Thursday, July 23, 2015

YES PLEASE * EMPIRE

Image result for yes please poehlerYes Please by Amy Poehler - Amy's book is delightful, just like she is. It's a combination memoir / positive life advice / funny story book that's just about the heaviest book I've read in a long time. By heavy I mean it weighs more than most books its size. This must be because it's composed of heavy paper, and I must say that the pages are lovely and smooth to the touch with a bit of shine that helps the words jump off the page. Amy is a brilliant kind hearted sweet talented funny woman. She includes some pictures, but I would want more pictures, so for that reason I give Yes Please an A rather than an A+. Yes Please I'll read that book, and thank you Amy, for writing it! Image result for empireEmpire - Best network nighttime soap opera ever. It combines an excellent story line about a wealthy family, amazing actors, great music and fabulous fashion. It's the modern day Dynasty and it works. I can't wait for it to start up again. How is Lucious Lyon going to get out of his current jam? Will Cookie prevail? What about their boys? Will Empire survive?

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

FRESH OFF THE BOAT

Image result for fresh off the boat huangFresh Off The Boat by Eddie Huang A Memoir - Fresh Off The Boat was a new TV show last season and I loved it. Each week, I was teased by the ending credit that said the show was based off the book Fresh Off The Boat by Eddie Huang. It took ages to clear the library wait list, but was definitely worth it. This is the coolest and edgiest reading and writing around. Eddie was a wild man growing up and his family life was rough. Much much wilder and roughness that doesn't even get hinted at on the TV show. Watching the show is like watching an 80s sit com - the Asian Wonder Years. Reading the book is like reading about all the stuff you hope your kid isn't doing, and reading about parents who really weren't as loving and easy to get along with is tough, too. The whitewashing of their lives on that show is crazy. For the truth, it needed to be on cable. ANYWAY, the book is good reading, but get ready to flow with the hip hop basketball lingo. I'm happy to say that I only had to look up one word in the entire book, and that I loved reading about Eddie and how he forges his own unique path in life. I just did a little Googling, and it turns out Eddie is aware of what the network's writers did to his story. He says it's not even close to the truth, but on some level, he seems to be OK with the fact that at least he got a show about an Asian family up on the screen. As sweet and enjoyable as the show is, it isn't really based on the book, unless in future seasons it takes a drastic turn. Wonder years needs to meet Breaking Bad. Just read the book now.