The Hours

“A smashing literary tour de force and an utterly invigorating reading experience. If this book does not make you jump up from the sofa, looking at life and literature in new ways, check to see if you have a pulse.” —USA Today

Hang on a second... let me just... yup, I do have a pulse.  So someone explain to me why The Hours not only did NOT induce me to jump up and shout about my new perspective on life, but also just plain confused the hell out of me.

Maybe it's because I don't really know who Virginia Woolf is (well, I know NOW, I looked her up in Wikipedia)?  But when I started the book (and who are we kidding, while I was reading it), I wasn't sure if she was a real person or a character in a Jane Austen book or something.  What about that movie, "Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf" (haha, just kidding, it's actually a play.  I knew that)?  I never saw it, and frankly I get it confused with "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus".  (If you're wondering right now how I was ever admitted to college, it's because I am really, really good at standardized testing).  Fictional or real, I definitely pictured her in the Wuthering Heights era... but The Hours took place in pretty close to modern times.  Right?

I am so confused.  What year is it?   

One thing I will say is that it was worth every penny I paid for it (twenty-five cents at a garage sale, in case you were wondering) as a frighteningly effective sleep aid.  For weeks, I'd get into bed, pick up the book, and BAM.  Asleep.  I hardly ever made it through more than a few pages.  Sometimes I didn't even finish a paragraph. 

Now that I think about it, that probably did not help with the whole making sense thing.

So my question to you, fair folks of the internet, is: should I put the movie version on my Netflix queue?  I have several long distance flights coming up, and you know what that means, right?  PRIME TIME to order up all the movies that would make Joel want to gouge his eyes out with a plastic spork from Wendy's. 

Thumbs up or thumbs down to The Hours: The Movie?  I am thinking that the dumbed-down, jazzed up film version might be just what I need to make sense of this thing.

And also, can anyone recommend a some new sleep-inducing bedtime reading?  I finished The Hours on Monday night, and I haven't slept more than three hours a night since then (hence the late night blogging).

(And hence the fact that I forgot to actually hit "publish" last night)

Comments

[Erin]

I actually liked this book a lot...but I'm a big Virginia Woolf fan....it's kind of key to enjoying the book. I, however, HATED the movie...save those hours of your life for something worthwhile!

[Laurel]

I felt meh about the book, meh about the movie. Put the movie on your 'flix, but don't kill yourself moving it to the top or anything.

[Kirsten]

I watched it quite a while ago now. But all i remember is pretty much hating it. I'm pretty sure i thought to myself- I'll never get those 2 hrs back. But I'm with you...i know OF Virginia wolf..but really know nothing :) I think- don't waste your time...unless I guess your trying to make the book make more sense by watching the movie.

[Mary]

Thumbs down for both.

[PstLyfDiva]

Ok I guess I am in the minority, but I really liked the movie. Its not exactly "jazzed up", but it might help you understand the timeline more (ie that there are 3 time periods covered).

[elise]

I have never read that book or watched the movie. But I will give you a couple of book suggestions that although I liked, could certainly turn in to major snoozefests for others :)

Tom Wolfe - The Bonfire of the Vanities
(snooze-worthy rating? a 6, because it is REALLY, REALLY long, and Wolfe likes to describe things in minute detail)

Melissa Bank - The Wonder Spot
(snooze-worthy rating? 4, only because it doesn't have too much of a discernable plot)

Haven Kimmel - A Girl Named Zippy and/or She Got Up Off the Couch
(snooze-worthy rating? MAYBE a 1, but only if reading just always puts you to sleep. I love Kimmel!

[Isabel]

Well, at least it helped you sleep. And at least you didn't pay "real" money for it.

I never saw the movie. And it wasn't until I was done reading this post that I remembered I HAVE read this book. And not just once, but TWICE. And yet, I don't remember it AT ALL.

(I took it with us when we went to Europe once. And I read it so fast and didn't have another book to read that I simply reread it.)