Posts for 'Humor' Category

Two servings of failed shoplifting attempts and five servings of vague relationships compose the formula for Tao Lin’s first published novella, Shoplifting from an American Apparel. This is Lin’s formula for the book, not mine.

For those familiar with Lin’s previous work, Shoplifting reads more like an extended story from his short story compilation, Bed, rather than a shortened version of his novel, Eeeee Eee Eeee. For those not familiar with Lin’s previous work, for shame. You should be.

Lin exemplifies exactly what it takes for a young author to break into the modern publishing world and maintain a modicum of success once in it. Through his internet persona, Lin has used gimmicks and scandals to boost his presence and gather as many haters as well as fans.

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David Sanger makes it clear what his book, “The Inheritance”, is all about. Simply stated in the first line of the preface he says.

This book looks backward at the seismic events that led America to lose so much standing and leverage in the world and looks forward to reimagine ways we can rebuild our influence and power.”

While the book itself makes for an interesting – but not enlightening – read, it does not do well with either looking backward or looking forward.

Backwards The look backward is essentially a look back at the Bush years, a commentary on current events as seen as a newspaper correspondent who has some kind of access, direct or indirect, to many of the higher officials in the administration. It does not go back far enough to cover important aspects of the pre-Bush history – a history that served as Bush’s “Inheritance” as well. In other words, U.S. history cannot be isolated to one era without fitting it into the overall context of its foreign and domestic policies that are intertwined into a much longer string of history.

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GLOBALIZATION OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, AND THE POOR: Joachim von Braun and Eugenio Diaz–Bonilla — Editors; IFRI, Washington. Oxford University Press, YMCA Library Building, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi-110001. Rs. 745.

Ever since the unfolding of the Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) as a part of the working of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), there has been a wide debate on the impact of trade liberalisation on agriculture and farmers in developing countries.

This book, based on a workshop held at International Food Research Institute (IFRI), Washington, in 2002 is an attempt to throw more light on the debate by extending it to a comprehensive view of the links between globalisation of the entire agrifood systems and poverty. It looks at the world agrifood system as being increasingly globalised, driven by life-style changes propelling specialised production, growing share of processed packed food, and bottled water transported over long distances as well as changes in upstream food chain in seeds, feeds and technical equipment.

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First-time Indian novelist Aravind Adiga has won the Man Booker Prize, one of the world's most prestigious literary awards, with The White Tiger.The 33-year-old is only the third debut novelist to claim the award in the Booker's 40-year history and one of its youngest winners.

He receives a cheque for 50,000 pounds (NZ$143,299) and can expect not only overnight literary fame but also a significant spike in book sales in the runup to Christmas.Booker organisers say last year's winner, Anne Enright, has sold around 500,000 copies of The Gathering, largely due to the prize. The White Tiger is published by Atlantic Books.

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French author Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, whose vast world travels form the poetic and descriptive backdrop for his body of work, has won the 2008 Nobel Literature Prize.The Swedish Academy hailed the 68-year-old Le Clezio as an "author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilisation".

Le Clezio, whose name has been mentioned as a possible Nobel laureate for years and was seen as a favourite this year, said he was "very moved" by the award as he hailed the novel as a vital guide in an uncertain world.Asked at a press conference in Paris if he had any message for the world, Le Clezio said it would be to "keep asking yourself questions" and "to continue reading novels" because this was a good way to come to terms with the world.

"The novelist is not a philosopher, he is not a language technician, he is someone who writes, who asks himself questions," added Le Clezio.French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed Le Clezio as "one of our greatest writers" who "embodies the grandeur and influence of France, its culture and its values in a globalised world".The newest Nobel laureate is one of the French writers best known outside his country and one of the most wide-ranging in his choice of subject matter.

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One of America’s pre-eminent painters, George Tooker (born 1920) is known for his haunting works that evoke the alienation and anonymity of urban life.

 Working in egg tempera, a Renaissance medium that produces a luminous quality yet requires meticulous application, Tooker first came to prominence as part of the post-war Magic Realist movement, creating surrealistic visions that captured the uncertainty of the Cold War era. Often compared with Hopper and Wyeth, Tooker continues to examine modern life with his disquieting imagery.

This beautifully produced book, published to coincide with the first major retrospective in 30 years, features superb reproductions of Tooker’s timeless paintings, and includes essays offering new perspectives on his passion for composition, his spirituality and his exploration of identity.

If you love just sitting back and listening to stories about Brooklyn, "In the Country of Brooklyn" (Morrow, $32.95) will fill the longest, darkest night.

Peter Golenbock's history of the city's most colorful borough mixes fascinating, lesser-known nuggets with stories that have been told a thousand times, from the glory and the departure of the Dodgers to the life of Joey Gallo.

No matter. A good story never gets old, and Golenbock adds new dimensions by examining the personal and human impact on Brooklyn of larger American crises like anti-Semitism, racism and the intolerance of the McCarthy years.

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An evocative tale of intrigue, romance, and treachery, Carol Goodman’s spellbinding new novel, The Night Villa, follows the fascinating lives of two remarkable women centuries apart.

The eruption of Italy’s Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 buried a city and its people, their treasures and secrets. Centuries later, echoes of this disaster resonate with profound consequences in the life of classics professor Sophie Chase.

In the aftermath of a tragic shooting on the University of Texas campus, Sophie seeks sanctuary on the isle of Capri, immersing herself in her latest scholarly project alongside her colleagues, her star pupil, and their benefactor, the compelling yet enigmatic business mogul John Lyros.

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Drawing from Your Imagination shows anyone who draws and paints how to successfully tap into a vast resource for their work: the envisaged and remembered scenes that form their own imagination.

 Renowned illustrator Ron Tiner leads readers through a unique development course, demonstrating how they can access their own imaginations to create engaging and distinctive images.

The structured text is accompanied by an inspirational selection of sketches, examples and finished works showcasing the various degrees and endless possibilities of imaginative work.

Stephenie Meyer, author of the best-selling young adult "Twilight" books, has put the fifth and final installment in the series on hold in protest after a partial draft was posted on the Internet.

Meyer, the U.S. author of "Twilight" and its sequels "New Moon," "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn," said she had a good idea of how the leak of "Midnight Sun" had happened, since so few copies had left her hands and each was unique.The novel tells the love story of a human teenager named Bella and her vampire lover, Edward.

"The manuscript that was illegally distributed on the Internet was given to trusted individuals for a good purpose. I have no comment beyond that, as I believe that there was no malicious intent with the initial distribution," she wrote in a posting on her website.But Meyer, 34, said this was a huge violation of her rights of an author as well as her rights as a human being because she owns the copyright and has say over when the book should be made public.

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