The book really is better than the movie.
First of all, it's simple economics, considering the astronomical cost of viewing the latest overhyped, well-reviewed, Oscar-nominated 3-hour masterpiece. I like to plan ahead, so I tapped into my 401K so I could see Les Miserables and The Hobbit. I would have seen The Hobbit in 3D, but apparently even retirement loans have a threshold. Still, I felt a little better when the soda sommelier cheerfully informed me that I was entitled to a complimentary refill. Later I realized her insincerity after failing to finish the first liter. Once I was settled in my theater seat, I endured 15 minutes of tantalizing trailers urging me to come back and have loads of fun watching the only two people left on the planet figure out that they're not alone after all, followed by 5 more minutes of upcoming crowd-pleasers that would probably appeal to me if my brain consisted of Redi-Whip. Finally, I was able to relax and enjoy Gandalf singing "Bring Him Home." That's the way I remember it, but I admit that my movie comprehension has never been precise.
As far as books go, I'm actually reading Moby Dick. I usually read at least one classic each year, and this is the year of the White Whale. Did you know that Herman Melville spends an entire chapter describing the color white? Who does that? Who even thinks of doing that? He also has an entertaining chapter titled "The Sermon" in which the minister delivers the finest account of Jonah you'll ever encounter. I'm still only halfway through the book, which means I've invested about $1.50 of the $2.99 I paid on my Kindle. As a bonus, I get to read a well-reviewed masterpiece without any other authors vying for my attention, and fill my brain with vocabulary while sipping my favorite drink by the fireplace. If you'd care to join me, I'll get you started. Call me Ishmael.
No comments:
Post a Comment