Blah Gen Kill, Askars is awesome, I miss the Daily Show blah blah

[owlbeer]

I went to the library the other day to return Generation Kill (which I loved for many reasons which I'll go into later) and to look for The Yiddish Policeman's Union which I'd started reading in a bookshop and had heard good things about. I specifically wasn't looking for Nate's book One Bullet Away because it's not a huge library and I didn't think it was all that well known, and lo, sitting on a shelf which I nearly didn't look at, there it was. \o/

Also, over at ontd_askars someone linked to a guest DJ mix Alex did for a radio station. This? Did not help. Alex, stop being so awesome. He included "Mother's Little Helper" (Stones!!) because he used to sing it with his Dad, and "Ever Fallen in Love" and a really cool Iggy Pop song. You can even download it as an MP3 and hear him being awesome. I have fallen far, guys. Far. (This is also the first time in a while I've been involved in an actor-specific fandom flavour of the week and oh, fandom, you're awesome, but sometimes just batshit insane as well).

And now is later, clearly:



As soon as I started reading it, I realised that the mini-series was a pretty amazing adaption, and after finishing it, that still holds. Seriously. They only changed small things, or things that were implied in the text.

Wright is also a damn good writer. Books about the military can be really dry and hard to get through, but this book was very easy to read and very engaging. Which might have a lot to do with the subject matter, or the style Wright it used to writing in, as Rolling Stone articles don't really tend towards dry. It was a pleasure to read really, as well as being educational and emotionally resonant. And yes, I am a little biased, so take that as you will. ;)

Since the adaption was pretty close, there wasn't a lot super-new or surprising to me, except I didn't quite realise that Brad climbing part of a mountain with a broken ankle was canon. Dude is insane.

Also, even though a lot of the book is a about Brad and those around him, which makes since Wright was sitting in his humvee, the last few chapters did really belong to Nate. Watching him break (for Marine lieutenant values of break) in the mini-series is hard enough, but the book was even worse. Gah. Nate!

And then reading the epilogue that they were the most decorated Recon platoon and Brad one of the most kick-ass Recon Marines that has even kicked ass, made me happy. Not that those things are the only things that matter of course, but it still made me happy to read it.



I also have *counts* at least three GK fic bunnies and a possible vid idea. Possible. I'm still not sure the song works, and it's a little on the long side.

EDIT: Also, this years Emmys includes many GK nominations! Yes, an actual reason to watch the Emmys, and Gen Kill stars is suits! Hopefullly. But I did hear it clashes with Alex's filming of Straw Dogs, which is saddening, but maybe, just maybe he'll be there as well. A girl can hope.

Random:

- I've watched the pilot ep of Leverage, and while it certainly wasn't bad, I wasn't blown away. Well, not enough to go back and watch another ep yet. Am I just comparing it unfairly to Hustle and it not having Adrian Lester? Maybe. Might give it another couple of eps.

- However, after reading this crossover fic, I am intrigued by Burn Notice. Hmmm. Spies. I like spies. I was an Alias fan, until it got truly ridiculous.

- I'm really missing The Daily Show. There's been so much US politics crazy these last three weeks! And only some it coming from Glen Beck!

- I was reading about Obama's speech about health-care this morning and the Congressman who heckled him got to speak to Rahm when he rang up to apologise. Hahahaha. That would have been an amazing phone-call to listen to.

- Muse's new album is out this weekend! (Admittedly I've listened to a lot of it, but still, it's worth an exclamation point).

Stuff must get done today. Which is why I'm sitting here on the couch ...