Monday, May 30, 2005

Summer Reading

I just finished Anna Karenina this morning. I think I liked it. I'm not sure. It was interesting to read about Russian Culture in the late 1800's. For some reason I have not pictured Russia as a high culture, literary, artistic place. I also had not really thought of Russia as so connected to Europe. I want to learn a little more about Russia. I would love to see uniforms and dresses of that era.

Is there a movie of A. K.? Kinda like Pride and Prejudice?

I think my favorite character was Levin. I liked his confused thoughts. I especially liked his thoughts about war with the Turks - though "everyone" wanted to go to war, Levin knew that the "everyone" he knew had no interest in the Turks at all.

I would like to make a reading list for myself and for Hannah to read from this summer. What were your favorite books when you were 11? What are you reading this summer?

8 comments:

Pirate Princess said...

I had the same feelings about A.K. - but I recently heard someone talk about it that gave me a reason to read it again. Yes, there is a movie. Seems everyone has been bit by the book bug - I wrote about the book I'm involved in on my blog, and I've been to 2 other blogs & they were talking about the books they were reading! I guess we're all in sync! My daughter (she's 11) just finished the last available Harry Potter, and s now working on the Anne of Green Gables Series. When I was that age I loved Nancy Drew, Little House, The Hobbit, and L.T. Meade (antiques) books. My daughter has already read the Nancy Drew series and the Little House Series. :)

Pirate Princess said...

Wendy, I got to thinking about it - have you read Dr. Zhivago yet? Good Russian lit. there too... :)

Anonymous said...

Hey Wendy! I read Anna Karenina in a "Families and Fiction" class at BYU. I really liked it, and I appreciated my professors' (there were two) discussions on it and how it talked about family situations throughout the assignment to read it. I thought it was also interesting to know a bit mroe about the Russian culture at that time and how it was popular to speak in French and go into Europe for vacations. Levin was definitely my favorite too. He seemed a bit bumbling, but a good thinker.

RIght now I am reading "Life of Pi" and I like it so far. We just went to the San DIego Wild Animal Park and the discussion on animals in zoos had me thinking a lot about the book while we were there. Has Hannah read the Chronicles of Narnia? Bridge to Tarabithia (sp) is another good one. I'm excited for the new Harry Potter book. I swear Harry Potter passed the sacrament in Randy's parent's ward this week. woops, this got long!

wendy said...

I have not read Dr. Zhivago. Or The Brothers karamazov (or karawhatever) Tomorrow is library day. I would like to read some discussion about AK. Maybe after kids are off to bed. Hannah is a crazy reader and outreads me. But she has not read Anne of Green Gables, or the rest. I think we will start there. Sydney is reading small chapter books now. We are going to start with Charlotte's Web.

Anonymous said...

Hey Wendy, I read the Brother's Karamozov while in College. It was pretty good, actually I really don't remember much. I think I also read Withering Heights around the same time. I read a children's book a while ago that I enjoyed, Hannah might also. It was called the Railway Children. I also enjoyed the Mary Poppins books.
Heather

wendy said...

Heather,
We watch the movie "Railway Children" a couple of weeks ago based on the movie. Fun. We will have to check it out.

Batya said...

I read it eons ago when I was nursing my first. She was an easy baby, and I didn't have much to do.

Anonymous said...

It has been so long since I read Anna K. that I can't remember it but I did enjoy Dr. Zhivago (and the movie) and The Brother's Karamazov. Right now I am reading a book Laurie sent me for Christmas, "Elizabeth and Mary, Cousins, Rivals, Queens". The book is an analysis of interaction of two who claimed the English throne in the 1550's and later - Elizabeth who was Henry VIII's daughter by Anne Boleyn and her cousin Mary Queen of Scotts. It is a very well documented book and very interesting.

Has Sydney already read the Flat Stanley books? They are probably too easy for her but fun. Mom