Book List

The Kitchen House

2012-01-31T05:02:00.000-08:00

The beginning of this book had me hoping for more. Sadly, I felt that Kathleen Grissom lost focus on the purpose of the story and ended up kind of wrapping things up at the end. It isn't all roses, but is a believable ending to where she was taking us. I would have just liked more development or emphasis on the theme of "family". I do appreciate her undertaking of difficult subject matter and the way she chose to expose the issues without becoming vulgar or graphic with explanation.
It's an incredibly quick read and I do like her writing style. It was good just to read a book quickly and be able to get other things accomplished, too.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

2012-01-31T04:59:00.000-08:00

Love this perspective change on the age-old fairytale of Cinderella. Gregory Maguire brings the fairytale to reality by setting the story in more reality based settings and characters. Isn't real life stranger than fiction? He applied the same theory to freshening this fairytale to be more interesting to a grownup audience. And that means he had to have symbolism and other "meat" to the novel, too! Great, fun read. I look forward to checking out other of his titles of the same genre.

C. S. Lewis

2012-01-07T05:15:00.001-08:00

The Screwtape Letters is SO true! Wow, C.S. Lewis so hits the nail on the head with this book. He has pinned down human nature...especially involving religion. It's almost scary. But, it is also a way to become enlightened to vices an individual (say, myself) has had....and to let them go. A work in progress, but at least I am past denial, right?
Definitely something I put on my "must read" list.

Catching Up Takes Time

2011-12-07T06:23:00.000-08:00

I've read several books and have fallen off the bandwagon of reviewing them here. I'll try to get that caught up in the next month or so.

Earlier this week I read Richard Paul Evan's book The Christmas Box. Not overly preachy, but a call to remember to cherish all the moments we have...not just the memories of Christmas. For that, I appreciate this book that could be classified as seasonal yet is able to be valid at any time of the year.

I am currently reading c.s. lewis' Screwtape Letters. I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, but it has remained elusive. Our library recently obtained a copy and now I'm enjoying it.

Dystopian Novels, A Favorite

2011-08-26T10:33:00.001-07:00

I found Lauren DeStefano's book, WITHER, interesting. I put it in the caliber of most Young Adult authors, as there were things that I felt were inconsistent to the "futuristic" advances and limits placed in the book. However, I could read the novel quickly and I was not distracted by poor writing. She's beneath Suzanne Collins' THE HUNGER GAMES but miles above Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. There were obvious gaps in the story that I would have preferred to be filled in, or more development perhaps, but it was still an interesting read and I wasn't left at the end thinking that it was a waste of time. Of course, she has a leg-up since I'm a sucker for dystopian novels anyway.

Put it Down, NOW

2011-08-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

I picked up a novel that I thought might be interesting and very helpful to me as I am working on a book in a similar scope at the moment. However, after only a few pages, I had to put the book down. It was all too disturbing for me.
I understand that what I was reading was real and is an awful, awful moment in history, but for some reason, I don't feel like reading this novel was going to be uplifting in any way. I've read other books concerning the Holocaust including other survivor accounts of Auschwitz, but this put me over the edge in a matter of pages. I doubt I will ever return to this novel, although I am sure there is a multitude of interesting and important information in those pages. It is just too dark and daunting for me to read it...especially before bed.

Going Postal: Complete

2011-08-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

I don't know what happened for me to lose interest because I did like this book. I would recommend this to someone who enjoys a little bit of a strange world and some humorous play on words. Sorry, Terry Prachett, it was funny and entertaining, I just read it in the wrong season.

Queen Hereafter

2011-08-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

I think I'm on a little kick of learning about queens. I'm a bit of a bee when it comes to books: give me something pretty to draw my attention to and I'll probably pick it up. Once again, the cover artist needs a pay raise because I was drawn to the book by the cover art.
I wasn't disappointed with the book, either. I don't know much about Scottish history, but this lady surely seems interesting and a worthwhile research project. I can truly relate to her need to be ultra rigid with religious discipline, but hopefully I've found more of a balance than Queen Margaret ever seemed to find.
We have such interesting characters and moments in history and yet unless you are proactive about learning about such things, you would never even know.
I will be looking for Susan Fraser King's other novel Lady MacBeth because Queen Hereafter, a novel following the time period given in Lady MacBeth, was so well written. Historical fiction: YES, please!

Delta Wedding Flop

2011-08-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

I can't say that I'm too fond of this book and yet it was the title I chose for discussion for GWBC in September. FLOP!! It's so sad because the summary sounded oh so interesting. It definitely was NOT what I thought I'd be reading. I'm one who needs continuity with characters and I don't necessarily want to know what EACH character is thinking. Choose one or two and go with it; don't hop about to everyone's thoughts. I think the same ideas could have been portrayed if the author restricted herself to an omniscient voice instead of the limited voice of multiple characters. It confused me at times for which character I was listening to and it just made it a jumbled mess, which was kind of part of the book, but more so than needed.
A dislike on this title. Sorry, Eudora Welty...and I had such hopes.

On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

2011-08-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

My sister recommended or mentioned this title to me within a few weeks of it being chosen as the book of the month by the GWBC.
I can't say that I gained any new insight or that it impacted my life in any grand way. However, I can say that I was unaware that the Puyallup Fairgrounds were once used as a temporary internment camp for Japanese Americans. Strange. It's just so interesting how we as a people try to hide the past or make it better than it was. To view world and local history from an unbiased perspective would be truly eye opening.
Yep, and that's about it. I'm sure I would have gotten more out of it with another read, but I have such a list of wants to read that I'm spinning through other titles that I have less interest in.

The Gift of Fear

2011-06-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

This is just a brief tidbit, but I am enjoying The Gift of Fear written by Gavin De Becker. There are a lot of things in this book that I have to say I agree with and wish people would consider his words and how they pertain to their lives.
He has a second book which pertains to children, for which I am anxious to start reading.

A Review of History

2011-06-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

While wandering around the library last week, a book caught my eye. It wasn't the title, it was the picture on the cover. I have a thing for beautiful things and the hairstyle of this woman was gorgeous. So, I picked it up and saw that it was Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra, for which she won a Pulitzer Prize. It's easy to see why, too. A great writer who tries to piece together the history of a woman who has lived forever in infamy because most of the things recorded were done so by her enemies.
It's been an interesting book and a great review of my Classical Civilization courses in college. I love when more of the puzzle pieces get put together and she does a great job of presenting what was recorded and proposing other plausible and logical possibilities.
For those who love history and want to understand more about our own society by reading of that which lead to our current standards, read this book!

Going Postal

2011-06-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what I think of this book. It started off funny and entertaining and then went downhill. I think I just got bored of the silliness. I just finished reading The Princess Bride and that was, well, silly, too. So, apparently there is a cap to how much I can read consecutively.
Perhaps another time I'll finish the book, but it isn't on my "urge to read" list at the moment. I probably need to give it back to my friend and then I can borrow it at a later date, but I'm into a sort of non-fiction stage right now.
Bad timing? I suppose. I'll give it another go in a couple months. But, for now, I'm going to leave the post. (...a shame, too...I only have about 100 pages left...)

The Princess Bride

2011-06-09T06:25:00.001-07:00

After chatting with a couple of my friends, we decided that reading The Princess Bride this summer would be fun. Summer is a time to relax, refresh, and enjoy. And, that's how I kicked off my summer, by reading this book.
Hilarious story-telling. Just great fun! And, I have to disagree with people who say it is "exactly the same as the movie." NO IT ISN'T!! There are parts missing from the movie! You know so much more about Prince Humperdink by reading the book than just watching the movie. Now, if said persons meant that it reads very much like the movie, yes. The voice is the same. However, if you haven't read the book and have enjoyed the movie, READ THE BOOK!! You'll love it because you love the movie.
And, there is plenty there for literary analysis...voice, satire, etc. If I ever get to teach literature, I'd love to have this as one of the books we read. It simply illustrates so many of the literary terms one studies but in a very playful, lighthearted way.
Yes, I enjoyed it and I think you will too, so stop reading this, go find it at a library or book store and start reading it!!

The Handmaid's Tale

2011-06-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

I picked up this novel over a year ago and never got to it. I think I may have opened it, but never got to read it before it was due. So, I returned it and never thought about it until a friend read and recommended it. I lazily got back around to borrowing it from the library again and read it this past week.
Umm...yes!! I really like this book. Granted, I wish I could edit it a little for some strong word usage, but really, it has a lot of thoughts behind it. There are so many discussion points that I can't even begin to delineate them here. Just take a breath, read and ponder.
I think I used to really enjoy historical novels. I still like them, but I find that I really am interested in dystopian novels. I can't think of one I didn't like. Of course, I've always been vaguely interested in politics...not the politics side, but the influence side of politics and decisions and governing. Dystopian novels allow you to look at things in your own society and question the purpose around them. It's just a different way of viewing things that opens your eyes to new understanding.
I think Animal Farm is better (as in milder) for a high schooler to read, but this is one that is going on my recommended reads list. Who knows, perhaps some day I will teach a class on dystopian novels at some unknown college. That'd be cool!

The Great Gatsby, Round Two

2011-01-29T16:23:00.000-08:00

I know I read this book before. However, upon re-reading it, I didn't remember anything. I had things underlined, but apparently didn't get too much out of the novel the first time. Although I think the novel F. Scott Fitzgerald has a great aptitude for writing, I can't say that I actually gleaned anything more than some quotable quotes from this second read.
Ah, but perhaps I'm just in a funk about reading.

Freakonomics

2011-01-29T16:20:00.001-08:00

Interesting concept, but I find it a bit...lackluster.
His purpose: expose people to a different way of thinking about things they are told, assume, are exposed to.
Problem: He sets himself up as being basically above other experts and founds his answers as if THAT is the correct answer. If you are trying to teach people not to just believe or accept everything they read/hear, don't write a book expecting people to accept your answers and solutions that way.
This book would have been much more powerful if he presented his solutions as POSSIBILITIES instead of "the real answer".
Of course, perhaps I look at it this way because I am a person who already questions things when I hear about them. I don't accept things as truths until I can experiment on them and test them out and see how I feel about them.

Building Castles in the Air

2010-12-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

I don't read a lot of non-fiction or memoir type books, but I enjoy them thouroughly. There is something so rich in reading a real life account, biased or swayed as it may be. Jeannette Walls does an incredible job weaving the tapestry of her life within the pages of The Glass Castle. I felt like I knew this family. I've encountered them in my acquaintances as well as even perhaps moments of my own life.
What I love best is how optimistic and non-blaming the book reads. Things most of us would view as complete tragedy and scarring for life read just as the expected roll of things. She and her siblings seem to bounce back and survive.
There is a coldness that I feel comes with true poverty. I've never felt more at loss or financially drained as when I've been too cold and unable to warm myself. In no way am I claiming to have been on the streets or in those dire situations, but I do know that cold has a claim on us far greater than heat. Perhaps I speak for myself, but I would have rather baked in those deserts with that family than to have stayed still in the frigid coldness of West Virginia winters.
I highly recommend this book as an eye opener and food for thought.

Room by Emma Donoghue

2010-12-06T09:09:00.000-08:00

As I began reading this book I thought I wasn't going to like it. As I continued to read it, however, my viewpoint started to change. I felt that the voice was a little overmatured for a 5 year old, but as I discovered the true background to this child and his mother, I began to appreciate and see how true to nature it would have been.
I would recommend this novel to others because I think it exposes a lot of things for discussion. The role of the mother. The relationship between mother and child. The protectress mother in a difficult and unbelievable situation. The adjustment to "normal" life versus the solitude and confinement or "safety" of Room. Nursing. Criminal justice. Psychology. So much to discuss from just about every angle.
Although I don't think it will make it as an eventual classic, I do think it was a good a thoughtful read. I'd put it in a class with My Sister's Keeper but I do like the ending better in Room.

Mr. Grisham

2010-12-06T08:57:00.001-08:00

I apologize to any of you who may be "popcorn" fanatics. I just don't really enjoy "entertainment only" literature. I don't really get entertained somehow.
I think John Grisham had a point to make in writing Skipping Christmas and it could have been more enjoyable, perhaps, had I not spoiled this one by watching the movie first. Of course, I wasn't really thinking I'd ever read the book when I watched "Christmas with the Kranks" a couple years ago. And, now having read the book, they definitely chose the wrong cast. I like Tim Allen movies and expect his humor and persona, but I just don't think he was who John Grisham would have chosen. I would have chosen Keifer Sutherland or Michael Keaton. Someone who looks a little more ruff and gruff and serious but who could take the humorous things that happen.
We just had our annual Christmas Devotional from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and they talked about enjoying the season and not letting the material things get in the way. I think that was also Mr. Grisham's point. The material things don't make up Christmas, but rather who we spend time with for those moments and memories and that we should always be seeking the true meaning of the season: love. We see this as Grisham has Mr. Krank extend the tickets that are unusable now for his wife and him to a couple who could be celebrating their last Christmas.
Still, I can't say I'd recommend the book to anyone else. I just don't generally enjoy the popcorn of literature when I could feast on greater works of literature. And, since there are so many of those in the world, I don't want to "waste" time on the junk food.

Let Me Stab My Eyes, Please

2010-11-10T16:15:00.001-08:00

I hate to be so dramatic, but this is truly how I felt for the majority of reading Agatha Christie's murder mystery Hercule Poirot's Christmas. The writing style was much lacking and I was so tired of reading "So-an-so said" when it should have been obvious and unnecessary to point it out.
As most murder mysteries, there is too much that is only exposed at the end. It is implausible and unrealistic, but even at that, it wasn't enjoyable.
This is one of the worst books I have read in some time. Sorry dear Ms. Christie, you are just not my style.

Vanity Fair

2010-11-10T16:08:00.000-08:00

There is so much to this book. It's an entertaining story of the lives of two women and their rises and falls in English society. There is so much true human perspective penned in these pages that it is hard not to contemplate the ways in which we can all do better or where we have fallen into those vices before.
Without being a preaching, moral shouting novel, we can still get the drift that society is not always true to form and that all humans have failings. Although Mr. Thackeray may have written a novel "without a hero," we are exposed to the truth that even those we may aspire to make our heroes have failings that must be accounted for.
Definitely a book I would recommend to others and will be putting on my own shelves.

Doctor Zhivago

2010-09-19T12:58:00.001-07:00

Doctor Zhivago demands more research and understanding of Russia and her upheavals and revolutions to fully grasp Boris Pasternak's novel. However, without truly understanding the political situation, I believe his novel is still beautifully written with many profound statements about all aspects of life.
A friend of mine warned me that the entire book is based off of immorality. I'll give her that there is a background of immorality. Who can deny it? The Zhivago's seem to love women and have tragic lives. Still, I think there is more to this than just adultery and illegitimate children. I haven't formulated my thoughts yet, but I believe it relates directly to the politics and the changes that Mother Russia was going through. The relationships are all very different and echo the way the public adjusts and copes with the changes in government and the provisions for life.
I truly enjoyed Mr. Pasternak's writing style. The novel is well written and has just enough description to create beautiful images without going overboard and losing the reader's interest. In the same vein, I think his favorite color must have been lilac...that, or this, too, has some symbolical meaning.

The Odyssey

2010-09-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how many times I have actual read this epic poem. Seriously, I'm not sure. But, I can tell you that it never gets old for me. I love Greek mythology. I love the way there is action and cultural enlightenment on almost every page. It moves quickly and is, well, an adventure.
This time I was reading along with my husband and talked about things together. I think this makes reading literature even more enjoyable. To share it with someone is great, but to share it as husband and wife is even greater.
I do have to say that there are some translations that are incredibly lacking. I can see their value as far as exposure, but it loses so much when put into the "modern" system of paragraphs and language. No, I've never read it in the original, but getting things as close to the original as possible is always going to be more true to the author's originality than the modern translations to make it easier on the mass market's eye.
I didn't get to peruse the copy we purchased at Barnes and Nobel as it was wrapped in cellophane. Dumb. It's a hardbound copy and has both the Iliad and the Odyssey in it, so we'll keep it around (Eric needed something to get started with while he waited for his Norton Anthology to arrive in the mail). It will allow younger children to better grasp what is going on, but it lacks so much. Oh well, at least there's a copy in our home that gives the general sense of this classic.

Suite Francaise

2010-08-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

My mind is still trying to process how I think about this novel published post-humuously by the writer's daughter.
I felt that this book was more two separate but interrelated shorter novels about the people in France during WWII. I would have liked more development in either of the stories, but what can I demand from Irène Némirovsky so many years after her death?
I appreciate her writing style and that she quickly paints very vibrant scenes, but I am left a little lost without the understanding of what war really means. I live in a country that is basically war-free, as we send troops away to fight and they are not on our soil. I see the view of the world through the conqueror's eyes more than from the viewpoint of the defeated French.

Black Infatuation

2010-07-31T08:35:00.001-07:00

I find myself more and more intrigued with our nation's history of intercultural relations. I grew up in a home that was accepting of different races and cultures. My dad even belonged to a "tribe" and I have fond memories of watching those events. He made his clothing and was really involved for being a young father of multiple children and working retail. I remember one Christmas, several of my siblings were given moccassins that he made himself. I was fascinated and every year invited him to come and talk to my class at school about Native Americans.
We also were friends with people of all different colors of skin. I didn't understand that there were continuing race issues in my little world where everyone seemed to like everyone.
As I have grown older, my eyes have been opened to different situations and I want to understand why people do and say the things they sometimes do. It doesn't make sense to me, but I also realize that sometimes history and literature paint an extremely different picture than what was really going on. It wasn't how Margaret Mitchell paints the South in Gone with the Wind.
For this reason, I am grateful to read books like Uncle Tom's Cabin that opened my eyes to the North not being the "answer" to the slave issue or The Help which reminds me that, although "free" from organized slavery, the blacks in this country have had a hard time gaining true equality and what they had to suffer through along the way. Maybe it's the sociology. Perhaps the history. Or maybe it is just simply the politics that are revealed. It has my attention.

Industrialization

2010-07-31T08:25:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Gaskell has come recommended by a few of my friends who also enjoy reading Victorian literature. She's an interesting author; a contemporary of Charles Dickens. Her content seems related to that of Jane Austen, but approaches it from a slightly different angle, showing the lower class melting into the upper class in her story North and South as well as the industrial age and the plight of the cotton mill workers.
Although I found it slow to get into due to my association with book "colors" and moods (it's a VERY hot and humid summer compared to the dreary and cold Northern England I was reading about), I did enjoy it and I want to read more of her works. Her language felt more modern than that of Jane Austen as well as being more accessible than Charles Dickens. I also found it interesting that she wrote for Charles Dickens' journal and it seems there was a little competition, shall we say, for writing about the plight of the laborers.

The Poisonwood Bible

2010-07-19T19:08:00.001-07:00

Barbara Kingsolver does a great job weaving the lives of her characters into the historical backdrop of a country in turmoil.
I know I have a great lack of understanding of the history of the entire continent of Africa. There is much I would like to understand and more that I haven't even heard of yet. Seriously. I know governments can be blood thirsty for their own ideas of what is good and profitable, but I never realize how terrible they are and have been.
It's hard to decide where the goodwill of an individual creeps upon the freewill of another. I most heartily agree with the statement 'Misunderstanding is my cornerstone. It's everyone's...Illusions mistaken for truth are the pavement under our feet. They are what we call civilization." Amen and amen. But, if this is a truth, than there must be a way for the opposite to happen as well. There must also be truths that are mistaken for illusions, which makes the whole figuring out right and wrong and the in-between more important to find.
The Poisonwood Bible is thought-provoking and has valid points to make. I think the portrayal of the father is a bit one-sided as he remains static and the explanations of his behavior are almost nearly a plea to allow his character to remain believable (and, I know that this kind of person can and does exist), but I probably would have left out the excusing sections of the book. A static character is a static character. On the other hand, Rachel proved to be a great court-jester and kept things from getting too serious and preachy. Her ignorance not only in human interactions but her mistakes in speech made me laugh. It's a clever author to write intelligent characters at the same time as writing one so blatantly dumb-blond and clueless to the fact.

Brideshead Revisited

2010-06-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of jumbled thoughts at the moment, but need to record something before I forget.
I can definitely say that I like the way Evelyn Waugh writes. Although there may have been inappropriate things going on, he never felt the need to expound on them and turn his writing into a dirty novel (unlike how I felt about Kurt Vonnegut's book).
I think there are lot of truthful statements within these pages. Like about anger. Typically when someone despises something in another human, it is because of the mirror effect and hating that attribute in oneself.
This is a concept that has fascinated me most of my adult life. I studied this in college under the direction of one of my professors. All of those negative feelings do tend to rise from how we view ourselves. I see this in my interactions with other individuals as well. It's not something you can teach another person. They have to come to understand it and change it themselves by understanding and changing inside.
I also appreciate the religious aspect. There is so much that cannot be conveyed to an unbeliever much in the same way an unbeliever cannot explain to the convincing of a believer, either. This is why religion is such a personal matter. You are only permitted to know for yourself, although you can be a tool in assisting others to come to your personal knowledge.
I think maturing and becoming more insightful and, therefore, wiser, is so individually prepared and has a different path for everyone. I think this is what I truly got out of Brideshead Revisited.

One Thumb Up, One Thumb Down

2010-05-27T14:31:00.001-07:00

The thing I really like about Slaughterhouse-Five is the writing style. I love the way Kurt Vonnegut composes the story as he weaves in and out of time. Following a chronological order would have made the book a complete flop. On the other hand, I am dissatisfied with certain language in the book. Do war related novels REQUIRE such dirty language? Apparently so. I could recommend this book but with a big warning that there is frequent use of fowl language.

Slaughterhouse-Five

2010-05-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

Quick read. It surprises me sometimes at how quickly I speed through books with a touch of science fiction. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a sci-fi fan, but it can be interesting to me.
I'm not touting Slaughterhouse-Five as traditional sci-fi, but since he "travels" through memory to being in different periods of time, both future and past, it seems to be attached.
I also appreciate learning things from books. When something is mentioned, I love to go and do my own research regarding the topic. The Children's Crusade is a strange and unknown to me event in history. So, it was interesting to check into it and know a little more about the Crusades, but especially the efforts of children and what happens when they need a little guidance but lack responsible leaders to be willing to direct aright.

Still Waiting

2010-04-22T14:18:00.001-07:00

I mentioned awhile back that I wanted to read some books in French. I have actually ordered and am (slightly impatiently now) waiting for my French copy of Les Miserables to arrive.
It's coming from France and there have been some issues with travel in Europe due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland. So, I'm trying to be understanding, although we are passed the proposed delivery time now.

Cry, the Beloved Country

2010-04-22T14:13:00.001-07:00

I'll admit, the reason I was interested in this book is two-fold. First, I really don't know much about apartheid and was hoping there would be a little more exposure to the situation. Secondly, my most favorite short story entitled "Once Upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer that deals with apartheid as well.
I enjoyed the book but feel that there must be more to it if I could just talk to someone about it. There is obviously a lack of understanding on my part and I need to do more research on the subject. That's one of the perks of handling the Great Works Book Club...I'm accountable to others for research on the books we read.
The message is good, though. Things happen and sometimes seem terrible but that God has his hand in all things. When God is involved, what may be seen as a dire situation can be turned into a blessing. Positivity out of negativity. I always love those messages.

The Diary of Anne Frank

2010-03-20T09:44:00.001-07:00

My father is a WWII buff. All things history are amazing, but he's had a fascination with this particular war as long as I can remember. Growing up in his home, I was exposed to a lot of information in various forms surrounding WWII. It has gotten into my blood and I'm curious to how the whole thing even happened.
I guess I came up with my own ideas about Anne Frank, as well. I knew she was a Jew. I knew she kept a journal. I knew she was in hiding. I had my own concepts of how the journal and the hiding happened and I was WRONG! For some reason I had it in my head that she hid in a closet in someone's home. I thought she wrote on newspaper or something. After reading The Diary of Anne Frank, I realize how much preparation went into securing a safe hiding place not just for Anne, but her whole family, another family, and an additional Jewish man.
More than clarifying the conditions, my eyes were opened to the questions and insecurities of a pre-teen. I remember feeling that way and also not enjoying those years of growing up. It also brought me to confront reality a little more as I have two young girls that will one day be those ages...and that it really isn't that far in the future.
Reading her journal did not awaken new understandings of the war or Jews or anything dealing with WWII. I can recommend other historical fiction novels for that. It did, however, remind me of things I need to be careful about and instruct my children. It has raised a few questions and discussions I have since had with my husband regarding the rearing and raising of two darling little girls. There is so much to contemplate as a parent and I believe reading the frank words of our girl Anne can help parents realize that education and information will always find it's way into the minds of our children...we just need to ensure that the correct information is given at the right time and in the right situations, but that we also can't arrange it by arbitrary means or we might be too late.

Things Fall Apart, No Matter What

2010-03-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

Can you fight destiny or fate? Can you reconfigure the way your life will ultimately play out? Okonkwo attempts to overcome the fates and the history his father left him. From young to middle-aged, Okonkwo strives in his efforts to be seen as the ultimate provider and warrior. However, in the end, he struggles to conform to the changes his tribe makes with the involvement of the white man. No matter how much he struggled and pushed for success, he ended no better, truly, than his father.
In general, people face the cycle of success and failure. The true measure of humanity is not in how long a success survives, but how that individual copes throughout both bounty and famine. Adjusting and surviving and striving through all walks of life are a better measure than only in times of trial or in times of plenty.

The Awakening

2010-03-05T06:56:00.000-08:00

Two other characters from different stories are reminiscent of Edna in Kate Chopin's The Awakening. Both Nora from Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House" as well as Frances from Dirty Dancing are apparent in the persona of Edna: women who are awakening to their own powers and selves.
Marriage is such a serious commitment that I have always viewed it with great reverence. I have often worried about people getting married at very young ages. Moreso than the age, however, it is the lack of real experience in life and love. Most teenagers believe they have experienced love when they have their first boyfriend/girlfriend. However, in most cases, this is only infatuation and ends in a turbulent breakup. It is not until an individual gains life experience through living on her own and discovering how much is required of her to provide for her own happiness. Happiness is neither found nor discovered solely in the relationship with another being. It comes from within and emanates outwardly, affecting the relationships in which she develops.
Chopin's character Edna has not experienced enough of life before marriage. She has remained submissive and unthinking from her father's home to that of her husband. Thus, when she begins choosing for herself, she finds herself unsatisfied with what has been given to her. Her husband is wealthly and in good society. On the surface, there appears to be a lack of what would cause unhappiness and complacency. However, things cannot make a person happy and once Edna has experienced the accomplishment of learning to swim, she seeks other opportunities to find that same self-worth and adoration. She affixes her attentions to Robert but when he is not near, she allows others to fulfill her needs; even as much as finding a stranger's look to be almost intoxicating.

Tidy Packages

2010-03-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

Typically, I get really annoyed at writers who seem to tie everything up in perfect packages by the end of the story. I just don't think that life happens that way and reject authors who, by doing this, reject reality and make it seem like they just didn't know how to end a story. In this respect, Alexandre Dumas does not give a perfect ending to the story, but rather, resolves enough of the goals of his main character to accomplish the purpose of the story without it feeling undone in the end. Of course, after nearly 1500 pages, it would have to have time to develop and complete the cycles presented at the beginning.
In finishing this novel, I have probably 5 different thesis ideas. I'll have to store those away so I have something to give a dissertation about when I get the chance to go back for my masters.

The Count and Counting

2010-03-01T12:03:00.000-08:00

In case I forget about this important thought...
There is a moment when the Count says "mysteriously", "One!" I have about one hundred pages left and I haven't seen any further counting from the Count. Presently, it is evoking the way "The Count" from Sesame Street counts. I will be happy to have the answer to my question. I'm curious to see if I am correct in my assumptions that he is calculating how many reparations he has completed. As of yet, no further indication is given.
I'm really enjoying this novel. In the first few hundred pages I was wondering about vengeance and how such a tale has continued to have such popularity throughout time. Assuredly, it is more important to finish reading the novel to understand that it is not a tale of complete vengeance, but rather the way those who do not repent easily fall into their own vices to eventually bring sorrow upon themselves. It's more the saying of "what goes around, comes around."
I adore the figures of Morrel's daughter Julie and her husband Emmanuel Herbaut. In a time of economic turmoil and our own strivings to get out of debt and own our home, these characters may be very sideline types, but they are heroes in their own right. More people need to evaluate who they should be emmulating: the Danglers and Villeforts or the Herbauts. Truly, we would solve such world crises if individuals found satisfaction in being able to fulfill their true needs instead of trying to create a world of unsatisfiable wants.

The Count and Les Miserables

2010-02-15T15:48:00.000-08:00

I definitely know that when I am able to go back for my Master's, I will be wanting to complete it in French literature. I'm reading The Count of Monte Cristo and Les Miserables right now and am completely captivated. It is taking me longer to read because I am basically savoring the words and images these writers create for me. After I finish reading The Count, I plan on going back and reading the abridged version we picked up for Eric (he really wants to read, but has drastically less time for it than myself). I'm curious to see if the things I would have shortened or removed in the interest of time and space are the same as previously committed. I'm sure I'll get to the point of doing the same with Les Miserables. Of course, those are both with the desire to some day in the future obtain French copies of these classics and be able to read and comprehend them in the vernacular. Great expectations? Think I'll make it?

Just as Good in Round Two

2010-01-06T06:01:00.000-08:00

When I married my husband, we began two immediate collections: board games and books. These are two categories of must-haves for any growing family. In the acquisition of books, Eric suggested The Giver. I had never read it before and was curious after his explanation. I quickly devoured the book and loved it. There's so much in those pages! Choosing it for Book Club required me to re-read it since it had been four years. This is one book I won't mind reading and re-reading. I'm immediately in the society and can see it in my mind's eye. After reading and thinking about it this second time, I love it even more. Part of that may also be my exposure to other novels similar in theme such as Fahrenheit 451 and 1984. The drabness enforced upon the societies in order to achieve "sameness" is similar in both The Giver and 1984. The trash receptacles, rules, and punishments all hum a similar tune. The lack of culture found in literature and art are missing, all in the pursuit of different yet similar goals.
We gave a copy of this novel to one of our nephews for Christmas. We didn't just randomly choose it. It's one of our favorites because it has so much to teach within those pages.

I Hate, I Love

2010-01-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who told me that she was able to skate through not only high school, but also a bachelor's and master's degree programs with having read this book. She read The Good Earth in 7th grade and hasn't really read anything since.
I could say that I understand why. There were times that I just wanted to stop reading. I'm not sure if it was because it got slow or because it was so frustrating for the husband to treat his wife so poorly. On the other hand, there's a lot of good things in the book to. Yes, we go from rags to riches and have a semi-circularness to the plot, but there are some truisms within that you can't avoid. For instance, if you aren't careful, you can become so wrapped up with appearances and the opinions of others that you forget what is truly important. You can also loose site of the ones who truly care for you and love you in the pursuit of trying to make comparative strangers pleased and boastful about your accomplishments.
I love, love, love the character of O-Lan. Sure, she isn't the most physically desirable woman, but the remaining qualities she has completely trump that!! Her frugality truly leads to the husband's success and yet she is constantly sidelined and ignored. I also have to give props to a woman who would work up to the point of labor, give birth, and then return to the field to assist her husband. That's amazing fortitude there!
So, with this book of both love and hate, I have to say that I would recommend it to others to read and reflect on their priorities...a great read for the end of last year to prompt my new resolutions and hopes for a great 2010. Now, to read the remaining two books of her trilogy.

Capturing the Essence

2009-12-27T15:04:00.000-08:00

While Willa Cather may have written a somewhat slow moving text, she was able to capture certain characteristics and mannerisms found in lazy midwestern towns (by no means am I implying that the individuals were lazy, but if you were raised in the midwest, as I was, you aren't running at break-neck speeds...slow and steady wins the race, remember!) in her novel My Antonia! As I slowly read this novel, the characters, buildings, and relationships also gradually rose from the pages. I particularly loved the way she captured the speech patterns of new English speakers, such as Antonia. As I read her words, I was reminded of a good friend of mine who served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Part of her duties as a missionary was to study the English language every day. Hearing the way she constructed sentences gave me an appreciation for my language as well as hers. I hear her voice echoed in Antonia's speech.
Jim Burden reminded me a bit of Laurie from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Kind of a lazy and rich boy who fancied those "beneath" him for whatever reason, pursued and yet failed to make anything more than a game of the pursuit. Abandoning everyone in the pursuit of his education and the seeming lackluster marriage he later made further demonstrates that he has no true passion for anything. He only pursued education as the encouragement of his idealized Antonia, only to leave her to ruin. The avoidance of her in the ensuing years shows his shame, and yet, as a survivor, Antonia still comes out on top with a hardworking husband and passel of children. She comes out conqueror through her squalor whereas Jim may have success and an easy life, but no real love in any aspect of his life.

I Know The Stranger

2009-12-10T18:18:00.001-08:00

Right away I knew I was going to enjoy this book. There is a quality to Albert Camus' writing that immediately sucked me in even through an apathetic character. Although I can't agree with Camus' philosophy, I can respect it. Sometimes things just happen because they happen. I've spent too much of my life trying to explain why things happen. I have no more control over it if I can explain the cause or the effect of any action or occurrance. It remains the same. Being able to finally come to that acceptance of "what will happen will happen" helps alleviate stress in one's life, yet it can be very disturbing and frustrating to others involved in that life. I can't say that I can accept someone murdering another being "because it happened" but the concept is true: with or without remorse does not change what happened. However, I do believe that it can change a person to be more aware and concerned for others. We, as humans, can take responsibility for our actions while still allowing emotion and intellectual thought to co-exist.

Alice, Alice

2009-12-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

Not that I ever enjoy a movie as much as a book, but this is definitely one I wish I'd never seen. I wish I had my own imagination (uninfluenced) to create this world of Wonderland as I read. Word play, interesting images/characters, and just plain purposeless fun! Just like a good children's story should be. I appreciate morals and lessons being illustrated in my reading, but I don't have to have it all the time. For kids just learning the love of reading, there is great value to the entertainment value; especially when someone can create such interesting assortment of characters who are just doing, well, whatever they want.

A Break from the Trend

2009-12-09T13:50:00.000-08:00

I've been consumed with finding appropriate titles for the Book Club and steering away from the "Best Sellers" list. I chose to take a little detour and try out something a little newer. I have to say that my choice was well made as I enjoyed the concepts and drama played out in Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper.
There's been a recent movie made from this book and I hear it is a tear jerker. I've also heard that it, sadly, doesn't follow the ending of the book. I have yet to see it, so it remains a mystery.
I enjoyed this book up until the last chapter. I appreciate what happened and the chance that the ending turned out the way it did. However, in my mind, that last chapter just didn't even need to be written. Or, at least, it didn't need to be written from that particular character's vantage point. I thought there should have been one life that hung in the balance and wondering what would have happened there would have made the book ten times more appealing.
As for current dealings with the choices made available by modern technology, it was great to get my hands and head into such a topic as "designer" babies or babies with a purpose superior to merely an addition to the family. It was thought provoking to measure and weigh the "rights" and "wrongs" of each choice.
Great book. Recommend to others and possible permissible on a reading list as it has great discussion entwined with the reading of this novel.

Language and Dialect

2009-12-09T13:42:00.001-08:00

I've mentioned before my desire to be able to read books in the native language/vernacular. Zora Neale Hurston satisfies this as well as a desire to read good African-American literature in her book Their Eyes Were Watching God. I sorted through a few different books to find this title and am really pleased with this work.
Not only did I enjoy "hearing" the speech of these characters, but I was fully enthralled with what would happen next. I found myself hanging at each page turn to discover what would happen to Tea Cake. Janie seems like a real person to me and the development of her own maturity and satisfaction with life and coping with the "lemons" she is given seems true to life.
I also appreciate the fact that an author took a chance on her audience and allowed a terrible and tragic thing to happen without trying to answer all the "what then's" that arise in a reader's mind. A lot of the wonderment is what makes the book a success. If a writer gives all the answers, it can distort the "reality" a reader has created through her own interpretation of the book.
Although there were some instances of what could be termed "indecent" as we read portions of Janie's love life, it doesn't come across as vulgar or titillating. It's kind of a fact and an aspect of the book that doesn't seem wrong or out of step. In this case, it has landed itself on the list for book selection option for February.

Copper Sun

2009-11-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

A recommendation from my mother, a high school English teacher, Copper Sun was definitely penned for a younger audience. I have to remember that this novel is written for the "juvenile" audience; the same reason I have to excuse the writer of the Twilight series. As such, it is a good insight into what Africans and slaves experienced in the early days of this country. Although I could recommend it on this level, I did not enjoy my reading of the novel. There were portions of it that were too arbitrary in the writing. I understand that the elderly and/or experienced people in life can be seen as sages, but there were moments that I felt she broke from her writing mid-thought and then came back to it unable to complete the transitional idea. As a writer myself, I have experienced this. Kudos to her for getting past the "perfectionism" that keeps me from submitting anything for publication...ever.
I remain in the search of a good quality novel dealing with the slavery issue. I am intrigued to discover if this is a hole in literature or if I just haven't been exposed to the good writers of said genre as of yet.

A Christmas Tradition

2009-11-21T15:06:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how many film versions exist of this classic Christmas tale, but there does seem to be a plethora of them. Probably due to this, I have never opened the text before. Although, I felt that I knew what it would contain. For the most part, I believe I was correct. However, it was easier to distinguish certain qualities as portrayed by Charles Dickens instead of the interpretations of producers and directors.
A Christmas Carol is not a surprise story. It's about the ability of man to repent and turn again to the good things of life: human interaction, joy and service, as well as the concept that there is always time to change, as long as we capitalize on the opportunity. The interesting thing I discovered was the partial hint at Dickens' displeasure with America (it has been mentioned in certain articles that Dickens at one time traveled to the United States in a effort to promote international copyright laws, an issue that has continued to plague the world in one form or another even today).
Dickens' philosophy on the redeeming value of assisting our human brothers and sisters echo the importance of Christian values in business dealings as well as familial relationships. Truly, by becoming more giving and benevolent, we can assist our fellow man in not only survival but also in success in this world.

Third Side of an Issue

2009-11-03T06:34:00.000-08:00

In Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe points out the many layers of "both sides" of the slavery issue. However, I think, thus far, that her point is that there is not a correct stance on the issue and parts must be taken for both aspects.
For instance, the "Northern" philosophy of slavery being cruel and un-Christian is correct. However, at least from Stowe's point of view, there still lingered a segregation and almost disgust of encountering the blacks. Therefore, although citing the Bible for defense, these individuals were not letting the true purpose be manifest: that of treating all humans like unto themselves. In like manner, although there were, perhaps, slave owners who treated their slaves with kindness and possibly even indulgence, they were wrong not only for keeping humans as property, but never recognizing that they were humans and equals in intellect, emotion, and potential. Thus, there is a necessity to "choose the better part" of both sides and combine them to the perfection that is necessary for true equality then or now: all human are human and should be treated as such. The Golden Rule truly applies in human rights' positions.
There continues to be work that needs to be accomplished as our society looks upon the issue of HUMAN rights and equality. There continues to be a pervading misconception that to promote the rights of one group (women, black, Hispanic, or whatever) while simultaneously punishing another (white, men, whatever). Only when society recognizes this will we ever truly triumph over the persecutions, punishments, and guilt of the past to build a brighter future.

Other thoughts...here

Knowledge Gleaned

2009-10-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man. (Doctrine and Covenants 84:85)
Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. (Doctrine and Covenants 130:18)
Ray Bradbury probably isn't a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, yet I find several of the doctrines he holds to in his novel Fahrenheit 451 can be explained or referenced easily by latter-day revelation as given through the Prophet Joseph Smith. How can this be? Because knowledge comes from truth. Truth is unchanging and eternal.
In this world of Fahrenheit 451, there is only one way to keep the knowledge of the past. You can't keep it in material sources. It MUST become a part of you. Memory is the most important aspect of knowledge. Being able to reference something on a page may work while that page is accessible, yet, as in this terrible world of book burning, that page may not be accessible in the time it is needful.
Bradbury has an easy, conversational style of writing, which enabled the book to be read quickly. This may be the quickest read I have come across, as I checked the book out yesterday afternoon and it is already finished and written about this morning. There are good discussions within these pages. Again, I feel this is one of my preferred books and is now on the list of favorites.

Thoughts and Government

2009-10-27T08:31:00.001-07:00

The entire concept of government revolves around the ruling and protecting of it's citizens. However, government does not always necessarily fulfill this role. In fact, there is a constant effort for balance of "poor" government to that of "good" government. Without this, there would no longer be civil revolts, wars, and the changing of political parties and governing bodies. George Orwell's 1984 is a discourse in what can go wrong when government is allowed too much control.
There are so many ideas worthy of discussion presented in this novel. The restriction of so many things we take for "freedoms" are completely restricted and destroyed in Oceania. The arts, sciences, and ultimately, thought are destroyed through systematic purging within this culture. There isn't an improvement gained for society as "Big Brother" and the Inner Party selfishly keep those to themselves and restrict and destroy things that would make every day living more comfortable for the masses.
This is yet another title going to my list of favorites...again, not THE favorite, but one that belongs on the list from which to choose.

1984

2009-10-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

After forcing myself to complete the reading of Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's, I was excited to pick up something different. George Orwell's 1984 has been on my list to read since high school, believe it or not. I have finally checked it out and am amazed at how quickly it reads.
I definitely feel the color "drab"...gray, muted, colors...as I read this book. However, there is an exposure to color from the mind of Winston. I'm very curious to where this book will take me as it evokes similar feelings as the color-black and white contrast used in Gary Ross' Pleasantville. I'm already fascinated by the phrase "orthodoxy is unconsciousness." As a writer, it also completely grabbed my attention by the "destruction of words" to "narrow the range of thought." OH MY! Gripping, not for action, but due to the concepts and mental situations being set up in the first 75 pages.
I'm looking forward to this read, Orwell. I enjoyed Animal Farm back in high school, so I do not expect to be disappointed in this, my friend.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

2009-10-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

I must admit the absolute ONLY reason I even picked up this book is because I am such a fan of Audrey Hepburn. Sadly, the book is no better than the film.
Truman Capote is probably the good writer he is touted to be. However, I lacked drawing any real value from reading his novel. Yes, I'm a bit prudish and perhaps prejudiced against a woman who lives the way Holly Golightly has chosen to do. Yes, I was taken aback by some of the conversations and terms she used. I also understand that these are part of her character and gives that "fashion" of a woman who feels confident yet fits in a bit awkwardly into society.
There's another novel by Capote that is on my reading list, but I sincerely hope for more redeeming reading than Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Dry, Realistic Tolstoy

2009-10-16T04:57:00.001-07:00

Before I left on my mission, I had begun reading Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. I never finished it. During college, I read his short story/novella called The Death of Ivan Ilych. I couldn't really remember either of these works, so I just finished reading Ivan. I get the point, Tolstoy, but it was so dry and pathetic. I want to have some emotion concerning the characters I read about. I was completely apathetic towards anyone in this story. I don't think I'm apathetic towards real people in real events, so I think there is just a bit missing from this "realist" portrayal of an ordinary man dying in a rather unremarkable way.
I haven't written you off, Tolstoy...I just need to try out your greater known works. I need to become friends with Anna or War and Peace. We'll see which one grabs my attention (probably Anna, since my sister is currently reading that selection).
In the meantime, I'm trying out an author I've never read or heard anything about. His plays are on the Honor's Book List, but not his short stories. Anton Chekhov is another Russian writer and I find in his story a lot more interest and excitement as I read. Currently I am midway through Chekhov's The Story of an Unknown Man and would rather like to put it on the Book Club list. However, like I said, he's a bit more unknown and I am afraid the availability is lacking. Ah, but I will enjoy him anyway!

Literature I've Read and Forgotten

2009-10-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Let's add another title to this category. I read "Man and Superman", a play by Bernard Shaw, during my college years. I have the copy on my shelf and the sticker marking the H420R that it was required for. I don't remember reading it, yet throughout the play are my highlighter marks. Obviously it wasn't very impressionable for me, or else it was during a time of speed reading several pieces simultaneously. I'm very curious to finish reading it and to gain a true opinion of the piece, but right now I need to finish Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilych (another book I've read and forgotten). I think, though, that I am more interested in reading "The Revolutionist's Handbook" that is attached as an appendage to the play.

My Fair Lady vs Pygmalion

2009-10-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

So, I grew up loving the musical My Fair Lady. However, after reading Pygmalion (the play written that My Fair Lady was produced from), I realize that the love story I enjoyed is, in fact, not the same.
Audrey Hepburn is so beautiful as Liza Doolittle and I was CERTAIN that she and Professor Higgins (played by Rex Harrison) got married in the future/post musical. Alas, the musical and the play diverge in an important aspect...and I believe there is more to the story through the play than displayed through the musical.
I truly enjoyed there being more to Liza than just falling after a man who doesn't treat her well. Sure, he's rich. Sure, she can probably pretty much exist without a thought of her interactions with Higgins, except the fact that she would SETTLE! There is no need (for man or woman) to settle. A marriage should only occur between two people who truly love each other and want to honor and respect each other and follow through. I think too often this is not the case and it ends in disappointing marriages (uh, see Madame Bovary!) and divorces.
Liza, as portrayed through the original author of George Bernard Shaw, truly has an awakening not only of her potential for financial and class distinction, but her own self worth as a woman. I much prefer Pygmalion's Liza to My Fair Lady's Liza, though I was quite infatuated with the story since I was a little girl.

An Ideal Husband

2009-10-09T15:30:00.001-07:00

While in college, there was a film class that required several movie critiques on films that I couldn't quite make it to the International Theatre to view. So, that left me searching for these films at Blockbuster and the local library system (which had an AMAZING selection of foreign films).
I pulled into Blockbuster and searched around for a particular film, but was unable to find it. Seeing a worker sitting amongst a pile of videos, I approached her. She asked me if she could help me and I replied, "Yes, I'm looking for An Ideal Husband." "Aren't we all." she quipped back. Of course, I blushed furiously and then stammered through my explanation that it was a film of Oscar Wilde's play "An Ideal Husband."
I can't really remember a whole lot about the film, but I do remember it being witty. Reading the play gave me more opportunity to laugh and envision my own "production" of this play.
I really appreciated his descriptions for inspiration of certain individuals in the play. I am always looking for authors to promote other artists and writers in their works, and he satisfies this with his depictions (only known if you actually READ the play) of key players.
I'm glad I checked out his complete works from the library and look forward to reading much more of his works in the next coming weeks.

The Sins of the Father

2009-10-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

If I had to summarize the drive of the story, it would be by saying something similar to what is found in Exodus 34:7 "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation." Although I don't believe that sin is passed down generation to generation, I do believe that children tend to repeat things they see their parents' do and the repercusions of those decisions do affect the children, possibly for generations.
For instance, poverty, in many instances, continues through family lines because there is no education in how to change this. When an individual is "saved" from following the same spending patterns as the parents and gains more education and skills to move away from that situation, that child breaks the poverty pattern in their own family and moves forward improving the future of generations.
In like manner, there is a larger propensity for children born out of wedlock and to a single mother to make the same choices and give birth to their own children without a father in the home.
For Flaubert, his novel preaches the same idea: once a sin invades, the perpetuation of that sin tends to have a huge impact on the family and progeny. The choices the senior Mr. Bovary makes unknowingly ends up influencing his son as well as the son's second wife. The decisions the second wife makes influences her husband. All of these decisions affect the future of the innocent Berthe.
I understand all of these and the honesty of a novel of Realism. However, I wanted something more, some individual to look to as a true hero/heroine and there was none...they all have such devastating faults that there is no one to romanticize...which is probably Flaubert's point.
This definitely does not fall under a "pleasure" read, although it is largely about pleasure. However, it definitely brings up interesting things to ponder and makes for good discussion material. I can't say that it was a favorite book for me to read, but the more I think about it and ponder it, the better it becomes in my own eyes.

En Francais Flaubert!

2009-10-06T07:54:00.001-07:00

At least I wish my skills were still good enough to make it possible. I'm reading Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary. I can't say it is one of my favorites, but maybe I will like it better after I finish. Right now Madame Bovary, herself, is really bugging me. I detest selfish, self-absorbed main characters! I think I would also enjoy it more in French as I feel there is something lacking in the English translation (though, I am reading a copy using the claimed "best" translation). I think, also, there are some things going on in my personal world that contribute to an annoyance with such a character. Real life, right? There ARE some people out there that are like this...but sometimes, I think we can all show some similar characteristics and that's probably what bugs me: mine.

The Mayor of Casterbridge

2009-09-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

I enjoy the writing style of Thomas Hardy, but I did not enjoy this novel. What a sad and terribly distorted life these people were created to lead in The Mayor of Casterbridge! I truly enjoyed Tess of the D'Ubervilles but cannot recommend this one to others. The bottom line: lies have a way of resurfacing and haunting an individual no matter the efforts to conceal. I understand that, but it is almost as if there is no mercy involved in the plot.

The Mysteries of Udolpho

2009-09-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed reading this book and, looking at the format, believe it truly follows the "definition" of a traditional novel. The version I read keep the divisions of the book in the volumes with which it was originally distributed. The first volume gives basic introductions and development of such a serene scene interrupted by the deaths of Emily's parents. However, the reader isn't exposed to much in the way of "gothic" or "ghosts" but perhaps some dark movements upon the background. Nothing frightening. However, as Radcliffe continues on in the remaining volumes, the pace of the tale increases. I found myself riveted at points and awaiting the denouement! I knew, from her biographical information, that Radcliffe was going to, at some point, reveal the way all the supernatural occurrences actually had tangible and true reasons behind them. Although the novel may have terrified readers at the time, in our current society, it may not seem nearly as horrifying as we have become somewhat desensitized due to our media. It is common place for us to hear about death, deceit, destruction, and even murder due to the media in our homes and lives. Television, movies, and even the Internet bring these images into our minds and make us less susceptible to the "fainting" and "swooning" catalogued in The Mysteries of Udolpho.
As a writer, Ann Radcliffe does a good job of blending depictions of scenery as well as development of plot. I am curious to know if she knew the end from the beginning and how she wrote as it seems very systematic and there are no open-ended questions left regarding any mystery presented in the book.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

2009-09-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

I could have sworn I read this book before. There are moments that I still think I have, but it really lies in the familiarity of word pattern. So, perhaps I have read something else by Thomas Hardy.
I want to put this book on the book list for the GWBC. There isn't anything explicit in it, so I think it would be fine for those with "sensitive" natures. However, there is SO much that could be discussed due to the nature of the book. The duplicity of man and this injustice women have suffered due to this! Wow. Although there has been some "softening" of women's...well, expectations/restrictions, I think there continues to be an influence in our society of guilt on the woman's part.
I've heard so many times that this dates back to early Christianity and before. However, it's sad to realize the twists to truth that have occurred due to man's (in this way both "man" and "human") manipulation of real truths. God didn't just create Eve for Adam's pleasure. She was THE final creation and holds a special place in God's eye for that reason. How, then, has woman been so oppressed throughout time?
Although I do view the necessity of certain roles, I also recognize that not everyone fits into those specified "assignments" for a variety of reasons and circumstances. I am grateful to have experienced not just the good, but have also suffered the bad in my relationships with men, so that I am MORE grateful in my recognizing of my husband's honor and protection of me. I do experience all the good now and am amazed at the guidance I received through my youth not to make a mistake in marriage to another.
Oh, Tess...I still haven't finished this novel, but my heart goes out to you! How unfair your troubles have been due to the selfishness of men!

Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey

2009-09-17T13:27:00.001-07:00

I like Jane Austen for the development of her characters. I am not disappointed in this in Northanger Abbey, either. Though a quick-read, I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek approach to the gothic tale. I find it refreshing to have her a bit more assured of her discourse than I find in other novels she has graced us with. The tone is immensely different as the author has a strong voice and is allowed to conjecture throughout on the actions and those events leading up to certain actions in the characters.
I find it interesting that so many of my acquaintances have disliked this particular novel but perhaps it is due to misunderstanding the genre which Austen both mocks and upholds. I felt that Catherine was very believable, having grown up in small communities and from a large family. I feel that I was, at once time, just as unaware of the social maneuvering one encounters in the social realm. I have been persuaded to make judgments of my surroundings and encounters based on the literature in which I have immersed myself. Who am I to deny wanting to find my own version of Rhett Butler (although, he was somewhat of a jerk, too...thank goodness I found a different version of man in my own husband!) or Mr. Knightly? In like manner, Catherine finds herself disposed to finding certain mysterious and intriguing possibilities in her surroundings during her stay in the Abbey.
Believable characters with a subtle agenda is why I feel Jane Austen has captivated such an audience over such a lengthy period of time. Northanger Abbey, being no lesser of a novel!

Weekly Book Stock-up

2009-09-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is our weekly stop at the library to replenish our supply of books. I look forward to this day every week and love that my whole family gets to go on this excursion.
I do have to put my foot down. Eric is bent on supplying me with so much other reading that I haven't even picked up Atlas Shrugged in over a week! What's with that? I really want to finish this book and am getting so anxious to find out the resolutions the characters will have to make and the sacrifices that come with those decisions! So, tomorrow, there will be no "supplementary readings" picked up for me. With a book over 1000 pages, I need to just sit down and read it.
So, hopefully in the next few weeks, I will have more to say about my "favorite" book...since it is currently leading on any list I may have.
Oh, and I didn't particularly care for Avi's Something Upstairs. It was very predictable and was too quick of a read to have any anticipation of the plot. On the other hand, I did enjoy Winnie's War by Jenny Moss. I think, as an author, I'd probably have something similar to give the world: a little history between the made-up parts.

Juvenile Literature

2009-09-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

In between "bigger" reads, I am supplementing with books from the juvenile section at the library. I came home with three Tuesday and have read two of them.
Weasel by Cynthia DeFelice is a story of a boy who faces some terrible encounters with a killer. He is haunted by his decision to let this man live and it wracks his conscience that he "could have" done more. This feeling is very human and every individual seems to experience this type of dilemma at some point in their life. He begins to fixate on an outcome he believes will make all the horrors go away, yet when the same outcome happens by another force, he realizes that life has a way of going on no matter the turmoil of any person. I enjoyed her take on the language of the time period and the essential essence of the plot, but it did not fulfill any other satisfaction within me.
The other book I have completed this week is Eva Wiseman's Puppet. The terrible trial of innocent Jews is pushed forward as a young Jewish boy is forced to testify that several Jewish men are responsible for the death of a Christian servant girl. I respect Wiseman's writing as she focused on a historical fiction story of such a tragedy. I found myself hurrying through the book to discover if yet another travesty had befallen such a persecuted religious group. I had never heard of this trial or the implications of it. However, I feel enlightened to more of the ever present hate that tends to follow this poor group of God-fearers. It amazes me at the way these people have triumphed over such great odds through the years.
I look forward to the reading of Winnie's War by Jenny Moss, especially as I am an aspiring author and this is her first book.

On the Favorites List

2009-09-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

Upon realizing my major, many people then ask me the golden question: "What, then, is your favorite book?" I never have an answer. I've read many books and have liked them. However, I don't know how to classify THE favorite with so many different styles and genres available.
However, I am beginning to recognize that perhaps I should have a list of books that could be contenders for THE favorite. Dracula is on that list.
I just finished this great book this evening. I've had many epiphanies and have been excited to turn the next page and discover what perils the characters find themselves in and especially as all things are interrelated. I found myself feeling a bit of triumph at the last. Good wins over evil! However, it isn't in an over exorbitant manner. The end comes as a plausible and realistic culmination of events.
I also find each character interesting as well as the relationships between each person. I also enjoy a writer who, though at times portrays a woman to be softer and more prone to "shock", it feels as it is done gallantly. Mina is a very capable woman and is largely tied to the triumph in the defeat of her predator-master.

Dracula

2009-09-02T05:36:00.001-07:00

In an effort to provide real information for members of my book club, I am reading the selections available for next month's reading. I'm at the half-way point with Dracula by Bram Stoker. I am pleasantly surprised with this novel. I admit, I picked it up thinking that I would have to just plug along until I finished it. However, it has been a page-turner for me. I love the way Stoker writes and entwines myth and faith. I have had many epiphanies through my reading and am excited to see what develops as I continue.
In comparison with Frankenstein, I feel that this novel is better able to mix reality with the implied science of medicine. Frankenstein had a lot of missing information because it couldn't make sense whereas Dracula takes you purposefully through the study of the human brain to acknowledge certain issues.

Frankenstein Again

2009-08-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

In my educational pursuits, I have been required to read certain selections multiple times. These titles are Shakespeare's Hamlet, Conrad's Heart of Darkness, and Shelley's Frankenstein. However, I recognize that with the amount of literature piled before me each semester, I rarely was able to enjoy any of my readings.
I have selected Frankenstein as an option for next month's reading in the Great Work's Book Club. In this, I am trying to read ahead so I can spend time that month working on finding the background information to supply to club members to make the readings more enjoyable and understandable. Thus, for a third time, I have read this title. I must admit, this is the first time I feel like I have actually delved into the reading. I feel more accountable as he "leader" than I did as the "student." Therefore, I am more studiously applying myself to the reading and understanding of each text.
Through this reading, I noted the frequency that I picked up a dictionary to ensure my contextual reading of certain terms was correct. I think using a dictionary is a great tool to truly understand what an author is conveying. Aside from that, it is also a better way to solidify new words into my own vocabulary: not that I will typically use these words, but I can comprehend them better the next time I hear or read them.
I think my favorite aspect of this novel is stated by the monster himself. He is contemplating fire when he states, "How strange, I thought, that the same cause should produce such opposite effects!" To me, this is the drive of the tale. Frankenstein sought to create life for the joy of man, yet it brought sorrow and destruction, even death. The daemon also sought to procure similar travesty upon his creator and yet, when death finally assaults his master, he is despondent and retracts his previous determinations. His decision to punish his master created a punishment for himself. In this, there is caution to our true purposes and the consequences that we then no longer control.

Eric's Selection

2009-08-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

Eric has helped me a lot with piling through book titles for my book club. As we have done this, we have shared titles of books we remember or enjoyed. It's been fun. I love that I have a husband who likes to read (although, he says he just likes the kid-type books. ie: Lemony Snicket series).
We went to the library yesterday (amazingly enough, we have actually worked a weekly visit for about a month now!) and brought home 15 new titles. Yes, most of them are for Emily and Gianna, but we also have a few for ourselves. Eric is continuing the Lemony Snicket series while I brought home a couple of gothic tales (Frankenstein and Dracula) in hopes that we will read them for book club next month. Eric also chose a title for me.
Apparently when he was in school, there was some kind of competition with literature. He knows several books because of this. Thus, his choice in having me read Lloyd Alexander's The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen. I'm over half-way finished already, but it has been an enjoyable (though predictable) read. It's funny and reminds me a little of my Japanese literature course at BYU. I said, "a little".

Reading of Today in Past Writings

2009-08-24T08:41:00.001-07:00

I am still plugging away at Atlas Shrugged. I have to say that I do get joy out of this reading! Ayn Rand is a great writer and has some great talent. I find myself chuckling as I read her book. I laugh because there is such similar talk happening in my world right now. Oh, if people only actually knew history and read literature!

Persuasion at It's Best

2009-08-20T05:56:00.001-07:00

Reading a book is very much like meeting a new friend. At first, things are a little awkward and I get confused with the relationships between people. After a little persuasion I become familiar with those characters. Then, as I continue reading, I discover great joy at being involved with those in the narration. They come alive and their lives are so interesting to observe.
Truly, it is a good thing that they are not literal friends, as I devour the book too quickly and am often left wanting more. I want to know what will happen next, but, alas, the characters in the book are prohibited from moving forward from those last pages: forever frozen in a particular circumstance and pose.
The first selection for the book club is Jane Austen's Persuasion. I must admit, I am devouring it at an alarming rate. I will be able to read it four times over before we discuss it if I read it this quickly each time! Actually, I will be using the available time to do some research into critical essay and thought on this particular title as well as on the author.
I find Austen interesting in her depictions of life in England in the early 1800's. The life of the gentry, as she portrays, seems completely filled with spending their hours in socializing and not much more than that. I cannot imagine having two hours together without a thing to do but associate with friends in this town or another. I know I am being a bit liberal with my interpretation, but in the same moment, not too liberal.
It remains that I do enjoy the romance and writings of Jane Austen. She is an excellent writer who is able to create complete and believable characters without overdeveloping or leading the reader to believe ill and evil exists where it is not.

Waiting

2009-08-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

I am waiting on the official first meeting of the book club I have started to get things going with that. In the meantime, I am continuing to read my choice text of Atlas Shrugged. I'm already very interested in it. You cannot read this one without asking questions. I have a list of curiosities to see if they are answered by the author or if they are just interest markers to make you wonder throughout.
I have found interesting aspects within the first 100 pages that relate directly to what is going on currently in our nation. I will be interested to discover if they really do sacrifice the accomplishments of one man "for the good of the many" and other such "equalizers".

Beginnings of Atlas Shrugged

2009-08-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

After seeing this title a few times over the past few weeks, I thought I should read it. I've never read anything from Ayn Rand. All I even know about her is from a film I watched one time at the International Cinema at Brigham Young University. I honestly can't remember much about that, either. I do remember the feelings I had while watching the film. At times I become captivated by a thought and get these butterfly feelings in my stomach. I have noticed that these feelings are typically due to me feeling some underlying need to become educated about that particular subject. However long it has taken me to follow up on that curiosity, at least it is finally being done.