1984 - George Orwell (1949)
Aside from being slightly more complex and monotonous than I was expecting, George Orwell's 1984 was damn close to being exactly what I hoped for. Not my favorite dystopian novel ever (that would be Orwell's other classic, Animal Farm), it still succeeded at making me feel like an idiot for never having read it before. In roughly the same way as Animal Farm, Orwell's characters here are vague and a bit confusing, which, I think works really well for his style. Unsurprisingly, I was enamored with the eerie feel of pretty much every detail within the book, and a portion of the events were more unsettling than I was looking for (which is a pretty cool thing, I think). I wish I had read this back in mid-college, when I was especially obsessed with Animal Farm, for I think I would have appreciated it more. Still, it's about time I finally did it, and it was not disappointing in any way.
Choke - Chuck Palahniuk (2001)
A little closer to mediocre than good, Choke is shamefully the first Palahniuk novel I've read. His repetition of phrases reminds me of Vonnegut, but the comparisons definitely end there. Choke is an utterly twisted character study of a true anti-hero who is easy to hate. His addiction to sex is entertaining and leads to some juicy, disgusting text. The "choking" element of his character, where he purposely chokes on food at various restaurants to provide random people a heroic opportunity, and then benefits from well-meaning cards and donations of cash, is somewhat detestable but unheard of, and thus, fascinating. The stoner dialogues are humorous but often times confusing, meaningless and utterly stupid. I don't know. Choke was definitely an entertaining read, but I sure am glad that it was a quick one.
Boys Will be Boys - Jeff Pearlman (2008)
Jeff Pearlman's summary of the scandals and triumphs of the 1990s Dallas Cowboys dynasty is easily one of the best things I've read thus far in 2011. It was just as enjoyable to read about the game of football actually being played (granted, I'm a huge football fan) as it was to read about all the insanity that took place behind closed doors. Hookers. Weed. More hookers. Cocaine. More cocaine. Drunk driving. Dramatically tense business relationships. Even more cocaine and hookers. Most fascinating were the tense moments throughout owner Jerry Jones' and former coach Jimmy Johnson's partnership, defensive end Charles Haley's mental issues, his obsession with his penis, and just being an overall jerk, and the fact that Michael Irvin once stabbed a teammate in the neck with a pair of scissors (amidst all of his other ridiculous and disturbing antics). I already had a good idea about all of the sex and drug scandals, but it certainly was entertaining to divulge in all the juicy details. Fortunately, the game details were just as interesting as well as nostalgic for me, as this all took place during the time I was first getting into football, and I remember watching all of these Super Bowls. Irvin, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith and co. had quite a run in so many ways throughout the 90s, and I loved all the insight and scandalous tales the Pearlman brings to life in this brilliant if not perfect book.
Little Children - Tom Perrotta (2004)
I had seen the film version of Little Children several years ago, and though I don't remember all the intricate details, it seems like it did a good job of capturing the feel and displaying the events of the book, which I ended up liking even more than I expected. With this novel, Tom Perrotta tells a dark, comedic tale of questionable marriage and parenthood, dominated by events such as extramarital affairs, child molestation, and dealing or reconciling with those in the midst of a seemingly normal suburban town. Some elements of Little Children are unsurprisingly (and probably intentionally) juvenile, but Perrotta offers up some interesting insight. More than anything, I enjoyed the wonderfully formed and incredibly flawed characters, and the events that take place within the story are dramatic, disturbing and funny in all the right ways. Also, it is so rare that a book has such an appropriate ending that is equally funny and depressing.
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