Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. This past week has been quite a busy one (hence the lack of posts). Sawyer and I went to visit my family in Modesto for three nights and we're finally back in the swing of things here. We actually had a lot more fun than I anticipated; the 6.5 hour drive up Friday went really well and after we checked into our hotel we headed downtown for the annual American Graffiti Parade. There were over 1200 classic cars, one of which belonged to my mom's boyfriend, so Sawyer had a blast. Saturday we drove to Sacramento to visit the California Train Museum, which I had initially decided on primarily because of Sawyer's current obsession, but we all enjoyed it. The next day we went to a car show that had the cars from the parade and just hung out. I made my family go to all the old places I loved to eat at and enjoyed watching Sawyer ham it up for his doting audience. The ride back wasn't near as stellar, but my friend Val was a godsend, between her patience and willingness to play with an emotional toddler. 

2. A week or so ago I watched the Macbeth movie that came out last Christmas and was fairly underwhelmed. It was visually very appealing, and the score was fitting, but there were some liberties taken with the story that I didn't love.

3. A few months ago I optimistically bought three pairs of shorts from Loft that were a teeny tiny bit too snug- I'm happy to say they now fit juuust right and I just bought several more. Victory is mine.

4. Actually, considering the lunch that I just had they may not fit anymore... My husband is home today and we dropped Sawyer off at daycare for a little while so we could go out to lunch alone and I feel like an Oompa Loompa. It was nice to sneak away, though, since it's really rare that we're able to do that in the middle of the day during the week.

5. I know it's summer and I live in a warm place, but the upcoming weather is horrible. I am ever-so-thankful for a working AC, solar panels, and a pool. 

6. Brie's book club over on her blog voted to read The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan for their next selection. Given that I have a million books to read right now, and that this really isn't necessarily something I'd choose to read, I thought about waiting until next month. But then I had a genius idea- I'd listen to it. This was the perfect solution- while it's not exactly high-brow lit, it's entertaining, perfect for summer, and the narrator is decent. 

7. I made this Mascarpone, strawberry, mint and honey tart that I found over on The How Sweet It Is blog last night. It was really easy and perfect for summer.

8. The generous gift card my seniors got me for Barnes and Noble was burning a hole in my pocket, so I went book shopping yesterday. Man, I miss those kids, and not just because they fueled my addiction.

9. Someone tried really, really hard to bait me today on Facebook this morning by saying that feminism and racism are non-issues and that people are just "sheep," giving into mainstream media by caring about gender and racial equality. Whoa, let's back that 1950's misogynistic, bigoted train up, shall we? I briefly gave my two cents but eventually closed it out by saying that I refused to argue with people I don't know (it was someone on my brother's post). I felt pretty mature, since I could have gone to town on the young man (and really, really wanted to).

10. I'm headed to an actual yoga class in a studio tomorrow for the first time in a looooong time. Pray for me.  

Gone Girl: My Theory Supported

Last weekend marked my return to the movie theater after many, many months of absence. I say that like I regularly went before baby- truth is that I struggle to sit through movies, even more so when I’m stuck in the confines of one seat for hours at a time. Nonetheless, my husband and I both wanted to see Gone Girl (me because I was curious to see if this would back up my “bad books make good movies” theory, and my husband because he loves the director, David Fincher), so we abandoned the kid and went.

Several months ago I wrote about my lackluster feelings towards the novel by Gillian Flynn. I thought the writing was mediocre, the characters flat, and the entire premise (including the ending) downright ridiculous. Scratch that- not ridiculous, stupid. There were spots that were difficult to get interested in and others that I wished would hurry along- the pacing was poor. And I didn’t have a problem that the characters were despicable, as I don’t need to like the people I’m reading about (I know this is a common complaint in a sea full of accolades).

The movie, though, was great. I was a little apprehensive that it was over two-and-a-half hours (I prefer ninety minutes), but it didn’t feel like it all (until I had to pee, anyway). While the dialogue and plot events were basically identical to the novel, it was in many ways very different. The acting absolutely made the movie- Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike were phenomenal, as were supporting actors Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris. They absolutely nailed it.

The movie’s tone is vitally different than the novel- it’s far more of a satire than the original. I often felt that it was almost making fun of the book, on some level- Affleck and Pike are deliberately overacting, producing this sort of hyper-aware, tongue-in-cheek, borderline campy feel at times feel (should I start a movie review blog, guys? Ha!).  Fincher is directly critiquing the role of the media in our lives, both their ways of spinning things and the public’s ways of believing them. He’s commenting on marriage and trust (although I will give the book credit for maybe doing this at least slightly). He’s showing us how scary boredom, childhood scars, and money woes are.

I find it fascinating that Flynn wrote the screenplay for this movie- if you look at the script alone you would simply see the book condensed. But yet with the acting and direction something much more emerges, something richer and more cerebral. It’s subtle,  but powerful.

Did you see it? Did you read it? Thoughts?  

We All Need to Laugh

I don't know about you, but I need a good laugh today. Like NEED. Not want, need. You get the picture. 

A few things that made me chuckle: 

1. The Fault in Our Stars made $48.2 million dollars last weekend. I find this ridiculously amusing. If the melodrama is anything compared to the book, then whoa.

2. I'm not sure if you knew it or not, but Rebels: City of Indra: The Story of Lex and Livia "by" Kendell and Kylie Jenner has been out for a week. It's a dystopia, so you know it's a really smartly written book, plus it's a series! There will be more! Obviously they didn't write it, but a tiny part of me would love to read it just for complete mocking purposes. 

Side note: Awesome book club idea- just read shitty celebrity books and tear them apart while getting drunk every week. Doesn't Lauren Conrad have one?

3. This:

4. John Oliver's explanation of net neutrality was really informative and hilarious (it's long, but worth it):



5. Lil Kim named her baby Royal Reign. No explanation needed. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

1. Kings of Leon's new album came out Tuesday- love.

2. I made this: 

[so many burnt fingertips....]

3. I have to confess- I'm a (temporary) Coursera drop out. Life has been way too crazy lately for me to take on extra work. Right now my priorities are handling everything for work, getting enough sleep and exercise (or at least intending to), spending time with my husband and dogs, seeing friends, and reading for fun. When I take the Coursera classes I feel pressure to finish and stay current, something I just don't need right now.

4. First period prep (for those who aren't familiar with high school scheduling this means the free period I get every day to prepare for my classes and grade) is going to kill me this year. It's the third year I've had it and it just keeps getting harder and harder to be productive. I arrive at seven no matter what, it's a just a matter of whether or not I'm going to do more than sit at my desk and stare at the mounds of things to do or actually work on them. Morning person I am not.

[source]

5. Apparently Jennifer Lawrence is going to be in the East of Eden movie, which I have not read. I pretty much love her, so I may have to pick up a copy before the movie comes out (which will be in a long time).

6. Tomorrow is our last day on Macbeth and I couldn't be happier. It's a great play, but six weeks on any one text with a group of teenagers is enough. 

7. I'm not even going to lie: I'm pretty excited that Grey's Anatomy is back tonight. It's total shit, but I'm a sucker for medical dramas. Unfortunately, since we're ditching cable in a few days I'm going to have to watch it on my computer (or maybe Hulu on the xBox? I don't know how that whole thing works yet).

8. Speaking of cutting the cord on satellite, we've waited because of this Sunday- the very end of Breaking Bad. If Jesse dies I'm going to be so pissed. That poor guys has been through so much... last episode alone! Walt, though? I hope he buuuuuuuurns (and not from the cancer).

9. Last weekend we waited for 80 minutes to go to a restaurant called Slaters 50/50 (know for their 1/2 bacon, 1/2 beef burgers, which I did not get) and it was definitely worth it. I practically had to be rolled out of the restaurant Oompa-Loompa style since I ate so much, though. I loved the fact that they work with an app that lets you check your wait time and how many parties are ahead of you as much as the food. If you don't accept reservations it's the least you can do.

 10. I'm so mad at Banana Republic. While virtual window shopping I found a jacket that I wanted for $250 (that I loved), but wasn't sure about, since it's a little outside of my winter jacket price range. And then today I get an email promotion that offers 40% off purchases of more than $200. It's a good deal, right? Plus, it's a ton less than the Burberry one I really want... I know. When your biggest problem is whether or not to spend too much money at BR you need to shut the fuck up.

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Top Ten Tuesday- Please Don't

This week's Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and the Bookish asks us for ten books we'd like to see turned into a movie or TV show. My list is super short:

 

[crickets... in case you couldn't tell source]

No need to readjust your dial- there's nothing on it. I really, truly don't have any books that I'd like to be seen turned into a live-action production. 

First of all, let me just say that I'm not considering sub-par works, or even children's literature (take a deep breath Harry Potter fans) in my thought-process. In fact, my belief is that the shittier the book the better the movie. Anyway, when I look at what I read and what I love there's nothing I want to see potentially botched, as has happened time and time again (Cloud Atlas and The Great Gatsby just in the last year).

So what's the problem? There's multiple dimensions, one of which is myself. After reading a book and deciding it is in fact something I can put in the "like" pile, I become quite defensive on its behalf. The idea of someone coming in and reinterpreting it bothers me, as does the whole splicing and dicing aspect, which is often necessary for time constraints. 

I also prefer my rendering of what the novel "looks" like- I don't want a director or cinematographer to step in and try to tell me that the character looks this way, not that, or that the setting is ten times more picturesque than it really is. Part of the beauty of reading a book is the license it gives the reader to create images in his/her head- a movie or TV show can either tarnish what has been previously established or will influence future readers. 

I think another huge is issue is that so often movies miss the point in order to sell tickets and impress audiences. It becomes less about thematic components, hidden nuances, foreshadowing, or symbolism and more about two big name actors looking hot and hooking up. 

But the ultimate issue I personally have is that I really don't like watching movies and when I do it's for a much different purpose than the one I have when I read. For me, I prefer more light-hearted, whimsical, comedic movies, while when I read I tend to stick to the more literary, challenging texts (generally). My husband is a huge fan of the Criterion Collection, which I despise, given the fact that these art-house films are generally super serious, in black and white, or are foreign. I always say, thought, if there were a Criterion Collection of books I'd be all over them. Bottom line- I like to keep my watching and reading interests seperate.

Thoughts? Opinions? Comments? Concerns? 

Weekend Update

This weekend was pretty good. 

A 25.5 mile bike ride along the Santa Ana River Trail in Orange County with my little brother (and I'm not sore!). 

[source]

Finished This Song is For You by Arthur Phillips.

Got in a few dog walks.

 

Saw Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing in LA with my husband (this is how you make literary greats into movies, by the way. The tongue-in-cheek nature of the play was perfectly captured by the original dialogue and cast chemistry). 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

1. At ten'o'clock this morning I handed the school secretary my keys and checked out of the 2012-2013 school year. I then started my summer vacation with a noon "yogalates" class and frozen yogurt. After posting this I plan on laying in the backyard with a book in the shade. It's been a really tough day, guys. 

[9 weeks of freedom]

2. I really, really hate Home Depot, but every time I go in I'm a little amazed that you could literally build a house with all of the materials in the store. 

3. I watched Cloud Atlas last weekend with my husband. It was horrible. I really don't understand why David Mitchell was so enthusiastic about the movie- I understand that the Wachowski siblings are a big deal, but so what? 

4. Speaking of books as movies, we're going to see Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing in LA this weekend- hopefully it's not as horrible as The Great Gatsby and Cloud Atlas. I feel like I should read the play really fast, but we'll see.

5. While driving around town I frequently look at places and wonder if they're actually places where people sell drugs or launder money. Examples: yard sales, massage parlors, those stores where people fill up their water jugs, and auto parts carriers. I've obviously watched too many Weeds and Breaking Bad episodes.

6. Is it demeaning to say old people are cute? I saw this eighty-ish year old man in the grocery store the other day wearing a pair of bright new board shorts with flip flops buying things for a barbeque and I instantly thought, "how cute!" And then I felt a little bad. If the guy had been thirty I wouldn't have have given it another thought.

7. I think would enjoy being on a show like Chopped or doing one of those Quickfire Challenges from Top Chef (do they still do those? Is the show even on anymore?). I should probably practice at home and use up all the half-used ingredients I have in my pantry...

8. I'm trying to get my husband to start a Ulysses book club with me. So far I haven't had much luck, but I'm not giving up hope.

9. This dress from Banana Republic arrived today: 

I know it's tacky to be all like "oooohh, look at me, look at my new things, yay for me and my credit card," but this dress is special. I tore the picture out of an In Style way over two months ago and waited not-so-patiently for it to be released on May 30. And now it is mine. All mine.

10. Sometimes when I get stuck behind one of those big auto carriers on the freeway I start envisioning them all coming loose and smashing into me and my car. Luckily, in all of these scenarios I end up alive and really rich because the truck company has to pay me a shit-ton of money. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

1. I feel that 99% of the time people should respond to a communication in the same form that it was initiated. Example: if I email you, email me back. Don't call me. Don't come to see me. Just email me back (unless we're friends- there are exceptions).

2. I'm totally and completely invested in Marisha Pessl's Night Film. I don't want to do anything but read, which is saying a lot. I'm obviously a reader, but I'm usually pretty good at setting limits for myself. The other day I said I'd read for a half an hour, and then two hours went by. 

 3. I taught scansion yesterday to my students. I prefaced the instruction by putting up a pictures of someone driving a nail into their skull, a group of people picking up trash on the freeway, and a person walking on hot coals. I did a fair amount of prep work, for my own benefit, so it went fine, I just hated it. Obviously I will never become a linguistics professor.

4. This week has been really rough. Tuesday was yearbook distribution day, meaning two hundred kids "lined" up outside my classroom for their book (and by "lined" I mean formed a mob). We thankfully have good security, but it was still a lot of pressure to get the kids in and out as quickly as possible. And then yesterday I had to put out more yearbook related fires than I can count. At the end of the day I remind myself that it's not that important; I didn't go through six years of higher education to care excessively about a high school yearbook. But, I like to do a good job and for things to run smoothly. I'm sure I'll quit threatening that next year will be my last in approximately eight days.

[these things are taking over my life]

5. I read an article today on CNN about the whole #prayforOklahoma controversy spearheaded by atheist Ricky Gervais yesterday and thought it was interesting. I definitely see it from his perspective- shoot out  tweet with the hashtag and all the sudden you look like some informed, sympathetic person. Yet what did you really do? Did you actually even take the time away from your computer or phone to shoot up a prayer? On the other hand, I'm sure there are a lot of people that really had the best intention and some that even donated to the Red Cross. Here I am, caught in the middle like the perfect little agnostic that I am...

6. I keep putting off chores until school gets out and saying "I can't wait until I have time to really clean." Please. Like I'm going to be chomping at the bit the day school gets out to scrub my floors and clean light fixtures. As if.

7. I hate it when people insinuate that you can't be unhappy because there are people who are less fortunate than you. What, I can't be upset because there's someone who's just lost their spouse to cancer or are wandering the favelas of Rio? There's always going to be someone in a worse position, but that doesn't take away the fact that I (or you) can't be sad or angry or in need.

8. I have to both read, and see, The Great Gatsby this weekend so that I can write up mini extra credit quizzes for my students on Tuesday. I'm happy to do one, but not the other. Guesses as to which is the one that is super sucky?

9. If it wasn't bad enough that I started a BirchBox membership, I joined Ipsy so that I can get a Glam Bag too! What is wrong with me? $20 a month or high end beauty product samples? The packaging is just so cute, and the products are so great. I'm such a sucker for getting good mail.

10. I'm officially obsessed with making popsicles. I bought cheapie molds last weekend and made Blackberry Raspberry Strawberry Mint ones that turned our delicious. This week I'll be delving into Cookies 'n Cream territory.

Bookish (and Not So Bookish) Thoughts

This post is a mess- just like me. Sometimes I think it's easier to have the flu than a cold- I'd rather blow chunks for a day or two than five or six of the sniffles, a cough, and a sore throat. I haven't been sick in almost a year, so I guess I was due. 

1. I have been wishing lately that gift giving wasn't part of Christmas. Personally, I'm just happy to have time off. I have gotten so sick of the commercialization, greed, and spoiling surrounding the holiday. Yeah, I have a book wish list full of lovely gift ideas for me, but I'd be fine not receiving any if it meant I didn't have to deal with holiday shopping for others. And it's not just the money; it's the whole concept of thinking of unique things for people that already have everything they want. You can thank the Christmas merchandise appearing next to the Halloween candy for setting off this rant.

2. Speaking of Halloween, and rants, I've decided as a homeowner I hate this holiday. I have to spend my hard-earned money on candy for complete strangers' kids. My dogs bark, I can't get anything done for a solid two hours, and all the store-bought plastic costumes make me nostalgic for my youth when moms got all crafty with the sewing machines and hot-glue guns. The only reason I do it is because I know that one day I'll be parading my own kids around to the houses of childless people, interrupting their peaceful existences.

3. You should read  this article about Joe Queenan and his 6,128 favorite books. I really wish I would have kept track of all the books I've read in my lfe.

4. Denny's is going to do a Hobbit inspired menu, offering such delicacies like "Biblo's Berry Smoothin," "Shire Sausage," and "Build Your Own Hobbit Slam." J.R.R. Tolkien is going to come back from the dead and beat some ass. 

5. The Giants won the pennant- in the rain. Making the victory even sweeter is the fact that the three Southern California teams didn't even make it to the playoffs. Going into the World Series they're definitely the underdog, but the comebacks they've been making lately are impressive, so you never know.

6. The Giants were part of the reason I bailed on the Nick Hornby reading last night, that and the crappy cold thing. I've seen him before, and the lovely folks over at Writer's Bloc are going to send me the copy of the book that came with the ticket.

7. Cloud Atlas comes out this weekend. I'm a little unsettled by how supportive David Mitchell has been of the project, to be honest. I've been trying to listen to the book on audio in order to refresh my memory since it's been several years since I read it, but the narrator is so horrible my mind constantly wanders (which totally defeats the whole purpose for subscribing to Audible). We plan on seeing it, but I'm a little worried about how long it is...

8. I am really, really struggling to get through Naked Lunch right now. It's not that it's a bad book, it's just not for me. I have no problem with the fact that every single page so far has graphically discussed drugs and sex, it's a stylistic issue. Fortunately, it's only a little over two hundred pages, so I can, and will, power through.  

9. I need to buy an Obama shirt asap. I have jury duty the week of the election and plan on wearing it in hopes that it will make me an unattractive juror. Fingers crossed there are some Republicans in the courthouse. 

That's all I've got. It's been a tough week. 

Bookish Thoughts

1. There are two movies coming out based on novels I truly love and both author's are signing off on the adaptations. David Mitchell is supporting Cloud Atlas, and Salman Rushdie wrote the screenplay, produced, and did voice-over for Midnight's Children.

The New Yorker ran a piece recently by Alexander Hemon, who interviewed the Wachowski's on their process of converting the complexity of Cloud Atlas into a screenplay. I have to say, after reading the article I actually kinda sorta felt that they truly cared about the novel and Mitchell's opinion. I suppose if they don't Matrix-ify the thing (and I can get over stupid Halle Berry playing someone I thought was Mexican) I might like it. Nonetheless I know I'll be seeing it since my husband is an even bigger Mitchell fan that I am. 

[source]

2. Last night I found something that may possibly be incredibly awesome- it's called Building Stories by Chris Ware. It's labeled as a graphic novel, but it's more than that- it's a box full of blueprints, pamphlets, cards, and other paper goods that tell the story of a group of people that live in an apartment building. I think part of the reason I'm so drawn to it is because of this idea of this evolution that's slowly coming along in print- people are finding new ways to innovate the medium without going digital. It's a little pricy at $29.93 (on Amazon; regularly $50), but I be no means think it's a rip off.

3. The number of books (and hopefully readings) on deck for this fall continues to blow my mind every single day. Zadie Smith, Junot Diaz, John Banville, Barbara Kingsolver, JK Rowling, TC Boyle, Michael Chabon, and Ian McEwan, just to name a few. I'm going to try to be patient and hold off to put some of them on my Christmas List, especially since I probably won't be reading them for months, but I don't know if I can. I'm going to pick Diaz's new one up this week so I can try to get through it before I attend his reading on Thursday night. While the sheer volume and time needed to read them all scares me a little, the fact that all these amazing authors are releasing this season just seems like a giant "fuck you" to all these less-than stellar authors who have swept the headlines this year. Take that, EL James. 

4. I've been loving seeing the books my students are reading for outside reading these past few weeks (or pretending to read, anyway). I had a student told me how much he's enjoying A Farewell to Arms and another already finish her first book.

5. I'm so ridiculously sick of Antigone- we're wrapping it up in a few days and moving on to A Chronicle of  Death Foretold, a book I'm extremely excited to reread and teach. I remember liking it when assigned it the summer between eighth and ninth grade. I was a a little taken aback when the reader learns that the sheets containing the evidence of stolen virginity are flown outside after wedding nights- we were going to talk about these things in class??? High school was going to be awesome! Little did I know the next year we'd read a book that has a lady having sex with a donkey in it (good old Allende... gotta love the South Americans). 

6. I'm reading two books right now, plus listening to a third and teaching a fourth. This is a huge change for my usual monogamous reading habits- I'm not sure if I like it. I started reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver but started craving some fiction (yes, I realize how nerdy that makes me sound), so I started The Woman Who Walks Into Doors by Roddy Doyle. Meanwhile I'm listening to A Prayer for Owen Meanie (which I've read before) and working with Antigone at work. They're all quite different, so it works for now.

 

The Million Dollar Book

A million dollars. A million! For a first time novelist! I still am having trouble wrapping my little head around the fact that Karen Thompson Walker was paid (allegedly) a million dollars after a nine-house (what the hell!) bidding war for her book The Age of Miracles. A million dollars. To put this in perspective, Jonathan Safran Foer was given an impressive (and reportedly) $500,000 for his debut, Everything is Illuminated back in 2002- and that was a big fat deal. A million dollars- well, that's quite the chunk of change.

I, of course, was initially wary, considering plenty of crap is given large amounts of money (ahem, Fifty Shades of Gray). But then I read the premise and was intrigued enough to order it. Told from the perspective of a sixth-grader, the novel delves into the question of what would happen if our days started getting longer (because the earth starts rotating slower). How would our essential crops continue to grow when the nights got longer? How would people sleep when it was daylight for long stretches (Alaska already had this in the bag)? What would happen to people on a psychological level? Would life end? Would a fix be made? 

I just finished it today and have some very mixed feelings. First of all, it's a very quick, interesting read. I recommend it as a quirky little sci-fi "beach" read, I suppose. The main character Julia was written decently, the level of fear the author invokes is to be commended, and the side plots are woven into the major concept well. I also really appreciate the environmental undertones- can we ever really know what our planetary abuses will cause later down the line? How can we be prepared globally for such a change? Sustainability in terms of the environment, and even ourselves, is a huge theme in this book.

And now I will attack. Sort of.

It was simply just not worth the one million bucks on a literary level. Random House saw it as marketable (although I'm surprised there hasn't bee more publicity) and knew a movie studio would swoop in. Her writing is good for a first-time novelist, but it's not amazing by any means. Some of the characters and their relationships are quite one-dimensional, and some of the judgement calls the narrator makes raise some eyebrows, considering her age (she must keep some big secrets from her mom regarding her dad- she can't keep it a secret that her friend has run off to join a commune, but she is able to keep it a secret pretty easily that her dad is boinging the piano teacher? I needed more inner turmoil and debate, I guess). I think my biggest point of contention is the sketchy science; Walker said that she had an astrophysicist read it and make corrections, but some of it just bothered me. First of all, the rate at which the earth speeding up and the point at which it was discovered and announced seemed off. I would have liked to see the seasonal changes addressed better, as well as the radiation and impact of the solar storms. And I know there are people out there that would tell me to shut up, that "it's just a story," but as a reader those questions tend to really bother me. I know we have no way of knowing of this sort of an event would impact Earth, but she should have made something up, like she did with everything else. And without giving anything away, I was not pleased by the ending. 

I feel bad, in a way- my praise is a mere fraction of the size of the complaints. Strangely, though, I do recommend this book. It's an interesting premise and it makes you really think about what you would do if you were in the same position. Would you go on the twenty-four hour clock that the government calls for? Or would you live according to the light and dark, like the ostracized people that feel force to move to communes? I found the whole notion unsettling- I live and die by the time. People think that I'm constantly on my phone when in fact I'm generally checking the time (fine, fine, that does tend to be the gateway to email checking and texting). I wore a watch from second grade up until a year or so ago when all of my watches either died or broke at the same time. If I wake up in the middle of the night I check. I obsessively calculate time and drive distance on trips. A world where the twenty-four hour day becomes 36 or even 70 bothers me greatly. In this unpredictable world I know I can at least count on sixty minutes in an hour and twenty-four hours in a day.

And that's why this book has some definite redeeming qualities- it does make you consider living outside your comfort zone. 

Top Ten Tuesday- Movie Time

In my head I planned out a short (okay maybe, on the longer end of short) diatribe one the idea of not wanting any books being turned into movies, the topic of this week's The Broke and the Bookish's Top Ten. But, I have no time or energy to be complete douchebag tonight, so here's my list:

Top Ten Books I'd Like to See Turned into Movies (assuming the people involved don't suck):

1. The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World by Jennifer Baggett- This was a decent travel memoir, but I think it would be made into a really fun movie (fine, fine, a chick flick). The premise is that three women quit their corporate jobs and spend a year blowing their money traveling to places around the world. This book is partially responsible for my life goal of conquering the Inca Trail (umm does anyone want to go with?). 

2. Room by Emma Donoghue- I know most people are familiar with this novel; kidnapped mother gives birth to baby in captivity and then escapes. Not necessarily literary, but entertaining. 

3. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett- Who doesn't love a good story about terrorists taking over a gala? 

4. The Selected Works of TS Spivet by Reif Larsen- This actually is going to be a movie at some point, and I am very fearful. T.S. Spivet is probably going to be what my future kids end up being with my genes, so I'm a bit protective of his character (please, please, please buy and read this book immediately). Raise your hand if you're tired of hearing about this book. Oh wait, no one? Great.

5.  Family Fang by Kevin Wilson- I'm actually not done with it yet, but this quirky book about a family of "artists" who entertain by causing social turmoil is undoubtedly going to appear on my favorites of the year list. Wes Anderson would need to direct, of course.

6. The Barbarian Nursery by Hector Tobar- I just read this last month and I think it's perspective on race, class, marriage, and immigration would make for a controversial film. 

7. Fall by Colin McAdam- This cerebral mystery about a murder at a boarding school is not only well-written, but has a great sense of pacing and character development. 

8. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon- Everyone is lucky the blog started after I read this book; I was in love (it was my TS Spivet of 2009). Magical realism, mystery, humor, Spain. 

9. Rules by Cynthia Ward- I read this a few times to my elementary students; it's about a middle school aged girl who has a younger autistic brother. I think our youth needs to be educated on this condition- that's the first way to start developing a generation whose ready with compassion and patience for those that are different.

10. Slam by Nick Hornby- I think this is technically YA (gasp!), but I'm a Hornby fanatic, so it worked for me. I love this book because it talks about teenage pregnancy from the boy's view- something very rare (except, I remember being a teenager and seeing a made-for-tv movie that does this as well, except it was of course a dramatic custody battle). Pregnancy isn't glamorized or simplified (I adore Juno, but I don't think it was quite so realistic).

PS- I think most movies that are based on books really end up sucking; I have a theory that bad books make good movies, and vice versa. While I know this isn't always true, I am extremely skeptical of anything based on a book... Case in point: the probable butchering of Cloud Atlas.

Two and Half Hours and Ten Bucks Later...

So, I finally did it. I ponied up the $10, blocked out a chunk of my day, and braved the masses to finally see The Hunger Games. And now I'm going to attempt to express my opinion without insulting the 5 billion people who saw it and loved it (you know, since I'm all about protecting feelings when it comes to topics like this). Before I start, just know that I wasn't in love with the series; yes, it's fine for the YA genre, but it's not quality literature and got progressively worse as the trilogy continued. Also know that I'm not really a big movie-watcher, so two and a half hours proved to be quite tiring. 

Adaptation

I thought the adaptation, as far as turning a longer book into a movie was decent. I didn't love the change involving the mockingjay pin, but I think as a whole there was nothing I really had a serious problem with. Being a plot-driven book, it really couldn't have been much of a challenge. I think if I hadn't read the books a few parts they glossed over (like her father's death) may have been a little confusing, but for the most part I had no complaints in the book to movie translation.

But...

I did feel like Gayle was pretty over-looked in this movie, which is unfortunate because I think his character may have been my favorite. Yes, yes, I know everyone is "Team Peeta," but I'm not really a fan of the squeaky-clean, boy-next-door romance story. He actually had some depth, compared to some of the other whiners.

Melodrama

This was definitely a movie geared towards pulling at the heartstrings of teens, as it was quite melodramatic at times (that one part where Peeta and Katniss embrace after they were worried each were dead and she says, "Dammit, I thought you were dead" made me laugh on the inside). There were a lot of long, drawn out shots, dramatic music, and intense stares. 

So Pretty

The set design and costumes were great- for me, the highlight of the movie. I thought the juxtaposition between the Capitol's employees in District 12 was well-done, and I loved Katniss' outfits. It'll be interesting to see how the other arenas are done in later movies.

The Acting

First of all, I think Jennifer Lawrence is a good actress (I did actually sit through, and like, Winter's Bone), but I think that the acting can only be as good as the material given... Peeta and Gayle were both a little flat, but I did think Haymtich, played by Woody Harrelson was  probably my favorite.  Lenny Kravitz' persona and style as a singer were a good match for Cinna, but I thought the execution fell short of what I imagined the portrayal to be.

The Verdict

Again, I know I'm defying the popular opinion, but I just didn't love it and think that it's probably a bit overrated, for the amount it made and the hype that was created. Partially because of my feelings towards the book, partially because I'm horrible at sitting through movies, and partially because of the actual film. I don't think it was horrible, it just wasn't something I walked away raving about. I probably won't see the next two in the theaters, but will wait it out until they're on Netflix or available to rent.

While You Were Watching The Hunger Games...

The Hunger Games made $155 million dollars this weekend- if ticket prices are an average of like $11, that means about 14 million people saw it. Perspective: aprx 120 million people vote in presidential elections (hear that, Obama- start advertising during blockbusters). Well, while you were all watching Katniss kick ass while simultaneously whining, I was super busy. Thursday night I conferenced with 50 parents in a high school gym (alternate between "Ohmygod I love your child, they're brilliant" and "Ohmygod I love your child, they need to get their shit together") and then went to bed like a normal person who has to get up for work at 5:50 am. Friday night, I made homemade margaritas with friends and taught someone how to play Yahtzee. Saturday, I got a bug and spent the day laying on the couch praying I'd one day be able to eat again. Sunday I cleaned, read, and did other such exciting domestic chores.

Bottom line- while my weekend was maybe a 4 on the awesome scale, I am not exactly regretting not hauling ass to the theater to see this movie. I'm not saying it's bad, and I'm not saying I won't; I'm just saying I can wait.

Plus, the hype is such a turn off. And who likes to be turned off?

Word Vomit/Lack of Focus

Bookish thoughts for the evening:

- So many people are reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by my boy Jonathan Safran Foer. I really, really enjoyed it and hope everyone else does too, although I'm a little bitter that the surge in popularity has been brought on by the new movie. While it's always great to see forgotten books see a increase in sales it makes me sad for the others of thousands of fantastic books that don't get that kind of publicity. In related thoughts, I'm really thinking about reading his Eating Animals book on vegetarianism, since I've been been reducing my meat intake.

- Twice in the last week I've been told by different groups of friends that I will one day buy an eReader. It's not going to happen, folks. Never. Not never as in "I'm never going to drink that much again," but never as in "Sarah Palin is never going to say something intelligent."

- I have to cave in and order a book, despite the fact my "Ultimate To-Do List" is still an impressive (?) 57 items. It's for a good cause- the new book club selection is The Call, by Yannick Murphy (speaking of vegetarianism).

- I'm currently reading The Geeks Will Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins and am having some very mixed feelings. First of all, at almost 400 pages it's too long. Nothing against lengthy books, but this one doesn't need that kind of heft. Secondly, I find the dialogue from the supposed real teenage subjects a bit contrived. I do appreciate the message and am interested to see how it ends, but I must admit to being anxious to move on.

- I might actually go to the movies, willingly, to see The Hunger Games.



- Speaking of movies, I absolutely abhor movie-tie in covers. They're so gimmicky and cheap looking not to mention the obvious marketing purpose. Tacky.

- I loved stalking the Twitter hashtag #agentday yesterday; literary agents wrote about what they did, while they did it. Going to buy stamps and conferences calls sound much cooler when they involve signing authors rather than your stupid friend from high school chronicling their every effing move. Being an agent is a lot like being a high school teacher- they read, edit, babysit, and drink a lot. Career change? Nonetheless, I did manage to pick up on some helpful hints in case my awesome novel ever decides to write itself.

- I watched a documentary not too long ago called Helvetica, on the story behind the type that has basically infiltrated the world. It never occurred to me that a movie on a font could be boring- it was. I tried.

[source]

- I spent a good fifteen minutes devouring Flavorwire's "The 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World" the other day, and have come to the important conclusion that all future vacations will include mandatory outings to independent bookstores. Lisbon, anyone?


- After each book I finish I contemplate reading The Girl Who Played with Fire (that's the next one, after The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, right?) and I just never, ever feel like it. I mean it's on the shelf and the money was spent, so eventually it'll happen, but I can't guarantee if it will be in the next five years. Consequently, my blog post comparing the first book the movie has become my most viewed piece. I find this amusing because it wasn't really all that thought-provoking or analytical. Thanks anyway, though, Google.

Off to read. Or watch an episode of last season's Chuck (speaking of geeks). Maybe I'll get crazy and do both.

Man, I love these guys [source]

Book vs. Movie- The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Last night I semi-willingly went to the movies to see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and left with mixed feelings. If I had never read the novel I would have thought that it was a really food film (like my husband did; he's a total David Fincher fan, though), but since I have I'm a bit conflicted. It's not that I was a huge fan of the novel; in fact, quite the contrary (it was overrated, I'm sorry). My issue, like with most film adaptions, is the tweaking that was done to Steig Larsson's original text.

First of all, Larsson is dead, which I think is a bit unfair. If I was director or producer or whatever I would absolutely only shoot movies based on the writings of diseased authors- no need to worry about insulting the author that way. I know authors don't usually have much of a say in what happens with their movies, but they usually choose to give their endorsement if they approve (and the opposite). Dead? No problem.

Secondly, the end was "adjusted." The main ideas were the same, but one of the twists Larsson created was left out from the movie, which irritated me the whole way home because I was worried I remembered the novel incorrectly (it was a rough ten minutes). There were lots of other substitutions and omissions that just irk me. I hate the feeling of watching a perfectly good movie (and it really is) and critiquing it the entire time because I read the book. I think a lot of parts were rushed through, like the actual investigation, which I know was necessary for the interest of time... but still.

My husband justified the changes on the basis that a) the book is pulpy, and b) directors have to the creative license to adapt as necessary to transition from print to screen. As a somewhat logical person that makes sense, or at least I'd like to say it does. It was also a fairly lengthy books (sometimes felt downright But as someone who wants to one day write a novel, I'd have to say I'd be pretty pissed if someone came in and start messing with my characters and plot.

I guess I'm just protective of novels. Even the not so fantastic ones.

Oh, and I do recommend it. Just know that there is a pretty disturbing rape scene and graphic sex and violence. I do have to say that the opening is pretty awesome- it's basically a music video for Trent Reznor's (and I think Karen O) remake of Zepplin's Immigrant Song. So, I guess go see it. It did make me want to visit Sweden. Life is like one big IKEA there.

Fun For the Whole Family- Revisited

Awhile back ago I posted about the not-for-kids children's book Go the Fuck to Sleep by Adam Mansbach. It's finally out (#2 on Amazon's bestsellers list) and you can actually download the free version on Audible, read by Samuel L. Jackson. Or, you can go to YouTube and just listen to it- I'm sure it's perfectly legit. Nonetheless, it's hilarious, and despite the fact I am currently childless (because I've never given birth, not because I've lost my children...), I'm sure most parents can relate. The A.V. Club also has a quick write up in which they mention that somehow the book has been optioned by Fox. My favorite line has to be, "I know your not thirsty, that's bullshit, stop lying, lie the fuck down, my darling, and sleep" (Mansbach, 2011). I was invited to a baby shower that I can't attend next weekend (I actually have a legit excuse... seriously!) and am almost disappointed- I so could have brought this (and if people thought it wasn't funny I would have never been invited to another one- win/win)!

And yes, I realize this post is laden with parentheses. I like them (I think in asides).