Avengers vs. X-Men Book Review

The underlying plot was a good idea in this series I really liked very much. The Phoenix is coming again. It has burnt a fiery path of destruction on its way to Earth. The Avengers and X-Men know where it's heading or rather who it's heading to, Hope Summers. Cyclops believes the Phoenix through Hope will bring back mutant kind from the brink of extinction, but the Avengers fear for the Earth. Cyclops along with the X-Men is adamant that Hope stays with them even if it means war against the Avengers.

I really like the way the Phoenix get tied up with 5 people instead of just the one to make it more interesting. I like how you have Iron Man vs Magneto, Gambit vs Captain America and Black Panther vs Storm very interesting match ups that I think any comic book fan would want to see. The great one liners by spider-man and his banter back and forth with Wolverine adds some humor.

Written by Brian Michael Bendis (Author), Ed Brubaker (Author), Matt Fraction (Author), Jason Aaron (Author), Jonathan Hickman (Author) I think they did a great collaborative job on this almost 600 page series.

There was only one small let down towards the middle of the story nothing bad just seemed like it was there to kill time the story slows a bit then picks backup again. Other than that I was wholly invested. I personally sided with the X-Men. They seemed to be guilty before anything even happened which seemed really odd considering what Cap and the other avengers had been through with the Hulk. All in all though so much fun, a must read!

I would give this a 5 out 5 stars very well written time line was excellent and placement of matchups and character twists were great.

Invasion America Book Review

Invasion America was one of the best books that I have ever read in my life. The story line is interesting, yet also easy to follow, I really think this book is a huge success, The way the it is written captivates characters actions, and the setting of the story. When I read it, I feel like I am actually there along with the characters and traveling with them throughout the journey!!!

David Carter thinks he's just an ordinary kid, but nothing could be further from the truth. Revealed to be of royal heritage as the son of an alien prince and a human woman, David is now destined to lead the defense of Earth against hostile conquerors from the distant planet of Tyrus.

This is the first of the two part series the second part is actually the prequel to this book if you want you can read book 2 before book 1 which is very cool.

The was a cartoon miniseries in late 90’s This book picks up in the middle of the original series, where Rita, Cale, and Rafe are on the run from the Dragit. It really shows a character development in the characters of Cale and Rita. It also introduces a few characters that I wish would've been discussed in the show. It also explains why Doc was so hesitant to help David in the beginning. It gives a lot of background information and answers a lot of the unanswered questions left from the original series.

It covers events that Rafe brushed over in the first episode with his line about Rita becoming their guide, their friend, and, for Cale, something more.

I would give this book 5 out 5 stars because it’s such a great Sci-Fi book and so well done. Just like a lot of other books Christie Golden has done if you watch the series it does not spoil the book or vice versa. Defiantly a good read with good length not too long and not to short.

Inside WikiLeaks Book Review

I read this book do to my interest in the website WikiLeaks. Being an IT professional I thought this would be a great way for me to get a little back story on a website that is the center of news attention. The basis for the movie The Fifth Estate starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange  written by Daniel Domscheit-Berg, the former spokesman of WikiLeaks and cofounder.

The first thing I noticed about the author is he seems like kind of a loaner. He seems to just follow Julian Assange and do whatever he says for the most part. From the way the book is written it does seem like Julian Assange is type of person that likes to have a group of people around him that does what he says.

Remember when reading this book this is written by Daniel Domscheit-Berg who was a very important person at Wikileaks but also someone who quit the company due to bad terms. Not taking anything away from Daniel Domscheit-Berg he was very unbiased in the book and did very little bashing of Julian Assange.

Since Daniel Domscheit-Berg is an IT professional himself before joining Wikileaks he really gives you an in-depth look at the infrastructure behind Wikileaks and the steps they do to keep their data safe and there leaks confidential.

One thing great about this book is you learn the history of Wikileaks how it was founded and how it went from a small website to a huge media infrastructure both on technology end and on reporting leaks end.

Overall I think this was a great book I enjoy any history as long as it’s well written. This book really takes you inside the company and there operation. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. The reason for 4 stars is because the book is a bit dated and I am sure some of the information on the technology infrastructure Wikileaks uses is not accurate anymore but the history still is accurate.

A Very Private Gentleman Book Review

Anyone who has seen The American with George Clooney will not recognize this book. The opposite is also true. They are very different. The book is literate the movie is entertaining unless you like car crashes and piles of bodies dripping gore in which case you will be bored .

I have to say after watching The American I wanted to read this book. Half way through there were a few high spots but I am not going to lie I was bored. The book is basically a biography told by the character examines where he lives how he lives and what he does to survive.

The main character and occupation are revealed in bits and pieces, slowly, almost like creating a mosaic or jigsaw, although, as he repeatedly states, much of it may be untrue in order to hide his location and identity.

That way the story tells the characters history even though technically “nothing” happens in the book we find out about his love for butterflies and his let's say, morally-questionable career. The novel is a beautifully-written insight into his philosophy and thinking, and, indeed, his whole way of life.

The novel is one man looking back on his life but also the story of a man falling in love with this part of Italy, as much as the young woman he meets there. 

I found the main character tiresome, especially all the nonsense about how he cannot divulge anything personal because then we could find him. At points I was

“Ok Mr. Butterfly. You are a dangerous, careful man, with many secrets. You're kind of cool. But let's move it along, shall we? Enough with the melodrama about your importance to history & the scenic tours of rural Italy. “

I found the book rather dull, and that is a shame. This is the first Martin Booth novel that I've read but it certainly won't be the last one. I don’t think he is a bad writer I just don’t think this book was for me I would give it 2 stars on a scale of 5.  

Amanda Palmer The Art of Asking Book Review

I have watched the TED talk The Art of Asking several times. I never really knew who Amanda Palmer was I knew she was a musician yes but not her real background. I did some Googling to find out Amanda was not only an indie musician and lead singer of The Dresden Dolls but an artist, blogger, frequent exhibitionist and now author. Her army of adoring fans follow her every move; her detractors are ready to pounce on her every public misstep, which she provides via the simple expedient of rarely filtering anything she thinks, says or does.

This book could alternatively be titled How Amanda Made a Million Dollars by Saying Please. Yet, it’s about so much more than that. It’s also about being human and about the trials and tribulations of a professional artist in today climate. While her music may not be for everyone, her story could bring almost anyone to tears and laughter.

First Amanda tells about her first job as a living statue in a public park. How that performance made her fall in love repeatedly. It also brought loneliness and harassment. Little did she know at the time she was getting a real education on how to be a professional musician.

Soon she does work full time with her band and even gets signed on with a record label. However, even after selling thousands of copies of her release they considered her a failure. Surprisingly, Amanda Palmer thought of them as failures. She was mad at her record company.

The remainder of the story tells how Amanda did it right -she asked for help. Her and the band raised money through crowd-funding with Kickstarter. They twittered when they needed a place to sleep on tour, or asked for food when hungry.

Amanda Palmer knows how to keep an authentic relationship with her fans. She formed thousands of friendships full of honesty and based on trust. Instead of some large record label marketing schemas of make the audience pay for it, Amanda asks how do we let them offer money?

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. This book helps me to remember to be humble and to ask for help when needed, to go ahead and release the shame and the fear around what the answer may be. The book is yes a biography but could be consider a business or even self help book. I am still not a huge fan of her music but I am a fan of Amanda Palmer the business women and person.

Yoga for Regular Guys Book Review

I had to read this book as part of the open book final for my DDP Yoga certification and it was great. Some books have an immediate impact on your life. It changes your way of thinking, your goals, and your focus. This is one of those books.

I started implementing stuff from the book before finishing it. I also started back at the beginning and reread it straight through a second time. The book really blew me away. With so much useful information that even the DDP Yoga dvd’s don’t tell you. I think this book should be a must for anyone starting DDP Yoga or just doing yoga in general.

Here is the history of the progression of YRG to DDP Yoga.

2005 - Yoga For Regular Guys - Published in Paper Back

2006 - YRG Yoga for Regular Guys 3 DVD Set

2008 - Yoga For Regular Guys - Republished in Paperback

2009 - Rebranded as YRG Fitness System

2010 - YRG Fitness System Advance Set

2011 - Rebranded as DDP Yoga

2012 - DDP Yoga Extreme

2013 - Yoga For Regular Guys - Published in eBook format

The book has a hilarious forward by Rob Zombie. The book is an incredible resource for people wanting to make lifestyle changes. If you're a couch potato you can start, if you're active you can take it to the next level, if you're an athlete it will only help improve your game and performance!

DDP states that he wrote the book to help regular guys and regular gals. Part of the way he does that is he encourages you to set goals using SMACK! He also encourages you to join Team DDP Yoga, there you will find a community of supportive, like minded people. You can read success stories, join groups and forums, and there is a continuous online life chat on the go. The book features 15 people showing the moves, many of the moves are in the book more than once in different routines and programs, often with different people showing them. These 15 people range from retired military, to musicians. All kinds of people have seen improvement in their health and life through following DDP's programs. Musicians, retired wrestlers, pro wrestlers, pro ball players, and regular guys and gals like me and you!

This book gets a 5 out of 5 stars being an instructor of DDP Yoga I can tell you the system really works and everything in this book is truth.

Interview With Author Jeanette Kossuth-Mcadoo

What lead you to write the book The Ax?

My first visit to a friends house her family thought I may have been an ax murderer because we never met in person before.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

The end was my favorite part to write because of the surprise of who the ax murderer really was.

What’s the one big takeaway you want people to have after reading your book?

I hope that anyone who reads my book enjoys them.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Autobiographies most influence me, I like to read how others made it to where they are, the experiences of struggles, to me that's encouraging.

Do you have any other writing projects in process? 

Yes, I am presently working on a book entitled; Santa Claws

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

For me I think the most difficult part would be writing to hold a persons interest, I don't want to bore my readers.  Granted not everyone will like the type of book I may write but that is true for any author. Different people have different tastes.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

Follow your dreams, at least try. Living with a, what if, is to me the worst to live with because you can spend times wondering what may have been.

Those are the questions you had asked for, now I would like to share a story with you, I'm not sure I told you before. When my book; The Ax was published, a friend's daughter read the book. She never liked to read but she chose my book to start with. Her daughter emailed me saying she really enjoyed reading my book and she never liked to read but now she reads all the time. She even did her book report on that particular book. That email made me feel good finding out that my book sparked her interest in reading.

Robert Munsch Love You Forever Book Review

My 7 year old daughter brought this book home from school she read it to my wife and I in the car and I am not going to lie I got choked up with Goosebumps. A very powerful book with powerful words books usually NEVER choke me up but this one makes you hang on every word. The main phrase in the book

"I'll love you forever / I'll love you for always / As long as I'm living / My baby you'll be."

It hits you hard as a realization of life. This little classic is readily and easily digested by one who has known the true love of a mother. The book rolls threw a mother nurturing her child to adult hood the child moving out and having a family of his own. The book touches on the tender and precious time at a mother’s bedside before her death.

The scenes with the mother coming to the man's apartment are actually his memories of her love. The book shows the love poured into the son by his mother that has taught him how to love his new baby daughter at the end.

I give this book 5 stars out of 5 just because how hard the book hit me with its powerful words. Love begets love, I highly recommend Love You Forever to anyone who enjoyed a wonderful love with their mother. I will say one thing the book is a little emotionally heavy for a children’s book but I think this book read with a parent and child just tightens the bond.

Vector Prime Star Wars: The New Jedi Order Book 1 Review

A Star Wars book, full of action, with all our well known and loved characters, and with some interesting new ones that you will grow to love. I was first thrown a curve ball with the addition of Luke Skywalkers wife and the Solo children. I was saddened by the death of a beloved persona (no, I won't tell the name, though I don't think it's a secret among fans), but accepted it. After all those years of battling against the Empire, Thrawn, kidnappers, crazy Admirals & Dark Jedi, it is only logical that someone was bound to die, even with the legendary Solo luck and Luke's strength in the Force to protect the family and friends it was bound to happened eventually.

I enjoyed reading about the Jade Saber Luke’s wife Mara’s new ship and seeing Luke keep his old X-Wing around. We learn a lot about Mara and her illness that she struggles with and use the force to keep it at bay most of the time. The struggle with her illness doesn't allow for her relationship with Luke to evolve, nor does it leave room for children, and why shouldn't they have some to continue the Skywalker line?

Also, the idea of being "invisible" by the force is new Luke faces off with an enemy at times that can hide himself from the force that’s a new concept for the most part. We get to see Luke apprentice his nieces and nephews that is a lot of fun to watch. We see Luke start the Jedi academy and a very small glimpse into that they ties into other books.

Having a vileness people come in from another galaxy and be humanoid was different. A humanoid in fact that with a little disguise no one can tell them from humans was a twist. They speak a language that C3PO can translate without hesitation makes for some fun reading.

R.A. Salvatore adapted this saga very well he created amazing new life forms, organic weapons and new enemy strong enough to gives Luke and his family a worth wile struggle. Excellent story, well-paced, never slumps, keeps the tension high, so plan on a late night or two of reading. This is a grim New Republic, many of our favorite characters are angry, very angry. Teenagers kill, with justification, but it's one more reminder that this "New" series is very new and very dark.

Overall I give the book a 4 star review. 4 stars because the "IT" that others refer to bothered me, as I feel it was unnecessary. That type of written device usually props up a weak story, and this book is anything but weak. Don't give up on "IT", because it’s an import part of story but at times kind of made me a little unsure because it felt like was just something hanging out there we don’t know much about. But IT ties into other books in series which you will need to read. The story wraps up nicely but we still need more information on IT.

Nightwing Vol. 1: Bludhaven Series Review

What a blessing given to us by DC Comics! I am so happy that DC has decided to reprint every Nightwing volume pre New 52. It’s like a dream come true for me! Nightwing has been my #1 favorite superhero for as long as I can remember. Regardless this has to be one of the best if not the best comic book series I have ever read. Nightwing: Blüdhaven is two graphic novels in one. It includes a solo Dick Grayson mini-series from 1995 and the first eight issues of Nightwing from 1996-1997.

Dick Grayson we all know as the original Robin and decide to go out on his own. He finds his own path as Nightwing and even gets his new costume.. I love how with this miniseries we get to see how Dick became the Nightwing we know and love today.

Dennis O'Neil is a tremendous writer as well. The dialogue was very much alive and you can tell that he had a firm grasp on who Dick Grayson really is as a person. He also takes you on this tremendous action packed thrill ride which discovers the truth behind the murder of Dick's parents.  

Dick then travels to a foreign country to find out about his parent's past. He gets somewhat involved in a struggle between a corrupt but jailed prime minister and an even more corrupt dictator-king. The situation does not go well, and it's even sad. But I liked it - the story really shows Dick's character, and his past, his parents - there are even flashbacks to his parents teaching him how to fly on the trapeze and his mother calling him Robin.

The issues after the first four you read are issues #1-8 of Chuck Dixon's legendary run of Nightwing's solo series. Dixon really takes Nightwing to a whole new level here. Nightwing is on his own in Bludhaven trying to solve a mystery that ties to Gotham of course, but it still manages to make Nightwing independent and truly his own hero in his own right.

Dick returns home, and heads to Blüdhaven . Dick discovers he has a problem - he doesn't "really" exist. He has no birth certificate, no prove of employment, no previous bill paying history, no job history, no credit. Even getting his electrical service turned on in his cheap apartment will cost him $1000.00. Still, he does find a cheap apartment, and even gets a job at a nearby cop's bar so he can pick-up news and gossip. And at night, he goes out on his second job - as Nightwing.

We get to see Nightwing mentor the new Robin Tim Drake in one episode and we get to see Dick really showcase his experience and we get to see Drakes lack thereof experience. Some of the best panels throughout the book show multiple Nightwings, each in a slightly different position, illustrating Dick's remarkable acrobatic and gymnast skills, and I really like how it shows the fluidity of Nightwing's movements. And at the end, Dick meets up with Batman, who actually tells him he thinks he's doing a good job - something Dick desperately needs to hear.

Nightwing investigates the killings in Gotham, and a mob war in Blüdhaven. I also liked the second series, which is part of the new Nightwing series. He has a less definitive end because it's part of an on-going story, but I plan on getting the next volume.

I would give this book 5 stars great story and great illustrations it keeps you wanting more and more.

Michael Connelly The Black Echo Book Review

The Black Echo is the first book from the Harry Bosch series written by Michael Connelly. The book follows Hollywood homicide detective Harry Bosch threw a murder mystery after the body of a Vietnam War veteran is discovered in a storm tunnel. Bosch recognizes the guy as an old war buddy who had worked with him in the tunnel system during the war.

While on the trail of the killer Bosch discovers his friend’s death is linked to a series of bank robberies involving Vietnam tunnel rats as they’re called.  Bosch finally gets a lead from a witness but when the witness turns up dead Bosch realizes there must be a leak in the FBI and must find out how deep this goes in the bureau. Bosch himself is under investigation from internal affairs for being too close to his last case.

When Bosch finally gets a lead at half way house for war veterans he is able to ID the two other men involved in the bank robberies but what he does not realize is there just pawns in the grand scheme of things.

After a long night of stake out with Bosch’s FBI liaison the two internal affair agents make a mistake that causes a bloody shoot out killing several people. Bosch using his skills from the war chases the men down threw a tunnel system and finally finds out who is behind this entire robbery and homicide case.

Michael Connelly does a great job in this book of describing Hollywood and the surrounding area you are really able to get a feel for the surroundings. Everything is well explained I am not an expert in police lingo but the author does a great job of explaining everything so you do not get lost in the conversation or acronyms.

The book does a great job of keeping the plot and story moving sometimes in mystery books it can be tough to really keep the pace of the book going this book really does not have any low points it always keeps your attention with some plot twist or back story needed to further explain the story.

The book is a little dated published in 1992 not the authors fault as technology has progressed the references to payphones, typewriters and maps in any book is always a fun time especially seeing how technology has changed the way we live.

Overall a great cop book with a great murder mystery I would give the book four stars out of five. 

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The Black Echo

Jessica Jones The Pulse The Complete Collection Review

I started reading the Jessica Jones series in preparation for the new Netflix series set to debut this year called AKA Jessica Jones. The Pulse the complete collection covers Marvel comics The Pulse number 1-9 then 11-14 and The New Avengers Annual 1.

Jessica Jones is the breakout star of Brian Michael Bendis' hit series Alias. She is an ex-super hero-turned-private investigator and is starting a new chapter in her life working for the Daily Bugle's new super hero section, The Pulse!

Jessica's first assignment is to uncover the identity of a former Bugle reporter's super-powered murderer. We find out that Normal Osborn is involved and we get to see Spiderman hard at work trying to help Jessica with finding the killer. We find out in the first few pages of the series that Jessica is pregnant with Luke’s baby and that carries threw the entire series using the pregnancy as time line marker to show gaps in time this was a good idea by the author.

One thing I did notice is that with Jessica Jones a lot of her stories center around other characters in the Marvel Universe they seem to use her series as a way to tie in different groups like SHEILD and the Fantastic Four. They used Jessica Jones to tie in Wolverine into the Avengers along with Luke Cage and Daredevil.

Yes she is the main character but she has many big name Marvel character star powers in her series. This is just an observation Jessica Jones can handle her own being a former SHEILD agent. We only get to see her use her powers a few times in the entire series.

Nick Fury's Secret War spills over into the streets and it hits Jessica and Luke Cage right where they live and destroys there home. Luke is injured and taken to a secret location where only Fury knows. Jessica is on the hunt for him for quite a while this is where the bulk of the series focus is spent.

While Jessica is looking for Luke we see her take matters into her own hands when she battles Hydra with the help of shield. Then we see her get some help from Wolverine and Spiderman where she fines Luke.

There are some low points in the book after she finds Luke he joins the Avengers and then things pick up again with the birth of Jessica and Luke's baby and that entire ordeal thank goodness Dr. Strange is available to help Jessica with the delivery.

Luke asks Jessica to marry him and of course no wedding can go smooth in a super hero’s life the Black Widow shows up with some extra added super powers that make for some struggles for the Avengers to overcome. But in the end Luke and Jessica get married.

Overall this was a great series I greatly enjoyed. I know the Jessica Jones series was put on the shelf for a while and was brought back in this series The Pulse. This was a good series good story line unfortunately though the series was shelved again in 2006. I would give this 4 out 5 stars. The main reason being the story ends here cause series was shelved they could have done more with it cause of Jessica Jones great tie in with a lot of other super heroes.

I look forward to the Netflix series set to release sometime in 2015.

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Jessica Jones: The Pulse - The Complete Collection

License to Pawn By Rick Harrison Book Review

License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver By Rick Harrison of the popular TV Show on the history channel Pawn Stars was a great book. When I first picked this book up I was afraid that this was going to be an almost 300 page infomercial for the show Pawn Stars boy was I wrong but in a good way.

As well all know from watching the show Rick Harrison loves his history he describes himself in the show as a “Uber History Nerd” and in License to Pawn Rick Harrison gives you his history. He talks a little bit about his life growing and some health issues he has as a kid. Harrison gives an in depth history of his father and his military background. Harrison even goes in depth about his other family members.

Harrison then dives into starting the pawn shop business and how they got started just buying and selling gold and silver to then opening a coin shop then to acquiring a pawn broker license and then struggles to open up a larger store.

Harrison then writes about life before then the show and how the pawn shop business works. Talking about how people use the pawn shop for credit and how people use it to get money to gamble in vegus. Harrison goes into depth telling stories about the kind of customers he services and how the business stay profitable.

Harrison then writes about his real relationship with his father, his son and Chum. He speaks about how sometimes there real feeling for each other does not come out on TV. Harrison writes about working very hard to get a reality TV show and how the original channel that was going to pick it up was HBO but the deal fell through at the end.

Harrison talks about the late nights and long days of recording the show and how they have been forced to close the shop while filming. They then goes on to explain that as much as the show has helped him and his family in the financial area he misses talking to his regular customers at times.

Harrison did admit to family issues between his other son and Corey do the popularity of the show. Harrison goes on to say how the pawn shop is ran mostly by his workers rather than him and Corey cause they are too busy with the show and appearances.

Overall I give this book 5 stars because Rick Harrison wrote this book as a business man not as a television personality. I learned a lot about the pawn business from this book. I would say this book is more of a business manual for a pawn shop owner or someone looking to own or buy a pawn shop. Even though Rick Harrison is main star on Pawn Stars he puts the focus on the Pawn Shop not himself.

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License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver

Michael Connelly The Reversal Book Review

The Reversal is the third installment of Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller (The Lincoln Lawyer) series and is the first time we see Mickey Haller team up with Harry Bosch from New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly’s flagship Bosch series.

Defense attorney Mickey Haller is recruited to prosecute the high-profile retrial of a brutal child murder. After 24 years in prison, convicted killer Jason Jessup has been exonerated by new DNA evidence. Haller must team up not only Bosch but his ex-wife a full time district attorney to convict Jessup a second time.

Together, Bosch and Haller set off on the case LAPD Detective Bosch must find a runaway eyewitness reluctant to testify after so many years. In the meantime Haller must deal with Jessup being out on bail and trying to put together a case on evidence 24 years old.

During the road to building a case Haller must deal with a sly and crafty defense attorney that loves the media and using the media to his advantage. All this while Harry Bosch must stay on Jessup’s tail using surveillance and his detective skills.

This is my favorite book out of Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller series having both Haller and Bosch working together on a case pulls you into the book. The other thing that really draws you in is having Haller a veteran defense attorney being the prosecutor gives you insight to how he thinks and his pure skill set for the law.

I would give this book 5 stars it’s a great book I would rate this as best book Michael Connelly has written.

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The Reversal (A Lincoln Lawyer Novel)

Interview Jessie From Grawlix Podcast

I am working on getting a podcast going talking about books and comic but until then here are some old shows from my old website that I did talking about comics with some friends of mine.

Today in this podcast we are joined by Jessie from Grawlix Podcast. We talk X-Factor comics and Spawn. We discuss X-Men women characters and ever changing X-Men team. We talk about X-Men Gambit joining X-Factor and being in Marvel Comic movies. We talk about Spawn HBO Series not being available on HBOGO and the Spawn Movie. We talk about image comics and the Angela series. Jessie talks about the action figure boom in the 90’s.  We talk about Marvel Comic spin offs Wolverine and Gambit series. We get into a deep discussion Marvel Comic Gambit character and being a professional thief. We speak about Marvel Comic Gambit clothing and attire and merchandise sales. X-Men Gambit famous lines on cartoon series. Randi joins us again as a caller.

Chris Hardwick The Nerdist Way Book Review

I generally don’t read self-help books, but I picked this up because I am a fan of Chris Hardwick but I like the Talking Dead Show and I have listened to his podcast a few times. Chris Hardwick, who some may recognize as being one of the hosts of MTV’s Singled Out way back in the 90s and most recently Talking Dead Every week on AMC.

Chris Hardwick spent much of his 20s partying, drinking, and generally ruining his life. He ended up regaining his life after he quit drinking in 2003 and started trying to improve his life. Now he has multiple projects on the go, including a successful podcast, a new podcast network, and several TV gigs.

The secrets to Hardwick’s success aren’t anything new. Basically, he was able to harness his innate nature his nerdiness, so to speak and use it to his advantage. And that’s what this book is about. He talks about nerds having the highest level of focus and how to channel it to their advantage.

The book provides useful information on how to analyze your current habits and how to improve on them so you can live to your full potential. Chris Hardwick uses visualization tricks to help overcome the times when your brain can’t stop thinking about something and reclaiming a few hours of your life every week. Also the personal character sheet is fun art projects.

Chris Hardwick book takes you through his ups and downs and came out the other side wanting to share how he grew as a person. He gives you tips and tricks based on his life how to improve yours. For a self-help book I would give it 5 stars.

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The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (In Real Life)

iWoz by Steve Wozniak Book Review

iWoz is a life story written by Steve Wozniak by well himself. We all have heard the stories of Apple but I think this book really gives you an insight into Steve Wozniak the person. I never knew so much about Steve Wozniak the person until I read this book. I knew his Apple stories but never his personal life.

Steve Wozniak really takes a deep look into his education talking about math his science projects and his college years and of course his college pranks. Steve Wozniak talks about his deep love of electronics and love of engineering. Steve talks about both his parents and how influential they were in his upbringing and education.

I loved his stories about creating a dial a joke number and using his blue box to call long distance numbers to listen to jokes. I really enjoyed his section about answering machines and picking easy phone numbers for jokes.

Steve Wozniak talks about his time at Hewlett Packard and creating calculators there and his love of working at HP and how great it was and all the fun things he did there and loved. He talks about how he left HP and moved on to Apple.

Steve Wozniak dives into his relationships with his wives and the love of his children. He talks about child hood development and his love of teaching and education.

Steve Wozniak writes about his journey of life after Apple and his work on the first universal remote.

I loved this book I would definably make this required reading for anyone with love of apple products. If you have an iPhone, iMac or iPad this will give you respect for the man who founded the first Apple products the Apple 1 and Apple 2. I give this book 5 Stars.

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iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon

Art Bell The Art of Talk Book Review

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I have only discovered Art Bell within the last year or so, unfortunately (wish I had started listening earlier). But I felt compelled to learn more about this fascinating guy. Art Bell is a hall of fame radio broadcaster and former nightly host of Coast to Coast AM. Art Bell would then retire and move to weekends then start another show on SiriusXM called Dark Matter after being off the air for years. Art Bell is now retired again and is looking into podcasting a new show.

The book is a bit dated since being published in 1998 but the book gives you insight into Art Bell’s entire life history. I remember listening the night on the radio where he was taking calls from fans for book name suggestions. When reading the book you have to remember it was published in the pinnacle of his broadcasting career.

Nonetheless, it is interesting to get to know the man behind the voice that I was so accustomed to hearing night after night. Besides his childhood, education, domestic life, and career, Art discusses how he used to get callers and guests to talk on the air, and even relates his feelings toward what he heard and was broadcasting. He discusses his transition from Ham Radio into talk radio and how he spent time in the military which started his career and interest in the radio business.

The book is written in a conversational style that made me imagine I was chatting with Art in his studio during commercial breaks. If you are familiar with Art Bell’s voice, his on-air personality & the general aura presented on his radio show, this book flows in a familiar way.

I found almost every chapter captivating which if you’re a fan of Art Bell you know no one captivates an audience better and keeps them engaged. The chapter on his world travels and vacations I could have done without but again being a fan you understand that his world travels made him the man he is today. Overall I think this was a great book with a very different writing style I would give this book 5 star rating.

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The Art of Talk