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What I am reading: I am surrounded by books--some of which I will never read, some I intend to read but never do, others I can't put down, and others I pick through slowly enjoying a page before I fall asleep and the book hits me in the face. This method of reading is not efficient, and as I am a particularly slow reader, it takes a while to actually finish a book. Here's the current list of books hanging around the apartment, in no particular order:

	The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart When I visit Milwaukee, I stay with my brothers family. They have a lot of girls living in that house...it's scary. On this last visit they were all reading and re-reading this book. In a lame attempt to be a better uncle I thought I could read it as well and perhaps have a little something to talk about next time..."Hey" they might say, "Uncle Brian's really not such a jerk after all. We should probably visit him more often." Hopefully they are not as brilliant as the kids in the book and they won't realize the transparency of my scheme.
	Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne I'll pretty much follow David Byrne down whatever creative avenue he wants to explore. Talking Heads? Internet Radio? Lectures about Powerpoint? Check, check and check. Most of the entries in this nice little book seem to come from his blog but I'm a sucker for things bound and well packaged. So far, it's been a nice little book to pick up and read a few pages while waiting for my phone to continue to not ring. And I haven't mentioned this yet, but as you can probably guess from the title, the book is about bicycling. Guess who also loves bicycling? This guy.
	Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes I'll probably be reading this until I'm dead. I like to keep a really big book around to make myself feel smart and this is the current winner. Previously, all I really knew about the story was based on Man of La Mancha starring Peter O'Toole but it turns out that's a pretty good intro. The book seems much more cynical than the musical--no surprises there. But the windmill is still there and the unstoppable imagination, perhaps madness, of an old man.
	The Barnum Museum by Steven Millhauser My master's project exists somewhere between the world of the circus and the religious revival...transient, ephemeral, perhaps housed in a tent...I don't quite know. I do know that if I could end up with a project that somehow captures the spirit of the building that Millhauser describes in the title story of this collection I would be very happy. It's somehow a museum of wonder and spectacle that is in constant flux--one that changes, updates, modifies, deletes, and recreates itself at every moment with every turn. Very spooky stuff.
	Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser Why stop with one book by Millhauser when they all see like something you'd like to read? After reading the short story, The Knife Thrower, I thought I'd move away from the circus for a moment and into the world of hotel magnates. Martin sells cigars at this father's shop but has bigger dreams...cafes, clubs, hotels...his is an expansive vision of what 19th century New York City could become with a little nudge. Certain books like this (Winter's Tale by Helprin also comes to mind) really make me want to take an impromptu trip to NY to see it with fresh eyes.

What I have read recently:
	The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski My friend Daniel at Boswell Books in Milwaukee described this book as Hamlet set in northern Wisconsin with a lot of dogs. How could I resist? He knows me too well. Perhaps it is unfair to the author to boil it down to such a simple tagline, appropriate though it may be. The writing is impressive, the Wisconsin landscape is as eerie as Denmark (which might explain why there is such a large Scandanavian population in that area) and there are in fact a lot of dogs in the story. Don't let the fact that Oprah also seemed to like this book dissuade you--Oprah probably likes pizza as well (though her pizza is topped by only the rarest of never-before imagined golden toppings...also banana peppers) but you're not going to stop eating that. Also, it may be the most honest and in-depth look at the troubled world of Ophelia.
	Stitches by David Small Looking for a great way to ignore your master's project for an afternoon? Look no further than David Small's memoir in graphic novel format. Small tells the story of his childhood battle with cancer...but here's the kicker...his parents never told him what was going on. Add to that the brutal family dynamic, a post-operation loss of speech, and Small's amazing ability to conjure up a sullen child out of a bit of ink--just amazing.

What is on the radar:

Devices of Wonder: From the World in a Box to Images on a Screen byBarbara Stafford and Frances Terpak Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Fortey Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon Ringlingville USA by Jerry Apps

What's on the TV? I don't actually have a TV but with the dawn of Hulu and the beauty of Netflix do you actually need one anymore? Also, it's important to make sure that at least one friend has a TV that you can access in case of an emergency (meaning the Cavs are playing or the final season of Lost is on).
	Carnivale I'm pretending that this is thesis research...traveling carnivals, religion, supernatural spectacle, etc. and there is a lot of excellent imagery involving tents, construction, repair, and the grind of a travelling show but really I just gravitate toward shows of this nature. Sort of has a David Lynch vibe but also an American Gothic thing happening. I have given in to the world presented and since there were only two seasons made, it doesn't seem like too much of a commitment.

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