Books!

I've been plowing my way through more issues of DMZ, which, seriously, why aren't you reading it right now? Luckily for me, Green Apple Books has used copies for half price, so every few weeks I wander up and buy the next one. Which, of course, I devour in a day or two.

In between issues I've read:

Virginity or Death! A collection of (slightly out of date) articles and essays by Katha Pollitt. She covers the usual range of topics near and dear to my heart (feminism, civil rights, abortion rights, problems with Republicans). Mostly I found myself smiling and nodding along, but I have to admit that she is a slightly less funny, less witty version of Molly Ivins. On the other hand, she provides the best, most crystallized response I've heard yet to arguments that vaccinating your kid against HPV will encourage them to have sex - so if they do have sex, death is a fitting punishment? (hence the title of the collection)

And I started Return Engagement, the first in Harry Turtledove's Settling Accounts trilogy. I'll probably make it to the end, since I'm a little ocd about finishing books once I start them, but so far I'm rather unimpressed. It's an alternate history tale, but one that I'm, admittedly, having a bit of trouble following (probably because I'm not tremendously engaged). It's the beginning of WWII, but America is distracted by civil war, round II. Or maybe III. They keep alluding to the Great War (aka, WWI), and how the United and Confederate States were fighting each other then too. Also, the US president is a socialist, and currently the Confederate states are kicking ass, because the socialist US ran out of money to build things like tanks and guns. Color me unimpressed.

Also, the kindle may have many positive features (not the least of which is conversation starter with cute guys on the bus) but one downside is that when a book introduces a bazillion characters, it's challenging to flip backwards and refresh on an individual character's storyline.