Saga Saturday I

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I am a major sucker for a good long saga. Some of my favorite books
are considered to be as such.

Definition of saga

  1. 1:  a story of heroic deeds
  2. 2:  a long and often complicated story
    (http://beta.merriam-webster. com/)

For the first of weekly installments, here are my favorite saga’s (to date.)

(click any photo or title for more info.)


Gone With The Wind
I’m sure everyone has heard of gone with the wind. Whether you have seen it or not, have you read it? It is an awesome book! I recommend that if you like the movie and/or love saga’s that you read this book by Margaret Mitchell. It’s a novel that takes place during the civil war. The characters are ones that you cannot help but fall in love with. Gone With The Wind is truly an epic book.
Gone With The Wind Rated: 4.8 on amazon.com

 
frothy-cup-of-espresso-coffee-with-cinnamon-topped-with-sprinkled-chocolate-on-old-wooden-background_142922332
Book Bean: Scarlet Tea
White tea (or coffee) with frothed milk, 2 sugars,
and sprinkled with cinnamon.  

 

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Far and Away
I cannot say enough about this book by Sonja Massie, I loved it so very much. It was the first book that I ever read ‘after’ I saw the movie. The movie it was based on is one of my all time favorites. The book is much deeper and more detailed. It is a great story about overcoming pride and on discovering oneself. It carries a theme about painting your own journey, which I really love. There is of course a love story, and it is a good one. It seems to be a bit under appreciated, as you will see if you follow my links, maybe I’m over biased…
Far and Away Rated: 4.3 on amazon.com
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Book Bean: Old Fashioned Irish Coffee
Of course you can substitute the whiskey as I do with non-alcoholic rum flavoring (buy it where you get your vanilla.)

 



East of Eden
This novel takes place in Salinas Valley. Steinbeck does not disappoint with his beautifully descriptive narrative. Some people may not like his long winded picturesque intro’s, but I for one, love them. He brings you on location so you hear the wind in the trees, see each shapely cloud, and taste the very air he writes of. Who knows if it wasn’t for all of the wonderful descriptiveness, it might not even be a saga 😉
East of Eden Rated: 4.6 on amazon.com


images (1)Book Bean: Green Tea Latte
Just substitute the espresso in your normal latte machine/bialetti with condensed green tea leaves, it’s so good. If you don’t have one then well, I’m sorry.

 


The Thorn Birds
I may sound like a broken record now but this is such a marvelous novel. It’s hard to pick a favorite among so many fantastic books, but this one almost makes me want to. Colleen McCullough tells a beautiful story, that follows the life of a girl, through the eyes of a handsome young priest. It takes place in Australia, and has it’s share of scandal, pain, and yes love. It may sound corny, but it is a delightful novel that I will love forever.
The Thorn Birds Rated: 4.3 on amazon.com

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Book Bean: Ginger Peach Tea
Hot or iced, tea infused with dry peaches and ginger. If you don’t have it just add dry peaches and a dab of ginger to your infuser and use whatever tea you have.

And there are so many more I still have yet to read, and so many that I can’t wait to read.

What is your favorite saga?

Join me each Saturday for more great Saga’s!

Fun Fact: The mythical “Thornbird” searches for thorn trees from the day it is hatched. When it finds the perfect thorn, it impales itself, and sings the most beautiful song ever heard as it dies.

55 thoughts on “Saga Saturday I”

  1. Although I already have the book Far and away, I haven’t read it yet, but I have seen the movie. It’s definitely a great movie, and I hope I’d be able to start reading the book!

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  2. Ok! I can’t stand Tom Cruise, but I LOVED Far and Away and have watched so many times I’ve lost count. And you’re saying the book is better? I FINALLY have something to put on my Christmas list!!! Thanks you for the heads up!

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      • Another author worth reading is C. J. Samsom. He is the author of the Matthew Shardlake series of novels. They are set in the time of Henry VIII in England. Sansom is a British author who spins a good yarn. IT may seem obvious that I like British authors and novel set in the medieval period. Although I would not have liked to live during that time, that period has always fascinated me. Charles

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    • I would say it’s a personal preference. I think I would have liked reading the book first… That is usually what I do, but I watched the movie first and still loved the book. This book is unique in that the book was written after movie, so it bypasses the usual ‘book first’ disappointments. Having said all that if I’d had a choice (even knowing what I know now,) I probably would have read it first. 🙂

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  8. I keep putting East of Eden on my to-read list and not getting around to it. I’ve read Of Mice and Men aloud with high school students probably 15 times, taking all class periods into consideration. There’s so much story in that one little book. And, like you, I love the imagery of the Salinas Valley!

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  9. I loved Gone With The Wind and East Of Eden. The movies as well. The Thornbirds, I haven’t read, but I really did not like the series. I am sure I am in the minority about that. I just cringe every time I see it. I don’t know if it would be considered a saga, but my favorite book is by Thomas Wolfe,
    Actually, two of his “Look Homeward Angel: and “Of Time And The River”. Those are usually favorites of males, but it appealed to me because of the setting in the south and the time period.
    When I was a teenager, I really enjoyed the John Jakes series of books, starting with “The Bastard”. I know they weren’t literary masterpieces, but they were enjoyable at the time.

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    • I don’t remember the series much at all, but I did really love the book. If you liked Gone With The Wind and East Of Eden, I feel like you would really like The Thorn Birds. However, you never know, some books just rub us the wrong way. There are books everyone loves that are in a Genre I love, that I cannot stand. Or, it could be that the series is a lot different than the actual book. 🙂

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  11. I think with me it was the series. I didn’t like any of the casting. I liked the film versions of “Gone With The Wind” and “East Of Eden”. “Gone With The Wind” was better as a book.I used to be crazy about the film. I hated the sequel, “Scarlett” that came out.I don’t think it should have been written. “East Of Eden”, I enjoyed that film and the series that came out later.

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  12. James Dean, is Cal Trask. I really didn’t care for the guy who played his brother.Julie Harris was a bit old for the role, but the scenes with her and Dean are very tense, you can really relate to his loneliness and father’s approval.
    The later version was a mini series with Jane Seymour, Timothy Bottoms, Warren Oates, Bruce Boxleitner, Sam Bottoms as Cal, Hart Bochner and Karen Allen. It included more of the book than the screen version, but the intensity wasn’t there between Bottoms, Bochner and Allen. I have to admit I usually cry at the end of the Dean version.

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    • That’s interesting, I thought they were one and the same. Thank you for this information, it was helpful. After I read the book I tried to get a copy to watch, but couldn’t find it. Now with amazon.com I’m sure I could easily.

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  15. East of Eden was one of the most popular books read in the book club that I go to. Generally speaking, there is at least one dissenting voice when we talk about a book, but I don’t remember any great criticisms of this one. We have a review on our own blog, for anyone who is interested:

    “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck

    PS. Coffee and books is good, but we go for beer and books!

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  16. I’ve read several good sagas, some of them filmed as well. If it is multigenerational, a saga could be one book (eg: stories of families before, during, and after WWII); or a series of novels tracing the lives of characters through the years, introducing new characters as the storyline and/or change of setting requires.
    As you are no doubt aware, my favorite, far and away, is the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
    I always look forward to your posts. Have a good day:-).

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  17. Loved the list. I am yet to read all the books though. I usually opt for books which measure less than 500 pages. It reflects the impatience in me. I so want to read ‘Gone with the wind’, I hope I acquire the strength to start reading it.

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    • I get impatient with super long books too. I stopped after the first 3/4 Harry Potter books. However, some books read so well, you don’t feel like they are as long. But I have suffered through some whoppers, just for a sense of accomplishment. I’m sad to say I have also abandoned books in the past. There is just too many books to waist precious time on things that don’t intrigue and/or teach me.

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  21. I’m a big fan of historical fiction so Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment), with a fourth book, The Wicked Day to wrap it up is a favourite, in fact I just read it for the umpteenth time. I also really enjoyed Manda Scott’s Boudica series, which is set a few hundred years before the Merlin stories, in pre-Roman Britain. Dreaming the Eagle is the first book in that series. There’s a minor dose of magic in Stewart, rather a heftier dose in Scott, but they’re both very well done. And I agree with you on The Thorn Birds, that was rather fabulous.

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  22. HI Abblielu, I must admit that I haven’t read too many sagas, unless you consider “The Lord of the Rings” a saga.. i have lost count of how many times I have read that book. I used to read it once a year, but I got busy with work and completing my doctorate that that fell beside the wayside. The one John Steinbeck novel that I remember is “The Pearl”. A long time ago I read Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy, a fine piece of literature indeed. I once tried to read “Gone With the Wind” but I just couldn’t finish it. I guess that I’m no into romantic novels, however epic they may be. One epic (science fiction) series (I don’t know if it would be considered a saga) is C.S. Lewis’ “Out of the Silent Planet” trilogy. It features Ransom as the protagonist. These are a few thoughts. I am enjoying very much your blog. Charles

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