February 2019 Recommended Reading/Viewing

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

This month, I'll move back to fantasy. While I had a suggestion for the reading in mind, I'm not done with it to give it a proper recommendation, so I'm going with something else.

It's been pretty quiet here on the forum. I hope things will pick up.

Reading: Grendel (1971) by John Gardner

Possibly one of the most famous examples of parallel literature ever produced in recent times, this book follows the life and times of the literary monster of the Old English poem Beowulf as he tries to find meaning in his seemingly random, miserable existence. As his wisdom increases, so does his misfortune, until he is reduced to venting his nihilistic rage against the neighboring Danes, leading to the events of the epic poem. Philosophically rich, studying the effects of literature and myth in regular life, this adult fantasy is highly regarded as a piece of modern literature and should be a great companion to lovers of its source.

Trade: https://www.amazon.com/Grendel-John-Gardner/dp/0679723110/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1548992253&sr=8-1
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Grendel-John-Gardner-ebook/dp/B003N9AZGE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1548992253&sr=8-1



Viewing: Beauty and the Beast (Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, 1991)

A tale as old as time and the film that solidified the Disney Renaissance of the 1990's, this rousing adaptation of the classic French fairy tale follows a young woman who becomes a prisoner of a monstrous beast cursed to remain as he is until he finds true love; with the assistance of enchanted household servants, the pair must find a way to live together despite the circumstances, proving the age-old adage that it is what inside that really matters. Notably the first animated feature to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, the film is widely regarded as one of Disney's masterpieces, held together by well-rounded storytelling, superb animation, a stellar cast, and a legendary score-and song combination from Broadway impresarios Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. Truly a watershed in a list of great pictures.


DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beast-Paige-OHara/dp/B01N0MCG3B/ref=tmm_dvd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549002896&sr=8-5
Blu-Ray: https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beast-Anniversary-DIGITAL-Blu-ray/dp/B01G4N5Q28/ref=tmm_blu_title_2?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549002896&sr=8-5
Amazon Video: https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beast-Plus-Bonus-Features/dp/B01HE0A7YC/ref=tmm_aiv_swatch_1?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549002896&sr=8-5


Well, that's all for now. Enjoy!

[Raven]

I do need to read Grendel. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I heard of it before but never read it. I need to put it on my wish list.

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

Definitely. And if you have the money to spare (and most likely are able to pick up a cheap copy), don't skip out on the movie. It's one of the best Disney movies ever. Your kids will love it.

[Raven]

The movie I have seen. My daughter has  watched the new live action one but I do like the original, although we don't own it.

[Raven]

I just finished Grendel by John Gardner. At less than 200 pages, it was a quick read. While it was worth the read and interesting, I have to say I'm glad it wasn't longer. It was not a character in whose mind I would like to stay for long. There is also a lot of strange intermingling of 20th century and Anglo-Saxon linguistic usages in the book, and considering the fluency of them I can only assume it was entirely intentional and done as a kind of commentary. The character Grendel has a way of slipping in an out of millennia in terms of vocabulary and usage, and this is an element in the overarching philosophical character study of the book.