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Oregon Daily Emerald
PULSE
Thursday, July/, 2003
SSi
Ryan Nyburg
Budget rack
Reading
speeds
summer
months
I read a lot. It's an addiction, really. I al
ways have to be in the middle of a book
the way some people aren't comfortable
unless there's a beer in the fridge. I read the
most during the summer, locked away in
a dark, cool room, fervently flipping
through the pages of my latest tome. Don't
get me wrong, it's not that 1 don't like
summer. I think it's fine, except for the
heat and the sun and the humidity and
the boredom. Otherwise it's just great.
So what does one read during the
longest three months of the year? Mere are
my suggestions:
"My Last Sigh," by Luis Bunuel. This
autobiography by the surrealist filmmak
er is a must for anyone who wants to
know about avant-garde film. Bunuel's
life was an interesting one. Bom in Spain,
Bunuel fell in with the surrealist move
ment in Paris, created anti-fascist propa
ganda during the Spanish Civil War and
eventually went on to direct a string of
film classics from the 1940s through the
1970s. The book has been out of print in
this country for years, and your best bet
is finding it used.
"Dr. Bloodmoney," by Philip K. Dick.
Dick has only recently begun to gain the
respect he so well deserves as a writer of
science fiction. Regulated for years to pulp
writer status, he developed a cult follow
ing that has flourished after his death. The
Vintage Books USA reprinting of the ma
jority of his novels has only added fuel to
the fire, l his is one of his best, the story of
a small town attempting to survive after
nuclear war.
"Snow Crash," by Neal Stephenson. The
high-paced story of a near-future America
where everything, right down to the high
ways, is privatized; where information is
the most valuable commodity and where
the population spends its leisure time in a
computer generated facsimile of life.
Sound familiar?
"Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor
Dung," by Lester Bangs. A collection of
writings from one of the first and best rock
critics in America. Skip the introduction by
Greil Marcus, the book's editor and a com
plete pompous twit, and get straight to the
stuff by Bangs. A must for rock fans.
"I low to Talk Dirty and Influence Peo
ple," by Lenny Bruce. A priceless autobi
ography of one of America's most influ
ential comedians. Bruce is as hard on
himself as he is on everyone else. Essen
tially, he details how he changed the for
mat of stand-up comedy from a form of
cheap entertainment to a serious attack *
on American values.
"The Psychotronic Video Guide," by
Michael J. Weldon. A meticulously re
searched collection of bizarre and off-beat
films from the editor of the Psychotronic
Video magazine. Odd for a film guide, it
Turn to Nyburg, page 6 :
Booking time for blockbusters
Book publishers are set to unleash a flurry of new literature
to readers, including a guide to Portland by the author of ‘Fight Club'
By Ryan Nyburg
Freelance Reporter
The book publishing industry has a work schedule similar to the
film industry's. Late winter and early spring are slow months, while
the holiday season is huge and full of quality releases. Summer is
for blockbusters. Here is a list of a few major releases slated for the
summer months.
July 8 brings the latest from "Fight Club" author Chuck Palahniuk,
"Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon." Part autobiography
and mosdy travel guide, it is the first nonfiction work from the popular
cult author and details the strange places and characters of his hometown.
Also appearing is "Underneath It All," the autobiography ofTraci
Lords. The notorious former pom star, who started acting in porn fea
tures while underage, talks about her abusive childhood in an Ohio
mill town, her acting career in and out of pornography and her musi
cal success as a singer and techno artist.
Another biographical account due out is "The Kennedy Curse" by
Edward Klein. The book examines 150 years of tragedy in the family,
tracing them from their Irish roots, through the lives of Joseph
Kennedy and former President John E Kennedy, and right up to the
recent death of John F. Kennedy, Jr.
July 14 has plenty for mystery and thriller fans. Lawrence Sanders
brings the latest in his Palm Beach, Fla.-based Archy McNally series of
mysteries, "McNally's Dare." Robin Cook's latest medical thriller,
"Seizure," is also scheduled for release.
In what promises to be one of the most controversial books of the
summer, Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of I leaven" is due July 15.
It details a double murder committed by two Mormon fundamental
ists, laid against the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Utter-Day
Saints and its splinter groups.
Janet Evanovich's latest, "To the Nines," will be available, as will the
latest expose from former CIA operative Robert Baer, "Sleeping with
the Devil: I low Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude." Detailing
how political and financial relationships with Saudi Arabia have left
America vulnerable to terrorist attacks, the book promises to add some
more gas to the current raging fire of political debate.
July 21 marks the release of "Naked Empire, " the eighth installment
in Ferry Goodkind's popular "Sword of Truth" series. Dan Simmons
brings "Ilium, " a science fiction reworking of 1 lomer's classic epic "Ili
ad," on July 22, and I Jarry Turtledove brings his latest alternate history
novel, "American Empire: The Victorious Opposition," on the 29th.
Garrison Keillor fans can also rejoice as die Prairie I lome Compan
ion host's latest novel, "Love Me," is due out August 18. The novel
deals with a New York City journalistic hotshot who loses his job and
his wife, and is forced to move back to his home state of Minnesota,
where he takes a job as an advice columnist.
August also brings a whole slew of other major releases, including
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Eric Layton Emerald
the latest from mystery writer Faye Kellerman entitled "Street Dreams,"
DJ Wendy Williams' autobiography "Wendy's Got the 1 leat," lorn
Clancy's new thriller "The Teeth of the Tiger " and the latest bit of
macabre from crime writer less Gerritsen, called "Sinner."
A few big name releases are also expected in the fall, including the
latest from John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell and Stephen King. All in
all, plenty of fodder for literature fans, and enough reading to get any
one through the dog days of summer.
Ryan Nyburg is a freelance reporter for the Emerald.
New albums serve insipid musical mush
Courtesy
steely Dan’s new album, “Everything Must Go" is their latest release since 2002.
By Ryan Nyburg
Freelance Reporter
It is truly a terrible curse when one cares so deeply about mu
sical quality. It means that whenever I find an album that of
fends my sensibilities, I am driven into
a funk that often takes days to recover ^
from. 1 sit around in my room, drink- IL#
ing diet soda and lighting matches for REVIEWS
fun. It is truly a sad sight. Often the _
only thing that can exorcise my
demons is a good solid rant about what I love and hate about
recent albums. 1 lere are a few rant-worthy titles.
Steely Dan — that irrepressible duo who swept the Gram
mies a few years back with 2000's " Two Against Nature," their
first album in twenty years — is back again. This time, they
offer "Everything Must Go, " an insipid collection of tunes in
spired by the vilest of musical bastardizations: soft jazz.
Those simplistic rhythms, those bland solos, those weak,
uninspiring arrangements. It makes my skin crawl just to
think about it.
Soft jazz has infected this album like a bad case of the clap. Any
semblance of life, soul or lyrical credibility is lost among the shal
lowness of the arrangements. The only song with any semblance
of life to it is "Godwhacker," a track that almost becomes funky,
with interesting lyrics, but only succeeds in pointing out the flaws
in the rest of the album.
Next up on this hellish trail of mediocrity is "True Reflections,"
the first solo album by Dave Matthews Band violinist Boyd Tins
ley. Solo albums by members of popular bands are rarely worth
Turn to Albums, page 6