
The Dating of Beowulf: A Reassessment
Book
"This book will be a milestone, and deserves to be widely read. The early Beowulf that...

The World of Myth: An Anthology
Book
Since its publication in 1991, The World of Myth has provided thousands of students with a...

Steppenwolf
Hermann Hesse and David Horrocks
Book
A modernist work of profound wisdom that continues to enthral readers with its subtle blend of...
Designed for Hi-Fi Living: The Vinyl LP in Midcentury America
Daniel Miller, Janet Borgerson and Jonathan Schroeder
Book
The sleek hi-fi console in a well-appointed midcentury American living room might have had a stack...

Eco-Sonic Media
Book
The negative environmental effects of media culture are not often acknowledged: the fuel required to...

Scrape (Reveler #8)
Book
The last battle will be a nightmare... The Sandman has broken through to the waking world,...
Urban Fantasy Romance

Beth Ditto recommended Singles Going Steady by Buzzcocks in Music (curated)

HipChat – Group chat for teams & business
Business and Productivity
App
Great teams use HipChat. Stop losing momentum with reply-to-all wars and buried emails. HipChat...

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Hopefuls in Books
Feb 13, 2018
I was intrigued by the premise of this book--a relationship set to the backdrop of the Obama campaign and administration. Living close to the DC area, I can say that Close's description of many DC citizens is spot on: the Blackberrys, the obsession with security clearance and work standing, the fashion. She's excellent at weaving a story in the details.
The problem, however, is that Beth--the novel's narrator--is just so dull. She's beyond passive, willing to watch life unravel as she watches. It doesn't seem as if Beth is interested in anything, beyond whining. After a while, I just became so frustrated with her, I wanted to scream. It doesn't help that her husband, Matt, is similarly self-absorbed, and Jimmy and Ashleigh aren't any more likable. The book sort of bumps along, with no real movement to swing it along, or a character with any redeeming quality of any sort (good or bad). Even the DC details can't save this often frustrating novel from its own irksome and passive characters. 2.5 stars.

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Planet 51 (2009) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
The film is written for both children and adults, like a toned down version of “Shrek†with a more relevant moral feel. Putting the characters in the 1950s adds to the film’s charm, allowing kids access to the blatant characterizations of the time period, such as the bumbling science professor and the hippy protestor who maintains from the start that the alien is friendly.
Other characters of note are Lem’s comic book and movie fanatic best friend, Skiff (Seann William Scott) and the military commander General Grawl (Gary Oldman) who is hell-bent on capturing the alien. Children will also enjoy the two pet creatures from a local alien dog that excretes acid to a rock-obsessed robot sent to pick up local specimens for Baker.
“Planet 51†is wholly entertaining. It provides some mature insight by displaying how we would appear to another culture if we ever did encounter aliens. This switch of perspective is sure to make children think and laugh over the simple cross-cultural mishaps that occur while Lem and Baker are attempting to find common ground.
A delightful, animated romp, “Planet 51†will make you hope for a groovy 1960’s sequel.