Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Ten on Tuesday

A book themed Ten on Tuesday? Be still my heart! :)

1. Favorite book(s) when you were a child and why?
Early childhood - The Sorcerer's Apprentice. I loved it so much, I memorized it. No idea what my fascination was...

Chapter books - The Babysitter's Club. Dear God I wanted to be Mary Anne. That was the BSC member that I most connected with! I adored these books. I would have sleep overs with my best friend and we would seriously go to bed and read these books. Boy were we an exciting pair. I loved the Special Edition ones that were white and extra thick!

2. First “grown-up” book you remember reading (i.e. written for adolescents or with adult themes, such as The Outsiders or Catcher in the Rye).
Animal Farm. We read it in 6th grade. In hind sight, I think that was way too young of an age to read that book! I am sure most of the concepts went way over my head!

3. Favorite movie that came from a book (even if you didn’t read the book and just love the movie).
Hmm... I rarely like movies that are based on books since the book is so much better. The first one that comes to mind is Julie & Julia. I think Nora Ephron got this one right - and I am so glad Meryl Streep won a GG for her role! Such a great flick!

4. Movie that you loved so much that you WISHED there was a book out so that you could find out more about the movie.
You've Got Mail? I want to know what happens after they get together at the end! I just adore that movie. I want to be Meg Ryan. I want her store. I want her cute flat. I want my own Tom Hanks to come along and sweep me off my feet, first with the written word, then with the charming conversation. Ahh, it's swoon-worthy to think about. :)

5. Worst book you’ve ever read?
The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I hated this book. HATED it. What did Oprah see in it? I'm not a huge Oprah fan, but she usually picks decent books for her book club. Total miss on this one.

6. Book that everyone raves about that you either a) haven’t read and feel slightly dumb for not having read it or b) have tried to read and hated and so feel slightly dumb that everyone is getting something you don’t.
The Twilight series. I read the first 3 and wanted to get caught up in the frenzy, but I just wasn't hooked. I actually own the 4th one but haven't gotten around to reading it. The 3rd book pissed me off. And don't even get me started on the movies... not a fan.

7. If you were forced to choose only 3 books that you could read for the rest of your life, which ones would they be? (Or if you were stranded on a desert island, which 3 books would you want there with you?).
1. Tuesdays with Morrie - inspiring, lovely book!
2. Without Reservations - First travel memoir I read! Such a great book!
3. Crime and Punishment - I would pick this if I was on a desert island because then I would have the time to read this sucker. It is long!!

8. Name one book that if you could recommend that everyone you know read, what is it?
Tuesdays with Morrie. Everyone should read this. There is so much wisdom in this book - from love to parenting to life priorities. Such a gem.

9. What is your “guilty pleasure” reading?
Books by Sophie Kinsella. They are mindless reading but so entertaining!!

10. What book (excepting the Bible or other major document of your religion/faith) has changed your outlook on life the most?
I kind of feel like a broken record saying Tuesdays with Morrie again, so I am going to have to say "Lean Forward Into Your Life." It was the first book I reviewed (and my 2nd blog post!). I have lots of tabs in it - see?


It resides on the bookshelf next to my bed and I often go back & re-read those tabbed sections. It has beautiful poems and passages that remind me of the kind of love I am waiting for (like the passage I highlighted in my book review - go on, click here, and read it!)

But mostly, it has helped me deal with the various break-ups I have gone through. In one passage, the author, Mary Anne Radmacher, has this to say about relationships that don't work out:

"I often hear people speak of relationships at their conclusion as "failed." Simply because a thing does not last until its anticipated conclusion, that does not make it a failure. If a flower is crushed while still in bloom, it is not a failed flower. When a younger life is slashed off the planet by a knife or bullet, it doesn't mean that life failed in its presence on the planet. It is indeed a loss to those who remain, but it is not a failure. A relationship must be allowed its cycle and time. Not all comings together are forever even though we bind them to that in our societal vocabulary. The human being whose life is now lived far from my life and who name is not a part of my name has his own story. And his parting was less a failure than a learning."

See? Lots of wisdom is found in the pages of this book! I have a couple of blog posts written in my head that were inspired on this book! So go check it out!

You all know I am a book lover - so answer a few of these questions! I'd love to hear about the books that have captured your hearts!!

19 comments:

Nicole said...

Two books that I couldn't stand that became movies: Julie and Julia, and Cold Mountain. CM was just BORING as anything, so I didn't finish it. J&J just made me so mad that I didn't finish it either. Those are probably my two least favorite books.

Joey said...

Yay Books!
1) I liked Lloyd Alexander books (The Chronicles of Prydain) and The Phantom Tollbooth.
2) First grown up book...A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. But I should re-read it. I don't think I took as much out of it as I could have.
3) The Remains of the Day is an excellent movie and a wonderful book.
4) Love Actually...it would be nice to get to the know the characters more.
5) A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. I really didn't care for this. At all. I felt for the guy, but I just couldn't continue to read.

Becky said...

OMG The Babysitters Club.

Emily Jane said...

I loved the BSC!! Especially the mystery series - I remember being just terrified!! My favourite book-movie was Neil Gaiman's Stardust - favourite author, and finally a movie I could enjoy after reading the book! Doesn't happen very often!

Cherry Blossoms said...

I loved the babysitters series as well. In fact I was digging thru some of my childhood boxes and guess what I have?! The babysitters game and don't worry its sitting in my office closet. We may have to bust it out when you come and visit me! Oh too funny

Nora said...

I have to say that the 4th Twlight book is worth it. I know, I know, it sounds silly but really, it is. It makes up for book three being so long and kind of icky.

Couldn't agree more with you on the BSC Special White Editions. They rocked.

Book turned Movie? The Notebook. And yes, I did read the book but only after I saw the movie. The book was eh. The movie, well, it makes me sob each and every time.

Book I highly recommend? Girls' Guide to Hunting & Fishing. Have you read it? If not, you should. They did wind up making it into a movie (kind of, with Sarah Michelle Gellar & Alec Baldwin) but the book is pretty good. Or maybe it was the time in my life in which I read it. =)

Carolina John said...

i love books, but i only tend to read non-fiction. usually about my current obsession, whatever that may be. right now it's swimming, but i'm also reading Bill Bryson. Check out "a walk in the woods" or "a short history of absolutely everything" for a good read. also you might love David Sedaris. he's from Raleigh originally and his books are so quirky it really shows you the personality of the general population of who lives here.

Im' much more into movies, and you've got mail is in my top 10 all time favorites. also in there are When Harry Met Sally, Office Space, The Matrix, High Fidelity..... I still haven't seen Julie & Julia yet, and I can't believe it. I've wanted to for so long now it's nuts.

Jess said...

If you like Sophia Kinsella for her mindless entertainment, you should try Marian Keynes, if you haven't yet. She's just a fun writer, too. I enjoy all of her stuff!
Right with you on the BSC..though I wanted to be Stacey. She was just so cool. And from New York City!
I just finished reading Precious..talk about the most disturbing book, ever. But, I couldn't put it down, because I just needed to know what was going to happen. I'm sort of interested in seeing the movie.

Amber said...

LOVED the Babysitters Club. Omg that movie was on TV a few months ago and I watched it and it brought back SO MANY MEMORIES! I liked Claudia the best but I could totally see you as Mary-Anne.

I read Tuesdays with Morrie a long time ago and I do remember it being an excellent book (have you read the five people you meet in heaven by him? Also excellent) I will have to pick up Tuesdays with Morrie and read it again!

I love that quote at the end of this post SO MUCH, Lisa. It makes such good points. It reminds me of my favourite quote r.e. breakups:

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

This was such a fun 10 on Tuesday. I laughed my ass off at the first line of this post this is why I was SO EXCITED when I found out that Portland has the biggest book store in the world! I KNEW you'd love that!!

Have a good day, love! XO

Unknown said...

I finished reading "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" last night. I look forward to your opinion. A good friend recommended it to me. I am such a compulsive reader. Sleep comes in second to reading at night!

jen said...

i TOTALLY forgot about Animal Farm, we read that before Pride and Prejudice and OMG that book totally pissed me off! and every time after i read it i began to understand more and more of it! Whoa, even today my stomach is swirling just thinking of that book!!!

Leigh said...

I totally agree with you on how you don't like movies that were books first. For me, I think it's because I have a vision in my head of what I think the characters, etc look like and then in the movies, they are nothing like what I thought! Or the movies leave a lot of stuff out.

Mandy said...

I adored the babysitters club books growing up and owned most of them. Have you heard that they are being re-released with a few special prequels?

The book that I couldnt stand and am totally disappointed they are making it into a movie -- Eat, Pray. Love. I really struggled to finish it.

One of my favorite books of all time -- the Thirteenth Tale. I just started rereading it the other night.

Kyla Roma said...

Oh cool!! I am adding Lean Forward Into Your Life to my book list, excited!

Kelly said...

I totally agree with you about the Babysitters Club= BEST and Twilight =eh, I only made it through 2 of them and then I was like yeah this girl annoys me too much to continue.

I love the quote about relationships- I have always felt it was wrong to say a relationship was failed just because it was over but could never articulate why. I've had friendships and romantic relationships that have ended, but were still wonderful when they were happening :) Thanks for sharing that!

Meg said...

i just want to tell you how much i love your blog!!! you are such a great writer!!!
hugs
xooxox

qwerkyqook said...

I loved the babysitter's club. I always liked Dawn the best. But I have to admit I read Mary Anne Saves the Day multiple times. this 10 on tuesday is perfect for you! did you help with the questions? i'll have to try to answer this, but i'm only 8 hours between my ED shifts tonight, which is torture, so I better sleep :)

Anais said...

The road was ok. Definitely not as GREAT as I heard it was! I generally like post-apocalyptic novels and was hoping for a bit more out of it (like what the hell happened???) but I guess that's part of the mystery to leave it open to the imagination like that...

As for Tuesdays with Morrie, I think I'm going to have to read it! You're going to laugh at me though.... for some reason I thought it was a talk show :S

Lauren @ Sassy Molassy said...

Thanks for the book suggestion! I think I know a friend who could use it.