Greetings,
I have to admit it. I am a bit of a "Behind the Scenes" voyeur. I love knowing what happens behind what happens. It's just one of my things. I am someone who always watches the special features on a DVD and don't even get me started on how a great commentary track can thrill me. And, of course, I gravitate toward books that let me delve into those worlds, too. And that is just the experience I got when I read Tori Amos: In the Studio.
I am a huge admirer of Tori Amos, something I have made abundantly clear here, so that is why I got this book for myself. It was published in 2011 and written by music journalist, Jake Brown, who has written quite a few books like this about various artists and styles of music. And this was so well done that I am seriously considering checking out some more of his work.
In this book, we get some insight into Tori's early life and then we start getting into the musical career. All of it. Including a not so great first album. No, not the acclaimed Little Earthquakes, but something else that true Tori fans know about. It was a pretty low . . . a very low point for her, but it ended up giving her a push to figuring out who she wanted to be as an artist. Mostly, by figuring out what she did NOT want to be. See, that's why we must never fear failures, because they create the steps we climb to our own success. Oh, and when that album came out, some article had referred to her as a bimbo. To which she responded in an interview I once saw, "Fair enough." I love you, Tori.
Anyway, each chapter of this book deals with her individual albums, but it stops just short of Night of Hunters, sadly, as that is my favorite album by Tori. Still, I was so drawn in to what was being written about her work. It goes pretty in depth when it comes to her process and things that inspired her music on each of the projects. And if you know anything about Tori, you'll know that the stories she can tell about her process as an artist and where her ideas come from can be just as intriguing as the songs themselves. So, no surprise, I loved reading everything she had to say about that.
I suppose if I had a complaint it would be that I wished it was longer. Because this is not a long book at all, especially considering how much time it covers and who it covers. It could have been three times longer and I absolutely would not complain about that. There were a lot of quotes and stories from Tori herself, and all of that was interwoven very nicely with the writer's take on everything. So, yes, I would have been happy to read even more of it.
As a music lover, I am always interested in how an artist works and what inspires them, regardless of who the artist is, though I have my favorites. But I would recommend this book to others who enjoy knowing about a songwriter's process, especially if you're a fan of Tori Amos, or are interested in her story. This book was a fascinating read and truly let's you get into the head of the artist, even if it's another artist who is holding open the door.
Love and Full Moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova - Book Review
Greetings,
I am someone who very much appreciates the arts, even the type of arts that I don't partake in. Or that I'm not necessarily good at. So, I do enjoy some crossing over of mediums when it comes to that. So, it was inevitable that I would pick up a book by a writer who clearly has an appreciation for the art of painting. It was also inevitable that I would pick up a book by a writer who I have enjoyed in the past. Therefore, after wanting to do so for a very long time, I finally read The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova.
The Swan Thieves is the 2010 follow up to Kostova's wildly successful book, The Historian. A book, mind you, that I have already reviewed and very much enjoyed. Again, her writing delves into history, but this time her focus is more on the world of art, specifically paintings, as I mentioned. The story here starts when a renowned artist, Robert Oliver, is arrested because he nearly attacks a painting in the National Gallery. Subsequently, a psychiatrist named Andrew Marlowe is called in to take over the care of this new patient. While Oliver reveals little to nothing about himself or his motives, Marlowe is forced to dig deeper than he ever has for answers. In his search, he discovers a few people who have had an impact on Oliver, one that would even be considered an obsession to him, and Marlowe realizes that they are as much of a mystery as Oliver himself.
As with her previous novel, Kostova does a bit of time jumping in this, as well as changing perspectives quite a bit. We get the perspective of Marlowe, as well as two women in Oliver's life. Those are the present day stories. But we also are told the story of characters from the far past, through narrative as well as letters, which tie in to the present, and tell a very compelling tale. Interestingly enough, we don't get much of anything from the view of the artist Robert Oliver, which leaves him as much of a mystery to us as to the people around him in the book. But, in regards to all this aforementioned jumping around, it's not that confusing at all. We always know the where, the when and the who.
One more thing that Kostova carried over from The Historian is her attention to details. Her books are very detailed and that lends itself to the descriptions and the actual writing. The good news here is that all those details didn't bog down the progression of the story as much as it could have. Now, when I talked about her first book, I did mention this way of writing with her and I also may have mentioned that, despite how well it's written, one more trip to the editor might not have been the worst idea. Just to help the whole thing move a bit more. I didn't have that issue with this book, personally. In my opinion, whether it was because of better editing or a better story or something else, I found it much easier to get through and I read it much more quickly. To me, that's a very good thing, although, I do like to take some time with her books, just to let all the good detailing and info sink in. True, I would not put anything of hers on a 24 Hour Readathon TBR.
I suppose I ended up liking this book better than her first, which is an opinion that not everyone agrees with. But, for me, I was just drawn in to the story and the characters more than I was in The Historian. By the way, I'm not knocking that first book. I still think it's great. I just had more of an emotional connection to this one.
In closing, I would recommend The Swan Thieves, especially if you like Elizabeth Kostova's other work or if you're a fan of the world of artists and painters. It deals a lot with what a person can go through because of a gift they may have and how it can effect their whole life. As a type of artist myself, I can certainly relate to that and appreciate it greatly.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I am someone who very much appreciates the arts, even the type of arts that I don't partake in. Or that I'm not necessarily good at. So, I do enjoy some crossing over of mediums when it comes to that. So, it was inevitable that I would pick up a book by a writer who clearly has an appreciation for the art of painting. It was also inevitable that I would pick up a book by a writer who I have enjoyed in the past. Therefore, after wanting to do so for a very long time, I finally read The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova.
The Swan Thieves is the 2010 follow up to Kostova's wildly successful book, The Historian. A book, mind you, that I have already reviewed and very much enjoyed. Again, her writing delves into history, but this time her focus is more on the world of art, specifically paintings, as I mentioned. The story here starts when a renowned artist, Robert Oliver, is arrested because he nearly attacks a painting in the National Gallery. Subsequently, a psychiatrist named Andrew Marlowe is called in to take over the care of this new patient. While Oliver reveals little to nothing about himself or his motives, Marlowe is forced to dig deeper than he ever has for answers. In his search, he discovers a few people who have had an impact on Oliver, one that would even be considered an obsession to him, and Marlowe realizes that they are as much of a mystery as Oliver himself.
As with her previous novel, Kostova does a bit of time jumping in this, as well as changing perspectives quite a bit. We get the perspective of Marlowe, as well as two women in Oliver's life. Those are the present day stories. But we also are told the story of characters from the far past, through narrative as well as letters, which tie in to the present, and tell a very compelling tale. Interestingly enough, we don't get much of anything from the view of the artist Robert Oliver, which leaves him as much of a mystery to us as to the people around him in the book. But, in regards to all this aforementioned jumping around, it's not that confusing at all. We always know the where, the when and the who.
One more thing that Kostova carried over from The Historian is her attention to details. Her books are very detailed and that lends itself to the descriptions and the actual writing. The good news here is that all those details didn't bog down the progression of the story as much as it could have. Now, when I talked about her first book, I did mention this way of writing with her and I also may have mentioned that, despite how well it's written, one more trip to the editor might not have been the worst idea. Just to help the whole thing move a bit more. I didn't have that issue with this book, personally. In my opinion, whether it was because of better editing or a better story or something else, I found it much easier to get through and I read it much more quickly. To me, that's a very good thing, although, I do like to take some time with her books, just to let all the good detailing and info sink in. True, I would not put anything of hers on a 24 Hour Readathon TBR.
I suppose I ended up liking this book better than her first, which is an opinion that not everyone agrees with. But, for me, I was just drawn in to the story and the characters more than I was in The Historian. By the way, I'm not knocking that first book. I still think it's great. I just had more of an emotional connection to this one.
In closing, I would recommend The Swan Thieves, especially if you like Elizabeth Kostova's other work or if you're a fan of the world of artists and painters. It deals a lot with what a person can go through because of a gift they may have and how it can effect their whole life. As a type of artist myself, I can certainly relate to that and appreciate it greatly.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Blackbird Singing: Poems and Lyrics, 1965 to 1999 by Paul McCartney - Book Review
Greetings,
As you may know, perhaps because I've mentioned it here, April is National Poetry Month. Naturally, I had to read a couple of poetry books just for the occasion. And on the first day of the month, I read one that I've owned for quite a while and have merely glanced through but never dug deep into. It was about time that I did a proper reading of Blackbird Singing by Paul McCartney.
This book was released in 2001 and, as you can tell by the full title, it contains lyrics and poems that he has written from 1965 to 1999. Why nothing before that? Well, in my opinion, when it comes to lyrics written pre-65, I think even Paul wouldn't know where the McCartney ends and where the Lennon begins. Yes, their collaborations, partnership and friendship were that strong. At that time. If you are an admirer of The Beatles, you'll know that it was around the mid-sixties that the Paul songs and the John songs became pretty distinct, even though they were all labeled Lennon/McCartney. But enough about that.
In Blackbird Singing, you'll find many familiar songs that Paul wrote during his time with The Beatles, with Wings and from his solo career. Good luck trying not to hear the melodies in your head as you read them. If you can, you're a stronger person than I am. Truth be told, I am known for loving a good and complete set of liner notes when I buy an album. Seriously, if there aren't lyrics in there, I can get a bit miffed, because I actually enjoy reading lyrics. So, naturally, these familiar words were the ones I gravitated to more so as I was working my way through this book.
Now, what about the poetry? Well, it's certainly not bad. A few, I think, were actually very good and very moving, even. That description particularly applies to the poems that are clearly personal to him, subject-wise, such as being about his late wife, or his family, or lost friends. And like most writers, he shines when he can tap into the deepest parts of himself. But here's the thing about Paul McCartney, according to me and, perhaps, a few others. I've always felt that he was far better at the music part of songwriting than the lyrical part. He's kinda like the opposite of me. Although, don't get me wrong. On his worst day of verse writing he's probably better than most so-called songwriters on their best. Still, when I think of Paul, I think more of his melodies than words. I'm saying that I believe that his words shine the most when they are attached to his music. This is probably why, whilst I did enjoy this book and I enjoyed reading those words with merely an accompaniment of silence, I didn't get as much of a feeling from them as I would had I been reading lyrics or poems from someone like Leonard Cohen or Tori Amos.
But, again, the word 'bad' would not be found anywhere near this collection.
So, would I recommend this? I'd say yes if you are a fan of poetry and if you're a fan of Sir Paul, it would be a nice add to your collection. I'm not saying you have to rush to get to this one, but it's a nice easy read and all those classic song lyrics might hit you right in the nostalgia. I'm glad I own it. I'm glad I read it. And if you like yourself some good, old McCartney, I think you'll feel the same way.
Wow, this review was short as heck. But so are poems, usually, so there you go.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
As you may know, perhaps because I've mentioned it here, April is National Poetry Month. Naturally, I had to read a couple of poetry books just for the occasion. And on the first day of the month, I read one that I've owned for quite a while and have merely glanced through but never dug deep into. It was about time that I did a proper reading of Blackbird Singing by Paul McCartney.
This book was released in 2001 and, as you can tell by the full title, it contains lyrics and poems that he has written from 1965 to 1999. Why nothing before that? Well, in my opinion, when it comes to lyrics written pre-65, I think even Paul wouldn't know where the McCartney ends and where the Lennon begins. Yes, their collaborations, partnership and friendship were that strong. At that time. If you are an admirer of The Beatles, you'll know that it was around the mid-sixties that the Paul songs and the John songs became pretty distinct, even though they were all labeled Lennon/McCartney. But enough about that.
In Blackbird Singing, you'll find many familiar songs that Paul wrote during his time with The Beatles, with Wings and from his solo career. Good luck trying not to hear the melodies in your head as you read them. If you can, you're a stronger person than I am. Truth be told, I am known for loving a good and complete set of liner notes when I buy an album. Seriously, if there aren't lyrics in there, I can get a bit miffed, because I actually enjoy reading lyrics. So, naturally, these familiar words were the ones I gravitated to more so as I was working my way through this book.
Now, what about the poetry? Well, it's certainly not bad. A few, I think, were actually very good and very moving, even. That description particularly applies to the poems that are clearly personal to him, subject-wise, such as being about his late wife, or his family, or lost friends. And like most writers, he shines when he can tap into the deepest parts of himself. But here's the thing about Paul McCartney, according to me and, perhaps, a few others. I've always felt that he was far better at the music part of songwriting than the lyrical part. He's kinda like the opposite of me. Although, don't get me wrong. On his worst day of verse writing he's probably better than most so-called songwriters on their best. Still, when I think of Paul, I think more of his melodies than words. I'm saying that I believe that his words shine the most when they are attached to his music. This is probably why, whilst I did enjoy this book and I enjoyed reading those words with merely an accompaniment of silence, I didn't get as much of a feeling from them as I would had I been reading lyrics or poems from someone like Leonard Cohen or Tori Amos.
But, again, the word 'bad' would not be found anywhere near this collection.
So, would I recommend this? I'd say yes if you are a fan of poetry and if you're a fan of Sir Paul, it would be a nice add to your collection. I'm not saying you have to rush to get to this one, but it's a nice easy read and all those classic song lyrics might hit you right in the nostalgia. I'm glad I own it. I'm glad I read it. And if you like yourself some good, old McCartney, I think you'll feel the same way.
Wow, this review was short as heck. But so are poems, usually, so there you go.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, April 16, 2018
Innocence by Dean Koontz - Book Review
Greetings,
You know how there are certain authors who you know about and you're really familiar with their work, but then one day you stop and say to yourself, "Hmm, I don't think I've read anything by that writer." Well, for me, that author has been Dean Koontz. To be honest, I may have read something of his in the past, but it's been so long that I've forgotten. That's a shot at my poor memory, not his ability to write a memorable story. Anyway, I decided that, this year, I would make an effort to read some books by the prolific Mr. Koontz. I was inspired when one of my favorite YouTubers, Travis McBee, did a whole video showing off his massive collection of books by this particular author. He called it his Koontzy Collection. I'd judge him if that isn't what I'd call it myself. So, after hearing him give some rapid fire and spoiler-free reviews of his many, MANY books, I knew that 2018 would be the year of Dean Koontz for me. But only if I started on a good note. And it certainly did with the book I'm going to discuss today, Innocence.
Innocence is a 2013 novel about a young man named Addison Goodheart (no, really) and he lives underground. Like, literally, underground, under the city. He is forced to hide himself because he looks a certain way that makes people turn extremely violent toward him when they see him. Why? What is it about him? Is he disfigured? Is he too ugly, too beautiful? Is this a Powder situation? You don't know, but that's part of the mystery.
Anyway, one night he comes across a young woman named Gwyneth, who is running from a man that is clearly trying to harm her. Turns out, she knows about some hidden parts of the city about as well as Addison does, and she's got some issues of her own. Much like how Addison doesn't want to be looked at, Gwyneth does not want to be touched. So, they realize that this understanding and accepting of the other's needs makes them a perfectly matched pair. Which is good, because they have a long road ahead of them. One that the reader will be compelled with which to follow along.
As the book begins, you will start to find a lot of questions being thrown at you about the characters and the world that surrounds them, ultimately making this a mystery novel. But it is the curiosity and the want to answer the questions and solve the mysteries that makes the reader want to continue. So, everything is propelling you forward because you just really want to know what the deal is with everything and everyone.
If I had to make any gripe, it would be that this one pretty major plot point that leads us straight to the ending kind of comes out of nowhere. I mean, I really didn't see it coming and as far as I gathered, there weren't any obvious clues that gave it away. Of course, since I was so engrossed in the story, I figured "Hey, let's just go with it." And I was fine. Now I have heard a few other complaints about the reveal of why Addison can't be looked at. Some people didn't like the reason that was given. I'll admit it, I didn't see that one coming either, but I found it rather interesting. I also find it interesting that some people are qualifying this as a horror novel. I mean, I suppose there are some aspects of the book that could easily be considered horrific, but full on horror? I'm just not feeling that. Still, I don't think it matters what category you put it in. It's good any way you look at it.
Speaking of which, if I may say, the writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. The descriptions, the words that were chosen, everything was just fantastic. Clearly, I have been missing out all this time I haven't been reading Dean Koontz books. The man has an incredible gift. I guess that would explain his massive success as a writer. Just kidding. We all know that one does not require writing talent to sell a lot of books. But thankfully, he has it.
In conclusion, I am definitely recommending Innocence, especially to anyone like me, who wants to dive head first into the world of The Koontz. Or anyone like me, who simply loves beautiful writing. Either way. In fact, I am so impressed and inspired by this man's work that I might even write him a letter. An actual letter. With pen and paper. Because he totally has an old school P.O. Box. Good times! It's just another reason to like the guy.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
You know how there are certain authors who you know about and you're really familiar with their work, but then one day you stop and say to yourself, "Hmm, I don't think I've read anything by that writer." Well, for me, that author has been Dean Koontz. To be honest, I may have read something of his in the past, but it's been so long that I've forgotten. That's a shot at my poor memory, not his ability to write a memorable story. Anyway, I decided that, this year, I would make an effort to read some books by the prolific Mr. Koontz. I was inspired when one of my favorite YouTubers, Travis McBee, did a whole video showing off his massive collection of books by this particular author. He called it his Koontzy Collection. I'd judge him if that isn't what I'd call it myself. So, after hearing him give some rapid fire and spoiler-free reviews of his many, MANY books, I knew that 2018 would be the year of Dean Koontz for me. But only if I started on a good note. And it certainly did with the book I'm going to discuss today, Innocence.
Innocence is a 2013 novel about a young man named Addison Goodheart (no, really) and he lives underground. Like, literally, underground, under the city. He is forced to hide himself because he looks a certain way that makes people turn extremely violent toward him when they see him. Why? What is it about him? Is he disfigured? Is he too ugly, too beautiful? Is this a Powder situation? You don't know, but that's part of the mystery.
Anyway, one night he comes across a young woman named Gwyneth, who is running from a man that is clearly trying to harm her. Turns out, she knows about some hidden parts of the city about as well as Addison does, and she's got some issues of her own. Much like how Addison doesn't want to be looked at, Gwyneth does not want to be touched. So, they realize that this understanding and accepting of the other's needs makes them a perfectly matched pair. Which is good, because they have a long road ahead of them. One that the reader will be compelled with which to follow along.
As the book begins, you will start to find a lot of questions being thrown at you about the characters and the world that surrounds them, ultimately making this a mystery novel. But it is the curiosity and the want to answer the questions and solve the mysteries that makes the reader want to continue. So, everything is propelling you forward because you just really want to know what the deal is with everything and everyone.
If I had to make any gripe, it would be that this one pretty major plot point that leads us straight to the ending kind of comes out of nowhere. I mean, I really didn't see it coming and as far as I gathered, there weren't any obvious clues that gave it away. Of course, since I was so engrossed in the story, I figured "Hey, let's just go with it." And I was fine. Now I have heard a few other complaints about the reveal of why Addison can't be looked at. Some people didn't like the reason that was given. I'll admit it, I didn't see that one coming either, but I found it rather interesting. I also find it interesting that some people are qualifying this as a horror novel. I mean, I suppose there are some aspects of the book that could easily be considered horrific, but full on horror? I'm just not feeling that. Still, I don't think it matters what category you put it in. It's good any way you look at it.
Speaking of which, if I may say, the writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. The descriptions, the words that were chosen, everything was just fantastic. Clearly, I have been missing out all this time I haven't been reading Dean Koontz books. The man has an incredible gift. I guess that would explain his massive success as a writer. Just kidding. We all know that one does not require writing talent to sell a lot of books. But thankfully, he has it.
In conclusion, I am definitely recommending Innocence, especially to anyone like me, who wants to dive head first into the world of The Koontz. Or anyone like me, who simply loves beautiful writing. Either way. In fact, I am so impressed and inspired by this man's work that I might even write him a letter. An actual letter. With pen and paper. Because he totally has an old school P.O. Box. Good times! It's just another reason to like the guy.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, March 19, 2018
Love Letters: An Anthology of Passion by Michelle Lovric - Book Review
Greetings,
Have I mentioned how much I love letters? Like full on, handwritten, pen and paper letters? Because I do. A lot! Maybe it's because I'm a writer. Maybe it's because not many people compose them anymore. Maybe it's because I'm a Luddite at heart. I don't know. And I understand that an email or even a text can contain the same words, but do they often? Those are things we tend to want to get done quickly, between other tasks we deem more important. But to sit down and write a letter to someone takes time and effort and a lot more thought. And I guess I love the idea of something being in one person's hand one moment and, the next, it's in the hands of someone a hundred miles away. It's something tangible and preservable and valuable.
So, imagine how thrilled I was when, years ago, as I walked through my favorite used book store (that lives no longer), I found this book called Love Letters: An Anthology of Passion. The answer is, I was very thrilled. Mostly because it is not just a book about love letters. It is something of an interactive experience. By that, I mean there are actual letters within the book, all handwritten, folded up and put into envelopes with a wax seal that you can take out and hold and read. Sadly, they are not the originals, as those would be very old and delicate and likely extremely expensive. But they are copies that look like the originals. Close enough. And I'm happy to say that someone had the good sense to type up all the contents and put it in the back of the book, because handwriting is not always the easiest things to decipher. Anyway, it's pretty amazing. Especially considering who wrote some of those letters. More on that in a moment.
This book is actually separated into different sections pertaining to the different types of letters that are being featured. There are sections for Admiration, Celebration, Devotion, so on and so on. Because there are so many kinds of love that we can write about, and I personally enjoyed seeing so many of them brought to the light. So much more than just the generic romantic love that we are all used to hearing about.
And, as I was saying before, the numerous authors featured in this book contain some well-known names. There are letters from Dylan Thomas, Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Keats, just to mention a few. As expected, they are very, very good. Almost as though, they put as much effort into writing these letters as one would put into writing a novel.
Perhaps that is what engaged me about this book so much, and the lost art of letter writing. It's the fact that people didn't just dash off notes in the past, at least, not all the time. Not when something was important. And people used to view writing a letter as something incredibly important. Where every word written mattered and held together a message that could be held and embraced by someone else. It's a beautiful sentiment and I fear that so many of us have lost it. And the excuse is always that we don't have the time, but is that true? Or do we just not make the time?
Now I have an idea of what one can do with this book, along with my recommendation, but I will have to admit something about myself in the process. I owned this book for a very long time before I read it. I did flip through it several times, but I never sat down and read every word of it. But any book lover will know how we tend to buy books faster than we can read them, thus, causing our TBR pile to get quite Mt. Everest-y. However, this past Valentine's, I decided to partake in a 24 Hour Readathon of my own making. I figured I had nothing else to do on that day, so I might as well read, and I thought it would be the perfect day to read this one, Spoilers, it was. Anyway, this brings me to my idea. If you are in a relationship, or if you are in one when next Valentine's Day rolls around, don't go out to some fancy restaurant or to a play or a party. Just make dinner, or order in if you can't cook, and sit down with a copy of this book, and read the letters to each other. And when you finish the book, pull out a love letter that you wrote yourself. And make it a good one, darn it! So, there you are. I gave you a great idea for how to spend Valentine's Day. Or an anniversary. Or any random day that you just want to do something special for the person you love.
In closing, I highly recommend this book, especially if you want a unique experience. Or if you just want to remember how valuable the written word is. The REALLY written word.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Have I mentioned how much I love letters? Like full on, handwritten, pen and paper letters? Because I do. A lot! Maybe it's because I'm a writer. Maybe it's because not many people compose them anymore. Maybe it's because I'm a Luddite at heart. I don't know. And I understand that an email or even a text can contain the same words, but do they often? Those are things we tend to want to get done quickly, between other tasks we deem more important. But to sit down and write a letter to someone takes time and effort and a lot more thought. And I guess I love the idea of something being in one person's hand one moment and, the next, it's in the hands of someone a hundred miles away. It's something tangible and preservable and valuable.
So, imagine how thrilled I was when, years ago, as I walked through my favorite used book store (that lives no longer), I found this book called Love Letters: An Anthology of Passion. The answer is, I was very thrilled. Mostly because it is not just a book about love letters. It is something of an interactive experience. By that, I mean there are actual letters within the book, all handwritten, folded up and put into envelopes with a wax seal that you can take out and hold and read. Sadly, they are not the originals, as those would be very old and delicate and likely extremely expensive. But they are copies that look like the originals. Close enough. And I'm happy to say that someone had the good sense to type up all the contents and put it in the back of the book, because handwriting is not always the easiest things to decipher. Anyway, it's pretty amazing. Especially considering who wrote some of those letters. More on that in a moment.
This book is actually separated into different sections pertaining to the different types of letters that are being featured. There are sections for Admiration, Celebration, Devotion, so on and so on. Because there are so many kinds of love that we can write about, and I personally enjoyed seeing so many of them brought to the light. So much more than just the generic romantic love that we are all used to hearing about.
And, as I was saying before, the numerous authors featured in this book contain some well-known names. There are letters from Dylan Thomas, Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Keats, just to mention a few. As expected, they are very, very good. Almost as though, they put as much effort into writing these letters as one would put into writing a novel.
Perhaps that is what engaged me about this book so much, and the lost art of letter writing. It's the fact that people didn't just dash off notes in the past, at least, not all the time. Not when something was important. And people used to view writing a letter as something incredibly important. Where every word written mattered and held together a message that could be held and embraced by someone else. It's a beautiful sentiment and I fear that so many of us have lost it. And the excuse is always that we don't have the time, but is that true? Or do we just not make the time?
Now I have an idea of what one can do with this book, along with my recommendation, but I will have to admit something about myself in the process. I owned this book for a very long time before I read it. I did flip through it several times, but I never sat down and read every word of it. But any book lover will know how we tend to buy books faster than we can read them, thus, causing our TBR pile to get quite Mt. Everest-y. However, this past Valentine's, I decided to partake in a 24 Hour Readathon of my own making. I figured I had nothing else to do on that day, so I might as well read, and I thought it would be the perfect day to read this one, Spoilers, it was. Anyway, this brings me to my idea. If you are in a relationship, or if you are in one when next Valentine's Day rolls around, don't go out to some fancy restaurant or to a play or a party. Just make dinner, or order in if you can't cook, and sit down with a copy of this book, and read the letters to each other. And when you finish the book, pull out a love letter that you wrote yourself. And make it a good one, darn it! So, there you are. I gave you a great idea for how to spend Valentine's Day. Or an anniversary. Or any random day that you just want to do something special for the person you love.
In closing, I highly recommend this book, especially if you want a unique experience. Or if you just want to remember how valuable the written word is. The REALLY written word.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Austin McConnell - YouTube Channel Review
Greetings,
Have you ever known that one person who knows a lot of random facts about random things and they talk about all of it all the time, but they're so interesting and entertaining that you just can't help listening every time they start up? Well, everyone, let me introduce you to the subject of today's YouTube channel, Austin McConnell. Although, considering he has almost 400,000 subscribers, you may already know about him. But whatever. We're doing this.
Austin McConnell has quickly become one of my favorite YouTubers. He's a film maker and a writer and he talks about things I'm interested in. And even when he talks about things I'm NOT interested in, the way he talks about them suddenly makes me kind of interested. According to the YouTube stats, he posted his first video about five years ago, and things were a bit sparse for a while. I think he only did about twenty videos in the subsequent few years. But then, in August of 2016, he posted something that changed everything. Apparently. It was about what was wrong with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Now, I do not like Harry Potter, so I don't click on anything that has to do with it. But this looked like it was gonna talk about it negatively, so I was in! And I'm so glad I watched it, because it was thoroughly enjoyable. Other people must have felt the same way, since it was pretty popular and seemed to lead to even more and even better videos.
Now I don't remember how it is that I came to discover this channel. I think it was one of those cases where YouTube recommended it to me based on other things I've watched. Of course, that doesn't always work out as their wires seem to get crossed sometimes. It's like, no, YouTube. I want to watch people MOCK BuzzFeed videos. I don't want to watch the actual BuzzFeed video. However, in this case, it paid off. I watched that first video of his, then I moved on to the one where he told me about a book called House of Leaves, which I am very grateful for, then on to the one about Gilmore Girls, which proved to be more entertaining than the actual show. And as time moved on, I watched all the videos. I have not been disappointed.
The really fun thing about this channel is that you kinda never know what you're gonna get. I mean, one time he's talking about Star Wars, then a film challenge, then something about KFC! Waiting for a new video from Austin McConnell is like waiting for a birthday gift from that one relative that always gives you something great. You don't know what you're gonna get, but you always know it's gonna be good. And that's an important thing, because the best way to build and keep a fan base is to establish trust with your audience. He has certainly done that.
On a more serious note . . . I guess . . . I'll say something else about Austin McConnell. He seems like a really, really nice guy. The good kind of nice guy, I mean. He proved this back in January of 2018. See, YouTube has this new thing that says you can't monetize your videos unless you have a thousand subscribers and log a few thousand hours of having your videos watched. Well, that was a blow to a lot of people who didn't fit that criteria, even though we all know there are fantastic channels that are flying just under the radar. Well, in an effort to help, Austin spotlighted five channels that had under a thousand subscribers but that he felt deserved more. Considering I ended up subscribing to them, obviously, I agree. Now he didn't have to do that, but apparently he, like many of us, has decided that if YouTube isn't gonna take care of us, we have to take care of each other. And it's not enough for big channels to just complain, but rather, they can help. It's clear that he appreciates the hard work, talent and creativity that comes from the people who run those channels, so he helped them to reach more people. And it paid off. I think they all hit that thousand and beyond.
In addition to all that, something that really stands out is how personal Austin lets himself get in his videos. He talks quite a bit about his own experiences. The good, the bad, the successes, the failures. And he's not afraid to get emotional about all of it. It makes him seem even more like a real person, which he is, which is something that we can forget when we only see someone on a computer screen. He's not perfect, he knows this and he has no shame in admitting that. Especially because, despite everything, he keeps going and he encourages us to do that same.
In closing, I will once again say how much I love this channel and the man behind it. It's just nice to see someone who is so passionate about art and books and cinema and all things creative. For lack of better phrasing, being passionate about the arts seems to be a lost art. Thankfully, though, Austin McConnell is keeping it alive through his channel. He's informing us and entertaining us and putting smiles on our faces. That's more than I expect from most things on YouTube and it's much more than we could ever ask for.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Austin-McConnells-Channel
Have you ever known that one person who knows a lot of random facts about random things and they talk about all of it all the time, but they're so interesting and entertaining that you just can't help listening every time they start up? Well, everyone, let me introduce you to the subject of today's YouTube channel, Austin McConnell. Although, considering he has almost 400,000 subscribers, you may already know about him. But whatever. We're doing this.
Austin McConnell has quickly become one of my favorite YouTubers. He's a film maker and a writer and he talks about things I'm interested in. And even when he talks about things I'm NOT interested in, the way he talks about them suddenly makes me kind of interested. According to the YouTube stats, he posted his first video about five years ago, and things were a bit sparse for a while. I think he only did about twenty videos in the subsequent few years. But then, in August of 2016, he posted something that changed everything. Apparently. It was about what was wrong with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Now, I do not like Harry Potter, so I don't click on anything that has to do with it. But this looked like it was gonna talk about it negatively, so I was in! And I'm so glad I watched it, because it was thoroughly enjoyable. Other people must have felt the same way, since it was pretty popular and seemed to lead to even more and even better videos.
Now I don't remember how it is that I came to discover this channel. I think it was one of those cases where YouTube recommended it to me based on other things I've watched. Of course, that doesn't always work out as their wires seem to get crossed sometimes. It's like, no, YouTube. I want to watch people MOCK BuzzFeed videos. I don't want to watch the actual BuzzFeed video. However, in this case, it paid off. I watched that first video of his, then I moved on to the one where he told me about a book called House of Leaves, which I am very grateful for, then on to the one about Gilmore Girls, which proved to be more entertaining than the actual show. And as time moved on, I watched all the videos. I have not been disappointed.
The really fun thing about this channel is that you kinda never know what you're gonna get. I mean, one time he's talking about Star Wars, then a film challenge, then something about KFC! Waiting for a new video from Austin McConnell is like waiting for a birthday gift from that one relative that always gives you something great. You don't know what you're gonna get, but you always know it's gonna be good. And that's an important thing, because the best way to build and keep a fan base is to establish trust with your audience. He has certainly done that.
On a more serious note . . . I guess . . . I'll say something else about Austin McConnell. He seems like a really, really nice guy. The good kind of nice guy, I mean. He proved this back in January of 2018. See, YouTube has this new thing that says you can't monetize your videos unless you have a thousand subscribers and log a few thousand hours of having your videos watched. Well, that was a blow to a lot of people who didn't fit that criteria, even though we all know there are fantastic channels that are flying just under the radar. Well, in an effort to help, Austin spotlighted five channels that had under a thousand subscribers but that he felt deserved more. Considering I ended up subscribing to them, obviously, I agree. Now he didn't have to do that, but apparently he, like many of us, has decided that if YouTube isn't gonna take care of us, we have to take care of each other. And it's not enough for big channels to just complain, but rather, they can help. It's clear that he appreciates the hard work, talent and creativity that comes from the people who run those channels, so he helped them to reach more people. And it paid off. I think they all hit that thousand and beyond.
In addition to all that, something that really stands out is how personal Austin lets himself get in his videos. He talks quite a bit about his own experiences. The good, the bad, the successes, the failures. And he's not afraid to get emotional about all of it. It makes him seem even more like a real person, which he is, which is something that we can forget when we only see someone on a computer screen. He's not perfect, he knows this and he has no shame in admitting that. Especially because, despite everything, he keeps going and he encourages us to do that same.
In closing, I will once again say how much I love this channel and the man behind it. It's just nice to see someone who is so passionate about art and books and cinema and all things creative. For lack of better phrasing, being passionate about the arts seems to be a lost art. Thankfully, though, Austin McConnell is keeping it alive through his channel. He's informing us and entertaining us and putting smiles on our faces. That's more than I expect from most things on YouTube and it's much more than we could ever ask for.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Austin-McConnells-Channel
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Straight From the Theater Review - Early Man
Greetings,
I've mentioned this quite a few times recently, but I'll say it again. I am not thrilled with Hollywood at the moment. Gee, I wonder why. And this is all very sad, because I do, indeed, love the cinema and I enjoy a trip to the theater on occasion. On rare occasion, as of late, but still. So, I must go elsewhere to find some entertainment. Enter Aardman Animations, which is happily based in the U.K. Alright, I may also have some issues with the U.K. at the moment as well, but not where their artistic endeavors are concerned. Also, I love this studio. They gave us Wallace and Gromit, for crying out loud. And now they have given us Early Man. Here's a quick and spoiler free synopsis.
So, the story takes place during the Stone Age in a valley where a bunch of lovable cave people live and hunt rabbits. This is where we meet our protagonist Dug, his pet wild boar, Hognob and the leader, Chief Bobnar. One night, however, their lives are disrupted when Lord Nooth, from Bronze Age City, invades the valley to take over and mine for more bronze, driving the cave people out. After some shenanigans, Dug decides to challenge them to a football game (soccer to you Americans!) to gain back control of the valley. Because that's just what they did back in the prehistoric times. And that's pretty much it.
Okay, look, here's the thing. I've always thought that, with Aardman, the plot isn't that important. Well, it is, but it isn't. I'll say that the plots are rarely complicated. It tends to be more about the great characters they've created as well as really funny and clever jokes throughout. The plot is just kind of a thread to hold those things together and give them a reason to exist. And that's fine with me, because they are so good with the characters and the jokes that I don't mind that the plot was basically that of a 80's and/or 90's sports movie. Ya know, those ones that you can get four to a disc at Wal Mart for like $7. 50. But again, don't care when everything else is so great. Oh, and speaking of the characters, let's talk about the people whose voices brought them to life.
The casting in this is fantastic, as per usual, and what I like best is that pretty much all of the well-known actors altered their voices. That's a good thing, because hearing the familiar voice of a celebrity you know can be distracting in something like this. But by changing it up, they managed to create something that fit the characters they played. Dug was portrayed by Eddie Redmayne, and he sounded about ten years younger and ten years higher pitched. Maisie Williams provided the voice of Goona (my future child's name!), a young and awesome lady that Dug befriends during his journey. The chief was voiced by Timothy Spall, perfectly, I might add. And even the director, Nick Park, got into the action by voicing Hognob. And, then, we have Lord Nooth, voiced by Tom Hiddleston. I have some things to say about this, twofold. First, as much as I love this studio, I will admit that this particular cast member may have had something to do with my putting this film on my "Must See" list. Because I do like him as an actor, and I like him being funny, which he needs to do more of, professionally speaking. Second, what is up with Aardman casting handsome, British guys as their doofy villains? I mean, first, it was Ralph Fiennes in the were-rabbit thing, and now this? I'm not complaining; I'm just wondering. But to be honest, all the voice acting was phenomenal.
Anyway, I'd like to say one more thing. Specifically, about the animation in this. It's just heartwarming. I love the way that they create their films. I love how everything is handmade. Like, you can literally see fingerprints a lot of the time, which isn't a bad thing. It serves as a little reminder of how much work went into it. I love that, even with the option to use computers and make things easier, they don't do it, because it's not who they are. In short, I love the integrity they have to their legacy.
In closing, I highly recommend seeing Early Man. Much like everything that comes from Aardman, it's witty and fun and, again, heartwarming, and it just makes you feel happy. Sometimes that is all I need from a movie and, most times, that is way more than enough.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I've mentioned this quite a few times recently, but I'll say it again. I am not thrilled with Hollywood at the moment. Gee, I wonder why. And this is all very sad, because I do, indeed, love the cinema and I enjoy a trip to the theater on occasion. On rare occasion, as of late, but still. So, I must go elsewhere to find some entertainment. Enter Aardman Animations, which is happily based in the U.K. Alright, I may also have some issues with the U.K. at the moment as well, but not where their artistic endeavors are concerned. Also, I love this studio. They gave us Wallace and Gromit, for crying out loud. And now they have given us Early Man. Here's a quick and spoiler free synopsis.
So, the story takes place during the Stone Age in a valley where a bunch of lovable cave people live and hunt rabbits. This is where we meet our protagonist Dug, his pet wild boar, Hognob and the leader, Chief Bobnar. One night, however, their lives are disrupted when Lord Nooth, from Bronze Age City, invades the valley to take over and mine for more bronze, driving the cave people out. After some shenanigans, Dug decides to challenge them to a football game (soccer to you Americans!) to gain back control of the valley. Because that's just what they did back in the prehistoric times. And that's pretty much it.
Okay, look, here's the thing. I've always thought that, with Aardman, the plot isn't that important. Well, it is, but it isn't. I'll say that the plots are rarely complicated. It tends to be more about the great characters they've created as well as really funny and clever jokes throughout. The plot is just kind of a thread to hold those things together and give them a reason to exist. And that's fine with me, because they are so good with the characters and the jokes that I don't mind that the plot was basically that of a 80's and/or 90's sports movie. Ya know, those ones that you can get four to a disc at Wal Mart for like $7. 50. But again, don't care when everything else is so great. Oh, and speaking of the characters, let's talk about the people whose voices brought them to life.
The casting in this is fantastic, as per usual, and what I like best is that pretty much all of the well-known actors altered their voices. That's a good thing, because hearing the familiar voice of a celebrity you know can be distracting in something like this. But by changing it up, they managed to create something that fit the characters they played. Dug was portrayed by Eddie Redmayne, and he sounded about ten years younger and ten years higher pitched. Maisie Williams provided the voice of Goona (my future child's name!), a young and awesome lady that Dug befriends during his journey. The chief was voiced by Timothy Spall, perfectly, I might add. And even the director, Nick Park, got into the action by voicing Hognob. And, then, we have Lord Nooth, voiced by Tom Hiddleston. I have some things to say about this, twofold. First, as much as I love this studio, I will admit that this particular cast member may have had something to do with my putting this film on my "Must See" list. Because I do like him as an actor, and I like him being funny, which he needs to do more of, professionally speaking. Second, what is up with Aardman casting handsome, British guys as their doofy villains? I mean, first, it was Ralph Fiennes in the were-rabbit thing, and now this? I'm not complaining; I'm just wondering. But to be honest, all the voice acting was phenomenal.
Anyway, I'd like to say one more thing. Specifically, about the animation in this. It's just heartwarming. I love the way that they create their films. I love how everything is handmade. Like, you can literally see fingerprints a lot of the time, which isn't a bad thing. It serves as a little reminder of how much work went into it. I love that, even with the option to use computers and make things easier, they don't do it, because it's not who they are. In short, I love the integrity they have to their legacy.
In closing, I highly recommend seeing Early Man. Much like everything that comes from Aardman, it's witty and fun and, again, heartwarming, and it just makes you feel happy. Sometimes that is all I need from a movie and, most times, that is way more than enough.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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