Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

I recently read Commencement as part of another book club I'm in. As the bn.com website says: "This radiant debut novel from J. Courtney Sullivan examines the deep bonds of friendship and the complex landscape facing today's young women. Celia, Bree, Sally, and April arrive at Smith College as four very different people. But the years bring them closer together, so once they graduate and face the real world, they realize they need each other more than ever."

It was an interesting read for me on many levels. One, it's set at Smith College in Northampton, MA which is a college that I had been to during summers in high school for field hockey camp, so I was extremely familiar with the area and the college. Two, it's a really interesting look at the relationships between women and the idea that while we can rely on each other for advice, encouragement, and even sometimes discouragement, there's also a level of competition that's not always discussed.

I didn't go to an all girls high school or college, but I can see why some women choose them. There's a certain comfort level that you assume you'll have where you know that they are all going through the same experience with you and can certainly relate on that level more than a man would. If you're heterosexual, there's also the fact that most people feel that not having men around would lessen your distractions and therefore, there would be more of a focus on their academic studies. And when you graduate, there's a camaraderie that it built in. But then again, I went to a mixed high school and college and don't think that I have any less camaraderie with my girl friends or any less of a lasting bond.

What do you think about all girl colleges? Are you for or against them?

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

I just finished "A Reliable Wife" recently and liked it so much, I thought I should post about it. The novel is by Robert Goolrick and has been on the Top 10 NY Times Bestsellers list for weeks now.

The story is set in 1907 Wisconsin and begins with a man (Ralph Truitt) posting an ad in the paper for a "reliable wife". A mysterious woman (Catherine Land) replies and we are immediately told that she has no interest in falling in love with this man, but instead plans on leaving him once she has secured his fortunes. However, both people share secrets that the other is not aware of and those secrets begin to soon surface and changes the course of both of their lives.

I don't want to say anything more because I'm recommending that you read this, but I do have to say that this novel is one sweeping drama that takes you on a very fun ride. Read it!

To Kill A Mockingbird - Novel to Film #4

We read "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee a few months ago, but since no one has posted about it yet, I thought I should start the conversation. I feel like everyone who goes to school in America ends up coming across this novel at some point in their academic history, so that alone separates this novel from others. It's a classic, a "must read". And while I had read it a very long time ago, it was nice to read it again and refresh my memory of the characters. I also re-watched the film that starred Gregory Peck (which one him an Oscar) and while there are a few things that are omitted from the novel, I think it stays true to what the core of the novel is about.

I love that the novel is centered around the two children, Scout and Jem. You see things so much simpler through their eyes and they question things is such an honest way. They are children, but they are able to see right and wrong better than the adults because they aren't jaded or influenced by life's lessons yet.

I also appreciated how the novel deals with race relations in such a tender, yet firm hand and there's never any ambiguity that choosing to treat others differently based on the color of their skin is acceptable or fair. But it's presented in such a way that says that although things are the way they are now, that doesn't mean that they'll be that way forever and you shouldn't be discouraged against your belief in the good of people. I will definitely be adding this to my children's bookshelf for them to read when they are old enough.

What did everyone else think of the novel? Did anyone else see the film? What were your thoughts?

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

Water for Elephants is a historical novel by Sara Gruen. The novel centers on Jacob Jankowski and his experiences in a travelling circus called The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. This one had been on my "to read" list for a while now since it was on the NY Times Bestsellers List, but once I heard that it was going to be turned into a film, it quickly rose to the top. Hehe.

The novel is told through Jacob's perspective when he is an old man living in a nursing home reminiscing about his time working in the circus in his early 20s. The dynamic that develops between Jacob, the dysfunctional foreman, and his beautiful wife is the main cause of drama in the novel and had me turning the pages quickly to find out what was going to happen. I don't want to give too much away because I would definitely recommend this for you ladies to read. The film will star Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz, and Reese Witherspoon, so as I was reading the novel, I visualized them as the characters and I think it made the story come more alive for me.

What do you think about reading novels that already have a film adaptation or one in production? Does it help you get a clearer image of the characters or would you rather be able to come up with your own visual of the characters?

PREP

I read PREP after AMERICAN WIFE (completely randomly) which is a story about a girl who moves from her hometown in the Mid West to attend a swanky boarding school on the East Coast. The chapters are divided into semesters of the year and you see the main character as she attempts to make friends in the first year among her very privileged peers, endure boy crushes and family embarrassment, all the while just trying to fit in. It was a really interesting read, especially since it was almost like they were going off to college instead of high school. College is normally the first time that you are really away from your parents and able to make most of your own decisions. There's no parental guidance, but the teachers and headmaster are there to make sure you follow the rules.

I actually enjoyed the book. Did any of you read it?

Did any of you go to a boarding school? What were your experiences like there?

AMERICAN WIFE

I recently read American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld which is a "fictional" account of a woman's life from childhood to adulthood where she ends up marrying a man who eventually becomes president. Anyone who reads this book can't help but see the parallels between the book's protagonist and Laura Bush's life. She was a teacher. She married a man who came from a very wealthy family. He had a drinking problem. He recovered and became governor and then president.

With all of these similarities, it was hard to know what was true and what wasn't true, but that didn't stop me from really enjoying the book. I felt like even though it wasn't a biography of the First Lady, I felt like I identified with her and respected her more than ever. This may be a false sense of those things since I don't know what's true and what's not true. But if it is true, then Laura Bush is a strong lady who had been through a lot in her life, even before George Bush ever came in the picture. And then dealing with all of his issues and the pressures of being in the public eye while still keeping her own identity in tact--wow. She just seems so inspiring as a woman who really tried to keep all of her priorities in perspective.

But it did bother me that there are parts to the story that aren't real and therefore I really shouldn't be taking all of it so seriously. I was surprised that Laura Bush didn't sue Sittenfeld for changing her story so much, but I'm also not sure what the law is for public figures who have things written about them.

Does anyone know how that works?

Has anyone else read this book? Have you read Sittenfeld's other book Prep?

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan News!

Hugh Jackman Joins 'Snow Flower and the Secret Fan'

• February 3, 2010
• |
• By: Leonard Jacobs
• Comments (0)

PRINT EMAILMORE

Call it a leading role, call it an unbilled cameo. Either way, one thing is clear: Wolverine is headed to China.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Hugh Jackman has joined the cast of 'Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,' helmed by Chinese-American director Wayne Wang.

Set during the 19th century, the story follows Snow Flower and Lily, two friends who struggle with the social and cultural norms of the time.

Given the storyline, it is unclear how large Jackman's role will be. The Reporter quoted local Chinese media as characterizing his role as the male lead; however, Jackman's publicist is insisting that the star is doing an "unbilled cameo."

Jackman is said to begin filming at the end of the month.

In the meantime, Jackman joins the project following the exit of its female lead, Zhang Ziyi. According to the report, Ziyi's exit was due to scheduling conflicts with Wong Kar-wai's 'The Grand Master.' Replacing her will be actress Li Bingbing.

'Snow Flower' also stars South Korean actress Jeon Ji-Hyun.

The Witches of Eastwick - Novel to Film #3

As our 3rd choice in our "novel to film" round, we read "The Witches of Eastwick" by John Updike. As we discussed at brunch today, this film definitely deviated from the film in enough ways to make it noticeable and I think that I preferred the version on film as opposed to the version in the novel.

For one, the women in the novel are not sympathetic characters at all. They sleep with everyone in their neighborhood (single or married) and constantly neglect their children. They only use their powers to enact petty revenge on those who they are annoyed by. I felt like Updike was purposely making these women so vile that no one could identify with them. As though this was a snapshot of the evilness of women in general. Perhaps Updike had some serious issues with women. What do you think?

They definitely made the women more identifiable in the film and certainly more likable. I mean, who couldn't like Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, or Susan Sarandon? And they also added a bit of humor, which I appreciated over the dryness of the novel. Did anyone else feel like the novel was dry?

What are your other thoughts on the novel?

Twenties Girl

After reading "The Witches of Eastwick", I was looking for something super light that I didn't have to use too many brain cells on and "Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella (of "Shopoholic" fame) was a perfect fit. I have to admit, I wasn't sure that I would like it all that much, but I had it on my shelf from when I got the book from a gift bag and just figured I'd give it a try.

I haven't read the "Shopoholic" series, but I did see the film which I did enjoy (even though it came out at the height of the recession madness). Did anyone else see it?

Anyway, the story is set in London and is about this girl named Lara who has just started a new business with her best friend, consulting for big corporations looking for executives. Unfortunately for Lara, her friend (who is the one who actually has the experience in the field) has up a left her suddenly to go on vacation with a new boyfriend and has no immediately plans to return.

At the same time, Lara is forced to attend her great aunt Sadie's funeral (she lived to be 105!) and is shocked when the ghost of Sadie starts talking to her and demanding that she find a necklace that she owned before she died. At that point, all kinds of craziness gets under way.

I actually thought that this was a fun, light-hearted story and I even was thinking how it might work as a film. There would definitely be plenty of elements to play with and it would be interesting to see how the ghost could be be portrayed.

Has anyone else read this or any of Kinsella's other books?

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

I recently read "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" by Muriel Barbery and while it took me almost half of the book to finally get into it, at the end I felt like it was well worth it. The novel was originally printed in French and was on the New York Times Bestseller list.

The story is mainly about an older woman who works as a concierge in an apartment building and a young girl who lives in the apartment building with her family. Both women are extremely smart and feel completely isolated from the world because of it. The older woman is of a lower station and therefore keeps her intelligence a secret for fear of others around her treating her badly because of it. The young girl comes from a wealthy family but her intellect separates her from her family who only seem to care about the most insignificant and trivial things in life. Both women's lives are changed forever when a new tenant moves into the apartment building.

I won't say anything more than that so that I don't ruin anything for anyone who wants to read it, but I was really touched by this story. Has anyone else read this? What were your thoughts?

Gomorrah - Novel to Film #2

The next book on the "novel to film" list was Gomorrah by Roberto Saviano. I had watched the film when it came out last year and was not impressed by what I saw at all. I know that there were plenty of people who did love it though (it was nominated for an Oscar!) so I was interested in reading the book to hopefully change my thoughts about the film.

I found the film extremely confusing with all of the different storylines not really fitting cohesively with the others. I thought maybe it was the editing, but now that I've read the book, I see that it was the style of the way the book was written.

The book itself was interesting when discussing the role of women in the Italian mafia, as well as how Hollywood has been influenced by the Italian mafia and then conversely how the mafia has been influenced by Hollywood. Those chapters kept me engaged and weren't a chore to get through.

However, the parts I didn't appreciate so much were the chapters where the author just told story after story of how different mobsters were killed. I felt like I was reading a police log from a newspaper! I didn't feel like I could connect to any of the characters in the story and I think it was because the author didn't allow for that connection to happen.

Did anyone else feel the same way? What were your other thoughts on the novel?

The 16th Round by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter

We were supposed to read this book as the first in our "novel to film" round, but as luck would have it (or rather, lack of luck), none of us could get our hands on a copy in time, so we moved on to the next book on the list. I was still interested in reading this book, however, so I kept it on my library queue and read it after I was done with the bookclub book of the month.

I had seen the film with Denzel Washington, so I was vaguely familiar with Carter's story, but after now having read the novel, I see that the film definitely left out a lot of the events of his life in order to make a more sympathetic character out of Carter. You don't see Denzel Washington mugging people (or at least that I can remember...I'm going to netflix it so that I can refresh my memory...)

Considering that the novel is a memoir more than a biography, I couldn't help but question some of the things that Carter tells us. I'm not saying that I don't believe Carter's story to a certain extent because I know that racism plays an big part in the relations between many different ethnicities, but it seems that every time something happens to him, he blames it on the prejudice of others. He never seems to take responsibility for his own behavior (which includes mugging and robbing people) and instead tries to justify his actions by constantly reminding you of the circumstances of what most, if not all, Black people during that time were going through. Not everyone made the same choices that he did.

As for the murders that he was given the life sentences for, I believe him when he says that he didn't commit those crimes, if only because his life seemed to be going in a completely different direction than most of his life was heading and he seems to be on the right path. Married with a child on the way, a career that was flourishing...he'd have had to be an idiot to mess that up.

I found the novel to be an interesting read (especially since my dad grew up in Paterson and my grandmother still lives there...I was even able to picture some of the places that Carter mentions) and I was definitely intrigued by Carter, but I don't think that I ever allowed myself to truly open up to Carter. Perhaps that was because I never felt like he was able to truly open up to us...his audience.

Has anyone else read this novel? What were your thoughts? Do you think that Carter was able to give an objective view of his own life?

Northern Lights - Novel to Film #1

As the first book of our new round, we read Northern Lights by Nora Roberts. Personally, I was really interested to read the book because of all of the drama surrounding the stars of the made for tv film. I'm not proud of it, but it's the truth. Hehe.

I was pleasantly surprised that this was more than just a typical romance novel. True, it did have the sweeping, unrealistic (at least to me) love story, but what kept me turning the page was the murder mystery storyline that was woven in. I found myself really paying attention to the clues and trying to figure out who the killer was before the story revealed it. Of course, that didn't happen, but that's the point. The author let us know the answers when she decided it was time.

Beyond the love story with the murder mystery subplot, the core of the story, I found, was the internal struggle of Nate. He was a tortured soul who came to the town to escape his demons and he ends up going through a complete transformation. It was almost as if he was SUPPOSED to be in Lunacy at that exact time period so that not only he could experience the transformation, but so could other people in the town. I thought that he was the most interesting character of the book and the only one who could think with a clear head at all times. It was almost like he was the perfect man, except for the fact that you know that he's not. He's flawed, but he rises to the challenge of life and it was great to have someone like that to read about.

I haven't seen the film, but I just got it from work today (had no idea that we had the DVD rights to it! hehe) and so I'll definitely be sitting down to watch it soon. Not sure that I buy Leann Rhimes as Meg, but we'll see what happens...Eddie Cibrian as Nate almost works for me (he's very handsome), but I imagined Nate as a little older.

Who was your favorite character from the book? Any other thoughts on the book? Any thoughts on the film vs novel?

Summer Reading!

So I've had THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE sitting on my bookshelf for a full 2 years and this summer I decided that I had to read it once and for all. I had heard so many great things about it (hence why I bought it in the first place), but the thought of reading over 800 pages really bogged me down and I knew that unless I had a good chunk of time to read it, it wasn't going to happen. Then of course, we decided to take an extended break from the bookclub and the opportunity presented itself.

I have to say, I am SO happy that I read this novel! It was such an interesting story and the historical period it was set in (Victorian England) just added another layer of intrigue to the novel as a whole. The lead character, Sugar, is a prostitute who lives in a brothel managed by her own mother. She's an extremely smart girl but opportunities had never presented themselves to her until one day she meets an unusual client and her entire world is turned upside down. I won't say any more since I hope that my raving will propel at least one of you to read it...

Can't wait to see you all at the next bookclub meeting!

Happy reading!

Tiff

The Last Lecture

Hey Ladies!  Sorry I couldn't make it to the meeting, but I hope you all had a great time discussing the book.  Here are some of my thoughts...

I had seen the video of Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture" online last year and was completely blown away by it.  It was funny, insightful, enduring, thought-provoking, just all of the things that I'm sure he was hoping his audience would take from it.  So when it was decided that we would read the book, I thought it would just be a repeat of the recorded lecture.  I was pleasantly surprised when I began reading the book and found that it gave much more insight than even the video. There was reflection there that couldn't be captured in such a short presentation time.  

It's terrible to say, but I agree with him when he says that he was lucky to have gotten cancer. 

Not to say that he was lucky to be dying from a terrible disease, but he was able to live long enough to leave his kids with videos and letters and a true sense of how much he loved them. Had he been hit by a bus or something, they would have only been able to rely on what others said about him, not first hand information.  I think that's the most heart-breaking thing about the entire book.  Here he is giving advice to the masses, but really it's him giving advice to his kids.  He loved them so much that he wanted to give all that he could while he could.  I couldn't help but cry at the end when he reveals to his audience that he's doing all of this for his kids.  

Reading this book really makes you take a hard look at your own life and how you should be grateful for every moment you have.  Not only that, but you should always follow your dreams and not be discouraged if at first you don't succeed.  He talks about the fundamentals that everyone should know, but that we tend to forget or set aside for other things as we get older. 

What did everyone else take away from this book?  Was there a particular story or anecdote that hit a nerve with anyone?  Any other thoughts on the book?

The Film Club

At our last meeting, we discussed "The Film Club," a memoir by David Gilmour.  One the surface, the book can be seen as just a story about a father's unusual tactics to get his son to go back to school.  But there is so much more going on here.  The book is as much about the son as it is about the father.  Gilmour's struggle to steer his son in a more positive direction forces him to recognize his own short-comings and ultimately, I think he grows and learns as much as, if not more than, his son.  

One of the things that we discussed and all thought was a unique and admirable thing was Gilmour's relationship with his wife and ex-wife.  He's able to do what most people only wish they could which is to put aside any grievances they may have after a relationship is over and work to build a new kind of relationship.  This is especially crucial when dealing with relationships that involve children.  Even Gilmour's new wife is able to join in the fold and not feel intimidated by the obvious strong bond that Gilmour continues to have with his ex-wife.

Another topic that came up was whether or not we believed that Gilmour  allowing his son to quit high school was a good thing.  There were view points on both sides of the spectrum.  

For the purposes of the blog, here are a few questions:

How did Gilmour's plan to get his son to go back to school ultimately work?  

How did Gilmour's plan affect his relationship with his son?

Knightley Cloned For New Movie

Here's a post I read on JoBlo.com this morning:

Just other day I was talking with a friend and lamenting the loss of Mark Romanek on THE WOLFMAN. I'm sure the movie will be great and all but I know Romanek would've brought something special to the material. Hopefully it won't be too long in before we get to see Romanek's first feature since 2002 as he's signed on to direct the sci-fi thriller NEVER LET ME GO for Fox Searchlight. Keira Knightley has signed on to star in the film that follows three English students who realize their boarding school is actually a farm for clones waiting to have their organs harvested. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro and while it sounds like THE ISLAND, isn't quite the same as that Michae Bay action flick. The script was written by Alex Garland (28 DAYS LATER) and made the list of the 10 Best Unproduced Scripts for 2008. Production on the film is set to begin this April in London.

Extra Tidbit: Time Magazine named "Never Let Me Go" the best fiction novel of 2005.

Warlord: No Greater Friend, No Worse Enemy

Since this dialogue hasn't been started yet, I thought I'd go ahead and get us going so that those who couldn't make it to the meeting can chime in.

My first thoughts as I finished the book were that I didn't like it and that I didn't like Ilario.  The man that I was supposed to have sympathy for came off as arrogant and self-righteous.  Believing that he wasn't responsible for the charges that were brought against him was hard because I didn't "like" him.  But that's not enough to convict someone of a crime.

To do what they have to do in the armed forces, a certain amount of arrogance and bravado is necessary.  You have to be confident at all times that you have what it takes to succeed in your missions and without it, everyone and everything is lost.  

But it was because of this arrogance that I felt like I never really got a look beyond the facade he portrayed.  There was only one or two moments where I felt he was letting his guard down just a little, but then he would bring it all the way back up moments later.

I think that was my biggest issue with his story even though I know that it shouldn't be the deciding factor in his conviction.

What were everyone else's thoughts?

John Updike Dead at 76

Since we have read "Rabbit, Run" as part of our bookclub, I thought everyone would be interested in this news....

Prolific, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist John Updike has died of lung cancer at the age of 76.
According to publisher Alfred A. Knopf Inc., Updike died at a hospice not far from his home in Beverly Farms, Mass.
Several of his works wound up in Hollywood hands, most notably the James Caan-starring adaptation of one his most famous books, Rabbit, Run (which earned him his first Pulitzer), and The Witches of Eastwick, which, thanks to Jack Nicholson, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon became a star-studded, twice Oscar-nominated affair.
The author even went on to earn the ultimate pop-culture honor—playing himself in an episode of The Simpsons.
Updike's final work, My Father's Tears and Other Stories, his first collection of new short fiction since 2000, is scheduled for release on June 2.

Has anyone seen the film adaptation of "Rabbit, Run"? I didn't even know that there was one, but now I'd definitely be interested in seeing it...

Ender's Game

I haven't read much Science Fiction (it's not really my thing), but a friend of Pete's suggested ENDER'S GAME and had great things to say about it, so I'm giving it a chance.

Essentially, it's about this 6 year old named Ender Wiggin who is chosen by the government to hopefully lead an army to kill the "Buggers" who have been attacking Earth.  In fact, all of the "soldiers" are children, but they think that Ender may be the "chosen one".

So far, I think I like it (I'm about half way through).  There aren't too many over the top, out of this world plots/dialog so it's pretty easy to follow and it's interesting that the characters are mostly children, but they are treated like adults.  

Has anyone else read this?  Do any of you have any Science Fiction novels that you really like?