Category Archives: Books on the Big Screen

“Room” by Emma Donoghue (2010) and “The Collector” by John Fowles (1963) – giving ‘small but perfectly formed’ a whole new dimension

Posted on February 15, 2016 by nicolaliteraryramblings

The brilliant Baftas were just upon us again, and another baby star is coincidentally born, with the heart-stopping performance of Jacob Tremblay as five year-old Jack. When I read “Room” for the first time, my own daughter was 12 and we were … Continue reading →

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“War & Peace” by Leo Tolstoy (1869) – whatever am I going to do with myself now?

Posted on February 8, 2016 by nicolaliteraryramblings

All good things, so so sadly, must come to an eventual end. It’s been a roller coaster of a ride trying to gallop alongside the heinously cropped 6-hour adaptation of this epic novel, and I almost came out of the saddle … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Books on the Big Screen, Classics Club Challenge | Tagged , | 23 Comments

Colm Tóibín – a man for all seasons? – the jury’s out…

Posted on January 29, 2016 by nicolaliteraryramblings

Having spent a not inconsiderable amount of time over previous days proposing wildly romantic things for people to do in Paris over the Saint Valentin period, it struck me that the main character of Colm Toibin’s recent novel “Nora Webster” … Continue reading →

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“Lady Chatterley’s lover” by D.H. Lawrence (1928) – taking the John Thomas, sorry, the mickey – and welcome to “Whoar”, oops “War & Peace”

Posted on January 10, 2016 by nicolaliteraryramblings

Back in the autumn, the BBC revisited Lady Chatterley and strapping Oliver Mellors, and after watching the rose-tinted version with a certain sense of bafflement, was tickled to pick up the battered (complete and unexpurgated) copy on the shelf and … Continue reading →

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“The Help” by Kathryn Stockett (2009) – a whole new take on ‘keeping up with the Jones’s’

Posted on December 12, 2015 by nicolaliteraryramblings

It’s taken me all this time to watch the film of the book I enjoyed reading so much the year it was published, with its Stepford Wives’ flavour and heady swipe at the treatment of the hired help in Jackson, … Continue reading →

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Baileys’ Women’s Prize for Fiction Best of the Decade OR “What a blinkin’ performance!”

Posted on December 5, 2015 by nicolaliteraryramblings

It took an imminently expiring passport (you know that sinking “how did you let this happen” feeling?) and a belligerent bloke at the British Consulate here in Paree – “Désolé, Madame, mais le système a changé…” – to force a welcome … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Prizes, Book Reviews, Books on the Big Screen | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

“The Go-Between” by L. P. Hartley (1953) – between the devil and the deep blue

Posted on October 4, 2015 by nicolaliteraryramblings

The BBC has a lot to answer for. All those carefully and lovingly prepared piles of books to be read in a certain order keep getting re-arranged, as not a week seems to go by without another new adaptation of … Continue reading →

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“Persepolis 1 & 2” by Marjane Satrapi (2003-4) – a fundamental revelation

Posted on September 6, 2015 by nicolaliteraryramblings

I am supposed to be busy reading Man Booker shortlist titles and the Classics Club “spin” choice, but have been completely railroaded by a couple of stop-you-in-your-tracks reads. As a spunky adolescent, Marjane Sartrapi was not one to set store … Continue reading →

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“Let The Great World Spin” by Colum McCann (2009) – if you can keep your head…

Posted on August 27, 2015 by nicolaliteraryramblings

A spinning kaleidoscope of a novel that keeps you teetering on the edge and your head literally spinning: I was unable to put this book down once I’d delved into it.  What could a tightrope walker, an Irish monk and … Continue reading →

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“Middlemarch” by George Eliot (1871) – joining the mile high club…

Posted on August 14, 2015 by nicolaliteraryramblings

Deep rapture, euphoria, beatitude and other superlatives. Veneration, wonderment and general doffing of caps. Have finally joined the several mile high crowd of fan club of all things Mary Ann Evans, and what’s even better is that there is still … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Books on the Big Screen, Classics Club Challenge | Tagged , , | 34 Comments