Britney Spears audiobooks
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Britney: The Unauthorized Biography of Britney Spears by Sean Smith
Love her or hate her, I think we can all agree that Britney Spears is one of the most well-known and talked-about celebrities in the world. When I initially came across this book, I expected it to properly chronicle the astronomical fame, fortune, successes, and struggles Spears has experienced in her lifetime. I expected to read a biography that is well-written, well-formatted, and most of all, well-researched.
Unfortunately, “Britney: The Unauthorized Biography” did not deliver. Not in the slightest.
The book opens with a chapter detailing Spears’ birth chart, which I felt was totally unnecessary and a complete waste of paper. There are many other instances in the book in which the author relays unnecessary or irrelevant facts that do nothing but distract from the main attraction of the book – Britney Spears.
In addition, there are a countless number of typos throughout this book, including misspellings of important names and places. This is incredibly sloppy and careless, and I’m shocked the publisher (Pan Books) allowed the book to be published with so many errors.
Furthermore, the chronology of this book is all over the place. Rather than separating the chapters into years, the author separates them into “significant” periods in Spears’ life such as “Mouse Dancing” and “Mrs. Federline”. While this is all well and good, the author needs to honor the chronology of Spears’ life events. He jumps back and forth between years and periods in such a dizzying fashion that you never know which year he’s actually referring to.
Overall, this book was a mediocre disappointment. When one hears the name “Britney Spears”, one automatically expects her biography to be in the “gimme more” category (no pun intended). Perhaps the lackluster quality of this book lies in its “unauthorized” nature, but nevertheless, author Sean Smith had a ton of great material to work with, and I think he really dropped the ball on this one.
Bottom line – don’t waste your money.
Stages by Britney Spears and Sheryl Berk
This book is a wonderful addition for any Britney fan to add to their collection. With tons of pictures collected from her world tour and many more that were taken in between during photo shoots and down time, this is an excellant book that many people will cherish for a long time. Rarely has an artist opened up and shared so much of herself personally like Britney has in Stages; an intimate look at the last three days she spent in Mexico City on the Dream Within A Dream Tour. Britney writes in this book as though she were writing in a journal; a collection of private and sincere thoughts for only the eyes of the people she loves and trusts the most – her fans. No media, no rumors, this is Britney opening up about everything. Not too many artists would do such a beautiful thing. Accompanying this book is a cute black and white poster and a documentary style DVD. The DVD gives you a behind the scenes look at what went on and what goes on before, during and after her concerts; including the infamous concert where she was reportedly booed offstage after singing five songs and leaving. The DVD tells and shows all. It’s alot of fun watching this if you’re a major Britney fan. Watching her live such a normal life in front of so many cameras makes you both feel sympathetic and inspired. In one scene Britney breaks down in tears and you don’t know if you wanna hug her to make her stop crying or smile knowing that she’s such a kind hearted person who hasn’t lost touch with what’s important. Whether you’re a fan of Britney or not, I think everyone will love something about this book. It’s not really a book so much as a collection and one of the many stages in Britney’s life that reminds us all why she’s still on top.
Britney Spears’ Heart to Heart by Britney Spears
Britney and Lynne Spears have done a wonderful job writing Britney’s life story. The book chronicles Britney’s entire life from her birth to after the release of “Oops, I Did It Again”. The book shows that Britney wasn’t always rich, in fact her family did go through some financial problems. Britney and Lynne also write about how from an early age Britney showed her talent for singing and dancing. I specifically enjoyed reading about Britney’s childhood, there is a lot of information about young Britney that I loved reading about. It was also interesting to learn about how Britney got her record deal, and how nervous she and her mom were before her audition- the same one that ended up giving Britney a record deal! Britney and Lynne talk about mother-and-daughter issues, such as clothes, serious issues (such as sex and drugs), how to help each other over come obstacles, amd more. This was an awesome book, perfect for any Britney Spears fan. There were also tons of cool pictures, of Britney from when she was a baby, as a child, a teen, and all the way up to the year 2000. However, I feel as though Britney and Lynne should write another updated edition of the book soon, as it has been a while!
Britney Spears: The Unofficial Book by Molly Macdermot
I read this book after I finished “for whom the bells toll”, this was all on a long flight to s. africa. The teenagaer next to me was through with it so she let me read it, not mention she loved it. Instead of dying from bordom on a 18 hour flight I started to read it. I could’t get through the opening pages before succuming to shakes and shivers. Sorry this book may be good for a teenager, but give it to 29 traveling surfer is just not good. Recomended ages 9-14, and that’s pushing it.
A Mother’s Gift by Britney Spears and Lynne Spears
At fist, I tried to ignore this “book” by Britney Spears. But I was at my local dollar store and saw that they were carrying it for only a dollar! So, for whatever reason came over me, I picked up a copy and read it. Boy, what a big disapointment (which I figured it was)!
The plot is simple: A young girl named Holly has a natural talent for singing and wins a scholarship to the prestigious Harverty School of Music, which she has been eyeing. Her mother, Wanda, is a constant embrassasment to her. Plus, Wanda has a secret of her own, which leads in a struggle that could brake the bond between mother and daughter.
There are so many things wrong with this book. First off, the writing and pace of the story is done rather quickly, making the reader “hungry” for more. Also, the cookie-cutter characters are not believable, which also make the book strain. The plot is very good, but when you get characters that have rather silly names (such as McSpadden, for example) and among other things, it makes you think twice as to how much throught Britney and her mom, Lynne, put into it. The only pure reason why this “novella” was at all published is because of Britney’s once-popular star power.
The one thing I most disliked about the book was it’s treatment of the how the bond between a mother and her daughter will combat over anything and everything. It’s very common for writers’ to take their own experiences and intergrate them into their works, but this is complete ridiculous! The trails that Wanda and Holly go through seem empty; there is no meat added to this story. Plus, as the old saying goes, if you got the natural talent to write, then do so. But, it seems that Britney and Lynne need a few lessons in English Grammer first before they attempt to publish another novel.
If you want a better portral of mother-daughter bonding, I highly reccommend Any Tan’s The Joy Luck Club. Other than that, this is stricly to tweens and teeny-boppers only!
Britney: Every Step of the Way: A Friend’s Personal Scrapbook by Felicia Culotta
I must say, I am impressed. This was an AWESOME book, from the first page to the last! OMG, these are some of the BEST pics of Britney ever! It was written by her friend, Felicia Culotta, who is Britney’s personal chaperone who travels with her. These pictures all are private and have never been seen before! It is so cool, you feel like you personally know Britney from reading this super-cool book. Great job, Felicia, on a book well written!
Britneys Spears’s Crossroads Diary (Crossroads Film Tie in) by Britney Spears and Felicia Culotta
A brilliant book Crossraods starring Britney Spears made a smash hot in the theatres and in book stores.
Britney is struggling with a protective father who wants her to do what he feels is best for her. But when her and her childhood friends find eachother again and decide to take a road trip. thats when the journey begins.
“lucy” britney spears and her friends take a trip to California to discover their dreams. The book leads into many issues in todays teen world. Such as date rape, sex, and alcohol.
Overall the book is very well to read and has a awesome ending.
The Ultimate Britney Spears Quiz Book by Maggie Marron
Anyone who thinks they know everything about Britney Spears needs to read this book! You’ll find out things you never knew about her! These quizzes are awesome, I learned so much about Britney. There were a ton of fantastic pictures too! Any Britney Spears fan will love this book!
In the Zone by Britney Spears
Britney Spears released “In the Zone” as a record, only finding lukewarm reviews. Yet, if you have a piano, you will find it impossible to stop playing these irresistable tunes.
Surprisingly arranged, In the Zone is sometimes funner to play than it is to listen to. Some of the bigger hits off the album are actually the least playable. “Toxic,” “Me against the Music,” and “(I got that) Boom Boom” are the biggest hits, yet the least complicated of arrangements, while “Outrageous” is barely sheet music. The best arrangements are surprisingly the “forgotten” songs off the new album, the best being an beautiful arrangement of “Everytime,” and a delicate version of “Shadow.”
Also the club ready “Breath on me,” and “Touch of my hand” find great playablity. Jamacian flavored “The Hook up” plays well, while a bit repetative at times. “Showdown” and “Brave new girl” remain nearly as forgotten in this book as they do on the album, While “Early Morning” is a fun little piece that can be played with some jazzed up rhythm.
With great arrangments, “In the Zone” is one of the best popular music books out there. For fans it is a must, and for music lovers it is a need.
True Brit: The Story of Singing Sensation Britney Spears by Beth Peters and Eddie Malluk/Retna
This book is the best book I have ever read. SERIOUSLY! It’s wonderful. Beth Peters uses a great technique of writing to make it very interesting. It’s not just a book that you sit down and read through. It’s got quizzes about Brit, facts (from her fave things to the address of where to get a script of the play “Ruthless” that she stared in), and information on her former MMC stars and where they are now. In between all that, it tells the story of super star, Britney Spears. If you like Brit, and want to learn cool facts that you probably don’t know, but don’t feel like sitting and reading a whole book, get this. It’s interactive, and a bunch fun. GO GET IT!
Britney Spears Confidential by Molly MacDermot
this tells a lot about Britney and has some great stuff in it. the pictures are awsome and the setup is great.
Britney Spears: Stylin’ by Maggie Marron
If you want to learn more about Britney Spears, this is a great book to read. The author did a great job writing about Britney, and I thought the parts about Britney’s style were really cool. It’s a biography, starting from her birth all the way to the release of Baby One More Time. I just loved the pictures, they were all awesome. You learn a lot about Britney! This book is a must for all Britney Spears fans!
Britney Spears by Andrews McMeel Publishing
This was an ok book about Britney. It had cool pics, and I liked the quizzes. It really is just another biography of Brit. It starts from when she was first born, all the way to the release of Oops…I Did It Again. I really didn’t find the biography stuff that interesting since I knew most of it, and there were some errors. For example, the author says Britney’s natural hair color is blond. That’s not true. Her natural (underline) hair color is BROWN! Look at some pics of Britney as a kid and you’ll see! Well, overall this was a good book, but for a really good Britney Spears book read Heart to Heart, the book she wrote with her mother.
Baby… One More Time Pocket Video Britney Spears (Collector’s Flipbook Series) by Signatures Network
This flip book is very entertaining. You can have two scene’s from Britney Spears’s first video go everywhere with you. How cool is that? Very cool idea.
Britney Spears (Backstage Pass) by Michael Johns
This is informative with loads of great pictures and info on Britney. It is out of date now, but it’s still very well made with GREAT pictures of Britney.
It has lots of cute little tidbits of information. It also includes a profile on Britney, and her favourite things.
The book is a bit out of date, but still good. It’s a shame Britney is going down in history as being someone who was big for a few years and but then got unpopular because she ignored her fans. This is a nice book which shows Britney at the peak of her fame.
Britney Spears: Oops!…I Did It Again by Britney Spears
Poorly written book filled with fluff. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
Britney Spears is a Three-Headed Alien by Mel Gilden
While the title of the book may make you turn away, the content is amusing and you just don’t want to put the book down. The book is cute about two friends in their teens following around an alien who has overtaken Britney’s body. I recommend this book for pop music fans who don’t want to take this book too seriously.
Britney Spears (Blue Banner Biographies) by Ann Gaines
I really loved this book. It’s filled with information about Britney that I haven’t seen in the other books I’ve read about her. It was cool to read about her childhood and especially how hard she worked to get where she is. This is a really great book for every Britney fan!
Britney Spears: Unstoppable! by John Delavan
Ok, Britney. This book was great, I couldn’t put it down. It had quizzes and it had this one quiz that I loved. It was actually hard for me. It was interesting it had an interview with her, a 50 question quiz, and 50 fun facts. It had pictures from Britney’s concerts or Britney and her fans. It had pictures of Britney just hanging out. It had pictures of Britney through out her school years. Ith ad also information on Britney that I didn’t even know. So if you are a Britney fan this book is for you. If you think you know Britney well, you don’t! Not until you read this book. Plus, her little sister Jamie Lynn is absolutely gorgeous just like Britney.
Britney Spears (Galaxy of Superstars) by Norma Jean Lutz
I am a very huge fan of Ms. Britney Spears, and I loved this book. To me, it was very informative. Although, when I bought ” Britney Spears: Heart To Heart” I thought that there was more informaton for less then the price of this book. So, please go out and get Heart To Heart. Thank you ever so much. …
They Must Be Stopped: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It by Brigitte Gabriel
“… And we are not talking about the likes of Britney Spears dancing half naked with a live snake draped on her …”
We last saw Brigitte Gabriel emerging from her childhood, escaping Palestinian jihadis trying to kill her and her family for no better reason than that she was Christian, in her aptly-titled first book, Because They Hate. She was a forward scout in the resistance to jihad. Her first book was a literal debriefing, and They Must Be Stopped is an interpretive debriefing. Together they sound an alarm that must be heeded. Gabriel shows us that Islam is not a religion in the sense we understand the word. It is a doctrine, and the central tenet of that doctrine is the forced submission of all humanity. Gabriel gives us a concise summary of Islam’s evolution through the ages into the implacable doctrine of hate that it is today. She describes Islam’s rise (its occupation of the Holy Land and The Ottoman Empire) and its fall, which so perplexes muslims. Gabriel shows that it was the Industrial Revolution, which wholly bypassed the Islamic world, which ultimately defeated it. To this day muslims cannot fathom their humiliating status in the world, and they supplicate Allah to return their dignity and power.
They Must Be Stopped is a wake-up call for the West which “wallows in a state of denial and ignorance, bullied by political correctness and refusing to listen to our enemies who have an understanding of peace and tolerance different from ours.” She shows that democratization is not an end in itself. Hamas and Hezbollah, for instance, are democratically elected terrorist organizations. More elections in the Islamic world would only create more radical Islamic regimes opposed to and threatening Western values. The unfortunate truth is that the repressive regimes in Egypt, Saudia Arabia, and Jordan are our natural allies in that they keep the cork in the bottle of Islamic terrorism. For readers unfamiliar with the global extend of Islamic terrorism since 9/11, Gabriel provides a summary. Conclusion: they have been very busy, not as subdued as you might have thought.
And if you think Gabriel is being bombastic or is exaggerating the threat which she knows so intimately, listen to Ayatollah Khomeini, “The Almighty himself taught us how to kill.” Or read the Koran for yourself: “When you clash with the unbelieving Infidels in battle, smite their necks until you overpower them, killing and wounding many of them.” (Koran 47:4), or “Your Lord inspired the angels with the message: I am with you. Give firmness to the Believers. I will terrorize the unbelievers. Therefore smite them on their necks and every joint and incapacitate them. Strike off their heads and cut off each of their fingers and toes.” (Koran 8:12). “Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah.” (Koran 8:39) “Prepare against them whatever arms and weaponry you can muster so that you may terrorize them. They are your enemy and Allah’s enemy.” (Koran 8:59)
Brigitte Gabriel is a crystal clear thinker and a compelling writer. She suggests, for instance, that if you think you know a “moderate” muslim, just ask him or her to condemn the atrocities committed against innocent civilians in the name of Islam, and you will learn just how thin that veneer of moderation actually is. She shows us how modern muslims veil terrorism by referring to it as “fourth generation warfare.” She shows us that radical Islam is an adversary which will not reason, will not rest, will not compromise; it is inspired by both victory and by defeat, and its goal is your elimination. They Must Be Stopped.
Gabriel concludes her vitally important book with commonsense prescriptions for meeting the threat from radical Islam. The fact is that you are actually going to have to do something. In order to stem the growing tide of jihad we are all going to have to join the resistance in some way. Gabriel provides a thoughtful list of actions you can take. She finishes with a note of emotional gratitude to American men and women in uniform. “Words tremble on my lips and emotions swell in my heart for in gratitude for your service and your sacrifice…for protecting America and the world…Let my grateful tears thank you…”
Dirty Girls on Top by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
“… kill them for the collective catharsis of the self-loathing masses. Britney Spears, her heart upon the platter, her life taken from her …”
The sucias are back and that’s a good thing even though their lives are even more complicated and dramatic from when we last saw them five years ago.
But that’s why these Latina professionals have each other. They can handle anything that comes their way, even a homicidal ex-husband, which adds to the fun literary ride that Valdes-Rodriguez takes the reader on.
As in their tradition, Valdes-Rodriguez opens the book as the women embark on meeting up at a resort in New Mexico for the annual sucias gathering. Here they catch up on and dish about what has been going in their lives. Well, almost. Some of the sucias don’t immediately reveal their secrets.
Usnavys: She’s still hoochie but that is what endeared her to her readers. She’s strong, real, and tells it like it is. She’s still a leader in the Boston community working with the United Way and she likes to show off the goods that God, Puerto Rico and her credit line have given her. This Latina bombshell even has a blog about being sexy. But underneath her thick tough exterior is una mujer who wants to feel like a doted and desired woman with her husband Juan, who has opted to stay at home to raise their daughter while Usnavys works. UsNavys yearns for the excitement of being in love and feeling like a wanted woman – by her husband. An affair with a hunky golf instructor may ruin all that.
Lauren: She’s still a newspaper columnist in Boston and enjoys her relationship with her thuggish Dominican boyfriend who seems to be getting one too many text messages on his phone. Lauren struggles with seeing the truth about her guy and herself. Confused, she decides to experiment sexually with one of the sucias. (Spoiler alert:) And when no one is around, she privately abuses alcohol and herself with trips to the bathroom. All combine to send her over the edge with the sucias to the rescue.
Elizabeth: Her Boston TV anchoring days behind her, this Colombian with the heart of a poet is enjoying being a new mother to a baby she and her partner adopted. Elizabeth loves motherhood but her partner doesn’t feel the same way That conflict pulls them apart and forces Elizabeth to realize that she may be a single gay mother after all in Brookline. Complicating matters, Elizabeth is secretly in love with one of the sucias.
Rebecca: Her Latina magazine is booming and so is her marriage. All she wants is a baby and health issues and work stress only complicate that.
Sara: She’s the Cuban-American Martha Stewart with a popular show that Elizabeth produces in Boston. She seems to have it all. She’s moved on from her abusive ex-husband who has fled the country and hasn’t been seen locally but she still aches for him, physically and emotionally. Through Sara, the reader sees the difficulty of letting go of an abusive relationship and the pull that one person can have on another when one lets someone else rent space in their head and heart.
Amber: Her music career is on a high note and she enjoys the freedom it brings – until she tries to ventures too experimental in her music and her sales and concerts dip. Her older manager, who acts a surrogate father and lover in one, may help her find her way, musically and emotionally.
Valdes-Rodriguez recaptures the charm and spirit of the first book. Both are fun and fast reads, as each chapter alternates through one of the narrators. But this is not just a book for the beach. Valdes-Rodriguez deftly conveys the complicated range of emotions of the women through crisp writing that offers deep introspection, almost a mirror for the characters to reflect on. These women feel real, people you would know in your family, circle of friends or at work. The fact that they are all Latinas is almost an afterthought.
The characters that resonated the most were Usnavys and Lauren. Their voices are the strongest and most developed. The reader sees their gradual metamorphosis, as Usnavys surrenders herself to being a wife and a mother while Lauren discovers the person she was meant to be through all her episodes with her health and her man. By the end of the book, Lauren is a more centered person spiritually and emotionally. She’s more at peace with her job, her looks and her insecurities. She shines the most in this novel and there are touching moments when she bonds with her editor and decides to mentor younger writers. Usnavys comes to terms with realizing that the world doesn’t revolve around her needs and doesn’t cater to her every whim. She learns that she has to check herself because her daughter and husband need her the most and that is what really matters.
Ironically, each of the sucias want what the other has. Rebecca has the marriage and career but not the family she desperately craves for while Elizabeth has the baby but not the ideal partner to share him with. Confident Usnavys has an earnest husband who does everything that is expected of him, which is what insecure Lauren wants in a man, someone to love and appreciate her and make her feel whole. The same goes for Amber. Sara has it all, two sons, a blooming career, but no man to share it with besides her homicidal ex-husband until a new love beckons.
My only critique of the book is this: some of the chicas don’t seem as close as they were in the first book. UsNavys and Lauren are the closest pair of the bunch while Elizabeth and Sara have their own tight friendship because of their business arrangement. I didn’t get the sense that these women (specifically, Rebecca and Amber) were very close to each other or to the others. It’s as if they the sucias have sub-cliques within their own clique.
But Hispanic or not, male or female, readers will find something to relate to by hanging out with the sucias all over again.
young Britney Spears
naked Britney Spears
drunked Britney Spears
Michael Corbin
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Insight Guides Barcelona
“… (see page 170); t features in Woody Allen’s latest novie, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (due )ut at the end of 2008). …”
Every blue moon, I’ll see a film that I think everyone should see. In this case, the film is Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” It’s a MUST see … especially if you’re the creative type. More on that in a few seconds.
First off, NO ONE weaves a tale like Woody Allen. I cannot think of another director whose storytelling is so beautifully intricate and seamless, yet at the same time, you can almost see the wheels turning inside his head. I’m going to tell you about this film without actually telling you about it. Woody Allen is not in the film, nor is he the narrator, nor is it based in New York City, yet this is the quintessential Woody Allen film. Woody Allen in Barcelona.
Second, he uses narration to move the pace along pretty quickly and keep us attentive. It totally works. The film is a delightful basket full of wine, Spanish guitar,
laziness, craziness, profound purpose and sexual intrigue. The cast is like a musical ensemble featuring Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, the fantastic Penelope Cruz, Rebecca Hall and Patricia Clarkson, among others.
Third, this is a film strictly for ADULTS. Thank God. How often do we see “thinking” films for adults? Nothing gets blown up and there aren’t any magical, animated characters that do Disney-esque things (nothing against them). What we have here are people who are dreaming of and seeking better lives. Doesn’t that describe us all?
Four, what really impressed me about this film was … drum roll please … ART. The way Allen uses art in this film is masterful. It’s not just about the painting, photography, music or writing, but also the way he captures the feelings and thoughts of the artists/characters. Every major character in the film takes a chance and gets creative with varying results. Every character struggles to be free. I guess you can’t put a price on creative freedom.
This film reminds us that when you bank on artistic vision, you’re on the track to happiness. That’s unless something not so great happens. Penelope Cruz’s character brings this home. As usual, Allen ties up the loose ends with great skill. It totally satisfies that childlike, “Tell me a story!” urge in you. One more quick thing … the film is roughly about an hour and a half long. Fantastic. I’m going back out now to run some errands.
In short, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is the perfect film for a lazy August day … or any day. It’s a matinee for creative, thinking adults, but I’m no film critic. Don’t take my word for it. See it for yourself.
Art In King Size Beds: A Collector’s Journal by Michael, K. Corbin
Do you like art, but find it intimidating? Does the thought of visiting an art museum or gallery make you uneasy? Would you like to own original art? Well, here’s the book for you! “Art In King Size Beds: A Collector’s Journal,” is a glorious walk through the world of contemporary art. Finally, an artbook for real people! It’s a surprisingly new and refreshing look at art. Come along with art collector Michael Corbin on his journey and enjoy great stories and fantastic color photos of some of the hottest work from living artists today. Spectacular art is emerging all around you. It’s a powerful force that inspires and enriches your life. With his warm, witty and engaging style, Corbin will leave you wishing that you had become an art lover much sooner. An enlightening and fun ride.
Rhetoric in Postmodern America: Conversations with Michael Calvin McGee by Carol Corbin
Michael Calvin McGee died last month after one of those maddeningly cruel lengthy illnesses that prematurely forced him out of the classroom he so dearly loved. “Rhetoric in Postmodern America: Conversations with Michael Calvin McGee” is a cherished reminder of McGee as a mentor to those of us who studied under him at the University of Iowa and elsewhere, and an introduction to his approach to the study of rhetoric for the rest of the world. The conversations themselves are based on a series of seminars in which McGee developed with complex web of ideas. Those who studied with McGee will quickly find themselves in familiar territory as they read these five conversations (for me it was the Todd Willey anecdote about why English Departments consider rhetoricians bastard stepchildren unworthy of entry into the ivory towers of academia):
The volume begins with what amounts to an introductory first chapter entitled “McGee Unplugged,” written by John Louis Lucaites, who was the first American born student to complete his doctorate under McGee. Lucaites reminds us that stylistically, conversations were McGee’s forum of choice and that the conversations included in this volume do not have to be read sequentially. You can just as easily get from Isocrates as an example of “phronimos” in Chapter 2 to the notion of collectivity in Chapter 5 as you can the importance of representation to rhetoric. From the materialist conception of rhetoric to the need to remodel liberalism, the topics McGee talks about dance in and around the pivotal relationship between rhetoric and social theory, which was on one level simply the conventional name given at Iowa to McGee’s work.
Chapter 2, Formal Discursive Theories reconsiders the relationship between rhetoric and dialectic and then the notion of wisdom, for which Isocrates and not Plato is the Dead Greek of choice. This leads to representations as the key way of characterizing our study of human action.
Chapter 3, The Postmodern Condition follows the lead of Walter Ong and Marshall McLuhan in considering orality to be humanity’s state of nature. Ironically technology has allowed us to return to a more oral view of the world and creates new problems for looking at a “text,” which can no longer be considered a single, finite entity.
Chapter 4, American Liberalism is more about the Whig-Liberal tradition that harkens back to Edmund Burke than it does to contemporary left-wing politics. With the shift from the Aristotlean rhetoric of persuasion to the Burkean rhetoric of identification, McGee posits the goal of scholarly endeavor to be political effectiveness in general and remodeling liberalism in particular. Within this context McGee looks at property and capital (i.e., how to tell the difference between liberals and communists), and how morality creates the space between law and liberty that establishes a code of conduct. Multicultrualism raises the issue of heterogeneity in our society while McGee returns to a favorite topic when he talks about the dynamic between “male” sovereignty and “female” solidarity.”
Chapter 5, The People reconsiders the key elements of McGee’s first seminal QJS essay by contrasting the spectatorship created by a world dominated by television with the collectivity that television can create in crisis. This returns us to the intellectual problem of subjectivity and ontology, which is what gets McGee to his friends Jose Ortega y Gasset and Jurgen Habermas.
Chapter 6, Materialism is established as a coherent philosophical position that is a variant of realism, which historical materialism (a pivotal term) as coded human practice. The idea of objectivity merely reminds us that human discourse is both referential and subjective at the same time. McGee uses the term instantiation to help us tell how materialism is different from the word as used by Communists and Wall Street types. A materialist’s morality takes a more political turn that the Christian morality that serves as an idealistic exemplar.
As an example of McGee’s “performance criticism,” the volume concludes with a previously unpublished work “Fragments of Winter: Racial Discontent in America, 1992,” in which McGee finds an extension of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in Spike Lee’s film, “Do the Right Thing.” Without getting into the particulars of this compelling essay, I would point out that McGee considers Lee’s film on a cultural par with Picasso’s painting “Guernica.”
After reading this book the comparison between McGee and Kenneth Burke is perhaps the most relevant (flashback: McGee escorting the elderly Burke, who was about half McGee’s size, at an SCA convention), for the simple reason that their public arguments display the same astounding breadth and depth of sources. For McGee reading Burke alone provided a superficial understanding; the only appropriate alternative was to read everything Burke had read (a premise fated to stay the heart of many a graduate student). For this reason you will find McGee talking about everything from Louis Althusser’s understanding of the relationship between aesthetics and power to Thomas Szasz’s study of the myth of mental illness (and that is just the names “dropped” over the course of these five conversations and one essay).
It must be noted that both of the reviewer comments by colleagues of McGee on the back of this volume use the word “exasperating” to describe these conversation, the term being contrasted with “stimulating” and “intriguing” respectively. The explanation for such exasperation, dear friends, lies within the cognitive realm of the receiver. I would advance this brief example of exorcism by appropriating a political slogan McGee would have found unsettling in his younger days: in your heart, you know he’s right.
Lawrance M. Bernabo, “The Scopes Myth: The Scopes Trial in Rhetorical Perspective,” Disseration, University of Iowa, 1990, directed by Michael Calvin McGee.
The Art Of Everyday Joe: A Collector’s Journal by Michael K. Corbin
“… Michael Corbin Blank Space 8.5 X 11 Nothing on Paper …”
When I saw this book, my thoughts echoed a phrase on the back cover exactly, “Finally, It’s Here!” A book that would explain the ins and outs of art collecting. What type of art should I collect? Who are the up-and-coming new artists? Where do I find the best art? What should I be looking for to make my art collection shine?
In “The Art of Everyday Joe: A Collector’s Journal” I found the answers I needed, without finding the answers to any of these questions. There is no right and wrong when looking at art, you go with what moves you. I should have known that. It was nice to have this book remind me in a subtle, easy manner.
As an artist myself, I was also drawn to this book to find out how others view art. What is an art collector looking for? What does an art collector look like? Where do I find them? Again, I was expecting hard and fast answers. I got a reminder in simplicity. The art collectors are looking for the artists to create from their hearts so that they can buy from their hearts. Art collectors are anyone and everyone. The “Everyday Joe!”
Michael Corbin’s “The Art of Everyday Joe” is the second in a series of “Collector’s Journals.” A writer by profession and lover of art, Michael uses essays on all topics to make the reader realize that art is all around us. In his essays he talks about a varied range of topics such as rudeness, airports, and bubblewrap. Some essays are about specific artists or art forms. Others barely mention art at all. But all have the same purpose — to show us that collecting art is not stuffy and only for the rich. Cover your walls from floor to ceiling with art from living, working artists. Tear that Picasso image out of that magazine and frame it. Revel in the beauty of the oatmeal box!
In “The Art of Everyday Joe: A Collector’s Journal,” author Michael K. Corbin uses images from his art collection to enhance the book and complement the essays. He did a great job of matching art with essays and showed a variety of art styles. It was a pleasure flipping through and looking at the art, and I am sure quite a thrill for the author to show off his art collection to so many people. Corbin’s
Sarah Silverman
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Vanity Fair April 2008 The Queens of Comedy:Sarah Silverman, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and nine other Queens of Comedy by Vanity Fair
The Girl I Wanted to Be: A Novel by Sarah Grace McCandless
“… Peter Hedges, Pam Houston, Chris Martin, Shawn McBride, Lorrie Moore, Sarah Silverman, …”
THE GIRL I WANTED TO BE is the second novel by Sarah Grace McCandless, and it’s hella good, to use the phrase of a couple of years ago. For fans of her first book, GROSSE POINTE GIRL, I think you’ll be impressed by how much stronger her prose has become. The book is the story of a fourteen-year-old girl in the early ’90s whose world is starting to crumble with the onset of maturity. Sarah really captures that seasick time, where you aren’t really sure how to keep your feet flat on this thing we call Earth, as childish things and adult disappointment play tug-of-war with your changing body. Her writing is evocative while also using great economy. In chronicling a family who discuss their problems by talking around them, she developed a style of expression that inspires the reader to come to his or her own conclusions by how carefully the root of those problems are withheld.
To classify THE GIRL I WANTED TO BE as some kind of simple young adult novel would be to do it a disservice. It’s a far more mature work than that, shedding light on foibles and personal treacheries that have no age restrictions.
My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
It is not for me to ponder if Chelsea is a sex addict or a free spirit. It is for me to voice an opinion on her book which i felt was well organized and decently written. The author leaves nothing out of her excapades- She seeks sex in all kinds of weather,with all kinds of dudes and in all kids of situations. It doesn’t get boring The whole book is about sex! yet, the book is not slease. It is colorfull (to say the least) entertaining , humorous and I believe honest to the very last line–I loved the last page!
Bravo Chelsea and I hope you find real love someday if you really want to.
SARAH SILVERMAN MAXIM MAGAZINE JUNE 2007! by MAXIM
Bunny Tales by Izabella St. James
“… and celebrities, including Jenny McCarthy, Jimmy Kimmel, Sarah Silverman, Nikki Ziering, Tommy Lee, Michelle Rodriguez, Fred Durst, Marilyn Manson, …”
I am very suprised that there are not more women out there ready to bare it all in tell all autobiographies about their time at the Playboy mansion. I do respect Izabella for doing this. The book is a very fast read and suprisingly interesting. Other than the graphic sex (a whole chapter is devoted to having sex with Hef), the book does detail some tidbits that I found fascinating, such as, Hugh Hefner does not own the Playboy mansion, he also has to pay rent on the rooms that the girls stay in.
If you watch the Girls Next Door on E!, then you will find the character descriptions of Holly, Bridget, and Kendra to be interesting as well. To say the least, Holly does not come out smelling like a rose. For anyone interested in Hef or the mansion, please read this book, you won’t be disappointed.
X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking by Jeff Gordinier
“… Maya Rudolph, Margaret Cho, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Molly Shannon, Sarah Silverman, Judd Apatow, George Lopez, Dane Cook, Ze Frank, Conan O’Brien, …”
This was a gift from my father, who said I’d enjoy it. I figured it had to be pretty good, since Gordinier drops the f-bomb early and often and my father does NOT tolerate foul language. If Dad was recommending this in spite of the cursing, I figured I was in for a good read.
I appreciate Gordinier’s view that the term “Generation X” doesn’t necessarily encompass or exclude those born during a vague time frame–even though I am pretty solidly in the accepted birth date range. “Generation X” is, by Gordinier’s definition, an attitude of antipathy towards the manufactured monoculture.
I have two complaints about Gordinier’s examples of GenX culture. One is his heavy (and constant) adoration of the band Nirvana. While I agree that their influence on music and culture was enormous, I don’t know that they quite deserve the headline spot here. I don’t think any single band would. The frequent lauding of Cobain gets a little tiresome. The second is his endorsement of Barack Obama largely because Obama presents an alternative to the Boomer (or older) candidates. If the Republican party had a young, charismatic up-and-comer who was interested in shaking up the system, would Gordinier give that person equal time? I’m not sure. Gordinier’s excessively heavy focus on one particular band and one particular political candidate is the only reason I wouldn’t give the book four stars. I’m not saying he shouldn’t talk up his favorite band and political figure in his own book–I’d just rather he not do it in a book that is supposedly describing a fairly large segment of the population.
A reviewer complained that Gordinier attempts to turn “insipid pop music” into something “cheesily delightful.” I believe that reviewer missed a crucial point of the book. I don’t believe that Gordinier denies that a lot of music from his high school years was total crap. In fact, that’s why he devotes so many words to the zeitgeist change brought about by (you guessed it) Nirvana. There wouldn’t have been a need for change if everything had already been so wonderful.
Gordinier admits that the idea of “saving the world” is a bad cliche from a previous generation. Instead of trying to save the whole world he focuses on the small, the local, and (most importantly) the possible.
This book isn’t a rallying cry. It isn’t a defense. It isn’t a manifesto. It’s simply a reassurance that all is not lost–there are some like-minded individuals out there who are still fighting tiny, local battles against a homogenized, sterile system. A lot of those people seem to be winning, and Gordinier is encouraging other Xers to consider putting up a similar fight.
Fannie Mae
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Fannie Mae and the Coming Housing Bubble – When it will happen and how to profit from the housing bubble by Editors of SmithRiley
Poorly written, and with little if any real value.
Does anyone check these articles for grammar or spelling?
Does not provide real advice or guidance. Simply a point of view (that I happen to agree with). I feel like a bought the first draft of the first chapter of a book that could be good.
Serving Two Masters, Yet Out of Control: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by Peter J. Wallison
As a lawyer and former investment banker, Charles Morris can appreciate the power of free-market capitalism to drive economic growth and financial innovation. Now, however, he believes the era of market fundamentalism has come to an end, just as Keynesian interventionism came to an end in the 1970s. He estimates conservatively that the recent writedowns and defaults of residential mortgages, corporate debt, credit card debt, and bonds will be about $1 trillion. But this book was written before even more recent revelations such as the Bear Sterns insolvency. It is now estimated that the bill could be 3 or 4 times as high.
Morris gives a brief but excellent history of events that led up to the current credit crunch that is paralyzing global financial markets. Disasters have many fathers, but Morris lays much of the blame on bond rating agencies, financial insurance companies and the Federal Reserve under Alan Greenspan. After 9/11 the Federal Reserve lowered the interest rates below the rate of inflation, essentially giving banks free money. Banks then lent money for fees up front and then repackaged the loans – turned them into securitized debt – and sold them to investors. It was basically cost free and risk free, so they lent money as if there was no tomorrow.
These securitized debts or CDOs (collaterilized debt obligations) were sold and resold throughout the global financial system and no longer did anyone know how to measure their value or their risk.
Add to this the fact that homeowners were using the rising equity of their homes as atms and pumping another $4 trillion into the economy.
Also add to the mix $700 billion annual trade deficit that indicates that much more consumption over production. The party was really in full swing.
But the party couldn’t last forever. The bubble started to deflate last summer when housing prices began to fall and homeowners began to default on their mortgages. The government initially thought it was just a typical market adjustment, but with the imminent collapse of Bear Stearns they finally took decisive action. Bear Stearns was holding $46 billion worth of securitized mortgages with an estimated value of 30 cents on the dollar.
As the crisis has been unfolding, it has been estimated that the federal government has authorized about $1 trillion in new lending through agencies such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Federal Housing Finance Board, and the Federal Reserve. This was done solely to keep the economy afloat. But no one knows yet where this will end. Massive infusions of money will lead to a weaker dollar, as we have already seen. A weaker dollar against the background of rising oil and food prices tells us the crisis is far from over.
Morris does not tell us exactly how we will get out of this mess, but he is sure that in the end a new system of financial regulation will be in place.
Privatizing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks: Why and How by Peter J. Wallison
Many people want to tighten federal regulations governing the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs)-Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. But better regulations will not do much to reduce the real risks that the GSEs create for U.S. taxpayers and the economy, and aren’t likely to have real force. Fannie and Freddie are the most politically powerful companies in America. The S&L debacle of the late 1980s showed that politically powerful organizations can intimidate regulators and stave off tough regulation. Under these circumstances, privatization-the elimination of government backing-is the only viable way to protect the taxpayers and the economy against the consequences of major financial difficulties at one or more of the GSEs. Opponents of privatization believe that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would be even more powerful as privatized entities. Fannie and Freddie would be able to obtain better financing than their competitors, according to this line of thinking. Concerns have also been raised about whether the privatization of Fannie and Freddie would disrupt the residential finance market or raise mortgage rates for home buyers. The plans in this book together address these concerns. Thomas H. Stanton demonstrates that it is possible to cut the ties between the government and the GSEs-and to create a fully competitive private mortgage market-without disrupting the current system of residential mortgage finance. Financial consultant Bert Ely shows that it would be possible to obtain lower mortgage rates than currently offered by Fannie and Freddie, without any government involvement. The book presents a complete legislative proposal to enact these plans, along with a detailed section-by-section analysis of the bill. Peter J. Wallison is a resident fellow at AEI and the codirector of AEI’s program on financial market deregulation. Thomas H. Stanton is a Washington, D.C.-based attorney. Bert Ely is a financial institutions and monetary policy consultant.
Miz Fannie Mae’s Fine New Easter Hat by Melissa Milich and Yong Chen
Miz Fannie Mae’s Fine New Easter Hat is a delightful story of an Easter long ago. Kids love listening to the story over and over. Also great to use in comparing today’s Easter with those of long ago.
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
This book by Jim Collins is one of the most successful books to be found in the “Business” section of your local megabookstore, and given how it purports to tell you how to take a merely good company and make it great, it’s not difficult to see why that might be so. Collins and his crack team of researchers say they swam through stacks of business literature in search of info on how to pull this feat off, and came up with a list of great companies that illustrate some concepts central to the puzzle. They also present for each great company what they call a “comparison company,” which is kind of that company with a goatee and a much less impressive earnings record. The balance of the book is spent expanding on pithy catch phrases that describe the great companies, like “First Who, Then What” or “Be a Hedgehog” or “Grasp the Flywheel, not the Doom Loop.” No, no, I’m totally serious.
I’ve got several problems with this book, the biggest of which stem from fundamentally viewpoints on how to do research. Collin’s brand of research is not my kind. It’s not systematic, it’s not replicable, it’s not generalizable, it’s not systematic, it’s not free of bias, it’s not model driven, and it’s not collaborative. It’s not, in short, scientific in any way. That’s not to say that other methods of inquiry are without merit –the Harvard Business Review makes pretty darn good use of case studies, for example– but way too often Collins’s great truths seemed like square pegs crammed into round holes, because a round hole is what he wants. For example, there’s no reported search for information that disconfirms his hypotheses. Are there other companies that don’t make use of a Culture of Discipline (Chapter 6, natch) but yet are still great according to Collins’s definition? Are there great companies that fail to do some of the things he says should make them great? The way that the book focuses strictly on pairs of great/comparison companies smacks of confirmatory information bias, which is a kink in the human mind that drives us to seek out and pay attention to information that confirms our pre-existing suppositions and ignore information that fails to support them.
Relatedly, a lot of the book’s themes and platitudes strike me as owing their popularity to the same factors that make the horoscope or certain personality tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator so popular: they’re so general and loosely defined that almost anyone can look at that and not only say that wow, that make sense, and I’ve always felt the same way! This guy and me? We’re geniuses! The chapter about “getting the right people on the bus” that extols the virtue of hiring really super people is perhaps the most obvious example. Really, did anyone read this part and think “Oh, man. I’ve been hiring half retarded chimps. THAT’S my problem! I should hire GOOD people!” Probably not, and given that Collins doesn’t go into any detail about HOW to do this or any of his other good to great pro tips, I’m not really sure where the value is supposed to be.
It also irked me that Good to Great seems to try and exist in a vacuum, failing to relate its findings to any other body of research except Collins’s other book, Built to Last. The most egregious example of this is early on in Chapter 2 where Collins talks about his concept of “Level 5 Leadership,” which characterizes those very special folks who perch atop a supposed leadership hierarchy. The author actually goes into some detail describing Level 5 leaders, but toward the end of the chapter he just shrugs his figurative shoulders and says “But we don’t know how people get to be better leaders. Some people just are.” Wait, what? People in fields like Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Organizational Development have been studying, scientifically, what great leaders do and how to do it for decades. We know TONS about how to become a better leader. There are entire industries built around it. You would think that somebody on the Good to Great research team may have done a cursory Google search on this.
So while Good to Great does have some interesting thoughts and a handful of amusing or even fascinating stories to tell about the companies it profiles (I liked, for example, learning about why Walgreens opens so many shops in the same area, even to the point of having stores across the street from each other in some cities), ultimately it strikes me as vague generalities and little to no practical information about how to actually DO anything to make your company great.
The Gone Fishin’ Portfolio: Get Wise, Get Wealthy…and Get on With Your Life by Alexander Green and Steve Sjuggerud
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Just finished reading this book. It’s tremendous. If you have a 401K, retirement account of any kind, or just like to trade stocks, you’ll definitely love it. The writer Alexander Green first tells you how the big Wall Street banks are screwing the little guy left and right and then shows you the perfect antidote – the details of his proprietary portfolio. It’s pretty fascinating stuff – he shows you right where to put your money, and shows you how to do it in 20 minutes a year. The track record goes back eight years and it has doubled the markets every year pretty much from the data given. Even if you don’t use the exact portfolio these ideas seem like they can make you and save you a lot of money. You’ll never have to pay another mutual fund fee, for example!
Heaven by Rupert Brooke
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Lately I have been studying a lot of different poets and I have to say that I am rather impresses with his writings. This is a definite one to add to your collection.
Zip file of the entire book (7.9MB)
Brave Men Run by Matthew Wayne Selznick
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Brave Men Run works on so many levels. For me, setting it in the 80s was the perfect way to get me into the mindset where I was really able to empathize with the characters. I was in high school in the late 80s, and I remember all the little elements he used, song lyrics, descriptions of fashion trends, slang, and the like, did take me back there. But rather than relive my own dark memories, I got to listen to Nate as things started going right for him for the first time ever. The use of the first-person narrative was ideal; I doubt the story would have worked near as well told any other way. I first encountered this as a podcast, and Selznick’s voice carried the story perfectly. He made Nate sound like a guy about my age, recounting his high school years and the events that changed his life back in the day. It gave it a more intimate story-telling feel than other audiobooks and podcast fiction I’ve heard.
To top it all off, it’s a damn good story about the origin of people with superhuman powers. That’s one of my favorite kind of stories. I like to read comic series from the very beginning to see how the heroes started out, I love the various origin-story reimaginings we see in the various comic-inspired movies, and I definitely don’t miss an episode of Heroes. And like Heroes, we don’t see people suddenly don spandex and run about fighting crime. We’re treated instead to a kid who just wants to live an ordinary life, but is thrust into the midst of the most extraordinary of circumstances. He’s got to learn who he is, what he can do, and who he can count on.
If you haven’t checked it out in one of its various formats, I highly recommend Brave Men Run.
Source: Podiobooks.com
Length: Approx 7 hrs
Reader: Matthew Wayne Selznick
Rating: 8/10
The reader: Selznick reads his own book, which is quite a treat. As I’ve mentioned before, he’s an excellent reader. His young-sounding voice seems to fit Nate as the first-person narrator in this book. Selznick doesn’t overdo the voices, but gives each character a slightly different sound that fits well. The music at the beginning and end of each episode sets the mood for an 80′s story, though toward the end, I found myself fast-forwarding a minute or so to get to the story.
Gossip Girl
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Gossip Girl #1: A Novel (Gossip Girl Series) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
The enigmatic “gossip girl” describes the life at a particular prestigious New York Upper EastSide Highschool, where the students are rich, nasty, spoiled, partying animals, who are all headed to Ivy League Colleges, but meanwhile are out for some fun in high school. Not only do they get drunk at their parent’s parties, but each are backstabbing friends, and cheating on another. They might all live in huge apartments, have shining cars, and wear expensive brands, but each is insecure about life and themselves.
First there is Blair and her hot boyfriend Nate. Blair been really insecure lately since her former best friend Serena van der Woodsen, just expelled from boarding school overseas, is back and Nate, and the whole male population, can’t seem to take their eyes off Serena. Blair once again is becoming the sidekick, one of Serena’s friends, out of the school’s mainstream limelight. But Blair is going to fight back at Serena this time with all shes got.
Serena doesn’t understand why every girl, especially Blair, is suddenly becoming so cold to her and spreading nasty rumors about her. However Serena has other problems to deal with. She has fallen terribly behind and if she doesn’t pick herself up, Yale or Harvard is never going to accept her. So Serena decides to join the school play and unexpectantly the lead male actor is extremely cute, but unpopular. Throw in the fact that the director has a crush on the male actor and things are heating up.
Drink, eating disorders, insecurity, drug use, and profanity are just many parts of Gossip Girl that might make your parents have a heartattack, but the book itself is really wonderful and delicously full of gossip. I literally could not put this book or any of the other books in this series down. A definite must for any teenage girl!
Gossip Girl: It Had to Be You: The Gossip Girl Prequel (Gossip Girl) by Cecily von Ziegesar
All I can say is that I loved the book! At first I thought the books could never amount to the greatness of the show but when I started to read I got hooked! The first book I read was “Don’t Forget About Me,” which was bought by a friend for me since she knew I was obsessed with the show. After reading it I was motivated to buy “It Had to Be You” and now after reading it I want to read ALL OF THE BOOKS. “It Had to Be You” was extremely interesting. There were no boring parts and the ending, just like the endings of the episode’s on the television show, left me wanting more! Although the books are slightly different from the show, they are just as great! LONG LIVE GOSSIP GIRL!! LOL
All I Want Is Everything (Gossip Girl, 3) by Cecily von Ziegesar
Blair Waldorf is having the worst time of her life. She has just completely flubbed her Yale interview, even going so far as to kiss her interviewer; she must contend with a dreadlock-bearing new stepbrother named Aaron, who seems to have some ulterior motives up his sleeve; her mother is marrying a loser whom she has known for hardly no time at all; and, to top it all off, Nate has ditched her for a chesty ten-year-old – well, she looks ten. Luckily, she and Serena van der Woodsen are back on speaking terms, and living it up as BFF’s once more. But who knows how long that will last.
The holidays are just around the corner, and with the Upper East Side absolutely freezing, everyone who’s loaded is planning on ditching their Marc Jacobs coats, and slipping into their Missoni string bikinis for a Christmas in a tropical place. With Nate Archibald having called it quits with Blair in order to take up a romance with freshman Jenny Humphrey, Blair is anything but ready to say goodbye to the city, and head off to St. Bart’s with Serena, where they can sunbathe topless, and, perhaps, have a winter fling. Unfortunately, Serena is being stalked by Flow, the hottest rock star on the planet – at least at the moment – and can’t seem to shake him off, and Blair, armed with her iBook plans on holing up in the hotel room writing the essay for her Yale application. Looks like this vacation won’t be as sizzling as originally planned. But with Blair’s new stepbrother, Aaron, and his pal Miles in tow, you never know when the sparks will fly.
Back in the city, Nate and Jenny are having the time of their life. But with Blair’s sudden appearances at every turn, Nate finds himself more and more drawn to the girl he has known and loved for so many years. But then there’s Jenny. Sweet, innocent, voluptuous Jenny. Maybe if Nate spent less time being baked, and more time being straight, he’d be able to decide who he’s truly lusting over.
Then there’s Jenny’s older brother, Dan. Since admitting their passion for one another, Dan and Vanessa have been having a whirlwind romance – albeit a dark one – filled with foreign films, cigarettes, strong instant coffee, and lots and lots of black. But since falling in love, Dan finds himself at a standstill regarding his poetry. Suddenly, he’s experiencing writer’s block firsthand, and it’s not a pretty picture. But when Vanessa supposedly does something that betrays both him and Jenny, he wonders if this is the push he needs to get his writing back on track – and to get even.
Three books down, and still Cecily von Ziegesar is going strong; creating intoxicating storylines that leave you craving more, and dying to find out what will happen to S, B, N, and the rest of the gang. Finally Blair and Serena are back to their old tricks, partying ’till the break of dawn, and hamming it up for the cameras. While their friendship is a beautiful thing, and it’s wonderful to see them back on speaking terms, the fact that they’re not at each other’s throats any longer kind of makes the reader miss their feuding; however, their gossip fests about their friends, and their many shopping sprees certainly make up for their catfights. Jenny is still the sweet girl we all know and love from GOSSIP GIRL and YOU KNOW YOU LOVE ME; but in AS LONG AS WE’RE TOGETHER, she finally seems to be growing up a bit, and it’s nice to see her stand up for herself for once, and not allow people to push her around. Her relationship with her brother, Dan, seems to have changed slightly. Suddenly, he’s watching her every move, and not being as friend-like towards her. Instead, seeming more like a jail warden. But, no matter what, you can’t help but love each and every one of them – even the slightly creepy Miles, who seems to be stalking Blair. Of course, the installment wouldn’t be complete without Gossip Girl reporting straight from…wherever, giving us all the lowdown on what it takes to be a part of the In Crowd, and providing us with the status of every move all of our favorite characters take. As breathtaking as a first kiss.
Gossip Girl: Because I’m Worth It by Cecily von Ziegesar
Contrary to what many believe, money certainly can’t buy you happiness, and no one knows that better than the privileged members of New York society, and residents of the Upper East Side – namely Blair Waldorf.
Blair Waldorf has it all. The looks, the clothes, but she’s missing two very important things – her hotter than hot ex-boyfriend Nate Archibald, and a spot at the prestigious Yale – a place of higher learning which she has had her sights set on since she could walk. But after a botched interview, Blair is seriously contemplating enrolling in community college – after all, in her opinion, that’s probably where she belongs. Instead, she hacks off her hair during an Audrey Hepburn moment, then snags a re-do interview for her college of choice. But with her aggravating new stepbrother, Aaron, lurking around, she still can’t find a moment of peace.
Blair’s best frienemy, Serena van der Woodsen, doesn’t mind Aaron’s presence, however. In fact, she can’t seem to get enough of it. In her opinion, for the first time in her life, she is madly, deeply in love with the dreadlocked, bohemian style that Aaron embodies. But maybe, just maybe, Aaron is beginning to feel suffocated by his girlfriend’s presence, and the fact that she expects him to spend his spare time accompanying her to the various fashion week shows coming up – one of which she may be playing a role in.
And of course we can’t forget Nate. His good looks may draw you in, but his constant dependence on marijuana can certainly work to deter you from taking a second glance. When he gets busted, it’s finally time for him to turn over a new leaf in his life. Hopefully it won’t be a marijuana leaf.
Jenny Humphrey and her brother, Dan, along with his girlfriend, Vanessa, of course, are still up to their old tricks; only slightly different. Jenny has picked up a new best friend who seems to think about nothing but romance – perhaps because Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. And Dan has let the popularity of his first ever published poem go to his head, leaving Vanessa out in the cold. Never mind, she may just have someone else who can keep her warm – and appreciate her talent for what it truly is; even if it’s slightly weird.
It has been a few months since I read ALL I WANT IS EVERYTHING, but that doesn’t mean that I have forgotten about some of my favorite Upper East Siders. Upon reading the first paragraph, my passion for Cecily von Ziegesar’s characters came flooding back, and stayed with me long after I turned the last page. As always, Blair steals the show with her over-dramatic hysterics and theatrics, which leave the reader spellbound; but little Jenny certainly shows the potential of snagging the spotlight with her constant contemplation regarding the state of her life, and the choices that she has made of late. Serena is gorgeous, as always, but her bubbly, carefree, somewhat air-headed personality can be a little much at times, and leave you wanting to take a step back from her character; and no matter how much trouble Nate gets himself into, it’s impossible to resist his gorgeous green eyes, and debonair way of living. Dan’s transformation is a little bizarre, as is Vanessa’s ability to put up with Dan’s betrayal; and Aaron comes off as just an afterthought who may disappear from future installments bit-by-bit. All in all, however, BECAUSE I’M WORTH IT is most certainly worth your time.
Gossip Girl, The Carlyles #1 (Gossip Girl) by Cecily von Ziegesar
Once upon a time, the Upper East Side was ruled by three glamazons – Serena van der Woodsen, Blaire Waldorf, and Nate Archibald. But, upon growing up, our favorite drama queens, fashionistas, and stoners up and left the enchanted New York City playground they called their home, off to bigger and better things. Someone has to take their place, of course. Which brings us to a new trio of troublemakers – the Carlyle’s.
The Carlyle triplets – Baby, Avery, and Owen – may have been born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they never had a chance to make their mark on the world – until now. Raised in the countrified Nantucket , the triplets were always comfortable, residing on piles of money; but were more used to the country bumpkin ways of public school and crawfish catching. Since the death of their grandmother, however, they have relocated to the Upper East Side , and they’re looking to take it by storm. Well, at least two of them are.
Baby is too wrapped up in the boyfriend she left behind to do anything remotely ladylike, preferring to spend her days torturing the Constance Billard teachers, and skipping class. Avery is determined to take over her deceased grandmother’s role of society hostess, doing what she can to make friends via updated tea parties. And Owen just wants to find the girl he hooked up with over the summer. But finding her may just cause bigger problems than he could have ever imagined.
Jack Laurent is just back from Paris where she was kicked out of an illustrious ballet program that could have set her budding dancing career on fire. Instead, she preferred snacking on petit fours, and dreaming about her boyfriend, J.P. Cashman, ravaging her. But suddenly J.P. isn’t as attentive as he once was, and Jack has decided to take out her frustrations in one of two ways: making the lives of Baby and Avery Carlyle a living nightmare, and indulging in a little retail therapy. Better watch out, Jack. Your AmEx may just run dry.
Rhys Sterling and Kelsey Talmadge have been blissfully happy since kindergarten when he asked her to be his Valentine. Since then, they have been through thick and thin with one another, and Rhys is convinced that the two of them will someday be married. But after a summer of globetrotting, Rhys is confused by the distance Kelsey has suddenly placed between the two of them, and can only think to turn to his new pal, Owen for solace. Better watch your back, Rhys; Owen may just be the one you should be running from.
I’m not sure if Annabelle Vestry penned any of the original GOSSIP GIRL books; but whether she did or not, she has done a fabulous job of creating new characters who will be just as adored as the old ones. Vestry’s writing is catchy, addicting, and completely engrossing; while her characters possess the same qualities. While each character is unique in their own way, Vestry has placed many of them in the shadows of characters from the past. Baby Carlyle is quite similar to Serena van der Woodsen in the sense that she is effortlessly beautiful, and the eye of some taken guys. Jack Laurent and J.P. Cashman have succumbed to falling into the footsteps of Blair Waldorf and Nate Archibald – complete with dysfunctional relationship. And Avery Carlyle manages to make herself known via a slight resemblance – personality wise – to Blair Waldorf. That said, each of the characters bring a new set of drama to the table that provide countless laughs, tears, and whispers; and by the time you reach the end, you’ll be hungry for a second dose. Gossip Girl is back…with a vengeance.
Gossip Girl #6: You’re the One That I Want: A Gossip Girl Novel (Gossip Girl) by Cecily von Ziegesar
The main plot in this book revolves around college acceptance letters and what the characters plan to do with their lives after high school. In the beginning of the book, Serena, Nate and Blair meet to open their letters. Blair, whose main goal in life seems to be getting into Yale, is accepted only to Georgetown, her “safety school.” Serena, on the other hand, gets into Yale, Brown and just about every other major university in the USA. Nate, likewise, is accepted to four universities. This whole scenario seems a bit ridiculous because Blair has spent her high school years slaving away in honors classes and doing community service work, while Serena and Nate have been to busy doing drugs and going to parties to focus much on school. Upon this Blair throws a temper tantrum, yells at Aaron, starts drinking, etc…
In the mean time, Jenny is perusing her modeling career with a bit of help from Serena. Vanessa is adjusting to life with her two new roommates. Dan is still the troubled, lost soul her always was, even with a new residence. Nate is still a jock and a pot head. The character’s college visits are also described. Serena, as always, is breathtakingly beautiful and mysterious, causing men to fall in love with her everywhere.
What I really like about the Gossip Girl books is how well von Ziegesar intertwines the different lives and stories of her characters. There are always lots of little stories being told consecutively, lots of subplots, but the book is still very easy to read and a real page turner. The characters are all so different and yet they all stumble across each other’s paths in clever and interesting ways.
The only thing that really bothered me about this book (which is more exciting than the previous one, by the way) is Blair. At the beginning of the series I found her amusing, but there are times when here drama queen antics and constant bad mood can be annoying as hell. She’s completely self-centered and everything always has to be about her. For example, I can understand how she might be upset about not getting into Yale, but that doesn’t mean that Serena and Nate (who got in!) should be afraid to even mumble the word in her presence. Every time someone tries to console her about it, (like her mother,) she doesn’t even give them a chance to say anything. She’s especially rude to her mother, by the way, who’s pregnant with her baby sister. Blair gets to choose a name for her sister, by the way, and chooses Yale like the egoistical teenager she is.
Enough Blair bashing though. Overall, this book is a fast-paced and exciting read. Despite being the sixth book in the series, the ideas are still fresh and the twists are very clever. It’s better than Gossip Girl 5 so…read it!
Would I Lie to You (Gossip Girl, No. 10) by Cecily von Ziegesar
I am in definite agreement with the majority of the reviews. “Would I Lie to You” is a sad piece of evidence of what happens when you take something fresh and successful and turn it into a cliched work of garbage. And while I do agree with one reviewer that stated that this book was written purely for entertainment and not to win a nobel prize, I will point out that the book should be WELL-WRITTEN!
The ghostwriter has no conception of how to tell a good story and even more importantly doesn’t understand the characters. Though von Ziegesar did make her characters curse, this ghostwriter overkilled with the profanity. It always seemed that Blair and especially Serena were too classy to be dropping the F-bomb in every sentence they spoke. Not to mention that the Serena von Ziegesar created doesn’t seem to have enough emotional depth to have pined secretly for her best friend’s boyfriend for a year and then become suddenly depressed and scared when Nate and Blair reunite. Deciding to write a sappy Dear John letter to end their romance was not only a stupid device used to create tension but was another indication that the ghostwriter can’t successfully continue this series. In addition, GG (whoever that may be and now who cares) dropped so many product endorsements and wrote so many how to lists, I began to skip pages in boredom. The ghostwriter lacks any flair or style to make the readers care who the anonymous GG is and boasting about where the wealthy go to vacation and what designer sunscreen they use can’t make up for the fact that the premise of “gossiping” about these self centered characters has grown stale.
When I was teenager I loved reading YA fiction because it was fun and you didn’t necessarily have to think too hard about what you were reading. I still like to pick up a teen series every now and then for the same reason. Though I may have over-analyzed something meant to be a pleasurable escape from real literature, I cannot help but be upset that a clever series has been degraded to horribly written pulp. Readers may not look deeply into the style or character development but if you’ve stayed with the series since Book 1, you have probably learned to care to anticipate what these characters will do or go through next. It’s an insult to those readers who have really enjoyed these books. Alloy Entertainment should have let this series end with Book 8.
Gossip Girl #7: Nobody Does It Better: A Gossip Girl Novel (Gossip Girl) by Cecily von Ziegesar
Cecily Von Ziegesar really keeps things interesting in her seventh Gossip Girl book. In this book, Senior Spa Weekend is coming. Things with Blair and Nate aren’t good, when Nate steals his parents yacht to bring with stoner friends on vacation. Blair gets mad because Nate was supposed to meet her at the Plaza Hotel. Dan leaves the Raves band after he pukes all over at a concert, and Jenny joins as the lead singer, that is until things fall apart with her life. Next year she won’t be back at Constance Billard, unless she repeats ninth grade. Blair moves in with Vanessa and gives her apartment a makeover and hooks Vanessa up with Aaron. At the Senior Spa Weekend, Blair finds out that she has made it into Yale, and also that Nate is cheating on her with Lexique and she finds Serena making out with him. Interesting gossipy book. I really liked this one!
Gossip Girl #9: Only In Your Dreams: A Gossip Girl Novel (Gossip Girl) by Cecily von Ziegesar
The ninth installment of the Gossip Girls series was quite an enjoyable read. I’m almost a graduating senior myself, so I can relate to everything that’s happened to Blair and the gang.
Blair spends the beginning of her summer in the UK with the gorgeous Lord Marcus. When things turn awry, she turns to her American Express black card to solve her problems. It’s too bad she forgot about the dollar-to-pound exchange rate!
Serena is filming Breakfast at Fred’s with director Ken Mogul, a major sell-out. Her gorgeous on-screen co-star seems to captivate her eye (as per usual). Will anything become of it? (Can anyone really deny themselves the pleasure of Serena van der Woodsen?) The one thing she seems to not excel at seems to be her new job. The stress causes her to chain smoke French Gaulloise cigarettes. Will Blair (expert at all things Audrey Hepburn) come to her rescue? Better hope they’re friends at this point in time.
Nate is in the less glamorous section of the Hamptons working on his coach’s summer house while his friends are smoking pot near his family’s East Hampton place.
Overall, I enjoyed the book immensely and I hope if you’re reading this you consider buying it. I tried not to give out too much information, as spoilers aren’t as fabulous as they seem. Blair Waldorf, however, is.
Gossip Girl #8: Nothing Can Keep Us Together: A Gossip Girl Novel (Gossip Girl) by Cecily von Ziegesar
I have to say that the gossip girl novels are not influencing on my lifestyle in anyway as the worried parent wrote in the NO! review. these are just books, a way to escape from the world. i am personally against the use of drugs and think getting drunk is really stupid, but these books are just a fun way to enjoy an afternoon. if your daughter thinks that because the people in the book get high she should too them there is a problem! but if shes just reading them whats the harm in that! i think that these are great books. they’re fun and exciting and well they give you something to do that isn’t boring. there are worse things on TV and in movies than in this book.
