Sickbed Reading

sickbed reading
A horrendous bout of bronchitis has plagued me for weeks, going from bad to worse. I’m talking about coughing so long, hard, and often that my entire ribcage ached. I’m talking about such congestion that every time I changed positions, I could hear as well as feel fluids sloshing around in my lungs and sinuses, and would cough all the more. I’m talking about flushed face and frigid fingers. I’m talking about no energy, and sleeping (albeit poorly) twenty hours a day, till my whole body felt stiff and sore from lack of movement. (Yes, oh, poor me!)

 

sickbed reading
At times like these, I like cold drinks, something warm and cozy to wrap up in, and no body bugging me with, “How are you feeling?” And as I sleep less and ache less, I like comfort reads.
A prime requirement for my sickbed reading is familiarity. Hence, Jane Austen is a go-to choice. I know what’s going to happen and that all anguish will come to naught. I can even get this sort of read with a Jane Austen fan fiction variation. The characters remain the same and the action is still low-key. Which brinks me to another criterion for sickbed reading…

 

west night beryl markham
[Source: Wikipedia]
walk woods bill bryson
[Source: Wikipedia]
A second criterion for my good sickbed read is that it be low-key. Absolutely no action/adventure here. Consider Markham and Bryson. I want the emotion to be relatively mild and generally upbeat.

 

I’m not alone in these criteria. I have a granddaughter who recently reread Harry Potter while ill, and her sister reread the Wings of Fire series. Various friends and acquaintances go off in various directions. Here are some of the most popular, returned to again and again.

 

I’ve turned the corner on this bronchitis—I hope and trust. I’m ready to rebuild my sickbed shelf for next time. What do you read when you’re sick? I’d love to know.

Christmas Movies Based on Books

charles dickens christmas carol christmas movies based books
[Source: Page Pulp]
 
Frankly, I’m feeling dragged through a knothole! Besides all the usual holiday hassle, I am still recovering from cataract surgery and focus is sometimes a strain and sometimes just not a happening thing. I’m told this will resolve soon. In the meantime, when I can’t read, I can still watch! So here, for your watching pleasure, is a selection of Christmas movies based on books.

 

how the grinch stole christmas seuss christmas movies based books
[Source: Wikipedia]
Although not as old as some, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss) is definitely a  classic.

 

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. The movie is a yes or no sort of thing, but it appears that most people like the book.

 

’Twas the Night Before Christmas (Clement Moore) is a secondary story in the film—but then, most movies vary from the books.

 

The Gift of Love (based on The Gift of the Magi by O.Henry )

 

The Nutcracker (based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman) is more than a ballet. It’s been made into a movie at least three times—in 1993, 1986, and 2016.

 

christmas carol charles dickens christmas movies based books
[Source: Page Pulp]
A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) may be the most filmed book of all. Movie versions were released in 1938, 1951, 1984, 1999, 2001, and 2009; musical versions in 1970 & 2004; and various take-offs like Mickey’s Christmas Carol in 1983, Scrooged in 1988, The Muppet Christmas Carol in 1992, Ebenezer in 1998, A Christmoose Carol in 2006.

 

agatha christie hercule poirot's christmas movies based books
[Source: Pinterest]
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (Agatha Christie) for diehard mystery fans.

 

It’s a Wonderful Life by Jeanine Basinger

 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Robert Lewis May) and Olive, the Other Reindeer (J. Otto Seibold & Vivian Walsh)
 
The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus (L. Frank Baum)
 
Technically, Miracle on 34th Street (Valentine Davies) shouldn’t be here, as the book and the movie came out simultaneously. But who wants to be technical?

 

And if you want still more movie options, go to imbd.com for 100+ Christmas movies based on books.

 

Of course, you should feel free to read the books instead—or even in addition!

 

christmas movies based books