Day 24 - A Book That You Wish More People Would've Read

After a few easier days this is a tough one.  Reading choice is such a personal thing, just because I love it doesn't mean it's for everyone.  However, to stick with the challenge, I'm going to go for (and I hope people don't think it's a cheat) the plays of William Shakespeare.  

Why?  Well, I although I haven't read them all (I skipped the historical ones) they offer so much and you gain something new each time.  The various aspects of human nature and the rich, glorious language that has become absorbed into our everyday speech are amazing.

Sadly, I think many people were put off at school by being forced into covering a text in a way that made it inaccessible and I know that I have a personal dislike of Twelfth Night due to the way it was pushed into an unwilling brain at "O" level.  (See, I'm that old!)

However, despite that I persisted and adore Much Ado, and that was before seeing it at the Globe and then David Tennant (honest!), and I particularly love the tragedies...Hamlet and Anthony and Cleopatra.  It is wonderful to see them being performed but you can still get so much from reading them.  

Friends think I'm weird, but I just think they're missing out.

Day 23 - A Book You Wanted to Read For A Long Time But Still Haven't

Oh, no...is this where I have to 'fess up just how big my TBR pile is?!  At least 100 books around the house and a further 120 on the kindle, all waiting for a little bit of attention.  The problem is they will keep publishing books that I want to read and I sadly still have to work and do so many other things that just gets in the way of my dedicated reading time.
There's loads of books I want to read but haven't got around to...yet.  But the one I'm going to tackle over the summer holidays this year because it's been there for eons is...

Anna Karenina

It's a classic, it's on the 100 books you should read and I've been meaning to get around to it since I saw the film with Sean Bean (so long ago) and was underwhelmed and so decided that I ought to give it a real chance.
I'll let you know!

Day 22 - My Guilty Pleasure

Only one guilty pleasure?  Surely a girl is allowed more than that?  Where to start...ummm...

Well, the guilty book pleasure I'm willing to 'fess up to is my love of Regency Romances.  
Not a shocker and I've reviewed several on here on my blog, but they're not the books that I own up to reading to friends.  They're a bit of a comfort read, when life gets pressured and I need an escape.  No particular favourites, although I think I've read most by Julia Quinn.  A further admission is that I bought two Georgette Heyer's from audible purely because they were read by Richard Armitage.  Sad, but blissful listening!

Day 21 - Favourite Book From Your Childhood

I read a lot as a child. I was the stereotypical bookish only child and I went to the library at least once a week.  I read voraciously, anything I could get my hands on.  It was also the golden time of "Jackanory" on kid's TV and I found several of my favourites from there.

I had so many favourites - I've probably missed out loads, so may have to add to the list as I go along.
Milly Molly Mandy - can't remember much about these except the stylised illustrations, but I lapped them up.
The Faraway Tree - who didn't read these in the seventies?
Secret Seven - I did read the Famous Five, but I found these more interesting.
Malory Towers, St Clares and The Naughtiest Girl in the School - I so wanted to go to boarding school!
Arabella's Raven - Bernard Cribbens read it on Jackanory and I loved these books.
The Swish of the Curtain series - I was a real drama kid at heart but wasn't brave enough to actually do it!
Sue Barton series - I've only remembered these by doing the challenge and am currently re-reading them.  Sheer nostalgia.
Danny Champion of the World - The first Roald Dahl I ever read.  Thank you to Mrs Drury who read it to our class at story time.  Kids at school don't seem to get this any more, but I loved it and still do.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - again, thank you Mrs Drury! 
Bogwoppit - another Jackanory find this time Prunella Scales.  I found it hilarious.

But apart from books, I also went to dancing class (and was a bit of a frustrated, inhibited actress too) and had a strict teacher who was beyond terrifying!  I read lots about the ballet and although I knew I'd never be good enough, I loved immersing myself in that world and so read everything by Noël Streatfeild.  They were all good but my favourite is Ballet Shoes.  I first found it as BBC children's TV programme and I nagged mum to buy me the book...it became a regular thing for my poor mum! 
I went through phases of related to each sister, but as I said earlier in the challenge, it was Pauline (the actressy one) that was my real favourite. 

Day 20 - Book That Makes You Laugh Out Loud

Today's choices are:

James Herriot Vet series - There's just so many bizarre situations throughout these books, I defy anyone not to laugh!
Bridget Jones' Diary - only the first one and only the first time I read it, but it was different to most chick-lit at that time.
Good Omens - haven't read it in years, but remember annoying people around me by sniggering.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole - another one that was of it's time, and it didn't stand a re-read when I was in my thirties, but I first read it at a similar age to "Adrian" and all his trauma's resonated.  
The Wee Free Men - I love the Mac Nac Feegles!


But my overall winner is...

Mort by Terry Pratchett.  I was forced to listen to a friend at college giggle her way through this and it seemed to take her ages to pass it on so I could see what the fuss was about.  However, when I finally got it off her, I laughed throughout too and ended up buying my own copy, which was unusual as a poverty stricken student who spent any spare cash in the pub not the bookshop!

Day 19 - Favourite Book Turned Into a Movie

I've had to think carefully about this one as even if the film is good, I always prefer the book.  Due to this I try to not watch the movie until I've read the book so I can imagine the characters my own way.
I can be a bit of a geek when I feel they get the casting wrong.  As an example, I enjoy all the Harry Potter films but I just never thought they got Hermione right.  Nothing against Emma Watson, she just isn't how I imagined Hermione. 

The problem today is do I include TV adaptations? I think these tend to be better than films due to the time allowed within a mini series, so I've indulged myself and allowed these too. 

So, films of books that have been pretty good (in my opinion):

The Color Purple
I sob, every time!  Whoopi Goldberg is amazing.

Bridget Jones Diary
Not perfect and Renee Zellweger was too nice and a bit too posh (I always imagined Bridget to be slightly more grubby and rough!) but Hugh Grant and Colin Firth were brilliant and so it sneaks into the list.

Remains of the Day

Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson - sheer class.  Beautifully adapted.

TV adaptations

Pride and Prejudice - BBC with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.  Do I really have to explain?  perfect casting and stuck to the book, apart from the wet shirt scene which is completely acceptable.

North and South - BBC.  Mainly due to Richard Armitage.  It does differ to the novel but it was beautifully filmed and one I can watch again and again.

Cranford - BBC - again, perfect casting.

Persuasion - There two versions, both very different but good in different ways.  The 1995 BBC version with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds is probably more true to the novel, but the 2007 ITV version with Sally Hawkins has Rupert Penry-Jones as Wentworth.

But...my favourite book into film is...
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  
It's epic, it's brilliantly well done and the casting throughout was perfect.

Day 18 - First "Chapter" Book you Remember Reading as a Child

An easy one for today.

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson

I was six, in Miss Buxton's class (which would now be called Y1) and she was a lovely young teacher who chose fabulous stories to read out loud.  She read this to the class and after the first chapter I nagged my mum to get it for me.  I remember standing in the bookshop, which is sadly long gone, and describing the cover and saying I wanted the book about Plop the Owl, but I couldn't remember the actual title.  I think we had to order it as my mum brought it home from work with her one day.  Things were so much more hassle pre-Amazon!  
Plop is a baby barn owl who doesn't want to go out at night.  He also has difficulties in flying and falls out of his tree with a plop!  Each chapter tells of Plop meeting someone who has a reason for liking the dark and eventually he is convinced that the dark is alright and he goes out with his long suffering parents.  Simple stuff, but I loved it!  It's since been adapted into a picture book and I still regularly use both versions in school.

I must also thank Miss Buxton for introducing me to How the Whale Became, My Naughty Little Sister and the Danny Fox stories.  Danny Fox was my second "chapter" book that my poor mum had to search for!