A very delayed update

Hi gang,

It's been ages since I've posted an update in here, but sadly the world outside of my bookpile has taken over for a little while.

Here's a very quick summary:

* I enjoyed House of Spirits, but not because of the magial realism aspect. In fact, the first two thirds kind of dragged a little bit, it wasn't until the end, with the civil war that I was reallt drawn in. I liked the whole book, but not as much as I thought I would.

* One Hundred Years of Solitude was every bit as great as I thought it would be.

* You know how sometimes you read a book at exactly the right time? So it was with Farenheit 451 for me. Such an amazing book, and horrifyingly just as relevant now as it was when it was published.

Right now though I'm reading The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. I'm so late in on this series, but I love it! Consider me completely sucked in.

I do need to get back into my list though. Is anyone up for a group read?

Review by Shellie @ Layers of Thought: Something Wicked this Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

2nd Witch: By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes. [Knocking] Open locks, Whoever knocks! [Enter Macbeth]

Macbeth: How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!
What is't you do? Macbeth Act 4, scene 1, 44–49

Book Stats:

Audio CD

Publisher: Blackstone Audio books; Unabridged (October 30, 2005)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0786176261

ISBN-13: 978-0786176267

Mini Summary:

This classic fantasy/horror tale was originally published in 1963. It revolves around Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade whom are the best of friends and live next door to one another. They are inseparable with Will being the down to earth easy going boy and Jim as the wilder and “darker” of the two.

The setting is a small town in middle America and its October. A scary storm front moves into town along with a mysterious and creepy traveling circus/carnival. As things get a bit wild and go awry the two boys become inextricably involved in the traveling carnival's evil doings. As the story progresses the nature of good and evil and how evil itself may be combated are addressed.

My Thoughts:

I listened to this story in audio format, which was pleasant. I liked its lyrical, slightly poetic style which is characteristic of Bradbury’s signature style. Read by Stanley Kubrik with his deep and resonant voice, where he changes his tone with each character and their moods. It is close to perfect for this story.

Recommended for Halloween/Fall reading for young adults, mature older children, and adults to read to children. Most significant it has the perfect solution for being scared - laughter/humor. There is little or no violence, mild language, yet it is very suspenseful. I give this audio version of the book 3.5 stars. (I liked it a lot.)

Links to GLBT:

This particular book was read for a GLBT challenge and taken from a site which lists it as having these elements. The relationship is however not clear unless one is aware of such nuances – such as the community itself. Once aware it does become subtly apparent as the relationship between Will and Jim is revealed. The boys are obviously very close, and are fairly affectionate which could allude to the possibility of a budding romantic relationship.

Wikipedia link for the novel.

Amazon purchasing links for this audio book are US/UK/Canada respectively (book only for UK):

A Sound of Thunder / Something Wicked This Way Comes /Something Wicked This Way Comes/ Something Wicked This Way Comes/A Sound of Thunder

Shellie - Review of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

This is my first post here at The Fill in the Gaps 100 Project.

Mini Synopsis: This is a classic dystopian science fiction novel written by a “Grand Master” of the genre. It tells of a future world where books are illegal. They are burned by firemen whose sole purpose in life is to rid society of their supposed evils. Where the members of this society are indoctrinated with an audio/video infused system that produces a collective numbness. The main character Montag is one of these firemen, whom after some internal conflict comes to a transitional point in his life where he questions the loss of books and their importance to humanity.

My thoughts: I listened to this book on an audio version on my iPod which was read by the author. It was my first book downloaded this way and I had some problems listening to it in order. In addition, when I first read Fahrenheit 451 when I was in high school the only thing I remember is my own teenage boredom. So naturally my thoughts are still a bit “choppy” around the book.

However, I do know that revisiting it again in middle age, I can now relate to its significance as to why it was required reading for high school in the late 70’s. I believe it was to show us, as young adults, a significant precept in the US constitution - the right of our freedom of speech – specifically the press. So it was an indirect lesson in civics.

The story reminds me that it is important to remember, and I truly believe, that information - specifically in this example books, should not be censored. Instead, labeled as we do with the movie industry’s rating system so that the individual has a choice, but never banned. It is a slippery slope if even one of our basic rights be dismissed or controlled as exemplified in this society. If I had not been so possessed with teenage apathy in my first so called reading of this book then perhaps I would have gotten half of the author's point.

Here I finish with a quote which is significant on the issue of one of the gifts books bring us:

… books are to remind us what asses and fools we are. They're Caesar's praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, 'Remember, Caesar, thou art mortal.' Most of us can't rush around, talk to everyone, know all the cities of the world, we haven't time, money or that many friends. The things you're looking for, Montag, are in the world, but the only way the average chap will ever see ninety-nine per cent of them is in a book. Don't ask for guarantees. And don't look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine, or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for shore.

My rating for the book is 3 out of 5 stars. Translation - I liked it and recommend it for anyone interested in classic Science Fiction.

Audio Book Stats:

Fahrenheit 451 – by Ray Bradbury

Unabridged – read by author

Harper Collins – Harper Audio

6 hours –29 minutes

ISBN: 9780060855062

May 3, 2005

If you are interested in purchasing information for this audio book or the book at Amazon please link to my posting on Layers of Thought – Review: Fahrenheit 451.

trying to read FAHRENHEIT 451

Thought it would be a nice short little read after Middlemarch. But BLECH. I can BARELY make myself turn the pages. WHY WHY WHY was this book on all these best-books-of-all-time lists?! Am I missing something?