Thursday, February 23, 2012

Review of The Book Thief


Hello Readers, 

I know, this really isn't quite review time but I thought I would encourage you with a little  comparison review from the New York Times.  Included  at the bottom of this post is only the first few paragraphs but if you want to read the entire review go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/27/books/27masl.html

It is a fascinating thing to try and write on this blog about a book we are all reading and yet we don't want to talk about the book specifically before we are all done.  How does it feel to be Leisel?  or her mother at the beginning of the book?  What stories are told about Germany, Japan, and America during the 1930's and 1940's.  I am glad I was born into the time I was!  How about you?

I am over 50% done, my dear husband is working on it!  It's over 500 pages!  Get cracking!  Dear Sister is way ahead of us.  How many of you out there are reading this book?  

What else are you reading?  I got some great suggestions for future months by Jennifer Christopher this past week and they are on my list to read.  If you have submission please submit!  Are you in other reading clubs?  What books are you reading there?  Is it a library club? Friends, book store?  

Have a happy day.  

Barbara

Stealing to Settle a Score With Life
Markus Zusak has not really written "Harry Potter and the Holocaust." It just feels that way. "The Book Thief" is perched on the cusp between grown-up and young-adult fiction, and it is loaded with librarian appeal. It deplores human misery. It celebrates the power of language. It may encourage adolescents to read. It has an element of the fanciful. And it's a book that bestows a self-congratulatory glow upon anyone willing to grapple with it.
"The Book Thief" resembles other, better novels that have been widely popular. Its roundabout approach to the Holocaust suggests "Everything Is Illuminated" Lite. Its embattled, feisty young heroine has a Potterish appeal as she makes her way through a mystifying adult world. There is a Vonnegut whimsy to the mordant turns of fate here. And Mr. Zusak's narrator offers constant manipulative asides, as in the clever Lemony Snicket books, although in this case wit is not much of an option. The narrator is Death.
How can a tale told by Death be mistaken for young-adult storytelling? Easily: because this book's narrator is sorry for what he has to do. "To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible," he confides, on one of many occasions when he campaigns to win readers' approval. "You see?" he says, about the demise of one of the book's best-liked characters. "Even death has a heart."
The youthful sensibility of "The Book Thief" also contributes to a wider innocence. While it is set in Germany during World War II and is not immune to bloodshed, most of this story is figurative: it unfolds as symbolic or metaphorical abstraction. The dominoes lined up on its cover are compared to falling bodies. The book thief of the title is a schoolgirl named Liesel Meminger, and the meaning of her stealing is not left unexplained. She has been robbed of a brother, who dies at the start of the book. Her mother disappears, and then Liesel is left in foster care. A great deal has been taken away from her. She steals books to settle the score.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

A MID MONTH INTERLUDE

Hello Readers,

Just a mid month interlude to encourage ya'll to keep reading The Book Thief.  I am working on it and hope this weekend I'll get a good chunk of it done.  So far I am only 1/3 through the book.  We are blacked out of skiing so hopefully there will be lots of relaxing time.

A few weeks ago Maria told me that the book The Glass Case by Kristen Hannah was available for FREE download to your reading device.  It is available on Kindle but if you have a hard time finding it just GOOGLE!  Hopefully it is still available for free.  It is a short story.

FYI:  February 22 I am leaving for a two week vacation.  First Lake Tahoe skiing with some good friends then to Colorado visiting our son and his wife and some skiing.  I will try and make an entry while away but I am not taking my laptop and any writing will have to come from my IPad.  Please bear with me.  I guarantee there will be spelling errors.  Then again I may get very clever and creative and pre-write a few posts.  See if you can tell the difference.

Book of the Month for March is just around the corner.  I am working on it NOT taking place during the 1930-1940's.  Do you realize how many books are on various lists from that time period?  Gotta expand our horizons.

Have a great Presidents Weekend.

Happy Reading,
Barbara




Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Book Thief - part one

Hello Everyone,
Here it is Valentines Day and I though I may have a minute or two to encourage you to keep on reading.  I will need to hear your reports on this book.  As I am getting more into it I have a feeling we are headed to Dachau!  I don't know if I can read any further!  Back in 2000 we visited Germany and the tour guide decided to take us on a side trip to this infamous place,  It was unbelievably eerie for me.  I could not make my body move into the camp.  As I write this it brings tears to my eyes as that day my emotions were way out of control as I sobbed at the gate.  This is one of my favorite pictures from that day:
 It is a sculpture by Glid that stands at the entrance to the concentration camp.  It just make me sick thinking how cruel humanity is.  Anyway, off my soapbox!!!
How about a little about Markus Zusak:
Markus Zusak was born in 1975, the youngest of four children born to German and Austrian immigrant parents. Markus studied teaching at university and gained experience teaching at the high school level. Marcus began writing when he was sixteen years old, and completed his first (unpublished) manuscript at eighteen. While his writing may seem most relevant to young adults, he hopes that readers of all ages can discover meaning in his work. 


Maria said in a previous post that she was having trouble keeping the characters straight.  If you want a listing of characters in this novel, please check out this website:


http://www.gradesaver.com/the-book-thief/study-guide/character-list/

I am about 25% through the book and plan  on keeping on so will you too?

Happy Reading,
Barbara

Saturday, February 4, 2012

One for the Money - WRAP!

I just searched the internet for some review of ONE FOR THE MONEY movie and OUCH!  No one seems to like it.  Has anyone seen it yet?  Interesting that the reviewer from Rolling Stone loves Evanovich's book but thought Hollywood just butchered all the characters.  Another review went along with my thoughts that Stephanie Plum would make a great TV show.  So, what do you think?


The Stephanie Plum character was hysterical as far as I am concerned.  I couldn't help laughing out loud at the antics and relationships.  So, who is your favorite character?  


Would you read an Evanovich book again?  Have you read one in the past?  {I want to read another and read this back in the 90's}  It is light and easy so would be great beach reading in my opinion. 


My favorite scene is the shower scene.  I have such a clear picture of it in my mind and I laugh every-time I think of it.  


Now, here is a serious question about reading. 
#1- Do you read in different voices for different characters? 
#2- When you read a book say about the south with a narrator do you hear it in your head with a southern accent?  
This question is a current discussion in my house and  I am looking for your thoughts on this matter.


One little reminder:  Those of you who find it difficult to leave comments, please feel free to email me and I will post them in this section.  


Have a wonderful day fellow readers and hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later. 


Barbara