So, my brother finished his latest art assignment, which I just had to share because I knew you all would get a kick out of it! Admit it, you would so read this novel!
Photo owned by Nicholas Jarrett
Have a wonderful day, everybody!
Love, Book Club Babe
Just after I completely re-designed my blog, I’ve hit another major milestone: my 200th post! Granted, it’s almost been two years since launching Book Club Babe, and I could have achieved this months ago, but meet my excuses: Moving Out, Full-Time Job, and Who-Am-I-Kidding-I’ve-Been-On-A-Game-Of-Thrones-Bender-Because-Brace-Yourselves-Winter-Is-Coming-In-Only-6-More-Days!!!
Damn right LotR cross-over meme! Tyrion Lannister FTW!
Can you tell I’m excited for Sunday?! (Seriously, though, I haven’t read the books–yet, but the HBO series is freaking fantastic! Jump onto the bandwagon!)
Anywho, I’d like to celebrate my 200th post with a haphazard list of links to literary stuff I’ve been interested in. Don’t think I haven’t been keeping up with the news–it’s just that “keeping up” and “blogging about” are more like long-lost cousins than identical twins.
First off, here’s a reminder of the book adaptation blockbusters, coming to a theater near you this year:
Also, in non-Game-of-Thrones related TV news, I’ve given up on “The Carrie Diaries.” I was really excited before it premiered, because I’m obsessed with watching re-runs of “Sex and the City,” but now? Meh. Stopped watching after five or six episodes. Wide-eyed, innocent teenage Carrie is not nearly as much fun as sexy, confident 30-something Carrie, especially when her equally awesome friends aren’t in the picture yet.
Raise your hand if you’d rather be watching “Game of Thrones!”
Not to mention, the dialogue is stale, the plots are cliche, and the ‘bad boy’ is not hot enough to keep me interested, a la Chuck Bass in “Gossip Girl.” Granted, two of the executive producers of “The Carrie Diaries,” Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz, were also behind the making of “Gossip Girl,” but in that show of NYC’s elite, they didn’t even attempt to follow the books, which sucked. “The Carrie Diaries” also kinda sucked, so tell me again why these two are attempting to adhere to it this time?
You know what would make this teeny-bopper show better? DRAGONS.
Now that’s what I’m talking about!
Ok, ok, I’ll stop. Last two links:
Here’s a lovely post from Qwiklit on “50 Reasons You Should be a Bookworm.”
And here’s “A Brief History of Book Vending Machines” over at HuffPo. Seriously?! Book vending machines? Awesome!
Any other literary news you’d like to add? Just stopped by to reveal your GoT addiction? Anything goes today!
I’m currently at a conference predominately catered toward analysts and engineers in the government sphere, which has got me thinking about some great novels about what can happen when governments grow too corrupt, using technology for devious purposes. This dystopian theme has garnered more popularity in the past few years, thanks to the rise of young adult thrillers like The Hunger Games, so I thought I would share some tidbits about the novels that make you want to wear an aluminum hat.
The Classics
1984 by George Orwell (1949): The king of dystopia, Orwell paints the bleak picture of a totalitarian state that not only watches your every move, but also sabotages your mind with double-think. The intensity of this story quickly made it one of my favorites of all time!
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932): This is an excellent portrayal of genetic engineering gone totally wrong, complete with drug-induced complacency. Read with caution, as it also contains more disturbing themes than the other two classics.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1950): A haunting commentary of society’s attention-deficiency and willingness to sacrifice literature and civil rights for mind-numbing entertainment. Its brevity proves that good things can come in small packages.
The Genre Re-Definers
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985): One of the most well-renowned feminist writers, Atwood illustrates an alternate dystopia where the feminist movement of the 1970s backfired, creating a twisted world where women are reproductive slaves. Given current politics in America, this story’s just as relevant almost 30 years later.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005): I’m hesitant to label this novel as science-fiction, or even describe its main premise for fear of spoiling the reading experience, but I will say that never have I seen an author blur the lines between genres as Ishiguro. A heartbreaking tale that transcends past, present, and future.
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd (1988): I don’t normally include graphic novels, but this one epitomizes dystopia to the max. Based on the history of Guy Fawkes’ Day, it depicts the ultimate narrative of revolution. The V mask is a must-have for anarchists everywhere.
The Newcomers
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008): After flipping channels between reality TV and war footage, Collins wrote the bestselling trilogy of the ancient Greek-esque punishment for rebellion. Arguably too brutal for children, but it’s an apt critique of society’s desensitization of violence.
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (2005): One of my favorite YA series, it demonstrates how our obsession with beauty and perfection often hides uglier interiors. Add an element of romance, and you’ve got the next silver screen contender.
Matched by Ally Condie (2010): Again, what’s a YA trilogy without a love triangle? Lit nerds will love its influence from poetry, and Twihards suffering withdrawals will soon have new boys to swoon over when Disney brings the adaptation to a theater near you.
So there you have it! My recommendations for those wanting to dive into dystopia! What other novels would you add to the list?
No matter what your subject matter, it’s always amusing to see what search engine terms have led people to your blog. One of my favorite book bloggers over at 101books.net shared his latest batch of search questions today, so I thought that I would offer some of mine, conveniently categorized into the cool, the confusing, and the kinky (it’s an alliterative kind of day!)
The Cool
i’m katniss and i know it
Ooo, is there a Hunger Games parody of that catchy “I’m Sexy and I Know It” song by LMFAO? I can picture Katniss dancing in a Gale and Peeta sandwich like some Vegas go-go dancer. Somebody, be a dear and send me the link, because this would be sweet!
tattoos guys would get for their mom
Aw, isn’t that adorable? Whoever typed this in, I hope you found an inspirational quote or song lyric that your mother would’ve loved. Just be careful with portraits, as I’m sure you saw plenty of horrendously bad examples that make loved ones look like demons from Japanese horror films. So I’m glad you’re doing your research!
Monday poems
Hmmm, if I wrote a poem about Monday, what would it be? “It must be hard for Monday, whom no one’s ever liked. But Monday can be Fun Day, if your coffee has been spiked!” JUST KIDDING! Who am I, Kathie Lee and Hoda? I certainly don’t condone going to work buzzed, but why not cheer yourself up by reading Masterpiece Monday? It’s an instant mood-booster!
The Confusing
ed westwick teeth
I have referenced actor Ed Westwick before, when discussing the richest fictional characters, but this search term has me stumped. Do you like his teeth, or are you being a bigot toward the British? Have you seen the rest of him, because I think you might be missing the point. The man behind the best bad boy on TV, Chuck Bass, has great hair, amazing style, and brooding eyes…but his teeth are alright too, if you’re into that, I guess.
hogwarts teacher table
Are you interested in some literary home decor ideas? Or do you mean an organizational table with all the Hogwarts teachers on it, maybe categorized by subject? I hope it’s the former, because now I’m imagining an HGTV for fictional settings, and I would definitely watch that!
diagram society hunger games
I have a feeling you meant “dystopian,” since “diagram” makes no sense to me. Highly doubt this person meant Venn diagrams, pie charts, and bar graphs. Any guesses, readers?
The Kinky
naked women wearing glasses
I didn’t know that discussing my LASIK surgery would make me vulnerable to pervy search terms, so all I can say to this person is that I’m sorry you didn’t find what you were looking for. I know that people might get the wrong idea from a blog called “Book Club Babe,” but I am not a sexy secretary, schoolgirl, or librarian. Can you imagine what the women over at InsatiableBooksluts.com have to deal with?
glasses sex pics
Oh, now you’re just being lazy. At least the other guy included the word “women.” If you’re going to objectify, you deserve objects only. I hope that you stumbled upon some freaky site of two pairs of glasses going at it, like some Stanton Optical commercial gone awry.
sex poems for my boyfriend
Well, I guess this could be worse. At least you sound like a giving lover. I would personally recommend “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell, which is like a classier version of an Akon or Pitbull song. Although I must add, nothing says “I love you,” like something homemade!
There you have it! The coolest, most confusing, and kinkiest search terms I’ve gotten so far. What did you think? Can you top mine? I’d love to hear some of your gems!
It’s been a lazy Saturday for me as I finish grading my last 20 papers and passing time until my Skype date with one of my bffs. I’ve been surfing the net for giggles, and while I’m currently obsessed with Clients from Hell and #whatshouldwecallme, I found these infographics on BookRiot.com. They all deal with the idea of Katniss, Hermione, and Bella faced with paying rent, so if you enjoy YA heroines, then you’ll like these!
Katniss from The Hunger Games:
Hermione from Harry Potter:
Bella from Twilight:
Note: All these images are credited to dr b at Book Riot. If you want to reblog, give credit where credit is due! Please and thanks!
I ran across this awesome infographic on Goodreads and wanted to share it with you. It shows the various trends and popularity in dystopian literature from the Great Depression to today. While I personally feel that romance has weakened the power of the genre, I will support any book like The Hunger Games that can get people interested in classics like 1984 or Brave New World. In fact, if a student of mine is a fan of Katniss and Peeta, I immediately steer her in the direction of Bernard and Lenina.
Teachers should use young adult fiction as an opportunity to broaden teens’ reading habits. Love Twilight? Read Wuthering Heights. Obsessed with Percy Jackson? Try Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. I admit that I can be a literary elitist at times, and these teaching moments will not only encourage kids to keep reading, it will get them to read better books, in my opinion. You shouldn’t talk about Harry Potter on the SAT essay, but why not discuss witchcraft in Macbeth?
Anyway, what are your thoughts of this dystopian uprising? How do you think the genre will change in the decades to come? Let me know!
Image via Goodreads
Image via Wikipedia
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Yes, I’m a bit shocked myself to be writing that high of a rating, but I was pleasantly surprised with this adaptation. After waiting in a relatively long line for a 10:30 a.m. showing, my dad and I watched the much-anticipated “The Hunger Games.” Clocking in at almost 2.5 hours, it certainly didn’t feel that long, since I was enthralled every second.
The cast did brilliantly, not overdoing their acting, but not behaving like robots either. Sure, Jennifer Lawrence has been criticized for her feminine curves, and while I was concerned when learning of the cast that their looks wouldn’t be realistic, I understand that it’s unethical to actually starve actors for their roles. Plus, don’t people realize she’s been nominated for an Oscar for “Winter’s Bone?” She does a great job as Katniss, and just because she’s got boobs and a butt doesn’t mean she’s too sexy for the role. So, I’d like to tell The New York Times to politely shut their face.
As for the setting, Panem looked fantastic. I loved the contrast between the ultra-modern Capitol and the rural districts. Those who haven’t read the books might find the flamboyant Capitol citizens a bit cheesy in their crazy outfits and makeup, but I’d also like to tell them to politely shut their faces. The movie was not made for you.
While the first scenes were great, from the heartbreaking Reaping to the tributes’ training, we all waited in suspense for the Games to begin. I found it very meta that we were just as excited as the Capitol to watch these kids kill each other. We are part of the problem, and Suzanne Collins is making an excellent point that our society is disturbingly obsessed with violence. Our reality TV culture has made us the least common denominator, and that need for voyeurism made me uncomfortable.
That being said, I still feel that the actual gore was diluted down too much, especially with Cato’s death. I kept thinking to myself as I read the scene, How are they going to show a boy get reduced to a skinless, meaty pulp? Well, they didn’t, of course. Should they have? I can understand that the producers did not want to lose most of their demographic with an “R” rating, but I feel pretty jipped as an adult. If I made the decisions, there would be two DVD versions–the theatrical version and an adult-only one that maintains the book’s level of brutality.
Overall, I was very pleased with the film, and I recommend it to any fan of the series. Perhaps if the filmmakers keep this up, I won’t be as upset watching “Mockingjay” as I was reading it. Well, one can hope, right? And as President Snow said, “Hope, it is the only thing stronger than fear.”
Yes, let's!!!
Odds are, you’ve heard that this little movie called “The Hunger Games” is coming out tomorrow. Advanced tickets have completely sold out and critics are estimating that it could make up to $150 million this weekend. I’ll be busy chaperoning for my mom’s third-grade class at the Fresno Food Fair tomorrow, but since I got my dad to read the book, we’ll be seeing it first thing Saturday morning.
Right now, I’m optimistically excited. I’m not a fan of the end of the trilogy, but I’ve been watching clips and reading interviews of the cast, and hopefully it will be worth all the hype. I’m not too thrilled with its PG-13 rating since I wanted as much authenticity to the book’s brutality, but I understand that the story’s main demographic are teenagers and an R rating would cost the producers too much money.
I’m also skeptical of massive bandwagons. I greatly enjoyed The Hunger Games, but as I’ve discussed before, my overall opinion of the series is pretty blah. Since it’s been over six months since I’ve read the series, I’m already on the hunt for the next big thing, and I’m sure I’ll be sick of all the fuss after a while, just like I am with the Twilight saga. But I’m determined to watch the film with qualified appreciation, so be sure to read my review when it comes out!
I'll be watching you watching me, Big Brother...
Another tidbit of news that was released yesterday is that Imagine Entertainment will be remaking 1984 by George Orwell! The company has teamed up with street artist Shepard Fairey, who has become famous for the Obama hope posters, so there might be some great Big Brother propaganda in the works! Of course, the internet is abuzz with talk about casting, and top favorites for Winston Smith include Gary Oldman and Michael Fassbender.
Personally, Oldman might be too old now to play Winston, but could pass for the sinister O’Brien. Fassbender has done some great work recently, and I think he could do a fantastic job in this film. I’ll have to watch the first film adaptation, actually released in 1984, which starred John Hurt and Richard Burton. But I’m super excited for a modern remake since technology today could definitely enhance the story. I read 1984 only just a few months ago, but it is already one of my favorite books of all time (Read my stellar review HERE!) Maybe this movie will get a new generation of readers to love the book as much as I do!
So will you be waiting in line at midnight tonight to root for Katniss and Peeta? Who would you cast in the new “1984″ film? Or, are you sick of all these dystopian tales? Let me know in the comments!
Sorry everybody, I have failed to blog this week’s Masterpiece Monday, because I spent my day finishing 1984! I know, finally! I absolutely loved it, and it definitely qualifies as a masterpiece, so keep an eye out for my book review this week! I’m continuing the dystopian trend, because next up on my list is Fahrenheit 451. It’s a classic that I can’t believe I’ve put off this long to read, so I’m looking forward to it.
Speaking of dystopias, I’ll make up for my lack of blogging today by sharing “The Hunger Games” trailer (for the few who haven’t already seen it):
I know that I shared my livid review of Mockingjay this summer, and while I don’t agree with the way the trilogy ends at all, I’m still so excited to see this film! I like the overall vibe of the setting, and hopefully all the actors will live up to their characters. Let me know what you think!
And supporting the troops doesn't mean that you support war. It means that you support your fellow human beings.
I’m almost ashamed to admit that I’m only 200 pages into Orwell’s 1984, (I’ve forgotten when I even started the novel!), but I guess my excuse is my 20-page paper which is due at the end of the month. Nothing ruins pleasure-reading like grad school!
Right now I’ve just reached the part where after all the planning and toiling over Hate Week, Winston learns that his country of Oceania has just switched their enemy of Eurasia to Eastasia–and no one bats an eye over this turn of events, as if if had always been and will always be that way.
1984 is such a perfect read given that Veteran’s Day is tomorrow, because it demonstrates just how incomprehensible and useless war really is. Granted, I haven’t finished the book, but I hope that Winston and his comrades will be able to escape the iron grip of Big Brother some way–even if it has to be in death. But no spoilers!!!
I wanted to honor literary veterans by discussing my favorite war story: “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” by J.D. Salinger. This short story was published in 1948, right after World War II. It features Seymour Glass, of Salinger’s famous fictional Glass family. Seymour and his wife Muriel are on vacation on a Florida beach, but Seymour exhibits rather odd behavior.
He tells a young girl named Sybil about creatures called “bananafish.” He explains:
“Well, they swim into a hole where there’s a lot of bananas. They’re very ordinary-looking fish when they swim in. But once they get in, they behave like pigs. Why, I’ve known some bananafish to swim into a banana hole and eat as many as 78 bananas…Naturally, after that they’re so fat they can’t get out of the hole again.”
Naturally, Sybil asks what happens to bananafish, and Seymour replies that they die. It’s at this point where you realize that this story has a much deeper meaning than a simple family vacation, and that Seymour is not okay. I won’t give away the ending, but I can’t think of a better story which addresses war and the PTSD from which many veterans suffer, often unnoticed by the people around them.
Salinger is an exquisite writer, and I loved this short story so much. Feel free to share your favorite war stories in honor of our literary (and real) veterans!
PS: Speaking of war, “The Hunger Games” trailer will be shown on Good Morning America this Monday! May the odds be ever in your favor!
