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.

The Sex Lives of Cannibals Review

Don’t let the title deceive you this book has nothing to do with cannibals or the sex lives of anyone, don’t let that deceive you either because this book is well worth the read. I’m not quite sure why Troost choose the title but it did catch my attention when I was exploring the bookstore, and once I saw the synopsis on the back of the book I knew that I just had to check it out.

Maarten Troost is the author and the main character. In this novel he starts of confused, lost, and selfish. Living off of anything he can get his hands on while doing nothing with his life the author is looking for something more, something that offers adventure without the fee. His girlfriend and him soon start searching for jobs around the world where they can help out others while getting away from things back home in the states. Soon enough his girlfriend Sylvia gets a phone call to take a job at a place called Kiribati, which is not pronounced that way, they take it in a heart beat and off to the far corners of the earth.
As soon as they get they enter a world so different from their own it seems as if they have walked on to a different planet. The island is so small is can just about contain the population, then there is the concern of trash and fecal waste that is deposited into the ocean forming a reef right along side the island. Maarten does such a great job getting the attention of the reader with his highly descriptive use of words. Although there is no need to try and get the attention with the author with similes and metaphors because the stories are just so ridiculous that it is even hard imagining living on the island let alone actually staying there. The struggles faced by Maarten as he learns to adapt to the world around him is turned into a comical outlook of the way of life the islanders have lived in for centuries. All the hardships he face allow him to become a better person and a great comedian looking for a joke out of every sort of situation he encounters.

Deprived of electric, news, water, food, and almost ever thing that comes to us in America so simple, life suddenly becomes an epic battle to live. There is no need for movies or cheap entertainment on this island, everyday is interesting and worth getting up for as Maarten is sure to note. The island and novel are full of mysterious characters, crazy adventures, and events that are hard to even imagine. If you find yourself allured to tropical islands with their mystic qualities, and adventurous books this is the one for you. Maarten does a great job making a parody of his life and failures to adopt at first to the culture around him. This book contains tons of knowledge from the world beyond ours. The curious lifestyle that soon takes place for Maarten and Syliva is by far one of the most interesting topics I have read to this date. This is a summer book if I have ever seen one.

The author goes on a journey of self-exploration trying to find himself, and before the book concludes he not only finds himself but ends up with much more in his life than he could ever have expected. This book gets a 4.5 out of 5 because the title was misleading and the author gets a little intense with his use of vocabulary words at times. Overall the book is a great read and to miss out on it would be missing out on a world that is unknown to the rest of us. Trust me on this you have got to check it out. The reason I loved it too, was that as an American with confusion floating all around and not sure what to do with my life as well as knowing what I can and can’t do, I related completely to the author. Check it out because its worth every page.

Ratatouille Review

Pixar is just one of the companies that you expect the best of the best from, no matter what the situation or scenario. They just have that reputation and Ratatouillie was no exception. The quality of the movie was strikingly perfect as usual, even though I saw the movie on a blow up screen on a beach in Wildwood NJ during fireworks and lights all over the place. The storyline like all of the other Pixar movies was original in every sense and provided enough knowledge to actual make it a learning experience for the movie-goer. Then of course there is the comedy that hits you in a face the way you want see an unsuspecting person get smacked in the face. This movie has it all. The only flaw that I may have sensed was a steering away from the older crowd and more towards children, as well as the stereo typical villain with complete shadowy background and facial features that make him as distinct as anything.

The movie starts off with Remey the rat who is the main character, but the kind of character with ambition, intelligence, talent, and compassion. He is the perfect kind of character that is so easy to fall in love with. Then we have his partner in crime, the silly garbage boy who has nothing going for him, until of course he meets the rat and everything in his life is suddenly turned around in such an unsuspecting matter.

This is were the movie gets a little typical as most movies. The chef gets a little full of himself, has a falling out with Remey and then falls for a girl. The same classic storyline that is the backdrop for the main plot. This is one thing that everyone saw coming from the start and is kind of annoying when Pixar is the one producing it. One must take in mind though that this is still a kid movie, and you can only be so clever at such a low level when trying to keep the attention of children.

Overall this movie is a 4.2 out 5. I loved the ability for Pixar to approach the audience about something we are all so familiar with and make it educational along with entertaining at the same time. The numerous characters were full of life and each added something different to the movie. The plot was creative to say the least. Then there are the flaws with your typical villain, classic boy and girl, someone gets famous and ditches the one who made him famous kind of plot, and the average age for the movie was probably between 3-12. Although there were some adult jokes, gun in break-up then quick make up scene...you'll see what I mean, but for the most part it was meant for children. It was good just not amazing. I do suggest you see it though, you won't be disappointed.

Live Free or Die Hard Review

I see at least one movie every 10 days, that's an underestimate. So with that in mind I'd like to consider myself a good critic with being able to distinguish dirt from gold. I've waited for a good movie to come out that I didn't expect to be good and just blow me away this summer. I mean Pirates was awesome but I expected that, Knocked-Up was funny but who didn't see that coming. 300 was awesome with the trailer and hype leading the way though it was also expected. With that said, Die Hard was something I was looking forward to, still I mean how good could a 4th movie be about some guy who is suppose to be a hero saving the world as Bruce's age. Some how though this movie pulled it off. If you weren't blown out of your seats by the action you might have laughed your way out of it, with the perfect complementing role I have seen in ages played by Justin Long. Together Bruce and Justin are like Peanut Butter and Jelly. It may sound cheesy but never in my life have I seen a duo that could put on such a show without the weak guy being annoying as all hell, and the tough guy just going over the top with his attitude. I mean they were even better than Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. This movie also had a cool concept that most people don't realize with our government. It's not always an outside person who may attack us, and we may get attacked by one of our own strengths, technology. The villains do there thing, but aren't stupid in the ways they meet their demise. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is just a bit more experienced in this line of work, in other words his wisdom is much greater than anything they could hack.

From the get go the action is non-stop, McClane has the lovable I don't get a shit attitude. If you kill me, you kill me, but odds are I'm going to kill you first...can you honestly think of a better attitude in life, probably not. Meanwhile hacker boy Matt Farrell played by Justin Long, lives in a world of virtual reality and it's because of him that America may soon be on its knees. Justin also has the ability to bring it back to life. The journey around the the east coast let's John and Matt bond while they figure out a way to prevent things from getting worse after the villians have already shut down everything they could that involves computers. Action, Laughs, Action, Laughs, Interesting idea on the government can be attacked, Action, Laughs, Action....Damn Bruce Willis is crazy cool. That's what you will experience during this movie. I don't want to give much more away, but you will enjoy this movie. I mean sure some of the action scenes are a little over the top, but remember this is John McClane we are talking about so if you put that into consideration then anything is possible. I'm going to give this a 4.5 out of 5.....the .5 is because some of the action really is ridiculous at times. I mean why does every big action movie have to some how top the next one with some explosion that with all the bombs America has in store would still be impossible to replicate. Either way this movie ROCKS in ways you will never expect. Bruce and Justin better be working together real soon. I hope Bruce plays the PC in the next Mac commercial....yea, they were that good together.

Fight Club Review

Well it's been a month since I have showed any sign of life on this blog, but I'm back with a vengeance. Life has been a bit rough, and I've taken my hits low and high. With that said I took Fight Club under my wing, the perfect book, during this time. This is Chuck Palahniuk first book, and it's was masterfully written.

Fight Club has an interesting beginning, starting at the end. If you are like most people and have seen the movie, well just expect the book to be twice as good. The movie blew me away, but the book made my world spin twice as fast with a huge overdose of anarchism associated with it. The ideas, plot line, characters, and situations encountered can really make one think about their existence on this measly planet we call earth. The main character let's say Cornelius, since we never really no his name, is living a worthless life, dragging on silently while working his day job for a huge car business. Until he meets Tyler Durden, someone that does everything and anything Cornelius is afraid to do. Pretty soon Cornelius finds himself facing the end of his own existence when he comes home to nothing one day. The thoughts that fly through his head after he meets Tyler are those of many middle age men in society caught in the age of nothing. As Palahniuk takes note that we have no wars, but we are own great depression. We were raised to think we would be rock stars, famous actors, or athletes; after we swallow the hard truth we take our desk job and just play are little role in society. This is the main point behind the whole book, "Accepting nothing." This can be looked at from two views. As not accepting what we are suppose to, or by just accepting nothing more out of life. Tyler builds an army of revolutionaries who aren't going to accept nothing. They are saying no, they are finally going to change their lives. Tyler shows people that they can do what they want, and there is nothing more brilliant then the one passage were Cornelius holds a man at gun point telling him to follow his dreams, and that he will keep his license to check on him every so often to make sure he's not working at a convenience store but going to school to become a veterinarian. As well know though the whole back setting to this book is everyone has join a club were they fight to release themselves of everyday issues. This fight club grows so quickly, and soon overtakes all males around the nation.

With this new found power of being a leader, and showing males that they can go back to the stone age by pounding on each others faces once again. That they can do so much more with their lives if they can take these harsh beat downs once a week. In one part Palahniuk perfectly explains that the world slows down in a way that can only be experienced after you have been punched so much. This book is a classic, it should get a Pulitzer Prize, and be part of 8th grade literature classes across the world. It let's people know that you will fail in life, but that shouldn't stop you from following your dreams. Not everyone is going to make it to the big leagues, but there are many more things out there that individuals can accomplish on their own. The climatic almost ending that takes place about 3/4 in the book when Tyler is really Cornelius makes perfect sense. That everyone wants to be something, but they are just afraid to act a certain way in the eyes of others. This is no more obvious then in today's society with people living behind computer screens and doing the talking from the comfort of their home. Most books are for pleasure or just for a good story; this book has a harsh lesson, get up and live your life or else you will regret it. 5 out of 5.....I really mean it, this book is by far one of the best to come out of the 90s. This should be on everyones to do list and I mean like top 10 before you die.