Colin Charles Agenda

Since my last foray into writing book reviews, I figured it made a little more sense to get a few more out of the bag, that I remember, since then.

• Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson

Amazing autobiography. Does things in the name of fun, has become a billionaire, over and over, and has got some really practical advice about running a company (and now, companies) on a shoestring budget. Partnnership, diversification, is clearly key.

• iCon by Jeffrey Young & William Simon

Steve Jobs, Apple, Pixar. Successes over and over, but there were pains at the start. Management mistakes to not make. Probably a good read for any Mac fan.

• Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Simply interesting, its a must read. Drop in violent crime, in thanks to abortion? Drug dealers who still live with their moms, because they don’t really make much money? Interesting scenarios, that will make you think, for certain. Most entertaining reading, picking the book up, makes it very hard to put it down till it was done.

• Lonely Planet: Thailand

Dodgy copy picked up while in Siem Reap, but served its purpose of giving me enough information to survive in Bangkok.

• Lonely Planet: Cambodia

Without this, I would have had no Siem Reap trip. Truly used this, plus the driver we hired, to have a good six day holiday, touring the Angkor, and the regions that most don’t visit. The book was mighty handy, and will probably serve well when writing the travelogue.

• A Year In The World by Frances Mayes

Reading this was actually inspirational, in the sense that it paved my way for last December’s travels. I actually had a passion to explore, plan to a certain extent, and leave some parts of travel to chance. I must say, I’ve never had a better amount of time, travelling, and its all thanks to her joyous sense of adventure and travel. Recommended reading if life’s feeling like a rut, and you’re just wating to escape into a holiday.

• Under The Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes
  I read this after reading A Year In The World, as I absolutely adore Frances Mayes style. The recipes are typically helpful, and the idea of living such a Bohemian lifestyle, will make you want to visit Italy.
• God’s Callgirl by Carla Van Raay

A memoir, of a Dutch girl, who’s family emigrated to Australia. What’s interesting is she grows up in a full-on Catholic environment, goes on into the convent to become a nun, is a nun, then leaves for freedom. Upon leaving, her sex drive seems to be active, and she becomes a prostitute. This is her story, about self-sabotage, and being a working girl. Probably a very useful text for women’s studies.

• Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

I am a big fan of the series, on Discovery Travel & Adventure. When I saw the book lying at the bookstore, I had to pick it up. Its a gripping tale spanning two decades of life as a cook. Starting from the bottom, right to being a chef in his own kitchen, he paints a very interesting story, of what it’s like to be behind the scenes, at a restaurant. There’s also practical advice for those wanting to cook (at chef levels, even). What makes this book highly interesting is all the anecdotes, of life as a chef. Its definitely a recommended memoir. Now to find his other book, A Cook’s Tour.

Caught:

• The World’s Fastest Indian - inspiring story, telling you, you can still achieve your dreams when old, and when everyone writes you off. Some Down Under-isms, and how it is when going to the US clearly made me chuckle
• Bulletproof - this came via Quickflix, and I realized that I’d already seen it before and not logged it. The wonders of cable TV, ala ASTRO, while I was in Malaysia. Its a funny show, with a bit of action here and there…
• Super Size Me - terrestial TV had this. Amazing show. I knew McDonalds was bad, but I’m pretty certain that my bulking up in recent years was caused by McDonalds, pizza, and Snicker bars. Slowly thats all being cut down, or cut off, but fast food is probably a really bad idea.
• Ghost Rider
• Wild Hogs
• Norbit
• Death to the Supermodels - utter rubbish, don’t ever waste your time watching it. Quickflix’s recommendations are getting worse.
• Kinky Boots - terribly interesting, great inspiration to remaking and reinventing things.
• Lonesome Jim - boring, put me to sleep, even the presence of Liv Tyler didn’t help.
• The Sweetest Thing - wow, television has come a long way in showing something I actually enjoyed. Funny, Cameron Diaz show, about taking that leap.
• EuroTrip - a teen flick, seemed very much like Road Trip on steroids, but I enjoyed it much (also on television).
• Derailed - the last good movie Quickflix has sent. Its excellent. The plot is something you can’t figure out till the end. Justice is served, pity that all the crooks die in the end :-(
• Bobby - amazing cast, all connected together by JFK. Interesting concept, but I think this might have been money better spent elsewhere. Watch it for the stars?
• Borat - its out on DVD. Incredibly funny. Crass. Though Ali G in my opinion, was much better.

Of course, when I cancel my account with Quickflix at the end of this month (the value I was getting was certainly not good, with each DVD costing at least $0.05 more than if I got them at a video rental store), I certainly want to watch a bunch more “old” movies, that I’ll probably just list here, quickly:

• Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets
• Win A Date With Tad Hamilton
• The Good Girl
• Boy Eats Girl
• Chocolat
• Ghost (but I remember getting this DVD, its just some 8000kms away, and I’ve seen bits and bobs on telly)
• Matchstick Men
• Changing Hearts
• The Day After Tomorrow
• Les Miserables

After typing that all, I realized that this would be best kept in Tomboy. But if anyone has recommendations or wants to tell me something in the above list sucks, by all means, do so.