| The books thus far: |
|
I AM LEGEND
by Richard Matheson |
 Reading
in progress... |
|
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
by
Sara Gruen |
 PLOT:
Down-on-His-Luck hops a train and finds employment with a Depression-era
traveling circus. Swindling, love, and murder ensue.
OPINION:
Stocked with vividly quirky characters (and animals).
Plenty of
ridiculous, occasionally harrowing, anecdotes that coalesce into an enjoyable
story.
GRADE:
B |
|
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE
by
Audrey Niffenegger |
 PLOT:
Guy time travels to various points in both his wife's and his own timeline.
OPINION:
Pizza Beer is a manly bookclub, but
we read this anyway. I begrudgingly
admit that, for a "soaring
celebration of the victory of love over
time", it was
pretty dang good. Real good, in fact.
GRADE:
A- |
|
THE TENDER BAR: A MEMOIR by
J.R. Moehringer |
 PLOT:
Fatherless JR grows up in the pub-laden town of Manhasset, NY, where,
fortunately, the bars are fully stocked with all manner of engaging
father-figures. Boy
eventually graduates from bar to New York Times.
OPINION:
Moehringer has a gift for bringing a wide assortment of personalities to
life. A self-deprecating tone makes for an entertaining read.
GRADE:
B+ |
|
MONSTER ISLAND: A ZOMBIE
NOVEL by
David Wellington |
 PLOT:
UN Weapons inspector leads a team of teenage girl-soldiers through the
zombie-infested streets of Manhattan in search of medication to prolong the life of an Somaliland warlord overseeing the care
of his daughter.
OPINION:
Brings some unique elements to the
living-dead-apocalypse genre, mainly in
the form of Gary, a recently deceased
who has managed to retain his
intelligence and humanity (more or
less). Pleasant zombie reading.
GRADE:
C+ |
|
SOON I WILL BE INVINCIBLE: A NOVEL by
Austin Grossman
|
 PLOT:
Egomaniacal supervillian makes (yet another) attempt at global domination -
it's up to the super team The Champions to save the day.
OPINION:
A respectful satire of the
superhero genre. Grossman puts a contemporary angle on many of
the classic hero clich?s. Powerful fun. Check the elaborate
Official Website.
GRADE:
B |
|
THE RIVER OF DOUBT: THEODORE
ROOSEVELT'S DARKEST JOURNEY by
Candice
Millard |
 PLOT:
After losing a run at the White
House in 1912, Roosevelt seeks out
insane adventure along uncharted
rivers in the darkest depths of the
Amazon jungle.
OPINION:
It's an astoundingly arduous
journey almost too crazy to possibly be
true.
GRADE:
B |
|
THE RUINS
by
Scott Smith |
 PLOT:
Thriller/suspense type deal in the
Mayan-infested jungles of Cancun Mexico.
Got your unprepared tourists wrangling
with over-the-top horror.
OPINION:
Some nicely built tension only
makes it feel as though the story
is going somewhere. An undemanding,
somewhat protracted, read that concludes
with an wholly unsatisfying ending.
GRADE:
C- |
|
RAGTIME by
E.L. Doctorow |
 PLOT:
Historical fiction at the turn of
the 20th century. Stocked with an
impressive cast of characters (Harry
Houdini, JP Morgan, Henry Ford, Freud,
etc) and plot threads that effortlessly
intertwine into an amazing narrative.
OPINION:
Deserves the reputation as being
one of the great works of American
literature.
GRADE:
A
(should'a been A+, but Mr. Johnson
didn't care for the lack of quotation
marks. Because he is a big wussy.) |
|
COMPANY by
Max
Barry |
 PLOT:
A satirical look at the drudgery of
corporate life takes a very unexpected
turn, transcending the usual Dilbert-esque
anecdotes.
OPINION:
Max Barry manages another
enjoyable, easy read with his penchant
for clever dialogue, interesting plot
developments, and agile pacing.
Particularly amusing for those who can
relate to the corporate culture.
GRADE:
B |
|
ELVIS, JESUS AND COCA-COLA by
Kinky Friedman |
 PLOT:
Kinky Freidman - writer, detective,
musician, eccentric - investigates the
murder of a former girlfriend.
OPINION:
It's not about the story, it's
about the characters. Friedman breezily
manages a colorful cast of friends in
this cleverly written, farcical
"mystery". Too many adroit phrases and
oldfangled sayings to possibly count.
GRADE:
B |
|
THE BAD TWIN by
Gary Troup |
 PLOT:
Heir to the Widmore fortune hires a
bottom-rung PI to investigate the
disappearance of his twin brother. PI
travels the globe, always a step behind.
OPINION:
The book does a decent enough job
of making with the mysteries and plot
twists and saucy encounters. The tie-in
to the TV show Lost is
disappointingly tenuous at
best.
GRADE:
C+ |
|
TRANSMISSION
by
Hari Kunzru |
 PLOT:
Indian programmer Arjun Mehta lands
a contract job at an American anti-virus
company. He loses job and hatches scheme
to create a virus, kill it, and win back
respect/paycheck. The plan, of course,
goes horribly awry.
OPINION:
A generally light read, aimed at
(though certainly not exclusively for)
the tech crowd. Strong ending leaves a
bit better impression than the book
probably deserves.
GRADE:
B- |
|
THE KITE RUNNER
by
Khaled Hosseini |
 PLOT:
Fictional account of two friends
growing up together in Kabul,
Afghanistan with the heritage and
culture and kite flying sports.
Eventually one flees to American while
the other stays behind to experience the
horrors of the Talban rule.
OPINION:
Some powerful storytelling -
enlightening and entirely convincing.
Hosseini ponderously spells out every
bit of symbolism, otherwise top shelf
material.
GRADE:
A |
|
THE NARROWS
by
Alexander C. Irvine |
 PLOT:
Historical fiction set in WWII-era
Detroit. Regular Joe working the Ford
golem assembly line ("Frankenline")
becomes embroiled in supernatural
espionage. And a magic dwarf.
OPINION:
Story hints at some fanastical
events, but never completely delivers.
Still, an enjoyable easy read (that
could use some tightening up in the
middle).
GRADE:
B- |
|
THE THIRD POLICEMAN by
Flann
O'Brien |
 PLOT:
Surreal tale of a murderer forced
to wrestle with the delusion of existence,
eternity, and bicycle theft. The absurd
story almost defies description.
OPINION:
A blend of satire and philosophy
that's probably a little too strange for
it's own good. Astoundingly, the forward
of the book spoils the ending (heads-up).
GRADE:
C+ |
|
COLD: A NOVEL by
John
Smolens |
 PLOT:
Convict walks away from prison in
Michigan's snow-bound Upper Peninsula to
visit with apathetic girlfriend and evil
brother. Becomes entangled in bizarre plot
to profit off the UP's natural resources.
OPINION:
Characters, while well-defined, are
generally unlikable. Dialogue and story is
a dilute shade of Elmore Leonard. Still,
light enjoyable reading.
GRADE:
B- |
|
BLOOD MERIDIAN
by
Cormac Mccarthy |
 PLOT:
"The Kid" wanders the 1850's
Texas-Mexico border with an army of Indian
hunters, encountering all manner of gore
and extreme violence along the way. Shades
of Apocalypse Now.
OPINION:
A deceptively ponderous effort that
no member of the book club desired to
complete (despite obvious allure of said
gore/violence).
GRADE:
Incomplete |
|
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE by
Jonathan Safran Foer |
 PLOT:
After losing his father in the 9/11
attacks, 9yr old Oskar methodically (therapeutically) combs New York City for a
lock that matches a mysterious key left by
his dad.
OPINION:
Fantastic off-beat story. Book is
interspersed with photographs and
typographic oddities somewhat on
the gimmicky side. Also frustrating
narrator changes from one chapter to the
next with little or no indication when the
switch happens.
GRADE:
A- |
|
THE
PLOT AGAINST AMERICA
by
Philip Roth |
 PLOT:
What if aviator Charles Lindbergh
(Nazi sympathizer) defeated FDR in the
1940 Presidential elections under the
platform that America would not enter
WWII?
OPINION:
Historical fiction that doesn't
require a thorough knowledge of actual events to
appreciate. Roth is obviously a mighty
talent, though the heavy plot does tend to meander. Felt as though 1/2 the
book we were being told what
happened rather than shown what
happened.
GRADE:
B |
|
A SCANNER DARKLY by
Philip K. Dick |
 PLOT:
Undercover cop Rob Arctor is tasked
with keeping tabs on his drug dealing
alter ego Fred. Substance D (highly
addictive drug of the future), fractures
his personality. Rob and Fred gradually
lose sight of the fact that they are the
same person.
OPINION:
Dick is a man with some heavy
thoughts, clever ideas, and a strong
message about the drug culture. A
difficult though ultimately worth-while
read.
GRADE:
B+ |
|
EYEING THE FLASH: THE
EDUCATION OF A CARNIVAL CON ARTIST
by Peter Fenton |
 PLOT:
The title neatly sums up the story.
Carnies fleecin' the yokels in 1960's
Detroit.
OPINION:
Who doesn't want to read about
swindlers and crooked games of chance?
Light reading, interesting characters.
Fails to maintain steam through to the
end.
GRADE:
B |
|
ONE FOR SORROW, TWO FOR JOY
by Clive Woodall |
 PLOT:
Evil magpies are slaughtering all smaller bird species. It's up to one of
the last surviving robins to drum up an
army and crush the genocidal Corvidae.
OPINION:
Despite the press (and dust jacket), 1S,2J isn't of
the same caliber as Watership Down,
nor Lord of the Rings. An
intriguing storyline is undercut by poor
pacing, shallow, prototypical
characterization, and average writing.
Disney has optioned this book, despite
startling moments of brutal carnage. And
the bird rape scene.
GRADE:
C |
LOSER GOES FIRST: MY THIRTY-SOMETHING
YEARS OF DUMB LUCK AND MINOR HUMILIATION
by
Dan Kennedy |
 PLOT:
Humorous, blunt memoir of a slacker
stumbling through one poor decision after
another (yet somehow landing on his feet).
OPINION:
Dan's clearly a witty guy, but the
writing skillz are somewhat lacking.
Entertaining and forgettable. Would've
gone down smoother as a collection of
short stories.
GRADE:
C+ |
|
BONE: ONE VOLUME EDITION by
Jeff
Smith |
 PLOT:
After being run out of Boneville,
three Bone cousins embark on an epic
adventure that steadily gains momentum and
scope until culminating in a Tolkienesque
rasslin' match with a new princess in one
corner and possessed locusts in the other.
OPINION:
A stout 1300+ page blend of Pogo, Scrooge McDuck,
and Lord of the Rings. Writer/illustrator Jeff Smith
delivers a thoughtful adventure fantasy in a lively,
generally entertaining
package. Occasionally a tad too cute for
adult tastes...
GRADE:
B |
|
FLUKE: OR, I KNOW WHY THE WINGED WHALES
SING by
Christopher Moore |
 PLOT:
Marine biologist Nathan Quinn unwittingly
stumbles into an imaginative (and more than
a little wacky) global conspiracy while studying
humpback whale songs.
OPINION:
Moore tosses around a bit of
environmental/marine education while makin'
with the funny. Generally absurd with a
hint of spirituality and plenty of sharp
dialogue - all bundled into a storyline
that probably goes a little too far "out
there".
GRADE:
C+ |
|
LIFE OF PI by
Yann Martel |
 PLOT:
It's the same old tale you've read
a thousand times: son of a
zoo keeper finds self in life raft on Pacific ocean.
With a tiger.
OPINION:
Thoughtful, to the point of
profound. A fantastic survival story told
in an oddly convincing, and amazingly well
written, fashion. Awesome.
GRADE:
A |
|
THE RULE OF FOUR by
Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason |
 PLOT:
Quest for the
Holy
Grail hidden crypt through a series of puzzles and
adventures.
OPINION:
Shades of DaVinci Code wrapped in
an fairly average, though well researched,
novel. A strong ending left a better
impression than TRO4 probably deserved.
GRADE:
C+ |
|
POMPEII by Robert Harris |
 PLOT:
An ancient mystery/adventure in the
last couple days of Pompeii before
Vesuvius makes with the exploding.
OPINION:
Where "Drop City" (below) unloaded
strong writing into a serviceable story,
Pompeii is at the opposite end of the
spectrum. A quick, exciting read - way
better than expected, despite the sinister
spectre of "education" lurking within...
GRADE:
A- |
|
DROP CITY by
T.C.
Boyle |
 PLOT:
Hippy commune in the late 60's
uproots and relocates to the cold, dark
wilds Alaska in hopes of escaping The Man.
OPINION:
Fantastically well written tale
that plods along and sets up, though in
retrospect fails to deliver, many a
compelling conflict (man vs. man, man vs.
nature, etc).
GRADE:
B |
|
JENNIFER GOVERNMENT by
Max
Barry |
 PLOT:
One character chases after another
(insert additional character, repeat) in
an alternate reality where massive corporations
run the world. Various plot threads eventually converge, clever plot
ties up nicely - "now
let's go get that puppy".
OPINION:
Believable futuristic concepts in the vein of
Cory Doctorow. Slick corporate satire atop
an engaging, fast-paced story. Light,
enjoyable reading.
GRADE:
A- |
|
THE COMING OF CONAN THE CIMMERIAN
by Robert E. Howard |
 PLOT:
Over a dozen short stories,
presented in their original unedited form.
Solid sword/sorcery tales chronicling Conan's
considerable resume - cunning thief,
swashbuckling pirate,
seasoned general, and weary king.
OPINION:
Though not every story is a
winner, each page is thick with adventure,
bloodshed, and voluptuous babes. Writing
was much better than expected.
GRADE:
B |
|
YOU SHALL KNOW OUR VELOCITY by
Dave Eggers |
 |
PLOT:
Road trip story of two fellas on an
ill-conceived one week jaunt through
Africa and Eastern Europe, handing out
$30,000 along the way as a misguided
means of alleviating guilt over the
sudden death of a close friend.
OPINION:
Clever dialogue set to a meandering
(occasionally repetitious) plot that's
unpredictable and contemplative.
Completely loved the writing
style.
GRADE:
B+ |
| |
YSKOV - soft cover edition (as read by
80% of Pizza Beer Book Club
membership): |
 |
OPINION:
This edition of the book, as the
front cover notes, includes some
alterations and additions not found in
the first-printing (above). A bizarre
chapter added to the middle completely
knocks the legs out from under the
story - to such a degree that we are
forced to grade the paperback version
separately. Amazing.
GRADE:
C+ |
|
|
ORYX AND CRAKE by
Margaret Atwood |
 PLOT:
When not flashing back to a bleak
pre-apocalyptic future, chronicles the
exploits of a man struggling to survive in
a bleak post-apocalyptic future.
OPINION:
Very convincing look at impending
technologies and inventions. The
flashbacks, which only feel like they comprise
about 95% of the book, went a little too
far back - otherwise a well-written tale.
Loved the survival stuff.
GRADE:
B |
DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY: MURDER, MAGIC,
AND MADNESS AT THE FAIR THAT CHANGED
AMERICA
by Erik Larson |
 PLOT:
The grizzly exploits of the
charismatic
H.H. Holmes ("America's first serial
killer") wrapped around a very detailed
look into the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
OPINION:
Though not what I'd call
"thrilling" every single step of the way,
the subject matter did make for a very
interesting read. Historically accurate
t'boot (which has made me a fount of
useless World's Fair trivia)...
GRADE:
B |
|
LULLABY by
Chuck Palaniuk |
 PLOT:
About a poem, or "culling
song", that kills folks when spoken (or
thought) and a reporter tracking down
copies of the book in which the poem
appears.
OPINION:
Standard Palaniuk - at neither his
best nor worst (though perhaps his
shortest). A twisting blend of dark humor,
odd trivia, and that which is outright
disturbing. Best book cover yet...
GRADE:
B- |
|
THE DA VINCI CODE by
Dan Brown |
 PLOT:
Quest for the Holy
Grail through a series of puzzles and
adventures.
OPINION:
Highly entertaining, though not a
particularly challenging book. Certainly
filled with interesting concepts on
religion, art, and history.
GRADE:
B |
|
VILLA INCOGNITO by Tom Robbins |
 PLOT:
Opens with a
folktale set in Japan, closes with MIA
drug smugglers in Vietnam. Much weirdness
in between.
OPINION:
Constant flash-backs hinder any
progress the plot wants to make. Strange
and well written, the story comes off as
generally unsatisfying. I hear this fella
writes great books - but this ain't one...
GRADE:
C- |
|
LAMB: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING
TO BIFF, CHRIST'S CHILDHOOD PAL
by
Christopher Moore |
 PLOT:
Life of Jesus,
including the "lost years" not found in
any bible.
OPINION:
Pure hilarity. Moore cranks out
quite the amusing religious satire. Pokes
fun, yet obviously has a lot of heart.
Jesus + kung-fu...
GRADE:
A |
|
THE BEST AMERICAN
NONREQUIRED READING 2002
by Dave Eggers (Editor), Michael Cart |
 PLOT:
A collection of hip
little short stories from a variety of
trendy sources (The
Onion,
McSweeney's, Time, Esquire, Modern
Humorist, etc).
OPINION:
20% great, 30% bad, 50%
whatever. Journal
of a new COBRA recruit and My Fake
Job were the gems - it's pretty well
all shades of average after that.
GRADE:
B- |
|
THE MINOTAUR TAKES A
CIGARETTE BREAK
by
Steven Sherrill |
 PLOT:
"Uuuuuuungh."
One of those "slice o' life" books
about the immortal Minotaur from ancient
times. Nowadays he's a down-on-his-luck
cook living in a trailer park and lookin'
for love.
OPINION:
Unfortunately this wasn't the
most exciting slice o' the Minotaur's life.
Recommended if you are hip to the
character-study scene.
GRADE:
C+ |
|
DOWN AND OUT IN THE MAGIC
KINGDOM by
Cory Doctorow |
PLOT:
Disneyland of
the distant future!
OPINION:
Whoooo Sally, some really
fantastic concepts. All those brilliant
ideas don't manage to gel into a very
compelling story, however. Certainly above
average.
Download for free...
GRADE:
B+ |
|
THE LIST OF 7
by Mark Frost |
 PLOT:
The crazy zombie-fightin'
adventures of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
OPINION:
Slow
moving but generally entertaining. Many a
nod to the classic Sherlock Holmes
tales. Mad props to m'boy Character Dialogue.
GRADE:
B |
|
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: THE
TRUE STORY OF A REAL FAKE
by Stan Redding, Frank W. Abagnale |
 PLOT:
One man's crazy
journey into the thrilling world of check
fraud!
OPINION:
Better than the
movie, of course. Some quick, light readin'.
Almost too crazy to be true.
GRADE:
A- |
|
POWDER
by Kevin Sampson |
 PLOT:
Chronicles the
trials and tribulations of a
fictitious Liverpool band on the path to fortune and glory.
OPINION:
Just a bit on
the tedious side. About 200 pages too
long... Worth avoiding.
GRADE:
D+ |
|
THE LAST AMERICAN MAN
Elizabeth Gilbert |
 PLOT:
Biography of Eustace Conway, a
true man of nature.
OPINION:
Strong out of
the gates, warbles a bit towards the end
(not unlike Eustace's own life). Despite
the way he complains about his luck with
the ladies, the guy
was a babe magnet.
GRADE:
B- |
THE TURK: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE FAMOUS EIGHTEENTH CENTURY CHESS PLAYING
MACHINE
by Tom Standage |
 PLOT:
Story of a chess playing
automaton that took on all
comers and amazed audiences for 80
years. 18th century artificial
intelligence or hoax?
OPINION:
Good stuff,
though came away feeling somewhat
manipulated by the author. Curiosity alone
will keep the pages turning.
GRADE:
C+ |
|
AMERICAN GODS
by Neil Gaiman |
 PLOT:
Road trip story. Old gods (Odin,
Loki, etc) vs. new gods (Internet, TV, and
the like).
Main character named "Shadow" caught in
the middle.
OPINION:
Doesn't quite
measure up to the reviews and attention
that book has garnered. Worth a look for
those Gaiman fans tho.
GRADE:
C+ |
|
KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL:
ADVENTURES IN THE CULINARY UNDERBELLY
by Anthony Bourdain |
 PLOT:
Behold the high steaks (he-ho!) world of
food and food cookery.
OPINION:
Bourdain
expends great amounts of energy (and
words) attempting to convince readers that the life of a chef
is a thrilling and dangerous rock-n-roll rollercoaster
ride. What. Ever.
GRADE:
C |
|
THE CHEESE MONKEYS: A NOVEL
IN TWO SEMESTERS by Chipp Kidd
|
 PLOT:
Art school at a state university
with a wonky graphic design professor.
OPINION:
Nicely captures the
art school experience. Nailed the time
period. Chip "The Kidd" is a graphic
design legend and thusly cranked out quite
the swanky package here.
GRADE:
B |
