What I Read This Summer

Okay so I'm semi-cheating. I already used this post on one of my other blogs, but this blog has been neglected!! Besides, I really did enjoy reading these books. They are all young adult fiction. I guess I needed a little bit of a break from the classics over the summer. Anyway, here's the post I stole from myself :)





Like every summer I told myself this year that I was going to read a ton of those books I've been meaning to read for forever! Like always, I didn't accomplish as much as I'd hoped... But I did read some good ones. Now let's see if I can remember them all :)



A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket





I've wanted to read this book for a long time especially after I saw the movie. I found it very enjoyable. The style in which it was written made me laugh, and at the same time I could feel a connection with the three Bauldelaire orphans even though I've never been in a simalar situation. I'd like to read more of the series (perhaps next summer!!). For those who are not familiar with the story, the story begins with the three Bauldelaire children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. As they are spending a day at the beach, Mr. Poe arrives to deliver the news that their parents have perished in a fire that destroyed their entire home. This event is the first of a series of unfortunate events for the Baudelaire children, now the Baudelaire orphans. They are taken to live with the horrible Count Olaf who is only interested in getting his hands on the Baudelaire fortune.



Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

This is another one I've wanted to read for sometime. As I read it I kept thinking of all the movies I've seen that tells some version of the Peter Pan story (Disney's Peter Pan, 2003 version of Peter Pan shown in the clip above, Hook, Finding Neverland, and Return to Neverland). It was interesting to consider the differences from these movie versions and the book itself. For instance, I wondered why Disney had Hook try to kill Peter with a bomb whereas in the 2003 movie (and the book) Hook tries to kill him with poison. I'm glad I finally read this book. It was also very enjoyable. Barrie has a great imagination and I liked his style of narration. It's a children's story, but it is also one that makes you think. I was a little sad for Peter, the boy who would never grow up. He is full of joy, adventure, and conceit, things that are commonly found in young boys. But he also had sadness and a grudge against his mother who he couldn't even truly remember although he convinced himself that he did. Peter Pan is a great story full of imagination, laughter, and adventure. All children must grow up except for one who lives with the fairies in Neverland.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Last year I saw the movie "Howl's Moving Castle" for the first time. Soon after that I discovered that it was also a book by Diana Wynne Jones. This was the first book I read when I got home for the summer. I was curious to see the differences and found that there were particular bits that I really liked from the book and the movie. The book tells the story of Sophie Hatter who is unfortunate enough to be the eldest of three, which is bad luck. Sophie spends much of her time in the family hat shop talking to hats (they are very good listeners!). But her bad luck wasn't going to let her stay cooped up with a bunch of hats forever! One night, Sophie is visited by the Witch of the Waste who mistakes her for someone else and puts a spell on her--a spell that turns her into an old woman. Thus begins Sophie's adventures! She leaves the hat shop behind and goes in search of her fortune, but runs into the dreaded wizard Howl, and offers him her service instead. Sophie must learn how to break her own spell while at the same time trying to free Howl and Calcifer (Howl's fire demon) from theirs and keeping the moving castle clean (a very hard task with Howl around). The two of them butt heads on more than one occasion (you would get after Sophie too if she had mixed up all your bottles so you accidently dyed your hair and you would get after Howl for going after the girls with guitar in hand all the time, I'm sure of it!), but only together can both their curses be broken and the Witch of the Waste defeated. I really liked this book as well. Sophie is a strong character who likes to think out loud or grumble when she's annoyed with Howl. Her personality sucks you into the pages and takes you to a place where seven league boots, enchanted scarecrows, and a castle with portals leading to distant places actual exist. The characters are lovable and believable. You can enjoy a little snippet of the book here. Thank you, Google.

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye

This was an interesting story and just the first of the series, I might add. There were some things I really liked about it and some things that started to get on my nerves after a while. Skye has great descriptions of his characters that help form a clear picture of who the characters are or are dealing with. They were unique and many times made me laugh, gasp, or shudder! I liked the characters and their individuality. The thing that bothered me was the repetition of things. Many times it felt like Skye would introduce a character and then a few pages on felt the need to introduce them again with a different description that basically gave you the same idea. The protagonist, Leven, gets depressed and wants to go back home to his guardians who only keep him around because they can force him to do the chores at least three times. I don't know how the other characters could stand it. I would have strangled him. But he does pick up some more positive energy as the book moves to it's close. Curiosity may drive me to read the next book in the series because we all know that first impressions are not always true impressions and sometimes you have to read the second book to enjoy the first. A brief synopsis is as follows: Leven Thumps, who became an orphan soon after his birth, lives with his aunt and uncle, two people who don't care for work and don't care for Leven. One night, while he's sleeping in his bed on the back porch, he meets Clover, a clever little creature who is helping Leven reach his potential and save...well Clover isn't supposed to tell what he's meant to save, but just between you and me, he's the only one who can save Foo, a world which you may not know much about, but it is very important. Your dreams depend on it! Oh, did I mention that Leven also has the ability to see and manipulate the future? Handy, huh? While Leven is trying to figure out what he's meant to do (Clover is very secretive) he meets Winter, a girl sent from Foo to help him on his journey. The only problem is, she doesn't remember that. The only thing she does know is that she was drawn to Leven and she has the ability to freeze things. So the three set off to find Geth who Clover says will tell them what they need to do, but no one knows where he is or where to start looking. Time is running short for both Foo and our world as Sabine sends his shadows to do his evil bidding. Find out what happens for yourself in Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo!

Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

Last but not least, "Inkdeath" is the third and last book of the "Inkworld" trilogy. It's about time I read it since book number two leaves us with a cliff hanger. I was kind of surprised at the way things turned out, but that's not a bad thing. I think she could still do spinoffs from the series if she really wanted to. I don't want to give too much away as this is the final book, but I had a similar complaint with this book that I did with Leven Thumps. It didn't annoy me as much in this one but I began to feel that repetition in word and thought. I think the redundancy occurred in this story because there were so many characters you had to follow (some of them with similar feelings under the circumstances) and so in attempts to reveal all their thoughts I began to feel like I was reading the same thing over and over. However, I was pleased with the story. It was enjoyable to be reunited with characters I was familiar with as well as becoming acquainted with new ones. There were a couple things that she left somewhat open with no clear conclusion of what happened, but I kind of liked that not every little detail was summed up because life does go on even if that particular story is ended. Not every story will be told from beginning to end. So I don't spoil anything for those of you who still have "Inkdeath" on your list of books to read, here is a summary of the first book, "Inkheart", instead. Mortimer Folchart has an extrodinary gift: he has the ability to bring books to life with his voice...literally. But there's a catch. Whenever something or someone comes out of a book, something else must go back in and take it's place. Mortimer (or Mo as his daughter calls him) first discovers this gift one fateful night as he is reading out of the book Inkheart to his wife, Reesa, and his daughter, Meggie. Out of the book comes three characters: Dustfinger, Basta, and the infamous Capricorn. It is only after Mo's fearful encounter with three people who were only meant to be words on a page that he realizes that Reesa was sucked into the book. Mo vowed never to read out loud again save for one book in attempts to bring his wife back. But Inkheart is out of print and very hard to find, not to mention Capricorn and Dustfinger both want Mo and his talent. Mo tries to runaway dragging Meggie along with him and Capricorn is not far behind. It's a great story and I recommend it!!

So there you have it. That was quite the lengthy post but it makes up for us neglecting you I suppose. Gives these books a try. I hope you enjoy them! Untill next time!

North & South

Last night, Megan and I had the pleasure of seeing the 2004 BBC adaptation of "North & South". Neither of us knew what it was. Megan had a heard of the author of the book, Elizabeth Gaskell, who was a contemporary of Dickens. The story, which takes four hours to tell and reminds me somewhat of Jane Austen, is about Margaret Hale who has to leave her home in the south for the industrial town of Milton to the north. Her family must adjust to a new kind of life, and mourn for the loss of their home and friends.

Through all the trials that they witness and endure, Margaret begins to adjust to her new life and soon makes friends with many of the mill workers while at the same time making enemies with Mr. Thornton, one of the owners of the mills. So of course we all know that he is going to be the love interest!!

I found a fan made trailer on youtube that will hopefully illustrate the awesomenes of this movie to you. Four hours is a long time, but it is definitely worth it!

Margaret is played by Daniela Darby-Ashe and Mr. Thornton is played by Richard Armitage.

Mon-star!

Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
1818
pp. 352

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book starts out a little slow, but it is so good! Something interesting that I discovered the last time I read this book was the message it sends about becoming what society claims you to be. Dr. Frankenstein's creature originally desired nothing but basic physical needs and companionship, but he was so grotesque-looking that he was rejected and feared as a monster whenever he was seen. In time, he actually becomes this monster that everyone assumes him to be and seeks revenge on the doctor who abandoned him soon after giving him life. If you know anything about sociology or Howard Becker, labling theory comes to mind. If you call a person something long enough, odds are he will begin to see himself that way and will become whatever they have been labled as.

This novel is a little Phantom-of-the-Opera-ish in that there are moments when you feel so sorry for the monster, but there are also many times when you wish him dead.

Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I just made the most delicious cookies. I was randomly craving double chocolate chip cookies, so I went to the most beloved recipezaar.com and fortuitously found this recipe. DELICOUS. Some comments suggested going half and half on the white and brown sugars, but I used all white, and the cookies were heavenly. The dough is really thick, so when it says to fold in the chocolate chips, it means that in the most literal sense. My cookies weren't flattening in the oven, so I smashed them with a spoon when there were only a few minutes left to the baking time.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups margarine
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream together margaringe and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add flour and fold in chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 8-9 minutes.

Wuthering Heights: Another Nineteenth Century Romance?

Wuthering Heights
By Emily Bronte
1847
pp: 336

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights has been making a comeback with the recent popularity of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. References to the classic novel within Meyer's series has influenced fans to expand their literary horizons; however, not all Twilight fans have a taste for classic literature. One even said Wuthering Heights was "very heavy to read and digest, [and it was] written in the language of my great grandmother….The more the pages go on, the less you feel that the story is advancing.” You can find that article here. Well, I don’t know what kind of language this person was expecting from a nineteenth century novel, but I did not find the language the least bit difficult (except when a minor character, Joseph, was speaking in his nearly incomprehensible dialect); however, that could be credited to my familiarity with classic novels.

This is not intended to be a Twilight review, and the series is really uncomparible to Wuthering Heights, although some say Isabella Swan is a modern representation of Catherine Earnshaw. For those of you who have read both Meyer's and Bronte's work, you will know how rediculous this idea is. If Bella represented anyone from Wuthering Heights, it would have to be Isabella Linton. Not only do they share a name, but they also share a love of demonic men. I will say no more concerning the Twilight saga than this: It baffles me when a person asserts the creative genius of Stephenie Meyer over that of Emily Bronte.

It is not difficult to see why a person would consider Wuthering Heights “heavy” because, yes, it involves complex characters and a substantial plot that leaves readers something to consider. It is the complexity of the novel that makes it so fascinating. As children, the mischievous qualities of Catherine and Heathcliff, seem fun and relatively harmless, but as the adventure-seeking duo grows older, Catherine becomes more spoiled and vain, while Heathcliff becomes angrier and more spiteful. There is no clearly defined protagonist or antagonist in Wuthering Heights; in fact, I found the majority of the characters repulsive with their fiery tempers and violent fits that were so appalling to the public when the book was first published under the pseudonym of “Ellis Bell” in 1847. There is a certain shock factor that remains for contemporary readers, as well. One cannot help but be disgusted with the scenes of domestic violence and unspeakable cruelty towards others: knives are thrown, puppies are hanged, and children are dropped over the banister. At the same time, there are moments when it is difficult not to sympathize in at least a small degree with characters such as Heathcliff, who was hated by his adopted brother and, as a gypsy child, was treated with prejudice by those outside his family. Even Catherine abandoned him for the less degrading company of the Lintons while still professing, “If all else perished, and [Heathcliff] remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.”

Wuthering Heights is not your typical love story by any means; in many ways, it is the antithesis of a love story. Heathcliff’s unhealthy obsession towards Catherine is the root of all conflict in the novel. If it were not for my endless mound of homework for other classes, I would have finished this book in one sitting. The insanity of Heathcliff and the anarchy he creates drove me forward. I saw no way for the story to end on a happy note, which only increased my compelling need to know what was written on the last page. Many times, unhappy endings are more interesting to me than happy ones because there is generally more to think about. Whether or not this ending is happy is debateable, and I am not going to tell you what I thought, but I will tell you that this book is amazing. And so is this:

Sweet Pork Deliciousness

Unfortunately I do not have pictures of this for you, but trust me, it's delicious. So basically you make all different parts of the recipe and then wrap it all in a tortilla and eat it!! Here it is!

Pork

Ingredients
3.5 lbs pork roast
1 bottle taco sauce (8oz)
1T cumin
1C brown sugar
1 can coke (not diet)

Cook pork in pot on low for 6 hours (cover roast half with water. I cooked for a couple of hours on high and switched to low, that made it shred easier; also, when you add the other ingredients, please take out some of the water, leaving only about half in. in the bottom of the pot) Add ingred. To pork 3 hours before it is done.

Lime rice

Ingredients
In a saucepan, sauté:
2T butter
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, minced

in a large pot, bring to a boil the following:
6 2/3 cups water
8t chicken buillion
½ bunch cilantro chopped
2t cumin
2 sm cans diced green chilies
1T lime juice
½ t pepper
3 cups rice (maybe half cup more, you'll have to play with it.)

Tomatilo dressing

Ingredients
1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix
1C buttermilk
1 C mayo
1 to 2 tomatillos
½ to 1 clove garlic, minced
½ to 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ t lime juice
½ to 1 small jalapeno, seed removed
(blend in food processor and add to buttermilk dressing)

Black Beans

Ingredients
4 cups black beans
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic
8 cups water

cook in crock pot on low 10 hours add salt and salsa when done (to taste)


I hope that makes sense. The next time we make it, I'll take some pictures.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Their Eyes Were Watching God
By Zora Neale Hurston
1937
pp. 184
-- Included on Time Magazine's "100 Best English-language Novels from 1923-2005" list.

This is another one of my favorite books. I remember reading it my senior year of high school and really enjoying it; however, I couldn't remember any details before I reread it this semester. Mostly I remembered being involved in some sort of group project concerning the novel, and we would get together at Starbucks. Mmm...raspberry hot chocolate. Anyway, my love for Their Eyes Were Watching God was recently renewed. Oprah Winfrey loved this book so much, she had it made into a film. After seeing one particular Youtube clip, I must say it looks pretty cheesy, but I think I'm going to have to watch it anyway. I'll let you know how it goes.

The story begins with Janie returning to Eatonville, Florida, an all black community, after spending some time away with her third husband, Virgible Woods, more commonly known as Tea Cake. The town has been gossiping about what supposedly happened to Tea Cake and why he has not returned with his wife, but Janie's good friend, Phoeby, is the only one she takes the time to share the truth with. Janie takes us through all three of her marriages, the role she plays in each, and her progression towards a loving relationship and, eventually, independence. Near the beginning of the novel, her grandmother tells her that the black woman is the mule of the world because when a white man gives a job to a black man, the black man gives it to the black woman. This concept is illustrated throughout the novel, and although Janie's life is difficult, and her story is generally an unhappy one, the reader is able to see Janie grow as a character, overcome her role as "mule of the world," and learn how to live for herself.

Hurston chooses to write the dialogue in the dialect of the time and culture in which the novel takes place. Some find this frustrating, but one cannot deny the effect this dialect has on the spirit of the novel. It is not degrading to the black culture as some people say; the white police officers in the book use the same dialect. I can't seem to put it into words, but this dialect is necessary for this novel to be the masterpiece that it is. This detail helps depict the black community as it was at the time and adds to one of many messages Hurston expresses: although differences between cultures exist, there are certain human experiences and emotions that cross those barriers.

"The wind came back with triple fury, and put out the light for the last time. They sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God."

(I'm sorry if referring to people as black and white is not politically correct. Actually, I'm not, although I mean no disrespect. I love all children of God equally. I just don't generally use the term "African-American." My ancestors didn't originate in America either, but you don't expect people to call me "Irish-Scottish-English-German-American.")