Summer Reading

Summer Reading

So it’s time to kick back, relax and enjoy the summer for what it’s worth. The summer is here with endless adventures waiting around every corner and sizzling summer days accompanied by mild sweaty nights. Here are a few of my favorite books that are probably best for checking out and enjoying during the summer.

Fight Club- the book that made fighting popular again. Check this is out because it’s not exactly the same as the movie and may even inspire you to get a little more out of your summer than you ever thought.

Devil in the White City- A nonfiction book on history of the World’s Fair in Chicago along with a serial killer set in the 1890’s. About as accurate as you can get for a historical book with the most descriptive story telling from a time period that is lost in time.


Will Storr vs the Supernatural- Wondering what lies after the end, is there a beginning to the end? Will Storr surely puts on a great show as he explores all aspects of the supernatural that surrounds all us in.

Over the Edge of the World- One of the best researched and written accounts of Ferdinand Magellan circulation around the world as the first European. The numerous journals, and historical papers used to put this work together make this story come to life, making it an experience as genuine as being on the ship itself.

Rant- A twisted new look at the future with time travel being thrown in the mix. This book takes on a different way of story telling as it uses oral biographies from others associated with the main character to get the story across.

Afghan Campaign- Alexander the Great stormed across nations taking control with such ease never before seen. He would soon reach Afghanistan and this is a personal account of one soldier’s side of the story as he tries to cope with remaining moral and surviving in this strange new world himself.

Pirate Hunter: The True Story of Captain Kid- Probably one the best-researched accounts of who many consider one the most notorious pirates ever to sail the world. Although the research may shock many pirate fans, its in-depth accounts give someone a true look at the world of piracy.

Transformers Review

4th of July, the day that promises more than the celebration of our country along with fireworks, but also action packed movies with much build up. Usually this day is reserved for an All-American known as Will Smith who steals the show and weekend This year was something different, an old cartoon brought to life by those with much money and knowledge in computers. Transformers had everything going for it, the only thing I didn't let about it before I saw it was the fact that the release was on a Monday night at 12am. Seriously how far back are we going to push these openings.

Well the time came for me to see it. The suspense built up all around me and goosebumps slowly started sliding there way down my spine. When the time came I thought of nothing more than Optimus Prime vs. Megatron in a climatic ending of apocalyptic proportions. The story like all others starts out with a little information about the past and how the robots came to be, not knowing anything really of the Transformers it was a bit odd to me that this cube possessed the energy to create life. At first it wasn't fully clear until the main character Sam, played by Shia, gives a little background as well showing why the robots would target him. They did so in a genuine fashion, and although some scenes were a bit cheesy, I did enjoy the part where Sam kicks his weirdo friend out of the car for the sweet ass looking girl known as Mikeala played by Megan Fox, she's going places I can assure that.

The robots come into play around 45 -60 minutes into the movie. The best scene for laughs is when Sam sneaks back into his bedroom all alone to find the glasses and the girl Mikeala is found in there by his drunk parents who seem to enjoy the episode very much. The robots look amazing in every aspect, transformed and in car/truck mode as well. I enjoyed the beginning when Sam first got the car with a cameo by Bernie Mac, he sure knows how to steal the show with his typical dialogue and personality.

Once the robots come around and everyone is familiar with each other, and the story is laid out. The Men in Black then come in and a whole different world is seen. I also found this part truly interesting. Known as Sector 7, an underground government that controls everything while keeping all the secrets from everyone in the world. The one part I found kind of pointless was the hackers which was at least 20 minutes of nothingness. The climatic ending was pretty cool, along with the dessert troops fighting in the Middle East. The one problem that I found really annoying was that the camera was jittery, and always changing angles at a constant 2 second beat. It was hard to concentrate on anything, let alone a bunch of battles happening at once. I do give my props to the sheer magnitude that the robots had with their presence on the screen. The robots were done perfectly, the storyline pretty good, but I must say this movie had everything going for it to make it one of the best movies of the year yet it feel sure in more places than one. From the shifting camera, pointless hackers, and why in the hell did they bring that square in the city to defend it amongst civilians everywhere, I will never have a clue. This movie still gets a 4 out of 5 from me. The visual effects were beyond stunning and there wasn't your everyday stunts in this one, but little treats that were different than what we are use to seeing.

Afghan Campaign Review

With many best sellers under his wing, Steven Pressfield prepares you for a journey unlike any other taking you back in time 2,300 years while giving you a little taste of what are forces in Iraq and Afghanistan are up against today. Based around Alexander the Great's campaign to rule the world, the novel is a first person memoir of a fictional character known as Matthias.

Starting off the first chapter with a bit from one of the end chapters, it doesn't build up the hype the way it should, but it does give you the kind of war they are fighting right from the get go. Put in the driver seat of a young eager male set about to prove himself and become a great hero, the experience throughout the book is riveting. Never before have I felt such agony with each obstacle of pain Matthias overcomes, along with pride over each accomplish. It becomes a coming of age story through hell, the trials, pursuits, escapades, and near death experiences make the war come to life in you hands. Even the way Alexander is described in the book makes you understand how much respect these men had for him.

Not only does this book bring to life the all to real war in the Middle East then and now but also explains the realities of war that are never looked at, and how even back then the soldiers kept the truth to themselves. The most intriguing factors are the beliefs that the Afghanistan people hold true to and the way they kept the most scared things in their life during the most intense times. Pressfield truly knows how to write a masterpiece. He brings three worlds together in this epic novel; the Afghans, Alexander's Men, and the reader himself. What I found truly enlightening were the Afghans beliefs; the Macedonia's way to mobilize such a huge army and keep track of so many people, as well as a behind the scene's view on a graphic war fought in the most unconventional of ways. Pressfield deserves the utmost of honor for this great novel, and gets a 5 out of 5 from me.