Room

I took over the book club at work rather reluctantly. Since finishing college, I really have a hard time when people tell me what to read and when to read it. Hey, I think, I studied literature for four years, please give me a break. I'll get to it when I get to it. (That's not to say I didn't love my literature classes because I did.) So when I was approached about leading book discussions at work, I almost said no. So that would mean I have to read all the book club books whether they interest me or not, right? Hmmm... I'm not so sure about this.

But I've been in charge of book club for several months now, and I'm glad, in the end, that I said yes. Because I've had the chance to read some wonderful books that I never would have chosen for myself. And one of those books was Room, by Emma Donoghue. The book is narrated by a five year old boy who lives in a small room with his mother. You find out the mother was taken against her will and trapped in this shed in her capture's backyard. And even though her son, Jack, was the product of continuous rape, she loves Jack and does everything she can to protect him from her kidnapper.

She also creates this routine to keep the two of them from going crazy. She teaches him as much as she can with the little resources she's been given, and she comes up with the most creative games to play and projects to work on during the day. I think that's what stuck out to me the most. She realized early on in her captivity that she would lose her mind, if she didn't break up her day with a schedule of sorts.

I don't want to say anymore about the plot because the twist is so surprising! But this was a wonderful book, and great for a discussion group. If you have a book club of your own, I would highly recommend reading it. There are a lot of great talking points. It's just a great read all around, so next time you're at your library, ask your librarian about it!

So You're Having Downton Abbey Withdrawals...

I've been talking to a lot of people about Downton lately, and everyone agrees that it's wonderful! But now, after the end of second season, we are beginning to feel it's absense, and what my patrons and coworkers keep asking is, "How are we supposed to wait until next January to watch season three?" Yes, it's going to be quite a wait, so I thought I'd make some recommendations that might help you power through the withdrawals, and keep you entertained in the meantime.

Solution #1: Watch more Masterpiece.

Upstairs Downstairs: This started as a British drama in the 1970s, but in 2010, Masterpiece decided to continue the story. They made a three part mini-series that picked up the story of 165 Eaton Place with a new family and new servants, but great drama all the same! The new story takes place in the 1930s, and stars Keeley Hawes and Ed Stoppard, and Jean Marsh returns as Rose Buck.

Sense and Sensibility: Most people have probably seen the film version of Sense and Sensibility starring Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant. But in 2008 Masterpiece made a new mini-series that has an outstanding screenplay written by Andrew Davies. Plus, Edward Ferrars is played by Dan Stevens. Remember him? Do this words Cousin Matthew ring a bell? He is phenomenal as Edward!

Solution #2: Also written by Julian Fellowes

Julian Fellowes, who wrote Downton, has written for a lot of films and TV Shows. So if you enjoyed the excellent writing in Downton, you're bound to like these as well:

Gosford Park: This is a murder mystery set in the 1920s, and you'll like it, even if you're not a huge fan of murder mysteries. Because it's not really about the murder. Much like Downton, there are servants and masters, and it's fascinating to see their worlds collide. It's also very funny, and of course well written!

Vanity Fair: Based on the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. Reese Witherspoon plays Becky Sharp, a woman ahead of her time who tires of being a governess, and decides to try climbing the social ladder in 19th century England.

Young Victoria: This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I'm a sucker for a good love story, and Julian Fellowes writes the love story between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert so beautifully! Both Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend give wonderful performances, as well! It's a good one, for sure!

So I hope these will tide you over for a little while at least. Just keep watching Masterpiece. Great Expectations starts April 1st, and it promises to be fantastic!

Doctor Who

I know. I’m a little late to the Doctor Who party, but I’m catching up quickly. Oh, Doctor, I think I might be falling in love with you, just like one of your companions….

Okay, let’s back up a little. A couple summers ago, I was in Michigan at my Cousin Aubrey’s wedding reception talking with a couple of relatives about the TV show Lost. It had just finished its last season, and I was saying something really melodramatic like, “No more Lost. What am I going to do now without Lost?”

Then my Cousin Heather’s husband said, “Start watching Doctor Who.”

Doctor Who. Yes, I’d heard the buzz surrounding this updated version of the British classic, and I was a little curious, so when I got back home, I put the first season on hold at the library. I watched the first three episodes and thought, “I don’t think this is for me.” I took is back to the library the next day.

Then, my friend Jeremy told me I just needed to get through the first season. “Season two gets so much better. You need to keep watching,” he said. I was still pretty skeptical.

A girl even came into the library about a month later raving about Doctor Who, asking me if I watch it. “I saw the first few episodes,” I said, “It wasn’t really my thing.”

“Oh no, you need to keep watching!” she said, in almost hysterics, “It’s the BEST show EVER!”

I thought she was crazy, but I just started season three last night, and I’m afraid I’ve turned into her. I even switched the desktop background on my computer at work to a picture of The Doctor with his sonic screwdriver in hand and a single sentence that reads, “Have you hugged your Time Lord today?” (I wish I could hug my Time Lord! Seriously.)

So Trust me on this: By time you get to the end of season one, you will want to go on to season two. Once you get to the end of season two, you’ll be hooked. This is a great show full of humor and insane adventure. I mean, come on, a time traveling genius saving the world armed only with a sonic screwdriver?? What’s not to love?

The Dovekeepers, by Alice Hoffman

I came across The Dovekeepers the same way I come across a lot of books and that was over the processing table at work. The cover intrigued me. And while I know full well what the old saying says about books and their covers, this cover did not lie; it promised an interesting read, and the book followed through.

The second thing that intrigued me to read this book was a quote from Toni Morrison, “Beautiful, harrowing, a major contribution to 21st-century literature.”After reading that, I thought, “Okay, now I have to read this book.” And I’m so glad I did!

The book begins in 70 C.E. in Jerusalem and is based on true events. At this point in our story, the Romans are raiding the holy city, and droves of Jewish people are fleeing to the desert with their families, in search of Masada; a fortress built by Herod the Great around 37 B.C.E. as a refuge for himself. But in The Dovekeepers, this great fortress becomes a refuge for numerous Jewish families and a group of Jewish extremists called the Sicarii.

The story is narrated by four women who are all equally fascinating and unique. They work side by side, everyday in the dovecotes together at Masada. They all have darkness in their past and secrets to share, and have to lean on each other through the difficult time of what later becomes known as the First Jewish-Roman War.

This was a wonderful read! Every sentence is beautifully crafted. Alice Hoffman’s vision of what it would have been like to hide-out in Herod’s great fortress is astounding. I wanted to crawl inside the book and experience it for myself (aside from the whole mass suicide thing, of course.) Seriously, read this book! You won’t regret it!

Downton Abbey

Today one of my library patrons reminded me how long it's been since I've updated my blog. Yes, it's been a long time since I've made any recommendations, and even longer since I recommended something from Masterpiece. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I love Masterpiece, and I'm so excited that the 2012 season is kicking off with season two of Downton Abbey!

I absolutely fell in love with this show last season and was blown away by the major cliff hanger in the last episode! I couldn't help but draw comparisons between Downton Abbey and the original Upstairs Downstairs series. Downton begins just before WWI and is set on a large estate where a wealthy family and all of thier servants live under the same roof. We see all the major events unfold from the perspective of both the privileged upper class and the myriad of servants down in the kitchen. It was such an exciting time in history with all of the social, economic and technological changes that seemed to happen over night. And to witness it all through the eyes of such colorful characters is just a bonus!

I would highly recommend watching this show, if you haven't already. The first season is out on DVD which you should be able to obtain through your local library. You can also watch episodes online at the Masterpiece website. The new season begins January 8th (THIS SUNDAY!) on PBS. For more details visit: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/classic/index.html. Downton Abbey is British drama at it's finest, so be sure to check it out!!

Fables

A good friend of mine from college was visiting from California yesterday, and since we often share the things we've been reading or watching with each other, I found myself telling her all about Fables. At first she thought I was referring to actual fables as in Aesop's or Grimm Brothers, but when I explained that it's a graphic novel series, she was little more intrigued. When I finished my monologue about the greatness of Fables, she said,"I want to read these!" So I thought since I'd convinced one person to read them, maybe I should recommend them to others.

Several months ago, a couple of friends recommended that I start this graphic novel series, created by Bill Willingham, and it sounded interesting; fable and fairytale characters kicked out of their fairytale lands and exiled to New York City. I read the first one, and I liked it, but couldn't get myself to pick up volume two. One of those friends even let me borrow volumes two through four, but I still just couldn't get into it. However, a couple months after giving the borrowed comic books back to my friend, I was suddenly in the mood to continue reading them. Don't ask me why my brain works that way.

So I'm currently up to volume six now and completely addicted! Lunch time has turned into Fables time. I get so excited to go on my lunch break because I know the next chapter is waiting to be devoured! (Along with my lunch.) It's fascinating to see how all the characters from the different stories interact with one another when confined to Fabletown, the small corner of New York City they have built up for Fables only, away from the prying eyes of the Mundys (Mundane, non-magical humans.) I don't want to say too much about the characters or plot because there are so many surprises! I would hate to give anything away.

But, if you have a slightly darker sense of humor, like I do, or have any kind of interest in the original fairytale and fables, then I would recommend reading these somewhat darker and more twisted versions of the characters and stories. Fables will keep entertained for sure and keep you guessing about what will happen next!

Autumn Reading

Summer is beginning to wind down. The summer reading program at the library has been done since July, and I made a pretty good dent in my summer reading list for this year. I am waiting on one last book to come in-transit, but all in all I did pretty well. But I got to thinking... why does my list making have to stop? It really helped to have a list to follow. When I have a goal in mind, it keeps me reading. So... I'm making a new list for the fall. And since I read a lot of nonfiction this summer, I will indulge in some YA literature and graphic novels this fall.

Beginning with...

1. (The book I'm currently reading...) A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray (And I will most likely follow that up with the rest of the Gemma Doyle series.)

2. Fables (I've been meaning to read more of these for a long time. I'm currently reading Volume Two. It's a graphic novel series about characters from all kinds of fables and fairy tales who have been exiled to modern day New York City. I really like it so far... it just took me a while to get into it. But watching episode after episode of The Big Bang Theory tends to put you in the mood to read comic books.)

3. Going Bovine, another YA book by Libba Bray. Her books are really quirky, and this book in particular was nominated for an Abe Lincoln YA Book Award, so I thought I'd give it a shot since I'm enjoying the Gemma Doyle books so much.

4. Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood. This is not a YA book, but it's one of her science fiction books, and seems as though it would fit in with the Autumn Reading theme I've got going on so far.

5. One Day, by David Nicholls. This does not go along with the theme, but I saw the movie, and got the feeling the book would fill in a lot of the gaps. The movie was good, but I still felt some pieces had to be missing.

That's all I've got, so far. But there are probably 16 or more volumes of Fables, so that will take a while. (Not to mention, I'll be running book club this year, so that adds an extra book each month on top of my own personal lists.) But I hope you, too, have some good books lined up for this fall. Happy reading, everyone! :)