Currently Reading

Here's a snapshot of what books are currently on my bedroom's end table - unread or partially bookmarked, but eagerly waiting to be read/returned to.

Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children and Other Streets of New Orleans by John Chase
I borrowed the second edition - from 1960 - from my mom awhile back and it ended up on my bookshelf. I pulled it down last week because our next Supper Club's theme is New Orleans Streets. I have until February 2013 to come up with an idea.

Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
I bought this version - published in 1966 - from the New Orleans Symphony Book Fair a couple of years back for $1.00. NPR had a story about him recently which reminded me to delve back into his stories. I'm more fond of his stories than his poems - "The Tell-tale Heart", "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Pit and the Pendulum" being my favorites.

Hotel California by Barney Hoskyns

Subtitled "The true-life adventures of Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Mitchell, Taylor, Browne, Ronstadt, Geffen, the Eagles, and their many friends". That's enough of a recommendation from me. Plus, the back cover has positive quotes from Anthony DeCurtis and Alan Light, two of my favorite music critics.

My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud by Kevin Clash
I caught his appearance on NPR's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me..." in October 2012 and bought his book - originally published in 2006. Since his appearance, he's been outed. Not a surprise. Nothing to see here. Move on.

Here's an interview with Kevin Clash on NPR's Fresh Air from December 2011.

Murder in the Bastille by Cara Black
Subtitled: An Aimee Leduc Investigation set in Paris
Apparently, Cara Black is working her way through the arrondissements, with this being her fourth novel. There are 11 books so far; I thought I'd start with this one.

Once I read those books, I'll give y'all my reviews - and my new list of end table books.

----------------

What are you reading?

Happy Thanksgiving

Back in 2010, I wrote about one aspect of my days as a college radio DJ. Here's another story.

Thanksgiving coming up later this week reminded me of a set of radio shows I did back in college: Back then, I had a Monday noon until 3 pm solo radio show and another one with a partner Tuesday from 9 pm until 1 am.

Each year, right before our break for Thanksgiving, during my Monday show, I would ask my listeners to call me with ideas for music that got them in the mood for the holiday. I would then find the songs in our music library or in my personal collections, and play four hours of Songs About Food during our Tuesday night show.

FOUR HOURS! It was quite a challenge!

The lists of songs that we played during those shows are long gone, but I do remember one favorite...



Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Here is the NPR story that reminded me of my story.