frankie Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 (edited) ^ I don't think there's anything wrong or odd about not watching movies I don't watch that many myself, maybe because I think I want to read the book first, and then the movies on TV are always the same old same old, and not the good same old same old movies, you know? And going to movies is expensive... It's really easy to go a whole month (and more) without watching a movie Some people just don't understand it, though. They cannot fathom that I don't have anything particular against movies, I usually like the ones I watch, but I just don't actively seek out to watch any. Edited April 7, 2014 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 I'm not a movie watcher either. I have seen very few movies, although my movie-fan boyfriend is trying to change that! I did watch and thoroughly enjoy Shawshank though. Def in my top 3 movies of all time... but it's a long'un! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't watch many movies. I thought most people enjoyed them ! I guess I think the saying that the book is better than the movie convinces me . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 For me it's also my boyfriend who likes movies more than me. I do like to watch some now and then (and I enjoy it) but left on my own I watch very little and usually just read a book instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 KM No,sadly, no photos. That would have also probably been one of the rules --they had lots of rules in there you'd never think of . The author did a good job at explaining the place, so you kinda had a good picture in your head of what it looked like . It sounded like it had a few tables , most of the books were paperback (as the hardback ones could be used as weapons . Magazines , but none allowed to leave the library (also if they had ENOUGH magazines, they could roll them up somehow, then tape them to form a type of baseball bat ,like thing . The prisoners were allowed to "check out " 3 books to bring back to their cell . They also had a movie once in awhile that the librarian got to choose. Nothing graphic or violent . They had another room that was the Law Room, lots of books on laws, tables, etc to take note if the guys wanted to try to work on their cases or appeals themselves . Shame about the photo's , it's quite scary & sad to think that they would have to have rules to prevent the prisoners using books as weapons. I read a book awhile back that Ruth recommended Dead Man Walking Sister Helen Prejean, it's about a catholic nun who becomes involved with prisoners on death row & how it affects her. It was really interesting & it certainly gives you food for thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share Posted April 11, 2014 KM Yes, I've heard of the book you mentioned but haven't read it . It sounds very interesting . Maybe I'll have to hunt it up one of these days and give it a try ! Thanks for reminding me of it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share Posted April 11, 2014 Hey guys Not sure if any of you are Hemingway fans . I hate to say it but I have yet to read one book by him. Anyhow, I found this little story online about him and one of his admirers ( from 1934). It's very interesting, and gives a list of books Hemingway recommended to the guy . I also hate to say I haven't read even one on the list ! It's a really cute story though ! http://www.openculture.com/2013/05/ernest_hemingways_reading_list_for_a_young_writer_1934.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 That's a fantastic story Julie!! I've only read a couple of short stories by Hemingway and found them quite strange, so haven't attempted anything more. I saw a film about his time as a young soldier in Italy, during WWI, called In Love and War which was intriguing and I've always meant to find out more about him. I'd love to read Samuelson's account of the time they spent together on Hemingway's boat, A Year In Key West and Cuba. It's funny, I often find writer's lives far more fascinating than their writing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 That's a great story! I've not read any of the recommended books, but I have a few on my TBR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 Hi Guys Yea , I guess sometimes it is interesting to learn more about an author's life , even if you haven't read much by them . I know very little about Hemingway , but maybe one of these days I'll pick up something by him and give it a try . I like hearing old stories like the one I posted. Pretty neat . I can't imagine any famous authors doing that in today's age . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I`ve read a few of the early Hemingway books - and liked them well enough -, but haven`t read anything of his since I read some Alan Coren parodies of his work.Very, very funny, in a ` coffee comes out of nose ` way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 Pixie I don't recognize the author you're talking about ,but I like books that make you laugh that hard . I haven't found very many really funny ones lately. I guess that's something I should hunt for . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 (edited) I've never gravitated to "funny' books, not sure why. The only vaguely funny book I can think of that I have read is Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck. And that was more a nostalgic funny......not lol funny. Added in Edit: And then, only if you are "of an age" to have "been there, and done that". Edited April 12, 2014 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 Kate Perfectly understandable . Different Strokes, as they say ! I don't read a lot of funny ones ,and the ones I have enjoyed are older . I've liked all the Bryson books I've read ,and loved Lewis Grizzard . Ate them all up in a few weeks time when I discovered him ! The only recent ones I liked were Karl Pilkington's ,mainly because I like travel writing with some humor thrown in . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Pixie I don't recognize the author you're talking about ,but I like books that make you laugh that hard . I haven't found very many really funny ones lately. I guess that's something I should hunt for . Some of his books are available on Amazon US ; some have ` look inside` bits, so you could maybe see if the humour translates for Americans ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 Thanks Pixie I'll take a look at them ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Julie, just read your link to the Hemingway article. How wonderful! Makes me want the book Samuelson wrote! We've always wanted to get down to Key West, in a great part due to Hemingway's house down there. One of these days! I've only read part of A Farewell to Arms, and couldn't get through it. I've been told that his short stories are easier to get through, and different. So, one of these days, I'll get to that book on the shelf too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Julie, just read your link to the Hemingway article. How wonderful! Makes me want the book Samuelson wrote! We've always wanted to get down to Key West, in a great part due to Hemingway's house down there. One of these days! Ooh, the house is full of his multi-toed cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I didn't realize there were so many there! Beautiful, aren't they! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) Yes, I think Key West sounds so pretty . I'd love to see it someday . I knew he had lots of cats and the ancestors of the ones he had are still there at the house . Edited April 25, 2014 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Yes, I think Key West sounds so pretty . I'd love to see it someday . I knew he had lots of cats and the ancestors of the ones he had are still there at the house . The first I knew about his cats was when they featured in one of Timothy Dalton`s Bond films. Such cute cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Running the Books : The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian 4/5 Avi Steinberg was a Harvard Grad, whose friends had all been pursuing careers as doctors and lawyers. He seemed to be on a journey to find himself . At the beginning of the book, he is drifting along trying to find his place in life. He goes to a friend's wedding ,and there sees his life in a new light . He had been writing obituaries for the newspaper as his employment, but suddenly decides his life needs to go into a new direction. He applies ( and gets ) a job as the librarian in a Boston Prison . The book is interesting since it tells of his attempt at learning how to balance life between the inmates and his co-workers, some of the guards, who intentionally treat the prisoners badly at times . He needs to walk a fine line between the two, getting respect, yet showing authority at the same time . In his earlier life, his religion had played a huge role in his life, but he had drifted from it for quite a long time . He seemed to rediscover it ,and himself, while he worked in the prison library. He met several inmates who really touched his heart and made him re-examine his own life . There are a few parts in the beginning that are humorous, but as the book goes on there are other parts that are heartbreaking . I'd recommend this book to anyone who wonders more about life inside a prison, how the "system" works, and how and why some of the people incarcerated end up there ,sometimes repeatedly . This sounds fascinating. I'm going to put it straight onto my wish list. Thanks for a great review Julie Poppy Yes, it was nonfiction Alexi Thanks, hope you enjoy it ! KM No,sadly, no photos. That would have also probably been one of the rules --they had lots of rules in there you'd never think of . The author did a good job at explaining the place, so you kinda had a good picture in your head of what it looked like . It sounded like it had a few tables , most of the books were paperback (as the hardback ones could be used as weapons . Magazines , but none allowed to leave the library (also if they had ENOUGH magazines, they could roll them up somehow, then tape them to form a type of baseball bat ,like thing . The prisoners were allowed to "check out " 3 books to bring back to their cell . They also had a movie once in awhile that the librarian got to choose. Nothing graphic or violent . They had another room that was the Law Room, lots of books on laws, tables, etc to take note if the guys wanted to try to work on their cases or appeals themselves . Frankie I never saw Shawshank Redemption ! I'm not much of a movie watcher, although I think I saw Green Mile ,but it was so long ago, all I remember was it had a really sad ending . Yes, The Green Mile will make you cry Such a wonderful story in many ways but so sad, too! Shawshank Redemption is a real classic, it's on the top rated 100 movies on the IMDB for a reason. The book is alright, too, but the movie's better. The Green Mile is one of my favourite films, and one of my favourite books. And I agree about Shawshank Redemption - it's a rare case of the film being better than the book. I have spurts of watching movies; I like the old ones from the 40s - 60s the best, because I like a lot of the stars from that era. Julie, I don't think there's anything unusual about not watching many films...different people like different things Shame about the photo's , it's quite scary & sad to think that they would have to have rules to prevent the prisoners using books as weapons. I read a book awhile back that Ruth recommended Dead Man Walking Sister Helen Prejean, it's about a catholic nun who becomes involved with prisoners on death row & how it affects her. It was really interesting & it certainly gives you food for thought. Thanks - Dead Man Walking is one of my favourite books. It just really affected me and made me think. I've learned a lot more about Sister Helen Prejean since reading it, and she really is quite a remarkable woman. There is a film adaptation of Dead Man Walking, with Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. It's not as good as the book, because there is a lot of detail in the book which couldn't really go in the film (statistics and such like), but it is worth a watch. I've just realised that in this reply, I have referred to three films I love, all of which are about life in prison. I assure you all that I do like other genres as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Hey Julie.....hope you are ok. Come home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Ditto. All the best for whatever`s happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Sending love Julie xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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