A really great recommendation by a girlfriend... Urrea compiles all the detail of the Yuma 14, which were a group of men from Mexico who were looking to cross the border in to the U.S. to find work and in search to improve their quality of life back home. Relying on a gang of Coyotes, the men both young and old, cross the border into the hottest deserts in the U.S., the devil's highway. The week they crossed it was reported that the temperature at midnight was a low 95 degrees, while the high was 108. Not only was it the lack of water (they only had waterbottles vs. the 2 gallons recommended per person per day), but it was the rough terrain and horrible tendencies of their guide that lead more than half of the group to death. Urrea chronicles each detail, including the interests and slight personalities of each walker,and how they were found in there death (black like leather) which sometimes sounds more exaggerated or he really did his research. He also becomes too cynical at times. I like how he alternates with the story of the Yuma 14, and very informational accounts of other tragic occasions where others have died (even Gringos), the science of how the body decomposes in heat, and the history of the region itself. A well rounded story with a sociological perspective of why border crossing persists with horrendous deaths, the economic cost of these deaths and low cost labor, as well a other situations -like the conspiracy theories behind the hundred unexplained rapings and deaths of young women in Juarez. holy shit.

I love Julia

Beautiful book filled with artsy, graphic scenes in different media.. photos, stitching and sketches, but a sad story that focuses on the life of one of the many young women who were murdered in Ciudad Juarez. It reminded me greatly of book 4 in Bolano's 2666 about the murders of women in Santa Teresa, although this book focuses on one girl who worked in a factory just outside the U.S. border, and was horrendously murdered and no one can figure out why. The writer sheds light on her life and humanizes a situation that the police and others would consider just another death amongst many. A really creative and mindblowing (true) story.

Apparently its also one in 4 others... this one is the "I live here 3"

What a horrible book... I think even for adults it has a lot of underlying scummish themes, but it's a great read for kids and a way to pick up on some good vocabulary. I haven't seen the movie, but I guess I started my 13 book commitment with these. How horrible...but fine reading. Like the young 7 year old articulate child said with mighty fine eloquence,"Not all good books have to have a happy ending", and "Make sure you start with the first one." I remember she said that this series and Nancy Drew were her fav.

edit: per darryl's convo last night..I'm saying that I like the book really. I went to the library today and borrowed the second one.

she's a hoe a classy hoe

Remember that cheesy early 2000's song..the one that starts "And I said what about Breakfast at Tiffany's... she said I think I remember that film.." I've had that fucking song in my head for the last week.. well more like that ugly chorus probably cause I've been reading this short story for no apparent reason. I've been trying to hold of on reading this (like do I really NEED to? NO.) but I had to YES.
I forgot how much I like Capote's writing. I like this story. I like Holly Golightly and will admit I wish I had her lifestyle, her repertoire. I love the POV of the narrator. You never know who he is, except he is a aspiring writer. Holly is mysterious, but it all unravels and when you think she would loose her cool, she doesn't and never will. Men love her and women hate her. I denno... her no name cat (no name cause they don't own each other) is rad too. I'm sure this is a favorite amongst glamor girls across America.

Times are tough. I think I am ready to be a free bird, but I am not.

I guess I am late on the Gladwell train. wait I am really late. He wrote this in 2002... but

What an interesting concept. The little things matter yes, and Malcolm you have drilled that into my head by repetition, as well as stunning and diverse situations such as the drop of crime in New York, the makings of sesame street, teenage smoking, and suicides in Micronesia. I have to admit that the hushpuppies in Greenwich thing got played out after the first chapter. I really buy this concept, I especially like the various cases that the book presented about how environment is very influential on human behavior, and that we often fail to acknowledge it. BUT then it had to talk about Airwalks. I hate airwalks (ugly pieceashits that I am glad resulted in failure!)...and I thought of all the marketing, advertising sales turds that will read this book and try to be cool and blow out of the water all the things subcultures and "cool" kids live off of. Like the things that mean so much....*&(^*^%.

Now I am a little bitter.. like this is great, but how much does this contribute to society. Am I really enthused that Gladwell pretty much summed up the behaviors of people and that we seem that easy to figure out. yes. ok. I'm done.

It's fabulous and sweet and poetic.

Here's how it starts:
"In the end she dies and he remains alone, although in truth he was alone some years before her death, Emilia’s death. Let’s say that she is called or was called Emilia and that he is called, was called, and continues to be called Julio. Julio and Emilia. In the end Emilia dies and Julio does not die. The rest is literature:".

withdrawals... silly-ness

I am not a very social person. I think this weekend (labor day)I surprised myself. Really not trying to be out and about, but it happened and I did my share of sloshing every night. I was caught up with school on Thursday and now I am behind... behind in reading textbooks and behind in reading in general. I picked up some books that have been great reads so far (like <50 pages in...sigh). Friday: SF dilly dally-ing & Oakland Art Murmer with Pav, Jay, Alaina, Barry and Sarah. I spent 20 dumb dollars on paintbrushes, then on the Bart ride, then more on Korean soju. The art was crappy and expensive, but I LIKE OAKLAND. I do.... I need to do more exploring. Saturday: Tahnee and Quynh are in town. Ivana came down too and everyone was out. Cinebar for one night. Negative was that I got clowned on for my fanny pack. MF*&*^. Sunday: Bookstore gathering that was also a scrabble fest with good food and beer. Then I listened to my lushy coworkers and followed them to trials, then cinebar again... gah. Monday: Hungover, but went to the beach for bbqing with T & Q and their pals. Sooooo sleepy. I need to nerd. No more floozy boozing. Need more words. ***************

Yeeesh. What a bummer this book is. Down and out in Paris and London wasn't even this harsh. Wilhelm is a New Yorker that was raised with a decent upbringing, but made all the wrong decisions in his life. It seems he ignored his intuitions and tried to create his own destiny for success. He didn't want to be in the medical field, cause his father already did that. He left college to become an actor in Hollywood; he left his wife and two kids to be with the love of his life Olive, but can't marry her because of her Catholic upbringing and his wife won't divorce him; he quit his sales job because he was destined to be vice president, but the company gave the position to a relative outside; he lost all his money because he put his money in stocks and trust in a lunatic doctor, who sounds like a compulsive liar, but speaks some wisdom about life. In all this, his retired and wealthy doctor of a father, won't lend him a penny because of all his mistakes.

After 100 pages of this... I wished something good happened to this guy. I wished that he would make one right decision. It was hard to decide who was the bad guy. His wife and father came off as the bad parties, but it could have been his conscience. Wilhelm wanted success like the next guy, but everything he acted upon was foolish. I liked how Bellow made the third person perspective neutral, but so much it made me anxious!. Everyone that lived in his hotel building was loony, Wilhelm meant well but made dumb mistakes, and maybe his family was justified for leaving him to fend for himself, but the narrator never concluded who was at fault for Wilhelm's troubles.

I just feel bad for the guy really. AND I thought I would end this book feeling warm and humble inside. I think I have to genuinely be one of those people who laugh at others faults. seriously.

**I remember having my old co-worker's (she was a compulsive liar) husband (poor guy) having been hired and fired for stupidity on the job. He was really incompetent. His name was Wilhelm. What were his parent's thinking? I think they set him up.