It has been several years since I've read one of Jill A. Davis comedic masterpieces, of which I remember laughing out loud in a room full of people with my nose buried in Girls Poker Night. To this day, I can't even tell you what it was about, but certain lines about trying to gain admittance to a mental hospital, and a quick one-liner about suicide with a blow dryer stick out prominently in my brain. I can't tell if it's because I'm older and arguably wiser and less gullible, or if Davis really isn't as funny as I previously thought. And that was long before I ever tried smoking weed.
Ask Again Later is your typical young-woman-trying-to-find-herself chick lit littered with absolutely ridiculous scenarios that make you laugh out loud in that "WTF?!" kind of way. I wouldn't say it was the best book I've ever read - certainly not the funniest and I have yet to read anything by the All Mighty David Sedaris - but it wasn't a complete waste of time, either. It made me appreciate my boring, married-with-children life and made me wonder how necessary it is to have chick-lit in my literary life right now. Like rom-com movies, most romance novels, and porn, once you've seen/read one, you've read/seen 'em all. The random twists Davis peppers throughout the generally hum-drum story definitely keeps you on your toes, though, is much appreciated, and keeps the 240ish paperback pages turning.
Written as if we've secretly picked up a stranger's diary, we're led down a wandering path of a woman who has absolutely no idea what she's doing, where's she's going, or what her basic interests are. It reminds me of Runaway Bride when she has no idea how she prefers her eggs. By the end, we're not really sure if she's figured anything out, just that her life will continue in less of an up-heaved kind of way. So, good for her.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
From the very first paragraph, nothing more aptly describes
Jenna Miscavige Hill’s Beyond Belief:My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape than “beyond belief.”
Growing up in the throes of Scientology, first as an outsider then as a full-fledged participant as her parents got more immersed in the “religion,” Hill’s experience was confusing, contemplative, mysterious, and anxiety-ridden all rolled in to one, which, excuse me if I’m wrong, isn’t supposed to be the epitome of religious epicenters as it so claims. As a disclaimer, I warn you my review is biased and largely tainted by my new-found Scientology education and I could very possibly come across hostile and I completely mean to.
Jenna’s life started as most of ours do – school, friends, chores, relatively stable home-life with most of the activities and minutia we civilians – or Wogs as we’re referred to by Scientologists – take for granted. Her grandfather played a prominent role in the founding of Scientology, thereby forcing his son, Jenna’s father, into the organization. Generally against it, Jenna and her siblings began their childhood, like I said, as most do. At some point, however, her father decided Scientology was the way to go and packed up the family to live in what I can only describe as a very underdeveloped compound.
Separated from her family for extended periods of time, only getting to see her parents at most an hour each week, Jenna’s “schooling” consisted of learning via memorization of L. Ron Hubbard’s “teachings,” emotion control, and manual labor to restore “The Ranch,” a California desert expanse of dilapidated buildings that was to one day be a major hub of Scientology.
Predominantly reminding me of a very brief reality show in which kids lived in a replicated old Western town and we got to watch what would happen if the world was left up to children, adults were often absent from The Ranch, but neither adults or fellow children could be trusted. As part of the higher class of the "church," Jenna was constantly scrutinized, monitored, questioned, and even punished for indiscretions she was often completely unaware of.
Hill explained early on the the founders of Scientology learned they could be an organization without religious affiliation and avoid some such tax law, but what the public is actually funding is nothing more than a cult. With no god(s), idols, deities, prayers, ceremonies, or anything involving anything spiritual, how exactly does it fall under the religious umbrella?
Operating on a belief of sort-of reincarnation, Scientology is based largely on the amount of control we have over ourselves and emotions; thus more supernatural than spiritual, as supposed previous lives are thrown into the mix. Scientology is of a fundamentalist nature based largely on the treatment of their members and the lengths they'll go to avoid scandal.
It's a benefit to the book that the baseline story is interesting as the writing would have caused me to put it down barely a third of the way into it. Written accompanied by another author, it is definitely obvious who wrote what.
The content alone is enough to keep you reading. But it's frustrating at times, hard to witness Jenna's treatment then subsequent devotion to to a group who didn't want to keep her but couldn't get rid of her and ultimately didn't know what to do with her. More than one thing will boggle your mind as you have this front-row seat to the largest (at least one of?) government subsidized cult.
Growing up in the throes of Scientology, first as an outsider then as a full-fledged participant as her parents got more immersed in the “religion,” Hill’s experience was confusing, contemplative, mysterious, and anxiety-ridden all rolled in to one, which, excuse me if I’m wrong, isn’t supposed to be the epitome of religious epicenters as it so claims. As a disclaimer, I warn you my review is biased and largely tainted by my new-found Scientology education and I could very possibly come across hostile and I completely mean to.
Jenna’s life started as most of ours do – school, friends, chores, relatively stable home-life with most of the activities and minutia we civilians – or Wogs as we’re referred to by Scientologists – take for granted. Her grandfather played a prominent role in the founding of Scientology, thereby forcing his son, Jenna’s father, into the organization. Generally against it, Jenna and her siblings began their childhood, like I said, as most do. At some point, however, her father decided Scientology was the way to go and packed up the family to live in what I can only describe as a very underdeveloped compound.
Separated from her family for extended periods of time, only getting to see her parents at most an hour each week, Jenna’s “schooling” consisted of learning via memorization of L. Ron Hubbard’s “teachings,” emotion control, and manual labor to restore “The Ranch,” a California desert expanse of dilapidated buildings that was to one day be a major hub of Scientology.
Predominantly reminding me of a very brief reality show in which kids lived in a replicated old Western town and we got to watch what would happen if the world was left up to children, adults were often absent from The Ranch, but neither adults or fellow children could be trusted. As part of the higher class of the "church," Jenna was constantly scrutinized, monitored, questioned, and even punished for indiscretions she was often completely unaware of.
Hill explained early on the the founders of Scientology learned they could be an organization without religious affiliation and avoid some such tax law, but what the public is actually funding is nothing more than a cult. With no god(s), idols, deities, prayers, ceremonies, or anything involving anything spiritual, how exactly does it fall under the religious umbrella?
Operating on a belief of sort-of reincarnation, Scientology is based largely on the amount of control we have over ourselves and emotions; thus more supernatural than spiritual, as supposed previous lives are thrown into the mix. Scientology is of a fundamentalist nature based largely on the treatment of their members and the lengths they'll go to avoid scandal.
It's a benefit to the book that the baseline story is interesting as the writing would have caused me to put it down barely a third of the way into it. Written accompanied by another author, it is definitely obvious who wrote what.
The content alone is enough to keep you reading. But it's frustrating at times, hard to witness Jenna's treatment then subsequent devotion to to a group who didn't want to keep her but couldn't get rid of her and ultimately didn't know what to do with her. More than one thing will boggle your mind as you have this front-row seat to the largest (at least one of?) government subsidized cult.
Friday, May 17, 2013
The Great (??) Gatsby
Committing the ultimate faux pas in book-reviewing (ok, really on in my anal-retentive mind), I'm book-jumping to squeeze in The Great Gatsby during its 15-minutes of popularity due to the latest Leonardo DiCaprio movie. Go figure.
Hailed as one of the greatest works of fiction - and F. Scott Fitgerald's - The Great Gatsby is a story of complete and utter absorption, from the main character, Nick's, preoccupation with the ostentation neighbor, to Gatsby's unhealthy infatuation with a woman he knew long ago, Daisy. The intense imagery and plethora of metaphors transport the reader back to a different era that keeps them plenty occupied while they wait for the actual story to begin.
Just shy of halfway through the short 180-pages, the story actually begins; a pretty messed up one at that. More of a short story, Fitzgerald's tale lack a lot of the drama, mystery, and mystique we've come to know and love with contemporary novels. Just as quick as the story begins, it's over and we're left wondering why we were participatory.
The span of several months, and even years, reads much like the length of only one day, and our knowledge of the main character - our accomplice, if you will - is startlingly limited. Even our knowledge of the would-be main character, Gatsby, is rather limited and sporadic and is seems like we're only left with the attributes of him that are grossly unflattering and downright sad. DiCaprio's Gatsby, however, will no doubt melt even the coldest hearts to pools of rich butter while his predecessor couldn't melt anyone's, even with a hearty helping of the finest champagne, the finest food money can buy, a mansion, and an air of mysterious, intriguing, possibly troubling past.
For most, this was required high school reading and in the beginning I could for the life of me fathom why; "spectroscopic gayety," really?! And, "...[she] began to cry stormily. 'They're sure beautiful shirts. It makes me sad because I've never seen such beautiful shirts before.'" Then, as the story gets moving, I realized walking through the world of The Great Gatsby (more specifically, his somewhat nosy neighbor) is an over-analytical individual's utopia. What better way to waste an hour than sit in a classroom and hypothesize why this book takes us through the various twists and turns, and analyze the supposed symbolism in the plenitude of metaphors? Perhaps, then, I might have liked and appreciated it more, and why my friends who did read it in high school think it's "AMAZING."
This might be the very first case where I enjoy the movie considerably more than the book. At least if the story is told equally as bad, I'll get to preoccupy myself with looking at all the pretty outfits.
Hailed as one of the greatest works of fiction - and F. Scott Fitgerald's - The Great Gatsby is a story of complete and utter absorption, from the main character, Nick's, preoccupation with the ostentation neighbor, to Gatsby's unhealthy infatuation with a woman he knew long ago, Daisy. The intense imagery and plethora of metaphors transport the reader back to a different era that keeps them plenty occupied while they wait for the actual story to begin.
Just shy of halfway through the short 180-pages, the story actually begins; a pretty messed up one at that. More of a short story, Fitzgerald's tale lack a lot of the drama, mystery, and mystique we've come to know and love with contemporary novels. Just as quick as the story begins, it's over and we're left wondering why we were participatory.
The span of several months, and even years, reads much like the length of only one day, and our knowledge of the main character - our accomplice, if you will - is startlingly limited. Even our knowledge of the would-be main character, Gatsby, is rather limited and sporadic and is seems like we're only left with the attributes of him that are grossly unflattering and downright sad. DiCaprio's Gatsby, however, will no doubt melt even the coldest hearts to pools of rich butter while his predecessor couldn't melt anyone's, even with a hearty helping of the finest champagne, the finest food money can buy, a mansion, and an air of mysterious, intriguing, possibly troubling past.
For most, this was required high school reading and in the beginning I could for the life of me fathom why; "spectroscopic gayety," really?! And, "...[she] began to cry stormily. 'They're sure beautiful shirts. It makes me sad because I've never seen such beautiful shirts before.'" Then, as the story gets moving, I realized walking through the world of The Great Gatsby (more specifically, his somewhat nosy neighbor) is an over-analytical individual's utopia. What better way to waste an hour than sit in a classroom and hypothesize why this book takes us through the various twists and turns, and analyze the supposed symbolism in the plenitude of metaphors? Perhaps, then, I might have liked and appreciated it more, and why my friends who did read it in high school think it's "AMAZING."
This might be the very first case where I enjoy the movie considerably more than the book. At least if the story is told equally as bad, I'll get to preoccupy myself with looking at all the pretty outfits.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Sharp Objects
There was a lot of chatter about Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl within the book club and - as I later realized - all over the non-literary world (not book-snobs, just people who can appreciate a good book). My friend - you all know and love her - Mer, read it and after reading a few chapters of Sharp Objects, decided Flynn needed serious psychological help. As most of the group had read Gone Girl, we opted to read Sharp Objects, which was equally dark and disturbing, but lacked Gone Girl's humor so the reader just ended up feeling...violated...by the end.
Don't get me wrong, Sharp Objects is such an amazing story that Flynn should be praised for her creativity by the best of mental health professionals as she's strapped so a bed in a padded room (ok, I'm slightly biased since I have also read Gone Girl). We follow a woman, Camille, who is fresh out from just some situation because she was addicted to cutting herself; although not in the traditional way. Her obsession was of a different nature that also happened to correspond with her career as a reporter.
As her first assignment, she is to return to her hometown and cover the murders of two pre-teen girls. That means, of course, confronting the demons of her own past. One such demon in human form is her half-sister, who is the very definition of creepy.
Like most whodunits you've read, the killer seems obvious, but - as you also know - things aren't always that simple. The beauty of Flynn's storytelling, though, is that she's able to plot the most basic of stories - by that I mean a lack of overly dramatic emotion - with incredible intricacies, complexities, and - naturally - the creepy twist you never saw coming.
It is definitely a book you can read in a weekend, but you may need to put it down every once in awhile just to reassure yourself you don't live in this perpetually-grey world Flynn has made so vivid. I'll be honest - I felt taxed.
Don't get me wrong, Sharp Objects is such an amazing story that Flynn should be praised for her creativity by the best of mental health professionals as she's strapped so a bed in a padded room (ok, I'm slightly biased since I have also read Gone Girl). We follow a woman, Camille, who is fresh out from just some situation because she was addicted to cutting herself; although not in the traditional way. Her obsession was of a different nature that also happened to correspond with her career as a reporter.
As her first assignment, she is to return to her hometown and cover the murders of two pre-teen girls. That means, of course, confronting the demons of her own past. One such demon in human form is her half-sister, who is the very definition of creepy.
Like most whodunits you've read, the killer seems obvious, but - as you also know - things aren't always that simple. The beauty of Flynn's storytelling, though, is that she's able to plot the most basic of stories - by that I mean a lack of overly dramatic emotion - with incredible intricacies, complexities, and - naturally - the creepy twist you never saw coming.
It is definitely a book you can read in a weekend, but you may need to put it down every once in awhile just to reassure yourself you don't live in this perpetually-grey world Flynn has made so vivid. I'll be honest - I felt taxed.
What I Was Reading February 3rd
Former Navy SEAL Fatally Shot at Texas Shooting Range
Black Delegate Decides Against Va. GOP's Redistricting Map
The 'E-Nup' Contract I Want All My Facebook & E-mail Friends to Sign
Boehner Steadies Republican Team, Reframes Deficit Debate
I've been a real book-nerd this year so I'm hoping to eventually find the second - and motivation - to write some reviews. If you have any extra, send it my way!
Black Delegate Decides Against Va. GOP's Redistricting Map
The 'E-Nup' Contract I Want All My Facebook & E-mail Friends to Sign
Boehner Steadies Republican Team, Reframes Deficit Debate
I've been a real book-nerd this year so I'm hoping to eventually find the second - and motivation - to write some reviews. If you have any extra, send it my way!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
A Clash of Kings
For the first time since reading Harry Potter, in my reading career, I immediately picked up the next book in the Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings. I finished it awhile go - after it took me over a month to read - and I realized I had better write my review before it completely escapes me. And there is so much going on in the book, it's possible for a lot of things to escape me.
In George R.R. Martin's sequel to Game of Thrones, the war for the Iron Throne has just begun with more than a handful believing it is rightfully theirs. Some seem a bit of a stretch but it proves what we all know deep down - when the rights to a throne are at stake, everything matters.
Once again, the story is spellbinding. Almost in-discussable. We get a front-row seat to the surprises, shock, and heartbreak of war, as well as the intrigue, mystery, and treachery that takes place behind the scenes. As my friend and fellow book-clubber so eloquently put it - the guys you think are good guys are actually the bad guys; you don't know which end is up. And the beauty of it is that you are never tricked into thinking you do; you're completely aware of the fact that you don't, based largely on the fact that with each change of chapter, you're transported to a completely different world.
The entrance of new characters to a story is always a bit confusing and off-putting. But with each new chapter heading comes a new dimension to this world we already don't completely comprehend. And we're 100% ok with that. I don't re-read books as a practice - I can't think of one I actually have since I was addicted to the Fear Street: Cheerleaders series - but these are books I feel I could read again and again and get different things out of it each time.
I do find the story difficult to follow, and feel it requires a great deal of concentration, so my general level of book interest needs to be slightly higher than normal. But it often doesn't take much to get me sucked in, and I find myself reading during any bathroom break I get - much like my friend who devoured the series while pumping.
I've since taken a break from the series between book two and book three - A Storm of Swords. I felt some book club guilt for not participating due to this captivating fantasy series.
For the hefty page amount and the wordiness of each page, this monolith of a book is totally and completely worth the time and effort. If stolen moments are all you have, the race for the Iron Throne makes them all go way too fast, but it's impossible not to be captivated the entire time. Each character provides such a pivotal aspect to the story, you may not find yourself liking every character, but you end up respecting them and their personal rationale of their means to their ends. With twists and turns at every bend, there are actual moments you can feel your heart beating slightly faster.
In George R.R. Martin's sequel to Game of Thrones, the war for the Iron Throne has just begun with more than a handful believing it is rightfully theirs. Some seem a bit of a stretch but it proves what we all know deep down - when the rights to a throne are at stake, everything matters.
Once again, the story is spellbinding. Almost in-discussable. We get a front-row seat to the surprises, shock, and heartbreak of war, as well as the intrigue, mystery, and treachery that takes place behind the scenes. As my friend and fellow book-clubber so eloquently put it - the guys you think are good guys are actually the bad guys; you don't know which end is up. And the beauty of it is that you are never tricked into thinking you do; you're completely aware of the fact that you don't, based largely on the fact that with each change of chapter, you're transported to a completely different world.
The entrance of new characters to a story is always a bit confusing and off-putting. But with each new chapter heading comes a new dimension to this world we already don't completely comprehend. And we're 100% ok with that. I don't re-read books as a practice - I can't think of one I actually have since I was addicted to the Fear Street: Cheerleaders series - but these are books I feel I could read again and again and get different things out of it each time.
I do find the story difficult to follow, and feel it requires a great deal of concentration, so my general level of book interest needs to be slightly higher than normal. But it often doesn't take much to get me sucked in, and I find myself reading during any bathroom break I get - much like my friend who devoured the series while pumping.
I've since taken a break from the series between book two and book three - A Storm of Swords. I felt some book club guilt for not participating due to this captivating fantasy series.
For the hefty page amount and the wordiness of each page, this monolith of a book is totally and completely worth the time and effort. If stolen moments are all you have, the race for the Iron Throne makes them all go way too fast, but it's impossible not to be captivated the entire time. Each character provides such a pivotal aspect to the story, you may not find yourself liking every character, but you end up respecting them and their personal rationale of their means to their ends. With twists and turns at every bend, there are actual moments you can feel your heart beating slightly faster.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
The Return of "What I'm Reading Now"!
I've been experiencing book ADD lately - can't pick what I want to read, and can't get sucked into my picks - so here's the luke-warmly anticipated return of What I'm Reading Now (or as it was previous called, What I'm Reading Today).
Miss American 2013 Mallory Hagan Sounds Like a Genius Next to Her Competition
Tom Cruise Crazy Aliens Theory Is the Least of His Problems
Boy, 13, Drives Car 500 Miles Across County to Find Birth Parents
Super Easy, Wildly Delicious Homemade Oreo Ice Cream Cake Recipe
5 Surprising Ways to Prevent This Year's Nasty Flu
See Cheerleaders Evolve from Timeless Spirit to Tiny Shorts
New Girls Scouts Super Cookie
Sunday Talk Shows (1/13/13): Gun Control, Chuck Hagel, Meet the Press, Face the Nation
*Update*
Lincee Ray: 'Bachelor' Premier Recap: Season 17 Kicks Off With Some Crazies
Armstrong Will Answer 'Honestly' During Oprah Talk
Miss American 2013 Mallory Hagan Sounds Like a Genius Next to Her Competition
Tom Cruise Crazy Aliens Theory Is the Least of His Problems
Boy, 13, Drives Car 500 Miles Across County to Find Birth Parents
Super Easy, Wildly Delicious Homemade Oreo Ice Cream Cake Recipe
5 Surprising Ways to Prevent This Year's Nasty Flu
See Cheerleaders Evolve from Timeless Spirit to Tiny Shorts
New Girls Scouts Super Cookie
Sunday Talk Shows (1/13/13): Gun Control, Chuck Hagel, Meet the Press, Face the Nation
*Update*
Lincee Ray: 'Bachelor' Premier Recap: Season 17 Kicks Off With Some Crazies
Armstrong Will Answer 'Honestly' During Oprah Talk
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