There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale

Title: There and Back Again: An Actor’s Tale

Rating: 4/5

Author: Sean Astin with Joe Layden

Pages: 308

Genre: Nonfiction/Autobiography

Synopsis:

From the moment Sean Astin heard that he would have the chance to audition for a role in Peter Jackson's newest project, The Lord of the Rings, he knew that he absolutely had to be a part of it. He didn't realize just how life changing the experience would be.

Follow Sean Astin as he reflects on the road that led him to this amazing opportunity and what it was like to bring Tolkien's Samwise Gamgee to life.

My Reaction:

There and Back Again wasn’t 100% what I expected. Even so, it kept me interested and engaged. To be honest, I’ve been feeling like I’ve been in a bit of a reading rut. Even though I’ve given good reviews, and the books deserved it, I’ve also struggled to actually want to read and finish some of the recent books. It’s nothing against the books. Sometimes you just get into a rut. I felt like this book finally got me out of it. I was genuinely interested in reading again and wanted to sneak in a few pages whenever I could.

Overall, the book did appeal to my love for a glance at the behind the scene world of cinema that I mentioned in my last post. However, there were just a couple of small things that for me docked it a point. First of all, I’m not a fan of language in my books. There are a couple words I’ll let author’s get away with, but when they start straying towards more offensive language I’d rather that was left out entirely. I know not everyone feels that way, so this wouldn’t bother you in the least. It’s not like there’s profanity on every single page (there are 308 after all), but he definitely used the f-bomb far more than I appreciate—9 times to be exact. Granted, most of those times he was quoting other people, but I’m still not a fan. There was some other language in there, most prominently the use of the “s” word, but again, if that doesn’t bother you then this isn’t an issue.

The second thing that brought it down a point is the simple fact that I wanted more. You would think 308 pages would be enough to completely satisfy my inner Lord of the Rings fan; however, Astin’s book is more of a commentary and reflection of what it is to be an actor, Astin’s own personal insecurities and faults, with a little bit of specific experiences from the making of the films. I will give him some credit, as he made me realize that perhaps it’s a good thing I never pursued acting like I considered once upon a time as my own personal insecurities would probably have been quite the hardship for me. Essentially, even though the book was mostly compelling and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing his firsthand account of the experience and what it was like to work with certain actors, the writing sometimes felt long winded or repetitive, and I really would have liked some more specifics about what it was like to film certain scenes. He does give some specifics, which were great, I just wanted more.

Overall, it’s still worth a read for any Lord of the Rings fan especially if you enjoy a look behind the scenes.

Reader’s Guidance:

As mentioned above, there is some language through out the book.

Similar Books:

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride by Cary Elwes with Joe Layden

I absolutely loved this book. I read it before I started this blog, but I would give it a 5/5. If you're a fan of The Princess Bride then you definitely need to check this book out!

Next Book:

I'm one of those people who buys books faster than I read them. I have a bunch of unread books and yet I still buy more or get some from the library, and that's how I get books like There and Back Again which sat on my shelf begging to be read since 2004. Therefore, to choose my next book, I scanned my shelves for a book a haven't read. The book that begged to be read the loudest was The Mysterious Benedict Society. 

What is the Mysterious Benedict Society, and what makes it so mysterious? I have no idea! Let's find out together! Happy reading!

The Next Book

Guess what, guys! I picked another book to read! Huzzah!

Logically, you'd think I would pick the next book in the Anne of Green Gables series, but that's not what I did. Also, many thanks for the suggestions you gave me! If nothing else, I learned that I definitely need to give Brandon Sanderson a try at some point because his books have now been recommended to me by numerous people.

Don't be offended when I tell you that I didn't pick any of your suggestions, and it's not because I didn't think they were good ones. In fact, the ones I hadn't already read are now on my to-read list on Goodreads so I won't forget. However, fate brought me and this book together. I can't fight against fate!

Here's what happened.

The other day I was tidying up my office. Organization isn't always my best skill in some regards. In some aspects of my life, I want things organized in a specific way, and I want it to stay that way. Everything else has a tendency to spread wildly across the floor and stay that way for some time. Well, I knew something had to be done because, ironically, I actually hate it when a space gets THAT cluttered. And I knew that it was probably driving my husband nuts even though he never said anything. He's much more organized with his space than I am.

As I was cleaning and rearranging a bookshelf, I found myself holding a book that has been in my possession since 2004, and yet I've never read it! I'm sure I have plenty of books in a similar situation on my shelves, but what surprises me about this book is that I was so into The Lord of the Rings at the time. (I still think it's amazing, by the way.)

The book is There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale by none other than Sean Astin who plays Samwise Gamgee. I love behind the scenes stuff whether it be for movies, plays, Disneyland rides, etc. (I seriously have a couple of books devoted to the making of the Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion rides). I really enjoy seeing how things were accomplished and hearing first hand accounts of the experience. The last book I read that fits into this genre is As You Wish by Cary Elwes all about the making of The Princess Bride. I thoroughly enjoyed that one, so if you're a Princess Bride fan, you should definitely pick it up.

With my interest piqued, and suddenly finding myself 75 pages in, it was the clear choice for my next book. It's only been over a decade since the last movie/this book came out. Better late than never!

Anne of Green Gables

I'm not going to lie. I've kind of been procrastinating writing this blog post. I finished reading Anne of Green Gables some time last week, and I've had plenty of time to write a post about it. Even now, I've been letting myself get distracted by Facebook and also a little bit by my husband playing Battlefront 2. As for the rest of the week, I've mostly been catching up on year's worth of scrapbooking, re-watching episodes of The Office, and spending hours in family history research because that's a thing I do. Oh, and cuddling with my cat. All very important things, especially that last one.

It should be noted that I did enjoy reading Anne's story. I feel like her story is only just beginning (which makes sense as there are like eight books in the series). I'll definitely have to get my hands on the other books.

Title: Anne of Green Gables

Rating: 4/5

Author: L. M. Montgomery

Genre: Classic/Children's

Synopsis:

Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert are siblings who manage the family farm of Green Gables. They are getting older and could use a little help around the place, so they decide to adopt a young orphan boy. They're about to get more than they bargained for when they get Anne Shirley instead, a spirited girl with her head up in the clouds. Anne has a knack for getting herself in to trouble, and Marilla wonders if she'll ever be able to raise her into a respectable young women.

My Reaction:

I didn't really have any specific expectations for this book. All I new about it was that it was adapted into a movie back in the 80's and that there's currently an adaptation of it on Netflix. I know people who are a fan of the 80's film, which is part of what sparked my curiosity in the book in the first place. Now that I've read the book, I can see how a movie adaptation would be wonderful, so I may have to find a way to watch it and see what I think.

But back to the book.

Anne Shirley certainly brought a smile to my face. Corey, who grew up with the movie rendition, said that I actually reminded him of her. Apparently I also have a flair for the dramatic on occasion. Ha! She has a wild imagination and is extremely talkative. It's quite entertaining to see her way of thinking and how it gets her into trouble so often. But the other great thing about Anne is that we get to see her grow and mature. And while there are some attributes that I agree Anne and I have in common, Anne also reminded me of some young girls that I know. This made Anne seem even more real, and it made reading her adventures even more entertaining.

I loved Anne's spunk, imagination, and knack for getting into trouble! This was a very enjoyable book and a great start to the series. I look forward to reading more of Anne's story in the future.

Reader’s Guidance:

Nothing to fear.

Similar Books:

Other classics that explore everyday challenges and the challenges that come with growing up. Perhaps something like Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.

Next Book:

Guys, I can't decide! Do I read the next book in the Anne of Green Gables series? I'm interested in reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, but unfortunately, so is everyone else apparently as all the copies are checked out of the library. Curses! I also received a copy of the third book of the Sheer Power series in the mail the other day. I could read that. Or do I just read something completely different entirely? I can't make up my mind, so I'm enlisting you to make up my mind for me. You should feel honored.

What book do you think I should read next? Give me a good one 😃