Orgy Planners and the burning of Rome

I’m currently reading a book by Vicki Leon, entitled Working IX to V. It’s all about the various occupations people had during the Roman times.

This is what she says about writing it:

This book was more fun to write than any other non-fiction I’ve done. Why? Because I got to draw from a Colosseum-sized mass of source material, quirky art, and on-site data that I’ve collected. In the process, I found scads more trades and professions than the 150 careers that made it into the book. The ancient job market hummed with vitality–and so did the lively human landscape of long ago. As Publishers Weekly said about IX to V: “Drawing on the same outrageous humor that’s made her Uppity Women series so popular, León demonstrates how uncannily similar the workaday experiences of the ancient world are to ours.”

This book isn’t for everybody but I love how Leon has created a very entertaining read while tackling a “boring” niche of history. ( plus I’m such a nerd for useless information)The book has lots of pop culture references so contemporary readers could understand better. She has clearly  brought Ancient Rome to the modern era.

This book will help me a lot since each time I start hating my job, I will just think back to all those horrendous jobs people used to have : Fullers — the dry cleaners who used urine, lime and sulfur to clean ancient togas; the Armpit Plucker; the Accusation Specialist, the Curse-Tablet Maker, the Litter Carrier – the ancient version of the taxi, Funeral clown and my favorite of all the Orgy Planner.

The last one is the most curious of all not because of its titillating factor, but because according to the book, their shenanigans might have been the reason or one of the reasons for the second burning of Rome in 64 AD.

Some interesting info about the Orgy Planner:

The star orgy planner during that time was Gaius Petronius and he was Emperor Nero’s favorite. Nero was one sick bastard, demanding more and more outrageous parties. Imagine the pressure on Gaius, since he had to amp up the kicks for each one! One day he no longer satisfied his client’s appetite, so to speak, and fell from favor. His punishment? He just had to take his own life. Ever the party planner, he even made an event out of his suicide.

After his death, he was replaced by Tigellinus who  surpassed Gaius’ notoriety. ( I didn’t know there were so many ways to degradation) He threw orgies that featured “daisy-chain sex , maidenhead plucking by gladiators, extreme degradation of the high-ranking by Nero himself, plus the morbid bonus of accidental deaths by rose petal smothering. “ He would have maintained his fame if only he wasn’t suspected of arson. The second burning of Rome , which happened a few days after the first,  started right in his own garden.

Some Girls Bite ( a new vampire book )

There’s a buzz about a new vampire series called Some Girls Bite: A Chicagoland Vampires Novel. It’s written by Chloe Neill.

The book follows the life (or afterlife) of 28 year old grad student Merit. She remembers being in the backseat of a limo, a guy biting her, more guys finishing her off / helping her. Then she wakes up and she’s in a House of Vampires (that reminds me of the four houses at Hogwarts).

I’ve read the first few pages online, and it has a lot of pop culture references , so the younger generation will be sure to relate.

Not so sure though if I like it or not. I’m leaning towards the not…but that’s what I said when I started reading chapter one of Twilight. *lol*

Has anyone read the book? I want to know what you think!

Book Two of the series, entitled Friday night bites,  is coming out in October.

Twilight Again. and again.

Nak ng tokwa! I’m watching Twilight again. I think that’s ten times already since the movie came out.shhh…

I think something is seriously wrong with me beause I still get goosebumps and go all school-girl giddy watching Edward waltzing to the cafeteria with the other Cullens and when he “introduces” himself (very politely) to Bella in Biology class! ” Hello..I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself last week…I’m Edward Cullen..you’re Bella.” And the she just goes..“Yes.” LOL! I guess I’d have trouble speaking too, if HE were to talk to ME! ” Gosh, I love the close ups coz they focus on Edward’s lipsticked- lips and contact-lensed eyes! LOL!

And when they are in Port Angeles he says to Bella’s friends ” I’m sorry I kept Bella from dinner.We just ran into each other and got talking.” Jessica says something…and then ” I think I should make sure Bella gets something to eat…If you like…I’ll drive you home myself..” waah! Kilig!

And when he drives Bella to school for the first time and he looks all smug having her there by his side for everyone to see. He looks so hot  in those sunglasses! He goes: ” I’m breaking all the rules now anyway…since I’m going to hell…” Then he puts an arm around her…OMG! Kilig to the max! I think that is my favorite scene of all.

And when they dance to Claire de Lune in Edward’s room…I think that’s really sweet.I like how he takes her hand hesitantly, carefully , and she looks so unsure and scared! hehehe…

And…how can I not love the kissing scene? I could almost imagine myself as Bella for that scene only! LOL! They kiss hesitantly at first then both of them get passionate, then he stops! lol! How can someone endure that kind of torture?! hehehe.

Sigh.

I also read one book in the series (doesn’t matter which) during weekends. Every weekend. Every single weekend. It doesn’t matter that I’ve read it a million times already. I’m just not done with it yet! I wonder how long my obsession will last? It’s almost embarassing!!

Midnight Sun

This book Midnight sun, which was meant to accompany the Twilight Series was leaked on the Internet before it was supposed to be published ( it wasn’t even finished yet), and Stephenie Meyer just made it available on her site after the incident. She’s nice huh? She’s not even making it a big deal, and instead she’s just giving it free. But I guess, she’s fuming mad inside…who wouldn’t be ?!

Anyway, it’s the Twilight story , but seen from EDWARD’s perspective. ooohhhh!!! I already have a copy of the first 12 (?) chapters, and I’m so excited to read it!

Review : Freakonomics

Nagustuhan ko ang librong Freakonomics dahil mahilig talaga ako sa mga trivia. Kahit noong maliit pa ako, at nung meron pang Trivia section sa Manila Bulletin (or Inquirer?) lagi ko yun ginugupit at kinokompile. Hindi ko na nga alam kung hanggang ngayon meron pang trivia section ang local newspapers dito kasi hindi na ko nakakakita nito! haha! Puro online version lang ang binabasa ko eh.

Anyway…

Kakaiba ang mga topics ng librong ito. His conclusions and findings are sometimes controversial but that makes everything all the more fascinating to me. It’s not the usual kind of thing you’d think an economist would be interested in, but that’s exactly why this book is great. Steven Levitt is not your usual economist. He’s young, a self professed dumdum in mathematics, and he’s not very interested in theory nor is he only nterested in “practical” economic issues. Instead, he wants to answer the riddles of everyday life. One of the questions he posed is ” Why do drug dealers still live with their mothers?” and ” What do school teachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?” and my personal favorite : “How did the legalization of abortion affect the rate of violent crime?” He was also named one of Time magazine’s “100 People Who Shape Our World.”

Kung gusto mo may matutunan habang naglilibang, I strongly recommend this book. I give this 4 book worms.

** Freakonomics was written in collaboration with Stephen Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist who lives in New York City.

The Graveyard book

Next month lalabas na sa US ang bagong libro ni Neil Gaiman:

Sympre excited ako. maganda ang initial review dito pero sa tingin ko anything by Neil is wonderful! Wala lang, I’m just sharing my excitement.

You can read more updates about Neil and his work on his blog.

Review: Kafka on the Shore

This Haruki Murakami novel is certainly a mind-bending page turner. It’s such an irresistible but bewildering story. Reading it feels like you’re in a dream. Fish and leeches rain down from the sky. Jilted lovers’ souls travel through time and space to take revenge or to share an intimate moment with the one they love. It’s also full of references to philosophy, music, history, Classic Japanese Literature and American (Western) pop culture.

We get to know the two main characters, a boy named Kafka Tamura and an old man named Nakata, in alternating chapters. Kafka is a runaway whose aim is to make himself the strongest 15 year old boy he can be. He loves to read books and this leads him to a small library in a remote town in Japan where all his drama unfolds . Nakata on the other hand, is totally off his rocker. He refers to himself in the third person and he talks to cats and stones. He couldn’t read or write and he depends solely on the goodness of others. When you understand why he is how he is , you become endeared and  forgive his craziness and accept it as normal.

But what tickles me the most is the bunch of crazy characters such as Johnnie Walker and Colonel Sanders who are “real” people in this book. As well as Oshima who is a girl but is a boy but not gay and Miss Saeki, the beautiful and mysterious head librarian who has a ghost version of her 15 year old self she knows nothing about.

Kafka on the shore is certainly the most entertaining and addictive work I’ve read so far. And for this I give it 5 popcorn bits.

Review: The Red Tent

This book is a story about mothers and daughters set in the Biblical times.

Anita Diamant has created the life of Dinah, a character only briefly mentioned in Genesis.  The Bible only states something about Dinah’s “defiling” and how two of her brothers take revenge on a whole town because of the injustice done to their sister.

I like how this book gives us a peek into the lives of women who may have lived so long ago– their hardships, their customs, superstitions, beliefs and their love. Mejo poignant din ang storya dahil nakaatas kay Dinah ang pagpapatuloy ng tradition ng kanyang mga ninuno dahil sya lang ang babae sa pamilya. Lahat ng skills at lahat ng mga kwento ipapasa sa kanya. Para syang ‘memory keeper’.

Kung mahilig ka sa historical fiction, I would recommend this book.

I give this story three book worms.