Category Archives: books

Rich Man, Paw Man

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Rob| Leave a comment

At Friendly’s one night, I spied a nearby booth where a couple were engaged in some sort of — meditation?  Their fingertips  were touching and eyes closed and between them on the table was a lottery entry form. Every few moments they’d take up a pencil and select a number. They were praying over their Lotto entry. Praying to win.

I almost shouted out, “HEY… Monkey’s Paw!”

This goes back to reading The Monkey’s Paw in eighth grade. I already sort of knew the story, having seen the 1972 film Tales from the Crypt, and its take on how three wishes can go horribly wrong. The short story, written by W. W. Jacobs in 1902, is terrific; you can hear John Lithgow reading it awesomely on this episode of Selected Shorts.

But because of The Monkey’s Paw, I’ve been convinced it’s very bad luck to wish for money.

DSC_0694Even the most rational people cling to something that is not so rational; on the outside they scoff at luck and fate, but deep inside harbor something beyond reason that guides their actions.

So, it shouldn’t worry me when a fortune cookie promises wealth, I mean really, c’mon. A stupid fortune cookie? I set it aside without another thought… after tossing a pinch of salt over my shoulder. My left shoulder, of course.

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Posted in books, psychology

Paging O. Henry

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Rob| 4 Comments

When you say O. Henry, most people think of the “The Gift of the Magi,” but my favorite short story by O. Henry, AKA William Sydney Porter, was always “The Cop and the Anthem.”

In that story, Soapy, a hapless hobo tramping around New York City, is desperate to be arrested so he can spend winter’s coldest days in jail. But Soapy isn’t even very good at breaking the law — and you can read the rest here.

A modern day Soapy had no such trouble in Troy this week; police arrested one Jamaine Makepeace who they say broke windows at the Rensselaer County Clerk’s office in a bid to be collared by the cops. Why? To go somewhere warm. According to a police spokesman:

“He told us he figured he would do enough damage to get a year in jail. He told us that he was tired of being on the streets and begging food from people.”

Mr. Makepeace got his wish and is currently being held in Rensselaer County Jail without bail.

Homelessness is complicated and nothing I say about it will be anything less than trite — but those who scoff at the idea of helping the most troubled among us should take note, even as you mock what President Obama had to say on Monday.

It’s a sad story, but at least this guy, like Soapy, will be safe and warm for a little while.

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Posted in books, News

Bookshelf

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Rob| 1 Comment

Life’s too short to waste time with crappy books, so let me help you out. Here are a few things I’ve read lately that you might enjoy.

Zone One by Colson Whitehead  Ever since first seeing Night of the Living Dead (at wayyyyy too young an age) I’ve been obsessed with zombies. While Zone One doesn’t really bring anything new to the brain table — these zombies are a lot like those you’ve seen before — it’s much smarter than most horror fiction. It’s not just a thinking person’s zombie thriller, but the story is funny and heartbreaking in equal turn, and really communicates a deep sense of loss.

 Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides The is the terrific true story of 200 men sent on an impossible mission during WWII: rescue hundreds of starving POWs from a Japanese prison camp behind enemy lines in the Philippines. It’s rife with larger than life characters and heroic acts. You’ll love the Filipino guerrillas who helped pull off the raid. The Japanese? Not so much.

Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous, but this is a great book. Kurlansky has written several volumes on seemingly mundane things that have had profound geopolitical and economic influence. Cod is no different — and it’s sure to fuel your inner Cliff Clavin with some fascinating anecdotes.

Enjoy!

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Posted in books, History, zombies

Printed Matter

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Rob| 10 Comments

My son, Alex, is training in Mississippi, and while the Army has plenty to keep him him busy, he asked for some reading material to help pass his free time. I sent two books, a novel, The Given Day by Dennis Lehane — and because he asked for something on investing, A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel.

Oh, yes, and a few magazines:

  • Esquire
  • Guns and Ammo Handguns Annual
  • National Review
  • Journal of Counter Terrorism & Homeland Security
  • The Economist
  • Maxim

That’s eclectic. I need to put together another package to send this week; your suggestions are most welcome.

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Posted in books, Kids

Reading in the Land of Nod

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Rob| 3 Comments

At a party recently, somebody commented, “Sounds like you do a lot of reading.”

This made me wonder if I was spouting off too much about books and coming off as a know-it-all. The truth is I don’t know much at all, but if the topic happens to be rats, or whaling and cannibalism, Benedict Arnold, or dozens of other obscure things I’ve read books about, then I can actually contribute something to the conversation.

But reading is getting harder, or more accurately, staying awake is getting harder. Time is short, and more often than not the only opportunity to read is at bedtime. This is not very efficient, because you’ll get through a page, or a paragraph, or sometimes even a single sentence and nod off.

Hours later you wake up with the light still on and your book askew somewhere. The same way toast always lands butter side down, your book is never on the page where you left off.

Enter the Kindle.

Many people who love books are resisting e-readers, but one attractive advantage is emerging: they will remember the page you were on. This way, when you pick up the book there will be no searching for the spot where you were  overcome by slumber. Unless the cat came along and walked on the page advance button. Then you are out of luck.

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Posted in books, Canibalism

Honest Abe and the Vampires

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Rob| 4 Comments

On the night table this week: “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.”

I don’t normally do my book shopping at WalMart, but there it was right in front me, the new release with most improbable and weird title I’ve heard in a long time. The cashier didn’t quite know what to make of it. “They never taught us about that in high school!”

He wasn’t kidding. “Well, I’m pretty sure it’s fiction.”

He went on. “You know what else they didn’t teach us? That the Declaration of Independence says it’s our RESPONSIBILITY to abolish the government if it abuses its power. Why do you think they didn’t tell us that?”

Actually, the Declaration says it’s our right, not our responsibility — but he was on a roll and I couldn’t stand to steal his thunder. I looked him in the eye. “There are LOTS of things they didn’t teach us in high school.”

Anyway, you might think of Seth Grahame-Smith’s book as “Interview With a Vampire” meets Sandburg’s Lincoln. Imagine all the things you know about Abraham Lincoln: the tragic loss of his mother, his flatboat trips down the Mississippi to New Orleans, the Civil War — and then add vampires to the mix.

I’m not giving anything away here by telling you that young Abe learns to lop of vampire heads, or that he was repulsed by the way slaves were not just exploited for their labor, but for their blood — but you will be surprised by the writing.

It would be easy to dismiss “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” as a clever title wrapped around a paper thin story, but Grahame-Smith does a wonderful job here of crafting an alternate history that feels authentic — even though it’s based on an idea that’s about as crazy as you can imagine.

By the way: young children in your house might be a little disturbed by the back cover of this book (pictured left). And you might also catch a few odd looks from the people sitting near you on the bus.

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Posted in books