overdrive.com

This is not the newer version with added stories. This ran at just 3 hours, 10 minutes with narration by Sedaris, his sister Amy, and some other broad.

Plenty of laughter from me while listening. Sedaris mixes his own life stories with fictional pieces. All the stories have sad bits. Sedaris has that great balance of humor and sadness when discussing anything. His wit can be cruel and mean but Sedaris always seems like a decent guy in the end. It would be neat to listen to Sedaris and his siblings get together and talk as family.

The fictional piece of a television producer trying to get a woman to sign a movie contract seems to be staying with me more than the other tales.

Quick Read: "Tim Page's Nam" by Tim Page

Quick Read: Tim Page's Nam by Tim Page, 1983, 039450055.

I looked for more information on Page after listening to Dispatches. This is a very brief book made of photos and some brief reminiscing essays by Page.

Page was not that prominent in Dispatches but the stories of his multiple combat injuries are memorable. This book did not have a whole lot more information beyond some more details about his injuries from a friendly fire incident at sea. I had seen many of the photos before but all were interesting to see or study.

Nothing memorable for me in the text.