R.I.P. Erich Segal and Robert B. Parker

This week marks the passing of two very different and well known authors.

“What can you say about a 25-year-old girl who died?” is the moving opening sentence from Love Story, the popular 1970 novel by Erich Segal, which also had great success as a film. I've read the book and seen the movie- yes, they are tear-jerkers, and yes I cried. Segal died Sunday, January 17. For more, read the New York Times article "Erich Segal, ‘Love Story’ Author, Dies at 72".

And mystery author Robert B. Parker passed away on Monday, January 18. He died at his desk while working on his next book. Parker created the hard boiled P.I. Spenser (no first name) who appeared in nearly 40 novels. Further details are in the New York Times article "Robert B. Parker, the Prolific Writer Who Created Spenser, Is Dead at 77".

On the left side of this blog, I have a link to Goodreads which is a "social cataloging" website. I use it to keep track of the books I've read, as well as to create a list of books I want to read in the future (it's a LONG list that just keeps getting longer!). And I like to read the reviews left by fellow book lovers. It's interesting to me that there can be so many varying opinions about the same book- one person just loves it, one person hates it, and someone else says "it was ok".

I mention this because I was just reading some of the reviews people gave the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. The book tries to detail the story of Chris McCandless, a young man who left his family and well to do circumstances to live on his own in the wilds of Alaska. Several months later, he was found dead in the wilderness. Some people say he was naive, unprepared, and reckless- hurting his family as well as himself. Others feel he was moved by idealism, undaunted, a modern day Thoreau wanting to become one with nature. Personally, I think understand what Chris was looking for, he just pursued it with the recklessness of youth, which is not always the smartest way.

If you enjoy the book, definitely watch the film with Emile Hirsch and directed by Sean Penn.

Wow, it's 2010!

Welcome to a new year and a new decade! I have to say it feels kind of strange to write the date with a "10" at the end, but I'll get used to it because there's no going back. Or is there? Last year I read several autobiographies from former 70's stars, and that provided a really interesting blast from the past. No one is perfect, but life behind the scenes was pretty crazy for these three actors. Put on your mood ring, get out your lava lamp, and get groovy with:













C'mon Get Happy: Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus by David Cassidy
Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert
Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick

My 2009 Favorites

Looking over the books I've read this past year, I decided it's been a good reading year. With about 36 hours to go until 2010, I looked over the list I keep on Goodreads and pulled out 5 to share. Although they were not necessarily published this past year, I greatly enjoyed reading them in 2009. Alphabetically by author they are:

Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews - Chronicles the years 1935-1960 in Andrews' life and rising career, including My Fair Lady and Camelot on Broadway.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - A dynamic story of life on near future earth, where teens must compete on a televised game where they are both hunter and prey.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier - "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." A new bride is haunted by the dark shadow of the first Mrs. de Winter.

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff - Sheff recounts how he and his family struggled with his son Nic's methamphetamine addiction (also read Tweak by Nic Sheff).

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger - For anyone who's ever had the boss who demands the impossible. And expects you to make it happen anyway.

Happy New year everyone! I'll see you in 2010!