Thursday, June 26, 2008

This is most likely the end

Well, life has certainly got in the way with my updating the blog for the last few months and I'm pretty sure I've all but pulled the plug on the machine keeping this thing artifically alive. I'm a bit unwilling to drive a stake into the undead heart of this blog, but for all intents and purposes I think anyone still coming here can agree it's over and done with.

So, one last parting shot. Here's my summer reading list:

Proper Books:

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. I've been meaning to read this book for a long time and I finally got around to it, with a couple of chapters left to get through. It's taken me a while to get through it and I do find it almost terrifying in its ability to perfectly capture the inherent evil of any bureaucratic system. Stark reality is found here in a book about the cyclical nature of our lives and the horror wrought because of a larger system guiding us that is beyond the control of an individual, and cannot address the needs of an individual. Yossarian is a true anti-hero in that he does everything completely opposite of a classic hero. He isn't the anti-hero in the sense of the hero who uses bad methods to get good ends, but he does everything humanly possible to not act like a hero - he uses bad methods for selfish ends, yet he's the hero for standing up to the completely batshit insane system he's thrown into.

Blood Sucking Fiends and You Suck by Christopher Moore. My wife bought me Blood Sucking Fiends for Christmas and I just haven't had a time to read it yet. Nothing like an undead romance for some beach reading.

Labyrinths of Knowledge by William Poundstone. Because I feel like blowing my mind sans chemicals for a little while this summer. Give the synapses a workout rather than make them surrender.

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. I just read Day of the Triffids this past year and really enjoyed it. I'm always a fan of apocalyptic type fiction and this also comes highly recommended from my wife. Plus, it's a short book which is perfect for the long hours and weekends of summer.

Comic Books

Right now I'm just about to start reading Mark Millar's Wanted because my wife wants to go see the movie. I was as shocked as anyone because I wasn't totally interested. Maybe I should see the movie first in case I need to rinse out my brain with the comic book version?

I'm apparently going to read a lot of Ed Brubaker this summer. And why not? On top of my pile are Sleeper and Criminal because I've heard nothing but good things. But to balance it out with good and proper superhero fisticuffs I've also got four volumes of Captain America ready to go - the Red Menace and Winter Soldier story arcs.

In between I'm still reading any Hellblazer trades I can get from the library. Nothing like demon stories involving a complete dick who fucks them over in the hazy humid summer days. Well, it might not seem right to you but I really like it.

I'm hoping to finally getting around to the fourth volume of Scott Pilgrim, and starting Wasteland which I've been meaning to read since it came out.

And finally, I'm planning on re-reading Watchmen before the movie hype starts and I run the risk of soul erosion and desolation.