Long time no post

Wow, its been a while since I wrote anything...  I have not been reading my classics.  I have been reading though, which is good.  I finished Water for Elephants - great story!  Then started Stephen King's 11/22/63.  What a fascinating story.  A portal from 2011 to 1958 is discovered in the pantry of a diner in main.  The main character is convinced by the dying diner owner to go back and change time so that JFK is not shot.  Funny thing - time doesn't like to be changed. 

So far it is both your normal Stephen King story and much differnt from his normal story.  And because the book is so very long, I'm taking a break reading it.  Any long book of his I just can't read straight through, I always take a break and read something in between. 

I decided to read The Wizard of Oz, yes the original.  I couldn't remember, but I thought it might be on the list and the hubby and I had just seen the movie so I thought I'd read it.  I'm almost done and when I finish I'll post more on that book!

Happy Reading.

I FINISHED IT!!!!

We drove down to California last week to attend my Great Uncle's funeral and I was stuck in a car for almost 30 hours total.  I finally finished Pillars of the Earth!!!

What a great book!!   I will write more on it soon, I just wanted to post that I finally finished it!

The Kindle

For my 36th Birthday my husband bought me a Kindle.  I've been saying for a while that I wanted one.  I've priced them a bit, but just never bought.  Finally I have one!  Unfortunately, this means I haven't read Pillars of the Earth since.... oops.

I only have 100 pages left... why can't I finish this book?  It's a great book, obviously written by a man, with very masculine tendencies, but a great story.

I will finish it this weekend!  I must!  I've been reading if for a VERY long time!

-- since I got the Kindle, I've read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.   Not on this list as they are newer, but I like them a lot!

Pillars of the Earth - Continues

Yep, still reading Pillars of the Earth.  I'm enjoying it, but it is such a large book I find it awkward to read.  It really makes me think that I would love a Kindle.  Not sure if anyone is reading this, but if you are, and if you have a Kindle, let me know what you think. 

Back to the book... there is all sorts of scheming and backstabbing.  The author finally started telling the story from the point of view of a female character ... and she was promptly raped.  At first I was really upset by this, but he is starting to turn it around.  Showing how this tragedy has inspired her to be more self reliant and strong... of course, it is a bit sexist to think a girl needs tragedy to inspire her.   Hmmm  I'll have to think about this more. 

Either way, I like the character and I'm rooting for her. Go Aliena! 

Movies & TV shows 41-60

I definitely watch more TV and movies than I read... that's not good. 


41. Anne of Green Gables -- I watched this on PBS when I was a kid... I'm excited to read the book!

47. A Christmas Carol -- there have been so many versions of this.  Most recently I watched Scrooged w/Bill Murray (wasn't even Christmas time).  I've seen the old scary one too, I didn't enjoy that one as much... but I can appreciate it for what it was.  There was even a Mickey's Christmas Carol!  This story has been made and remade so many times, but it really is a good story.

 51. The Secret Garden -- I remember watching this when I was about Jr. High aged or maybe younger.  I was so amazed by the garden and what they did. It also made me want to travel... I wanted to see both England and India where the TV version started.  At the time it was just the perfect story to me.

53. The Stand:  I'm sure the miniseries probably wasn't a great cinimatic feat, but I hadn't read the book yet and I thought the story was just great!  Like most people I find that  there is just something about stories about the survivors of an apocalyptic event.  What if the world as we know ended... what would I do... where would I go? After seeing the TV series when I was in highschool, I picked up the book, but didn't finish it.  I finally finished a few years later when I was in college.  Perhaps I'll read it again for this project since its been so long.

That's it for 41 - 60.  Did they make a movie for The Count of Monte Cristo?

And ... I'm back

So, It has been quite the semester for me.  I took two classes, bought a house, my husband graduated from college, and had a new boss...  so I finally picked up Pillars of the Earth again yesterday and read 100 pages!! 

It was beyond wonderful to sit and read for pleasure!  I haven't been able to do this is such a long time. 

The book is really quite enjoyable.  Generally speaking I don't read many books set in the past, which really makes no since since I was a history major in college and love learning about the past.  There are times when I find Mr. Follet to be a little bit too descriptive so I skimming but for the most part I haven't needed to do so.  Perhaps this will change, but so far I can really tell that the book was written by a man.  Most of the points of view given so far are mens'.  For example when he is telling the story of Tom Builder and his brood, even though he tries to tell it from many points of view, I would say that more than 70% of the time it is from men's viewpoint.  I don't think this is a bad thing, just an observation.

 

"He had been granted his life's wish-but conditionally."   --- I've only read up to page 200, but I really find the story of Phillip inspiring.  He is so naive, but also ambitious.  He agrees to support the Archdeacon to take over as Bishop when the Bishop passes, but then finds out that he has been duped... the Bishop had already passed.  But even in doing so, he really wants to revitalize Kingsbridge... of course this is where you see my naivety... I believe the best in people as well.  Even though I know that Phillip will has the best of intentions, I also know that he has some pride as well.  But I tend to only see the best of intentions. 

Good book so far!

Movies & TV shows 21-40

22. Gone with the Wind:  In middle school we had a substitute teacher once who told us the story of  Gone with the Wind one lunch break while we were stuck in the classroom due to bad weather.  She was a great story teller and it was a great story, I just fell in love with it.  Of course, she didn't finish the story, just told us about the 1st half or so of the 1st part of the movie.  I think maybe we watched it in class after she told the story?  I'm sure, but if she didn't then I talked my parents into renting it shortly thereafter. 

22. Harry Potter and the Socrcerer's Stone, 23. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 24. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban:  grouping these three together seemed prudent.  Although, my favor Harry Potter movie was the Prisoner of Azhkaban.  I loved the change to the darker story, less childlike.  The new set of the Hogwarts was fantastic and really showed how Hogwarts is just off on its own, not really a part of anywhere else. 

25. The Hobbit:  Saw the cartoon when I was a kid, sorry Andrea - I spit hot cocoa all over her back because Gollum scared me so much... Still really dislike Gollum.  Not excited about reading this book.

30. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:  There are so many versions of this, and generally I try and watch them all.  I've seen the cartoon, the TV Mini-series, the Sci-Fy channel's reimagined Alice (which I loved), and tried to watch the new Tim Burton movie... but I've fallen asleep watching it twice.  Its just a little too out there for me I think.  I like 'different' and 'outhere' but there needs to be a reason for it, this one just seemed to be different for different's sake.

33. The Pillars of the Earth:  Currently reading - saw the first two episodes of the miniseries. 

35. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: This is another movie, where I very much like the original and just had a really hard time with Tim Burton's update.  The original is just the very weird, musical, dark movie with amazing bright and happy parts to it.  I still have dreams of scoping marshmellow creme out of the spot of a mushroom. 

40. Emma:  I know that I have seen Emma - but I honestly don't remember it from Sense and Sensibility and a few others that all came out around that same time.  I guess I'll watch them all again after seeing the movie. 

Up next week:  41 - 60.  Still reading Pillars of the Earth, but I've only read about 10 pages in the past two weeks.