The full trailer for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 debuted at last night’s MTV Movie Awards and it lived up to the hype.
We see various characters’ reactions to receiving invitations to Edward and Bella’s wedding, as well as getting a glimpse of the ceremony itself plus the honeymoon. The sight of RPattz’s (surprisingly) muscly, naked back on the newlyweds’ bed is my particular highlight!
It’s released on 18 November. Check out the trailer when you read more.
Posted in Adaptations, Fiction
The winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction will be announced this Wednesday, and Emma Donoghue is the favourite to scoop the prize.
The rest of the shortlist includes: Aminatta Forna’s The Memory of Love; Emma Henderson’s Grace Williams Says it Loud; Nicole Krauss’s Great House; Téa Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife; and Kathleen Winter’s Annabel.
Who do you hope wins?
Wicked Whispers by Jessica Callan
Revelations galore about the life of a celebrity journalist from one of the Mirror’s “3am girls”. A fun read full of gossip plus an insight into the workings of tabloids.
The Insider by Piers Morgan
A fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of not only journalism but also the worlds of politics, celebrity and royalty. His follow-ups are equally entertaining.
Posted in Biography, Holiday Reads, Non-Fiction
Global book club 1book140 has launched this month with Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin as its opening read. The Twitter-based group already has more than 7,000 followers, who will be sharing their views on the novel throughout June.
The initiative is run by Jeff Howe and follows last summer’s One Book, One Twitter Club, which focused on Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.
Are you interested in this kind of virtual book club?
A teaser trailer for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 has been released, ahead of the premiere of the full trailer at the MTV Movie Awards this weekend.
It gives us a glimpse at Robert Pattinson in all his finery as he waits for Kristen Stewart to walk down the aisle at Edward and Bella’s wedding.
One of the most eagerly-anticipated adaptations of 2011, the film is released on 18 November in the UK.
Posted in Adaptations, Fiction
Today would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 85th birthday. In honour of that, I’m sharing two of my favourite books about the actress. Barbara Leaming’s biography is a great introduction and a fascinating read, while Fragments gives fans the chance to read Marilyn’s own writing, from letters and notes to poems. She was a literature lover, and this collection revels in that.
Posted in Biography, Non-Fiction, Spotlight On
Fans of a certain naughty boy rejoice: Horrid Henry: The Movie in 3D is coming to a cinema near you. The impressive cast includes Anjelica Huston, Parminder Nagra, Richard E. Grant, Noel Fielding, Jo Brand and Prunella Scales.
It’s the first British children’s film shot in 3D, and is released in the UK on 29 July. Do you plan to watch it?
Check out the trailer after the jump to get a taste of what to expect.
Posted in Adaptations, Children's
Richard and Judy this week announced the 18 titles that are part of their Children’s Book Club this summer. The list comprises three categories: Read Together; Read Yourself; and Fluent Reader. There are old favourites alongside new titles, and I’m pleased to see books with illustrations by Tony Ross and Quentin Blake. Earlier this month the couple revealed their choices for adults. Do you plan to read any of their recommendations?
Posted in Children's, News
I visited Chelsea Flower Show this week and amid all the wonderful plants the literary world made its presence felt, particularly in my favourite category: the Artisan Gardens. Three had strong associations with the written word.
The link is most explicit in A Literary Garden, which is designed to be a poet’s retreat and is filled with hand-carved verses on the benches, bridge, sundial and water features. It also has a rather inviting cubby hole lined with logs.
Waterproof paper lines the walls of The Basildon Bond Centenary Garden, which is presented as a celebration of the stationery brand’s 100 year history. Fun touches like a reproduction of the Basildon Bond clock (where the 12 letters replace numbers) and a black wall-mounted post box add to the planting, which includes a paperbark maple whose peeling bark perfectly matches the theme.
The inspiration for gold medal winner A Postcard from Wales is the area surrounding Dylan Thomas’s home town of Laugharne. Soft pinks, whites and purples of the rose and allium are planted next to a silted river inlet.
To find out about other garden shows with a literary leaning, keep reading
Posted in Insider Info, News
MSN Movies has the world exclusive trailer for One Day. David Nicholls has written the screenplay for this adaptation of his 2009 novel.
The story charts the lives of Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) following their night together at their university graduation. We get a snapshot of what they’re doing on the same date (15 July) for the next 20 years.
One Day is released in the UK on 26 August 2011. Are you excited to see it?
Posted in Adaptations, Fiction
Eleanor Cains 