UM idol and all around kick ass guy Chuck Palahniuk is heading out in support of his new book “Snuff” next month.
Not only will he be reading from the book, but (take a seat for this next bit) rumor has it, they will be screening an advance preview for the movie version of Choke.
Do what […]

Characters

David Russo - Protagonist, Harvard MBA, born / raised in Brooklyn, Italian-American
Dominick “The Don” Gallo - Biggest trader on the floor, part of NYMEX since start, $300 million fortune
Khaled Abdul - Nephew to Sheik Oman, part of royal UAE bloodline
Nick Reston - President (youngest ever) of NYMEX. Mentor / guide to Russo
Serena - David Russo’s […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 207-End
Due: Thursday January 31st
Part 3
pages 142 - 206
Characters

David Russo - Protagonist, Harvard MBA, born / raised in Brooklyn, Italian-American
Dominick “The Don” Gallo - Biggest trader on the floor, part of NYMEX since start, $300 million fortune
Khaled Abdul - Nephew to Sheik Oman, part of royal UAE bloodline
Nick Reston - President (youngest ever) of […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 142-206
Due: Wednesday January 23rd
Part 2
pages 73 - 141
Characters

Anthony Giovanni - Chairman, NYMEX. David Russo’s idol and eventual boss.
David Russo - Protagonist, Harvard MBA, born / raised in Brooklyn, Italian-American
Dominick “The Don” Gallo - Biggest trader on the floor, part of NYMEX since start, $300 million fortune
Khaled Abdul - Nephew to Sheik Oman, part […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 73-141
Due: Wednesday January 16th
Part I
pages 1 - 72
Characters (there are a ton of characters, I will break them out by apparent “Main” and “Secondary” roles)

MAIN

Anthony Giovanni - Chairman, NYMEX. David Russo’s idol and eventual boss.
David Russo - Protagonist, Harvard MBA, born / raised in Brooklyn, Italian-American
Dominick “The Don” Gallo - Biggest trader on […]

Assignment
Pages: 1 - 72
Due: Wednesday, January 9th
Having started reading already, the first few chapters set the scene for an exciting tale to come.  Our protagonist’s initial introduction to the NYMEX (and the somewhat shady, impossibly wealthy people running it) as well as some mysterious rumblings half a world away in Dubai, where Khalad Abdul (nephew […]

Before UM was knee high to a grasshopper, its founding fathers started their own book club. It involved taking turns selecting a book and then meeting once a week to drink beers and discuss it. When it was finally my turn to choose, I selected “Ugly Americans” by Ben Mezrich. I’d fallen in love with […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 179 - 235 (the end)
Due: Wednesday Sep 26th, Noon.
Part III
pages 120-178
Characters

Howard Schulz - Meth cook
Wyatt James - Detective
Martin - Initial tweaker narc turning informant
Midget - New narc found at identity theft scene
Brandy - Howard’s current meth lab host
Porche - Brandy’s 12 year old daughter
Joe - Brandy’s 10 year old son
Suki - Wyatt’s girlfriend
Mike […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 120-178 / up to Trust
Due: Wednesday Sep 19th, Noon.
Part II
pages 63 - 119
Characters

Howard Schulz - Meth cook
Wyatt James - Detective
Martin - Initial tweaker narc (second run in)
Midget - New narc found at identity theft scene
Brandy - Howard’s current meth lab host
Porche - Brandy’s 12 year old daughter
Joe - Brandy’s 10 year old son
Suki […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 62-119 / up to People Want the Truth
Due: Wednesday Sep 12th, Noon.
Part I
pages 1 - 62
Characters

Howard Schulz - Meth Cook
Wyatt James - Detective
Martin - Initial tweaker narc
Amber - Second tweaker narc
Brandy - Howard’s current meth lab owner
Suki - Wyatt’s girlfriend
Mike Lawson - Prosecutor

Meth Vocab

Tweaker
Bag ‘ho
Squishes - comes down
Smurfing

A few points I’m noticing:

Wyatt […]

Assignment
Pages: 1 - 62
Due: Sept 5
Looking at the chapter titles, you’ll be reading from the beginning thru Know Your Rights, stopping at Queen or Bag ‘Ho. With chapters like this, I’m ready to get started right now.
Order it here: King of Methlehem

After many requests a new book has been chosen for the Urban Monarch Book Club. I bring to you, The King of Methlehem: A Novel by Mark Lindquist. Pick it up by Wed Aug 29 because that’s when the first reading assignment will be issued.
Instead of telling you what the boring magazine and newspaper reviewers […]

Part IV
pages 149-end
Characters

Mari Asai
Eri Asai
Tetsuya Takahashi
Kaoru
Shirakawa
Korogi

Songs Listed

Page 162 - Sonnymoon for Two, Sonny Rollins
Page 168 - Bomb Juice, Shikao Suga
Page 179 - (soundtrack music), Francis Lai

The last section of this book is heavily defined by irony and sybolism. On page 162 Mari takes a much needed rest in the love hotel only after sharing […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 149-end
Due: Wednesday July 11th, noon
Part III
pages 101-148
Characters

Mari Asai
Eri Asai
Tetsuya Takahashi
Kaoru
Shirakawa

Songs Listed

Page 125 - Cantata, Allesandro Scarlatti, Sung by Brian Asawa
Page 132 - A new song by The Southern All Stars

In the third section of the book, we are seeing a moving Eri. She’s waking up and we’re seeing her move around, finally […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 101-148 / up to Chapter 15.
Due: Tuesday July 3rd, 9am (moved from wed at noon due to July 4th)
Part II
pages 53 - 100
Characters

Mari Asai
Eri Asai
Tetsuya Takahashi
Kaoru
Shirakawa

Songs Listed

Page 60 - Sophisticated Lady, Duke Ellington
Page 62 - Jealousy, Pet Shop Boys
Page 63 - I can’t go for that, Hall and Oates
Page 76 - English Suites, […]

Next Assignment
Pages: 53-100 / up to Chapter 10.
Due: Wednesday June 27th, Noon.
Part I
pages 1 - 52
Characters

Mari Asai
Eri Asai
Tetsuya Takahashi
Kaoru

Songs Listed

Page 20 - Five Spot After Dark, Benny Golson
Page 23 - The April Fools, Burt Bacharach
Page 30 - More, Martin Denny
Page 51 - My Ideal, Ben Webster

This is the first post for the Urban Monarch book […]

One of the core philosophies of Urban Monarch is to provide usable news and information. In traditional media it is common to flip through pages of movie, music, and book reviews. I’ll see half a dozen items that peak my interest, but the reality is that I rarely consume any of it. […]