|
|
|
June 30th, 2008
 | 11:46 am
That book meme was certainly good in giving me a kick to start reading. I read the first part of Täällä pohjantähden alla, aka Under the North Star by Väinö Linna in three days. Have only been meaning to read that for the last four years, occasionally even taking it out of the library, but then never managing to start it. *sigh* Now Sister M luckily owns it, so I could get started the moment I felt like it :D And now I loved the first part and Dad is currently reading the second part, so I don't know what to do! I would feel so bad stealing his book, after all.
It's a really fascinating book. It's a historical book of Finnish history, the first part taking place before Finland becomes independent. The main characters are crofters or other commoners, and socialists like all of that class at that time, and it's funny how I find myself agreeing with their opinions, though now I so do not support the left. Though of course back then they were almost slaves, and so very much entitled to demand that the society should be fairer in terms of income distribution etc...
Another funny thing is the awkwardness there is between people and their strange relationships! Like how awkward a vicar and his crofter are in each other's company when they meet for the first time, or how the children talk so respectfully to their parents, even among the common people, or how different courting was back then :D Which reminds me, that I was a bit pissed off when I was reading it and couldn't remember who Akseli (kind of main character) marries, and then I remembered one of the most beloved wedding valses being called Akseli and Elina's wedding valse, so uh, kind of SPOILED ME. Even if I have seen a play based on the book, so I should have known it anyway. There are just so many characters that I can't remember what happens to whom >__<
*
In other, totally unrelated news, I'm going to be an international tutor in my university in August, meaning tutoring foreign students, and today I found who my tutorees are going to be! Degree students from Ghana, China x 2, Hungary and someone probably from Estonia/Lithuania/Latvia. Exchange students from Europe would have been the easiest, but ah well, I hope I can manage the visits to the police station and stuff that I have to do with them *g* I'm excited! *starts writing an e-mail to them*
Current Music: Sockerdricka och sprit (Bo Kaspers Orkester)
|
June 26th, 2008
 | 11:50 am - Meme seen like, everywhere on my flist, and somehow it's always as interesting
Apparently The Big Read thinks that average adult has only read 6 out of these top 100 books they've printed.
1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicise those you intend to read
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) Reprint this list in your own LJ so we can try and track down these people who've read 6 and force books upon them
( Read more... )
That's... 33 read? Did I count right?
Also, like with Great Expectations, I think there are a few books there that I might have read but just don't know the English title for ^__^;;
Feel free to rec any that I haven't read - even those I have italiced; it'll make me read them sooner!
|
February 4th, 2008
 | 12:07 pm - Book rec: The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
I posted a book rec to ![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif) book_recs, so here it is for you as well:
My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
EVERYONE, YOU MUST READ The Princess Bride: S Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure.
Perhaps you have seen the movie The Princess Bride? I had, and I heard stories about The Book, but it took me way too long to get my hands on it (and when I did, it was in .pdf format, so if it's not in your library... *wink*). With the words of the author, it has everything a good book has:
Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles.
This is a parody of fairy tales, yet at the same time, it's quite frankly the best fairy tale I have ever read, because it has it all. It makes fun of other books of its genre as well as itself, at the same time it manages to be full of truths of life such as
“Sonny, don’t you tell me what’s worth while—true love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops. Everybody knows that.”
It has two adorable friends who start as villains but become good guys, who make up rhymes when they are in a tight spot. It has a dashing hero and her beautiful girl. It has pirates. It has the evil Prince who is insane but, because we get his point of view as well, whose actions make sense.
This was more than a pleasurable reading experience. I'm going to order it from Amazon as soon as I decide if I want it hardcover or paperback. What I most loved was the humour and the romance. I jumped up and down at my favourite parts, force-showed them to my sister, laughed - no, roared with laughter. And the romance... well, here, see ( The Most Wonderful Love Confession Of All Time (taken from the first chapter, so spoilers up to that point): )
But let me tell you, it's not lacking in action, either.
Have you read it? Tell me, what was your favourite part? Chapter One. The Bride? The climb up the Cliffs of Insanity? Prince Humperdinck’s Zoo of Death?
...okay, done quoting the book. (My favourite, obviously, is the above scene, although continued a bit.)
|
|
|