Blogging from A to Z

Kate Winslet

There are some actresses that come across so true and gutsy on-screen as well as in real life and Winslet is one of the few for me. I love watching her in the movies, but more than that she is someone who I’d love to hang out with.  Loved her most in The Reader, Revolutionary Road, The Holiday, Finding Neverland.  Of course, Titanic is what put her on the map and she was flawless there too 🙂  What’s your favorite Winslet movie?

When Harry Met Sally

Can a man and woman ever truly be friends or will the sex thing always get in the way?  When recent college graduates drive from Chicago to New York together they despise each other.  When they meet a few years later they are both in happy relationships.  Fast forward a few more years and they run into each other again, both in need of a friend.  They become close and appreciate the friendship and avoid ruining it with sex, mostly.

Why I love it- I thought Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan had such great chemistry and the dialogue was spot on, only more funny.  I liked seeing them get over their initial judgements of each other and see each other as friends.  And it really did make me laugh out loud.  A lot.  The days of the week underpants, Surry with a Fringe on top, and the wagon wheel coffee table are a few that come to mind.

One of my top ten all time faves.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

I am not a huge fan of fiction books from the perspective of animals, but this one, well this one proved that I could love the right one.  Oh, these rabbits stole my heart.  On a journey from their home to find a new warren, adventure and heartache and everything in between befall these rabbits.  Even of the bunny on the cover scares you off, I think you need to read a few chapters and see.  A true classic.

Ciji Ware

In 2002 I won this book from Writerspace and once I read it, went on to read the other four she had written at the time.  Loved them all.  Not sure why I haven’t read her latest two releases.  I need to get on that!

Blogging from A to Z

Viggo Mortenson

The man has charisma.  And acting chops.  And good looks.  And he doesn’t choose boring parts. Before Lord Of the Rings he was in another favorite movie of mine, A Walk on the Moon

I love all three leads in this movie.  And then came Lord of the Rings and it was all over for me.  I swooned.  His roles in the grim A History of Violence and Eastern Promises were outstanding too.

Violets of March by Sarah Jio

Emily, author of one bestselling novel years ago, has just signed her divorce papers.  Not able to write and not sure what to do about it her best friend convinces her that a change of scenery will help, so Emily contacts her Aunt Bee on Bainbridge Island, Washington.  Once she’s back on the island where she spent the wonderful summers of her youth, she finds a hidden journal written by the mysterious Esther, and Emily wonders if she is somehow connected to her family.  Totally immersed in Esther’s story and frustrated by her aunt’s refusal to talk about family secrets, Emily found the perfect way to forget about her divorce and the muse to start writing again.

The story in the journal parallels current day Bainbridge Island and as Emily pieced together who was who I tried to keep up.  I admit I had some ideas, but did get a bit confused by the large cast.  I didn’t really care though, I was just happy to be along for the ride.  One of these days I hope I find my way to Bainbridge Island.  The place felt magical.

I loved this book.  The writing was beautiful, there was such depth and beauty on every page.  The awesome writing coupled with the two addicting storylines make this one easy to recommend.

John Verdon

I’ve read all three of his Dave Gurney thrillers and loved them all. (Think of a Number, Shut Your Eyes Tight, Let the Devil Sleep)  His next one comes out in July so there’s still time to jump on the bandwagon!

V is For Vendetta, 2005

Dystopia, anarchy, and creepy masks…what more could you want?

Blogging from A to Z

Under the Tuscan Sun, 2003

Frances finds out her husband is cheating and to cheer her up her two friends offer her a 10 day vacation in Tuscany traveling with a gay bus tour.  Frances goes and falls in love with the house Bramosole which she impulsively buys and plans to restore, leaving her life in San Fransisco behind.  She throws herself into the renovation, making friends as a way to heal her broken heart.

Why I love it – This is a story one woman’s heartbreak and the strength that led her to healing.  I love Diane Lane, she can do little wrong in my eyes and this is one of my favorites.  She shows Frances’s emotions in a way that we can all recognize.  She was mad, hurt, sad, funny, endearing, and full of life.

Who hasn’t imagined (even just for a second) leaving everything behind to start over somewhere new?  And what better place to do this but in Italy?  I love the boldness of her decision, egged on by the exuberant Catherine who encouraged her growth at every turn.  It was the eagerness to live the life she always imagined that had me rooting for her happy ending.

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

The Queen is out with her dogs one day when she discovers the bookmobile parked by the palace.  So begins her discovery of the joys of reading for pleasure.  Always one to take her duties seriously, reading somehow begins to creep into her schedule, making her mundane duties most unpleasant since she must leave her book behind.  And as the staff becomes more put-off by the reading, the Queen takes a hard look at her obsession.  She is a doer, and ultimately, a choice must be made.

This delightful story enticed me with its lightness, but captured me with its unabashed love of reading books.  As the Queen notes, reading is a generally solitary pursuit and many of her thoughts on this stuck with me, especially as I was passing out books to strangers for World Book Night.  Thankfully, we can and do find ways to connect through reading.  This will make you take a look at your own reading life, and most likely, you’ll identify with the Queen’s discovery of the new worlds books open and her eagerness to share what she’s read.  I don’t think the general public is as unread as this author seems to think, but maybe they are and I just don’t want to see it.

Lisa Unger

I’ve only read three of Unger’s twelve books and especially enjoyed the two Ridley Jones books (Beautiful Lies & Sliver of Truth).

Uma Thurman

I like her in the few movies I’ve seen her in (Kill Bill, The Truth About Cats & Dogs, Dangerous Liaisons) and her name starts with U 🙂