This is one of the best biographies I’ve ever read - both in quality of writing and deservingness of subject. What *a life* indeed! Above all, this book finally helped me understand what a director actually does - or is supposed to do. Mike Nichols was far from perfect, but his passions and doggedness are inspiring. I knew he was influential, but I never realized quite how influential, thanks to his early comedy work, landmark theatre work, and legendary film projects. Mark Harris’s writing is clear and propulsive; there are no boring bits, and just the right amount of gossip.
OMG I loved this book so much! I am so glad that Ryan Gosling’s going to star in the upcoming film; he will be perfect for the part. His character is pretty much written in the voice of Colt Seavers from The Fall Guy (if Colt were a scientist in space, rather than just pretending to fight aliens in Australia), even though the book predates that movie by a few years. This book is great not only because, like Andy Weir’s other books, it’s science fiction that’s firmly grounded in actual science, but also because it’s a really sweet story about friendship, sacrifice, and redemption. The strong emotional core running though many ups & downs and twists & turns is what makes this book incredibly worthwhile. Few sci-fi books have made me cry, but the ending of this one definitely did.
I was pleasantly surprised by the creative fantasy world I was welcomed into by this book. Parallel universes, disembodied souls, fated romance, and unique modes of travel all reminded me a bit of His Dark Materials, though without the same level of depth and intellectualism. While I would have liked the author to slow down and explore some of her (very interesting and complex) ideas more, I still greatly enjoyed going on a unique adventure with the protagonists as they discovered much about themselves and each other. Plus, the cover is absolutely gorgeous.
I bought this book because the cover (by Samantha French) reminded me so much of Kat O'Conor's art. I had no expectations for the book at all, and ended up loving it. The first few chapters felt like they were trying too hard, but then the writing settled into a more natural rhythm, both highly descriptive and a bit dreamlike. The description of the American Museum of Natural History is second only to Brian Selznick’s Wonderstruck in capturing the magic of the dioramas at the museum. The character of Margaret is so well fleshed out - she feels real thanks to her messy imperfection. Overall the story reminded me a lot of Mad Men in its characters’ disaffection and ennui - it’s as if Betty Draper were placed in a contemporary context.
Raylan Givens is one of the most consistently executed characters from page to screen and back again. The Raylan on the page in Elmore Leonard’s Pronto (1993) is the same Raylan played by Timothy Olyphant on Justified all those years later - and Peter Leonard writes Raylan perfectly in this latest chapter. I could hear Timothy saying all of Raylan’s lines and see his cool as a cucumber swagger while I was reading this book. I hope they turn Raylan Goes To Detroit into the next Justified limited series because it’s just as smart, sassy, and sexy as all the seasons that have come before.
Even though I love Kazuo Ishiguro’s writing, and especially Never Let Me Go, I hadn’t been in the mood for sad SciFi, but seeing Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway, which I adored, inspired me to finally pick up this book. While it didn’t affect me as deeply as Never Let Me Go, Klara And The Sun tells a sweet story and doesn’t waste time explaining its world. Instead, its first-person storytelling is highly descriptive and immersive. The crowd scene in front of the theatre is especially well-written and was as anxiety inducing for me as a reader as it seemed to be for Klara, a character I genuinely enjoyed spending time with.
"Every life was an epic tale if you knew where to look.” Contrary to the title of his book, Cameron Crowe has plenty of *very* cool stories to tell. What an exceptional life he’s lived, and I’m so grateful that his experiences led to the creation of Almost Famous. For anyone who’s a fan of 70s Rock, music writing, and kismet, this is a must-read.
This legal thriller kept me guessing in the best way possible. It’s a beach read with substance. I loved the twisty plot, the shifting perspectives, the authentic legal maneuvering, and the well-developed characters. I’ve enjoyed Marcia Clark’s (yes, THAT Marcia Clark) other books, but this is her best yet.
I read this for a work goal this year and found this book written in the 1930s to be a classic for a reason! It deals in fundamental human truths and basic psychology, so even though the book is nearly 100 years old, it is just as relevant today as when it was written. Carnegie's writing style is very plain spoken, conversational, and easy to digest, so it doesn't feel like a "business book" at all, and can be read pretty quickly. The book brings all of Carnegie's principles to life with lots of great, vivid examples that illustrate how they can be applied in real life.
10. Future Boy, Michael J. Fox with Nelle Fortenberry
Although it covers some of the same territory as Michael J. Fox's other memoirs, Future Boy is a worthwhile read for the all of the great Back to the Future behind-the-scenes stories and trivia. This slim volume is a bit of a time machine itself. Hollywood was such a different place in the 80s than it is today, with enough maverick spirit to make the perfect environment to usher the film into being. So many wonderful, slightly crazy things happened and so many people (in including Michael J. Fox!) believed in and sacrificed for the film to allow Back to the Future to become the movie we all know and love.
Although it covers some of the same territory as Michael J. Fox's other memoirs, Future Boy is a worthwhile read for the all of the great Back to the Future behind-the-scenes stories and trivia. This slim volume is a bit of a time machine itself. Hollywood was such a different place in the 80s than it is today, with enough maverick spirit to make the perfect environment to usher the film into being. So many wonderful, slightly crazy things happened and so many people (in including Michael J. Fox!) believed in and sacrificed for the film to allow Back to the Future to become the movie we all know and love.
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