Hello again,
While I had fallen temporarily behind on my reading goals this year, a string of overtime shifts has allotted me ample time to catch up. And now, I'm even ahead of schedule! That is right, knocking out several books in the past week now puts me in a place where I have only 12 more books to read* before New Years and I will have successfully completed reading 52 books in 52 weeks. Whew what a ride it has been so far.
This week was kicked off by reading Flowers for Algernon by Keyes. This book is narrated by a gentleman who is mentally delayed. His name is Charlie. He attempts to read and write but it is very basic and flawed. The first few chapters have spelling errors and lack of depth as he simply describes the content of events and not their meaning. However, he is given the chance to undergo a medical experiment that has been successfully accomplished in a mouse, named Algernon. Algernon became, in mouse-metrics, very intelligent. Can this medical procedure make Charlie smart? I give my Brad Stamp of Approval on this one. Give it a go, if you're so inclined.
Next, I started and finished Cannery Row by none other than Steinbeck, who is now my most read author this year, clocking in at 3 books. Cannery Row is a run down fishing town. It's inhabitants are deceptively profound. The story highlights a few different characters that had they not landed a run down, leaky, decrepit building would be considered homeless. If you like thievery, complex characters, unexpected plot lines and attempting to catch hundreds of frogs, I would recommend Cannery Row. It is a shorter and easily ingestible novel. I don't think I've read a Steinbeck novel yet that I don't enjoy.
I followed that up by reading Born Standing Up. This is an autobiography by Steve Martin. This homely, witty, down to earth and relatable story is about the meteoric rise of Steve Martin in the world of comedy. What started as him giving fill-in 5 minute magic shows evolved into a sensational act that pulled in as many as 45,000 tickets for a single show. What is unique about Martin, is that while he became unequaled in his stand-up comedy fame in 1978-1981, he suddenly, unexpectedly, and with finality walked away, never performing stand-up again. I can't imagine anyone reading this book and not coming away with profound respect for Steve Martin.
I am currently slogging my way through the entertaining and sophisticated yet complicated Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. A 1,079 page epic novel of neurotic and aesthete whimsy. I don't know if I would recommend it to the faint of heart or feint of time. Pick this one up at your own risk or if you really enjoy youth, competitive tennis.
Until next time y'all, until then.
-Bradley
* For the mathematically disinclined that slates me at having finished 40 out of 52 books so far =)
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