Skipping Towards Gomorrah

Well, I'm pretty much a fan of the foul mouthed, sex-posi, (just about) anything goes Dan Savage. His podcast is the perfect background for baking or cooking or when you feel the need to make an uptight roommate a little uncomfortable. Therefore, reading his book Skipping Towards Gomorrah: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Pursuit of Happiness in America was a happy substitute in my original line up for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge.

Savage uses his book to take a stab back at the virtuecrats. This country was founded on a basis of "the pursuit of happiness" so what's the problem if adults want to smoke pot, swap sexual partners, or gamble away their life savings? It makes them happy! Of course it's not that simple. Savage digs a little deeper to make interesting points in his book as he investigates the Seven Sins by attending a swingers convention (lust), visiting Vegas (greed), exploring Pot (sloth)... those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Basically, if you like Savage, you'll like this book since it's an extension of the views he routinely shares via print and podcast. If you're a bit uptight or listen to Dr. Laura... it's probably not for you.

Recommendation: Entertaining for liberals. Irritating for conservatives.

When You Are Engulfed In Flames

So. I was really excited to read When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris. I really like him. I even paid to watch a video-feed of him speak when he came to my college 2 years ago. (And I really enjoyed watching the parents and grandparents walk out on him, [it was Parents' Weekend]).

But. I really did not like this book. Usually Sedaris' books are laugh-out-loud, "oh my, let me read this to you", I can't put it down type books. Seriously. I only chuckled out loud maybe 3 times. Lousy record.

A couple of the essays I enjoyed most were: The Smoking Section and Solution to Saturday's Puzzle.

Recommendation: If you're already a fan of Sedaris you'll read this because you must. If you're new to Sedaris, start with Naked or Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

Control Theory In The Classroom

I crammed Control Theory in the Classroom by William Glasser before a job interview.

Ugh. What was I thinking? Don't bother unless you have a functioning time machine. Outdated. But it did fit nicely with the Non-Fiction Five Challenge.