Lena

Rupert and Dan Movie Recs Post #7

lena3 — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 07:30:45 GMT

wolfiekins and I are doing our movie recs this month! Here are my posts on December 8th and December 11th and December 15th and December 19th and December 23rd and December 27th .

Here are Wolfie’s posts from December 10th and December 13th and December 17th and December 20th and December 24th and December 28th .

We used to do Pride recs quite a few years ago, but decided to resurrect it. We will be reviewing Rupert and Dan’s respective movies every couple of days. Hope you enjoy!

POSTMAN PAT: THE MOVIE (2014)

Postman Pat: The Movie is a film from a UK television series. It is about a postman who wants to win a trip for his wife on a singing talent show program, much like American Idol. While he is gone an evil company owner makes robots to take his place to save money. Pat winds up in the finals with a boy band singer named, Josh.

There are a few jokes that adults will appreciate such as the host of the talent show is named Simon Cowbell. There are a few well-known actors voicing in this such as Jim Broadbent and David Tennant. David Tennant is fun, voicing Josh’s nutty manager Wilf.

Rupert voices the boy band singer, Josh, and is very much his own personality. The character is soft spoken and humorous. But the big thing about this movie is Rupert sings!!! I just love it!!!

It’s an entertaining and cute movie, but definitely for kids. But Rupert sings!!!

It is a computer animated film. It is 88 minutes and is not rated in the US, but would be a G.

Rupert and Dan Movie Recs Post #6

lena3 — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 01:23:07 GMT

wolfiekins and I are doing our movie recs this month! Here are my posts on December 8th and December 11th and December 15th and December 19th and December 23rd .

Here are Wolfie’s posts from December 10th and December 13th and December 17th and December 20th and December 24th .

We used to do Pride recs quite a few years ago, but decided to resurrect it. We will be reviewing Rupert and Dan’s respective movies every couple of days. Hope you enjoy!

DAVID COPPERFIELD (1999)

David Copperfield is a BBC made film from 1999 shown in two parts on television. This book by Charles Dickens has been made into numerous movies. This one is mostly faithful to the text.

It is about a boy who is able to overcome bad circumstances. From his mother’s death, to his cruel stepfather, and trying to fit into a world where being of a certain class is everything.

There are many fantastic British actors in this movie, including some of Dan’s co-stars from the Harry Potter series, such as Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, and Zoe Wanamaker (who plays a nasty piece of work). Ian McKellen (who is nearly unrecognizable) and Bob Hoskins are also in this film. Tom Wilkinson does the terrific narration. All of the actors do a wonderful job.

The scenery and costumes are beautiful and the London of long ago is very realistic. You can feel the dirt!

Daniel plays David Copperfield at about 10 years of age and does a fine job. Especially, the scenes with his evil stepfather, he is fearful, stoic, and even rebellious. At that young age, Daniel was able to get across to the audience how the character feels. And wee little Daniel is very cute.

Daniel is in the first 90 minutes, but they did a great job finding an older boy to play David for the second part of the movie. David is then played by Ciaran McMeramin, who is a good 14 years older than Daniel and meant to be about 10 years older in the film. The voice of Ciaran especially is like Dan’s, quite soft-spoken, but confident.

It is 185 minutes long in two parts and is unrated. I would guess it would be a PG equivalent for some violence.

It’s a great movie. It’s well-worth a watch. Especially if you like British dramas and great acting!

Rupert and Dan Movie Recs Post #5

lena3 — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 06:54:25 GMT

wolfiekins and I are doing our movie recs this month! Here are my posts on December 8th and December 11th and December 15th and December 19th .

Here are Wolfie’s posts from December 10th and December 13th and December 17th and December 20th .

We used to do Pride recs quite a few years ago, but decided to resurrect it. We will be reviewing Rupert and Dan’s respective movies every couple of days. Hope you enjoy!

THUNDERPANTS (2002)

Thunderpants is about a boy who is born with a terrible flatulence problem. His only friend is a boy genius, played by Rupert, who can’t smell anything, therefore, doesn’t have a problem with Patrick. Rupert’s character, Alan, tries his hardest to help Patrick. Alan is such a genius that he is sent to work with the equivalent to NASA and help three stranded astronauts in space. Luckily, Patrick’s problem is everyone’s solution. Far-fetched you say? Never.

Lots of great actors, such as, Stephen Fry, Simon Callow, Paul Giamatti, and Ned Beatty! Josh Herdman who plays Gregory Goyle in the Harry Potter series plays a similar character who is a bully with two toadies.

This was filmed after Sorcerer’s Stone, so Rupert was still a wee lad. His accent and acting are okay in this. He gets much more comfortable as he gains experience in the Harry Potter films and in life. I think he tried to make himself different to get away from the Ron role, but it’s almost too much of a stretch, but it’s a cute role.

It is 87 minutes and is PG for crude humor, language, some violence and bullying.

Thunderpants is a silly kids movie and if you go into knowing that, it is watchable. I’m pretty sure it was made for the 10 year old set, but if you want to see Rupert in his first non-HP role, this is it!

Rupert and Dan Movie Recs Post #4!

lena3 — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 20:16:28 GMT

wolfiekins and I are doing our movie recs this month!

Here are my posts on December 8th and December 11th and December 15th .

Here are Wolfie’s posts from December 10th and December 13th and December 17th .

We used to do Pride recs quite a few years ago, but decided to resurrect it. We will be reviewing Rupert and Dan’s respective movies every couple of days. Hope you enjoy!

DECEMBER BOYS (2007)

December Boys is about a group of orphans who take a holiday to a beautiful beach area in Australia in the late 1960’s. There are an interesting cast of neighbors that they encounter. They learn about people and about themselves.

It stars Daniel as Maps, the oldest of the group of orphans. He is their leader and mentor. He meets an older girl who is very experienced, so Maps learns about love and life from her as well.

The adult actors in this movie are excellent. I especially like Jack Thompson, who was in THE SUM OF US . (If you haven’t seen that, it’s a must!) There is a youngish couple who becomes interested in adopting one of the boys, which also brings about tough choices for all involved.

This was one of Dan’s first forays away from Harry Potter during those years and he does well. There is a funny scene where he attempts to sing and does it badly and his scenes with Lucy, the older girl, are well done. He is all fumbles and tries to impress without seeming silly. On a side note, Dan was already very hairy at this point as the viewer can see in some shots when he wears shorts.

It was originally a book published in 1963 and the movie is nothing like the book, which I think is okay. They added some plot points that help it along as a movie. This actually wasn’t specifically a device for Dan. He grabbed this role, when someone else dropped out, but he handled the part with ease.

It is PG-13 for sexual content, nudity, underage drinking and smoking. I give it a soft PG-13. This is tame compared to some things, as this movie is already nearly eight years old.

It’s a sweet movie. A quick watch on a lazy day. It has an excellent cast and a plot that moves nicely.

Rupert and Dan Movie Recs Post #3

lena3 — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 02:42:06 GMT

wolfiekins and I are doing our movie recs this month! Here are my posts on December 8th and December 11th .

Here are Wolfie’s posts from December 10th and December 13th .

We used to do Pride recs quite a few years ago, but decided to resurrect it. We will be reviewing Rupert and Dan’s respective movies every couple of days. Hope you enjoy!

Today’s post is about two comedy show episodes that Rupert was involved in.

SUPER CLYDE (2013)

Rupert did a pilot for CBS in 2013 called Super Clyde. Unfortunately, it wasn’t picked up, which was a shame.

Super Clyde is about three siblings who come into a lot of money. Clyde (Rupert) is the youngest of the siblings. He has to decide what to do with his money, if anything. His siblings are self-absorbed. Clyde wants to find his place in the world and as a youngster, wants to be a superhero. He decides to be like his uncle and leaves money around town to help people. It doesn’t always go as planned, but he has a good heart.

Rupert does an excellent American accent. He is adorable and very funny. Stephen Fry (who did the UK version of the Harry Potter books), plays the butler and is as terrific as always. The scenes with Rupert and Stephen are so much fun.

Clyde likes comics so there is comic book storyboarding within in keeping with the superhero part of the show. It was a very cute and different idea. The fat jokes are very tiresome, but there ends up being a point to it. The show had a lot of potential and would’ve been fun to see what else they did with it.

Luckily, this is still on YouTube. Have a watch!

AMERICAN DAD – Season 8, episode 2 – Killer Vacation (2012)
American Dad is an animated comedy about a family with a dad who is with the CIA. This particular episode the family goes on vacation. Steve (the son) finds the camp at the resort geared towards children but is talked into trekking across the island to find a nude beach by another boy, named Liam, with a charming accent. The boy constantly leads them into pitfalls but despite his better judgment, Steve can't help but follow due to the other boy's accent.

There are mishaps and Steve gets hurt constantly, but Liam continues his jolly, happy way of looking at everything. Steve is so fascinated by the accent that he blindly follows him. By the time, they get to the nude beach, they find Steve’s parents and sister and her husband. So, he is grossed out, while Liam wants to get a peek through the binoculars.

Liam is voiced by Rupert. His accent is a very posh English one and probably what we in the States think they are supposed to sound like in the movies. It’s amusing. The scenes with Rupert are funny and his voiceover is well done.

I am NOT a fan of Fox animated comedies, so Rupert was the only reason I watched this. I personally think this show is not for children. If you like the show, you will love this episode. If you love Rupert, you will enjoy his scenes. The show seems to be only available on Amazon.

American Dad – Killer Vacation

Rupert and Dan Movie Recs Post #2!!

lena3 — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 07:10:04 GMT

wolfiekins and I are doing our movie recs this month! Here is my first post on December 8th .
Here is Wolfie’s first post from December 10th .

We used to do Pride recs quite a few years ago. We will be reviewing Rupert and Dan’s respective movies every couple of days. Hope you enjoy!

This week's recs:

WHAT IF? (2013)

Can you be just friends with a girl? This is the age old question that Wallace needs to figure out. Chantry has a boyfriend but adores Wallace and seems content to keep things as is, for a while anyway.

What If? What if you stay only friends? What if you cross that line? What happens to the friendship? All these questions are put to the test in this movie starring Dan and Zoe Kazan as Wallace and Chantry. It is a cute movie, not a deep thinker, but with humor and a touch of the dramatic.

Both stars do a terrific job and Dan is at his best when he is in scenes with more drama. He gives a lovely performance with lots of banter that we expect from him, but he is terrific when his woe-is-me personality turns to anger.

In one particularly good scene, he and Chantry get stuck on the beach and are forced into an uncomfortable situation. It starts off humorous, as he is holding a branch in front of his naked self but as the two of them get more frustrated, you feel the seriousness of the scene. Dan’s character gets angry at the situation, then at Chantry, then at his best friend without getting loud and overdoing it. It’s better than a shouting scene because the calm of his zings make you believe he is upset.

It’s not a movie that I would see normally, but it was sweet and Dan is in it. It’s about twenty-somethings in love and the naivety and confusion that goes with it.

It is known in some countries as The F Word. It is 101 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for sexual content including references throughout, partial nudity and language.

Rupert and Dan Movie Recs Post #1

lena3 — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:50:51 GMT

wolfiekins and I are doing our movie recs this month. We used to do Pride recs quite a few years ago. We decided to resurrect it but with Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe! We will be reviewing Rupert and Dan’s respective movies every couple of days. I’m starting today and wolfiekins will start on the 10th. Look for them! Hope you enjoy!

This week's recs:

INTO THE WHITE (2012)

It’s World War II and the English and German armies are fighting over the skies of Norway. Two planes crash and two sets of men wander through the snow looking for shelter and food. Little do they know that they will meet and will need to work together despite the fact that the two countries they belong to are at war.

Into the White (Cross of Honour in the UK) is based on a true story of five men who became friends in an unlikely time. Two Brits and three Germans end up sharing quarters with each other in the Norwegian wilderness, until they get rescued.

The movie shows the relationship between all the men but mostly Gunner Robert Smith’s with Karl-Heinz Strunk and Lt. Horst Schopis with Capt. Charles P. Davenport. Schopis and Davenport are the ranking officers among the men. The two men conflict with each other over control of the situation, but eventually come to an agreement and mutual respect.

Rupert Grint plays Gunner Robert Smith. He is a feisty character and brings laughs in tense situations. He holds his own in the group of men. He curses a lot which is fun to watch. His relationship with Strunk starts off in a taunting way as the man doesn’t speak a lot of English, but they come to find common ground and actually become friends.

Rupert does a terrific job in working with all the other personalities and while he does add humor, it isn’t forced. It’s a biting, dark humor that works perfectly with the story. His character’s personality is also a bit crude, so there are scenes of Rupert in middle of when nature calls. You can’t see anything (which is unfortunate) but his attitude and facial expressions are humorous and at times feed off the annoyance of Strunk, who he has good chemistry with as their characters friendship grows.

A beautiful scene is when the men are watching the Northern Lights as Rupert sings Over the Rainbow. There are some gruesome scenes with the third German who was badly injured as the men all work together to care for him.

The DVD and Blu-Ray are available in the US and UK. The movie is 107 minutes and rated R for language. If you don’t know German and Norwegian, you need to put on the English with Foreign Language subtitles.

The German names are real and the English names have been changed. The end credits tell what happened to everyone.

Sadly, sometimes all that keeps people from being friends is war. It’s a very touching, poignant, and entertaining movie and it’s a true, incredible story.

Banned Books Week 2012

lena3 — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 20:12:41 GMT

It's that time of year again!!

Banned Books Week will be celebrated this year from September 30 through October 6.

A little background on Banned Books Week:

Why Banned Books Week?

But here’s the sentence that is one of the reasons that compels me to stand up for this issue – Freedom to express oneself through a chosen mode of communication, including the Internet, becomes virtually meaningless if access to that information is not protected.

The American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom tracks challenges and banned books. For more information.

What is the difference between a challenge and a banning?

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.

From the American Library Association website and for more information: ALA

Please let your flist know about Banned Books Week. :) You would be amazed how many people aren’t aware that there are banned and challenged books within the United States. You are welcome to take a copy of the “I Read Banned Books” icon and share.

Banned Book Week

lena3 — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 04:27:38 GMT

I can't believe I didn't do this last year. I mean I haven't done reviews in some time, but I should at least mention it!!

Banned Books Week will be celebrated this year from September 24 through October 1.

A little background on Banned Books Week:

Why Banned Books Week?

But here’s the sentence that is one of the reasons that compels me to stand up for this issue – Freedom to express oneself through a chosen mode of communication, including the Internet, becomes virtually meaningless if access to that information is not protected.

The American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom tracks challenges and banned books. For more information.

What is the difference between a challenge and a banning?

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.

From the American Library Association website and for more information: ALA

Please let your flist know about Banned Books Week. :) You would be amazed how many people aren’t aware that there are banned and challenged books within the United States. You are welcome to take a copy of the “I Read Banned Books” icon and share.

lena3 — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 07:11:14 GMT

HAPPY 23rd BIRTHDAY, RUPERT GRINT!!

The right to vote!

lena3 — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:48:50 GMT

Today is the 90th anniversary of the certification of the amendment that gave women the right to vote.

Here are some links with more info.

National Archives press release.

Resolution document.

Petition signed by Susan B. Anthony.

And remember, there was a time when women and others could not vote in this country. Regardless of your politics, please vote!! There are countries where women still can't vote. It's important. Take advantage of our rights.

Happy Birthday, Rupert!!

lena3 — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:04:38 GMT

HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY, RUPERT GRINT!!

You are almost as old as I am now!! ♥

Movie Review

lena3 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:54:24 GMT

The kids are definitely all right!

The Kids are All Right (2010) Starring Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo.

This movie is about a family whose two children were conceived by artificial insemination and are interested in meeting their biological father.

The reason that I didn't mention the parents in the family were two women is because it doesn't matter. It's about how marriage and relationships are hard, people make mistakes, and decisions made bad or good affect everyone around you.

It was a really well made movie. The acting was excellent and totally believable. The story could happen anywhere, anytime, and in 2010 probably happens more than we think. The kids in the movie were fantastic. Spot on teenagers with valid feelings.

The older daughter turns 18 and her younger brother talks her into meeting their biological father. She tracks him down and the first meeting goes well. She enjoys it more then she thought she would. The brother who had built up this in his head, isn't impressed.

Things progress nicely, until the father, Paul (Mark Ruffalo) starts getting to know the moms. Nic (Annette Bening) is an uptight doctor and Jules (Julianne Moore) is a stay at home mom who is trying to start a landscaping business.

Jules begins an affair with Paul and it turns things upside down. I really liked that they didn't make Jules bisexual. That would've been the easy way out and perpetuated stereotypes. Instead, they have an attraction, act on it badly, and cause problems for the entire family. It doesn't change her basic sexuality. As she explains it, sexuality is complicated. And that is very true.

Another interesting fact is that COLT Studios got a credit for two scenes in which people are watching gay porn. I know that legally they needed to do that, but I liked that they didn't shy away from the fact that all kinds of people watch and enjoy gay porn. ;)

It is playing limited, but go see it if you can. I think it's going to get some Oscar recognition. We'll see if I'm right!

Pride Month 2010

lena3 — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 07:23:55 GMT

Presidential Proclamation.

Movie Rec!!

lena3 — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:29:09 GMT

I should wait until Pride Month next month, but I really need to rec this now!!

La Mission starring Benjamin Bratt and Jeremy Ray Valdez. It is listed as a 2009 release on IMDB. That is because it debuted at Sundance last year. It is only recently getting into movie theatres.

It the story of a father and his son living in the Mission District in San Francisco. Che, the father, finds out that his son, Jes, is gay. Che has trouble understanding and accepting it. This movie is VERY realistic about this subject within the Latino community.

Benjamin Bratt was incredible in the character and it really makes me sad that his performance will get shutout at every turn, except for the independent awards. His brother Peter Bratt wrote the screenplay and they grew up in the Mission District so the realism is there.

This movie is getting absolutely no coverage and playing in very few places, but if you have the chance or even wait until it comes out in DVD, please make the time to go see it.

This IS Benjamin Bratt in the movie poster!

And under the cut is the trailer!

The Penguins are finally #2!!

lena3 — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 06:36:31 GMT

For the first time in three years, And Tango Makes Three dropped from the #1 position and is #2 on the Top Ten most frequently challenged books of 2009.

New List released from the American Library Association today!

Top 100 challenged books from the last decade. Yep, Harry's #1!

Fic: A Day in the Life of Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley by lena3

lena3 — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:20:29 GMT

This was my submission to the ginger_lust comm for 2010.

Title: A Day in the Life of Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley
Creator: lena3
Rating: PG-13 for Ron’s language in one scene.
Pairing/characters: Ron/Harry
Warnings/content: Cranky!Ginny, Hermione/Viktor
Medium/word count: 1620
Summary: Ron and Harry battle through life together, but is it worth it?
Notes: Thank you to wolfiekins and dream_wia_dream for the beta.
My prompt:
I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.
-Vince Lombardi

Harry Potter’s eyes were still closed but he was not asleep.

He lay in bed and flexed his feet. Then he stretched his arms above his head. Then he grabbed his right shoulder and massaged it. He groaned.

“Whadya doin’?” Ron Weasley muttered.

“Why is my body falling apart?” Harry pushed the duvet off the bed.

“Oi! It’s cold!”

Harry grunted as he sat up. He moved his legs, bending them, letting his feet dangle over the side of the bed.

Ron grabbed a corner of the duvet and pulled it over his body, hiding underneath.

“You have to get up, too.”

Ron grunted.

Harry slowly stood up and stumbled to the loo.

He looked into the mirror and scratched his stubble. He looked at the small lines in the corners of his eyes. He looked at his forehead which over the years kept getting larger and larger. He touched his shoulder again, sore as always.

Magic and tonics didn’t help much anymore. He was only forty-five, but he felt eighty-five at times.

“Gods, I’m old.”

“No, you’re not. I’m older than you,” Ron slid in behind him and looked into the mirror as well.

Harry smiled at Ron’s reflection in the mirror.

That smile always got him through the day.

******

“Oof.” Ron rubbed his stomach.

Harry picked up the breakfast plates and put them in the sink.

“Ahhhhh…”

“We’ve got the Tummy Tonic from your mother. I think it’s in the cupboard.”

“Ughhhh…” Ron clutched his stomach and ran out of the room and to the loo.

******

“Merlin! Why do you insist on keeping this car?”

Ron pumped the clutch of the Ford Anglia. Harry’s body rocked back and forth; his hand holding onto the dash in front of him.

“It’s a classic!”

“A classic piece of shite.”

“I don’t care. Go ride your broom.”

Harry sighed. Then he adjusted the seatbelt he had made Ron install.

And they continued down the street.

******

“See you at lunch!” Ron called out from the open window.

Harry waved and turned to go into the Ministry of Magic.

He nodded at various acquaintances as he made his way to his office.

“Harry J. Potter” said the name plate on the door.

Harry opened the door and went in.

He had thought that working at the new and improved Ministry of Magic would be excitement every minute. He joined when he turned 21 and had enjoyed a little freedom after all that had happened.

Not quite excitement. It was a typical bureaucracy. Lots of paperwork. Lots of meetings. Lots of putting up with Percy the Prick.

He wasn’t sure how it happened that his brother-in-law was his boss.

“Harry?”

Harry turned around. He forced a smile. “Hello, Percy. What’s going on?”

“Do you have the paperwork on the Christie case?”

“Of course. Give me a minute and I’ll find it for you.”

“Well, I need it soon. I need to give Shacklebolt the information.”

“I could call him for you.”

Percy shuffled his feet and said, “No, no…uh…no. I’ll call!”

Percy. He never wanted any of the management to know that he needed to check with other people for anything. Percy wasn’t malicious about it, just as pompous as ever.

He sat down at his desk and sat there for a moment.

Harry then pulled open a door and pulled out a file. He put it on his desk and stared at it. He really wanted to give Shacklebolt the information himself. At least then Shacklebolt would know just who was doing the work.

At that moment, an Owl came in and landed on his desk.

Harry pulled off the note.

It read - Did you find the paperwork on the Christie case, yet?”

Harry mumbled to himself, “This is my life?”

******

Harry went by the store to pick up Ron for lunch. He walked into the store to Fred…or George…yelling at Ron.

“The inventory has to be right, Ron! What’s the point of counting everything when you’re going to write everything down wrong anyway?”

“Get off my back! I wrote it correctly!”

“You’re handwriting is atrocious. I can’t read this!”

“When did you start reading a dictionary, bighead?”

Harry interrupted, “Come on, Ron. I’m hungry!”

They walked down the street to a new café and sat at a table outside.

Ron sat with his chin in his hands.

“Why do we do work?”

“Cause we aren’t independently wealthy.” Harry looked over the menu at Ron.

“Well, we could live off what we have.”

“Yeah, but when we’re old and gray, it’ll be gone.”

“You’re old and I AM going grey. Look!” Ron pointed to a spot in his hair by his ear. “And what is this anyway?” He pointed to the inside of his ear.

“It’s hair. There are tonics for that. You’re just lazy.”

“I’m trying to ignore it.”

“It’s not working. How did we go from talking about money to your ailments?”

“Neither is very interesting, but I guess it’s just life,” Ron looked over his menu and clutched his stomach. “Merlin, I’m going to have something bland today. How depressing.”

******

Ron stood in the backroom of the store, counting everything over again, muttering to himself, “Hell, why am I here? Hell. Damnit. Shit. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

“TURN OFF THE INTERCOM!”

Ron sighed loudly in the direction of the huge ear on the wall. He walked over and snapped off the button on the lobe. He knew Fred worked out how to make a huge extendable ear just because he could.

He started recounting the Snack boxes. Then the pile of Canary Creams. Then the stack of Fever Fudge. Then the Nougats. Then the…

Ron heard screeching from the front. It was a Ginny screech.

Ron poked his head out of the backdoor to look. Ginny’s face was red and she was howling like a banshee.

“I told you three NOT to give Albus any of those horrible Nosebleed Nougats!”

Ron piped up, “HEY, I didn’t give him any! What’s this ‘three’ business?”

Ginny turned to him and Ron felt a sting on the side of his face. All Ron could see was flying red hair, but he knew Ginny had hexed him with a spell. Next thing he knew he was on the ground.

Fred and George were standing over him. They both began to talk to him, taking turns.

“Nice work there, Ron. Thanks for taking the heat off us. Though you might want some of dad’s Ear Hair Be Gone because you’ve got enough coming out of your ears to tie up in a bow.”

Ron put his arm over his eyes. “Oi, my family. This is my life?” Ron muttered.

******

“Merlin, this car,” Harry mumbled.

Ron pumped the clutch of the Ford Anglia. Harry’s body rocked back and forth; his hand holding onto the dash in front of him.

“Shut it. Go ride your broom.”

Harry sighed. Then he adjusted the seatbelt he had made Ron install.

And they continued down the street.

******

They were making dinner and complaining about their day when Hermione appeared. Ron jumped. “Merlin, Harry, why do we let her do this! She’s going to pop in at a really bad time one day!”

Hermione snickered, “Right. Here’s Crookshanks.” She dumped the cat in Ron’s arms.

“What?” Ron asked.

“I need to go visit Viktor and Harry said you two would watch Crookshanks.”

Ron glared at Harry, who became really fascinated with the chicken in the pot.

“You NEED to go visit Viktor? What kind of NEED would that be?” Ron mouthed off to Hermione.

Hermione blushed and said, “I’m going for a visit. Is that a crime?”

“Viktor’s face? Well, yes actually.” Ron turned to Harry and said, “This cat is old and gets sick every time he’s here.”

“Well, then you’ll take care it, wouldn’t you?” Hermione smiled, but Ron didn’t think it was very friendly.

He pointed to a bald spot on Crookshanks, “Can you do something about this?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t talk so much about spotty hair, if I were you.”

And “POP!” She was gone.

Ron sighed heavily. The cat began moving about in his arms. Crookshanks scratched him and Ron dropped him to the floor, where the cat promptly gagged and threw up a hair ball.

******

Ron looked at the mirror before retiring to bed. He stared at the grey hairs near his ear. He stared at the hairs coming out of his ear. He stared at the bags under his eyes. Then he swallowed a capful of Tummy Tonic and went into the bedroom.

Harry was already in bed, covered by the duvet.

Ron stood there. He said, “We don’t do it anymore.”

“Yes, we do. We just did it...” Harry had to think. “Two weeks ago?”

“Two weeks ago? Harry, remember when we did it all the time? I mean literally all the time.”

“Well, yeah. I still have my memory if nothing else.”

“It’s just depressing. We get up. We work. We go home. We take care of Hermione’s cat. We go to bed. And then we start it all over again the next day. It’s like, I dunno, life is a battle. It’s tiring and it’s a battle to get through.”

“But is the battle for a good cause? Is it worth it…at the end?”

Ron looked at Harry. He didn’t see the receding hairline. The wrinkles. The left over scars from another long ago battle.

He saw Harry and he grinned.

“Yeah, it’s worth it.”

Harry laughed and said, “But let’s not wait another two weeks.”

And with a youthful bounce, Ron leaped to the bed and landed on Harry.

Harry wrapped his arms around Ron and held him close.

******

The sun was coming up. Another day was on its way.

Ron sighed happily. Harry lay asleep next to him. Ron reached for him, not waking Harry.

Life was full of family and work and annoyances, but as Ron lay there watching Harry sleep he knew.

As long as Harry was by his side, he’d always be victorious in life.

2010 Stonewall Awards

lena3 — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:04:03 GMT

The American Library Association announced the winners of the 2010 Stonewall Awards last month. The winners will be presented the awards at the ALA Annual Meeting in June.

From ALA: The Stonewall Award, formerly called the ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered (GLBT) Book Award, was established in 1971 and is the most enduring and oldest award of its kind. Each year the GLBTRT bestows two book awards: one for literature and one for non-fiction to English-language books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience. This year for the first time the Committee is giving an award for children’s and young adult literature.

The link to the winners here - 2010 Stonewall Awards

In the news

lena3 — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:23:47 GMT

CBS Sports is airing an Anti-Choice ad paid for by The Focus on the Family organization starring college football player Tim Tebow.

This ad is costing more then 2 million dollars and will air for 30 seconds during the Super Bowl.

First of all, Super Bowl Sunday is NOT where I want to sit and listen to one second of religious or political statements of any kind.

Second, back in 2004, CBS rejected an ad by the United Church of Christ to show how friendly that particular church is to gays and lesbians. It was deemed too controversial and political to air.

Oh, how times have changed CBS! Suddenly, for the right money you will take whatever ad and stick it between the Doritos and the Bud Light.

And after all the uproar, you say "Our policies changed. We'd except that ad now."

Nice. Thanks, CBS.

Source.

Website closing and opening!

lena3 — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:04:54 GMT

Yahoo Geocities is closing next week, so lorien_eve and I have switched our HP story website over here -

http://simpleadorationtwo.jimdo.com/

The new website is fine. You get what you pay for, of course. There are some glitches which I'm fixing. This is just an all-around FYI to those who are looking for our stories.

Thanks, Lena

Banned Books Wrap-Up 2009

lena3 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:37:24 GMT

This is the wrap-up of our book recommendations in celebration of Banned Book Week, 2009.

Thank you to dream_wia_dream, libgirl, lorien_eve, thrihyrne, and wolfiekins for contributing.

What is Banned Book Week?
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four

Here are the wrap-ups from 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Now go read a Banned Book! :)

Banned Books Week Four!

lena3 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:27:34 GMT

See Banned Books Week rant here!
Banned Book Week One.
Banned Book Week Two.
Banned Book Week Three.

Link of the week:

Self-Censorship is when a book gets rave reviews, yet isn’t placed on the popular lists, gets recommended, or bought at all because someone doesn’t like it or is afraid of the complaints. This is something that teachers, booksellers, and librarians do, but won’t admit it. Everyone has some subject that makes them uncomfortable, but they have to get beyond it to recommend a book that someone may need. To understand a little more about self-censorship here is an article about author Barry Lyga and his book Boy Toy.

Banned Book of the Week:

Brannen, Sarah. Uncle Bobby's Wedding. Putman. Challenged at the Douglas County Libraries in Castle Rock, Colo. (2008) because "some material may be inappropriate for young children." The children’s book features two gay guinea pigs. A resident requested that the book be removed from the library and placed in a special area or labeled "some material may be inappropriate for young children." Source: Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom. Sept. 2008, pp. 183-84.

On to the book reviews –

Book Review by thrihyrne

Diana Gabaldon is a marvelous storyteller. Her knack for writing historical fiction in which the characters truly come to life and are compelling is evidenced in her ongoing very popular Outlander series, but the series that I absolutely inhaled and was asked to review is the Lord John Grey Series: Lord John and the Private Matter, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, and Lord John and the Hand of Devils, a collection of three novellas (Lord John and the Hellfire Club, Lord John and the Succubus, and Lord John and the Haunted Soldier).

In these novels, the protagonist John is a major in his brother's regiment and a career soldier in England around the 1750s. He is also definitively gay. Gabaldon loves her research, and in reading the books of this series, one learns about various wars and military life of the time, what daily life was like for someone of his station, and also about the Molly houses where men like John could go -- always at risk of being discovered, of course, at a time when sodomy was a crime punishable by a death sentence -- to seek out other men who shared his desire for his own gender. While John does have two relationships which last several months apiece, Gabaldon appears unwilling to allow him to have a happily ever after. That said, in that time in history, a long-lasting same-sex relationship would have been nearly impossible without the cover of a heteronormative marriage and a spouse willingly not asking questions. John is also hindered in the pursuit of a long term relationship because he holds a flame for a man he can never have (because said man is quite the heteronormative bloke) who I, too, would swoon over, the captivating red-haired Scotsman and Jacobite, Jamie Fraser.

The books in this series provide a detailed, fascinating look into the risks and subculture of male gay life in England in the 1700s. While Gabaldon sadly tends to fade to black in regards to any actual sex, there is one memorable scene in Brotherhood of the Blade in a chapter appropriately titled "Finally," which is highly erotic. Gabaldon herself in that book in the Acknowledgments section includes this nod of research she put out prior to publication:

... The assorted gentlemen (and ladies) who were kind enough to read and comment on sex scenes. (As a matter of public interest, a poll regarding one such scene came back with the following results: "Positive: I want to know more-- 82%; Negative: This makes me uncomfortable--4%; Slightly shocked, but not put off--10%; Neutral--4%.)

That said, here's a wee snippet that's quite hot and even delves into a daring, brief-lived moment of John Grey's needing to experience something he can't allow himself to dwell on for very long. Gabaldon's imagery and word craft shines throughout all of the novels, but it's especially potent here (taken from Chapter 21, Cowardice from Brotherhood of the Blade):

"Turn around," Percy said, and he did, facing the horse. [a punishment horse, not a real one- Thev's note]
The cords struck across his shoulders like the sting of a jellyfish, sharp and sudden. His hands closed tight on the horse's back.
"Again," he said, half breathless.
He heard Percy shift his weight, felt his interest shift as well, from the sense of nervous excitement to something more.
"Sure?" said Percy softly.
He bent a little forward and spread his arms, taking a fresh grip, exposing the full reach of his bare back. The stroke caught him just below the shoulderblades, with a force that drove the breath out of him and stung to the tips of his fingers.
"More?" The word was whispered. He could feel Percy's breath, warm on the back of his neck, feel him close, the touch of a hand light on the naked skin of his waist.
God, don't touch me! he thought, and felt his stomach clench as his gorge rose. But what he said, hoarse and low was, "Again. Don't stop."
Three more blows, and Percy stopped. Grey turned round to see him gripping the cat in both hands, face white.
"I've cut you. I'm sorry."
He could feel the weal, a vivid line that ran from his right shoulderblade, angled down across the center of his back. It felt as though someone had pressed a hot wire into his skin.
"Don't be," he said. "I asked."
"Yes, but--" Percy had seized his shirt, draped it across his bare shoulders. "I shouldn't have started it. It-- I didn't mean-- I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Grey said again. "You wanted to know. So did I."

The very good news about this series is that Gabaldon is working on another novel, according to her entry in Wikipedia, Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner. Given the title, I'm hoping that it features Jamie Fraser, though by default, this will mean a lot of unrequited sexual tension for poor John. He suffers enough of that via Gabaldon's exquisite descriptions.

I'll also note that I didn't visually read this series, I listened to all of them as audiobooks read by Jeff Woodman. As a narrator, he excellently and deftly handled the various accents with aplomb and to me is the voice of Lord John.

Book Review by lorien_eve

For Banned Book Month, I chose to read Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue. I'm a huge fan of Victorian Era novels, so this was an ideal book for me.

The title comes from a British word for "a loose gown," and can also be translated into "a loose woman."
Mary Saunders wants more from life. She doesn't want to be among the poor in London. She doesn't want to live in a basement apartment. She doesn't want to be a seamstress like her mother. Instead, she wants to be the one wearing the nice gowns, living in a fine manor with servants at her call. Her father died when she was very young and she has few memories of him. Her mother has remarried and had a son by her new husband. The male child gets all the attention, and Mary is just an afterthought. However, her mother allows her to go to school, even though she is the oldest student at 14 years old, because one of her father's deepest wishes was that his daughter have an education.

Mary's mother warns her of the Seven Dials, a dirty area in London where prostitutes and other riffraff hang out. But Mary is intrigued by it, the sounds and smells, and particularly a certain prostitute who wears a red ribbon in her hair. One night Mary is sent to buy dinner for the family, but she loses part of the money due to a hole in her dress pocket. Her mother and stepfather accuse her of keeping the extra money and a heated argument ensues. Mary runs from the house and out into the street.

She finds herself at the Seven Dials, scared, but relieved to be away from home. A peddler on the corner is selling ribbons. She inquires about a red one, though she has no money to afford it. She peddler offers her a trade - sex for the ribbon. Before Mary realizes what is happening, the peddler pushes her against the wall and consummates the trade. Mary returns home, terrified and used, but still proud of her new red ribbon.

A few months later, Mary's mother receives a note from a stranger that gives away Mary's secret - she's pregnant. Her mother and stepfather are horrified, angry, and ashamed. Mary's mother packs up what few belongings she has and tosses Mary out into the street. She tells her that she no longer has a mother, that she doesn't care what happens to her or her baby. Mary again finds herself at the Seven Dials.

As the months go by, Mary's pregnancy becomes more and more obvious. She doesn't want the child, so Doll convinces her to have an abortion. But an abortion costs money, and Mary doesn't have any. It's this necessity that forces Mary into prostitution. After only a few tricks, Mary has enough money to terminate her pregnancy.

She learns that the only way she's going to survive is to learn the trade. Although she has an education, she has no work skills, no dowry, nothing. Prostitution is the easiest thing. Plus, all of the women wear fine, colorful gowns to attract the tricks, and Mary has a definite interest in the clothing.

Because of an incident with her landlord and money, she decides to take a stagecoach to Monmouth, the town that her parents lived in before moving to London. She had heard her mother talk about a woman named Jane Jones, so she makes up a story about her mother being dead and she has nowhere else to go. She even writes a letter and forges her mothers name. In the letter, it is her mother's dying wish that Mrs. Jones take Mary in.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones own a dress shop. Mrs. Jones believes Mary's story and hire her as a seamstress. Monmouth is very different from London. It's a small, rural town, and Mary is very unhappy there but she doesn't have anywhere else to go.

Daffy is a hired hand of the Jones'. He and Mary don't get along at first, but then they find a mutual attraction to each other. Daffy proposes, but Mary can't marry him because she doesn't want him to find out about her past.

Over time, Mary saves up a large sum of money. Mrs. Jones finds the money and demands to know how Mary got it. Mrs. Jones thinks that Mary stole it from them, but Mary insists that she didn't though she doesn't tell her the true way that the acquired the money. A few nights later, Mary tells Mrs. Jones that the money was a last gift from her mother and asks for the money back now that she has proven it wasn't stolen. But it's too late because Mrs. Jones had already put the money in the poor box at church.

Mary's reaction to finding out that her money is gone is the climax to the story. I won't give the ending away, but I definitely recommend reading this book. It's a page-turner from the start, very well-written, with developed characters and a great storyline.

Banned Book Week Three!!

lena3 — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:09:46 GMT

See Banned Books Week rant here!
Banned Book Week One.
Banned Book Week Two.

Link of the week:

The American Library Association has a list of films that depict the impact of censorship on individuals and society. Here is the list in what the ALA calls their First Amendment film festival.

Banned Book of the Week:

Jahn-Clough, Lisa. Me, Penelope. Houghton. Challenged in the middle school library in Tavares, Fla. (2008). The book is part of a collection that requires permission from the school librarian to check out. Objections centered on the book’s depiction of a sixteen-year-old who is dealing with the death of her brother and reference to sexual experimentation. Source: Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom. Jan. 2009, pp. 5-6.

On to the book reviews –

Book Review by wolfiekins

A Scarecrow's Bible by Martin Hyatt
2006, Suspect Thoughts Press, 208 pages

Gary Slope's life is nothing at all like what he wants. Or what he'd dreamed of.

His home is a decaying mobile home in rural Mississippi. Gina, his college sweetheart and wife of over twenty years, steps around him as if he were merely furniture. Lula, his twenty-something daughter spends all of her time barricaded in her room, reading mystery novels and guzzling Diet Coke.

Gary works as a carpenter for a local contractor, and spends the rest of his time getting high on dizzying mixtures of booze and prescription drugs. A Vietnam vet, Gary's doctor hands out scrips for Soma and Valium like coupons to the nearby Wal-Mart. At 45, people still tell Gary that he looks good, handsome even, but that's not at all how he feels, let alone what he sees when he gazes into mirrors.

Gary still hears the stomp of boots and the roar of helicopters over the jungle, spectres that refuse to leave him alone. He can never be sure if they're really there, of if it's the drugs. Or booze. He hears music in the adjacent cornfield, a lament that draws him out like a moth to flame. And he's haunted by the vivid images of his first lover's gruesome death due to enemy fire.

So on top of a searing case of post traumatic stress, Gary's gay and as tightly closeted as one can be in his small town. On rare occasions he ventures into New Orleans for faceless, nameless sex. An excerpt:

In New Orleans, up on a balcony, on Bourbon Street, someone took your dick slowly into his mouth and sucked gently. He was so much younger. That's all you remember, then you ran away. Like the rest of your memories, this one ends without and end. But still, you do recall, standing against a wrought iron fence, feeling him welcoming your into his mouth like it was a church where everyone prayed the same prayer. Before it was over, before the Amen, you ran away. Blackness had set in.

Mostly, he haunts a local gay bar, popping pills and drinking himself into oblivion.

The place smells only a little like a bar, not like the ones in New Orleans. This is more like a brick house with a jukebox and dime-store decorations. It's a retreat. But a place like this, in a a town like this, is a little scary. It's like camping outdoors, in a place where bears can come ravage your tent at any moment. Buy the whiskey, and the feeling of not being alone makes you feel braver.

One morning, Gary awakes to find himself in a strange apartment, tended by a frail younger man named Zachary. Gary'd passed out in the gay bar, and Zachary had taken pity on him. Gary finds Zachary beautiful, and the two embark on a path that leads to romance, enlightenment, and release.

Hyatt's novel plays out in second person, which immediately draws the reader into Gary's hazy world of shadows and portents. Gary's detachment becomes ours, his slippery grip on life and the outside world instantly and disturbingly apparent. We follow Gary to the deepest depths of his despair, through his forays into madness, and we exult in his happiness when some is finally thrown his way.

Hyatt's 'stream of consciousness' writing style fits perfectly and works beautifully. Italicized passages in third person appear throughout, outlining Zachary's backstory.

A Scarecrow's Bible is a fascinating read, immensely involving. Hyatt focuses on people who are usually ignored; very few queer novels so completely capture the pervasive isolation of being queer in rural America. Gary's existence of quiet desperation and steady disintegration is told with a depth and boldness that hint at first-hand experience.

And while there is no shortage of tragedy and horror in the narrative, Hyatt ensures that we're left with a final image of transformation and change.

Book Review by dream_wia_dream

"LGBT themes and/or sexual themes are the reason most books end up banned" according to Deborah Caldwell Stone, the Director of the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom.

Angels in America, has been challenged on the basis of its content containing nudity,
homosexuality, and being sexually explicit and anti-family. The play(s) were challenged at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Massachusetts after protests from a community member who objected to its sexual, religious and racial content, but the community, students and teachers supported keeping the play in the curriculum and the school board voted unanimously to uphold the principal's decision to keep the play in classes.

...The spiritualists try to use that stuff, are you enlightened, are you centered, channeled, whatever, this reaching out for a spiritual past in a country where no indigenous spirits exits - only the...Native American spirits and we killed them off so now, there are no gods here, no ghosts and spirits in America, there are no angels in America, no spiritual past, no racial past, there's only the political...

Angels in America is a discussion of AIDS, homosexuality, religion, Republicans, infidelity, patriotism, racism & drugs. What more could you ask for? I have long adored the HBO mini-series based on these plays. The screenplay, written by Kushner, brought some of the best bits of the plays out. I jumped at the chance to review these two plays. Partly to have an excuse to see these words that dragged me in watching it play across the screen. And partly because I am so in love with these characters. Prior and Harper, in particular, have always spoken to me.

The lives of these people are tangled together. Pull one out and the whole thing crumbles. It's not surprising that the play is written for 8 actors, each portraying 3 or more characters. The duplication of parts is used to bring this intertwining more to the forefront.

Prior Walter (a prophet) is dying of the "gay plague", AIDS. Throughout "Millennium Approaches", he is told to 'prepare the way'. He's an unwilling prophet who's been tasked with stopping humanity from progressing. He's abandoned by his boyfriend, Louis Ironside (a coward), when he starts showing signs of his illness.

Meanwhile, we meet Harper Pitt (an addict), who takes too many pills and lives her life in fear of men with knives hiding behind closed doors. Joe Pitt (a secret homosexual), Harper's husband, is the man with the metaphorical knife. He's living in denial of his homosexuality. His religion tells him it's wrong. His profession tells him it's wrong. His marriage tells him it's wrong. Hell, even his political party tells him he's wrong.

Joe is a law clerk, being courted by Roy Cohn (an asshole lawyer) for a position in DC. Roy is an interesting character. Based on the actual lawyer, liberties have been taken in the play. Roy's crassness is in direct opposition to Joe. Roy is diagnosed with AIDS, but refuses the label. Roy has sex with men, classes himself apart from homosexuals because he has power. As he lays dying in the hospital, he's visited by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg - who he had gotten convicted of espionage and executed.

Hannah Pitt (a good Mormon) is Joe's mother. When he calls her in the middle of the night (from Central Park) to tell her he's gay, she sells her house in Salt Lake City and moves to New York. She gets there to find Joe has run off and Harper is missing. Joe runs from Harper. Louis runs from Prior. They both end up running to each other. Tangle, tangle.

Belize (voice of reason)- Prior's ex-boyfriend and currently his best friend. An ex-drag queen with exquisite mannerisms. He's currently Roy Cohen's (as well as Prior's) Nurse. And frequently gets dragged into arguments about racism in America with Louis. Tangle, tangle, tangle.

The Angel - (Lumen, Phosphor, Fluor, Candle) - hands down prophecy from on high about the coming of the Millennium. And rewrites the prophecy as she chooses while trying to convince Prior to take up the mantle of Prophet that's been given to him.

The Angel crashes through Prior's ceiling to tell him The Great Work begins: The Messenger has arrived. As the play progresses, the characters lives are twined even more closely together. At times, the play has two physically distant conversations happening on stage at the same time. Prior is running from his job as prophet, while trying to stay alive. He meets Harper and eventually finds out Louis is dating Joe who still has Roy as his mentor.

Meanwhile, The Angel continues to shape Prior into the Prophet he's meant to be. Prior is concerned with staying alive and keeping his life together. He is eventually taken to Heaven to talk with the Angels representing the world. It comes to light that he, as Prophet, is meant to stop humanity from progressing. The Angels have decided that all the bad in the world can be pinpointed on human beings' desire to push forward. Their desire to change. Prior has to make a decision for all humanity.

The writing is utterly fantastic from beginning to end. Kushner won a Pulitzer and two Tony Awards for these plays. The miniseries that HBO produced based on these plays won multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Awards. But even after all this acclimation, it simply comes down to the main point of the play. That even in the face of huge obstacles, there's always hope. Humanity moves forward and adapts to whatever is thrown in it's path.

These are the ideas that should come from reading this play. I am happy that when challenges are posed to keep this play from being read or performed that there are people willing to stand up and support these ideas. We need a more hopeful outlook in this country. I would definitely recommend this play to everyone - read the play, go see productions (it's coming back to an off-Broadway production sometime in 2010). Especially in the face opposition from people who object to it because the it ties religion, politics & homosexuality so closely together.

Many thanks to lena3 for asking me to be a part of her Banned Books review. Go out. Read a Banned Book. Get someone else to read a Banned Book. We will happily continue to move forward.

Banned Book Week Two!

lena3 — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:34:02 GMT

See Banned Books Week rant here!
Banned Book Week One.

Link of the week:

The Office of Intellectual Freedom has a map that illustrates censorship efforts across the United States. Here is the blog that explains the map and links to other projects and organization that want to stop censorship. Give the map a moment to load, then click on any of the blue tabs to get more information.

Banned Book of the Week:

Harris, Robie H. It‘s Perfectly Normal: A Book about Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health. Candlewick Pr. Retained in the Lewiston Maine Public Library (2008) after a person refused to return the book due to her objections to its content. Other patrons donated four copes of the book, which remains in circulation at the library. Source: Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom. Nov. 2008, p. 255.

On to the book reviews –

Book Review by libgirl

The Screwed-Up Life of Charlie the Second by Drew Ferguson .

If you ask him, the life of Charles James Stewart II (aka Charlie the Second), leaves a lot to be desired. His parents are by turns embarrassed by him or embarrassing him, he's still hasn't passed his driver's test (he's 17), and, despite his vivid and varied fantasy life, he's still single.

Throughout the course of the novel, Charlie finds out that his parents aren't who he thought they were (mostly for the better), falls into his first real relationship, gets caught in the middle of a moral and ethical dilemma, and becomes an accidental soccer star.

Charlie is his own worst critic through much of the book; he's constantly denigrating his ears, his shape, the size of his penis, but he's not afraid to turn that critical eye unto the people around him. It's his scathing commentary on the world and people around him that provides much of the humor in this novel. The novel is told entirely through his journal, or more precisely, through his failed attempts at writing a college entry essay.

The novel is interesting, by turns funny and poignant, and handles the subject matter very well. There are several types of "otherness" in this book, and they're all handled pretty deftly. There are few books that are about gay youth that aren't about GAY YOUTH, and this one handles the topic very well. More than anything else, this book is about Charlie, being gay is just one more facet of who he is, not the topic of the novel.

On the other hand, his sexual identity and sexual fantasies are not ignored or even white-washed in this book. Readers who struggle with frank (and sometimes crude) discussions of sex and sexual fantasies will want to steer away from this book. Charlie is seventeen and, as he frequently remarks, always horny.

The book is interesting and worth a read, but it doesn't resolve all (or even most) of the issues of the narrative. While this is a realistic portrayal of life, I still wanted a little more closure. Also, I found some of the more pivotal plot points to be a bit overdone and even bordering on unrealistic. That said, it's a better-than-average read that handles the topic of homosexuality excellently.

Book Review by lena3

Love is the Higher Law is about three teenagers who are in New York on 9/11. It’s how they cope and how they change. Claire is a senior at a private school and lives within 10 blocks of Ground Zero and cannot get home for a week. Jasper is a sophomore at an out of state college, home for the summer, getting ready to go back to school. Peter is a senior at the same school Claire goes and he loves music.

Claire and Peter know each other through school and they meet Jasper at a party in the days before 9/11. Jasper and Peter were supposed to have a date but when 9/11 happens everything is turned upside down. Each chapter in turn tells the story of the perspective of each teenager; of their thoughts about 9/11 and of their growing friendship and relationships. There are stumbles on the way, as they navigate these things under the stress of their city falling apart and coming together.

It helps show how people relate, interconnect and how we can make good times through these bad times, such as compassion and helping our fellow citizens. Claire, Jasper, and Peter work through their emotions about their city and the event, though it takes all three different ways and lengths to get through. I liked how these teens were realistic and the fact that Jasper of them took longer to get through it with his gallows humor and anger. Peter used his music when he thought that maybe it was wrong to be happy about his favorite band not canceling their concert. And Claire feels like she must DO something and winds up at first helping in small ways.

It tells a story for young people that may not have been around yet, not realize the magnitude or think that 9/11 is the story of their parents and not of themselves and a city. The author wrote this book for this reason. To make sure young people don’t forget. David Levithan is from New York and was in NY during the event.

At crucial times in their lives, they change and for the better, really. The chapters progress over the next year to the first anniversary of 9/11, then one last chapter when the Iraq War started. Peter goes off to school in Boston, Jasper flies back to college out of state, and Claire becomes an activist. Yet, they remain close, still growing up and still learning about themselves, their fellow New Yorkers, life and love.

Banned Books Week One

lena3 — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:53:15 GMT

See Banned Books Week rant here!

Link of the week:

On Sunday, May 2, 2004, I went to the San Francisco Public Library to see an exhibit called "Reversing Vandalism." Click on the link to the website I set up focusing on this wonderful and unique exhibit.

Banned Book of the Week:

Tucker, Todd. Norte Dame Vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan. Loyola Pr. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) administrators found (2008) that a student-employee was guilty of racial harassment merely for reading in a public area an historical account of Notre Dame students’ fight with members of the Ku Klux Klan. The student-employee contacted the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and six months received a letter stating that IUPUI “regret(s) this situation took place,“ is committed to upholding freedom of expression on its campus, and no documents regarding this incident exist in the employee’s file. Source: Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom. July 2008, p. 159-60.

On to the book reviews –

Book Review by lena3

Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays is the first of David Sedaris’s books, but it has same kind of black humor as his more recent. If you have a slightly twisted sense of humor or if you don’t mind stories about crazy relatives, then this book is for you.

There are terrifically odd stories, both true and not of the events in people’s lives. They bring up subjects that people don’t normal talk about, but everyone can relate to. The book is divided into stories in the first half and essays in the second half. Two stories that stood out were The Last You’ll Hear From Me and Barrel Fever. The two essays that I enjoyed were Diary of a Smoker and Sedaris’s most famous essay, SantaLand Diaries.

In the The Last You’ll Hear From Me is a letter from a woman to read at her memorial. She proceeds to mention her boyfriend and an acquaintance of hers who had an affair together. She mentions all the horrible things people want to say to people when they betray them. The stories is quite humorous, in that it is something, I’ve certainly wanted to do. And really what is someone supposed to do to you if you’re already dead. Get mad? What do you care? And people being embarrassed by their behavior in public? A little revenge is always sweet.

One of the essays, Diary of a Smoker is amusing as well, and this is from a non-smoker and someone with major allergies. However, I’m not a stickler about smoking when outside. Which is sort of his point. This is one of his true stories about his mom and the days of smoking and drinking when around children and pregnant. He mentions how he and his sisters play the game, “Find Mom’s cigarettes.” This game consists of looking through old photos and trying to find pictures of his mother with a cigarette in her hand. The point of the game is the fact, that there was always a cigarette in her hand. I found this funny as I came from the generation where mother had a prescription bottle in her hand.

Like I said, his essays and stories are a bit warped, but spot on about *real* family life. Even if you don’t want to read them all, he sets his books in a way that make it easier to read. He writes short essays and quick short stories. You may find one of them that reminds you of yourself or your family. Embarrassingly so.

Book Review by lena3

E. Lynn Harris died a few months ago. His last book is due to be published early next year. Basketball Jones is about a man on the “down low” with a handsome, popular, famous NBA player. The African-American bisexual community is not something that is talked about or understood. Harris does an excellent job in the portrayal of this part of the queer community.

Dray and AJ met in college, when Dray was hired to tutor AJ. They immediately find a connection, but AJ wants a career in the NBA with no room for a out and proud ballplayer. Dray is content to be his down low boyfriend for a long time, throughout AJ’s rise in the NBA. Until, AJ decides he should get married for show. Unfortunately, the lady in question is more wise than either man realizes.

The book is part mystery, part sports, part queer, which make for a fantastic read. You never know quite where it will go, who knows what, what is going to happen. While you root for Dray, you do feel for AJ putting himself in the position and having no way out. Most of the women in the book are not sympathetic characters, but Dray does have a woman friend that sticks by him. It’s an excellent book, as are the majority of Harris’s novels. If you like sports, are interested in a true look at this aspect of the community, or just want a juicy, what happens next! kind of book, this is for you.