Books As Gifts

So I will talk about some of the books I got for Christmas this year. I find it interesting that any of my friends or family got me a book this year since I am working at a bookstore again. I haven’t gotten a book for a present in a long, long time. I am usually the book gift person, so I was pleasant surprised when I got these under the tree.

The Road

Of course an Oprah book, but this was really the one that I bet half of her audience didn’t read. I find apocalyptic lit very fascinating.

The Captain’s Wife

I have never heard of this one before. About a sea captain’s wife around the 1850’s that find herself in command when he falls ill. Interesting premise I believe. Well it is based off a true story I hear.

Master and the Margarita

Those crazy Russians, got to love their writing.

The Razors Edge

A book about finding one’s self. Or at least this is what I have heard. I have a friend who absolutely loves this book, though it happens to be from another friend than the one who gave it to me.

Though I am not going to mention the book that my mom re-gifted me. How do I know that she re-gifted it to me, I saw it on her coffee table the last time I visited in May. I will be honest, it would have been great. I am not against re-gifting, but since I know my mother I won’t explain why I just shake my head in shame.

Even though the semester is starting on the 7th, I am not sure when I can get all of this reading done. I also should talk about all the textbooks that I have been assigned this semester. Maybe my next blog.

Myspace and the Youth Vote

McLovin’ from Superbad and Ed Helms from the Daily Show team up to explain democracy to the little ones on myspace. Will this appeal to youth to actually vote or is it just a funny shtick? Is McLovin’ really a great spokesman for voting? You tell me . . .

The Populist Republican Crosses the Picket Line

Leaving Iowa was risky in of itself, yet the fact that presidential candidate Mike Huckabee crossed the striking writers of the Writers Guild to appear of Jay Leno may not go over well for some.

Earlier Wednesday, Huckabee said he supports the writers and did not think he would be crossing a picket line, because he believed the writers had made an agreement to allow late night shows back on the air.

“My understanding is that there was a special arrangement made for the late-night shows, and the writers have made this agreement to let the late night shows to come back on, so I don’t anticipate that it’s crossing a picket line,” Huckabee told reporters traveling with him Wednesday from Fort Dodge to Mason City.

In fact, that is true only of David Letterman, who has a separate agreement with writers for his “Late Show.” (CNN)

Of course with the busy schedule of the campaign trail could be the fact that Huckabee would not have a true grasp of the understanding of the strike terms, yet it seems that a staff member would have been able to brief him on it before he got there.

Personally, it seems like a bad idea just to go to California on the eve of the Iowa caucuses. This may be a move that alienates some Iowa voters, or it could reach many other Iowa voters that he hasn’t be able to reach on the ground. Then again, no one has polled the Iowa people to see the numbers of Leno viewers.

Here is part 1 of his interview with Leno: