Posted at 11:00 AM in Books, Movies, and Music, Happenings Around Home and With Family and Friends | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
For my fourth "Dewey's Book" I read Into the Forest by Jean Hegland.
Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don’t like it at all?
I really, really liked a book called Into the Forest by Jean Hegland, and it had great reviews, but whenever I tell someone about it, they generally don’t seem interested.
She summarized the plot as follows:
The story is narrated by Nell, one of two sisters who are left alone in their house in the Northern California redwood forest after society virtually shuts down. Their mother dies of cancer before the loss of electricity, gas, stores, etc. After months of living off whatever they have stored and their garden, their father has an accident with his chainsaw and dies. The sisters have to figure out how to survive in complete isolation while waiting and hoping that things will get back to normal. Of course things never do get back to normal. Their gradual transformation from dependent teenagers to independent women living off the land is fascinating.
This is a book that's a little bit hard to describe for me. It just....has a soul. Does that make sense?
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For my third "Dewey's Book" I read "Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay" by Nancy Milford. Dewey's review of this book was cursory,
"Milford spent 30 years writing this biography of the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Millay’s life was notoriously “bohemian,” shocking for the time, but her strongest loyalties were to her writing, her mother and her sisters."
We were very tired, we were very merry—
We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry;
And you ate an apple, and I ate a pear,
From a dozen of each we had bought somewhere;
And the sky went wan, and the wind came cold,
And the sun rose dripping, a bucketful of gold.
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When I saw 5 Minutes for Books' "What's On Your Nightstand?" I thought, "Ohhh, fun! More book blogging!" The idea is to, on the fourth Tuesday of every month, post about or take a picture of the books that are currently "on your nightstand".
Posted at 04:41 AM in Books, Movies, and Music | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
For my second book of the Royal Reviews Historical Fiction Challenge, I re-read Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George. If my last read was the Elizabeth book, this one is the Mary book.
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For my second book of the Dewey's books challenge, I read "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff.
The main character, Daisy, is a fifteen year old girl from New York. Her mother died when she was born, and her father’s new, pregnant girlfriend hates Daisy and all she stands for. Poor Daisy is shipped off to spend the summer with some cousins and an aunt she’s never met, somewhere in the countryside in England. Daisy falls in love with her new family, as did I. Little Piper, especially, is so sweet and loving that I wanted to adopt her. The rest of the family is just the opposite of what Daisy has been living with back home: warm, gentle, caring. Their constant offers of tea remind me of my husband’s family. And the way they paid attention to who Daisy really is as a person, which was novel for her, is so endearing.
Unfortunately, war strikes. Daisy’s aunt is in Oslo giving a presentation when it happens, so she’s trapped there. The children (the oldest, I think, is 16) are left on their own. For a while, it’s idyllic, isolated as they are out in the country. But eventually, adults figure out they’re alone, so they’re separated, and then they’re up close and personal with the war.
I agree with Dewey--the thing that so drives this book are the characters. As Daisy falls in love with her cousins, you do too. You want to go off and live with them in the English country-side with their lambs and dogs and gardens. And her cousins are all psychic--which sounds corny, but it isn't--which means they understand her right away. (What? You mean everyone doesn't dream of lambs and dogs and gardens and cousins who understand you?) At first the war almost feels like a joke, but then all of a sudden it gets very real, leading to the climax of the book--which I don't want to spoil by writing about it here.
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This month is the end of the Lit Flicks challenge.
If you will remember, at the beginning I planned to read six books over the course of the challenge. I ended up skipping two of the book/movie combos I originally chose (I just couldn't get into The Contant Gardner, and I couldn't find M. Butterfly on DVD), but I finished the rest and then some. Here are the books I read and movies I watched with links to my reviews:
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For my first book of the Royal Reviews Historical Fiction Challenge, I re-read I, Elizabeth by Rosalind Miles.
Posted at 09:41 PM in Books, Movies, and Music | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
For my first book of the Dewey's Books challenge, I decided to read March by Geraldine Brooks.
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Because I like the idea of having this button to stare at in my sidebar for the next three months, another book blogging challenge (via Stacy who seems to always be in the know about such things). The full skinny is here, but basically, it's three historical fiction books in three months. I think I'm going to put "the royal twist" on things by re-reading two of my favorite historical fiction books about Brittish monarchs, and adding one new one.
My choices will be:
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Thanks to Veens, I recently found out about a book blogging challenge to honor Dewey of The Hidden Side of a Leaf, who died recently. Although I was mostly a lurker, I loved reading Dewey's book reviews, and I had a great time participating in her 24 hour read-a-thon in October. She will be missed.
The challenge rules can be found here. Basically, the idea is to read books that Dewey reviewed. I decided to choose one from each year:
The challenge will run for all of 2009 with prizes and the like, so it should be fun.
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Although I add a little every year, last night Sweet Husband was expressing distaste for the repetitive nature of my holiday playlist. I think it's well-varied--a few classics, a few updated classics, a few that are completely new--but, well, I'm always up for adding new. Any suggestions?
And, so as not to ask for something without giving something in return, here are a few of my favorites:
All That I Want by The Weepies
Kidnap the Sandy Claws from The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack
Snowfall Kind of Love by Ingrid Michaelson
Christmas is Going to the Dogs from the How the Grinch Stole Christmas Soundtrack
Someday at Christmas by Jack Johnson
Somewhere in My Memory from the Home Alone Soundtrack
Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance! by Sufjan Stevens (and several others from the album Songs for Christmas)
Posted at 11:45 AM in Books, Movies, and Music, Celebrations, Wednesday Polls | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
As another book for the Lit Flicks Challenge (see my post here) I read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. (I'm not really keeping track of how many I've done--with this one I just happened to read the book and watch the movie in the same weekend, so.)
I had avoided these books so far because of a few bad reviews I read when they first came out. (In short: Edward's a stalker, Bella's always cooking dinner, and the writing sucks.) But at last the number of people (many of whom share my taste in books) gushing about them reached the level where I felt like I had to at least give them a chance.
While I think some of the criticism is probably fair, after reading gulping down this book and the second one in less than 24 hours, much like the books' heroine, I know they might be bad for me but I just don't care!
I got a little impatient with Bella at times, but Edward and his family are fascinating. (I actually really enjoyed going to Stephenie Meyer's website and reading the partial draft of "Midnight Sun" which is "Twilight" told from Edward's perspective--I really hope she finishes it someday soon.) And the more I think through the initial places I had trouble with the book, the more silly my issues seem. As an example, I once caught myself thinking, "Who really falls in love for life in high school?" (This from a woman who married her high school sweetheart....ahem.)
The movie was actually almost better than the book, mostly I think because there was less of Bella's internal dialog. (I really don't hate her, I just want her to grow-up.) I thought Robert What's-his-face (who will always be Cedric Diggory to me) was such a good Edward, and the girl made me like Bella's character more. Mostly I loved the way they filmed it--the half-tone colors, the music. It was very "bad-ass vampire" movie, but in a fun way that didn't take itself so seriously that it was over the top. I hear they've decided they're going to make the second book into a movie now too--can't wait for that--meanwhile I'm off to devour the third and fourth!
Posted at 04:47 AM in Books, Movies, and Music | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
For my fifth book for the Lit Flicks Challenge (see my post here) I read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. (I ended up deciding to sub this out for The Constant Gardener.)
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas tells the story of Auschwitz from the perspective of a nine year old German officer's child (Bruno) living near the camp, who befriends a Jewish child (Shmuel) of the same age. The decision to use Bruno as the narrator was absolutely brilliant. Because, although you as the reader understand perfectly all the ways that being near the concentration camp is tearing his family apart, Bruno is completely innocent, brushing off his mother's many "medicinal sherries" and asking Shmuel questions like why he's so skinny.
I had read enough spoilers to know what happened in the end, and as I noticed I was running out of pages I started to brace for it. But when it came, true to the perspective the author had chosen, it was still without complete understanding of the real horror of it all. Only after the climax, through the characters remaining, did I really feel it.
When I read the book it was with the expectation that I'd be able to see the movie (which came out last weekend). Unfortunately, it seems the nearest place I could go see it is Denver, Dallas, or Chicago (not sure which one is closer, but they're all several hundred miles away), so I think I'm going to have to wait for the DVD. :(
If anyone else gets to see it, please come tell me how it was. I can't recommend it as an uplifting holiday flick, but from the previews I've seen it looks like it will be well done.
Posted at 05:17 AM in Books, Movies, and Music | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
I'm feeling all Halloween-y lately--thinking of all my favorite spooky stories and movies.
Like the ghost story that used to scare the bejesus out of me as a child. It was about a china doll that was actually a vampire and sucked her young owner's blood one night. The end was truly horrific--the girl's parents never figured out exactly how the girl died, but only found the china doll with a smear of blood across its face.
Or the Poltergeist movies. Wow. One night when I was much-too-young, a babysitter let me watch one (I still don't know which--the one with the man that looks like the Quaker Oats box?). I couldn't sleep in a room with a mirror in it for...well, come to think of it, it still gives me the heebs.
For this week's poll:
What are some of your favorite scary stories and movies? Why do you think it is that they give you the creeps?
Comment and discuss.
(Photo c/o.)
Posted at 05:52 AM in Books, Movies, and Music, Wednesday Polls | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
....alisonwonderland! You won the Read-a-Thon mini-challenge. The quote (randomly selected by Sweet Husband):
"Did the memory erasure device work, Uncle?"
"The what?"
"The memory erasure device. You were testing it when I last saw you."
"Don't know what you're talking about, dear girl."From The Eyre Affair, the first in the Tuesday Next series by Jasper Fforde.
Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful quotes, and alison I'll be in touch to get you your prize!
Posted at 10:51 PM in Bloggers and Blogging, Books, Movies, and Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
A mini-challenge for my fellow read-a-thon'ers....
Ever since I was a little girl I've collected quotes--from books, from people, from road signs--but some of my favorites are from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. From Dumbledore's advice to Harry in the first book ("It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live," a good thing to remember for all avid readers) to Ron's funny jabs at Hermione ("You should write a book--translating mad things girls do so boys can understand them!") there are just some great bits!
So for the mini-challenge, give me a great quote from the book you're reading right now. Be sure to say what book it's from, and also leave me some way to contact you. My completely arbitrarily picked favorite will win my spare "Muggles for Harry Potter" pin and a lovely bookmark generously donated by Heather at Errant Dreams (see her pretty etsy store here). I'm headed off to an Obama rally this afternoon, so I won't choose a winner until I get back--we'll say 8 or 9 tonight--but the challenge officially closes at 3 p.m. central time so I won't consider any quotes left after that.
Find something good and have fun reading!
Posted at 12:00 PM in Bloggers and Blogging, Books, Movies, and Music | Permalink | Comments (51) | TrackBack (0)
For my third book/movie for the Lit Flicks Challenge (see my post here) I read About a Boy by Nick Hornby and watch About a Boy.
I almost never say this, but I really liked the movie much better.
For the first half of the book--basically until Will meets Rachael--the book and the movie are virtually identical. I almost just gave up on the book in boredom, because, to paraphrase a friend, watching Hugh Grant = so much better. However, I persevered.
Warning--spoilers ahead.
In the movie, Marcus sings at the school concert to try to make his suicidal mum happy, even though it will be social suicide for him. Will shows up at the concert at the last minute to play back-up, thereby deflecting Marcus's humiliation onto himself. At the end, you get the idea that--although the characters are still quirky--they'll all be OK because they've formed this little family.
In the book, the concert scene is replaced by Marcus taking a trip to see his father with Ellie. They stop midway, and get arrested when Ellie breaks a window. Everyone--Will, Fiona, Ellie's mom--comes together to go get them, and that's kind of it. The book ends, not with the idea that they'll all be OK because they've got each other, but rather suggesting that Marcus and Fiona will be alright because they've assimilated and become "normal".
The book might have been more realistic, but it was disappointing. Just watch Hugh Grant, trust me, you'll like it better.
Posted at 05:35 AM in Books, Movies, and Music | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)












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