World's Strongest Librarian

Touching the Void – Watch it!

by Josh Hanagarne on January 26, 2012

Siula Grande - an unforgiving playground

I’ve had friends who were serious climbers. I’ve read a lot of books about extreme mountaineering. I thought I knew enough to know that I was never going to climb anything taller than the stairs of the library. Now, after watching Touching the Void, I’m more certain than ever that I am meant to be earthbound.

That said, this is one of the best documentaries, and best films, I have ever seen.

And the way it is shot is absolutely breathtaking and brilliant. Wow, this is getting gushy.

Without giving too much away, here’s the gist: [Read more...]

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Please Help me Choose my Author Photo – Here are your Options

by Josh Hanagarne on January 24, 2012

It is time for me to start thinking about my author photo. I’m not a big fan of my own face, but apparently I’m not going to get away with just submitting a picture of my formidable back musculature.

As always, I turn to you, fine readers.

I’ve recently taken some photos. It’s probably going to have to come from this batch.

Photo One:

What can I say? I wanted some truffles and couldn’t find any. [Read more...]

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5 Movies Worth Watching

by Josh Hanagarne on January 23, 2012

Yay for movies. Here we go:

Warrior

I love Mixed Martial Arts. I enjoy a decently made sports movie. I like Tom Hardy. Win!

And if Tom Hardy’s traps are any indication, he’ll have no trouble dealing with Batman on July 20.

Carnage

Four nasty adults saying nasty things to each other and behaving increasingly nastily to each other in a small apartment. They meet to discuss an incident that occurred between their sons. Things get ugly fast. [Read more...]

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Library Hell

As much as you know I love my job, sometimes it’s…well, if you’re a librarian, you can fill in your own answer there. I’d probably agree with whatever it is. For nearly a year now, I’ve been gathering material for a new project: Library Hell. I’ve been taking submissions and have had a good enough [...]

January 20, 2012 READ MORE →

Secrets of a High-Maintenance Woman

I know what you’re thinking…”What business does this mirror-kissing, solipsistic, mucky hog of a male, with his bent glasses and broken teeth, have giving me advice about being a high-maintenance woman?” Take a breath. I know plenty. And I know it because I spent a good part of my day yesterday studying this textbook:

January 20, 2012 READ MORE →

Do You Have a “Loneliest Book?”

I wanted to write this post after reading Jonathan Lethem’s piece The Loneliest Book I’ve Read. It’s about a book he read (duh), and he had never met anyone else who had read it. This was a wonderful thing. I like wonderful things. So: I tapped my resources and wasted all my mental energy on [...]

January 19, 2012 READ MORE →

I Finally Read the Hunchback of Notre Dame

It took me a long time to get around to The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. Just looking at it from my desk, I knew that it was one of those books where a perfectly good story gets interrupted occasionally by hundreds of pages about agrarian reform. I was wrong, but if you [...]

January 18, 2012 READ MORE →

“If This isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What is”

And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ”If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.”–Kurt Vonnegut, via Kurt’s Uncle Alex That’s how I feel today. There are two reasons. At least two. The first is that I was in a train [...]

January 17, 2012 READ MORE →

Observations From the Gym – Sleeveless Shirt Edition

I am surrending my dream of a gym where nobody struts. I’ve been in Denver for three days, climbing the walls because my mom only has a rack of 15 lb dumbbells. But today we went over to the rec center and did some training. A few observations: Cutting the sides out of your shirt [...]

January 16, 2012 READ MORE →

I Get to Speak at Gettysburg!

I just got invited to speak at Gettysburg, which is where the Pennsylvania Tourette’s folks have their Tourette’s camp. How cool is that? Now I’m off to grow a Civil War beard. Also, I will try to photograph a ghost for you all. Josh

January 12, 2012 READ MORE →

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