What I'm Reading: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Yuppers, my mission to bring back "the novel" in my life continues. I was really pleased to read that Junot Diaz (author of the short story collection, Drowned) won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his debut novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I had read Drowned years and years ago, and quite enjoyed the stories. I haven't actually started reading his new novel, but will do so soonish. The New York Times wrote a glowing review of it months ago. My favorite line from the review:

Junot Díaz’s “Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” is a wondrous, not-so-brief first novel that is so original it can only be described as Mario Vargas Llosa meets “Star Trek” meets David Foster Wallace meets Kanye West. (Source)

That first sentence, alone, sold me.

What I'm Reading: A New Earth

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Source)

Last night I had a weird bout of insomnia and did some online impulse shopping to help fall asleep (I hate insomnia!). One of things I bought was a new book. I jumped on Oprah's bandwagon yet again, since she's totally my guru to getting my shit in order. I bought A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhard Tolle (Oprah's book pick #61). I can't wait. My life/mind is literally as messy as my work space. Do you ever have that feeling that you need to do something but for some reason or another you keep putting it off and putting if off and keep wondering "what if ... ?" I've been feeling that way for the past year, so I'm hoping this book will clue me in.

For those in the know, Oprah's been doing a world wide web class every Monday based on this book. I've not officially checked it out, but I will be sure to download every class (for every chapter) as soon as I get my book.

Check it:
Oprah

Totally Priapic

The Big Penis Book (Source)

Leave it to Taschen to publish a book devoted to penises, with the boldly titled The Big Penis Book, to be released in May 2008. I love Taschen! Many of the photos are from the era of feathered hair and mustached beefcake men - I think people call penises from this era "vintage." Warning, you might feel a bit inadequate looking at the photos - or perhaps envious or maybe a little horny (you choose). The Big Penis Book is a lovely compendium of images of a bygone era - images that happen to be of men with - how shall I say - "big guns". I'm obviously intrigued - and I know you are too - and will probably have to grab me a copy at some point.

Here's more of the description of the book:
In this companion volume to The Big Book of Breasts, we explore the centuries-old fascination with the large phallus, a fascination common to men and women alike. This hefty book is profusely illustrated with over 400 historic photos of spectacular male endowments, including rare photos of the legendary John Holmes. The majority of the photographs are from the 1970s, when the sexual revolution first freed photographers to depict the male entirely nude. Photographers include Bob Mizer of Athletic Model Guild, David Hurles of Old Reliable, Colt, Falcon, Sierra Domino, Third World, and Champion Studios, with each of these iconic photographers interviewed or profiled, along with information about each of their models. And if this isn’t enough, the book closes with a special surprise comparable to the Guinness Book of Records’ Norma Stitz featured in The Big Book of Breasts! Can you guess what body part Dian is dissecting next? (Source)

See more of the photos from The Big Penis Book (NSFW).

Check it:
The Big Penis Book on Amazon
The Big Penis Book on Taschen (NSFW)

I Want a Fantastic Man

Fantastic Man, Spring/Summer 2008 (Source)

Note to self: Pick up the latest issue of Fantastic Man. Tom Ford's on the Spring/Summer 08 cover (he's one fantastic man who's got a some strategic hair action going on his body! More on that later.). The snarky and yet stylish Dutch duo, Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom, put out the most coveted magazines (at least in my household). And yes, the duo behind Fantastic Man are behind my other fave publication, Butt. The mag features, obviously, fantastic (and often times famous) men in fashion, the literary world, the arts, and music. It's very fresh. I love it. Fantastic Man comes out twice a year and can be purchased here.

Cathy Horyn, my fave fashion critic, recently did a feature on the Dutch duo in the New York Times. Read it here.

Check it:
Fantastic Man

I Bought Butt

Butt Book Cover (Source)

I just bought it. The Butt Book has been on my wish list for the past year now. The book is a compilation of the last 5 years of Butt, a quarterly magazine "for and about homosexuals." It's pocket size and printed on pink paper. Yes it will fulfill your lascivious curiosities, visual and literary. More than that, it is well put together and very smart. And go figure, it's published in the Netherlands. I love the picture of the acclaimed gay author Edmund White sucking on some guy's toes (below). For some reason, I can't seem to shake it out of my head.


Edmund White Sucks (Source)

Well, we’re happy to serve.
Great. The thing is, when I was in my 20s, I found lots of men in their 40s and 50s to fuck me. And it was very, very exciting. I mean, some of them were extremely powerful guys… Physically and in the world.
Like who?
One of them was head of all artistic programming for a major television channel. He had a very powerful body and he liked to pick me up and hold me upside-down – with my head down – and then he would suck my cock while my feet were sticking straight up. And I would suck his too. He had this incredibly strong body. He could just pick people up and throw them around.

Read the rest of the interview: Edmund White Astonishing Writer Wants to Have Sex With Everybody, Butt (Autumn 2006)

Go Get Yourself Some Butt!