What have I been reading, you ask?

One thing about these rainy summer months is that it gives me plenty of time to read. (Although, truly, if it were nice outside, would I really be Out There instead of in here reading? I am known for my aversion towards the sun. Sort of like a vampire, only without the penchant for blood, black capes and dramatic overtures to women with immaculate necks.) Over a seven day period, I have devoured four books, ranging in quality from meh to wow! Let's take a look at them, shall we?

When you are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris—There's a wrestler by the name of Terry Funk who was taking blows to the head and being slammed into barbed wire well into his 50s and maybe even 60s. By then the announcers would refer to him as "middle-aged and crazy". For some reason, I thought of that phrase as I read this book. David Sedaris is a humorist, who writes about his life, both the odd and the mundane, in a conversational tone. I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed this book. He talks about a number of things I can't really relate to, including drugs, alcohol, smoking, living abroad, and, most shocking of all, keeping a spider as a pet. *Shudder*. In the end, though, he uses wit, wordplay and occasionally self-deprecation to put readers at ease, and let them into his thoughts, as strange as those might be.

A Model World and Other Stories, by Michael Chabon-This is a short story collection from years back; only his second published work. Although I liked a few tales, and appreciated the ambition of following one character's life through several short stories, this collection was a bit disappointing overall, considering how much I loved his other works. You can clearly see where he has yet to advance as a writer, and where he forsakes plot and character to get lost in flowery language. This short collection doesn’t reflect the brilliance of his later novels or essays.

Relentless, by Dean Koontz-This one is the hardest to classify. I read it over the course of two evenings, so there was clearly something to enjoy, yet the plot suffers because of easy outs taken by the author. Too many coincidences and sci-fi elements muck up the second half of the book, I mean, really, what are the odds that the characters happen to have a genius five-year-old son who just happens to invent two impossibly complicated devices that figure so prominently in the climax; or that the wife just happens to have a family who not only is gun crazy, but have seemingly unlimited resources and a hidden, underground bunker. Like I said, too many coincidences. It also suffers from what I refer to as the Koontz Ending. Frequently in his books, Koontz builds up the "big bad" only to have them be defeated rather quickly and easily in the end after the protagonists go through much suffering. So, even with all its faults, why did I find it hard to put down? Although Koontz may have taken the lazy approach to plot, he puts a lot of effort into character and dialogue. The main protagonist, writer Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich, is not only likeable, but he reminds me a bit of me (without the tragic secret/backstory). He's wisecracking, loving and appreciates the written word. The hilarious exchange with his agent, who is pushing him to write a sequel to The Great Gatsby, Jaws and other literary works, makes any plot holes totally worthwhile. This is a person I want to know and this is someone who I will follow to the end of the book, even if the circumstances get a little hokey towards the end.

I am the Messenger, by Markus Zusak-A fantastic book, without a doubt. The characters are alive and rich; the story is original, heartfelt and meaningful. It's classified as a teen book, though there's enough swearing in it that I wonder about that designation. It truly is an adult book about growing up, realizing your potential and coming away from your own life to help others who may not be as fortunate. It's one of those books that make you sad when it ends. These are characters I want to know and that keep me coming back page after page. Between this book and The Book Thief, this author is making a very clear and wonderful impression on me.

Despite my busy schedule, and even though my wife and I have a ton of adoption related stuff to deal with still, I always find time for books, both good and bad. Oh, and about a palette of comic books. Yeah, I just made up that measurement.