I've Read - geek stuff.

Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher was awesome.  I'll drag out the same quote about the Dresden books every time I throw up a review here about his books - they're described as "Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer starring Philip Marlowe" by Entertainment Weekly.  If that sounds at all like something you'd like, then the Dresden books kick all sorts of ass.

The latest book is actually a series of short stories, some of which have appeared in various anthologies over the years, but the last story is actually brand new, and picks up right after the end of the latest novel Changes.  Entertaining stuff.

I was living in Japan in 2006, when Olivia Munn broke out on G4's Attack of the Show.  Not being a gaming geek, I probably wouldn't have caught her anyways, my geekiness running to the comic book/sci-fi TV & movies end of the spectrum.  But I had heard of her, flitting about on the edge of my periphery and seeing her name checked sometimes online - usually during the SDCC coverage.  And when there was a bit of a blowup when she picked up her Daily Show gig I thought she was getting a raw deal by the self appointed PC police.  Anyways, in the month I was back in the States between Japan and Liberia, roaming bookstores and getting my bibliophile fix I saw her book Suck It, Wonder Woman!: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek.

It speaks to the level of my geekiness that the first thing I notice on a book featuring an attractive woman ripping off her clothes is "Hey, is she doing a Clark Kent/Superman homage there?"  [Yes, I have issues, and they are legion.]  Then the title - "Suck It, Wonder Woman! - now, I dig on well written WW, but that's just funny.  Picked it up and flipped through a bit and happened upon the page where she describes her family - "You know the Joy Luck Club?  the women in my family should form a new club - The Oh Shit You Some Crazy Asian Lady Club."  At that point I knew it'd be a book I picked up.  And did, thusly.  And while I think Munn is still getting her feet under her on The Daily Show, the book is hilarious.  And while I can't really relate to some of the "girl coming of age" stuff, it's to her credit she tells the stories in a fun and engaging way.  Plus, and I guess not so surprisingly, I found some of her tales really incredibly poignant and emotional.  The one that sticks with me is when she writes of her and her grandmother.  Really moving.

Overall, great book and a lotta fun.  Munn is clearly "One of us!  One of us!" even if she commits the heinous crime of choosing BSG over Firefly.

Finally, picked up and read Greg Rucka's 3 volume run on Wolverine.  The TPBs are outta print - but you can find them used on Amazon or ebay - and I remember reading most of the stories in singles way back when they came out.  I remember reading somewhere or another that his run on the character wasn't well received, but I can't imagine why.  I'm a big fan of Rucka's, in general and thought he did a great job here.  The standouts bookend his run, featuring the incredible work of [Transmetropolitan, The Boys] Darick Robertson, who unfailingly does impressive work.