It might be obvious to some of my faithful readers that I am losing steam with this blog. I just don't quite have the motivation that I used to for posting here. Mike Ward and Ricky B both found new motivation this week, and provided two great posts after a failed recipe week. Bravo guys...a job well done. I'll get you a Natty Bo next time I see you. Consider it a business expense on Friends Recommends' tab.
Before I completely fail at this blog I wanted to revisit some of the things that have really stood out for me. When I first get these lists I try to check out everything possible. Albums, YouTube clips, some television shows, and some movies were all easy to check out in a relatively short amount of time, while books, etc. took a little bit longer to digest. There are things on each of these lists that stood out to me as being particularly great, and have stood the test of time. Since I've picked up a few readers along the way who may not have backtracked and read about these things I'm going to revisit a few from each list that I think are particularly note-worthy. My only rule for this is that these are things that I checked out as a result of this blog, and not things mentioned on the list that I was previously aware of. Sort of my thank-you to the list-makers, the movers and the shakers who provided me with some great picks that I have in turn re-recommended.
From the Huff list there are two (kind of three) recommends that are stand-out, knock-down great picks that I think everyone can enjoy. You have to be a little bit weird to enjoy the second one, but anyone who made it through recipe week and is still reading this blog is probably a little weird. So here they are:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close--Jonathon Safron Foer
This was the first thing I checked out as a result of Friends Recommends and it remains in my top-3 favorite things I discovered as a result of doing this blog. It is probably in my current top-3 favorite books as well. I know that Eric, Ricky, Heather, (Jessica?), and others all read it as a result and all had positive reviews. This book will break your heart, I don't care who you are. Break your heart in a good way. Well, not really a good way, but in a way that isn't bad, OK? I know it made Eric wear heavy boots on his cruise last year which he gave me crap for. Whatever, just don't read it if you are looking for something light. I have some Danielle Steele novels to recommend if you are looking for a beach read. Anyway, I would tell anyone I know to check out this book, and I would stand behind it strongly. So if you missed it the first time around you have a second chance. Here is the link to my original post about the book in case you missed that as well.
Cheap at Half the Price--Fred Frith
This one has also stuck with me for the past 8 months, and everytime I listen to it it gets better. I have since moved on to checking out some other Fred Frith work, but this one is still my favorite. Wacky music, but with a pop-ish, sing-along-ish element in a real weird way. I also think there is something for everyone in this pick...it just takes a little work and some repeated listenings. The reward will be that you end up loving Fred Frith. Link to my original post with some sound clips as well. Man, I just went back and listened to those clips and it made me smile. Great stuff.
Anything by Murakami
So far I don't feel strongly enough about Murakami to recommend anything by the guy, but some of his books have been stand-out great for me. I will discuss these further when we visit the lists of people who recommended specific books, and not just this little man.
Anyway, I highly recommend you go back and check these two things out if you didn't the first time around. I wouldn't have posted about them originally if I didn't feel strongly but the fact that I am willing to post again about them should make you run to the store and buy the things. Also, I am about to re-read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close which says something, right?
Cory should be up next. We'll see how long I can keep this going...maybe I can get through everyone. If I don't get through everyone it is nothing against you, OK?
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3 comments:
you just made a fred frith sandwhich... deeeeelightful.
I read Extremely Loud two years ago, and one night threw up all over the book after a night of drinking. I wasn't done with reading it, so what I did was cut away all of the vomit-y parts, and what I ended up with was a book with no cover, and about 2/3s of the inside gone. I took this on a plane the following week, and the woman sitting next to me asked what happened to my book and I told her I dropped it in the pool.
As for the book, I quite enjoyed it, but Jonathan Saf. Fo. goes a little overboard on technique sometimes.
Also that kid was a total fucking brat, wasn't he?
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