Last year I reviewed the film Afghan Star, a documentary that showed the Afghan version of American Idol (or other such competition shows). The documentary was eye opening, showing the people of Afghanistan in a way I had never considered. With this singing competition, televised across the country, people there got the opportunity to participate in a democratic process of voting for their favorite performer, someone just like them.
Several of the contestants were women, who really risked their very lives by singing on stage. One young woman, Setara Husseinzada, braved the scorn of the public and would move to the music as she sang. In fact, on the night she was voted out, her headscarf slipped from her hair and she continued singing. Her behavior shocked and angered some in the public, and in her hometown of Herat, the leading clerics openly criticized her for her behavior.
In the follow up documentary, Silencing the Song: An Afghan Fallen Star, HBO films returned to see how she was faring. Fearing for her life and now married and pregnant, they follow Setara in Kabul, showing the harassment and fear she faces on a daily basis.
The follow up is essential if you have seen the first documentary, as you can't help but wonder what happened to this brave, brave girl after the competition ended. Although short, this seeming news-report style film shows the prejudice, fear, and superstition present in Afghanistan, and those who not only oppose that fear, but battle it.
If you get a chance, both documentaries are well worth your time. Below is a trailer for Silencing the Song: An Afghan Fallen Star.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Review: The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
Have you ever had a book that you put down, for whatever reason, and then picked back up six months or a year later to finish? The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer was that book for me. Whether it was the slow movement of the story, the language, or the time element to read it, I have been trying to get back to this book for over a year! I finally snapped into the action about half way through it though, and recently tore through the ending and can now say I've read my first Georgette Heyer novel.
Synopsis: Sophy has arrived at Berkley Square to stay with her father's sister and family while he is away and out of the country. Because of her unique upbringing across the continent, however, Sophy is difficult for her cousins to understand, not to mention how she'll be received by London society. There is a free-spirited side to Sophy that pushes her to be more independent and adventurous than her family, especially her cousin Charles would like. Feeling like her guardian, newly engaged Charles is constantly on the outlook for Sophy's out-there ways and trying to reign her in. From fixing up her young cousin (Charles's sister) Cecilia with the poet she loves, regardless of her family's approval, to helping get their younger brother out of a financial fiasco through her own wiles, Sophy seems never to fear reproach and faces society head on. Sophy is no wilting flower, but always seems to charm them all--maybe even cousin Charles, for all his high brow ways?
Review: I struggled to get into The Grand Sophy in the beginning, as I didn't naturally connect with Sophy or her cousins. Like many free-spirited young ladies in novels before and since, Sophy is not only the kind of character you know is going to get into trouble, but who is also going to worm her way into everyone's hearts by showing them a different side of themselves. In short, it's time to hang on for the ride to see where she was going to take the story.
Although I liked the story with Cecilia, who Sophy coached into feeling okay about choosing who she cared for and loved (It was fun seeing Charles riled up and annoyed at Sophy's meddling ways), I didn't really start to get into the novel until she stepped in to help Charles and Cecilia's younger brother. He had gotten himself into a precarious situation and built up some debt with a Jewish financier who swindled him out of a bunch of money and some precious family property. (The bit about the swindler being Jewish had a good deal of Anti-Semitism built in that made me cringe, which really was a reflection more of the time period than anything.) In the end, Sophy faced down the swindler and bravely saved the family name and finances! From that point on, Charles sees Sophy less as an annoyance and more as her own person. I loved watching him change his opinion about Sophy, , as she surprised him with her loyalty and bravery, even if he never stopped being aggravated by her lively behavior.
If you like period pieces, Jane Austen's romances, or high society dramas, then Georgette Heyer seems to fit the bill. I've seen her name mentioned in British Chick Lit. before, as the main characters drop her name as someone they've read, but I wasn't aware of her work until now. Honestly, it was a fun read, and although slow to pick up speed in the actual story, the comedy in behavior was there and fun to watch from the beginning.
Many of these Georgette Heyer novels are being republished by Sourcebooks and can be found at most retailers. The binding is great and the covers really pretty as well. If you like Regency romance, and a good, clean read, these are the perfect fit!
*FTC Disclosure: This review was based on a copy of the novel provided by Sourcebooks.
Review: I struggled to get into The Grand Sophy in the beginning, as I didn't naturally connect with Sophy or her cousins. Like many free-spirited young ladies in novels before and since, Sophy is not only the kind of character you know is going to get into trouble, but who is also going to worm her way into everyone's hearts by showing them a different side of themselves. In short, it's time to hang on for the ride to see where she was going to take the story.
Although I liked the story with Cecilia, who Sophy coached into feeling okay about choosing who she cared for and loved (It was fun seeing Charles riled up and annoyed at Sophy's meddling ways), I didn't really start to get into the novel until she stepped in to help Charles and Cecilia's younger brother. He had gotten himself into a precarious situation and built up some debt with a Jewish financier who swindled him out of a bunch of money and some precious family property. (The bit about the swindler being Jewish had a good deal of Anti-Semitism built in that made me cringe, which really was a reflection more of the time period than anything.) In the end, Sophy faced down the swindler and bravely saved the family name and finances! From that point on, Charles sees Sophy less as an annoyance and more as her own person. I loved watching him change his opinion about Sophy, , as she surprised him with her loyalty and bravery, even if he never stopped being aggravated by her lively behavior.
If you like period pieces, Jane Austen's romances, or high society dramas, then Georgette Heyer seems to fit the bill. I've seen her name mentioned in British Chick Lit. before, as the main characters drop her name as someone they've read, but I wasn't aware of her work until now. Honestly, it was a fun read, and although slow to pick up speed in the actual story, the comedy in behavior was there and fun to watch from the beginning.
Many of these Georgette Heyer novels are being republished by Sourcebooks and can be found at most retailers. The binding is great and the covers really pretty as well. If you like Regency romance, and a good, clean read, these are the perfect fit!
*FTC Disclosure: This review was based on a copy of the novel provided by Sourcebooks.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Review: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
When we talk about escape reading, the Sookie Stackhouse series definitely has that escapist factor! Filled with all sorts of paranormal elements, mystery, and romance, they are a crazy, good time. In May, book 11 in the series, Dead Reckoning comes out and I'd like to be up to speed by then, so I recently read Dead and Gone (book 9). This is a difficult book to review without giving away a little something, so I'll do my best to not include spoilers!
Synopsis: From Goodreads, "Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, know little about vamps-and nothing about weres.
Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works-and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.
But there's a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings-older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves-is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle."
Review: In this latest installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Sookie has returned home once again to try to get back to her "normal" life. We know there are weres, shifters, and vampires, but to this we add the faeries. Sookie meets some of her long-lost family and learns more about her past and who her parents were. As with everything else Sookie has been involved with, it sometimes is just too much and all she really wants is a real life where she can go to work, come home, and have a normal existence that doesn't involve fearing for her life. That's just not possible for Sookie though. What do you do with a talent like reading people's thoughts? No, Sookie is too valuable to all sides of the paranormal and human community.
This particular book, thankfully, doesn't show Sookie whining about the dangers she finds herself. I liked that Sookie faced everything in a no-nonsense, this-is-my-life now sort of way. In fact, I wasn't annoyed that she had protectors hanging around, because I finally felt that even Sookie just got that this is how things were for her.
We have a lot of characters in this novel, both from past installments in the series, and new characters that are adding to this paranormal world Sookie lives in. She's not alone in finding out about all of the paranormals though, as the weres come out to the world and among the vampires, their loyalty and power lines have shifted. Eric and Bill are still very present, and it doesn't seem as though romance will ever be a completely easy thing for Sookie. I felt as Sookie did though, wondering if her connection to Eric is only based on a swapping of blood (Yea, the exchange of bodily fluids element confuses things here), unlike the relationship and feelings she had for Bill at one time. Honestly, I still like Bill and think that he was good for her, but totally get the tie to hottie Eric and all his influence and power in the vamp community.
This is just a fun series to read. This may not be a series that I recommend to my high school students, although I know some of them have/are reading them, but I have enjoyed them. These really are pretty different, so you never know what to expect, which is a nice change.
*FTC Disclosure: This review is based on a library copy of the novel.
Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works-and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.
But there's a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings-older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves-is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle."
Review: In this latest installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Sookie has returned home once again to try to get back to her "normal" life. We know there are weres, shifters, and vampires, but to this we add the faeries. Sookie meets some of her long-lost family and learns more about her past and who her parents were. As with everything else Sookie has been involved with, it sometimes is just too much and all she really wants is a real life where she can go to work, come home, and have a normal existence that doesn't involve fearing for her life. That's just not possible for Sookie though. What do you do with a talent like reading people's thoughts? No, Sookie is too valuable to all sides of the paranormal and human community.
This particular book, thankfully, doesn't show Sookie whining about the dangers she finds herself. I liked that Sookie faced everything in a no-nonsense, this-is-my-life now sort of way. In fact, I wasn't annoyed that she had protectors hanging around, because I finally felt that even Sookie just got that this is how things were for her.
We have a lot of characters in this novel, both from past installments in the series, and new characters that are adding to this paranormal world Sookie lives in. She's not alone in finding out about all of the paranormals though, as the weres come out to the world and among the vampires, their loyalty and power lines have shifted. Eric and Bill are still very present, and it doesn't seem as though romance will ever be a completely easy thing for Sookie. I felt as Sookie did though, wondering if her connection to Eric is only based on a swapping of blood (Yea, the exchange of bodily fluids element confuses things here), unlike the relationship and feelings she had for Bill at one time. Honestly, I still like Bill and think that he was good for her, but totally get the tie to hottie Eric and all his influence and power in the vamp community.
This is just a fun series to read. This may not be a series that I recommend to my high school students, although I know some of them have/are reading them, but I have enjoyed them. These really are pretty different, so you never know what to expect, which is a nice change.
*FTC Disclosure: This review is based on a library copy of the novel.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The W's of Reading: Are You a Distracted Reader?
Happy Sunday to you! I'm feeling upbeat and happy right now because, thankfully, I'm getting through the grading I've been grumbling about for ages. It's been a slow process, but I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and should be finished with them later this coming week. In the midst of all the grading, I seem to be reading a lot more than usual. Reading has been my treat after a certain number of papers have been waded through! In fact, I've been able to escape into a good read much easier than ever before, which led me to question just what it is about myself that makes me so easily distracted, normally?
For as long as I can remember, I've always been a "distracted" reader. What do I mean by that? It basically means that you could walk past me, talk to me, or have a conversation with someone else and I would catch all of it. I've never been the type to escape to the degree that I can't be pulled out of a book, and that frustrates me.
Each semester or year, I give my high school students a survey to find out what kind of readers they are and have found out the my "big time" readers are what I call "Escape" readers. You would practically have to light them on fire to get their attention! One of my best friends is like this as well and I'm completely jealous. I don't know what it takes to be like that, but I have a feeling that it's just not in my DNA to become one.
Having said that, I still think I read quite a bit. However, here are the stipulations that I have to have in place to really read. See if these "Distracted" reader qualities fit you:
- I generally read a stack (7-12) books all at once. When I get bored/distracted with one, it's just because I'm thinking about another book I'm dying to nibble away at.
- The only exception to this is with what we call "Deconstructionist" texts that have so many fragmented story lines and narrators (i.e. Salman Rushdie) that I have to have a pen out to follow the story. (One of my graduate professors pointed this out to me, that having multiple story lines and narrators settled me into one book.)
- Although I carry books with me, everywhere I go, I can't necessarily settle into the book unless things are somewhat calm around me. Read in line outside a concert? Strangely, I can't unless I'm feeling a little down and disconnected from people. Otherwise, I'm people watching and don't want to slip into a book!
- Public places are difficult. I might read, but am painfully aware of what's going on around me. I've gotten used to the fact that I'm easily distracted, but it is annoying at times.
- Often times, it takes a little time to get into a book and hit that escape point. Maybe I've been working with teenagers for too long, since they are like this, but I find that I have to have a type of reading warm up. Once I'm warmed up and into the story though, I resent it when I have to stop.
- My environment has to be right. If I'm honest with myself, I will admit that I have to have it quiet to read. I can read with the TV on, but it has to be turned down, and I can't read with music on. Even reading with a person next to me, who could be doing the same thing, is too much of a distraction. I'm always aware of what's going on around me.
- Technology can be a HUGE distraction when I'm trying to read. Generally, my iPhone is by my side all the time, except the volume is off 99% of the time because of my job. When things get quiet and I'm ready to read, I find myself reaching for my phone to check email, twitter, and my RSS feeds.
- Strangely, I can escape pretty well if I take off and go for a walk with my book. Maybe it's that kinesthetic element? By moving, my brain allows me to slip off into what I'm reading?
- Sometimes when I'm bone tired or stressed out (as I've been the past several weeks), escaping is the easiest thing in the world. Essentially, if my brain is worn down, I can read forever and not get distracted.
Please share with me! I really want to know if you're what I call a "Distracted" reader or an "Escape" reader, and have you always been like that? If you're like me, what do you do to really escape?
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Essay Update
Thanks for your patience! I've been reading blog posts this past week and have added to my TBR pile. I hope to be back on writing and corresponding again, soon.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Sunday Blatherings
Here's what I'm doing this weekend:
Grading 140+ essays...
Maybe reading a few of these...
And doing a lot of this...
What are you doing this weekend?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Film Review: Dorian Gray (2009)
I've been on a bit of a Colin Firth kick lately, after viewing The King's Speech. I was so very excited for Firth when he won the Golden Globe for Best Actor! (You can view his gracious and funny acceptance speech at this link: "Colin Firth Wins at Golden Globes 2011". Even more fun, watch him in a post-award interview on E! speaking Italian.) He was absolutely deserving of this award, and from the body of work he has acted in, how can you not love everything about Colin Firth? I know I'm still in love with this versatile actor.
Having gushed just a smidge about Firth's acting abilities, I took some time this past weekend to watch Dorian Gray, based on Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. I actually read the novel back when I first started "One Literature Nut," but didn't ever write a review. Now I wish I had, as the film reminded me of the subtlety of Oscar Wilde's writing about such a startling downfall.
In the film, a young and handsome Dorian Gray (played by Ben Barnes) played directly against the standards of his Victorian society by trading his beauty in a portrait for that of his own. Goaded on by Lord Henry Wotton (played by Firth), Dorian is urged to live a life of pleasure, as Lord Henry convinces Dorian that the only way to avoid being pressured by one's vices is to give into them. From this, Dorian begins to explore his senses, giving up what could have been his one true love for a hedonistic lifestyle, giving into every vice known to man. As Dorian sank deeper and deeper into his lifestyle, he noticed that the portrait began to show signs of deep ugliness to the point of frightening him. The portrait of Dorian began to look haggard, cruel, debased, and pock-marked with the deepest, most ghoulish signs of ugliness. Not only had the portrait aged, but it had taken on the hideous characteristics buried within his soul.
Through the film, we are artistically drawn into much deeper questions about the importance of physical beauty, living with restraint, and the distortion of social values. More outright in its depiction of Dorian's pursuit of pleasure, often shocking in its breadth, we really get a sense for how far he was willing to go as he delved farther into his lifestyle. The acting was superb, losing us in these characters and their experiences. Although I love Firth for so many of the endearing characters he has played (Darcy in P&P and Bridget Jones Diary, in Nanny McPhee, etc.), I was completely lost in his role as scandalous villain Lord Henry Wotton; rarely did I feel that he was anything other than Lord Henry himself. Ben Barnes also played what felt like a flawless Dorian, showing the cunning side of evil with a pretty face to hide behind. In fact, I shuddered at his ability to show evil with such beauty.
Without giving anything away, I have to admit that the last thirty minutes of the film were by far the most gripping. There is this Edgar Alan Poe meets Alfred Hitchcock moment where you have to rethink the entire film! Honestly, the last moments were priceless and bear mentioning.
Dorian Gray is not a film I'll be sharing with any of my students, but will say that for anyone who likes period pieces or films based on literature (with a gritty edge), this is a great film. The themes in this film bear considering and are presented in such a dark, freaky way that you can't help thinking about them once the film is over. In fact, one of Dorian's lines near the end of the film has echoed in my head ever since, "Pleasure is different from happiness."
If you're curious, here is the link to the trailer for Dorian Gray.
Having gushed just a smidge about Firth's acting abilities, I took some time this past weekend to watch Dorian Gray, based on Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. I actually read the novel back when I first started "One Literature Nut," but didn't ever write a review. Now I wish I had, as the film reminded me of the subtlety of Oscar Wilde's writing about such a startling downfall.
In the film, a young and handsome Dorian Gray (played by Ben Barnes) played directly against the standards of his Victorian society by trading his beauty in a portrait for that of his own. Goaded on by Lord Henry Wotton (played by Firth), Dorian is urged to live a life of pleasure, as Lord Henry convinces Dorian that the only way to avoid being pressured by one's vices is to give into them. From this, Dorian begins to explore his senses, giving up what could have been his one true love for a hedonistic lifestyle, giving into every vice known to man. As Dorian sank deeper and deeper into his lifestyle, he noticed that the portrait began to show signs of deep ugliness to the point of frightening him. The portrait of Dorian began to look haggard, cruel, debased, and pock-marked with the deepest, most ghoulish signs of ugliness. Not only had the portrait aged, but it had taken on the hideous characteristics buried within his soul.
Without giving anything away, I have to admit that the last thirty minutes of the film were by far the most gripping. There is this Edgar Alan Poe meets Alfred Hitchcock moment where you have to rethink the entire film! Honestly, the last moments were priceless and bear mentioning.
Dorian Gray is not a film I'll be sharing with any of my students, but will say that for anyone who likes period pieces or films based on literature (with a gritty edge), this is a great film. The themes in this film bear considering and are presented in such a dark, freaky way that you can't help thinking about them once the film is over. In fact, one of Dorian's lines near the end of the film has echoed in my head ever since, "Pleasure is different from happiness."
If you're curious, here is the link to the trailer for Dorian Gray.
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