More years than you can bear."
Hilary Mantel, An Experiment in Love
Friday, February 24, 2012
"You're only young once,
they say, but doesn't it go on for a long time?
More years than you can bear."
More years than you can bear."
recent readings.
about a month ago, our charter school's headquarters (that sounds so secret agency, and it's so, so far from it...) sent us lucky middle school English teachers a huge shipment of fiction and non-fiction books for our classroom libraries.
needless to say, we were pretty stoked.
we got so many books that i haven't really had time to sift through most of them, so i've been relying on student recommendations.
on Tuesday, one of my 8th graders had this book lying on her desk:
A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness
inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd
one glance at the cover, and i was intrigued.
a look inside revealed to me that there were GORGEOUS illustrations on almost every other page. i immediately knew i had to read this book. i asked my student about it, and she assured me that even though she was only a little ways in, it was already fantastic. she had finished it up by Thursday morning, and turned it back in so that i could read it.
i devoured it in a day, and it was MAGNIFICENT.
i've never read anything by Patrick Ness before, but he's definitely on my radar now.
it's about a teenage boy whose mother is dying from cancer. the boy, Conor, has a recurring nightmare that he is afraid to admit, even to himself. he also has hallucinations where he talks to a giant monster made out of a yew tree. it's bizarre, but in the most wonderful way. it's also incredibly touching. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. at our in-service meeting last Friday, another book was brought to my attention:
The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green
now, i have long been a fan of John Green.
it was a couple of years ago that i read An Abundance of Katherines, but i'll never forget how zany and brilliant the main character was. in fact, all of the characters were fantastically written. i couldn't put it down.
and then i read Looking for Alaska.
Looking for Alaska changed the way i think about Young Adult Fiction, because for the first time, i knew that YA fiction had the ability to be witty and exhilarating and devastating all at the same time. John Green was all of these things and so much more.
i'd been steeped in sappy YA novels for so long that Alaska was a breath of much needed fresh air. again, the main character was brilliant. again, the other characters were fantastic. but it was just so...raw. and i hate when people throw that word around...but there's really no other way to describe it. Alaska made me feel as though my heart had been ripped open and exposed to the world, and no realistic fiction YA book had made me feel that way in quite some time. not since Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, which is more historical fiction anyway.
so when i heard that John Green's NEW BOOK was stupendous, i made it a mission to read it immediately.
that same evening, it was purchased and sitting on my bedroom dresser.
i just started reading it today, but it's already making me laugh aloud (i'm sure the cashier at Jason's Deli thinks i'm a little insane, because i was reading and giggling hysterically while waiting for my sandwich...) and sigh with romantic notions.
i'm already anticipating a hurricane of tears to come.
needless to say, we were pretty stoked.
we got so many books that i haven't really had time to sift through most of them, so i've been relying on student recommendations.
on Tuesday, one of my 8th graders had this book lying on her desk:
A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness
inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd
one glance at the cover, and i was intrigued.
a look inside revealed to me that there were GORGEOUS illustrations on almost every other page. i immediately knew i had to read this book. i asked my student about it, and she assured me that even though she was only a little ways in, it was already fantastic. she had finished it up by Thursday morning, and turned it back in so that i could read it.
i devoured it in a day, and it was MAGNIFICENT.
i've never read anything by Patrick Ness before, but he's definitely on my radar now.
it's about a teenage boy whose mother is dying from cancer. the boy, Conor, has a recurring nightmare that he is afraid to admit, even to himself. he also has hallucinations where he talks to a giant monster made out of a yew tree. it's bizarre, but in the most wonderful way. it's also incredibly touching. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. at our in-service meeting last Friday, another book was brought to my attention:
The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green
now, i have long been a fan of John Green.
it was a couple of years ago that i read An Abundance of Katherines, but i'll never forget how zany and brilliant the main character was. in fact, all of the characters were fantastically written. i couldn't put it down.
and then i read Looking for Alaska.
Looking for Alaska changed the way i think about Young Adult Fiction, because for the first time, i knew that YA fiction had the ability to be witty and exhilarating and devastating all at the same time. John Green was all of these things and so much more.
i'd been steeped in sappy YA novels for so long that Alaska was a breath of much needed fresh air. again, the main character was brilliant. again, the other characters were fantastic. but it was just so...raw. and i hate when people throw that word around...but there's really no other way to describe it. Alaska made me feel as though my heart had been ripped open and exposed to the world, and no realistic fiction YA book had made me feel that way in quite some time. not since Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, which is more historical fiction anyway.
so when i heard that John Green's NEW BOOK was stupendous, i made it a mission to read it immediately.
that same evening, it was purchased and sitting on my bedroom dresser.
i just started reading it today, but it's already making me laugh aloud (i'm sure the cashier at Jason's Deli thinks i'm a little insane, because i was reading and giggling hysterically while waiting for my sandwich...) and sigh with romantic notions.
i'm already anticipating a hurricane of tears to come.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
this is what i want to do with my life.
on writing for a living...
"My dad, a janitor all of his life, once asked me what I did for a living, since he had noticed that I didn't go out to work. I gave him a long story about characterization, plot, outlining, etc. I just didn't feel right saying that all I did was write down my daydreams."
-walter dean myers
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
reason #2:
today, while grading a student's reading response to To Kill a Mockingbird, i found this little gem:
"Everybody in this book is kinda racist. Actually, pretty much everybody today is racist.
My whole group told me that it would get better eventually if I keep reading. To be honest, I wasn't gonna read it; I was gonna sparknotes it. But no I didn't! I knew that doing that is cheating and that Ms. Salinas wouldn't be proud!
...Atticus is defending a black guy named Tom Robinson. Tom is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. In the beginning of the court, everything wasn't too exciting or interesting.
Later on as I keep reading, Atticus was like PWNING Mayella by asking a series of questions."
that's right. that's why Atticus is my favorite literary character of ALL TIME.
because he PWNS.
and also, because i can't resist:
"Everybody in this book is kinda racist. Actually, pretty much everybody today is racist.
My whole group told me that it would get better eventually if I keep reading. To be honest, I wasn't gonna read it; I was gonna sparknotes it. But no I didn't! I knew that doing that is cheating and that Ms. Salinas wouldn't be proud!
...Atticus is defending a black guy named Tom Robinson. Tom is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. In the beginning of the court, everything wasn't too exciting or interesting.
Later on as I keep reading, Atticus was like PWNING Mayella by asking a series of questions."
that's right. that's why Atticus is my favorite literary character of ALL TIME.
because he PWNS.
and also, because i can't resist: 
life lesson 2:
don't spoil the ending.
so, the kids are currently in the middle of a book club cycle.
this basically means that groups of 3 to 5 students are reading the same book. the kids read the book throughout the week and have a page schedule that they're required to keep up with. on Friday, the groups meet to talk about their book.
the most common occurring problem (and the most frustrating one, as far as i can tell), is that some kids insist on reading ahead.
i warned the students at the start of our book clubs that reading ahead would make their Friday meetings more difficult--they'd be tempted to tell the other students what happens next, and they wouldn't be able to participate in discussion as fully.
it just really helps when everyone is on the same page--figuratively AND literally.
anyway, i have groups in a couple different classes that are reading The Outsiders. as you may be aware, i STRONGLY advocate this book's use in middle school classrooms. i've never met a kid who didn't finish the book once starting it. they love the violence, the action, and especially the fact that these kids feel like outsiders--which is a pretty common feeling among middle schoolers.
in one of my 8th grade classes is one such group reading The Outsiders. this group is made up of ALL BOYS, which i was VERY worried about. but i said, "you know what? they all picked the same book. i told them i'd group them according to their book choice, and i'm going to stick with that."
i'm still not sure if this was a good idea.
but it IS highly amusing.
last Friday, we met as scheduled.
i was walking around the room, poking my nose into the other groups' conversations to see how they were faring. i took my eyes off that Outsiders group for ONE minute, and when i looked back, it was like i was seeing a flashback from my dysfunctional family's last Thanksgiving dinner. two of the boys were on the ground under the table, one was curled up in the corner of the room, and the other two were having a heated debate in the midst of it all.
i took a deep breath and made my way over to conquer the chaos.
i'm almost there when i get stopped by the To Kill a Mockingbird group. i'm trying to clear up some confusion when suddenly, one of the two boys who was just under the Outsiders table, Sam, crawls toward me on all four and continues crawling around my feet in counter-clockwise circles. i look up at the rest of the class, which has gone eerily silent. we're ALL trying to figure out what the heck is going on.
i look over at the other Outsiders boys and raise an eyebrow. "okay. what happened?"
Andrew (the other boy under the table) clears it up. he gestures toward the two having the heated discussion. "Chris and John finished the book. and they're talking about the ending. but we're not there yet!"
i looked from Andrew to Chris and John (who had stopped talking and had joined the rest of the class in watching Sam crawl around) and finally looked at Sam once more (he was on his third lap around my feet by this time...) before addressing the class.
"guys, let this be a lesson to us all. you DON'T SPOIL THE BOOK for your friends! look! they BROKE Sam!"
it took a little coaxing to get the group to agree not to spoil any more of the book for anybody. the conversation was put on hold until everyone could catch up, and the crisis was averted. but later, i laughed. a lot.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
reason #1
of why i love teaching:
yesterday was valentine's day.
obviously, this comes as no surprise. however, it was the first valentine's day i've spent single in 6 and a half years.
my fiance broke my heart this past september when he decided that we were no longer making each other happy.
the thing is, he was right. and honestly, i have to be thankful that he decided to call it quits. because i don't know that i would have ever been strong enough to do so myself.
we broke up for a lot of reasons. but that's another story for another time.
anyway. a group of my seventh graders decided to have a "Singles Party" in honor of their single status on valentine's. i agreed to host the shindig in my classroom during lunchtime. it mostly consisted of them talking and eating too many sugary foods.
at one point, the girl who organized the party decided to make a toast of sorts: "here's to being single! all of us in the room, except for Ms. Salinas, are single."
i cleared my throat. "actually..."
they got the drift.
in an attempt to comfort me, the only male student in attendance gestured toward me and said, "the reason Ms. Salinas can't find the perfect man is because she's more perfect than all of them."
who needs a significant other when i've got 90+ students who light up my life on a daily basis?
yesterday was valentine's day.
obviously, this comes as no surprise. however, it was the first valentine's day i've spent single in 6 and a half years.
my fiance broke my heart this past september when he decided that we were no longer making each other happy.
the thing is, he was right. and honestly, i have to be thankful that he decided to call it quits. because i don't know that i would have ever been strong enough to do so myself.
we broke up for a lot of reasons. but that's another story for another time.
anyway. a group of my seventh graders decided to have a "Singles Party" in honor of their single status on valentine's. i agreed to host the shindig in my classroom during lunchtime. it mostly consisted of them talking and eating too many sugary foods.
at one point, the girl who organized the party decided to make a toast of sorts: "here's to being single! all of us in the room, except for Ms. Salinas, are single."
i cleared my throat. "actually..."
they got the drift.
in an attempt to comfort me, the only male student in attendance gestured toward me and said, "the reason Ms. Salinas can't find the perfect man is because she's more perfect than all of them."
who needs a significant other when i've got 90+ students who light up my life on a daily basis?
Monday, February 13, 2012
follow up.
today in class, my reluctant reader (the one who just started reading The Hunger Games) asked me the following:
"miss...does Peeta really love Katniss? or is it a lie?"
i replied along the lines of, "sorry! can't tell you that."
after a few more unsuccessful attempts to get me to reveal Peeta's true feelings, he says:
"fine. but if this book doesn't end the way i want it to, i'm going to burn it."
i completely understand. sometimes, you just want it all to go the way YOU want it to go.
<3 peeta.
"miss...does Peeta really love Katniss? or is it a lie?"
i replied along the lines of, "sorry! can't tell you that."
after a few more unsuccessful attempts to get me to reveal Peeta's true feelings, he says:
"fine. but if this book doesn't end the way i want it to, i'm going to burn it."
i completely understand. sometimes, you just want it all to go the way YOU want it to go.
<3 peeta.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
reluctant readers.
i have this kid in my homeroom class.
like any other 8th grade boys, he thinks he's just about the coolest thing since sliced bread.
last year, he was in one of my 7th grade classes, so this is our second year together. last year, he NEVER read. i tried so hard to find him a book that would engage him! in my school's district, we're putting Balanced Literacy into practice. Balanced Literacy basically means that the kids get to choose their own books--we've completely done away with the whole-class novel, which is pretty refreshing. the kids are all expected to have a book of their own choice that they read on a daily basis. Balanced Literacy ALSO means that we spend 50 percent of our time in English doing genuine reading and writing. this is pretty great as well, because i KNOW that my kids are reading and writing. heck! they're doing it right in front of my eyes!
anyway, back to this student. last year, i searched high and low for a book that would hold his interest. but daily, i found myself watching him simply pass his eyes over the words in whatever book he'd picked up that day, never actually enjoying any of it.
for an english teacher, this is the most frustrating thing in the world.
i LOVE books! i want all of my students to love them too! but sometimes, being excited about reading is just not enough to get a kid excited about it as well.
hence my struggle to find him the perfect book.
last year, i finally gave him Where the Red Fern Grows. i loved this book as a kid and read it frequently even as an adult. i hoped that the dogs/hunting/wilderness factor would draw him in. and it DID!
last year, he finished Where the Red Fern Grows. and then, during Teacher Appreciation Week, i found a card from him in my Teacher Appreciation mailbox (a large envelope stapled outside my classroom door). the card read:
i read that card, and immediately teared up.
so this year! i decided that i would help this student continue cultivating a love for reading. we were off to a good start! he'd finally finished a book! i knew that he could at least finish another one!
the year started off rocky. he chose a book at the beginning of the year--a survival story of some sort by Gary Paulsen--and managed to finish it! and then a month went by and i was seeing a repeat performance of last year. every morning he came in, picked up a random book and let his eyes glaze over the words within. but he wasn't engaged.
so i made some suggestions. how about this one? nope. this one looks good! nope. another Gary Paulsen, perhaps? nopers.
so i recommended the one book i knew he would never be able to resist.
and you know what? he loved it.
thus began a harrowing journey into the land of books for my little reluctant reader. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events had just become pretty popular among a handful of my homeroom kids, and he picked up the first one and powered through that next. then the second one. when he'd finished The Wide Window (#3!), i asked if he'd like to continue on with number four.
"nah, miss. i think i want to read something else."
well, okay then!
he searched for a couple of days, trying a few things out. and then one day...
i held my breath as he chose a copy of The Hunger Games from the shelf. i didn't want to spook him by voicing my enthusiasm outright. it was like watching a fawn creep into your yard for a bite of grass--i felt like if i even looked directly at it, he would get gun-shy and run away with his tail between his legs. so i waited. and i waited.
a couple of days into him reading the book, i stopped by his desk and pointed at it while his table was in the middle of some group work. "oh! The Hunger Games!" i said as casually as i could muster (don't mess it up! don't mess it up!) "that's a great book. kids killing kids, you know--lots of good stuff. you're going to really enjoy it."
what i really wanted to do was dance a jig.
two weeks later.
we're in the computer lab. the kids are working on a final draft of a piece of writing they've been creating for a couple of weeks, and i hear this same kid, trying to be the cool 8th grader he believes he has to be, say, "yeah, well, reading's not that great anyway."
i stop by his computer desk. "are you honestly saying you're not enjoying The Hunger Games?"
he looked up at me with the most sheepish eyes i'd ever seen.
i didn't push it, because i knew he was just trying to look cool.
fast forward to this Tuesday.
we're having some of our genuine reading time in class. the kids are spread around the classroom, some in desks, some sprawled out on the floor (they're allowed to get comfy when we're reading), and this particular student is sitting in a desk where i can clearly see both him and his book. he's about halfway through, and so far, no signs of stopping.
all of a sudden, he says, "WHAT!?" really loudly.
it's EXTREMELY quiet, like i said. so naturally, everyone looks up.
they soon realize that nothing of consequence is happening and go back to their own novels.
but i see this moment for what it truly is.
this student--this reluctant reader of mine--has just had such a visceral reaction to a BOOK that he literally yelled at it!
he makes eye contact with me, and i see that sheepish look come back. he knows he's enjoying this book. and he knows i know it too.
"what part are you at?" i ask quietly.
he tells me that he's just finished part one. "Peeta just said he's in love with Katniss."
ah, yes. i remember that part clear as day. i'm pretty sure that wherever i was when i read that same page, i too yelled out, "WHAT!?"
but that moment, when this student of mine, who read his first book EVER last year yelled at a book...
well, that is EXACTLY the kind of moment that i live for.
that kind of moment makes it all worth it.
PS: thank you Suzanne Collins. thank you for writing a trilogy that draws in even the most reluctant of readers. <3
like any other 8th grade boys, he thinks he's just about the coolest thing since sliced bread.
last year, he was in one of my 7th grade classes, so this is our second year together. last year, he NEVER read. i tried so hard to find him a book that would engage him! in my school's district, we're putting Balanced Literacy into practice. Balanced Literacy basically means that the kids get to choose their own books--we've completely done away with the whole-class novel, which is pretty refreshing. the kids are all expected to have a book of their own choice that they read on a daily basis. Balanced Literacy ALSO means that we spend 50 percent of our time in English doing genuine reading and writing. this is pretty great as well, because i KNOW that my kids are reading and writing. heck! they're doing it right in front of my eyes!
anyway, back to this student. last year, i searched high and low for a book that would hold his interest. but daily, i found myself watching him simply pass his eyes over the words in whatever book he'd picked up that day, never actually enjoying any of it.
for an english teacher, this is the most frustrating thing in the world.
i LOVE books! i want all of my students to love them too! but sometimes, being excited about reading is just not enough to get a kid excited about it as well.
hence my struggle to find him the perfect book.
last year, i finally gave him Where the Red Fern Grows. i loved this book as a kid and read it frequently even as an adult. i hoped that the dogs/hunting/wilderness factor would draw him in. and it DID!
last year, he finished Where the Red Fern Grows. and then, during Teacher Appreciation Week, i found a card from him in my Teacher Appreciation mailbox (a large envelope stapled outside my classroom door). the card read:
Miss,
Thank you for helping me finish my first book ever.
Thank you for helping me finish my first book ever.
i read that card, and immediately teared up.
so this year! i decided that i would help this student continue cultivating a love for reading. we were off to a good start! he'd finally finished a book! i knew that he could at least finish another one!
the year started off rocky. he chose a book at the beginning of the year--a survival story of some sort by Gary Paulsen--and managed to finish it! and then a month went by and i was seeing a repeat performance of last year. every morning he came in, picked up a random book and let his eyes glaze over the words within. but he wasn't engaged.
so i made some suggestions. how about this one? nope. this one looks good! nope. another Gary Paulsen, perhaps? nopers.
so i recommended the one book i knew he would never be able to resist.
and you know what? he loved it.
thus began a harrowing journey into the land of books for my little reluctant reader. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events had just become pretty popular among a handful of my homeroom kids, and he picked up the first one and powered through that next. then the second one. when he'd finished The Wide Window (#3!), i asked if he'd like to continue on with number four.
"nah, miss. i think i want to read something else."
well, okay then!
he searched for a couple of days, trying a few things out. and then one day...
i held my breath as he chose a copy of The Hunger Games from the shelf. i didn't want to spook him by voicing my enthusiasm outright. it was like watching a fawn creep into your yard for a bite of grass--i felt like if i even looked directly at it, he would get gun-shy and run away with his tail between his legs. so i waited. and i waited.
a couple of days into him reading the book, i stopped by his desk and pointed at it while his table was in the middle of some group work. "oh! The Hunger Games!" i said as casually as i could muster (don't mess it up! don't mess it up!) "that's a great book. kids killing kids, you know--lots of good stuff. you're going to really enjoy it."
what i really wanted to do was dance a jig.
two weeks later.
we're in the computer lab. the kids are working on a final draft of a piece of writing they've been creating for a couple of weeks, and i hear this same kid, trying to be the cool 8th grader he believes he has to be, say, "yeah, well, reading's not that great anyway."
i stop by his computer desk. "are you honestly saying you're not enjoying The Hunger Games?"
he looked up at me with the most sheepish eyes i'd ever seen.
i didn't push it, because i knew he was just trying to look cool.
fast forward to this Tuesday.
we're having some of our genuine reading time in class. the kids are spread around the classroom, some in desks, some sprawled out on the floor (they're allowed to get comfy when we're reading), and this particular student is sitting in a desk where i can clearly see both him and his book. he's about halfway through, and so far, no signs of stopping.
all of a sudden, he says, "WHAT!?" really loudly.
it's EXTREMELY quiet, like i said. so naturally, everyone looks up.
they soon realize that nothing of consequence is happening and go back to their own novels.
but i see this moment for what it truly is.
this student--this reluctant reader of mine--has just had such a visceral reaction to a BOOK that he literally yelled at it!
he makes eye contact with me, and i see that sheepish look come back. he knows he's enjoying this book. and he knows i know it too.
"what part are you at?" i ask quietly.
he tells me that he's just finished part one. "Peeta just said he's in love with Katniss."
ah, yes. i remember that part clear as day. i'm pretty sure that wherever i was when i read that same page, i too yelled out, "WHAT!?"
but that moment, when this student of mine, who read his first book EVER last year yelled at a book...
well, that is EXACTLY the kind of moment that i live for.
that kind of moment makes it all worth it.
PS: thank you Suzanne Collins. thank you for writing a trilogy that draws in even the most reluctant of readers. <3
Saturday, February 4, 2012
love:
this new blog
designed specifically to give us teachers that extra little bit of encouragement we need.
especially when we've had a rough week and all we want is to go home, drink a bottle of wine, and congratulate ourselves on not killing any children yet.
this happens to be my personal favorite:
but i'll take this as well:
designed specifically to give us teachers that extra little bit of encouragement we need.
especially when we've had a rough week and all we want is to go home, drink a bottle of wine, and congratulate ourselves on not killing any children yet.
this happens to be my personal favorite:
but i'll take this as well:
movie adapatations.
so, this past weekend was the weekend of movie adaptations.
on friday, i got home (from my halfpricebooks binge) and my sister mentioned that One for the Money had just come out that day.
now, if you don't know anything about One for the Money or the book series it's based on, here's a quick update: One for the Money is the title of the first Stephanie Plum novel, a series of which there are currently 18 novels, written by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum is a jersey chick who just can't get it together. she's been laid off, her car has been repo-ed, and since she has no other options, she goes to work for her cousin Vinnie. Vinnie is sexually depraved, but he also runs a bail bonds place. Stephanie Plum begins working for him as a bounty hunter, and hilarity ensues.
i adore these books.
i have been reading about Stephanie Plum's adventures in the art of bounty hunt since i was a freshman in high school, when i picked up my very first copy of One for the Money. since then, Evanovich has been pumping out Stephanie Plum novel after Stephanie Plum novel. i just bought the latest, #18:
Explosive Eighteen
by Janet Evanovich
needless to say, when i heard that they were making a Stephanie Plum MOVIE, i went berserk.
this was going to be great! Stephanie Plum???! a movie???! i couldn't even IMAGINE how funny it would be! the books are hysterical (i used to read them up in my bedroom when i lived back home with my mom, and Al would hear me laughing and knock on my door to make sure i wasn't having some kind of fit or something). i honestly couldn't wait to see it.
then i heard who would be playing Stephanie Plum. now, i don't have anything against Katherine Heigl, but i just didn't SEE IT. i simply could not picture this blonde Grey's Anatomy alum playing my favorite of comedic heroines. i just couldn't. but we gave it a try, me and Al (she's been a fan of the books for a few years now)...and our fears were confirmed.
it was a cute movie, don't get me wrong. but that's all it was. the books live in an atmosphere of hyper-reality where nothing is very realistic (even though it's realistic fiction) and everything is hyperbole.
the movie...was just a romantic comedy.
but i wanted SO MUCH MORE from it.
there's this last bit at the end, though. and man. that one MOMENT is gold. i don't want to give too much away, but the main male lead shows up at Katherine Heigl's (i refuse to call her Stephanie Plum, because she is NOT) door and says, "i saw this and thought of you." he then proceeds to hold up a cupcake.
i'll admit it. i melted. in the end, those damn cupcakes always get me. cupcakes and cheesy lines.
well, the NEXT night, i had plans to go see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
i'd read the novel this past june on my family's 27 hour drive from Houston to Gary, Indiana, and it had completely stolen my heart. i don't even think i can do justice to the book in a summary. you really just have to read it.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Jonathan Safran Foer
the main character is a young boy whose father died in the 9/11 tragedy. the boy, whose name is Oskar, feels that he is beginning to lose the connection he had with his father, whom he loved dearly, and while going through his father's belongings, finds a small key. Oskar embarks on a journey through New York City to find the lock that fits his father's key. the book is beautifully written, but it's so much more than just a novel. there are black and white pictures throughout the novel that tie in with the story. there are pages of black and white print with red circles around meaningful words. there is an old man in the story who no longer speaks, and instead writes all of his dialogue, which is represented by single pages with simple lines written in the middle of them.
quite honestly, i think the book is more a work of art than a novel.
and you know what? the movie was just as beautiful.
there are so few times when i see a movie that's been adapted from a book and think, "holy cow. that was GOOD." but it happened this time. and i'm so glad it did. because i can live with hollywood screwing up my Stephanie Plum novels. i can live with that. but you don't screw up a book like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
you just don't.
on friday, i got home (from my halfpricebooks binge) and my sister mentioned that One for the Money had just come out that day.
now, if you don't know anything about One for the Money or the book series it's based on, here's a quick update: One for the Money is the title of the first Stephanie Plum novel, a series of which there are currently 18 novels, written by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum is a jersey chick who just can't get it together. she's been laid off, her car has been repo-ed, and since she has no other options, she goes to work for her cousin Vinnie. Vinnie is sexually depraved, but he also runs a bail bonds place. Stephanie Plum begins working for him as a bounty hunter, and hilarity ensues.
i adore these books.
i have been reading about Stephanie Plum's adventures in the art of bounty hunt since i was a freshman in high school, when i picked up my very first copy of One for the Money. since then, Evanovich has been pumping out Stephanie Plum novel after Stephanie Plum novel. i just bought the latest, #18:
Explosive Eighteenby Janet Evanovich
needless to say, when i heard that they were making a Stephanie Plum MOVIE, i went berserk.
this was going to be great! Stephanie Plum???! a movie???! i couldn't even IMAGINE how funny it would be! the books are hysterical (i used to read them up in my bedroom when i lived back home with my mom, and Al would hear me laughing and knock on my door to make sure i wasn't having some kind of fit or something). i honestly couldn't wait to see it.
then i heard who would be playing Stephanie Plum. now, i don't have anything against Katherine Heigl, but i just didn't SEE IT. i simply could not picture this blonde Grey's Anatomy alum playing my favorite of comedic heroines. i just couldn't. but we gave it a try, me and Al (she's been a fan of the books for a few years now)...and our fears were confirmed.
it was a cute movie, don't get me wrong. but that's all it was. the books live in an atmosphere of hyper-reality where nothing is very realistic (even though it's realistic fiction) and everything is hyperbole.
the movie...was just a romantic comedy.
but i wanted SO MUCH MORE from it.
there's this last bit at the end, though. and man. that one MOMENT is gold. i don't want to give too much away, but the main male lead shows up at Katherine Heigl's (i refuse to call her Stephanie Plum, because she is NOT) door and says, "i saw this and thought of you." he then proceeds to hold up a cupcake.
i'll admit it. i melted. in the end, those damn cupcakes always get me. cupcakes and cheesy lines.
well, the NEXT night, i had plans to go see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
i'd read the novel this past june on my family's 27 hour drive from Houston to Gary, Indiana, and it had completely stolen my heart. i don't even think i can do justice to the book in a summary. you really just have to read it.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly CloseJonathan Safran Foer
the main character is a young boy whose father died in the 9/11 tragedy. the boy, whose name is Oskar, feels that he is beginning to lose the connection he had with his father, whom he loved dearly, and while going through his father's belongings, finds a small key. Oskar embarks on a journey through New York City to find the lock that fits his father's key. the book is beautifully written, but it's so much more than just a novel. there are black and white pictures throughout the novel that tie in with the story. there are pages of black and white print with red circles around meaningful words. there is an old man in the story who no longer speaks, and instead writes all of his dialogue, which is represented by single pages with simple lines written in the middle of them.
quite honestly, i think the book is more a work of art than a novel.
and you know what? the movie was just as beautiful.
there are so few times when i see a movie that's been adapted from a book and think, "holy cow. that was GOOD." but it happened this time. and i'm so glad it did. because i can live with hollywood screwing up my Stephanie Plum novels. i can live with that. but you don't screw up a book like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
you just don't.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
based on a true story.
(not mine, but someone else's)
i am perched
and waiting
at a vantage spot outside
assured that you will see
me
and my pleading poster sign
crooked letters scrawling
i love you
please forgive me
and i pay no attention
to the people passing by
who look at me
with interest
and a scrutinizing eye
'cause i don't give a damn
'bout anyone but you
i don't give a damn
'bout anyone but you
i am perched
and waiting
at a vantage spot outside
assured that you will see
me
and my pleading poster sign
crooked letters scrawling
i love you
please forgive me
and i pay no attention
to the people passing by
who look at me
with interest
and a scrutinizing eye
'cause i don't give a damn
'bout anyone but you
i don't give a damn
'bout anyone but you
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