[Closed] Recent Reading - Part I

What do you mean? It's out to get you?

I agree but he does know how to make a book a page turner.

After reading about the plot, mine neither! I'm more into thriller/sci fi/fantasy.

To keep with the criminal theme: NR: Depraved - Harold Schechter

I've read some of Schechter's True Crime books before, and I find them riveting: he specializes in serial killers from the turn of the century, offering a wealth of information about the era, the social circumstances and the protagonist's surroundings that betrays the most thorough research. The era really comes alive through the minute details and social settings he describes with an ease as if it were fiction.

Depraved, the story of America's very first serial killer, H.H. Holmes around the 1880s, is no exception. As disturbing as the subject matter is, and the demonic psychological deviousness inherent to it, it's fascinating to read just how easily people are manipulated, how a web of deceit and murder goes unnoticed for so long, and how much things depend on just a turn of a screw.

In this day and age, psychologised and media-rich, we can easily place any suchsociopath, but it's fascinating to see how tur-of-the-century America tries and makes sense of such a man (which they can't in any other way tha to mythologise him: "monster", "devil", "bluebeard").
A very interesting read indeed, if only to understand the era more.

Finished Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I like how he makes academic research so accessible and repackages it using his own terms. He argues that social and cultural context, birth timing, practical intelligence, 10,000 hours of practice, as well as luck and opportunity are the ingredients for extraordinary success. I guess I'm not successful since I haven't found anything that I want to do for 10,000 hours yet! lol.

I'll be starting a film music-related book that I received at Christmas:

"A History of Film Music" by Mervyn Cooke

http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Film-Mu … amp;sr=8-1

I've read a few history of film music books over the years and I'm hoping that this one will provide some additional insights on the subject. Scanning through the chapters there does seem to be more coverage across a few lesser areas. Take a look at the table of contents for a list of the chapters covered.

sounds interesting

It differs quite a bit from the film doesn't it.

I thought the quick moving, aggressive mini-elephant was creepy.

I read the book before the film was made so you'll have to remind me, was it the lawyer Gennaro who get's killed by the juvenile T-Rex?

Nope. It was Ed Regis, Jurassic Park head PR. Gennaro survived in the book.

An excellent example where the film outshone the book by far!

Oh, my dark demonic Lords!
That takes me back!

You have most exquisite taste, Sir!
(Even in the generally considered distasteful. )

Back to "Twisted" with the quirky endings.

I also got and read Twisted Volume 2 also by Deaver.