Showing posts with label Book Corner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Corner. Show all posts

Beattie&Forbes: Book Launch October 27, 2011

Thursday 27 October 2011, 5.30pm

'Native by Design'

Book Launch

RSVP for Drinks & Nibbles

Native by Design:Landscape Design with New Zealand Plants
eds. Ian F. Spellerberg, Michele Frey and John Maillard(Photographs)

In this lavishly illustrated book, 20 of New Zealand's top landscape architects and designers offer their wisdom and advice on landscaping with native plants. These personal narratives showcase some of our country's most beautiful out-door environments, from private gardens to public recreation land, urban and industrial spaces, and even farmland. Stunning photographs by John Maillard capture the uniqueness and splendour of each location, from Kaeo in the Far North to Queenstown in the south.

Stimulating interest in Literature through video

For the last twelve months there has been a small project on Youtube called Bookfighters. Five friends from around the world challenged one another to read a different book each week and share their thoughts on the same youtube channel. What resulted from this was a series of discussions around shared text.



My own response to this project was to create a youtube playlist of my own entitled ‘Book Corner’ where a variety of individuals shared their thoughts on a recent book they have enjoyed.



The same questions were asked of each participant and they are available for download.

Readit1st

I'm not saying I'm a 'see it before you read it' kinda guy, I'll let you be the judge. But I have yet to watch any of the Harry Potter movies because I was waiting to have read them all before I see any of the movies.  Also I've finished 'The Lincoln Lawyer' as you may know already if you follow my vlog and am currently hanging out for a couple of friends to finish reading before we buy the movie and find the biggest, HDTV we can and watch it. As I said; I'll let you judge.

Hank Green is one half of the Vlogbrothers, a hugely popular youtube community commonly referred to as Nerdfighters.

Just recently Hank shared in his vlog the ‘Readit1st’ pledge.

As he mentions many successful movies are adaptations of novels. With millions more viewing compared to those reading something needs to happen.

With ‘reading for pleasure’ in the US, and I would argue here in New Zealand too, is being limited to one or two novels a year some would argue that ‘the joy of reading’ is dying out.

The ‘Readit1st’ is a simple sign up to a newsletter and the opportunity share your commitment my sharing a badge, as in figure 1, on your blog or website.
The newsletter available to pledgers is written by John Green and feature the upcoming movies that are based on novels with the urge to ‘Readit1st’.

One of the featured articles reads:

The Help

In theaters now you’ll find The Help,  an adaptation of Katherine Stockett’s first novel, which has now sold more than five million copies in the U.S. (…he wrote, betraying no trace of jealousy). Even so, the movie has been seen by more than twice that many people in just a few weeks.

Set in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, Stockett’s novel has three different narrators—two African American maids and one white woman. If you’re one of the 6.91 billion people who haven’t read it, readit1st!

Useful links:



The Great Gatsby Chapter 2 and beyond...



The top comment beneath this Youtube video states:
"Honestly, John. You would be the best English teacher. Ever. End of story."
But returning to the novel. As I am nearing the end of the novel the idea of it being perceived as the 'American Dream' causes me to wonder which of the themes in the novel point to being the American Dream.
Is it?
  • The acquisition of 'stuff', so much stuff in the persuit of happiness and fulfillment. There being sufficient money to throw such parties with such a carefree ease.
  • The constant yearning for simpler, easier times, where life was good.
  • The heroic endeavours of Gatsby. The sense of mission and destiny. 
  • Or all of the above.

Is Gatsby's quest truly heroic or is it the fact that Nick, the narrator,  sees it as such and therefore is rallied to his cause?
Heroism is in the perception, surely. Fine line between hero and nutter...

Select the playlist to view all of the other book reviews and videos

What do you see as the Great New Zealand novel?
What do you see as the Great English novel?
What do you see as the Great {insert country of chose} novel?

Previous post:

The Great Gatsby: Extraordinary gift for hope



Reading for pleasure has value, right?


Some time ago Michael Connelly, the author, visited New Zealand for a one off book reading and a promotion of the movie “The Lincoln Lawyer”. Watch the video below to discover my thoughts and feelings about the show – or there lack of – and the book too.

I am an avid reader but few books can be classified in the ‘can’t put down’ pile.

The Lincoln Lawyer was one of them.

Others include:
Patriot Games by Tom Clancy
Moneymakers by Harry Bingham
The Partner by John Grisham
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
24 hours by Greg Iles
Talking in Whispers by James Watson

None of these novels can be classified as ‘classic’ or ‘masterpieces’ but is there anything wrong with that?

Story development, character growth and dealing with weightier issues of the day are surely not limited to the realm of ‘the classics’.

And even if they were. Is there no argument for simply reading for pleasure?

Educating the Dragon youtube channel will be running a Book Review competition in October so why not start rereading your favourite novel and go subscribe to be to win.

Further things to do:

Watch as I explain why Patriot Games plays such a key role in growth and development as a reader.

Further information about the video:

Talking about 'Lincoln Lawyer' by Michael Connelly
Useful links:
The Film details
The Book details
Michael Connelly on the web

Buying in New Zealand

If you've read this book and want to offer an option, leave a comment.
If you have any thoughts around books and reading... guess what? ... leave a comment.

Music care of STEEP- 'Let me Go' (Jamendo)

Connect with me:
Subscribe to this channel.
Facebook
Formspring
Twitter

The Fry Chronicles reviewed



I have just completed the fourth interview in the “Book Corner” playlist.

Fiona discusses Stephen Fry’s second autobiography ‘ the fry chronicles’.

Stephen Fry is very much in self-reflection mode and is more than willing to pull away the veil of show business to reveal the self-doubt and excitement that seems to come in equal measure when dealing with such a fickle animal.
Now he much loved and admired across the globe that it is hard to see that there should have been any doubt in his mind.

This is, above all else, a thoughtful book. And namedroppy too, and funny, and marbled with melancholy throughout. Its camaraderie of tone lets it wear its learning lightly yet leaves you with a hoaching number of new insights, new ways of looking at things, from snobbery to reality-TV contestants.




The Great Gatsby Chapter 1: Extraordinary gift for Hope

There is nothing I prefer than passing the mantle to someone smarter. That way I can learn. Perhaps we can learn a little together?

John Green is reading ‘The Great Gatsby” and encourages all nerdfighters to do the same. Over the weeks and months ahead he’ll be sharing his thoughts, chapter by chapter. You can subscribe to him directly and share in the comment stream his listeners create or follow eductingthedragon as we share each episode right here.




"In which John Green discusses the first chapter of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, including thoughts on the role that the ideas of the self-made man and the American dream fuel the beginning of the novel. Themes, metaphors, and symbols are all discussed--although hopefully not in that boring and unlikable way you all find so reprehensible."

In the first chapter, our narrator Nick Carraway introduces us briefly to Gatsby before taking us to an awful dinner with the unhappily married Buchanans, Tom and Daisey, who live in great wealth and misery on East Egg.

NZPost Book Award finalists

General non-fiction


This year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards finalists provide a feast of Kiwi experience, reflecting a growing and confident awareness of our unique place in the world, says Judging panel convenor and Te Reo Māori Advisor for the New Zealand Post Book Awards, Paul Diamond.

‘All the finalists enable us to see our world differently. They tell great stories with pride, brightening our lives in this time of dark days.’

Finalists include:
Fiction
Laurence Fearnley
Charlotte Grimshaw
Tim Wilson
Poetry
Kate Camp
Cilla McQueen
Albert Wendt, Reina Whaitiri and Robert Sullivan
Paula Green and Harry Ricketts
Chris Bourke
Ian Mune
Paul Millar
Neville Peat
Illustrated non-fiction
Athol McCredie
Russell Beck, Maika Mason and Andris Apse
Nigel Watson and Jane Ussher
Douglas Lloyd Jenkins, Claire Regnault and Lucy Hammonds
Damian Skinner


Is this the future of the book?

Multimedia capability is going to supersede the written word. There is a thought out there that the ability to read and write will become obsolete in a generation. Oral language and technology literacy will be all that is required for a successful, fulfilled, economically productive existence. Communication will be via video, audio and image manipulation.

However IDEO has an interesting take on the future of the written word.


The Future of the Book. from IDEO on Vimeo.




Have you read 0.4?

This is probably the best read for Y5 + out there at the moment and I need your help...



Thanks one and all.

Writers Get Together
Wednesday 15th June 2011
7pm

Beattie & Forbes Booksellers

Are you a writer of:

  • Children's Fiction
  • Teen Fiction
  • Picture Books
  • Non Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Short Stories
  • Adult Fiction
  • Screen Writing
  • Journal Writing

Are you serious about your writing?

Do you need someone to bounce ideas off?
Is it hard to find other writers in your genre?
Do you just want someone to talk to about writing?

Now is the time to find that person or build that group - We would like to get you all together so you can find like minded writers to do just that!


Because after all - Only a writer understands a writer

We are very honoured to have Award Winning local author Anna Mackenzie as a guest speaker
to help launch our get together and then we can chat about what local writers really need.

Published and Unpublished Writers all Welcome