Books

Movies

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The fates of human societies
Jared M. Diamond

Why did Europeans colonize the world rather than Africans or even Australians? I'm looking forward to finding out (of course, it takes a lot longer to read nonfiction than it does to read fiction).

Land of the Lost

We went to see this for John's birthday, and naturally it was hilarious! A perfect arrogant but wrong Will Ferrell character and some really disgusting funny scenes!

The Time Traveler's Wife
Audrey Niffenegger

Although it slowed down toward the end, this is a brilliantly crafted novel that I recommend to everyone.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

A beautiful and sad story.

Snow Falling on Cedars
David Guterson

I've read some stories about Jews in WWII, but this one takes us to another side of the war. It takes place on San Piedro Island in Washington state. We see the side of the Japanese Americans and their American neighbors in a tale of love, racism, and a murder trial. Highly recommended reading.

Kinsey

An interesting story about a professor who wanted to find out what is actual normal sexual behavior. He interviewed numerous subjects and his findings shocked the country and helped many who thought they were abnormal see that they were not. Nudity.

ScreamFree Parenting
Hal Edward Runkel

This is the best parenting book I've read (though I haven't read very many). He talks about how keeping your calm is one of the best things you can do for your children, and he gives good examples and advice. I'm going to read it again and keep on practicing!

Role Models

I wasn't expecting the whole dorky role-playing thing, but this was a fun movie.

Things Fall Apart
Chinua Achebe

This is a wonderful story that illustrates the African experience during colonization. It humanizes Africans in a way that English and American writing at the time did not.

Mirrors

Even though I can hardly stomach horror movies anymore, I watched this one with John. It was cool, good plot, but the bathroom scene still haunts me.

The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown

I finally read this, and like most people, really loved it. For me, it clarified a lot of the ideas I saw in the movie. I also got the feeling that I wouldn't have followed it as well if I hadn't already seen the movie due to it's structure moving to another character's viewpoint in each chapter, but that might just be an illusion from having seen the movie first.

The Da Vinci Code

Once I finished the book, obviously I had to watch the movie again. Naturally they had to change some things to make it fit into the timespan of a watchable movie. I find that a book is almost always better than it's movie and such was the case with this one. However, it was still good, and Tom Hanks is awesome as well as Ian Magneto Gandelph.

The Thirteenth Tale
Diane Setterfield

I don't know. I was really into this the whole way through, then the ending threw me off so much that I considered rereading it but then thought better of it. Still an interesting story about a writer and a lover of books.

The Happening

OMG! This was so creepy! Intelligent and intriguing idea, but no human should have to see the things that happen in this movie, even in a fictional context. If you haven't seen it, please don't!

Sarah's Key
Tatiana de Rosnay

I hadn't read any Holocaust literature since The Diary of Anne Frank. The characters in this novel are of course fiction, but the historical events really happened. It is the first time I ever really heard anything about the effect of the Holocaust on France. Almost 80,000 people were sent from France to Auschwitz to their deaths. The story is very touching.

What Happens in Vegas

Fun, funny, not a particularly believable plot but cute anyway! For the girls, we have Ashton Kutcher, and for the boys you have Cameron Diaz. Thumbs up.

In Her Shoes
Jennifer Weiner

Loved the movie, loved the book. As usual, there are many scenes in the book that did not make it to the movie, and a few things were completely changed to make the movie work the way it did. Sometimes it's nice to get the long version of a story!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford still have it, and I rather like that Shia Labeouf fellow; can't wait to see him in Eagle Eye. Ok, so the love story was cheesy and predictable, but the special effects are awesome and the story is so cool!

The Chronicles of Narnia
C.S. Lewis

I know I read these as a kid, but they are just as good (if not better) as an adult. I can't wait until Allison can read them!

At the movies: Hancock

At the video store: 10,000 BC

--- DUDE! --- SWEET!

The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls

Yes, this was a good one. It was a quick read, which I like, and it would be great for a book club because it brings up a lot of issues, like homelessness, education, and parenting.

I haven't seen anything new in awhile, so I'll recommend another older one: In Her Shoes. Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz play clashing sisters who find their long lost grandmother in a heart-wrenching story.

I've kind of been searching for something new to read, and I'm going to be heading up a book club at Baker this fall, so if you have any suggestions, shoot me an e-mail! I've read a few YA books, but nothing I'd especially recommend. I plan on reading The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls; maybe I'll recommend it next month.

Juno

Such a beautiful movie. I wanted to see this since it came out at the movies, and finally rented it this week. It may make you cry, but it will definitely make you laugh!

The handmaid's tale
Margaret Atwood

This book reminded me of a Kurt Vonnegut creepy alternate future. As long as the feminists keep up their work and we maybe work on minimizing the number of fundamentalist groups, I think we're going to be ok.

Lord of War

A guy John works with recommended this movie and told him about the last scene. I won't give it away, but it's a good true life story about a global arms dealer.

Dreamhunter:
Book one of the dreamhunter duet
Elizabeth Knox

This is a brilliant fantasy fiction novel you can find in the juvenile section of the library. I don't want to do anything besides finish this book!

Pride and Prejudice

One of those movies I like to watch about once a month, if only for the beautiful music and people. Sometimes you need a nice romance where the couple doesn't kiss until the very last scene.

Atonement
Ian McEwan

I read this before realizing the movie had already been made; I only knew it was a story about a novelist. The beautiful description captured me right away, and I had half the book read in a day. Some great commentary on life as well as some interesting statements about writers being like God in their creations. I can't wait to see the movie.

Deadwood Park
Wicked Pixel

A very cool story, it should be seen by everyone even if only to see my brother in uniform and to see his name under "Executive Producer"! Available to purchase through wickedpixel.com and Amazon.com or to rent through Netflix and Blockbuster. Holla!

Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card

An excellent Sci-Fi read, and I am not usually one for war stories. Highly recommended.

Fred Claus

A great way to start the holidays: with a laugh and a new Christmas movie! Not as funny as Elf but an enjoyable movie experience.

Harry Potter series
J.K. Rowling

Can you believe I just started reading these a few weeks ago?!
I am already through The Goblet of Fire, the first one that was really very different from the movie, and I loved every word!

Hitch

If you haven't seen this movie, rent it!
John thinks Will Smith and Kevin James should do more movies together; they are so funny!

The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini

A must read for every American. A moving story about a man who grew up in Afghanistan.

Stranger than Fiction

What can I say? I love Will Ferrell!