While I continue working on the next installment of my Sideshow article, I want to keep adding regular content. Here are a few Web sites I have found interesting to explore. Some are linked in the sidebar, but most are just places I like to visit and want to share. Go ahead and check them out.
The Human Marvels -- If you are a fan of Ricky Jay's books, this site is for you. This blog style site relates histories of the freakish and fantastic. The stories are compelling. The tone is compassionate. The research is highly informative.
Yellow Tulip Press -- Their tag is "curious chapbooks and hysterical histories. Their books range from Lizzie Broden to Houdini. All make for fun and interesting reading.
Despair, Inc. -- Need motivation? No. How about Demotivation? A hilarious parody of all those feel good, rah-rah office knick-knacks and posters. Funny to read. Funnier to own. (No, they don't pay me for this.)
The Best Page In The Universe. -- That description is his not mine. The author of this site doesn't lack for ego, but he is one damn funny writer. Look at the essay "You're not dave chappelle, and you're not funny." The graph just cracks me up everytime I think about it. I know many people who should be required to read this.
The Fantastic in Art and Fiction -- Cornell University delves into the dark and disturbing, the bizarre and beautiful. Great 17th century engravings and woodcuts organised into intriguing categories. This place is a must for anyone into Goth, Victorian, or Bizarre. And fun if you just like to see really old artwork of death, skeletons, demons, angels, or monsters.
Madame Talbot's Victorian Lowbrow -- If you are the kind of person that liked the above like, you'll also love this one. This is a wonderful artist with wonderfully strange artwork. Don't forget to explore all the parts of her site. I find the curios especially thought provoking. I wish I could afford them. I do own a few of her posters she sold on ebay.
One of things I love to do is go to the links page on these sites. I never know where they might lead me and there are always exciting discoveries just a click away.
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Bill's Book List
I’ve been called an avid reader, actually I prefer the term voracious reader. I devoure anything in sight. Consistently, I have a two-foot stack of book beside my bed. When I read it down to a foot, I buy more books. (Thank you, Amazon.com) This averages to around 100 books a year. The books in the stack are a large range of fiction and non-fiction and do not include the many magic books I also read.
In the last Bill’s Book List, I offered up a selection of non-fiction books that I thought would be interesting, but also useful for the readers of this blog. I hope you looked into those titles. If not, please go back and try a few out. What is the worst that could happen? You learn something? Frightening! Well, here is a selection of fiction authors and books for a little entertainment.
I’ll start with a name familiar to magicians, but not exclusively, James Swain. James’ con game crime tales have improved with each new book. His first was good, but did not impress me. His latest, Dead Man’s Poker and Dead Man’s Bluff, move along at a rapid clip with some crisp storytelling.
You should know the name Daniel Stashower, but you probably don’t. Daniel wrote an enlightening, if not a definitive, biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He also wrote three Houdini mysteries, in which Houdini assumes the role of detective. Daniel creates a realistic Houdini character not seen in even his biographies. Fun books.
Most of the books on this list will be from the crime or horror genres. I make no apologies for this. I read very little “serious” fiction or science fiction/fantasy.
Here is an exception and a new discovery for me, Steven Millhauser. Do you know the name? The movie The Illusionist is based on a story of his. I just finished two collections of his short stories and can’t wait to read more.
The second Pulitzer Prize winner on my list is Michael Chabon. Most people recommend his book, The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, a thinly fictionalized account of the early days of the comic book industry. I enjoyed his Sherlock Holmes story, The Final Solution. Also, although written by several other contributors, The Escapist is a cleverly designed retrospective based on the fictional characters created by the fictional Kavalier and Clay.
Now for a run of great crime fiction. Even if you don’t like the genre, don’t pass up these authors, their writing is superb.
Robert B. Parker is the grand daddy, the godfather, the king of crime writers. Pick a book, any book and savor the best dialogue writer ever. Period.
John Sanford is another one of my “don’t miss” authors. I can’t believe his Prey books have not been made into movies. This former crime reporter knows his stuff and puts it all on the page. Start with one of his early books like, Rules of Prey or Eyes of Prey. Fool's Run is a later book of his in the con game genre that is worth reading.
At the turn of the century, a person that was insane was thought to be “alien” (a stranger) in their own head. Thus, a psychiatrist was called an “Alienist” and that is the name of the next book on the list, The Alienist. Caleb Carr, already a respected historian, authored this spectacular piece of fiction. It is part of a trend of fictional stories intertwined with enough non-fiction to make it seem real. In turn of the century New York, an alienist applies early theories of profiling to uncover a dangerous serial killer. Wow.
Hard Case Crime is a relatively small publishing company specializing in retro-styled pulp crime fiction. I met one of the authors, Richard Aleas who also happens to be the head of the company, at my store. He turned me on to his company and I’ve read their books since.
To my knowledge, Steve Monroe has written only three novels. I read his ’57 Chicago some years back. That book has stayed with me. He evoked a time and place as well as any writer and I am surprised the books did not do better. (“Less a crime novel than a slice of underworld life” quoted from Booklist) Discover him for yourself.
Hugh Laurie, star of Jeeves and Wooster, The Black Adder, and the popular House M.D., wrote a terrific parody of the hard-boiled crime novel. The Gun Seller is a rip-roaring lark. Find it, read it, laugh at it.
Speaking of funny, Terry Pratchett’s books are hard to classify. They seem like fantasy and have many fantastical elements, but I would call them satire. Either way, don’t let the fantasy scare you away from one the world’s cleverest and wittiest writers.
Stephen King is the King of popular fiction. At one time, I read him religiously, not any more. I will recommend his early novels and short fiction as some of the best writing of the last century. Remember some of our most revered authors wrote “horror” or “supernatural” fiction.
Dean Koontz is another (like King and Parker) prolific savant. I am amazed at their ability to write such volumes of fiction. On Koontz’s works my opinion is opposite of King’s works, I favorite his later writing like, Odd Thomas, Life Expectancy, The Taking, Velocity, etc. All of those books I bought on audio for my mother, who loved them. She has some of the same sensibility I have; she loves a good mystery. So, what more recommendation do you need?
Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, wrote a very strange book titled, Lullaby. A man can’t himself from stop reciting a poem that kills. Compelling reading.
How can I classify Edward Gorey? Artist, author, strange strange man. Sometimes I find his work impenetrable, but read his The Gashlycrumb Tinies. If this doesn’t make you laugh, he is not for you.
Michael Crichton’s two books, Rising Sun and Jurassic Park, became movies, one very bad and one good. The books are just plain good, really good and easily his best work.
Last on my list is Neil Gaiman. His stories range from graphic comics to short stories to novels and they are all good. He co-wrote a fun end of the world tale, Good Omens, with Terry Pratchett. His writing overflows with horror, fantasy, and rich mythology and is always a joy to read.
That is it, just a last bit of preaching. I have realized through the years that the most creative times of my life are when I am reading the most. If you want to be creative, you need to you’re your head with data to process. Your brain cannot be empty and create new to the world ideas. So, have fun and always find time to read. As the saying goes, “leaders are readers”.
In the last Bill’s Book List, I offered up a selection of non-fiction books that I thought would be interesting, but also useful for the readers of this blog. I hope you looked into those titles. If not, please go back and try a few out. What is the worst that could happen? You learn something? Frightening! Well, here is a selection of fiction authors and books for a little entertainment.
I’ll start with a name familiar to magicians, but not exclusively, James Swain. James’ con game crime tales have improved with each new book. His first was good, but did not impress me. His latest, Dead Man’s Poker and Dead Man’s Bluff, move along at a rapid clip with some crisp storytelling.
You should know the name Daniel Stashower, but you probably don’t. Daniel wrote an enlightening, if not a definitive, biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He also wrote three Houdini mysteries, in which Houdini assumes the role of detective. Daniel creates a realistic Houdini character not seen in even his biographies. Fun books.
Most of the books on this list will be from the crime or horror genres. I make no apologies for this. I read very little “serious” fiction or science fiction/fantasy.
Here is an exception and a new discovery for me, Steven Millhauser. Do you know the name? The movie The Illusionist is based on a story of his. I just finished two collections of his short stories and can’t wait to read more.
The second Pulitzer Prize winner on my list is Michael Chabon. Most people recommend his book, The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, a thinly fictionalized account of the early days of the comic book industry. I enjoyed his Sherlock Holmes story, The Final Solution. Also, although written by several other contributors, The Escapist is a cleverly designed retrospective based on the fictional characters created by the fictional Kavalier and Clay.
Now for a run of great crime fiction. Even if you don’t like the genre, don’t pass up these authors, their writing is superb.
Robert B. Parker is the grand daddy, the godfather, the king of crime writers. Pick a book, any book and savor the best dialogue writer ever. Period.
John Sanford is another one of my “don’t miss” authors. I can’t believe his Prey books have not been made into movies. This former crime reporter knows his stuff and puts it all on the page. Start with one of his early books like, Rules of Prey or Eyes of Prey. Fool's Run is a later book of his in the con game genre that is worth reading.
At the turn of the century, a person that was insane was thought to be “alien” (a stranger) in their own head. Thus, a psychiatrist was called an “Alienist” and that is the name of the next book on the list, The Alienist. Caleb Carr, already a respected historian, authored this spectacular piece of fiction. It is part of a trend of fictional stories intertwined with enough non-fiction to make it seem real. In turn of the century New York, an alienist applies early theories of profiling to uncover a dangerous serial killer. Wow.
Hard Case Crime is a relatively small publishing company specializing in retro-styled pulp crime fiction. I met one of the authors, Richard Aleas who also happens to be the head of the company, at my store. He turned me on to his company and I’ve read their books since.
To my knowledge, Steve Monroe has written only three novels. I read his ’57 Chicago some years back. That book has stayed with me. He evoked a time and place as well as any writer and I am surprised the books did not do better. (“Less a crime novel than a slice of underworld life” quoted from Booklist) Discover him for yourself.
Hugh Laurie, star of Jeeves and Wooster, The Black Adder, and the popular House M.D., wrote a terrific parody of the hard-boiled crime novel. The Gun Seller is a rip-roaring lark. Find it, read it, laugh at it.
Speaking of funny, Terry Pratchett’s books are hard to classify. They seem like fantasy and have many fantastical elements, but I would call them satire. Either way, don’t let the fantasy scare you away from one the world’s cleverest and wittiest writers.
Stephen King is the King of popular fiction. At one time, I read him religiously, not any more. I will recommend his early novels and short fiction as some of the best writing of the last century. Remember some of our most revered authors wrote “horror” or “supernatural” fiction.
Dean Koontz is another (like King and Parker) prolific savant. I am amazed at their ability to write such volumes of fiction. On Koontz’s works my opinion is opposite of King’s works, I favorite his later writing like, Odd Thomas, Life Expectancy, The Taking, Velocity, etc. All of those books I bought on audio for my mother, who loved them. She has some of the same sensibility I have; she loves a good mystery. So, what more recommendation do you need?
Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, wrote a very strange book titled, Lullaby. A man can’t himself from stop reciting a poem that kills. Compelling reading.
How can I classify Edward Gorey? Artist, author, strange strange man. Sometimes I find his work impenetrable, but read his The Gashlycrumb Tinies. If this doesn’t make you laugh, he is not for you.
Michael Crichton’s two books, Rising Sun and Jurassic Park, became movies, one very bad and one good. The books are just plain good, really good and easily his best work.
Last on my list is Neil Gaiman. His stories range from graphic comics to short stories to novels and they are all good. He co-wrote a fun end of the world tale, Good Omens, with Terry Pratchett. His writing overflows with horror, fantasy, and rich mythology and is always a joy to read.
That is it, just a last bit of preaching. I have realized through the years that the most creative times of my life are when I am reading the most. If you want to be creative, you need to you’re your head with data to process. Your brain cannot be empty and create new to the world ideas. So, have fun and always find time to read. As the saying goes, “leaders are readers”.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Bill’s Book List
Here are some non-fiction books that I’ve read and think some of you might enjoy.
The Unsinkable Titanic Thompson, by Carlton Stowers
This is the true story of the world’s greatest conman. I laughed on just about every page at the clever and bold swindles invented by Ti.
Dan Rice, The Most Famous Man You’ve Never Heard Of, by David Carlyon
Rice was the greatest clown of his time, not the white face baggy pants kind of clown, but the Dennis Miller, John Stewart, or Bill Maher kind of clown. He toured America with one of the earliest domestic circuses. The book is an amazing look at civil war era entertainment. Now forgotten, he was the most famous man in America.
The Great Farini, The High-Wire Life of William Hunt, by Shane Peacock
Farini was second only Blondin in fame for his wire walking and he may have first in skill. This is a rousing account of one of the great daredevils of all time. Not only that, but Farini invented the shooting-out-of-a-cannon act and was Barnum’s equal in the advertising and promotion field.
Secrets of the Sideshows, by Joe Nickell
Who knew that the indefatigable skeptic and exposer of humbug once worked in a sideshow? This book is less exposé and more nostalgic look back. Fun to read.
No Applause Just Throw Money, by Trav S.D.
Another fun read. A history of Vaudeville full of great stories and important insight.
With It, A Year on the Carnival Trail, by Barbara Bamberger Scott
Listed as fiction, but it rings so true. You, too will be “with it” after reading this book. It is total immersion in the argot of the carny world. I can’t wait to get a good loke and set up some flash in my alibi shop.
City of the Century, by Donald Miller
Floyd Dell, in 1912, said, “One reason for knowing the history of Chicago is that the history of Chicago is the history of the Middle West. And the history of the Middle West is, to a larger extent than the school textbooks have ever permitted us to discover, the history of a nation.” City of the Century covers Chicago from its discovery to the Columbian Exposition. None of the historical books I recommend are dry reads; they are full of life and vigor, much like their subjects.
The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson
The construction of the greatest of all World’s Fairs and the serial killer who used it as his hunting grounds. Wow. Compelling history at its best. Reads like a novel, but it is all true.
The Wicked City, by Curt Johnson
This is one of the best histories of Chicago. The subtitle reads, “From Kenna to Capone”. The book covers turn-of-the-century Chicago by comparing the ways of the dynasts, like Marshall Field, and the crime lords and politicians. How similar they are.
Secrets of Closing the Sale, by Zig Ziglar
The greatest salesman writes the greatest book on sales. In every facet of your life, personal and professional, you are selling yourself. Talking to a client, you are selling. Going on a date, you are selling. Trying to talk your spouse into buying your dream house, you are selling. This book will give you a toolbox of sale techniques. Have I sold you yet?
Selling the Invisible, by Harry Beckwith
Great advice for selling services instead of products.
You are the Message, by Roger Ailes
A must have book for anyone that have to communicate anything. Roger was a republican political consultant, but don’t hold that against him. He has important advice for communicating more effectively.
Jump Start Your Brain, by Doug Hall
Doug Hall is a genius and if he doesn’t have the papers to prove it, he should. If you want to be more creative, use this book. Real world examples and exercises to stimulate your thought processes. There is no better book on creativity.
The Elements of Style, by William Strunk and E.B. White
The tiny bible of writing. I have read a lot of bad writing in the blog world. You should at least know the rules before you break them. Besides, can you be taken seriously if you sound like a dope?
On Writing, by Stephen King
Part biography, part writing lesson, from the most popular writer of our times. It is hard to argue with success. Valuable writing advice with not a lot of rules.
On Writing Well, by William Zinsser
Informative guide to writing nonfiction. I find this book particularly inspiring as a writer.
Now run over to Amazon and pick up a few titles. Next time I’ll work up a few choice selections of fiction.
And don’t forget to let me know what you thought of the books.
The Unsinkable Titanic Thompson, by Carlton Stowers
This is the true story of the world’s greatest conman. I laughed on just about every page at the clever and bold swindles invented by Ti.
Dan Rice, The Most Famous Man You’ve Never Heard Of, by David Carlyon
Rice was the greatest clown of his time, not the white face baggy pants kind of clown, but the Dennis Miller, John Stewart, or Bill Maher kind of clown. He toured America with one of the earliest domestic circuses. The book is an amazing look at civil war era entertainment. Now forgotten, he was the most famous man in America.
The Great Farini, The High-Wire Life of William Hunt, by Shane Peacock
Farini was second only Blondin in fame for his wire walking and he may have first in skill. This is a rousing account of one of the great daredevils of all time. Not only that, but Farini invented the shooting-out-of-a-cannon act and was Barnum’s equal in the advertising and promotion field.
Secrets of the Sideshows, by Joe Nickell
Who knew that the indefatigable skeptic and exposer of humbug once worked in a sideshow? This book is less exposé and more nostalgic look back. Fun to read.
No Applause Just Throw Money, by Trav S.D.
Another fun read. A history of Vaudeville full of great stories and important insight.
With It, A Year on the Carnival Trail, by Barbara Bamberger Scott
Listed as fiction, but it rings so true. You, too will be “with it” after reading this book. It is total immersion in the argot of the carny world. I can’t wait to get a good loke and set up some flash in my alibi shop.
City of the Century, by Donald Miller
Floyd Dell, in 1912, said, “One reason for knowing the history of Chicago is that the history of Chicago is the history of the Middle West. And the history of the Middle West is, to a larger extent than the school textbooks have ever permitted us to discover, the history of a nation.” City of the Century covers Chicago from its discovery to the Columbian Exposition. None of the historical books I recommend are dry reads; they are full of life and vigor, much like their subjects.
The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson
The construction of the greatest of all World’s Fairs and the serial killer who used it as his hunting grounds. Wow. Compelling history at its best. Reads like a novel, but it is all true.
The Wicked City, by Curt Johnson
This is one of the best histories of Chicago. The subtitle reads, “From Kenna to Capone”. The book covers turn-of-the-century Chicago by comparing the ways of the dynasts, like Marshall Field, and the crime lords and politicians. How similar they are.
Secrets of Closing the Sale, by Zig Ziglar
The greatest salesman writes the greatest book on sales. In every facet of your life, personal and professional, you are selling yourself. Talking to a client, you are selling. Going on a date, you are selling. Trying to talk your spouse into buying your dream house, you are selling. This book will give you a toolbox of sale techniques. Have I sold you yet?
Selling the Invisible, by Harry Beckwith
Great advice for selling services instead of products.
You are the Message, by Roger Ailes
A must have book for anyone that have to communicate anything. Roger was a republican political consultant, but don’t hold that against him. He has important advice for communicating more effectively.
Jump Start Your Brain, by Doug Hall
Doug Hall is a genius and if he doesn’t have the papers to prove it, he should. If you want to be more creative, use this book. Real world examples and exercises to stimulate your thought processes. There is no better book on creativity.
The Elements of Style, by William Strunk and E.B. White
The tiny bible of writing. I have read a lot of bad writing in the blog world. You should at least know the rules before you break them. Besides, can you be taken seriously if you sound like a dope?
On Writing, by Stephen King
Part biography, part writing lesson, from the most popular writer of our times. It is hard to argue with success. Valuable writing advice with not a lot of rules.
On Writing Well, by William Zinsser
Informative guide to writing nonfiction. I find this book particularly inspiring as a writer.
Now run over to Amazon and pick up a few titles. Next time I’ll work up a few choice selections of fiction.
And don’t forget to let me know what you thought of the books.
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