August Bibliolust

This month’s list is short because much of the lust arose — and was partially satisfied — during the month of July. There were two or three other books that I stumbled across or heard of during the month that I’ve already read. In fact, everything popped up in the last 10 days or so of the mnonth.

“The Boomer’s Guide to Story”: A Search for Insight in Literature and Film, Roemer McPhee — As a late boomer, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by a book that looks to the modern culture of the generation for “insights, ideas, and wisdom.” Mix in the opportunity to review it for a new site on film that a friend helped start and the result is lust.

Encyclopaedia of Hell: An Invasion Manual for Demons Concerning the Planet Earth and the Human Race Which Infests It , Martin Olson — I have been a big fan of Feral House publishing ever since I came across the first edition of Kooks, A Guide to the Outer Limits of Human Belief in a Big Sur shop in the mid-1990s. Thus, there was little hesitation when I read about this new release on the interwebz. After all, demons, Satan and humor. What more would a guy want given how hot it’s been?

The Leftovers, Tom Perrotta — When a book is described as “seriously dystopian” and is based on a secular event resembling the so-called Rapture, it can’t help but pique my curiosity. The fact the library has it on order and it doesn’t come out until the end of the month also doesn’t hurt as it creates breathing and shelf space.

The Long Night: William L. Shirer and the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, Steve Wick — Even 50 years after it was first published, William Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich remains one of the seminal works on the history of the Third Reich and well worth reading. As a result, this new biography of Shirer caught my eye.

This Beautiful Life, Helen Schulman — A favorable front page NYT Book Review review landed this novel on the list — plus the fact the library has it on order,

Report Card:

Year to Date (January-July 2011)

Total Bibliolust books: 33

Number read: 24 (72.7%)

Started but did not finish: 3 (9%)

Cumulative (September 2008-July 2011)

Total Bibliolust books: 183

Number read: 141 (77%)

Started but did not finish: 12 (6.6%)

David Baldacci, The Camel Club