Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday: Books (and movies) that are responsible for convincing me to read other books...

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme by The Broke and The Bookish . I don't actually know what today's theme is. I've seen about three different ones on my news feed. I decided that I wanted to do a different one because I'm a rebel and because I never seem to find a theme I want to do. I feel like I've done them all already (at least in my head) and I haven't read enough books since last year to really make a difference to the ones I've already done. Also, I thought it was about time I did another Top Ten Tuesday.

The theme I chose/made up was Movies or Books that were responsible for linking (if that's the right word) me to other books that I read. I chose movies as well because I don't think I've read enough books that actually linked me to books and because there were a few books I learned about through movies that were really cool and I wanted to tell you guys about them.

1. TEN THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (Movie) linked me to THE BELL JAR by SYLVIA PLATH
- I think I first watched this movie when I was about eight? I don't remember. Anyhow, I think I watched it more times than I don't know what. We taped it on VCR when it was on TV. And then we bought the DVD when DVDs came out. I still watch it about once a month. Because of my early exposure to this movie I have a bit of a thing for Julia Stiles (one of my favourite actresses) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (swoon).  I thought Kat Stratford was the coolest character to grace the cameras and I have since idolised her (the character that is). She is listed as an 'Inspirational Person' on my facebook page. So after seeing 'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath in Kat Statford's hands so many times and listening to her say "What about Sylvia Plath, Charlotte Bronte, Simone de Beauvoir" that I decided to find out who this Sylvia Plath was. If she was good enough for this Kat Stratford character with all these morals and things then Sylvia Plath was good enough for me. I then went on to watch the movie 'Sylvia', read the complete wikipedia page, read the short stories and poems of, And, babbled to the point that my friend bought me a copy of 'The Bell Jar' for my birthday. I read it quickly afterwards. I absolutely loved it. I agreed with this character Esther Greenwood. I proceeded to draw Sylvia Plath for an art project and I made Sylvia another 'Inspirational Person' on my facebook page. Yeah, I'm crazy.

2) THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS (Movie) linked me to THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS by ANN BRASHARES
-I know right. So obvious. So typical. I watched the movie. Liked it. Raved on and on about it to mum. My birthday present that year was the series. I didn't actually read it until I fractured my eye socket and was made go in the library and do homework instead of playing sport (a savior really). Same thing happened with 'Harry Potter' by JK. The difference here is that these books actually got me into reading other books and I didn't hurt my eye socket before I read 'Harry Potter' (I think 'Harry Potter' was back in the primary school days when you had to read for half an hour everyday after lunch). I was hungry for more when I finished these and it was the start of more reading.

3) TWILIGHT by STEPHENIE MEYER linked me to WUTHERING HEIGHTS and JANE AUSTEN
-Yes. Twilight was a bit lame. A part of me loves it. The whole romance thing. Some hot, smart guy who is never going to die, falls in love with this everyday girl. I've grown to dislike it more and more over time. The whole old-school damsel in distress thing is old-school for a reason. So I guess it's kind of middle ground. It's mediocre. The point is it introduced me to those books. I bought a bind-up of the Jane Austen books to be just like Bella. And, I purchased 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bronte. I quite like Jane Austen's novels. 'Sense and Sensibility' and 'Pride and Prejudice' were really good. I don't Like 'Wuthering Heights' that much. It's on a par with twilight.

4) EASY A (Movie) linked me to THE SCARLET LETTER by HAWTHORNE
This is a bit of a stretch seeing as I haven't actually read it yet. I did buy it though. That's a start. It only cost me $1 second hand. I love OP SHOPS!

5)THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB (Movie) linked me to JANE AUSTEN (again)
This book reminded me to get a move on with the books. Every time I finish one I watch it again. It's like a thing...

I only made it to five. Turns out I read most books based on availability, recommendations from Shelfari members, who wrote them and general browsing. I'm still going to post this. I feel as if I have put too much effort into it to not post. My Sylvia Plath spiel is quite something isn't it? And, one thing that is quite evident is how awesome it is to get books on your birthday!

What was your Top Ten?

Your Favourite Blogger,
Natalie

2 comments:

Wall-to-wall books said...

Hmm this post was an interesting concept! Makes me think about my own reasons for reading certain books.

lillylilac said...

I want to read The Scarlet Letter because of Easy A as well.