Austin
The author of this is a little annoyingly pedantic and humorless, but all the excerpts of interviews with developers, programmers, and visionaries make this damn fun.
This is the kind of book human omnivores should have a written excuse for not reading.
Unless, of course, they can tell you precisely what goes on in this book.
Learn new words, take daily naps, exercise well, eat well, and of course, play video games.
“The effects induced by regular video-gaming can be compared to what occurs in the brain of a concert pianist.”
Excellent late-era Bukowski. He feels humbled in this poems, content with a life of classical music and cats, yet he's still very smart and attuned to nonsense and fraudulence and what Real Living entails.
It's almost kind of cute, this book.
Some first reactions: “What? I'm reading Harry Potter?” “Why are there entire chapters devoted to this obnoxious contact/broomstick sport quidditch?” “How can I care about hating Harry Potter's ‘muggle' family when they're so boringly and unrealistically evil?” “Gah! What? Why... I can't stop reading!”
Harry Potter, I'd been told, creates a universe, but it seems more like one pulled from directly from Pratchett or Tolkien, with a writing style that's just a little too bland. It is pretty dark for a kid's book, so it does has a fresh tone and feel (well, since Dahl's children's books at least). But the fantasy tropes are so bare-bones, and I'm surprised Rowling doesn't attempt to detail her dragons and cauldrons and spells with something that truly makes them hers. I had a hard time getting through the novel with all the cardboard characters, the obnoxious adverb use in dialog, and Rowling's utter lack of anything interesting to say at the end of a chapter. There's no spunk or wit, surprisingly; characters are sad and happy and jealous and mean, but they're rarely cute or funny or engaging.
But you've likely heard this before. Overreactions to overrated literature. And hey, look, I still finished it, and I'm still wanting more. And I can say this for it: it does intrigue very well. For a first book, it starts us with an exciting grand narrative (though the second novel grabbed me more with a real story arc and mystery). But it's not the next Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. It's cute, but there's very little edge to it, and there's very little of a world to get lost in. Good thing there's a good mystery within. We'll see how this goes...
An ambitious exploration of social dexterity, “Hop on Pop” may be the most important book of our time. Rather than viewing Pop-hopping as rude or cruel, Seuss argues that it is a delightful, possibly necessary act.
“Hop on Pop” is the most important, timely book you will ever read. Now excuse me, I've got to find my Pop.
Hey look: second book is better. Characters have heart, nuances, and a little depth! And huh: I'm getting attached to quirky ghosts. And wow: I want to spend a year at Hogwarts, and partake in their lively celebrations. And say: I'm a little hooked. Maybe the writing's not stellar, maybe it's not the most imaginative modern fantasy, but I really, really want to keep reading.
Three points to... erm, three stars. Ahem.
It may not have the typical dream-like fantasy qualities of his other works, but this emotional story is so pure, so genuine, that it will stay with you closely like a first love.
