Great American Read – Part 2

We’re about halfway to finding out which book will be named America’s favorite by PBS in the Great American Read. I don’t know about you, but I have been inspired to check more books off this list in the past couple of months. Rather than just reading them on my own, I asked my mother if she would like to have our own little book club for two. I thought it would be a great bonding experience and give us something fun to talk about on our weekly phone calls. We decided to take turns picking books neither of us had read yet and allow two weeks to read it, discussing it both at the halfway point and again when we finished. Mom likes listening to them on audio, and I tend to read the print version.

We started with Mom’s choice: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. She had seen the 2010 movie starring Jack Black, but hadn’t read the book. I had neither seen the movie or read the book, although I did recall possibly seeing bits and pieces of the 1996 TV miniseries starring Ted Danson. I love how this book helped me see what a sense of humor my mother has.  This book gave us plenty of laughs (admittedly, we’re a little warped). At one point the main character is on an island inhabited by tiny people. A fire breaks out in the wing of the tiny royal castle where the princess resides. Giant-size Gulliver “helps” by urinating on the fire. He was disappointed that his “help” wasn’t as appreciated as much as he thought it should be. On the whole, I think Swift meant for it to be more of a political satire than a comedy. However, it is clear he had a sense of humor. Although written almost 300 years ago, much of the subtext is still relatable today. I think that is a mark of a truly great novel.

When we finished with that, I chose for us to read Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. It was an apt one for me to discuss with my mother, because it is centered around mother-daughter relationships: specifically, four Asian mothers living in San Francisco and their their American-born daughters.  I was also planning a family vacation to San Francisco, so I wanted to read as many books set there as I could before going. The book’s themes center around family, culture, and class and how these things shaped the experiences of these eight particular Asian women. I would recommend reading this if you have not already. I also checked out Joy Luck Club on DVD and watched the movie on my own, which I enjoyed.

The third book we read was an Agatha Christie novel. The Christie novel on the Great American Read list is And Then There Were None, but somehow Mom and I got it in our heads that it was Murder on the Orient Express. Maybe it was because I have a tendency to get excited when I can read a book and then watch the movie made based on that book, and I knew that the Murder on the Orient Express movie had just been made in 2017. (I have since learned that there are also movies based on And Then There Were None.) So we read Murder on the Orient Express, then watched the movie together. We both found it to be a quick read. We also loved the unexpected ending. The movie was a little different than the book (as most movies based on books tend to be) but overall true to the story in an enjoyable way. The movie boasts an all-star cast including Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad and Daisy Ridley. But enough about that one. It’s not even on the list.

I think we are going to read the Vonnegut novel next. I better double-check the list to make sure we get the right one!

In my last blog post, I asked readers to comment with their favorite book from the list. I also set up a display at each of our three locations with a voting box. When the Great American Read announces America’s favorite book in late October, I will tally our local votes and announce Davenport’s favorite. If you haven’t voted yet please do so by either commenting on this blog post or writing your favorite title from the Great American Read list on a slip of paper and leaving it for us in the turquoise box at one of our locations.

DVDs for December

December 2

wolverineThe Wolverine– Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen

Summoned to Japan by an old friend, Wolverine becomes involved in a conflict that will force him to confront his own demons. There, adamantium claws will clash with samurai steel as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will change him forever. Rated PG-13

city of bonesThe Mortal Instruments – City of Bones – Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower

Clary Fray, a seemingly ordinary teenager, discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of young half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother, Clary joins forces with a group of Shadowhunters who introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York City called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures. Rated PG-13

 

smurf2Smurfs 2 – Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris.

The evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants, and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris. It’s up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her. Rated PG

December 10

battleoftheyearBattle of the Year – Josh Holloway, Laz Alonso

Los Angeles hip-hop mogul and former B-Boy Dante wants to put the country that started the sport back on top. He enlists his hard-luck friend Blake to coach his team. Blake must use every tactic he knows to get twelve talented individuals to unite as a team if they’re going to bring the trophy back to America.Rated PG-13

December 17

lonerangerLone Ranger – Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer

A thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes. Native American spirit warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice – taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption. Rated PG-13

2guns2 Guns – Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington

DEA agent Bobby Trench and U.S. naval intelligence officer Marcus Stigman are working undercover for a narcotics business. After a distorted attempt to infiltrate the drug cartel, they soon learn the secret of their dubious affiliation. Rated R

elysiumElysium – Matt Damon, Jody Foster

In the year 2154, two groups of people remain: the extremely wealthy, who reside on an immaculate man-made space station named Elysium, and the rest, who occupy an overpopulated, destroyed Earth. Max decides to embark on a mission that could bring equality to the opposed worlds. Rated R

percyjacksonPercy Jackson – Sea of Monsters – Logan Lerman, Sean Beam

Based on the publishing phenomenon, Percy Jackson and other young demigods continue to fight, but this time in the sea, to fulfill their destinies. To save their world, Percy and his friends must find the fabled and magical Golden Fleece. Embarking on a treacherous odyssey into the uncharted waters of the Sea of Monsters (known to humans as the Bermuda Triangle), they battle terrifying creatures, an army of zombies, and the ultimate Evil. Rated PG

prisonersPrisoners – Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal

Keller Dover is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki arrests its driver but a lack of evidence forces his release. As the police pursue multiple leads, Dover knows his child’s life is at stake and decides he must take matters into his own hands. How far will he go to protect his family? Rated R.

familyFamily – Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer

A mafia boss and his family are relocated to a sleepy town in France under the witness protection program after snitching on the mob. Despite Agent Stansfield’s best efforts to keep them in line, Fred Blake and his family can’t help resorting to old habits by handling their problems the ‘family’ way. Chaos ensues as their former Mafia cronies try to track them down, and scores are settled in the unlikeliest of settings. Rated R.

December 24

jobsJobs – Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney

A riveting story of a true American visionary, a man who let nothing stand in the way of greatness. It chronicles the iconic innovator and entrepreneur’s early days. He was a college dropout who co-founded Apple Computer Inc. and was then forced to leave. More than a decade later, Jobs returns and single-handedly sets a course that will turn the once-tiny startup into one of the world’s most valuable companies. His epic journey blazes a trail that changes technology-and the world-forever. Rated PG-13.

insidious2Insidious Chapter 2 – Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson

The haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world. Rated PG-13

 

December 31

donjonDon Jon – Joseph Gordon-Levitt,  Scarlett Johansson

Jon is handsome, good old-fashioned guy. His buddies call him Don Jon due to his ability to ‘pull’ a different woman every weekend, but nothing compares to the bliss he finds alone watching porn. Barbara is a beautiful, good old-fashioned girl. Raised on romantic Hollywood movies, she’s determined to find her Prince Charming. Wrestling with good old-fashioned expectations of the opposite sex, Jon and Barbara struggle against a media culture full of false fantasies to try and find true intimacy. Rated R