Improvised Book Club

Join us for the return of Skewed News Hour this Friday at 7pm. Register for Boost Your Improv with Jacque Arend Saturday, December 4th.

December Newsletter Join us for the return of the Skewed News Hour every 3rd Friday at 7pm. The premiere show is Friday, November 19th. Register for the workshop Boost Your Improv with Jacque Arend on Saturday, December 4th.

A Beatles song triggers a long memory, and low rent erotic literature for the masses, the next two selections for The Improvised Book Club show, which by the way is this Saturday at 7 PM.
Hi I'm Carrie MrsImprov Benton and I love books and reading, and books!
This Saturday the book club will read excerpts from Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, and then do scenes based on basic themes from the excerpts. We do not re-enact the actual scenes, sorry, maybe when we read a Civil War book.
I'm very excited about this Saturday's book because I loved it. A few years ago I spotted 1Q84 by Murakami and really wanted to read it, but never did, because dude this book is massive at 1184 pages. It was released as a three part serial in Japan. Now I will pick it up because I so enjoyed Norwegian Wood, and I know I will probably enjoy everything that HM writes.
The writing in our current IBC pick flows like clear water over a pebbled stream; the imagery is wonderful; I really felt like I was a creepy, silent person standing in the shadows in every scene watching these people. I could feel the air, hear the music, see everything in detail, smell the food, and I even laughed out loud a few times. Murakami is also a great food scene writer. I am a fan of food scenes, there's a certain squishy comfort in reading the shopping for, preparing, serving, and then the characters having that meal. This book made me feel as though I was on vacation in Japan in certain parts. Now, without further gushing I will try to convey what the book is about without giving anything away.
The story begins when Toru Watanabe hears the song Norwegian Wood while he's on a plane. The song triggers a memory of someone he loved when he was young in the late 60's and he tells the story of their love, and why they eventually could not be together (that's not a spoiler, it's known in the first five pages). It's really just this young guy falling in love for the first time, trying to go to college, dealing with the most ridiculous dorm mates, working, trying to be responsible, trying to grow up, having s*x, and generally figuring out life like anyone else. Along the way though, he gets surprised, he gets hurt, he finds himself in situations for which he has no personal blueprint. The reader certainly feels every anxious moment, every disappointment, and discovery, this is a sweet, fast read.

Speaking of Haruki Murakmi (super awesome segue about the same topic), he has a brand spanking new book out called Colorles Tsukuru and His Years of Pilgrimage, I have already snatched a copy for myself from Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix. (No they did not pay me, but if they offered, I would accept.)
But that's not all! That's right! You too can be the proud owner of listening to a podcast about Haruki Murakami and his new book! (No, he did not pay me either.) One of my very favorite bookity podcasts, https://www.facebook.com/BooksOnTheNightstand ,did a special show about our current IBC author. Here's the link!
http://booksonthenightstand.com/2014/08/botns-293-murkami-madness.html
The podcast can also be found on iTunes, Stitcher, or whatever podcast catcher you happen to favor.


Now I leave Murakmi madness, so, let's talk about s*x bay.be.
I must say at the moment I am not looking forward to reading this book because I think it will be horrible. But, I am no hypocrite, I will actually read it from beginning to end before making my final judgement.
Of course the book I speak of is 50 Shades of Grey. It is not the soft core p**n with which I have a problem, I'm fine with p**n of any kind and definitely with all erotic literature. I simply think this will be a crap-tastic read. To be fair, lots of people at Random House got lots of bonuses, actually literally every employee at Random House got a bonus because of this book, because it sold like free beer at a frat party. It paid for advances given to other writers so their books could be published, and those things are off the wall great, and important. That said, it doesn't mean the book is actually good, or even well written. Sometimes some things just appeal to a large number of people. I just finished reading a novel that explains 50 Shades and many other popular forms of entertainment perfectly. The main character in this novel happens to be in the publishing business, he's in his boss's office: "On the wall of his office was a framed letter from a colleague and friend, an older editor who'd been asked to read a manuscript. The letter was on a sheet of paper that had two fold marks and was very to the point.
**This is a very obvious book with shallow characters described in a style that grates on one's nerves. The love affair is ta**ry and of little interest, and in fact one is repelled by it. Nothing but the completely obscene is left to the imagination. It is utterly worthless.**
It sold two hundred thousand copies...and they're making a movie of it." (From All that Is by James Salter)
Mind you folks, that's two hundred thousand copies sometime the 1940's, and I think things are pretty much the same.
But let's all read 50 Shades together and see if I'm wrong, and see if it's the most titillating, masterful story that will want to make you both touch yourself and write down passages in your journal to remember later.

BOTNS #293: Murakami Madness | Books on the Nightstand It's here! The new novel from Haruki Murakami, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, is officially on sale. We can't attend one of the many

Hey! Hopefully we'll see you at our show next Saturday (7/26). If you're interested in the books we'll be reading for the rest of the year, here is the rundown:

August 23rd: Norwegian Wood, by Haruki Murakami
September 27th: Fifty Shades of Grey, by
October 25th: Ghostfest*
November 22nd: Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, by Tom Wolfe
December 27th: Kids' Show*

*For Ghostfest we'll be doing a show, in our Halloween costumes, based on selections from Scary Stories to Read in the Dark Part 3, and in December, at our annual kid-friendly show, we'll be doing a show based on various childrens' stories.

Also, a little birdie told us there is one copy of Norwegian Wood left in the Phoenix Public Library system, if you're interested in going the old-fashioned route. :-)

Are you reading along with us? This month's book is Wild Things by Dave Eggers, and on Saturday July 26 we'll be doing an improvised show based on excerpts and themes from the book.

Join us this Saturday night at The Torch Theatre at 7pm for June's Improvised Bookclub show. We will be reading excerpts from Rant, by Chuck Palahniuk, and performing scenes based on those excepts and themes from the book overall. Then, for the second half of the program, local writer Kristin Liang will read some of her work and we will perform scenes using her work as the inspiration. Tickets only $7!

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead opens tonight at 7:30 http://p0.vresp.com/h0Uo1n

Get ready for the return of IBC at its new time and place. Every fouth Friday of the month at 7pm at the new Torch Theatre. 4721 N. Central beginning August 27th. We tee off with The Legend of Bagger Vance in honor of official golf month.

Let's bring back IBC!

Burton Barr Library still has a few copies of The Red Tent. Check one out today for Sunday's show!

Ok, in the early pages of "The Red Tent" and I think it is about some ancient chics who are whack. - Ken

Our next improvised Book Club Show is May 23rd at Space 55 7PM. In honor of Mother's Day we will break down "The Red Tent" By Anita Diamant. Read and join us! - Ken

The Red Tent: A Novel A New York Times Bestseller A decade after the publication of this hugely popular international bestseller, Picador releases the tenth anniversary edition of The Red Tent . Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters o...

Doc Sarvis says "read The Monkey Wrench Gang" or I will burn a billboard near you!