Day 11-20

Day Eleven

A book I hated


Summer of the Monkeys
by Wilson Rawls

I know a lot of people who really love this book. In a word, I don't. I'll stop there so as not to offend anyone who does like it.

Day Twelve
A book I used to love but don't anymore


Baby Island
by Carol Ryrie Brink

I LOVED this book when I was in elementary school. It's about two (or three?) girls who get stranded on a desert island with six babies. Once upon a time, that would be a dream come true. Now, I know better. Ha.

Day Thirteen
Favorite Writer


Agatha Christie

No contest. Thank goodness for used book sales at public libraries.

Day Fourteen
Favorite Book by Favorite Writer


And Then There Were None
by Agatha Christie

This was the very first Agatha Christie mystery I ever read. I was in sixth grade, and I haven't stopped reading her books since. This one is quite interesting. There are two versions, by the way--the novel and the play. The ending of the novel is WAY better than the ending of the play. And incidentally, this book was originally published under the title Ten Little Indians, which was later changed because it was politically incorrect. Or something. Anyway, good book!

Day Fifteen
Favorite Male Character


Sherlock Holmes
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I always wanted to just know things that other people didn't. I think that's why I like Sherlock Holmes so much. And I like mysteries. It's like a double prize.

P.S. The picture is Jeremy Brett; his is considered one of the most famous portrayals of the character in the BBC television series.

Day Sixteen
Favorite Female Character


Grandma Dowdle, from A Long Way from Chicago
by Richard Peck

Grandma Dowdle is that old lady who no one likes but actually helps everyone else without them knowing. I like the contradiction between appearances and actions. And she's funny. Without meaning to be.

Day Seventeen
Favorite Quote from a Book


"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day on, you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do."

from Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen

Oh, I just giggle every time. And Donald Sutherland gave my favorite rendition of that line in the newest movie version, hence the picture.

Day Eighteen
A book that Disappointed me


Eragon
by Christopher Paolini

Remember yesterday when I said that fantasy books can easily be over the top? This is one of those for me. All the characterizations seemed stereotypical of fantasy novels. It was rather predictable in plot. And I always get irritated with imaginary worlds that give an impossible guessing game at the pronunciation of all the names. You might not guess it from my list so far, but I do really like fantasy books. I wanted to like this one, but, not so much.

Day Nineteen
Favorite Book turned into a Movie


Ella Enchanted
book by Gail Carson Levine


movie starring Anne Hathaway and Hugh Dancy

I have to qualify this one, too. In my 30 point list here, I'm trying really hard not to repeat. If I did, there is one book that would easily take over half of the list. For this one, I was much more inclined to pick Sherlock Holmes or Princess Bride...but I already used those. So I went with Ella Enchanted instead.

Now, if you've read the book and seen the movie, you'll know that they are actually quite different. It's true. I found, however, that I really enjoyed both. While the book is great, the movie kept the main important parts of the book (like the curse) and turned it into something that worked in a movie while still preserving what the story originally was. I think it was a good call. If you read the climax, what Ella does to break the curse is impressively powerful. If you were to watch that same action in a movie, it would be really boring. I think they did right in changing the story how they did. And I still like them both.

And while we're sidetracked onto movies, my second favorite thing after books, I will also add that I think the worst book-into-movie that I've seen recently was Inkheart. Huge disappointment. Secret of Nihm and War of the Worlds are pretty far down on that list, too. Just in case you wanted my opinion.

And that reminds me that there is a movie version of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead that I've only recently become aware of. It stars Gary Oldman (Sirius Black) and Tim Roth (the guy from Lie to Me). I want to see it.

Day Twenty
Favorite Romance Book

Once Upon a Marigold
by Jean Ferris

Strictly speaking, this is not a romance book. I don't read those. But most all fiction books (that I read, at least) have some measure of love story. This is the one I picked for today. I also considered The Witch from Blackbird Pond, which I get goosebumps when I read the end, but that's not really what the book is about. So I went with this one instead, which is completely adorable and wonderfully funny. Read it if you need something light-hearted.

Stay tuned for our final installment, 21-30