Austen-lite: The Dashwood Sisters Secrets of Love

Ok, so this books sounds like fluff, and it is -- since it parallels Sense and Sensibility, it is alas utterly predictable, but... well, it is sort of like that movie you watch over and over or that book you re-read, or the fact that Godfather's pizza is still the best thing ever even after 20 years passed from the days of making Barbie tables out of the plastic box hoister-thingy in the middle. I read it in about 2 hours total, here and there, and did not have to think too hard. Sometimes that is a good thing. They are rather unfair to the Abby/Marianne character -- she was a bit more snob and less helplessly romantic innocent than Austen's middle sister, but the Georgie/margaret was spot on. Ellie/Elinor was a bit 2-dimensional, to say the least, which upsets me since I am the Elinor in my own life story, minus the waiting around for Edward bit. (more the frugal, must take care of everyone bit, really.)

It was a nice bit of sugar-coated summer to partake of before diving into materials to liven up my grammar lessons this fall. I don't think I can make my students like grammar, but I might get them to not hate it.
You'll have to let me know how I am doing, cherubs.

Stephenie Meyer and Twilight

On Thomas Maltman's recommendation, I read Meyer's Twilight saga this summer, mostly in August while my daughter was learning to swim. It took all of a week and a half to read all four books -- I luckily timed reading it with the release of book 4 -- a good sign, as poor reads I won't stick with.

What I liked: The first two books are PG, the last two PG-13 but not horrifically so. They are well written and have a moral undercurrent. Girls everywhere will read these books and start to form an Edward in their minds as an ideal suitor, and that's not a bad thing at all -- a gorgeous, attentive, smart, romantic 17-year-old who wants to wait? Find one of those on TV or MOVIES anywhere, I dare you.
Aside from the mom/teacher thoughts, the characters ARE interesting (We all need a Jacob for a best bud, right?) I would recommend them to anyone interested, with parental approval, especially on the last two books, as they get heavy duty at times.

Literature Picks for the summer

Mrs. Muraski’s ultimate summer reading list:

For the romantics

Contact by Carl Sagan—it will beautifully use all that astronomy knowledge from 4^th quarter, but in an amazing way. Carl Sagan actually makes a case for Creation and something “bigger” (i.e. God) out there, through the person of initial-unbeliever Dr. Elenor Arroway.

The Night Birds by Thomas Maltman If you were in my 9^th hour class, you got to meet this guy in person. This is an amazing book that just won another award – an ALEX award for adult books appealing to the young adult audience. Set during the 1862 Sioux uprising in Minnesota, it traces the lives of a German immigrant family who befriend a few members of the Sioux nation prior to this horrible tragedy. A little heavy duty – I would ask your parent’s permission first.

The Harry Potter Series – I lined up for them at Midnight. They are awesome.

The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. Interesting twist on the tales where Robin kind of stinks as an archer, but is a good person, and Marian kicks some serious medieval back-side. Also catch: BBC America series, Robin Hood on Saturday nights at 8pm. Super good show, very good looking outlaws and a lovely Marian.

Emma by Jane Austen. This is the book that – believe it or not – Clueless the movie is based on. Read it and watch both, see if you can spot the similarities.

For the adventurers:

The Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester, in the following order (any library will have them)

In chronological order:

1. Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (collected short stories)
2. Lieutenant Hornblower
3. Hornblower and the Hotspur
4. Hornblower and the Crisis (unfinished novel and short stories, Hornblower During the Crisis in some US editions)
5. Hornblower and the Atropos
6. The Happy Return (called Beat to Quarters in the US)
7. A Ship of the Line (called simply Ship of the Line in the US)
8. Flying Colours (spelled Flying Colors in some US editions)
9. The Commodore (called Commodore Hornblower in the US)
10. Lord Hornblower
11. Hornblower in the West Indies (Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies in some US editions)

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower and Hornblower and the Atropos were compiled in one book, variously titled Hornblower's Early Years, Horatio Hornblower Goes to Sea, or The Young Hornblower. "Hornblower and the Atropos" was replaced by "Hornblower and the Hotspur" in later UK editions of "The Young Hornblower". There are also simplified "cadet" collections of the Hornblower books for children.

Hornblower and the Atropos, The Happy Return and A Ship of the Line were also compiled into one omnibus edition, called Captain Hornblower.

In the US Beat to Quarters, Ship of the Line, and Flying Colours were also compiled into one book, called Captain Horatio Hornblower.

Flying Colours, The Commodore, Lord Hornblower, and Hornblower in the West Indies make up a third omnibus edition called Admiral Hornblower to fill out the series.

Commodore Hornblower, Lord Hornblower, and Admiral Hornblower In The West Indies were also combiled into one book, called The Indomitable Hornblower.

Companion Films: The Hornblower series that originally aired on A & E channel can be rented at most libraries for free on DVD

The Last Kingdom, by Bernard Cornwell; not quite another Viking story, this deals with the Norse invasions, plenty of action. This guy can really write battle scenes well.

Victory by Susan Cooper . If you didn’t read it in class, I highly recommend it. Lots of adventure and an easy beach read.

The edgy stuff:

Spanking Shakespeare, by Jake Wizner I added this to my list, although I have not read it yet. Might have been drawn to the bowel movement thing, not sure.

SHAKESPEARE SHAPIRO HAS ALWAYS hated his name. His parents bestowed it on him as some kind of sick joke when he was born, and his life has gone downhill from there, one embarrassing incident after another. Entering his senior year of high school, Shakespeare has never had a girlfriend, his younger brother is cooler than he is, and his best friend's favorite topic of conversation is his bowel movements.

But Shakespeare will have the last laugh. He is chronicling every mortifying detail in his memoir, the writing project each senior at Shakespeare's high school must complete. And he is doing it brilliantly. And, just maybe, a prize-winning memoir will bring him respect, admiration, and a girlfriend . . . or at least a prom date.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.

This book is awesome, and if you haven’t read it yet, your are missing out. The title character is someone you’ll never forget. And it has a lesson – don’t be a sheep. You will regret nothing so much as not being yourself.

The Hangman’s Year what would happen if the British won the American Revolution? I haven’t read this yet either, but I am looking forward to it.

For the non-fiction lovers:

April 1865: The month that Saved America by Jay Winik

This guy write a history book for non-nerds – it tells great stories, super battle retellings, and fantastic flashbacks that will make you appreciate the Civil War in a whole new way.

Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis

This is a great book on the founding fathers, debunking a few myths and discussing a few others.

John Adams by David McCollough

This guy won the Pulizter, and they made an HBO series out of his book. Read the book, and rent the series when it comes out on DVD. AWESOME. John Adams was a hoot.

Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose

This is a user friendly intro to the journals of Lewis and Clark. A really good in-the-car-read if you are heading west this summer.

The Icelandic Sagas, Jane Smiley, Editor

Beowulf, Seamus Heaney

You’ve had a taste of these in class, now you can enjoy the best translations I have read of them so far. I recommend Laexdala’s Saga (Or Saga of the People of Laexerdal), Njall’s Saga and Egil’s Saga which deal with branches of the same family. You will notice huge amounts of the craziness we read about, especially in Egil – he is always getting in trouble and tearing someone apart, literally or figuratively. Beowulf is the earliest thing written in English, and not too much like the movie of the same name that just came out, which I think I cannot recommend as it is rated R. The book has some violence, but it also has a lot of Christian back story that probably ended up on the editing room floor.

Movies I have recommended this year:

(rent or better yet borrow free from the Library)
Horatio Hornblower
North and South
The Quiet Man
Pride and Prejuduce
Sense and Sensibility
Emma
The Star Wars series
Indiana Jones -- any of them, although Last Crusade and Raiders are probably my favorite.
The Scarlet Pimpernel (get the Jane Seymour version -- I think it's the best)
A Tale of Two Cities
Cyrano de Bergerac (the French version with Gerard Depaerdieu is best if you can either understand French or don't mind subtitles!)

More to come!!!