Expecting

Great Expectations (by Charles D. of course) is my pick for this month!
I don't think I read this until last year and absolutely loved it.
I hope everyone else does too!
Some things to ponder:
*How are everyone's "expectations" different?
*Why do you think Pip is so attracted to Estella (considering the way she treats men?)
*How does suffering effect each of these characters?
*Is the ending believable to you?
*How are the "sins of others" put on each of these characters?

Choices....

April is my month for our book club hostess.  I didn't realize it at our last meeting and was not prepared to tell everyone what our next choice is (I am a bad girl!)  which of course upset my A.R. (anal-retentive, not Arkansas) self.  I hate it when it's my turn.  I love to host bookclub, makes me clean house really good and I get to cook for bunches which I love.  BUT, I am not good with choices.  I get so overwhelmed thinking about all the wonderful books to choose from.  

*Will they like this one?

*Is this one too long?

*Is this one too depressing?

*Will they actually read this?

ARGH!!!!

I have it down to four choices and going to pick one out of a hat I think.  If you're in my club (or not) and have an opinion please pipe in! :)

It will be either:

Great Expectations- Charles Dickens 544 pgs 

Of Human Bondage- HM Somerset Maughm 745 pgs 

Pride and Predjudice- Jane Austen 448 pgs 

Coming of Age in Mississippi- Anne Moody 432 pgs 

On Movies from Books

I rented two movies from books I've recently read with the kids:
The Witches

and
Pippi Longstocking.

I think I've scarred my son for life now. I forgot how scary Angelica Houston was in The Witches... The special effects, done by Jim Henson's studios, were fantastic. A mix of puppetry and live animal use that is unbelievable for the time the movie was made. The actual witches in it were VERY scary (especially to the younger crowd.) The smashing of the mice (witches transformed into mice) was a bit over the top and gross. I totally regret not re-watching it before I showed it to them!

On a good note, my oldest son said he felt better after watching- he had not been happy with the ending of the book (where the boy stays a mouse and realizes he will die probably when his old grandma does.) The movie made one witch remain and be a "good" witch who helped transform the boys from mice to boys again. ARGH. Can't win for losing on that one.
Now, Pippi Longstocking on the other hand is a childhood classic (at least for me.)
It is one of those dumb movies with horrible acting but quirky action scenes and funny songs that you hate but love to watch. (Does that make ANY sense?) My brother and I loved this movie as kids for some reason, and now my kids are hooked too. We might have to buy it!