Most of you reading this have probably been exposed to the fandom universe at some point, whether it’s been on Pinterest, the mall, or in your own living room. If by some chance you’ve miraculously escaped an encounter, then let me explain what a fandom is: “the fans of a particular person, team, fictional series, etc., regarded collectively as a community or subculture.”
Now that you’re informed, I’d like to share what I think about fandoms, and I’m not going to mince words. I think fandoms are for lonely people. I think that when folks get on tumblr and blog about their favorite show, they’re looking for friends. Maybe they feel left out in their school or family and have nothing in common with anyone. But then they watch a show or read a popular book and that all changes. Online, they can find thousands of people just like them to discuss, pick apart, and predict their faves. Maybe that’s why I can’t consider myself part of a fandom, even if I do highly enjoy the occasional Doctor Who marathon. I love talking about my favorite shows and books; but I also have a job, enjoy playing piano, have four siblings, go to church...basically, I’m not lonely, and I don’t need a fictional character to be my friend. Am I saying fandoms are bad? Not necessarily, but honestly I think these lonely people would do better to get out into the real world than wasting their time on tumblr chatting about the weather on Gallifrey. I’ve done it, I’ll admit it. I’ve scrolled through Pinterest when I’m bored and looked at all the nerdy crap that’s on there. I’ve come up with some pretty weird theories for how my favorite shows will end up. I’ve sat and wondered about how Sherlock didn’t die in that fall! But beneath it all, I know that it’s all fictional, and I sometimes wonder if people in fandoms realize that, or if they’ve somehow convinced themselves that the Doctor is going to show up on their doorstep, Sonic in hand. I guess my advice for you, if you’re in a fandom, is just that the real world (and God) is much, much better than anything the BBC can give you. As the title said, I’m sharing my thoughts on Doctor Who and Sherlock here as well. I’ll give a quick list of my most prominent thoughts for each show. DOCTOR WHO: Well….well, well, well. Where to start?
SHERLOCK:
So there you have it. Please comment! I’d love to hear your takes on fandoms, Doctor Who, Sherlock, or anything you feel like commenting about!
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Readers, Miss Moffatt here,
So...maybe we haven't exactly been 'keeping up' with posting on the blog. But you can be sure that every time we do post it's something fun! Today's a recap of what I've been reading recently: Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery: 5 Stars This summer I re-read the entire 8-book series. The first time I read it, I was like 10 years old. Also, I skipped Anne of Avonlea and Anne of Windy Poplars the first time. This time around, I loved them! There really great books that never fail to put a smile on your face. My favorite may have been Rilla of Ingleside. The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien: 3.5 Stars Well, if you're a hardcore fan, you'll love it. For me, it was hard to read though. As I said on Goodreads: "It's basically a very well written history book." A very lame description would go something like: Elf family issues, an exodus from some place which I never found on the map, and a war over some gems. I picked it up at Goodwill a couple weeks ago and decided to read it again when I'm older and {hopefully} wiser. Every Bride Needs a Groom by Janice Thompson 3 Stars Katie wins a wedding dress, but she's not even engaged! What to do? How about be in a Janice Thompson book!? I like Janice Thompson, but only in very small doses. You can only read one at a time or they all start blending together. While the characters are memorable, the plot is nothing new. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier: 5 Stars A young man meets his intriguing cousin, and is soon smitten. But why? And will she get away with...murder? Or is she as innocent as she looks? Find out in this bewitching novel by the author of "Rebecca." The Staircase by Ann Rinaldi: 1 Star I did not like this book. This could have been good. The Staircase is a great subject for a book, but this was not done well at all. Warleggan by Winston Graham: 4 Stars Ross Poldark is at it again, with a new mining venture up his sleeve. But there's family tragedy around every corner, so WATCH OUT! The fourth novel in the Poldark series, I couldn't help but enjoy it. Although Ross infuriated me, I was also just plain enjoying being back in the Cornish melodrama. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: 2 Stars Hester's a sinner! And for that, she's got to wear a bright red and gold embroidered letter 'A' on her chest for the rest of her days. Suddenly, her crusty old husband arrives from England, just in time to see her disgrace. Together with her demented child Pearl, who may or may not be a witch, and the milquetoast minister, they make sure there's a lot of scandal in store for Boston! Haha, don't you wish it were that entertaining. But between the endless descriptions and lack of communication between characters, this is just plain boring. (I didn't choose to read this, it was a school assignment.) What have you been reading lately? Comment below! Ahh summer, the perfect time to read a great book…..of course every season is the perfect time to read a book! In the summer however you can read outside and work on your tan at the same time. Vitamin D and nutrition for your mind! Since I haven’t posted anything in several months I am going to do some quick reviews of a few of my favorite books from this summer. And may I just say how much I love that great site Goodreads? I can finally keep track of the books I am reading in one easy location and go back to refresh my memory on what they were about! If you read extensively and don’t have a Goodreads account, you need to get one right now. ……….Seriously, go create one before you read any further! Ok! Now that we all have Goodreads accounts, on to the reviews! The Inimitable Jeeves (Jeeves #2) by P.G. WodehouseThis was my first introduction to PG Wodehouse, the book was a gift from Salamander for my birthday (yay birthdays and people who give you books as presents!). Wodehouse is now one of my favorite authors and I am simply sad that I never read his work before. Jeeves is the valet of a rich young man about town by the name of Bertie Wooster, in London’s early 1900s society. Jeeves is the most capable man who ever lived. He can cure a hangover and help Bertie’s friends solve their love life problems, all in the same chapter! Bertie is portrayed as the quintessential young English gentleman whose high jinks and naiveté keep the reader charmed throughout the entire story. I would definitely recommend any Jeeves book to everyone who enjoys English high society and a wicked sense of humor. Rating: 5 stars Level 3: MC Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling I have joined the Harry Potter party rather late; this was my first time with either the book or the movie. Thanks once again to Salamander for helping me expand my horizons. I have fallen in love with the world J.K. Rowling created. The humor throughout the book is so real it kept me laughing out loud and I can’t wait to see what adventures Harry and his friends fall into next. Rating: 5 stars Level: E Malice at the Palace (Her Royal Spyness #9) by Rhys BowenThis is one of my favorite series. It follows Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, aka Georgie, a minor royal who is 34th in line for the throne of England as she struggles to keep up appearances and keep from starving. She may be a royal but that doesn’t mean she has a great deal of spending money….hardly any at all in fact, she is what is known as a penniless heiress. After all, a royal title is only good for so much. The stories are set in the 1920s & 1930s and they reflect the flapper lifestyle that was so popular at the time and the poor economy and the fact that many royal families were no longer as rich as they used to be. Georgie is always managing to find herself in situations where a crime has been committed or she has been asked to prevent one from happening. While helping solve these crimes and making sure they don’t get leaked to the press and cause embarrassment to the queen who would NOT be amused, Georgie has time to fall in love with a dashing highly unsuitable Irishman named Darcy O’Mara. As for the rest……you’ll have to pick up the books to find out! I highly recommend reading them in order although they can be understood as a standalone. I also recently found out, due to Goodreads, that the 10th book was released this year! I can’t wait until the library has it. Rating: 4.5 Level: ABRA The Midwife and the Assassin (Midwife Mysteries #4) by Sam ThomasThis was a random find at the library that intrigued me when I read the synopsis, although to be honest my decision to read it has a lot to do with the main character having the same first name as me. The book is set in 1649 in London, England. (Obviously I enjoy books set in London) The midwife is coerced by the powers that be to travel to London and work as a spy. Apparently this is something she has practice with but since I haven’t read the first 3 books I don’t know the particulars. As a midwife she has the perfect cover for traveling around the city at all hours and hearing secrets a normal lady would not be privy to. Through the course of many events she solves a few murders only to be faced with another that leaves her even more confused. My only complaint was that some of the conversations and actions did not seem congruent with the time period. However that also led to my favorite parts of the book when the characters would discuss women’s rights and how a new day was dawning. I could only chuckle and think “just wait a few centuries.” I don’t want to say anything more for fear of spoiling the book for anyone who might decide to read it! Overall it was a very enjoyable read and one that I would recommend. Rating: 4 Level: ABRA The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor I have always been fascinated by the Titanic and its tragic tale. This book takes place in Ireland 1912 and Chicago 1982. Maggie leaves her home in Ireland to start a new life in America, setting sail on the Titanic. She survives and goes on to become the matriarch of an extensive family, living to see her great grandchildren. Grace is Maggie’s great-granddaughter whom Maggie decides to entrust with her story of the Titanic. Although the ending will seem obvious there was a revelation that even surprised me.
Rating: 4.5 Level: MC Hope this gives you some inspiration for your to-be-read shelf! Until next time, Brookfield Miss Moffat’s 15 Favorite Characters of Literature
Well, after yesterday’s rather depressing lineup of worst characters, today’s blog post will lift your spirits with Miss Moffat’s “15 Favorite Characters of Literature.” 15. Demelza Carne, the “Poldark” series. Have you ever met anyone name Demelza? That’s why she’s on the list! 14. Stella Diamond, the “Morning Shade Mysteries” series. This elderly detective drives her daughter Maude up the wall with her antics, including “watching ‘her program’ at mega-volume,” drinking lattes at the local Citgo convenience store, and convincing everyone at church to leave their shoes in the gathering space so she could go through them looking for clues. 13. Mary Ingalls, “Little House on the Prairie Series.” I always felt that we didn’t get to know Mary well enough, and that’s pretty sad because I think she probably could have had some fascinating things to say about life on the prairie. 12. Benjamin Bunny’s Father, “The Tale of Benjamin Bunny.” Whatever his name first name is, Mr. Bunny certainly knew how to deal with unruly sons (and nephews), and had no fears when it came to large cats. 11. Maurice Laray, RCMP, “When Tomorrow Comes.” Here we have a yet another seriously underrated character that should have his own book series. For pity’s sake, he was attacked by a bear, survived, converted, became an overall great guy, and got spurned by his best friend’s fickle sister. 10. Charles Hayter, “Persuasion.” Poor Charles gets such a bad rap from the Musgroves. 9. Athelstane, “Ivanhoe.” He’s a lummox who only thinks of his stomach. He even issues a challenge to a foe who has imprisoned him, saying, “I would fight ten such men if only to make them stop putting so much garlic in their porridge.” 8. Nancy Drew, “Nancy Drew Mystery Stories” series Nancy’s first book was originally written in 1930, “The Secret of the Old Clock,” and there 56 classic Nancy Drew books, the last one being published in 1979, “The Thirteenth Pearl.” 7. Perseus “Percy” Jackson, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” His hilarious insights into Ancient Greek myths made me laugh out loud several times. Also, his sword is disguised as a ballpoint pen. 6. Gilbert Blythe, the “Anne of Green Gables” series. “Gilbert Blythe is a rake." 5. Aslan, “The Chronicles of Narnia.” “And of course Shasta knew none of the true stories about Aslan, the great Lion, the son of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea, the High King above all high kings in Narnia. But after one glance at the Lion's face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet. He couldn't say anything but then he didn't want to say anything, and he knew he needn't say anything.”-The Horse and His Boy 4.Anne Shirley, “Anne of Green Gables” series. “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” 3. Mr. Tilney, “Northanger Abbey.” “Yes, I know exactly what you will say: Friday, went to the Lower Rooms; wore my sprigged muslin robe with blue trimmings and plain black shoes– and appeared to much advantage; but was strangely harassed by a queer, half-witted man, who would make me dance with him, and distressed me by his nonsense.”-Mr. Tilney to Catherine Morland 2. Benedict “Fish” Denniston, “Waking Rose.” You will never meet another book character quite like Fish, because he’s just so Fishy. 1. Sam Gamgee, “The Lord of the Rings.” He did all the hard stuff and didn’t ask for or get any praise. Sam’s funny, brave, caring, and he knows how to cook. He even cried when he had to ditch his pots and pans in Mordor. He’s definitely the kind of loyal friend everyone wants, and that’s why he’s number one on my list. Whew! That was really hard! Are there any characters you would add to the list? Miss Moffat’s 15 Least Favorite Characters of Literature
Hello Friends, After a rousing discussion with Salamander yesterday, I was inspired to make a list of my least favorite characters from least offensive to the worst. 15. Jim Carter “Poldark.” He doesn’t need to be there. He’s just useless. 14. Annabeth Chase, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” She’s not that bad...but she’s not that great either. 13. Frank Churchill, “Emma.” What a puppy! 12. Joseph, “Wuthering Heights.” The problem here is that his dialogue is written in an unintelligible English accent. After trying to decipher it for a few pages, you finally just give up and skip his parts. 11. Mr. Rochester, “Jane Eyre.” For the most part, he’s great, but he’s also pretty sneaky, and a huge liar. 10. Galadriel, “The Lord of the Rings.” For some reason, I just don’t trust this one. 9. Waldo Lydecker, “Laura.” He’s a stalker and a murderer. 8. Sgt. John Hutchinson, “On Distant Shores.” Throughout the whole book he complains about not being an officer and about how his Pharmacy corps is mistreated and doesn’t get the credit they deserve, making himself an overall pain in the neck. 7. Annabel, “The Merchant’s Daughter.” She just wanted to read the Bible, but “commoners weren’t allowed.” NO, IT’S BECAUSE THIS WAS BEFORE THE PRINTING PRESS AND MONKS HAD TO HAND-ILLUMINATE THEM WHICH TOOK A LOT OF WORK AND MORE TIME THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHICH IN TURN MEANS THAT THE COMMON MAN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE ONE BECAUSE BOOKS WERE SCARCE. 6. Betsy, “The Betsy-Tacy Series.” Betsy was really annoying in high school. 5. Christine Delaney, “Beyond the Gathering Storm,” and “When Tomorrow Comes.” I don’t want to spoil it for you, but...she makes some really foolish decisions when it comes to her heart. 4. Bailey Flanigan, “The Bailey Flanigan Series.” I bet this series holds the current record for the most one-star reviews on Amazon.com, and it’s all because of Bailey.*(see note below) 3. Isabella Thorpe, “Northanger Abbey.” Manipulating. 2. The Splendora Trio, “Weddings by Bella,” and “Weddings by Design” series. These are three overweight women who wear sparkly clothes, beehive hairdos, and one of them drives a pink Pinto. Though they are supposed to be a “fun diversion” during the series, they will actually make you say, “shoot me now.” 1. Heathcliff, “Wuthering Heights.” He’s horrible! He’s the worst! He’s bad news! Revenge, murder, forcing people to get married, the list goes on and on, and the prize for the worst character of literature goes to this gem. So, there it is. Who would you add to the list? Stay tuned tomorrow for a fun list of Miss Moffat’s favorite characters. *(Admission: I have never read this series but have heard many, many rants about it from Salamander and I know what happens.) While browsing Pinterest this uneventful Sunday morning, I came upon a pin for the 'Rory Gilmore Book Challenge" and found a list of 369 books. Rory Gilmore, from the TV show 'Gilmore Girls', is quite the avid reader and this list is supposed to be most or all of the books she mentions reading on the show. It seems to be a very random list filled with everything from classics to political non-fiction. I was curious to see how many of these books I have actually read over the years and how many of them I have sitting on my overflowing bookshelves waiting to be read... 1.) 1984 by George Orwell 2.) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 3.) Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 4.) The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon 5.) An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser 6.) Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt 7.) Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 8.) Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank 9.) Archidamian War by Donald Kagan 10.) The Art of Fiction by Henry James 11.) The Art of War by Sun Tzu 12.) As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner 13.) Atonement by Ian McEwan 14.) Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy 15.) The Awakening by Kate Chopin 16.) Babe by Dick King-Smith 17.) Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi 18.) Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie 19.) Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 20.) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 21.) Beloved by Toni Morrison 22.) Beowulf: A New Verse Translation by Seamus Heaney 23.) The Bhagava Gita 24.) The Bielski Brothers: The True Story of Three Men Who Defied the Nazis, Built a Village in the Forest, and Saved 1,200 Jews by Peter Duffy 25.) Bitch in Praise of Difficult Women by Elizabeth Wurtzel 26.) A Bolt from the Blue and Other Essays by Mary McCarthy 27.) Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 28.) Brick Lane by Monica Ali 29.) Bridgadoon by Alan Jay Lerner 30.) Candide by Voltaire 31.) The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer 32.) Carrie by Stephen King 33.) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller 34.) The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger 35.) Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White 36.) The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman 37.) Christine by Stephen King 38.) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 39.) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess 40.) The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse 41.) The Collected Short Stories by Eudora Welty 42.) The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty by Eudora Welty 43.) A Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare--TBR shelf 44.) Complete Novels by Dawn Powell 45.) The Complete Poems by Anne Sexton 46.) Complete Stories by Dorothy Parker 47.) A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole 48.) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 49.) Cousin Bette by Honor’e de Balzac 50.) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky 51.) The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber 52.) The Crucible by Arthur Miller 53.) Cujo by Stephen King 54.) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 55.) Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende 56.) David and Lisa by Dr Theodore Issac Rubin M.D 57.) David Copperfield by Charles Dickens 58.) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown 59.) Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol 60.) Demons by Fyodor Dostoyevsky 61.) Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller 62.) Deenie by Judy Blume 63.) The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson 64.) The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band by Tommy Lee, America by Erik Larson 65.) The Divine Comedy by Dante 66.) The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells 67.) Don Quijote by Cervantes 68.) Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Uhrv 69.) Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 70.) Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales & Poems by Edgar Allan Poe 71.) Eleanor Roosevelt by Blanche Wiesen Cook 72.) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe 73.) Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn 74.) Eloise by Kay Thompson 75.) Emily the Strange by Roger Reger 76.) Emma by Jane Austen 77.) Empire Falls by Richard Russo 78.) Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol 79.) Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton 80.) Ethics by Spinoza 81.) Europe through the Back Door, 2003 by Rick Steves 82.) Eva Luna by Isabel Allende 83.) Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer 84.) Extravagance by Gary Krist 85.) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 86.) Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore 87.) The Fall of the Athenian Empire by Donald Kagan 88.) Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World by Greg Critser 89.) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson 90.) The Fellowship of the Ring: Book 1 of The Lord of the Ring by J. R. R. 91.) Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein 92.) The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom 93.) Finnegan’s Wake by James Joyce 94.) Fletch by Gregory McDonald 95.) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes 96.) The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem 97.) The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand 98.) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley--TBR shelf 99.) Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger 100.) Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers 101.) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut 102.) Gender Trouble by Judith Butler 103.) George W. Bushism: The Slate Book of the Accidental Wit and Wisdom of our 43rd President by Jacob Weisberg 104.) Gidget by Fredrick Kohner 105.) Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen 106.) The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels 107.) The Godfather: Book 1 by Mario Puzo 108.) The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy 109.) Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Alvin Granowsky 110.) Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 111.) The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford 112.) The Gospel According to Judy Bloom 113.) The Graduate by Charles Webb 114.) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 115.) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 116.) Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 117.) The Group by Mary McCarthy 118.) Hamlet by William Shakespeare 119.) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling 120.) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling 121.) A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers 122.) Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad 123.) Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry 124.) Henry IV, part I by William Shakespeare 125.) Henry IV, part II by William Shakespeare 126.) Henry V by William Shakespeare 127.) High Fidelity by Nick Hornby 128.) The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon 129.) Holidays on Ice: Stories by David Sedaris 130.) The Holy Barbarians by Lawrence Lipton 131.) House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III (Lpr) 132.) The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende 133.) How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer 134.) How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss 135.) How the Light Gets in by M. J. Hyland 136.) Howl by Allen Gingsburg 137.) The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo 138.) The Iliad by Homer 139.) I’m with the Band by Pamela des Barres 140.) In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 141.) Inferno by Dante 142.) Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee 143.) Iron Weed by William J. Kennedy 144.) It Takes a Village by Hillary Clinton 145.) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 146.) The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan 147.) Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare 148.) The Jumping Frog by Mark Twain 149.) The Jungle by Upton Sinclair 150.) Just a Couple of Days by Tony Vigorito 151.) The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander 152.) Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain 153.) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 154.) Lady Chatterleys’ Lover by D. H. Lawrence 155.) The Last Empire: Essays 1992-2000 by Gore Vidal 156.) Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman 157.) The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield 158.) Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis 159.) Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke 160.) Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them by Al Franken 161.) Life of Pi by Yann Martel 162.) Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens 163.) The Little Locksmith by Katharine Butler Hathaway 164.) The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen 165.) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 166.) Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton 167.) Lord of the Flies by William Golding 168.) The Lottery: And Other Stories by Shirley Jackson 169.) The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold 170.) The Love Story by Erich Segal 171.) Macbeth by William Shakespeare 172.) Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 173.) The Manticore by Robertson Davies 174.) Marathon Man by William Goldman 175.) The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov 176.) Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter by Simone de Beauvoir 177.) Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman by William Tecumseh Sherman 178.) Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris 179.) The Meaning of Consuelo by Judith Ortiz Cofer 180.) Mencken’s Chrestomathy by H. R. Mencken 181.) The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare 182.) The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 183.) Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides 184.) The Miracle Worker by William Gibson 185.) Moby Dick by Herman Melville 186.) The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion by Jim Irvin 187.) Moliere: A Biography by Hobart Chatfield Taylor 188.) A Monetary History of the United States by Milton Friedman 189.) Monsieur Proust by Celeste Albaret 190.) A Month Of Sundays: Searching For The Spirit And My Sister by Julie Mars 191.) A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway 192.) Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf 193.) Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall 194.) My Lai 4: A Report on the Massacre and It’s Aftermath by Seymour M. Hersh 195.) My Life as Author and Editor by H. R. Mencken 196.) My Life in Orange: Growing Up with the Guru by Tim Guest 197.) Myra Waldo’s Travel and Motoring Guide to Europe, 1978 by Myra Waldo 198.) My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult 199.) The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer 200.) The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco 201.) The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri 202.) The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin--TBR shelf 203.) Nervous System: Or, Losing My Mind in Literature by Jan Lars Jensen 204.) New Poems of Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson 205.) The New Way Things Work by David Macaulay 206.) Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich 207.) Night by Elie Wiesel 208.) Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 209.) The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism by William E. Cain, Laurie A. Finke, Barbara E. Johnson, John P. McGowan 210.) Novels 1930-1942: Dance Night/Come Back to Sorrento, Turn, Magic Wheel/Angels on Toast/A Time to be Born by Dawn Powell 211.) Notes of a Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski 212.) Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 213.) Old School by Tobias Wolff 214.) On the Road by Jack Kerouac 215.) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey 216.) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez 217.) The Opposite of Fate: Memories of a Writing Life by Amy Tan 218.) Oracle Night by Paul Auster 219.) Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood 220.) Othello by Shakespeare 221.) Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens 222.) The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan 223.) Out of Africa by Isac Dineson 224.) The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton 225.) A Passage to India by E.M. Forster 226.) The Peace of Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition by Donald Kagan 227.) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 228.) Peyton Place by Grace Metalious 229.) The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde--TBR shelf 230.) Pigs at the Trough by Arianna Huffington 231.) Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi 232.) Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain 233.) The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby 234.) The Portable Dorothy Parker by Dorothy Parker 235.) The Portable Nietzche by Fredrich Nietzche 236.) The Price of Loyalty: George W. Bush, the White House, and the Education of Paul O’Neill by Ron Suskind 237.) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 238.) Property by Valerie Martin 239.) Pushkin: A Biography by T. J. Binyon 240.) Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw 241.) Quattrocento by James Mckean 242.) A Quiet Storm by Rachel Howzell Hall 243.) Rapunzel by Grimm Brothers 244.) The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe 245.) The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham 246.) Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi 247.) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier--TBR shelf 248.) Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin 249.) The Red Tent by Anita Diamant 250.) Rescuing Patty Hearst: Memories From a Decade Gone Mad by Virginia Holman 251.) The Return of the King: The Lord of the Rings Book 3 by J. R. R. Tolkien 252.) R Is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton 253.) Rita Hayworth by Stephen King 254.) Robert’s Rules of Order by Henry Robert 255.) Roman Holiday by Edith Wharton 256.) Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 257.) A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf 258.) A Room with a View by E. M. Forster--TBR shelf 259.) Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin 260.) The Rough Guide to Europe, 2003 Edition 261.) Sacred Time by Ursula Hegi 262.) Sanctuary by William Faulkner 263.) Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford 264.) Say Goodbye to Daisy Miller by Henry James 265.) The Scarecrow of Oz by Frank L. Baum 266.) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne 267.) Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand 268.) The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir 269.) The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd 270.) Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette by Judith Thurman 271.) Selected Letters of Dawn Powell: 1913-1965 by Dawn Powell 272.) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 273.) A Separate Peace by John Knowles 274.) Several Biographies of Winston Churchill 275.) Sexus by Henry Miller 276.) The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon--TBR shelf 277.) Shane by Jack Shaefer 278.) The Shining by Stephen King 279.) Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse 280.) S Is for Silence by Sue Grafton 281.) Slaughter-house Five by Kurt Vonnegut 282.) Small Island by Andrea Levy 283.) Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway 284.) Snow White and Rose Red by Grimm Brothers 285.) Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy: Lord and Peasant in the Making of the Modern World by Barrington Moore 286.) The Song of Names by Norman Lebrecht 287.) Song of the Simple Truth: The Complete Poems of Julia de Burgos by Julia de Burgos 288.) The Song Reader by Lisa Tucker 289.) Songbook by Nick Hornby 290.) The Sonnets by William Shakespeare 291.) Sonnets from the Portuegese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning 292.) Sophie’s Choice by William Styron 293.) The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner 294.) Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov 295.) Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach 296.) The Story of My Life by Helen Keller 297.) A Streetcar Named Desiree by Tennessee Williams 298.) Stuart Little by E. B. White 299.) Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway 300.) Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust 301.) Swimming with Giants: My Encounters with Whales, Dolphins and Seals by Anne Collett 302.) Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber 303.) A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 304.) Tender Is The Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald--TBR shelf 305.) Term of Endearment by Larry McMurtry 306.) Time and Again by Jack Finney 307.) The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 308.) To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway 399.) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee--TBR shelf 340.) The Tragedy of Richard III by William Shakespeare 341.) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith--TBR shelf 342.) The Trial by Franz Kafka 343.) The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson 344.) Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett 345.) Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom 346.) Ulysses by James Joyce 347.) The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath 1950-1962 by Sylvia Plath 348.) Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe 349.) Unless by Carol Shields 350.) Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann 351.) The Vanishing Newspaper by Philip Meyers 352.) Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray 353.) Velvet Underground’s The Velvet Underground and Nico (Thirty Three and a Third series) by Joe Harvard 354.) The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides 355.) Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett 356.) Walden by Henry David Thoreau 357.) Walt Disney’s Bambi by Felix Salten 358.) War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 359.) We Owe You Nothing – Punk Planet: The Collected Interviews edited by Daniel Sinker 360.) What Colour is Your Parachute? 2005 by Richard Nelson Bolles 361.) What Happened to Baby Jane by Henry Farrell 362.) When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka 363.) Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson 364.) Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee 365.) Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire--TBR shelf 366.) The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum--TBR shelf 367.) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 368.) The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings 369.) The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion I was actually surprised I have read only 18 of the books and have 12 of the books sitting on my shelves. But I found it curious that this list includes the Fellowship of the Ring and the Return of the King, but not the Two Towers. So maybe we should have bonus points for that since if you didn't read that book, you would have no idea what was happening in the Return of the King. Also, there are only 4 of Jane Austen's books included as my personal favorite 'Persuasion' and my personal un-favorite 'Mansfield Park' do not appear.
I also found a few books on here I may add to my list to get from the library or be on the lookout for when Goodwill shopping. There are quite a lot of books I have no interest in reading as they are not my taste and I'm pretty sure I have way plenty of books waiting for me already! How many of these books have you read??? {the} Salamander Hello, fellow movie queens. Have you ever watched a movie, wishing that you could have hair just like your favorite character? Today I present you with an assorted collection of my favorite Hollywood hair tutorials that can be done on any length of hair and at any skill level. Please note that I did not include tutorials for Elsa or Katniss, as approximately 5,678,783 are easily available for both with a quick Google search. 1. Princess Leia from "Star Wars" http://www.princesshairstyles.com/2015/10/princess-leia-hairstyle-spiral-braid.html I included this one because isn’t your typical Princess Leia with two huge buns over your ears--this is her “Ceremony” hair from “A New Hope.” If I may suggest, try wrapping the small braids around the bun in opposite directions. 2. Lady Sybil from "Downton Abbey" http://www.lassofyesteryear.com/2012/05/tutorial-lady-sybils-hair.html I think you can skip the first few minutes of this video since the girl is just curling her hair. (Also, from this point on, if it’s a video tutorial, I didn’t have my volume on, so I have no idea what any of these people are saying while they demonstrate. Just a disclaimer.) Anyhow, this is a really pretty and much simpler version than other Lady Sybil tutorials I’ve seen. 3. Tauriel from "The Hobbit" http://www.peacefuldumpling.com/natural-beauty-tauriel-hair-makeup-tutorial I call this the "modified Tauriel" style because it's not exactly like her movie hair, but this is much easier and less Elf-y, better for the regular girl. You can even do what I did and ditch the "elven-bangs." Plus, there's a bonus makeup tutorial, if you're into that. Also, the commentary from the author of the post made me chuckle: "Have you been flirting with any cute dwarves lately?" 4. Anne from "Anne of Green Gables" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fireCuKJoY I’ve always wondered how they did those pompadour hairdos way back when. I feel like this tutorial is a more updated version that you could possibly wear out. At any rate, it’s a fun one to try on a snowy day when you’re stuck at home. 5. Emma from, well, "Emma" https://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/emma-romola-garai-version/ This girl’s blog isn’t called “Rapunzel’s Resource” just for anything. Check out the length of her hair! I found this tutorial a long time ago, right after I had watched the new Romola Garai version of Emma and was enchanted by her hair coif. I don't have long enough hair for this style, but I sure wish I did. 6.Lucy from "I Love Lucy" http://sailingoveracardboardsea.blogspot.ca/2011/02/hair-lucille-ball.html?m=1 Here’s another “snowy day,” just for fun tutorial. Here’s what the blogger who designed it said: “This is definitely a fun hairstyle but one that I don't think I will wear too often. Like Lucy, this 'do is over the top and pretty recognizable and while I do love Lucy, I'd rather not look like I'm desperately trying to resemble her.” So, in summary, there are more way more Hollywood hair tutorials out there than you think! If you have a particular hairdo in mind, I suggest searching for it on Pinterest, where I found all of these. Also, if someone has one “vintage” or “movie” hair tutorial on their blog or youtube, they’re bound to have more. Enjoy! Miss Moffatt One of our favorite blog authors, Modern Mrs Darcy, recently asked the question "Money is no object. Paperback, hardcover, or kindle?" As we began to debate our answers among ourselves we realized we wanted to know what others thought as well. So please, take some time out of your winter hibernation reading and humor us. Here is a list of five great (and for the most part) lesser-known television programs from yesteryear. Let me tell you why I like classic shows: they’re awesome, and you don’t get a load of unnecessary junk thrown at you every time you sit down. Let’s face it-you can hardly even watch The Food Network without being cussed at, so if you’re anything like me, retro is the way to go. Without further ado, here are 5 Classic TV Shows You Should Watch. 1. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. (1959-1963) This is a very quirky, very funny show that I just recently discovered. Dobie is a 17 year old boy who just wants one thing-a girl who loves him. He doesn’t know who she is, but he’s certain he’ll find her even if he has to date all the girls of Central High School in order to find her. He also helps his friend, Maynard G. Krebs, a beatnik with a beard, out of some very silly situations. Most of the time, Dobie is also head-over-heels for money-hungry Thalia Menninger, who has no interest in Dobie. This show is fun and feels very modern, even though it’s black and white! 2. Leave it to Beaver. (1957-1963) I know, it seems lame, but this is actually one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen. Beaver and Wally are hilarious and their friend Eddie Haskell is also really funny. And, by the way, why are people always making fun of June for wearing pearls while cleaning the house? Why shouldn’t she be fabulous? I’m also mad at Netflix for removing this from streaming. 3. Gidget (1965-1966) After the Gidget movies were made, Hollywood produced this fun show starring Sally Field. Gidget is a California high-school surfer girl who is convinced that she is going to marry fellow surfer, Jeff, who is in college. Nevertheless, Gidget has many crushes on other boys, including a photographer and even a man who turns out to be her math teacher! This is a really fun series that makes you wish you could hang out with Gidget and her friends. 4. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964-1968) What I’ve seen of this show I’ve enjoyed, so I decided to add it to the list. A spy show is always fun, and a Russian and an American working together to rid the world of crime? Sounds like a blast 5. Hogan’s Heroes (1965-1971) Set in a WWII German prison camp, you’d think that this show would be a drama, right? But combine bumbling guards, a less-than-genius Kommandant and 5 witty prisoners running an underground war-effort and you have a recipe for laughs. Happy Watching, Miss Moffett |