July 24th, 2007 by Laura Moncur in Literature
Second Life is a 3-D interactive world where you can create an avatar and interact with other people. Some people call it a game. Some people are making a living just working in Second Life. There have been some good video games that have come out of Second Life. There have even been people who have met, fallen in love and married in the real world because of Second Life.
All of this is completely disinteresting to me.
When my friend, Aliza Sherman, showed me around Elysian Isle, however, my mind opened up to the possibility that Second Life might have a spot for me. Random House Publishing owns Elysian Isle. They have made a beautiful and relaxing spot where you can enjoy the company of others who like to read.
This is Second Books, where you can find information about books and reading groups. There is one that meets every Tuesday from 1-3pm SLT at the Elysian Isle Cafe.
If you need directions to Elysian Isle, this link should get you there:
If you are new to Second Life, but are interested in getting started, try here:
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July 19th, 2007 by Laura Moncur in Literature
Unshelved made a comic about one of Oscar Wilde’s most famous stories:
The Picture of Dorian Gray addresses two issues for me: aging and secret desires. Dorian stayed looking forever young because it was his portrait who aged for him. Because the portrait took on all the visible aspects of Dorian’s vices, he was able to chase after them with abandon without the visible markings of an evil man (scars, disease, etc.). We all must face our own secret desires and aging and the idea of escaping both is enticing.
Because Oscar Wilde’s story touches us in such a base manner, it has been beloved in literature and film adaption. You can find it on Amazon in many forms:
You can read original story at your library, on The Literature Page, or in your own book from Amazon:
You can also enjoy the story by watching the movie:
Picture of Dorian Gray (1945): Starring George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed, Peter Lawford, and a very young and beautiful Angela Lansbury. Sorry, it’s only available on VHS right now.
Picture of Dorian Gray (1973): Starring Shane Briant, Nigel Davenport, Charles Aidman, Fionnula Flanagan, and Linda Kelsey.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003): Starring: Sean Connery, Naseeruddin Shah, Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Stuart Townsend. This story is not a retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray, but Dorian is a main character in this movie.
Oscar Wilde was very familiar with stifling his secret desires, so he was able to write a story that would last over a century. If you have ever feared aging or have lost your battle with your own secret desires, you will find a kindred spirit in Dorian Gray.
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July 16th, 2007 by Laura Moncur in Literature
This week on Unshelved, they talk about the similarities between The Fantastic Four and Furies of Calderon. You can see the comic here:
The first Fantastic Four movie came out in 2005 and they have gotten the same cast for the second movie, Rise of the Silver Surfer. If you enjoyed these movies then you might enjoy elements of many other illustrated novels and fictional series.
One that you might find interesting is Furies of Calderon, the first in a series of fantasy novels about defeating the incoming armies with magical forces that depend on the four elements. Just like the Fantastic Four were fire, water, earth and air, the people of Alera use these elements to protect themselves from Quintus Sextus’ armies.
If you liked the Fantastic Four movies, you might find yourself enthralled with the series of books that Jim Butcher has created, starting with Furies of Calderon.
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May 10th, 2007 by Laura Moncur in Literature
Here is an excerpt from Nice Guys Finish Seventh. It’s a book about misquotations that looks interesting.
He’s right about the attribution of quotes:
To be accurate, therefore, reference books should attribute “No man who hates dogs and children can be all bad,” to the Times reporter. His name was Byron Darnton. Byron who? That’s just the point. Who’s heard of Byron Darnton? Yet most of us know the name W.C. Fields. This is why Fields routinely gets credit for someone else’s words. He probably always will.
Politicians have speech writers. Should the speech writers get the credit? Actors and studios have spin doctors. Should the quotes go to the spin doctor who thought of the saying? It’s all a very messy situation that we run into all the time at The Quotations Page.
If discussions like this interest you, look at our Quotations Forum:
We get a couple of questions every day there and it’s an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon: researching the origin of a quote.
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March 20th, 2007 by Laura Moncur in Literature
hannahem27 asked in the Literature Forum:
I’m trying to put together a collection of books for my study – can anybody give me suggestions of what great novels I should include? So far I have Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, and the whole of jane Austen’s works. What else should I buy to read???
The great people on the forum recommended a wonderful collection of books here:
But, I have a different opinion:
I used to collect books for my library. I used to have a room just for my library. When we were forced to move to a smaller house, most of my books were relegated to the basement in boxes.
Which books would I recommend?
Don’t try to have a library for anyone but yourself. You don’t need great literature surrounding you. You need books that YOU hold dear. The complete collection of Jane Austen is beloved to some, but was abhorred by Mark Twain.
I used to have a lot of books in my collection because I thought I SHOULD have them. Now, those books are rotting in boxes in my basement. You can only have so many things in your life. Choose them wisely.
On the other hand, you can have as many books in your head as will fit. I recommend that you READ all the books recommended here. Buying them for your library is another story. A library is useless unless it is read.
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