The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson Ch. 1

This first chapter has been one of considerable mystery.  The book follows a first-person account of a man who moves from New York to Peurto Rico for a reason remains untold for several pages.  I have learned that this man is a journalist moving to work as a writer for a second rate newspaper on the island.  This first chapter has allowed me to become aquatinted with Mr. Thompson's writing style since this is the first of his books that I am reading.  Also, after completing the first chapter, I found out that this novel is based on Thompson's actual life making it somewhat of a memoir.  

"The Georgia Thumper" by Augusten Burroughs

This story is one that I found a little disturbing.  In it, Burroughs describes his loathing for his grandmother, Amah.  He accounts his visits with her as being held captive by a relative who hates him.  Amah and Burroughs seem to have mutual discontent with each other.  Burroughs tells of flooding Amah's bedroom with the garden hose and other mischievous acts against her.  He then describes his feelings after her death.  He seems to be devastated at the death of a women whom he despised.  But as he looks back on his actions he sees that he could have had a functional relationship with Amah, but he choose to torment her instead.  I think this story is a good display of how our choices now will come back to us later in the future.  

Getting to No You by Augusten Burroughs

I enjoyed the personal level that this story explored.  It was about Burroughs and his experiences with age and dating, and one particular instance on a date with a very odd man.  He goes through his thoughts and actions while dating this man.  This story really digs deep into the mind of a person while on a date with someone whose company they don't particularly enjoy.  Early in the story Burroughs discusses the relationship between age and dating, saying that at age thirty dating for him changed dramatically then when he was in his twenties.   

Pest Control by Augusten Burroughs

This story was quite cute.  It was all about Mr. Burroughs losing his first tooth and how he was afraid of the tooth fairy.  I found this quite odd as most children, including myself at one time, adore the tooth fairy.  They wiggle teeth day in and day out so that they may be paid a visit and receive some money.  But not Mr. Burroughs, he tells how he barricaded himself in his room and locked the windows in an attempt to keep the fairy away.  I think this story just goes to show how some children have a skew way of thinking--perhaps getting the wrong idea on things in situations that were deigned by adults to make them happy. 

"Crybaby" By David Sedaris

I especially enjoyed this story, but at the same time I disliked it.  The story was about David Sedaris' experience on airplanes, and I liked that I could relate to most of what was in the story having been in an airplane myself before. What I did not like was that Sedaris seemed to be insulting and complaining about a man sitting next to him on a flight who was crying over the death of his mother.  The name of this story is "Crybaby" I think this is meant to poke fun at this man.  But it really is unfair, the man loved his mother and cried because of the loss he has suffered, Sedaris could be more sympathetic.