Book: A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

Emily gave me a handful of books for Christmas, including A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. This is the second Hornby book I have read, and you can read my less-than-excited thoughts on High Fidelity here. I enjoyed A Long Way Down more than High Fidelity, and found it thoroughly entertaining, given the subject matter.

Each of four very different characters narrates their own chapters, and are all written in a first person POV with very different writing personalities.  The characters meet on New Year's Eve on the ledge of a building that is commonly used for suicide, all preparing to take their lives for one reason or another.  Some of them actually have pretty valid excuses for wanting to end it all, but for some it seems like their reasoning is immature.  Basically, this group of people manage NOT to kill themselves, and become a strange group of friends. Well, friends isn't really the right word because they don't seem to be able to stand each other.  But they have this one secret in common, so the lean on each other to get through.

I loved how Hornby wrote each person so differently. You've got a washed up TV personality amid a sex scandal whose family has abandoned him.  He is intelligent but irritated easily.  Next up, you have a woman who is dealing with a son that is basically a vegetable and she has never had the opportunity to have a real life.  She is very shy in her story-telling and she puts in **** instead of writing out when other characters swear.  And then you have the American 20-something that is depressed after his band fell apart.  I can tell the author had an American read his chapters to make sure he didn't say anything to English. And, last but not least (well, kind of least because she is ANNOYING), you have a teenage girl who is ready to jump off a building because a boy she likes won't tell her why he doesn't want to see her anymore (at least that is what we think in the beginning).  Her narration is extremely irritating but that is due to her personality being almost unbearable. :)

Given the fact that the whole story revolves around four suicidal people, Nich Hornby is great at finding humor in the situation.  I laughed out loud during my reading of the book and found the story to be refreshingly different from anything else I have read.

Coming soon: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

I read Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater a few months ago and am anxiously awaiting the second book in the series, Linger.

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Comes out in stores everywhere July 20th. Pre-order here.

Enter to win an advanced review copies of LINGER, Sisters Red, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Replacement on Maggie's blog.

I feel like I am waiting on SO many books to come out in the next year or so. Mainly books that continue certain series I am reading. Are you waiting on any books?

Book 3 in The Hunger Games trilogy: Mockingjay

So it was finally announced that the third and final book in The Hunger Games series will be appropriately entitled Mockingjay. I am anxiously awaiting the release of this book as the series is a new favorite of mine. I keep recommending it to everyone I know who reads. So go read it!

The first two books in the series by Suzanne Collins are The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. Mockingjay will be released on August 24, 2010 via Scholastic Press.

My favorite books of 2009

I was a busy reader this last year, especially during the three months I spent in India. It helped me not to feel so homesick.  So here are some books I read this year that I really loved or that just stuck with me.

 

The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
I've been busy reading a lot of Twilight for the last year and a half, but I realized recently that there are some really great young adult books out there. I am a fan of Harry Potter, too, and when a friend recommended The Hunger Games, I gave it a try.  And it sucked me in immediately.  It was The Road meets teen romance meets Gladiator or something.  I can't even explain it and I don't like to tell people the plot before they read it. I went into it completely blind as to what it was about and that made for more of a surprise while reading it.  Catching Fire is the second in the series. The third and final book is due out in August of this year. I. Can't. Wait. Probably my favorite I read this year.

 
 

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
In continuing the theme of young adult series, I picked up The Mortal Instruments when a friend recommended it.  I didn't get into it as quickly. In fact, for the first couple of chapters I thought I was going to quit.  It is a world with angels, demons, vampires, werewolves, and just about anything else you can imagine.  The characters take some time before you like them much, but I was completely sucked into the story and read all three rather large books over the course of a couple of weeks. I was under the impression there were only 3 books, but apparently a fourth is in the works: City of Broken Glass.  Again: can't wait!

Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer
I saw this one in all the English-language bookstores in Mumbai so I picked it up.  It was heavily promoted because it was about a climber attempting to summit Mount Everest back before anyone had ever done it.  It's based on the true story of George Mallory, using his family's stories and his own diaries.  It was a great story, and very tragic. For some reason it stuck with me. Then,  when I went to Darjeeling, I went to the Himalayan Climbing Museum and there were photos of him and some of his gear and things there. It was so random because I had just read the book.  Anyway, I really thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Outcast by Sadie Jones
 I reviewed it here.  The story just broke my heart.  It was a tad slow in parts, but a pretty easy read.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
So apparently I like very sad books.  This one was written by the author of The Kite Runner, so I knew to expect something hard to read.  And while I found The Kite Runner very sad, I sat and cried in multiple different places while reading A Thousand Splendid Suns.  This book focuses on the lives of women in Afghanistan.  It's a hard subject to broach, and one should be warned it isn't an easy story to read. But very well-written and emotive.

1984 by George Orwell
I reviewed it here. I had never read it before and was surprised at how quickly I got into it.

OK, so clearly I didn't get around to reviewing ALL the books I read last year.  But I read a lot! I love to read, but I read a lot even for me this last year.  Maybe 30 or so books? I'll try to keep track of them this year.

Book: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Today, I finally finished Dragonfly in Amber, the second book in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (my thoughts on Outlander here). It took me ages because I checked it out from the library and then ran out of time, and had to turn it back in. Then I had to put another hold on it and wait another week for it to come back to me. Compared to Outlander, this one was a little slow going, especially the political parts in the first half. But once it got going I was really into it.

We left off at the end of Outlander (SPOILER ALERT) with Jamie & Claire headed to France. So I was surprised when Dragonfly in Amber started with Claire 20 years older, back in her original time (20th century) with a red-headed daughter. Well, that was tragic, but we got several hundred pages of flashback of what happened between their arrival in France in the 1740s and how she ended up heading back to the future.

I know it sounds confusing but it was actually quite interesting. And knowing she had left the 18th century but not knowing why, the reader is compelled through some of the slower parts of the story to get to the part where we find out! And as I finished the book, I wanted to pick up the next one.

Now I am starting The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. After that I am reading the first book in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Once I finish both of those, I will be digging into Voyager, the third book in Gabaldon's series.

Book Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

A couple of months ago, I was getting a mani/pedi back in Texas and my nail lady (who is also a close family friend) insisted I take her copy of Outlander back to California with me to read. I constantly have a stack of books to read and it was kind of low on the list. But I decided I needed to read it so that I could give back to her on my next trip back to see my fam.

The basic story is that Claire is an English WWII nurse reunited post-war with her husband after six years apart. They visit Scotland on a trip together, where, after visiting an odd circle of stones connected with the Druids, she finds herself in the 18th century Scottish highlands. I don't want to give too much away, but some interesting things take place.

It sounds pretty cheesy, I know. But the writing really is not very cheesy. While this could have easily gone the "romance novel" route, it didn't. It stayed steeped in the history of the time and I was sucked right in. Granted, the romance aspect is there, and is important to the story, but I never felt at any point that if I looked on the front cover of the book, I might find a Fabio-look-a-like staring back at me. At first, I didn't realize it, but the book was almost 900 pages long. So it too me over a week to finish, even though I got sucked in rather quickly.

As my nail lady said, "It has something for everyone. It has action. It has history. It has romance. It has time-travel."

The good news/bad news is that there are like 6 books in this series (so far, and one more about to be released) and I am sucked in. So I am already about 1/3/ of the way through the second book Dragonfly in Amber.

Anyone else read this one?

Book review: Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay

When I was in London last spring, I picked up Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay. The book releases in the US next month, so I felt all kinds of special for reading it before the rest of the country.

Dexter by Design is the fourth book in the Dexter series by Lindsay. It picks up during Dexter & Rita's honeymoon in Paris. I'll be honest. I didn't love Dexter inthe Dark (the third book in the series). But thank goodness, the Dark Passenger has broken his silence and Dex is anxious to make another kill. The opportunity presents itself quickly after his sister Deb is stabbed by a suspect. So Dexter takes hasty action and deals with the problem. Only to discover he killed the wrong guy. An innocent guy.

The story then follows Dexter as he works to deal with a certain amount of guilt (although, believing he is incapable of guilt, he can't quite admit that), as well as finding the real killer, hoping that Deb wakes from her stab-induced coma, being found out, and being a newlywed. He has lots of balls in the air.

On top of all that, if you ever hoped to envision Dexter as a green leisure suit-wearing missionary, you will get your wish.

I really enjoyed this installment in the series and I think, after Darkly Dreaming Dexter (book 1) this is my favorite. Emily and I have discussed certain plot holes that we have decided to ignore as the book itself is quite enjoyable. If you have read the previous books, check this one out, too!

Pre-order the book here!

Book: A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth

I just finished reading A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love & Faith in Stages, an autobiography by the funny and uber-talented Kristin Chenoweth. I already loved Kristen and reading her book jut made me love her even more (who knew that was possible?).

The book covers her life up until this point, including her adoption, how she came to be interested in music and acting, climbing the ladder of success, her relationships, her faith, and her failures. She is completely unapologetic for who she is and what she thinks and believes. I have a new-found respect for her.

But really this book is just a really funny read. Kristin unsurprisingly (and with the help of writer Joni Rodgers) is quite comedic. I laughed out loud while reading. I don't usually read a lot of biographies, but I found this held my attention. She wrote it during the run of Pushing Daisies and before it was cancelled (sniff...), but there really is something interesting to hearing about her personal experiences on stuff like Pushing Daisies, Wicked, and films.

I am not sure how much of my enjoyment of the book was because I relate to her about many things, especially her faith. And my guess is someone who doesn't share her beliefs may not enjoy all the details she discusses about religion and Christianity. But like I said, completely unapologetic for it, and that is a rarity in Hollywood and on Broadway.

If this sounds like something you MIGHT enjoy, then definitely pick it up and give it a try.

Movie: The Time Traveler's Wife Trailer

The trailer for The Time Traveler's Wife has finally been released. I have been so concerned about how they were going to pull this off. The book is amazing but I couldn't see how they could translate it to screen. The trailer looks pretty good, but I say it is still difficult to tell. What do you think?

Casting News

Here is some casting news to be happy about:

Neil Patrick Harris scored not one, but two movie roles, announced today. The first is called The Best and the Brightest, an indie comedy. The second is Beastly (a book which I did not particularly care for) and Harris is cast in one of the few roles that I enjoyed in the book. He will play a blind tutor that can't see how "beastly" Kyle has become, and accepts him. I am glad to see NPH getting some work, since I adore him as Barney on How I Met Your Mother and he was AWESOME on the Tony Awards. In fact, there is already speculation that he might host the Emmys this year, as well!




Katee Sackhoff might be dragging me back to 24 after I had given it up for good. I so adore her from Battlestar Galactica that I might have to return to the drama to check her out, now that she has been cast as a regular for the upcoming season.

Books: Several reviews/Thoughts

I have read a TON of books without a single review, so I am putting a few quick thoughts down here for posting.


The Outcast is the first novel from Sadie Jones. It is a story about a boy named Lewis living in post-WWII England whose mother dies when he is young. As a result of the complete lack of emotional support from a single adult in his life after her death, Lewis becomes emotionally disturbed. As he gets older turns to drinking and violence and is pretty much rejected by his family and friends, eventually landing himself in prison for a couple of years in his late teens. The only person that sees Lewis for who he really is is Kit, a girl who is several years younger. She thinks of Lewis as her hero and loves him from afar for many years.

The reader spends most of the time reading being frustrated with the people that interact with Lewis and that they are incapable of helping him through his emotional difficulties. In addition, you will be waiting for Lewis to get a break. I found it very compelling and a quick read. Lewis and Kit are likable despite their faults, like the bad is happening around them and to them, but they are not bad themselves. It was a heartbreaking story, but an enjoyable read nonetheless.


John Grisham's The Associate was just released in February and I got it for 3 bucks at the Indian bookstore, so I gave it a shot. There was a time I read everything Grisham wrote, but it has been a few years now since I lost that habit. I am glad Grisham has returned to the legal thrillers, but I found The Associate to be just so-so. It is the story of a law student just before graduation who gets blackmailed into taking a job at a huge firm and stealing information for his blackmailers. I don't know if it just felt anti-climactic (or perhaps there just wasn't the right build up to the climax), but I found myself saying "eh" about it. Not bad. Not great.


The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne caught my attention at the bookstore after I watched the trailer for it online. It is told through the eyes of a young boy in Germany. It is eventually revealed, while the boy doesn't understand anything that is going on, that his father is a Nazi officer, put in charge of a prison camp (Auschwitz). The boy makes friends with another boy on the other side of the other fence who wears "striped pyjamas."

This story was really sad and I hated seeing it through the eyes of a young child like that. It was a really quick read (read it on a train ride in a few hours), but I easily predicted where the story was heading, just based on the tone. It was certainly not a feel good book. Just a warning...


The highly acclaimed book High Fidelity by Nick Hornby was also a quick read. There are certainly funny parts. But I didn't find any of the characters to be very sympathy-enducing. Rob's co-workers, girlfriends, even Rob himself are all a little unlikable. Now, that makes it a little more real and gritty than your typical "love story" novel. But I also found it frustrating. I would be interested to read something else by Hornby and see how I feel.


Beastly by Alex Flynn is a reimagining of the old Beauty and the Beast story, set in current times. Unfortunately, the cheese level was incredibly high. Kyle mentions so many times how good-looking he was before he was cursed and made into a beast that he grossed me out. A movie is being made of this. Let's hope it is better than the book. I would say pass unless you are 15 years old.

1984, George Orwell

I read a LOT of books in high school. I was in AP English and I think we read one per week. Somehow, I didn't read 1984. Every now and then I get the urge to read a book I missed back then, to see if it lives up to the hype it is given. Sometimes they disappoint on the "entertaining" scale, even if they prove to be thought-provoking but that isn't the case with 1984.

I was surprised how quickly I was invested in the story of a futuristic dystopian society. This novel makes the reader wonder how society got to the point that they would allow their every waking moment to be captured by camera, to be viewed by authorities, to allow their thoughts to be censored. It is certainly pertinent in current times as we deal with things such as the Patriot Act. This is certainly a bit extreme of that, but it makes sense that people fear something like that happening.

I felt a lack of hope in reading this story similar to the feeling I had when reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road. There was a little more hope as anyone reading this novel would expect each individual to have an internal struggle with such circumstances that would thus lead to an eventual uprising. Of course Orwell explains why that would be so unlikely.

Now that i Have given this the badge of hopelessness, I am sure everyone will be inspired to read it. But if this is one you managed to miss in high school or college, consider reading it now. It is especially interesting and captivating.

Book: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

Curtis Sittenfeld had a pretty good year with the popular and critical acclaim of American Wife. I read it and haven't posted about it yet (but I will get to it eventually). In the meantime, I have now read her earlier book Prep, set in a New England boarding school. Sittenfeld certainly attacks different subject matter in these two books. Here is what I though of Prep.

The basic story is this: Lee Fiora is a Midwestern, lower middle-class girl who decides one day she wants to go to boarding school. She works to get scholarships and gets accepted to a prestigious school in the northwest called Ault. But when she arrives at Ault for her freshman year of high school, she finds that the glamorous boarding school life she imagined and reality are two very different things. She closes herself off, struggles to make friends, do well in school, attract the boy she likes, and generally fit in.

I read this book in just a few days and I think I was sucked into the whole "boarding school" concept immediately. Reading it, I thought back to my college days because I went to a small private college with many similarities to Ault. It was easy to imagine and Sittenfeld writes very well. It isn't over-contemplative but is also not just all conversation without any thoughts.

The bad part was that I just wasn't feeling Lee. I was frustrated with her and I felt like she consistently sabotaged her own happiness and comfort. While I am sure those people exist, I couldn't relate very well to that part of her (I could, however, relate to her feeling like the outsider and not being the "popular" girl). Also, there wasn't a whole lot going on plot-wise. It was written out in sections, divided by school term (fall, winter, spring), and, if I hadn't been told that was how the time was advancing, I would never have realized it covered a full four years of someone's life.

I think American Wife was a better book, and probably just a better all around read. But Prep was a fun few hundred pages and not too shabby for Sittenfeld's first novel.

Upcoming movies I want to see

I've been off the grid for a bit and this poor blog has taken the worst of it. So I am working to get back to posting. And since I have lots of upcoming movies on the brain, I thought I would list a few I am really looking forward to.

1) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I've been waiting for the release of this one since I left the theater after watching Order of the Phoenix. The latest trailer looks UNBELIEVABLE!

2) X-Men Origins: Wolverine

I really enjoyed the X-Men movies, especially parts one and two. I also really like Hugh Jackman. But I was really excited about some of the other casting on this one, too. Especially Taylor Kitsch as Gambit. I think he is about to blow up huge.

3) Public Enemies

Christian Bale & Johnny Depp. Do I need to say anything more? But I will. I also love the subject matter (John Dillinger and bank robberies and tommy guns...) and time period.

4) Terminator Salvation
Watch the trailer here. More Christian Bale. And I love the Terminator franchise. Looking forward to seeing where they go with this one.

5) Star Trek
Watch the trailer here. I don't even watch Star Trek and have never been interested in it one iota. But JJ Abrams has done what he set out to do, and that is to appeal to a whole new group of potential fans with his new interpretation.

6) 500 Days of Summer

How cute does this one look? I really like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.

7) The Hangover
Watch the trailer here. First, the reason this attracted me was Will Tippin, I mean Bradley Cooper. And, as usual, he is playing kind of the sleazy guy, but I am glad to see he is playing a main character. But this trailer actually really cracks me up. The tooth, the tiger, the baby.

8) Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Watch the trailer here. I have been sucked into the Shia LeBeouf hype and really like him. Plus, I enjoyed the first film, so I'll give this one a chance.

9) Away We Go

When I first heard of this, before the trailer, I thought it would be much goofier. Instead it is just a quirky, sweet-looking little thing. I can't wait to see this one. Looks entertaining.

10) Land of the Lost
Watch the trailer here. I have seen a fair bit of this because Sean was working on it and the parts I have seen are really funny. Will Ferrel almost always cracks me up. Plus, I must support my man's work!

Movies I am maybe excited to see (can't decide):
1 & 2) I want to be able to say I am looking forward to the release of The Time Traveler's Wife and My Sister's Keeper, two of my favorite books of all time, but I am concerned about the film adaptation in both cases. Therefore, I am hesitant to put any hope into them. I'm sure I will see them both anyway.


3) The Soloist - I adore Robert Downey, Jr. and really love Joe Wright, who is directing. I just am not sure this movie actually appeals to me. I don't love Jamie Foxx. Maybe I'll just rent it unless it gets rave reviews or something.


And while I really like to support my husband and his work (I did see Alvin and the Chipmunks in the theater, and plan to see Land of the Lost), I am not sure I'll be seeing They Came From Upstairs. I'm sure we'll see it eventually but I am just not sure I can sit through it. I am not the target audience here.


Well, my list of movies to see this summer is huge! There are a few others that caught my eye but didn't quite make the list. I better start saving money now or plan on going to the 11 am shows for a discount...

Some Random Thoughts

First off, I leave today to go out of the country. I am excited and terrified. I am not sure how it will affect my blog-posting. I'll let you know once I get there and find out what kind of internet connection I have.

Next up, East of Eden. Hollywood has decided to do another remake. For starters, let me say that East of Eden is one of my favorite all-time books. I know most people prefer Steinbeck's bleak Grapes of Wrath, but pitiful Cal wins my affection every time. The story is heartbreaking, and I guess I just can't resist it. But is a remake necessary? Will they ruin it? Can someone possibly step into the shoes of James Dean as Cal? The person writing the screenplay (Christopher Hampton) is the same guy that adapted Atonement, so there is a check in the "positives" column. And having read the book, there is a lot more that could be put into a movie nowadays that would have been censored out in the 1950's. We'll have to see. I will await casting before I cast any further judgment.

Speaking of remakes, there will now be a remake of The Karate Kid. Ugh... Jackie Chan will be Mr. Miyagi. I probably could have called that. But why oh why does Jaden Smith have to play the title character? And does it seem to anyone else that this all just seems like a bad (and annoying) idea?

Arrested Development, The Movie is put on hold, again. It seems the writers want to wait and see if they can get Michael Cera to sign on before they write the screenplay. I say, pay him what he wants because the Bluth family isn't complete without our sweet innocent George Michael.

I just got the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. It is great so far. More to come on that later!

Book: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

I'd never read anything by David Sedaris but his books of kooky memoirs had been recommended to me several times. I picked up Me Talk Pretty One Day at the library on a whim and flew right through it. To call it amusing is an understatement. It is no wonder Sedaris felt the need to write multiple books about his life. The things that have happened to him are so ridiculous that one wonders if he made some of them up. But the knowledge that they did indeed happen just makes the book all the more enjoyable.

Me Talk Pretty One Day tells stories mainly about the author growing up in an strange (to say the least) family, working odd jobs here and there, and acclimating to a new place and new language after relocating to France. While in and of themselves these things aren't entertaining, Sedaris' story-telling makes for great laughs. I read full chapters to my husband while lying in bed, both of us laughing ourselves to tears.

I can't really think of what else to say about this book. If you like funny and bizarre, check it out.

Movie: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

I don't think I have babbled on much about Paul Newman on this blog. I love him. LOVE him. I was sad when he passed away this year, but not too sad as he lived a long and fulfilling life, was known for being a family man, and was an amazing actor. My mom bought me a collection of Tennessee Williams plays (he is one of my favorite playwrights) for Christmas. This jogged my memory that I really enjoyed Cat on a Hot Tin Roof when I watched it a while back, so I picked it up at the library to give it a good re-watching. Newman and Liz Taylor are breathtakingly gorgeous and the story itself breaks my heart. Let's review:

Brick (Paul Newman) and his wife Maggie (Elizabeth Taylor) are home at Brick's parents house, awaiting health news of his father (Big Daddy, played by Burl Ives) and preparing to celebrate his 65th birthday that evening. We soon discover that Brick and Maggie have a cold and unloving relationship. She is manipulative and he is an alcoholic. Through the course of the evening, it is revealed that Big Daddy is dying of cancer. Much time is spent arguing between Maggie and sister-in-law Mae about who will inherit the thousands of acres of successful cotton farm and the $10 million that Big Daddy is worth. In the meantime, Big Daddy and Brick have it out about why he is an alcoholic and why he won't sleep with his wife Maggie. Amazingly, all problems are resolved through a good bit of yelling and crying.

Brick - Apparently, Paul Newman (and Liz Taylor) were on the brink of super-stardom at the time they shot this film. This film was the vehicle that catapulted them both forward. It was a very mature role for Newman to be playing. He was amazing. His anger and bitterness and shame weren't enough to hide how beautiful he is to look at, but it was enough to believe it anyway.

Maggie - This kind of acting doesn't really exist anymore. Women don't do this over the top Southern thing like they used to (see Vivien Leigh...), but at the time it was considered top notch acting. And I am pretty sure Elizabeth Taylor nailed it (but I can't properly judge since I don't see it enough to know). Even though she is rather manipulative, both with Brick and with Big Daddy (for his money), you just feel sorry for her. She has a horrible marriage, she is poor and lonely.

I discovered after this second viewing that Tennessee Williams was very unhappy with this production and that it veered wildly from the original play (some parts were censored, and some just changed). So I sat down with my new book to see the difference. I have to say it was quite different. In the movie, Brick blames himself for the death of a close friend, Skipper, who he incorrectly believes to have had an affair with Maggie. The truth comes out that she was faithful and Brick was able to realize he had taken out his grief on her, when he was really disgusted with himself for the suicide. Conversely, in the book, while Brick does blame himself for Skipper's death, there is a whole gay layer to the relationship. It is quite clear that Skipper was in love with Brick, so he does sleep with Maggie to prove he is not in love with Brick. When this doesn't work, he kills himself. The question is whether Brick felt the same, and it seems he did but wouldn't admit it.

In the movie, things are tied up nice and neat. Brick lets Big Daddy have it by telling him he never loved any of his children or his wife. So Big Daddy acts nice to everyone, like he learned his lesson. Big Daddy asks alcoholic Brick if he wants and drink, and he says no. Maggie lies to the family and says she is pregnant (which can not be since they sleep separately), so Brick decides he is done with the deceit and moves to the bed, where things are all patched up. It was a nice ending, but certainly not how Williams wrote it. He wrote stuff that was more real and human than that.

The play ends with more manipulating, lying and deceiving. Big Daddy isn't any nicer to anyone, Maggie seduces Brick, but mainly because he is so pumped full of alcohol he doesn't have a choice.

OK I am clearly analyzing this stuff a lot. But I just spent 3 days watching the movie and reading the book. I am kind of saturated with it. If you don't mind (or care) that the movie deviates so much from the play, then watch it. The acting is great (some of the characters are extremely annoying: Mae, Big Mama, the children, but that is how they are written). Did I mention that Paul Newman is gorgeous??

Book: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Reading books that take place in India is certainly giving me some insight. However, I am not sure The White Tiger, while entertaining and educating, does much to prepare me for my trip. The reason is that it is about the castes, from which the poor can't really escape. It is a very interesting commentary on what it takes for a servant from a very poor family to rise up and find financial success and freedom.

The White Tiger (aka Balram Halwai) is so named because he is the type that comes along once in a lifetime. His story is presented via letters he writes to the President of China over the course of a week. He writes these letters to prepare the president for a trip to India, and to tell him how things really are.

Balram is a driver for a wealthy businessman, whose main job is bribing city and country officials. He reveals early in his letters that he is currently a successful Indian entrepreneur and that he progressed so far through committing murder and theft. The reader waits through the story to find out how the murder comes to be, and what steps lead Balram to such an act. He points out that the caste system is what he calls a Rooster Coop, meaning that the roosters could easily fly away instead of being killed, but they just stand and wait their turn. And the Indian servants just take all the poor treatment, poor pay, and complete disrespect without a word. Balram is so different from others because he decides not to settle for the status quo.

Unfortunately, I don't feel like Adiga made Balram very appealing as a protagonist. And his boss Ashok is not so horrible as the antagonist (aside from one really horrible thing he does to Balram). So I didn't necessarily find myself rooting for Balram. But the story is more just a commentary on the status of India, the caste system, the mistreatment of people, the corruption of the government, etc. And it was really interesting to read.

From reading other reviews, I am not sure I loved this as much as other readers did. Maybe I am not the target audience. But it was an enjoyable read, nonetheless.

Time Top 10 Lists

Time Magazine announced its Top Ten Everything of 2008 lists this week. Several of the books, movies, TV, people, etc. are things I have discussed or want to discuss, so I thought I would write a post about it.

TV Episodes:
1) Lost, "The Constant"
2) The Shield, "Family Meeting"
3) The Wire, "Late Editions"
4) In Treatment, "Alex - Week Eight"
5) Breaking Bad, "Pilot"
6) Battlestar Galactica, "Revelations"
7) The Colbert Report, Jan. 22 Episode
8) 30 Rock, "Cooter"
9) Mad Men, "A Night to Remember"
10) You Suck at Photoshop, "Distort, Warp, and Layer Effects"

I decided to write this post upon seeing number one on the TV episodes list. And it was the first item in the first list I looked at. But I was so excited to see "The Constant" on there. It is my favorite episode of the season as well, and my favorite episode of Lost to date. It really made me think, it involved a love story, it was shocking. It was everything I needed to be entertained. Plus, I love me some Desmond.

I'm also happy to see BSG getting some more attention. While the Emmys seem completely blind to the amazingness that is Battlestar Galactica, the rest of the world has taken notice. This show deserves all the credit it gets, and more. And this episode was shocking and tragic. And left us all wondering, "What now?"

I only sort of regret giving up Mad Men halfway through the first season, based on all the hype it continually gets. Maybe I will watch it on DVD some time. In the meantime, my new TV addiction is 30 Rock, and while I haven't seen "Cooter," I think I will carve out sometime to do so, since it is on this list.

TV Series:
1) The Shield
2) Mad Men
3) The Presidential Election
4) Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
5) The Wire
6) Breaking Bad
7) Lost
8) Battlestar Galactica
9) Architecture School
10) Chuck

Based on the TV Episodes list, I was not surprised to find Lost and Battlestar Galactica on the TV Shows list. Yea! But I was surprised by a couple of other goodies: Dr. Horrible and Chuck! Two of my current faves. Dr. Horrible has done amazingly well, especially given that it is really a web series and not a TV show. And Joss Whedon knows how to create something out of dire circumstances (since the web series was created and executed during the WGA strike). Chuck has been so great this season, and while it may not be getting the viewership it deserves, I am relieved to see it is at least getting some critical praise.

Songs:
1) Kanye West, Love Lockdown
2) Pink, So What
3) Ida Maria, Oh My God
4) Lil Wayne, A Milli
5) Fleet Foxes, White Winter Hymnal
6) Jonas Brothers, Burnin' Up
7) Beyonce, Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)
8) MGMT, Time to Pretend
9) Duffy, Rockferry
10) Gnarls Barkley, Going On

I can't listen to "Single Ladies" without thinking of those 3 guys dancing to it on SNL. (Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh) But it made it memorable to me and now I kind of enjoy it. Sometimes I tell Sean that if he likes it he should have put a ring on it. He doesn't like it anymore...

I don't like Lil Wayne and haven't heard of a couple of these, but I am glad to see the Jonas Brothers, MGMT and Pink getting a shout out.

Fiction Books:
1) 2666, Roberto Bolano
2) Lush Life, Richard Price
3) American Wife, Curtis Sittenfeld
4) Anathem, Neal Stephenson
5) Unaccustomed Earth, Jhumpa Lahiri
6) Personal Days, Ed Park
7) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
8) When Will There Be Good News?, Kate Atkinson
9) The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman
10) The Widows of Eastwick, John Updike

I've not read one of these books. But I have had American Wife sitting by my bed for months and hadn't thought anything of it. Now I feel motivated to read it. This list also interested me in The Graveyard Book and When Will There Be Good News? And if I decided to read Anathem, I won't order from Tower.com like Stella.

Movies:
1) WALL-E
2) Synecdoche, New York
3) My Winnipeg
4) 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
5) Milk
6) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7) Slumdog Millionaire
8) Iron Man
9) Speed Racer
10) Encounters at the End of the World

Is anyone else confused at seeing Speed Racer on this list? Didn't it pretty much get panned by critics and bomb at the box office? I don't know if I would call that the future of cinema. I am not surprised, however, at Iron Man and WALL-E making the list, and am ecstatic at seeing Slumdog MIllionaire continue to get attention. Go see Slumdog Millionaire!!

Best Performances:
1) Kate Winslet, Hannah Schmidtz, The Reader
2) Viola Davis, Mrs. Muller, Doubt
3) Dakota Fanning, Lily Owens, The Secret Life of Bees
4) Kimberly Rivers Roberts, Herself, Trouble the Water
5) Angelina Jolie, Fox, Wanted
1) Heath Ledger, The Joker, The Dark Knight
2) Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jean-Claude Van Damme, JCVD
3) Vlad Ivanov, Mr. Bebe, 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
4) Brandon Walters, Nullah, Australia
5) Ben Burtt, WALL-E, WALL-E

When I heard Dakota Fanning would play Lily in The Secret Life of Bees, I was concerned. She is an excellent actress, but this was a more mature part than I had seen her play. I haven't caught the film yet myself, but looks like she did a great job. I teared up at one part just in the trailer.

Heath Ledger gets a spot, of course, as it is deserved. His performance as The Joker was disturbing in various ways. I need to see The Dark Knight again and see if he is as creepy in it the second time around. I'm also intrigued to see Jean-Claude Van Damme take on a different type of role, playing an odd version of himself in JCVD.

Book: Are You Experienced? by William Sutcliffe

This is the first book I have chosen to read that is related to my India trip. My sister recommended it as a quick and fun read. Are You Experienced? is a novel about a young English guy named Dave who feels compelled (by a girl named Liz) to spend the summer before University traveling around India. He really doesn't want to go but Liz convinces him (mainly because he wants to spend time with her). So he commits to three months, and discovers early on that he and Liz pretty much hate each other. Liz gets sucked into the Indian culture (but she is rather pretentious about it, going about in saris and doing what is called "intimate yoga" to find her "centre"). Dave is very cynical and it leads to fighting between them. Eventually, they part ways and Dave is left to travel the country that he despises so much alone.

As an inexperienced traveler, Dave does not know how to handle certain situations (the beggars, the bargaining), and also makes poor decisions (such as eating bad food and getting so sick he gets emaciated). And ultimately he spends a full two months of travelling, trying to get the right "India experience" before he realizes he has been going about it the wrong way. Eventually, he stops avoiding the Indians and begins talking to them and asking about their lives. Basically, he figures out that his adventures won't be what he preconceived, and then he can enjoy himself.

When Dave finally returns home, a place he is desperately excited to get to, he almost immediately realizes that he would like to go back for another visit.

Now I need to discuss how this contributes to my thoughts and considerations for my upcoming trip to India. When Dave starts his trip, he only seems to be enjoying himself when he is stoned. That doesn't bode well, but I figured he would require some time to get over culture shock. He basically gets off the train in Bombay, smells the stench in the air, and hops back on a train to elsewhere. I have heard some pretty bad things about the smell of the air and the smog. I have a few scarves I plan to wear over my nose and mouth in the city. I'll just have to get used to that. The only meal Dave eats that has meat in it makes him terribly sick so he sticks to vegetarian dishes mostly. I like meat! But I can manage. I can't say I wouldn't like to lose a few pounds, but not from dysentery!

That is all the bad stuff, but I also am getting used to city and region names. This helps me to figure out places I want to visit while I am there. I know I want to use the Lonely Planet India guide as it seems to be The Book. Also, now I know not to sit on the back of any buses as I will be sore from bouncing around. In addition, I am now looking forward to the beauty of the country, both lakeside and mountainside. And I plan to let the traveling be as fun as the destinations!

Next on my India reading list: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.