The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

WE WILL REMEMBER YOU
A. Read A Book Written By An Author Who Died In 2009. (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/yea...)
AND
B. Watch A Film Starring An Actor/Actress Or That Was Directed By A Director Who Died In 2009.
Ex. Kill Bill w/David Carradine or The Handmaids Tale w/Natasha Richardson.

If you need suggestions for books to read for this task post a request here.

Does anyone have any suggestion for good books?

Marilyn French

The Women's Room
My Summer With George
Shakespeare's Division of Experience
The War Against Women
The Love Children
In the Name of Friendship
A Season in Hell A Memoir

Here were some of the authors that I was most interested in reading for this challenge task. I think I'm going to read something by Jane Aiken Hodge

I read quite a few of her books as a teenager. I thought I was quite grown up to read these adult books then.

William Safire
Dominick Dunne
Ted Kennedy
Walter Cronkite
Frank McCourt
Phyllis Gotlieb
David Eddings
J.G. Ballard – (Empire of the Sun)
John Updike
Jane Aiken Hodge

Hi. Here are some other authors I have discovered who passed away this year, along with some book suggestions.

Aeronwy Thomas ~ Daughter of Dylan Thomas ~ My father's Places
Alfred Kern ~ The Trial of Martin Ross
Michael Cox ~ The Meaning of Night: A Confession
Winifred Foley ~ A Child in the Forest
James Purdy ~ Malcolm
Jim Carroll ~ The Basketball Diaries
E.Lynn Harris ~ Just As I Am
Sarah E. Wright ~ This Child's Gonna Live
Nelly Arcan ~ French/Canadian author, some books have been translated into English ~ Whore
Lyn Hamilton ~ The Lara McClintock Archaeology Mysteries ~ The Xibalba Murders An Archeological Mystery
Fleur Cowles ~ founder of the short-lived Flair magazine.
Christopher Nolan - who lived with cerebral palsy for 43 years and won the Whitbread Award for: Under the Eye of the Clock

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_i...

Edward Woodward died 16 Nov and was a supporting character in the movie Hot Fuzz. If you liked, Shaun of the Dead, you'll like HF :)

Tanja wrote: "Edward Woodward died 16 Nov and was a supporting character in the movie Hot Fuzz. If you liked, Shaun of the Dead, you'll like HF :)"

Oh, Hot Fuzz was SO good!

I recommend To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer

I asked my husband if Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings was good, and he said it was excellent and that "it even has a love story in it!" He knows EXACTLY what to say to make me interested in a book... ;)

Sara ♥ wrote: "I asked my husband if Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings was good, and he said it was excellent and that "it even has a love story in it!" He knows EXACTLY what to say to make me inte..."

I consider Pawn of Prophecy my very first fantasy novel, and I've loved it since I read it. The boy I sat next to in 7th grade English was reading it, and he turned and started telling me about it...so of course I went and picked it up. And liked it way more than the guy.

But seriously, it is one of the BEST series I've ever read. A good deal of that probably has to do with the absence of random baby-talk words that no-talent hack fantasy novelists seem to pad their novels with... *cough*

So yes, I second Pawn of Prophecy as a wonderful book for this challenge!

Sweet! Glad to hear it! My husband and I have VERY different taste in books (usually), and so EVEN WITH the love story, I'm..... hesitant.... But I'm glad to hear you liked it so much!

The Belgariad is on the few things that I re-read evey few years. Not because of the groundbeaking plot, or the earth-shattering significance LOL, but simply because the characters are a group of very good old friends that I would actually like to meet. The closest, though that you can come is a visit now and then. It will make you smile, maybe laugh out loud and cry a little, and it does have the best love story, Romantic with a capital R.

I was unaware that David Eddings had died. I have the omnibus for The Belgariad. I guess I'll be rolling that for this challenge.

Yeah, I didn't know until I looked at the list on fantastic fiction. Sad!

John Hughes did a bunch of GREAT movies and he died on 8-6-2009. He did The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

That's right! I could watch Ducky.

Tanja wrote: "That's right! I could watch Ducky."

Oh, sweet Ducky! LOL!

I had Hughes in for this as soon as I read the task, but now it's the deciding...so many great films to choose from!

Jennifer wrote: "Tanja wrote: "That's right! I could watch Ducky."

Oh, sweet Ducky! LOL!

I had Hughes in for this as soon as I read the task, but now it's the deciding...so many great films to choose from!
"

Don't forget he did all of the Vacation movies also. I am DVRing a few of his movies for this task also.

Stephanie wrote: "Don't forget he did all of the Vacation movies also. I am DVRing a few of his movies for this task also."

You might double-check with Cynthia on this one - John Hughes did not direct the Vacation movies, but he did write them. Not sure if writer fits for the task, but maybe Cynthia can clarify.

B. Watch A Film Starring An Actor/Actress Or That Was Directed By A Director Who Died In 2009.

Jessy wrote: "John Hughes did a bunch of GREAT movies and he died on 8-6-2009. He did The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off."

Howard Deutch was the director for Pretty in Pink. Home Alone is a possiblity though since it was directed by Hughes.

Home Alone was directed by Chris Columbus, not Hughes. Again, Hughes wrote and helped produce the movies, but did not direct.

Hughes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hug...

El wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Don't forget he did all of the Vacation movies also. I am DVRing a few of his movies for this task also."

You might double-check with Cynthia on this one - John Hughes did not di..."

I'm good I DVRed Sixteen Candles which is on the Wiki link as being directed by John Hughes.

Well we can add Robert Holdstock to the list of authors, he passed away yesterday.

Aww...he's a Rat, too, if anyone wants to use him as a multi-task.

James Whitmore also passed away this year. If anyone has not yet seen Shawshank Redemption, this is a great excuse (great film, great performances); he plays the librarian in the prison.

I'm looking for a film to watch- as I'm reading a book by a local author who died this year. I have meant to watch Shawshank redemption- so must look out for that.

Kim, I'm going to watch Hot Fuzz!! ^.^

I am going to read When she Was Good and watch Patton the actor in it died his name was Karl Malden.

Sadly, one of my favorite movies, Clueless, now qualifies for this task - Brittany Murphy (who played Tai) passed away this morning.

I am going to be using Brittany Murphy as well.

Edward Albert Arthur Woodward - admittedly not a household name - born June 1, 1930 died November 16, 2009. He was in TV shows and made-for-TV movies. He played the Ghost of Christmas Present in the made-for-TV movie "A Christmas Carol" (1985), the one with George C. Scott as Scrooge. He was also one of the Lilliputians in in the made-for-TV movie "Gulliver's Travels" (1996), the one with Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen.

I know absolutely nothing about movies. Just how large a role does an actor need to have before he can be said to be 'starring'in a film?

Classic movie lovers, I was watching TCM the other day and discovered actress Jennifer Jones died in 2009. She starred in 1943's The Song of Bernadette, also in 1948's Portrait of Jennie (which is also a very good book). Here is a link to her IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0428354/

If you get TCM, they are showing several of her movies on Jan. 7.

Would Al Martino (died in October 2009) in The Godfather work for the movie?

Anyone who died in 2009 that wrote Romance books? (not erotica).

I was wondering if watching a couple episodes of a tv show the deceased actor or actress was in would work for this task. I really liked the show Brittany Murphey was in, American Dreams and I wanted to watch that for this task.