Unaccountably lazy

As the title suggests, I've basically become a blob of goo over the course of the holidays which means I've neglected to update as I should. :-( However, I did finish Treasure Island and it was BRILLIANT. Realizing that a lot of "pirate lore" which I had taken for granted was created in this book was a bit of a shock. Also, discovering that a prequel has since been created has intrigued me mightily and it's already been added to the list of books to read in 2014. (That list is crazy long by the way so I hope you're ready for awesome.) First, I should say that if classic literature isn't your thing then you may not find Treasure Island the treat that I did. Second, if you're a fan of adventure novels (and/or pirates) then you might get swept away by the story itself and forget about the writing style of the time. If you like Pirates of the Caribbean you're going to like this book. Long John Silver will look especially familiar. ;-)

For my next selection I've chosen In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall. When I watched a video about her time with the chimps for my Primatology class in college I was hooked. She is such an inspiration for humanitarians, conservationists, scientists, primatologists, women...the list goes on and on! This book is a detailed summation of her time with the chimps in South Africa's country of Tanzania. It details the trials she faced as a young Englishwoman in a field dominated by men who had absolutely no experience in the field...and yet she made profound discoveries about chimpanzee behavior which irrevocably changed the face of primatology. She is a pioneer and a legend. I look forward to bringing you my review of this extraordinary work in 2014.

I hope you all had a wonderful year and I look forward to reading with you for many more years to come!!

Arrrr Adventures Ahoy!

Once I finished The Hobbit (which was even better the second time around) I realized that I had no idea what I wanted to read next. It's difficult after reading something so magnificent and engrossing to decide which world you want to inhabit next...especially if you've experienced an adventure through Middle Earth. However, I think I've come up with just such a book: Treasure Island. If you're looking for a classic adventure then you can't go wrong with this book. Robert Louis Stevenson, who if you recall wrote Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde knows how to deliver a story that will keep you riveted from the first page. In fact, this book is the definitive pirate's tale and has been used as the basis for all of the pirate's stories that have come afterward. Where do you think Capt. Sparrow got the song "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum"? :-D

Yes, this was a really short entry. I've been under the weather and frankly I can't come up with anything more witty than the title above (which isn't my best work admittedly). I hope you all have an absolutely wonderful holiday (just in case I don't update for New Year's) and that you READ READ READ!!

It was a busy week...

I finished up Notes from Underground and loved it.  It had just the right amount of snarkiness and introspection to do it for me.  I enjoyed the narrator's voice throughout and his observations about humanity were both insightful, delightful sinful, and hilarious.  While he talks about himself constantly you never really know the real man behind the words.  He contradicts himself at every turn and keeps the reader wondering what he'll say next.

To continue with my classical reading I next read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.  I have to say straight up that I went into this with high expectations and Stevenson did not disappoint.  I turned the pages of this book so quickly I swear I got page burn.  The characters felt so real and I had to know what was going to happen next.  This book is both a thriller and an insightful look into the duality of man.  I definitely recommend it.

The next read is World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks (Mel's son) which was lent to me by my good friend, Eric.  It's a chronicle of the zombie apocalypse.  I think that might say it all.  I'm going to try to start it up tonight but I'm not sure I'll be awake long enough.  It's been a looooong week! :o)