Reading Kristin Hersh's book, Paradoxical Undressing. I've always loved her lyrics, and this book makes want to hear everything she ever recorded. Again.
I love the Elia Kazan movie of this. What's the novel like? I'm guessing a real tearjerker.
It's a sweet book, for lack of a better word. It reminds me a lot of Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes -- both are stories of an immigrant family in New York, extremely poor, drunk dad, mothers who are forced to carry the family's burden, young narrator who takes refuge in books. But Francie, the narrator in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, isn't afflicted with the extreme bitterness (or humor) of Frankie, the narrator in Angela's Ashes. It's a much more uplifting story, though Angela's Ashes is the more powerful and rich story.
About 80 pages in, really good so far. As is the case with a lot of books as compared with film/TV adaptations, the book goes a lot more into the characters backgrounds and relationships. Looking forward to David Fincher's US adaptation, plus the extended original Swedish Tv versions which are coming out on Blu-ray shortly.
quote:Originally posted by coastlineDone with the Harry Potter series. Thanks to Thomas for convincing me -- though he surely didn't mean to -- to read it.
Just finished Philosopher's Stone coastline, actually though it was very good. Wasn't a Potter fan, but I picked up a boxset of the first seven films in a sale and was pleasantly surprized, may pick up the other books if I chance upon them in a bargain shop!
About 80 pages in, really good so far. As is the case with a lot of books as compared with film/TV adaptations, the book goes a lot more into the characters backgrounds and relationships. Looking forward to David Fincher's US adaptation, plus the extended original Swedish Tv versions which are coming out on Blu-ray shortly.
Just read this and started on the next one. Picked all three up for 3 quid from a charity shop - had previously been put off as I assumed they probably wern't that good due to the hype and popularity. I was expecting something like Dan Brown but was completely wrong, really impressed so far. The only things that grate are the over-descriptive passages (do we really need to know the entire spec of the characters laptops?)
I also picked this up from a charity shop, a chilling and well written post-apocalyptic novel.
The only things that grate are the over-descriptive passages (do we really need to know the entire spec of the characters laptops?)
Does add a touch of authenticity, though!
[EDIT]Okay, sue me, I admit it, I've finally caved in and started reading Harry Potter - enjoyed the first book which I borrowed after watching a Blu-ray boxset of the first 7 films (which I also caved in and bought a little while ago - it was in a sale, alright?!). Reading this at the moment:
Re-reading the first Harry Potter with my son, halfway through the third book of Edmund Morris's triology on Teddy Roosevelt (great books), and half way through Havana Nocturne about the mafia and the Cuban Revolution.
Really enjoyed John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let the Right One In, which I was inspired to check out because the film was so good (The US version is pretty decent too). This is really creepy with some interesting characters. Lindqvist has been compared to Stephen King, can definitely see an influence.
I just finished re-reading "Flowers for Algernon," which I read in the seventh grade -- so, roughly 30 years ago. It's a good book, but not great. I wanted more out of it.
Now I'm reading "The Mysterious Benedict Society," at the request of my 9-year-old, who just finished the third book in the series. Thankfully, this series won't consume me for months like Harry Potter did.
Funny, Coastline. I just thought of that book for the first time in years the other day (Flowers for Algernon) and wondered if I'd like it as an adult. And my younger sister also got me reading the Hunger Games back around Christmas time, suprisingly good.
Now I'm on Stephen King's Dark Tower series... currently reading Wizard and the Glass (Book 4?)
"If we hit this bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate."
What are you reading?
Posted - 04/30/2011 : 18:41:13
"If we hit this bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate."