Books

I like to read. But I seem to suffer from a sort of literature-induced narcolepsy. I read for twenty minutes and my head just plops into my chest and story time is over. It's really a wonder that I ever made it through college as an English major. All those books, man. However, lately a recent combination of long plane rides/van rides and holiday vacation hours have led to the completion of a pair of wonderful novels by Michael Chabon.

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY:
A story about a pair of cartoon making cousins in NYC during WWII. It's got everything--love, NYC, crime-fighting heroes, Nazis! It was one of the most compelling, heartbreaking, funny and exciting novels I've ever read.

WONDER BOYS:
I have as yet to see the movie based on the book, though I hear it's pretty good. This one's all about an adulterous writer on a never-ending journey to find love and to finish his novel. The characters are hilarious and believable, the scenes vivid, and the story is full of the kind of mishaps that make it a natural choice for a feature film. Oh, and they smoke a lot of pot. Pretty good choice for anyone who enjoyed the movie Sideways.

I'm also a big fan of the fact that Chabon's recent novella The Final Solution featured cover art by my favorite illustrator Jay Ryan.