Night at a Book Group

A few months ago I started a Book and Movie Group. My good friend SuperMom was hosted the April book, Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. There was a wedding theme to the night. The table was lovingly set with finger sandwiches, phylo cups with a spinach chicken salad, fresh veggies with dips, deli meat and cheese with crackers, pasta salads, punch and wine. For dessert there were chocolate dipped strawberries, strawberries with cream, pie and an ice cream cake. Everyone brought wedding photos or a special something from their own wedding and stories to share. I brought two invitations and told about how the wedding chapel that was supposed to be handling everything for us went bankrupt and disappeared without any notice the month before the big day. Of course, I found out about it just hours after I had sent out the invitations, making it necessary to send out new invites and put together an entire wedding in a month's time. Our wedding ended up being beautiful so alls well that ends well.

Throughout the night we watched scenes from the 1973 made-for-TV movie/play starring a very young and super skinny Sam Waterston. We made fun of the dancing and singing scenes; then we debated about whether Claudio was being played by Christopher Walken. It turns out it was Glenn Walken, Christopher's brother. We were treated to a list of some of the phrases that we still use today that were created by Shakespeare. We also played a game of Who Said It with quotes from the play. SuperMom's 12 year old daughter knew the most quotes and received a little book of quotes about love. We never did end up finishing the movie or discussing the play for all the talking and eating and playing around we did. It was a lot of fun.

Next month's book and movie is The Prize Winner of Defiance, OH. I wonder what kind of fun we will think up for that one. I was thinking of a jingle contest and exotic foods. What would you do?

In case you're interested, there is info. about starting your own book and movie group here. And Lisa from Books on the Brain has a great post here with ideas for how to keep your book group exciting. I especially like the idea of serving booze to liven things up. =)

The Sunday Salon

Every book blogger seems to have those moments when no matter how many great titles they have lined up for challenges, they just want something different. My moment has lasted all month. I feel bogged down by my stack of books I need to get to or that I've committed to reading. I have been wanting to just grab any book off the shelf that is light but engaging. I don't want another classic just yet. The Shakespeare I finished last night needs time to sit in my soul before starting a new play. I just can't pick up a non-fic. I want plot but nothing too heavy and yet not chick-lit. All month I have stuffed that feeling way down and read something because I ought to. Until today!

A couple of months ago I purchased two new books, a treat I rarely indulge in. In fact, I feel guilty buying new books when I have so many unread books at home. But these two books where both on sale cheap so I went for it. One of them was Child of My Heart by Alice McDermott, the book I've spent my Sunday with. I had read the first few pages before purchasing it, to see what the writing was like and if the story sounded interesting. It did then and it has stuck with me until now. When I decided today was the day to read something light but satisfying I went straight for Child of My Heart. Now, at 100 pages in, I can tell you it was the perfect choice. The two main characters are endearing. Though I think I have the mystery ending figured out all ready, it is not taking away from my pleasure in the journey.

I hope your reading this week is equally as satisfying.

And for the curious, the other book I bought was Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson.

Review: Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing
by William Shakespeare

Ah, Shakespearean rapture! How pleasing is thy sound. How tantalising thy taste. How did I abide so long without thee?

I've just finished Much Ado About Nothing and again name Shakespeare the master. The wickedness of Don John; the nobility of Benedick; the purity of Hero; the redemption of Claudio. It is all too marvellous.

"How much better is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping!"

Claudio, a young soldier just returned victorious from battle, falls in love with the virtuous Hero. His friend, Prince Don Pedro, woos her for him behind a mask at a ball, winning her hand but also giving the Prince's jealous and villainous brother, Don John, an opportunity to cause mischief. Meanwhile, Claudio's other devoted friend, Benedick, who has sworn off marriage and brags of his fortitude in avoiding the wiles of the fairer sex, is to be the butt of a joke; he is to be fooled into thinking Hero's cousin, Beatrice, a woman set against marriage as much as he, is secretly in love with him. Likewise, Beatrice is to believe that Benedick pines away for her. But while this young love is blossoming, there is a much more sinister scene being hatched.

This is most certainly a comedy but it also has some very dramatic moments. I must critique honestly, I was left a little dizzy from the abrupt switches from humour to drama and back to humour again. I loved it all but sometimes the jokes seemed out of place when hearts are being broken and death has intruded. It seems inappropriate to laugh at such times. But then one has to remember that this is a play, meant to be performed. There are pauses in between lines. There are intermissions here and there. It is not as abrupt as it is in written form.

"When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married."

My favorite character was Benedick. He is so confident in his views, even as they contradict from one moment to the next, but he recognises innocence despite the appearance of contrary evidence presented by questionable characters. And the idiotic Dogberry made me laugh out loud. "Oh that I had been writ down an ass!" Too funny.

This book was the April selection for my reading group, chosen by my good and wise friend. We meet on Monday to watch the movie and discuss. In honor of unrequited love there is to be a wedding theme. As some of the members are not regular connoisseurs of Shakespeare, I wait anxiously to see what they have to say.

I leave you with this piece of art I found depicting the most dramatic scene from the play, Hero's accusation. The line at the bottom is spoken by her father, Leonato.

Review: The Children

The Children
by Edith Wharton

I'm not sure where to begin in reviewing this book. I suppose I should start off by saying that I did like it. I don't think it is one of Wharton's best (that would be Ethan Frome) but it has a lot going for it. It is a drama with a lot of humour thrown in. There is tension and a bit of romance too. And it finishes in the classic Wharton style, with unfulfilled dreams.

Boyne is a 40-something, single man just returning from a long stint working in distant countries. On the boat he encounters the seven Wheater children, a group of mismatched misfits who are woefully neglected by their self absorbed parents. As he makes friends with the children they start to rely on him to influence their parents. All they want in life is to stay together. Eventually Boyne becomes their temporary guardian in an attempt to keep them from being torn apart by yet another divorce. Meanwhile, Boyne's romantic life is taking a hit.

Warning: from this point on I could not keep my mouth shut. I explain everything in great detail. If you might want to read this book for yourself someday then I suggest you stop reading now.

All of the Wheater children are endearing, if not totally lovable. They are perpetually being called "the poor little Wheaters." The eldest girl, Judith, is the rock of the group. It is her strength that has kept all the children together up til now. As her own mother says, "She's like a mother to me, I assure you."

As you follow Boyne into the lions den, the social world of the rich and elite that the Wheaters are a part of, you get to be just as frustrated as he is trying to get through to those nincompoops how their behavior is having such a negative affect on the children. Try to follow along now: the parents, Cliffe and Joyce, were married to each other and had Judith and the twins. Soon Joyce fell in love with a scoundrel and left her family to be with him. He had two children from a previous relationship but he wasn't interested in raising the children so when Joyce finally left him she took the two little ones with her. Meanwhile Cliffe had married a movie star, who soon left him with a new baby to take care of. At this point Joyce and Cliffe get back together. Now it appears that Joyce has fallen for the new tutor and Cliffe has fallen prey to a social climber. The actress mother wants her daughter back as an amusement for her new husband. And the scoundrel ex husband of Joyce has a new wife who has studied child psychology and wants to try her hand at improving the two "steps" as they are lovingly referred to. Clear as mud?

The reader is given clear eyes to see the absurdity of the situation. Personally I wanted Boyne to take the children off somewhere where their parents could never hurt them again but I fear it would have taught them no lesson. In fact, the children run away to another country but the parents barely even notice and it certainly doesn't interfere with their social calendars. Ack! The whole thing rankled my feathers.

Then we come to the romance part of the story. Boyne becomes engaged to the widow, Mrs. Sellars, whom he has had a longing for for many years, including while she was married. Now she is free to be his but he has found himself falling in love with the 15-going-on-30 year old Judith. It was a bit disturbing to contemplate Boyne and Judith together like that but fear not. She completely misses what's going on and he leaves ashamed and defeated.

So now that I have thoroughly given away the entire plot, perhaps you will not feel the need to read the book after all. It was a bit like watching a soap opera*. It was ridiculously unrealistic but tantalising enough to keep me coming back for more.




*This in no way is to be takien to mean that I do currently or have ever watched a soap opera with any regularity. In fact I have not ever been attach to such retched things even in my lowest moments. My own life has provided drama enough to keep me busy, thank you very much.

Spring Reading

Do your reading habits change in the Spring? Do you read gardening books? Even if you don’t have a garden? More light fiction than during the Winter? Less? Travel books? Light paperbacks you can stick in a knapsack? Or do you pretty much read the same kinds of things in the Spring as you do the rest of the year?

Springtime means taking the kiddos to the park frequently, which causes me to choose smaller books that can hold up to the constant interruption of looking up to count little blond heads. I do read thicker and more involved books in the spring, just not at the park.

And now that Carl V. hosts the Once Upon a Time Challenge every spring, I am making associations in my mind with springtime and fairy tales. They seem to fit together naturally.

The Sunday Salon

We've just returned from a small road trip south to attend the funeral of a respected and adored grandmother. She had been an amazing person; strong in a quiet and peaceful way. This was one of those occasions where death was a blessing, relieving her of her frail and failing body. She will be missed but we know we will meet her again in a place with no more suffering and no more tears.

Along the way I was able to get in a little reading in small spurts. I am reading The Children by Edith Wharton. It was loaned to me so I feel the pressure to get it read and returned before the Book Police come looking for me. I can hardly wait to review it because it is stirring up so many strong emotions in me. It is essentially about a family with 7 children that are neglected by their parents. My Mama Bear fur is raised and I'm ready to pounce.

In a week my IRL book group meets to discuss Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, which I am totally jazzed about. The movie with Emma Thomson is a lot of fun, even with the very green Keanu Reeves(not his best work). I also have Looking for Hamlet by Marvin W. Hunt on loan from the library. It's a non-fiction work that explores the hows and whys of Hamlet's personality and popularity. It looks very interesting.

May your week be full of many opportunities to read and relax.

Review: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
translated by J.R.R. Tolkien

If you will listen to this lay bit a little while now,
I will tell it at once as in town I have heard it told,
as it is fixed and fettered
in story brave and bold,
this linked and truly lettered,
as was loved in this land of old.

Every time I read poetry I fall in love yet again. So it is truly a wonder that I don't read it more often. I must do something about that. You can be sure, though, that I will reread this one with some frequency. In fact, I plan to make this a read-aloud in our homeschool next year as we will be hitting this era in history. My daughter is a lover of poetry and my young son craves adventure.

The story begins in the courts of King Arthur who is celebrating the New Year with dainty food and hearty games, when a strange site rises before his eyes: a huge, emerald green knight atop a huge, emerald green steed. The Green Knight challenges the Round Table to a test of bravery; he and one brave knight will exchange one blow each with his mighty ax. Arthur's knight will strike that night but then he must find the Green Knight on the following New Year's day to receive his due. Strange sights are seen and a quest is started. There is seduction and a little magic. Will Sir Gawain be triumphant or will his worst fears be realized?

More than the storyline, which I took great pleasure in, what I loved the most was the alliterative poetic form. Look at this verse and watch how many times a particular sound repeats in each line:

Then was Gawain delighted, and in gladness he laughed:
'Now I thank you a thousand times for this beyond all!
Now my quest is accomplished, as you crave it, I will
dwell a few days here, and else do what you order.'

Notice the DLDL sound in the first line, the Th in the second, the Ck sound in the third, and the D sound in the last. Though I tried to pay close attention to the tale, I kept looking for the new sound that each line followed. I am in awe of the amount of work that goes into translating in this manner. Tolkien nails it beautifully. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a poem that should not be missed.

Though I've read this for the Arthurian Challenge I am thinking it would suit well as a folktale for the Once Upon a Time II Challenge as well. I may be stretching it a bit but I think anything related to King Arthur is so clearly cut from English cloth, that it tells us much about the people of that time and place, their beliefs and their longing for a hero.

On My Way to Camelot

I love romance and chivalry, the time of knights and ladies, quests and dragons. And what could capture the essence of these things more than the era of King Arthur? Despite my love of it, I really have read very little about that period in history. I feel the need to change that. So I have succumbed to another reading challenge. Becky is hosting the Arthurian Challenge that runs from April, 1008 to March, 2009. The goal is to read at least 6 books that are connected in some way to the story of King Arthur. Becky doesn't like to box you in with too many rules so that's pretty much all there is to it. You don't even have to post a list but I like gathering the books and noting them down somewhere so here are my choices:

1.Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, trans. by J.R.R. Tolkien
2.King Arthur and His Knights by Henry Frith
3.The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White
4.The Book of Merlyn by T.H. White
5.King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
6.The Story of King Arthur by Tom Crawford
7.the following poems by Tennyson
-Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere
-The Lady of Shalott
-Morte d'Arthur
-Idylls of the King
-Merlin and the Gleam

So fare thee well sweet maids; fare thee well young gents. Mayhaps we shall meet again whither we go.

Review: Slurp

Slurp: Drinks and Light Fare, All Day, All Night
by Nina Dreyer Hansley, Jim Hensley, and Paul Lowe

I received this Advanced Review Copy from Andrews McMeel Publishing through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. For the last couple of years my husband has been learning everything he can about spirits and mixed drinks. This plus my love of entertaining makes this book perfect for our bookshelves. The book is divided into four sections:

1. Drink Accessories-where we are given a few basics and told how to create little finishing touches for our drinks such as different types of glasses, making a pleasing sugar rim, and creating ice cubes filled with berries and other garnishes.
2. Morning-made up of recipes for juices, smoothies, teas and coffees, and breakfast foods.
3. Daytime-this section has various drinks, like coolers, shakes, iced teas, and afternoon cocktails, as well as lunch ideas.
4. Evening-it has a few finger foods and a bunch of alcoholic choices, everything from classic drinks to modern creations, night caps to "the day after," in case you indulged a little too much.

This 8x8 inch book has full color layouts with very simple to follow recipes throughout. Some of the food items listed are:

• baked plums with yogurt and almonds
• zucchini and feta cheese omelets
• focaccia with pesto, parma ham, and mozzarella
• salmon and potato salad
• sweet potato chips
• gazpacho with shrimp

But these are just the appetizers. The main part of the book is the drinks. Try these out for size:

• blueberry and vanilla smoothie
• cafe mocha
• chai lai tea
• watermelon and ginger cooler
• mango and coconut shake
• banana and pear lassi (an Indian yogurt drink)
• mimosa
• sparkling sangria
• mai thai
• bellini
• opal ice
• hot toddy
• and many more

This book makes me thirsty. It also makes me want to entertain so I can try out some of these recipes with friends. We are working our way through the recipes calling for blueberries this week. For breakfast this morning we had the Breakfast Muffins with fruit. They were easy to make and didn't take long either. They were sweet and yummy. The recipe made a dozen small sized muffins, which was perfect for the kids and I, but we will probably make half a dozen larger muffins the next time.

The recipes are perfect for summer entertaining out on the deck. And the book could easily be used as a coffee table book too. But it is not in depth about glassware or exhaustive about what a stocked wet bar needs. It is just a book of simple food and drink ideas, beautifully photographed, that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone.

A Good Weekend, Ye Matey

The house was overrun by pirates this weekend. It was a pirate birthday party to beat all. We walked the plank, "bombed" each other with water balloons, found a map (belonging to the Dread Pirate Roberts, of course) and followed it to buried treasure. It was a lot of fun. But the part of it that I was most proud of was the cake. Following directions I got from FamilyFun.com, I was able to make a treasure chest cake that was too cool to eat. But thanks to a butter cake and cream cheese frosting, not to mention all the candy, it will soon be buried again, in our stomachs.

48 Hour Book Challenge

MotherReader has just announced the weekend for the third annual 48 Hour Book Challenge. Mark your calenders for June 6-8, then follow the link to read the rules and sign up for yourself.

Lahiri's Latest

All you Jhumpa Lahiri fans will be excited to know that she has just released her new book of stories, Unaccustomed Earth. You can read an excerpt here. But that's not all. Check out her Top 5 list of her favorite music and books here. Return of the Native is a favorite of mine too.

Review: The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride
by William Goldman

I could not find a cover graphic like the one on my book which is a shame because I really like it. I also really liked the book.

For those of you that have been living in a cave for the last 20 years, The Princess Bride is a fairy tale story about lovers who must overcome many obstacles to be together, including the marriage of one and the death of the other. But these obstacles are nothing for the power of their love. It is very "70's Jewish humor" along the lines of Mel Brooks in perfect doses. It is also a story told within a story. In the movie it is a story being read by Columbo to his grandson, Fred Savage. This is in fact a device used in the book but altered a bit. The first 30 pages, not to mention all the introductions, are written by the author explaining how he came to "adapting" the book originally written by S. Morgenstern, a native of Florin, the main location of the book. All of this is bogus of course because there is no such country as Florin but for brief moments one actually believes maybe there really is. There is a lot of criticism of this technique but I enjoyed it. Reading the book, with all it's little interruptions was like talking with your old Uncle Lou who maybe embellishes stories sometimes and maybe he's had a little too much to drink, but you love listening to his stories none the less.

If you are at all worried about the book not living up to the movie's character, fear not. There are differences, certainly, like getting to learn the histories of Inego and Fezzik, but the book has exactly the same flavor as the movie but with a little more detail. It you love the movie, I would highly recommend you read the book too.

I can't say it was a great choice for a book discussion group, even with the questions at the back of the book, but it was just right for the Once Upon a Time II Challenge. If you are participating, consider adding this one to the list. And if you're not participating, you don't know what you're missing.