grapesky

by F. Scott Fitzgerald is now a Movie.

Thoughts About My Library

At some point, I need to organize my books into categories of:

Books I Have Read
Books I Have Not Read
Books I Have Read and Want to Read Again
Books I Have Read and Will Never Read Again

Desert Island Books

1. English Oxford Dictionary
2. The Holy Bible
3. Shakespeare’s Complete Works
4. Wilderness Survival Book
5. Calculus Book
6. Grimm’s Fairy Tales
7. “The Waste Land” by T.S Eliot
8. The Lord of the Rings by Tolkein
9. Joy of Cooking
10. Astronomy Book

What are your ten desert island books?

Movies

I pulled out a bunch of my old books from my last few years in grad school because I am working on writing a paper which is on movies and how young people choose which movies they watch. It’s interesting to see just how many books I have accumulated on film, cinema and movies.

Sometimes it feels like film critique, theory and etc has almost become a bigger deal than the study of literature. In so many ways, films have replaced novels as our main form of storytelling in our current American culture.

How do you choose which films you watch? Do you go by the previews? Or perhaps by the recommendations of friends? Do you read reviews? Online or in newspapers? Or maybe you just head to the theatre and pick one to watch?

I have a friend who loves previews. She gets so exctied during the previews and usually this becomes her starting place for movie choices. I am a little more skeptical about previews as I tend to see them as marketing schemes tricking me into seeing films that I would not normally even consider.

How do you react to movie trailers and teasers?

Auralia’s Colors at Third Place Books

Tonight, I went to a book signing at Third Place Books by Jeffrey Overstreet for his new fantasy novel, Auralia’s Colors. I have been reading his blog since the spring, and have enjoyed his perspective on film, music and writing. Even though we went to the same high school, I didn’t really know him, so it was interesting to meet him in person. I always wonder if someone is the same in real life as they are on the internet, and he does seem to be the same person. I think he is doing, actually living out what many of us have been talking about wanting to do which is: adding to the conversation in our culture through writing, bringing meaning and beauty. Thank you Jeffrey for an enjoyable evening.

Oh, and I love Auralia’s Colors and highly recommend it!

And, one more thing… I saw my Senior year English teacher Mr. D. at the book signing. I said hello, but realized that 15 years later, I am still tongue tied when trying to talk to him! I felt like I was still 17!! I wanted to thank him for teaching me how to write a good essay. I don’t think I could have gotten the grades I did in college with out that skill. He also opened my eyes to some good poetry (red wheelbarrow) and fiction.