My Secret Garden by Nancy Friday

It took me a very long time to finish this book. It's a collection of letters from various women to the author, telling the secrets of their sexual fantasies, divided into topics and bookended with authorial essays. It's a very interesting topic, but a lot to get through. 

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

Cults. Is there a topic more juicy? Who doesn't want to adapt a completely regimented lifestyle to help them avoid all the crap they don't want to do? But cults are not just religions, of course not. Cults can be gyms, MLMs, and support groups. 

And this book goes into some depth about the language many of these groups adapt to divide themselves from anyone who's not in the cult. It's all pretty interesting, but it's not as juicy as a tell-all from someone who sold their soul, castrated themselves, or went into human trafficing. So don't expect that here. 

All Your Base Are Belong to Us: How Fifty Years of Videogames Conquered Pop Culture by Harold Goldberg

I think I found this in a list of books for Game Designers, on good old Goodreads or something. It's somewhat of an entertaining memoir on the impact of video game culture from the stationary Pong to our current state of mobility. Each chapter is dedicated to new milestones in the scene: arcades, home consoles, mmos, and such. 

As someone who's generally interested in this topic, I already knew most of the presented information from Youtube, however I didn't know that Tetris was made in a public library that allowed smoking. Yes, it was a fun read about exciting times. 

Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter by Tom Bissell

I probably talk about privilege too much in these book reports. Oh well. Some segments of This book give the term a whole new meaning, expounding on the experience of its writer who dedicated months of his life to doing cocaine while playing Grand Theft Auto, and doing nothing else. So it is a very singular experience we get to peak into. Moreso, this book is about the impact games can have on your life and on our culture as a whole. It's worth reading for anyone who is a serious gamer and wonders if they are letting life pass them by. 

Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami

Here is yet another book about how one very talented person becomes a Novelist and maintains that status. If you haven't gathered, I have ambitions as a writer. Sure. I've written a few novels which I won't let anyone read? Why, because I don't have the confidence to do much with it. Why? Because I get distracted and want to do other creative stuff. But writing is fun, and I always want to do more of it while I'm more practiced at completing big projects in Music that very few people listen to. It wouldn't be much different to put out a long piece of fiction that even fewer people will Read. 

Whatever. Writing is fun. Haruki Murakami had fun as a writer, and he did some really great work, with a very unique method of first writing his novels in English and then translating to Japanese (his native tongue), to keep his prose simple and clear. And he does have a wonderful narrative voice. 

The Last Closet by Moira Greyland

This is a sort of memoir by the daughter of famous author Marion Zimmer Bradley, and it's a tough read. Like most fantasy fans, I Loved the Mists of Avalon when I read it, recommending it to everyone with an interest in getting inxto reading more (which is most people). But imagine if your famous, successful parents sexually abused you as a child and believed strongly in the _virtues_ of pedophilia? What if you had to find your own way in such a heavy shadow? That's what this story is about. 

Sid Meier's Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games by Sid Meier

If you don't know who Sid Meier is, he's a very famous game developer from the 8 and 16-bit era of computing. If not, you still might have heard of the Civilization series of games. They were originally designed and programmed by none other than Sid Meier. As an enjoyer of game-making with dreams of having some kind of success in the field beyond my little home office, I Have done some reading on the subject. How could I not? Sid Meier's story isn't especially unique aside from his eventual success. He got his start making games in contests hosted by small publishers and programming for boring companies until his own game studio took-off. Still I love the magic of game making, how one can take nothing and make something that will bring hundreds of hours of enjoyment to a player's life. I'm inspired by anyone who can achieve such a thing. So are you looking for inspiration? Look no further until you finish this one. 

Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

This book is a collection of editorials by one author, detailing the daily routines of famous, successful artists when they are and are not working on a project. Almost all of these people became rich and famous, giving them freedom pursue other interests while agents and managers set up work for them to do when it was time to do Art. Most of these artists also progressively drank more alcohol until they stopped creating things altogether. So it's not an especially encouraging read for anyone trying to form a strategem for becoming even more creative. Aside from that, you could read it if you want to stuff more information into your head. 

French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billon

The French have, to me, some severe habits and expectations when it comes to eating. And that's just fine. While this book wasn't as enlightening as I hoped, in inspiring me to eat better, I was repeatedly aroused by the sense of culture that can exist in other places. I hardly notice the traditions and expectations that exist in our country.

And there are some french ways I think would be nice. Over there, kids at every school have a two hour, six course meal at lunch, teaching them to eat a variety of healthy foods with healthy habits. French don't eat alone, which could be a good thing, especially when you're one to go for more slices than you should. They don't have to deal with the shame of eating bad, because they habitually eat good and avoid obesity-causing habits at a young age. But alas, we live in America and tend toward the ways of those around us.

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy

This story was too juicy to pass up, and I'm glad I read a massively popular piece during it's hype. Who wouldn't want to read this child star's horrific account of massive success? I was a little bit shocked by some of the awful things Jeannette's mom did, and I'm also glad for her to have died.

Let's avoid spoilers. If you're at all interested in stories of child stardom and abusive parents, I think you might as well pick this one up. Maybe you just like reading and don't know what next. This can be your next book. McCurdy's narrative is both hilarious and tragic. Sometimes I think to be a good writer, you also have to know how to be an entertainer. Such is the clear case here.

Lurking: How a Person Became a User by Joanne McNeil

While this book contains a lot of negative feedback toward our current state of internet and social pedia, McNeil also gets pretty sentimental about the earlier days of the internet. I felt more than a little sappy when she compared being on Myspace to having been at Woodstock.

If you're at all interested in how our social nature has changed while diving into a ton of extra information on the websites that invented the habits that are now second nature, then I would recommend Lurking. It was a fascinating, though sometimes depressing read.

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

I'm not entirely sure where Zen comes into this book, as Bradbury fills every page with passion and excitement for writing. This collection of essays tells much of Bradbury's own story with much practical advice to those who write stories.

I found it very inspiring and encouraging. If you wish you wrote more, like me, I suggest this one.

Consider This by Chuck Palahniuk

As you know, I'm a writer of fiction with hopes of someday showing a novel people like you will want to read. So I picked up yet another book on the craft of narrative fiction. And it was pretty good. Palanhiuk talks a lot about his life as a writer, while giving the best practical writing advice he could put together.

So I very much appreciate his elaboration on the tricks he uses to hook readers, though you should be able to figure it out by reading his other books. Now I know, if I had the talent, how to write like Chuck. While every writer intends to have their own style, I do see the value in what he shares.

If you're a writer, I definitely recommend this book. And like most books by authors on writing, he included a long reading list, mostly of stuff that inspires his own work. Stuff heavy on hooks and voice. All good stuff.

The Art of Point-and-Click Adventure Games by Bitmap Books

I don't know about you, but I have wonderful memories playing adventure games on my family's old 486 pc with DOS and Windows 3.11. Even a terribly callibrated joystick, I was enchanted by the fun scenes, characters, and stories in the games of Lucas Arts. I was one of the lucky ones to experience the end of this golden age of adventure gaming, highlighted in this book.

This hefty volume dives deep into the careers and methods of the guys who made not just the ones I've experienced, but hundreds of other adventures. A good half of present pages are comprised of screen shots, show-casing scenery and perspective as a powerful tool in story telling. There are a few editorials, but the bulk of the text is in interview form.

And I like that. The designers of the games themselves are likely to have the most astute things to say about their work. However, a lot of these interviews go over the same kind of stuff, starting with the same types of questions. While I'm interested in what it might have been like to work at Lucas Arts' Skywalker Ranch and make the transition from working with EGA graphics to VGA, I didn't find much value in the recounting of similar experiences. But that's a small peeve.

That's a small peeve, and I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves game design. While most games have an element of story telling and adventure, there's a lot to be learned from the releases that, for decades, did it best. The Art of Point-And-Click Adventure Games leaves it readers with something more meaningful than its nostalgia trip, and I'm looking forward to reading everything Bitmap Books has to offer.

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

This was more of a guidebook on how to become unblocked, as a "blocked" artist. So I was supposed to read a chapter a week, and do homework. It took me a while to get into the habit of following the directives, so it took me a while to get through the book. I never considered myself blocked, though I could always create more art. Sure. Mostly, I was looking for tips on gaining the confidence necessary to put more words on pages.

Cameron insists on invoking the great Creator, from whom our work flows. They are in charge of the quality of our work, and we are in charge of getting it done. If we accept that our creativity is a gift from God, any fault in our work can be directed to Him. And there are a lot of things like that in this book, much like a twelve step program.

And while I've made a few changes to my habits and my thinking about art, it's yet to be determined whether this book has had a profound, positive impact on my artistic path. That being said, I haven't done all of my homework, and I haven't gotten much better at nurturing my inner artist. Maybe, by the time I've finished all of the homework, I'll no longer feel so bitter about how some things have turned out for me, and I'll have more courage about the work I share.

But The Artist's Way did help me to find a sense of direction, better aligned with my values. And for anyone out there who is a blocked artist, and would like to get back into the habit of doing creative things, I do recommend this book. I think it would help a lot, at least to get the ball rolling.

A Room of One's Own by Virgia Woolf

You might consider this Woolf's original (pre)feminist manifesto, originally used in lectures at the few women's colleges of the time. Even today, I think this could be an adequate foray into feminist ideas, especially for someone who has never thought about the work that has gone into patriachy, for patriarchy. Though I don't think Woolf used such terminology, mostly talking about the (then short) history of women in literature, and perhaps inventing the concept of Shakespeare's brilliant sister.

Woolf also had some very forward-thinking, though probably not applicable today, ideas about gender fluidity, seeing the writer within as a woman. That's why men were so threatened by women, superior writers, in fiction. However educational, I don't think this is the ideal book for any who seek empowerment while oppressed by today's weird world.

Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose

This book has a lot of the lessons you might have gotten from a professor in your classes on literature or creative writing. Francine Prose likes the classics, and she dissects them; not for the quality of their plot, but for the quality of their words. She teaches us what the great writers did that made their works great, which is useful. Reading a lot of books, it would make sense for me to notice the good and useful techniques of others.

Most books I've read so far on writing have focused mainly on producing a sellable novel, which is a pretty normal goal, completely ignored by Francine Prose. So there is the goal of getting published and the aspiration of creating great literature, but what about retaining a love for the work? There must also be a book on that, somewhere.

How Not to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman

As you might know, I've been working on my third novel. It's been a fun time, but I do want it to be good. The greatest thing that slows my work is the trepidation with which I approach each session, knowing my work is going to suck. And I've been trying to build self-confidence in every way I can fine. How Not to Write a Novel has helped to some extent. I'd already deduced most of its advice by watching lectures, and reading other books on writing. Still, I really appreciate it's quick, strong, good advice. I highly recommend it to anyone in my shoes.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

This one was pretty good, in the realm of self-help. I had at one time, delved into Dale Carnegie's 'How to Make Friends and Influence People', but I just didn't see myself ever being Dale's kind of guy. Covey denounces Carnegie's 'personality ethic' in favor of a character-focused self image. He explains the principles that make people truly valuable to one another.

I think self-help writers spend too much time telling stories of how their methods work, when one can never be too sure until they try it for themselves. Still I thought this book made a ton of good points. If you want to have constructive, synergistic, meaningful relationships with others, but don't know how, then I strongly recommend this book.

Lord of War (feat. Nicolas Cage)

From Saturn Films, the company who brought us Next, we have Lord of War. It's an autobiographical-style film, like The Weather Man or Blow (with Johnny Depp), only it's about a big league gun runner. I kept expecting Cage's character to immediately turn into an action hero, but he doesn't. Instead Yuri Orlov (played by Cage) goes on a hero's journey, going darker and darker, providing more weapons for more deaths. Even still, he can't cease to be a human, with human feelings. What conflict!

There are some very cheesey times, like a modern version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, playing in full during the film's most emotional moment. There's also the part when Yuri and his brother Vitaly (played by Jared Leto) get into cocaine, and Eric Clapton's Cocaine plays in the background. Leto's Vitaly cooks at the family restaurant, always rocking his cool emo hair, and never ages as the early 80s roll into some time in the 90s.

I almost expected this film to be based off a true story, because most of the characters do behave like real people, and make the types of decisions real people make. The credits tell us it's based on true events, but to what specifics? Maybe they just said that to scare me, and make me tell others how they must see it. Ethan Hawke also has a small, surprise, role. His presence alone might grant this film a few extra ranks, but no... I had to be fair! Still, I take liberties regarding personal taste. A silly romantic comedy will always win over a serious movie about gun violence and tragedy.

1. Raising Arizona
2. Leaving Las Vegas
3. Adaptation
4. Birdy
5. Wild at Heart
6. Color Out of Space
7. Peggy Sue Got Married
8. City of Angels
9. Lord of War
10. Gone in 60 Seconds
11. Matchstick Men
12. Vampire's Kiss
13. Con Air
14. Face/Off
15. Honeymoon in Vegas
16. The Family Man
17. It Could Happen to You
18. 8mm
19. Ghost Rider
20. Next
21. The Weather Man
22. The Croods