Quite a few books actually. I gobbled up a couple books, reread another, discovered a funny lady and am reading another autobiography with another autobiography on deck even.
Where do I start?
Welllll lets start at the very beginning. A couple of years ago my friend lets call her Shmeesha and I joked about book clubs and how really truly we are "too punk rock" to be in one and take it seriously. So funny as it happens ... this summer... we actually formed a "Punk Rock Book Club". We sorta had one going already in that we would read the same book and say "yay" or "f nah". Mostly "yay" since we love love love books.... did I say we love books? Yeah we love books.
So I have been a ginormous fan of Jenny Lawson... go read her blog... it's funny as shit. Here is a link... I will wait... go now.... click the link... it will open in a new window. Come back and I will finish up my story.
Ok see? Funny as shit right? Ok so I was reading her blog and her audio book for Furiously Happy (linking here so if you want more you can have more... NOT a link that is sponsored at all... stupid that you have say that... I get nothing... just the joy that you may get from reading the book)... got nominated for an award and her publisher dropped the price of the kindle book to almost free. I had to spread my excitement and I emailed like four gal pals about it. Boom book ordered... we all read it... at the same time... made a header for a private facebook group and boom... punk rock bookclub is for real.
Anyways... Gals loved the book choice... we talked online about how funny and sad and funny and sad it was. I got about halfway through it and then all of a sudden "Lets Pretend This Never Happened" finally (and I say that after almost a year seriously on the waitlist at the library the book came into my queue... so I had to put down the other book and get the library book.
So we started to talk about both books... it has surprisingly made me really happy. Finding out that others not just Shmeesha liked what I like in authors was great.
Then Vendela chose The Art of Asking by Amanda F'ing Palmer. We had a couple of the books... one I gave to Shmeesha a while back in the great library purge of earlier in the Spring and the other we kept. I have long loved AFP for the Dresden Dolls her DIY spirit and followed the Kickstarter (and all that followed) rather closely. The book is a afterword of sorts from her TED Talk (which is great) and what she learned along the way in her career and life. Don't be afraid to ask... don't be afraid to engage... don't be afraid to look a stranger in the eye. All things I learned reading the book some two years after Fez got the book from the publisher as an advance for an interview that he did with her before she played a show here. She is honest and true to her dreams ... as we all should be in whatever capacity that they come to us right? The book was a reminder of that. And lessons learned. Yesterday I was perusing a Pez community online and saw dispensers that I didn't even know existed... Fez said... do you want me to buy that for you .. and I thought... yes I do. And I let him. Don't be afraid to ask. I was about to buy the dispenser myself and I thought boy it would be nice if Fez asked... he did... and I let him buy me something. It was hard for me but thanks Amanda Fucking Palmer for letting me open up and say "yes I would like you to do that thing that I want to have you do". It was great.
We haven't as a group actually gotten together and talked about it over wine or anything but books... man ... they bring people together.
I read Jill Kargman's prequel to her hit Bravo Show "Odd Mom Out" Momzillas. I won't suggest it for the book club probably because well ... didn't love it as much as I wanted to love it. Sure... FUNNY... quippie. The show though might have just ruined the book for me because seriously the tv show is brilliant. Casting is amazeballs (I will watch ANYTHING with Joanna Cassidy amiright?) and the set and clothing design is brill. So I think I wanted to the book to be the show and it wasn't.... BUT BUT BUT Jill Kargman has a new book being released next month called "Sprinkle Glitter on My Grave....". This I may have to suggest. Essays? Certainly bodes well for my love. Advance copies are out in the world and there are tons of reviews... knock on wood this book holds the funny in it's little sleeves along with Kleenex to wipe away the tears from laughter. I am ready for it.
I am currently reading right now "Wildflower" by Drew Barrymore. I know Shmeesha has read it already so we will carry the tradition of the Punk Rock Book club along with that one. I held off getting the book for a while so that I could come to it with open eyes. There was so much publicity when the book first came out I was a little wary that I would want it to be dishy like some of the reviews said that it was. I am thrilled to bits that so far... it's not dishy but again very honest about being true to oneself. I am only a couple of chapters in but looking forward to reading more. Which is a little unexpected.
Next up I have "Never Say No To a Rockstar". Another memoir about a time in a persons life bumping up against fame and fortune and turning their life into something much different. The author became a psychotherapist. I look forward to it.
As summer comes to an end of sorts my summer reading list also does. I really wanted to read more, but as they say... some of my life got in the way... but I am back on track and ready to welcome Autumn with as much gusto.
Viva La Punk Rock Book Club... we will read dem books but may not chat about them together or much else but it's a good incentive and fun to chose what to read.
Any options for the next next book? I am willing to take ideas and put them at the top of the list even! Come on punk rocka... dish.
No comments:
Post a Comment