Archive - 2013

blog fail

Looks like my blog is broken as far as Goodreads book reviews are concerned. the text of my reviews aren't showing up, as you can see for the last few entries. Probably Goodreads changed something about their RSS feed.  I don't really  know when I'll have time to fix it. Bleh.

 The entropy of the universe extends into the digital world. Things constantly falling apart and needing repair. Sigh.

Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way

Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way
Krakauer is always a good muckraker. In this slim volume he turns his skills to bear on someone who he once trusted, Greg Mortenson, whose charity organization Krakauer had donated lots of money too, only to start doubting Mortenson's work and honesty. My cynical, pessimist side wishes there were a book like this for every feel-good heartwarming pop-memoir of miraculous altruism and supposed world-changing vision, because I'm sure way more of this goes on all the time than we ever see or suspect. This book just methodically rips to shreds all the smoke and mirrors that Mortenson employed over years of pretending to do good. It's pretty satisfying, though saddening too.

Dictionary of the Khazars (Male Edition)

I forget if I read the male or female version. Anyway, it was incredible, easily one of the most innovative and fascinating works of fiction i've ever read.
Dictionary of the Khazars (Male Edition)

Little Brother (Little Brother, #1)

Little Brother (Little Brother, #1)

author: Cory Doctorow

name: Steev

average rating: 3.96

book published: 2008

rating: 4

read at: 2013/12/24

date added: 2013/12/25

shelves: fun, novels, own-it, politics

[SIC]

[SIC]

author: Davis Schneiderman

name: Steev

average rating: 4.30

book published: 2013

rating: 5

read at: 2013/12/21

date added: 2013/12/21

shelves: art, fun, novels, wishlist

review:

Bright Shiny Morning

Bright Shiny Morning

author: James Frey

name: Steev

average rating: 3.74

book published: 1970

rating: 5

read at: 2013/12/04

date added: 2013/12/05

shelves: novels, fun, own-it

review:
This book proves that Frey was not a flash-in-the-pan with "A Million Little Pieces." Here he takes the same intense and emotional style turned to focus on the city of Los Angeles and a variety of fictional but very realistic inhabitants. I kept wanting the various little story threads to somehow intersect, which is one thing that drives the book forward. The structure is a neverending alternation between various historical and statistical factoids about the city and various characters, mostly newly arriving in the city and trying to set up a life for themselves. Some of the characters Frey keeps coming back to and building a plot, others you only see once and then never again. It's a bit dizzying and sometimes frustrating but ultimately forms an experience that is gripping and wise. It makes me glad I moved away from L.A. as soon as I did, although the book also makes me kind of want to move there.

To Stretch Our Ears, November 20, 2013

The first 23 minutes of an evening of improvised, envelope-pushing performance. Musicians were Clark Coolidge, John Melillo, Conor Gallaher, Michael Dauphinais, and Prabjit Virdee. Video projections by Steev Hise.

Venue: Chax Press, Tucson Arizona.

This video is a mix of the live footage of the event and the recorded video stream from my video software, Resolume Arena, which itself included feeds from 2 cameras pointed at different parts of the stage.

Cast: steev hise

Tags: music, video, experimental, avant garde, improv, improvisation, noise, vj and live cinema

Book Addiction

This is a list of many books i've listed on my Goodreads "wishlist" shelf.

I already have so many books waiting to be read. I think I need to start speed-reading, or skimming. or something. Read more>>>

South Tucson Video

This is a short video I worked on a few months ago with Creatista, funded by Primavera Foundation.

I was one of 2 cameramen on the project, shooting with my Panasonic AF100. The other camera was a Red Scarlet. (Can you tell which shots are which?)
It's great to see it all come together when I only work on the production end and am not involved with post-production. It almost feels like magic. Anyway, it was a fun thing to be involved with and I'm glad I was part of it.

John Dies at the End (John Dies at the End, #1)

John Dies at the End (John Dies at the End, #1)

author: David Wong

name: Steev

average rating: 3.96

book published: 2007

rating: 5

read at: 2013/11/20

date added: 2013/11/22

shelves: fun, novels, own-it

review:
This is the kind of book I just don't want to put down. It's hilarious, a bit scary, profound, and profane. In the middle of fighting zombies and mutants and demons, the narrator throws around some great wisdom as well as some comedic slacker banality. It's brilliant, and once you pick it up and open it to the first page, you won't need me or anyone else to persuade you that it's worth reading. You'll just keep reading.