FREAKONOMICS by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

I'll just start off by saying this book was required reading for English class and it was good enough for me to actually read as opposed to looking up cliff notes. I think that's the best way to summarize my feelings about Freakonomics. This is nonfiction book, as you may have guessed, and is focused around economics. The book was filled with statistic after statistic having to do with people and why they do the things they do. We read the book to study the argumentative techniques so we could incorporate some of the strategies into our own writing. Personally, I didn't find the book very convincing. There really wasn't much said that was arguable. To me, it was more of less a book of facts somebody was rambling about. A lot of points were poorly made. The authors tried to make comparisons between unlikely parallels and when I was through with each chapter I still didn't feel they had anything in common. Even though I didn't really enjoy reading it, Freakonomics isn't so bad. I've been assigned a lot worse books. I'm sure there are a lot of people who would dissagree with me, but the main problem I had with it was there was no essence of creativity. Then again, what do you expect? It's a book about economics. The cheapest version of the book I found in stores was almost $30! I'm sorry, but that's a little out of my, and other book lovers, budget for only an okay book.

On a side note, I think whoever designed the cover is fantastic. It's an apple-orange. How cool is that? Yet, the pages of the book have those faux distressed edges you find on Lemony Snicket books. The whole time I was reading I couldn't get over somebody would make the mistake of matching these antique looking pages with the stark white cover complete with neon green font. Not to mention it's a very current nonfiction book about economics. I don't get it.

See more reviews or buy Freakonomics at Amazon.

Art History in Just a Minute

This is my first podcast review. I'm still not exactly sure what I'm trying to do here, but I love podcasts, so why not write about them?

Art History in Just a Minute is my favorite video podcast. It's a informative, yet funny, fact filled lesson in art. At the moment, there are only two episodes in the iTunes store, but both of them are fantastic. They're short, almost like a commercial break. The makers of this podcast did a really great job putting it together. Visually the shows are fun to watch. In fact, they're so entertaining I forget I'm actually learning something. If you like art (even just a little bit), these shows are packed with cool little tidbits you probably never knew about. Definitely worth the time it takes do download an episode.

Art History in Just a Minute can be downloaded for free directly from the iTunes store. Don't have iTunes? You can watch the videos at the EwArt Productions Website.

MAGICAL THINKING by Augusten Burroughs

Magical Thinking is a collection of short

essays written by Augusten Borroughs, a popular author known for his success in the 'memoir' genre. I've only read one other of his books, Running with Scissors, the fantastically bizarre story of Augusten's childhood. Magical Thinking was a more believable story I was able to laugh at and drink in as nonfiction. It seemed more parallel to normal people's lives, as opposed to his whacked out adolescent years. The thing about Augusten Burroughs's books is that everything in the world is so much funnier when you're reading them. He's absolutely hilarious. Half of my book is underlined with smiley faces in the margin due to my obsessive habit of needing to note anything and everything I find funny when I read just in case I want to quote it in a future paper I write or when I reread it later I can see what I found amusing when I read it the first time. The way he describes people is so... over the top, yet honest at the same time. Magical Thinking's a great place to start if you want to try Augusten Burroughs (or maybe just memoirs in general), although I'm sure the rest of his books would be great. I plan on purchasing and reading them all some day. You should too.

See more reviews or buy Magical Thinking at Amazon.

Augusten Burroughs: the official website.

Imogen Heap Live Video

Watch this and be amazed. Seriously. Imogen Heap is possibly my favorite musical artist ever.

I know it's been a while, but I've been busy. School's been an ogre. In case you were wondering, I finally finished another book yesterday (Magical Thinking) and will be reviewing it soon. At the moment I'm reading a Freakonomics for my English class. It's going, well, slow. I don't have a problem with nonfiction when it's good, like Augusten Burroughs, but a book about economics... not my thing. More on that some other time. (It's really not all that bad. I'm just feeling sorry for myself.)

Molly at her Art Show

My little sister is basically the most talented artist ever. Okay, okay, maybe I'm a little biased, but she's still amazing. Here's some pictures of her art at the Frist, my favorite art museum. Okay okay, the only art museum I've been to. Seriously though, she's only in sixth grade and her art is being displayed in the same place I admired Picasso's work. Isn't that cool! The women in the first photo is her art teacher at school and the second photo is obviously her colored pencil masterpiece. It's labeled as "Lunch," but the title has been recently changed to "Snack."

Podcasts

I think I might start doing Podcast reviews on here too. There's a podcast on every topic imaginable, and the majority of them are free (my favorite number). I'm personally a huge fan of podcasts. There's a lot out there for book lovers. If you've never gone browsing through the podcast section of the iTunes library, you're missing out.

I Think I'm Going to Cry (Deathly Hallows comes out July 2007)

EVERYONE PANIC! The end is near! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is going to be published on Saturday July 21st 2007. That's not even six months from now! I'm so upset. I don't want the Harry Potter era to end... ever. Please wait at least until next summer. One more year. Please. Please. Please. I'm not ready yet.

I'm glad I was born when I was. And the books were published when they were. I'm lucky to be a part of all this Harry Potter fun: release date parties at book stores, theorizing, and all the hype. I am so blessed to be able to grow up with these books. I can tell my kids (Harry Potter will be required reading in my future house) about how we all used to argue about weather Snape was good or evil and if Harry would end up marrying Ginny or Hermione. Really, the only people who get to experience this Harry Potter phenomena are those who are reading the books right now. It won't ever be the same after this summer. :-(

Here's the links to Jo's website or LeakyNews if you want to go check it out for yourself.

Ugh. This is all so dramatic.