quote:Originally posted by verno: The last book I read was Middlesex By Jeffrey Eugenides (he also wrote The Virgin Suicides). Bloody good read it was too.
AC Milan:European Champions,European Supercup & Coppa Italia winners 2003 I HATE RHCP (so there Micky !)
I live in middlesex! theres a bit of usesless info for u all
I dont hav much time to read books, the last books i read were the Harry Potter ones, all 5 in one week! i have no idea how i did that
and recently i nicked these bks off my little sis, the Darren Shaun books, they're about vampires, i didnt think the first one was particularly good, the writing was very advanced, it sounded like something i could have written, but the second one was excellent, and i love the concept its about vampires, and how they're not really evil, they have to drink human blood, but they don't kill when they do it, and they heal the wound, so the person doesnt know theyve been drunk from, they dont live for ever, but just age 10 times slower, its about a boy Darren Shaun who becomes half vampire, they are really good, i've read the first 5, and there arwe 11 in the series
ok sorry i went on a bit, but they are really good books!
jaz x
We live in hell, be good and when you die you'll escape, be bad and you are doomed to live your life over and over again for eternity.
If you want film adaptations try Salem's Lot, The Stand, The Shining, Carrie, The Tommyknockers (all a lot better than the films IMO).
Books are ALWAYS better than the film. Unless the book was written after the film was made, and then no good (what's the point of the 'book of the film'? They're never as good as the film. And, this is irritating and I swear I've seen this in shops, what's the point of having the book of the film for the Lord of the Rings, when the film was based on a bloody book!).
I can never figure out which way is best though. Whether you should read the book before you see the film, or see the film then read the book. I think reading the book afterwards is best, then you're not annoyed with the film because they ruined the book! But then if you read the book before, you can see which bits they're skipping or changing in the film more easily. Although, I read the Lord of the Rings books, didn't like them, and therefore don't want to see the films, which I'm sure are very good, but I've been set against them by the books. The eternal conundrum.... To read or not to read....
DID YOU KNOW...that in the registers of St. Olave church in the East End of London there is a record of the burial of 'Mother Goose' on 14th September 1586.
I haven't read Lord Of The Rings but I have seen the films and enjoyed them (especially Aragorn, woof !). I don't really want to read the books though. I've read the Harry Potters (Bah humbug to 5 ) but I don't want to see the films ! I think the films look childish and will be second best to the way I have already imagined it. Having said that though whenever I see a pic of Alan Rickman as Snape I think that they couldn't have chosen anybody better for the part.
AC Milan:European Champions,European Supercup & Coppa Italia winners 2003 I HATE RHCP (so there Micky !)
I think it is best to read the books and then watch the film. I like to read a book and imagine myself what they look like, the setting looks like etc. This is spoilt a bit if you watch the film first.
'Thats me favourite shirt....thats me only shirt!'
quote:Originally posted by verno: I haven't read Lord Of The Rings but I have seen the films and enjoyed them (especially Aragorn, woof !). I don't really want to read the books though. I've read the Harry Potters (Bah humbug to 5 ) but I don't want to see the films ! I think the films look childish and will be second best to the way I have already imagined it. Having said that though whenever I see a pic of Alan Rickman as Snape I think that they couldn't have chosen anybody better for the part.
AC Milan:European Champions,European Supercup & Coppa Italia winners 2003 I HATE RHCP (so there Micky !)
The Harry Potter books are way better than the films. My favourite being number 3 (Prisoner of Azkaban)
My fave HP book is 'Azkaban' too, can't wait to see what Cuaron(director) does with the latest film - the trailer looks good! I've read the books and seen the films, the second film is better than the first, IMO.
But anyway enough about films! I recently enjoyed 'Sea Glass' by Anita Shreve, she writes in a beautifully evocative style.
And while doing my English Lit A-Level I loved Wuthering Heights and Hamlet.
Taff - totally agree on Roald Dahl - wonderful books!
Yeah...I've read the Harry Potter series (apart from the fifth) and they're alright, but I wouldn't put them in any list of my favourite books (I'll probably get lynched for saying that..).
I hate the fact that Rowling is constantly said to be the next Roald Dahl. She is NOT. When she's written many more books on entirely different topics instead of writing the same damn thing five times over with slightly different names and events and kids are still reading her books twenty years later, only THEN will she be the next Roald Dahl. Actually, not even then. Nobody will ever be as good as The Master.
And am I the only one who notices huge similarities between the Harry Potter series and the Worst Witch series?
See a penny, pick it up and all day long you'll have....a penny...
My purpose for existance is to provide an audience for Diagnosis Murder, Star Trek, Alias, Smallville, Scrubs, Angel, Buffy, Andromeda, Enterprise, Will and Grace, Friends and Stargate SG-1 - oh yeah and Graham Norton!
I agree that Roald Dahl is way above JK Rowling, but she is a very good children's author in her own right, and I definitely wouldn't say that all the books in the HP series are basically the same story recycled, no way!!
I didn't read the Worst Witch though, so can't comment on that. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I devoured Sweet Valley High books from the age of about 12 to 15!
I remember reading the Worst Witch books when I was little and being so scared of the horrid teacher (can't remember her bloody name). I don't think they are that similar to Potter though. My faves when I was little were Enid Blyton (I also wanted to live on the secret Island) and Roald Dahl. I still have all my Famous Five books in a cupboard I can't bear to give them away. I have all my Roald Dahl's too. He will always be the best as far as I am concerned. I was gutted when he died
At the mo I am reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (non-fiction). I haven't eaten fast food for a very long time but if I ever find myself tempted again I will remember this book. One of the most memorable parts so far is his visit to the lab where they create the smells for the milkshakes (McDonalds). I don't think any of you will be surprised to hear that a strawberry milkshake doesn't ever come close to fruit let alone contain any but to add an aroma ! Just say no kids !
Sorry for rambling
AC Milan:European Champions,European Supercup & Coppa Italia winners 2003 I HATE RHCP (so there Micky !)
quote:Originally posted by *Katerina*: I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I devoured Sweet Valley High books from the age of about 12 to 15!
In that case I should be embarrassed too
Judy Blume and Paula Danziger - two really great authors for teengers. My favourite Judy Blume book was 'Are you there God, its me Margaret' or something like that, and the Fudge books were just really funny.
Went into Town today so thought I would check to see if they had any SK books in the library. They did and I cam back with 'The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon' and 'Carrie'
Books are ALWAYS better than the film. Unless the book was written after the film was made, and then no good (what's the point of the 'book of the film'? They're never as good as the film.
One noteable exception to that is the book of the movie The Abyss. The movie was good but some of it made no sense. However, Orson Scott Card was signed up to write the novel of the movie - and was given exclusive access to the scripts, and was allowed to watch some of the filming - and his novel fills in a HUGE amount of stuff that helps the movie make so much more sense. Because I like Card's stuff, I read the book before seeing the movie, and I honestly think that the movie would have made little sense to me if I'd not read the novel first.
Im gonna go buy some more Stephen King books on pay day now. Anyone got any ideas of any other good writers? Doesnt have to be horror but just good(though nothing like Pride and Predujice cos that sort of stuff puts me to sleep).
'Thats me favourite shirt....thats me only shirt!'
quote:Originally posted by nat66: Im gonna go buy some more Stephen King books on pay day now.
They have 382 SK books for sale on ebay (English site) at the mo. Some start as low as 30p (better than spending £7 on a new copy IMO). It's worth a look.
AC Milan:European Champions,European Supercup & Coppa Italia winners 2003 "Hell is other people"
quote:Originally posted by verno: Which bits of the film make no sense to you Jenna ?
The relationships between various people didn't come across properly for a start: I couldn't quite work out whether Bud and Lindsay still had feelings for each other or not. The book made it much clearer.
Also the reason for (I'm having a brain fade) the Navy SEAL guy played by Michael Biehn going nuts and why he reacted quite so strongly to the presence of the aliens.
But the most baffling bit was the ending of the film which - you might remember - was later released as a Director's Cut. A large amount of Bud's conversation with the aliens wasn't in the original version and, if I remember correctly, neither was the tidal wave.
wow! no idea now what you are talking about a good book toread it bridgets jones' diary
My purpose for existance is to provide an audience for Diagnosis Murder, Star Trek, Alias, Smallville, Scrubs, Angel, Buffy, Andromeda, Enterprise, Will and Grace, Friends and Stargate SG-1 - oh yeah and Graham Norton!
Tom Wolfe - I really do love his books. My fave being The Right Stuff. I also really like W G Sebauld, Bill Bryson, Ben Elton, and Allison Pearson to name just a few.
I also like Arthur C Clarke and really enjoyed the Rama series.
I'm currently reading Ash Wednesday by Ethan Hawke which is quite frankly turning out to be a bit of a disappointment.
I also read the Abyss adaptation from Orson Scott Card. The special edition of the movie cleared up the ending but there was still far too much dross left in the main body of the film. I'm a fan of Michael Biehn and I've seen The Abyss so many times, yet when I went to see the special edition at the Cinema, the bit where Hippy's pet rat is floating away in a bag still made people go ahhh and reach out to try and grab her even though they know she's going to be alright!
I liked it so much I bought one of his other books but it turned out to be a huge disappointment - each story started out vaugely Sci Fi and then wound up being all about the Mormon church.
One author I would never touch again is Michael Crighton. I've read loads of his books and then I picked up The Sphere. Suffice to say I warned EVERYBODY I knew not see the movie.
My purpose for existance is to provide an audience for Diagnosis Murder, Star Trek, Alias, Smallville, Scrubs, Angel, Buffy, Andromeda, Enterprise, Will and Grace, Friends and Stargate SG-1 - oh yeah and Graham Norton!
) but I don't want to see the films !
