Shortcomings

This week I read something totally out of the ordinary, a crime novel. It was recommended to me by one of my friends (who's suggestions I will no longer depend on) and I'd bought it in a second hand bookshop (thank god) a long long time ago. Seeing as Belgium is nuts about crime fiction and it is now my job to present them with the very "best" of the genre, I decided to read one a month to at least have a tiny clue what I'm selling you people. The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen was February's winner. It contained a serial killer which is pretty standard nowadays, devil worship, secret societies and messed up families. Nothing out of the ordinary really and the perfect lunch break fodder. Over all it wasn't that bad but it didn't particularly motivate me to reach the end as I on numerous occasions thought to myself: Do I really care who the killer is? Which probably isn't a good sign. I finished it yesterday and I'm glad I gave Gerritsen a go, glad because now I know never to read any of her books again even though she's very popular and productive apparently.

After that unholy experience I was in the mood for something short and sweet to wash that bad taste away. Yesterday afternoon I also read Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine which is a rather short and moving graphic novel that I ordered last week. It came to my notice a few years back as it was the only graphic novel to be in the New York Times top 10 books of 2007 and two weeks ago the Dutch version was removed from all Standaard bookshops, bringing it once again to my attention. I've been reading quite a few graphic novels lately and I'm really starting to like their poignant and realistic display of human emotion and all to familiar situations aided by simple and often heart breaking drawings. Shortcomings was no exception while telling the tale of a man, Ben Tanaka, who's (love) life doesn't quite turn out the way he expected it to. Dangerous and highly recommended territory indeed.

More porn

It's been a while since I saw a new video but today I stumbled on a whole new series of PG Porn installments, it's probably just me but I think they're really funny. This new clip even stars the creator, James Gunn, himself. Enjoy!

Spring is upon us

Yesterday evening I attented what my esteemed colleague called "fashion week for books". Apparently Belgian publishers organize this event called De Aanbieding aka The Offer every quarter to present the bestsellers of the season and inform all booksellers what to surely purchase for their store. It sounds interesting but it sadly wasn't.

The evening started off with a lot of numbers and marketing mumbo jumbo and surprisingly enough the top 3 bestsellers of 2008 where the same as in 2007: both Khaled Hosseini's books and an Aspe (they're basically all the same). This was followed by an extensive list detailing all the offers that magazines and newspapers where planning on doing the next few weeks. Anyone who loves to garden, buy Knack! That's all I'm saying.

Luckily just before I was about to nod off, then fun part started: 2009's spring newcomers: Aspe starts killing Miss Belgium contestants, Paulo Coelho tries his hand at writing a literary thriller, the new Murakami is out (it's already 2 years old but for Belgium that apparently means new), Catherine Millet no longer indulges in sexual shenanigans but is now Jealous, Santa Montefiore (Who? Or that was what I was thinking at least) supposedly wrote another bestseller and the high light of the season will probably, actually definitely be Carlos Ruiz Zafon's new novel: The Angel's Game, a prequel to The Shadow of the Wind. It already made my night yesterday, which actually wasn't that hard to do.

Epiphany

I've been everything but my cheerful self lately. The only thing I've done this week is work. I've watched no movies, no TV, haven't seen any of my friends and only read one book this week which was New Moon and the highlight of the past seven days. It was actually a lot better that Twilight although not a lot happened but you really start to get involved with characters. Needless to say, I'm dying to read Eclipse but I'm gonna wait a while to prolong the satisfaction of the series.

Friday was my day off and I almost spent the entire day planning an event. Not an actual event but it was an assignment for a job I applied to a while back and apparently I made it through the first round, hence a more practical follow up. It's funny because now that I've finally got a job, I'm receiving more offers and chances than say a month ago. Who knows right?

One other thing happened on Friday that really took me by surprise. I wasn't as spiteful towards my job like most days but actually started to feel lucky I had it. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying "yippee I love my job" but it has set a few things into perspective. When I graduated I just wanted a job, something interesting and preferably in the area of my "expertize". And thus the quest began. It was a challenging task especially seeing as I had no clear target in mind and after months of rejection and frustration I simply wanted a job, any job which lead me to where I am now. It sounds crazy when I think about it now but I never once considered what I wanted to do or what would make me happy. I only thought: need job, studied literature so duh one involving literature. Case closed. And now when faced with a job that isn't completely to my satisfaction and more or less the outcome of my previous and idiotic thought pattern, I finally realized what I wanted to do. It was clear and simple and came to me on a crowded bus. I even smiled, in public no less. I still have to sort a few things out but hopefully I'll embarking on an alas financially less appealing journey towards the ultimate goal: happiness.

All work and no play

Every day for the past week I've been telling myself to blog but somehow I never seem to have the time and even if I did I wouldn't have anything to say. All I seem to do is work. I haven't even been able to read more than 10 pages a day so at the rate I'm going I will finally have finished my much anticipated New Moon by summer.

I did however go to the movies on Friday, my blessed day off. I normally wouldn't talk about new movies but I just want to say: go see Slumdog Millionaire! Now! I was a bit hesitant at first with the whole India and Who wants to be a Millionaire premises but the story is actually not only ingenious but also very beautiful. There are no special effects, no visual high jinks just good old fashioned storytelling with a contemporary twist. Once again, I'm even tempted to give the book (Q and A by Vikas Swarup) a go.

And as usual I did buy some more books this week, online this time. For some reason I still prefer buying online. Even with my reduction, the books are still a lot more expensive in the store and if I want a specific English one I'd have to wait a shocking 4 to 6 weeks while The Book Depository gets them to me in 3 days without shipping costs.

And that is why I bought The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction. I know what you're thinking, for the love of god why? Basically this cute little guide tells me who's hot and who's not in the genre and also includes background info on the author, style and popular books which is going to be incredibly helpful when I've got to place the new spring orders in a genre that's still a mystery to me.

And now something that's even more shocking, I also bought a very pretty and pink edition of Pride and Prejudice. I've seen countless adaptations and I finally realized that I've never read the book. Shame on me! And to make matter's worse, I've never read anything by Jane Austen. I'm starting to wonder how I ever got my degree in English lit.

Fictional favorites

Sunday we re-watched one of my favorite movies, Sideways. For some odd reason, whenever a movie contains damaged characters I simply adore it. Who cares about action or special effects, I'll take melancholy people and a moving story any day of the week. Another thing these type of movies have in common is that they are mostly A) independent and B) tell a bitter sweet story about everyday life but in such an uncanny way that even the darkest moments make you smile with a hint of recognition. A few other example and personal favorites are: You and Me and Everyone we know, Buffalo 66, Garden State, Secretary, Happiness,... just to name a few. Somehow "reality" only gets through to me via the glistening glow of a television screen.

That Lovecraft quote I posted a while ago is once again getting the better of me seeing I'm desperately seeking refuge in books and movies lately to shelter myself from everyday life life. One, actually the only perk of working at that bookstore is that I've got a special employees card that gives me 30 % of everything. As soon as I had a moment to spare, I put the card to good use. And that is why I'd now like to introduce you to the newest members of my bookcase:

My Mistress' Sparrow is Dead edited by Jeffrey Eugenides (Great Love stories from Chekhov to Munro)
It's a collection of romantic short stories especially for Valentines. I was drawn to the cover and decided to give it a go. There are some pretty good authors in it and who knows, if I ever start feeling romantic... Plus it was edited by Eugenides whose Middlesex is still one of the best novels ever!

The Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon
I've read a lot of Chabon's work lately and he is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors. This is his latest work and sort of a reinvention on Don Quijote which kind of intrigued and startled me. Sadly I wasn't able to get hold of the gorgeous hardcover version so the tiny but cute paperback had to do.

And finally... I gave in to peer pressure and bought my very first (gulp) Aspe... Seeing as he is the top selling author in my department I decided I should at least read one of his novels just to see what all the fuss is about and thus I am now the "proud" owner of his shortest novel ever, De Japanse Tuin. Just don't tell anyone.