I've got some really cool stuff to share today. First, I did an interview with Alessandra Zengo for her blog Diario di Pensieri Persi. Ale is an amazing person who runs an exceptional blog, and I had a blast working with her. Check out the interview (and her review of Legacy!) here:
Gli Speciali
Thanks so much again to Alessandra for this opportunity!
I'm now reading Anne of Green Gables, which of course means I've finished both Treasure Island and The Haunting of Hill House, so I want to take a bit to talk about my thoughts on both books. If you've read them or plan to, leave a comment and tell me your thoughts, whether they're the same as mine or completely different!
So first, Treasure Island. I've said before that if Robert Louis Stevenson were still alive, I would want to have his babies. I'm sticking to that conviction. Treasure Island is such a classic story -- I remember watching Muppet Treasure Island when I was little (and maybe I watched it again after I finished reading the book...) -- and RLS's writing is impeccable, astounding, amazing, absolutely PERFECT. I've never felt that way about an author's writing before. I'm seriously in love with this man.
As a point of interest, I also watched the made-for-TV version of Treasure Island (starring itty-bitty Christian Bale and Charleton Heston) post-reading. The only place I've been able to find it is on YouTube, but I encourage everybody to check it out! It sticks to the book almost beat by beat. It's the most accurate film version I've ever seen.
Make sure you stick to the vids by balehead28 -- they don't skip at all.
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Also, just gonna put this out there, I love Treasure Planet. Awesome movie. :P
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The most recent book I read was The Haunting of Hill House. I picked that one up because my friend Annie brought over her favorite scary movie one night -- The Haunting (made in 1963 I believe; it's totally classic), which is based off the book. Anyway, I loved the movie and had heard amazing things about Shirley Jackson (who HASN'T read The Lottery?), so I proceeded to read the novel, and I loved it as well. It's a slow-build book, so there was a point about half-way through that I realized nothing had happened yet -- and I didn't care, because the writing was so beautiful and SJ's style gives you complete confidence that she knows exactly what she's doing, where she's going, and that she expects you to come along for the ride. It's an amazing experience. The Haunting of Hill House is officially one of my all-time favorite books.
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Tomorrow the CSN Giveaway contest ends -- until I've posted results, people are still free to enter. I might even wait 'til the first to name the winner, to make sure everyone who wanted in has had a chance to enter their name. Anyway, I think that's about all for now, so stay cool!
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Hugs,
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Cayla
6 comments:
I have not yet read either of these, but both are sitting on my TBR stack! I can't wait to read both!
I actually just finished listening to the audio of Anne of Green Gables for the first time! I actually ended up enjoying it more than all the other classics I have recently read/listened to. I'm curious to hear what you think of it when you are done!
Hey Cayla.. So I watched your video earlier and when you were talking about books I wondered if you've ever read Francesca Lia Blocke or Alice Hoffman? They are two authors that my sister Kayla and I grew up reading. They have some similarities in style, like their subtlety, but are different genres. Francesca Lia Blocke is focused more on fantasy, but it's a strange type of fantasy that ties in with real life and all of it's ugly truths. Hoffman writes about somewhat more realistic situations. Both of them are excellent at creating a background for each unique character, and I think you'd really enjoy them. My personal favorites by Blocke are Ruby, and the Weetzie Bat series. Hoffman favorites are Skylight Confessions, The Story Sisters and Green Angel. If you try them out, I hope you like them!
Cayla, I just watched your video. Thanks again for picking me as the lucky winner, drawn from that awesome hat!
Funny, you should mention Robert Louis Stevenson because he is one of my all-time favorite writers! Read "Travels with a Donkey" if you ever go to southern France! Also, one of his most beautiful poems is "The Roadside Fire", which has been set to music by a number of composers. My husband & I actually used this song as one of the musical pieces in our wedding. The thought of it brings a tear to my eyes ... so beautiful!
And enjoy reading Anne of Green Gables -- what a treat you have ahead of you. It is a lovely series. I also adored the Emily of New Moon series, likewise written by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Best wishes and thanks again!
I have fond memories of reading Anne of Green Gables back in elementary school...
Speaking of great classics, Daniel Defoe is another of my favorites - especially Moll Falnders and Robinson Crusoe. If you like Robert Louis Stevenson you'll probably like Defoe!
My other favorite classic is probably For Whom the Bell Tolls by Hemingway. Yes, it is about a war but also so much more... the last scene makes me cry every time.
I'm actually reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde right now :)
Hi. My name is Aria and I am fifteen years old. I wrote my first novel when I was nine. It was sixty-three pages long and (I admit)very amateurish. Ever since, I haven't been able to complete any of my stories. Any advice on how to regain my lost determination?
Hello Cayla!
I´ve read your book Legacy and I have to say,the story is very good. The characters Narian,Stolder and Alera are very, very convincing. But I think Narian is young and not the right man for Alera. Well, Stolder ist very arrogant, but he has the chance to turn into someone better, I think. My opinion about Alera is: she is smart, but she has no ideia who she really loves, because she kissed Stolder and liked it and Narian as well.
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