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Showing posts with label 1001 books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1001 books. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
A Year In Review
So, I have been a terrible blogger this year. I started the blog with the best intentions and then life got in the way. I spent January though July taking classes in addition to my full-time job. Then I focused on work and a new relationship letting everything else take a back seat to love and money. I've read plenty of books. I've thought about blogging most of them. 2009 had me reading 30+ books and re-reading at least 4.
Quick list of 2009 reads:
Enemies and Allies by Kevin J. Anderson--Novel about Superman and Batman set during the 1950s. The two begrudgingly team up to stop the world from total destruction. 4 stars
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen--Classic chick lit. 5 stars
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith--The classic regency romance with added zombie mayhem. 4.5 stars
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters--More classic literary romance with some slimy, tentacled or clawed disaster. 4 stars
Persuasion by Jane Austen--Classic tale of a girl letting herself get talked out of love based on a mistaken emphasis on wealth and status. To my knowledge there are no plans to add vampires or ghosts. 5 stars
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen--More classic chick lit. Poor girl lives with rich relatives and finds herself between the two worlds trying to find love and happiness. Also no plans to add any strange apparitions as far as I know. 5 stars
The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery--French-American girl goes off to Japan and become separated from her family through fire and choice. Passes herself off as a Japanese lady's maid in a respectable teahouse. 3 stars
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte--More classic lit about two selfish people and their love for themselves and each other and their inability to function in their worlds apart. 2 stars
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown--Intrigue with a art history geek trying to solve the mystery, murder, and win the pretty girl. 3.5 stars
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown--Same hero as The DaVinci Code with a new mystery, murder, and pretty girl. 3.5 stars
White Oleander by Janet Fitch--Dysfunctional family at its finest. Plus a look into the foster care system through the eyes of a teen. 3 stars
Mary Called Magdalene by Margaret George--Novel of the possible and probably life of Mary Magdalene. Rich with history and a little possible blasphemy. 3.5 stars
Death of a Darklord by Laurel K. Hamilton--Weird novel filled with magic, zombies, and a witch hunter. 4 stars
Why Mermaids Sing by C.S. Harris--Murder mystery set in England. Part of a series. 3.5 stars
Chocolat by Joanne Harris--French lady opens a chocolate shop in a rural village and turns the town upside down. I believe I actually reviewed this one. 4 stars
The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Bobby Henderson--Hilarious blasphemy. No way to really explain this. You just have to read it. 3 stars
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini--By the author of The Kite Runner. About 3 separate females and how their lives intersect in Afghanistan. 5 stars
A Widow for One Year by John Irving--Reviewed last January. About a family and how their actions impacted them and those around them. 4 stars
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd--Reviewed already. About a girl looking for her roots and finding them in unexpected ways. 4 stars
Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster--Snarktacular chick lit. 4.5 stars
Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster--More Snarktacular chick lit. 4.5 stars
Pretty In Plaid by Jen Lancaster --Less snarktacular but totally hilarious chick lit. 4.5 stars
The Host by Stephenie Meyer--Alien being inhabiting human bodies and a band of refugees trying to survive without detection. 3 stars
Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer (re-read)--Sparkly vampired and teen love. If you haven't already heard about Twilight; you're probably hiding under a rock. 4.5 stars
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison--Can't even really describe it. 3.5 stars
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton--Mystery about a lost child with amnesia trying to find the truth and her granddaughter who finally figures it out. 4 stars
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson--Non-traditional Patterson safe for the whole family to read. Daniel is an alien hunter with a few advantages trying to get revenge for the death of his family by killing the most dangerous aliens in the U.S. 3.5 stars
Swimsuit by James Patterson--Killer on the loose ravaging models. Sort of standard for Patterson. 2.5 stars
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath--Whiny, depressed, suburban girl. 0 stars
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks--Love story spanning a few decades about reconnecting with first love. 4 stars
The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner--Short stories about everyday women finding their Prince Charming. 2 stars
I also failed two books (Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert and Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift). I may try them again later but I have plenty to keep me busy right now.
All in all it really wasn't a bad year for reading. Despite a lot of happenings I truly read 2-3 books each month with a full time job and classes.
Here's hoping 2010 is even better.
Quick list of 2009 reads:
Enemies and Allies by Kevin J. Anderson--Novel about Superman and Batman set during the 1950s. The two begrudgingly team up to stop the world from total destruction. 4 stars
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen--Classic chick lit. 5 stars
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith--The classic regency romance with added zombie mayhem. 4.5 stars
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters--More classic literary romance with some slimy, tentacled or clawed disaster. 4 stars
Persuasion by Jane Austen--Classic tale of a girl letting herself get talked out of love based on a mistaken emphasis on wealth and status. To my knowledge there are no plans to add vampires or ghosts. 5 stars
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen--More classic chick lit. Poor girl lives with rich relatives and finds herself between the two worlds trying to find love and happiness. Also no plans to add any strange apparitions as far as I know. 5 stars
The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery--French-American girl goes off to Japan and become separated from her family through fire and choice. Passes herself off as a Japanese lady's maid in a respectable teahouse. 3 stars
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte--More classic lit about two selfish people and their love for themselves and each other and their inability to function in their worlds apart. 2 stars
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown--Intrigue with a art history geek trying to solve the mystery, murder, and win the pretty girl. 3.5 stars
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown--Same hero as The DaVinci Code with a new mystery, murder, and pretty girl. 3.5 stars
White Oleander by Janet Fitch--Dysfunctional family at its finest. Plus a look into the foster care system through the eyes of a teen. 3 stars
Mary Called Magdalene by Margaret George--Novel of the possible and probably life of Mary Magdalene. Rich with history and a little possible blasphemy. 3.5 stars
Death of a Darklord by Laurel K. Hamilton--Weird novel filled with magic, zombies, and a witch hunter. 4 stars
Why Mermaids Sing by C.S. Harris--Murder mystery set in England. Part of a series. 3.5 stars
Chocolat by Joanne Harris--French lady opens a chocolate shop in a rural village and turns the town upside down. I believe I actually reviewed this one. 4 stars
The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Bobby Henderson--Hilarious blasphemy. No way to really explain this. You just have to read it. 3 stars
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini--By the author of The Kite Runner. About 3 separate females and how their lives intersect in Afghanistan. 5 stars
A Widow for One Year by John Irving--Reviewed last January. About a family and how their actions impacted them and those around them. 4 stars
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd--Reviewed already. About a girl looking for her roots and finding them in unexpected ways. 4 stars
Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster--Snarktacular chick lit. 4.5 stars
Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster--More Snarktacular chick lit. 4.5 stars
Pretty In Plaid by Jen Lancaster --Less snarktacular but totally hilarious chick lit. 4.5 stars
The Host by Stephenie Meyer--Alien being inhabiting human bodies and a band of refugees trying to survive without detection. 3 stars
Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer (re-read)--Sparkly vampired and teen love. If you haven't already heard about Twilight; you're probably hiding under a rock. 4.5 stars
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison--Can't even really describe it. 3.5 stars
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton--Mystery about a lost child with amnesia trying to find the truth and her granddaughter who finally figures it out. 4 stars
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson--Non-traditional Patterson safe for the whole family to read. Daniel is an alien hunter with a few advantages trying to get revenge for the death of his family by killing the most dangerous aliens in the U.S. 3.5 stars
Swimsuit by James Patterson--Killer on the loose ravaging models. Sort of standard for Patterson. 2.5 stars
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath--Whiny, depressed, suburban girl. 0 stars
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks--Love story spanning a few decades about reconnecting with first love. 4 stars
The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner--Short stories about everyday women finding their Prince Charming. 2 stars
I also failed two books (Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert and Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift). I may try them again later but I have plenty to keep me busy right now.
All in all it really wasn't a bad year for reading. Despite a lot of happenings I truly read 2-3 books each month with a full time job and classes.
Here's hoping 2010 is even better.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Austen and Sea Monsters
One might not think of sea monsters as having a place in regency England. Much like Quirk Classic's zombies enriched the story of Pride and Prejudice the sea monsters have livened up Sense and Sensibility.
Another Austen tale of English ladies and their suitors has been altered thanks to the wonderful writers that Quirk Classics has managed to dig up. The original Sense and Sensibility follows the lives of the Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. When their father passes away the estate goes to their older half brother and his cold and selfish wife. The older Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters seek another home at a distant relative's estate and thus experience romance, love, and heartbreak.
Elinor is attached to Edward, the brother of her sister-in-law. She is also introduced to and courted by Colonel Brandon who is nearly twenty years older than she. Elinor thinks that loving and marrying a man so many years older is grotesque but does decide that being friendly with Colonel Brandon would be acceptable.
Marianne is swept off her feet by a wealthy adventurer after falling while out for a walk. John Willoughby is dashing and very similar to Marianne and many mutual friends believed them to be engaged.
Through the course of the story both girls have their hearts broken. One girl gets her happy ending after some turns of events take place, and another finds that what she thought she wanted was not correct anymore at all.
That's all that should be said in hopes of not ruining the book.
Sense and Sensibility is a little dry, much like most other books written in and around the 1790s. The story often lags on talk of money and how so-and-so has so many pounds a month and how no one could possibly wish to marry into so little amount and so on much like the talk in Pride and Prejudice. However, the story was definitely worth reading with its themes on emotion vs. sense, money, propriety, love, and many more. The ladies Dashwood and the gentleman acquainted with them all learned something by the end of the book, and the outcomes were suprising and in some aspects a little disappointing.
Now, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters used the same story line with subtle and not so subtle additions of tentacled beasts, water dangers, and facial disfiguration. In Sea Monsters, all places in the story are either near water or under water and many hours each day are dedicated to keeping sea monsters at bay. Estates were fortressed, weapons skills were mandatory, and traveling too near or over water was usually met with death by at least one character of little consequence. Instead of the Dashwoods traveling to London at one point they travel to an underwater city called Sub-Marine Station Beta. In addition to romantic intrigue, family drama, and sisterly bickering and love is the giant tentacled monsters and oversized lobsters out for human blood.
Sea Monsters, no matter how entertaining, loses something of the story when all changes were said and done. Colonel Brandon with a tentacled face, Willoughby as a treasure seeker, a lady competing for a gentleman's attention as a witch, and a sea creature large enough to disguise itself as land detract from the Dashwood daughters and their personalities and choices made.
In doing some research it can be found that though Pride and Prejudice and Zombies had 90% of the original novel's content with only about 10% additional content added; Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters started with only 60% original content with 40% added (source for Sea Monsters numbers, but cannot re-find the Zombie's numbers at this time).
In conclusion, whereas Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was worth reading because the integrity of the story did not change; the same cannot be said for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. In this case it is best to stick to the original.
Another Austen tale of English ladies and their suitors has been altered thanks to the wonderful writers that Quirk Classics has managed to dig up. The original Sense and Sensibility follows the lives of the Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. When their father passes away the estate goes to their older half brother and his cold and selfish wife. The older Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters seek another home at a distant relative's estate and thus experience romance, love, and heartbreak.
Elinor is attached to Edward, the brother of her sister-in-law. She is also introduced to and courted by Colonel Brandon who is nearly twenty years older than she. Elinor thinks that loving and marrying a man so many years older is grotesque but does decide that being friendly with Colonel Brandon would be acceptable.
Marianne is swept off her feet by a wealthy adventurer after falling while out for a walk. John Willoughby is dashing and very similar to Marianne and many mutual friends believed them to be engaged.
Through the course of the story both girls have their hearts broken. One girl gets her happy ending after some turns of events take place, and another finds that what she thought she wanted was not correct anymore at all.
That's all that should be said in hopes of not ruining the book.
Sense and Sensibility is a little dry, much like most other books written in and around the 1790s. The story often lags on talk of money and how so-and-so has so many pounds a month and how no one could possibly wish to marry into so little amount and so on much like the talk in Pride and Prejudice. However, the story was definitely worth reading with its themes on emotion vs. sense, money, propriety, love, and many more. The ladies Dashwood and the gentleman acquainted with them all learned something by the end of the book, and the outcomes were suprising and in some aspects a little disappointing.
Now, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters used the same story line with subtle and not so subtle additions of tentacled beasts, water dangers, and facial disfiguration. In Sea Monsters, all places in the story are either near water or under water and many hours each day are dedicated to keeping sea monsters at bay. Estates were fortressed, weapons skills were mandatory, and traveling too near or over water was usually met with death by at least one character of little consequence. Instead of the Dashwoods traveling to London at one point they travel to an underwater city called Sub-Marine Station Beta. In addition to romantic intrigue, family drama, and sisterly bickering and love is the giant tentacled monsters and oversized lobsters out for human blood.
Sea Monsters, no matter how entertaining, loses something of the story when all changes were said and done. Colonel Brandon with a tentacled face, Willoughby as a treasure seeker, a lady competing for a gentleman's attention as a witch, and a sea creature large enough to disguise itself as land detract from the Dashwood daughters and their personalities and choices made.
In doing some research it can be found that though Pride and Prejudice and Zombies had 90% of the original novel's content with only about 10% additional content added; Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters started with only 60% original content with 40% added (source for Sea Monsters numbers, but cannot re-find the Zombie's numbers at this time).
In conclusion, whereas Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was worth reading because the integrity of the story did not change; the same cannot be said for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. In this case it is best to stick to the original.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
A revelation
I arrived at a moment of revelation the other day. I may have a goal of reading the "1001 Books to Read Before You Die" plus personal additions. However, if I am doing this for enjoyment there is no reason to complete books that I abhor.
Recently I've been trying to read Madame Bovary. I detest this book. I have no sympathy for the main character. She's a whiney brat that knew what she was getting in to. Rumors from friends who did read the book for some class or another lead me to believe that I will detest her more and more. I hate this book because I hate this character and I'm wondering where the point is.
I've decided not to finish Madame Bovary. I also may not finish Gulliver's Travels. The story is good, but the language (or more the poor grammar and random capitalization and punctuation) is driving me batty.
So, from now on I allow myself to quit a book if I want to. It makes no sense to not have fun doing something that is supposed to be fun. I can make myself read the awful things later IF I ever take a class that requires them.
Recently I've been trying to read Madame Bovary. I detest this book. I have no sympathy for the main character. She's a whiney brat that knew what she was getting in to. Rumors from friends who did read the book for some class or another lead me to believe that I will detest her more and more. I hate this book because I hate this character and I'm wondering where the point is.
I've decided not to finish Madame Bovary. I also may not finish Gulliver's Travels. The story is good, but the language (or more the poor grammar and random capitalization and punctuation) is driving me batty.
So, from now on I allow myself to quit a book if I want to. It makes no sense to not have fun doing something that is supposed to be fun. I can make myself read the awful things later IF I ever take a class that requires them.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Zombie Mayhem reviewed
I finished Pride and Prejudice and Zombies a few days ago. I must say that all in all it was wonderful. The original integrity of the story Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy is maintained with small additions to the characters. All of the Bennet girls are Chinese trained zombie slayers as is Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bingley is a pansy who loses his dinner at the sight of zombies consuming brains. Mr. Darcy is quite skilled at zombie slaying, as is his aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
I found only a few things unnecessary. First and foremost was the sexual innuendos. Sure a comment about "his most English parts" in his trousers or a play on words while tossing about gun ammunition (balls) is ok. But, there were a few places where the additions took away from the stry somewhat. They altered the perception of Elizabeth Bennet's proper decorum. The second thing that I had issues with was Charlotte turning into a zombie. It added nothing to the story and actually seemed silly in some places.
Other than just a few areas that I thought could do without the additions it was still very much the same story. The zombie mayhem actually made the story progress faster than the original because there was action to spur a reader on.
I give the book 4 out of 5 stars. It was a few sexual innuendos off from a perfect rating in my book.
In telling an acquaintance about the book I recieved the following comment: "Jane Austen is probably turning over in her grave!" My response is: Perhaps she wants to join in the brain munching mayhem.
I found only a few things unnecessary. First and foremost was the sexual innuendos. Sure a comment about "his most English parts" in his trousers or a play on words while tossing about gun ammunition (balls) is ok. But, there were a few places where the additions took away from the stry somewhat. They altered the perception of Elizabeth Bennet's proper decorum. The second thing that I had issues with was Charlotte turning into a zombie. It added nothing to the story and actually seemed silly in some places.
Other than just a few areas that I thought could do without the additions it was still very much the same story. The zombie mayhem actually made the story progress faster than the original because there was action to spur a reader on.
I give the book 4 out of 5 stars. It was a few sexual innuendos off from a perfect rating in my book.
In telling an acquaintance about the book I recieved the following comment: "Jane Austen is probably turning over in her grave!" My response is: Perhaps she wants to join in the brain munching mayhem.
A moving story
It has been a while since a book has touched me in a way to make me cry while reading. The last I remember is a few years ago when I read My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (which I hear was made into a really awful movie). I'm sick at home and decided to spend some time reading when I wasn't napping. I managed to read the whole of Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook this evening. I must say that near the end I choked up and cried. I spent a good ten minutes once I read the last page just sitting with tears running down my face. The love between Allie and Noah is so amazing. It makes me long to find even a fraction of that in my own life. I can't wait to see the movie version to see if it lives up to the book.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A tasty read
Who doesn't like chocolate? (If you answered that question saying that you don't, you don't count because chocolate is perfect and everyone should love it.) Well the book Chocolat by Joanne Harris is not really only about chocolate.
Vianne Rocher and her young daughter Anouk are free spirits that settle down for a time in a small town in France. They come right at the beginning of Lent and start turning the town upside down with their chocolatier shop and different ways. Vianne becomes the nemesis of the town priest Reynaud as he thinks she is leading his sheep astray. In truth, he's battling his own demons of memory and shame. Near the end of the story the big Easter Festival is planned and prepared for, and Reynaud plots to sabotage it. Does he succeed? I'll not tell, it would spoil the book.
The main themes play on right and wrong, good an evil, catholic and pagan, and a great many others. The classic underdogs are working hard to have something of their own and looked down on by the high and mighty.
The book is a quick read. There's a bit of female empowerment going on, a great deal about friendships, and a taste of love.
I hear it's been made into a movie. I should check that out now that I've read the book.
Vianne Rocher and her young daughter Anouk are free spirits that settle down for a time in a small town in France. They come right at the beginning of Lent and start turning the town upside down with their chocolatier shop and different ways. Vianne becomes the nemesis of the town priest Reynaud as he thinks she is leading his sheep astray. In truth, he's battling his own demons of memory and shame. Near the end of the story the big Easter Festival is planned and prepared for, and Reynaud plots to sabotage it. Does he succeed? I'll not tell, it would spoil the book.
The main themes play on right and wrong, good an evil, catholic and pagan, and a great many others. The classic underdogs are working hard to have something of their own and looked down on by the high and mighty.
The book is a quick read. There's a bit of female empowerment going on, a great deal about friendships, and a taste of love.
I hear it's been made into a movie. I should check that out now that I've read the book.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Pride and Prejudice
Once upon a time I tried to read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (and Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre) and failed. I could grasp the language and cadence of the writing. I was not engaged in the story or the characters. Granted, the fact that I attempted all of these books at the age of 12, and again at 16 or so was possibly part of my problem.
This time around I found that it took only a few pages to be completely enamored by the Bennet girls, Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Darcy. Seriously, who can't understand a family where the mother is constantly trying to marry off her girls and the girls who are hoping for something better than just a marriage of convenience. Of course, most families don't have five girls to marry off; or the manners that most of the Bennet girls possess.
Truly the story is mostly about Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy who supply the roles of protagonist. It is an intense distaste that they have for each other's company that eventually leads them both to find that they truly love each other; though not without some fighting on both of their parts. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy both have witty, quick tongues that are as likely to bestow praise as they are barbs.
Of course, the one minor annoyance with this story is that I find myself using similar language. As I had spent a better part of the day reading about the Bennet girls before heading to work, I found myself being pulled over by a police car. As I was trying to ascertain whether or not I was speeding and come up with an excuse before he came up to the window, I found myself thinking through my head words that are not often used in casual conversation. I checked myself and made a few simple phrases in response to the officer's questions figuring that my original thoughts would have earned me a breathalyzer. (I wasn't ticketed, I just had dirt obscuring my expiration date. Guess the cop was bored at 11pm on a Saturday night.)
I am intensely interested in reading another version of Pride and Prejudice. This one is the tradition Jane Austen with additions by Seth Grahame-Smith called Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance. It's hitting bestseller lists right and left. I guess they've inserted lovely zombie killing sequences throughout while still keeping the integrity of the original story. I hope to get my hands on a copy soon.
More updates to come. Look for Chocolat, Wuthering Heights, The Host, Gulliver's Travels, and Pretty in Plaid in the upcoming few days/weeks.
This time around I found that it took only a few pages to be completely enamored by the Bennet girls, Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Darcy. Seriously, who can't understand a family where the mother is constantly trying to marry off her girls and the girls who are hoping for something better than just a marriage of convenience. Of course, most families don't have five girls to marry off; or the manners that most of the Bennet girls possess.
Truly the story is mostly about Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy who supply the roles of protagonist. It is an intense distaste that they have for each other's company that eventually leads them both to find that they truly love each other; though not without some fighting on both of their parts. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy both have witty, quick tongues that are as likely to bestow praise as they are barbs.
Of course, the one minor annoyance with this story is that I find myself using similar language. As I had spent a better part of the day reading about the Bennet girls before heading to work, I found myself being pulled over by a police car. As I was trying to ascertain whether or not I was speeding and come up with an excuse before he came up to the window, I found myself thinking through my head words that are not often used in casual conversation. I checked myself and made a few simple phrases in response to the officer's questions figuring that my original thoughts would have earned me a breathalyzer. (I wasn't ticketed, I just had dirt obscuring my expiration date. Guess the cop was bored at 11pm on a Saturday night.)
I am intensely interested in reading another version of Pride and Prejudice. This one is the tradition Jane Austen with additions by Seth Grahame-Smith called Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance. It's hitting bestseller lists right and left. I guess they've inserted lovely zombie killing sequences throughout while still keeping the integrity of the original story. I hope to get my hands on a copy soon.
More updates to come. Look for Chocolat, Wuthering Heights, The Host, Gulliver's Travels, and Pretty in Plaid in the upcoming few days/weeks.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
I'm about one book away from tipping over my house.
I'm pretty sure that I've bought at least 20 books in the last two weeks (many of them on my 1001 Books list!). That in itself is not a bad thing, especially since I picked most up at Goodwill and yard sales. The problem is that I live in a trailer. I'm certain that if not for my roommate's boxes of books stacked against the wall in her room that my whole house would tip over towards the east. That would complicate my life a lot. I'm also perilously close to having no where to put new books. My big book case is full. I'm having to rearrange my 'pretties' into other places and smooshing them all together. Then my headboard is full of borrowed books. I have a stack of books on a corner of the bed. I also have library books on one of the end tables (so I don't mix them in with my other stuff and allow them to be lost). There's a book on the edge of the bath tub that I had intentions of started while immersed in bubbles and Eric Clapton on the stereo but I got caught in games on MyYearbook. Then there are either 3 or 4 books in my purse.
My name is Heatherly and I am a bibliophile.
My name is Heatherly and I am a bibliophile.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Secret Life of Bees
When the movie version of The Secret Life of Bees came out, I was completely disinterested. Now after reading the book, I want to see how they did. I'm adamant about reading books first. I would rather be disappointed in a movie for not living up to the book it is attempting to portray instead of being disappointed in a book because I expected it to follow a movie. Books are always better. Always.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is steeped in the tension of early civil rights (1964) and the coming of age of an abused 14-year-old girl named Lily Owens. After her African-American, stand-in mom Rosaleen affronts a few racists while in town with Lily and subsequently finds them both in jail; Lily hatches a plan to bust Rosaleen out of jail and run away from her abusive father T-Ray.
On a scrap of hope Lily hopes to find people who knew her mother before she died and in doing so, to figure out who Lily Owens is. She and Rosaleen end up in the care of August, May, and June Boatwright--African-American sisters who keep bees for a living. While there Lily learns about life, love, family, and bees.
Heartbreaking at times, and funny in others I read this book cover to cover in the matter of a few scattered hours. I found myself thinking about Lily and August while cleaning up messes at work, while washing dishes, when I was showering--I finally made myself sit down and finish the story so as to find some closure on the matter.
Bees was a quick read in truth, if not for my busy schedule I would have read it in one sitting. I have my roommate Prose to thank for the lending of this book, though I think I will be adding it to my personal library in the near future.
Look for a post on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in the next few days as I am nearly finished with it as well. I'm sitting on pins and needles to find out if Jane will get Mr. Bingley, if Mr. Darcy will succeed in capturing Elizabeth's heart, and where on earth Lydia has gone off to!
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is steeped in the tension of early civil rights (1964) and the coming of age of an abused 14-year-old girl named Lily Owens. After her African-American, stand-in mom Rosaleen affronts a few racists while in town with Lily and subsequently finds them both in jail; Lily hatches a plan to bust Rosaleen out of jail and run away from her abusive father T-Ray.
On a scrap of hope Lily hopes to find people who knew her mother before she died and in doing so, to figure out who Lily Owens is. She and Rosaleen end up in the care of August, May, and June Boatwright--African-American sisters who keep bees for a living. While there Lily learns about life, love, family, and bees.
Heartbreaking at times, and funny in others I read this book cover to cover in the matter of a few scattered hours. I found myself thinking about Lily and August while cleaning up messes at work, while washing dishes, when I was showering--I finally made myself sit down and finish the story so as to find some closure on the matter.
Bees was a quick read in truth, if not for my busy schedule I would have read it in one sitting. I have my roommate Prose to thank for the lending of this book, though I think I will be adding it to my personal library in the near future.
Look for a post on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in the next few days as I am nearly finished with it as well. I'm sitting on pins and needles to find out if Jane will get Mr. Bingley, if Mr. Darcy will succeed in capturing Elizabeth's heart, and where on earth Lydia has gone off to!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
back from hiatus
So I realize that it has been a great many months since posting. In that time however I was reading many unexciting things about psychology and the English language as it pertains to 'college writing'. I went back to college after a great many years in hopes of getting in to nursing school. I'm happy to say I've come out of this first semester with a 4.0 GPA (for the first time in my entire life) and a whole lot of nothing done other than school work.
In the few weeks since finals however, I have taken it upon myself to try to tackle the '1001 Books to Read Before you Die'. True, I've already read a few of these books. I can already tell there are a few that I will not read as well. I have no desire to read "Mein Kampf" or some of the books by the Russian guys that are so dry as to make my brain shrivel into a zombified nothing. I will, however, at least read a synopses of each book and give them all a shot. I'm also adding to the list with books I'd like to read, am reading, or have read; and adding in elements of the list from a book I found at Borders with about 500 or so titles in it.
I've managed to make a small chip into the list the past week or so. It would have been a bigger chip if I had not been sidetracked by some 'chick lit' and my re-read of the Twilight Saga. I'll be posting a few blogs soon to document my progress and inform of a few good reads for any readers that I have.
In the few weeks since finals however, I have taken it upon myself to try to tackle the '1001 Books to Read Before you Die'. True, I've already read a few of these books. I can already tell there are a few that I will not read as well. I have no desire to read "Mein Kampf" or some of the books by the Russian guys that are so dry as to make my brain shrivel into a zombified nothing. I will, however, at least read a synopses of each book and give them all a shot. I'm also adding to the list with books I'd like to read, am reading, or have read; and adding in elements of the list from a book I found at Borders with about 500 or so titles in it.
I've managed to make a small chip into the list the past week or so. It would have been a bigger chip if I had not been sidetracked by some 'chick lit' and my re-read of the Twilight Saga. I'll be posting a few blogs soon to document my progress and inform of a few good reads for any readers that I have.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Book Review #1
My first book in 2009 happened to be a Christmas present that I finished just yesterday. I have long been a fan of John Irving and was gifted a copy of A Widow for One Year.
First the synopsis:
As with most Irving novels, it is written in several parts and covers a span of many years. A Widow for One Year is written in three parts, each covering a different section of time.
The story begins in 1958. Ruth Cole is 4-years old, living with her parents in Long Island during their trial separation. Her father Ted is a children's book writer who hires Eddie, a 16-year-old boy, to be a writer's assistant for the summer. Ruth's mother Marion is a tortured character who has been unable to move past a tragic car accident that killed her sons four years before.
Eddie finds quickly that his job as a writer's assistant leaves much to be desired as he is mostly answering fan mail and running errands. It is in Marion that he finds his summer begin to be more interesting. Eddie and Marion become lovers and they learn more about themselves in their few months together than they ever really learn about each other. It is learned that Ted has a habit of chasing after unhappy, young mothers; and much of his summer is involved with women than it is writing.
At the end of summer Marion leaves taking only the photographs of her dead sons. Her only instructions to Ted is to tell him to keep his drinking to a minimum. She leaves nothing to Eddie, save the sweater that he first saw her in.
The second part of the book is in 1990 and about Ruth, now grown and a writer in her own right. She is at a crossroads in her personal life and as she is on a book tour, she is trying to make a few decisions.While on tour she starts research in the Red Light District where she witnesses something that changes her. She returns home with decisions made and a new turn of life to live.
Part three finds Ruth at 41. She has been recently widowed and left with her young son. The book she began in Amsterdam is finally published and it brings someone new into her life. Time has also changed things and brings a few other people back into the picture.
Now as for my thoughts on the book:
I adore John Irving. I find his books to be about real characters. These characters could be real people. Marion could have been the perfect mother until her sons were taken away and unable to be even a mediocre mother to the daughter she tried to replace them with. Ted could have just been a man-whore, who failed to even try to conceal it once Marion was so disinterested in anything other than their sons' memories. Even Eddie could simply be an average boy that happens to be attracted to more mature women.
Ruth intrigues me. As a woman she is conflicted. She is unsure of what she wants in her relationships. She sees the double standard between men and women where sex is concerned. She is also unsure as to whether she wants marriage and a family. She sees it as something that she should want, but something that she is also afraid of. Her mother leaving her at the age of four left her feeling as if her mother couldn't love her, maybe she couldn't love a child either.
I recommend for anyone to read A Widow for One Year. For me it was a quick read that did not leave the feeling of having wasted my time. This was a book of actual substance. Far from a 'throwaway' book, it is one to put on the bookshelf for many reads to come.
First the synopsis:
As with most Irving novels, it is written in several parts and covers a span of many years. A Widow for One Year is written in three parts, each covering a different section of time.
The story begins in 1958. Ruth Cole is 4-years old, living with her parents in Long Island during their trial separation. Her father Ted is a children's book writer who hires Eddie, a 16-year-old boy, to be a writer's assistant for the summer. Ruth's mother Marion is a tortured character who has been unable to move past a tragic car accident that killed her sons four years before.
Eddie finds quickly that his job as a writer's assistant leaves much to be desired as he is mostly answering fan mail and running errands. It is in Marion that he finds his summer begin to be more interesting. Eddie and Marion become lovers and they learn more about themselves in their few months together than they ever really learn about each other. It is learned that Ted has a habit of chasing after unhappy, young mothers; and much of his summer is involved with women than it is writing.
At the end of summer Marion leaves taking only the photographs of her dead sons. Her only instructions to Ted is to tell him to keep his drinking to a minimum. She leaves nothing to Eddie, save the sweater that he first saw her in.
The second part of the book is in 1990 and about Ruth, now grown and a writer in her own right. She is at a crossroads in her personal life and as she is on a book tour, she is trying to make a few decisions.While on tour she starts research in the Red Light District where she witnesses something that changes her. She returns home with decisions made and a new turn of life to live.
Part three finds Ruth at 41. She has been recently widowed and left with her young son. The book she began in Amsterdam is finally published and it brings someone new into her life. Time has also changed things and brings a few other people back into the picture.
Now as for my thoughts on the book:
I adore John Irving. I find his books to be about real characters. These characters could be real people. Marion could have been the perfect mother until her sons were taken away and unable to be even a mediocre mother to the daughter she tried to replace them with. Ted could have just been a man-whore, who failed to even try to conceal it once Marion was so disinterested in anything other than their sons' memories. Even Eddie could simply be an average boy that happens to be attracted to more mature women.
Ruth intrigues me. As a woman she is conflicted. She is unsure of what she wants in her relationships. She sees the double standard between men and women where sex is concerned. She is also unsure as to whether she wants marriage and a family. She sees it as something that she should want, but something that she is also afraid of. Her mother leaving her at the age of four left her feeling as if her mother couldn't love her, maybe she couldn't love a child either.
I recommend for anyone to read A Widow for One Year. For me it was a quick read that did not leave the feeling of having wasted my time. This was a book of actual substance. Far from a 'throwaway' book, it is one to put on the bookshelf for many reads to come.
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