Sunday, September 11, 2011


Welcome to Bookie Brunch
Come join the discussion!
* Every Sunday*

Today's host: The book nerd (me!) 
Next week’s host: Songs and Stories (Natalie) 
This week’s discussion open through: Sept 14

Your host this week:
Janine, The book nerd: @CurlyGirl11 (diaryofabooknerd)

Her guests this week:


On the Menu:
 The question under discussion: 

What are three songs that remind you of your favorite book?
Why do they remind you of that particular book?
Entangled
Kiwi says:

*takes a sip of green tea*
Entangled by Cat Clarke  has been on my favorite list for a while, despite its unsatisfactory ending.Songs that remind me of this book-

Crawling by Linking Park- This song makes me think of all her pain, misery and unhealthy habit of cutting. :/

Enya- Only Time- seems so perfect for the book towards the ending. Especially in context with the confusion and the post climax scenes.

The Kill by 30 Seconds to Mars- makes me think of Sal, her friendship with Grace and her role in the entire story.

I know my playlist sounds very emo, buts those are the kind of emotions that came to mind when I read the book, and the tracks I chose convey my reaction to the book very well!

Jo says:

NeverwhereOne of my favorite books is Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, so I thought about songs that I like that suited the story and came up with:
Fall With Your Knife by Peter Murphy. I've always thought this is such a romantic song, and I really like Peter Murphy's voice.    Neverwhere isn't really romantic, but there's a budding romance between two of the main characters, Richard and Door.


Tomorrow by Morrissey. The lyrics of this song are "Tomorrow - Will it really come ? - And if it does come Will I still be Human ? -All I ask of you is one thing that you never do- Would you put your arms around me ? - (I won't tell anyone) "      In the book, Richard is really on his own, and he can't find anyone to help him right away -- and getting through his first night is somewhat dangerous.


Lucretia My Reflection by The Sisters of Mercy. Okay - this one doesn't really match the story.  However, this is one of my favorite bands -- and this dark song reminds me a bit of the Velvets in Neverwhere.   They're these gothic-y women who dress in velvet and are mysterious (and a bit deadly).

I don't always match songs to a book, although that Morrissey song is one that I added to a playlist I made for a book display at the library that was all about werewolves and shapeshifters. It is fun to think about different stories and match them up with music!

Lorren says:

KartographyMy favorite book is Kartography by Kamila Shamsie. It has two parallel stories - the 
first is a boy and a girl who are best friends, growing up together. However, as they mature and grow apart, some issues and secrets from the past threaten their relationship. The second is basically the story of those issues - it takes the reader back to the civil war when East Pakistan became Bangladesh, a time when the parents of the boy and girl made some drastic decisions. 

I have a logical, silly, and sentimental song that remind me of this book. The logical song is "Where the Streets Have no Name" by U2. It is logical because one of the main characters, Raheen, states that this is the theme song for her city - she loves the intimacy of knowing the streets of Karachi without having to draw a map or attach official labels to the places that to her are defined instead by memories. This becomes a huge metaphor for relationships and life in the book.



The silly song is "Jitterbug" by Wham!. This song is also mentioned in the book, only in passing. Raheen, one of the main characters, has a scene where she feels cool because she corrects some older kids on the correct lyrics to the song. It has nothing to do with the mood or theme of the story, but now, whenever I hear it, I think of the book.



The sentimental song is "Globes and Maps" by Something Corporate, for a few reasons. First of all, one of the main themes of the books is maps - how we define ourselves based on place, and how we expand our lives out of the places in which we are most comfortable. This song   describes sorrow at a loved one wanting to "charter your way back home." The singer cries out, "Do you wanna leave or something?" This is a really strong feeling in the book as characters grow apart and relationships change. Secondly, I read this book when I was a sophomore in high school, and at that time, Something Corporate was my favorite band. Both the book and the band played strongly into my emotions and relationship situation at the time, and I can't help but think of both when I encounter either one or the other. 




Liddy says:


Ok, so at the moment,my favorite books have to be the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard.

The first song that reminds me of the series is Secrets by One Rebublic. The reason for this is because it is all about giving your secrets away, and in the series, that is exactly what happens to the girls who are just filled to the brim with secrets!




The second song is Iridescent by Linkin Park. Because I think it really describes what it's like too loose someone you love, even when it's tough, it tells you to try and let go. And this is one of the problems the girls face when they loose their best friend, Ali.



The last song I choose is Secret by the Pierces, because it's the theme song ot the tv show Prett Little Liars and whenever I read them I just keep thinking of that song! 





Bonnie says:


My Sister's Keeper
Oooh, this is a really hard question!  I've never thought about what songs go with my favorite books before.  Even though I'm predominantly a teen blogger, my all-time favorite novel is MY SISTER'S KEEPER by Jodi Picoult.  It tears me to shreds and makes me sob like a baby Every.Single.Time.  I always manage to think it will be different upon picking it up again and am punched in the gut again and again.  I won't even watch the movie.  I hear it's so very, very different from the book and that the part that makes me love it so freaking much...no longer exists.  The movie does not exist to me, and if that's your only experience with this book, I hope you will one day read it because you will be STUNNED.

I think that a few songs I've been infatuated with lately could tie in well with this novel; they all deal with loss and heartbreak in some way.  So here are three songs on my favorite playlist that really work with this novel:

For at least year now, I've been obsessed with the song "My Hands" by Leona Lewis (which I can just listen to again and again on repeat for hours; at least once a day, please!).  For as upbeat as this song sounds, the words just grab at you.  It's about someone who has experienced unspeakable loss and desperately wants to move on, but finds that she can't.  That person is everywhere.  And not necessarily a romantic love, either.  But the sense of loss is overpowering and the song gets me every time.




I just discovered "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry and, for obvious reasons, this song fits in with MY SISTER'S KEEPER...on multiple levels.  The singer is musing about what might happen if she dies prematurely.  In MY SISTER'S KEEPER, one of the main characters, Kate, has been in and out of the hospital since she was a toddler.  She's always had the fear of death loitering on her shoulders and been forced to ponder this very question!


Finally, another recent discovery is "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato.  Demi's voice is raw and powerful, aching with emotion.  The song is about overcoming adversity and rising above all the horrible things that can occur in life in order to persevere, make it through, and ultimately succeed.  Again, this song resonates with MY SISTER'S KEEPER on so many levels!



I (Janine) say:


One of my favorite books is Miss Peregrine's Home for peculiar children by Ransom Riggs, so that's the one I chose for this occation :)

This book is unique on so many levels. 
That Riggs actually has the guts to write this very creepy young-adult book filled with even more creepy photographs astounds me to this day. I am very happy with the songs I picked out for this book, I think all of them matches the feeling of the book perfectly.

My Immortal by Evanescence.
This is a very sad song, but if you take your time and listen to the lyrics, it matches Jacobs feelings towards his grandfather somewhat perfectly.  I know it's a bit strange since this is like, a love song, but it really fits with the book.
"Your prescence still lingers here, and it won't leave me alone" 



Restless by Within Temptation really makes me think about the sad romance between Jacob and Emma, Also, the agression towards the middle of the song mirrors their strong feelings. The lyrics matches their situation perfecly. And I mean perfectly.
"Take my hand as I wonder through" "You are the ghost haunting through her heart. Past and present are on in her head"



If you've heard me rant about music before, you probobly know that NeverShoutNever is my favorite band ever. Time travel is one of his new singles from the albun with the same title that comes out in NINE DAYS (20th).
The title of the song makes it obvious why I think it fits with Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children.
"Standing there white as a ghost. lacked in completion. And stabbed my reflection twelve times." - God I love this song.


~

About: With the same trademark compassion and erudition he brought to
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, neurologist and
professor Oliver Sacks explores the place music occupies in the brain
and how it affects the human condition.

In Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, he shows us a
variety of what he calls 'musical misalignments.' Among them: a man
struck by lightning who suddenly desires to become a pianist; an
entire group of children who were born highly musical; and a man whose
memory spans only seven seconds - for everything but music.
Illuminating and inspiring, Musicophilia is a book of strange
but true tales about the mysteries of the intimate connections between
music and the human mind.
 

 
 Shown above: Oliver Sacks discusses music and synesthesia, in Bright Blue Music
Additional clips: The Power of Rhythm
,Amnesia and Music , The Power of Music 
Browse this book: Preview
 Details: To win this intriguing read about music and the mind, please
leave email info and thoughtful or interesting comment below. A winner
will be picked at random. If host and guests agree that a specific
visitor comment is substantial, outstanding, or in some other way has
particular merit, they can override random.org pick at their
discretion.
 Brought by: Sasha Soren(Random Magic) 
Watch the trailer for Random Magic or browse this book.
~
That was it for this bookie brunch dearies ♥
A big thanks to all the guests, I really enjoyed listeing to these awesome songs. And I got some new books to add to my to-read list aswell :)
I hope you guys enjoyed this Bookie Brunch and now you can create your own book-playlist! Yay!



10 comments:

  1. What an interesting question.... I'm off to think about this and come back with my choice. Be back soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great question. Love the Entangled songs, I love that book and agree about the ending. The songs fit perfectly. One of my favourite books was Stealing Phoenix I think the songs would be This Kiss by Faith Hill, Can't get you out of my mind by Kyle Minogue and Eternal Flame by the Bangles. Maybe showing my age with the latter ;) x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Okay I'm back - this question rocked. And I loved it so much that I made an actual post with my answers and it's linked back to your post here.

    http://www.snowdropdreams.ca/2011/09/bookie-brunch.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love this topic!
    When reading Divergent, the song "Blow Me Away" by Breaking Benjamin really came to mind, especially with the line "only the strongest will survive."
    The song "My Immortal" by Evanescence makes me think of Four and his fears.
    Though it doesn't fit perfectly, "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson makes me think of Tris leaving her family to join Dauntless.

    Thank you for sharing the awesome topic!

    liedermadchen(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, I love "If I Die Young" by the Band Perry. I haven't read My Sister's Keeper yet but it is on my nightstand. And just for anyone who is hoping to enter the giveaway, I can assure you as a musician and a neuroscientist that Musicophilia is a fantastic read (and accessible - you don't have to know a ton of anatomical details to really enjoy it). Thanks for hosting, Janine, this was a fun topic!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love how the songs are all in this post -- makes it easy to listen to everything. Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I haven't read a lot of these books...or songs! I'll have to check a lot of these out myself since they're so well-loved! Thanks for inc. the songs in the post, Janine! Makes it easy!

    And L.L., I can't wait for you to read it and hope you love it!! Listen to The Band Perry while you read, lol!

    Oh, and Lieder, good call for "Breakaway" with DIVERGENT. That works so well! I'll have to listen to "Blow Me Away!"

    ReplyDelete
  8. I only read My Sister's Keeper of the books mentioned. All the songs sound good. Although I love music very much, I cannot remember any songs I would associate with any book. Am I weird? Also, I'm usually way behind the rest of the world at discovering great music. Nevertheless, great bookie brunch! Thanks for sharing these songs!

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a great Bookie Brunch! :)
    My own choice would be when reading One Day by David Nicholls, I thought Someone Like You by Adele and Who Knew by Pink reflected the theme of the book well... and I just like those songs! :)
    Or you could go for the obvious, for example when reading Wicked by Gregory Maguire, I had the songs from the musical going through my head!

    All of the songs you guys picked are great! Well done! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. great topic! and good selection of music. really makes me curious to read the books now - especially Entagled.
    Neverwhere matches well.
    loved the Wham snippet ;-D

    ReplyDelete