Twilight (Twilight Saga, Book One)

 

STEPHENIE MEYER

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Little Brown and Company, 2008.

How acquired: No idea.

First line: I’d never given much thought to how I would die – thought I’d had reason enough in the last few months – but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: I’ve had this book since 2008, and do not remember how it came into my possession since I was never remotely interested in reading it. But I wanted an inconsequential easy read before starting the next book in my review queue and it was right there on the shelf, so I plucked it down and started reading.

I was pleasantly surprised right away that the writing was better than I had anticipated it would be. As I got further in, it got a little tedious, what with the super detailed minutiae of every facial expression when Bella and Edward talked, and especially when one or the other would suddenly whisper instead of talking like a normal person. Though Edward, of course, is not a normal person. From there it was enjoyable enough, definitely worth at least three stars. And then towards the end the action ramped up and it was actually pretty tense and gripping, which bumped it up to four stars. And now, much as I hate to admit it, I actually would like to watch the movie. I think I saw it way back when it was still fairly new, but while I was reading I remembered virtually nothing, so maybe I didn’t see it, or maybe I just didn’t care for it enough to be bothered wasting any memory space in my brain. 

Synopsis from Goodreads: About three things I was absolutely positive.

First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him—and I didn't know how dominant that part might be—that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

John Wayne and the Movies

 

ALLEN EYLES

Stats for my copy: Hardcover, A. S. Barnes and Co., 1976.

How acquired: Bought at a garage sale.

First line: John Wayne has seen the American dream come true.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: This is an interesting look at John Wayne’s movie career. The author basically gives a synopsis of each of his movies, in chronological order, along with a critical review. Some entries are short, while others are much more detailed. Actually, I don’t think every movie Wayne made is included, but there are 90 entries so quite a lot of movies! But there is a full detailed filmography in the back of the book. I was looking forward to the author’s take on Rooster Cogburn, and was disappointed to reach the end of the book, only to have the author mention, in the third to last paragraph, that at the time of this writing Wayne had made a sequel to True Grit that had not yet been released. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched any of Wayne’s movies, other than the wonderful Stagecoach which I saw a few weeks ago, and now I really want to revisit some of the ones I’ve seen, and find the ones I’ve missed, which is a lot of movies added to my want to watch list!

Synopsis from Goodreads: Here is a book for anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of Hollywood’s greatest star, a book that will enthrall all the fans of “the Duke” or “Big John” with its wealth of pictures, fact, and comment.

The author describes the evolution of Wane’s career from an extra in the silent period to star of the early sound Western, The Big Trail, through years of grinding out modest B Westerns to the enduring stardom that followed his portrayal of the Ringo Kid in Stagecoach. The development of Wayne’s screen image is brilliantly followed and tribute is paid to the actor’s very real acting accomplishments in such films as She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Red River, The Quiet Man, and True Grit. Louise Brooks, famous star of the twenties, provides a short but memorable reminiscence of meeting Wayne in the thirties, and there is a chapter devoted to the star’s working relationship with other actors and directors.

This book also provides exhaustive detail about each of Wayne’s films with extended casts and much other invaluable, hard-to-find information, resulting in the first totally reliable guide to Wayne’s career, both as an actor and producer. And there is a lavish array of illustrations, carefully selected to provide contrast and including such rarities as a special frame enlargement of Wayne’s first known appearance as a film extra. In all, this book is a richly rewarding study of an outstanding subject.