Books to Movies...

Every reader is different. Some prefer to watch the movie before they have the slightest interest in reading the book, others are hardcore readers and won't go near a film adaptation for fear it will destroy the story they've come to love. My own tastes are somewhat varied. On the average I am the type of person who prefers to read the book before I watch the movie, but there have been a number of occasions where I have done just the opposite.

I enjoyed reading William Shakeapear's plays as a teenager, but I often struggled to understand the writing style, setting, and vocabulary. It was after viewing film adaptations of Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing that I appreciated what truly excellent pieces of literature these plays were. As a 16 year old I attempted to read Jane Austen, but failed to get "into" the story until I sat down and watched the six-hour BBC miniseries adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Then everything changed and I quickly discovered what a wonderful writer and storyteller Austen was and Pride and Prejudice became a life-long favorite read. Charles Dickens is another author that I sometimes find a challenge to read, but thanks to yet another BBC adaptation I was able to read his longest novel, Bleak House and thoroughly enjoy the intricate details I might have otherwise missed.

But there have also been the occasions when I've decided the book is a much better read than the movie. Case in point, Gone With the Wind. Good movie, but the book was so much better. It had richer detail and the character development was such that I found myself understanding the characters and the story in a totally different way than I had anticipated.

No matter which category you fall into, reading a book or watching the film adaption are a definite way to carry on the enjoyment of a good story.

The Academy Awards were last night and the topic of movies and where they originated is a topic fresh in many people's minds. To coincide with this, the Lincoln, Nebraska public library has put together a list of the films awarded "Best Picture" by the Academy Awards and listed them next to the short stories, plays, and books that each screenplay originated from. In their words, "You've seen the movie... Now read the book!" Or, perhaps if you've read the book, then maybe it's time to consider watching the movie.

Check out the list as well as several other book-to-film lists and see what you've read (or watched) and loved and how you can enjoy the story still further.

- You've Seen the movie... Now read the book (Lincoln, NE Public Library)
- From Books to Movies (Arrowhead Library System, WI)
- Kids Reads: Books to Movies
- Wikipedia: Films Based on Books
- Upcoming Films Based on Books (2011)

Happy reading (or viewing)!

www.Wednesday

In my brief and rather random internet browsing today I came upon three items that I wanted to share with you. I'm calling them "The historical, the monumental, and the bizarre." Enjoy!

The historical....
David McCullough has a new book! The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, 1830-1900 tells the story of American artists and scientists who studied in Paris and how they impacted and changed America through what their work and what they learned. Published by Simon & Schuster, The Greater Journey will be available in stores in May 24, but you can pre-order now through Borders (Hardcover) or Amazon (Audio).

The monumental...
A Founding Father's Books Turn Up: "A literary detective story that began 18 months ago and was advanced through a chance reading of an 1880 edition of The Harvard Register has led researchers from the Jefferson Library at Monticello to a trove of books that were among the last ones that Thomas Jefferson, the nation’s most bibliophilic president, collected and read in the decade before he died....(read more here)"

The bizarre...
A stop-motion video on how to reorganize your books. Enjoy!

Happy mid-week everyone!

What's On My Nightstand: February 2011

As you all know, February is a short month which often means it's not the most productive month for reading. For me it was rather average for the type of year I am having. I was pleased to have finished two out of three books listed on my nightstand from last month. And yet I cannot believe we're nearly done with another month. But onward we go...

Carrying over from last month I have:

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I will finish this book before the end of March as it's the upcoming selection for my book club to discuss at our next meeting.

Added this month:

* Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie. This one is next in my personal Agatha Christie reading challenge -- to read through all her novels in order of publication.

* Tales of an African Vet by Dr. Roy Aronson. A new release, non-fiction work I happened upon while browsing my local library. First glance: it's not James Herriot, but it is interesting.

If I have time I may throw in an Angela Thirkell novel or perhaps another non-fiction work I've been eyeing for months, we'll see. First and foremost I need to finish A Tale of Two Cities!

What are you reading this month? Leave a comment or head over to 5 Minutes For Books and link up your February nightstand list.

Happy reading!

The Belfry by May Sinclair

322 pages
Published 1916
by Macmillan Company
in New York, NY

"Well, that's exactly what he did have. He had my luck, I mean the luck I ought to have had, all the time, from the beginning to the very end. But there is one thing he can't take from me, and that is the telling of this story."

The Plot:
The Belfry, told in three "books" is the story of one Tasker "Jimmy" Jevons. In the first "book" the reader is introduced to Jimmy by the narrator, a friend named Walter. It is 1905 and Jimmy is a young struggling journalist without a half crown to his name, but with big dreams. These dreams include winning the heart of Walter's beautiful secretary, Viola. Much to the disbelief and somewhat annoyance of Walter (and those around him) Jimmy professes great foreknowledge of his future success as well as various events that will occur over the course of the next few months or years. To make matters worse, scandal ensues when Viola is discovered to have traveled to Belgium with Jimmy to see a belfry.

By the second part of the book Jimmy has time and time again achieved exactly what he set out to accomplish, including fame and fortune as a world-renowned author, play-write, and literary critic. Unfortunately the only thing he hasn't gained is the respect of his in-laws, including his wife's favorite brother. And then the darkness settles. Like a shooting star, Jimmy's career seems short-lived, his family life seems to be falling apart, and Jimmy seems to be in a world of his own consumed by wealth. To top this the ominous cloud of war approaches, the very war he foretold!

And then in the last third of the book the whole story turns upside down. And in a heroic moment set on a European battlefield the reader, as well as the narrator, discovers there is truly more than meets the eye when it comes to Tasker "Jimmy" Jevons.

My Thoughts:
It was last September while reading Agatha Christie's memoirs that I first learned of the English novelist May Sinclair. In her memoir Christie said of Sinclair, "I think she was one of our finest and most original novelists, and I cannot help feeling that there will be a revival of interest in her some day, and that her works will be republished."

I considered this as strong a recommendation for reading an author as any, so I set out to find one or two titles by May Sinclair that Agatha Christie had specifically mentioned in her memoir. Unfortunately while I was able to locate a few of Sinclair's novels through my library's ILL program it did not appear that they were the same as those mentioned by Christie. To add to my disappointment none of the books available included any plot information and I was not able to find any further information online. (Oddly enough many of Sinclair's novels are still in print, but no plot summaries or book reviews are available!)

In the end I settled for The Belfry because I liked the opening paragraph (above) and it sparked my interest.

At first I found the story a little slow going as I was unsure which direction the story was taking. And then for a time I thought I knew where it was headed and that it might be a 1916 English version of The Great Gatsby, or perhaps something worse like Evelyn Waugh's depressing novel, Brideshead Revisited. But because Christie had spoken so well of Sinclair's writing I kept reading. It's a good thing I didn't stop and it's an even better thing that I didn't get sidetracked by researching Sinclair as a person, for as if by magic, I read past the hundred and ninth page and suddenly I found I couldn't set the story aside.

I soon realized that The Belfry was so much more than I originally thought. Yes, it is a story of a self-made man and there are some sad elements, but it is also a real eye-opener about relationships (be they family, friends, or marital) and a study of people. As I finished The Belfry I found that I had learned some interesting things about the nature of people just as the narrator discovered some surprising truths about himself and about Jimmy.

In the end I was glad I persevered in reading The Belfry. I have since discovered that it was one of the books Agatha Christie referenced in her memoir, but published under a different name. In fact, it is the one novel Christie declared to be Sinclair's "masterpiece."

So having enjoyed The Belfry will I give Sinclair a second chance? Definitely! She's unlike any other author I've read to date. I enjoyed her writing style, the story she wove and I appreciated that she included hope and happiness for her characters without sacrificing the feeling of realness for the story as a whole.

Would I recommend Sinclair to other readers? To that I am not yet sure. From what I've since read about May Sinclair I can't say that I agree with many of her worldviews, but that doesn't mean that her other novels aren't worth reading. I think I will wait and see what I think of some of her other books before I shout her name from the blogging rooftops. In the meantime I definitely recommend The Belfry (also published as: Tasker Jevons: The Real Story). It is definitely a worthwhile read and one I'm glad I chanced to read. ~

Related Links:
The Belfry (Kindle - Free E-Book)
The Belfry (Gutenberg - Free E-Book)
The Belfry (Google - Free E-Book)

May Sinclair - Wikipedia

Romantic Passages from Favorite Reads Part VI

Happy Valentine's Day!

The following is my sixth and final installment in the post series of Romantic Passages from Favorite Reads. There are countless of books and passages I could have quoted, the six I chose were just particular favorites of mine. Enjoy!

---------------
Really and truly there are so many quotable passages within Pride and Prejudice that I almost had a difficult time choosing just one, but in the end I selected the following snippet from the fifty-eighth chapter because it is one of my all-time favorites. It is point in the story where two of literature's greatest lovers finally has a meeting of the hearts and minds. I just love it!

If you are interested in the entire scene then I say tarry no longer, go forth and get yourself a copy of this literary gem!

The Book: Pride & Prejudice, Chpt 58
The Setting: 1812, Meryton in Hertfordshire, England
The Scene: Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy take a walk

"If you will thank me,' he replied, 'let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which led me on, I shall not attempt to deny. But your family owe me nothing. Much as I respect them, I believe I thought only of you.'

Elizabeth was too much embarrassed to say a word. After a short pause, her companion added, 'You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.'

Elizabeth, feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak; and immediately though not very fluently, gave him to understand that her sentiments had undergone so material a change since the period to which he alluded, as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure his present assurances. the happiness which this reply produced was such as he had probably never felt before, and he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do. Had Elizabeth been able to encounter his eyes, she might have seen how well the expression of heartfelt delight diffused over his face became him; but, though she could not look, she could listen, and he told her of feelings which, in proving of what importance she was to him, made his affection every moment more valuable."

Romantic Passages from Favorite Reads Part V

I had a little difficulty deciding upon my next selection. I wanted a passage from one of Myrtle Reed's novels, but which one? In the end I settled with Old Rose and Silver a charming story set at the turn of the last century. It is a story of unrequited love on the part of the heroine, who, rather than pursue her love selfishly, takes herself away so that the man she loves can be with someone else. The sweetness comes when she discovers not only that the object of her affection has pursued her, but that her love is at last returned. (The hero is a bit dense, but all is right in the end.)

The Book: Old Rose And Silver by Myrtle Reed, Chpt. 24
The Setting: Somewhere in the eastern United States, 1910
The Scene: Allison admits his true feelings for Rose

"Oh, I know,' he flashed back, bitterly. 'I've lost any shadow of right I might ever have had, because I was a blind fool, and I never had any chance anyway. All I can do is to go on loving you, needing you, wanting you; seeing your face before me every hour of the day and night, thirsting for you with every fiber of me. All I have to keep is an empty husk of memory--those few weeks you were kind to me. At least I had you with me though your heart belonged to someone else.'

'Someone else?' she repeated, curiously. The colour was coming back slowly now.

'Yes. Have you forgotten you told me? That day, don't you remember, you said you had loved another man who did not care for you?'

Rose nodded. Her face was like a crimson flower swaying on a slender stem. 'I said,' she began, 'that I had loved a man who did not care for me, and that I always would. Wasn't that it?'

'Something like that. I wish to G-- I could change places with him.'

'Did I,' hesitated Rose, 'are you sure--that I said--another man, or was it just--a man?'

....

'Rose! Rose! Look at me! Tell me, for G--- sake, who he was--or is. I can't bear it!'

She turned toward him. 'Look,' she said, softly. 'Look in my face and see.' For a tense instant he hesitated. Then, with a little cry of joy, he clasped her close forever, having seen his own face mirrored in her happy eyes."

--------------------------------
*At the beginning of the 20th century it was not uncommon for males to have the name "Allison"

Old Rose & Silver (reviewed)

Romantic Passages from Favorite Reads Part IV

The Book: North And South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Chpt. 27
The Setting: 1850s, London, England
The Scene: John Thornton and Margaret Hale reach an understanding.. at last!

"While she sought for this paper, her very heart-pulse was arrested by the tone in which Mr. Thornton spoke. His voice was hoarse, and trembling with tender passion, as he said:---

'Margaret!'

For an instant she looked up; and then sought to veil her luminous eyes by dropping her forehead on her hands. Again, stepping nearer, he besought her with another tremulous eager call upon her name,

'Margaret!'

Still lower went the head; more closely hidden was the face, almost resting on the table before her. He came close to her. He knelt by her side, to bring his face to a level with her ear; and whispered--panted out the words:--

'Take care.--If you do not speak--I shall claim you as my own in some strange presumptuous way.--Send me away at once, if I must go;--Margaret!--'

At that third call she turned her face, still covered with her small white hands, towards him, and laid it on his shoulder, hiding it even there; and it was too delicious to feel her soft cheek against his, for him to wish to see either deep blushes or loving eyes. He clasped her close. But they both kept silence. At length she murmured in a broken voice:

'Oh, Mr. Thornton, I am not good enough!'

'Not good enough! Don't mock my own deep feeling of unworthiness.'

After a minute or two, he gently disengaged her hands from her face, and laid her arms as they had once before been placed to protect him from the rioters..."

---------------------------------------
North & South (reviewed)
North & South (Free AudioBook)

Romantic Passages from Favorite Reads Part III

I had a difficult time selecting just a single passage for my next pick. In the end I settled for two quotes from two books within the Anne series. I believe these establish not only the romance between Gilbert and Anne as a young couple, but how alive their love was after several children and 15 years of marriage. I hope you enjoy!

The Book: Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery, Chpt. 4
The Setting: 1890, Green Gables, Prince Edward Island, Canada
The Scene: Gilbert's and Anne's Wedding

"But it was a happy and beautiful bride who came down the old, homespun-carpeted stairs that September noon--the first bride of Green Gables, slender and shining-eyed, in the mist of her maiden veil, with her arms full of roses. Gilbert, waiting for her in the hall below, looked up at her with adoring eyes. She was his at last, this evasive, long-sought Anne, won after years of patient waiting. It was to him she was coming in the sweet surrender of the bride. Was he worth of her? Could he make her as happy as he hoped? If he failed her--if he could not measure up to her standard of manhood-then, as she held out her hand, their eyes met and all doubt was swept away in a glad certainty. They belonged to each other; and, no matter what life might hold for them, it could never alter that. their happiness was in each other's keeping and both were unafraid."

The Book: Anne of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery, Chpt. 41
The Setting: 1905, Ingleside, Prince Edward Island, Canada
The Scene: Gilbert and Anne's 15th wedding anniversary

"Anne felt like a released bird... she was flying again. Gilbert's arms were around her.. his eyes were looking into hers in the moonlight. 'You do love me, Gilbert? I'm not just a habit with you? You haven't said you loved me for so long.'

'My dear, dear love! I didn't think you needed words to know that. I couldn't live without you. Always you give me strength. There's a verse somewhere in the Bible that is meant for you... "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."'

Life which had seemed so grey and foolish a few moments before was golden and rose and splendidly rainbowed again. The diamond pendant slipped to the floor, unheeded for the moment. It was beautiful... but there were so many things lovelier... confidence and peace and delightful work... laughter and kindness... that old safe feeling of a sure love."

--------------------------------------------
Another romantic passage is Gilbert's proposal to Anne: Anne of the Island, Chapter 41.

Anne of the Island (reviewed)
Anne's House of Dreams (reviewed)
Anne of Ingleside (reviewed)

Anne of Green Gables Timeline

Romantic Passages from Favorite Reads Part II

My next choice is from Jane Austen's Persuasion, which is arguably my favorite of her novels, well, maybe second only to Pride and Prejudice.

The book: Persuasionon by Jane Austen, Chapter 23
The setting: Early 19th century England
The scene: A letter from Captain Wentworth to Anne Elliot

"On the contents of that letter depended all which this world could do for her! Any thing was possible, any thing might be defied rather than suspense. Mrs. Musgrove had little arrangements of her own at her own table; to their protection she must trust, and sinking into the chair which he had occupied, succeeding to the very spot where he had leaned and written, her eyes devoured the following words:

'I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own, than when you almost broke it eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that this love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone I think and plan. -- Have you not seen this? can you fail to have understood my wishes? -- I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice, when they would be lost on others. -- Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating in

F. W.

I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening, or never.'"

----------------------
If you've never read Persuasion, then let me persuade you to not waste another moment, but instead pick up this delightful story. It is a classic tale of true love; love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love that never ends.

Romantic Passages from Favorite Reads Part I

It seems everywhere I turn people are talking about Valentine's Day. Stores are decked out with red, white and pink candy, cookies, cupcakes and flowers. TV shows and music are tuned to tales of love and romance.

In light of this I thought it might be fun to reflect upon a few romantic scenes from some of my favorite reads. I confess this was not a completely original idea. I was inspired with this idea by the emails floating around the Maud Hart Lovelace List-Serv, so it seems only fair that my first quoted passage would come from one of my favorite Lovelace books, Betsy's Wedding. Not read any of Maud's books? Be sure to come back later this year when A Library is a Hospital for the Mind hosts the third annual Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge.

The Book: Betsy's Wedding, Chapter 2
The setting: 1914, New York City.
The scene: Joe and Betsy are reunited and dining together.

"Betsy,' he said at last, 'I love you. I love you from the cloudy dark hair down to your slender feet. I love your eyes, and your soft hands, and your sweet voice, and the way your laugh chimes out. Everything about you is enchanting to me. But Betsy, it's lots more than that.'

He seemed to be thinking out loud.

'I can always talk to you, ' he said. 'I can make plans or puzzle out ideas, or build castles in the air. I don't need to think what I'm saying or guard my words. You understand my high moods and my low ones. You understand me, I guess.

'I want to be married to you and have you around all the time. I want to come home to you after work and tell you about my day. I want to hear you humming around, doing housework. I want to support you. I want to do things for you. If we were married and I was coming home to you tonight, I wouldn't care if we had just bread and milk.

'You know, Betsy, we never quarrel when we're together. We never will, I really believe, when we are married. But if we aren't, something might come between us again. Betsy, you fit into my life as perfectly as a rose fits its stem. You and I match like the pieces of a broken coin.' After a long pause, he said, 'Love me always, Betsy! I have given my whole heart to you.'"

--------------------
I think part of why I love the characters Joe and Besty is that I know they were the fictional counterpart to the author and her husband. Joe and Betsy were best friends, soul-mates, and lovers. And if the reader knows anything about the author, Maud and her husband, Delos it's obvious that their relationship was very much the same. Maud once said: "Delos and I are mutually agreed that marrying each other was giving the perfect answer to life." (11/28/1931)

I think there's nothing quite as romantic as learning that a real-life couple had a truly loving and happy marriage during their life-time.

Now, what about you? What are some of your favorite romantic passages from books you've read? Leave me a comment and let me know.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

510 pages
Published in 1868

"Do you feel an uncomfortable heat at the pit of your stomach, sir? and a nasty thumping at the top of your head? AH! not yet? It will lay hold of you at Cobb's Hole, Mr. Franklin. I call it the detective-fever; and I first caught it in the company of Sergeant Cuff." (Part 2, Chpt 3, pg 325)

I love a good mystery and The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins is probably one of the most famous of what might be classified as the classic-mystery. Published in mid-19th century, The Moonstone is one of the earliest novels that depicts a police detective working to solve a crime. (Yes, it predates even the world-renowned Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.) In fact, this novel has led many readers to call Wilkie Collins the father of the modern detective story. Although there is some dispute amongst Edgar Allen Poe fans.

The Plot:
"Rachel Verinder, a young Englishwoman, inherits a large Indian diamond on her eighteenth birthday. It is a legacy from her uncle, a corrupt English army officer who served in India. The diamond is of great religious significance as well as being extremely valuable, and three Hindu priests have dedicated their lives to recovering it.... Rachel's eighteenth birthday is celebrated with a large party, whose guests include her cousin Franklin Blake. She wears the Moonstone on her dress that evening for all to see, including some Indian jugglers who have called at the house. Later that night, the diamond is stolen from Rachel's bedroom, and a period of turmoil, unhappiness, misunderstandings and ill-luck ensues. Told by a series of narratives from some of the main characters, the complex plot traces the subsequent efforts to explain the theft, identify the thief, trace the stone and recover it." (Summary courtesy of Wikipedia.)

My Thoughts:
I was thrilled to finally get the chance to read The Moonstone. Years ago my book club read The Woman In White, an earlier novel by Collins, and I really enjoyed it, so when it was suggested as our next book during one of our meetings last fall I had nothing but the highest expectations. I am happy to report I was not disappointed. The Moonstone is a clever and witty tale of human interest, sensational thrill, romance, and social criticism. It keeps the reader (myself included) turning page after page to the very end.

And it was no different 143 years ago when the story first appeared in English newspapers. Although it is now available in complete form, when Collins wrote the story it was published in serial form from January to August of 1868. It is said that readers lined the streets awaiting the final installments and that bets were even made as to the outcome of the story plot. (Remind you of how people are today awaiting the latest installment in a popular fiction series or television show? I suppose some things never change.)

Some critics have called The Moonstone a "sensationalist" and "moralistic" novel because of the extreme elements contained within and the somewhat obvious plot. But I do not consider this a reason to avoid reading it. Yes, I did suspect certain turn of events and perhaps some of the story was obvious, but overall it was the journey, the how and why that was exciting for me to read. Yes, the bad end badly and the good end well, but there is more to the story than that. Collins used this riveting tale to shed light and draw attention to some serious issues of his time. Even now, nearly a century and a half later readers will read and give pause to think about issues they might not otherwise have stopped to consider outside a history textbook.

The Moonstone goes down as one of my all-time favorite classics. And in my opinion, if you have the opportunity to read just one classic this year you might do a lot worse than to read The Moonstone.

----------------
Related Links:

Tuesday Teaser: The Moonstone
A House to Let by Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Wilkie Collins (reviewed)

Project Gutenberg: The Moonstone (E-Book)
Librivox: The Moonstone (Audio Book)
Wilkie Collins - Information Page
Wilike Collins: The Moonstone - Information Page

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

418 pages
Published in 2010
by Dial Press a trademark of
The Random House Publishing Group
New York, NY

Mini Shopaholic is the sixth in a series of chick-lit/romantic-comedy-of-errors novels by British author, Sophie Kinsella.

The Plot:
"Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true a shopping friend for life! But it's trickier than she thought as two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping. She can create havoc everywhere from Harrods to Harvey Nicks to her own christening. She hires taxis at random, her favourite word is Mine, and she's even started bidding for designer bags on eBay. On top of everything else, there s a big financial crisis. People are having to Cut Back including all of Becky's personal shopping clients and she and Luke are still living with Becky's Mum and Dad. To cheer everyone up, Becky decides to throw a surprise birthday party on a budget but then things become really complicated. Who will end up on the naughty step, who will get a gold star and will Becky's secret wishes come true?" (Summary courtesy of Sophie Kinsella's website.)

My Thoughts:
I've said it before, I'll say it again. When it comes to reading I view books like one might view food. Some books are the appetizer, others are the entree, and still others are like a dessert. One cannot have a healthy diet if all you eat is why type of food, there must be balance. And so it is with reading. I try to balance out my reading by partaking in some classics, some biographies and non-fiction, and even some light-fluffy chick-lit from time to time.

The Shopaholic series is one such chick-lit that I've surprised myself by liking. When I first came upon the series in 2008 I had mixed feelings. I found Becky's story very funny and compelling and yet some of the choices she made really stressed me out. I know this is how a lot of readers feel, but unlike those who ditched Becky half-way through her first catastrophe I actually stuck it out. In some odd twist of irony I actually found myself interested. I had to know what happened next. And after the first book I picked up the second. It didn't take long before I discovered a pattern within the novels:

1. The story opens and we see Becky has a situation.
2. Becky tries to fix things, but gets into a mess.
3. Becky gets further into the mess.
4. When all else fails suddenly she's able to come out of the mess and everything works out just fine.
5. Happy ending promising the next installment.

Not to say this pattern should be interpreted to mean the Shopaholic series are brainless works of fiction because they are not, but neither are they meaty works of literature. Overall I've found them to be entertaining. A mix of modern comedy, romance, and lessons learned. The fun of the story is all in contained within Becky's latest adventure... so long as you can put up with all the drama.

I do have some objections to some aspects of these novels, but considering the world-view of the characters (and the author) nothing is a surprise. Readers should be wary that since this is a British novel there is a smattering of profanity that is a bit stronger than most American novels of the same genre. There are some other adult-content references within the story, but for the most part the story remains clean.

All in all, if you've read any of the Shopaholic series (or seen the 2009 film adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic) and enjoyed them and especially if you've made it as far as the fifth book (Shopaholic and Baby) you really must read Kinsella's latest, Mini Shopaholic.

For those of you who have tried to read, but given up on Becky, I'll just say don't bother I know you won't enjoy it.

And for those who have already read Mini Shopaholic, you probably already know that it isn't the end of Becky's story. I suspect in a year (or two) there will be a seventh addition to the series, which I confess I plan to read.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Reviews of Sophie Kinsella's books & Related Links:

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Can You Keep A Secret by Sophie Kinsella
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

The Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella: (read in 2008 prior to this blog)
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
Shopaholic Ties the Knot
Shopaholic And Sister
Shopaholic and Baby

Other chick-lit novels I've read and reviewed.

Books to Movies: Mr. Popper's Penguins

Perhaps I'm behind the times, but I just learned this morning that Jim Carrey will be starring in a 2011 adaptation of Richard and Florence Atwater's children's book: Mr. Popper's Penguins.

I am not yet certain if this is good or bad news for the book. Mainly because I have mixed feelings about the movies Mr. Carrey stars in. Some are surprisingly good and far too many (especially those from the 1990s) are too crass for my liking. I can see Mr. Popper's Penguins (the movie) going one of two ways -- either it'll be cute and charming and a fun family film.... or the original story will be destroyed by a run of crude jokes and crass humor. Guess we'll have to wait until June to see.

In the meantime, check out my review of the book: Mr. Popper's Penguins which I re-read and reviewed in April 2009. If you haven't read this book, be sure to do so before you watch the movie.

Tuesday Teaser: Mrs. Tim Flies Home

"'Books are meant to be read. They like being read,' says my visitor seriously. 'I always feel sorry for books that are too valuable to be read -- books with uncut pages. I'm sure they would rather be just ordinary so that ordinary people could read them.'"

- Mrs. Tim Flies Home by D. E. Stevenson, Saturday, July 21. Pg 136-137