TOW #16 I am a Stranger Here Myself

I really, really liked this book. First off, it was hilarious. Although, I’m pretty sure most things Bill Bryson writes are indeed hilarious. He is just a funny guy. I’ll have to read more of his stuff in the future, I like the style of his writing. Although, that may have just been because it was not exactly a book. It was more a compilation of newspaper articles. I thought that was super cool (I have a big interest in journalism, and therefore this especially appealed to me).

The biggest appeal to the book, besides the intriguing style with which it was put together, was definitely the anecdotes that came along with Mr. Bill Bryson’s journey. Not only is Mr. Bryson hilarious himself, his life, or maybe it’s simply the way he describes it, is also laugh worthy. And I’m not talking about a simple chuckle or “lol”. I mean actual laugh out loud, laugh till it hurts laughing. I don’t usually laugh at books, but here with this book I (apparently) made an exception. I’d love to meet Bryson some day. He turns even the simplest of events into a chaotic disaster, or a hilarious turn of events. 

In addition, Bryson keeps it light, as it should be. The light writing, shown by Bryson’s short sentence structure and to the point word choice. This may have been due to the newspaper style structure, but it kept the book very fun to read. It never dragged on or became boring. IN addition, it was easy to put down and come back to after a long break. This was also in part due to the singularity that comes with the newspaper structure; the chapters were written singularly, so they can be read as such. This doesn’t exempt readers from binge-reading though. Bill Bryson really can hook you in, without you even noticing.

Tow #15 (ish?) When A Food Writer Can't Taste by Marlena Spieler

Everyone loves food. Or at least, I do. I love to cook and bake, and I have many kitchen accident stories to prove it. In fact, my skin is now partially blue because of my cooking skills, but that's a different story. The one that I've just read is much more horrifying. A woman who devoted her life and career to food (which sounds AMAZING, I think I need to re-evaluate my career and life plans) suddenly found herself in a horrific accident. This accident was not just traumatic, it was life altering. Luckily, Ms. Spieler survived the accident. However, her taste buds, and her memory of what food tastes like, were gone. I’m sure for ANY person, this would be a terrible accident. However, for this woman, a food blogger, it was one of the worst things that could happen.  Through this article, she wishes to express her pain, but also how she accomplishes her life. Little by little she works on her self. She has good days, and she has bad days. It’s an important lesson (what can’t you learn from food?) and her use of imagery helps express that. She states, “Tamales were as bland as porridge. Bananas tasted like parsnips and smelled like nail polish remover. It got no better as days went by. Gently sautéed mushrooms seemed like scorched bits of sponge. Red wine was just flat and sweet or unremittingly bitter.” Because of the imagery and raw description of what the author goes through all the time, readers can put themselves in her shoes, immerse themselves in the story. When she explains her story, we can relate. We remember the taste of chocolate, it’s rich velvety feel, and we taste the hot acrid mush that our author describes. The stark difference lets us feel sympathy and relate, and that is exactly what our author needs.

TOW #14 Revisiting Resolutions, 10 Years Later by Abby Rabinowitz

Originally, I had planned on doing a very dry, very boring story for my TOW. However, while procrastinating said assignment, I came across this article on Buzzfeed. It relates to the new year, and it was fun. So without further ado....

At the age of 24, feeling down on herself for not doing as many great things as she hoped, Abby Rabinowitz made a list. The list represented the things that she hoped to be and do within six months. The list, if looking at it from the six month standpoint, is INSANE, but the author provides a more realistic view by offering a ten year reflection. 

The list, with it’s demanding requests (19. Learn French; become fluent in. 20. Learn Spanish; become fluent in.) is the most important aspect of the article. It shows not only how a woman imagined her life being so much different than it is, but also the ability to dream outlandishly that we often lose later in life. I believe that there is a saying, “shoot for the moon, because if you fall you will still be among the stars.” (or something like that, maybe I made it up?) Anyway, this quote, real or not, is exactly what the author is trying to explain. Though she may not have kept in touch with everyone she met at 24, she does now have a fulfilling writing career and published article. Most of all, she is ahppy. Throughout the story, Rabinowitz shows that despite not keeping up with these outlandish requests of a young 24 year old, she is perfectly happy, and probably better off. There is an important lesson to be taken from this article, and it is not to take yourself so seriously. If you set incredibly difficult goals for yourself and focus only on them, when you inevitably fail at something, you will feel worthless. Instead, take life for what it is, and great things will come to you. Also remember that great things take time, what you want to accomplish in 6 months may take 10 years, but hey, you still accomplished it.

In case you want to read the article (WHICH I RECOMMEND) here it is: http://www.buzzfeed.com/abbyrab/revisiting-resolutions-10-years-later 

TOW #13 Taking A Que From A Friend... An analytical view of a popular meme.

Last week, my friend was struggling to think of a topic for her TOW. She told me that she wanted to do a meme, but wasn't sure how to approach it. This spurred creative thinking in me, and an idea was born. Hence, this:

Oh Overly Attached Girlfriend. You represent so many things that are wrong with society. As you can see from this collection of pictures, the Overly Attached Girlfriend meme has a single common theme. This girl is CRAZY. Or, that's what the pictures seem to show. In each one, the girl is surrounded by text describing a situation that she has caused. Each situation is slightly offensive, albeit hilarious. However, the innocent meme, meant to reflect the small actions of some women that annoy men, has been blown out of proportion. As the collection of posts above (hopefully) shows, the meme has been blown out of proportion. What was once a lighthearted way to poke fun has become a derogatory recurrence in society. Overly Attached Girlfriend (OAG) has become a reflection of the misogynistic values that are STILL abundant in society. In the meme on the bottom right, the text implies that the girlfriend will not allow the guy to wear sunglasses for fear of his “wandering eye.” I don’t think this is fair first off to men as it implies that they are inherently willing to turn their backs on a relationship, always looking for something better to come along. That’s offensive! The meme is also offensive to women though as it implies that all women have much insecurity about not only their boyfriends (or husbands etc.) wandering eyes, but also about themselves. The meme seems to always imply that OAG thinks she isn’t good enough, that she is just waiting to be replaced and that unless she acts like a complete psycho, she will be left in the dust. Not only is this meme offensive and wrong, it is also depressing. How have women come so far in getting equal treatment, only to be set back by society once more? This needs to stop. Let’s end OAG once and for all.

Tow #12 I'm A Stranger... Bill Bryson

Wow. I really like this book so far. As an American I feel that one some level I should be offended (maybe?) but Bill Bryson is just so hilarious! In fact, humor is his main tactic in telling his homecoming story. Bryson utilizes humor to emphasize the differences between Britain and America (which are naturally humorous themselves). 

In his introduction, Bill Bryson gives his readers some background on what the story entails, and how indeed he came about the process of writing on his experience. He explains that he lived in America for most of his life and moved to Britain about 20 years prior to this book-inspiring event. Bryson’s account of the situation is, well, let’s just say I need to check a thesaurus (hilarious, comical, chuckle-inspiring. There, I’m good.) Bryson was speaking to an old friend from London who was asking him to write a weekly article on America. In the following anecdote, Bryson uses his account of the conversation to explain that he was roped into the concept. It doesn’t seem to be a big regret though, so he made out just fine.

Bryson introduces the concept of this book as a collection of his articles on America after returning from his second-homeland Britain. I quite enjoyed the quirky style which added to the overall chuckle-inspiring (see what I did there?) tone of the book. Using the newspaper articles as the core of the book gave it a sort of care-free nature. Bryson isn’t criticizing America, and I think, like I said in the beginning of this post, some people could be offended in thinking this. The use of style in this book makes the topic, which could be controversial, lightweight.

Bryson overall is a very funny man. His lighthearted reflection in the style of news articles is funny and light, avoiding offending anyone. I can NOT WAIT to read the rest.

TOW #11 Obama The Loner: The Trouble With The President's Self-Reliant, Closed-Off Attitude by Todd Purdum

Obama made a promise to be different. He was connected; he utilized social media and creative advertising to reach out to a broad audience. He was smart, after all, he is a Harvard grad. Most of all, he was warm, likable in the words best sense. Obama, a confident face, was chosen to represent America and as it turns out, this may have been his downfall.This article, published on Vanity Fair by Todd Purdum provided an interesting take on how Obama's ability as president was hindered by his individualist position. It provoked thought and reflection through the use of harsh comparisons, understanding analysis and stone cold evidence.

Through the use of comparison, Purdum pokes holes in Obama's behaviors. He pits the idealized version of president Obama and everything that he seemed to be against what he actually is. At the going away party for a major campaign aide, Obama, says the author, "Spoke warmly, even emotionally." It seemed in this instance that maybe Obama wasn't as detached as we think. The next sentence however, seems to prove this wrong. It states, "He made his way quickly around a living room full of Cabinet members, other aides, and off-duty reporters, grasping each proffered hand with a single, relentless, repeated greeting: “Gotta go.” Obama, when presented with a great opportunity to socialize and schmooze with his coworkers, couldn't be bothered. He was aloof, maybe even a tad standoffish. This comparison shatters the fragile, rose colored glass with which most view the president, supporting the author's point. 

The author makes it a point to not place all of the blame on Obama however; he uses analysis and evidence to strengthen his argument while keeping his tone in check. This reflects the level-headed style of the author and keeps his point valid for consideration. If Purdum blamed Obama for being disconnected and simply criticized him repeatedly, the article would be harsh and bias-seeming, making it less credible. However, the author is able to appeal to the lighter side of his analysis. He explains that Obama's seemingly disconnected behavior may simply be part of his nature as the man has always been alone. In explaining that Obama comes by his behavior honestly, the author reflects an understanding of our president on a deeper level. He also explains that Obama is not the first (or the last) president who will act in this way. Purdum shows here not only an understanding of political history, but of the role of president itself and the common effects on its holders. 

Through carefully worded analysis, harsh comparison and strong evidence, Todd Purdum is able to craft a strong analysis of Obama as a president. He shows that the isolation of the elected president has an affect on MANY presidents in addition to Obama, uncovering the true nature of presidential office using Obama as an example.

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/2013/11/barack-obama-loner-self-reliant-closed-off?src=longreads

TOW #10 A Look At The Book Business From The Inside by Daniel Menaker

Sorry this won't live up to my last tow. While I liked reading this, I love Survivor much more and won't be able to recreate the passion in my writing. However, since I felt like I would be letting you down if my blog didn't have a little spark to it, I picked this article strategically. As my grandmother would say, I gave it some "oomph." I've always been intrigued by words and books, and naturally I wanted to be a book editor for a long time (you'd be surprised how many romantic comedies are about those in the industry, FYI). This article, which I found on longreads, was all about the business and offered an inside view. Even though I already had high hopes, the article did not disappoint.

I guess it could be said that the author uses an anecdotal style to draw the audience in. I was already drawn in, but that’s beside the point. The use of anecdotes on a personal level lets readers explore many aspects of publishing, from getting into the industry to getting a book published. The author clearly desires a certain effect, he wants to cause a revelation in readers about the difficulty that goes into publishing and how cut-throat the industry can really be. However, I don’t think that this style of writing was the best way to go about it. It was choppy and confusing, and some of the pieces didn’t really connect. The author did his best to connect the different anecdotes (I think) but it just didn’t work. It seemed like several false starts that he couldn’t elaborate on and just threw them together. I know that this is an excerpt from his book, and I find myself wondering what the entire book looks like if this is just an excerpt. I hope for HIS publishers sake that it turns out a lot better.

http://www.vulture.com/2013/11/daniel-menaker-on-publishing-industry-insanity.html?mid=longreads