Shellby - Customer Service Specialist

Future Jeopardy Contestant

I am a huge music and history nerd who loves everything pop culture related. When not working on my Bachelor's of History I can be found looking for new horror novels or watching hockey. #GoAMs

Baking Should Always Be Messy

Baking is my primary activity in the kitchen, but I do occasionally cook a box of mac n' cheese.

I'm fairly certain that almost every family in the USA has this cookbook some where in their home. A classic, and their banana bread is simply one of the best.
The chewy chocolate chip cookies have become my go-to recipe for cookies. Too many recipes to try, so little time. Their mustard and grape chicken sauce is a personal favorite of mine.
Claire Saffitz has created a wonderful cookbook that makes gourmet recipes easy enough to follow along with at home. The Meyer Lemon Curd Tart was easy enough that even I, a person with no tart experience, was able to make it.
I am not Jewish, but this book caught my attention for all of its delicious recipes and insightful histories behind the dishes. The pumpkin-apple butter challah was my favorite.

"So I Want to Be a Paperback Writer": Books That Inspired Songs

There are a lot more songs based on "1984" than any of us ever realized.

<p>Metallica's 1984 song of the same name tells of the horrors of war described in this classic Hemingway novel.</p>
<p>"White Rabbit," by Jefferson Airplane, is a trippy retelling of this classic children's novel.</p>
<p>Songs Inspired: "Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?" and "Basket Case" by Green Day, as well as "Catcher in the Rye" by Guns N' Roses.</p>
<p>David Bowie's album "Diamond Dogs" was meant to be a "1984" concept album; however, his idea was rejected by Orwell's estate. Other songs include, "Welcome to 1984" by Anti-Flag, the Eurythmics' “Ministry of Love,” Rage Against The Machine's “Testify,” and Stevie Wonder's “Big Brother.” However, there are still many more that could be listed.</p>

Stranger Than Fiction

Real life often is weirder than anything any author could conjure up. This list explores varying topics of our long, strange, and fascinating history as humans here on Earth.

<p>Tony Perrottet's dive into the Cuban revolution is so human. It lets the reader into the world of Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, as well as countless others involved in the movement and lets you see what happened through the eyes of who was there.</p>

I Like to Keep My Movie Ticket Stubs

This list features books about film, actors, or filmmaking that are all about the silver screen and who makes movies happen. I've also added some films that are some of my favorite examples of the medium.

<p>A 400 page long interview with my favorite director was probably one of the best non-fiction books I've read yet.</p>
<p>This film will stay with you long after you have finished watching it. It's my favorite movie and not just because Daniel Day-Lewis is my favorite actor.</p>
<p>A fantastic book that's impossible to stop reading. However, if you care about "Dead Poets Society" like I do, Hadley Freeman has a strong opinion about the 80s drama. Be warned.</p>

When Books Aren't Enough

Sometimes I don't have the patience for a book, so I watch documentaries instead.

<p>A beautiful and creative look into the life of Maurice Sendak. This was directed by Spike Jonze before he made "Where the Wild Things Are" into a movie.</p>
<p>This didn't stop me from watching Tom Cruise movies, but he's on thin ice.</p>
<p>After the tragic passing of both Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, this documentary shines brighter than you think it would.</p>
<p>Gilda Radner is a light that is surely missed from this world, and I only appreciate her more after watching this.</p>

Fiction From the Shelves of a Non-Fiction Fiend

I have a hard time finding fiction stories that grab my attention. These books are some of the already small selection of fiction that I read and really enjoyed.

<p>A dark book whose protagonist has placed so much hope into a change that never comes. I personally believe this would be a great novel for book clubs.</p>
<p>I really, truly, earnestly wish more books were like this one.</p>
<p>Sofia Coppola obsessed teenage girls unite!</p>
<p>No other thriller book has done for me what Gone Girl has done.</p>

"What's the Frequency, Kenneth?"

Much like the protagonist in the song "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" popular culture fascinates me. Whether that's good or bad, I have yet to find out. These are some of my favorites for when I felt like indulging into our world's pop sensibilities.

Plenty of great tales in this book. However, my favorite part was the creation of cultural phenomena and living legend, Stefon.
There are so many pop culture references in this book that I had to stop and look up every other paragraph. It taught me things that only John Waters himself could have.
I'm such a big Joel McHale fan that I pre-ordered this book when it came out and was not disappointed in the slightest.

The Stage: A book'd List Consisting of Plays

To some degree I enjoy reading plays more than fiction novels. They're usually shorter and mostly dialogue, which is what I enjoy. These are some of my favorites for either school or readng during class when I shouldn't have been.

I seemed to be the only kid at my school who enjoyed "The Crucible" in a long time. This is my favorite play; however, Arthur Miller has written all of my favorites.
I read this because I finished reading "The Crucible" before my classmates and needed more of Miller's work. This is a close second to "The Crucible."
Nothing can describe my need for a modern movie adaptation of this play with a flashback scene of Portia's knitting needle "emotional strength test" set to heavy metal music.
Lady Macbeth is perhaps my favorite of all of Shakespeare's "crazy women."

The Fun, the Sad, and the Cautionary Tales: A List of Memoirs

Living vicariously through autobiographies is one way that I like to live my life. I've learned way too much by reading the lives of other people.

<p>If you liked "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," then you'll love this book. Ferguson's humor translates perfectly to written format.</p>
<p>My brother and I love learning anything we can about the inner workings of Scientology, and we couldn't stop talking about this book for weeks.</p>

Mama Always Said I Would Write for Rolling Stone

I've been an avid muscial non-fiction consumer since middle school, and one of my favorite things to do is write. These habits have my mom telling me (and everyone she knows) that one day I'll write for Rolling Stone.

<p>A great read for those who want to see what music inspired some of the most popular musicians of our lifetime.</p>
<p>I have seen this Pearl Jam documentary countless times as it is endlessly entertaining and a personal favorite. The story can be heartbreaking as well as uplifting, the editing is spectacular, and it’s filled with a fantastic choice of Pearl Jam songs spanning their career up until that point. If you enjoy this, check out the companion book “Pearl Jam Twenty,” also by Cameron Crowe.</p>
<p>It never ceases to amaze me the amount of times rock music has been called “Satanic” or “the devil's music.” This book taught me all I needed to know about how the occult was involved with music. From Led Zeppelin to Daryl Hall and John Oates, I was beyond surprised who has been accused of satanic sorcery.</p>
<p>My favorite band is R.E.M., and this look into the Athens, GA music scene was everything I hoped it would be. This book so easily captures the spirit of the bands, and its attention to detail is amazing.</p>