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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by noa on December 27, 2003, at 10:26:08
Does anyone else get the itch to read a book before seeing the movie?
My mom had recommended the book "Cold Mountain" (Charles Fraser) a few years ago when it came out, but I never got to it. Now, with the movie ads all over the place, it occurred to me I should read it because I have this thing about wanting to read books before seeing the movie.
So, I went to the City's library web site and guess what? They are all taken out or on hold. According to the website, there were two copies left--one in the prison library, and the other way across town. So guess what I did? NO. I didn't go to the prison library. I went way across town to the library where they had a copy.
Well, it wasn't on the shelf, as expected. I asked the librarian, and it turns out the only reason they actually have a copy in is that someone had just donated it in the past few days and although it had been added to the catalog, it hadn't even been put on the shelf yet. She went to the back room and put a cover on it and that is how I got the only copy of "Cold Mountain" (me and some lucky prisoner, I guess! Except that I suspect "Cold Mountain" would come out on Dr. Bob's 'readability' scale as not being so accessible to the typical prisoner's reading level.).
Good thing, too, because when at first it looked like I wasn't going to get a copy in the library, I looked it up at an online bookstore, and, just as I'd dreaded, the paperback edition had the movie stars faces on the cover--UGH!!!! I hate that. They did have the older paperback edition with the original cover, but it was three dollars more expensive than the movie-sponsored edition! (I would have actually paid the extra because the movie cover edition really irritates me).
But I have my library copy. I've only read one chapter and it is pretty good so far. I haven't read a book in months because of difficulty focusing for long. I sat in the library and read for an hour (that library had nice seating, too bad it is way across the city from me), and started to find myself getting drowsy. This worries me--can I not read without getting drowsy? Then it occurred to me that I might have forgotten to take my Adderall yesterday morning.
Speaking of books and movies--I read about half of "Girl with a Pearl Earring" (Tracy Chevalier) in late summer, having picked it up at the airport before a long flight home, and was enjoying it very much. I didn't feel it was the greatest book of all time, but I really liked the way the author built in the visual and sensory experiences seen through an artist's eye. At the time, I thought to myself, "this book should be made into a movie" because of how visual it is. Well, I went to see the film "Lost in Translation"(which, btw, I did NOT like)recently and lo and behold, there was a preview for "Girl with a Pearl Earring" starring Scarlett Johannsen (Sp.?) who was also in "Lost in Translation". So, you know what that means? Yep, I better finish reading the book!
"Girl with a Pearl Earring" is a much easier read than "Cold Mountain"--I can read it in a few hours, whereas "Cold Mountain" has a lot of unfamiliar phrases and a style that is more challenging to read.
Posted by NikkiT2 on January 5, 2004, at 10:56:24
In reply to Cold Mountain library adventures, Books and Movies, posted by noa on December 27, 2003, at 10:26:08
I often go out and read the book of movies that are being said to be great!!
Didn't know there was a film coming of "Girl with pearl earrings".. I really enjoyed that.. read it in a day and a half (being on holiday helped that part!!)
last book I did that with was um, damn.. "About Schmidt".. and when friends started discussing the film, I was like "but it wasn't like that, no - thats wrong, no he didn't that for that reason" etc etc and decided AGAINST seeing the film then!!
Going to have to start planning my holiday reading again... last time Bearded Lady came up trumps with "Middlesex".. so I hold hugh hopes for someone here finding me the perfect books to take!!
Nikki x
Posted by noa on January 10, 2004, at 12:24:53
In reply to Re: Cold Mountain library adventures, Books and Movies » noa, posted by NikkiT2 on January 5, 2004, at 10:56:24
I want to read Middlesex, too. A woman at work organizes a reading group a couple of times a year, and this is the book she picked. She actually picked it last year, but a lot of us complained because it was only avaialable in hardcover then.
I'm still reading "Girl with Pearl Earring" and Cold Mountain. I've been distracted and busy, so I haven't read as much as I'd like. But I'd better do so because "Cold Mountain" will be due back at the library and because people have reservations for it, it can't be renewed.
I saw About Schmidt and liked it, but now that you mention the book, I'm interested in reading it!
"Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro was a fantastic book, I remember. When the film came out, I enjoyed the film, but it was nothing compared to the book, because the book was such an internal adventure--I remember thinking it would be hard to translate to film. They did a decent job, but the book was so much much better!
Posted by NikkiT2 on January 10, 2004, at 12:46:48
In reply to Re: Cold Mountain library adventures, Books and Movies » NikkiT2, posted by noa on January 10, 2004, at 12:24:53
Oh crumbs.. "remains of the day" is such an amazing book.. I loved that book.. the film was good, I saw it before reading the book.. And Anthony Hopkins was perfect for that part!! have you read "When we were Orphans" by him too?? I enjoyed that alot, not as much as Remains of the Day though.
"About Schmidt" the book is nothing like the film from what I can gather!! I'll have to watch the film to see!!
"K-PAX" was done pretty well as a film I thought.. Its a damned strange book, but Kevin Spacey really pulls it off, and then theres the rest of the series to read *l*
But I loved "One Flew Over the Cookoos nest" as a film, but then read the book and the book was so much better.. But I do still love the film, I just have to seperate it from the book! *l*
So, often now, if a film gets really good reviews, and is based on a book, I go out and buy the book *l*
Oh.. off to see the first of the two plays based on "His Dark materials" by Phillip Pullman in February.. the 2nd in march.. thats gonna be interesting! But I hear they're making them into films now anyway!!
I really ought to do a blog.. hmmm
Nikki xx
Posted by noa on January 18, 2004, at 10:54:49
In reply to Re: Cold Mountain library adventures, Books and Movies » noa, posted by NikkiT2 on January 10, 2004, at 12:46:48
Had to return it before finishing it--it couldn't be renewed because of all the people who have placed in on hold. Truth is, I didn't get that far into it. Oh well--I'll get back to it sometime.
Next, I'm moving on to "Middlesex" for a book group. That one, I think I'll buy. (BTW, I had an astronomical overdue fine balance recently that I had to pay. I love libraries and believe in public libraries and like to borrow books but sometimes I'm too spacy and forgetful to return them on time!)
My reading rate has been abysmal lately.
This is the end of the thread.
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