Read it or Weep

First and Last Lines July 28, 2009

   I am a last page person. I will admit…. I will read the last page of a novel before I read the first page to decide if I want to read that particular book. Yes, I’m the one standing either in the bookstore or library reading the last page first before I make my selection. How could you not want to read the book that ended like this:     “And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One! –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843)
     I do like first lines too. Obviously, I am a lover of Charles Dickens and his works. This line has stayed with me since the first time I read it when I was in the sixth grade:  “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
     The American Book Review has a link to their 100 favorite first and last lines of novels. Check it out…perhaps one of your favorite lines will be listed there:      http://americanbookreview.org/
      I also love that Peanuts cartoon with Snoopy on his doghouse typing, “It was a dark and stormy night…”  Would you believe that line is a basis of a writing contest? I’m not sure I would want to be a winner of that contest but here’s the information about the contest and this year’s winner:   http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_odd_worst_writing 

 Of course, I always like my last line…Happy Reading!         ~Donna

Morelli vs. Ranger July 22, 2009

  Over a recent dinner, my friends and fellow bloggers, Janet, Stacey and Rosemary, our conversation turned to books (our conversations often turn to books….hmmm….I wonder why?) and to the recent Janet Evanovich book, Finger Lickin’ Fifteen. We all agreed that we love the characters. This latest one may not have been her best, but there were plenty of chuckles and guffaws galore to keep us thoroughly entertained. Here’s the review from the Reading Room: http://readingroom.rrpl.org/itemdtl.asp?bid=7340. However, we disagreed as to how or when this series should end. From her official website, http://www.evanovich.com/, Janet is under contract for 16 Plum books but doesn’t have any plans to stop writing them. Oh no, do you think there will be a Nifty Fifty or a Rockin’ Eighty Stephanie Plum book?

  Well, I’m ready for the series to end and with her choosing Morelli (I’m secretly in love with Morelli too). She could start her own private investigation company and everyone would live ‘happily ever after…’ Yep, this is how I see the series ending. What about you? Take our poll and in the meantime…Happy Reading!    

                                                                                                                                                                                                 Donna

Summer Reading Lists July 14, 2009

 Do you read more in the summer? I know I do and I have a summer reading list. I guess a lot of people do. Take a look at this link for the many summer reading lists of 2009 from Oprah to Stephen King to Nancy Pearl:

http://www.rebeccablood.net/archive/reading_lists/summer_2009/

(Wow! There are lots of choices for all kinds of tastes and interests!)

I may not get all of the house work or garden work done during the week but I am making time to read the books on my summer reading list. Here are 4 that I plan to read in the next few weeks:

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane: A Novel by Katherine Howe
The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Doran Barbieri
The Devil’s Punchbowl: A Novel by Greg Illes

Well, I’m off to read….Happy Reading!     ~Donna

My Sister’s Keeper…Book vs. Movie July 8, 2009

     I know that I’m behind with my reading and news but I was so surprised to read this week that the ending of the movie, My Sister’s Keeper, that came out in June was changed! Movies made from books are seldom as good as the book but to change the ending and to still call it My Sister’s Keeper based on the novel by Jodi Picoult? Wow! How could they do that?
     I never planned to see the movie simply because it is a “crier.” I don’t like to go movies and be emotionally drained when I leave at the end. I am a happy ending person and that’s what I like in my books, movies, and life in general. I did read the book in 2004 and that powerful story has stayed with me. It truly was a beautiful, moving story and the heartbreaking ending tied everything together. Here’s what I wrote about it in our Reading Room: http://readingroom.rrpl.org/itemdtl.asp?bid=5158

Jodi Picoult is not too happy either about the ending but accepts it as part of the movie. She had no say in what was changed for the screenplay. This is what she said:  http://www.jodipicoult.com

If you want to know the two different endings, check out: http://www.moviefone.com/insidemovies/2009/06/29/my-sisters-keeper-movie-ending/

As for me, I’m glad to have read the book! Happy Reading!            ~Donna