Just as Good in Round Two

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

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.