"Water For Elephants" was very good. Thanks to my wonderful parents for the recommendation (and loan of the book).

It was a great story. The only problem I had was with one of the blurbs on the back cover. It ruined it a bit for me (okay, not 'ruined' just put a damper on it). The publishers should have selected a non-spoiler blurb. But I liked it.

Books and Movies

I went out to Half-Price Books Sunday and was excited to see the 20% off Labor Day sale. I decided I would browse the music, movies, and books and try to find quite a few purchases. My goal was 4 books, 2 DVDs, and 2 CDs.

I must not have been in the right mood, though.

First, I only found 1 book that really interested me. I''ve just started Gregory Maguire's "Lost." I've read 3 or 4 others of his and I have high hopes.

I didn't get any music, but I bought two DVDs. I bought "Memento," which I've seen before and which seemed like a good movie to own. It's interesting, and it seems like the kind of movie that might reveal some missed details with repeated viewing, plus it's a good one to loan to friends. I also bought "28 Days Later." I just recently told Dad it was the only really scary movie I've seen in quite a few years. I'm hoping my brothers and I can watch it as part of a double-or-triple-feature Halloween-type movie night.

I finished "Lonesome Dove" this evening. It was better than I expected and not as good as I had hoped.

I put off reading it for several years because it did not seem too appealing to me, but Dad and quite a few other people recommended it. So my own preconception led to my low expectations, and others' high opinions led to the high hopes.

It was a good story and well-written, and I enjoyed it.

I do have to wonder about Dad, though. I sat in his living room a couple of weeks ago saying I'd just read five Cormac McCarthy novels that were all good but very depressing, and I needed a change-of-pace. And so Dad recommends yet another cowboy novel that is good but depressing.