School wrap-up

I had a great opportunity to take a course called "The Heart's Desire" this semester and a course with an interesting title like that often has an interesting reading list like this. The 13 books we read in the class are below. The ones you should actually care about are highlighted. Notes attached where necessary.

1. The Discerning Heart: Exploring the Christian Path by Wilkie Au and Noreen Cannon Au.
2. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (*And yeah, I can pronounce that.)
3. Words Made Flesh: Scripture, Psychology and Human Communication by Fran Ferder (*Really and truly excellent. The parts I read, that is. I don't have a lot of time for lengthy books at school, okay?)
4. Your Sexual Self: Pathway to Authentic Intimacy by Fran Ferder and John Heagle
5. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
6. Globalization, Spirituality, and Justice: Navigating the Path to Peace by Fr. Daniel G. Groody, CSC (*Groody is the boss and also this is an excellent book. Read it and weep [and then go do something with your life].)
7. Addiction and Grace by Gerald May (*Surprisingly wonderful)
8. Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton (*They say it's so good... and maybe it is... if I ever actually read it I'll let ya know.)
9. A Sacred Voice is Calling: Personal Vocation and Social Conscience by John Neafsey
10. Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker J. Palmer (*Ew.)
11. The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth by M. Scott Peck (*Ignore his bizarre 1960s sexism and just go with it.)
12. Letters to a Young Poet by Ranier Maria Rilke
13. Dreams and Spiritual Growth: A Christian Approach to Dreamwork by Louis Savary, Patricia Berne, and Strephon Williams

Yes Please

My Rating: ★★

Method of Reading: Hardback book
Dates of Reading: December 27, 2014-December 29, 2014
Author: Amy Poehler
Publication Year: 2014
Recommended to: Basic Poehler fans.
Quotes: Surprisingly and unfortunately, no.
Movie: None.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Poehler#Bibliography
Link: http://amysaysyesplease.com/

My View: Unfortunately, I was very disappointed by this book. Poehler is one of the funniest comedians alive today and she dished out a dull, whiney, winey, and pseudo-ethereal brick of a book with a vaguely 3D cover. There are certainly some gems herein: the sections about Ambivalence, Haitian children, Parks and Recreation, and possible titles for her forthcoming divorcée-help manuals were often touching, funny, and felt like they were coming from a place of easy writing (often the most real place to write from). The rest read like a drunken(/stoned?) Oprah wannabe's diary. I've come to expect a lot from Poehler I suppose, but it's probably not a great time in her life to be "reading the tea leaves." In all, she was trying too hard to verbalize a secret recipe for the good life rather than write about what she cares for. Next time, Amy, maybe put in a little less about your drug days in the wild wild UCB and a little more actual... content.

Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliography:
Poehler, Amy. Yes Please. New York: HarperCollins, 2014. Print.

The Magician's Nephew

My Rating: ★★★★

Method of Reading: Target's seven-book paperback.
Dates of Reading: October 20, 2014-October 25, 2014
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publication Year: 1955
Recommended to: I think this category has been pretty well-defined by history.
Quotes:
"I'd ha' been a better man all my life if I'd known there were things like this" (62).
"And as Adam's race has done the harm, Adam's race shall help to heal it" (80).
"All get what they want; they do not always like it" (100).
"...power rolled about them and over them and entered into them that they felt they had never really been happy or wise or good, or even alive and awake, before" (103).
Movie: "In development" per IMDb.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magician%27s_Nephew
Link: https://www.cslewis.com/us/books/paperback/the-magicians-nephew-full-color/9780064409438

My View: Widely viewed among my friends as the least powerful of the series, I actually thought the book was pretty good--although most of the allegory was blunt enough to knock you out in one swift hit.

Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliography:
Lewis, C.S. The Magician's Nephew. 2001. The Chronicles of Narnia. New York: HarperCollins, n.d. 7-106. Print.

The Paris Wife

My Rating: ★★★★

Method of Reading: Personally owned hardcover novel, 314 pages
Dates of Reading: August 7, 2014-August 10, 2014
Author: Paula McLain
Publication Year: 2012
Recommended to: Mainly women, especially those who enjoy Austen, historical fiction, any Jazz Age writer (particularly, of course, Hemingway), and women's history (fans of Gatsby's Girl will love this).
Quotes: 
Movie: In development.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paris_Wife
Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/features/paula_mclain/book/

My View: Really enjoyed this riveting view of an historic man's leading lady. The narration is very well done: seamlessly voiced, highly researched, and honestly written.

Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliography:
McLain, Paula. The Paris Wife: a novel. New York: Ballantine Books, 2011. Print.

OH NO. #TheGiver

Some disturbing reports have reached me regarding the recent launch of The Giver (movie). I have a special place in my heart for The Giver (book). I also have a special place in my heart for Meryl Streep. I have a special place in my heart for book adaptations made with real fans. I have a super special place for pro-life media. In sum, I should have a special place in my heart for The Giver (movie). However, when news of the movie broke several months ago, I saw some red flags:

Red Flag #1: Thwaites... why is he in his 20s and playing a pre-teen? Oh... 'cause Jonas is 16 now? Uh-uh.

Red Flag #2: Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep. Why would you hire Meryl Streep as a minor character? Oh... 'cause the Chief Elder isn't a minor character anymore? Okay....

Red Flag #3: WHAT IS WITH THIS CASTING? WHY IS EVERYONE TOO OLD AND TOO FAMOUS? #ExceptJeffBridges #Perfection

Red Flag #4: Fiona is a real person now and takes up half of the poster... Interesting choices.

And then the movie came out and an erudite Buzzfeed gang posted these articles: 1, 2. Then Cinablend put THIS up. And something called Vox.com had THIS. According to these sources, my worries and more have been realized. Despite this film having been made with the full enthusiasm of the author herself and by an über-fan (another shout-out to Jeff Bridges here), some Hollywoodizing may have hurt this film. One of the most gut-wrenching to hear about was the colorizing. However the high tech amp-up could be cool, and I kinda see why Jonas's relationships with Fiona and Cameron had to be altered (but when there is Jonas-Fiona "fan fic" out there, I kinda go green in the face), plus I think some of the changes in Jonas's relationship to the Giver (i.e. the altered memories and the stormy fights and the music) could be really good for the film. But the ending was changed? That was sacred ground. Messing with Fiona and Asher's jobs? Just take away half of their book characterization, why dontcha. I'll withhold judgement on this one until I've actually seen it... but I'm a little worried about doing that.

UPDATE
I have now seen the film. There are certain changes I am annoyed by (especially those age changes and that fluffy little romance and that chase scene at the end) but overall they did a pretty nice job respecting the idea of the story. It made Gabe appear to be a Christlike figure, which I'm pretty sure wasn't intended in the book, but Brenton Thwaites and Jeff Bridges killed it in their roles, as did the young woman playing Fiona (the most abused character in this adaptation). Would've liked to have seen an adaptation that was slightly more faithful to the original, but this will do.

This Side of Paradise

My Rating: ★★★★

Method of Reading: Personally owned paperback novel, 320 pages
Dates of Reading: June 26, 2014-July 1, 2014
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Publication Year: 1920
Recommended to: Gatsby fans and also Catholic readers, who may find Fitzgerald's covert philosophy interesting.
Quotes: 
Movie: Oh sure.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Side_of_Paradise
Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-side-of-paradise-scott-fitzgerald/1116616137?ean=9781593082437

My View: It was the first time in a while I couldn't put a book down. Really interesting, almost more so because it didn't have much of a story arc--that's what made it a real story. (see my love for the ending of Best Foot Forward)

Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliography:
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. This Side of Paradise. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1920. Print.
"This Side of Paradise (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)." Barnes & Noble. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 July 2014.

The Book Thief

My Rating: ★★★★

Method of Reading: Personally owned paperback novel, 576 pages
Dates of Reading: June 1, 2014-June 25, 2014
Author: Markus Zusak
Publication Year: 2005
Recommended to: Readers.
Quotes: 
"and they were you" (350).
"You taught me to read" (538).
Movie: Yeah. Have not seen it.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_Thief
Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Thief-Markus-Zusak/dp/0375842209

My View: For maybe the third time I ever, a book made me cry (to be fair, I was really sick in bed when Himmel Street was bombed so I was all teary already. But I think I would've cried anyway). I read this while traveling in Europe which made this moving story even more powerful, as that entire continent is still defined by the events of the World Wars. Death makes a surprisingly compassionate narrator, and I fell for Rudy entirely. But maybe what this book really gave me was a heroine I adore: Liesel's book thievery and passion for reading puts her in my list of well-read people despite the scarceness of her reading list. I was really in love with the fact that I planned on leaving my paperback behind when I left Europe (along with the others I'd packed) to make room in my suitcase for my terrible clothes-folding skills. But what was actually more satisfying was that one of my closest friends from the trip saw the book on my nightstand the night before we left and asked to take it with her--there was something great in sharing a book meant to be stolen.

Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliography:
Donnelly, Elisabeth. "Could the Movie Version of 'The Book Thief' Be a Sleeper Hit?" Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2013. Web. 14 July 2014.
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.