2008 Woodie Awards
Beacon quick picks
for the adults who still want to sit at the kids' table
Issue date: 11/16/06 Section: Arts and Entertainment
LITERATURE
by Alexandra Leach
DAVE EGGERS; WHAT IS THE WHAT; AVAILABLE NOW
Dave Eggers' latest, What is the What, is a moving, fictionalized memoir that centers around real-life Sudanese refugee Valentino Achak Deng and his struggle to find himself and his home. After escaping the horrors of the Sudanese civil war, Valentino joins up with a small army of "Lost Boys" while piecing his life back together. The hero eventually gets to America, but Valentino still does not acquire the safety and security he seeks as he settles into a dangerous Atlanta neighborhood. Eggers, the author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, has done it again with this beautiful tale.
JOHN MOE; CONSERVATIZE ME; AVAILABLE NOW
Wonder what it'd be like to dismiss all of your liberal beliefs and try being conservative for a month? This is exactly what John Moe does in his new book Conservatize Me: How I Tried to Become a Righty with the Help of Richard Nixon, Sean Hannity, Toby Keith and Beef Jerky. Moe's stories vary in quality as he takes shots at everything Republican, from country music to fundamentalist Christianity. Some of the author's interactions with conservatives are interesting and others, like his attempts to argue with the Family Research Council, fall flat. Moe's eyes are opened in this uneven book, but it's doubtful that yours will be too.
FILM
by Shuchi Saraswat
HAPPY FEET; IN THEATRES TOMORROW
Elijah Wood, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Brittany Murphy and Robin Williams. Phew! Too bad the trailer is only slightly amusing. But penguins-love 'em! Happy movie during the holidays-great! The return of Williams as an animated voice-even better! But what is with the song and dance routine? The preview says it all, folks. It's going to be penguins singing and dancing for a good 72 minutes. The movie may ring in the holiday with cheer, but it's a waste of $10 to see it in theatres.
LET'S GO TO PRISON; IN THEATRES TOMORROW
by Alexandra Leach
DAVE EGGERS; WHAT IS THE WHAT; AVAILABLE NOW
Dave Eggers' latest, What is the What, is a moving, fictionalized memoir that centers around real-life Sudanese refugee Valentino Achak Deng and his struggle to find himself and his home. After escaping the horrors of the Sudanese civil war, Valentino joins up with a small army of "Lost Boys" while piecing his life back together. The hero eventually gets to America, but Valentino still does not acquire the safety and security he seeks as he settles into a dangerous Atlanta neighborhood. Eggers, the author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, has done it again with this beautiful tale.
JOHN MOE; CONSERVATIZE ME; AVAILABLE NOW
Wonder what it'd be like to dismiss all of your liberal beliefs and try being conservative for a month? This is exactly what John Moe does in his new book Conservatize Me: How I Tried to Become a Righty with the Help of Richard Nixon, Sean Hannity, Toby Keith and Beef Jerky. Moe's stories vary in quality as he takes shots at everything Republican, from country music to fundamentalist Christianity. Some of the author's interactions with conservatives are interesting and others, like his attempts to argue with the Family Research Council, fall flat. Moe's eyes are opened in this uneven book, but it's doubtful that yours will be too.
FILM
by Shuchi Saraswat
HAPPY FEET; IN THEATRES TOMORROW
Elijah Wood, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Brittany Murphy and Robin Williams. Phew! Too bad the trailer is only slightly amusing. But penguins-love 'em! Happy movie during the holidays-great! The return of Williams as an animated voice-even better! But what is with the song and dance routine? The preview says it all, folks. It's going to be penguins singing and dancing for a good 72 minutes. The movie may ring in the holiday with cheer, but it's a waste of $10 to see it in theatres.
LET'S GO TO PRISON; IN THEATRES TOMORROW
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