I am enthralled by lists. I make them all the time. Lists of things to do on my night off. Lists of things to do before I die (like visit Alaska and The Alamo). Lists of my favorite books or movies or tv shows or actors or actresses or musicians...check it out, I've made a list of things I like to list! So here are two lists of mine.
My Top Ten Favorite Books of All Time
10. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
9. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
8. The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
7. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
6. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
5. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Suess
4. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
1. The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
My Top Ten Favorite Movies of All Time
10. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
9. Moulin Rouge!
8. While You Were Sleeping
7. Guys and Dolls
6. Conspiracy Theory
5. An American in Paris
4. The Princess Bride
3. The Sons of Katie Elder
2. The Fugitive
1. The Man from Snowy River
These are, of course, subject to change. But as of today, right now, that's how they are ;-)
...revealing my thoughts about movies, writing, and life to the audience...
You have a pretty accessible movie list for someone who likes old ones so much. Even I've seen five of the ten. Your book list is more like I'd expect, more literary. (The Fountainhead and Catch-22 are where we overlap -- I suspect it's the same with you and your husband?) I liked the Fugitive -- it's great when both sides are so intelligent and a step ahead. Princess Bride, of course, so clever. I'm sure I'd like Pirates of the Caribbean if I ever saw it.
ReplyDeleteHowdy, Anonymous! (I suspect you of being my mother-in-law, but I'm not sure). Yes, my Top Ten list of fave movies is pretty mainstream...you can probably find all ten at most video stores. Maybe I should lengthen the list to 25 in another post...after ten I probably start entering "no-man's-seen-it" land.
ReplyDeleteYes, my Cowboy has read "The Fountainhead" and "Catch-22", and possibly "The Count of Monte Cristo" as well. I'm amused that you call my Top Ten of fave books 'literary' though, because I think it's pretty mainstream too. Nothing outre that most people haven't at least heard of, I don't think...and it includes three children's books :-D
Actually I'm not my mom, I'm housekarl, and I guess I made the error of thinking it "literary" because I thought Daphne Du Maurier was an obscure French writer. I'm ordering "The Indian in the Cupboard" from the library.
ReplyDeleteWhat's Raymond Chandler really like? Is it very very accessible like Catch-22 and the Fountainhead?
Huh. You really sounded like your mom. Weird.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I can't believe you're ordering "Indian in the Cupboard"!!! You'll love it, I think. You do realize it's a kids book, right? I should really reread it--I haven't read it since I was like 17. There are three sequels too, but they're not as good.
I think Raymond Chandler's books are more accessible than "Catch-22" in particular if only because they stick to a linear narrative, and "Catch-22" is a big mass of circles and loops. In fact, he's quite readable. I would suggest "The Big Sleep" as a first foray into Chandlerworld. After you read it, you might want to see the excellent Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall film version--it's definitive Film Noir.
I read "Indian in the Cupboard." Once I got to the slides in the middle of the book I started thinking of it as a Disney movie, and then the chapter breaks and characterization started to work better for me. The parts I liked were the small-scale magic and the parts where the characters acted historical, like the Iroquois complaining he lived in a longhouse, never a tipi. The part I didn't like was how much he made me hate Patrick for squealing. I could not forgive him by the end of the chapter the way Omri did.
ReplyDeleteThe toys coming to life and acting like their historical selves reminded me of one of my favorite children's books, Knight's Castle by Edward Eager.
I requested The Big Sleep from the library next.
I love the characterizations in "The Indian in the Cupboard" too, especially Little Bear and Boone. I love how, even though he's now like 4 inches tall, Little Bear is really bossy and doesn't just get wimpy and dull. And Boone is such a sweetie--his line: "Lost mah hayat" is a perennial favorite in my family (I don't remember if it's spelled that way, that's just how we pronounced it).
ReplyDeleteWhoa, you're gonna read Raymond Chandler? Rock out! I hope you like him. Can't wait to hear what you think!
Hey, let me know (you can drop me an email if you wish) if you still want to borrow some eps of "Combat!", because I could loan you a tape on Turkey Day.
I'm going to try to get your "Knight's Castle" book from the library.
Did your family read "The Indian in the Cupboard" out loud? It would work great that way, I'm imagining it right now. Or do you just have a way of hearing "Lost my hayat" in your head.
ReplyDelete"Knight's Castle" is a book I liked. I don't know if you will like. The more books I read on your list the more I would know if that is the one to start you with or if "Half Magic" would be better. I am reading Raymond Chandler right now but am just past the introduction where I have learned that his wife's name was Cissy. Baby Cissy?
-housekarl
Mom read out loud to my bro and me for about an hour every night. We loved "The Indian in the Cupboard" so much that we made her read it to us several times over the years, and I've read it by myself too. So "Lost mah hayat" is how she pronounced it, because she did this major drawl for Boone. And we just loved poor sad Boone anyway.
ReplyDeleteBut I do hear and see books as I read them...it's like they play across the movie screen in my head. I totally forget the printed words and the paper pages.
Cowboy has often mentioned "Half Magic", so maybe I'll have to read that too. The "Knights" book just came in, so I'll pick it up in a day or so.