The Penultimate Pentalist
I know, I know...this is a strange title for an otherwise not-strange post. But I'm thinking I would like to have some semblance of order to this rambling blog, and I thought a weekly Friday list would be fun. But "The Friday Five" is overused in the blogosphere and in general, not very exciting. And what if my list is more than five things? It doesn't allow for whim and fancy, so a title is still in progress.
This is also where I would like to have input from anyone who reads this. Give me ideas for future lists! Again, "five" does not have to be part of your idea. You could suggest "7 ways I would use my lightsaber" or "15 places I would visit if money were no object." Just keep the number reasonable, alright? I will not be able to tell you "77 words that don't make sense to me." And if you ask me to, I might have to hurt you...
Just in case you were wondering: "Penultimate" means near the end, and Friday (while the end of the work week) is not technically the end of the week. It's almost the end, but Saturday is truly the end. And "pentalist" is a made-up word using the prefix penta- meaning "five" and list, to signify that the it is a five-part list.
And now that the super-exciting word lesson is over, on to the meat of this week's list.
5 Books I Could Re-read 1,000 Times
1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Anyone who knows me knows that this is my favorite book of all time. I may have already read it one thousand times, in all honesty. I first read the ground-breaking novel in eighth grade as one of our class novel sets, and by the time we returned the copies to our teacher, I had read it at least three times completely. Ponyboy's story just touched me--the love between brothers was so evident on those pages. The loyalty among friends, the raw emotion on every page...it is no wonder to me it was written by a teenager. No adult could have recreated those emotions, told that story in the way it was told. And the circular ending? It blew my mind! I felt like I was one of the Curtises, one of the greasers. I think it's about time to read it again...
2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins is my hero. I love his story arc and that he constantly doubts himself and yet comes up with the cleverest solutions to their problems. He tricks the trolls into arguing until daylight, he riddles with Gollum, he taunts spiders, helps his dwarven friends escape from the elves, and battles wits with a dragon. And throughout the whole thing, he can't wait to go home...until the end. Then he realizes how much he's changed. His character is that of the "reluctant hero." And speaking of character, Tolkien is, in my opinion (and the opinions of most) a literary genius. The characters he created are absolutely sensational: Gandalf the Grey, Thorin Oakenshield and his cast of dwarves (Balin, Dwalin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur--how fast can you name them?), Beorn, Bard the Bowman, Thranduil, Smaug...my insides get all twisted and warm when I think about The Hobbit (and then I feel like I've been punched in the gut when the dust settles on the Battle of Five Armies....sooooo dreading that point in the movie series...it makes me want to cry just thinking about it!) My point here is, if you haven't read The Hobbit, you need to. No ifs, ands, or buts. Just read it.
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
To be fair, I love all of Austen's novels, but Pride and Prejudice is by far my favorite. Elizabeth and Darcy--is there a more romantic love story? There is a reason this novel is timeless and has been adapted for television and film time and again. That Elizabeth Bennett would turn down a marriage proposal from Mr. Collins--a secure match that would leave her comfortable--reminds me so much of Jane's actual life. She was engaged for one day to Harris Bigg-Wither, but she ended the engagement herself. I love the idea that if she couldn't have romance, she didn't want marriage. And Darcy? That he would go to such lengths for Elizabeth's happiness--that chivalry is not something we see often in today's world.
4. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
I know, this is more than one book--seven, in fact. But they are inseparable to me. Sure, The Chamber of Secrets is probably my favorite, but once you read one, you have to read them all until you finish the series. And then you start over. I had always liked to read as a child, but I honestly think that reading The Sorcerer's Stone inspired my true love for literature. Rereading those first pages is, in a strange way, like coming home to me. It is such a connection with my childhood. I can't separate the two anymore. Now, I was never the first person in line to watch the movies--though they are amazing!--but it always drove me crazy when I had to wait to get the books. Moral of the story: the book is always better than the movie. In case, you know, you were confused by that.
5. Petticoat Ranch by Mary Connealy
Of all the books on this list, I am assuming this is the one you, the reader, have never heard of before. All-in-all, there is nothing insanely special about this book. It isn't a classic, but I love it nonetheless. Think romantic comedy with cowboys, and you have Petticoat Ranch. The chemistry between Sophie and Clay is so strong, you can feel it when you're reading. And the incredibly comedy as Clay, a man raised in the mountains, tries to be a father to four little girls, while having zero maternal influence in his life...well, it's hilarious. Throw in three or four cowboys who prefer to communicate nonverbally and headstrong Sophie who is used to fending for herself without male interference, and you've got a heart-warming, laugh-out-loud story that'll leave you wanting more. (And that's okay, because the series continues on throughout eight more books.)
So there you have it! If you were looking for a good summer read (or re-read) here you go!
And tune in next week, when hopefully this column has a permanent title!
~Stay gold :)
This is also where I would like to have input from anyone who reads this. Give me ideas for future lists! Again, "five" does not have to be part of your idea. You could suggest "7 ways I would use my lightsaber" or "15 places I would visit if money were no object." Just keep the number reasonable, alright? I will not be able to tell you "77 words that don't make sense to me." And if you ask me to, I might have to hurt you...
Just in case you were wondering: "Penultimate" means near the end, and Friday (while the end of the work week) is not technically the end of the week. It's almost the end, but Saturday is truly the end. And "pentalist" is a made-up word using the prefix penta- meaning "five" and list, to signify that the it is a five-part list.
And now that the super-exciting word lesson is over, on to the meat of this week's list.
5 Books I Could Re-read 1,000 Times
1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Anyone who knows me knows that this is my favorite book of all time. I may have already read it one thousand times, in all honesty. I first read the ground-breaking novel in eighth grade as one of our class novel sets, and by the time we returned the copies to our teacher, I had read it at least three times completely. Ponyboy's story just touched me--the love between brothers was so evident on those pages. The loyalty among friends, the raw emotion on every page...it is no wonder to me it was written by a teenager. No adult could have recreated those emotions, told that story in the way it was told. And the circular ending? It blew my mind! I felt like I was one of the Curtises, one of the greasers. I think it's about time to read it again...
2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins is my hero. I love his story arc and that he constantly doubts himself and yet comes up with the cleverest solutions to their problems. He tricks the trolls into arguing until daylight, he riddles with Gollum, he taunts spiders, helps his dwarven friends escape from the elves, and battles wits with a dragon. And throughout the whole thing, he can't wait to go home...until the end. Then he realizes how much he's changed. His character is that of the "reluctant hero." And speaking of character, Tolkien is, in my opinion (and the opinions of most) a literary genius. The characters he created are absolutely sensational: Gandalf the Grey, Thorin Oakenshield and his cast of dwarves (Balin, Dwalin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur--how fast can you name them?), Beorn, Bard the Bowman, Thranduil, Smaug...my insides get all twisted and warm when I think about The Hobbit (and then I feel like I've been punched in the gut when the dust settles on the Battle of Five Armies....sooooo dreading that point in the movie series...it makes me want to cry just thinking about it!) My point here is, if you haven't read The Hobbit, you need to. No ifs, ands, or buts. Just read it.
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
To be fair, I love all of Austen's novels, but Pride and Prejudice is by far my favorite. Elizabeth and Darcy--is there a more romantic love story? There is a reason this novel is timeless and has been adapted for television and film time and again. That Elizabeth Bennett would turn down a marriage proposal from Mr. Collins--a secure match that would leave her comfortable--reminds me so much of Jane's actual life. She was engaged for one day to Harris Bigg-Wither, but she ended the engagement herself. I love the idea that if she couldn't have romance, she didn't want marriage. And Darcy? That he would go to such lengths for Elizabeth's happiness--that chivalry is not something we see often in today's world.
4. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
I know, this is more than one book--seven, in fact. But they are inseparable to me. Sure, The Chamber of Secrets is probably my favorite, but once you read one, you have to read them all until you finish the series. And then you start over. I had always liked to read as a child, but I honestly think that reading The Sorcerer's Stone inspired my true love for literature. Rereading those first pages is, in a strange way, like coming home to me. It is such a connection with my childhood. I can't separate the two anymore. Now, I was never the first person in line to watch the movies--though they are amazing!--but it always drove me crazy when I had to wait to get the books. Moral of the story: the book is always better than the movie. In case, you know, you were confused by that.
5. Petticoat Ranch by Mary Connealy
Of all the books on this list, I am assuming this is the one you, the reader, have never heard of before. All-in-all, there is nothing insanely special about this book. It isn't a classic, but I love it nonetheless. Think romantic comedy with cowboys, and you have Petticoat Ranch. The chemistry between Sophie and Clay is so strong, you can feel it when you're reading. And the incredibly comedy as Clay, a man raised in the mountains, tries to be a father to four little girls, while having zero maternal influence in his life...well, it's hilarious. Throw in three or four cowboys who prefer to communicate nonverbally and headstrong Sophie who is used to fending for herself without male interference, and you've got a heart-warming, laugh-out-loud story that'll leave you wanting more. (And that's okay, because the series continues on throughout eight more books.)
So there you have it! If you were looking for a good summer read (or re-read) here you go!
And tune in next week, when hopefully this column has a permanent title!
~Stay gold :)
Comments
Post a Comment