some book and music reccomendations:

Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck: delightful! Steinbeck's account of his 3 month venture across the states with his french poodle, Charley. "...he reflects on the American character, racial hostility, on a particular form of American loneliness he finds almost everywhere, and on the unexpected kindness of strangers that is also a very real part of our national identity." quick read, you'll laugh, cry and want to hop on a train....or RV.

The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2004 edited by Dave Eggers with an introduction by Viggo Mortensen: i haven't read each piece in the volume yet, it's a hefty volume. ..."the best and least-expected contemporary fiction, nonfiction, satire, investigative reporting, alternative comics, and more...." I use it for my bedtime stories.

Lies my teacher told me: everything your american history textbook got wrong by James W. Lowen: again I haven't finished this one yet, but wow! here's what the back says: "Americans have lost touch with their history, and in this thought-provoking book, Professor James Loewen shows why. After surveying twelve leading high school Amercian history texts, he has concluded that not one does a decent job of making history interesting or memorable. Marred by an embarrassing combination of blind patriotism, mindless optimism, sheer misinformation and outright lies, these books omit almost all the ambiguity, passion, conflict and drama from our past. " It may not sound like it, but it's a page turner.

Shopgirl by Steve Martin: the roots of Kathleen Kelly, what more can I say? quick read.

some tunes

artist: Pilate
album: Caught by the window
canadian group. incubus meets radiohead with cameos by coldplay. good late-night winter music.


artist: Mirah
albums: You think it's like this but really it's like this and Advisory Committee
washingtonian!!!!! i don't think her music's really profound or earth-shattering, but I can't seem to not listen to her at least once a day, especially while driving. good chick-rock.