ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

I just finished two books that I really liked. So, I thought I would pass
them along.

The first is Shopgirl by Steve Martin.
It was a fast read but so colorful. He's a
good writer...And hilarious! I laughed
outloud at least two dozen times while
reading it. And it contains a few good
insights into the opposite sex...
Even if can't directly relate, I think we
can all find some element within them
that strikes us. I hope you read it!

(If you like that, you should give his second book, The Pleasure of My
Company, a try. I read this when we first got to Phoenix and think it's
even better than Shopgirl. The writing is dry and absolutely amusing;
Laugh out loud funny!)

Next, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.
The movie Capote got so much attention
this year! Philip Seymour Hoffman was
awarded an Oscar for Best Actor for his
role in it. I realized I knew very little about
Capote, except that he wrote this book
and Breakfast at Tiffany's. I didn't even
know what those stories were about.
So, I looked Capote up online and was
instantly intrigued.

A novelist turned journalist, Capote came across an article in the back
of the New York Times about a gruesome, unsolved murder in rural
Kansas. He went there and spent six years researching this case for his
book, In Cold Blood. Meanwhile, he invented a new genre of writing, a
nonfiction novel, what he later called New Journalism.

Excellently written, it's an accurate account, filled with quotes and a
the product of years of research. It was interesting to get such an
intimate look into the lives and minds of the killers from a psychologists
viewpoint and from their narration. I occasionally found myself
sympathizing with their stories. There's also a legal pursuit to follow,
along with the reaction of the town. All in all, there's something in this
book that could pull just about anyone deep into the story.

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In a completely separate piece of 'Entertainment News'...
I went to a see a movie by myself for the first time two weeks ago.
And it was fun -- Totally not a big deal at all. It's one of those things
I have heard people say they "could never do", but I was at the mall
and it sounded like a good idea! I'll be doing it again soon.

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And finally, in music news...The Worst Album Covers Ever!
(Jen Truman emailed these to me, and I thought they were a good time!)