Kristen Barenthaler
Bio
Curious adventurer. Crazed reader. Librarian. Archery instructor. True crime addict.
Instagram: @kristenbarenthaler
Facebook: @kbarenthaler
Stories (370)
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Why Graduation Is the Most Anticlimactic Event of Your Life
Everyone always says that graduation will be the greatest day of your life. You'll be an adult, you're done with schooling, and you'll be able to do whatever you want with your life. It should be a great day, but what happens afterward? Does it really change your life all that much?
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Education
Self-Publishing
If you're like me, you have more than one writing platform that you like to use to get your work out into the world. But what if you have a longer work, like a novel or collection of poetry? That's where Kindle Direct Publishing comes in! Kindle Direct Publishing lets you publish your longer works as Kindle books and paperback books (if longer than 45 pages) on Amazon.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Journal
'Whiskey in a Teacup' - Book Review
Unless you've been living under a rock, chances are pretty good you know who Reese Witherspoon is, be it for her acting career, activism, book club suggestions, directing skills, or most recently for her book, Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Geeks
'Instant Family' - Movie Review
Instant Family will send you running to hug your children (or your parents), but in a good way. It's like when everyone cries over Jack dying at the end of Titanic, or Noah and Allie getting back together in The Notebook. It's one of those good movies that only comes along every 10 years or so. So be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster this movie will be sure to send you on.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Geeks
'New Orleans Vampires' by Marita Woywod Crandle - Book Review
We all know that New Orleans is a city filled with the supernatural. From The Originals on CW to Anne Rice’s novels to AHS: Coven on FX and all the books, movies, shows, museums, and stories in between, they sure showcase that. But if you're planning a trip to the Big Easy yourself, first grab a copy of New Orleans Vampires by Marita Woywod Crandle. Instead of the made-up, TV-perfect vampires we know and love, Crandle will take you into the world of real vampires in New Orleans. And while they may not always be as glamorous, or as beautiful, as our favorite vampires of TV and books, they are the real, truthful, traditional vampires of New Orleans—and it's best to know who to look out for on your nightly strolls through the French Quarter.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Horror
The Hidden Truths of History
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay is a historical novel set in a frame story published in 2007. According to dictionary.com, a frame story is “a narrative providing the framework for connecting a series of otherwise unrelated stories.” Sarah’s Key tells the story of a young journalist, Julia Jarmond, as she uncovers the story of Sarah and her family when writing an article on the sixtieth anniversary of the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup in Paris. This story has been relatively unheard of, but it is one of those books that everyone should read at least once in their lives, even if the subject matter is not the most uplifting.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Geeks
Welcome Back the King and Queen
Stephen King was a name that used to strike fear into the hearts of many, especially with his first novel Carrie in 1974. The storyline was unlike anything written before, and within two short years, the movie version of Carrie was released. Since then, there has been a sequel, a TV movie, two musicals, and an upcoming remake movie, but none have ever compared to the original movie. The remake is said to stay closer to King’s original writings, but does that really matter to people in a movie theater or do they just want to see the blood and guts horror? Each time Carrie was remade, there were always murders of people for bullying a young girl, who was a little different. The original Carrie, Carrie 2: The Rage, and the 2013 remake, Carrie, all tell a similar story, which leaves people asking if there is a need to be remaking the movie.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Horror
Northern Ireland Conflicts
The Northern Ireland Conflicts took place between 1969 and 1994, but their effects are still felt today for many of the people in Northern Ireland. The armed conflicts started over whether Northern Ireland was constitutionally part of the United Kingdom or should be part of the Republic of Ireland with the southern half. Members of the majority Protestant community favored being a part of Britain, while minority Catholics wanted to become one Ireland with the south. The Civil Rights movement tried to end the discrimination against the minority Catholics, but ultimately failed, leading to the armed conflicts, which left 3,500 people dead, an estimated 50,000 injured, and thousands of people imprisoned. The conflict was supposed to end when a ceasefire was declared in 1994, but this did not actually do anything to resolve the issues that had started the violence. Even though Northern Ireland was now supposedly at peace, the people had spent so much time using violence to get their way, that the use of force was still locally used to solve problems. (Jarman 2011) These ideas of violence and conflict are what change the childhoods of children in Northern Ireland. In the 1980s, people, including children, had to undergo body checks when entering large stores in order to prevent bombs from being smuggled in. Also, to prevent car bombings, city centers were often closed off to traffic or else cars could be parked but never left unattended. Thus, children were left in the cars while parents shopped as, “a living symbol that their car at least does not contain a bomb.” (Cairns 1987) Growing up in a world where you are used as a pawn to show there isn’t a bomb in your car or being searched when all you needed was some new clothes, would be enough to change anyone’s views of childhood.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in The Swamp
Kubrick: Nihilistic or Hopeful?
In this article, I will argue that director Stanley Kubrick added nihilistic tendencies to many of his movies, whether purposefully or not. Nihilism is a vast subject, but the main premise is having “life without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value; total rejection of established laws and institutions.” This is seen in A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, and The Shining, along with some other movies. I will begin by explaining how A Clockwork Orange contains nihilistic ideas. Then, how Dr. Strangelove shows worldwide nihilism. Next, The Shining’s family and self-nihilistic destruction patterns. Finally, I will include a small paragraph on some of Kubrick’s other films containing nihilistic ideas. This article will show that many of Kubrick’s movies contain nihilism in its different forms.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Geeks
