Book Excerpt: "One Soldier's War" by Arkady Babchenko

Book Excerpt: One Soldier's War by Arkady Babchenko.

Babchenko was drafted into the Russian Army in 1995 when he was 18-years-old. He fought in the First Chechnya War and was demobilised. Babchenko re-enlisted in 1999 for the Second Chechnya War.

Here is an excerpt that illustrates the Russian Army and Babchenko's experience.

Chickens Unite!

Comic Book Novel

Elmer: a comic book by Gerry Alanguilan. A window into an alternate Earth where chickens have suddenly acquired the intelligence and consciousness of humans, where they consider themselves a race no different from whites, browns, or blacks. Recognizing themselves to be sentient, the inexplicably evolved chickens push to attain rights for themselves as the newest members of the human race.

That'll crimp your dinner plans. No more chicken tacos for you, Anthony Neil Smith. I write Anthony Neil Smith because I am desperate for website hits. Okay, I'm not desperate for hits. If I were desperate I'd type in words like boobs, and Libya, and Japan Earthquake. Our blog regularly gets hits from people looking for images of outdoor ice rinks and skating.

Fiction

Containment by Vanda Symon. Shipping containers wash up on the Irish shore and are quickly looted. Detective Constable Sam Shephard finds a skull and a washed up body.

Barbie and Noomi Are Unstoppable as They Fight Jackasses From Nowhere For Three Days

DVD

Man From Nowhere starring [Korean actors]. Pawnshop owner is an ex-spy. His neighbor is a drug smuggler. Neighbor's young daughter is kidnapped by the mob. Emotionally isolated ex-spy wants to rescue girl using guns and cinematic blood spray. You saw this before as The Professional.



Unstoppable starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. Runaway train with toxic chemicals must be stopped. You saw this before as Runaway Train.



Jackass 3 starring Johnny Knoxville and a cast a Nitwits. Painful stunts including roller skating in a buffalo herd. You saw this before as Jackass.



The Fighter starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale. Boxer trains for an important bout with the assistance of his junkie brother. You saw this before as Rocky or Cinderella Man.



The Girl Who Played With Fire starring Noomi Rapace. "International best-selling...explosive...cinematic hit...phenomenal...expose the truth about the sex trade...brutally murdered...unpredictable and violent behavior...danger to society...shocking details...." You saw this before as The Muppet Show.



The Next Three Days starring Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Brian Dennehy.
Man plans prison break for his innocent but convicted wife. You saw this before as Die nächsten drei Tage.



Barbie: a fairy secret starring [Plastics]. Ken is whisked away by fairies [*giggle*] and Barbie's "fashion stylist friends reveal they are actually fairies" [*chuckle*] and Barbie sets out to "a magical secret fairy world" to rescue Ken. You saw this before as Mahna Mahna and the Magical Snowths.

Three: The Anthony Neil Smith Edition!

One

Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. Recommended by Smith's doppelganger, Ant Nero Swaddle.

Two

Night Road by Kristin Hannah. Hannah is blond haired. Smith has black hair.

Three

Ten Commandments of Money: survive and thrive in the new economy by Liz Weston. Save money for buying tacos, sump pumps, and multiple copies of Smith's novels.

Novels and NonFiction With False Advertising

NonFiction

The Monster: how a gang of predatory lenders and Wall Street bankers fleeced America - and spawned a global crisis by Michael W. Hudson. I thought it was Anthony Neil Smith who gave a recommendation for this book on the twitter. I think I am wrong because I could not find the note again.

Big in China: my unlikely adventures raising a family, playing the blues, and becoming a star in Beijing by Alan Paul. Reporter for Wall Street Journal packs up family for job in Beijing. Reporter teams up with a Chinese guy to form a popular blues band that tours China.

Internet for Seniors by Michael Price and Sue Price. "Plain English, easy to follow, fully illustrated." The cover is correct, there are many illustrations.

The 4-Hour Body: an uncommon guide to rapid fat-loss, incredible sex, and becoming superhuman by Timothy Ferriss. Four hours? Really? If I want to be superhuman can I just read for 1 hour and 20 minutes?

Red: my uncensored life in rock by Sammy Hagar. Hagar's father was a drunk. Just like Eddie.

Cracking the GED: 2011 Edition by Princeton Review.

Master the GED by Peterson's.

Fiction

Cold Wind by C.J. Box. NO matter how strong that wind Box's hat will stay in place.

Live Wire by Harlan Coben. No matter how electric that wire, Coben will still be bald.

Keep a Little Secret by Dorothy Garlock. My secret about Garlock? Every time I read her name I think of oar locks.

Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockman. Here is a rule to never break: Never join the Russian army.

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith. Open bar?

Five Flicks and a Novel

DVD

Faster starring Dwayne Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton. Revenge flick with shooting and overacting.



The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest starring Noomi Rapace and other Swedes. Intrigue under the Northern Lights.



Mesrine: Killer Instinct starring [French People]. Part one of a biopic of the famous French killer and thief who worked across Europe and the Americas in the '60s and '70s.



Animal Kingdom starring Guy Pearce and other Australians. Brutal Australian crime family in Melbourne clashes with corrupt police, and a 17-year-old orphan is stuck in the middle. With you. And jokers. Wondering what he should do.





Megamind starring [famous people]. Animation with bad guy being heroic. I think. You know who does a fair amount of voice over work? Kevin McDonald.



Young Adult Large Print

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. Wolves.