Since my younger sister had her tonsils out a few weeks, we've had a surplus of what my mother used to call "junk food books" -- quick, easy reads to fly through in a day or two. They might not be the most intellectually stimulating, but they are fun and enjoyable.
I'm usually iffy about book to movie adaptations, and with good reason -- books are never adapted perfectly, and there is much left to be desired. I haven't yet seen Something Borrowed, the movie with Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin based on the novel of the same name by
Something Borrowed/Something Blue, by Emily Giffin
by Kaitlin July 15th, 2011 | Fiction, Young Adults
No Rest for the Dead by Andrew F. Gulli (Editor)
by Angela Yorke July 4th, 2011 | Authors, Fiction, New Releases
The serial novel has been in existence since the Arabian Nights/One Thousand and One Nights, where Scheherazade wove tales with cliffhanger endings to save her life. Since then, the term referred to a novel that appeared in serialized form in a periodical, which was perfect for readers with short attention spans. Another interpretation is conscripting different writers* to produce individual chapters for one novel, which is exactly what Andrew F. Gulli has done with No Rest for the Dead, although it was originally conceived as an anthology.
Billed as “26 authors; 1 mystery,” No Rest for the Dead is introduced
Billed as “26 authors; 1 mystery,” No Rest for the Dead is introduced
Returning to Classics: Hawthorne
by Louise June 29th, 2011 | Authors, Classics
Born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1804 and meeting his end in Plymouth, New Hampshire, in 1864, Nathaniel Hawthorne was a true New Englander. It comes as no surprise that much of his writing centers on New England. His fiction is considered part of the Romantic Movement and has Puritan inspiration. His work often delves into the ideas of inherent evil or sin of humanity. He published four major romance novels:
- The Scarlet Letter (1850) - Life in 17th-century Puritan Boston is not easy for Hester Prynne, who conceived her daughter Pearl through an adulterous affair. She wears a scarlet "A" for "adultery"
Other Books by Sara Gruen
by Louise June 22nd, 2011 | Authors, Fiction
Have you heard of Sara Gruen? Perhaps Water for Elephants rings a bell? Ding, ding, ding. Sara Gruen is the author of Water for Elephants, the #1 New York Times Bestseller about a "ninety or ninety-three year-old" who recounts his life as a circus veterinarian. Since Water for Elephants became such a hit, I wondered what other books Gruen had written, if they were any good. It turns out that Gruen has three other novels. Water for Elephants was her third and was initially turned down by her publisher. (Doesn't that always seem to be the story?) Gruen loves animals.
The Glass Castle
by T Akery June 13th, 2011 | Authors, New Releases, Nonfiction
The Glass Castle is a memoir written by Jeannette Walls. This book is about her past, her parents, her siblings and her drive to be what she is now, a contributor to MSNBC. This documents many of the obstacles she had to overcome in childhood.
Before you pick up this book, you should know that it contains incidents that could be considered abusive. There may be some content that is disturbing since much of the incidents involve children. This is not a book that contains light reading.
As Jeannette recalls the stories of her childhood, it is the memories of her
Before you pick up this book, you should know that it contains incidents that could be considered abusive. There may be some content that is disturbing since much of the incidents involve children. This is not a book that contains light reading.
As Jeannette recalls the stories of her childhood, it is the memories of her
