Thursday, September 15, 2005

Book Vs Movie

I have been a voracious reader since I was in first grade. I often note those with ugly childhoods frequently turned to escapism through books.

I tend to prefer fantasy and mysteries to nonfiction...after all, I read to escape! Occassionally, I'll binge on self-help books....*blush*.....they are my secret trashy reading. I would rather be flayed ( or is that "filleted?" hee) than ever read a bodice ripper again. They nauseate me.

All this is leading up to what I'm reading currently: The Lord Of The Rings. Nope, never read it before. I read The Hobbit in high school and somewhere along the line I developed the idea I had also read LOTR. Now, more than half through it, I realize I most certainly never have read it before.

Am I naive in that I was shocked how different the book is from the movie? I keep turning to Jodie (a dyed in the wool LOTR addict) and saying "hey! they did this completely different in the movie!!" I love the movies...but I am enjoying the book immensely.

We are also reading (tho I have given it back over to Jodie while I finish LOTR) "Eragon". This is a young adult novel about a boy and his dragon and we are enjoying it very much. In fact, she needs to finish cause once I close LOTR....I want it!

Knitting? Mmmmm....almost done with The Boy's Tychus...hopefully this weekend. Not sure what after that....I still have tons of yarn in my stash and I need to work from it. I am having some yarn buying lust...but I'll continue to control myself a bit longer.

Question of the day: What are YOU reading??

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved "Hobbit", but didn't get through LOTR - I got stuck in the copious details of the historical set up (I tried to read the bible twice and gave up during the listing of begats). Maybe I should apply my Michner rule and start the books on page 100.

In Michner books I skip the 80-100 pages of the pebble rolling across the bottom of the ocean/break up of Gondwannaland/Continental drift, etc... I jump in where the people begin.

Gina said...

Well, I don't read the bodice rippers anymore, either. I, too, bought Eragon & I'm thinking of stealing it from my daughter to read. There are so many so-called "children's" books out there I want to read! On my list is Inkheart, Arabat, and The City of Ember. And then for the "adult" I've got favorite authors like Nora Roberts/JD Robb, Jasper Fforde, Jane Churchill, the earlier Patricia Cornwell books.

Sigh. How to read everything and still knit?

Anonymous said...

I loved Eragon (which I read when it first came out). I just got the sequel, Eldest. Can't wait to get it started. I'm supposed to be reading "Remains of the Day" for Knit the Classics. So far, I just haven't gotten into it, but I haven't given up yet!

Anonymous said...

Reading, reading. I ws a voracious childhoos reader too. In fact, I think the thing I heard most from my mother when I was growing up was "Get your nose out of that book and go... (insert boring something here)" I don't read so much anymore, purely for lack of time. I've just finished the new Robin Hobb book, which hubby *loved*, I thought it was okay, her others were better. Just started rereading the Julian May Pliocene Exiles series again.
Can't stand Lord of The Rings. It bores me. I have tried thousands of times, but I just can't get into it.
Loved the movies though, but his style of writing does nothing for me.
*Detest* bodice rippers!

Anonymous said...

Seeing the movie and reading the book is an old hobby for me. It started when I was in junior high. I had seen "Captain Newman, MD" one Sunday night and then found it in the library at school. Been doing it ever since :)

Regarding LOTR, I had read "The Hobbit" and I got through the first two books of the trilogy. I thought they were interesting but only "o-kay". I think Tolkein writes like a historian. "This happened and then they went here and did this" and so on.

I don't mean to belittle the work - it's a tremendous piece. But I am an intensely character-driven reader/viewer. If the characters don't engage me, then I generally can't get involved in the story. The LOTR movies involved me with the characters in a way Tolkein's words never did and I love them for that.

purlewe said...

Just finished "coroner's lunch" which I consider probably one of the best pieces of prose I've read in a long time. I love the Fforde books.. check them out if you haven't.

I had troubles reading LOTR when I was a young adult. too much for me. Once I tried for the 3rd time and I got past that barrier.. (page 80) and then I suddenly couldn't stop.

Read Inkheart if you like Eragon.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I never read LOTR either. Hmmm. I have always been a major reader. I admit I read less now that I knit. What am I reading now...too much work related reading!