Short Story Review

Our Story Begins
by Tobias Wolff
New and Selected Stories
ISBN: 978144444597
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Hunters in the Snow

In the middle of a snow storm Kenny, Frank and Tub decide to go hunting. So they all pile into the cab o Kenny's beat up old truck and take off for the woods.
After spending several hours walking through the snowy woods the guys are just about ready to give up when they come across a set of deer tracks. When the tracks lead to an area of land with a no Hunting sign posted they have to get permission from the farmer to hunt.
After gaining permission from the farmer things turn bad for the guys. The hunting trip ends after one of them is accidentally shot. After loading their friend into the bed of the truck they set off for the hospital. They end of making a few stops along the way.

I have never read any of Tobias Wolff stories before and really enjoyed this one. Its kinda of a dark humor type story but the ending leaves you snickering guiltily.
Rating 4/5

Short Story Review

The Best American Short Stories (2004)
Lorrie Moore (Editor)
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
ISBN: 9780618197354

What You Pawn I Will Redeem
by Sherman Alexie
"Noon
One Day you have a home and the next you don't, but I'm not going to tell you my particular reasons for being homeless, because it's my secret story, and Indians have to work hard to keep secrets from hungry white folks."

Jackson-Jackson is a Spokane Indian boy, an Interior Salish. He wanders the Seattle area with a couple of other homeless Indians by the names of Rose of Sharon and Junior. One day they happen to stumble past a pawn shop that makes Jackson stop short. In the window is an Indian regalia. And not just any Indian regalia but his grandmothers that had been stolen almost 50 years ago. Jackson and his friends go in to speak to the owner of the pawnshop. The owner offers to sell the regalia back to Jackson for $999. The is one dollar cheaper than what he paid for it but he is willing to take a $1 loss on it. Jackson has 24 hours to come up with the money. The pawnshop owner even gives Jackson $20 to get him started.
So for the next 24 hours Jackson travels the streets of Seattle doing his "best" to come up with the money.

This collection has been setting on my bookshelf for a couple years now. Glad I didn't trade it in at the local used bookstore. This story was funny. Jackson "dead-pan" humor will having you laughing non-stop.
Rating 5/5

Short Story Review

Dear Husband
by Joyce Carol Oates
ISBN: 9780061704321
Publisher: Harper Collins
Short Story Collection

Panic
This story was originally printed in the Michigan Quarterly Review and reprinted in the "Detroit Noir" in 2008.

Charles and Camilla are headed home one day when they become stuck behind a slow moving school bus.
Charles just happens to glance up to the back window of the bus and see's 2 teenage boys wrestling. One of them he believes has a gun. Camilla see's it at the same second as Charles and instantly she climbs into the back seat with the baby. Charles is shocked at how fast she leaves him alone in the front seat with the gun crazed teeagers who are now laughing at him.
Later Charles becomes agry at Camilla for choosing the baby over him. With his many pride hurt, Camilla must convince her husband that he is a wonderful husband.

I don't think the author meant this story to be funny but for some reason I laughed myself silly over the the way Charles reacts to Camilla jumping into the back seat.
Rating 4/5

True Grit

I have the day off today so hubby and I headed out to the movies. I have wanted to see this movie ever since I saw it advertised a couple months ago.
Starring:

Jeff Bridges/ Rooster Cogburn
Matt Damon/ La Boeuf
Josh Brolin /Tom Chaney
Bruce Green (II)/ Harold Parmalee
Roy L. Jones/ Yarnell
Elizabeth Marvel /adult Mattie
Barry Pepper Lucky/ Ned Pepper
Hailee Steinfeld /Mattie Ross
Nicholas Sadler /Sullivan

Mattie Ross goes to Little Rock to retrieve her Father's body and find the man responsible for killing him. Mattie pays Marshall Rooster Cogburn to find Tom Chaney and bring him to justice. What the Marshall doesn't figure for is the Mattie will be tagging along with him. A fourteen year old girl and a grumpy, drunk Marshall make for a very entertaining movie. The movie is based on the book "True Grit by Charles Portis". Will have to see if I can find me a copy of the book. If you are a fan of westerns and even if your not I think you will enjoy this 2 hour movie.
Rating 5/5

2010 List of current LendMe Books

I have some friends who recieved Nooks for Christmas so I thought I would post my current LendMe list. I will gladly send these to anyone who requests them. Please leave a message here or email me at oklahomabklady@gmail.com and let me know which book you want sent.


Code Blue by Richard Mabry
Anna Karenina (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) by Leo Tolstoy, Amy Mandelker
Crush by Alan Jacobson
7th Victim by Alan Jacobson
Dead Simple (Roy Grace Series #1) by Peter James
Tale of Two Cities (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) by Charles Dickens, Gillen D'Arcy Wood
Odyssey (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) by Homer, Robert Squillace
Man in the Iron Mask (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) by Alexandre Dumas, Barbara T. Cooper
Journey to the Center of the Earth (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) by Jules Verne, Ursula K. Heise
Iliad (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) by Homer, Bruce M. King
Crime and Punishment (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Priscilla Meyer
Hostile Intent by Michael Walsh
Mockingjay (Hunger Games Series #3) by Suzanne Collins
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Cry Sanctuary (Red Rock Pass Series #1) by Moira Rogers
The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson
The Stormchasers by Jenna Blum
God Don't Like Ugly by Mary Monroe
Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs
Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
Storm Front (Dresden Files Series #1) by Jim Butcher
Rooms by James L. Rubart
The Sculptor by Gregory Funaro
The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Merry Christmas! 2010

glitter-graphics.com

First let me say I apologize for going MIA for almost 3 months now. Life can change in a hurry sometimes and mine is no different. Since October I have been working. It took me awhile to decide what I wanted to do but I have found a job (at least for the present moment) that I thoroughly enjoy. If your wondering what kind of job I found, I work for a large bookstore chain. Have enjoyed working around books all day. I am not real sure what the future holds since I was just hired on as part-time help. My hours will most likely slow way down to where I will either have to find another job or at least a second job to work around this one since the holidays are over now. Life is never boring.
So, yes I am back and will be posting on a regular basis now.
I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed Christmas.