Book Review-The Maltese Falcon (1930) by Dashiell Hammett

I have never seen the the movie version of The Maltese Falcon. Premiering in 1941, The Maltese Falcon is considered one of the greatest film noir/crime movies of all-time. The American Film Institute named it the 23rd greatest movie of all-time in 2007. It was John Huston's directorial debut, and Humphrey Bogart's first major role, starring as detective Sam Spade.

But this post is not about me being remiss in not seeing the movie. It's about the novel the movie is based on, The Maltese Falcon, published in 1930 and written by Dashiell Hammett.

I love independent bookstores. I have mentioned The Book Loft of German Village, located in Columbus, Ohio in past posts. A few weeks ago I was in Columbus on business and decided to run over to the Book Loft to kill some time.


On their discount book table in the courtyard was a paperback version of The Maltese Falcon on sale for $4.99. Of course I had heard of the movie, so I bought it.

This is a pretty amazing book. I was surprised at how compressed the time frame of the action in this novel actually was. Set over just a couple of days in San Francisco, the story revolves around a small statue of a bird and the characters' desire to obtain it.

Sam Spade is a local detective who finds himself in the center of the intrigue. My expectations were that the book would be a classic mystery, with clues revealing themselves as I progressed through the story. No doubt the mystery is there, but I found the book to be as much a morality story, as Sam Spade battles his own foibles to try to maintain his professionalism as a private detective and a human being throughout the story. Dashiell Hammett is successful in this book as he was able to produce a successful crime/mystery novel with characters that are both interesting and intriguing.

And of course, that's why The Maltese Falcon is considered a classic.

 The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A classic mystery/crime novel that ultimately succeeds as a morality story. My full review: http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/10/boo...

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Book Review-House of Holes (2011) by Nicholson Baker

Sexy, freaky, funny, nutty, erotic, shameful, weird...just a few words I would use to describe the book House of Holes, by Nicholson Baker.

I had never heard of Nicholson Baker until House of Holes made the cover of the New York Times Book Review on August 11th, 2011. Mr. Baker's first novel was published in 1988 and his first New York Times best seller was Vox, published in 1992. Vox is a story about a pay per minute phone sex episode between two young people, and became famous/notorious when stories circulated that Monica Lewinsky gave it to President Bill Clinton.

House of Holes is a collection of intertwined stories all related to a place called, well, the House of Holes. The House of Holes is a fantasy world where individuals can meet and play out all of their sexual fantasies. You want a bigger penis? Trade your arm temporarily for one. An 8 on 1 orgy? Go for it. Problems with achieving an orgasm? You can get that fixed at the House of Holes.

The stories are really fantastic. Mr. Baker is able to describe sex acts like no other. If you want to play a parlor game on how many different ways you can name a penis or vagina, read this book, as you will win every time.

I felt a bit dirty reading this book, as it is very explicit. But the beauty of House of Holes is it's descriptive prose, it's fantastic characters and how the multiple chapters, each of which could stand on their own, are ultimately brought together in a very satisfying climax. No pun intended.

If you are a bit of a prude, and you read this book based on this review and are offended, consider yourself warned. But if you enjoy good fiction and a great story, read it.


House of Holes by Nicholson Baker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sexy, freaky, funny, nutty, erotic, shameful, weird...just a few words I would use to describe the book House of Holes, by Nicholson Baker. A very original and good book. My full review: http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/09/boo...

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Book Review-Paying For It (2011), Graphic Novel by Chester Brown

I enjoy graphic novels. In the past I would say that the graphic novels I have read would be considered comic books in long form, where the illustrations were an integral part of the story and the overall reading experience. Examples would be X'ed out, by Charles Burns, The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, by Max Brooks (Illustrated by Ibraim Roberson) and the The Walking Dead Series by Robert Kirkman.

Paying For It, by Chester Brown is a graphic novel that documents the author's exploits over several years of paying prostitutes for sex.

As noted in the panel below from the book, Mr. Brown really didn't have the desire to have a girlfriend. He figured out that he really just wanted to have sex, without the emotional baggage of maintaining a long-term relationship.













What makes this graphic novel different than the examples I gave earlier in this review is that the story of the author's internal angst over paying for sex, the debates with his friends over this lifestyle and his opinion on the legalization of prostitution would stand alone in a traditional text format. But the illustrations serve to enhance the story, providing an enriched reading experience on a very intriguing subject.

If as a reader you haven't sampled the graphic novel genre, but enjoy a good debate over contemporary subjects like relationships and sex, I recommend Paying For It. Your emotions and mores will be challenged.

 Paying for It by Chester Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What makes Paying For It different than traditional graphic novels (what I call comic books in long form) is that the story of the author's internal angst over paying for sex, the debates with his friends over this lifestyle and his opinion on the legalization of prostitution would stand alone in a traditional text format. But the illustrations serve to enhance the story, providing an enriched reading experience on a very intriguing subject.

My full review: http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/09/boo...

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Book Review-Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2010) by Seth Grahame-Smith

Make no mistake. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter isn't going to wow you with some heavy-duty, thought provoking prose. But what it will do is provide the reader a hell of a lot of enjoyment as the author, Seth Grahame-Smith weaves a vampire tale with an historical context, the life of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.

The book begins in present day when the fictional author/narrator is given a set of secret diaries (kept by Abraham Lincoln from a very early age) by a vampire named Henry Sturges. The author then pieces together a chronological history of Lincoln's life, using the diaries as a guide, often quoting directly from them.

When Lincoln learns at a very young age from his father that vampires not only exist, but they killed both his grandfather and his mother, he vows to dedicate his life to killing as many vampires as he can.

Through life-threatening circumstances, Lincoln meets the vampire Henry Sturges (the same vampire who gives the author the diaries at the beginning of the book) who trains him in the art of vampire slaying. As it turns out, Sturges is a vampire who's philosophy is that humans and vampires can leave peacefully with each other. However, the vast majority of vampires in the United States at that time are part of a plot to take over the country, using the Southern United States' most powerful and influential politicians to that end.

And thus the story unfolds. I give Seth Grahame-Smith a lot of credit for coming up with a great plot idea, and then following through with an enjoyable story that weaves fictional and actual historic figures into a very interesting book. I may be stretching a bit by making this comparison, but if you have enjoyed the works of the author E.L. Doctorow and his ability to bring real-life characters and events into a fictional story (my favorite being Ragtime) and you like a good vampire story, then Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is for you.

I'm also pretty excited that the book is being adapted into a movie, produced by Timur Bekmambetov and Tim Burton, due out in the Summer of 2012.


Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Make no mistake. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter isn't going to wow you with some heavy-duty, thought provoking prose. But what it will do is provide the reader a hell of a lot of enjoyment as the author, Seth Grahame-Smith weaves a vampire tale with an historical context, the life of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.

My full review: http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/09/boo...

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Book Review-The Road Not Taken and Other Poems (This Edition, 1993) by Robert Frost

I decided I needed to stretch my brain a little and read something beyond my traditional material. (See the list of books on the right side below.) Poetry was of interest to me.

It's amazing how we mature over time. In high school and college I had absolutely no interest in poetry. I didn't like the form, the need for interpretation or in many cases the sing-songy nature of the writing. Now I do wonder if the real reason for my dislike was that I was forced to read the classics in my basic literature and English courses, rather than poetry that actually would have been of interest to me.

Not knowing where to start, I happened to be with my brother Mike at a great bookstore in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio called The Book Loft. Mike has his PHD in English and is a professor of same at Indiana University, Pennsylvania. Who better to recommend some poetry to begin my journey into the genre.

I bought several books that day, and interestingly enough chose a classic to read first. The Road Not Taken and Other Poems (1993 edition) was originally published as Mountain Interval in 1916 and is considered one of the best collections of Robert Frost poetry. The poem that lends it's name to the title of the collection, The Road Not Taken, is one of Robert Frost's most popular works.

My brother Mike did me right when he recommended this collection. It's a rather small volume (49 pages, a total of 28 poems) but an enjoyable read. I am no student of style, but I know what I like. Robert Frost forces you to think as you read his work. But I also observed that the genius of Robert Frost is that if you want to read his poetry just for a literal interpretation or for pure enjoyment you can do that too.

There were a couple of poems I found to be most intriguing in this collection:

- "Out, Out-" A shocking departure from many of the other poems in the book. A story of a buzz-saw accident.

- "Snow" The story of a man who has the need to preach, and won't let a snowstorm keep him from his travels. Actually this poem is better described as the story of his friends and family who question his judgement. Quite chilling and suspenseful.

I would imagine that most readers who enjoy poetry have read this collection, or most of the poems in it. If you are wanting to discover poetry, or are just looking for a good read, this is the book to start with.

The Road Not Taken and Other Poems by Robert Frost
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I decided to stretch myself a bit and read some poetry-a great collection to start with? My full review: http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/08/boo...

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Book Review-Consider The Lobster And Other Essays (2005) by David Foster Wallace

My son Brian's favorite author is David Foster Wallace. His novel, Infinite Jest, is considered a modern classic, and is Brian's favorite.

I will have to admit. Looking at the size of the book (1104 pages), and knowing how long it took Brian (a voracious reader) to read it, I am pretty intimidated by Infinite Jest. But I wanted to learn more about David Foster Wallace, and sample his writing.

Consider The Lobster was a perfect entree into David Foster Wallace's writing. It is a collection of ten of his essays originally published in magazine's such as Harper's and Rolling Stone.

Each essay could be considered a sampling of American culture. The title essay, Consider The Lobster, was originally published in Gourmet Magazine, and describes the annual Maine Lobster Fest. The most intriguing part of this writing is Mr. Wallace's discussion of the ethics of boiling lobsters alive, and whether they actually feel pain or not. It definitely forces the reader to become introspective as it relates to the preparation of one of the World's favorite delicacies.

My favorite essay of the ten in this book is Mr. Wallace's review of the late 1970's, early 1980's tennis star Tracy Austin's autobiography. Entitled "How Tracy Austin Broke My Heart", this essay is not so much a criticism of Ms. Austin's book (of which Mr. Wallace gives a very poor review) but rather an overall indictment of the fluff sports biography genre.

I would have like to meet David Foster Wallace, but sadly he hung himself to death in September of 2008 at the age of 46. Apparently Mr. Wallace suffered from severe depression. I found myself connecting with Mr. Wallace ideologically as I read this book.

There are plenty of other published works by Mr. Wallace for me to read, and I plan on doing just that. And yes, I am going to read Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace's seminal work.

Consider the Lobster: And Other Essays by David Foster Wallace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great sampling of David Foster Wallace's work-I am now going to attack Infinite Jest! My full review:

http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/07/boo...

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Book Review-A Confederacy of Dunces (1980) by John Kennedy Toole

I had not heard of the book A Confederacy of Dunces, written by John Kennedy Toole, until I visited New Orleans this past February. I was sitting in the lobby bar at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside with my wife Tammy and sister-in Cindy having a drink while we waited for my brother Tim to finish up with his business meeting at a convention he was attending. We had just finished exploring the French Quarter, and were talking about how great a place New Orleans was, with it's eclectic culture, and it's history, both glamorous and sordid. I mentioned that I would love to find the definitive book on New Orleans, when a gentleman sitting near us piped up that if I wanted to read a book that captured the essence of New Orleans, it was A Confederacy of Dunces.

My sister-in-law Cindy had also known of the book, so the next day when we visited Faulkner House Books in the French Quarter she purchased it for me.

This satirical novel is centered around the character Ignatius J. Reilly, an overweight, slovenly, well-educated 30 year old idealist who still lives with his mother in New Orleans. Ignatius believes that he can change society for the better, but his methods and beliefs just don't mesh with the times or the people he tries to influence.

The author, John Kennedy Toole does a brilliant job weaving multiple characters and subplots into the novel, all of which are funny and even border on the absurd. And that is the beauty of this book, as Mr. Toole is able to connect all of the subplots back to Ignatius as the book reaches it's climax.

To be clear, this book is not a lesson in New Orleans history, but rather a fictionalized look at a group of distinctly southern characters at a point in time in the early 1960's. John Kennedy Toole's ability to accurately capture the dialect of the region in the book's dialogs along with his ability to accurately describe the neighborhoods, bars and businesses in New Orleans (with emphasis on the French Quarter) as the backdrop is what makes this novel a success in capturing the essence of New Orleans.

Ultimately what makes this book so good is it is very, very funny!

Interesting side note. John Kennedy Toole committed suicide in 1969 at the age of 31. He had tried to get the novel published but was unsuccessful. Eleven years later, his Mother brought the unpublished manuscript to the attention of novelist Walker Percy who helped to get it published. The novel and Mr. Toole won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1981.


A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great book, here's my review: http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/05/boo...

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Book Review-The Devil's Dictionary (Originally Published 1911) by Ambrose Bierce, Illustrated by Ralph Steadman

Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Bierce was a very interesting guy. Born in Ohio in 1842, Mr. Bierce fought in the Civil War, was a writer, a journalist and a social critic.

On a recent visit to New Orleans with my wife Tammy, my Brother Tim and my Sister-in-Law Cindy I discovered a great little bookstore called Faulkner House Books in Pirates Alley in the French Quarter.

A book immediately caught my eye as I entered the bookstore. Probably because I immediately recognized the cover illustration as the work of Ralph Steadman (probably best known for his illustrations in Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"). The Devil's Dictionary (this version being published in 2003) is a compilation of Ambrose Bierce's own definitions of particular English words, meant to lampoon the social and political norms of his day. He had published these definitions in various newspaper columns he had written, and they proved to be very popular at the time

The original edition of the book was published in 1911, two years before Ambrose Bierce decided, at the age of 71, to go to Mexico to observe the revolutionary war going on there. He was never seen again. I am going to have to find a biography of Mr. Bierce, as his life is the stuff of legend. In addition, the stories of his involvement with the powerful newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst would also be an interesting read.

The Devil's Dictionary is a short and very funny book. Many of the definitions in the book are as effective in lampooning society today as they were over 100 years ago. Ralph Steadman's illustrations enhance the book even further, putting an creative exclamation point on many of the entries in the book.

Some of my favorite entries:

Influence, n. In politics, a visionary quo given in exchange for a substantial quid.


Piano, n. A parlor utensil for subduing the impenitent visitor. It is operated by depressing the keys of the machine and the spirits of the audience.

Faulkner House Books' Sign, French Quarter, New Orleans

Saint, n. A dead sinner revised and edited. 


The Devil's Dictionary is one of those wonderful "finds" that makes exploring bookstores so very worthwhile.

The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I reviewed this on my blog Jiresell Thoughts on April 5th, 2011 http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/04/boo...

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Book Review-Portnoy's Complaint (1969) by Philip Roth

I know it's a little strange reviewing a book that was originally published 32 years ago. I had heard of Portnoy's Complaint many years ago, but had never gotten around to reading it.

Outstanding book. It is best described as the story of a young man, Alexander Portnoy who describes his upbringing in a Jewish household. It is narrated in the first-person by Alexander Portnoy (as an adult) to his psychologist.

This book made Philip Roth famous. The book is brilliantly written. I felt as if I was sitting in the psychologist's office as Alexander described his youth, his infatuation with all things sexual and his frustrations with the same.

This book must have been quite a sensation in 1969. Alexander describes in detail his latent sexual attraction to his mother, his father's frustration with his job and his inability to move his bowels. It is very apparent that his experiences as a young boy has contributed to his inability to maintain healthy relationships with women, and the sexual roller coaster ride he finds himself on as an adult.

Portnoy's Complaint is considered one of the hallmark American novels of the 20th Century. This is a classic book that inspries me to continue to explore the writings of Philip Roth.


Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book, must have been way ahead of it's time when it was published. I reviewed on my blog on March 6th, 2011. http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/03/boo...

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Book Review-Water for Elephants (2006) by Sara Gruen by Guest Reviewer: Dad

I haven't read Water for Elephants, but my Dad and wife Tammy have. Here is my Dad's review, sent via email to me this morning. He likes it!
Review Part 1:
To all family members by blood or marriage: 

I just finished an excellent book " Water for Elephants " by Sara Gruen. I highly recommend reading it. On my reading scale it is a high 5. It is available at the I-Pad bookstore. 
Dad 
Reading Scale ( Sometimes known as the SellBSscale ): 
5. Very compelling. I want to read it through with no break, but contradictorly hate finishing it. 
4. An enjoyable and delightful book. I will keep it on my I-Pad or home bookcase. 
3. A pedagogic somewhat historical book. A didactic treatise. Hard to read! 
2. It was OK, but I would rather read the dictionary, at night, with no light. 
1. Why did I waste my money buying it and the time reading it. 
-1. Any biography or autobiography about a movie or TV star or non-classical composer or singer.
Review Part 2:
To all relatives by blood or marriage:

That excellent book ( 5 ) I recommended, " Water for Elephants " has been made into a movie to be released in April. You can see a short preview on the website Rotten Tomatoes.
From The Ringermaster

Dad "The Ringermaster"

Book Review-The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks (2009), Graphic Novel by Max Brooks, Illustrated by Ibraim Roberson

I have just started getting into graphic novels. I am currently reading The Walking Dead Series, but recently finished The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks. Written
by Max Brooks as a companion piece to his very successful 2003 book, The Zombie Survival Guide (reviewed on my blog 1/15/11) , this graphic novel is illustrated by Ibraim Roberson.

The last section of The Zombie Survival Guide is dedicated to documenting historical Zombie attacks ranging from 60,000 B.C. in Katanda, Central Africa to 2002 A.D. in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Mr. Brooks chose several of these attacks to be highlighted in Recorded Attacks.

The book is illustrated in black and white. Ibraim Roberson's illustrations are very well done. I wish I had purchased Recorded Attacks at the same time as The Zombie Survival Guide, as the novel would have enhanced my reading experience.

I don't know if Mr. Brooks has plans to publish additional graphic novels, but certainly based on the quality of his first work, I would look forward to additions to his portfolio.


The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a graphic novel, this is a great companion book to the Zombie Survival Guide. I reviewed on my blog on January 17th, 2011. http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/01/boo...

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Book Review-The Zombie Survival Guide (2003) by Max Brooks

I have a bit of infatuation with Zombies. My first experience with the genre was on a visit to New York City when I visited The Strand Bookstore located at 12th and Broadway. As I was hunting through the stacks there, I discovered the book World War Z, by Max Brooks. I thought the book was very well written as a fictional account of the World as it would be after the Zombie Apocalypse. In fact, my brother Mike, Professor of English at Indiana University of Pennsylvania assigns the book to study in one of the courses he teaches.

The Zombie Survival Guide, written by Max Brooks, was published in 2003. Max is the son of filmmaker Mel Brooks. This book is written as a serious, tongue-in-cheek, guide to how individuals can survive a Zombie attack. The style of this book is very matter-of-fact, with sections describing the undead, weapons and combat, attack and defensive strategies, and a list of historical recorded attacks. (Mr. Brooks has since written a graphic novel with more details on the recorded attacks aptly named The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks.)

As I was reading this book I became immersed in the thought that I had to prepare for the potential of attacks by the undead. That's where Max Brooks has succeeded as a writer. The notion that there is a virus that exists that can cause a dead person to reanimate is preposterous, but as I read the book, I felt as if it could really happen, especially when I read the accounts documented in the section "Recorded Attacks", including the cover-ups of the more recent attacks Mr. Brooks writes about. The book also comes across as very well researched, another consequence of the writing style Mr. Brooks uses.

If you are a fan of all things Zombie, read The Zombie Survival Guide. Even if you are not, it is a short and entertaining read.

http://maxbrooks.com/

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead by Max Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading this I feel very comfortable that I could survive a Zombie infestation. Reviewed on my blog January 15th, 2011. http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/01/boo...

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Book Review-Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk (2010) by David Sedaris, Illustrated by Ian Falconer

I started posting the books I have read on the right side-bar of this blog a couple of weeks ago. I thought I would write a review of the latest book I read, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, by David Sedaris with Illustrations by Ian Falconer.

I have never written a book review before, so I don't expect to provide some kind of brilliant literary prose. This will be pretty simple for me. Did I like the book? Why?

Saw this book mentioned in The New York Times Book Review a couple of weeks ago. It intrigued me as it was a collection of animal based fables, with a modern spin. I was also was interested as I had always thought that Ian Falconer's illustrations in the Olivia children's book series were pretty cool. Lastly, my son had written a fable for a class he took at NYU last winter that I absolutely loved and posted on this blog. http://www.briansell.com/post/331337506/boy-owl

I haven't read David Sedaris. But based on this collection of fables, I'm going to. They are funny, interesting and disturbing. There are 16 different fables in all, each with a different theme. My favorite? "The Crow and the Lamb".

I started this post writing that I would keep it simple. The thing about a good book is-do you have trouble putting it down after you start reading it. For me, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk is one of those books. I like this book!

Unrelated, but on the subject of books and reading:

I have owned a Amazon Kindle for about 6 months, and love it. I own the electronic version of this book. I thought I was a pretty avid reader before I purchased the Kindle, but since I have owned it I have rediscovered my love for reading.

One of the favorite things I read on a weekly basis on the Kindle is the New York Times Book Review. It helps me discover what books I would like to read in the future and load up my Kindle "Wish List".


Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great concept. Reviewed on my blog December 12th, 2010. http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2010/12/boo...

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