The GREAT, Great Gatsby Post

So on May 10th. Warner Brothers Finally Releases The HIGHLY Anticipated Great Gatsby Movie! In General, The Great Gatsby is already a pretty popular book, being deemed a Classic and written F.Scott Fitzgerald. However, with this movie coming out I imagine The Great Gatsby is going to gain even more popularity, especially with the younger crowd. So, this post is my attempt at a one stop shop for EVERYTHING Gatsby!

First Off Is The Book Itself. I personally enjoyed it and find it to be timeless and well worth earning the title of  A Classic and with ANY Book, there will be some people who do not like the book either. So, Here is some reviews from fellow bloggers. Both good and bad.

My Review

Belle's Bookshelf

An Unexpected Book Blog

Kimberly's Novel Thoughts 
 (Let Me Know If You Have Reviews, You'd Like Me To Add)

There are A LOT of cool things about The Great Gatsby but one of my favorites is John Green's Crash Course explanation of the books. I am not an overly critical reader, so when I watched Crash Course it really gave me an even better perspective of the book.

The Movie Trailer


 
and If You Want To See The 1926 Movie Trailer Click Here.

When the casting was first announced for The Great Gatsby. I was personally elated, mainly because everyone they cast (minus Tom Buchanan) was who I had imagined in the roles while reading them. Since seeing more of Joel Edgerton's work (he is currently a favorite actor of mine) and seeing him act in the trailers, I can now say he is a great choice. I am imagine someone like Ben Affleck or the guy who played the bad guy in Titanic in the role. Regardless, I am excited.

The Great Gatsby has been around for 88 years and in those eighty-eight years has gone through many different covers.

Photo From http://idesweb.bc.edu

With The Movie Coming Out Even Tiffany's Is Getting In On The Action with Some Art Deco, Inspired Jewelry!

Side Note: This Is My Actual Wedding Ring, and I Got So Excited That It Was Even In This Collection That I Had To Share It.

Literally A Diamond Headband!

 

And, it isn't just Tiffany's that is inspired by Fitzgerald's work. A lot of people are and their work is a little more affordable. Click on The Photos To Link To Their Sites.

 

Library Lover: BOTD #13

Oh Mice and Men = ) I think I am a John Steinbeck fan mainly because he is a fellow Northern Californian. I have read Of Mice and Men twice.. both times for school. Ok... I lied I read it once, but it was assigned Twice for English 2 Honors  my sophomore year and English 4, my senior year. I didn't read it again for English and it was kinda fun to know the answers to all the questions our teacher asked (this is rare for me) Same thing happened with 1984, Except I have never read through all of 1984 (I find it boring).. I just paid a lot of attention in E2H to the class discussions. Therefore.. knowing the answers my senior year. Anyways, that being said Of Mice and Men is a great classic. That is rather heartbreaking.

You meet George and Lennie in the beginning of the book, getting dropped off in rural Northern California, to report for work on a ranch. George and Lennie are friends, George, mainly watched out for Lennie because he is what we would now say mentally disabled. Although, George tries to keep it hush hush, so that Lennie can get work as well. Lennie is a nice kid and good worker, he just doesn't know how strong he is. This being shown when he squeezes many pet mice too tight. This proves to get Lennie in trouble more than once.

Library Lover: BOTD #12

Do I need to explain Pride and  Prejudice? I think most of us know what this book is about and I am sure most of you just watched to movies = ) Before Disney came along and gave us women fairytale princes (i'm aware the stories Disney movies are based on existed way before Disney made them into films) There was Jane Austen and her love stories. Turning women into hopeless romantics. Jane Austen in general is a author whose books people either adore or could do without. I personally fall under the 1st category. Her books are all known, but the most infamous is by far Pride and Prejudice. I feel no need to explain the premise of the book for it really is well known.... but really, if you are a reader and you have only seen the movies; you need to go read the book.

Library Lovers: BOTD #6

  Well Happy Super Sunday, for all you football lovers! Who are you rooting for? I am neither a huge fan of the Packers or the Steelers, but I will be spending my day, on the couch with my Fiance, eating chips and hot dogs, while cheering on good ole Green Bay. It was an easy choice who I'd root for really, the Steeler have too many Superbowl Rings, plus I'm still bitter over them beating The Cardinals awhile back AND Green Bay is one of the Original Football teams and my Grandma Thomas liked them... therefore the pros overpower the cons. =) Got My Fingers Crossed!

How can you not love the story of The Giving Tree? Really a book we should continue to read through out our lives to remind us to give, but also not to be selfish. The book is heart warming and truly timeless. Readable for all ages. If you haven't read the story of the Giving Tree, it goes simply like this... a boy eats the apples of the tree, plays on the tree and as he gets older, he wants more from the tree and the tree keeps on giving. With a touching ending, we can all learn a little kindness from reading this story. Shel Silverstein in general is a unique and talented author and poet.

Library Lovers: BOTD #4

 

 Before Stuart Little was a cute animated in the movies and voiced by Michael J. Fox he was a character in a book. This book has a special place in heart because it was a book my Grandma Thomas would read to me, mainly after I would refuse to read it, cause it was TOO boring... I was like 8, most books were TOO boring to me then... since then I have read it though and although it is a cute movie, the book is better.

So, for those who haven't read the book or seen the movie... Stuart Little is about a little mouse, who gets adopted by the little family. He goes on adventures with his big brother and sometimes gets put into danger, like when he is racing toy yachts on the lake. Stuart also becomes friends with a bird named Margaux who is injured by an evil hawk when he finds her.  Overall it is a cute innovative tale.

Library Lovers: BOTD #3

 

Charlotte's Web still to this day makes my Aunts cry.. it is the perfect tale for young readers about death and acceptance and plain just growing up.... it honest while still leaving the readers innocence in tact.

The story is just as much about a pig named Wilbur, as it is about a Spider named Charlotte. (the only spider I will EVER like too). The story begins when Wilbur is born as the runt of the litter and is about to be killed by the farmer until the farmers daughter Fern begs that he not be killed. Wilbur becomes her pets and lives a happy life with Fern until he is sold to another farmer and faces the same faint he did when he was a runt. He is going to be slaughtered, for Christmas dinner. Until is friend a clever spider named Charlotte starts writing clever messages above his stall in her web. This ultimately saving Wilbur and making him a special pig. Although, most of us know how the story ends, I will leave out the ending for those who may not have read it yet. Overall, it is a heart warming story and a story that all children must read, some point in there life.

Library Lover Book of The Day #2

Before There was Harry Potter and Twilight, there were the Chronicles of Narnia. The most known book of the series being The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. C.S Lewis' beautifully written story has enchanted many kids through out time; I can still remember my first time reading this book in school.

The book is set in WWII era of England.. The Story begins when siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy go to the countryside to live with Professor Digory Kirke. While living there, they discovered a wardrobe that when you enter it, leads to another world called Narnia. When the children arrive in Narnia, they discover it is ruled by an evil ice queen known as the The White Witch. With the help of there lion friend Aslan and a few other creatures they fight to save the kingdom.

Recently made into feature films the 1st book and the series have become popular all over again. This is definitely a great read.. it is one of those books that every beginning read should read.

Top 10 Children's Classics

This is a list of my top 10 favorite Children s classics. With the exception of children s books that are series and staying in the age range of 3-8 years old. Again, these are books that are MY personal favorites and are special to me for many reasons. A lot of them being associated with my Grandma Thomas who passed away almost 3 years ago and always encouraged me to read and had A lot of these books lying around.

1. Love You Forver

The reason I consider this book a classic, because it is the perfect book to read to your child at night; So that they know how much you love them at all stages of their life. This book is special to me cause my mom, read it to me when I was little and the saying is something we still say to each other...

"I'll Love You Forever, I'll Like You Forever, As Long as I'm Living; My Baby You'll Be"

Also, the illustrations were always fun to look at.

2. If You Give a Mouse A Cookie

This book was an instant classic! From the insanely cute pictures to the absurdity of what would happen if you really gave a mouse a cookie, that would give both you and child the giggles.

3. Where The Wild Things Are

  A Story of a little boy who didn't want to eat his dinner and go to sleep, is something every little monster and parent can relate too. As a child you may not understand the underlying meaning of the book, but the illustrations and idea of a young boy being King of an island of monsters is entertaining in itself. No matter if you got the moral of the story the book always stuck in your mind. Didn't It?

4. Make Way For Ducklings

  Make way for Ducklings is a heart warming tale of Mrs.Mallard and her eight ducklings traveling around Boston, as Mrs. Mallard looks for a safe place to raise her ducklings. The story so near and dear to hearts that they actually have a Make Way For Ducklings bronze sculpture in Boston's Botanical Gardens. This book is near and dear to me especially since it is one of many books my Grandma read to me.

 

5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

A colorful and entertaining book, that encourages reading and has an interactive layout that keeps kids intrigued and happy. 

6. Goodnight, Moon

Goodnight Moon, is the ultimate bedtime story, it is short and sweet and usually has kids asking you to read it one more time, before they have to say Goodnight Moon, themselves.

7. Courduroy

The tale of a bear with a missing button, waiting in a department store to be adopted is a heart warming tale.

8. The Polar Express

 A clever and perfect holiday classic about a boys journey to the North Pole. 

9. The Story About Ping

Ping live with his Parents, his siblings and forty-two cousins, until one day Ping goes on his own adventure and gets himself lost.

10. The Story of Ferdinand

A story of a bull who would rather smell flowers all day then bull fight, teaches kids to celebrate diversity and to it's ok, to be different.   

    

There's A Reason They Call Them Classics

I finished reading The Great Gatsby last night and to be honest, I am proud of myself. I read a classic book on my own, it wasn't for school or anything and I actually enjoyed it! Not saying that I didn't enjoy reading 1984 or Of Mice and Men, but there was something different there.  Which I will Explain later on. I'm sure most older readers have already read The Great Gatsby. So, my need of explaining the book to you isn't needed.. However there are a selected few people like me who haven't read it and may think that this book is based in the 20's and some how involves a boat. Don't ask me why I thought that but I did. I did know that the book was set in the 20's and that people had Great Gatsby parties and also, it involved a love triangle. What I didn't know is that the book is a tragedy and is told through someone who isn't Gatsby or Daisy.

The The Great Gatsby is told through Daisy's cousin Nick Carraway. Nick talks about his life and why he now lives in West Egg, where he lives next door to Jay Gatsby and across the river lives his cousin Daisy with her husband Tom Buchanon. Jay Gatsby is a mysterious man who holds elaborate parties in the summer on Saturdays. Nobody knows who he really is, but they all try and guess. Through the summer Jay and Nick become good friends. Nick also, learns that Daisy's husband is  cheating on her and that Daisy and Gatsby have a romantic past. While all this is going on Nick also has an arrangement as they say with Daisy's friend Ms. Jordan Baker.  Through this book there are many twists and turns in this tragic love story.

This book, had me pleasantly surprised. It wasn't what I expected at all and there were characters involved that surprised me as well. The book is so well written, in a way that not only makes it a classic but timeless as well. It is written very contemporary or modern. Meaning it is relate-able through the years.. it doesn't use too many words that are for the time period only. So, you don't get confused or bored by it. I recommend anyone who is serious about reading to read The Great Gatsby. The book is by far one of  my favorite classics.

What's Next?
My next book is called The Girls of Murder City by Douglas Perry.  My fiance bought this book off my amazon wish list and basically the book is about the girls who committed murder in 1920's Chicago. Supposedly the book is what spurred the musical Chicago.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

This may be the first and only time I have said this but the movie is better then the book. Well to be fair.. the movie and the book are basically the same thing. Pretty much word for word the exact same. So, let's just say the movie gave the book the extra umph it needed. Given that the book was like the movie.. there isn't much to this review.. besides the fact that I recommend you just watch the movie... instead of the reading the book. UNLESS, you really prefer reading over movies.. then read the book.


Currently Reading: Elixir by Hilary Duff