Y: The Last Man, Volume 4: Safeword

Book #25 was Y: The Last Man, Volume 4: Safeword.

4 down, 6 to go. Getting these through the library is turning out to be a slow process...

Volume 1

Volume 2
Volume 3

Snuff

Book #24 on my reading list was Chuck Palahniuk's new novel Snuff.

Another addition to Palahniuk's boundary breaking, rabble-rousing, 'no he didn't' oeuvre. Snuff ain't pretty, but it is provocative and something tells me that's just the way Palahniuk wants it.

Official site
New York Times Review
Wikipedia article

Be Kind Rewind

Film #36 of '08 was Be Kind Rewind.

My NetFlix rating: 2.75 stars
Jamie says: Would've been better with more Sweding and a better plot
RIYL: Mos Def, 80's films

Official Site *** Highly recommend the website ***
Rotten Tomatoes reviews
Wikipedia

The Savages

Film #35 of '08 was The Savages starring Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

My NetFlix rating: 4.25 stars
Jamie says: If Jesus Christ were alive today, this is the kind of film he would make.*
RIYL: Movies that'll make you laugh, then cry, then laugh, then cry again

* - props to Paste Magazine for the awesome over-the-top quote idea

Official Site
Rotten Tomatoes reviews
Wikipedia

In the Shadow of the Moon

Film #34 of '08 was In the Shadow of the Moon.

My NetFlix rating: 4 stars
Jamie says: Astronauts are cool (especially Michael Collins). So is this movie.
RIYL: NASA, America

Official Site
Rotten Tomatoes reviews
Wikipedia

Fitzcarraldo

Film #33 of '08 was Fitzcarraldo.

My NetFlix rating: 4 stars...maybe 5 if you count the director's commentary though
Jamie says: Crazy movie that's even more insane when you hear how it was filmed. Herzog at his finest...aka must see.
RIYL: Obsession, boats being pulled over mountains, opera

Rotten Tomatoes reviews
Wikipedia

But I Sent You Away, Oh Mandy

This just in....Ryan Adams, still awesome.

"I found the entire speculation and subsequent photographs and intrusions terrifying and only wish to live as normal a life as possible, so that I might always remain punk as f*** AND sober. Also, I just want to jam. Plus I like metal A LOT." - Ryan on breaking up with Mandy Moore

Link

Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me

Book #23 on my reading list was Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me, a collection of short pieces by authors and comedians such as Stephen Colbert, Patton Oswalt, Bob Odenkirk, David Rees and Andy Richter with an intro by Nick Hornby.

Sounds great, but sadly this one was a disappointment (as I suppose most of these kinds of collections are). There's the occassional funny piece but lots of phoned in contributions too (I'm calling you out Colbert). A few of the better stories were pieces by Dan Vebber, David Wain, Tom McCarthy, Paul Simms and Bruce Jay Friedman, not exactly the marquee names...coincidence?

Candy Girl

Book #22 on my reading list this year was Candy Girl by Diablo Cody. Yup, that's right the screenwriter for Juno was an exotic dancer in Minneapolis for a year and wrote a memoir about it. If you like Cody's snarky humor in Juno or her columns in Entertainment Weekly then you'll probably dig this one. It ain't rocket science and it has more than it's share of shortcomings, but it goes down like candy.

McSweeney's #24

Book #21 on my reading list was McSweeney's #24.

This issue of McSweeney's is split into two parts, with each half of the book binded on opposite sides. One side is a tribute to Donald Barthelme featuring commentary by such stalwarts as George Saunders and Padgett Powell as well as two uncollected stories from Barthelme himself. It's mostly stories about Barthelme himself rather than fiction inspired by him, but it's an interesting read nonetheless. The two Barthelme stories included at the end are not his best and probably not a great place to start for the uninitiated.

The B-Side is a collection of six stories that have nothing to do with Barthelme. Of these I most enjoyed Jonathan Ames' Guy Noir gone wrong "Bored to Death".