Friday--- Dec. 9

TGIFriday, Dec. 9th - Book to Movie: Which book turned into a movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

BEST

• Holes by Louis Sachar

• Stardust by Neil Gaiman

• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

• Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

WORST

• Eragon by Christopher Paolini

• The Golden Compass by Pullman

Follow Friday at Alison Can Read : Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

 Adult: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

 

YA: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Review--- Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting by Jim Murphy

Back in 1914 when WWI (The Great War) was still young, when political and military leaders thought the war would be won any day, soldiers fighting for both sides lived in trenches along the Western Front. Their existence was completely miserable and extremely precarious. Even one inch of head showing above the trench could mean getting it blown off by an enemy sniper. Soldiers on both sides despaired of their living conditions and came to realize that they had been lied to by their leaders. As Christmas approached packages from home began to arrive with special treats and, in the case of the German soldiers, so did small Christmas trees decorated with candles.

Christmas Eve 1914 dawned clear, snowy, and cold.  Few soldiers had a taste for the bitter fighting they were engaged in and most just hoped for a bit of rest. As the day wore on "something remarkable took place. Soldiers from both sides got out of their trenches and cautiously walked into No Man's Land. Meeting in the middle, they would shake hands, exchange cigars or tins of food, and chat. Despite obvious language barriers, a number of these meetings produced promised to continue the peace on Christmas Day" (61).

Up and down the line of the whole Western Front from Belgium to Switzerland truces were struck that day and soldiers came together on Christmas in the land between their two trenches to enjoy singing, food, and even take pictures together. It really was remarkable. In the midst of a bitter war, the soldiers said "enough" for two days of peace. Many afterwards never returned to their same level of fighting, though the war continued on for four more years.

Even in the midst of strife we can take this message to heart today.  The true message of Christmas is PEACE.

***I read the book in under an hour.  Jim Murphy is a master of historic writing and making it accessible to younger, middle-grade readers.  Since I am no scholar of WWI, I found the book to be both interesting and informative.

Rereading old favorites

When was the last time you sat down with a favorite book, maybe one you have enjoyed many times, and gave yourself over to that book for a good re-read? I did and the results were very satisfying.  

I just finished rereading an old favorite, A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. Published in 1950, this book was really made famous in 1981 by a TV mini-series.  I watched every minute of that mini-series, watched it again when it re-aired, then went searching for the book. I think this is the third, maybe fourth time I've read it and I still enjoy this war-survival-love-story. As I read it this time I kept asking myself why I like the story so much and feel compelled to reread the book every few years?  I am suspicious that it has more to do with my memories and events that were happening in my life when I first saw the mini-series that set me up to be a lifelong fan. You see, in 1981 I was falling in love with my husband-to-be.

Rarely do I reread books. In fact it is so rare that I can probably list most of those books here. As a librarian, I want to read the "latest and greatest" to help me find material to recommend to my readers. As a book club member I am always having to read the "book of the month", leaving little time for reading books I have already read. But occasionally I do, especially if I am in the mood for "an old friend." Here are a few books that I find myself rereading with some regularity:

• Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion by Jane Austen. Both of these books are so important to me I can't abandon them for more than a year.  I like reading "retellings" of these books, too.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I actually enjoy listening to this on audiobooks.  It is a tale so well told I never tire of it.
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I first read this series when I was in 5th or 6th grade. I am still completely charmed by its magical land and animals.  It is full of symbolism and find new treasures in it  with each rereading.
• Shipping News by Annie Proulx. There is something so quirky about this book I find myself drawn to it, sometimes just reading the chapter headings or small portions of it.
• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I have a huge Potter fan in my family so I find myself rereading portions of this marvelous series because she is.

Surprisingly, most of my favorite books and authors I've never reread. Guess I don't want to mess with my positive memories of the books.

What about you?  What are your favorite books to reread?

Favorite Books from my Childhood

Hosted by The Broke and Bookish

Favorite books from my childhood:

1. Little Bear by Maurice Sendak

2. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

3. The Borrowers by Mary Norton

4. Henner's Lydia by Marguerite de Angeli

5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

6. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

7. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

8. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

 

9. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

10. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

I have a feeling that I am forgetting some real gems.  

What are some of your childhood favorite books?

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Let me say this at the outset-I am a huge John Green fan.  So it is rather shocking that I've had Let It Snow in my library for two years without reading it. It also explains why, when I finally did decide to read it, I would just naturally start with John Green's story, A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle, the middle story of the three.  Big mistake! Though it says it right on the cover I somehow missed the memo that this isn't a book of three separate Christmas short stories. Rather, it is a book of three interconnected stories that build on the information and characters from the story before.  Ha!  Don't make my mistake.  Read this book like any other book from beginning to end.

The stories in Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances are all set in a small town in North Carolina on Christmas Eve.  The town has been hit by a huge blizzard which causes all kinds of transportation problems:  a stranded train, cars driven into snowbanks, and people being forced to walk in freezing temperatures.  Every story somehow weaves common threads -- the Waffle House, Starbucks, cheerleaders (named Amber and Madison) -- into the storyline.  Each main character finds love and kisses, together with quite a bit of hilarity along the way, making for fun and poignant Christmas memories.

I liked each of the stories, but I think I liked each one for different reasons.  The Jubilee Express, by Maureen Johnson, was the story that probably touched me the most and I enjoyed the author's gentle humor and writing style.  The Patron Saints of Pigs by Lauren Myracle reminded me a bit of the movie, It's a Wonderful Life, with its talk of angels and the need for emotional growth and acceptance.  John Green's A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle featured my least favorite characters including a bunch of stranded cheerleaders and a romance that didn't seem to work quite as well as in the other two. But, hey, I read it out of order and it was full of John Green humor, which I adore. 

High literature? No.  Fun, YA lit?  Yes. Will I recommend this book to my students this holiday season?  You bet. In fact, I already have.

(This blog post was originally submitted on Dec. 2, 2010)

Letters from Father Christams by J,R.R. Tolkien

Finally. Now I can face this holiday season with a sense of awe and wonder.  Why? Three reasons:

1. The Seattle University Christmas Choir concert Friday night was remarkable. My favorite songs were those that were sung in the round, or from remote locations from around the cathedral. Christmas carols are running through my head. My daughter had a short solo on the song Silent Night, so that was my obvious favorite.

2. I bought a beautiful poinsettia and then stumbled upon a few reindeer unexpectedly.  I would like to report that Santa's reindeer are looking very healthy as they build up their reserves in preparation for their Christmas deliveries.

3. I've just finished reading and looking at the drawings in Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien. Between the years of 1920 to 1942, Tolkien wrote a letter to his children as Father Christmas.  He also sent them original drawings. He regaled his children with fun tales from the North Pole that included the antics of his pet polar bear, wars with goblins, and other delights. The illustrations had me awestruck.  They were so detailed and matched the action mentioned in the letter. If you can get your hands on this book, set aside a bit of time to marvel at the precious gift that this famous author gave to his children.

Christmas 1920

Snapshot Saturday...Dec. 3

My daughter, Rita, is getting married to Dan this summer.  On Thanksgiving we joined his family for dinner.  Prior to dinner we visited the house where Dan currently lives and where he and Rita will live when they get married.  The house is very cute and spacious and Dan keeps it neat, not what we expected from a bachelor.  However, he does have one very "bachelorish corner"... his gaming set up.  Two computer screens and an easy chair in which to lounge in while he plays computer games.  My husband and I laughed and laughed about this set up.  Dan told me that one of his fraternity brothers did something similar and he thought it was a good idea so he copied it.  I think that is even funnier.  Lest you think I am being a mean soon-to-be mother-in-law, Dan took this picture for me and knows that I am posting it here.  He agrees that it looks funny but "it is comfortable."  Wonder how long this will last after they get married? 


Snapshot Saturday is hosted by At Home with Books.

Friday... Dec. 2

AlisonCanRead and Parajunkee

Follow Friday Question: What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to books?


I admit that I have a few pet peeves when it comes to books and writing.

• Really whiny/angry characters, unless, of course, the anger is justified.  I think it is a fad right now in YA Lit to show growth in characters by having them start out as super angry and obnoxiously whiny and then come to some revelation which brings them back to a regular level of emotions..  Enough already!
• Authors who purposely don't use correct literary conventions, like not using quotation marks for dialogue or writing all text in lower case.  Ugh.
• Books where every ambiguity is tied up in the conclusion, especially those where everything is neat and tidy.  I want to have some ambiguity remaining so that my brain can work out how I think things will resolve.

What are your pet peeves when it comes to books?


Congratulations to Fiction Book Reviews for being the featured bloggers of the week.

GReads.

TGIF Question: Writing Reviews 101: What's your process for writing book reviews? Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

Oh boy.  I am looking forward to reading your answers. I have a lot to learn when it comes to writing book reviews. Here are a few things that I do, or try to do, when I write a book review.

• Provide a VERY short summary with a teaser but no spoilers.  Long summaries drive me crazy and I won't read them, so I won't write them.  I want to know what the reviewer thinks rather than a detailed summary of the book.
• Review books that I liked or loved,  avoid reviewing books that I don't.  I really struggled with this decision when I first started blogging but I feel good about it now.  My goal in starting my blog was to provide reviews for my students and I don't want to bias them against a book before they give it a try.
• I try to share some interesting insight about the author, the writing style, the story line, and if I feel moved, a quote or two. I want to review to be from me, but I want to enhanced if I've done a bit of research. I like learning new information and sharing what I've learned.

Top Ten TBR books for winter reading

Broke and Bookish

Ten books I plan to read this winter...

1. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa--- the first book of the popular Iron Fey series.
2. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery---I already have it checked out from the library, ready to go.
3. Fragile Beasts by Tauni O'Dell--- This is a book club selection for January. I've heard good things about it.
4. Stick by Andrew Smith--- As I've been reading books for my Mock Printz event kids keep telling me how amazing this book is and they think it might be a winner.  I need to read it quick and add it to my list, if it as good as the kids say.
5. My Name is Not Easy by Debby Edwardson--- This book is coming out with great reviews.  Another Mock Printz contender?
6. Jane Austen Ruined by Life by Beth Pattillo---Jane Austen books or books with Jane Austen in the title are synonymous with winter for me. I haven't read this one yet and I am eager to get my hands on it.
7. Mr. Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange--- See note above.
8. Evernight by Claudia Gray--- I have lots of students who are absolutely crazy for this series right now. I am determined to find out what all the fuss is about.
9. Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler---my daughter just finished this book and she promised me that she would be my guest blogger if I read it first.  Look for that sometime in late December.
10. Printz Award winners--- the ALA meets in mid-January and announces all their award books for the year.  I will read all the Printz award and honor books that I haven't read already.

Sunday Salon... Nov. 27

On the web: The Ellen Show videos of Sophia Grace and Rosie.  If you haven't seen these two darling girls, take the time now: Ellen Show

I'm thankful for: the days off work to spend at home with my family and for the Adams family who hosted us for Thanksgiving dinner.  We had a lovely time with our daughter's soon-to-be in-laws.
 
I'm listening to: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.  The 50th anniversary edition. What a funny, delightful tale.

I'm reading: Five Flavors of Dumb by Anthony John--- it seems like I am in a reading funk right now just slowly reading the same book for weeks, or just barely reading it.

Book finished this week: The Giver by Lois Lowry.  I was shamed into reading this dystopian classic and I'm glad I was.

Lists I am making: Christmas gifts.  Argh!  I cannot believe that we are only four weeks out.  I have made a little bit of progress but not much.

Scripture lesson in church: Matthew 2:1-12 "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him."

I'm praying for: The homeless in our society who have to live outside in such terrible weather and for those who are jobless during this Recession..

Around the house: Christmas decorating this week? I hope so but we haven't done anything yet.

From the kitchen: Split Pea soup made from a leftover ham bone.  A family favorite on cold days.

A favorite quote I laughed about this week: "Expectations is the place you must always go to before you get to where you're going. Of course, some people never go beyond Expectations, but my job is to hurry them along whether they like it or not." -Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth