Inside Inside

I have to admit, I love Inside the Actor's Studio.  It was a weekly event, in which my parents, sisters, and I would sit down and watch.  We would learn about the story behind each actor; laugh and cry with each actor's trials and triumphs; and wait eagerly for the infamous "quiz."

The reason I picked up this memior:  my favorite little bookstore in my hometown has shut its doors. The Book Clinic would be my haven during my teen summers.  It is were I would spend money, weekly, expanding my horizons book by book.  It was placed perfectly.  I would leave my home, bike to my bank, withdraw about ten dollars, continue on my way to the Book Clinic.  Forget "borrowing" books.  I loved holding a new book, and I still do.  Honestly, I love the smell of a brand new book.  If you haven't guessed by now...I am a huge book worm! My parents chose to not allow video games in our home...and I don't blame them, I didn't sit infront of a TV playing games all hours into the night like I know some of my students do.  I should thank them for it, really.  But, I think I missed out on a big part of our culture now...I can't pick up a game controller and play with any confidence.  This is a conversation for another day.

I really want to pay homage to the Book Clinic.  I can't confidently say when it opened, but I was in junior high... the building was originally a doctor's office and there were some older medicinal tools in the basement: medical books, a infant scale, and the like. The Book Clinic offered a little cafe to aid with the reading sales.  The ladies that have worked the store since it opens have always held a curiousity in how I have grown.  They all recognize me from my weekly visits to the Book Clinic and when I returned for my final visit all were curious about my first year of teaching.  I have to say...I will miss coming home and sneaking off the the tiny bookstore on the corner.

Ok...now to the book.  The memior provides a backstory on the famous Actor's Studio and Lipton's life.  I have always been weary of memiors.  They just aren't something that I would pick up and read.  I do prefer my fiction.  Always have, always will.  But, how can I encourage my own students to expand their reading if I don't do the same.  Admittedly...I struggled through the backstory.  Feigned interest at all the technical information surrouding the long standing Actor's Studio and how that school began.  Again, still not my thing.  But when the reader (me) reached the meat of the book, I couldn't stop reading... The section where Lipton begins talking about individual guests fed my appetite to no end.  I think that my fascination for the famous aided in my devouring the sections.  I have some favorite quotes that I want to share.

Johnny Depp's Interview

I think that's the spirit of an uncommon thought on a common matter. It's somehow just breaking through all of that conditioning that doesn't always apply. -Sean Penn

So I swore to myself that I would choose my own path and wouldn't deviate in anyway. And if I failed, I failed, but I tried. And I figured I could always go back to playing guitar or pumping gas. -Johnny Depp

Now...how would I use this in the classroom.  I would use sections of it to share with a drama class.  Lipton lays out the different trials that he encoutered when opening the school.  His own perception, as dean and an actor, really showed how that world can be both rewarding and challenging.  He gives valuable information.  Then I would use parts of the questionare as an icebreaker in my classroom.  Always a crowd favorite: "What is your favorite curse word?"  I know as an avid watcher...I loved this question. Because even though censored bleeped it out...you so could tell what the actor was saying.

I think part of my fascination with all of the inside information the actors and directors shared was based on my own love of perfoming.  I have been dance for years and cannot imagine ever not dancing.  Since I am at a crossroads in my life, I will probably return home to a dance studio.  I secretly wanted to be a ballerina and a dancer on a stage professionally.  And, who knows?  I still have plenty of opportunities to still find a stage...it may be in my basement but it will be MY stage.

My first dance recital and my Senior recital

But...back to the book.  The rest of this post will be my answers to the questionnare...

What is your favorite word?
Beautiful

What is your least favorite word?

Panties (Thanks Sam...)

What turns you on?

Laughter

What turns you off?

Fighting

What sound or noise do you love?
Murmur of excitement before a movie/show starts

What sound or noise do you hate?
Squeaky brakes

What is your favorite curse word?
Bugger

What profession would you like to attempt?
I would love to be a book reviewer

What profession would you not like to attempt?
Lawn mower...I should never be allowed to mow.  There are photos to prove it!

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
You did good.



The video below is my favorite section of the entire series.  It's Robin Williams being Robin Williams...

Water for Elephants

Ever since I learned that Hollywood was making a film version...I was skeptical.  I will honestly say that I have not ever been a big Robert Pattinson fan.  Probably a side effect of the Twilight Saga.  That said, I still planned on going to the film.





Robert Pattinson and "Rosie"



I was first introduced to the book by a friend of mine a couple summers ago.  She told me that I needed to read Water for Elephants.  So, it went onto my "To Read" list, which was quite large to begin with.  I took my time to get to it, too. Finished the Sookie Stackhouse series, read about 2 books from my favorite author (Tamora Pierce), and was hired as a teacher.  To help pass the time from home to my new school, that lovely 2.5 hour drive made many times last summer, I would check out books from my library.  I listened to 3 books that summer:  Heart of Darkness, The Help, and Water for Elephants.  I did attempt to listen to The Girl who played with Fire, but I found I have to read those types of books.  I do have to return to the topic at hand...I fell in love with Water for Elephants.  The story just moved me.



Christoph Waltz and Reese Witherspoon





 As I listened to the story, I found myself finding reasons to go on longer trips just so that I could listen to the book.  I fell for the bumbling college kid who wanted to get his girl.  I hated August like a good reader was supposed to.  I laughed at the elephants antics and held my breath during the elephant routines.  I was completely absorbed into this book.  I even used a section of the book as a serious piece for the speech season.  It didn't go over well, but I will try to tweak it and make it better.

I have high hopes for the film version.  I am understandable about using Robert Pattinson, brings in the teen fans.  And he does have some acting chops.  No worries.  I have loved watching Reese Witherspoon's films all my life.  She is just one classy lady.  Honestly, I don't know much about Christoph Waltz and his work.  As soon as this film is out, I will be in the theater with my LARGE Dt. Coke and small buttered popcorn. 

Maybe I can persuade David to go with me...

Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway

When I picked up this audiobook at the Half-price bookstore, I had no idea what it was about.  I only knew that it was written by Ernest Hemingway.  So, I was completely prepared for the content I would be listening to as I drive distances longer than 5 minutes.   This is NOT a book I would teach in class.  It is very interesting.  The situation is fascinating: a young American writer and his erratically tempered wife living in Europe so that the writer, David, can write his next big novel.  This book is set in different countries in Europe in the first third of the 20th Century.  I imagine that is it set in the 1920s, but I cannot be sure.  This book examines relationships and human interactions.  Some of the situations really makes me think.

Jack Hutson and Mena Suvari as American newlyweds.

Though the content is not meant for young readers, I do encourage older readers, those that want to challenge their reading levels, to pick this book up and read it.  It makes the reader uncomfortable at times, but it also shows how people can change and how humanity deals with different stressers.   I am not finished with the audiobook, I'm on my last cd, but I am curious to how it ends.  And like a good teacher, I plan to watch the 2008 film adaptation of the novel.



Ernest Hemingway



Background:  Hemingway worked on this novel from the mid 1940s until his death.  There were many chapters and a subplot that was cut out by an editor.  I'm not sure if these cuts were needed, but I would be interested to find that subplot. 

Some links I have found to relate to the novel:
Hemingway's Bio
Hemingway's Works
Movie Info

Interred with Their Bones

I finished reading this book quite some time ago...but I just wanted to pass word along.

This book isn't classified as British Literature, but the subject matter is very much British...so it counts! Interred with their Bones is a novel based on the works of Shakespeare, specifically Hamlet. The main character is taken on a wurl-wind trip across the American West to find out the "true Shakespeare." What I love about this book is that the author, Jennifer Lee Carrell, doesn't really provide the answer to the question she poses to the characters. Was Shakespeare a single man or a group of people? I honestly don't know which is true...the "facts" they explore in this novel are pretty sound. ( I used quotation marks because I don't really know if they are facts that are researched, or made up...I didn't research this topic.) The pace of the novel never drags...I didn't want to put the book down! I liked how the murders in the book were based on character deaths that Shakespeare wrote...an intellectual criminal is always interesting to follow, though usually deadly!

The ending of the novel leaves the author room for a sequal...I don't neccessarily know if I want another one, but would most likely read it anyway. Carrell takes the reader through centuries of lore and history. As I read it I found a lot of similarities to Dan Brown's novels, which may add to why I enjoyed reading this novel! That's all for now! Soon I will have to come up with a personal sign off...for now I leave you with the farewell found in Cry! the Beloved Country.

Go well.

A Spot of Bother

I finished this book by Mark Haddon and loved it. The ending was great just moving on like nothing happened. There were a few parts in the book that I had to go back and read again after reading them, because I was confused, but got the point the second time. I liked the happy ending and George is my favorite character in the book. He does what a lot of people want to do somedays and just check out of life. Jamie is another of my favorite characters because of his strength and ability to fix situations. Altogether a good read.

Mark Haddon's Homepage good infomation about him and his books.

Mark Haddon

I was first introduced to the writing of Mark Haddon through a guest staying at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center last summer. It was the beginning of my shift, approxiamately 6:30 am, on a Sunday. An elderly gentleman was getting his morning coffee and asking me questions about my education, major, and plans for life. I ended up spilling my guts about my love for British Literature. This gentleman gave me two titles that I simply had to read, The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime and A Spot of Bother, both of which written by Mark Haddon. I read The Curious Incident and absolutely enjoyed the novel.

While doing research for this blog I discovered the Mark Haddon is a man of many trades. He also writes children's books (ie: Gilbert's Gobbstopper, Ocean Star Express, etc. ), poetry ( The Talking Horse and The Sad Girl and The Village Under The Sea), and screenplays for both radio and television. Mark also has many art works, my favorite is "One Very Important Thought."

So far I find the novel, Spot of Bother, to be really fun. The humor is very much what I enjoy and I totally understand the underlying jokes.

The Hobbit

I am about halfway through the book and am trying to keep it straight from the Lord of The Rings. It is confusing how Bilbo is the main character in the book. I think it is an easy read and I like how the author talks to you as you read the book either to clarify or make a point about something. I like how Bilbo thinks he is weak, but he is actually very clever and brave. Also, I think it is funny how he keeps referring to the fact that he wants to go back to his hobbit hole. Bilbo a websit about Bilbo Baggins.