She once wrote “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton’s is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.” Ahhh, I still melt every time I read this famous line.
If Heathcliff didn’t give it away, this famous quote is from the romantic classic novel entitled, Wuthering Heights. I thought it was appropriate to share it today, for today is Emily Bronte’s birthday. I figured why not spread the love of this author the way she wrote about the love between Heathcliff and Catherine.
Born on July 30th, 1818 at Thornton, Bradford in Yorkshire, Emily’s first book of poems was published in May 1846 under the Pseudonym of Currer Ellis and Acton Bell. She contributed 21 poems. However during this period she was also working on Wuthering Heights which was finally published in December of 1947.
Unfortunately, Emily never did see her rise to fame, how her literature continues to inspire young writers all over the world. In 1848, her sister Charlotte Bronte writes that her sister is having breathing problems and has pains in her chest. It was on December 19th, 1848 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, when Emily passed away. She was 30 years old.
However, she continues to be remembered decades later.
Now is not the time to hold back, it’s okay to freak out, scream for excitement, and scurry the internet for updates on the film adapted from the hit novel The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The official movie poster has finally been released and boy am I pumped!
With a top notch cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, and Donald Sutherland as President Snow, the film is sure to be as exciting as the novel. The film will be released to theaters on March 23, 2012, so for those who haven’t listened to the audio book yet, you still have time, as I highly recommend you do.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the story it’s about a 16 year-old girl, Kat, who is living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used to be the United States. Each district, as part of the surrender terms, agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear on a television event called, “The Hunger Games.” There are many things that can change throughout the game, but one thing remains constant: kill or be killed. When Kat’s little sister is chosen to play, Kat steps up to go in her place. As the story unfolds, trust me, you won’t stop listening to this audio book.
I’ve always had a thing for the thriller based writer, Stephen King. His books have intrigued me and opened up my mind to all sorts of terrifying possibilities. But one thing is for sure, the movies adapted from his novels, had the same impact. And now, I can look forward to a new film adapted from Stephen King’s Bag of Bones starring Pierce Brosnan.
A&E has said to air a four-hour mini-series based on the novel. Brosnan will play the bestselling novelist who lost his wife, and who has a dream that takes him back to their lake house in rural Maine, changing his life forever.
It was announced to air on A&E later in the year, which is perfect for those of you who haven’t heard the audio book yet. You have time! Check it out here.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book I couldn’t put down. But it happened recently and I couldn’t wait to tell you all about it. Don’t Breathe A Word: A Novel by Jennifer McMahon, immersed me in a world where fairy tales and reality finally meet through the eyes of a young child. I read this book in a solid two days, questioning whether or not I put the book down to cook some dinner. Admittedly so, I never did eat dinner.
I’ve always been a reader who enjoyed lots of twists and turns in her novels, always wanting to be kept on the edge of my seat. I sometimes become a frustrated reader because I want the answers sooner than later, but that’s what really keeps me engaged. Don’t Breathe A Word definitely had this effect on me.
The story begins when twelve-year-old Lisa wonders off into the woods in the back of her home, telling her brother Sam, that there is a door that leads to a magical place where she would meet the King of the Fairies and become his queen.
A page turner from beginning to end, it’s not until Sam and his girlfriend Phoebe start receiving calls from someone claiming to be Lisa 15 years later that this novel takes on a mixture of suspense, fantasy and thriller. As you delve into the story, and get deeper and deeper into the unsolved mystery of where Lisa wondered off to that day, you’re faced with coming to terms with reality while being influenced by a child and make-believe.
It hasn’t been since I’ve read Life of Pi by Yann Martel, that a story has intrigued me so much.
If you’d like to check it out for yourself, click here for the audio book.
The New Trailer For Frank Miller’s Graphic Novel Is Out!
Today’s blog doesn’t feature any particular audio book I’d like to talk about, rather something a bit different. As a fan of Frank Miller, the creator of Sin City and 300, I couldn’t resist not writing about his new comic book, Holy Terror. The trailer was released recently and it just blew me away, as his graphic novels tend too. Although I love my audio books, there needs to be something said for graphic novels as well, especially with all the fine detail Miller puts into all his work.
However, this time around, his controversial 9/11 graphic novel is a little more extreme than his usual superhero stories. The novel will now star a character called “The Fixer” who lives in the York-evoking Empire City. As Miller states, “It’s a new hero that I’ve made up that fights Al Qaeda”.
Sound intriguing?
Check out the trailer below and let me know what you think!
Having bought many of my books in small book shops and my audio books online from Simply Audiobooks, it surprises me that the book retail giant, Borders, has not found a solution to its bankruptcy problems. If a small book shop can stay open through this turbulent economy I find it hard to believe that Borders can’t.
Starting as early as this Friday, nearly 400 of the company’s stores will be closed and its 10,700 employees laid off, all due to the major shift in a new era of increasing e-book readership. That being said, you won’t be checking into Borders to pick up George R.R. Martin’s new book, A Dance with Dragons .
But there needs to be something said for paperback books in general, although readership continues to increase with e-books, it’s just not the same for me, flipping the pages, smelling a new printed book, seeing how many pages are left till the next chapter! It’s unfortunate that major bookstores are forced to shut down because of this. Is the paper era really dying? What’s next, city newspapers shutting down?
Oh my my! One of Europe’s oldest books, currently at the British Library, is said to collect approximately $14.5 million in a campaign the Library is working on. The St. Cuthbert Gospel has been on loan at the Library since 1979. The 1313-year-old book has helped the Library secure £4.5 million in grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund.
A manuscript copy of the Gospel of St John, the St Cuthbert Gospel was made in the North of England in the late Seventh Century and then buried alongside St Cuthburt on Lindisfarne in 698, and later found in the saint’s coffin at Durham Cathedral in 1104.
With so much history, no wonder the NHMF has awarded £4.5 million to the British Library to acquire the Gospel. However, the Library will only be able to house half of the Gospel, as the other half will be on display at the Durham’s World Heritage Site. Nonetheless, they are still in discussions with other donors to secure the full amount by the deadline date of March 31, 2012.
As a vital part of our cultural and spiritual heritage, this is a treasure that will honor Cuthbert himself, even decades later.
I have an update for you regarding Jane Austen’s The Watsons! And no, I didn’t end up winning it at the auction. However, the unpublished manuscript has indeed been sold at a Sotheby’s auction, for a whopping $1.6 million which completely obliterates earlier appraisals of $330,000 to $490,000.
Now, considering this was an unpublished manuscript, it makes me wonder what one of her published manuscripts would fetch? Any ideas?
I don’t even know what I would do with her manuscript? I wouldn’t want it to sit on a shelf and collect dust, but where else would you put it? If you were the owner of The Watsons manuscript, what would you do with it? I think I would frame it and display it in my favorite part of the home, the book room!
Jane Austen fans, you may be in for a treat, a very expensive treat, but still a treat! One of Austen’s working manuscripts for the unfinished novel called The Watsons is being auctioned by Sotheby’s. That’s right; you may be the proud owner of an original manuscript by the romantic fiction writer herself. Although I know it won’t be me, it’s expected to fetch somewhere between $330,000 and $490,000, this is just not feasible for myself. I wish!
Would you ever be willing to pay such a hefty fee for an original piece of writing? Or would you prefer something on canvas instead?
Like novels that have a bit of bite to them? You are not alone. The popular supernatural writer, Charlaine Harris, the creator of the Sookie Stackhouse series, has received so much hype even HBO couldn’t resist – True Blood. However, I may have some unfortunate news, I myself relish in every novel she writes, but being nestled in the comfort of her stories may soon come to an end. I know, I know…I can’t believe it either. Apparently she has been intimating that she may be ending the series of novels after lucky number 13.
I really hope not, Bon Temps is just too entertaining of a place to call it quits. Plus, with all the various creatures/characters (however you want to look at it) I feel like there is just so much more she can do. I want to start a petition to keep these novels coming! Who’s with me?
If you haven’t checked out the series, you probably should, and I don’t just mean watching it on HBO. Check out Charlaine Harris novels here.
