Monday, December 21, 2009
What We Are Reading in January
Blond Roots by Bernadine Evaristo. Long listed for the Orange Prize (click for details), this book is a satire on the slave trade where Africans enslave Europeans over a 400 year period. To read more about the author and find reviews of the book see the author blog.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Book To Film: No Country For Old Men
Our book selection for November was No Country For Old Men. We viewed and discussed the film with Elaine Wertheim last night in our Book To Film program.
First the book: It is rare for the entire book group to like a book AND have a lengthy discussion; because when the entire group does like it, the discussion is truncated; what is there to talk about after all when you are in agreement? I, however, was fully prepared to dislike this book. I knew it was going to be bloody, and while I like edgy and gritty, I am uncomfortable with gratuitous violence. I also have little patience with sentimentality, but while the book is a morality play, it is told without too much sanctimoniousness. Although I did get a teeny bit weary with the monologues of the Sheriff. After all, all generations believe the members of younger generations are more immoral, less mannerly than theirs, and believe they are the causes of the end of the world as we know it. The vernacular (missing punctuation and west Texas speech) captures the characters perfectly. Speaking of characters; while I was reading the book, I heard Tommy Lee Jones' voice clear as day. For a better review than I could ever provide, see the link to metacritic.com
The movie: The casting was a work of perfection. One could not avoid reading about the film given the Oscar wins and press it garnered. So when I read the book, I saw the faces and heard the voices of the actors; I would believe it if McCarthy had written the book with Tommy Lee Jones in mind for Sheriff Tom. I rarely see movies in which I have read the book. Invariably, I am disappointed. This was the best adaptation I have ever seen. I could write a review, but I would not do it justice. Of all the reviews I read, the best is written by A.O. Scott in the New York Times.
For our book selections for the next several months, see our Reader's Connection.
First the book: It is rare for the entire book group to like a book AND have a lengthy discussion; because when the entire group does like it, the discussion is truncated; what is there to talk about after all when you are in agreement? I, however, was fully prepared to dislike this book. I knew it was going to be bloody, and while I like edgy and gritty, I am uncomfortable with gratuitous violence. I also have little patience with sentimentality, but while the book is a morality play, it is told without too much sanctimoniousness. Although I did get a teeny bit weary with the monologues of the Sheriff. After all, all generations believe the members of younger generations are more immoral, less mannerly than theirs, and believe they are the causes of the end of the world as we know it. The vernacular (missing punctuation and west Texas speech) captures the characters perfectly. Speaking of characters; while I was reading the book, I heard Tommy Lee Jones' voice clear as day. For a better review than I could ever provide, see the link to metacritic.com
The movie: The casting was a work of perfection. One could not avoid reading about the film given the Oscar wins and press it garnered. So when I read the book, I saw the faces and heard the voices of the actors; I would believe it if McCarthy had written the book with Tommy Lee Jones in mind for Sheriff Tom. I rarely see movies in which I have read the book. Invariably, I am disappointed. This was the best adaptation I have ever seen. I could write a review, but I would not do it justice. Of all the reviews I read, the best is written by A.O. Scott in the New York Times.
For our book selections for the next several months, see our Reader's Connection.
Monday, December 7, 2009
What We Are Reading in December
All Shall Be Well; And All Shall Be Well; And All Manner of Things Shall Be Well by Tod Wodicka. Described by a reviewer for the New York Times as "tender and oddball", this is a first novel for the author. Book discussion is Monday, December 21 at 7pm.
And don't forget our film viewing and discussion of No Country for Old Men Monday, December 14 at 6:30pm.
And don't forget our film viewing and discussion of No Country for Old Men Monday, December 14 at 6:30pm.
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