Sunday, August 18, 2013

30 in 30 Challenge Update #2

Here I am again, nearing the end of the 30 in 30 challenge. I’ve fallen a few books behind, but we’ll see what happens when I reach day 30 next week.
Books I’ve read since my last update:
8.  The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (fiction)
9.  Saga, Volume 2 by Bryan K. Vaughan (graphic novel)
10.City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (fiction)
11. Loteria by Mario Alberto Zambrano (fiction)
12. I Remember Nothing: And Other Reflections by Nora Ephron (essays)
13. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King (fiction)
14. The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart (fiction)
15. Questions About Angels by Billy Collins (poetry)
16. Austenland by Shannon Hale (fiction)
17.Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg (fiction)
18. Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish by David Rakoff (fiction in verse)
19.Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks (graphic novel)
20.I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being A Woman by Nora Ephron (essays)
21. Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnick (fiction)
Currently Reading:
  • Polaroids from the Dead by Douglas Coupland
  • Revenge: Eleven Dark Tales by Yoko Ogawa
Ramblings:
I went on a little Jane Austen homage kick over the past few weeks. Austenland by Shannon Hale was a quick and cute read about a Janeite who takes a vacation to a regency-themed estate in England. Amidst the bonnets and games of Whist, our heroine is torn between two charming men - one who represents the real world and one who embodies the fantasy of Austenland. Elizabeth Eulberg’s modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Prom and Prejudice, fell flat for me. Revolving around the prestigious prom at Longbourn Academy, several main characters in Eulberg’s story were left out or transformed into caricatures of Austen’s originals. I just finished another young adult adaptation of  Pride and Prejudice - Claire LaZebnick’s Epic Fail. I enjoyed this version a bit more than Eulberg’s, but the adaptation was a bit looser. I’m tempted to write more about modern versions of P&P in the future…
I’ve also read Nora Ephron’s two most recent collections of essays this month: I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being A Woman and I Remember Nothing: And Other Reflections. I love Nora Ephron. I love her movies. And I devoured her essays. Her humor is subtle and sophisticated, her intelligence isn’t the least bit showy, and her stories are immensely relatable. I can’t wait to read more of her older work and The Most of Nora Ephron comes out this fall.
The challenge ends on 8/22, so I’ll post after that with my final update!

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