Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - February Book List
Yes, I know March is almost halfway done already, and I don't have my February book reviews up...I thought I would be a little late with it, since I was away for so long...I apologize!
My books in the month of February had a very common theme--they were all books that have been turned into movies--movies that I have seen BEFORE I read the book. It was the movies that interested me in the books. So if you want to read any of these, or have, be aware of the movie as well.
Lost Horizon
I thought perhaps I would get over my fear of this movie (directed by Frank Capra and starring Ronald Colman) by reading the book. It didn't work. The book and movie both terrify me more than anything! I can't even really explain exactly why I am so afraid of Lost Horizon, but I'm with my favorite character--"I'd give a good deal to fly over with a load of bombs...because the place wants smashing up, whatever it is. It's unhealthy and unclean--and for that matter, if your impossible yarn were true, it would be more hateful still!" There's something about something so perfect that is just evil.
Regardless of my personal feelings about the story, it is still pretty brilliant. Hugh Conway is a British diplomat, traveling with three other passengers--his young vice consul, an American man, and a missionary lady. Their plane is hijacked, and crashes in the mountains of Tibet. The pilot dies, but not before he tells Conway and gang to seek shelter in the unheard of lamasery of Shangri-La. They find the lamasery to be a beautiful place--Conway there realizes he finds love, contentment, and peace. Soon, the lamasery begins to affect each of the travelers differently. But there are many secrets at Shangri-La--secrets that will mold the future of each of the guests.
Lost Horizon is full of action, adventure, romance, and suspense. It is downright thrilling at times--and it amazes me with it's creativity. I think most would find it an enjoyable book--as long as you aren't as chicken as me!
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
This book is actually a collection of several short stories. I got it primarily to read The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, as that is one of my favorite western movies ever. But I found myself getting pretty engrossed in the other stories, as well.
A Man Called Horse is about a young man who is capture by Indians. At first he is enslaved, but soon earns the respect of the tribe and learns to receive them as his own.
Lost Sister tells the tale of a family and their long lost sister. Kidnapped by Indians as a small child, the sister, now an adult with grown children of her own, is returned to her family. She, of course, has a hard time adjusting to American life and the family she does not even remember.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance tries to answer a question posed by the title--who, in fact, shot Mr. Valance?! Actually, this is the story of a city boy who goes out west, and to the surprise of everyone, ends up challenging the most notorious man around (that would be Mr. Valance, if you wondered!).
The Hanging Tree is the story of a young woman who is stranded in a strange western town when her father is killed in a stagecoach accident. She is injured, left unable to see, and vulnerable--especially with the town doctor! But the handsome doctor's past may come into his future and interfere with the safety of the woman.
I was rather disappointed in the first three stories--they had good ideas, but were not expanded enough. I guess that's the meaning of "short story", though, huh? I don't think I like short stories too much, usually, because there is not much character development. However, The Hanging Tree was a bit different--more of a novella. It was by far my favorite, and worth reading!
Pygmalion
You may know this as the 1938 movie, but most of you probably recognize this play as the 1964 musical, My Fair Lady. That gives the play some pretty high expectations--at least from me--and I assure you, they were met and more!
Eliza Doolittle is a Cockney flower girl who is the object of a bet between two refined gentlemen. Henry Higgins is a phonetics professor who swears to his friend, Colonel Pickering, that he can make the ordinary, poor street girl into a fine lady by improving her speech, among other things. Eliza makes wonderful progress, and in the process grows closer to her professor. But is he ready to reciprocate those feelings? And what about Freddy, the young man who is enamored with her?
If you are a My Fair Lady fan, you must read this. It includes not only the play, but an ending later added to satisfy Shaw's fans. It also gives interesting insight into the play (and musical) and what George Bernard Shaw really would have liked to see happen at the end of My Fair Lady!
An American Tragedy
I think I'd have to say this was my favorite book I read this (okay, last!) month. A lot of you probably have seen or heard of the film A Place in the Sun; this is the book it is based on.
Clyde Griffiths was raised in a devout, Christian home. His parents were street evangelists. Clyde grew dissatisfied with that life--going out and being a "radical spectacle"--at a young age. Still very naive, Clyde leaves home to work at a hotel, never dreaming of what the real world was like, under his sheltered upbringing. It is his new friends at the hotel that introduce him to worldly pleasures--chiefly, alcoholism and prostitution.
It is not long before Clyde finds himself in trouble with the law when he flees from the scene of a crime. He leaves his home, and does his best to hide and support himself.
He soon meets his uncle, whom he has never seen before. His uncle is rich and offers him a job at his factory. It is here he meets poor factory girl Roberta Alden. Although he likes her at first, he knows her social class will prevent him from ever moving up in life, and they cannot be together. Add this with his growing infatuation with Sondra Finchely, extremely wealthy and sophisticated, he is determined to leave Roberta. However, there is one problem--Roberta is now pregnant with Clyde's child.
Clyde is at lost--Roberta expects him to marry her. Even if she didn't, he would never be able to win Sondra's heart if he had a child with another woman. He tries to secure an abortion, to no avail.
Desperate, Clyde begins to wonder--if Roberta was out of the way, his troubles would be over. He wold be free to marry Sondra and live a carefree happy life. But how? Could he really go through with murdering Roberta and his unborn child?
This book is an interesting look into the mind of a would be killer. Clyde is driven to madness--not just for love, as we see over and over drive men to crazy passions, but also for wealth. For status. It his materialistic love--the American dream--that leads Clyde to become the ultimate American Tragedy.
Comments
Thursday, March 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Jocelyndixon
Looks like some good reads. We have the film for "Who Shot..." but I've never seen it or read the book. Maybe when you're done reading it you can see if the movie is in line with it. :)
Love
MJ
Thursday, March 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by lotrsavvy
yep!! :D
Yesss.... I know, everyone's shocked when I tell them that. ;P heehee
Jennifer
Friday, March 14, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by CrossView
Lost Horizon creeped me out, too.
Have you seen "The League of Extraordinary Gentleman"? My 18-yr old made a list of all the books referenced in it and read each one. LOL! I was surprised by how many there were...
I'm so sorry about your Grandad. That doesn't sound like a fun trip. =/
Friday, March 14, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by sweetpotato
Did Pygmalion end any better than the movie "My Fair Lady"? I always, always hated the ending of that.
That last one sounds pretty scary...in an interesting sort of way.
Monday, March 17, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Jocelyndixon
Hahaha you're funny... yeah we could be sisters. LOL
Love
MJ
Monday, March 17, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Striker
Yeah I just pray that they'll turn this around, I might have to leave the state if it isn't....
~Striker
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