I have been half in love with easeful Death
Welcome to 2011 mes amis. In honour of the new year, here are some old things which I have recently rediscovered.
Aka: a list of things that are amazing
1. This:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger and her younger brother are being taken by their mother to live with a foster family outside Munich. Liesel's father was taken away on the breath of a single, unfamiliar word - Kommunist - and Liesel sees the fear of a similar fate in her mother's eyes. On the journey, Death visits the young boy, and notices Liesel. It will be the first of many near encounters. By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.
So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.
The Book Thief is a story about the power of words to make worlds.
I don't have enough words to describe how brilliant this book is. There is a reason I can only cope with reading this once every few years. This book will pull your heart apart, piece by tiny piece. It's about humanity and surviving and guilt, about the way we use words and the way they can also be used against us.
Have a box of tissues ready, that's all I'm saying.
2. I have a thing for poetry. Especially romantic poetry. And even if you aren't that big a fan, I guarantee you that you will like it slightly better when it's read by someone with a British accent. Don't believe me? Okay, hear for yourself.
Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats; read by Benedict Cumberbatch
3. You know how you've always wanted to know the secret to winning rock-paper-scissors every time? Yeah, me too. Which is why this link is so useful.
4. This tone matrix makes for hours of enjoyable wasted time, especially because it makes me feel like I'm some sort of musical genius.
5. Y'all knew this one was coming. A Very Potter Musical. I'm sorry I'm such a loser and am always on the late train. I can't help it. That doesn't stop it from being amazing though. And the Sequel.
6. Here is a pretty smashing recipe for pink lemonade that I have tried and tested and deemed delicious.
and 7. Something that is not old but is very interesting and also fun to look at:
A shot by shot analysis of the Season 6 Doctor Who trailer which can be viewed for the discussion and spoilers...or just for the pretty. Either way it's great :)
I also had a few fic recs to add to this post but I feel that may be going overboard with the awesome. I'll have to save that for later.
Anyway, hope you guys all had a marvellous New Year celebration and here's to an even better 2011.
♥
p.s. 17 days till I am in the US of A! Has anyone ever done the trip from New Jersey/NY to Boston before? I want to visit a friend who is on exchange there but I'm not sure about the logistics and how plausible/expensive it is. Also, any advice as to touristy things to do in LA or NY is also very very welcome.
p.p.s. I just had to re-date my Friends Only post because IT'S NOW 2011. This would be the point where I freak out about where my life is going. brb.
Aka: a list of things that are amazing
1. This:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger and her younger brother are being taken by their mother to live with a foster family outside Munich. Liesel's father was taken away on the breath of a single, unfamiliar word - Kommunist - and Liesel sees the fear of a similar fate in her mother's eyes. On the journey, Death visits the young boy, and notices Liesel. It will be the first of many near encounters. By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.
So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.
The Book Thief is a story about the power of words to make worlds.
I don't have enough words to describe how brilliant this book is. There is a reason I can only cope with reading this once every few years. This book will pull your heart apart, piece by tiny piece. It's about humanity and surviving and guilt, about the way we use words and the way they can also be used against us.
Have a box of tissues ready, that's all I'm saying.
2. I have a thing for poetry. Especially romantic poetry. And even if you aren't that big a fan, I guarantee you that you will like it slightly better when it's read by someone with a British accent. Don't believe me? Okay, hear for yourself.
Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats; read by Benedict Cumberbatch
3. You know how you've always wanted to know the secret to winning rock-paper-scissors every time? Yeah, me too. Which is why this link is so useful.
4. This tone matrix makes for hours of enjoyable wasted time, especially because it makes me feel like I'm some sort of musical genius.
5. Y'all knew this one was coming. A Very Potter Musical. I'm sorry I'm such a loser and am always on the late train. I can't help it. That doesn't stop it from being amazing though. And the Sequel.
6. Here is a pretty smashing recipe for pink lemonade that I have tried and tested and deemed delicious.
and 7. Something that is not old but is very interesting and also fun to look at:
A shot by shot analysis of the Season 6 Doctor Who trailer which can be viewed for the discussion and spoilers...or just for the pretty. Either way it's great :)
I also had a few fic recs to add to this post but I feel that may be going overboard with the awesome. I'll have to save that for later.
Anyway, hope you guys all had a marvellous New Year celebration and here's to an even better 2011.
♥
p.s. 17 days till I am in the US of A! Has anyone ever done the trip from New Jersey/NY to Boston before? I want to visit a friend who is on exchange there but I'm not sure about the logistics and how plausible/expensive it is. Also, any advice as to touristy things to do in LA or NY is also very very welcome.
p.p.s. I just had to re-date my Friends Only post because IT'S NOW 2011. This would be the point where I freak out about where my life is going. brb.