Rating: 5 stars
Shelf: Now Reading
Absolutely amazing book. I can't believe I never read it before now. It moved me so deeply - I only wish that it wasn't such a short novel so that I could have experienced it longer.
Purchase Now from Amazon: The Giver
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Remember when I promised myself that I would post all reviews here?
Rating: 5 stars
Shelf: Now Reading
Little Women was even better than I remembered it being.
The best review I can give it is to compare book to movie. I've long been in love with the movie, it's one I watch many times throughout the year and several times in a row around Christmas time. My feelings on it are always the same - Beth is always a little too righteous, Amy incredibly annoying (how DARE she steal Laurie from Jo and then ask her sister after the wedding is already done if it's okay?) and I always hope that when Laurie asks Jo to marry him, the outcome will somehow change and she'll say yes (even though I love the Professor), and why does Laurie go off to Europe and become a creeper?
The book was so different. So much better. The characters were more realistic and each changed drastically throughout the course of the book, but in keeping true with the lessons they've been taught and in such a way that you feel you are growing with the characters. When Jo says no to Laurie, it's obvious these two people have a relationship that is beyond marriage, that should never be ruined by marriage. And when Laurie and Amy fall in love it is something sweeter, something they are not both quick to realize, but when they do it is because they realize they need eachother and the reader knows just how happy they will be. (Also - Laurie doesn't traipse around Europe hitting on hot French ladies. In fact - he forswears all women. Good boy! Not a creeper at all!)
I LOVED this book.
Purchase Now from Amazon: Little Women
Rating: 5 stars
Shelf: Now Reading
Little Women was even better than I remembered it being.
The best review I can give it is to compare book to movie. I've long been in love with the movie, it's one I watch many times throughout the year and several times in a row around Christmas time. My feelings on it are always the same - Beth is always a little too righteous, Amy incredibly annoying (how DARE she steal Laurie from Jo and then ask her sister after the wedding is already done if it's okay?) and I always hope that when Laurie asks Jo to marry him, the outcome will somehow change and she'll say yes (even though I love the Professor), and why does Laurie go off to Europe and become a creeper?
The book was so different. So much better. The characters were more realistic and each changed drastically throughout the course of the book, but in keeping true with the lessons they've been taught and in such a way that you feel you are growing with the characters. When Jo says no to Laurie, it's obvious these two people have a relationship that is beyond marriage, that should never be ruined by marriage. And when Laurie and Amy fall in love it is something sweeter, something they are not both quick to realize, but when they do it is because they realize they need eachother and the reader knows just how happy they will be. (Also - Laurie doesn't traipse around Europe hitting on hot French ladies. In fact - he forswears all women. Good boy! Not a creeper at all!)
I LOVED this book.
Purchase Now from Amazon: Little Women
Sunday, February 7, 2010
I Hate Counting Words
Goal - 5000 words per chapter
Chapter 1 (The House) - 3488
Chapter 2 (The Lot) - 1467
Chapter 2 still has much more to go, but I don't know how else to expand Chapter 1. I wish I could figure out how to hook up my printer so I could actually make notes. But, yeah. No idea how to do that with this computer.
Anyway, that's my update. It isn't much. I lost the drive and so I just keep going over Chapter 1 and the bits of Chapter 2 that I've written to fix and expand. It's boring work, but I guess the point is that I'm working. Blah. Blah. I love doing it and have a need for it, but gosh. Writing sucks sometimes.
Oh, I started keeping record of the characters as well. I'll share the beginning of Charlie's as he's the least important of the main characters.
Charlie Walsh
Chapter 1 (The House) - 3488
Chapter 2 (The Lot) - 1467
Chapter 2 still has much more to go, but I don't know how else to expand Chapter 1. I wish I could figure out how to hook up my printer so I could actually make notes. But, yeah. No idea how to do that with this computer.
Anyway, that's my update. It isn't much. I lost the drive and so I just keep going over Chapter 1 and the bits of Chapter 2 that I've written to fix and expand. It's boring work, but I guess the point is that I'm working. Blah. Blah. I love doing it and have a need for it, but gosh. Writing sucks sometimes.
Oh, I started keeping record of the characters as well. I'll share the beginning of Charlie's as he's the least important of the main characters.
Charlie Walsh
- Anabel Pace's brother; Paul Pace's best friend and brother-in-law
- 3 years older than Anabel; 1 year younger than Paul
- Extremely clumsy - has suffered many broken bones growing up from trying to keep up with Paul.
- Pushed to the side by Anabel and Paul and resents it, but is still loving and loyal. He is the black sheep of the family. He is (very dorkily) inspired by Charlie Pace from LOST, and like him is struggling to find his own place.
I haven't written a physical description of him yet, but as Anabel is blonde, I'm guessing Charlie will be as well.
Oh man - I'm watching Season 2 of the Tudors and Henry was just informed Anne had a baby girl. Shit son!
Back to writing.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Resolutions of Twenty Ten
Some literary, some not, all documented:
- Read between 35 and 50 books this year. 35 being the final total of 2009 and 50(something) being the number I burnt myself out on in 07 and 08.
- Stop using my credit card and fix my debt (it's already been two months since I last used it. Huzzah!)
- Read at least two works of non-fiction - filling out my notebook as I go along.
- FINISH Les Miserables. I believe I have something like 3 or 400 pages left.
- Keep my apartment neat.
- Write a review for every book I read this year.
- Update my blog with all of my book reviews.
- Write. Anything.
- Read between 35 and 50 books this year. 35 being the final total of 2009 and 50(something) being the number I burnt myself out on in 07 and 08.
- Stop using my credit card and fix my debt (it's already been two months since I last used it. Huzzah!)
- Read at least two works of non-fiction - filling out my notebook as I go along.
- FINISH Les Miserables. I believe I have something like 3 or 400 pages left.
- Keep my apartment neat.
- Write a review for every book I read this year.
- Update my blog with all of my book reviews.
- Write. Anything.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
How I Snowboard
My friend invited me upstate to his family's house in Port Ewen to go snowboarding. I don't snowboard. I just don't. But I really needed to get off Long Island and I figured mountains have lodges and lodges have fireplaces and I like those. So I took Little Women, my notebook and a pen and headed to upstate New York.
Wonderfully, I imagined an okay plot on the drive up to the house. I wrote for three hours at the lodge and churned out a little under 2,000 words. So far, its working title is The Story of Anabel and Paul because I don't know what's going to happen yet and how can you title something without knowing what's going to happen. I think I finished the first chapter. The last paragraph:
When her tea was finished she turned out the light and snuggled into bed, replacing Paul’s pillow. An hour or two later, she heard him come in and make his way around their dark bedroom. As he climbed into bed, she realized it was very nearly Christmas.
Chapter One is titled The House and is just an introduction to the characters and the house they live in. Chapter Two is going to be titled The Lot and is going to be a flashback to Paul buying the land on the mountain and clearing the lot to build he and Ana's house with her brother, Charlie.
So far, this is my rough outline:
Chapter One - The House
Chapter Two - The Lot
Chapter Three - Christmas Eve
Chapter Four - The Watch Shop (about the father's death)
Chapter Five - The Spring
Chapter Six - The Proposal
Wonderfully, I imagined an okay plot on the drive up to the house. I wrote for three hours at the lodge and churned out a little under 2,000 words. So far, its working title is The Story of Anabel and Paul because I don't know what's going to happen yet and how can you title something without knowing what's going to happen. I think I finished the first chapter. The last paragraph:
When her tea was finished she turned out the light and snuggled into bed, replacing Paul’s pillow. An hour or two later, she heard him come in and make his way around their dark bedroom. As he climbed into bed, she realized it was very nearly Christmas.
Chapter One is titled The House and is just an introduction to the characters and the house they live in. Chapter Two is going to be titled The Lot and is going to be a flashback to Paul buying the land on the mountain and clearing the lot to build he and Ana's house with her brother, Charlie.
So far, this is my rough outline:
Chapter One - The House
Chapter Two - The Lot
Chapter Three - Christmas Eve
Chapter Four - The Watch Shop (about the father's death)
Chapter Five - The Spring
Chapter Six - The Proposal
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Top Ten of 2009
Since the woman in the upstairs apartment is blaring her TV and stomping around like it isn't 11 at night, I'm going to take the time to post my Top Ten of 2009. Though it's a tad premature, I'm confident it's complete, as I'm using these last weeks to finish up Lolita and possibly Raven. Sometime during the WEEK I HAVE OFF BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS (working in publishing is so great) I'll post a full list of the books I've read this year with their ratings.
This list only includes books I've read for the first time. So, Pride and Prejudice has a much higher rating than Mansfield Park and is on my reading list for the year, I've already read it about a thousand times and it doesn't count.
Drum roll. Please.
Top Ten of 2009!
10. American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis
9. The Beach - Alex Garland
8. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
7. V for Vendetta - Alan Moore, David Lloyd
6. Song of Ice and Fire - George R.R. Martin
5. The Likeness - Tana French
4. Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Andersen
3. Stitches - David Small
2. Watchmen - Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
1. The Shining - Stephen King
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This list only includes books I've read for the first time. So, Pride and Prejudice has a much higher rating than Mansfield Park and is on my reading list for the year, I've already read it about a thousand times and it doesn't count.
Drum roll. Please.
Top Ten of 2009!
10. American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis
9. The Beach - Alex Garland
8. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
7. V for Vendetta - Alan Moore, David Lloyd
6. Song of Ice and Fire - George R.R. Martin
5. The Likeness - Tana French
4. Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Andersen
3. Stitches - David Small
2. Watchmen - Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
1. The Shining - Stephen King
Shop My Favorites
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