this reveals nothing, except to say that i am going to miss harry potter. it's not often that you feel part of an international obsession, an international reading binge that took place moments after the clock struck midnight this past saturday. i was standing on a line that stretched long around the block, curling behind the union square barnes and nobles and had to shut off everyone chattering on about the leaked copies and speculating which characters may die and whether Harry himself will in fact survive. the joy that comes from reading these books is from discovering the secrets as they carefully reveal themselves. it upsets me when people purposely choose to ruin that experience for othes. i nearly got belligerent with a man and his nephew on a crowded subway earlier that day-- imploring them (yelling actually) to not say anything they may have heard as they caught me re-reading book 6 in heady anticipation.
the weather this weekend was gorgeous--perfect reading weather. so i planted myself in the park, stretched under the sun and sank into its pages. everywhere i went, there was someone reading HP 7: children, adults, burly men, old women. i love the fact that this series can appeal to so many. they are the only books that have ever caused me to scream in fear, yelp in shock, exclaim in public, laugh out loud, and always always-- makes me cry. rowling's prose is not always very beautiful; sometimes she tries too hard to tell so much, flailing into lengthy paragraphs of exposition (or worse, making the characters exposit with no action). but she is a meticulous storyteller with an amazing sense of pacing. and especially in HP7, she creates sequences that are so vivid and cinematic, i am often left breathless. but most definitely--what really sets Rowling apart-- is her ability to create fully developed characters that i cared for as if they were my own dear friends. she is so tender with each of them, burrowing deep into their minds, creating long and complex histories, so that every emotion and every movement is uniquely Hermione's. or Ron's. or Dobby's. or Snape's. Snape, perhaps the series' most complex character whom I developed a strange, hopeful empathy for since HP1 [Alan Rickman, btw, is ingeniously cast as Snape in the films. I love him].
i finished the book around 2am this morning. knowing that this was the last made me feel sentimental during the entire read. even now, as i'm writing this, i feel the heat of tears behind my eyes every time i recall certain scenes and realize that I would never again experience the wonder of Quidditch or Diagon Alley for the first time. it's like i'm saying goodbye to people i've watched grow up (and with the films, it truly does feel like we are watching those young actors grow up). while reading, i was trying to take in each page at a measured pace, savoring every second of its wizardry. but the story kept leaping and lurching forward, brimming with violence, shouting of horcruxes, and spinning from Privet Drive to Grimmauld Place to of course, dear Hogwarts. and most wonderfully, the story continues to reinforce the basic life lessons like the importance of friendship, mercy that comes with remorse, and the most important lesson of all-- the overwhelming strength of love.
right now, i only have two friends that have finished the book. if you've finished, send me a line because all i want to do is discuss every heartbreaking second.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Monday, July 23
Monday, May 15
De-coded. Finally.
I JUST finished reading Da Vinci Code. I know. I am SOOOOO behind. Crazily enough, I successfully sheltered myself from all things Code-like the past few years. I’m that stupid girl who screams like a little bitch whenever someone attempted to reveal a slight plot point. I even hid behind my coat and plugged my ears really tight during trailers for the movie. The thing is, I friggin hate hardcover books (I only made exceptions for Harry Potter, and even then, I wouldn’t buy the book) and the stupid publishing company milked the book’s success for its every penny by waiting until late March 2006 (that’s three years AFTER the book was officially went to press) to release not one, but TWO paperback versions. One is larger and the other is thicker. I’m talking about books here.
It wasn’t easy to achieve blissful ignorance. Especially the last few months with the publicity machine spewing endless trailers, interviews, and debates leading up to the movie’s upcoming release. But it worked. I read the whole thing cover to cover without a true inkling of what would go down (although, c’mon! some plot points were predictable). And although I found Dan Brown’s writing style to be laughable and highly un-literary…it was still a DAMN GOOD READ. Great pacing, amazing details, clever twists. And I loved that for better or worse (who knows how “factual” the facts were), I learned so much about history, religion, and art. So now, with the book’s fine points still fresh in my head, I’m hoping that Opie, Tom, and Audrey don’t screw things up. No pressure.
It wasn’t easy to achieve blissful ignorance. Especially the last few months with the publicity machine spewing endless trailers, interviews, and debates leading up to the movie’s upcoming release. But it worked. I read the whole thing cover to cover without a true inkling of what would go down (although, c’mon! some plot points were predictable). And although I found Dan Brown’s writing style to be laughable and highly un-literary…it was still a DAMN GOOD READ. Great pacing, amazing details, clever twists. And I loved that for better or worse (who knows how “factual” the facts were), I learned so much about history, religion, and art. So now, with the book’s fine points still fresh in my head, I’m hoping that Opie, Tom, and Audrey don’t screw things up. No pressure.
Monday, September 19
Great Reads
the last two books i read were so diametrically different in tone and subject matter, but the quality writing and compelling storylines in each warrant a quick personal plug...
Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle
initially, the fact that i had "pre-work" for my public policy class really threw a wrench in my summer unemployment plans. gritting my teeth, i bought this book and sought out a variety of ways to avoid actually reading it until the absolute last moment. one week before the start of classes, i capitulated...only to be completely enthralled by the author's grim and gripping account of New York City's worst workplace disaster prior to the 9/11 tragedy.
in March 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory-- one of the largest garment factories in the city-- went up in flames, killing 146 workers, the majority of them young immigrant women. you are taken straight inside the inferno, reliving those precious details--locked doors, narrow stairwells, misplaced scraps of cloth-- as fire and smoke swept through the factory's upper floors, trapping scores of desperate workers in a matter of fifteen short minutes. this story, is not just a disaster saga; it is an engrossing social commentary, re-introducing readers to one of the most combustible times in our nation's socio-political history. Von Drehle takes great care to frame the story in the context of the times and from multiple angles-- the immigration boom at the turn of the century and its effects on urban culture; the growth of the american organized labor movement; the dominating political presence of Tammany Hall and city politics' subsequent shift to an era of more progressive reform ; and most notably, the humanizing of many of the individual Triangle workers-- add dimensions to an already riveting story. and as a new yorker, the book is a reminder of the living history we have in this city--from the corners of lower east side tenements to buildings on Washington Place (the Triangle building now houses NYU's chemistry classrooms). if you're a history or policy buff, or just want to be drawn in by a strong work of nonfiction, pick this one up-- you'll learn, and enjoy.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
some old work buds and i formed an ad-hoc book club of sorts and this was our second official book club selection. during our discussion over dinner and wine the other day, one sentiment was unanimous: WOW. we loved this book. it is everything that Great Fiction is suppose to be-- incredibly beautiful prose, fully fleshed out characters with tragic flaws, and a central narrative voice that a reader will surely empathize with. the crux of the story is built around Cal Stephanides, the protagonist who takes you through his life history-- beyond his conception and back in time to when his grandparents were about to flee Greece for America, taking with them a certain family secret that will unknowingly spill into the lives of their children and children's children. you see, Cal is no ordinary person-- Cal (nee Calliope) was brought up as a girl in Detroit, becoming a boy only when circumstances (or biology?) dictated it might be time to switch over.
this is an EPIC. similar to other epic family biographies (100 years of solitude comes to mind, as it's my personal favorite), this story illustrates the untenable connection we have to our families, the biological roadmap they unknowingly pass on to us, and a reminder that our past is always intertwined with our present--no matter how much we try to run away from it. tracing the lives of three generations of Stephanides, Middlesex relives Cal's unique family history set within the changing landscape of post-war America. it tells of the hope for and the inevitable loss of the American Dream. but it is also a story about identity-- gender roles, the immigrant experience, assimilation and all the gray areas in between that seek to define us. these characters will make you angry, sad, excited and perplexed and will probably shed some light on your own personal legacy. don't wait any longer. READ THIS BOOK...and tell me your thoughts when you've finished and finally taken a breath.
Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle
initially, the fact that i had "pre-work" for my public policy class really threw a wrench in my summer unemployment plans. gritting my teeth, i bought this book and sought out a variety of ways to avoid actually reading it until the absolute last moment. one week before the start of classes, i capitulated...only to be completely enthralled by the author's grim and gripping account of New York City's worst workplace disaster prior to the 9/11 tragedy.
in March 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory-- one of the largest garment factories in the city-- went up in flames, killing 146 workers, the majority of them young immigrant women. you are taken straight inside the inferno, reliving those precious details--locked doors, narrow stairwells, misplaced scraps of cloth-- as fire and smoke swept through the factory's upper floors, trapping scores of desperate workers in a matter of fifteen short minutes. this story, is not just a disaster saga; it is an engrossing social commentary, re-introducing readers to one of the most combustible times in our nation's socio-political history. Von Drehle takes great care to frame the story in the context of the times and from multiple angles-- the immigration boom at the turn of the century and its effects on urban culture; the growth of the american organized labor movement; the dominating political presence of Tammany Hall and city politics' subsequent shift to an era of more progressive reform ; and most notably, the humanizing of many of the individual Triangle workers-- add dimensions to an already riveting story. and as a new yorker, the book is a reminder of the living history we have in this city--from the corners of lower east side tenements to buildings on Washington Place (the Triangle building now houses NYU's chemistry classrooms). if you're a history or policy buff, or just want to be drawn in by a strong work of nonfiction, pick this one up-- you'll learn, and enjoy.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
some old work buds and i formed an ad-hoc book club of sorts and this was our second official book club selection. during our discussion over dinner and wine the other day, one sentiment was unanimous: WOW. we loved this book. it is everything that Great Fiction is suppose to be-- incredibly beautiful prose, fully fleshed out characters with tragic flaws, and a central narrative voice that a reader will surely empathize with. the crux of the story is built around Cal Stephanides, the protagonist who takes you through his life history-- beyond his conception and back in time to when his grandparents were about to flee Greece for America, taking with them a certain family secret that will unknowingly spill into the lives of their children and children's children. you see, Cal is no ordinary person-- Cal (nee Calliope) was brought up as a girl in Detroit, becoming a boy only when circumstances (or biology?) dictated it might be time to switch over.
this is an EPIC. similar to other epic family biographies (100 years of solitude comes to mind, as it's my personal favorite), this story illustrates the untenable connection we have to our families, the biological roadmap they unknowingly pass on to us, and a reminder that our past is always intertwined with our present--no matter how much we try to run away from it. tracing the lives of three generations of Stephanides, Middlesex relives Cal's unique family history set within the changing landscape of post-war America. it tells of the hope for and the inevitable loss of the American Dream. but it is also a story about identity-- gender roles, the immigrant experience, assimilation and all the gray areas in between that seek to define us. these characters will make you angry, sad, excited and perplexed and will probably shed some light on your own personal legacy. don't wait any longer. READ THIS BOOK...and tell me your thoughts when you've finished and finally taken a breath.
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