Tristram Shandy

I'm going to try a new way of doing this, since I'm noticing that I'm interested in more book/film pairs. Or more films by one director, one producer, following one actor, etc. Too complicated to group all the films and books together by when I watched 'em, so from now one I'll group them in a more logical fashion, or do one-off posts. So:

Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story (2005). Certainly cock and bull, and if you enjoy Brit self-referential humor, mockumentary, or post-modernist wandering -- or Steve Coogan! -- you will love this film. If, on the other hand, you want a 3-act film, with a beginning, middle and ending, this will not be the movie for you. By all means get the DVD and watch all the extras, because it is packed with funny stuff. Also, it inspired me to buy and read Tristram Shandy, one of those books I've had on my to-read list ever since I heard about it. Now it's on my Amazon wishlist! http://imdb.com/title/tt0423409/

Books 2008

Nuala O'Faolain's first book was actually completed in 2008, but I included it in 2007, since I started it then, and read the rest of her books in 2007 also.

On to Peter Segal's funny Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things (And How To Do Them) (2007). Sex clubs, houses full of swingers, obscenely expensive and delicious food (food porn?), gambling, strippers, porn stars. Fun, fun, fun! Who knew NPR hosts could be such fun. An essential bit: the three necessary elements of vice that distinguish it from sin and give it that irresistible frisson; social disapprobation, actual pleasure and shame. Yup!

Neverwhere (1997) is wonderful! Rather than writing a review, refer to http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/10/24/173119.php, which pretty much says it all. Loved it, loved it, loved it! "Mind the Gap"!

American Gods (2001), also by Neil Gaiman, is a huge dark comedy, and a mind-fuck. So if you like being whirled around a bit, and have the patience to read through a long novel with many side stories, pick this up! You might enjoy the Salon.com review: http://archive.salon.com/books/review/2001/06/22/gaiman/