Disappointment

Why is it that books are so much better than the movies based upon them? I just finished reading, The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory which I enjoyed tremendously. The book transported me into that era; the tastes, sounds, colors were all vividly visible in my mind. I wanted to share this story with my husband and so filled in a request with Cinemail for the the movie version. I was really looking forward to it as #1 it starred Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman and #2 there was quite a bit of press on it when it was initially released (too bad I didn't read the reviews first). This movie was more than disappointing it was just...wrong. I found the film to be a very poor adaptation of the book.

We all have our own visuals when it comes to reading. The characters, the sights, the sounds, the colors, the experiences are all varied depending on the reader. That is what makes reading so magical I think. We all experience it in a different way. Some movies do a fantastic job recreating the book on screen but most of the time I find it is a huge disappointment.

I wonder how many movies have turned people away from the book itself and thus been cheated out of a wonderful reading experience?

Books & Libraries

Queen’s College Library Oxford

A home without books is like a room without windows.
- Henry Ward Beecher

I adore books. When I was a child I used to devour them, at times reading 1-2 a day. Every minute I had to myself was spent reading. Some of my favorites included Louisa May Alcott, Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M Montgomery, C. S. Lewis, Charles Dickens and Tolkien. The sound of the page turning, the words that seemed to read themselves, the stories that transported me into different eras, times, places; it was magic.

When I was little, my mother used to take us to a local library about 20 minutes from our home. I remember the excitement as she pulled into the parking lot and the immense irritation I felt, waiting for her to help my younger siblings out of our van. Upon entering the building, I would first scan the shelf of "New arrivals and recently released" books, to see if there were any goodies waiting for me. They were usually picked over by the time we arrived but sometimes I got lucky. Then I would wander through all the isles, inhaling the scent of old and new books and relishing the silence.

Libraries have so much life, history, knowledge and heart to them. Generations upon generations have walked through those same doors, read the same books, wandered through those very isles looking for information, instruction or just an escape.

When I came across these photos, I was awestruck.


Biblioteca Geral University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal


Abbey Library St. Gallen, Switzerland


Strahov Philosophical Hall


Strahov Theological Hall - Original Baroque Cabinet


Real Gabinete Portugues De Leitura Rio De Janeiro, Brazil


Library of the Benedictine Monastery of Admont, Austria

Curious Expeditions did a fantastic job gathering dozens of pictures of the world's most beautiful and incredible libraries. Please take a look, you won't be disappointed I promise!