4 posts tagged “books”
One especially enjoyable aspect was that it included information about Japanese culture as well. It turns out that Hello Kitty is a very integral part of Japanese kawaii culture, and she's not seen as just for kids there the way she often is here. Oh, don't get me wrong, plenty of adults are into Hello Kitty in the United States - but she's not quite as revered by all age groups here as she is there. She's primarily a kid's cartoon here.
Her background was really fascinating to read. How she was originally developed, how Sanrio came to be, and how maintaining Kitty's appeal is a full-time job for several people.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Hello Kitty - it's a really in-depth look at Kitty and is well worth the time spent reading it.
Well, of course I had to read this book. Because I'm in it. I used to read Star Trek novels all the time; I think I stopped around the beginning of Deep Space Nine. But I had the opportunity to actually be in one of these books (long story short: it was compensation for interpreting) so of course I jumped at the chance. I submitted some pictures and personal characteristics, like hobbies, for inclusion in the book.
It then took about a year for the book to actually be written. When it finally came out, I raced to the bookstore and promptly bought several copies, and I sat down on a bench outside the bookstore because I simply couldn't get in the car without having found my name in the book. I finally found myself, getting wounded, near the end; satisfied, I headed for home.
It took me a long time to actually read the book, though. The beginning was extremely slow; I turned up for the first time on page 48 and I wasn't the character I'd been told I was going to be. No matter, though - my name was in print! But then it still took me a while to read the book. Finally, about halfway through, it did get genuinely interesting. It actually reminded me of a regular episode in that way, which was fitting because it takes place "between" episodes of the Enterprise series.
By the end I was downright enjoying the book, and not only because I got to play the hero in one scene. Who knows, this might even get me back into reading Star Trek novels - as if I didn't already have enough to read! But my character didn't die in this book, so there's a slim chance I'll be back in the next one. That would be cool!
Comet Vox has finally got the Amazon search working again! Now I can tell you about the books I've been reading. I heard there was a new Sue Grafton out, so I picked it up at the library. I plowed through it as I usually do with her books - let's just say they're good beach reading - but I ended up scaring myself! I was reading late at night and the book ended abruptly - it cut straight from the action (Kinsey in danger, as usual) to the epilogue and my heart was left pounding! Of course it took me a little while to get to bed.
I have been wanting to go to Disney World for several months now. I thought I would go this year, so I checked out a couple of "adults only" guides from the library. This is the skinnier of the two; the other book was thicker and had a lot more detail - unfortunately I don't remember the title! Both books went over highlights for adults at all of the WDW parks, but they focused heavily on the Deluxe resorts, glossed over the Moderate resorts, and just mentioned the Value resorts. I understand that the Value resorts are more gaudy and not as romantic...but I can't afford the Deluxe resorts!
My fascination with the Titanic continues with this book. I can't believe I never picked it up before! I read "A Night to Remember" multiple times as a child, and this book has been out for a long time, so why I never read it is a mystery to me. There was a lot in this book I didn't know, which is nice, because sometimes studying the Titanic feels like you're going around in circles rehashing stuff. This 1987 book also mentioned the possibility that something happened to the double bottom (the grounding theory), which was proved true in 2005 with the History Channel's expedition to the wreck and their "Missing Pieces: Titanic's Final Moments" special.
And finally, I'm reading this book rather slowly. It's much thicker and more academic than I had been expecting when I ordered it on Amazon, but it's going to have a lot of really engrossing segments. Washington DC is home to "America's Subway" and it's really interesting how it came to be the architectural beauty it is today. Unfortunately the Metro is not perfect - it doesn't run to Dulles Airport or Georgetown, it doesn't run 24/7, and it doesn't make any money...but I still love my hometown subway, which is why I bought this book.
I've recently read Mosby: The Kennedy Center Cat, The Night Lives On, and S is for Silence. Unfortunately the Comet search facility isn't letting me look up anything on Amazon, so I'm not going to write about them for now...
