Booknote: The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump

Robert Sears, The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump. Edinburgh: Canongate Books, 2017.  ISBN: 978-1-78689-227-0.

Genre: poetry
Subgenre: political satire, celebrities
Format: Hardcover
Source: Discards shelf at Hutchins Library, Berea College

This book was left on the discards shelf at my workplace library by some unknown patron. It is another entry in the gimmick humor about Donald Trump genre. The author, Rob Sears, has scoured and searched for everything and anything Trump has said and written, from tweets to transcripts and other texts, to "discover" that Trump has a poetic side after all. In other words, he took Trump's lines from various sources to create poems that sound just like Trump because every line is Trump's words.

It is a good effort by the author overall, but the quality of the poems varies. Some are very good and amusing, others not so much. In addition, given what we know now the book can be both amusing and depressing.

For the unbeliever or Trump fan who will gripe about this, every stanza and line is fully documented. Yes, Trump said and/or wrote or tweeted every word in the poems, and they all have source citations. This documentation is a strength of the book. Sears just reorganized a few of those many lines to "find" Trump's sensitive and moving poetry. Is it satire? Well, yes and no.

Overall, the book was OK for me. This is mainly because the poetry quality can be hit or miss. Your mileage may vary. The book is going back to the discard shelf now that I am done reading it.

2 out of 5 stars.

Holiday Post 2019: Gifts, Strange Things, and Other Shopping

Welcome to the second of my Holiday Posts series for 2019. Today we look at gifts, strange things, and other shopping. A lot of this is where I just poke fun and share some snark at some of the the suggestions out there for holiday gifts. Gift lists are basically everywhere this time of year, but it does not mean they are any good nor practical. Still, if you need a last minute gift idea (what? you are not done with your Christmas shopping yet?), maybe you can find an idea or two here. Just make sure you hurry up if you are still shopping. If you do the Big A Prime, it still is only so fast.

General gift lists 

• If you have "style icons" in your life, whatever the heck that means. Via The Advocate. Apparently it means, among other things, you can get the man in your life $28 Dutch boxer briefs among other things. I am more than happy with some Fruit of the Loom. 
• Is the budget a wee bit tight? Well, Boing Boing has "15 gift ideas  under $100 for everyone on your list?" By the way, why is $100 considered a "good" standard? $100 is still a lot of money when the budget is tight, especially if it is a gift for one person. I am sorry but $125 retail for a pair of headphones (they are on sale for $99.99) is a bit much in my humble opinion.
• If you are too lazy or too tired or too whatever to find that one gift,  you can always get a curator to make you a gift basket or bundle. Via Incredible Things.

Stocking stuffers 

•  Daily Beast claims they have the best stocking stuffers for anyone. So, that should mean we should not need any other lists? Yet, there are other lists, so maybe not the absolute best. I am not too sure how I feel about $18 lip balm. I guess ChapStick is a bit too blah for some people. For something different, they have a box of incense matches for $36. You may wonder what good are fancy smelling matches until you find yourself in a bathroom and someone left a chemical spill right before you (seriously, they are advertising them for you to keep in your bathroom for your guests to use). 
• Esquire has some nice ideas if you are willing and able to spend some moolah. Seriously? a $460 wallet for the man's "buddy"? That buddy better be willing to come up with bail money as needed as well as help said man bury a body if it comes down to that. Then there is a $430 scarf as a gift for the boss. Not only is that some serious brown nosing, it is also not exactly good etiquette. Even Ask A Manager states pretty clearly that one should not be getting gifts for bosses: "Nope. Etiquette says that gifts in a workplace should flow downward, not upward -- meaning that gifts from bosses to employees are fine, but employees shouldn't give gifts to those above them." Now if my boss wants to get me a fancy gift (LMAO, I know, right?), I Am not stopping them though I would prefer something practical instead of a $400 scarf or boondoggle. The magazine definitely failed on that one. 
• The Advocate has a "holiday gift guide for queers" which I am honestly questioning what they were thinking. The Trump steam diverter (a doohickey to put on an Instapot) is kind of meh, but I will add that the George Takei fortune telling button looks like fun. Other than that, list is pretty basic for its audience. 
• Art of Manliness offers 50 stocking stuffer ideas. Much of this list contains traditionally masculine gifts such as drugstore colognes (which by the way, I personally like), pocket knives, and beard oil. Some nice ideas here for the guy in your life. I also like this list because it does have ideas that can be affordable when compared to other lists out there. 
• They also made a list a while back of 50 stocking stuffers for women. I find interesting to see the contrast between the lists because, to be honest, I think a few items labeled as "for the men" would be very appreciated by some women. From this list, Goody Hair Ties, which are not pricey, would be good at our home where the ladies of the house often have to keep their hair up and need them by the handful.

Bookish and stationery

•  Book Riot has their holiday gift guide. Among the highlights is the $240 card catalog drawers. Every since libraries moved to online catalogs and took out their card catalogs, those storage units have become serious hipster commodities. Libraries I think mostly discarded them, so smart people picked them up (and often then resold them at high prices to said hipsters). Another highlight is the Harry Potter socks advent calendar. I personally could not care less about Harry Potter, but my daughter would probably love it. There is also a LEGO Harry Potter calendar highlighted (she got that for herself already).
• They also have a list of eco-friendly gifts for readers. Tote bags are a highlight but I would bet that is something you do not need to give a librarian; librarians usually have an abundance of tote bags, especially if they go to library conferences where tote bags practically rain on them. 
•  Smart Bitches Trashy Books has a somewhat interesting gift guide. I do not really want to know about that taxidermy mouse in a toilet, but to each their own. 
• ArabLit has a gift guide.  It is mainly books but some do look interesting. 
• Via Writing Forward, some holiday gifts for writers. Some of these are fairly predictable. 
• Want to get something fancy for the writer in your life? The Goulet Pen blog has a fountain pen gift guide. They claim the guide's price range is $35 to $100 but nothing listed is lower than $50, so I am guessing someone was not proofreading.

Specific and niche

 Gifts for specific folks and niches

• For the guitar players in your life, via Rolling Stone.
• For new parents who may want some lullaby music for baby, how about Snoop Dogg's new lullabies album? Via Boing Boing.
• Star Wars fans? Get them some Millennium Falcon ice molds. Via Boing Boing. This is a gift I would love in my holiday stocking. 
• Gifts for tabletop gamers, via Boing Boing.
• Need a gift for that someone who is a fan of reality shows? Reality Blurred has you covered.  
• For cats and their humans, via Cole and Marmalade.
• Want some cannabis and/or cannabis friendly gifts? High Times has a list. 
• You could always make a homemade gift or two. Here are some ideas via Live Play Eat.
• Want to do something different, make a statement, so on?
• Electic Literature has an anti-capitalist gift guide. It is mainly a list of charities you could consider supporting, literary non-profits. 
• Via Boing Boing, if you have concerns about things like privacy online, Mozilla updated their "privacy not included" gift guide. This is more along the lines of gifts you need to avoid.

Alcohol and spirits gifts

I have always been a fan of wine. After we completed the Kentucky Bourbon Tour this past summer, I've been learning and exploring whiskey, especially bourbon and American whiskey. So hey, want to send me a bottle or two (or a gift card to get one since KY is not too friendly about mailing spirits), let me know. In the meantime, here are some gift ideas for the spirits enthusiast. 

• Drinkhacker has their 2019 Holiday Gift Guide for spirits. From this list, I'd be interested to try the George Dickel 13 years old bottled in bond (at $50 it is touching out of my price range. $40 is about my limit most of the time. What can I say? I am a simple man on a librarian salary, but I am glad to say there are still plenty of good options at $40 and under), the New Riff Distilling Kentucky Straight Rye ($45 or so. I should note prices may vary at your location; I am using numbers from the article). This list at least tries to account for different budgets.
• Maxim has their list of 20 bottles or so that they claim make great gifts. Except for one vodka they list, the bottles listed here are on the expensive side. 
• They also have a list of "boozy" gifts (i.e. related items and accessories) to go with those expensive bottles they are promoting. Yes, they are pricey too. 
• A new blog I recently discovered in my whiskey learning journey is Whiskeyfellow. He has selected his "whiskey of the year" list considering the average whiskey drinker. He basically makes a pick in different categories and then out of those reveals his one pick. 
• I've also discovered that there are "whiskey tubers" on YouTube, including some pretty good channels (I may have to make a post listing some of my favorites down the road). Two of them have some nice gift guides for 2019 that may be of interest (links to YouTube): 
• The Whiskey Dictionary (Whiskey Dic. Video is almost ten minutes, focuses on bourbon). This guy is informative and interesting. He reviews bottles as well as makes videos on different topics related to whiskey including how to taste whiskey, glassware, and other educational topics. Though the video I am linking now focuses on bourbon, he does pretty much any type of whiskey, so you get to learn about different types.
• It's Bourbon Night. (video is almost 30 minutes, focuses on bourbon). These folks are a recently (as of this post) married couple who enjoy and review whiskey. A bit too peppy at times but often interesting and informative.

Uber fancy/rich gifts

Got money to burn? Here are some gift ideas for folks who believe in flaunting it if they have it. 

• Via Departures, which I discovered this year as a great source of amusement for what the uber rich like and do with their idle money:
• A gift guide for stylish men, i.e. for the fancy pants guy who may already have it all. Among the highlights $180 cashmere lined gloves, a $395 leather belt with reversible buckle (because you got to spend some cash to really hold your pants up), and a set of silk pajamas for $895. I will keep sleeping with my cheap pajama pants and the old comfy tee shirt. 
• These days people like gadgets and tech, so naturally they have a list of best tech gifts. 
• For the lady of your life, you could have gotten them the latest Tiffany advent calendar. It's only a little pocket change for the uber rich at $112,000. 
• Still not finding ideas? Here is their ultimate luxury guide. Among the highlights are a backgammon set for $3495 (because a basic Parker Brothers set from Walmart is just not enough), a Swiss made coffee maker for $4399 (because Mr. Coffee is just way too plebeian), and a $127,000 Mercedes Benz roadster. 
• And if all of the above is just not luxurious enough, this should do the trick: a private jet gift box bundle for $110,000. No, you are not buying the jet. You are renting it along with a bundle that features the following: "Well, the gift box includes a bottle of Macallan 25, The Breitling Aviator 8 Curtiss Warhaw watch, and Master & Dynamic custom active noise-canceling wireless over-ear headphones or earphones with a custom pouch. Of course, private air travel is part of the gift as well, with a 10-hour Challenger 300 card included. " That definitely should impress someone. 
•  If nothing else, a nice writing instrument can make a good impression, especially if it is a fountain pen valued at $500 or more. Via Goulet Pens blog.

Adult/sexy gift ideas 

 

Finally, this is the NSFW part of the post where I look at a few adult/sexy gift ideas.. If this is not your cup of tea, feel free to move along to stop reading here. If you happen to enjoy sex, toys, and erotica, check these out.

•  For a bit of trivia, Orion shares results of a sex toy survey they did. One of the highlights: "According to the survey, of the 2,031 participants, 33 percent had given an erotic gift at least once." Via XBIZ.
• Some ideas via Kinkly: 
• A top ten gifts for the kinksters. 
• Some sex positive gifts (that are not sex toys).
• They even have an article on how sex toys can get you through the holidays. Hey, if you are going to some stressful gathering and need a break, this is an option.

Booknote: A Splash of Bourbon

David Dominé, A Splash of Bourbon: Kentucky's Spirit: A Cookbook. Kuttawa, KY: McClanahan Publishing House, 2010.  ISBN: 978-1-934898-06-2.

Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: cooking, recipes, Kentuckiana, Bourbon whiskey
Format: coffee table book
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County Public Library

As many of you know, Bourbon whiskey is a major thing in Kentucky. It is common knowledge by now that Kentucky has more barrels filled with bourbon than people, so naturally, in addition to drinking it, people put it in food. This is where a book like this comes in. The author is a firm believer that a splash of bourbon makes the book taste better, and this book offers some evidence for that.

This is a coffee table recipe book that blends recipes, photography, trivia about bourbon and Kentucky, as well as information on bourbon and Kentucky's distilleries.

For starters, the photography is excellent. If you're the kind of readers who picks up this kind of book mainly for the pictures, then you will be pleased. Not only does it have great photos of food, but also features various photographs of places in Kentucky, mainly distillery locations but also bourbon country photos. The photos are colorful and bright Some are small, and others take a full page. The photos are a great part of the book.

The recipes in the book are arranged as follows:

• Appetizers
• Soups
• Salads
• Main courses
• Side dishes
• Breads 
• Sweets (desserts)

The rest of the text features things like:

• Distillery highlights
• Place highlights such as Bardstown
• Small profiles of people
• A variety of additional trivia

Like most cookbooks in this style, most of the recipes are not casual and light. You may be able to make them at home, but you'll need a serious trip to a good grocery store for specific ingredients and a good amount of time. What I am saying is these are not casual home cook recipes. Difficulty levels can vary for recipe preparation.

Still, the book is interesting to look over. If you are inclined to try making the recipes, you'll make some good and savory things. But if not, you can enjoy the text and pictures and go get that hot brown (to pick an example) someplace in the state where they know how to make it well. If nothing else, this book may inspire you to go see more of Kentucky.

Overall, I really liked it.

4 out of 5 stars.

Holiday Post 2019: Traditions, Manners, and Miscellany

Welcome to the first of my series of holiday posts for the 2019 season. The academic semester here ended on Friday, December 13 (last day of final exams). I do have to work this following week all the way to December 20th (though I am considering taking a day off or two in that period).

Anyhow, these are posts where I take a little time to gather some items of interest I have seen during the holiday season to share with my four readers, mainly for entertainment. I always like to start looking at holiday traditions, manners, and other miscellany.

Traditions/Manners

A look at some of the traditions, manners, and etiquette of the season

• The U.S. Census Bureau has their Facts for Features for the 2019 Holiday Season. I always find these fact tidbits to be interesting. For example, did you know that $1.9 billion is value of U.S. imports of Christmas ornaments from China for 2018. China led the way with 92.7% of the U.S. total imports of Christmas ornaments? Check the link for that and more.
• Check what the Christmas Price Index (the cost of the items in the "12 Days of Christmas" song) is this year via PNC. This I admit is interesting but not as good. They used to do a nice video and now they just put some art with graphics and numbers. Interesting, but not as nice in my opinion. However, they do provide a graph to compare the index over the years.
• With the Bad Economy in full swing, plus for other reasons, many families and folks now are aiming to have are choosing not to have gifts for the holidays. I know that at home we are doing our best to keep gift giving as modest as possible. According to the article, this can lead to "less stress, less money spent, and less waste," and those are pretty good things. Story via Dusty Old Thing.
• If you still want to give gifts, or you want to give a little extra, maybe you would consider adopting a letter to Santa from a child in need. 12 Tomatoes highlights the US Postal Services Operation Santa, which now makes these letters that the USPS gets available online for the first time. Note: if you do this, gifts do need to be mailed by December 20th. Do visit the USPS link for details if interested.
• Apparently, for some people, matching holiday season pajamas for the whole family are a thing, and when they say for the whole family, they mean it. You can even get matching pajamas for your dog (or cat I suppose if you can somehow manage to dress the cat). Story via 12 Tomatoes. 
• Another tradition that people may or not like is Christmas cards, especially those "cards" that are really bragging newsletters from family. Well, this mom decided to send out a brutally honest Christmas card. Via 12 Tomatoes. 
• I do my best to keep politics out of the holiday posts, however, this was too ridiculous not to share it. Naturally, this is in Kentucky where they are having a wrapping paper war. I kid you not. Mitch McConnell's campaign is selling (well, you donate to the campaign $25 and can get some) Santa Mitch wrapping paper. Naturally, the Kentucky Democrats have to meet fire with fire so they are selling their own Moscow Mitch wrapping paper (for a $30 donation). Story via Forward Kentucky. Personally we are sticking to nice things like basic Christmas wrapping paper with things like candy canes, unicorns, Star Wars and My Little Pony. 
• Visiting with Santa is often a tradition for many during the holidays. Many families take their children to sit on Santa's lap in places like shopping malls. Now, if you got some serious money to burn, you could try one of these Santa experiences around the world. These are definitely not for the hoi polloi. Story via Departures. 
  

Food and drink

• Need some snacks for your holiday party or gathering? Via 12 Tomatoes, here are some cheese ball recipes you can make and making Christmas Ribbon Jello. Hey, there's always room for Jello.
• Want to drink something different than the usual eggnog? Drinkhacker offers their list of top ten tequilas and mezcals for 2019.

Christmas Tree/ornaments/other objects

Where we look at the holiday tree and related objects and decorations

•  The tree: 
• Want a unique Christmas tree? How about a rainbow tree or a tree from wine bottles? Stories via 12 Tomatoes. I will say we do drink wine in our home, but we do not save the bottles; this may be something to consider down the road. 
• Naturally, libraries all over the U.S. (and parts of the world) are doing the ever popular Christmas tree out of books. I am not linking to anything specific; you can do an online search and find photos galore of this concept. 
• Aldi's is selling ceramic trees. Story via Dusty Old Things.
• For Godzilla fans, there is the Treezilla. Story via iHorror.
• Ornaments: 
•  Via Live Play Eat, here are some unique tree decor ideas. Or if the budget is a bit tight, how about some Dollar Store ornaments and jazzing them up?
• Some folks may want some bookish ornaments, and here are a few via Book Riot.
• Want to put a wreath on the door (or someplace else)? Maybe you could consider making one yourself with some old ornaments and some wire. Via 12 Tomatoes.

Holiday Music

 Ah, the holiday music, whether you love it or hate it. 

• Via Rolling Stone, there is some overlap which makes one wonder just what makes each list distinctive. Anyhow, you are bound to find something you may like here.
• "25 Greatest Christmas Albums of All Time." 
• "40 Essential Christmas Albums." 
• On the other hand, you may want to avoid these "20 Most Annoying Christmas Songs of All Time." List via The Guardian.

Those Christmas Parties

• Oh yes, the Christmas office party (just how many places still do that nonsense anymore?). Very often you get the image of employees getting drunk and then either saying something stupid (likely to a superior) or doing something that will cause a lawsuit and/or sexual harassment complaint. So, perhaps to avoid that, in states where it is legal, instead of booze you could have a weed bar. Story via The Daily Beast.

Other Holidays Humor

• Story via iHorror, a short film where the Predator massacres Santa's reindeer.  If you are fan of the Predator series, you'll likely be amused. I know I was amused.

Wellness and health

We get these lists of advice ideas for dealing with shitty relatives and other assorted assholes over the holidays. To be honest, there are times I wonder why anyone puts themselves through some of the abuse that can happen at some family gatherings. That may also be why these lists seem to be multiplying. So here is a sampling along with other wellness and advice tips for the holiday season.

•  VICE offers their "How to Go Home for the Holidays When Your Family is a bit Much" guide. A key question this article offers is knowing why you are going to that gathering, "Why did I spend a month's rent on a plane ticket, again, exactly?" It also suggests that knowing why you are going, say to see some elderly relative who may not be around much longer, may help you focus when that other asshole relative starts driving you up the wall. Also, you have to "realize that some people might not be able to be decent to you." Translation: some assholes will always be assholes, so ask yourself how much you want to deal with them or not, and do take care of yourself.
• If on the other hand, you decide to be a masochist and host people at your house instead, VICE also has you covered with "a Beginner's Guide to Hosting Family for the Holidays Without Melting Down." Highlight here is you are hosting, so DO set rules and boundaries, and be willing to enforce them as need be. 
• In another finding that, again, makes me wonder why people go to these gatherings to be miserable (not saying all are like that, but many are), a recent survey found that 1 in 4 people hide in their houses from family during holiday gatherings. Story via 12 Tomatoes. It is a given that you can only put up with family and relatives for only so much before you either hide or strangle them. Since you do not want to be in jail for the holidays, hiding and taking breaks is a better option. I'd also add seriously consider staying in a hotel nearby overnight rather than that host's home. If nothing else, allows you to decompress. 
• The Radical Pantheist offers "the Radical's Guide to Surviving Family Holidays." This is good for our pagan friends who certainly face a lot of anxiety and pressure in a season dominated by Christian mainstream that often fails to consider that yes, there ARE other holidays just as important to other people this time of year. Article offers some practice advice including examples for dealing with specific situations from misunderstandings to outright violence. 
• Holiday gatherings are also known for the plentiful food. If you happen to suffer from an eating disorder, this can be an issue. Yes! magazine offers "5 tips for surviving the holidays with an eating disorder." With some planning ahead and enlisting some support, this is achievable.
• While we are talking about food, if you are vegetarian/vegan/whatever, good for you. This does not give you the right to be an insufferable asshole or bitch to the rest of us who are not. Do remember your vegetarianism/veganism/alternate food consumption is a choice for the most part, one not everyone is obliged to take. So, acknowledge that and make the holidays easier on you and the rest of us. To help with that, via Paganistan (at Witches and Pagans), here is "my Vegetarianism is not a Judgment on You But. . . "  Bottom line: "if you want others to respect your dietary choices, respect theirs."
• High Times offered "7 Ways Pot Can Help You Avoid Family Drama This Thanksgiving." I say this is perfectly applicable to holiday gatherings as well, so I am sharing it here. Do note this can be done IF pot is legal in your state or location. Otherwise, go for it. 
• If pot is not an option for your gathering, maybe offer some of your relatives who need to chill a nice cup of hot tea. Lipton may have you covered on this with some offerings of Christmas themed teas. You can even treat yourself to a hot cup of tea like their "dealing with relatives" blend. Story via 12 Tomatoes. 
• And if you still have to talk to that obnoxious Republican relative who won't shut up, you could try describing the progressive causes you support in terms even they will understand. Via McSweeney's. Because sometimes you do need to dumb things down for some people. 
• Some self care may be in order, so here are "6 Things To Do On Your Winter Break" via Under the Ancient Oaks. These are things you can do other than or in addition to the gatherings you  may be committed to attending. Find some time to reflect, do something different, so on.

 Thank you for reading and stopping by. Coming up in the series my look at gifts, strange things and other shopping, so stay tuned. As always, comments within reason are always welcome here or via social media.

Happy holidays. 

Booknote: Anthony Bourdain Remembered

Cable News Network (CNN), Anthony Bourdain Remembered. New York: Ecco Books, 2019.  ISBN: 978-0-06-295658-3.

Genre: art and photography
Subgenre: television, tributes, travel, food
Format: coffee table book
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County Public Library

This is a very nice photography book. It is a tribute volume from CNN to remember Bourdain. The photography is great; we get various photos of Bourdain traveling and being with people around the world. The photos are definitely the strength and best part of the book.

The text is made up of comments, remarks, and remembrances from people who knew and/or worked with Bourdain as well as just people in general who expressed themselves in social media. To be honest, the regular fan comments are excessive for this book. After a while, they tend to get repetitive, and as a reader, you get tired of them. Somewhere halfway into the book you just look at the pictures, skim to find the substantial comments (i.e. mainly ones from people who actually knew him and/or worked with him), and skip the rest. I think if they had added some stories, anecdotes from work and his life, and seriously cut back on the social media stuff, this book would have been much better and maybe even something fans could buy as a keepsake. As it is now, it is very nice to look at, but unless you are a real hardcore Bourdain fan, this is just a nice book to borrow, look at, then go watch one of his old shows to remember his humble greatness.

4 out of 5 stars (for the photography).

Booknote:Morbid Magic

Tomás Prower, Morbid Magic: Death Spirituality and Culture from Around the World. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Worldwide, 2019.  ISBN: 978-0-7387-6061-2.

Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: funerary practices, death rituals, mythology, religion, spirituality
Format: E-book galley
Source: NetGalley

This is one of those books I really wanted to like. The topic sounds interesting, and I did enjoy the author's previous book on Santa Muerte (link to my review of that). However, this book was just not as good.

The book is arranged as follows:

• Seven major parts for geographic regions/continents.
• Each part has chapters for countries in that region.
• Each chapter has headings on cultural elements and another heading on deities and legends.
• A bibliography, which can vary in quality of sources, but we'll get to that. 

The book attempts to be comprehensive and cover as much of the world as possible. However, such coverage is not consistent. Some areas do get better coverage, and others are pretty superficial. We get answers to the question of "what to do with a dead body?" but also get an overview of deities and legends relevant to a particular religious practice or tradition. In addition to lack of consistency, the book overall is just not that interesting. It reads more like a list than a narrative, so it is not very engaging for readers. 

Then there are the sources, which also vary in quality. The bibliography and footnotes in the book range from some academic sources to some very lightweight sources (to put it mildly) such as Huffington Post, various blogs (which may vary in quality), and sites like thoughtco.com. As a librarian and educator I was somewhat concerned about the quality of some of the sources offered. I am perfectly good with using popular sources but quality of said sources is important, and here, it does vary.

One good part I found in the book were the takeaways. These are lessons you can take from the different funerary customs that you can apply in  your personal life. Whatever your belief or unbelief these takeaways invite reflection, learning, and practical application. These may be the really good part in an otherwise OK book.

Overall, the book was just OK. This may be one to browse rather than read cover to cover. For public libraries, I would consider this a very optional selection. I would not recommend it for academic libraries.

2 out of 5 stars.

Media Notes: Roundup for November 2019

 This is a somewhat random selection of the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during November 2019.

Movies and films (links to IMDB.com for basic information unless noted otherwise). Some of these I watched via TubiTv.com or other online source. The DVDs come from the public library (unless noted otherwise). In addition, I will try to add other trivia notes, such as when a film is based on a book adding the information about the book (at least the WorldCat record if available):

• A Vampire's Tale (2009. Horror. Western. Vampires, a.k.a. Umbrage). The only highlight this movie has is it has Douglas Bradley (the actor that portrays Pinhead in Hellraiser), and that is not saying much since his role is not a big deal.  Movie description: "When a dysfunctional family moves into a remote farm terror emerges from the darkness in the form of a vampire cowboy hell bent on revenge." Actually that sounds better than what we get. The vampire cowboy wants revenge on the woman who turned him, who stopped him from killing some other guy (who later is revealed to be quite dark as well). Years later in modern times, Jacob brings his family to an isolated English farm while trying to sell a valuable stolen relic, only the relic attracts the seductress, and the vampire seeking to kill her. Movie is seriously tame, barely a "western" (box art is misleading) where we only see that western setting in a couple of flashbacks. The horror is seriously tame, and the acting to be honest is pretty bad. You may end up feeling bad for Bradley choosing to do this dud. Thing is, the idea of the story is not bad, but the plotting and execution are. The ending is somewhat satisfying but very predictable. This is one not worth bothering really. Via TubiTv. 
• The Frozen Front (2017. War. Drama. Foreign Film- French). January 1945 the first French paratroopers join their American allies in Alsace to to take the border town of Jebsheim. The fighting in the woods is intense in what became known to history as the "Alsace Stalingrad." A bit slow at times, but dramatic and moving in some moments as well.  The dubbing in English does leave a bit to be desired at times. It is similar to 1944, the film about Estonians fighting each other in World War II as we also get some French who get forcibly conscripted into the German Army as the Germans had conquered the area. It took many years after the war for the French to forgive those soldiers and see them as victims of the Nazis instead of traitors. Via TubiTv.
• John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons (2018. Documentary. Comedy). John Leguizamo's recent one man show where he basically does his best to teach gringos, and the rest of Latinos who may need it, a lesson on Latin History, a well needed lesson. Combining humor and what you may not have been taught in school, you learn and laugh, and even find a moving moment or two. Definitely worth looking for (unless you offend easily or have no clue, in which case you need to find it even sooner). Via online streaming.
• The Fall of the Krays (2016. Crime.Drama. UK film). The sequel to The Rise of the Krays (link to the roundup containing my comments on it). The brothers are at the top, but there are threats from within and without against their power. This film seems a bit more moody, yet remains interesting to look. As before, pretty good soundtrack reflective of the 1960s when most of the story takes place. In the end, it was OK. Via TubiTv.
• Cyborg Cop (1993. Crime. Action. Science Fiction). In a nutshell, two DEA agents get in trouble with the agency after a hostage situation goes bad. One gets involved in some secret mission to some Caribbean island and goes missing. The other brother, portrayed by David Bradley (of American Ninja movies fame in a serious downfall in roles), out of the agency, gets a message from the missing brother, and goes out to rescue him. The catch is the island is really run by Kessel (portrayed by John Rhys-Davies way before he got a good break in Lord of the Rings), a wealthy man and scientist who is creating assassin cyborgs, and the missing brother just got turned into one.  The future of law enforcement this ain't. The acting is pretty bad; seriously, no common sense whatsoever. Cliches all over from the cocky protagonist to the obnoxious female reporter that though he claims not to want her around, well, they end up together. This is bad, and it is not the oh so bad it is good bad. It is just plain bad. One of those crappy late night movies of the 1990s. You can probably skip it.  Via TubiTv. 
• Venom (2018. Science Fiction. Action. Superheroes). I can see why this movie did poorly for critics and others; it is seriously boring for almost an hour before anything of substance happens. By the time the action happens, it feels like too little too late. Overall, given the source material, this film was a missed opportunity for Marvel. This could have been so much more, and heck, I was even intrigued by the idea of a female symbiote, but even that potential is not enough to save this. As for the villain, an obnoxious version of Elon Musk and his ilk did the film no favors. Tom Hardy as Brock interacting with Venom is the only saving grace in this, but there is just too little of it to make the movie worth it. This is definitely one you can probably skip. Via DVD from public library. Go find the comic books instead, for example, I reviewed one of them recently. 
• The Wolf of Wall Street (2013. Drama. Biography. Crime). I had heard of this film but knew little of the story other than Leonardo DiCaprio starred in it. Turns out it is based on the life of real life former stockbroker Jordan Belfort, who after his conviction and time in prison wrote his memoirs.  Movie is based on Belfort's The Wolf of Wall Street book. It is a Martin Scorsese film, so when I saw that, I expected something good, and it was. The film is well made. DiCaprio and Jonah Hill put in great performances, and it does capture the essence of the high flying late 1980s and 1990s when Wall Street was flying high while its greed destroyed lives and men like Belfort mostly got away with it.Not the kind of film that will endear Wall Street to the average Joes and Janes of the nation, but it is a pretty good film. It does have similarities a bit to other Scorsese films where the main character rises then falls in large part due to hubris and some addiction (see, for example Henry Hill in Goodfellas). It is a story this director can do very well in film. I will warn that at almost three hours of running time, it can feel a bit long. I'd say it is worth a look, and I may try to read the book down the road. Via DVD from public library.

Television and other series (basic show information links via Wikipedia unless noted otherwise). Some of these come in DVD from the public library. Others may be via YouTube, which, as noted before, I keep finding all sorts of other old shows in it, often full episodes:

• George Carlin: Life is Worth Losing (2005. Stand up comedy. Humor). Carlin's 13th HBO special. Highlights include that rapid fire sequence in the first four minutes, what would happen if electricity would be eliminated completely, the All Suicide Channel, and his American Dream speech, which is likely one of the most brilliant routines of his career. To me, this man was a genius and truly a stand up philosopher as well as comedian.  The man was truly a prophet who always told it like it is while making us laugh. His honesty and insights comfort me greatly, especially in the Hard Times we live in. He continues to be one of the best. Via TubiTv.
• Sherlock Holmes (1984-1994. Granada Television Series). I watched some later parts of this back in September and October of 2018. I continue watching some more of this favorite series. Via YouTube. Highlights this time: 
• "The Bruce Partington Plans." When top secret plans for a British submarine go missing, Mycroft Holmes himself, top government official and brother of Sherlock Holmes, enlists the great detective to solve the case, which includes murder. I always enjoy when Mycroft makes an appearance in the series. 

Booknote: Star Wars: The Stark Hyperspace War

John Ostrander, et.al., Star Wars: the Stark HyperspaceWar. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse Comics, 2004. ISBN: 1569719853.

Genre: comics and graphic novels
Subgenre: Star Wars, science fiction
Format: paperback
Source: I got this at Half Price Books

The description says this was "another major battle" before the Clone Wars. It was not quite. In a nutshell, Iaco Stark, pirate, smuggler, and shady trader, schemes to limit the supply and create a monopoly on bacta, a crucial healing agent. He gets together a bunch of other pirates and smugglers into a "commercial combine" to carry out his plan. The Trade Federation hopes to use Stark's aggressions to their own ends. Naturally it falls to the Jedi to stop it.

Overall, the main issue is that the story is not that good, and the plots can get messy at times. The story is told as a flashback of older Jedi telling the story to younger ones. This frame device makes no difference; the author could have done the story without it. Aside from seeing some favorite Jedi in younger days, like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Quinlon Vos, the story is not much. For me, this was just OK. This is definitely a book to borrow and move on.

2 out of 5 stars.

Booknote: Jane Austen: Cover to Cover

Margaret C. Sullivan, Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Covers. Philadelphia, PA: Quirk Books, 2014. ISBN: 9781594747250.

Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: books, publishing, book trade, art, Jane Austen
Format: coffee table art book
Source: Contest win at BookLikes.

This art/coffee table book is a collection of book covers of Jane Austen novels plus some of the minor works which get collected here and there, often attached to a novel or omnibus edition.

In terms of aesthetics, this is a very nice book from the cover to the inside the cover to the overall layout. It really looks nice, and Austen fans will likely enjoy it.

The book is arranged as follows:

• Introduction.
• Six chapters. Each chapter has a short introduction to the time period it covers. Then you get the covers and text with history and information on the cover, the publishers, and even information on book making and the book trade.
• An appendix. This includes some material on collecting Austen novels. 
• A bibliography. 
• Acknowledgments and a note from the author. 

On the positive, for Austen fans this book will be a delight. The author put in serious work to find every book cover and edition out there of Austen works from the 1800s to today. The editions even include film edition/tie-ins and foreign language editions. In addition, this is a good look at the book trade business over time, specially as it concerns the publishers who've have and sold Austen's works over time. You get a lot of material in 200 pages or so.

On the not so positive,  this is basically all Jane Austen, all the time. She only wrote a few works, so you are basically seeing the same books all the time, just different covers. For serious Austen fans, this is great. For casual readers, it can get tiring halfway through the book. It can feel like you are seeing the same thing over and over, and while the history can be interesting, again, for non-Austen fans this can be a bit of overload.

Bottom line. Highly recommended for Jane Austen fans. This may be a must for them. For public libraries, this may be a good option, specially if their Austens are popular. For casual readers, this is definitely optional. It may appeal to readers who like books about books a bit. It is optional for academic libraries; it may be good for academic libraries with strong book history, publishing interests, and if there are strong Jane Austen courses, this book may be of interest too.

In the end, I liked it, but it is not something I would add to my personal collection. I'd say unless you are a hardcore Jane Austen fan, borrow it.

3 out of 5 stars.

Booknote: The Hellbound Heart

Clive Barker, The Hellbound Heart. New York: Harper, 2007 (reissue edition). ISBN: 978-0-06-145288-8.

Genre: fiction
Subgenre: horror
Format: paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

A while ago I watched the film Hellraiser, and while I liked some elements of it, I was underwhelmed with the film overall. So I decided that some day down the road I would read the novella it is based on: The Hellbound Heart. Lucky for me, my local public library recently got a reissue edition of the book, so I checked it out. This edition is nothing special in the sense that it does not have any introductions, new notes, or any other supplements that get added to classics years later. In other words, it had just the text so I could read and judge on that basis. Also, the text on this edition is a bit larger, so the total pages is 164. You can read this in one sitting if you wish and have time.

My initial impression on seeing the movie was Barker is a better writer than movie maker (he did direct the film that adapted his novella). Sure enough, that was true. The story offers a lot that the film leaves out, and it has more details and richness to it. Plus, it does it in 164 pages making this a nice, tight narrative that is a good horror tale without a lot of fluff. The book originally came out in 1986, a time when a lot of schlock horror and slasher stories were popular. So yes, Hellbound Heart broke that mold with something innovative. What interest me is that the story is very good and it still works well today.

Barker draw you into the story, and once it starts, he sustains the suspense until the end. The basic plot is well known: Frank Cotton's opening of the puzzle box, opening the way for the Cenobites to take him, and Julia, his lover, who is married to Frank's brother, working to bring Frank back to life. Even if you know the basics, you should read the novella where it all starts. For one, it is well written and literary. Two, there are many rich details in the tale not seen in the film. Three, while Barker develops the Cenobite myth, there is a lot of room for growth. A lot of what we get are hints, indications, ideas, just enough to keep readers intrigued. We should note a lot of the Cenobite mythos, including details like naming the apparent leader "Pinhead," were spun with or after the film. None of them were part of the novella, so a challenge for modern readers already exposed to other media is to read the novella with fresh eyes. That is what I tried to do, and for me, I got a better appreciation of what came later from reading the novella. As I said, it is well written, concise, and has enough detail to draw the reader into its world and make one want more.

The book is a classic of the horror genre, and it is well earned. I'll add that I've read a bit of Barker's other works, and expansive as they can be, they just do not have the same sense of simple yet deep wonder Hellbound Heart has. I like that despite all the spins over time, this original tale holds up well.

Overall, I really liked it. This is definitely a good selection for libraries, specially for horror collections. Whether they select this edition or a different one, this is a must have in a horror collection. I like this particular edition because it is just the text with no fillers, but your mileage may vary.

4 out of 5 stars.

A list of ten (plus one) books I have read with numbers in the book title

 I saw this prompt over at That Artsy Girl. For me, making this list turned out a bit harder than I thought I would be. Whether by coincidence or design, I do not recall reading too many books that have a number in the title. I had to look a bit deep in this blog's archive to make the list. So here it is with links to the reviews.

A Thousand Sons (Horus Heresy, Book 12)

The Three Questions

The 50th Law

199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die

500 Ceramic Sculptures

 The 24-Hour Wine Expert

 

 

 The Thousand Dollar Dinner

100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings

 21: the Story of Roberto Clemente

 LEGO Star Wars in 100 Scenes

 The 12 Bottle Bar

Booknote: The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck

Sarah Knight, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck. New York: Hachette Audio, 2015. ISBN: 9781478966142. 

Genre: humor, nonfiction
Subgenre: parody, Marie Kondo, stuff about life, self help
Format: electronic audiobook
Source: Overdrive system of the Madison County (KY) Public Library.

This is going to be a "quickie" booknote. I read this a while back, so I am giving readers now some quick impressions then highlights of my reading notes. This is one of those books I read, then kept on reading other books, and I sort of forgot to write out the full review. So I am doing it now before I forget again so I can record it.

This is a parody of Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I have not read Kondo's book nor seen her show or whatever on whichever streaming service it is in. So I am coming to this book as is, i.e. with no prior knowledge since I did not learn the book was a parody until later (or rather I knew it was parody; I just did not what the exact subject of the parody was). I read this as an audiobook, and that experience was just OK. To be honest, the narrator reminded me a bit of Jen Mann narrating her book People I Want to Punch in the Throat (link to my review of that), and not in a good way. Still, this book offered enough to keep me amused, and in the end I did like it. Thing about the book is that, though it is parody and comedy, it says just enough, specially as it applies to workplaces, that it comes across as more reasonable and realistic than many actual self-help and/or business books. I do not know if the author intended it that way, but it does work that way. Still, I am not sure if I would read any others by this author. I may decide on an individual book basis.

3 out of 5 stars.

* * * * *

Additional reading notes:

•  From opening disclaimer: if you get offended by anything in this book, you really need this book.
•  A key question asked in the book: Does something annoy you? If  it does, stop giving a fuck about it (from the disclaimer). To be honest, this is not bad advice, specially for someone like me who really is at the "All Out Of Fucks To Give" stage. 
• Not giving a fuck defined: ""Not giving a fuck means not spending time, energy, and/or money on things that don't make you happy or improve your life, annoy, so that you have more time, energy and/or money to devote to the things that do." Sounds pretty reasonable to me. 
• The author adds that you need to keep in mind that there are some moments you should give a fuck about. If something does not annoy you, and it gives you joy. Simple.
•  From the book: Stop spending time with people you do not like doing things you do not want to do. 
• Seriously, this should be a given. 
•  Not giving a fuck is also about managing time better too, not being an asshole.
• Interesting point from the book: it is hard to get fired from a job you do really well. Thus, figure out what parts/details of said job you can afford to not give a fuck about, thus likely improving your quality of life, for example dress codes (dress comfortably but still professional of course) and certain meetings (get that time back). The meetings time is something I can relate to and that I think I should work on more. Let us be honest, in academia and academic libraries, there are a lot of meetings that could just be an e-mail. 
• Important to set your boundaries for what you will and will not give a fuck about, then stick to them. Again, be honest and polite.
•  Great idea: having a personal policy as part of your boundaries. So you can say, I have a personal policy of not doing blank because if I do one I have to do them all (so I do not do any). That way, you do not express preferences either, i.e. I would not want to choose one over the other which could make someone feel bad or such, and I can't afford it.
•  Unlike expressing an opinion, of not liking something for instance, a personal policy is usually not something people are willing to debate. They may try to debate your opinion, but once you lay down  the law with a personal policy, that is the end of the story for everyone else.
•  Note: there may be times you DO need to hurt people's feelings, where it  is OK.
• To be honest again, this is something people need to learn and also learn how to deal with it when it happens to them. No one said life is fair, and if someone does not lay off when they should, then it should be fair to let them have it. 
•  The Irish Good bye: leaving a party without telling anyone. I had no idea this was a term; it is the kind of thing I have done now and then as an introvert. I definitely concur it is highly recommended. 
• For a mission statement, imagine a bunch of cigar smoking monkeys clacking away. More useful. Sounds about right, applicable too in library world and higher education when you think about it.To be honest, a lot of those monkeys could likely write a better mission statement than most folks in places like academia. 
• A lot of the third part in the book is specific examples of how not to give a fuck. This one is a bit on the lengthy side compared to the rest of the book.
•  The book apparently comes with some charts and diagrams that she refers too throughout the book. Naturally, with the audio edition,  you miss that.

Signs the economy is bad: November 15, 2019 edition.

Welcome to another edition of "Signs the Economy is Bad" here at The Itinerant Librarian. This is the semi-regular (as in when I have time and/or feel like doing it) feature where I scour the Internet in search of the oh so subtle hints that the economy is bad. Sure, pundits may say things are getting better, but what do they know? And to show not all is bad, once in a while we look at how good the uber rich have it.


Here we go again. . .

We start this week with

Education News

•  Higher education costs keep going up, and the University of Chicago is making sure to stay right on top of that. They are poised to become the first university to charge $100,000 a year. Via Hechinger Report. Holy shit! People, seriously, a small pro tip: fancy university does not mean better, so if you can afford to go to some state school (assuming you do want to go to college) instead, preferably in-state, do that. 
• As if cost was not bad enough, getting into college or university may get harder for some given poor skills. The most recent NAEP (National Assessment of Education Progress) shows a decline in U.S. educational achievement. Via Hechinger Report. 
• On a positive, college athletes may be getting a break as the NCAA finally voted to let players get paid for sponsorship deals. Via Inside Higher Ed. Granted, the NCAA and the colleges and universities will keep exploiting those student athletes, but at least now the students may get some compensation. 
• However, not all colleges have big football and/or basketball programs to bring in big money to the campuses. In fact, some smaller colleges struggle financially and have to find ingenious ways to make ends meet. In other words, they need to hustle in the Bad Economy (this story could have gone under "Hustlin' in the Bad Economy). One way is to serve as wedding venues and charge for such service. Via The Atlantic. I will tell you this much. When the Better Half and I got married (some years ago now), we did get married on campus at our university, and it was a bit more affordable than some private venue. However, do keep in mind cost can vary based on things like, for example, if the campus you are looking at is a serious tourist attraction (this can drive up costs) versus a lesser known place or a big state university.

Next, we go over to the farmlands in

Rural News

• For starters, farm bankruptcies are up. Via The Rural Blog. Sure, the weather has been bad in recent months, and the Pendejo In Chief's trade wars with places like China have not been good for them (even though so many of them enthusiastically voted for him and keep supporting him. You really can't fix stupid). However, the bankruptcy story has more: "Growers are also becoming increasingly dependent on trade aid and other federal programs for income, figures showed in a report by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation’s largest general farm organization." Farmers taking a "handout" or help from the government? Really? Say it ain't so. . .
  
  
  

•  Some farmers are trying to put up the good fight, but finding financing is not easy, and it is getting more difficult. As a result of traditional banks not being so generous in providing farmers with loans, some farmers are turning to some "nontraditional" loan options to make ends meet. Story via The Rural Blog. Among the reasons this is an issue: "While such high-interest loan providers can be a lifesaver for farmers in the short term, their interest rates are double those of traditional farm lenders." It's been described as "shadow financing." 
• On a different issue, via Forward Kentucky, a report where "Appalachian communities say prison jobs are a 'phantom promise.'" In a nutshell, rural communities with little options either attract the attention of some big prison project, or they hope to attract one in hopes of generating a lot of local jobs. However, that hope rarely happens, and the reality is a lot more complicated than these communities think. This article is worth reading. 

Meanwhile back in the US colony 

U.S. troops invading Puerto Rico during Spanish American War, 1898.

• The Daily Beast looks at how the U.S. screwed up Detroit, and now they will screw up Puerto Rico (even more than they have fucked it up already).
• And if the above is not bad enough, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was happily allowing  all sorts of fraud in Puerto Rico's power grid repair contracts. Via Latino Rebels. The article highlights findings from an audit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' oversight of contracts in Puerto Rico by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense (link to the audit report, which is included in the article).

The Bad Economy  Around the World

• In Latin American news, the coup that ousted Evo Morales in Bolivia is a big deal. However, once you look closely, you see the often common pattern of outside interference and the Real Owners safeguarding their interests (i.e. Morales was not too friendly to big corporations seeking to exploit his country, imagine that). It boils down to one very valuable mineral. Read this story out of Truthdig to learn more. 

In Other News of the Bad Economy

•  We recently celebrated Halloween here in the United States. It is all fun, costumes, candy, so on. However, there are signs things may be going a bit too far. How far? How about half a billion dollars. . . for pet costumes? Seriously. Story via Salon.
• In another sign things are going too far, here is the latest fuckery out of Google: they now plan to offer checking accounts. As if them invading your privacy and selling it off was not bad enough, now they want your banking too. And if that was not bad enough, they are partnering up with Citibank, notorious for their shadiness to put it mildly.  Story via Inc.
•  In First World Problems, Disney+ streaming service debuted this month, albeit with glitches. So now suddenly people are realizing the irony of leaving cable, because it has way too many channels, in favor of a la carte service, and now, we got, lo and behold, too many separate streaming services. Story via VICE.

Once more, we look at ingenuity in making a buck or two with folks. . .

Hustlin' in the Bad Economy

•  I am sure some folks have heard that there are fetishists out there who will buy used women's underwear. So an enterprising woman could make some bucks selling a few soiled undies. Now, with a renewed interest in any and all things retro, grandma is raiding her closet for her old lingerie as folks want to buy vintage lingerie. It is becoming quite a business to seek the stuff out in second hand stores and then resell it online for profit. Story via The Daily Beast. 
•  Meanwhile, people making a living for no other reason than having some fame are raking it in as "influencers." Story via BBC. I will be honest: I find the whole idea of social media influencers vapid and shallow, but hey, more power to ya if you can make money at it. 
• Via Remezcla, this was my favorite story of "Hustlin' in the Bad Economy" this week. This Latino Twitter user will post "yikes" under your ex's selfies on social media, and he does it for $5 each. This is one of those stories where I go, "why did I not think of that?" 
• Now this one I admire. A luxury hotel offers Tarot card readings as part of the amenities at their restaurant. Story via Departures. That is the kind of gig I'd love to do, so hey, any high end restaurants or hotels out there, or even hey, medium tier, want a Tarot/oracle card reader, let me know.

And finally this week, the wealthy have been suffering a little but still mostly living it up. . .

Uber Rich

• Aww, poor Bill Gates is a little worried he may not have enough money to live on if the rich are taxed a bit more to help out with things like public services and schools (things he does benefit from too by the way). How worried is he? The man, who is worth about $107 billion (yep, you read that right) worries that he could be forced to live on $7 billion instead. Story via VICE. One that is seriously exaggerated in the sense any tax plan would not just do that. And two, let's be honest, no one is crying over a guy who would STILL have $7 billion in that scenario. As the kids say, hey Bill, "OK Boomer!"
• The real estate market for the uber rich continues to suffer from the challenge of trying to get those tightwads to buy a property. So sellers keep tossing perks into the deal. The latest deal this week is offering travel services with your purchase, such as private jet amenities. Story via Departures.