seaglanz's reviews
173 reviews

Our Numbered Days by Neil Hilborn

3.0

I can't recall the last time I read a series of poetry, but I picked this book up after watching his viral reading of 'OCD'. Hearing and reading that poem struck me as so powerful, as were some of the the other poems in the book. But, overall - if I am going to experience poetry, I prefer spoken word to written text.

The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

5.0

Theroux's journey definitely incites wanderlust. He traverses by train from London through Europe and Asia to Japan, and back through Russia. Set in the '70s, and filled with detailed observations about the world and people around him -- he can kind of comes off as an elitist asshole sometimes, which irritated me. But, more so, what draws me to this book is his thoughts on long term traveling in general. Ideas like "travel is flight and pursuit in equal parts" and "one always begins to forgive a place as soon as it's left behind" kept me seeing Theroux with a kind eye. In general, if you're into travelogues and stories of life on the road, I'd recommend giving this one a go.

One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak

4.0

BJ Novak definitely entertained me in this one. These short, breezy stories were a delight to read. They ranged massively, from silly pop culture references to deeper more thought provoking topics. There's no string holding them together, which makes it an easy pick up and put down book. When I came to the last story, I wasn't ready for it to end.

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

3.0

This is kind of a hard book for me to review. I'm a huge fan of Murakami's dream-like state sequences and magical realism, but in this book I sometimes felt like I just wanted the plot to progress. When it was good, it was good -but I did get bored sometimes. Especially during the Ushikawa chapters, I felt like it was an agonizing waiting game. It also didn't really make me think about the world I live in, in the way other Murakami novels have. I was able to suspend reality into their world, but it didn't have the depth and meaning that transcended into mine very easily. I guess you could say the lesson was that true love transcends time, space and dimensions, but that's a bit cheesy for me.

But, with that all said, I read it throughly and did enjoy it for the most part. It just didn't meet the high standards I hold Murakami to.

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

4.0

A terrific read! I crunched through this book so fast - it kept me engaged as a great adventure story with had elements of historical truth, spiritual questioning, and mystery. I enjoyed the way Grann fluxed between telling the story of Fawcett and his personal experience following the story, it was a good balance of the past and present.

I admittedly know very little about the Amazon's history, but this book has definitely sparked my interest in learning more, which is the best gift a book can give you - continuing to peak your curiosity after the last page.

Also, as a side note - I liked the insight he gave at times of what Nina, Fawcett's wife's life was like and her thoughts. I thought a book following her story would be very interesting as well.

Love Her Wild: Poems by Atticus

4.0

As someone still new to poetry, I enjoy Atticus' work. I think I felt the need to preface my review with that, since it seems so many avid poetry readers find his work to be amature or of poor quality. To me, his poems are simple, yet have depth and I find myself rereading certain ones regularly. I had read most of this book online on other platforms, but bought it to read all the way through and thought it would serve as a good table book to have.

Mistress Oriku: Stories from a Tokyo Teahouse by Royall Tyler, Matsutaro Kawaguchi

3.0

As I was perusing for a book to take on a tea trip to Japan with me, I came across Mistress Oriku and picked it up without a second thought. I innocently expected it to be about a woman in Meiji-era Tokyo and her teahouse, but this took a racy turn. Although tea was barely a topic, I definitely enjoyed the empowering stories of Mistress Oriku and her lovers. Especially in a Japanese setting, I enjoyed her brash self-loving attitude on life and the world around her. I'd also love to try her chazuke, it never ceased to be described so deliciously!

Salt by Nayyirah Waheed

5.0

I was left breathless so many times with these poems. I teared, I giggled - I felt a rollercoaster of emotions. Some of the best poetry I’ve come across, I highly recommend it. Damn.

Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch

4.0

I've got myself on a bit of a return of Twin Peaks David Lynch binge, and found this book in the process. It's an interesting read to understand more of his thought process and inspiration. Definitely cool hearing about his dedication to meditation and what that's done for his creative abilities. The layout is a bit scatterbrained and the sections short and sound-bite-ish, which makes it a really fast read.

I Forgot to Die by Khalil Rafati

5.0

An incredibly fast read, this man’s story is a wild rollercoaster. It’s empowering to see the transformation of someone at rock bottom stick through it and find themselves succeeding in the most profound way. I enjoyed his delivery and how easily his story flowed. It was accessible and in no way a cry for pity or praise. He’s humble and honest about what it took to change, all aspects that made it an approachable and relatable read.