I Just Read this Book...

[Spooky]

a place for random books we've read that aren;t necessarily fav books or fall under the other categories.

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed by Alan Alda

Opening line: "My mother didn;t try to kill my father until I was six."

I completely love Alan Alda as a huge huge fan of MASH and expected this autobiographical book to be amusing. Surprise, it was! Alan had a very colorful upbringing with a mentally ill mother and a handsom father who vorked as an actor with a traveling vaudeville troupe. He talks about having polio as a child and the hilarious segment where his dog dies and he is so distraught that they have him stuffed and the dog comes back looking unnatural and frightening. There is nowhere near as much information about the MASH era of his life. Is almost like he says "and then I was on MASH and then this happened after..." The last part of the book where he talks about being the host of a science show and then having a bowel obsctruction in chile is boring but I loved it! I went out and bought his follow-up, Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself and have just started reading it.

4.5 stars

[CelticRockGod]

Nice. I like the idea, Spooky.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Favorite quote:
"It's going to be a white Christmas," said Shadow as he pumped the gas.
"Yup. Shit. That boy was one lucky son of a virgin."
"Jesus?"
"Lucky, lucky guy. He could fall into a cesspit and come up smelling like roses."

I've been a big fan of Neil Gaiman ever since i read his short story 'October in the chair' and i had pondered getting this book for a long time before i actually carried it out. To be honest, the only reason i grabbed it was because it was buy two, get one free. But once i opened the book, i tell you, I couldn't put it down. I'm a big fan of Mythology, so this was definitely a treat to see so many gods gleaned from various myths. You've got Mr. Wednesday, who, if you've brushed up on your Norse mythology, you know who he is. There's also Egyptian, North African, Irish, Sumerian, Russian, Slavic.. too many to name. It also brings to light the 'new gods' of our age.. Television, internet, credit card, bringing them together in what i can only say is one hell of a book.
 

[Fictionista]

So I reaally did try reading Alan Alda's 2nd book and lost that battle. Holy frigging BORING. I couldnt even force myself after a while. $17 down the drain.

I am, however, reading avidly and absolutely loving Craig Ferguson's "American on Purpose." In case you dont know who he is, he currently hosts the late late show after Letterman and he's frigging hilarious. While it's definately funny, much of it is very personal and intimate and must have taken a lot of courage to openly fling into the media. Definately read this! I'll post again when I finish it.