Boski's Blogopoluza!

I had fun the other day recounting books I have read that do not have pictures or require coloring. Your Uncle will sit and tell you about the books that I have enjoyed.

1. A Confederacy of Dunces – this is the book that I have read repeatedly. And a book that will keep reading until I die. This would be the one I would take with me to a deserted island. A book my father, mother and brothers read and loved. I will need to check to see if my sisters read it. It is a story that is incredibly humorous and yet is incredibly poignant with out being too sappy. I also love the story behind the book. So listen to your Uncle Boski and read it. Side note. I hear that they are trying to this into a movie. They could really screw this is up. I hear they are going to have Will Farrell play Ignatius. He is the right height, but this cannot be Ron Burgundy II Electric Bugaloo. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is the other person they have talked about in the role. He has the chops to do it. But who am I to judge. I watched the XFL for crap sake. I think John Goodman would have been the choice, about 10 years ago.

2. Less than Zero – I read this in high school and I glad it did not screw with my head. Nothing like reading about people with screwed up relationships, coke habits and seeing people be forced into prostitution (man on man love) to stay strung out on the horse. Good times. It was a book that I really enjoyed because of the visual picture the Bret Easton Ellis laid out. Also, since it took place in LA and made a number of references to some pop culture items and pieces of scenery that brought it to life for me. The drugs, the parties and other main themes. I did not have really any insight into. Though people have accused me of being on drugs with some of the things I have said and have done. The movie disappointed me, but visually the movie did meet my expectations and Robert Downey’s non-acting were the only things I can take away from it. Wait what am I say. How can I forget LL Cool J. Damn I can still listen to that song and he is the only man I can tolerate hitting on a 20. Take that Rick Rubin.

3. Huck Finn – I did not read this book until I was a college senior. I had only read parts of Tom Sawyer in elementary school. Fortune smiled upon me when this was my senior class for my major. I could go on and rave about this class and that I actually turned in something that someone wanted to publish. Naturally I did not clean it up that last little bit and never turned it in. Well enough about my failures. What made this book standout and enter the Boski Canon is the story behind Twain’s writing of the book and how it reflected what Twain saw was going on in America at the time. How the book was a look at American and its issues with slavery.

4. Bright Lights Big City – A great book, shitty movie. Had one of the funniest things I had ever read. All I need to say is Ferrets. But a great book about a writer who is struggling with his personal life and professional life. I am going to have to pick that back up again.

5. October 64 – a wonderful book about baseball, by David Hallberstan. I hate to break it to you, but your Uncle Boski use to be more into baseball. I use to have a very serious baseball habit until 94 MLB strike. It is a wonderful look at baseball and society at a crossroad. The story looks the old establishment the Yanks and Cards the new Turks. How the Yankees were trying to hold on what was left of the Yankee mystique. While the Cardinals were a symbol of the new. As they built a mini dynasty of there own in the mid to late 60’s. It is more than just a baseball story.

6. King Leopold’s Ghost – a very dark and disturbing account of what happened with the Belgian’s in the Congo. It is a story that makes Heart of Darkness look like a walk in the park. Actually the author discusses Conrad and the people who Kurtz is based on. After you read this book you get a good idea on why the Congo is f’ed up.

7. The Delta Star – One of Joseph Wanbaugh cop novels. I read this in elementary school, go figure. It was not the Onion Field or the Choir Boys, but I enjoyed the characters that Wambagh laid out and the settings he established. It was an interesting tale about a burned out cop, Cal Tech and the Noble Peace Prize. Again you write about LA I can really get a feel for it and see it in my head. Underrated. I have been meaning to read more of his work. I did enjoy Line and Shadows, a tale about the Boarder Patrol.

8. Casino – Much better than the movie and you can read it with enough time to still catch the last 2 hours of this film. Hey Marty, you can shorten it up. If you are looking for a great book about Vegas, the Mob, murder, intrigue, then this is a book for you.

9. Loose Balls – The History of the ABA – It is not about porn, but a great recount of the ABA and a time when people could hit jumpers, games were 131 – 128, but there was a lot guys who were slow and could not jump. A great look at how the league was fly by night at the start, but managed to challenge the NBA. The fought to get a partial merger with the NBA.

10. Friday Night Lights – I love me football, but them Texans have the crazy. It is an unflinching look at a powerhouse Texas high school program in God’s armpit of West Texas. I have to see the movie, I hear it is good, but does not follow the book completely.

11. Anything by Andrew Keegan – I have enjoyed his books on the First and Second World War.

That is what I have for now. If you would like a transcript of tonight's show, please send $75.99 to:

Boski Blog of Fun

1313 E Coli Lane

Love Canal, NY 00666