nomadreader

I readily admit I have an odd fascination with Lauren Conrad. It's not terribly odd, I suppose, as her success is due to many people being fascinated by her. I find her inspiring, which I don't say about many twenty-four year olds. She grew up on television in perhaps the most mature way possible. We've seen her laugh, cry, have her heart broken and be betrayed. We've never really seen her lose her cool (the rant against Heidi was deserved and rather tame, given the situation) or fall down drunk. She's done a remarkable job of maintaining close friendships and some sense of a life when she was thrust into a spotlight at 17. Yes, she chose the show, but would any 17-year-old anticipate the career trajectory based on one decision? She plays by her rules; she walked away when she was ready. As I often point out to those who mock my fascination with Ms. Conrad, she has the best grammar of any celebrities I follow on Twitter.  Given my fascination, I was excited t...

  Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts Waiting on Wednesday each week to encourage book bloggers to spotlight an eagerly anticipated upcoming release.   My pick this week is A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, author of The Keep , Look At Me , The Invisible Circus , and Emerald City (short stories). Here's what the publisher has to say: Jennifer Egan’s spellbinding new work circles Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Bennie and Sasha never discover each other’s pasts, but the reader does, in intimate detail, along with the secret lives of a host of other people whose paths intersect with theirs in the San Francisco 1970s music scene, the demimonde of Naples, New York at many points along the way from the pre-Internet nineties to a postwar future, and on a catastrophic safari into the heart of Africa. We meet Lou, Bennie’s charismatic, careless mentor; Scotty, the ...

  After reading Nicholas Kristof's intriguing New York Times column about this book, I knew I wanted to read it. Kristof's column provides a lovely introduction to the book. The story is a fascinating one. This family decided to sell their house, buy a smaller one (at half the price) and give the difference to charity. The book tells the story of how this family came to this decision and how they chose where to give their money. It's not a touchy feely, over the top, inspiring book. It is inspiring, but it's inspiring in such an attainable way. The Salwens are quite honest about their finances. They were living in a $2 million home. They downsized their family of four into a $900,000 home in the same neighborhood. Sacrifice is a very personal thing. The Salwens recognize simultaneously how much and how little they did. It was a crazy idea, but they also talk about how easy it was to do (except for actually finding a buyer for their home). I enjoyed this book...

Welcome to Tuesday Bookday, a brand new feature here at nomadreader. Every Tuesday, I'll remind you about the day's book releases I've already reviewed and those I'm eager to read. I'll also inform local readers of upcoming literary events in and around Albany, New York. New Release :   Lauren Oliver's debut novel, Before I Fall , is out today. It's a young adult novel about Sam, who is having a Groundhog Day-like experience as she relives the day of her death. It's always February 12 for Sam. My full review is here . You can also follow Lauren on Twitter . Literary Events: You already know all about the Empire State Book Festival on April 9 & 10. Masha Hamilton, author of 31 Hours , will be in Clifton Park on Friday, March 5 at the Clifton Park/Half Moon library from 10:30 a.m. to noon for an author talk and book signing. On Thursday, March 4, University at Albany's own Lydia Davis will give a seminar at 4:15 p.m. and a reading ...

Welcome to my Monday morning recap of my Friday night adventures. Mr. Nomadreader and I had the pleasure of seeing the Oscar nominated short films, both animated and live action. The theater broke them up into two different sessions, which really was a blessing. The shorts are currently showing at selected local theaters, but they're also available on demand in some areas and through iTunes. More information is on the Oscar shorts Web site . The Live Action Shorts: (Links are to the film's official sites or imdb.) Kavi , a film set in India about modern day slavery. It was bleak, depressing and powerful. The director, Gregg Helvey is currently looking for financing to make it into a full-length feature film. The New Tenants , a dark, violent, satirical gem. I actually squealed when Vincnet D'Onofrio unexpectedly appeared on screen. It's crazy, and it's lovely if you can stomach violent dark humor. Miracle Fish , an Australian film about a charming 8-year-old ...

I've had a Kindle for two months now, and I still love it. There have been huge changes in how and what I read since I got it, and I've been following the news about e-book price wars, delayed e-book releases and the general wackiness of the publishing and retail industry quite closely. A Book Borrower Turned Book Buyer Before I got my Kindle, I rarely bought books. I have the benefit of both the university library and a fantastic local public library system . On the rare occasion I can't get a book through either library source, I would usually wait six months and request it through interlibrary loan or obsessively enter blog contests to win a copy. I've lived in four states in four years, and I'm tired of moving books, so I didn't feel the need to collect them. As a book blogger, I also have the luxury of review copies to entice me, so I do acquire books. Despite not being a book buyer, I adore my Kindle. I don't mind paying for books with the conveni...

  The Birthday Ball is the latest novel by Lois Lowry, but it bears little resemblance to the Lowry novels I've read before. One of Lowry's greatest talents as a writer is to break new ground and somewhat defy categorization.  The Birthday Ball is a delightful fairy tale of sorts. Our heroine, Princess Patricia Priscilla, is a feisty princess who longs for a normal life. She soon devises a plan to swap clothes with her nursemaid and begin attending school. The story is a funny, wacky fairy tale. I was absolutely transported to this land of magic. For Princess Patricia Priscilla, the kingdom and its riches were ordinary, and she was transported to her fairy tale: being a peasant girl in school able to help make dreams come true. For her nursemaid, she was given days of leisure to read Alice in Wonderland , a wacky fairy tale in its own right. Perhaps the best part of The Birthday Ball was it's humor. Some jokes may go right over the heads of the younger readers, b...