Persuasion

The Book: Said to be the thinker's Pride and Prejudice, this is the last book Jane Austen wrote and is said to be her most autobiographical. Not a lot happens in this novel, but it is so interesting to study the psychology of all the characters. Austen's use of wit and irony is at its finest. I love it!

The Movie: I understand you've got to cram a 238 page book into an hour and a half for Masterpiece Theatre. And for the most part I forgave the necessary screenplay alterations. But, Anne running around Bath like a chicken with her head cut off was just too much. And, especially when she runs into Mrs. Smith, who, if you recall from the book, can't even WALK, puh-lease. Not to mention, who wants to kiss the love of their life when they are out of breath and sweaty...and in public? I didn't buy it. Having said that, I do have to say I prefer this version to the 1995 BBC version because, quite frankly, I wasn't so fond of Amanda Root as Anne. Plus, watching Captain Wentworth made this time well spent. Sometimes these Austen guys get a little lamb-choppy for me. But, even Dan had to admit Rupert Penry-Jones is hot.

The Shadow of the Wind

I finished it a couple of days ago, but I wanted to process it a little before I wrote my review. I liked it a lot when I finished it, but I've decided that I like this book even more now.

The plot of the novel is actually kind of difficult to describe. The book is set in Barcelona in the post-WW2 era, when fascism reigns supreme. The story involves a bookseller, his son, a beggar, a villain, love interests, a murder, and a very singular book--The Shadow of the Wind. Being that it is a book about a book, any plot synopsis you may read can be somewhat confusing. But, the way the story unravels is truly spectacular and beautifully crafted.

There was something about the book that reminded me of The Rule of Four, although I liked this one better. This book came recommended to me by two friends from my church book club. But, be aware, Clean Flicks would have had to delete words and scenes.

Even though it is the first book I've read this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see it on my Top 10 list at the end of 2008.

PBS Classics

Here's the schedule folks.

PBS begins airing the Jane Austen movies starting THIS Sunday.

In honor of Masterpiece Theatre's showings, I've decided I'm ready to re-read my beloved Jane Austen's books.

Excuse me while I pop out to grab Persuasion.

2007 Books

The final list....
I highlighted my top 10 favorite books for the year (the Book of Mormon doesn't count).

• 75. Peace Like a River
• 74. The Book of Mormon
• 73. Christmas Jars
• 72. Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank
• 71. Assassination Vacation *
• 70. The Year of Living Biblically *
• 69. Father Knows Less Or: "Can I Cook My Sister?"
• 68. Moloka'i
• 67. Love, Stargirl *
• 66. The Tale of Despereaux *
• 65. The Road
• 64. The Star Garden *
• 63. Behind the Scenes at the Museum
• 62. The Devil in the White City *
• 61. One Thousand White Women
• 60. The Invention of Hugo Cabret *
• 59. Good Harbor
• 58. Gilead
• 57. I'm a Stranger Here Myself
• 56. Austenland *
• 55. A Walk in the Woods
• 54. The White
• 53. Princess Academy *
• 52. A Girl Named Zippy
• 51. Eclipse *
• 50. The Mists of Avalon
• 49. Home to Big Stone Gap *
• 48. Four to Score
• 47. New Moon
• 46. Three to Get Deadly
• 45. Twilight *
• 44. Two for the Dough
• 43. One for the Money
• 42. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime *
• 41. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive *
• 40. The Places in Between *
• 39. Digging to America *
• 38. The Dive from Clausen's Pier
• 37. The Birth of Venus
• 36. I Want to Buy a Vowel
• 35. Feed
• 34. Stargirl *
• 33. Weetzie Bat
• 32. The Adventures of Blue Avenger *
• 31. American Born Chinese
• 30. One Bad Rat
• 29. Persepolis
• 28. Keturah and Lord Death *
• 27. Whirligig *
• 26. Carver: A Life in Poems *
• 25. It's Perfectly Normal
• 24. God Went to Beauty School
• 23. With Courage and Cloth
• 22. Shakespeare: His World and His Work *
• 21. The Rose and the Beast
• 20. Rose Daughter *
• 19. Zel *
• 18. How Angel Peterson Got His Name *
• 17. Prom
• 16. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes
• 15. Doing It
• 14. Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
• 13. My Heartbeat
• 12. Heart's Delight
• 11. Go and Come Back *
• 10. The Myth of You and Me *
• 9. A Girl Named Disaster
• 8. Sabriel *
• 7. The Golden Compass *
• 6. Catcher in the Rye
• 5. The Outsiders *
• 4. Alice in Wonderland *
• 3. From Romance to Realism
• 2. Water for Elephants
• 1. Leaving Microsoft to Change the World *

What were your favorite books of 2007?

Peace Like a River

Set in the 1960's, this is the story of a motherless family on a quest to find the oldest brother who killed two neighborhood boys and escaped from prison.

Things I liked: Enger's writing style; the characters Rube and Swede; the themes of faith, hope, repentance and forgiveness found throughout the story.

Things I didn't like: Sense of foreboding throughout the whole book, feeling like I couldn't breathe every time Rube had an asthma attack, the setting--winter in Minnesota and North Dakota--which felt cold and dark.

So, it was a mixed bag for me. But, his next book, So Brave, Young, and Handsome will be out May 13, 2008 and I do plan on reading it.

The Book of Mormon

I figured it would be a pretty sad commentary on myself if I couldn't manage to get this one read this year with all the other books I did manage to read.

It truly is the best of all books and I know it is true.

(There just aren't enough *'s to convey how I feel about it.)

Love in the Time of Cholera

This was our book club book for December and I'm sorry to say that I only read half of it. The half I read was so beautiful. But then those who had finished it said that the rest of it gets quite graphic sexually in a way they described as "foul". So, I'm going to have to put this one aside. However, one person did highly recommend his One Hundred Years of Solitude, so I may try that after I get over my disappointment.

Christmas Jars

This book is the most cheesiest, predictable piece of slop I have read in a long time.

And I gobbled up every page.

If you have two hours (and I don't, but I read it while I was waiting for my car to get serviced today) and want to get into the Christmas spirit I highly recommend it.

Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank

And Other Words of Delicate Southern Wisdom

This book was hilarious.

Rivenbark is a humorist from right here in North Carolina. When I finally admitted to my book club I was reading this, others admitted they have read her other books and found them just as funny as I found this one. We then spent quite a bit of time retelling her funny stories.

The book is a collection of essays, making this is a good book to have sitting in your car if you have a moment to read a few pages here and there while you wait for kids. Most moms will relate to her reflections on why you regret saying yes to helping out at school, how scary the department store is when your little girl gets to size 7, and the joys/pains of taking kids to theme parks.

Rivenbark is certainly a little irreverent. So just beware that her language can be a wee bit colorful at times. Courtney heard me laughing out loud and wanted to check out what I was reading. Needless to say, I felt a sheepish saying, "Don't worry about it--(while I kind of closed it and hid it under the covers) --Get back to your Magic Tree House book!"

Assassination Vacation

This is our November book club choice, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sarah Vowell (also the voice of Violet Parr) provides us with an interesting history-based travelogue of sites associated with the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. She is witty and funny and sometimes cuts quick to the core. If you are going to be offended by her slams on the current Bush administration, do beware.

Otherwise, enjoy the journey.