…author, Michael James Caughill, from this morning’s show.

 

Get The Abortionist online at Amazon.com.

I was finally able to read The Abortionist, by Michael James Caughill.

The Abortionist is the story of an ex-Milwaukee police officer, Elliot, who was left paralyzed after he was shot in the line of duty. Now, instead of fighting crime, Elliot spends his days writing a well-known crime blog. When the recent murders of a serial killer hit close to home, he is pushed into helping the police solve the crimes.

The first thing that you will notice about this book is that it is distinctively Milwaukee. From the names of businesses to the street names, you can actually see exactly where the murders are occurring. If you are lucky enough to have met Michael Caughill in real life (he is a Milwaukee blogger and runs the site FromWhereISit.org – the same as the blog mentioned in the book), you will even picture Michael as Elliot. For the record, though, Michael does not use a wheelchair in real life*.

The storyline in Caughill’s novel is terrific. Though the chapters flip-flop between Elliot’s encounters and those of the twisted Abortionist, it is very easy to follow along. The love story seems real, almost if it was written from experience. The murders are gruesome, but they have to be in order to keep the story in tact. The language is conversational and allows you to actually believe that you are listening to Milwaukeeans speak their native tongue.

Pick up Caughill’s book, The Abortionist, today. You won’t be disappointed.

*though I was almost disappointed when I read that Elliot has hair. I’m sure it was wishful thinking by Michael.

WOW!  Is all I can say.  I have been collecting Shepard’s art for several years now (and admiring it for at least the last 10)…it’s great to see him in this arena.

-Claude

From ObeyGiant.com

Shepard was just recently asked to illustrate the cover of two literary classics by George Orwell -Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm. The re-issues are to hit the stands in early July so keep an eye out for them.  For information on the release and re-issue, please visit www.us.penguingroup.com.  Here is a little preview of the covers.

It’s been almost 10 years since Fight Club came out.  That makes me feel old. But it will always be in my Top 10 Favorite Movies. It’s great on so many levels.

For those of you you who didn’t know…Fight Club was first written as a book, by Chuck Palahniuk. The book is a lot grittier than the movie…just because some of the things he writes could not be said in the movie. Check out his other works like Choke, Diary and Lullabye.  He’s a great writer.  In the meantime, enjoy this Fight Club Trailer.  .:in.tyler.we.trust:.

 

An excerpt from my favorite book:

Neither woman nor world are predictable. They will often seem to resist your gifts and test your capacity to persist. And, just as surely, they will tenderly respond to the authenticity of your relaxed ministrations, the freedom expressed in your humor, and the invasion of your adamant love. They will open in love and receive you fully — only to resist and test you again, moments or days later. Neither woman nor world can be second-guessed, or fooled. They know when you are just dicking around. They want to receive you for real.

~David Deida, The Way of the Superior Man

Lt. Colonel John Nagl was on the Daily Show tonight talking about his book, The Counterinsurgency Field Manual. Upon a quick Google search, I found a link to this book in .pdf form. I glanced through it quickly and plan to read further. I recommend taking a look. It’s quite interesting and enlightening.

Alright….I just finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Of course I don’t have the time to read, so I have listened to it on Audio-CD, which is a great alternative to listening to Top 40 music in the car on long trips!

The book was pretty good. I did like it better than some of the others (and some of the movies)…I guess the “end” of the Potter series was good. I was a little worried about the progress of the story because there was a very VERY slow part of the book where Harry and company are “journeying” around for some time…very slow, boring.

I do have to admit, I have had my fill of Wizengamots, horcruxes, patronuses, and all of the other terms and people that live within the Harry Potter Universe. I look forward to not paying much attention to it until my daughter is old enough to read the books.

I admit, I have seen the Harry Potter movies and have listened to the subsequent 2 books in hopes of finding out the “end” of the saga for myself…before bloggers ruin it for me.  But, I do not count myself among these nerds…

who, like Star Wars nerds…spend countless hours debating the possible goings on in a ficticious world.  These poor people who have horribley lonely lives and spend hours a day fashioning perfect replica robes and wands to look just like their favorite per-adult literary character.  Anyway…people have started to “line up” to get the book at midnight tonight…go home, drink a case of Mountain Dew and read the entire book , crying themselves to sleep in the morning as there will be no more Harry Potter books.  Boo hoo.

Time to move on to a new fav…like Eregon or perhaps back to Lord of the Rings.

Every moment of your life is either a test or a celebration. The same is true about every moment with your woman, only doubly so. Not only is her simple existence a test for you, but one of her deepest pleasures in intimacy is testing you, and then feeling you are not moved off course by her challenge.

~David Deida, The Way of the Superior Man

By the way, The Way of the Superior Man is one of the best books I have ever read, and I highly recommend it to any man.

I am passing along this little piece of viral marketing. Why? Because it is brilliant!

No One Belongs Here More Than You 

On the quest for 1001 />

Artist – Album

Wire – Pink Flag
The Clash – The Clash
Basment Jaxx- Remedy
Parliament – Mothership Connection
Magazine – Real Life
Cornershop – When I was born for the 7th time
Happy Mondays – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and bellyaches
Depeche Mode – Music for the Masses
Patti Smith – Horses
Elvis Costello – Armed Forces
Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible
Cocteau Twins – Heaven of Las Vegas
Pere Ubu – Dub housing
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
Elvis Costello – Imperial Bedroom
Scritti Politti – Cupid & Psyche 85
Jeff Buckley – Grace
The Fire Arcade – Funeral
Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left
The Clash – London Calling

On the quest for 1001

Artist – Album

Depeche Mode – Violator
The Avalanches – Since I Left You
Beck – Sea Change
Talvin Singh – OK
Air – Moon Safari
Primal Scream – Vanishing Point
Tortoise – Millions Now Living will Never Die
Dover – Lost Souls
Gotan Project – La Revancha del Tango
Supergrass – In It for the Money
Travis – The Man Who
Happy Mondays – Bummed
TV on the Radio – Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
Massive Attack – Blue Lines
Fatboy Slim – Better Living Through Chemestry
Doves – The Last Broadcast
Sigur Ros – Ágætis Byrjun
David Gray – White Ladder
Tom Waits – Heart Attack and Vine
Elvis Costello – This Years Model

My top 3 picks for this group are: Tortoise – Millions Now Living…, Tom Waits – Heart Attack and Vine, and Travis – The Man Who.

 

 

On the quest for 1001

Artist – Album (Favorite song)

Bjork - Vespertine (An Echo, A Stain)
Slint – Spiderland (For Dinner..)
Scissor Sisters- Scissor Sisters (Laura)
M.I.A. - Arular (Bucky Done Gone)
Leftfield- Leftism (Blackflute)
The Thrills – So Much for the City (Big Sur)
U2 – The Joshua Tree (Bullet The Blue Sky)
The Killers – Hot Fuss (Mr. Brightside)
Beck РGuero (Qu̩ Onda Guero)
Gorillaz - Gorillaz (Sound Check (Gravity))
The Flaming Lips - Soft Bulletin (Waitin’ For A Superman (Remix))
Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the 36 Chambers (Method Man) (YouTube.com MethodMan Attack)
Nick Drake – Byter Later (Northern Sky)
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell)
The Strokes – Is This It? (Last Night)
Nick Drake – Pink Moon (Pink Moon) < - Remember this song from the VW moon-roof commercial?

I am starting to run out of the albums that I own…looks like I am going to have to visit the library and/or start mining my friends to keep pace on this list!

On the quest for 1001

Artist – Album (Favorite song)

Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggy Style (The Shiznit (It ain’t no fun…))
The Beatles – The White Album (D1: Glass Onion / D2: Helter Skelter)
Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (D1: Here is No Why / D2: Stumbline)
Nirvana – MTv Unplugged (The Man Who Sold the World)
Radiohead – Kid A (The National Anthem)
Johnny Cash – IV (I Hung My Head (and Hurt))
TLC – Crazy Sexy Cool (Diggin’ on You)
Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die (Juicy)
Metallica – The Black Album (Where ever I May Roam)
Sinead O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (Black Boys on Mopeds).

A great group of albums.  Be sure to check out Johnny Cash IV.  It has several great covers and some new-classic Cash songs.  Also, The Smashing Pumpkins double-disc is great…I had forgotten how much I like them.  Of course, the White Album is an all time classic as well as Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die!  That album is great.  I encourage everyone to listen to these albums, especially if you are like me and have many cds you don’t listen to on a regular basis.  This rotation of them has really made me appreciate my musical tastes that much more.

 

 

On the quest for 1001

I have decided to hold off and do weekly postings or maybe 1/2 weeks…because posting 3 albums a day is just too much work for me =)

Artist – Album (Favorite song)
Sheryl Crow – Tuesday Night Music Club (Run Baby, Run)
N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton (Straight Outta Compton)
Smashing Pumpkins – Siamesse Dream (Geek USA)
Metallica – Master of Puppets (Welcome Home, Sanitarium)
Justin Timberlake – Justified (Cry Me A River)
The Fugess – The Score (Ready or Not)
Alanis Morrisette – Jagged Little Pill (Ironic)
Led Zepplin – IV (Stairway to Heaven)
Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory (Points of Authority)
Green Day – Dookie (Sassafras Root)
Ice Cube – The Predator (Check Yo’Self)
The Mars Volta – Deloused in the Comatorium (Cicatriz ESP)
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication (Scar Tissue)
Limp Bizkit – The Chocolate Starfish and Hotdog Flavored Water (My Generation)
Jimi Hendrix – Axis:Bold as Love (Bold as Love)
Soundgarden – Superunknown (The Day I Tried to Live)
Guns N Roses – Appetite for Destruction (Paradise City)
U2 – All That You Can’t Leave Behind (Beautiful Day)
Marilyn Manson – Antichrist Superstar (Irresponsible Hate Anthem)
U2 – Achtung Baby (The Fly)

On the quest for 1001

3 more from an afternoon of re-designing websites and print pieces.

Artist – Album (Favorite song)

Slipknot – Slipknot (Eye Less)
Pearl Jam – Ten (Porch)
Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head (Warning Sign)

I have to say that the Slipknot album is great, I have liked these guys since this album came out.  I am even more impressed by the fact that they are from Iowa.  Having lived in Iowa during my elementary and middle school years, I am quite surprised that this type of music/talent came from there!

On the quest for 1001

3 more down after yesterday and this morning’s bus ride to my programming class.

Artist – Album (Favorite song)
Rage Against the Machine – Rage Against the Machine (Bombtrack)
Dr. Dre – The Chronic (Nuthin’ but a G Thang)
Beastie Boys – Ill Communication (Get it Together)

 

 

Artist – Album (Favorite Song)

Fatboy Slim – You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby (The Rockafeller Skank)
Fun Lovin’ Criminals – Come Find Yourself (Scooby Snacks)
Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon (Us and Them)
The Grateful Dead – American Beauty (Ripple)
Portishead – Dummy (Wandering Star)
Pink Floyd – The Wall (D1, Goodbye Blue Sky / D2, In the Flesh)
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On? (What’s Going On?)

Today I started my programming course on the Minneapolis Campus…so I had some free time on the bus rides to and from class to listen to some more of the 1001 Albums.
What I completed today:

Artist – Album Title (Favorite Song)

Method Man – Tical (All I Need)
Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole (Where Do I Begin)
Nirvana – In Utero (Rape Me)
Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral (Hurt)

I have recently taken on the (self) challenge of listening to the 1001 Albums To Listen to Before You Die.
I have listened to 14, which you can see here.

Here’s a quick rundown for you who do not recognize my first 14:

Artist – Album (Favorite Song)
Eminem – The Marshall Matthers LP (Kill You)
Moby – Play (My Weakness)
Chemical Brothers – Exit Planet Dust (3 Little Birdes Downbeats)
Radiohead – The Bends (Fake Plastic Trees)
Metallica – S & M (Call of Kthulu)
Jay-Z – The Blueprint (Hola Hovito)
Prodigy – The Fat of the Land (Climbatize)
Metallica – ..And Justice for All (One)
U2 – War (Sunday, Blood Sunday)
Eminem – The Slim Shady LP (Role Model)
Brian Wilson – SMiLE (Good Vibrations)
Coldplay – Parachutes (Everything’s Not Lost)
Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet (Welcome to the Terrordome)
Radiohead – Amnesiac (Like Spinning Plates)

Out of these 14, my favorite would be Eminem – The Marshall Matthers LP..it’s just great, but a surprising #2 for me would be Metallica S & M, while I thought it would be cheesy and lame, it is pretty great (The Call of Kthulu). Skip Brian Wilson – SMiLE…it probably sounds great on acid, but not in your office at work.