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Buzz Book Club: The Conclusion of Watchmen

BuzzSugar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:30:20 PST

Hello, Buzz Book Club readers. I hope you enjoyed the end of Watchmen! I think it's an especially good idea to read the book before you see the movie in this case, because a huge part of the fun will be seeing how close the film gets to the look and feel of the artwork. But we'll talk about that more in a second.

First, here's a reminder of how the book club works: Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, went up every Friday in February). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section. And tune in next week for my March selection announcement.

To discuss the final section of Watchmen, in which we read from the start of chapter 10 through the end,

Overall, the book got me thinking about the common themes of superhero works - and about heroes in general. After reading Watchmen, what do you think about heroes as symbols? Do we need them? Does Watchmen have a different effect on you than, say, a Superman or Iron Man story?
We don't learn much about Ozymandias until very late in the book. Do you think it's effective to hold his story back for so long? Do you think he's evil? Or just misguided?
Speaking of which, how do you feel about all of the characters by the end? Is Rorschach a noble martyr or someone whose views are too rigid to survive in society? What about Dan/Nite Owl?
The story is set in an alternate universe of 1985, with Nixon as president, and some of the political themes feel a little bit tied to that time. But overall, do you think it's still relevant today?
Do you think this book is "filmable" as a movie? What do you think the biggest challenges would be in adapting it for the screen?

Buzz Book Club: Watchmen, Section Three

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:30:50 PST

Hello, Buzz Book Club readers. I hope you're still enjoying Watchmen so far. This section brought us some otherworldly adventures and some good old-fashioned butt-kicking. Let's chat about it after the jump.

But first, a reminder of how the book club works: Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in February). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next section: Read from the start of chapter 10 through the end! We'll talk about the conclusion of Watchmen on Friday, Feb. 27.

To discuss the third section of Watchmen, in which we read from the start of chapter seven through the end of chapter nine,

This section got me thinking about what kind of person would choose to become a masked adventurer. It seems like Dan is completely different as Nite Owl and as regular old Dan. What do you think would attract someone to that kind of double life?
Speaking of Dan, what do you make of his relationship with Laurie? Their dialogue strikes me as almost hilariously old-fashioned - I kept waiting for Laurie to say something like, "Dan, take me away from all of this!" and fling a hand across her forehead.
Of course, it's Dr. Manhattan who actually does take Laurie away. How does this section make you feel about him? Are you sold on the idea that everything is predestined and he can't change it?
We're getting to know more and more about our most central female character, Laurie. What do you think of her, overall, as a character? Do you wish there were more women in the Watchmen?

Buzz Book Club: Watchmen, Section Two

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:30:54 PST

Hello, Buzz Book Club readers. I hope you're still enjoying the Watchmen so far. Does reading the book get you more anxious to see the upcoming movie? I certainly can't wait.

Before we get to chatting about this section, a reminder on how the book club works: Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in February). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next section: Read from the start of chapter seven through the end of chapter nine (stop before chapter 10) for Friday, Feb. 20.

To discuss the second section of Watchmen, in which we read from the start of chapter four to the end of chapter six,

This section includes an issue that focuses on the history of Dr. Manhattan and another on the origin of Rorschach. In general, do you like learning about how superheroes/masked crusaders came to be that way? Or do you prefer an element of mystery?
Does knowing more about Rorschach, in particular, make you feel differently toward him? I found that he lost some of his creepiness when I learned more about his past and his upbringing. I think he's one of my favorite characters.
I still can't get the image of Dr. Manhattan's nervous system walking around on its own out of my head! Now that we're halfway through the book, are there particular images that are sticking with you?
Finding out that a Dr. Manhattan-like figure existed would obviously be a shock, but somehow, it doesn't seem that far-fetched. Would you be creeped out if a Manhattan-like figure really did exist in our world? Or would it make you feel somehow safer to know we were in possession of something like that?
In general, I still like the quotes and other text additions to each chapter, but I'm not loving the pirate comic; I find it distracting. What about you? Do you like it, and do you see the payoff from following it?

Buzz Book Club: Watchmen, Section One

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:30:32 PST

Hello, Buzz Book Club readers! I hope you're enjoying the dark and mysterious alternate reality of Watchmen so far. I think tackling a comic book series is rewarding in some ways and a little harder than a regular book in others. It definitely makes me excited for the movie. We'll discuss more in a second.

First, here's a recap of how the Book Club goes if you're new: Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in February). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next section: Read from the start of chapter four to the end of chapter six (stop before chapter seven). We'll chat about this section a week from today, Feb. 13.

To discuss the first section of Watchmen, in which we read from the start of the book through chapter three,

Do you read this visual story any differently than you read a regular book? I sometimes read all the text on the page pretty quickly, but then I have to remind myself to go back and look at the pictures, too.
So far, which characters and stories are grabbing you the most? Are there any that particularly intrigue you? Any that aren't holding your attention?
The Watchmen are masked avengers - real, ordinary people, as opposed to superheroes like Superman or Spider-Man. What kind of story do you prefer: One about characters with superpowers, or one about average humans as masked avengers?
Do you think that having the story set in an alternate version of our society - as opposed to, say, a made-up place like Gotham - works? Does it make the story seem spookier or more real? Or does it not make much difference to you?
Do you like the chunks at the end of each chapter, in which we see documents or bits of other books? Or are you anxious to just keep going with the story?
And I'm kind of loving the quotes that close each chapter, too (one from Bob Dylan, one from Elvis Costello, one from the Bible, etc.). What do you think of these quotes?

Buzz Book Club: Watchmen

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:30:28 PST

Calling all fangirls and Buzz Book Club readers: One of the most highly anticipated movies of '09 is coming to a theater near you on March 6, so this month's book club selection is the critically acclaimed series of comic books, Watchmen.

The saga of bringing this comic book series to the screen has been most dramatic. Director Terry Gilliam, who was first attached to the project, deemed the complex, groundbreaking work "unfilmable." Eventually the talented Zack Snyder took the helm mostly out of fear that someone else wouldn't do it well enough, and from the looks of the previews so far it looks like Snyder has done an awesome job. Filmable? Unfilmable? It's our turn to be the judges.

For those of you new to my book club format, here's how it works: I announce a new book each month. Every week I suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in February). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few discussion-provoking questions for you to respond to in the comments section.

To find out what Watchmen is all about and to get the first section,

The synopsis for Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons reads:
"It all begins with the paranoid delusions of a half-insane hero called Rorschach. But is Rorschach really insane or has he in fact uncovered a plot to murder super-heroes and, even worse, millions of innocent civilians? On the run from the law, Rorschach reunites with his former teammates in a desperate attempt to save the world and their lives, but what they uncover will shock them to their very core and change the face of the planet! Following two generations of masked superheroes from the close of World War II to the icy shadow of the Cold War comes this groundbreaking comic story - the story of The Watchmen."

The first section: Read from the start of the book through chapter three. Stop before chapter four. We'll discuss this section next Friday, Feb. 6.

New Watchmen Trailer Provides More Info

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:30:11 PST

OK, I'll admit it: When I first saw the teaser trailer for Watchmen, I didn't really get it. I liked the look of it and I think the use of that Smashing Pumpkins song "The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning" is inspired. But I didn't understand what was going on, unfamiliar as I was with the source material. Well, I decided to become familiar with the source material and now that I have, I'm a wee bit obsessed. To find out why and to see a new trailer,

Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's comic book series Watchmen has received overwhelming critical praise ever since publication in 1986 and 1987. In 2005 it was included on Time's list of "the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present," and Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof has called it ''the greatest piece of popular fiction ever produced." Unlike other superhero franchises (Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, etc.), Watchmen was deemed "unfilmmable," with director Terry Gilliam stating that "by reducing it to a two or two-and-a-half hour film, it seemed to me to take away the essence of what Watchmen is about.”

Well, in this superhero-happy era of filmmaking, Watchmen was going to be made, and admirably enough (at least in my opinion) 300 director Zack Snyder took on the project mostly because he loves the work and he worried that the wrong director wouldn't do it justice.

Now I'm almost done reading Watchmen and while I wasn't sure I'd like it, I have to say, I'm totally mesmerized. I think I see what all the fuss is about. And yesterday I (somewhat) patiently waited until 5:00 p.m. my time to catch the latest trailer for the film, which opens March 6, 2009. I've rarely been this intrigued by something I won't see for another four months. The new trailer provides more information on the story, so check it out below and tell me what you think.

Images courtesy of Warner Bros.

Check Out the Top Contenders For Best Cookbook of the Year

Susannah Chen — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:30:54 PST

Thousands of cookbooks were published in the last year, but which ones are really worth buying? The International Association of Culinary Professionals, or IACP, tackled the question as it announced its cookbook award finalists for 2012 today.

Among them: plenty of cookbooks from top restaurant chefs, like Jean-Georges Vongerichten, John Besh, and Andrew Carmellini, as well as new books from reputed publications such as Fine Cooking and Cook's Illustrated.

Cookbook winners will be announced on April 2 in an award ceremony hosted by Mo Rocca, where the honor of best cookbook of 2012 will also be announced. To see the entire list of award winners, keep reading.

Announcing the 2012 Grammy Award Winners

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:20:23 PST

The mood of the Grammy Awards was a bit somber this year in the wake of Whitney Houston's shocking death, but the show went on, and the statues were all handed out to the winners. Adele owned the night, picking up multiple awards, including those for record of the year, album of the year, and song of the year.

Plenty of other folks received Grammys too, including Kanye West, The Foo Fighters, and Taylor Swift, so to see the full list of winners, just keep reading.

Announcing the 2012 Grammy Award Nominations

Rose Curiel — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:51:21 PST

For the second year in a row, the Recording Academy has given a hip-hop artist the most Grammy nominations. Last year, it was rapper Eminem with eight, and this year, Kanye West leads the nominees with seven chances at the golden gramophone, including a song of the year nod for "All of the Lights." West is also nominated twice in the rap album of the year category for his collaboration with Jay-Z on Watch the Throne and his own album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Brit crooner Adele wasn't far behind Kanye, picking up six nominations for her album 21, as well as a shot at song of the year with "Rolling in the Deep."

Bruno Mars also did well, racking up six nominations (that's down one from last year for those keeping track), while newcomers like Nicki Minaj and dubstep artist Skrillex are up for the best new artist category. See what other artists have a chance of walking away with a Grammy during the February 12 award show when you read more