Friday Ramble

Whew. What a whirlwind of a summer it has been! Can you believe it's the end of July already? Where did the time go - seems like just yesterday we were figuring out what to do for Summer Reading ...

Summer Reading
We had our last program this week - an End-of-Summer Bash to celebrate the successful completion of a summer of fun and exciting programs at the Library! So many happy, smiling faces have attended programs, and picked up craft kits, and we loved seeing the excitement of children turning in their time cards.
Don't forget: all reviews/time read must be submitted by 11:59pm on Sunday, 7/31, to count toward the giveaways! We can't wait to tally the numbers and see just how much Archdale readers have been reading this summer. Y'all rock!

Speaking of Summer Reading...
Swing by next week to see what Archdale readers have said about some of their highly-rated summer reads. (We do read the reviews you submit!)

Armchair Travelling
The last few weeks have been weirdly hectic schedules, so at night we've been looking for something to watch that is interesting but doesn't require a lot of brain power (no new historical dramas just yet, thank you). Over the weekend we discovered a documentary series from NatGeo "Europe from Above" that perfectly fit the bill.
The cinematography is gorgeous, and the insider "sneak peeks" are fascinating. After devouring Season 1, we're now on the hunt to find the other seasons available for streaming, as well as any similar shows.
Have you done any armchair travel like this?

New Seasons Ahead
Summer is definitely one of the most exciting (and active!) seasons in the Library, but there's so much of the year left. (Yes, I know, it's hard to believe we're less than 5 months from Christmas, but there's still 5 months of 2022 to go!). August is always a sleepy month, as we sift through summer leftovers and everyone adjusts to new schedules (school starts back!), but September will bring the return of Book Break and who knows what we may be planning.

Read Together

Time for another Read Together feature, this time spotlighting books that are all retellings of the classic musical "My Fair Lady." (Which, if you don't know, was originally a George Bernard Shaw play entitled Pygmalion. I've never read the play, but I am a big fan of the movie.)

When thinking about retellings, I tend to think first about Jane Austen novels - or fairy tales. But when I recently picked up a second book in a row that was a remix of "My Fair Lady," I realized there are several others out there as well. Thus: the need for a Read Together posting!

Note: If I have read the books mentioned, I'll give a star rating/quick mini review. If I have not, then I'll include a publisher synopsis.

My Fine Fellow (Jennieke Cohen) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one is so good - it was my featured title at Book Bites! It's a gender-bent retelling (meaning "Eliza Dolittle" was actually Elijah Little), set in an alternate historical England. Featuring a compelling societal structure and set in the world of culinarians/exquisite chefs-in-training, this one was so much fun to read, even though it made me hungry!

Made in Manhattan (Lauren Layne) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another gender-bent retelling, this time set in contemporary NYC, where a Manhattan socialite is tasked with preparing (aka transforming) a newly discovered Bayou-born grandson to take the reins of his family's global corporation. The chemistry is sizzling and this one had a nice twist to it in that Violet (our "Prof Higgins" character) has her own transformation journey.

My Fair Gentleman (Nancy Campbell Allen)

In this Regency (and gender-bent) twist, Jack would rather be at sea than fixing the mistakes of his grandfather. Instead, he finds that inheriting his grandfather's wealth and title - and securing the welfare of his sister and mother - means joining the ranks of high society and living with the aristocracy. Luckily, Ivy Carlisle, the granddaughter of a dear friend of Jack's late grandmother, is willing to teach him etiquette and properly introduce him into society. Jack soon learns that his challenge isn't surviving his new lifestyle but surviving the conspiracies against him - as well as keeping himself from falling madly in love with his new tutor.

My Unfair Lady (Kathryne Kennedy) ⭐⭐⭐

"My Fair Lady" meets the Wild West meets the Gilded Age ... this was a wild romp through Proper Society and The Rules, with American heiress Summer Wine Lee (what a name!) paying a disenfranchised Duke to help her become a real lady. Of course nothing works out as it should - there are some nice quirks and hilarious antics. It's not meant to be a serious read, although there are some heavy moments - and hard truths - tucked inside.

Note: This one does have some steamy/"open door" romantic scenes. 

Book Bites Recommends

It's the second week in July, which means another meeting of the Book Bites crew! Check out the graphic below to see what we all read (and enjoyed!) this month, maybe you'll find something new to investigate ... After all, isn't that what Summer Reading is all about?

Book-to-Screen Adaptations, Part 1

Raise your hand if you've ever uttered the phrase: 

"The book is always better than the movie."

*raises both hands*

Most of us readers have probably said this at least a half dozen times, but have you ever had the reverse situation? You know, where the movie was actually better than the book?

I have - and it always surprises people, but yes, I can definitively tell you of a movie that was better than the book.

For me, it's The Princess Diaries.

I read the first book when it came out, and thought it was fun and cute - I loved the idea of a "normal" American teenage girl finding out she was the crown princess of a tiny European nation. Total fairy tale stuff, right? I kept reading the series as it grew, and while still enjoyable, it started to lose something as the series continued. 

Enter the movie - and the serene elegance of Julie Andrews's Queen Clarice and the completely relatable klutziness of Anne Hathaway's Mia - and suddenly I had the version of the story I didn't know I wanted. (The incredibly gorgeous score cannot be ignored either). 

Even when the second movie deviated from the base story, I loved it as much as the first. It felt right. And while I revisit the movies on a fairly regular basis, I never felt the need to reread the books. The movie is simply better.

Sidenote: I also enjoyed the movie versions of Ella Enchanted  and The Devil Wears Prada far more than the books. Perhaps it's an Anne Hathaway thing?

In other situations I find myself enjoying books and their movies equally. Even when the screen version changes things, I'm able to separate the experience. (Plus, let's be honest: Nobody would be able to replicate exactly what I see in my head when I read. Not to mention, every one of us sees/reads our own version of a book, so of course a movie can't be exactly like the book). 

Many of my favorite, repeat-viewing movies, are based on books I've also read and loved. *cough*Jane Austen*cough* I love the stories, no matter the format, and often have different favorite parts depending on whether I'm rereading the novel or which movie version I'm watching. 

There's a unique pleasure to the experience - seeing how someone else interpreted what they read, how they developed a certain character or if they included this minor detail or excluded that one. Especially in the case of Jane Austen's novels, or Little Women, classics that have endured for so many years and been read and reread, and screened and re-screened, so many times. These stories somehow grow with every telling, and I love seeing how my understanding and appreciation of the original evolves as I encounter new versions of the familiar tale.

As I've been binge-watching my way through several shows over the last few months, I've noticed nearly all of them are based on books. Some I've read, others I have not (and may never pick up), but all based on books - usually a series of books. It's an interesting entertainment development, and one that intrigues me as a reader. Now that I've noticed, I'm seeing more and more book-to-screen adaptations occurring - some with more buzz than others (e.g. Where the Crawdads Sing).  There is also an increasing number of YA books being adapted for the screen, and I am loving this trend. Stay tuned for another post (Part 2) that will focus on these YA adaptations!

In the meantime ... Do you think the book or movie is better? 

Or, like me, do you have examples of both? 

What is your favorite book-based movie or show?

Book Bites Recommends

 After a wildly eventful week last week (the Library was closed most of the week while the city removed old concrete and replaced it with a lovely new entrance walkway and sidewalks), we are officially in Summer Reading mode here in Archdale!

One of our first "events" was yesterday's meeting of the Book Bites - which was also the first time we've ever had a book club meeting during the summer months. Yay for new things!

In case your Summer Reading List needs a jumpstart, check out the graphic below with June's titles. They all come highly recommended!

Friday Ramble

Happy Friday, Reader! It's been a while since our last Friday Ramble, and somehow the first Friday of June (aka: the unofficial first weekend of Summer) feels like the appropriate time to chat. Grab a cool drink to sip, and let's see where the rambling takes us, shall we?

SUMMER READING
Of course this has to top the list today - Summer Reading is back! Wednesday was our official first day to register, and our first program will be a virtual visit to the sea turtle hospital in Marathon, Florida on Wednesday June 15th - a fascinating start to an exciting line-up of programs! This year, most programs will be in person at the Library, with a few special virtual events as well. Swing by our Summer Reading page for all the details and to register if you're a Teen and/or Adult.

Nostalgia Reading
Also known as "rereading classic children's books," but doesn't nostalgia reading sound better somehow? This idea is not a new one for me - I've been revisiting classics via audiobook off and on for a couple years now (highly recommend!), and sometimes there's a children's book in that mix. Most recently, I stumbled upon an audio version of Charlotte's Web narrated by Meryl Streep and a full cast. I love the depth a full cast gives an audiobook: completely unique voices for each character brings the story alive, and this was an excellent casting.
While listening however, I realized something: I'm not sure I'd ever actually read the book. We had a VHS copy of the {original} animated movie that I watched hundreds of times growing up, so I'm very familiar with the story. But I don't know that I ever read the words for myself; so that was fun, catching up on a missed classic. 
Of course, now I'm wondering what other books I didn't actually read and should revisit ...

Summer Plans: Bookish Version
While there are no thrilling vacation destinations on my horizon, I have some pretty exciting plans for the summer: to travel extensively, through space, time, and around the globe, through books. I have added many books to my personal library the last few months, and my goal for the summer is to read many of them {to "catch up" to my TBR would be nearly impossible, ha}. Stay tuned for updates on my progress, as I travel vicariously via pages. I may catch up on movies and series I've missed, also based on books {of course!}!

What are your plans for the summer? Exciting reading lists? Movies or documentaries set in exotic lands - or the reaches of space? Will you be one of the lucky ones traveling? 

No matter your plans, don't forget to register for Summer Reading!

Book Bites Recommends

If you are unfamiliar with Book Bites, it's the "un-book club" offered by the Library. How does it work? Well, on the second Tuesday of every month, a group of avid readers meet at 2pm and discuss the book they've read and loved most since the last meeting. It's always a varied and wide-ranging list of titles discussed, and all come highly recommended by one reader or another (or several!)

Here's the lists of recommended titles from our first three meetings so far this month (and our first meetings after a 2 year hiatus because of the pandemic!):