Another month is gone, and another batch of books made the migration from the “to be read” shelf to the “been there, done that” shelf.
Here’s the list of books I read for October:
Portable Film School, by DB Gilles – I’m not done with this book, yet, but I’m going to go ahead and list it as an October read. Film making has long been an interest of mine, though mostly on a conceptual level. This book gives an interesting overview of the types of things one would learn in film school. I’ll not likely ever spend the kind of money it takes to go to film school, but for less than $15 I can satisfy some curiosity.
Disturbing the Peace, by Richard Yates – Perhaps not as finely drawn as Revolutionary Road, this book certainly delivers a very Yates-esque dysfunctional world. Intriguing and infuriating at times.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (and three short stories), by Truman Capote – The Modern Library edition is wonderful because it also includes three of Capote’s short stories, along with the classic, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s a thin book, and very easy to read, but that doesn’t take away from the lovely prose and the unforgettable characters.
Poems of the Night, by Jorge Luis Borges – I continue with my effort to read more poetry, and I’m glad I picked this volume up. Borges is a wonderful poet, and there were so many lovely moments in this book. I’m already looking forward to reading it again, somewhere down the road.
Answering the New Atheism, by Hahn and Wiker – I am also continuing to read through responses to the “new atheism” movement. This book is specifically targeted at the popular author Richard Dawkins.
You Will Not Be Forgotten, by Andrea Cumbo – Nope. You can’t read this book. At least, not yet. I was thrilled to have a chance to read my friend Andi’s book in draft form as she prepares to send it out to agents and publishers. I’m looking forward to being able to recommend this book to you, someday soon.
The Piano Teacher, by Janice YK Lee – Two unique story lines converge in pre- and post-war Hong Kong. A very good first novel, set in a fascinating time and place, full of interesting characters. Not a perfect book, certainly, but I found it compelling and moving.
The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist, by Matt Baglio – This is not sensationalist propaganda. If you are looking for long descriptions of pea-soup-spitting demons, this isn’t the book for you. If, however, you’ve ever been interested in understanding the concept of exorcisms and spiritual matters of that sort, this is an even-handed, well-written place to start. A true story, but very well written so that it is both informative and engaging.
As always, you can comb through the prior months:
Off we go, into NOVEMBER!!
Happy writing!