As you all know, I am an avid reader. For the most part, unless it's a romance novel, you can put a book in my hand and I will read it. When I try to put together a list of the best books I've ever read, the list is tremendously varied; I don't like just one type of book. Some of my favorites range from anything by Barbara Kingsolver, whose writing is so perfect and beautiful that it almost sounds like music when read aloud, to The Count of Monte Cristo, to Naked by David Sedaris, and The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It is impossible to pinpoint my taste - I am all over the board. I love books, I admire writing of all kinds, and I am definitely not easily offended.
I have two book suggestions for you, and they are as different as two books could be. The first is tragic, desperate, gripping, and executed quite well. I could not put it down and felt a loss when it ended. This one is Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. It takes us back to WWII Germany and allows us to look at life from a woman just trying to keep herself and her daughter alive. What she chooses to do is shocking and heartbreaking, but understandable. It raises topics of judging others (wrongfully, always wrongfully), shame, endurance, hate, and sacrifice. No WWII/Holocaust book is ever easy to read, but this was one of the better I've read on the topic. In grad school, I took a Holocaust Literature class, and this would certainly have been a good one for discussion in that class. It is impossible, I imagine, to read this book and not be impacted by its weight. If you liked The Book Thief, this one is for you... it is even better.
Now, as I wrote earlier, I have a wide range of books that I have enjoyed, so on that note, I am moving toward a book drastically different, but this one is entertaining. People keep telling me that my sense of humor is warped, but you know, my sense of humor is mine and it's probably not changing, no matter how many times my mom tells me my brain is wired incorrectly. The book that makes me laugh out loud every time I open a page is Our Dumb World by The Onion. It is an "atlas" of our world, detailing places according to the way things "really are". It is deadpan, cynical, and no topic is sacred, even the Holocaust. I read the things these people have written and marvel how they are simultaneously able to be so ridiculous and brilliant at the same time. For people who admire the craft of writing, it's hard not to enjoy this. It is broken down country by country.
*The book is truly meant to be humorous, not offensive. If you are offended easily, it is most definitely not for you. With that qualified, read on!
A few brief snippets:
The United States was founded in 1776 on the principles of life, liberty, and the reckless pursuit of happiness at any cost - even life and liberty.
Vermont: Clean Air, Filthy People. The environmentally friendly hippies of Vermont lead the world in water conservation, as well as soap conservation, shampoo conservation, and Q-tip conservation. Vermonters are known to recycle their undergarments, often making a single pair last as long as two months. Indeed, if statewide trend continues, Vermont's strategic deodorant reserves - roughly two sticks of Right Guard - should last at least until 2407.
Tennessee: Like Hee-Haw, but a state.
North Dakota: Empty. Founded in 1889 by two men who figured it might be useful for something someday, ND was the first uninhabited state to be admitted into the Union. North Dakota was once briefly populated in 1987 by a carful of drivers who accidentally swerved over the border. North Dakota's largest city is Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Kansas: Taking a bold stand against the dangers of modern existence... the Kansas legislature has officially banned all forms of reality. In addition, the growing number... claim that homosexuality is a choice, and they are dedicated to proving it every other Wednesday night at a little motel just outside Topeka.
Wisconsin: Clogged artery of the heartland. Once the fattest people in the country, Wisconsinites have slimmed down dramatically by adhering to a strict diet of just one basket of cheese curds at every meal. Many exercise daily by jumping up and power-walking to the kitchen for a bratwurst between snacks.
Oklahoma: In 1912, a tumbleweed lazily blew across the dusty prairies of Oklahoma on a soft summer breeze, an event long remembered as the only thing to ever happen in the state.
Among the other states I have not listed here, it also lists what it refers to as the B.S. states, which are Alaska, Hawaii, and Minnesota. Why Minnesota? Mostly because it's random, and random is funny, but also because "From 'Yah, sure' to 'You betcha, there,' Minnesotans have not said one intelligent or discernible things since 1858."
*If I have not listed your favorite state, just ask, and I will share. I didn't list Colorado because it was too true to be funny, and too offensive to list on a family site.
Other countries:
Brazil: People At Their Most Beautiful, Humanity At Its Ugliest. Boasting some of the sexiest people ever to be stabbed repeatedly at night, Brazil is home to perhaps the most attractive victims of carjacking, robbery, and violent assault in the world.
Australia: As Seen On Animal Planet. The nation's delicate ecosystem has been thrown out of balance. Kangaroos and koalas have been displaced from their natural habitats, and must now survive in new and distressing environments, namely late-night talk shows. Sadly, those left behind have fared no better. The nation's black mambas are unable to stalk their kill without documentarians loudly narrating their every move, and saltwater crocodiles have stopped mating, as many worry that the moment they start (you know what) four cameramen and boom-mic operators will burst in on them. Other species, however, have adapted to their new challenges, but now only get the desire to mate when they are being filmed.
China: With over 700 billion citizens manufactured since 1892, China is the world's largest mass producer of Chinese. Assembled from raw genetic materials, thousands of disposable workers are churned out each minute. Babies are separated by a large sorting machine, which sends the boys into the electronics field and girls off a cliff.
And those are the "nice" ones.
This book definitely requires one to put aside being offended while reading it, but because it makes fun of everyone and everything, it is kind of easy to do. Plus any book that declares the most tragic event in American history as September 11. 2001... because it was the day that George W. Bush's career was saved... is ok with me.
I have two book suggestions for you, and they are as different as two books could be. The first is tragic, desperate, gripping, and executed quite well. I could not put it down and felt a loss when it ended. This one is Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. It takes us back to WWII Germany and allows us to look at life from a woman just trying to keep herself and her daughter alive. What she chooses to do is shocking and heartbreaking, but understandable. It raises topics of judging others (wrongfully, always wrongfully), shame, endurance, hate, and sacrifice. No WWII/Holocaust book is ever easy to read, but this was one of the better I've read on the topic. In grad school, I took a Holocaust Literature class, and this would certainly have been a good one for discussion in that class. It is impossible, I imagine, to read this book and not be impacted by its weight. If you liked The Book Thief, this one is for you... it is even better.
Now, as I wrote earlier, I have a wide range of books that I have enjoyed, so on that note, I am moving toward a book drastically different, but this one is entertaining. People keep telling me that my sense of humor is warped, but you know, my sense of humor is mine and it's probably not changing, no matter how many times my mom tells me my brain is wired incorrectly. The book that makes me laugh out loud every time I open a page is Our Dumb World by The Onion. It is an "atlas" of our world, detailing places according to the way things "really are". It is deadpan, cynical, and no topic is sacred, even the Holocaust. I read the things these people have written and marvel how they are simultaneously able to be so ridiculous and brilliant at the same time. For people who admire the craft of writing, it's hard not to enjoy this. It is broken down country by country.
*The book is truly meant to be humorous, not offensive. If you are offended easily, it is most definitely not for you. With that qualified, read on!
A few brief snippets:
The United States was founded in 1776 on the principles of life, liberty, and the reckless pursuit of happiness at any cost - even life and liberty.
Vermont: Clean Air, Filthy People. The environmentally friendly hippies of Vermont lead the world in water conservation, as well as soap conservation, shampoo conservation, and Q-tip conservation. Vermonters are known to recycle their undergarments, often making a single pair last as long as two months. Indeed, if statewide trend continues, Vermont's strategic deodorant reserves - roughly two sticks of Right Guard - should last at least until 2407.
Tennessee: Like Hee-Haw, but a state.
North Dakota: Empty. Founded in 1889 by two men who figured it might be useful for something someday, ND was the first uninhabited state to be admitted into the Union. North Dakota was once briefly populated in 1987 by a carful of drivers who accidentally swerved over the border. North Dakota's largest city is Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Kansas: Taking a bold stand against the dangers of modern existence... the Kansas legislature has officially banned all forms of reality. In addition, the growing number... claim that homosexuality is a choice, and they are dedicated to proving it every other Wednesday night at a little motel just outside Topeka.
Wisconsin: Clogged artery of the heartland. Once the fattest people in the country, Wisconsinites have slimmed down dramatically by adhering to a strict diet of just one basket of cheese curds at every meal. Many exercise daily by jumping up and power-walking to the kitchen for a bratwurst between snacks.
Oklahoma: In 1912, a tumbleweed lazily blew across the dusty prairies of Oklahoma on a soft summer breeze, an event long remembered as the only thing to ever happen in the state.
Among the other states I have not listed here, it also lists what it refers to as the B.S. states, which are Alaska, Hawaii, and Minnesota. Why Minnesota? Mostly because it's random, and random is funny, but also because "From 'Yah, sure' to 'You betcha, there,' Minnesotans have not said one intelligent or discernible things since 1858."
*If I have not listed your favorite state, just ask, and I will share. I didn't list Colorado because it was too true to be funny, and too offensive to list on a family site.
Other countries:
Brazil: People At Their Most Beautiful, Humanity At Its Ugliest. Boasting some of the sexiest people ever to be stabbed repeatedly at night, Brazil is home to perhaps the most attractive victims of carjacking, robbery, and violent assault in the world.
Australia: As Seen On Animal Planet. The nation's delicate ecosystem has been thrown out of balance. Kangaroos and koalas have been displaced from their natural habitats, and must now survive in new and distressing environments, namely late-night talk shows. Sadly, those left behind have fared no better. The nation's black mambas are unable to stalk their kill without documentarians loudly narrating their every move, and saltwater crocodiles have stopped mating, as many worry that the moment they start (you know what) four cameramen and boom-mic operators will burst in on them. Other species, however, have adapted to their new challenges, but now only get the desire to mate when they are being filmed.
China: With over 700 billion citizens manufactured since 1892, China is the world's largest mass producer of Chinese. Assembled from raw genetic materials, thousands of disposable workers are churned out each minute. Babies are separated by a large sorting machine, which sends the boys into the electronics field and girls off a cliff.
And those are the "nice" ones.
This book definitely requires one to put aside being offended while reading it, but because it makes fun of everyone and everything, it is kind of easy to do. Plus any book that declares the most tragic event in American history as September 11. 2001... because it was the day that George W. Bush's career was saved... is ok with me.
1 comments:
Ok, I have to know what the Onion said about Colorado!
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