FANTABULOUS!! Rarely do I find myself speeding through a book or even reading for 5 hours in bed when I should be getting my beauty sleep. But this first novel by renown graphic designer, Chip Kidd, was a definite page turner. Though classified as fiction, the book reads much like a brief autobiography, as it draws on Kidd’s real life experiences during his art studies at Penn State. I found myself reliving my own college days in Art/Graphic Design classes, relating to many of the goings-on throughout the book (though not quite as electrifying!) Continue »

SOLID! Set in post-Revolutionary War America (Philadelphia, late 1700s) at a time where our Founding Fathers and entrepreneurial schemers ran the race to wealth, power, and molding the country’s destiny, this book had a definite parallel to the situation we now face today. His Excellency George Washington is president and Alexander Hamilton is the Secretary of the Treasury, and our 2 central figures (Ethan Saunders and Joan Maycott) soon embark on their individual paths to effect their respective plots. Once a valued spy for Washington’s army, Saunders has been stripped of all glory and honor by the accusation of selling vital documents of war to the enemy. He is later approached by Hamilton to investigate a scheme against the U.S. Treasury, but is reluctant to help the government that defaced his name. Only when Hamilton’s rival, Thomas Jefferson, tries to recruit Saunders’ skills does our fallen hero realize that something big is in the works. Continue »

Recently, I finished reading my coveted copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, illustrated by none other than Jae Lee, and found it a rather enjoyable read. About midway through I remembered there had been a movie made for it by the acclaimed Francis Ford Coppola back in ‘92, but I couldn’t seem to remember having ever seen it. I think I did. But maybe I didn’t. I dunno. Anyway, I finished the book and thought I’d go rent the movie and check it out. Couldn’t find it anywhere! Neither Movie Gallery nor Hollywood Video carried it. They carried Dracula 2000, though, and even Blackula! But definitely not the classic Bram Stoker version, if you can believe that. So instead of venturing further out in a seemingly hopeless search for this movie, I decided to just buy it from Amazon. Continue »

SUCKED!!! Just kidding. This book was an all in all good read, however, I think there are 2 hemispheres to consider. The first half of the book was simply brilliant! Mr. Stoker did a fabulous job of capturing the reader within the many suspenseful events that contributed to the overall introduction of the count. Now, I’ve read a wee bit of horrific fiction in my day, such as the Resident Evil series, and had some uneasy feelings while doing so, but this book took on such an eerie feel, that I have no comparison. Continue »

Simple but sweet! Starting off, I’ll say that I wasn’t sure what to expect by reading this book and I came close to putting it down after a mere 30 pages for lack of interest. Oddly, the book begins in a kind of monotone dull voice with not a lot of anything happening, which doesn’t necessarily scream for attention. Just basic repetition of a few well described scenes. It was only after those first 30 pages that I realized the underlying beauty of this book. It is simple. It is basic. It’s an apocalyptic tale of a father and son making their way south down the melting asphalt always wary of any other survivors also caught in the primal instinct of survival. It’s a story set in a world stripped of all glory and resilience. One thing I found particularly interesting was the complete lack of any specific details pertaining to the utter ruin of civilization. We don’t even learn the names of the characters. There are vague references of the event throughout, which was done solely with dreams, but we never really learn what happened. Instead, the story focuses on humanity and the bond between father and son. We also have the age-old lesson of right vs wrong, good vs evil. But all in all, it really comes down to asking yourself, “what would you do in that situation?” “What measures would you take to ensure your survival?” One question I kept thinking… “Why survive in a world deplete of all industry, all cultivation, all social economies… hoping to stumble across a rusted can of beans as your only source of food?” This story will definitely call to question not only the meaning of life, but also the value of it. It’s a simple read, it’s a quick read, it’s a good read. I recommend it. Continue »