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 clay4me 3393 |
BOOKS, MOVIES, PLAYS, MUSICALS, WEBSITES, and VIDEOS we love - Recommend & Discuss |
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Posts: 11030 (10/28/05 7:04 PM) GLEEK
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ADMIN UPDATE 1/6/06:
Just expanding this thread to cover discussion of books and movies, as we enter the film industry's awards season.  ">
Last Edited By: clawme 05/27/09 9:34 PM.
Edited 3 times.
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never2muchclay |
Re: Books and friends should be few, but good... | ||
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Posts: 717 (10/28/05 8:00 PM) Energy flows |
Dives in!
 I absolutely love books. I love hearing about what others are reading. So I can't wait to hear from everyone! Currently I am reading.. 1. Wicked by Gregory Maguire (Yes, I have been reading it since August, but it is an awesome book that the Broadway musical is based on. It was recommended and given to me to borrow by Clay4me!) 2. The Hormonally Vulnerable Woman by Geoffrey Redmond (I am exploring my 36 year old emotions and why I am psycho certain times of the month due to my crazy annoying hormones.) 3. Trust Your Vibes by Sonia Choquette (I am exploring my heightened intuition. I just began a journal about all the coincidences that happen to me along with feelings (or vibes) that turn out to be right. The author contends we all have this "sixth sense" but few develop it fully.) 4. Domino magazine - a new decorating magazine that you can actually purchase or find out how to purchase the items displayed in the magazine. They give you nifty little tags to mark pages you like as you read. It is worth checking out if you are into decorating and shopping for the home. |
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EEEEE With Me |
Re: Books and friends should be few, but good... | ||
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Posts: 1622 (10/28/05 9:43 PM) Now with singing ass crack! |
I'm also reading Wicked. Well, I was; I brought my car in for inspection this morning and left it in my glovebox.  The Bee's Books: Julie & Julia - I read about this book in the review section of one of my favorite magazines, Bust, and was able to snag an advanced reader's copy off of Half.com! It's completely unproofread, which means some parts are a little hard to follow, but it's still a fantastic read. It's a memior of sorts about Julie Powell, who's about to turn 30 and is having a hard time with it. She commandeers her mother's copy of Master The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child and decides that she's going to spend the year leading up to the big day cooking every recipe in it, from front cover to back. I absolutely love it. The best part? I was reading it one morning while watching Martha when I heard Martha mention the book. I look up, and there's Julie standing in Martha's kitchen! I thought I was going to drop dead on the spot. Any and all books by Jennifer Weiner - It's the anti-chicklit chicklit, if that makes any sense. I've loved every single one of her books, although I have yet to start Goodbye Nobody. I can't even explain my love for her writing, but I cried at the end of pretty much every book, and I think that says a lot, because I am NOT a crier. Also, I dare you to not fall in love with Simon Stein after reading In Her Shoes. And HEE! Jennifer's got a blog! I've got more, but I'm supposed to be working on the massive amount of schoolwork that was dumped upon me the other day. I'll be back with more later! |
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manderly1 |
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Posts: 98 (10/28/05 11:57 PM) Caught in a moment |
I just finished reading In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner.... it was good, and so was the movie. Last week I read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (for the third time) and now I'm reading Bella Tuscany:The Sweet Life In Italy by Frances Mayes. I read a lot, and I am usually reading more than one book at a time. I love chick lit, and all the ones by Marian Keyes are good: Watermelon, Rachel's Holiday and Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married are three that I really enjoyed. I also like mysteries, political intrigue and heavier reading...like the Russian writers Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. In other words, I love to read...
 I even love the way books smell. I'll be checking this thread for good recommendations....I'm always on the lookout for something new I haven't read yet. |
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grammaticool |
Re: Books and friends should be few, but good... | ||
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Posts: 18 (10/29/05 4:53 AM) Aikenüber alles |
Oh man, books.
This summer I worked at a hospital during the night and absolutely plowed through books. Some favorites include: anything by David Sedaris. The man's a comic genius. Absolutely hilarious. Kiterunner by Khaled Hosseini. Maybe my interest lies in it due to the fact that I'm an International studies majors studying the middle east, but this book, which focuses on a boy born in Afghanistan in the 1970s. It's absolutely amazing, and was on the Bestseller list for a lonnnnng time. White Teeth by Zadie Smith. Another good book about some people set in London. Proof that someone in her early twenties can write great literature. kji'oacmeaceacea I love them.
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Northernkitten |
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Posts: 3167 (10/29/05 10:34 AM) Forever A Fan!
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I love to read.
 Right now I'm reading a book I waited for a year for the author to complete. A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Diana Gabaldon is the New York Times bestselling author of the Outlander series, which tells the story of Jamie Fraser, a Scottish Highlander from the 18th century, and his time-traveling wife, Claire. The latest book in the series, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, is facinating. This author is so descriptive I can actually picture the events in my mind. Diana Gabaldon holds a Ph.D. in ecology and spent a dozen years as a university professor before turning to writing full-time. She is also the author of more than six novels, including the series Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross. Her most recent book being A Breath of Snow and Ashes is a continuation. She lives in Arizona. |
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 sunburstoflight |
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Posts: 3949 (10/29/05 10:48 AM) with huuuuge... |
*joins in the Wicked love.* It's such a great read, and the adaption to a musical is so much fun. I'm a self-proclaimed Wicked whore. I loves it.
 Quote:  The last book I read over the summer was David Sedaris' Me Talk Pretty One Day. It's one of those books you can't read in a public place because you'll burst out laughing at very random spots. It's a great read. I don't get to read much when I'm in school because I get to read hundreds of pages a week of boring other stuff (lucky me) which leaves me with no initiative to pick up a book to read, but my summers are spent reading like a foo'! My reading list from last summer included:The Five People You'll Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom: It's a quick read but it's so good. It teaches to appreciate everybody that comes and goes in your life. It also makes you realize how somebody can change your life or you change their life, even when you think you're not changing anybody's life. Hee. The Pilots Wife by Anita Shreve: Get your tissues. It'll totally make you re-examine every pilot you've ever met or dealt with. It's a quick read, too, and fairly simple but still really good. Girlfriend in the Coma by Douglas Coupland: This book is definitely in the WTF category when you read it because it's just well, weird, but if you like books that deal with the apocolypse and spirituality, this is a good read. I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb: This is hands down one of the best books I've ever read. If you get scared by 1000+ page books, don't be scared by this one. It's so good and by the time you finish those 1000+ pages, you'll be wanting more. I fell in love with the flawed characters of the book and just got so absorbed in it that I couldn't put it down. It's SO good. Wally Lamb also has another book called She's Come Undone, which is also a great read, but I have to say, I Know This Much Is True is my favourite of the two. *writes down everybody's suggestions for Christmas break reading*
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clay4me 3393 |
Re: Books and friends should be few, but good... | ||
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Posts: 11030 (10/29/05 12:31 PM) GLEEK
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I loved Wally Lamb's I Know This Much Is True, sun! I'll have to check out his other book someday. When I'm not reading Clay boards in my spare time.
 I did actually finish Wicked, and am as big of a Wicked whore as sun, but apparently not as much as Clay.  I did think it was an amazing book, though, and not just because I also love the musical. That book totally stands on its own with the most fascinating political, social, cultural, and religious implications I've ever experienced in a fantasy book. I was totally floored. I have started his sequel, Son Of A Witch, although I think I may wait until my late December vacation to really get into the thick of it. I am still working my way through a book clawme gave me, A Prayer For Owen Meany, by John Irving. It is both touching and uproariously funny. I love it and will definitely finish it in the coming weeks. Another outstanding book I read in the last year, also a gift from clawme, was She's Not All There - A Life In Two Genders, by Jennifer Finney Boylan. Jennifer was born a male, but always identified as female and officially changed gender in her 30's. It is a fascinating true story that completely changed every single assumption I'd ever had about gender and sexual identity. It truly rocked my world. It is also a beautiful and touching love story that speaks to the real meaning of family and commitment. clawme actually met Jennifer and heard her speak - maybe she'll share more about that in this thread. Also recently listened to the audio book (recommended by n2mc) of The Secret Life Of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd. It is a wonderful story about a young girl searching for her own identity after, and as it relates to, the loss of her mother. It also has profound racial and religious messages. I highly recommend it, especially the audio book, which is beautifully read by a woman with a unique Southern accent and the ability to make every character sound different. That's all for now, I guess. I could go on, but maybe I should go, you know, actually read instead. 
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grammaticool |
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Posts: 18 (10/29/05 4:16 PM) Aikenüber alles |
Quote: Sun, tell me about it, haha. I read it for the first time working as a night receptionist in the ER. It looked like I was laughing at random people's ailments. "HAHA...oh, Chest Pains?" |
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EffingFangirl |
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Posts: 155 (10/30/05 12:06 AM) You can call me Penny. |
I. Love. Books.
sun is so very, very correct about Wally Lamb's books. She's Come Undone is the book that made me want to become a writer, and it's still one of my favorites ever. I agree, though, I Know This Much Is True is better. It's spectacular. Girlfriend in a Coma was awesome, too. Douglas Coupland is an interesting dude. And yes, Wicked is love. Now, on to some suggestions of my own: *Memoirs of a Geisha is one of the most stunning books I've ever read. The movie comes out in December, so read the book and you can be all "the book was better" and feel cool. No, seriously, read it. It's utterly compelling. *Anything by Chuck Klosterman -- I'm partial to sex, drugs and cocoa puffs. He's funny and very honest. He also wrote Fargo Rock City, which dissects the importance of 80's metal bands, and Killing Yourself to Live, about why death makes musicians into instant legends. *A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. It's aptly named, IMO. *I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan. Satan tells his own story. It was too sarcastic for EEEEE (  ) if that tells you anything, but I loved every sordid bit of it.More later.
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dee ayy |
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Posts: 6191 (10/31/05 2:55 AM) No way.
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This is easy, because I have a shelf right above my computer where I keep me favorite recent reads. Well, recent defined as the last couple of years, I suppose. I dunno. It's all books I liked a lot. Let's leave it at that. They are:
The End of the Affair, Graham Greene (read after seeing the movie, admittedly!) She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb (Bought in an airport gift shop because my plane was delayed, and was pissed when we finally got off the ground!) Thank You For Smoking and Little Green Men both by Christopher Buckley. Hysterical political satire, both of 'em. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje (read before the movie came out!) Monkeys by Susan Minot (short stories that all link together, and are heartbreaking) Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult (I brought her book My Sister's Keeper as my vacation read this summer and plowed through it so quickly that I actually had to find a bookstore in Ketchikan, Alaska to get a new book! I liked Sister's Keeper, but hated the end, so I decided to try another of Picoult's books. And I liked this one a LOT better. Picoult writes page-turner fiction about current ethical/moral dilemmas. Topical and fascinating, though a bit contrived at times.) My Dark Places by Michael Ellroy. (The true story of Ellroy's attempt to solve the 50-year-old murder of his mother.) The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (Never cried harder while reading a book, but then it became oddly uplifting and life-affirming. Truly the most UNIQUE point of view in a book I've read recently.) And probably my favorite book from the last 10 years: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. Eggers was joking with the title, but you know what? It's all that ane more. I'd list Me Talk Pretty One Day and Naked by David Sedaris, but I lent them to a coworker, so they're not on the shelf right now!! |
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never2muchclay |
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Posts: 717 (10/31/05 1:41 PM) Energy flows |
I love Jodi Picoult! My first and favorite book that I read by her is Plain Truth. The ending had my mouth hanging wide open.
Another book that's ending had me completely shocked is Midwives by Chris Bojemian. Great book! I gave it to my mother to read and she read the ending first. Evidently, she always does. It completely ruined it. |
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EffingFangirl |
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Posts: 155 (10/31/05 2:38 PM) You can call me Penny. |
Quote: I have a terrible habit of, mid-way through a book, flipping to the last page and reading it. I'm so impatient. 
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pg0314 |
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Posts: 776 (10/31/05 2:41 PM) Bad fan, bad fan! |
Books?! We're talking about books?!
 My mom volunteered at our local library and one of my fondest childhood memories was going with her and just hanging out and reading for hours. Here are just a few from a loooooooong list of favorites: Quote: Big fat I also highly recommend her memoir Lucky. Parts of it are hard to read (Alice Sebold was raped when she was a college freshman and describes the assault in excruciating detail) but, like The Lovely Bones, its ultimately a very uplifting book. How the heck she pulls that off, I dont know, but I cant wait to see what she comes up with next.To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Pure genius. If you havent read it, you should be ashamed of yourself. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult tells the story of an Amish teenager on trial for the murder of her newborn baby and the disenchanted Philadelphia lawyer who defends her. Mostly just a good, juicy trial drama but its also a fascinating look at the culture clash between the Amish and their English neighbors. My Sisters Keeper by the same author is even better. Thought provoking and terribly, terribly sad. Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. I remember thinking, A biography about a race horse? Snore!. I thought wrong. Its sweet, sad, funny, uplifting and utterly fascinating. The Beans Trees and Pigs in Heaven. And pretty much anything written byBarbara Kingsolver. I adore her. Home Buying for Dummies by Eric Tyson and Ray Brown. Okay, its not exactly scintillating reading but when youre hyperventilating over the mere thought of a mortgage, it helps calm you down. A little. The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. I Harry Potter. Dont be put off by the fact that theyre childrens books ... theyre a great read! But get Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in paperback because youll rupture something if you try lugging around the 20 pound hardback version.Hiss and Tell by Pam Johnson Bennett. Case studies from an animal behaviorist. A friend recommended this to me when my cat was wearing on my last nerve. What a relief to know that she wasnt the only demon kitten out there! Holiday on Ice by David Sedaris. I admit that there were parts of this book that I didnt care for. I adore black comedy but he can get a little over the top sometimes. But The SantaLand Diaries is the funniest thing Ive ever read, bar none. Tony Hillermans Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn Mysteries. If Sherlock Holmes were Native American hed be Jim Chee. Love, love, love these books. The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Its long, its dense, the language is formal, its Sci-fi/fantasy and gasp, you might look like a nerd if youre seen holding it. But its unbelievably brilliant and ought to be required reading. Because its not just Sci-Fi or fantasy. Its a cautionary story bout the horror of war and the corruption of absolute power. But its most important message, I think, is that (to quote the movie trailer) even the smallest person has the power to change the world. Steps down off LOTR  On a lighter note, Im currently working my way through Janet Evanovichs Stephanie Plum Mysteries. The books are pure chick-lit (is that even a word?) fluff but theyre totally hilarious and the perfect thing to read when you want to be entertained but not have to think too hard. Whats in the books I want to read basket that sits by my sofa: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd The Thief of Always by Clive Barker Wicked by Gregory Maquire Skeleton Man by Tony Hillerman Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver |
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dee ayy |
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Posts: 6191 (10/31/05 4:11 PM) No way.
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I didn't know you'd read "My Sister's Keeper!" Why haven't we discussed this? I didn't like the ending. Uber-contrived. Why she had to take such a fascinating and heartrending subject and give it that dime-store novel ending, I have no idea. Oh well.
Quote: I want that back once you sign some mortgage papers, ya know!
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pg0314 |
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Posts: 776 (10/31/05 6:46 PM) Bad fan, bad fan! |
Quote: Because I didn't know you'd read it either! I didn't love the ending but the rest of the book was so good that I still recommend it to people all the time. Quote: Based on the houses I've looked at so far, I don't think that's gonna be any time soon! |
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pinkrosebouquet |
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Posts: 3170 (11/06/05 3:47 AM) Clay Fan |
Lots of interesting choices here to add to my must read list. Thank you all!
If there is one book I can ever recommend anyone to read, it is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Probably the best novel I have ever read-- it has everything: an engrossing story, fascinating characters and a rich, magical-realist style. Other favorites: Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond (nonfiction) Ever wonder why the western world became so dominant over everybody else? This offers a geographical, natural history explanation. The writing isn't dry at all. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner Whoa this book blew me away when I read it. Beautiful, beautiful novel. A little hard to understand at first, but don't put it down. Waiting to Exhale by Terry MacMillan I know this is a dated choice, but I had so much fun reading it. The movie sucks ass by comparison. |
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shadylil |
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Posts: 10403 (11/06/05 5:06 PM) I need that voice |
I have to take a shower so here's just a few of my favorites:
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. This is my favorite book of all time. Ever. I think I'm on my 3rd or 4th paperback because I wear them out. Clan of the Cave Bear series. I never thought I'd be interested in reading about prehistoric people, but these books are so compelling I found myself reading every.single.word, even the descriptions of the flora and fauna. I want to read The Poisonwood Bible, but haven't bought it yet. Some favorite authors for light reading: Nelson DeMille Jeffrey Deaver Jonathan Kellerman's 'Alex Delaware' books J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts writes a dectective series set in the future) On deck for me right now is Nelson DeMille's Night Fall. I'll probably start it tonight. |
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clay4me 3393 |
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Posts: 11030 (11/06/05 5:38 PM) GLEEK
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I :::::LOVE::::: The Poisonwood Bible. One of my absolute, all-time, favorite books. So fabulous.
HARRY POTTER BOOK 6 SPOILERS AHEAD... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > So, who wants to talk Harry Potter with me for a moment? I know some haven't read the latest book, but even if you haven't, pretty much everyone knows by now that Snape kills Dumbledore at the end. I mean, it's been in every magazine, and was all over the TV and internet last summer, so I'm not inclined to be all secretive. Hell, I figured it out before I read it, and then my son told me, so there was no hope I'd be unspoilered. Anyway, for those who've read it, I want to know what your theory is on this murder. Personally, I think Snape is the lowest scum of the earth. I've never trusted him and I always thought Dumbledore was foolish to trust him. But...trust him he did. Fat lot of good that did him, eh? never2muchclay insists that I'm missing something. She is certain that Snape is a good guy and that he will redeem himself. I thought she was nuts until I picked up an old July edition of Entertainment Weekly the other day in the doctor's office and it had an entire page devoted to this idea. Apparently a wizard has to really "mean it" for the Avada Kedavra curse to work. Did he? But if not, how do you account for the clearly dead body? Also, there is the fact that Snape is the very best at occlumency, meaning that Dumbledore could have somehow communicated with him telepathically at the critical moment. And, of course, you can't forget the unbreakable promise that Snape made to his sister to protect Malfoy. Any theories? I also want to know how in the hell she is going to wrap this entire series up in one more book? Seems impossible to me... |
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AbbyCat4 |
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Posts: 3321 (11/06/05 6:09 PM) Official Tour Guide |
Interesting question clay4me. I was absolutely convinced throughout the first five books that Snape was going to turn out to be one of the "good guys". I never liked his character, but I just had the feeling that he was going to be redeemed at the end. Now I don't know what to think. I don't know how he can be redeemed, in my eyes at least, after killing Dumbledore. Throughout the whole death scene, I kept expecting him to not really be dead...well that was obviously wrong!
I listen to the books on tape, and I sobbed while I was driving when Dumbledore and Harry were in the cave, and Harry was forcing Dumbledore to drink the liquid. I thought that scene was extraordinarily well done. It's hard to drive when you are crying that hard. I really thought Dumbledore was going to die right then, and when he didn't, I thought he was going to survive in this book. I knew a character died in the book, but did not know who until I got farther along. As far as the seventh book, I am a bit ambivalent about it. I am just a little nervous about the change from the story primarily being based at Hogwarts to one that travels all around. It will be interesting to see - and to see how she wraps up everything in one more book! I wonder how many pages it will be???? |
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pg0314 |
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Posts: 776 (11/07/05 2:55 AM) Bad fan, bad fan! |
Quote: Me!!!! Quote: I loved book six and one of the big reasons was all the Snapey goodness! Whether you love him, hate him or love to hate him, he's a fabulous character. And the more we learn about him the more fascinated I am. Yes, I am an offical card carrying Snapeaholic! My theory is this: Voldemort assigned Draco the task of killing Dumbledore. Narcissa and Bellatrix went to Snape, asked him to do it if Draco couldn't and pressured him to take the Unbreakable Vow ... which he did. And that meant that if he didn't fulfill his promise, he'd die. Yes, he could've done it because he was evil and wanted Dumbledore dead. Or, he could've done it because he's a spy who was trying to protect his cover. Bellatrix clearly doesn't trust him and Wormtail's hiding in the basement probably hearing every word. There's no way Snape can refuse to take the Vow without looking suspicious. So, my theory is he takes the Unbreakable Vow to avoid blowing his cover but then runs right to Dumbledore and tells him the whole thing. Remember how, when the moment came, he hesitated and Dumbledore said, "Please, Severus"? I think Dumbledore was asking Snape to kill him because a) he knew he was already dying and b) he knew that if Snape didn't kill him that he (Snape) would die. God, I am SUCH a giant Harry Potter nerd, aren't I? |
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