Kevin's Watch

Just finished Alan Duff's Once Were Warriors, the book on which the film was based.

Quite different from the film. Better in a lot of respects, but without the nice clear-cut ending of the film. Very good actually.

--A

I just finished Best Served Cold and The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. Would highly suggest it. I also started reading Lost to The West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization again, amazing book

Im currently reading something very different from my other readings.

Radical - Taking your faith from the American Dream - by David Platt

What Im getting out of this is the fact that in America, we Christians are real 'girly men' or lightweights so to speak. The American dream tells us to work hard to get that great job, big house, two car garage with two cars, take great vacations, and retire rich if you can. However this isnt what we are taught by the bible. But we twist the words to make them say something that is comfortable to us so that we dont have to respond by action.

Very interesting stuff

Finished The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver the other night. Terrific book. The main character is a half-American, half-Mexican boy who happens to fall into a job as cook and secretary to Diego Rivera and, subsequently, Leon Trotsky. Then he moves back to the US and becomes a bestselling author in the 1940s -- just in time for Communist scare.

Almost done with "Some Do Not..." by Ford Maddox Ford. Great stuff, but I guess I just like esoteric writing Let's see here, just so long as it doesn't interfer with Donaldson reading, I'll tackle The War at the End of the World by Llorasa (I think that's his name... he just won the Nobel prize in literature) and Gates of Fire when I can remember to take that from my parent's house.

I'll eventually finish Pillars of the Earth... it'll just have to be during winter break when I'm trapped by a blizzard. Then, I can use it as food until I can get out

Orlion wrote:I'll tackle The War at the End of the World by Llorasa (I think that's his name... he just won the Nobel prize in literature)

The name you're after is Mario Vargas Llosa. I need to put him on my short list of writers to read, too. Haven't read any of his stuff before.

I'm reading:

Is God a Mathematician:

www.amazon.com/God-Mathematician-Mario- ... 017&sr=1-1

This is right after finishing

Incompleteness:

www.amazon.com/Incompleteness-Proof-Par ... 104&sr=1-1

Avatar wrote:Just finished Alan Duff's Once Were Warriors, the book on which the film was based.

Quite different from the film. Better in a lot of respects, but without the nice clear-cut ending of the film. Very good actually.

--A

Shot A, still weird thinking that before LotR came out that Once were Warriors was what most of the rest of the world knew of New Zealand via cinema. On a side note Duff wasn't happy with the film and director Lee Tamahori, partly I guess because it diverged so much from the original novel.

Strange, considering it's subject matter, that the film is watched for comedic value here in some circles. Seriously, we love quoting Jake. He's just a lovable chap!

On that note, have you read/seen the sequel What Becomes of the Brokenhearted? I'd recommend the book more than the film, though the film is still decent. Delves much more into gang culture. There's a third book as well but I forget the name...

Interesting, since Duff was the screen-writer for both of them.

Yes, I've seen the second one too, (I have both the films actually) but haven't found the second book yet.

In fact, once both the GF and I had both finished reading the book, we watched them both in succession, just to compare.

Noticed that the first film ended before the end of the first book, but the second film started where the first book ended.

Spoiler

The set up and murder of Nig.

It would have been interesting if the film had explored the whole "homeless Jake" thing more. And of course, the first book ends with the terrible ambiguity of whether or not Jake had actually done it, rather than the films clear-cut identification (and subsequent punishment) of the perpetrator.

A few years ago I discussed the film extensively with Variol Son, who's also a Kiwi, and half-Maori, and he did talk about that "comedic value" aspect of it.

(Although it really became a discussion about Te Reo and moko in the end, both of which (and especially the latter) I have a fascination with. )

One thing that kept annoying me was a minor and pointless change they made...

Spoiler

In the first, Nig is a member of the Brown Fists, and it's the Black Hawks who they're fighting against. In the second movie, it's made out that he was a Black Hawk, and they were fighting a gang called the Snakes.

Bloody irritating.

I enjoyed the book, which especially did a good job of making Jake a more sympathetic character, but I found the 1st movie more powerful.

--A

Avatar wrote: A few years ago I discussed the film extensively with Variol Son, who's also a Kiwi, and half-Maori, and he did talk about that "comedic value" aspect of it.

For sure, "New Zealands favourite romantic comedy." www.facebook.com/pages/Once-Were-Warrio ... =ts&v=wall

It's traditional to try and quote as much as you can while watching. I know people who pretty much have the script down verbatim. True story. I still remember when "Attack of the Clones" came out, some one made a stencil of Jango Fett with "Cook me some eggs" under it, and spraypainted it all over city footpaths. Gold.

Yea the second film kinda falls apart a little. Still a great watch.

I have to say though, despite the comedic aspect and the moving main story of the original, this is still one of my absolute favourite scenes.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofybOAqLWZM < That man knows how to wield a Taiaha.

With the possible exception of this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDKpkaUHqQk

Chur.

Good ones. My favourite single scene was at the end, where Beth is confronting Jake and his friends, and as Jake jumps to his feet, Nig steps between them.

--A

SoulBiter wrote:Im currently reading something very different from my other readings.

Radical - Taking your faith from the American Dream - by David Platt

What Im getting out of this is the fact that in America, we Christians are real 'girly men' or lightweights so to speak. The American dream tells us to work hard to get that great job, big house, two car garage with two cars, take great vacations, and retire rich if you can. However this isnt what we are taught by the bible. But we twist the words to make them say something that is comfortable to us so that we dont have to respond by action.

Very interesting stuff

For a different take on the American dream and a comparison with something else, try 'The European Dream' by Jeremy Rifkin (an American). A few refarenda and financial crises after publication (2004) I think its still valid.

As to what I'm reading now...(apart from AATE of course!)...books about medals, after inheriting 3 sets of campaign medals from WW1 and WW2. All very thought provoking.

have to come up with a Christmas book for the book club next month. do not want to read Dickens again.

I'm starting Three Cups of Tea, and, as you know, it's pretty rare when I read anything non-sci-fi/fantasy and really rare when I read nonfiction (I think The Golden Spruce and Under the Banner of Heaven were the only two in the past 5 years). Anyone familiar with this? Has to to with a mountian climber from Montana who ends up doing some amazing things along the Pakistan/Afghanistan border. Tam (the wife) was blown away by this book!

Right now, I'm seeing what The Catcher in the Rye is about.

Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea - Chelsea Handler

pretty funny memior

Just finished Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry which I really enjoyed. A sort of nice ghost story which isn't that nice.

Stonemaybe wrote:Just finished Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry which I really enjoyed. A sort of nice ghost story which isn't that nice.

Was she "burning bright"?

Orlion wrote:

Stonemaybe wrote:Just finished Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry which I really enjoyed. A sort of nice ghost story which isn't that nice.

Was she "burning bright"?

The topic did come up, yeah.

Stone, I enjoyed that one, too. You're right, it starts off kind of quirky and gets quite creepy by the end.

julie and i have a bet.

i have to read moby dick in 4 hours.

just have to pick one of my days off.