book club | Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers

Bibliophile Collective Tuesday – Actors Reading Books in Movies

May 23, 2023
mandyevebarnett

I watched Book Club – The Next Chapter again with a friend over this long weekend. Yes, it’s the second time but a)it was a nice outing with a friend, b) I languished in the Italian landscape and c) what not?

The actors read three books in the movie for their online book club during the COVID scenes and it got me thinking how many other movies have books in them just as props? Well I found a list and have chosen a few to reply.

A Fish Called Wanda

Character: Otto West (Kevin Kline)

Book:Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche

Apocalypse Now

Character: Walter E Kurtz

Book:The Hollow Men by T.S. Eliot

Bad Teacher

Character: Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz)

Book:To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Donnie Darko

Character: Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal)

Book:Twenty-One Stories by Graham Greene

Friends with Kids

Character: Kurt (Jon Hamm)

Book:Cod by Mark Kurlansky

When Harry met Sally

Character: Harry Burns (Billy Crystal)

Book:The Icarus Agenda by Robert Ludlum

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Character: Leaky Cauldron Customer (Ian Brown)

Book:A Brief History Of Time by Stephen Hawking

Hot Fuzz

Character: Sergeant Turner

Book:Complicity by Iain Banks

Hot Shots Part Deux

Character: Topper Harley

Book:Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Inglourious Basterds

Character: Shoshanna Dreyfus

Book:The Saint In New York by Leslie Charteris

It’s a Wonderful Life

Character: George Bailey (James Stewart)

Book:The Adventures Of Tom Swayer by Mark Twain

King Kong

Character: Jimmy

Book:Heart Of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Little Miss Sunshine

Character: Dwayne Hoover (Paul Dano)

Book:Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche

Matilda

Character: Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson)

Book: Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Natural Born Killers

Character: Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis)

Book:The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Notting Hill

Character: William Thacker (Hugh Grant)

Book:Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernières

Poltergeist

Character: Steve Freeling (Craig T Nelson)

Book:Reagan: The Man, The President by Various

Pulp Fiction

Character: Vincent Vega (John Travolta)

Book:Modesty Blaise by Peter O’Donnell

Serendipity

Character: Sarah Thomas (Kate Beckinsale)

Book:Love In the Time Of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

Addams Family Values

Character: Morticia Addams (Anjelica Huston)

Book:The Cat In The Hat by Dr Seuss

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Character: Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt)

Book:Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

The Hours

Character: Laura Brown (Julianne Moore)

Book:Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

The Reader

Character: Michael Berg (David Kross)

Book:War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

The Wedding Crashers

Character: John Beckwith (Owen Wilson)

Book:Don’t Jump: The Northwest Winter Blues Survival Guide by Traci Vogel

The Shining

Character: Wendy Torrance (Shelley Duvall)

Book:The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger

You’ve Got Mail

Character: Kathleen Kelly

Book:Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Crow

Character: T-Bird (David Patrick Kelly)

Book:Paradise Lost by John Milton

Gone With the Wind

Character: Melanie Hamilton Wilkes (Olivia de Havilland)

Book:David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

It was an eye opener seeing so many.

Can you think of any others?

Bibliophile’s Collective Tuesday – Books and Movies

May 16, 2023
mandyevebarnett

This past weekend I went to watch Book Club – The Next Chapter. It was a fun ride catching up with the four main characters again. For me, the best part was enjoying the three Italian cities they visited. It is many years since I was there, but the memories came flooding back. The essence of Italy still holds a special place in my soul. I visited Venice, Florence and Rome and hope to go back at some point. It was interesting that the book they were reading this time round was Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist.

I finished an intriguing novel, The First Time Lauren Pailing Died by Alyson Rudd.

Review:This was an exceptional narrative, especially as its theme is a subject I love. Imagine you live more than one life in parallel? Most of us never knowing about the other life, oblivious to it. But Lauren does know and that is what makes this book so remarkable.
It is captivating.

I have now begun reading a new book – The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley, only to find it is book three of a series. However, it is a separate story of one sister’s experiences, so I’m good.

Would you read one book of a series or not?

Literary Birthdays this week include:

May 19th is the birthday of Nora Ephron who was an American journalist, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, producer, director, and blogger. She is best known for her romantic comedies and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay): for Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally…, and Sleepless in Seattle. These are exceptional movies, I think you will agree.

Another author sharing the same birthday is Jodi Picoult with an impressive 25 novels (and counting) to her name, including My Sister’s Keeper, Nineteen Minutes and Sing Me Home.

Bibliophile’s Collective Tuesday – Changes Afoot and Book Clubs

July 13, 2021
mandyevebarnett

It is always exciting, as an author, to announce a book launch, an event or a new narrative idea. Today, I can elude to upcoming changes to my current novels.

There will be a new cover for Life in Slake Patch – watch this space for the reveal or subscribe to my newsletter for a special early reveal.

Also, all my current novels will have (if not present already) BOOK CLUB questions added. If you need copies of the questions for your book club, please message me and I am happy to send them to you. I am also available for virtual book club interviews via Zoom or in person locally. I can organize a giveaway to coincide with the event too. Let’s connect – message me on the contact form.

My narratives include feisty heroine’s, as well as great world building, romance, mystery and adventure. Immerse yourself in a time and place of my imagination – you will love it.

You can easily find all my books here: Amazon

Do you have a question about one of my stories? I would love to hear from you. Message me here or on any of my many social media accounts . (Links on the media kit page).

Bibliophile’s Collective Tuesday – Inspiring Nature, an Event, a Submission and a Movie

March 9, 2021
mandyevebarnett

My friend, Linda and I enjoyed an early morning visit to Elk Island National Park on Sunday and were rewarded with sightings of a herd of bison, a solitary goose atop a beaver lodge, signs of beaver activity, a super fast squirrel speeding across the road, a coyote out on the lake (no photo my cell can’t zoom in that far) and the sheer silence of nature. We drove under an Alberta blue sky streaked with wispy clouds.

I continue to edit my current manuscript and those of my fellow novel workshop friends. After a discussion about possible front covers for the series, Linda came up with an amazing idea. It will have to be kept under wraps until a later date though.

And managed to submit a poem to a local contest. So fingers crossed.

I also finished reading Ethan Hawke’s novel, A Bright Ray of Darkness. I will be attending the virtual book club to discuss the novel at Winterfest, which will be an exciting event.

My review:

Excellent use of language and paced well. The inner turmoil and mystifying disconnect of the main character to his life gave the reader an exceptional insight into the protagonist’s mind.
A great story.

What are you currently reading? What was the last review you submitted?

I have returned to this book as I had to complete Ethan’s book prior to the event.

On a side note if you get the chance watch this movie. It is an extraordinary story and the imagery is unique.

Bibliophile’s Collective Tuesday – Steampunk Book Cover Reveal

September 15, 2020
mandyevebarnett

And now here is the eagerly awaited full cover reveal of my steampunk novel, The Commodore’s Gift. I am so pleased with it. Thanks to DLG Cover Design for making my vision come to life.

The Commondores's Gift 282-1

Genre: Steampunk

Blurb: Under the Buldrick Empire’s rule, Owena finds herself fighting alongside a rebel force. Her aptitude for strategy and swordsmanship come to the fore. When she meets Galen, not only does she fall in love but becomes even more determined to join the fight to restore the rightful King to the throne.

Official launch date 26th September 2020

Location: Facebook Live – Writers Foundation of Strathcona County’s Words in the Park Virtual event. https://www.facebook.com/groups/178555652163835/

10:00 am – 4:00 pm Enjoy author interviews, book trailers, Trivia games and a story sharing contest, prize draws, book readings and much more.

ATTENTION BOOK CLUBBERS!

HAVE A BOOK CLUB AND NEED A BOOK RECOMMENDATION? Have a Book Club? Or thinking of starting one? Know someone who does? If you said YES! Please contact me at www.mandyevebarnett.com I am happy to supply Q&A for any of my books and can arrange a prize draw too.

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