On The Road by Jack Kerouac

 ON THE ROAD

On The Road by Jack Kerouac

- Jack Kerouac - 

I am not sure why this book is a 'must read' on so many lists?

It was fine. I finished it, which means it must have been decent. But, a 'must read'...I'm not sure about that.

To me the highlight of the book was Kerouac's description of a jazz band playing...but, like a Jazz jam, the book was a chaotic mess. With no direction, a changing beat, a riff that takes a completely different tangent, and then repeat it all again.

Essentially Jack writes about going across the country and back a multitude of times. Your classic road trip story. The main character (Sal...which I think is actually an autobiographical Jack Kerouac) is young, irresponsible, and looking for some sort of adventure. He meets up with like minded people. Not my kind of people, but that is fine because the wonderful thing about books and stories like this is that you get to experience a different life. The life Jack and his buddies live is one of 'living for the moment'. They don't plan anything, they just get the bug to drive across the country, so they do. They are constantly out of money from spending it all on a wild night of boozing and all the gas for driving. It gets kind of repetitive and boring after they do this a multitude of times.

The part of the book that I really did not like at all was the structure of the writing. There was almost no structure. What I mean is that Kerouac just goes...and goes... and goes...and goes...pages of random details and descriptions with almost no breaks. Few paragraphs to catch your breath. And borderline run on sentences that make you want to insert a few commas or semi colons just to keep things straight.

Even though I didn't like the structure, it fit the book. A fast paced, fly by the seat of your pants, constantly weaving tale.

So, to me at least, the book did not live up to its hype. I guess it was groundbreaking at the time, since it hit taboo topics like drugs, sleeping around, and the 'beat' culture (which to me seems to mean living on the streets? hitchiking? and overall taking no responsibility in life?). I don't think the book has aged well. But, maybe it would be a book you connect with?

ODD MAN RUSH - BILL KEENAN

ODD MAN RUSH

- BILL KEENAN -

I've read a lot of hockey biographies/autobiographies and I have to say that Odd Man Rush is one of the best of the lot. Typically hockey books are full of dry prose and pace slowing stats. Keenan's writing is the opposite - lively, humourous, and almost devoid of the rundown of numbers that are like speed bumps when reading.
His take on hockey is just as passionate as any NHL star, but, Keenan is not afraid to dig into the corners of self deprecation. Layman's terms - he makes fun of himself and some of the situations he gets himself in. That is what makes this books so fresh and different. Most other hockey books are serious and keep up the "man's-man"/winner attitude - which is sometimes inspiring, but, can get kind of dull after reading six books where no jokes or even slightly funny stories are told. Luckily, in Odd Man Rush there is very little heavy-talk about leadership, grit, taking a puck in the face for the team...or really even winning. Instead there is focus on the funny characters one meets in the locker room. The strange superstitions goalies have. Bad crowd behaviour. Childhood dreams mocked. Even a sacrilegious criticism of the being-a-man / tough guy attitude.
I love how the hilarity starts right from the beginning. First coach's first prep talk, 'have fun and don't care about winning b/c none of you are going to make the NHL anyway'. Keenan moves teams and takes on new personalities to fit in. It starts with faking a 'Canadian' accent. Then he changes the way he dresses (turns out a preppy private school kid doesn't wear the same clothes as the ragtag bunch from Jersey). He even relishes the day he was given a nickname...rhymes with Billy. Not Silly, not Philly, not Killy, but, Dilly (one of the many slang words for male body part). He was finally accepted as part of the team! Light hearted, fish out of water stories, fill the start of this book - those easy to relate to childhood memories one looks back on and thinks, "wtf was I thinking?"
As Keenan moves up in hockey, and in life, the stories change slightly. Still light hearted, but, are more about his teammates...mostly the wacky ones, the D-bags (as he refers to them), and the influential people he plays with. The 'fish out of water' stories are still there, but, are more literal as Keenan moves to Europe to play hockey and runs into language problems and cultural differences.
Overall, a fun trip through the hockey community and all the weird and wacky characters that make it what it is.
This book is available on Amazon - ODD MAN RUSH

A COOK'S TOUR

A COOK'S TOUR

- Anthony Bourdain -

Bourdain pulled it off again! Another 'Must Read' book I'd recommend to anyone.
The concept is pretty basic - he travels the world in search of the perfect meal. From the refined tables of France to the dirty slums of some hideous sounding Asian country, he really does go everywhere. This is the book version of his TV show - No Reservations. Or, at least the first season. But, as any bookworm knows the book is always better than the movie.
Now, I liked No Reservations (the TV show), but, I really, really, really liked A Cook's Tour. Bourdain gives us the backstory, and the truth behind each episode he filmed. What you see on TV is not really how it happened, or at least how Bourdain felt it happened. He may be smiling to the camera, but, he was often homesick, filled with guilt, or wracked with depression.
This book is great because it is so honest. Bourdain is not a chipper chicken the entire time. If he doesn't like something he'll let you know. On the other hand, if he says the sheep testicles are one of the best things he's tasted - then they probably are.
I also liked that he revealed his true feelings about some of the places: That France did not live up to his childhood memories. That some Japanese delicacies almost made him vomit. That he sometimes felt like a stereotypical bumbling American that would never really be able to understand another culture.
He gave it a good try though. As a tour guide he was good. As a food guide he was excellent. His trip around the world was a true adventure. He didn't always stick to the beaten path. He has a good knack for describing things so well, in a somewhat crude way sometimes. It made for a fun read.

RATING : READ

MOLVANIA

MOLVANIA

A Land Untouched By Modern Dentistry

- Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Rob Sitch -

What a great guide to this relatively unknown, rundown, and backward country. For the traveller who actually considers going to Molvania, this book is a must to keep in the backpack. There is a bit of everything ranging from the history of this cement loving country to tips on how to interact with locals.
I personally love how the book starts. Paraphrasing here - Robust culture, magnificent panoramic views, unique flavourful foods, welcoming hosts, are all sadly, absent from Molvania. But, if you look hard enough the most adventurous traveller can have a one of kind travel experience.
This tone resonates throughout the book. That of a harsh, but, realistic look at this country, yet, upbeat at the same time. The few, and far between, bright (or at least not pitch black) spots of Molvania are really brought to the forefront with this type of writing. It makes one almost want to plan a visit. 
The format of this book makes it really easy to either skim through and find specific information such as hotel recommendations in the East Mountains, or just read straight through and pick up a good base knowledge of the entire country and its people. 
I personally enjoyed the highlighting of specific words dotted throughout the pages. It gave me direction and was an easy way to emphasize some of the more important facts or themes the authors were trying to get across. For eg, I have pulled a few pages from The People and The Arts sections of the book and listed the highlighted words below :

• blowing your nose
• barren plains
• chainsaws
• head butting
• public hanging
• cheap euro porn
• noticeable stutter
• Beta Video

See how just highlighting a few words can give the reader a much better understanding of the topic at hand. Don't you feel that much more enlighten on The People and The Arts of Molvania by just reading that list? I know I did while reading through this guide.

I will also applaud the hotel and restaurant recommendation section of the guide. The writers sure did their homework on this front and not only gave reviews of the somewhat Western friendly establishments, but, also the 'budget' places for those on a budget or for those looking for a more authentic experience. Personally, I'm happier knowing what restaurants serve horse meat. At least I know which ones to avoid right?

Scattered throughout the guide are tips, which I thought were not only useful, but gave even more insight into the strange and abnormal workings of the Molvanian mind. The tips ranged from common saying and greetings that one would need to know (in order to avoid physical assaults for eg), to what drinks to avoid if travelling the barren plains of the East (turns out many alcoholic drinks contain such things as gasoline and antifreeze).

After reading this guide I was struck with two thoughts. First, how awful a trip to Molvania sounded, what with the lack a hygiene, the constant threat of assault, and the smell. Then it struck me, this book could change all of that. Maybe, just maybe, a book like this will inspire some poor soul to take up the challenge and travel to Molvania. If they survive, there experience will no doubt cause more people (or at least the previous traveller's lawyers) to pay a visit to Molvania. And, maybe if enough people do this, the culture and laws of this country will change and allow it to become more tourist friendly. Then even a novice traveller like myself may consider spending a weekend in Lutenblaag. We can only hope.

RATING : READ

IN A SUNBURNED COUNTRY

IN A SUNBURNED COUNTRY

- Bill Bryson -

Bill takes a trip down under and decides to share it with us. 

Guess I'd better write back.

Bill,

So, you finally made it 'down under', to the place where the toilets swirl the 'wrong' way? 
I really enjoyed your picturesque descriptions of the landscape, the water, the parks, and all of the cities and towns you visited in Australia. I thought your attempts at humour were pretty good, for the most part. I didn't actually laugh out loud, but, I would smile sometimes. I was getting worried near the end, it sounded like you were getting a bit worn out and grumpy. If fact, you sounded pretty rude - bordering on jackass - on that day in Darwin! Usually, you are pretty upbeat and positive. Did something happen, something you are not telling us about? Did you just long for the good ol' USA?

I noticed many of your comparisons were American references. Luckily, I knew who Lewis & Clark were. Sorry, you didn't understand the whole parliamentary political system. Or, the whole colonial thing. But, I really don't think there is anything wrong with Australians still wanting to be connected to Great Britain. You don't have to berate them for not wanting to be a 'real' country. Us Canadian's are like that. We like having a Queen. It's just for traditional sake anyway.

Along with that, just wondering why you commented on the Australians being 'self consumed' just for having a section in the used bookstore called Australiana. Oh Bill, I've been to your country, and let me tell you, if one country is self consumed it's you guys.

I'm sure you were just having a bad day. Or were you lonely? It didn't sound like you made any new friends, or even talked to more than half a dozen people. Before you left, I thought you said you were going to get a real feel for the country and the people...what happened to the people part? I told you, you've gotta take me next time. I'll talk to people and get the real scoop on the country. I bet your head was probably just stuck in one your books again. All that reading sure paid off eh? I know more about Australian history and geography than one needs to know in a lifetime thanks to you. You do a good job of explaining it too. Perhaps you'd consider a teaching job at the local college instead of this writing thing. You'd be great at it! Trust me.

Oh, I heard you baseball team is doing good this year. Didn't take up cricket yet (haha)? I'm going to have to have a debate with you next time we get together about that; you really think baseball is more exciting than cricket? They are almost the same pace when compared to hockey!

Hey, what was up with your lack of writing on the Aborigines? You snuck in a few teasers about how they have a long long long and rich history, and how there were tons of modern day problems. Now, I'm no editor but, those sounded like they'd make for some great reading.
Um, not meaning to sound too frank (or rude in any way), and I'm hoping this comes across as constructive criticism for your next international travel book. The whole tone of this book made you sound like the stereotypical 'American' tourist. You know what I mean? Where anything not like America is somehow inferior. You just made way too many comments about Australia being backwards or outdated 'like 1950's America'. I found the only genuine sounding comment you made about the people was when you said something along the lines of how they walk in a casual, yet confident way, like Americans. Anyway, you know being Canadian I have an inferiority complex with you guys, so I'm probably blowing this thing out of proportion. Sorry.
I would enjoy hearing more of your travels. I understand you have another account of your trip through the Appalachian mountains. Sounds like a blast.
Well, the wife and kids are good. Planning a trip to Disney next winter, I'll send you my review of it, let you criticize the heck out of it ;)

Sincerely, Bookworm Smith

**I listened to this audiobook. It was read by Bill Bryson himself.

Pecked to Death by Ducks

PECKED TO DEATH BY DUCKS

- Tim Cahill -



This book has a number of pros and a number of cons. My opinion flip flopped from good to bad as I read through the 300 or so pages. I eventually settled on a Do Not Read...although there were many parts I enjoyed...so it's a very tentative Do Not Read. In other words, I might recommend it to a specific person but not to everyone I know.
The title is what initially drew me in. Pecked to Death by Ducks - that sounds funny. I noticed a comment on the cover comparing Cahill's writing to Anthony Bourdain and P.J. O'Rourke. Great, I was in the mood for a snarky, wit filled, pithy travel log. The book's prologue is an explanation of the title where Cahill suggests he has a great sense of humour and that is why his books have such funny titles. Great, a humour book..or in this case, my first expectation shot down.
The first chapter is intense. Very well written, not in a funny way, but in a shocking way that pulls you right in. Cahill describes a trip to Kuwait post Iraq war. Dead bodies, eerily quiet abandoned beachside resorts, and the flaming hells of the oil fires. It's a scene out of the apocalypse. What a great start to the book. A five star rating...but, that chapter soon ended and the book never made it back to that level.
Many many more stories followed. From quick snippets of Cahill's trips to strange and exotic South Pacific islands to mundane accounts of his local travels through Montana. A handful of his travel accounts were interesting, but, the majority were mediocre and bland. Perhaps it was because I don't rock climb or take part in 'rope work' (there were more than a few chapters dealing with his mountain climbing or cave dropping) that I lost interest rather quickly.
The humour and wit that was advertised on the book's cover was non existent from what I could tell. The few attempts at sarcasm, witty references, or jokes fell flat (like my souffles or Flat Stanley). I was very disappointed because my expectation was for a funny travel journal.

RATING: Do Not Read

I have started a new reading challenge for the months of July and August. I call it the dewey decimal countdown. I'm reading a book from the 900 section, then a book from the 800 section, and so on. This was my 900 choice. 900 consists of History, Geography, and Travel...so, kind of a tough section to start off. I have a feeling my 800 choice will actually be hilarious. 800's include Literature. And, for some reason Red Green falls under the literature section?