What I'm Reading This Semester (hold onto your hats because it's all over the place)

A new semester has started, so of course I have a new (and large) list of required reading. I thought I would share some of the things I will be reading, as I like to share and hear about what you guys are reading or have read for school.

This semester I have two literature classes, two history, and one education so I am ALWAYS reading for one class or another, I'm obviously only going to mention the exciting reading material, I wouldn't bore you guys with textbooks.

British Literature Part 2
For this class I will be rereading Persuasion by Jane Austen and Tess of the D'urberville's by Thomas Hardy. I will also be reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley for the first time which I'm very, very excited about. We are reading lots of the romantic poets in the first half of the class as well as some excerpts from Charles Dickens, I'm not sure what the second half of the semester's reading schedule looks like yet, but I'm really excited for the readings in this class.

 

Teaching Literature
This class is interesting because we will be reading these works as teachers preparing to read and teach them with a class. We are reading three books, one of which I have read before, and all of which I think would be great to use in a classroom. We are reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia.

History 300- Writing a Research Paper
For this class, I am writing a paper on women codebreakers in WWII so I have to do a lot of research. I have found that most of the research that exists on this subject has been printed in book form, so I have quite a few books I want to either read in full, or partially read for this paper including: The Debs of Bletchley Park and other stories, The Bletchley Girls: War, Secrecy Love, and Loss, and the Secret Lives of Codebreakers. I will also be reading/ watching interviews and hopefully memoirs from the actual women as well. I will definitely update you guys on the reading I am doing for this class if I find anything interesting!

What are you reading this semester? What was your favorite and least favorite required read?

Which Adaptation is Right for You?- Romeo and Juliet

It's always exciting to finish a book you've been meaning to read forever just so you can watch the adaptations! But sometimes the adaptation options can be overwhelming. So, with this series I'm hoping I will be able to assist in finding the right adaptation for you, whether you have read the book or not. 

Previous Which Adaptation is Right For You:
Pride and Prejudice

Romeo and Juliet is my favorite Shakespeare play. I know that's not a very out-of-the-box answer, but it is true. I love the drama and the more political themes that can be found in the play. I have read the play and seen the adaptations so many times that I have most of the play memorized. Therefore, I'm a little hard to please when it comes to adaptations, but I've got a few to recommend to you, and I hope to help you find the one that is right for you. 

Romeo and Juliet (1968)  
Directed by: Franco Zeffirelli 
Staring: 
Romeo: Leonard Whiting
Juliet: Olivia Hussey
Run Time: 138 minutes
I remember watching this in black and white, but it look like it has sense been redone in color.

Watch the original trailer here

This is the first adaptation of R&J that I watched. I remember renting it from the library and watching it with my mom. I was a freshman in high school and had just read the play in school for the first time. This one is a little dated, but it's a great and faithful adaptation of the play. 

Both Romeo and Juliet are beautiful; the tight pants and puffy shirts are ridiculous (as they should be), and the teen angst is intense. This adaptation was very popular when it was released because it was one of the first film adaptation to use actors close to the real ages of the characters.

I have really fond memories of watching this movie, and I would really love to watch it again, but this might not be the best version to start with if you are unfamiliar with Shakespeare or this play. I could see how those who are not already Shakespeare fans could find this version a little boring and outdated, but if you are a fan of R&J and Shakespeare, I highly recommend it.

The balcony scence

Act V

Juliet and her Romeo 

Romeo and Juliet (1996)
Directed by: Baz Luhrman
Staring: 
Romeo: Leonardo DiCaprio <3 <3
Juliet: Clare Danes
Paris: Paul Rudd
Run Time: 120 minutes
Watch the trailer here

This is one of my favorite movies of all-time, so it's obviously my favorite R&J adaptation. I am in love with Leo (like for real, marry me already) so that gives this adaptation bonus points, but I really love the over-the-top and outrageous style of this movie. Luhrman mixes Shakespeare's original script with modern (well 90's) California beach. There are gun fights, Romeo and his buds play pool, and a church choir sings Prince while Leonardo DiCaprio runs around in an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt. What more could you ask for?

Clare Danes and Leo have great chemistry, and Paul Rudd comes out of left-field to be the perfect, dorky and undesirable Paris. I love all of the religious imagery and intense colors that are in this movie; it is such a visual experience. It's so modern but faithful to the original play, and the characters are extremely developed and the acting is phenomenal. It can be a little jarring to hear Elizabethan English with guns and cars, but it's such a cool idea, and Lurmen pulls it off greatly! The drama of the play is captured really well, as well as the emotion and infamous lines. I recommend watching the trailer to see if it's your taste before watching the movie. (But really it has Leo in it, so trust me, it's your style)

If you are a Shakespeare newbie, or aren't usually a fan, you may enjoy this one because it's not as "boring" as the more traditional adaptations. I promise it is so different from anything you have ever seen before! But it does seem to divide people between love and hate.

The first Kiss 

The Ball 

This aquarium scene is one of my favorite scenes of all time 

If these pictures don't convince to watch this version, I don't know what will. 

Rome and Juliet (2013) 
Directed by: Carlo Caelei (has also directed Dowton Abbey)
Staring:
Romeo: Douglas Booth
Juliet: Hailee Stienfield
Tybalt: Ed Westwick
Run time: 118 minutes

Watch the trailer here

This is the latest adaptation of R&J I have watched, and I must say I am not all that impressed. I will say that this Juliet is the closest in age to the real Juliet I have ever seen cast in a movie (Juliet in the play is thirteen, the actress is fourteen) so that was really cool to see. The scenery is also quite beautiful, but other than that, the film seems a little lackluster. The movie keeps the plot of the original play, but not the dialogue, which is a big check in the negative column for me because I am very attached to the original play, and as I was watching, I was cringing every time a line was changed or left out. I also felt that the political themes were a little washed out and lost in this version, while the romance took the front seat.

The bed scene was my favorite scene of the movie, but the changes were just too much  and too unnecessary for me. So, if you do watch this version, be warned of these changes. I still enjoyed this movie, but not nearly as much as the first two on this list!

R&J

The death scene 

Tybalt

RECAP:

First Time Watchers: Romeo and Juliet (1996) or (1968) 

Those Who Enjoy Looking at Beautiful Men: Romeo and Juliet (1996)

R&J and Shakespeare Lovers: Romeo and Juliet (1968)

Casual Shakespeare Consumers: Rome and Juliet (2013)

I would love to hear which of these you have seen, which is your favorite, or if you have any other versions for me to add to my list. I would love to see this play preformed live someday, so I could add it to my list of adaptations I have seen!

"For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo." 

Recently Read: Just One Day (Everything You Have Heard is True!)

Author: Gayle Forman
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Status: First in dualology
Publication Date: 2013
Page Count: 369
Rating: 5/5

Also by Gayle Forman: 
If I Stay

Allyson has always followed all the rules; she never lets anyone down; and she goes anywhere without a plan. While on a teen tour of Europe, she meets a boy that makes her take a chance. They spend one day in Paris together, and Allyson and her view of the world are never the same. 

Before reading this book, I had heard a lot about it. Lots of people used huge and heavy words such as "life-changing" to describe this book. Well, I'm here to say that everything you have heard about this book is true. It is beautiful, emotional, and even a little bit life-changing.

While there is a romance in this novel, and the romance is the spark of Allyson's journey of self-discovery, this book is so much more than the romance. This book is powerful. 

I related to Allyson so much that it made me a little bit emotional. After returning from her one day in Paris, Allyson finds herself at college and on a path that her parents have picked out for her. She's not happy with herself, or her life. My emotion and frustration built up right alongside of Allyson's emotion and frustration because I recognized how she felt. Last semester of school was very rough for me. I was taking a lot of classes because my degree requires more classes than the average bachelor's Degree. I had no time for myself, and when I did, I didn't have the energy to do anything I would usually enjoy doing. I was stressed and discouraged about up-coming tests and other events needed to get my degree, and I was just tired of it all. Last semester really dampened my passion and my confidence that I was in the right program. I was frustrated that all of these requirements and hoops I have to jump through were dwindling my excitement, enthusiasm, and passion for my future career before I even had the chance to enter the field. Early this summer (and maybe even to this day still) I was really considering a major change out of fear that all of the schooling ahead of me would kill any passion for teaching that I had left in me. 

I related to Allyson's desire to see the world, explore new things, break away from her parents, and break out of other people's expectations. I related to how she felt out-of-place with her friends and her life, and I knew that the pinnacle moment of emotion for her would be hard for me too. I was rooting for Allyson and so proud of her when she began to come into her own. I have not related to a character as much as I have related to Allyson in quite a long time. Her struggle was real, it was important, and it's something that I am still dealing with. 

In addition to all the emotion packed in this story, it also explores one of the greatest elements of the universe, which is also one of my favorite elements to ponder over: fate. I am fascinated by the idea of fate and the human tendency to love and this novel explored both of those ideas beautifully. This is one of those stories that (even though it is fictional) leaves you a little in awe of the universe and its workings. Everything comes together beautifully and naturally in this novel. I loved the Shakespeare connections that Forman worked into the novel, and how this novel's themes overlapped with the common themes of Shakespeare's plays. If you are familiar with his plays, you know that many of them deal with the idea of identity, appearance vs. reality, and fate, just as this novel did. 

This novel reminded me that I'm not alone in feeling out-of-place every once in a while. It reminded me not to settle, and it reminded me to be a little impractical and spontaneous every once and a while, because who knows where it could lead? This novel will stay with me for quite a long time, it has left me feeling inspired, connected, and hopeful.      

What's in my Amazon Cart?

Here's what is currently sitting in my Amazon cart, waiting to be purchased. What did you guys think of these reads? Should I buy them, get them from the library, or skip them altogether?

This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brokenbrough 

Recently Reread: Romeo and Juliet-- What to Look for While You Read

Author: William Shakespeare
Genre: Classic Play- Tragedy
Publication Date: 1597 approx.
Rating: 5/5

Other Shakespeare Posts:
An English Major's Thoughts on Shakespeare
Macbeth No Fear Shakespeare Graphic Novel

I'm here with my first reread of the year! I'm taking a Shakespeare class and this was the first play we started with. I read this play for the first time my freshman year of high school, and I really enjoyed it the first time around, and this time around was no different.            

So for this review I thought I would make a few comments about the play, and list some elements that you should keep your eye out for while reading the play.

Everyone knows the plot of this play, so there is no need to give a synopsis. This is one of Shakespeare's most readable plays, and it is a great place to start if you are new to Shakespeare. It also has quite a bit of humor in for a tragedy. Romeo and Mercutio certainly act like teenage boys, and there is an abundance of sexual innuendos in the play.

I like this play because of its many elements. I know that on the surface the plot may seem simple enough as well as the themes, but this play has so much going on; it is so much more than just a tragic love story. And of course this play has so many great and infamous lines! This play is a very beautifully written play that is also highly entertaining. The drama is so over-the-top, and is highly comparable to the drama seen on T.V. and movies nowadays (which is probably why this story is still being adapted to this day). I think that the dramatics of Romeo and Juliet's love and relationship are meant to mirror the dramatic and ridiculous feud between the two families.

Elements and Themes to Watch for While Reading:

Fate: This is a huge theme in this play, after all Romeo and Juliet are "Star-crossed lovers." Fate is a really interesting idea to me, and it's really interesting to read this play with the mind-set that the events of the play were fated to happen, they were unavoidable because the Universe stated that they must happen. R&J become sacrifices in order to end the feud, and fate would say that this was the only way to end it, so the young lovers had to die.

Individual Wishes vs. Society/ Peer Wishes: To me, this is the biggest conflict and theme of this play. Everyone in the play must decide to do what makes them happy or what will make society happy, Romeo and Juliet especially. The wishes and expectations of society are what sets this play up to be a tragedy in the first place. Is this play meant to be a warning about putting individual happiness over the good of the group? Let me know what you think.

Foreshadowing: This play is full of foreshadowing. I really enjoyed going through and picking out all the examples of it on this second read. (Yeah, I know I'm weird- I'm an English major, what can I say?)

Foils and Parallels:  This is another elements that Shakespeare does in a lot of his plays, along with foreshadowing. See if you can pair of the foils (opposites) and the parallels (characters who mirror each other) while you read the play.

I'm hoping to make a post about Romeo and Juliet movie adaptations very soon, but there is one more that I have to watch before I write that post- so be on the look out for that. Let me know what your thoughts are on R&J, Shakespeare, movie adaptations, or anything else down below!

Stacking the Shelves:Book Outlet

My mom put in a Book Outlet order so she let me sneak a few things into the order. I picked up some things I have been wanting to read for a while, and a Shakespeare murder mystery because it was just too cute to pass up. Book Outlet is so addicting, and now I've got my mom hooked on it!
Let me know if you have read any of these, and what you bought this week!
Hosted by:Tynga's Reviews

 

 

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, Therese Anne Fowler
The Monstermologist, Rick Yancey
Everyday, David Levithan
The Opening Night Murder, Anna Rutherford

Top Ten Tuesday: Who's Sitting at my Lunch Table- Author Edition

This week's TTT topic is the ten literary characters I would want sitting at my lunch table, but I'm going to change this to the top ten authors I would want to sit at my lunch table.  Happy back to school season! 

Hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

 1. Oscar Wilde

Duh! I would marry Oscar Wilde if I could. I have said this countless times but I love Oscar Wilde, both his works and his outrageous personality. He would be endless entertaining at a lunch table. 

2. Ralph Waldo Emerson

He is so wise, everything that comes out of his mouth sounds like a Chinese Proverb or a new philosophy to live your life by. I would love to have a conversation with him!  

3. William Shakespeare 

I want to discover the real Shakespeare. Was he really a women? Was he gay? Did he write his own plays or did someone else write some or all of them? How is he so good at iambic pentameter? Was he an alien? Clearly I have a lot of questions for the guy.

4. Sylvia Plath

I would love to get to know Plath. I want to hear how she forms her conversations and if they are as beautiful as her poetry and prose. I want to get to know the real Sylvia, and know her for more than just her pain. 

5. Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay is one cool chick. The feminist tones in her poetry are so clear and done so well. I would love to hear the stories that inspired her poems and hear her talk about the writing process, and just meet the women behind the powerful, sassy poetry.  

6. Maureen Johnson 

The books by Johnson that I have read crack me up, so I would love to have lunch with her. I bet she's so fun and would be full of funny and entertaining stories. Plus I want to know why the third book in her Shades of London series is taking so stinking long to be released!

7. John Green

I enjoy Green's personality and would love to discuss classic lit with him, as he is so well read. And hopefully he would bring Hank, who I have a little crush on :)  

8. Laurie Halse Anderson

I am always impressed by her work and would love to meet her and discuss her work with her. Wintergirls totally took me by surprise and I need to read more of her works. 

9. David Levithan 

I always enjoy and laugh at Levithan's works. I would love to talk to him about how much of a positive impact his books are capable of having on young readers, and I would love to discuss using his books in my future classroom.  

10. Sarah J. Maas

I love the Throne of Glass series, and want to talk to Maas about what's going to happen next! She has a great imagination and the series has a great origin story that I would love to hear more about. 

Stacking the Shelves: a Mishmash

Hosted by: Tynga's Reviews

Young Adult 

 

Midwinterblood is the 2014 Printz award winner, and I am very eager to read this one. I have heard the plot is very unique and the book is mysterious and hard to describe. I know it contains many different characters from different times and their stories end up overlapping.
I have yet to read any Gayle Forman, but this is the second book of hers that I own. Along with Just One Day, I own If I Stay which I plan to read before seeing the movie.
Code Named Verity has been on my radar for a while, and I finally got around to picking it up. This book sounds full of girl power; it's about a girl spy who gets captured in WWII.

Classics 

 


Villette is the second Charlotte Bronte Book I own, but I have not read any of her works yet.
I love this anniversary edition of Fahrenheit 451. I read this book in high school, but would love to reread it soon.

For School

 

I only have one lit class next semester, which I'm a little bummed about, but these two are on the reading list, along with John Green's Papertowns which I am excited to read in a classroom setting, and is a book I was already planning on rereading this year anyway.

Top Ten Tuesday: Tv Shows and Movies

I really enjoy watching movies and tv shows, and I am definitely a person who loves rewatching movies and tv shows. I made a list of five of my favorite tv shows and five of my favorite movies, I love so many movies, so this is just a sampling of the movies I love as well as tv shows.
 
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TV SHOWS

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I am currently watching Buffy on Netflix, and I just finished season 2, so don't spoil anything that hasn't happened for me yet! I love how kick ass Buffy is, and how loyal her friends are. Plus David Boreanaz makes an extremely hot vampire! I love the humor and action and heart in this show, I can't believe it has taken me this long to watch it.

2. Mad Men 

This show is so full of drama and sexy characters its crazy! It takes place in the 1960's and follows the employees of an ad agency, mainly Don Draper who just can't seem to be happy with what he already has. I love the fashion and make up in this show, I love the humor and the drama. The second half of the final season will be aired next year and I'm eager to see how it all wraps up.

3. Sex and the City 

This one may be a bit of a guilty pleasure, but I own this whole series on DVD. I love the all female main cast, and the fact that friendship is the core of this show. It's full of empowering characters and so funny. I love Miranda's cynical attitude, and of course Carrie's wardrobe.

4. Sherlock 

Duh! Seriously if you haven't watched this yet, stop what you are doing and binge watch. The writing, casting, and acting are superb. I love how this show portrays Holmes' and Watson's friendship. and Benedict Cumberpatch is so dreamy.

5. Doctor Who 

Also duh! This show constantly surprises me with the amount of heart it contains. I love the crazy plot lines, the history and humor that is woven in, and the magic of the Doctor. Matt Smith is my favorite doctor so far, and I am still mourning for Rory after him and Amy left the show. I'm excited for the new episodes with the new Doctor, but I'm also a little nervous because I really love Matt Smith.


MOVIES 

1. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

This is my favorite Marilyn Monroe film. She is just radiant in this film, and you can't take your eyes off of her. This film is actually quite funny, and contains many catchy songs, including "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Monroe and Russell play show girls who go on a boat trip, so Monroe's character can marry her very rich and very clueless fiance in Europe without his disapproving father. Of course the girls get themselves in plenty of trouble on the way.

2. Walt Disney's Peter Pan

It's hard for me to put into words the love I have for this movie, so I will just say this, Every time I watch this movie I cry tears of happiness at the end. Yes, I know it's weird, but I love Peter Pan and I love this film. This movie is quite different from original book, but it is just as beautiful and just as meaningful to me.

3. Romeo and Juliet, 1996

Will there ever be a better adaptation of Rome and Juliet? I don't think so. I love Leo as Romeo in his Hawaiian shirt, I love the music in this film, and I love the over-the-top atmosphere that always accompanies Baz Lutherman. And seriously, 1990's Leo, so swoon worthy.

4. Legends of the Fall 

  










This is easily one of the most heartbreaking films I have ever seen. The first time I watched this film was actually in one of my high school history classes. It is based on a short novel, which I would love to read one day. This film is about three brothers who fight in WWI together and how their lives entangle afterwards. This movie will stay with you long after you watch it, as will the beauty of 1990's Brad Pitt.

5. Charade

I love Carey Grant, I love Audrey Hepburn, I love them together. This is a spy thriller for the 1960's. The film keeps you guessing the entire duration and is so charming and funny. This movie was my introduction to Carey Grant and I have watched many of his films now.

Writing this post has made me want to watch every movie in my collection now! Let me know your favorites, especially tv shows, I'm always looking for new shows to start.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Classics

I'm very excited for this topic, I love classic literature and love talking about the classic literature I love. It was difficult to narrow this list down to ten, and these books are in no particular order.
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 

1. Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie This is perhaps my favorite book of all time. I love Peter as a character, I love the story of how this book was written, I love every film adaptation and that J.M. Barrie's grandson writes books on how Neverland came to exist (Peter and the Starcatchers, Dave Barrie and Ridley Pearson). I love everything about this story!

2. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald I have read this book at least three times and each time I read it, my connection with it gets stronger. I love Fitzgerald's writing and have read many of his other works and enjoyed them as well. This is a great classic to start with if you are looking to get into classics.

3. Breakfast at Tiffany's, Truman Capote I read this after seeing the Hepburn film, which I really love. Capote's original story is so different from the movie, but they are both so great. If you have watched the film and enjoyed it, read the book. It is a short read and I know you will admire Holly Golightly in film and print. I shared some brief thought on this book here.

  

4. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath This book surprised me. When I read it, I had never read anything by Plath and was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. Plath's work is always so haunting and her imagery she creates is genius. I am planning to reread this book in the next few months. If you liked this novel, check out her poetry. Bell Jar Thoughts

5. Passing, Nella Larson This book also surprised me. I had never heard of this piece until I read it in one of my college literature classes. This is a Harlem Renaissance piece about two black women who are friends. One lives her life as a black women, the other is "passing" as a white women. This book's pacing is so quick I flew through it, and the end is really great. Passing Review

6. A Scandal in Bohemia, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle By far my favorite Sherlock Holmes story. I love Irene Adler and Sherlock's respect for Irene. Check this one out if you want to get started in the Sherlock Holmes stories.

 

7. Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson This is one of his many essays Emerson wrote. Let me tell you something, this man is a genius. Everything he says is so wise, he is a real life Dumbledore, everything he says should be taken as grandfatherly advice. Believe me, this dude understands every problem you have, and has an answer for it.

8. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen This book is just so funny and so well thought through and executed. It translates to film so well, and contains so many lovable characters.

9. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare I know that it might sound a little cliche to say this is my favorite Shakespeare play, but it is. I love how memorable this play is and how it has stood the test of time. The writing is beautiful, the social commentary is poignant, and it translates to film and stage so nicely. Plus this is the most approachable Shakespeare play I have read so far, so it's a great place to start.

10. The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde You knew I couldn't make a list about classics that didn't include Oscar. This play is so funny, but it is witty funny. Every joke is so full of dramatic irony or word play. I love the film version of this play with Collin Firth and Reese Witherspoon from the late 90's. The Importance Of Being Earnest Reveiw

So there's my rambley list. Leave your link in the comments, I'm excited to see what is on other people's lists!