I hope you guys enjoyed reading about my 1-5 list of books that I posted last week. I certainly enjoyed reminiscing about my days and nights spent reading - and in some cases re-reading - them. Now on to the next 5...
6. Harry Potter series [JK Rowling]. While I realise that this series is not particularly academically stimulating - they are written primarily for pre-teens and teenagers, after all - they are highly entertaining. I spent many an enjoyable day reading and re-reading this collection of books. Each time a new book or movie was set to be released, I would spend the weeks leading up to the release re-reading each of the preceding books and/or watching the movies. While the movies will never stack up to the books, I find them entertaining once I am able to detach a bit and not spend each scene nit-picking over what was changed or what was left out. I have the recording of the 7th book [Deathly Hallows] on my iPod [James Dale, not Stephen Fry, unfortunately], which I listened to while I was traveling through Europe last summer - numerous train rides went by much faster listening to the adventures of Harry, Hermione, and - my personal favourite - Ron. I am beyond excited that I will be in the States for the release of the second part of the last movie this summer.
7. My Sister's Keeper [Jodi Picoult]. This was the first of Jodi Picoult's books that I read, and it is still by far my favourite. Not only was it on an interesting topic - a 13-year old girl, conceived to be a perfect genetic match for her cancer-stricken sister, sues her parents for medical emancipation - but I enjoyed how Picoult used each character to tell various parts of the story, allowing the reader to learn the backstory and how the elder sister's cancer had affected each member of the family in different ways. The end was a bit overly dramatic, even based on how the rest of the book was, but overall I thought it was a great book. The movie, however, was a huge disappointment for me. Too much of the story was changed or left out entirely, which I didn't like. I'll settle for re-reading the book.
8. The Shadow of the Wind [Carlos Ruiz Zafon]. This is one of the books on the bbc's original list that I loved reading but did not necessarily think was one of the most influential books I've ever read. It was a great book, certainly - I have read it a few times - but probably didn't deserve a place on their list. It makes mine, though, because this is my own world, and each book on my list is here for different reasons. This book was so easy to get wrapped up in, the characters were all so lovably flawed, and when I re-read it the first time, I loved how many different aspects to the story I picked up on that I had missed the first time around. I also love the idea of having a Cemetery of Forgotten Books. If I ever find one, I don't think I would ever leave. This will be one I re-read for years to come; unfortunately, I can't seem to hang on to a copy of it, because every time I finish it, I immediately pass it on to someone else who I know will love it.
9. Tuesdays With Morrie [Mitch Albom]. If memory serves correctly, this is the first book that ever made me cry. And by cry, I really mean weep uncontrollably. This was one of the first books that I copied entire passages out of. There is so much I could say about this book, but I think I'll stop myself before I bore you. If you haven't read it, shame on you.
10. A Thousand Splendid Suns [Khaleid Hosseini]. I remember working at Barnes & Noble and finding out that the store was going to receive an advance copy of this book. All of us in the store were waiting with bated breath for it to arrive - we were ready to fight for it. One day I was sitting in Robert's office doing some paperwork and just happened to glance at a stack of papers and books on the edge of the table. I rifled through them looking for something, and lo and behold, I found this book staring back at me. It had somehow made it from Receiving, all the way across the store, and into the Store Manager's office, all without being noticed by anyone. I quickly snatched it up before anyone else wandered in and found it. Once I had it in my clutches, I didn't put it down until I finished it. Not that it took me long - I think I managed to finish it in about 2.5 days, even while working full-time. It made me laugh, it made me weep, it made me seriously thankful for my life. But most of all, it made me aware.
Those are this week's selections.
What are some of your favourites?
xx
6. Harry Potter series [JK Rowling]. While I realise that this series is not particularly academically stimulating - they are written primarily for pre-teens and teenagers, after all - they are highly entertaining. I spent many an enjoyable day reading and re-reading this collection of books. Each time a new book or movie was set to be released, I would spend the weeks leading up to the release re-reading each of the preceding books and/or watching the movies. While the movies will never stack up to the books, I find them entertaining once I am able to detach a bit and not spend each scene nit-picking over what was changed or what was left out. I have the recording of the 7th book [Deathly Hallows] on my iPod [James Dale, not Stephen Fry, unfortunately], which I listened to while I was traveling through Europe last summer - numerous train rides went by much faster listening to the adventures of Harry, Hermione, and - my personal favourite - Ron. I am beyond excited that I will be in the States for the release of the second part of the last movie this summer.
7. My Sister's Keeper [Jodi Picoult]. This was the first of Jodi Picoult's books that I read, and it is still by far my favourite. Not only was it on an interesting topic - a 13-year old girl, conceived to be a perfect genetic match for her cancer-stricken sister, sues her parents for medical emancipation - but I enjoyed how Picoult used each character to tell various parts of the story, allowing the reader to learn the backstory and how the elder sister's cancer had affected each member of the family in different ways. The end was a bit overly dramatic, even based on how the rest of the book was, but overall I thought it was a great book. The movie, however, was a huge disappointment for me. Too much of the story was changed or left out entirely, which I didn't like. I'll settle for re-reading the book.
8. The Shadow of the Wind [Carlos Ruiz Zafon]. This is one of the books on the bbc's original list that I loved reading but did not necessarily think was one of the most influential books I've ever read. It was a great book, certainly - I have read it a few times - but probably didn't deserve a place on their list. It makes mine, though, because this is my own world, and each book on my list is here for different reasons. This book was so easy to get wrapped up in, the characters were all so lovably flawed, and when I re-read it the first time, I loved how many different aspects to the story I picked up on that I had missed the first time around. I also love the idea of having a Cemetery of Forgotten Books. If I ever find one, I don't think I would ever leave. This will be one I re-read for years to come; unfortunately, I can't seem to hang on to a copy of it, because every time I finish it, I immediately pass it on to someone else who I know will love it.
9. Tuesdays With Morrie [Mitch Albom]. If memory serves correctly, this is the first book that ever made me cry. And by cry, I really mean weep uncontrollably. This was one of the first books that I copied entire passages out of. There is so much I could say about this book, but I think I'll stop myself before I bore you. If you haven't read it, shame on you.
10. A Thousand Splendid Suns [Khaleid Hosseini]. I remember working at Barnes & Noble and finding out that the store was going to receive an advance copy of this book. All of us in the store were waiting with bated breath for it to arrive - we were ready to fight for it. One day I was sitting in Robert's office doing some paperwork and just happened to glance at a stack of papers and books on the edge of the table. I rifled through them looking for something, and lo and behold, I found this book staring back at me. It had somehow made it from Receiving, all the way across the store, and into the Store Manager's office, all without being noticed by anyone. I quickly snatched it up before anyone else wandered in and found it. Once I had it in my clutches, I didn't put it down until I finished it. Not that it took me long - I think I managed to finish it in about 2.5 days, even while working full-time. It made me laugh, it made me weep, it made me seriously thankful for my life. But most of all, it made me aware.
Those are this week's selections.
What are some of your favourites?
xx
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