Books
14. The Homeless Transient in the Great Depression--New York State 1929-1941 by Joan M. Crouse
Hobomancer research. One really useful chapter and the rest of the book was pretty interesting, too.
15. That's Not Your Mommy Anymore: A Zombie Tale by Matt Mogk. Illustrated by Aja Wells
If you're going to write a children's book that's not really a children's book, there should probably be more to it than one idea followed by a bunch of pointless rhymes.
16. Earth (The Book): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race by Jon Stewart and (I assume) a bunch of Daily Show writers
A guide to the human race for alien visitor's, written with the assumption that we'll have killed ourselves off before they arrive. Funny stuff.
17. John Dies at the End by David Wong
An urban fantasy novel, only funnier and with a lot more crazy Grant Morrison type stuff than most urban fantasy novels. I recommend it.
18. Pariah by Bob Fingerman
Good zombie apocalypse novel. The story's set a few months after the zombies show up and focuses on a bunch of people who are about to starve to death in a New York walk-up. Most of the book is character development, the vast majority of it really good. The problem is the climax--while the central action is inevitable, the reason for its setting (out among the zombies) hinges on one of the characters whose development isn't as strong. As a result, it kind of feels like that character only exists so that Fingerman can get the necessary characters out into the zombie-filled streets for the climax (even though the climax didn't necessarily need to take place there). I can almost imagine an editor telling him "it's a zombie book, they've got to eventually come into contact with the zombies." I'm not so sure that was necessary. While that aspect of the ending (and the one character arc) felt a little contrived, overall it's a very good book.
Hobomancer research. One really useful chapter and the rest of the book was pretty interesting, too.
15. That's Not Your Mommy Anymore: A Zombie Tale by Matt Mogk. Illustrated by Aja Wells
If you're going to write a children's book that's not really a children's book, there should probably be more to it than one idea followed by a bunch of pointless rhymes.
16. Earth (The Book): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race by Jon Stewart and (I assume) a bunch of Daily Show writers
A guide to the human race for alien visitor's, written with the assumption that we'll have killed ourselves off before they arrive. Funny stuff.
17. John Dies at the End by David Wong
An urban fantasy novel, only funnier and with a lot more crazy Grant Morrison type stuff than most urban fantasy novels. I recommend it.
18. Pariah by Bob Fingerman
Good zombie apocalypse novel. The story's set a few months after the zombies show up and focuses on a bunch of people who are about to starve to death in a New York walk-up. Most of the book is character development, the vast majority of it really good. The problem is the climax--while the central action is inevitable, the reason for its setting (out among the zombies) hinges on one of the characters whose development isn't as strong. As a result, it kind of feels like that character only exists so that Fingerman can get the necessary characters out into the zombie-filled streets for the climax (even though the climax didn't necessarily need to take place there). I can almost imagine an editor telling him "it's a zombie book, they've got to eventually come into contact with the zombies." I'm not so sure that was necessary. While that aspect of the ending (and the one character arc) felt a little contrived, overall it's a very good book.