The Shining by Stephen King

Copyright: 1977

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Synopsis:
Jack Torrance has been given the job to be the caretaker of The Overlook Hotel in Colorado for the winter. He takes his wife Wendy and son Danny with him for this seven month long gig. Jack lost his teaching job and had nothing else to support his family with. Wendy and Jack are struggling to keep their marriage together. Most importantly - Danny has the "shine" - and is the key to unlocking The Overlooks' big-bad-ugly side. This novel (which is SO MUCH BETTER than the movie!!!) is an amazing horror story and a must-read Stephen King book!

Review:
I have seen The Shining film, starring Jack Nicholson, several times in my life. I have found that for the most part I really enjoyed it. I didn't care much for some of the bad acting and always made fun of their outrages outfits...but nonetheless was willing to admit that I liked the movie. My friends and I recently watched the film again - which sparked a debate amongst them about the movie versus the book. I had not read The Shining, so I could not participate in this discussion, but knowing that I was a growing Stephen King fan it only made sense that I finally pick this novel up and give it a try.

If there is one thing I would want you to take away from this review, it's this: the novel is about 100% better than the movie. In fact, I don't think I even like the movie anymore. Once I have experienced the true story in it's entirety - it's hard to go back to the half-assed version. I can also say, as I have before, that Stephen King is a superb story teller and one of the best writers I have had the privilege to read.

The Torrance Family: Jack, Wendy and Danny. I grew to really enjoy each character in their own light. I also loved the dynamic of the little family. The parents screwed-up past effecting their parenting of Danny and their marriage. Danny's ability to read thoughts and have precognition is not only a pivotal point to the story, but also one of the most interesting things about The Shining. The love Danny has for his father is overwhelming. Plus, Danny is only five years old--making his innocence in the situation...and him being forced to grow-up pretty quick...so enduring and heart breaking.

"Do you like Tony, Danny?"
Danny looked at the tile floor and said nothing.
"Danny?"
"It's hard to tell," Danny said. "I used to. I used to hope he'd come every day, because he always showed me good things, especially since Mommy and Daddy don't think about DIVORCE anymore." Dr. Edmond's gaze sharpened, but Danny didn't notice. He was looking hard at the floor, concentrating on expressing himself. "But now whenever he comes he shows me bad things. Awful things. Like in the bathroom last night. The things he shows me, they sting me like those wasps stung me. Only Tony's things sting me up here." He cocked a finger gravely at this temple, a small boy unconsciously burlesquing suicide.

The Overlook is one of the most terrifying entities in this novel. Watching it become stronger while sucking in the Torrance Family is gripping. All the details Stephen King gives in regards to what the hotel does to each character are amazing--and give The Shining its horror vibe flawlessly. It also makes me feel horrible for Jack and Danny, who get the worst of what the hotel has to offer. It's also important to know that up in the hills of Colorado, the snow gets to the point of no return. Therefore, escape isn't really an option for this family, because by November they are snowed in.

(Danny) From behind him, that soft flump sound of falling snow came again. He turned around and the head of one of the hedge lions was sticking out of the snow now, snarling at him. It was closer than it should have been, almost up to the gate of the playground.

(Jack) He found himself wishing that Wendy would ask him about the hedges, would ask him what Danny meant when he said You know because you saw---If she did, he would tell her everything. Everything. The hedges, the woman in the room, even about the fire hose that seemed to have switched positions. But where did confession stop? Could he tell her he'd thrown the magneto away, that they could all be down in Sidewinder right now if he hadn't done that?

This is definitely a book I could quote until the sun came up. However, I believe most of the details and bits of information should be experienced by the reader while going on this journey. I'd hate to spoil the really good stuff.

I highly recommend this novel! It's a wonderful and scary story. It's gripping. It's happy and sad and mean and nice and everything you would want from a realistic take on the not-so-realistic possibilities of this world. That makes sense, right? Haha. It makes the boogie man seem like it could be real. That's what is awesome about this story and the authors talent. Don't watch the movie - read the book.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Copyright: 2008

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Randy Pausch, a college professor, is asked to participate in a "Last Lecture" series at the college he used to teach at. It becomes an absolute need for Randy to participate, because he ended up being diagnosed with terminal cancer shortly before this event was taking place. He shares his points on how to really achieve your childhood dreams as his theme of the lecture, but ends up contributing much more through stories and advice he as accumulated over the years.

Review:

I adore inspiring stories - especially of the non-fiction nature. Mainly because when I know that there are people out there bringing light to the world...giving us some positive vibes to feed off of....I can be more confident about my own approach to life. I won't lie - I can be down. Depressed. Negative. Bitchy. Snooty. Mean. Poopy pants. It's certainly not something I am proud of. I have always wished I could have been born that peppy chick -- that I could have been naturally happy and smiley and down-to-earth awesome. Some days I am. But other days I need inspiration to be more than a bump on a log. Books like this are perfect for that. Randy Pausch is all that I wish I could be. Even with pancreatic cancer!

Randy had a lucky life. He even says so himself. He has AMAZING parents (made up of the stuff most parents really should be and just aren't). He had a drive to get where he wanted to go and not stop. He had a super smart brain that made the sciencey part of the world up for grabs. He also learned some enlightening and awe-inspiring shit throughout his life. I am so stoked he shared it with the world before he passed away.

"The instinct in our house was never to sit around like slobs and wonder. We knew a better way: Open the encyclopedia. Open the dictionary. Open your mind."

"There's a lot of talk these days about giving children self-esteem. It's not something you can give; it's something they have to build. Coach Graham worked in a no-coddling zone. Self-esteem? He knew there was really only one way to teach kids how to develop it: You give them something they can't do, they work hard until they find they can do it, and you just keep repeating the process."

"Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

"Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier."

"Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other."

"If I could only give three words of advice, they would be 'tell the truth.' If I got three more words, I'd add: 'All the time.' My parents taught me that 'you're only as good as your word,' and there's no better way to say it."

"You ought to be thrilled you got a job in the mail room. And when you get there, here's what you do: Be really great at sorting mail. No one wants to hear someone say: 'I'm not good at sorting mail because the job is beneath me.' No job should be beneath us. And if you can't (or won't) sort mail, where is the proof that you can do anything?"

"My dad gave me the tongue-lashing of a lifetime. He believed manual labor was beneath no one. He said he'd prefer that I worked hard and became the best ditch-digger in the world rather than coasting along as a self-impressed elitist behind a desk."

If you need a nudge in the positive direction - pick this bad boy up. It's an easy 206 pages - and it's full of the good things in life, and how to appreciate and love them despite the dark and painful times.