Book recommendations

Matterhorn Fan · 08-17-2006, 11:19 PM

Has anyone here read "The Areas of My Expertise" by John Hodgman? If so, is it worth my time?

DreadPirateRoberts · 08-17-2006, 11:30 PM

I'm currently reading One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey

Quote:

The journals of Richard "Dick" Proenneke are now available in an edited and annotated volume covering the years 1974 through 1980. The nation first became aware of the remarkable life of Dick Proenneke with the publication of One Man's Wilderness in 1973.

Master of woodcraft and camp craft, keen observer of the natural world, mechanical genius, tireless hiker and journalist, for 30 years Proenneke lived a storied existense in a small log cabin her built in the Alaska wilderness. Proenneke was an active yet reluctant participant in the epic struggle to protect some of Alaska's wild lands for future generations of Americans

flippyshark · 03-04-2007, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matterhorn Fan

Has anyone here read "The Areas of My Expertise" by John Hodgman? If so, is it worth my time?

I have the audio book version (which was free on iTunes, by the way) and it started out fun, but got repetetive and tiresome. Maybe best taken in small doses.

Alex · 03-05-2007, 12:02 AM

Just finished The Presige by Christopher Priest. This is the book last year's movie was based on.

I really liked the movie (I would put it in my personal top five for the year depending on mood and permanently in the top ten). At the time I know a lot of people who love the book complained about the changes.

And they are significant changes. That said, I think this is a story better suited for film than paper. First of all, when the central activity of all the principals is magic and the sense of mystery around it, that is just very nearly impossible to capture with the written word and this is when I found the book most lacking.

Also, the way the "surprises" are masked in the book would be impossible on film and (mostly) vice versa so some serious changes are required. I liked the nature of the feud in the book better than in the movie while I liked the final "presige" better in the movie than in the book.

The biggest change is that the movie lost the modern bookends, which I found uncompelling but necessary because of how the historical parts are presented. Since that format is missing in the movie, the modern parts are no longer needed and the movie wisely, in my opinion, loses them.

Overall an easy quick read (started Tuesday evening, finished Friday morning) and certainly above average. For you sabreticians out there, put in terms of ERA+, however, the movie has a better ERA+ than the book.

Snowflake · 03-05-2007, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Just finished The Presige by Christopher Priest. This is the book last year's movie was based on.

I really liked the movie (I would put it in my personal top five for the year depending on mood and permanently in the top ten). At the time I know a lot of people who love the book complained about the changes.

Really! I find that surprising.

I've added the book to my list of wanna reads. Right now reading fluffy, but fun Heat by Bill Buford.

08-17-2006, 11:19 PM	#1
Matterhorn Fan Double Agent Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Back East Posts: 2,071	Has anyone here read "The Areas of My Expertise" by John Hodgman? If so, is it worth my time?
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03-05-2007, 12:02 AM	#4
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Just finished The Presige by Christopher Priest. This is the book last year's movie was based on. I really liked the movie (I would put it in my personal top five for the year depending on mood and permanently in the top ten). At the time I know a lot of people who love the book complained about the changes. And they are significant changes. That said, I think this is a story better suited for film than paper. First of all, when the central activity of all the principals is magic and the sense of mystery around it, that is just very nearly impossible to capture with the written word and this is when I found the book most lacking. Also, the way the "surprises" are masked in the book would be impossible on film and (mostly) vice versa so some serious changes are required. I liked the nature of the feud in the book better than in the movie while I liked the final "presige" better in the movie than in the book. The biggest change is that the movie lost the modern bookends, which I found uncompelling but necessary because of how the historical parts are presented. Since that format is missing in the movie, the modern parts are no longer needed and the movie wisely, in my opinion, loses them. Overall an easy quick read (started Tuesday evening, finished Friday morning) and certainly above average. For you sabreticians out there, put in terms of ERA+, however, the movie has a better ERA+ than the book.
	Submit to Quotes