review: ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD by Tom Stoppard

Stoppard's play is a retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet from the point of view of the tertiary characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.  These characters take the main stage here and Stoppard fills in what happens to the two when they are "off-stage" in Hamlet.  This is definitely a tragicomic play, with the two leads, who seem to be buffoons in Shakespeare's original, coming off as victims of a deranged monarchy in which everybody is more unstable than the last.

The dialogue is snappy, and this play reads best after a viewing or reading of Hamlet in order to fully appreciate all the references, locations, and plot points.  Even without that reading though, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is a comedic and beautiful play that should be read by even casual fans of Shakespeare.


Check out this book at the Sacramento Public Library

--GS

review: PERSEPOLIS by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.  It ranges from comedic to heartbreaking as it describes the trials and tribulations of her family and friends in this turbulent political climate, but it also focuses on her growing up, rebelling, and coming into womanhood.  Her embrace of Western culture in the form of dress and punk music not only shows her individual rebellion, but it highlights the events that are unfolding around her.

The graphic novel format is perfect for this autobiography as it exhibits exagerrations and fantastical images associated with dreams and Satrapi's own imagination projected onto the world she lives in.  The simple drawings belie a very skilled organization, and the end of a page frequently feels like the end of a beautiful chapter in a book.  This book is highly recommended for those looking for an amazing biography, an interesting--but not light--diversion, or a fresh perspective on a slice of Iranian history.

Check out this book at the Sacramento Public Library

--GS

review: DAMNED TO FAME: THE LIFE OF SAMUEL BECKETT by James R. Knowlson

Damned to Fame is a lengthy, complete, and very readable biography of one of the great playwrights of the twentieth century.  Knowlson is an able biographer who understands that Beckett is a very dense and complicated character on top of being a prolific writer.  This biography is written in a somewhat playful style, making the material very accessible where another biographer may have made the subject impossible to grasp.

At over 800 pages, this book covers Beckett's life from birth to death, covering all the stages of his career and writing.  There are several pictures and the interviews with those who knew Beckett are invaluable to a Beckett scholar.  Anyone looking for an extensive yet accessible introduction will be hard-pressed to find a better resource.

Check out this book at the Sacramento Public Library

--GS

review: THE ULTIMATES VOL. 1 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch

This is the first trade paperback that collects issues #1-6 of the comic book The Ultimates.  Essentially, the Ultimates are the Avengers, but in a different "universe" that parent company Marvel has created to reach a different demographic.  This "universe" is meant to be accessible to people newer to comics, and therefore does not require much, if any, background knowledge of the characters to understand these new stories.  That being said, The Ultimates vol. 1 is a great place to start reading if you are interested in the new Avengers movie or any of the characters in it.  While this book does not follow the same plot, several scenes and plot points from the movie were inspired by this comics series. (In fact, there is a point in the book where characters discuss who should play them in a movie).

All that aside, The Ultimates is a series that stands on its own.  It is both written and illustrated very well, something that caused massive delays when it was shipping as individual comics, but you don't have to worry about that now.  This first volume does an excellent job at setting up the characters and has some nicely done action scenes at the end.  Of course, this book does continue in later volumes, but there is resolution after only a few more books.  This is a quick, enjoyable, but somewhat mature book, dealing with issues of relationship abuse, so be cautious before recommending this to younger readers.

Check out this book at the Sacramento Public Library

--GS

review: THE THIN MAN by Dashiell Hammett

While you may have seen the many film iterations of The Thin Man starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, this book is the one that started everything. (It is also the only Thin Man book written, the last book written by Hammett at all).  This upper-crust husband and wife are used to making wisecracks in between pouring drinks in prohibition San Francisco, but they have traveled to New York to celebrate the new year when a person from Nick's past turns up murdered and a note is left beseeching him to help find the killer.  Nick, a retired private investigator, refuses, drinks, eats, and parties some more, but all the while he is investigating the case in his own style.

This book is an absolute joy to read.  Written in the first person from Nick's perspective, the witticisms and snarky comments are amplified by Nick's inner perceptions.  The dialogue is snappy and keeps this book rolling at a breakneck pace, and the dynamic between Nick and Nora on these pages is legendary; it's easy to see how so many movies were made based on these characters.  For a fun, clever, and genuinely humorous detective story, pick this one up.  It will be a night or two well spent.

Check out this book at the Sacramento Public Library

--GS

review: I, THE JURY by Mickey Spillane

For fans of pulpy mysteries, it doesn't get any better than this.  This book is a hard-boiled detective story, and the first starring Mike Hammer, Spillane's rough, World War II veteran private detective.  Hammer is known for dealing out his own brand of justice with his gun as he solves the case before the police.  In this book, set in the 1950s, Hammer's wartime buddy has been murdered, and the opening scene is a adamant vow for vengeance from Hammer.  What follows is a grimy look at the city's underbelly as Hammer searches bars and brothels chasing down leads.  Definitely not a book for those easily offended, but an enjoyable story with memorable characters, starring an iconic detective that all mystery readers should be familiar with.

Check out this book at the Sacramento Public Library

--GS