Garden State by Rick Moody
We have traveled to and spent several days in the garden state and wanted to learn more about it.
NJ Alice is a rhythmic guitarist and works at a diner to make ends meet.  All done with school they each don't have ambition to do something with their lives.
Dennis is an artist. Neil is a night watchman. Her mother is in the hospital after her car drove itself on the garden parkway and crashed.
Drinking, drugs and sex experimentation are described.  Story follows their lives and their troubles and triumphs.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Ice Storm by Rick Moody
1973 Thanksgiving weekend, about how the family is falling apart.
Benjamin Hood - His mistress Janie Williams. He's had affairs before, he strives to have things he can't have.
Story also follows Wendy Williams who's in high school and she's waiting to meet up with Mikey who she's watched touch himself and she wants some of it.
Her father finds them in the basement and they walk home and he doesn't care if she wants to have sex, he just wants her to have a better guy.
Eleanor Hood has read a lot of sex manuals, she wants more but her husband Ben doesn't seem to care about it at all, with her.
Gets confusing at times with introduction to others and their problems at holiday parties. Reminds me of a Peyton Place.... as there is talk of the key swingers exchange at a party-you go home with someone else  for the night. Tragedy and death and dark places...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

I found a receipt inside my copy from Borders dated 3/24/10 which shows that A. M. Mullen bought this book in Peoria IL (they had the full name listed which I find pretty invasive for a receipt but what the heck do I know)

Sadly--this little tidbit was about as interesting as the book.

I loved making mix-tapes, having a bunch of favorite songs on one tape--the ones you listened to when your day needed a pick-up, the ones you made to take to work or for the bus ride to help psych yourself up for the day ahead. I loved the few mix-tapes I received, mostly from co-workers. Some of my favorite music came from being introduced to things via mix-tape (Thank you Justin Lacher!!)

1 star for the idea, 1 star for the section by Rick Moody & Stacey Richter and 1 star for making me look up this song (the only song I was tempted to look up which is very sad for a book about music!) which Julie Shapiro claims is ..."one of the most romantic songs ever written."

Crimpshrines--Pretty Mess

June, 2012: I kind of rambled a little about this book here, but it's really more what I thought of two of the essays. Most I didn't care much for, Mr Moody and I have exceedingly different tastes in music. Just the fact that he listed Zappa as a "guilty pleasure" makes me very sad.VERY. SAD.I did enjoy the essay on the Magnetic Fields (even though we'd pick different songs from the album as must listens, see the above link for my opinion on the matter), but most of what I read did not encourage me to read other things by this author. It's really more of a 2.5 star read, but I'm rounding up to be nice.February, 2012: If only to see what he has to say about Magnetic Fields.