This Month's Books - September 2005

A couple days late. And there were only two: school provides plenty of others. I've added a few movies we watched this month.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
A fantasy written by a homeschooler, set in another world and focusing on a youth and his dragon coming of age. It wasn't Tolkien, of course, but it was good, and I look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy. There is more emphasis on practical magic than in Tolkien's work, which might bother some. I find it offers some interesting speculation on the possibilites for the supernatural in a world governed by different laws than ours.

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
A re-read, but I saw much more in it this time. The continual harping on cuckoldry got annoying after a while, but the mastery of language was thrilling, entertaining, and sometimes simply astounding. If Shakespeare followed Humpty-Dumpty's rules, he must have paid his words well.


Movies:

Northanger Abbey (produced by the BBC)
What do you get when you combine Jane Austen, bad moviemaking, and bad gothic music? Seriously, I didn't know a movie score could be so bad.

The Sandy Bottom Orchestra
A very good movie about a young violinist growing up in an artistic family and somewhat less artistic town. After watching it, I've decided I want to learn Mozart's 23rd piano concerto. Da da-da Da tada-Da...

Ever After
A retelling of the Cinderella story set in Rennaissance France. It has become one of my favorite movies: the story is good, the script is good, and the cinematography is stunning. To quote myself, "The Sandy Bottom Orchestra is good, but Ever After is a work of art."