To Kill A Mockingbird

Woe, destruction, ruin, and decay; the worst is death and death will have his day.

Posted on by sydneyday

In case you didn’t guess from the title of this post, part 1 of The Hollow Crown, a collection of film versions of Shakespeare’s Henriad, FINALLY aired in the US on PBS Friday night. I have been waiting for ages to watch these. Seriously. As soon as the air dates were announces, I wrote them on a sticky note and stuck it to my calender, where I have started at it for months and months on end.

Part one was Richard II, starring Ben Whishaw as the titular character, and including Rory Kinnear, Patrick Stewart, Clemence Posey, Jake Purefoy, David Morrisey, Lindsey Duncan…it goes on. And this is only the first film. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. And now I’m dying for Friday, so I can watch part two, Henry IV: Part 1, which starts Jeremy Irons as the title character, and my favorite, Tom Hiddleston (eek!) as Prince Hal. It also boasts the amazing Julie Walters, whom I love, and Simon Russel Beale as Falstaff. Is it obvious that I’m really, REALLY excited for this? Does that make we weird? I don’t really care if it does, I was just wondering.

Ok, I will move on from Shakespeare. Though it is not without difficulty.

Other than watching Richard II twice, I also did some crafting this weekend. I made three Fall/Halloween pennant banners. I finally spent some more time working on my cousins birthday present–which was about two weeks ago–and hopefully I will finish it this weekend. As long as it’s not another really busy week. Last week was crazy. I still haven’t made new fall wreaths. I have everything gathered and has been sitting on my kitchen table for three weeks. So my goal is to get them done by this weekend & get them out. My other goal to get my Halloween decor out! I want to make a few things, and I need to try and mend my favorite Halloween sign that one of my dogs ate last year. I have a feeling it’s a lost cause, but keep your fingers crossed anyway.

Let’s see, what else? I got caught up on the past two weeks’ episodes of Breaking Bad–and watched this week’s–and saw that I had missed some serious business. (Spoilers! Avert your eyes!) I can’t believe that Hank is dead! And I was on the verge of tears when I thought they were going to kill Jessie. Intense. That was intense. I watched the Emmys, too. They didn’t suck, but they weren’t great either. It was also the season finale (and possibly the series finale, if I here correctly) of Copper. Oh, and I watched episode 2 of Orphan Black, which I’m loving. I’m so BBC America is airing the first season so I don’t have to Netflix it. My queue is backed-up enough as it is!

I have a feeling I’m forgetting something from this weekend…oh well. Onward!

So, it’s Tuesday, which means it’s Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish (but I will get to that later), and tonight is Face Off on SyFy!  Yay! It doesn’t really feel like a Tuesday, but I can’t figure out what day it does feel like. I barely remember yesterday. I think my brain decided just take the day off & chill at home while my body was at work.

This week is Banned Books Week, so instead of using the TTT topic for today–favorite sequels–I’m going to do my top ten favorite banned/challenged books! But before I get into my list, a bit about Banned Books Week the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom has more information on banned & challenged books, including multiple lists broken by year or decade, as well as a neat timeline.

Now, onward to my list! There are a few contemporary titles on here, but the majority are classic. And according to the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, at least 46 of the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century have been either banned or challenged. I have also included some of the reasons given over the years for banning or challenging each book (quotations all come from this ALA page on banned classics).

  1. Fotor0924151652The Great Gatsby by F. Scot Fitzgerald  – Banned/Challenged for: namely language & sexual references.
  2. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee – Banned/Challenged for: language, racial slurs that promote “racial hatred, racial division, racial separation, and promotes white supremacy,” “psychological damage to the positive integration process,” objectionable content, adult themes including rape and incest, inappropriate for age group.
  3. Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak – Banned/Challenged for: dark and disturbing nature.
  4. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – Banned/Challenged for: homosexuality, suicide, language, drug use, alcohol use, anti-family, abuse, inappropriate for age group.
  5. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling – Banned/Challenged for: portrayal of witchcraft as good, occult/satanic themes, violence, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group.
  6. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – Banned/Challenged for: demoralizing content, excessive violence, language, racism, sexual content, “defamatory towards minorities, God, women, and the disabled,” satanic.
  7. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – Banned/Challenged for: language, content.
  8. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell – Banned Challenged for: racism, language.
  9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Banned/Challenged for: anti-ethnic, anti-family, language, violence, occult/satanic references, sexual explicit, unsuited to age group.
  10. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger – (Now, here is a testament to how much I hate book banning: this is one of my most hated books. I wish to all that is good that I could love this book, but it’s never going to happen. I hate it! But I hate book banning even more, and this is one of the most banned books there is, so I had to include it.) Banned Challenged for: “anti-white,” obscenity, language, sexually explicit including prostitution, “undermines morality,” alcohol abuse.Fotor0924151739

Go on & be a rebel! Read a banned book this week!

P.S. I remembered what I was forgetting from my weekend: I read volumes one through four of Locke and Key!! It’s official, I’m in love. Highly recommend. I plan on finishing volume 5 tonight!

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A to Z

Posted on by sydneyday

AtoZsurveyToday’s post idea started with a post I saw yesterday on Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books. It as an A to Z bookish survey. Since I wasn’t planning on doing a Blogtember post today, it got me thinking – maybe I could do an A to Z themed post, and do two or three A to Z surveys? So that’s what I’m doing :).

First up is A to Z, Bookish Me!

Author you’ve read the most books by?

Discounting series, it’s either Jane Austen or Tana French, probably. Including series, it’s would probably be J.K. Rowling.

Best Sequel ever?

This is difficult, since I read so many series, but I think I’m going to to go with either Shadow of Night, the sequel to Discovery of Witches, or Son of A Witch, the sequel to Wicked.

Currently reading?

City of Bones by Cassandra Claire, Broken Harbor by Tana French, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Magicians by Lev Grossman, and Jane Eyre.

Drink of choice while reading?

Usually coffee or wine, sometimes tea (the one kind of hot tea that I actually like).

E-reader or physical book?

Though I have a Kindle, and I like it, I will always prefer the physical book. You can’t beat it.

Fictional character you probably would have dated in high school?

I would like to think Four from Divergent. But who cares about high school?! I want Matthew Clairmont from DoW, or Fitzwilliam Darcy, of course.

Glad you gave this book a chance?

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I ended up completely loving this series. I so wish it could have continued like it was planned.

Hidden gem book?

I don’t know if this qualifies or not, I don’t personally know anyone who has read it, so I’m going with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Important moment in your reading life?

Probably the first time I read each of these: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Great Gatsby, and To Kill A Mockingbird.

Just finished?

I think The Ocean at the End of the Lane was the last book I finished.

Kinds of books you won’t read?

I don’t like straight romance novels or most memoirs or erotica (the one book I attempted to read). Other than that, I will give just about any genre a try.

Longest book you’ve ever read?

Umm…it’s either Gone With The Wind, or The Lord of the Rings which I read all as one book, like it’s supposed to be.

Major book hangover because of?

Where do I even begin?! All Souls books, the Twilight series the first time I read them, Harry Potter of course, and Hunger Games series.

Number of bookcases you own?

I actually only have one, I desperately need more. That’s why I have books stacked on just about every flat surface in my house, other than the floor.

One book you have read multiple times?

It’s impossible to just pick one, so I picked five: The Historian, Jane Eyre, The Great Gatsby, Discovery of Witches, and Pride and Prejudice.

Preferred place to read?

On my couch, wearing leggings, a big t-shirt & a long cardigan, when it’s cold & rainy/snowy, with the fireplace lit & a cup of coffee.

Quote that inspires you/gives you the feels from a book you’ve read?

I’m quote obsessed, especially quotes from books, so I’m afraid I chose more than one. And I’m not sorry, either:

“He’s more myself than I am. Whatever are souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” – Wuthering Heights

“For the first time, I had been struck by the excitement of the traveler who looks history in her subtle face.” – The Historian

“It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy; it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others.” – Sense and Sensibility

Reading regret?

Not reading The Perks of Being A Wallflower in high school.

Series you started and need to finish?

A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin

Three all-time faves?

Who can only pick three?! The Historian, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby, To Kill A Mockingbird, Discovery of Witches…I’ll stop at six, I guess.

Unapologetic fangirl of?

All Souls Trilogy

Very excited for this release more than others?

The third book in the All Souls trilogy.

Worst bookish habit?

I honestly can’t think of anything right now…

X-marks the spot: Start at the top left corner of your shelf & name the 27th book.

Dubliners by James Joyce

Your latest book purchase?

I think the last books I bought were The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and The Ocean at The End of The Lane. But I plan on buying a new one tomorrow, either Burial Rights by Hannah Kent, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth, or Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. If only I could get them all…

ZZZ snatcher: last book you stayed up way too late to finish?

It must have been The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

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And this one is more generalized:

Age?

26

Birth order?

I’m the oldest.

Cake or pie?

Definitely pie. I hate cake.

Dream job?

I want to be be my own boss & be able to work from anywhere.

Essential item?

My earbuds.

Favorite color(s)?

Plum, cobalt blue, midnight blue, turquoise, burnt orange

Gummies: bears or worms?

Worms are more fun.

Hometown?

Waurika, OK

Indulgence?

Umm…a Starbucks latte every now and again?

January or July?

Weather-wise, most definitely January.

Kids?

I have three canine children – Buster, Duke, and Ellie. Someday I want a few human mini-mes running around, but not for a little while I don’t think.

Life isn’t complete without?

My kiddos.

Most recent way you spent money?

Groceries.

Number of siblings/books on your to-read list?

I have two brothers: Robert & William, and then I have three step-siblings: Shelby, Davida, and J.D.  The number of books on my to read list currently stands at 576.

Oranges or apples?

Apples

Phobias?

Public speaking, or just about anything where the attention is focused on me. And snakes.

Quote?

“Time is very slow for those who wait, very fast for those who are scared; very long for those who lament, very short for those who celebrate. But for those who love, time is eternal.” – William Shakespeare

Random fact about yourself?

Let’s see…I have always dreamed of having big, long, full, wild, red curly hair. Think Merida.

Season of choice?

Autumn, with Winter a close second.

Treat: what’s your favorite?

Pumpkin and/or apple pie.

Unknown fact about me?

I would love to be a cosplayer.

Vanilla or chocolate?

That really depends on what we are talking about…

Worst book ever read?

I think I’m going to have to do with 50 Shades of Gray. I didn’t even get halfway through it. I kept editing it, correcting the grammar, rearranging sentences & paragraphs, etc. the whole time.

X-rays: how many have you had?

Two, I think.

Yo-yo or Rubik’s cube?

Rubik’s cube. I like puzzles.

Zodiac sign(s)?

Leo/Rabbit

And I’m done for the day! But before I go, I have to wish a very happy EIGHTEENTH birthday to my cousin, Cassidy! I love you so much!!

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AM

Posted on by sydneyday

Today I have for you lovely people 1) a recipe to share, 2) a Top Ten bloggy thing I saw on Life With a Side of Coffee, and 3) I have some very important music news to share…I’m going to start things off with that last one…

Are you ready? Ok then.

The Arctic Monkeys new album, AM, which drops on September 10th (finally!! I’ve listened to the first two tracks–Do I Wanna Know & Are You Mine? every single day for months & months now in anticipation) is currently streaming for FREE on iTunes! Best news, I know. I discovered this late last night thanks to the Free People blog (via Pinterest), and it has already made my work day a million times better. This new album has a little bit of a different sound than what the boys have done in the past, and I’m kind of loving it (currently, I think my favorite song is Arabella and No. 1 Party Anthem. But it’s the Arctic Monkeys, then can pretty  much do whatever they want & I will probably still listen to it. I can’t wait until I can actually purchase this album. September is a great month music-wise, with HAIM’s full length album coming out at the end of the month, and KOL’s new one, Mechanical Bull, releasing on September 24th…it’s looking pretty good, right?!

Now on to that recipe I mentioned. Since it’s Fall now (Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back, therefore, it is now Autumn even if it doesn’t yet feel like it), and I’m getting back on the “get healthy” track, I decided to make myself a little tasty & breakfast/snack that is filling and not terribly bad for me: Apple Pumpkin Muffins! And they are yummy & not horribly unhealthy like many muffins are. I based my recipe off of a vegan recipe that I found on The Minimalist Baker. If I would have had almond milk & non-dairy butter, and flax seeds on hand, I would have went ahead with the vegan recipe, but since I didn’t (because I’m not vegan), I changed it a bit.  The worst part of these health-wise is the 1/2 cup of brown sugar &  the two tablespoons of butter in them (you could always use light margarine or you could leave out the butter all together if you really wanted to). But it’s only 1/2 a cup, most of the flavor comes from the spices, and of course the apples & pumpkin.

 

Now, I believe that “Top Tens” post I mentioned is up next, which I’m doing in lieu of today’s Blogtember post, because this looked like more fun. (Just a note, I have WAY more than 10 on most of these lists.)

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Top Ten Places I Need to Visit (that I haven’t)

  1. Ireland
  2. New Zealand
  3. Paris
  4. Greece
  5. Turkey
  6. Morocco
  7. Washington D.C.
  8. Boston
  9. Romania
  10. Oxford

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Top Ten Treats

  1. Pumpkin Spice Lattes
  2. Monkey Bread (a.k.a. Cinnamon-Sugar Pull-Apart Bread)
  3. Beef Jerky
  4. Haagen-Dazs Limoncello Gelato
  5. Apple Pie
  6. Pumpkin Pie
  7. Chips with Salsa & Cheese Dip
  8. Reeses
  9. Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  10. Strawberry Galette

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Top Ten Reads (what I could come up with on the fly)

  1. Jane Eyre
  2. The Historian
  3. Dracula
  4. Pride and Prejudice
  5. The Wicked Years
  6. Harry Potter
  7. All Souls Trilogy
  8. To Kill A Mockingbird
  9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
  10. In The Woods

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Top Ten Drugstore Beauty Buys

  1. L’Oreal Ever Pure Sulfate-Free Color Care Shampoo
  2. L’Oreal Ever Pure Alcohol-Free Root Spray
  3. Dove Body Wash
  4. Noxzema Face Wash (I use it as a mask)
  5. Organic Coconut Oil
  6. Revlon PhotoReady Translucent Power
  7. CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation
  8. Essie Nail Polish
  9. Neutrogena Night Calming Makeup Remover Towelettes
  10. John Frieda Luxurious Volume Mouse & Hairspray

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Top Ten Movies (again, what I came up with on the fly)

  1. Gone With The Wind
  2. Good Will Hunting
  3. Legend
  4. The Cornetto Trilogy
  5. Love Actually
  6. The Shining
  7. Casablanca
  8. Bridget Jones’s Diary
  9. The Corpse Bride
  10. The Exorcist

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And there you have it! I think I’m done for the day!

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Weekend Recap, TTT, & Day 1 of Blogtember!

Posted on by sydneyday

And we’re back from the long Labor Day weekend! I hope yours was a little better than mine. My weekend wasn’t terrible, but it would have been much better without the dreaded migraine I had all of Sunday which caused me to miss two birthday parties I was really looking forward too. I did, however, get to spend Labor Day with a surprise marathon of the BBC’s Pride & Prejudice, and I did quite a bit of cooking & baking, which makes it a success, really. I hadn’t seen the BBC version of P&P in a long time. Not surprisingly, I fall for Colin Firth’s Fitzwilliam Darcy over & over again every time I watch it. He is the best personification of the beloved Mr. Darcy that I have ever seen. Did you know that this miniseries originally aired 18 years ago?! Yeah. 1995. It doesn’t seem like it could have been that long ago. I mean, that would have made me 8 years old when it first aired. No matter, it definitely holds up to the test of time.

Now for Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!  This week is top ten nine contemporary &  classics/”required reading” book pairings, and/or books that should be required reading but currently aren’t.

Pairings

  1. Dracula and The Historian – This is an obvious pairing to me, seeing as both books circle around the character of Dracula, and both are on my all-time favorites list.
  2. To Kill A Mockingbird and The Help – Both are fictional takes on the reality of racism/civil rights in the South, at different points in our history, and both are, again, on my all-time favorites list.
  3. Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary – This is kind of a given, seeing as BJD is kind of a modern take on the classic story, and they just seem to go so well together. Again, all-time favorites.
  4. The Wizard of Oz Series and The Wicked Years – The same basic story but from two completely different perspectives. And again, both are on my list of all-time faves.

Should Be Required Reading

  1. Harry Potter Series, or at least one of the Harry Potter books – First off, HP is interesting & entertaining, so it should hold the attention of teens. Plus, this series is about so much more than witches and wizards and magic. It’s about responsibility, and learning how to deal with the good and the bad that comes with life. It’s about striving in darkness, and being true to yourself…and I could go on and on and on, but I’ll stop there. If you’ve read the books, you know what I’m getting at.
  2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower – I truly think this book should be taught in high schools. I wish I has read in high school & not as an adult, but even so, it is a powerful book about being proud of who you are. Every one should read at least once in their life
  3. The Lord of the Rings – This is a classic, but not usually a school-taught classic. Fantasy doesn’t get it’s due when it comes to high school curriculum, in my opinion. Most “genre” books don’t, really. At least not when I was in high school. Similar to HP, LOTR is about so much more than magic and elves and monsters. There are true life lessons embed in those pages.
  4. The Help – A contemporary look at racism & civil rights in the South, that does so in a way that hasn’t really been done. It’s heart-wrenching and heartwarming, it makes you laugh and makes you cry. It makes you want to stand up for what you feel is moral and right. The only downside to this being taught in schools if that students may read it too fast. I mean, it took me less than 24 hours.
  5. 1776 – Too many people, kids especially find history boring (which simply baffles me), but this is different. It’s historically accurate & obviously about the American Revolution, but it’s told in a different way. It doesn’t read like a textbook, it reads like a novel, a story, because it is. And every classroom should have one copy of the illustrated version with the supplements included (copies of period newspapers, correspondences, maps, etc) to make even more interesting.

Now, as you probably noticed in the title, today is Day #1 of Blogtember. If you will harken back to May, when I did the Blog Everyday in May challenge, it’s basically the same thing, just for September. It’s hosted by the same blog as well, Story of My Life.

Day #1: Where I’m from: Part A

If you ask me where I come from, I don’t just think of the place(s) I call home, but also of the people I come from, namely my family. But since I don’t have old pictures of my family on my phone, I’m going to start with the actual “where,” and in a later post, once I get some pictures together, I will focus on my family.

I was born in the little Texas town of Henrietta, and I grew up the little Oklahoma town of Waurika. Well, Wauirka is where I went to school & all that, but I mostly lived in the even tinier Addington which was 5 miles north.  Waurika is largely a farm & ranch community with a population of about 2000. It only has one traffic light, and that’s just a flashing 4-way stop light. Addington has a population of about 100, on a good day. It has a tiny post post office, a volunteer fire department, and the church I grew up in. And that’s about it, really. I loved growing up in a little, country community. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

This is my elementary school and my high school:

I had about 28 or 29 people in my graduating class. And most of us had been together since kindergarten.

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High School graduation.

Now, I’m not so crazy about where I’m from. It feels so different to me when I go back there. But, like I said earlier, I wouldn’t want to have grown up anywhere else. I had a wonderful upbringing surrounded by people I love. What more could you ask for? And I know that this place helped shaped who I am becoming.

That’s all for now, folks! I hope to be back this evening with Day #1, Part B of Blogtember, but if not, see you tomorrow!

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Top Ten Tuesday

Posted on by sydneyday

Hiya!

That comes off quite a bit cheerier than I actually am, but that’s the beauty of blogging – you can’t see me or hear me. Moving on, it’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broken and the Bookish, again. This week is top ten books you wish had a sequel. This was a bit of a challenge for me, only because I read ALOT of series & they, obviously, already have sequels. It’s taken some searching through my very muddled brain, but here’s what I eventially came up with:

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  1. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova – this book makes it onto my TTT lists quite often because i truly love it, and because of that, I would kill for a sequel. I want so badly to continue on with the characters and the places and the story…everything about the book. As soon as I start re-reading it, I start dreading the end because I don’t want to leave the world that Kostova has created for me.
  2. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee – Who doesn’t want to know what happens next? What kind of people fo Scout and Jem grow up to be? Do either of them follow in Atticus’s footsteps and become a lawyer? Do they march with Dr. King for civil rights? Do they get married and have kids? Do they stay in Maycomb or do they move off? And what about Atticus? And Boo? And everyone else, for that matter.
  3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – I desperately want to know what the rest of Jane & Mr. Rochester’s life was like together. I want all the minute details because theirs is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest love stories ever recorded.
  4. Pride & Prejudice/Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen – Keeping on the theme of greatest love stories, how can I not want to continue on with these as well?
  5. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness – OK, technically, yes, there is a sequel in the works for this sequel, but I’m impatient and I want it now!
  6. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – What is life like for Amy and Nick after they have the baby? Do they end up staying together? How does their child turn out with two nutjobs as parents? Does one end up killing the other in their sleep? Do the kid end up killing both parents? There are just so many ways their lives could play out…
  7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling – I’m pretty sure any HP fan will have this on their list. How could you not? I don’t care that there are seven books, I would devour seven more! Hell, I would devour 700 more.
  8. The Host by Stephanie Meyer – I liked this book and would like to see what happens with Wanda & Ian and Melanie & Jared. Do the Souls come after them again? Do they spend the rest of their lives in the desert? What happens next?
  9. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman – This one could actually happen. The Gaiman has said before it could. And I sure hope it does. I want more of London Below (or NYC Below or wherever), and I want to know what Richard’s life became in London Below. I want to see the relationship between Richard and Door grow. I just want more. Is that too much to ask?

I’m a little surprised I came up with 10 books. I deem this a success. And on that bombshell…

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Top Ten Book-to-Movie Adaptations

Posted on by sydneyday

I’m so thankful I actually wrote the majority of this post last week, since I didn’t sleep a single minute last night and can barely keep my eyes open. Only time will tell if I survive the day without falling asleep on my keyboard.

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great 4th of July holiday! As you can see from the title of this post, this week’s theme for Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish is top ten book-to-movie adaptations. This list could have been longer, or some things would have been relegated to lower spot on list, if only I had read the books for arguably some of the best movies, not just adaptions, ever. Examples? How about One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest? And The Godfather. And then there’s The Hobbit  and the Lord of the Rings trilogy – which I still haven’t read. I’m a terrible nerd. There are many more, but now it’s time to actually get to my list. Keep in mind these are in no particular order:

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  1.  The Millennium Series 
  2. To Kill A Mockingbird
  3. The Maltese Falcon
  4. The Harry Potter Films
  5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
  6. The Shining
  7. Gone With The Wind
  8. A Time To Kill
  9. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
  10. The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy (I haven’t actually read all of this as of yet, but it had to be on my list anyway.)

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Top Ten Day! (And Gatsby!!)

Posted on by sydneyday

Yes, my friends! It’s Top Ten Tuesday brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish, AND today if the day that Tienna & I go see The Great Gatsby! I hope today goes by fast, because I’m ready to see the movie!

Today’s top ten subject is: top ten books dealing with tough issues. I don’t think I’ve got ten, at the moment I can only think of one, actually. But I will do me best!

  1. Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten – I don’t remember much about this book, actually, but it’s about a single mother (a lawyer) whose 12-year-old  son, who has Asberger’s, is accused of murdering a fellow patient at a psychiatric hospital, which she tries to disprove. 
  2. Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay – this book is set in France, both in the present, and in WWII, and, therefore, it deals with the Nazi occupation of France. Good book, not great, but worth a read.
  3. Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank – I don’t think one needs a description.
  4. Night by Elie Wiesel – Wiesel’s memoir about surviving Nazi concentration camps is must read. Such a powerful, and very tough, read. I don’t think I’ve read it since high school (though I should re-read it), but it has always stuck with me…much like the next book on the list.
  5. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee – one of my all-time favorites, this one I have re-read many times since high school. I read it about once a year, it seems. It’s a powerful book, another must-read for every human being in my opinion.
  6. The Help by Kathryn Stockett – another one dealing with racism in the South – a part of our history that makes me cringe, especially seeing as I’m a Southerner. I couldn’t put this book down, literally. I stayed up all night reading it the first time.
  7. Penpal by Dathan Auerbach – this is definitely a tough one to get through, more so than I expected. We read this for bookclub, and I think we all were horrified by it. I don’t want to give anything away, because I still recommend reading it – it’s about a man who tries to relive/piece together his childhood in order to better understand it, and what he discovers along the way.
  8. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – if you haven’t read this, or at least seen the movie, you should: now. I do not want to reveal anything to you, because the way that it is revealed in the book/movie is exactly how it should be done. If you have read it/watched it, then you know what issues are involved & should see why this book is on my list. Seriously, read it.

Well, it’s not quite ten, but it’s better than my original one.

In anticipation of my weekly musical post tomorrow, is there any specific type of music anyone would like to hear? I’m trying to decide between a few artists but it’s not easy! They all should be shared (and eventually will, I’m sure).

Moving on to the blogging challenge for today, the topic is ten things that make me happy:

  1. My babies – Buster, Duke and Ellie May.
  2. Music – especially finding new music to fall in love with.
  3. Books/Reading – new books, old books, the smell, the look, the feel…all of it. It’s like magic.
  4. Films – classics, blockbusters, indie, noir, comedy, drama, horror, romance, you name it, I probably like it, or have at least seen it.
  5. Rain – it’s peaceful. And I love the smell, and the sound, and everything about it really.
  6. Cooking – getting in the kitchen and creating something. It’s always fun. Except for the cleanup.
  7. My friends & family – the people I love the most. You probably know who you are.
  8. Losing weight/getting healthy – need I say more?
  9. London/England – anything remotely attached to England, or London specifically, always takes me to a happy place.
  10. The dream of going to Ireland someday – I will go. Just wait and see.

 

Top Ten Tuesday

Posted on by sydneyday

It’s Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! This week is: Top Ten favorite brooks before I was a blogger. This is really intended for book bloggers (who actually post reviews instead of just planning on posting book reviews and never actually doing it), but I’m doing it anyway. Since I started blogging, then stopped, then started again, I went with the top 10 before I started again just a month or two ago, so most of these are still some of my favorite books.

Here is my list (don’t judge me!):

  1. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer – yes Twilight. I don’t care what anyone says about it. I loved it. Still love it, actually, though, admittedly, not nearly as much as I did.
  2. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – who doesn’t love Harry Potter?!
  3. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova – this will forever be one of my favorite books. It mixes historical fiction, a love of books, and Dracula all in one. It’s beautifully written, and never fails to completely transport me. I highly recommend it.
  4. The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris – yep. I loved them and still do. They can be corny and sometimes a bit outdated, but I still love them.
  5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett – loved it. Still love it. Great book.
  6. The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins – again, loved and still love. I like dystopian books.
  7. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee – without question one of my all-time favorites. I first read it in high school and have loved it ever since.
  8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – again, read it in junior high or high school and loved it ever since. Another of my all-time favorite books.
  9. The Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson – still love. Fantastic series. I so wish they could go on as intended.
  10. The Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire – first off: I have loved anything Wizard of Oz for as long as I can remember. I watched that movie more times than you can imagine–both as a child and as an adult. So when I discovered this series, I gobbled it up. I’m sad that it’s over, but it’s one that I go back to often.
  11. Discovery of Witches/Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness – I know I’m only supposed to have 10, but I had to include this – I absolutlely love this series. Will go down as a favorite (always). What’s not to like for me? It has witches, vampires, demons, Oxford, the French countryside, wine, really old books, time travel and historical fiction all rolled up into one three books (#3 isn’t out yet and it’s KILLING me). I don’t think I could have asked for me. I wish I had written this. This is exactly the type of book I want to write someday.

So there you have it! My top 10 11 for this week!

In other news, I’m very pissy today. The smallest things and I have the urge to start slapping people. Not everyone, but several people. I don’t really know why I’m so agitated today, but I am. So, for those of you at work who may read this, I apologize now if I’m surly and pissy towards you today. It’s a little early, but I’m going to blame it on PMS…or the vegetarian thing…or lack of sleep…or migraine hangover, one/combination of those. If I had a vacation or personal day to use, I would use it today. Unfortunately I don’t. So I’m going to try my best not to flip-out on anyone or start crying (this is more likely), because that’s what I do. I cry. Any heightened emotion, sappy real estate commercials, you name it and it probably has the ability to make me cry.

So, back to work I go, seeing as I have finished my boring lunch. I’m so ready for Saturday and being able to eat real food again. I really miss beef, and pork, and chicken, and seafood. Maybe I’ll have scallops & lobster as a treat to myself…we shall see.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot – here is my photo challenge picture for today:

hobby

Day 9: my hobby – card making.

Seacrest out.

preview-3

 

 

P.S. It’s currently 74 degrees here yet we have a Winter Weather Advisory in effect (starting this evening) until tomorrow afternoon…welcome to Oklahoma.