books
My Thoughts on The Hunger Games
A few weeks ago I finished The Hunger Games trilogy. I promise I won’t give away any spoilers, but I do have a few things to say about this book.
First off, don’t be fooled by the Young Adult label—it’s actually quite mature and is a page-turner at any age and I recommend it to anyone as a great read. The book is set in the future. America has collapsed in war and the country of Panem is divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. In order to keep the power and reinforce its reign over the districts, the extravagant Capitol hosts a “Hunger Games” each year where two teenagers from each district are selected by lottery to fight to the death. It is not just a way for the Capitol to remain in power, but it is a form of entertainment to them. They turn it into a sport, wagering on who will win and adding terrible twists for entertainment.
I was appalled with the plot and immediately hated the Capitol. And then, as I began to meet characters from the Capitol, I became extremely uncomfortable with how similar it sounded like America.
For example, the Capitol was ignorant and apathetic of the way the districts live in poverty to supply the food, textiles, and coal that the Captiol runs on, similar to the way we are apathetic to the poverty of the countries that supply our resources. They indulged in every luxury and even had a pill that would allow you to eat as much as you wanted, without worry of weight loss. They became immune to watching children killed on TV—we legalize and accept abortion, all in the name of convenience. The Capitol would tweak the weather and elements inside the Hunger Games in order to create more drama and excitement for the viewers. Sounds very similar to reality TV shows today—the more disturbing, dramatic and frightening, the higher the ratings.
How often do we consider the nations who supply us with so many resources? I rarely do. And even though individuals volunteer for reality TV shows, how often are these people exploited and used by producers, just for a good laugh? How often do we consider the lives of the babies we kill in abortions? Are we so consumed with our own cushy interests that we exploit others, all in the name of entertainment and luxury?
I don’t mean to get political or controversial, and I don’t mean to say that we are turning into the Capitol–democracy is too engrained in our nature. All I know is as I was reading, I suddenly became very embarrassed by the similarities.
Has anyone else read the Hunger Games series? What did you think about the book?
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My Favorite Book
Warning: Spoiler below! If you live under a rock and have no idea how Pride & Prejudice ends, don’t read below. Then go promptly to your bookstore or library and read the book.
I first read Pride and Prejudice after watching the movie You’ve Got Mail. I saw it in the theaters with my best friend Allison and her mom back in 1998 the day before I got braces. I remember that distinctly because I thought that would be the last time I ate popcorn for the next two years (middle school crisis!), so we got a large bucket and passed it between the three of us the whole movie.
Those who have seen You’ve Got Mail may remember that the movie references Pride and Prejudice a bit. It is first mentioned when Meg Ryan is writing Tom Hanks:
“Confession, I have read Pride and Prejudice two hundred times. I get lost in the language, words like ‘Thither. Mischance. Felicity.’ I’m always in agony over whether Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are really going to get together. Ah! Read it. I know you’ll love it!”
I left that movie in love with all things Kathleen Kelly (hair, outfits, apartment), and knew that I needed to read her favorite book as well. Of course all I knew about Pride and Prejudice was from the movie on “whether Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are really going to get together” and my little 7th grade self translated that to mean that it was one of those books that finished open-endedly, and leaves you wondering whether the two ever get together, long after the book ended.
Despite the fact that I hate books that end that way, I decided to give it a try.
It was hard to get into at first, since the 19th Century words were foreign to my small vocabulary. But I kept reading and soon I became engrossed in the plot and attached to the characters. I loved the Bennet family and the subtle humor. I loved the relationship between Jane and Elizabeth. I got so excited whenever I saw Mr. Darcy’s name on the next page, and I remember staying up late reading the last few pages. When I finally finished, I was so delighted and surprised to find out that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy indeed do end up together! It was such a happy ending, especially after such a depressing expectation!
I just finished re-reading it for the third (or fourth?) time this past weekend, and it still stands to be my favorite book ever. Ah! Read it. I know you’ll love it!
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What is your all-time favorite book?
Photo by Lucy Clement Photography, for our engagement shoot.
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Summer Reading
Summer has always been the time of the year when I read the most. I love sitting by the pool or beach with a good book, or curling up in a cold air conditioned home away from the heat. I was even one of those kids nerds who enjoyed getting a list of required reading during the summer. I loved going to the bookstore or library, browsing all of the new releases and picking out my favorites.
This summer is no different. Here are some books I have been reading lately:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I first read this book when it was released in July 2007 (luckily enough I was in Europe and scored a British copy), but I re-read it this summer to prepare for the movie coming out next week.
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I was very excited about reading Water for Elephants, but ended up disappointed. It felt a little too what’s the word?… cliche, predictable, written for the purpose of turning it in to a 1930s movie? I just didn’t enjoy it. But don’t take my word for it, because everyone I’ve talked to liked it.
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
This book is told from the perspective of an autistic boy who tries to solve a crime and travels across London. It was a very easy read and I found the perspective clever and unique.
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I started this book on my way back from the honeymoon, so I was stuck in the airport and airplane while I read. If it hadn’t had my undivided attention, I am not sure if I would have finished it. It was written from a dog’s point of view, but it was very slow and dry. (Although, I guess a dog’s life can seem that way at times.)
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I loved The Help. It was an easy, thought-provoking read, and Kathryn Stockett did a fabulous job in plot and character development. It is probably the first book in a long time that I didn’t want to finish, and I cannot wait for the movie to come out.
House Rules is about an autistic child who is a murder suspect. Since I had already read an autistic-themed book, I wasn’t as into this book as I probably would have been, plus I am not a huge fan of crime and justice story lines. However, it really put into perspective all of the lives that are affected by autism and it kept my attention the whole time.
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I was quite inspired by The Happiness Project and may adopt some of its principles to my own life… which means, you’ll hear an official opinion on this book in another post. ;)
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What have you been reading this summer?
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Book Review: Eat Pray Love
Eat Pray Love is an autobiographical journey of a divorced woman on a search for balance. Actually, let me steal a quote from the book, since this pretty much sums it all:
“I wanted to explore the art of pleasure in Italy, the art of devotion in India and, in Indonesia, the art of balancing the two. It was only later, after admitting this dream, that I noticed the happy coincidence that all these countries begin with the letter I. A fairly auspicious sign, it seemed, on a voyage of self-discovery.”
Normally I’m not one for books about “self discovery.” Travel books, yes, but self-discovery ones I find… rather boring and unrelated to my life. This book, however, I unexpectedly found myself evaluating my own life as Elizabeth Gilbert skillfully intertwined poignant lessons through witty stories and conviction. She did a fantastic job of painting the pictures of her journeys, intertwining amusing characters she encountered, and setting the stage for the peace that she sought. It deliciously entertaining and devotional at the same time.
On a practical level, reading this book made me long to travel, practice yoga more regularly, and of course see the movie when it premiers in August. On a deeper level, it made me reevaluate my daily habits and compare my life against what my values are. Throughout her journey, Gilbert learned to forgive and let herself be happy again. The best part, though, wasn’t that this happiness stayed within herself, but through that forgiveness, she was able to bless and love others. The theme of the book really is love: you cannot love others fully without first loving yourself.
In short: I loved the book. If I up and leave you all one day, don’t be alarmed, I’m just traveling the world in search of myself. ;)
What about you? What are your thoughts on the book?
Please comment below or link your own book review to this post.
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Next book in the Summer Book Club:
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
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MPP Summer Book Club
Every evening for the last two years, 10:00 pm rolled around and I got a phone call from J. We’d chat it up for anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour and then I soundly fell asleep. It’s been that way almost every night since we’ve dated. In fact, it’s a little hard to remember my bedtime routine before dating J… Did I watch TV? No. Would I blog? Nope, this thing wasn’t around two years ago. Oh wait, I know what I did: READ!
I’ve always loved reading. I’m not the best reader, but I love it. I grew up with books. Call me a dork, but I was that girl who would read all of the books on the summer reading list from school. Many of my summer afternoons were spent sitting in a dogwood tree in the front yard of my house reading things like The Babysitter’s Club, Mandie books, Little Women, or the Little House on the Prairie series. The first time I read Anne of Green Gables, I loved the book so much I finished the rest of the series in a month.
So after a long time of neglecting my book world, I’ve decided to pick it back up this summer. Who wants to join me in a little Summer Book Club? I know, I should have warned you before June, but rest assured there are still plenty of hot summer days ahead.
Here’s the deal: I’m going to read books this summer. You can join in reading one or all of the books I plan to read. To discuss, either post about it on your blog or comment after my review. I am getting almost all of my books from the library, so the order of the books may change (based on holds/availability), but if you read a book and blog about it before me, just make sure to email me or comment on this post so I can add you to the list of reviewers.
Who’s with me? I’ve kept the list to five to keep it a manageable goal, then I may add a few more after I finish these. If you say you’ll join me but end up not reading that many (or none), it’s not a big deal. It’s the summer, so it’s not meant to be stressful. And I know some of these books are very popular and so if you’ve already read them, you can review them as well and give me any more book suggestions!
The Book List:
Eat. Pray. Love. by Eliabeth Gilbert
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Anyone want to join the MPP Summer Book Club? Comment below if you’re interested and I’ll update those participating. Yay! I’m so excited. The first book: Eat, Pray, Love. You know, to prepare for the movie this summer…. ;)
– Update —
Book Club Participants:
- Paranoid Asteroid
- Jenn @ Paying Myself
- Money Maus
- Amanda L
- Elizabeth @ Oh Eliza!
- TeacHer
- Bexi
- Unavosis
- Teresa
- Rachel
- Bucksome Boomer
- Red
- Jane
- Penny Farthing
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