All Quiet on the Western Front

Thoughts by Erich Maria Remarque, Random House Trade 2013 (orig 1928), 227 pages, translated from the German by A.W. Wheen

Challenge: for Classics Club 50 list #2, #WiaN2023 – Category QXZ in title

Genre/Theme: War – WW1

Type/Source: Trade Paperback / Library

“We are little flames poorly sheltered by frail walls against the storm of dissolution and madness, in which we flicker and sometimes almost go out…we creep in upon ourselves and with big eyes stare into the night…and thus we wait for morning.”

What It’s About: Paul is 20 years and realizing his time on the front will permanently impact any hopes of his having any “normal” life, assuming he survives the horror, the filth, the lice, and the inhumanity.

“This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war.”

Thoughts: This was beautifully written and struck me hard.

Rating: Five slices of pie. No pie mentioned.

“We are not youth any longer. We don’t want to take the world by storm. We are fleeing. We fly from ourselves. From our life. We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world; and we had to shoot it to pieces.”

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I Capture the Castle

Thoughts  by Dodie Smith, Audible Studios 2006 (orig 1948), 12 hours 20 minutes

Narrated by Jenny Agutter – fabulous narration. A new favorite.

Challenge: Classics Club SPIN!

Genre: Classics, Romance, YA, Coming of Age

Type/Source: Audiobook, Audible

 Why I read this now: Spin Time …

MOTIVATION for READING:  Lucky for me, this was my spin number.

WHAT’s it ABOUT: A writer’s family takes up residence in an English castle but finances have dwindled while the writer no longer writes and his now ‘of age’ daughters desperately need options – and food and clothes and basic necessities of life. Whatever do you know! but a couple of eligible (and rich) young men happen to drop by.

Mayhem ensues. Sort of:  this phrase implies madcap hilarity and that doesn’t quite happen, but certainly the plot moves and spins and hops along nicely.

WHAT’s GOOD: Cassandra Mortmain is a dear.

What’s NOT so good: Not a damn thing.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Truly unequivocally charming.

I must warn you that if you are to read most synopsisesses (how do you plural synopsis?!) you might roll your eyes and respond with a weary “really?”. I know, I did. I have had this on my tbr forever and only put it there because other wonderful astute wise and worthy readers said I should read it. They said I would love it. Yea, yea, whatever. It took a LOOOONG time for me to really wonder if I truly would enjoy this sappy little kid romance. That’s what I thought it might be. But she’s NOT a little kid anymore! Cassandra is wonderful!! READ it.

And how did I not realize that Dodie Smith wrote other wonderful things? I had never heard of her and thought this was her one-trick. Stupid silly me. It’s a shame this book is obscured by a silly sounding premise. I don’t even know why I think the premise sounds so silly but it does and it’s a crying shame. Great read. Most enjoyable. I want to read it again. And I never re-read books. So I’ll content myself to watch the movie and watch it again, and again. And again.

RATING: Five slices of pie.

Ms. Jakes had sent up stew and apple pie. “Oh good. Stew is so comforting on a rainy day.” (and so is pie!)

NEXT:

 

Link to Wiki which has links to other nifty stuff…

 

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Mockingjay

Thoughts  Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins, Scholastic Press 2010, 390 pages eBook

QUALIFIES: The -ing category of What’s in a Name 8 and also the animal category. I’m going to count it for ING.

RATING:  Three slices of pie.

Lots of violence and still a sullen Katniss. She finally picks a team. Actually, I’m just glad this is (almost) over. Ready to see the movie and be able to say, “Done.”

If I had to pick a favorite, I would say the first one.

(Looks like I’m still in a mini-review mode. Don’t worry – am gathering lots of things to say about Sister Carrie!)

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Films: Brideshead Revisited

The Film(s):  Brideshead Revisited.

The Book: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. My book review here.

EXTRA CREDIT for THE CLASSICS CHALLENGE

I watched two film versions of Brideshead Revisited, though how many minutes I actually viewed could be debated. What is skimming called when applied to visual viewing?

I first watched the most recent one: 2008

I thought this well-cast. Of course, Emma Thomson was great. The film evoked the same mood of the book. It was visually stunning – as the wealth of that era might suggest it should.

Then I rented the mulit-CD mini-series from the library: 1981

and really liked this Sebastian Flyte! Another ‘of course’ for Jeremy Irons doing a fabulous job.

Now that it has been months since the viewing experience, I can’t think of more to add. Can’t say it was a favorite book but I ‘get’ how this might be considered a classic, especially the exploration of many deep themes. A book that most possibly could be interpreted on many levels for those intellectual (geeky?) enough to enjoy the process. Religion, sexuality, family duty, etc. Did the movies make me want to re-read it? No. Not that they weren’t acceptable adaptions, but no. I’ve seen enough of it now.

OK, this concludes my ‘extra’ credit for participation in the Classics Challenge! Yay, me.

As for my next book-to-film, I am scheduled to see The Book Thief soon and I really do want to see Catching Fire and Divergent. So many movies based on novels that I hope to see someday. Which one are you most excited about? Noah, anyone? The Fault in Our Stars?! Gone Girl or Dark Places, Unbroken!, The Giver, Wild (did you know A Walk in the Woods is also being worked on?), If I Stay, ahhhhh: Therese Raquin. And books I still need to read first: Serena, This is Where I Leave You (of course:  Jason Bateman), Far From the Madding Crowd, A Book of Common Prayer, and not sure about Devil’s Knot (scary). So many!

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Like Water for Chocolate

Thoughts  Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, Anchor Books 1995 (orig 1989), 246 pages.

FIRST sentence: “Take care to chop the onion fine.”

THREE words:  Passionate, fierce, independent.

What’s it ABOUT: A young girl grows up in a kitchen, falls in love, fights her fate, and cooks up magical treats.

I have two reasons for wanting to read this book:  it has recipes and I wanted to know what the title meant.

OK, I do seem to enjoy the foodie books even though I don’t seek them out. I should. I see a pattern. Give in to it already. I love that each chapter of this story revolved or involved a recipe of some sort. I may  not actually try cooking any but I did enjoy reading through the ingredients and the process.

What was most enjoyable was the results described when eating Tita’s concoctions!  I did mention magic, did I not? Wonderful magic, unquestioned, just accepted, not fancy but so revealing. This was such a fun little book!

The book cover calls it a romance but do not let that throw you off. Tita is very much a strong girl who accepts hardwork but fights for what she believes it. When circumstances and family decide things that are not to her liking, she accepts but never ever bends. Yes, there is love and passion and passionate reactions. Love of all forms is explored.

Tita’s sister is also a delight. Well, ONE of her sisters, anyway.

I think this an excellent choice for a book club.

I am also very glad that I can show off that I have read another book off my physical book hoarding shelf. CHECK. It’s a book that is on the 1001+ Books to Read Before I Die. YAY! It’s a book that was translated – from Spanish. I’m doing good for exploring more of my planet. It’s a book that has been made into a movie! I can’t wait to see how it translates to film.

Have you read this? Have you seen the movie? Do you have any other FOODie books to recommend?

RATING:   FOUR slices of chocolate cream pie with loads of whipped cream and a few strawberries and maybe rose petals.
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Catching Fire

Thoughts  Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins, Scholastic Press 2009, 391 pages, eBook

For the What’s in a Name 6 Challenge: FIRE Category

FIRST SENTENCE:  “I clasp the flask between my hands even though the warmth from the tea has long since leached into the frozen air.”

WHAT’s it ABOUT: Assuming my dear readers have already read this or at least have read The Hunger Games #1, then this is continuation of Katniss’ story. I will offer spoilers here so if you want to read book #2 and don’t want to know what happens, go away. I am shocked I managed to avoid what this book contained, but I did. Let me ruin it now (assuming you are still on this page!)

OK, so Katniss won the games in book #1 and she goes back home. She lives in a Winner’s Village House; Haymitch and Peeta & Family have their own Winner’s Village House. Katniss still hunts in the woods outside the fence because she needs something to do. She’s supposed to be – so the publicity machine is telling – designing clothes as her new hobby but she’s leaving all that to Cinna. (I love Cinna.) She is still conflicted if she loves Gale or not and has been managing to avoid Peeta most of the time but she still likes him, too. I kind of liked that we still don’t get a grip on her feelings about this triangle because, hey! It’s complicated. 

However, Prez WhatsHisName (I can only picture Donald Sutherland) has it out for Miss Katniss and shows up one day to tell her to toe the line or everyone she loves will perish. Blahblahblah. Tensions are rising across the country. Meaner guards and police are sent to the district so she is no longer able to go hunt in the woods. And then!

egads!!!  the craziness!!!

Because it is a Quell Year – (I won’t explain it, you already know or you wouldn’t be reading this, right?), the new fun twist is that each district will be submitting candidates for the games from PREVIOUS WINNERS. Yep. Not good for our Miss Katniss because she is the only chick from District 12 so no surprise which female will be sent. Peeta gets to go again, too. They attempt to protect each other.

Katniss is once again her adorable cheerful friendly self (do read that in your best sarcastic tone) as they train and she is suspicious of all. The games happen…

Alliances and mutiny.

(Bring on Mockingjay – Book #3.)

Three slices of pie. (I really am enjoying the series, but Katniss drives me up a wall sometimes.)

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Thoughts  The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, MTV Books and Pocket Books 1999, 213 pages

I read the eBook on my iPad with the Kindle app and the very next day, rented the movie. I thought the casting was very good. In fact, Charlie’s words in the book seemed too young for his intellect but the movie character was very believable.

I loved both.

Four slices of pie. 

“I just wish that God or my parents or Sam or my sister or someone would just tell me what’s wrong with me. Just tell me how to be different in a way that makes sense. To make this all go away. And disappear. I know that’s wrong because it’s my responsibility, and I know that things get worse before they get better because that’s what my psychiatrist says, but this is a worse that feels too big.”  ~63% or page 141

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Copyright © 2007-2013. Care’s Online Book Club. All rights reserved. This post was originally posted by Care from Care’s Online Book Club.  It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

The Great Gatsby – Print & Audio

Thoughts  The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, Scribner 2004 (orig 1925), 180 pages, Audible 15.75 hours

WHY I read/listened to this: I am most excited to see Leo DiCaprio bring Gatsby to the big screen (latest schedule says MAY) and wanted to refresh the story in my mind before I see it. I both listened and read this; downloading the Tim Robbins’ narration per Softdrink’s recommendation and going to the library for the one with the gorgeous cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.

So good.

I really enjoyed listening to Tim Robbins’ voice. Slow and sultry and hot. Like some of the scenes, actually. I never once sped up the narration. It was almost dreamy.

And then…  I watched the 1974 film starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.  LOVED!  Although, I did think some of the camera closeups at scenery change were cheesy with overdramatic drama. With the story so fresh in my mind, I appreciated how very true the movie was to the book; dialogue and voice overs, especially. Sam Waterston as Nick Carraway was spot-on and I admit that I am fearing that Tobey Maguire won’t do the role justice. But I am willing to be surprised and impressed. I have no doubts that DiCaprio will nail it.  And have been won over by the idea of Carey Mulligan as Daisy. (I am watching the BBC Bleak House miniseries now – she plays Ada and is such a fabulous actress, imo).

Honestly, I thought I had read this in High School but now I’m questioning that. I really wish I had a list of all the books I really read in High School but alas, I do not. I did a better job of tracking movies I saw but have little in the way of what books I read and I read ALL THE TIME back then.

Please click over to Roof Beam Reader for a FABULOUS critical analysis of F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Highly recommended:  Five slices of Mint Julep Pie with Caramel-Bourbon Sauce – sounds decadent, yes?

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Gone Girl

Thoughts  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Crown Publishing 2012, 432 pages, Kindle edition

Being of sound mind, solemn and sensible, I hereby declare my inability to decide how best to proceed. Shall I  #1) point you to Sheila’s review or just #2) steal from it and post here; but I also want to #3) send you directly to Softdrink’s hilarious and succinct and very short post on this novel.

Thus, in reverse order of how I presented my dilemma,

you may do the #3) choice and click this —–> CLICK HERE! <—– and go to FizzyThoughts

or you can

select choices #1 & #2) click over or read this, lifted directly from Sheila’s Book Journey blog if you must know what it is about. I think she did a great job of saying what happens and yet leaves out all the fun shocking hilarity of it. She also has a page to discuss all the spoilers if you want to talk more about his novel after you read it.

Nick and Amy’s marriage started out just as you would hope, two people deeply in love.  Nick was handsome and carefree, Amy was beautiful and the “Amy” behind her parents ‘Amazing Amy’ book series which left Amy with quite a little nest egg…
but things are not always as they seem….
As years go by, things change for the happy couple.  Amy gives the majority of her money back to her parents when they hit financial difficulties, then both she and Nick lose their jobs in New York.  Nick’s mom is sick and his dad has Alzheimer’s so the couple moves back to Missouri to be close to his parents and start over.  Amy uses the last large chunk of her inheritance to help Nick and his twin sister Margo purchase a bar.
Now, on their five-year anniversary a very different couple has emerged from where Nick and Amy started.  They can not seem to connect any more and that morning Nick leaves for his bar, only to receive a call shortly after from a neighbor saying something seems wrong at Nick’s home, the door is wide open, the cat who is never allowed outside is on the front step.  Nick comes home to find the living room torn apart, the iron left on, and Amy missing.
As a closer look is taken, and with the help of the clues that Amy left for Nick as she does every year to find his anniversary present, Nick soon becomes the prime suspect. Having his own secrets, Nick works with his sister trying to get to the bottom of what happened to Amy.
but things are not always as they seem….
As the story unfolds…. there is more than meets the eye and a very twisted tale unfolds which really shows that you never know what goes on behind white picket fences and closed doors.

-Borrowed directly from Sheila with her permission.

 (This photo is of a poster hung from the Chicago Cultural Center and it reminded me of something Nick says in the book about wanting to be ordinary.)

Or option #4) ignore the above and just get the book. Have fun!

I give it 5 slices of pie. I enjoyed the heck out of it.

“Do you reckon Tom Sawyer would ever go by this thing? Not for pie, he wouldn’t.”

– Chap 12, page 2, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

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Page to Screen Challenge

I’m in.   And I’ve already started!   My next review will be The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, the source for the Aaron Sorkin’s award-winning screenplay for The Social Network.

I will read 5 books for Level One.  Click on the button above to read all about it and/or sign up at Reading Extensively.

I have a LOT of books in-house that would qualify:    Up in the Air, Blindness, Possession, Mary Reilly, Dead Man Walking, A River Runs Through It, Three Muskateers, just to name a few…

I love reading books and watching flicks!   I actually should write a follow-up to A Single Man.  I liked the movie almost as much as the book.

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