Books and movies...sort of...
If it's possible for a book to be both badly written and entertaining, then Julie and Julia by Julie Powell is a masterpiece. Let's get one thing straight: Julie Powell is not a good writer. I don't think she'd claim to be a good writer. She writes as I imagine she talks or blogs; what she thinks ends up on paper. The book, however, and the story are very entertaining. I could never do anything like the project Powell pulls off, primarily because I wouldn't cook any of the fish or seafood dishes. That rules me out right there. If I don't think something sounds tasty, I'm not going to cook it. So an entire Julia Child cookbook in a year? Nope. After seeing the movie, though, I was inspired to try some of the JC recipes, so my darling husband bought me Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Christmas that year. :) Wheee! (And no, I haven't actually cooked from it yet.)
Yann Martel, on the other hand, is an extremely good writer. Not prolific (I think he's only written two or three things that have been published), but brilliant. At the end of Life of Pi, I wasn't entirely certain what was truth: did the boy survive a year on a raft with a tiger, or was he with other humans after all? It's a gripping story, beautifully narrated, hard to put down, and unforgettable.
AND now for something completely different...we finally watched Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and I've discovered (or rediscovered) that it's a very, very, very bad idea to watch something funny while ill (specifically with bronchitis) because laughter generates coughing. Not good. Nathan Fillion and Neil Patrick Harris playing off each other - and singing - VERY good. Ha!!!
Yann Martel, on the other hand, is an extremely good writer. Not prolific (I think he's only written two or three things that have been published), but brilliant. At the end of Life of Pi, I wasn't entirely certain what was truth: did the boy survive a year on a raft with a tiger, or was he with other humans after all? It's a gripping story, beautifully narrated, hard to put down, and unforgettable.
AND now for something completely different...we finally watched Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and I've discovered (or rediscovered) that it's a very, very, very bad idea to watch something funny while ill (specifically with bronchitis) because laughter generates coughing. Not good. Nathan Fillion and Neil Patrick Harris playing off each other - and singing - VERY good. Ha!!!