Sick Day

I'm on my couch missing my book club all because my body has decided to be uncooperative today.

I hope for a better tomorrow.

Here's the only thing I (kind of) write today - it's from my tumblr page:
http://riverarunsthroughit.tumblr.com/post/50359796377/maybe-im-a-time-lord

I hope you're having an awesome day!!

Book to Movie Review - The Great Gatsby (2013)

Jay Gatsby is not an ordinary man, he is, after all The Great Gatsby. Anyone who has read Fitzgerald's work knows that, but how does one portray this in a twenty-first century movie theater? How can one remain true to the era of the story (1920s) while building a story and character that can be just as magnanimous in 2013?

You call Baz Luhrmann.

I went to see The Great Gatsby last night and I loved it. Luhrmannn magically sets the scene with an aged, depressed and alcoholic Nick Caraway (Tobey Maguire's character) telling a doctor the story of a man who above all others embodied hope, Jay Gatsby. As he begins to reflect, Luhrmann presents the scene by embedding actual footage of the era into his introduction. By the time we are set free into Luhrmann's creative hands for the rest of the Gatsby ride, we are sold on setting, tone and emotion.

A surprise for me was how effectively the 3D was used in this film. My husband and I only went to the 3D showing because it was earliest one, but I must say the extra money was well worth it. Taking the trip with Nick to his first party at the Gatsby mansion in 3D was nothing short of awesome. It is a refreshing change to see a filmmaker use this technology to enhance their film, not just its ticket prices.

However, even if you skip the 3D, you still won't miss this film's greatest enhancement: the music. In my opinion Luhrmann has an amazing ability to add his soundtrack to the list of characters in his films. In Gatsby he delicately wove together classic sounds from the 1920s with cutting edge artists from today. This tapestry of tunes brought a vivacity to Gatsby's parties, heartbreak to love scenes and adventure Nick's journey in his brand new New York life. It is, without question, one of the major reasons this film will succeed with modern audiences.

In the end, this movie succeeds because of the strength of its story and characters. In Jay Gatsby we find a larger than life character who clings to hope in such an innocent way that he misses the obvious ugliness of his heart's desire and the world he inhabits. In Nick Calloway, we find a man balanced between two worlds of old and new money, with a foot in each door deciding which direction he wants to step. The actors become these men through their demeanor, their dress and their gait. These two, of course, are not alone. The entire cast delivers stellar performances driving the audience to love and hate them at all the right moments.

Book to Movie Review

As much as I enjoyed The Great Gatsby when I first read it this winter, I must (regretfully) admit that in some small way the story felt stale to me. Perhaps it was my own imagining of what the worlds of "old money" and "new money" are actually like in this era or any other. I don't think it was Fitzgerald's writing for any matter. The thing is, I read it and felt like that was definitely an "assigned reading" type of book that, perhaps, would come to life in a second reading (which I have been reluctant to do).

After emerging from the theater last night, I can see how hopelessly wrong I was! This is one of those cases where I will not say that "the book was better than the movie," nor will I say "the movie was better than the book," rather I will round this all up by saying this movie fully enhanced the reading of The Great Gatsby. So, in particular, if you have any kids moaning and groaning about this "Gatsby guy" they've been reading about in English class, I would highly recommend bringing them to the theater, just to give them a sense of the thrill within the pages.


My Final Word

I don't know what your plans are for this weekend, Old Sport, but if you are a book lover, a movie lover and you are looking to get transported to another time for a couple of hours, then you owe it to yourself to go see The Great Gatsby while it is on the big screen.

KidLit Review - 10 Plants That Shook The World by Gillian Richardson

10 Plants That Shook The World by Gillian Richardson from Annick Press

Synopsis

Plants might start out as leafy things growing in the earth, but they can come into our lives in unexpected ways. And believe it or not, some have even played an exciting role in our world's history. Discover how: Countries went to war to control trade centers for pepper A grass called papyrus became the first effective tool for sharing knowledge through writing Europeans in the 1600s cut down rainforests to grow sugar, contributing to soil erosion Cotton improved the livelihoods of a few, but caused unthinkable suffering for many more Corn fueled new technologies and turns up in thousands of everyday products The discovery of rubber revolutionized transportation, making bike and car tires possible Tea and chocolate became big business, and the race for profits was on Dependence on the potato caused one of the greatest tragedies in history, while the bark of the cinchona tree saved countless lives from malaria.

The ten plants in this book are the source of profound changes in the world, both good and bad. Through vibrant illustrations and astonishing facts, you'll discover that without them, our lives today would be vastly different.

My Review

While the intended audience of this book is children, I have to say, even at my age,  I learned a ton from reading it. I was captivated by the history behind each of the plants Gillian Richardson profiled in this book, they are:

• Papyrus
• Pepper
• Tea
• Sugarcane
• Cotton 
• Cacao
• Cinchona
• Rubber
• Potato
• Corn

For each plant Richardson begins with a brief overview of where it originated, how old the plant is, and the plants "likes" and "dislikes." Then she gives us the story of the plant, which is, in essence, its history. To be honest you, if this was all that was in this book, my expectations would have been satisfied, but Richardson had grander plans.

For each plant there were additional embedded blurbs concerning individual anecdotes about the plant in our world. How each plant affected economies, environments, world explorations and warfare were all aspects discussed. Each section also featured a narrative describing a pivotal piece of the plant's history from the perspective of a person whose life was directly affected by it. I thought these stories were beautifully creative ways to bring even a small aspect of the history to life for the reader.

The color palette and art by Kim Rosen were seamless throughout the book and kid friendly. (Here's a post about Kim's work on the book!) Flipping through the pages of the book, you get the impression that it is informative and intriguing without being overwhelming. By the end of my read, I was shocked by how much information was packed in this unassuming book!

My Final Word

It is easy for us to forget how amazing something as simple as pepper or tea is. This book is a great reminder for adults and the beginning of that education for kids. The beautiful balance between straight expository (fact based) text, creative nonfiction, lists and artwork found in this book is rarely accomplished so well. Reading this book was a pleasure and I plan to read it again.  I think this book is great read for kids interested in history or the environment, but can also be an excellent resource book for any reports that may be coming up during the school year.

Which of the ten plants written about in this book would be most earth-shattering for you to live without?

What do you look for in a nonfiction read? 

When buying a book for a child, do you prefer to gift fiction or nonfiction? Why?

Thanks for reading!

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I was given a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

What Are Short Stories, Exactly?

Short story versus novel

Two nights ago I wrote a short story. It was a first draft. Yesterday, I rewrote it after I blogged. Then last night, I went to the Barnes & Noble Cafe, ordered an Iced Tea and rewrote that same short story five times. Something hit me while I was doing this: there is a distinct difference between writing short stories and novels. However, as clear as that epiphany was, the actual difference was something that still eluded me.

I decided to do some research on the topic because it is becoming obvious to me that I need help. One thing is clear to me: a short story is not a short novel. Unfortunately, that's what I think I have been writing this week.

The Big Differences Between Short Stories and Novels

On his blog, The Ranting Room, Bruce Bethke described the difference between the two types of writing as follows:

Speaking in sweeping generalizations now, a short story focuses on a single event that either changes or provides some insight into a single person, a small group of people, a situation, or an institution. A novel reveals a vastly wider and deeper story.  

Christopher Anderson described the difference on Articlesbase as follows:

The short story gives glimpses of lives and events; whereas, the novel or novella encapsulate entire lives and multiple events. 

In an interview with HuffPost, T.C. Boyle discussed the joys and drawbacks of each of these two types of writing:

The joy of the story is that you can respond to the moment and events of the moment. The drawback is that once you've completed a story, you must write another even though you find yourself bereft of talent or ideas. The joy of the novel is that you know what you're going to do tomorrow. The horror of the novel, however, is that you know what you're going to do tomorrow. 

I'm starting to get a sense of where I've been going wrong...

First Draft - Telling My Story Too Quickly

 
Initially in my quest to start writing a short story I focused on word count. The two contests that I am looking to enter are both flash fiction contests, so we are talking super short (under 750 words). Since this was my primary focus, what I wrote was a super short novel. There's a story there, maybe even a full three act structure (though the acts are lightning fast), but after each read I was faced with the reality: it lacked the energy and power of great short stories I have read in the past.

Then Emphasize the Details

I decided that I wasn't adding enough details and description. My story had a beginning, middle and end, but it was missing some richness in the telling. I dug through looking for ways to describe economically. I had to chop an entire paragraph of other narrative to add in descriptors everywhere else, but I thought it was worth it.

Getting back to basics

I read it again, something was still wrong.

Where's the Character Development?

There is a tiny cast of characters in my story, so I should be providing my reader with a clear picture of who they are. I was not. Above all I think this is my greatest weakness at this point. In fact, I think the problem has been staring me in the face: Right now my story is about something, not someone and I don't think that's how most short stories work.

Now What?

Now I am going back to my writing. I am going to rewrite my story again. I don't know how many times I am going to do this, but I don't mind. I am learning. I think the hardest part is going to be picking which version of this story should be sent out into the world when I am finally done!

Thanks for reading!

How would you define the difference between short stories and novels?

Do you have a favorite short story writer?

Do you write short stories? Why or why not?

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Additional Finds:

• Advice on The Art of Writing Short Stories
• Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Short Stories