Random thoughts Stray memories

Sunday, April 04, 2004

I went to the MPH book sale with my best friend and M today. I've still got a stash of unread books from previous MPH book sales, but as my best friend pointed out, the books are so cheap that you won't feel bad if you've only read half of what you've bought. Anyway, I'm glad he also owns a copy of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time now.

My mixed bag of purchases include:
1) Aimee Bender's An Invisible Sign of My Own.
About a girl who loves numbers, knocks on wood, adds her steps, and multiplies people in the park against one another.
The first time I skimmed through this book was at the old MPH Stamford branch. I guess I have an affinity for people who like numbers.

2) Don DeLillo's Cosmopolis.
About a 28 yr old billionaire asset manager who gets into his limousine to get a haircut across town, and gets stalled along the way like in a contemporary odyssey, complete with presidential motorcade, music idol's funeral and violent political demonstration.
This is the second time I've seen this book. The first time was at another book sale at Marina with da mouse, and somehow I let this book go then. Not this time.

3) Steve Kemper's Code Name Ginger.
The only scientific book of the lot. This one traces the project developing the Segway Human Transporter by inventor Dean Kamen.

4) Chuck Palahniuk's Diary.
I have a thing for Chuck Palahniuk ever since Fight Club, and this was before it got made into a movie. I own or have read nearly every Chuck Palahniuk book already. Reading him is an instinct, just like it is with Douglas Coupland and Haruki Murakami. There isn't a choice.

5) Christopher Locke's Gonzo Marketing (Winning Through Worst Practices).
The only marketing book of the lot. Locke is a co-author of Cluetrain Manifesto, another radical and hilarious marketing book I own but haven't finished reading.

6) The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Dating & Sex.
Has many valuable tips like one how to escape from a bad date, determine if your date is married, and determine the gender of your date.

7) Tama Janowitz's The Male Cross-Dresser Support Group.
Cos I own her other book Slaves of New York and her characters are dysfunctional and whacky.

8) Scott Adams' Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel.
Cos every IT geek (yes I am one) worships Scott Adams.

9) Tony Peake's biography of Derek Jarman.
Jarman was a controversial film-maker, author, painter and gay activist. Have I watched/ read or seen any of his works? Not at all. But the idea of his super-8 films intrigues me.

I guess the above (besides 4 boxes of unread books) helps answer Spacefan's question of why I don't watch TV. lol.
And now there is more reason to read blogs less and books more.

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