127 Hours - Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Aron Ralston)

We've all heard about the movie "127 Hours", right?  This guy, Aron, is out alone adventuring when he gets his arm stuck between a boulder and a wall.  He's stuck there, by himself, for 127 hours.

 

This true story, written by Aron Ralston, describes everything that happened before, during, and after this incident.  (Spoiler alert: He survives - after all, he was able to write the book!)

 

I started reading the book, and then, a few chapters in, decided that I wanted to watch the movie.  I thought the movie was very well done, but I also felt like I wanted to know more.  I felt like I was missing information about the whole story.  (And I was really hoping that the book would answer those questions.)

 

This book exceeded my expectations and answered all of the questions that I felt were unanswered after watching the movie.  As far as the book itself is concerned, it included so many details during those 127 hours - how he decided to drink his water to maximize his resources, his thought processes for how he was going to try to get out of his situation, what he recorded on his video camera and photographed for his loved ones back home (when he was thinking that he was going to die), and everything that he saw and felt while he was stuck.  As well, he includes so many details in what his friends and family members were doing back home in their search for Aron and details about his rescue and recovery (both of which were not included in the movie).

 

Throughout the beginning of the book, he also goes back and forth from his present situation (him being stuck) to past adventures he has had with his friends or family.  Now, let this be stated - I think Aron is extremely brave for having done what he did and survived this situation (and for not letting this accident affect his active lifestyle).  However, I just need to point out that many of the past situations described by Aron in the book could have ended similarly, with him stuck in a (different) bad situation.  (He even talks, at one point in the book, about a friend who is no longer on speaking terms with him because Aron was the encourager that got them into a dangerous and life-threatening situation involving an avalanche.)  He's a risk-taker (something which I don't know very much about!), and while this was definitely a chance situation in 127 hours, I hope that he has learned to tone down some of the risks that he takes on while out adventuring. 

 

It was a bit tough to get into during the first couple chapters, but it was worth it.  This is not my typical type of read, but I was impressed with his writing, his memory of details, and his story. 

 

For those who liked the movie, for those who enjoy outside adventure, and for those who enjoy reading true stories, I would highly recommend this one. 

One Day (David Nicholls)

I loved "One Day" by David Nicholls.  I was actually a little sad when I finished it because I just wanted it to keep going.

This book is the beautiful story of Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley.  Each chapter in the book happens on July 15th of a different year.  The book explores how the friendship and relationship between Dexter and Emma has changed and evolved each year from 1988 to 2007. 

"How might she say that?  She couldn't of course.  Faint-hearted as usual, she had left it too late.  In the future, I'll be braver, she told herself.  In the future, I will always speak my mind, eloquently, passionately." (p. 429)

Emma and Dexter met each other at college, but only really started to become friends when they graduate.  They're faced with the challenging question of whether they should keep in touch or pretend that it never happened...  This novel really touches on the importance of timing, persistance, and following your heart.  What happens to a friendship when one person feels more than another?  What happens to a friendship when other relationships become involved?  What happens when you are just in different places emotionally?

"'Live each day as if it's your last', that was the conventional advice, but really, who had the energy for that?  What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy?  It just wasn't practical. Better by far to simply try and be good and courageous and bold and to make a difference.  Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you.  Go out there with your passion and your electric typewriter and work hard at... something.  Change lives through art maybe.  Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well.  Experience new things.  Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance."  (p. 433)

I loved this book because I really think it speaks to the reality of so many readers.  In the movies, there are so many romances where people are just "meant to be together."  In real life, it's sometimes hard to know with some friendships and relationships whether you should carry on or let it go.  Whether you should remain friends or try for something more.  Whether you should take a break and see what happens or take a break and never speak again.  Relationships are complicated and this book stresses the importance of timing and speaking what's on your mind. 

I'm sure we can all think back to past relationships and remember a time when you maybe should have said more than you did or taken a risk for something.  Or when you look back now and wonder why you waited so long to start something or end something.  You can relate to the characters this book.

I thought David Nicholls' writing did a wonderful job showing the inner thoughts and conflict of the characters.  As a reader, you sometimes felt like you knew a lot more about the characters than they knew about themselves. 

I would definitely recommend this novel.  It may be more of a girly book, but the issues are ones that any reader could relate to. 

The movie "One Day" starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess is already available to own on DVD - I am reading this book a bit late, based on the movie release date. And now, honestly, I am just about to start watching the movie.  (So that I can relive the magic of the book one more time...)

One for the Money (Janet Evanovich)

Yes, this is the book that has turned into a recent movie (starring Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara and Daniel Sunjata).  I must admit that before reading the book, I did watch the first half of the movie.  Long story short, I fell asleep during the movie (must have just been too comfortable on the couch?) and I haven't been able to watch the second half yet.  At this point, it would definitely need a full re-watch. 

One for the Money is about Stephanie Plum, a girl who is recently unemployed and decides to take a job from her cousin as a bounty hunter.  She's given the case of finding Joe Morelli, an old "friend," which is proving to be harder than she anticipated.  Having little experience, running short on money, and finding it hard to keep up the courage to continue on her man-hunt, Stephanie starts uncovering realities that others are trying to keep hidden. 

I really liked this book.  I found it very entertaining because of the characters and the way they interact.  I also enjoyed how everything unfolds - it's exciting and a bit unexpected.  It has lots of mystery throughout the book as you are trying to put all of the pieces together.  You really start to feel for Stephanie Plum and want to see her make her capture, but because you can clearly read into her lack of experience, you see her struggling with her daily tasks. 

In the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, there are actually EIGHTEEN novels.  This is a little insane, but I must say that I am a bit excited.  How often do you read a novel, start to love the characters, and then find that the book is over?  This is that opportunity to keep reading into her life way after this "One for the Money" experience.  I don't think it would be a wise move for me to read them all in a row (because I would probably lose interest), but since I enjoyed the first novel, I would definitely continue reading the series.  (It actually is quite overwhelming the number of novels that Janet Evanovich has written!  Really, check it out.)

It was an easy-to-read, good book.  The story was easy to follow and was a good summer read for me!  Excited to find a copy of the second book, Two for the Dough.

The Lucky One (Nicholas Sparks)

I loved this book.  I know some people are not into Nicholas Sparks and his style of writing, but I couldn't put this book down. 

"The Lucky One" is basically the love story between Logan and Beth.  Logan was a marine and while he was in Kuwait, he found a picture of this beautiful girl, which from that point on, his friend Victor claims is his "good luck charm."  Logan survives many dangerous moments, which they both believe is because of the photo.  In an attempt to "balance" everything, Logan goes in search of this beautiful woman when he is back home in the United States.  He finds Beth and starts working for her family.  He decides it's better to not tell Beth about the photo he finds.  As he becomes closer to the family (and to Beth), both of their pasts start to come forward.  Add to this the fact that Beth's ex-husband, Keith, is a police officer in the town (and kind of a bully) and it makes a really interesting story!

Each chapter focuses on the thoughts of a different character.  It was nice to see what was going on in everyone's heads and I found that it all fit together really nicely.  Nicholas Sparks does a great job developing the characters and reveals specific pieces of information at really good times throughout the book. 

Like I said, I couldn't put the book down once I started it.  It was an easy read and it really kept me interested throughout.  (I came home after the 9:15 p.m. Hunger Games movie and read this book until the wee hours of the morning!)  There was just something about the relationships between Logan and Beth, and Logan and Ben, and Keith and Beth, that kept me intrigued.

My book had the steamy picture of Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling, who are the stars of the upcoming movie.  (I love Zac Efron from way back in his "High School Musical" days... Don't judge!)  After watching the preview again, I notice that there already seem to be a few things that are different from the book.  (But I'm sure it will still be good!)

The Lucky One hits the big screen on April 20th.  I hope I enjoy the movie as much as I enjoyed the book!

The Hunger Games - The Movie

Because of how much I hate being in crowded places, I had intended to go to see "The Hunger Games" movie in a few weeks, once the crazy lineups had died down.  However, stuff happens and I decided to brave it out last night.  We showed up at 8:00 p.m. for a 9:15 p.m. movie and, after waiting in line for almost an hour, we got prime seats!  (Go us!  We were teasing that we should have dressed up and brought my copies of the book, but we're not that hardcore.)

I thought the movie was amazing and that it stayed true to the book.  There were some parts that I think would be a bit easier to understand after having read the book (like, for example, how they determine how many times your name gets put into the draw), but all in all, it was a good movie and I found they did a good job with the characters and the story.  Obviously, being the Hollywood film that it is, you don't need to have read the book first.  Personally, I think it helped.  

It was exciting, it had my shoulders tensed up part way through (even though I knew what was going to happen), the music really helped to make you feel various emotions, the costumes were great, and I thought the acting was good.

My mom told me of one bad review that's still sitting right front and center in my mind, where the guy said that he thought they were playing it "safe" in the movie.  I found that they had just enough "gore" and that how they showed the "excitement" (if you want to call it that) in The Hunger Games was tastefully done.  It could have made people feel uncomfortable if there was more to see visually, and, like I heard a young fan on Canada AM say one morning this past week, "It was done in a way that you knew what was happening."  You know someone is dying.  You didn't have to see it all, but you could feel it and it still hit home. 

I'm excited for Catching Fire now.  And I kind of want to re-read the books.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - The Movie

It's been a while since I've seen the movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," but considering it's Oscar night, I thought it deserved a post! 

I recently went to see the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara.  I loved it - but again, this isn't a blog about movies (sigh), so let's talk about how the movie compares to the book. 

I had just finished reading the novel by Stieg Larsson when I decided to go see the movie, so it was all really fresh in my mind.  (As a recap, I really enjoyed the book!)  Knowing that I hadn't forgotten any details from the book yet, I can say that the movie was so much like the book. 

I often find that when a movie is based on a novel, details from the book are omitted or altered.  Sometimes they are just insignificant details, but sometimes there are huge changes to make the film more "Hollywood worthy."  Such a good job was done on this movie - it stayed true to the book.  There were a few little things that were omitted or changed, but they in no way changed the events that occured in the novel.  Plus the acting was wonderful and you totally get lost in the story. 

Should you read the novel or watch the movie first? 
I recommend reading the novel before watching the movie, if only so that you can use your imagination and get lost in the words of Stieg Larsson.  Then once you're done enjoying the words, you can relive the story in 2 hours and 40 minutes of great acting. 

We Bought a Zoo - The Movie

I don't want this blog to become a list of movies that I've recently watched, but I thought "We Bought a Zoo" deserved a mention.  I'm not going to critique the movie, but I just wanted to shed some light for those of you who are having the "movie before the book" or "book before the movie" debate! 

I recently read We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee - I thought it was a very interesting story and well worth the read.  After reading the book and watching the previews for the movie, I was super excited to go see it. 

I liked Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Maggie Elizabeth Jones (so cute, it was worth it just for her!), and the rest of the cast.  I think they did a good job with the storyline that was presented in the movie.  The movie is "based on a true story" - that is, don't expect the same story to be told in the movie and the book.  My movie date (mom) would lean over to me and say "Did that happen in the book?" and my answer was often "No" or "Not like that."  To make the book "Hollywood-worthy," they probably had to add in extra storylines, like the love story and extra family drama.

The main storyline (a family buys a zoo and attemps to make it a success) is still the same and there are many of the little funny stories from the novel included, but a lot of the movie is extra stuff that is added in.

So... don't expect the book when you go see the movie.  But the movie was good and I would watch it again.  (I may have shed a few tears...)

My suggestion... Read the book before watching the movie, if only for knowing what actually happened with Benjamin Mee's zoo experience.  The movie and book were different enough that it probably wouldn't matter what order you do them in, but I find the book would give you a better appreciation for the trials and tribulations of Benjamin Mee. 

My favourite quote from the movie was "You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it." 

We Bought a Zoo (Benjamin Mee)

I got We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee for my Birthday from my brother.  For those of you who know that my Birthday was yesterday, don't be amazed that I'm finished this book already...  I opened this present a little early, since my brother was on his way out of town for work for a few weeks. 

My main interest for this book started when I saw the preview for the 2011 movie.  To be honest, I probably would never have found this book had this movie not come out.

Basically, meet Benjamin Mee, a DIY writer.  His father recently passed away, leaving his mother alone in a house worth half a million pounds (yes, pounds, not dollars!).  His mother is ready to downsize, but when Benjamin hears about a rundown zoo that has recently come on the market, he convinces (most) of his family to take on the task of revamping the zoo.  During this process, there are many obstacles, such as his wife having a brain tumor (I didn't give it away, it's on the back of the book), the amount of work that is required on many of the animal enclosures, restaurants and restrooms, as well as the lack of money since there is currently no income for this zoo.  The book basically travels through Benjamin Mee's experiences from buying the zoo to trying to secure funding to renovating numerous areas throughout the park to his experiences with learning about the animals.  The book ends on opening day of Dartmoor Zoological Park. 

I just want to say how good the story behind this book is.  I think it's amazing and very uplifting how this family was able to reopen a zoo that was in the condition he describes, especially considering the lack of skills that Benjamin Mee had when he first purchased the zoo.  He probably learned so much about himself and his family throughout this process, and based on how he talks about his experiences throughout the book, you can tell that he absolutely loves what he has done for himself and his family. 

Benjamin Mee was a writer before he bought the zoo and published this book, so there is no doubt that the book is well written.  I did find, though, that the book was written more like a report than a story.  He moves from topic to topic in an order that makes sense (although not always in a chronological order, since he is sometimes adding in his past experiences with the animals at various points throughout the book) and the book does start where you'd expect and end at a good point. 

The sentences, paragraphs, and chapters were all fairly long and I found that I really needed to be concentrated on my reading throughout this book, or else I'd be reading the same page over a few times before it sunk in.  (This is not ideal for reading at lunch time on supply teaching days!)

While there are many personal memories (such as when he was nearly attacked by a porcupine in the middle of the night) that make you smile, there is a lack of conversations between individuals.   While I don't want to judge the movie without having seen it, I'm wondering how well the events in the movie actually represent what happened at this zoo.  I already see so many things that are different than the book.  (I did just read on the Darmoor Zoo website that in the movie, the zoo has been renamed and that the zoo is based out of California.  "Based on a true story" means that the idea came from the book, right?  I guess that any and all publicity of the book and their zoo is great for them to ensure that they have the funds to keep the zoo open.)

The verdict?  Read it if you're into non fiction and if you have some time to sit and laze around on the couch with a book.  The story is very worthwhile.  (I may have even shed a tear at the end...)  It was good and I'm still very excited to go see the movie.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)

I don't know why I didn't read this book sooner, when it was at the front of Chapters or when my mom whipped through them.  I still didn't know much about the book when my aunt started talking about the new movie that's now out.  When I told her I hadn't read the book, she just told me, "Oh, you have to.  They were so good."

So, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson was the next book I decided to read.  When I started it, I didn't read the back so I had no idea what I was getting myself in to. 

The novel is giant and it's a thriller/mystery/suspense book (with a bit of a love story at parts, I guess).  Without giving much away because most of this is on the back of the book, Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, is hired by Henrik Vanger to solve a mystery.  Henrik's niece disappeared forty years ago and Henrik believes that she was murdered.  He's been stuck on this case for forty years and is desperate to find an answer.  Lisbeth Salander enters the story (she's the one with the dragon tattoo!).  She's a "genius hacker with someone twice her age" and tries to help Mikael with this mystery. 

"You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to see that these events were somehow related.  There had to be a skeleton in one of their cupboards, and Salander loved hunting skeletons.  Besides, she had nothing else on at the moment."  (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson, p. 390)

I really liked this book.  It took me a little while to get into for a few reasons.  First, I didn't have a good chunk of time devoted to reading when I started the book, and I think that you really need that to understand what is going on at the start of the book.  The whole novel isn't like the first fifty pages, so if you're having trouble with the beginning (the first hundred or so pages), don't worry - it gets a bit easier to read once the story is set up a bit for you.  Second, it just took some time getting used to the names of people and places (because they're all Swedish).  Once you start reading though, these names become familiar and it's fine.  Don't ask me to pronounce them, but it was easy to understand and recognize the names. 

This really was a "don't want to put it down" book for me.  It was exciting and a little bit crazy.  (That's one messed up family, the Vangers!)  If you haven't read it and are looking for something with a bit of substance, this could be it!  It's big and has a lot of details, but it moves at a steady pace and was very interesting. 

This is the first in the trilogy and I am looking forward to reading the next two!

Sarah's Key (Tatiana de Rosnay)

The novel Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay goes back and forth between two different time periods. 

July 1942 in Paris:  A young girl, Sarah, is arrested alongside her family in the Vel d'Hiv roundup.  When they show up at her door, Sarah locks her younger brother in a closet, promising to return to get him.

May 2002 in Paris: Julia, a journalist, is writing an article about the Vel d'Hiv roundup.  As she's doing her research, she finds out that her family history is more connected with the roundup (and more specifically, Sarah) than she previously thought.  She continues to dig deeper into Sarah's story, trying to find out what happened to this girl, her brother, and her family.

I loved how this book went back and forth each chapter between the different time periods - you were reading two different stories that you knew were somehow connected.  You find out more and more information about what happened to Sarah and her family and, as you're reading the novel, really want to know what happened to her in the end.  Where did she end up and what is she doing?  Is she still alive?  What about her family?

Not being a huge history fan, I wasn't sure at first of how I would like the book, but I did enjoy it.  Recently, I also went to see the movie.  It reminded me a lot of the book and the stories that were told in it.  I did find that it was a little harder to handle than the novel was.  It makes it all that much tougher when you visually and graphically see some of the conditions that these people were forced to live in.  It was a good movie that represented the book accurately and definitely shed some light on a not-so-happy part of history. 

I would definitely read another novel by Tatiana de Rosnay and would recommend Sarah's Key.

The Help (Kathryn Stockett)

I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett during the summer and LOVED it! It had me laughing at many points and also had me in tears today as I was sitting outside enjoying the sunshine. I loved the rollercoaster of emotions I felt as I was reading this book.

For those of you who haven't heard about the book (which, I guess, is probably a low percentage considering the amount of publicity the new movie "The Help" was getting), it's a book about a town in Mississippi, where the coloured maids, alongside a friendly white lady, secretly write a book about their experiences working in white households. I loved how the chapters in the book were written from different points of view - it reminded me of how Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper" was written.

Here are some of my favourite (and most memorable) quotes from the book:

"Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, 'We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought.'" (The Help, Kathryn Stockett, p. 492)

"'I guess I got to go,' I say, even though I'd rather spend the rest of my life right here in Aibileen's cozy little kitchen, having her explain the world to me. That's what I love about Aibileen, she can take the most complicated things in life and wrap them up so small and simple, they'll fit right in your pocket." (The Help, Kathryn Stockett, p. 369)

"Skeeter look away from me, try to smile. 'I don't care about any of that ole stuff, anyway.' She kind a laugh and it hurts my heart. Cause everybody care. Black, white, deep down we all do." (The Help, Kathryn Stockett, p. 346)

I highly recommend this book. I loved it so much that I rushed out to see the movie. While the movie was decent, in this case I definitely thought that the details provided in the book provided for an even better story than what was shown on the big screen...

Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen)

In an attempt to catch up on writing about some of the books I read this past year, I shall write this one.  I was inspired last night after finally watching the movie version of Water for Elephants. This past winter, I was encouraged to read the novel Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  I'm still a believer that 90% of the time, the book is better than the movie.  The movie, in this case, reminded me so much of the story that I read a few short months ago. 

The novel goes back and forth between the nursing home, where a ninety year old Jacob Jankowski is currently residing, and his earlier days, when he is 23 and working for the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. 
Jacob started working for the Benzini Brothers after he finds out that his parents have passed away.  Jacob was due to take his final veterinary exam and begin working with his father, but now decides to leave before he graduates from the program.  Once on the train, he gets hired as their veterinarian.  He becomes wrapped up in a love triangle and is engulfed in the life of the show.

I loved everything about Water for Elephants.  What kid doesn't think about what it would be like to work for a circus?  This gives you a somewhat behind the scenes look at some of the challenges that Jacob faced on the road.  I loved the back and forth of the story between the nursing home and the circus.  I loved the relationships that Jacob created on the train.  I loved the love triangle.  I loved the ending.  I loved that I didn't want to put the book down.

I would definitely recommend the novel, for a few extra stories from the nursing home and for some great opportunities to use your imagination and create your own images of what is being so wonderfully described using words. 

The Last Song (Nicholas Sparks)

Yes, I know... I read this.  There were three reasons why The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks was on my book shelf and on my reading list this past spring. 

1. I'm a fan of romantic comedies and those "fall head over heels" movies so yes, I have seen the movie.  And I liked it.  (Fun fact from Nicholas Sparks' website: He wrote the screenplay before he wrote the novel.  Miley Cyrus, who plays Ronnie in the movie, loved the movie A Walk to Remember and wanted to do a similar movie.  The Last Song was created.)

2. I found this book at HomeSense for $1.80.  After liking the movie, how could I leave that cheap-o book at the store?

3. Last year, I was living in the middle of nowhere (where I knew almost no one) on a teaching job.  I needed stuff to do, so I had started to read a lot more.  Since it was report card time, I needed a book that wouldn't consume every minute of my time.  I figured that a book based on a movie that I'd already seen would be a good idea! 

The plot? Ronnie and her brother go visit their father one summer in North Carolina. Ronnie isn't impressed because, since the divorce of her parents, she hasn't been able to look at her father the same. Ronnie makes some unexpected friends in North Carolina and then secrets start unfolding that make Ronnie question her current relationships with her friends and her family.

What's my verdict on the book?  It was so similar to the movie that I felt like I was re-watching it as I read the book.  I liked that the book was easy to read and, because of the timing, it was the perfect book for me. If you're in the mood for a love story and a bit of family drama, find a copy of this book.