Star Island

Star Island is my first Carl Hiaasen novel and I think I am intrigued enough to try his many others. The novel is a satirical treatment of our celebrity-crazed culture and tells the story of a talentless train wreck of a singer. When her double (who fills in when the singer is too inebriated to safely appear in public) is kidnapped by an obsessed paparazzo in a case of mistaken identity, everyone scrambles to avoid a PR disaster but nothing to rescue the double, who is one of the two honorable characters in the novel. Also on hand are the former governor of Florida who left office to become a mangrove-swamp-dwelling hermit, a bodyguard with a weed-wacker in place of one hand (yes, I know), and a very sleazy record producer.

Not high literature for sure, but an entertaining book. Avoid if you are offended to strong language.

-Paul


If you like Carl Hiaasen you may also enjoy:

Laurence Shames
Tim Dorsey

Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin

The title of Kathy Griffin’s new book, Official Book Club Selection, is an allusion to Oprah Winfrey’s popular book club. This book brings the laughs, but it also makes for a good memoir.  You’ll want to read it if you are a fan of Griffin’s brand of comedy.

The book is in the same shameless vein as Griffin’s comedy CD For Your Consideration, which lobbied for a Grammy award and did in fact receive a nomination.  This time Griffin entreats Oprah (a frequent target of hers) to make her book the official selection for Oprah’s book club.  There is a reading group guide in the back of the book, but as one might expect, it is sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek.

Through her stand-up comedy and reality show, My Life on the D-List, Griffin has already described a lot about her life and her encounters with celebrities.  In her book, she shares more about her struggle to make it as an actress and comedian and characterizes the famous people she meets along the way.

Alongside its humor, the book includes earnest insights.  Griffin covers the difficult topics of her troubled brother, failed marriage, and plastic surgery. She also talks about the challenge of being a female stand-up comedian in a male-dominated realm.  She has commendable loyalty to her parents, having roped them into her projects whenever possible because she finds them to be smart and funny.  Griffin is proud of her work ethic, calling it the “guiding force” of her life.  This theme comes across well and ties the book together.

-Elizabeth

How I Became a Famous Novelist

Pete Tarslaw, the protagonist of How I Became a Famous Novelist, by Steve Hely, wants to ditch his job fabricating college entry essays for rich applicants. He also wants to upstage his ex-girlfriend at her wedding. In his endeavor to become a novelist, “my ambitions were simple: to learn the con, make money, impress women, and get out.” In writing his completely over-the-top novel, The Tornado Ashes Club, Pete splices together various elements common to literature that appeals to the masses.

The book skewers prototypes of popular authors and the formulas they follow. A fictional New York Times bestseller list is even contained in the book, which ridiculously amplifies popular taste.

How I Became a Famous Novelist is hilarious in a bitingly sarcastic way. In fact, despite quickly laughing my way through it, I sometimes required a break from the constant snarky humor (not a criticism). You need to appreciate the tone to like this book. In its last pages, the book gets earnest all of a sudden. It has, however, provided more than enough entertainment by that point to render it a worthwhile read.

-Elizabeth

Yes Man

I just finished reading Yes Man by Danny Wallace. The book inspired the movie by the same title. After reading our Director's recommendation on her blog, I decided to try it. I loved it and parts are laugh out loud funny. I've even been retelling bits to family. I highly recommend it.

The books describes (in hilarious fashion) what happens to its author when he decides to say "yes" to everything asked of him in the course of a year.

-Natalie