This was SO well done! I highly recommend it for anyone interested in this not-so-well-known period in American history, or even just anyone looking fThis was SO well done! I highly recommend it for anyone interested in this not-so-well-known period in American history, or even just anyone looking for a fabulous autobiography in graphic novel format.
When am I going to learn that I always find out things about favorite celebrities that I didn't really want to know when I read these types of books? When am I going to learn that I always find out things about favorite celebrities that I didn't really want to know when I read these types of books? On the other hand, I did learn a lot of interesting things about Mara Wilson and her life as a child actor as well. Some chapters were very interesting, and others, for me, not-so-much. I listened to the audio version, and enjoyed hearing it read by Mara Wilson herself. I would have preferred it if this were chronological instead of skipping around back and forth through her life....more
Based just on the cover picture, this book never seemed like something I wanted to read. Then I saw the movie previews and thought maybe I should readBased just on the cover picture, this book never seemed like something I wanted to read. Then I saw the movie previews and thought maybe I should read it before seeing the movie. Now I'm not sure how much I feel like I need to see the movie.
I'm not a huge fan of the vintage photos throughout, although it is interesting how he worked completely unrelated photos into a story that really does work. The story takes much too long to get going, though. I wasn't much interested until about three-fourths into the book, and even then the story just didn't make me happy. Now that I've finished, I do find myself wanting to read the second in the series, Hollow City. I guess he did catch my interest at some point. And I'm thinking the second book will get right to the story since all the world-building has already been done....more
This is the most comprehensive biography I've ever read! I can't even comprehend the time, effort, and research that went into writing it. The sheer nThis is the most comprehensive biography I've ever read! I can't even comprehend the time, effort, and research that went into writing it. The sheer number of personal interviews is staggering! And while I was amazed at how much Sylvia Nasar put into the book, it also felt a bit tedious. The text is littered with numbers next to each fact or quote referring you to the Notes section at the end. I kept a separate bookmark there so I could easily find my way, and then would only allow myself to look at the notes after finishing a chapter. Reading each note individually kept interrupting the flow of reading.
I think it really helped having seen the movie first before reading this. It also helped that it had been quite a few years since I'd seen the movie and didn't remember many specific details. Without seeing the movie first, I'm not sure I would have made it all the way through this. But now that I've finished it, I feel like I know John Nash and his family. He was blessed with such brilliance, yet paid a high price for it. This was well worth reading, although not the kind of book I would enjoy reading every day. 3.5 stars.
I thought it would be interesting to watch the movie again while the book was fresh in my mind. It was fascinating! I don't think I've ever seen a movie based on a book that is so completely different, yet in the end takes you to such a similar place. If the book is a realistic painting of John Nash's life, then the movie is a surrealistic painting where elements are added, changed, and completely twisted around yet still have meaning....more
Reading this book felt much like reading a blog of someone I don't know. Parts of it were extremely interesting, but it kept veering off into details Reading this book felt much like reading a blog of someone I don't know. Parts of it were extremely interesting, but it kept veering off into details of her life that didn't particularly interest me - such as all the details of her friends' lives. I can forgive this in a blog, but in a book I like it to stay more focused. I was very interested in the cooking bits and Julie's take on Julia Child. I would have enjoyed the book MUCH more if she would have kept the focus mostly on her actual project of cooking all of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking in just one year.
Several other things kept cropping up that made this feel very blog-like and somewhat unprofessional. Most of the time, Julia Child was "JC" and Mastering the Art of French Cooking was "MtAoFC." Also, Powell is very proud of her "sailor's mouth," as she calls it, and seemed to delight in littering the text with cursing. Since the roots of this book are from a blog, these things are understandable but as I said, somewhat unprofessional in a printed book.
Despite the issues above, for the most part I really did enjoy Julie Powell's writing style. And hey, she's a Buffy fan! But overall, this is one of the few cases where the movie is better than the book. At least this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the Julia Child book her part of the movie was based on, My Life in France....more
**spoiler alert** You never know what you're going to get when you read some of these older Newbery honor books. I love it when I find one that keeps **spoiler alert** You never know what you're going to get when you read some of these older Newbery honor books. I love it when I find one that keeps my interest and even has me thinking of the plot and the characters when I'm not reading it. Banner in the Sky did that. I was swept along on a great adventure story climbing right there with Rudi to the top of the Citadel!...more
Loading...
