Patty's Pick: The Dark Tower

“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” Thus opens The Gunslinger, the first book in Stephen King’s post-apocalyptic, western series, The Dark Tower. If you’re in the mood for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly mixed with high fantasy – try this epic series.

Patty's Pick: The Frantic Flintstones

The Frantic Flintstones are an early psychobilly band. Re: Psychobilly – imagine a musical stew made out of rockabilly music, genre movies and a manic attitude. The Frantic Flintstone’s 20th Anniversary Album collects the best pit-wrecking and shimmy-shaking tunes of the Frantic Flintstones’ career thus far.

Patty's Pick: Deadwood

Are you still angry that HBO canceled Deadwood? Me too, but there is a fix. The book Deadwood by Pete Dexter. Ride into the Black Hills of the Dakota Territories with Wild Bill, Charley Utter and Calamity Jane runnin’, gunnin’, raising Cain and dealing cards all the way.

Patty's Pick: Veganomicon

Vegans don’t eat or use anything that originates from an animal. The Veganomicon proves a vegan diet can be as vibrant, healthy, hearty and delicious as a diet that includes meat. The Southwestern Corn Pudding matched with the Chili-Cornmeal Crusted Tofu was a favorite at my dinner table. 

Patty's Pick: True Grit

Mattie Ross is fourteen and has “never been one to flinch or crawfish when faced with an unpleasant task.” Her father was murdered. Mattie seeks the help of Deputy Marshal Rooster Cogburn, famously played by John Wayne in the movie, to avenge him in Charles Portis’ excellent western, True Grit.

Patty's Pick: Engines of Creation

In 1959 physicist Richard Feynman gave the now legendary lecture “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom.” Feynman’s lecture helped inspire K. Eric Drexler to write Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology. This compelling examination of how molecular engineering will affect our future is even available free online.

Patty's Pick: Gulag Orkestar

Lawrence Ferlinghetti has written about  “perpetually awaiting a rebirth of wonder.” When the glory of the world goes a bit dark and I’m forgetting to be awed by life, I put on Gulag Orkestar by Beirut. Wistful smiles and immediate relaxation.

Patty's Pick: The Crime Scene

Dangerous darlings, untimely expirations, miscreants and men in black! The Crime Scene makes me feel like I'm sleuthing through a noir world with convicts, crooks, Fedoras, and flatfoots around every corner. The last track explains the whole CD, "Music to be Murdered By" and what a swinging way to go.