Non-fiction flavor today.
F is for France
Really random factoids about that country everyone, especially Belgians, likes to make fun of.
The rooster is the national animal of France: yep, loud and cocky. See what I mean? Easy.
What is there to say? Some of the stuff was hilarious, just as many miss the mark. I skipped stuff like recipes and which wine goes with what, but for the most part it was entertaining enough. Certainly learned a few things, like the best baguette competition, which is ironic considering France is the #2 market for McDonald’s.
3/5
Writing Your First Novel
As always, it’s wonderful when the title tells you everything you need to know.
Despite different names for some of the terms, this is pretty much the same format as most books and classes on writing. It didn’t help that a lot of the examples were from the author’s novels, which I have not read.
On the other hand, the end section on publishing was more useful, but his calling for a full-blown block party for a launch gets a little silly.
3/5
Trains: Photography of A. Aubrey Bodine
Yup, the title does not lie.
The photographer uses an old trick, shooting from below, to make the locomotives appear powerful, even majestic. Quite frankly, it looks awesome. Just as picturesque are the white steam clouds found in almost every shot, at least when the train’s running. There’s one particularly excellent shot of a highly stylized tiny locomotive, the kind only seen in drawings. And the shot of the viaduct against the sky is gorgeous.
On the other hand, according to the introduction a lot of the clouds aren’t original, which might make Bodine the first photoshopper. (Kidding. . . there were others before him.) That ruins it for me, especially his justification, but I did my best to enjoy it anyway. Unfortunately, a lot of the photos did not get a second look from me. I like trains well enough, but I’m not the buff that this book is geared for. If you have a Sheldon Cooper-level love for the locos and cabooses, then this is definitely for you. It also helps that it’s his daughter curating this book, bringing a level of emotion to it.
3.5/5
Under Dogs
First and foremost, try not to get that theme song stuck in your head. . . sorry.
The first photo doesn’t show a head, just muff and paws without a face. An appropriately weird start.
Chewbacca is in there, as well as others hair piles. And a fox. Never heard of a muri; resembles an Oreo. There’s a shot of an Italian greyhound that looks like a bat.
There’s something vaguely off-putting within all this cuteness, in an uncanny valley sorta way, but I’m sure everyone knows someone who will go bonkers over this.
3.5/5
Champions: 15 Inspiring Comeback Stories from Sports and Life
As always, I love it when the title tells you everything you need to know.
From the first chapter on it felt like each was way too long. It’s half interview, half bio, and there’s so much extraneous that I find myself skipping over, or at least skimming, through entire pages. Don’t need to know every player’s batting average or ERA.
All the superfluous material makes it hard to keep interest throughout a chapter; pretty sure I didn’t read more than one each sitting. By the end, especially with the baseball stories, they sounded the same. Can’t shake the feeling this would have been much better if it was much shorter.
2.5/5
;o)
LoganBruin--An Unauthorized Autobiography 📸✈️ 