Thursday, October 11, 2007

just a bunch of really good books !

I think I am substituting my reading of Blood and Chocolate for the RIP challenge with the new Neil Gaiman trade paper, Fragile Things because Blood and Chocolate is dismally bad.

Along the same lines, I recently finished P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern, because I will try anything once. The premise is cute and I can see where she was going, but the writing was abysmal. I think the only reason she got published is the fact that she is the Prime Minister's daughter and her name was recognizable. But, you didn't hear that from me. Dreadful. Dreadful book.

Last year, I was delighted to read Causeway by Linden Macintyre while I was a reader for the Leacock Humour Award. It was one of my top picks. So, I was very happy that the nice people at Harper, sent me a copy of my very own. I was reading through it again and realized just how brilliant it is --- both as a memoir, and as a moving piece of non-fiction. I only wish it could garner more acclaim than it has. I also have a huge thing for East Coast writers and the East Coast in general, so this was a tasty treat!


In Jane Austen news, I finished "reading"....erm.... navigating my way through the Choose Your Own Adventure Maze that is Lost In Austen by Emma Campbell Webster. This was an interesting idea. I do not agree with every choice she made for her book but, if you are into this thing, go right ahead !

The kind ducks over at Austenblog sent me a copy of Dear Jane Austen by Patrice Hannon....which basically reimagines our fair writer as an advice columnist. It was utterly readable! Jane you are a brilliant sage ! I treasure your advice....


Did I mention that George RR Martin's The Ice Dragon is a dear little fable/novella for young readers with a craving for some tasty fantasy? All five senses are heightened when you wade through is powerful description. Quite beautiful. KEEP IN MIND FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS CHALLENGES, it would fit in perfectly.


Now, in movie news, I am eagerly awaiting the release of Elizabeth: the Golden Age this weekend because, well, who is not?!

I saw The Seeker:The Dark is Rising based on the Newbery award-winning sequence by Susan Cooper. Gotta say, I only went to this for Christopher Eccleston and I only came out thinking: "Wow. I am glad I saw this for Christopher Eccleston."

Not brilliant stuff.... but it introduces a lot of themes and emblems I wish they had the time/tenacity/talent to explore further. It reaches almost-allegorical at moments, very dark and twisted at others. The time-travel thing ( as always ) is *sorry, insert Christopher Eccleston voice* FANTASTIC !



NOTE: I am not an Oprah fan to begin with. But, it bugs me even more when a great book like Eat Pray Love which I read eons ago is now tainted with Oprah-mania. Now it just bugs me anytime I hear it. Before, I was happy to hand sell it to anyone. Ridiculous. And quit picking Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Geez. Must you spoil everything?!

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