Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas | Hunter S. Thompson

"You can turn your back on a person, but never turn your back on a drug - especially when it's waiving a razor-sharp hunting knife in your eyes."

Finished reading "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" the other day, and it was truly a great novel. Thompson states it was a failed attempt at the subject of Gonzo Journalism, but I'm not completely concrete on the term. It was a very interesting account of trying to find the American Dream, and was based partly on Thompson's real life experiences. Scary. Set in the post-60's drug era, it's essentially a book about a drugged out journalist with his drugged out attorney.

"As your attorney, I suggest you...[insert anything from doing a particular drug to wrestling with an aligator here]."

The perspectives are completely honest, which makes this novel both scary and interesting at the same time. Anyway, I believe I've already talked about how accurate the movie was, so I'll leave it at that. Okay, one more quote.

"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." -Dr. Johnson

The end of a game: the shadow of a giant

Well... a suggestion two years ago by my good friend Nick led me to the novel Ender's Game. I was so impressed by it that I did not sleep very much in Venice because I was so busy reading this novel... every chance I could get.

There is something in Card's writing that is so touching. He lets you know what everyone feels and how their brains work... all the thoughts that go through their mind before making a decision. Also, all the emotions... Pain, Sorrow, Love, Happiness.

So, just over two years later I am up to date with Card and his series. I have read all four books in the Ender's Game series:
1. Ender's Game
2. Speaker for the Dead
3. Xenocide
4. Children of the Mind

All four books in the Ender's Shaddow series (a parrallel series... which was a moneymaker, but also a wonderful idea):

5. Ender's Shadow
6. Shadow of the Hedgemon
7. Shadow Puppets
8. Shadow of the Giant

...I've also read a little companion novel, with 4 short stories in it... called "First Meetings: Life in the Enderverse"

There will apparently be more novels dealing with the series... this quote from Amazon.ca:
"Card is planning to write 2 more "Enderverse" novels. One taking place between the end of this book and the start of "Speaker for the Dead" (ie. in the 3000 year gap) which stars Ender himself, and a much anticipated book taking place after "Children of the Mind"."

Anyway, I digress. This book was done so well, it made me forget about the poorer books in this series... book 3 (Speaker for the Dead), book 6 (Shadow of the Hedgemon) and book 7 (Shadow Puppets). The series was truly made by books 1, 2, 4, and 8. If you are not really a science fiction fan (I wasn't either), I'd implore you to give these books a shot. Also, no one should go through life without reading Asimov's Foundation series.

It took me 4 days of the new year to get through a book... so I'm definitely on my pace of a book a month... will let you know what next is in store. All the best, everyone.

Edit: One more thing... there is a movie coming out, based on these books.

Read the series before it comes out on the big screen. You never know what is lost in translation.

Happy New Year

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year. For me, I have a good feeling about 2007. So much change, so much excitement... it's as optimistic as I've ever been.

So last night, I was supposed to be working so I had no New Years Eve plans. I called Dorothy, but she was going to New York with her boyfriend to see a friend. Omar was working, as the delightful doorman that he is, at his bar in Hamilton. Now, I thought about calling up a handful of others to do something, but the mood just didn't strike me enough.

I rang in the new year reading a novel (Shadow of the Giant by Card). I lit some candles, cracked open a bottle of wine, turned on the fake fireplace, played some orchestral music and just read. I kept thinking the whole time that I was 'settling my home'... I don't think I ever got to really spend any time like that with it since I've got here. Despite being alone, it felt really good... and I think I really needed to do it. I did turn on the television, however to see the ball drop in Time Square... it felt like a necessity. They quickly started talking to horrible rap artists with nothing to say, a band called ADI who sounded worse than death and a whole bunch of other ignorant yokels. So, the television watching was short lived, but that's just how I like it. Stayed up to 3am talking on messenger, and there you have it.

So, I felt good for 'listening' to myself. I must admit that this is still a very hard thing to do for me, but I'm trying to not block myself out. Yesterday I played a game of poker, and worked my way up to 2nd place... I went all in as a 'what the hell, I'm already outstacked' and I lost. I had a feeling, but I thought I was being stupid. Still need to be able to trust those feelings. I think it's something you can never get to 100% with (without going a bit loopy), but something that is set to help you strive towards something.

Anyway, it's noon already and I'm excited to see what 2007 will bring. I have no plans on the docket, but I think I'll just go where my heart takes me. Oooooh... I just had this feeling like I should go to a coffee shop... isn't this 'listening' exciting?