This week's reading list

I've achieved freedom!!

University is over for another year, perhaps forever if I don't go for honours and I no longer have a set reading list to get through. This means that I can finally start reading for pleasure again, not that I didn't love my uni texts but I have about 30 books in my bookcase that I haven't been able to crack open yet!

So I'm planning to stick my nose in my books and comics for the next 6 weeks until I head to Japan and catch up on all the fantastic books I have lying around. This is partly because I've been itching to read them and partly because immersing myself in them will be a good way to distract myself from spending any money before my holiday!

So this week I am going to be reading the following...

~The Five fists of Science, a graphic novel by Matt Fraction
I love myself a good graphic novel and when I heard about The Five Fists of Science through the grapevine I knew I had to find it and read it. Put simply, in this novel Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla attempt to end war forever. I love seeing history rewritten and the portrayal of alterative personifications of histrorical figures so this story should be alot of fun. From my quick flick through the artwork looks fantastic, very rich in colour and very much how I want my graphic novel to appear visually, so I'm sure to get a few ideas reading this one!



~Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
I'd been holding off reading this until I found a beautiful old edition to add to my collection but it appears than A.K is one of those books people don't like to part with so I've given up and am going to read it now and keep one eye open for that perfect copy. I love Russian literature, I find it very rich and dramatic and am always glued to the pages- although I may falter over the identical surnames on occasion!

~Porno by Irvine Welsh
I am a huge, huge, HUGE fan of Welsh's work. I've read it all, just about, and when I found a copy of Porno signed by the legend himself during my trip down to Sydney I squealed with excitement and dashed off to the cash register immediately! Unfortunately that was three months ago and I'm only now getting the chance to crack the cover of the sequel to Trainspotting. Better late than never right? 

I'll probably not get through all three this week but I'll be taking a fair whack at accomplishing it so you never know. I'll post reviews as soon as I'm done. God it feels good to read and write about a book without the threat of failing!!

Fffffffff

So much for finishing the semester with a bang. This final exam is proving to be a headache and a half and I am not counting on adding a HD to my marks for my efforts tomorrow. Ah well, we can't have it all right?

Procrastination, Amazon style

Instead of studying for my exam I've been updating my Amazon wishlist and I thought I'd share the gems i'm desperate to get my hands on. I'm going through a graphic novel kick at the moment and as far as I can tell there is no end in sight. These are just a few of the ones I really, really want (christmas hint-nudge nudge) especially Ah Pook is Here by William S Burroughs. I'm contemplating taking the plunge and preordering it, even though it is months until it'll be released, i'm just so excited!!!

As a Hunter S Thompson fan I'm a huge Ralph Steadman fan by association, his art is incredible- mind-blowing, and his writing is something I enjoy greatly also. I've been eyeing off the Gonzo art book for about a year now but I've been waiting for it to appear courtesy of family/friends via my birthday or christmas but no luck yet. As for his other books, they're almost impossible to find in Brisbane so I'm gagging to hit the 'add to bag' button, especially the first edition Sigmund Freud hardcovers available.

**I'd also like to point out my killer tardis browser art- probably the best thing about going online is getting to see that everyday, i'm not going to lie.

Tweenlight

I've never hid the fact that I am 100% a Harry Potter supporter, especially in the HP vs Twilight debate (why there even is a debate I don't know, HP shits all over the poorly written, glittery Twilight) so it makes me very happy to see other, more prolific people taking the piss. In this instance it is Daniel Radcliffe's cameo in The Simpsons as  teen vampire Edmond in Tweenlight. Not only is it hilarious, but it manages to tell the painful Twilight tale in a little over 6 minutes rather than the 10 hours the real movie took (what? It was only 90 minutes? Surely you jest).  Also an extra 100 points for The Room reference, "You're tearing me a-part!" there is a reason The Simpsons have always been my favourite cartoon.


As great as this cameo is I don't think anything could ever top Daniel's cameo in The Extras. Watch the clip for a sure-fire giggle fest!

The Social Network

I'm going to see the Social Network with a friend next Tuesday, a night out to celebrate the end of uni (the weekend will be spent with my mum and cleaning the house) and I'm looking forward to it since I've heard pretty good reviews about the film. More than that though I'm interested in the debate that is sparked regarding the whole social media identity since this movie has been released. Below are two links to two very interesting essays, the first by author Zadie Smith and the second is a reaction piece to Smith's by Alexis Madrigal. I personally find Smith's prose a little flowery and the content overly cynical but it is interesting none the less, Madrigal is much more up my alley, stylisitcally and through content, but decide for yourselves!

Zadie Smith - Generation Why? 

Alexis Madrigal - Literary Writers and Social Media: A Response to Zadie Smith

I probably don't need to mention it but read Smith's essay first!

Fifi the Fabulous

Something wonderful landed in my letterbox the other day. 

I recently ordered a pin from Fifi Lapin and it arrived, all wonderful and boxed and tied with a bow.

  

For anyone unlucky enough to not be familiar with Fifi Lapin she is only the most fabulous and fashionable bunny in the world (declared by Vogue no less). Whether in a stylish adaptation of a drummer boy's uniform or a pastel dress with multicoloured crown Fifi the "haress" rocks every outfit she wears.

As well as being able to appropriate Fifi's image on pins and prints she updates her blog regularly with images of her wearing the latest trends sweeping the fashion world.

 

Get your hands on one of the limited edition pins or prints here and keep up to date with her fashion forward blog here.