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!

Life is so Good

Title: Life is so Good

Rating: 3/5

Author: George Dawson and Richard Glaubman

Pages: 260

Genre: Autobiagraphy

Synopsis:

People forget that a picture ain’t made from just one color. Life ain’t all good or all bad. It’s full of everything. –George Dawson

This book is a reflection of  the life of George Dawson. He was the grandson of a slave who didn’t get the chance to learn how to read until he was 98 years old. He was an inspiration to many when word spread that he had gone to school for the very first time just two years short of being 100. He continues to be an inspiration to many.

Just check out this video and you will see how his legacy has lived on.

My Reaction:

First of all, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to start school at the age of 98, not knowing all those years how to read (I suppose I wouldn’t be writing this blog if that were the case.). Not only that, George’s memory was amazing! I’m not sure I’ll remember my life so clearly when I’m that age.

I enjoyed his story for a few different reasons. One reason was the simple fact of seeing parts of history from a different perspective. Richard Glaubman, who interviewed George and put the book together, asks George about major events in history, things I learned about in school, and his perspective is so much different than anyone else’s I’ve heard, mostly because his circumstances were different. For example, when the United States entered the depression, George didn’t really notice a difference. He’d always had to work hard and didn’t have much. That’s just the way it was.

Towards the end of the book, George mentions how everybody started asking him what he eats—what does he do that’s made him live so long in such good health? He basically said he eats whatever he wants. Besides that, and some good genes I’m sure, I’m convinced that part of the reason why he was in such good health is because he had one of the best attitudes. Sure, his life wasn’t easy, but he never complains! Throughout the whole book he says things like, “I didn’t mind it much.” He took things in stride, he worked hard and took pride in that work, and he didn’t worry too much. He comments that people today (that being the early 2000’s) worry too much.

Some other little golden nuggets I gleaned from his experiences are:

-You have to believe that you can accomplish something

-Treat people with respect

-Try your best—it doesn’t matter if you fail as long as you do your best

I enjoyed the book and seeing history through the eyes of someone who lived it. It’s worth a read. It started to feel a little long to me (that could have been due to the fact that I had a good break from it before coming back and finishing it), but other than that, it was a good story.

Reader Guidance:

Keeping in mind the time period in which George Dawson was a child, there are mentions of things like the KKK and their activities, or the use of the N word. There usually wasn’t a whole lot of specific details. However, near the beginning, George recounts a lynching he saw as a boy, and that goes into more detail. That’s the most dramatic thing violence wise. There was a case of language, but not super hard language.

Similar Books:

The first book that came to mind was The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. It is the autobriography of a boy in Africa who dreamed of building a windmill so that he could bring electricity and running water to his village. It was another inspirational story, and one that touched me especially because William is about my age. Reading about what he was living through and thinking about my own life at that same time was a humbling experience.

Next Book:

There are a billion different covers for this book. It's been around for awhile, but this is the version of the book that I had hiding underneath my desk at school.

Next month, Disney new movie version of A Wrinkle in Time is hitting theaters! It looks pretty fantastic, and I have high hopes for it. It can't be any worse than The Wonderful World of Disney version. Don't even bother watching it. It's not worth it. 

In honor of my excitement, I've decided it's time to reread the book! I will always remember it as the first book I read secretly under my desk instead of paying attention to my teacher. Maybe that's why I always felt like I missed out on some of my 5th grade learning--I was too busy not paying attention. Figures.

I may have to read the other books in the series also because I don't remember too many details except that I liked them. So let's give it another go!