Stuff we're reading / watching / listening to

[Katya]

What did you find arrogant about the title? (Also, I must have missed most of the Conference advertising. I just saw the sign up by University Mall and I watched the trailer on YouTube.)

I guess by naming it "The Saratov Approach," I thought they were trying to show some new hostage negotiation technique and name it after the person who invented it, when it really seemed like a lot of people were praying for them and it would be better to name it "the religious approach"?

You know, I'm not exactly sure what they meant by the title, but I think it might be a reference to different types of missionary approaches. Regardless, Saratov is the name of the city where they were serving, so it's not named for a person.

That's interesting that they released the film and did so much marketing around conference, and it's actually pretty shrewd, if you think about it. October (and April) are the times of year when it would be the easiest to snag a huge Mormon audience and this seems like more of a fall film than a spring film, anyway.

[Laser Jock]

I've also been reading Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series. Good books, but not entirely enthralling. I've read 2, and will continue to read them, but I don't have a strong drive to read much besides before bed every night.

I read it this last summer and felt basically the same way. I finished the series, and didn't regret reading it, but I also feel no urge to re-read it (which I will often do, a couple years later, if a book is good).

[Giovanni Schwartz]

A man after my own heart, you are.

[thatonemom]

Although I'm ambivalent about John Green, I enjoyed his latest vlog about perspective.

[Dragon Lady]

Just reread Warbreaker because I couldn't sleep the other day because I kept trying to remember parts of it (for reasons completely unknown) and it was bugging me. I think I actually liked it better this time around.

[UffishThought]

Oh my gosh, you guys. Chennai Express just became one of Netflix's newest streamable titles. I've been wanting to see for months, now. Hopefully it lives up to the trailer.

[Portia]

My grandparents just bought me the biography of Wallace Stegner. woooo

[Digit]

Good article about skill and luck. Notice how close the stock chart is to the roulette wheel I've always been skeptical about the average Harrry Homeowner individual investor's ability to do significant enough research given the volume and speed of information.

[Portia]

Just finished All the Little Live Things. Hoo boy. That one was tough. I'd read a paragraph, cry, then read another one. Apparently not only am I following Wallace Stegner around the country (next stop, Stanford?), we apparently share the misfortune of knowing too many women who died of cancer.

Between that and Crossing to Safety, I might have hit my quota of cancer books for the year, although I do want to read The Fault In Our Stars. Anyone read that one?

[thatonemom]

I've read it. I think there are things about it you would enjoy. And there's foreshadowing aplenty so I don't think the plot would catch your (or anyone else) off guard.

[Tally M.]

I've read it and quite enjoyed it--more so than I expected.

[Portia]

I find these teenagers to be too clever and their dialogue to be too scripted. It's like Juno. I certainly didn't talk like that as a teenager. Maybe young people are more worldly now in a digital universe.

[Tally M.]

I just finished "Flunking Sainthood" and found it fascinating. I wish I'd had the time to really mull over it...

My only complaint is that I knew her religion going into it and was distracted looking for hints of it in the book.

[thatonemom]

I find these teenagers to be too clever and their dialogue to be too scripted. It's like Juno. I certainly didn't talk like that as a teenager. Maybe young people are more worldly now in a digital universe.

I remember thinking that, too. I can't remember if I thought it got better or I just got used to it, because the dialogue didn't bother me by the end. But if it's not the book for you, and you're looking for a YA read with similar themes, there's also The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. The Goodreads summary doesn't do it any favors, (seriously, it is horrible) but I liked it more than Fault. It is content-ier though.

Unrelatedly, I recently read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and I'm pretty sure it's my favorite fluff read of the year. It's about a girl who writes fanfiction and is starting her first year of college. Sadly, it is also content-y, at least where language is concerned.

[mic0]

I've been in love with Gershwin lately. The piano player at this performance is so into it, he is mesmerizing.

[Portia]

I don't know what you mean by content-y.

[bobtheenchantedone]

I haven't been very interested in the new Emma Approved series, but I just caught up on the last six episodes and I'm afraid I've gone all giggly about them. Darn you Hank Green!

[Giovanni Schwartz]

I've been in love with Gershwin lately. The piano player at this performance is so into it, he is mesmerizing.

Enjoyed that very much. Much thanks.

[thatonemom]

16 People On Things They Couldn’t Believe About America Until They Moved Here

It's long, but so interesting.

[Whistler]

thanks for posting! it was a fun read.