I`ve fallen off 'The 100 List' wagon this fall and winter. School reading has me very busy and when I have time to read for pleasure I have gone back to reading books that I`ve read a number of times before, for the comfort, or are simple brain candy.
This fall I read "The Remains of the Day", by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's a wonderful book. The voice of the Butler, Mr. Steven's, is perfect. I can't think of the words to describe how interesting he is. How creative the writing style is. It just is. I've never read a book in quite the same style and I enjoyed it immensely.
The book is Mr. Steven's reflection on his career as a butler in Pre-World War 2 England. All events are through his eyes and clouded by his perception of things, which at times, to use some British slang is quiet Daft. In some cases his miss-steps are through result of his belief that he has no other choice, he is after all 'a gentleman's gentleman' and there is a very strict etiquette required for this job. At other times, he is just a plain idiot with some things and all I want to do is shake some sense into him.
After reading “The Remains of the Day”, I picked up another novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, "When we were Orphans". It was disappointing, because while the voice and actions of Mr. Steven's in “The Remains of the Day” were completely entrancing, yet the character of Christopher Banks, in “When we were Orphan’s” was very unrealistic. His behaviour in some of the scenes was completely implausible and I found it impossible to willingly suspend my disbelief while reading this book. It was unfortunate and I hope that when I read another one of his novels, which I want to do, I will find them to be of the same calibre as “The Remains of the Day”.
Along with “The Remains of the Day” I also re-read, "The Red Tent", by , Anita Diamant which if you haven’t read yet, please stop reading this and go read it right now. It’s okay. I’ll wait for you to finish it...
...
...
See what I mean? AMAZING! I love this book. LOVE IT. And that’s all I really need to say, otherwise I’ve devolve into incoherent gushing.
Next up:
"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies": I’m a huge Jane Austin Fan. HUGE. I love her book, except “Emma”, because wow! Emma is so very annoying. This speaks to the wonderful writing of Jane Austin for being able to create a character so frustratingly annoying I had to stop reading one of her books.
I’ve also read some biographies of Jane Austin and I’m convinced that she would have laughed until she peed, if she had the chance to read the Zombie version of her book.
This is a wonder book that takes her words and seamlessly blends in a Zombie Apocalypse. Having read “Pride and Prejudice” a number of times I know what parts are hers and what’s been added in by Seth Grahame Smith, yet the add-ins occur so effortlessly that they aren’t noticeable until after the zombie battles are almost over. (I'm looking forward to reading his "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter")
I highly recommend reading the funny and very entertaining book, AFTER reading the original. I think that it’s important to have experienced Jane’s work before reading this; it makes it a lot more engaging.
Let me think, what else I read this fall... Oh, "The Roar", by Emma Clayton. This is a post-apocalyptic young adult novel which was absolutely fascinating. What I liked best about this book was that at the very beginning there’s some foreshadowing to ‘the secret’ and about half way through I thought I had it figured out. As a got closer to the end of the book I felt pretty darn proud of myself for having figured it out and then I turned the page...
I love books that totally blow you out of the water with their endings.
There is a sequel, “The Whisper” and I’m just itching to get my hands on it. (fall 2011)
After “The Roar”, I read “The Mermaid’s Chair”, by Sue Monk Kidd, of “The Secret Life of Bee’s” fame. (also a very good book) Though a very different genre from “The Roar”, what the two books had in common was the unexpected ending. I like that in books.
And now I am reading, “World War Z”, by Max Brooks, which is a great book. It’s very well written and creepily believable. So much so I find myself planning how I would deal with a zombie invasion. I feel like a bit of bandwagon jumper, reading all these zombie books and getting into this whole zombie culture thing that exists. It’s not that I mocked this all in the past, just avoided it out of discomfort and fear.
I’m not sure when or how that changed, but I find it fascinating that there is a growing ‘zombie culture’ in the world today. I’m not ignorant of the whole mirroring of consumer society that zombies embody (heehee) and I can see how it is a reaction to the feelings of pressure to constantly consume. And sure I could write a long treatise on how we are all zombies in western consumer society. But I don’t really feel like it and I think I’ll stick to a more base level with all these zombie books – they’re just fun to read!
I am considering which book on ‘The 100 List’ I will read next, but as I head in to spring I will likely not have time to read for pleasure at all. School reading will have to take over once again until May, at which time I will return to 'The 100 List', or "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters"... it’s a hard call.
`
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
A Christmas Story, In Four Parts
Hope
Once upon a time there was a young woman who was like every other young woman. She had many hopes and dreams. She was going to be married to a good man and that she hoped that she would be very happy with him.
One night before she was married she had a strange dream. She dreamt of an Angel from God who told her that she would have a baby and that this baby would be very special. At that time the people hoped for a person to come forward to help lead them. They hoped for greater understanding in God and believed that a person called the Messiah would answer that hope.
When she woke she became worried because she was not yet married, and this made some people upset. She went to the see the man she was going to marry to tell him what she had dreamed.
He too had had a dream. An Angel had come to him in a dream as well and had also told him that the woman he was to marry would have a very special baby. The angel told him that the baby could be the hoped for person.
This made him very happy and they were married. His name was Joseph and her name was Mary. Both of them hoped that their baby would be healthy and strong. They went forward in life full of hope for the things to come.
Peace
Later when it was close to the time Mary was to have the baby, they were told they needed to go back to the town of Josephs ancestors to be counted for a tax. The land that they lived in was troubled. Many people were unhappy with the way the rulers were running their land. There were whisperings of war.
The journey and the tax were supposed to help bring peace to the land.
This was a hard journey for Mary because she felt big and being so heavily pregnant made her tired very easily. She couldn’t help but worry about her baby and whether the traveling might be harmful. She tried to remain peaceful and calm, but it was hard.
When they arrived in Joseph’s home town, Bethlehem they discovered that so many people had come back to this town that there was no room for them at any inn. It was not a peaceful place, but full or crowds shouting and jostling about trying to find places to rest.
Mary needed to find someplace to lie down; the rough journey had made the baby start to come early. Soon they found an innkeeper who, though he had no rooms, gave them use of his barn.
The barn was full of warm straw and blankets and it was there that Mary had her baby. It smelled of animals, but was a peaceful place to rest. She wrapped the baby in swaddling cloth and lay him in the manger. She named the baby Jesus.
The baby was strong and healthy and that made Mary and Joseph feel finally at peace.
Joy
When it was night, she slept. But not everyone was sleeping. Outside of town, on the hillsides some shepherds were awake watching their flocks and watching the stars in the star. They had a vision of an angel and became frightened, but the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good tidings and great joy. Today, in the city of David a child was born, who will be your saviour, he is Christ the Lord. Go now and find him wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger. ”
The Shepherds went. They met the baby and saw that indeed he might be the hoped for saviour. They felt great joy in seeing this baby.
Later, some men from the east, called Magi, traveled through the region. They heard stories that a special baby; a baby people said would grow to be a Messiah had been born. They wanted to meet this baby, for they were knowledgeable in these things. As they traveled they visited the man in command of the region, a man named Herod. He too had heard the rumours and was concerned, not happy.
He asked the Magi to come back to him with news of this baby, if they found any, and they agreed.
They found the baby. When they spoke to Mary and Joseph they discovered that they were good people and had a very special baby. It made them very joyful to see. They gave them presents of expensive oil and even some gold. They taught Mary everything they knew about raising a special boy into being a great man.
But then they remembered Herod, who would not feel joy in knowing more about the baby. They decided not to go back to Herod; instead they travelled home by a different route.
Mary and Joseph enjoyed having all the visitors, but were happy when they had time to themselves with their baby. For them just having a child of their own was a joyous event.
Love
Mary and Joseph loved their baby. They knew that other people thought their baby would grow up to be someone great. But they didn’t think too much about that because they loved their baby for who is was, not for who he might become.
Sometimes though, as Mary sat holding her baby, she did think about the things that had happened and held those memories close to her heart. She looked at her baby and knew that he would always be something special.
It is often true that women hear a voice; have a dream that their babies will be special. Mary was no different.
`
Once upon a time there was a young woman who was like every other young woman. She had many hopes and dreams. She was going to be married to a good man and that she hoped that she would be very happy with him.
One night before she was married she had a strange dream. She dreamt of an Angel from God who told her that she would have a baby and that this baby would be very special. At that time the people hoped for a person to come forward to help lead them. They hoped for greater understanding in God and believed that a person called the Messiah would answer that hope.
When she woke she became worried because she was not yet married, and this made some people upset. She went to the see the man she was going to marry to tell him what she had dreamed.
He too had had a dream. An Angel had come to him in a dream as well and had also told him that the woman he was to marry would have a very special baby. The angel told him that the baby could be the hoped for person.
This made him very happy and they were married. His name was Joseph and her name was Mary. Both of them hoped that their baby would be healthy and strong. They went forward in life full of hope for the things to come.
Peace
Later when it was close to the time Mary was to have the baby, they were told they needed to go back to the town of Josephs ancestors to be counted for a tax. The land that they lived in was troubled. Many people were unhappy with the way the rulers were running their land. There were whisperings of war.
The journey and the tax were supposed to help bring peace to the land.
This was a hard journey for Mary because she felt big and being so heavily pregnant made her tired very easily. She couldn’t help but worry about her baby and whether the traveling might be harmful. She tried to remain peaceful and calm, but it was hard.
When they arrived in Joseph’s home town, Bethlehem they discovered that so many people had come back to this town that there was no room for them at any inn. It was not a peaceful place, but full or crowds shouting and jostling about trying to find places to rest.
Mary needed to find someplace to lie down; the rough journey had made the baby start to come early. Soon they found an innkeeper who, though he had no rooms, gave them use of his barn.
The barn was full of warm straw and blankets and it was there that Mary had her baby. It smelled of animals, but was a peaceful place to rest. She wrapped the baby in swaddling cloth and lay him in the manger. She named the baby Jesus.
The baby was strong and healthy and that made Mary and Joseph feel finally at peace.
Joy
When it was night, she slept. But not everyone was sleeping. Outside of town, on the hillsides some shepherds were awake watching their flocks and watching the stars in the star. They had a vision of an angel and became frightened, but the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good tidings and great joy. Today, in the city of David a child was born, who will be your saviour, he is Christ the Lord. Go now and find him wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger. ”
The Shepherds went. They met the baby and saw that indeed he might be the hoped for saviour. They felt great joy in seeing this baby.
Later, some men from the east, called Magi, traveled through the region. They heard stories that a special baby; a baby people said would grow to be a Messiah had been born. They wanted to meet this baby, for they were knowledgeable in these things. As they traveled they visited the man in command of the region, a man named Herod. He too had heard the rumours and was concerned, not happy.
He asked the Magi to come back to him with news of this baby, if they found any, and they agreed.
They found the baby. When they spoke to Mary and Joseph they discovered that they were good people and had a very special baby. It made them very joyful to see. They gave them presents of expensive oil and even some gold. They taught Mary everything they knew about raising a special boy into being a great man.
But then they remembered Herod, who would not feel joy in knowing more about the baby. They decided not to go back to Herod; instead they travelled home by a different route.
Mary and Joseph enjoyed having all the visitors, but were happy when they had time to themselves with their baby. For them just having a child of their own was a joyous event.
Love
Mary and Joseph loved their baby. They knew that other people thought their baby would grow up to be someone great. But they didn’t think too much about that because they loved their baby for who is was, not for who he might become.
Sometimes though, as Mary sat holding her baby, she did think about the things that had happened and held those memories close to her heart. She looked at her baby and knew that he would always be something special.
It is often true that women hear a voice; have a dream that their babies will be special. Mary was no different.
`
Sunday, November 28, 2010
A New Christmas Story - Part 1 - HOPE
As a theology major (I can call myself that right?) I know from an academic stand point the Gospels are not factual accounts of the life of the person we know today as Jesus.
They are narratives of ideals. They were written to inspire people. At the time of the gospels there were massive political upheavals and religion was also taking a beating. Pax Romana, while beneficial in many ways was also very repressive in others. The coming of a Messiah was a long cherished dream to many Jewish people and he couldn’t come too soon. But this isn’t an essay on history- I’ll write some of those in May.
For me the stories the gospels, especially the birth narratives don’t need to be factually true to have deep meaning. The stories carry universal truths that have managed to transcend time and cultural boundaries. If nothing else, they’re good stories.
The birth narratives in Luke and Matthew are contradictory and we in modern days have meshed them together in to one story. In one Jesus is born in a barn, in another at home. We’ve taken the Shepherds from one and the Magi from the others. Neither has Mary riding on a donkey (pretty sure). But I still cry when I watch “Nestor the Long-eared Donkey” on TV.
I remembered in my sleeplessness last night that today marks the start of Advent – the four week countdown to Christmas day. Advent is a time to prepare for Christmas and I don’t mean getting presents and decorating the tree. Though, sure, that’s a part of it. Advent is an opportunity to get ready spiritually for a major life changing event and deepen one’s understanding of what Christmas is really meant to be about.
It doesn’t matter if you believe in the religious nature of Christmas; the themes of Advent are universal: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love. Those aren’t Christian concepts –they’re human concepts.
In Christian belief, during the month preceding Christmas we light a candle each week to honour those ideas. We think about what they mean and how we can bring forth more of these ideals into our lives and the world. For me this is an important part of the Christmas season. We have an advent wreath at home, this year we have one that mt son made with his grandfather. It’s very beautiful.
Also during my sleeplessness I started thinking about how I would explain this to to my son and I realized that for me the birth stories from the gospels contain these concepts and that there is much that can be learned from the story of Jesus’ birth.
But, knowing what I know about the Gospels made me realize that as they are they just don’t work for me. They would create a lot of theological questions that would take away from what I want them to show my son.
So I re-wrote them, at 5am this morning. I divided up the story in to four parts, one for each theme in advent. I kept the parts that are important and told the rest the way I want my son to hear them. When we light our first candle tonight I will read him the first part.
Hope
Once upon a time there was a young woman who was like every other young woman. She had many hopes and dreams. She was going to be married to a good man and that she hoped that she would be very happy with him.
One night before she was married she had a strange dream. She dreamt of an Angel from God who told her that she would have a baby and that this baby would be very special. At that time the people hoped for a person to come forward to help lead them. They hoped for greater understanding in God and believed that a person called the Messiah would answer that hope.
When she woke she became worried because she was not yet married, and this made some people upset. She went to the see the man she was going to marry to tell him what she had dreamed.
He too had had a dream. An Angel had come to him in a dream as well and had also told him that the woman he was to marry would have a very special baby. The angel told him that the baby could be the hoped for person.
This made him very happy and they were married. His name was Joseph and her name was Mary. Both of them hoped that their baby would be healthy and strong. They went forward in life full of hope for the things to come.
`
They are narratives of ideals. They were written to inspire people. At the time of the gospels there were massive political upheavals and religion was also taking a beating. Pax Romana, while beneficial in many ways was also very repressive in others. The coming of a Messiah was a long cherished dream to many Jewish people and he couldn’t come too soon. But this isn’t an essay on history- I’ll write some of those in May.
For me the stories the gospels, especially the birth narratives don’t need to be factually true to have deep meaning. The stories carry universal truths that have managed to transcend time and cultural boundaries. If nothing else, they’re good stories.
The birth narratives in Luke and Matthew are contradictory and we in modern days have meshed them together in to one story. In one Jesus is born in a barn, in another at home. We’ve taken the Shepherds from one and the Magi from the others. Neither has Mary riding on a donkey (pretty sure). But I still cry when I watch “Nestor the Long-eared Donkey” on TV.
I remembered in my sleeplessness last night that today marks the start of Advent – the four week countdown to Christmas day. Advent is a time to prepare for Christmas and I don’t mean getting presents and decorating the tree. Though, sure, that’s a part of it. Advent is an opportunity to get ready spiritually for a major life changing event and deepen one’s understanding of what Christmas is really meant to be about.
It doesn’t matter if you believe in the religious nature of Christmas; the themes of Advent are universal: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love. Those aren’t Christian concepts –they’re human concepts.
In Christian belief, during the month preceding Christmas we light a candle each week to honour those ideas. We think about what they mean and how we can bring forth more of these ideals into our lives and the world. For me this is an important part of the Christmas season. We have an advent wreath at home, this year we have one that mt son made with his grandfather. It’s very beautiful.
Also during my sleeplessness I started thinking about how I would explain this to to my son and I realized that for me the birth stories from the gospels contain these concepts and that there is much that can be learned from the story of Jesus’ birth.
But, knowing what I know about the Gospels made me realize that as they are they just don’t work for me. They would create a lot of theological questions that would take away from what I want them to show my son.
So I re-wrote them, at 5am this morning. I divided up the story in to four parts, one for each theme in advent. I kept the parts that are important and told the rest the way I want my son to hear them. When we light our first candle tonight I will read him the first part.
Hope
Once upon a time there was a young woman who was like every other young woman. She had many hopes and dreams. She was going to be married to a good man and that she hoped that she would be very happy with him.
One night before she was married she had a strange dream. She dreamt of an Angel from God who told her that she would have a baby and that this baby would be very special. At that time the people hoped for a person to come forward to help lead them. They hoped for greater understanding in God and believed that a person called the Messiah would answer that hope.
When she woke she became worried because she was not yet married, and this made some people upset. She went to the see the man she was going to marry to tell him what she had dreamed.
He too had had a dream. An Angel had come to him in a dream as well and had also told him that the woman he was to marry would have a very special baby. The angel told him that the baby could be the hoped for person.
This made him very happy and they were married. His name was Joseph and her name was Mary. Both of them hoped that their baby would be healthy and strong. They went forward in life full of hope for the things to come.
`
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
One Day on Earth
On 10/10/10 millions around the globe participated in a "Global Work Party" to show the world that there are solutions to climate change. We had an event organized by my Son, Owen, to clean up garbage around our neighbourhood. We invited others to join us, and plenty of them did. Below is a slide show of our event:
Find more photos like this on One Day On Earth
More pictures from this Global Event can be seen at onedayonearth.org and 350.org.
Thank you,
Anne
Find more photos like this on One Day On Earth
More pictures from this Global Event can be seen at onedayonearth.org and 350.org.
Thank you,
Anne
Monday, November 8, 2010
School's the Word
I'm in School - My last year of University - Bachelors in Divinity - which means I'm reading some amazing textbooks on History, Philosophy and Buddhism - not the 100 list. I'll get back to it eventually, but we're taking a break for a while.
& I'm injured and typing really hurt.
but this picture by Natalie Dee, makes me feel better
.jpg)
http://www.nataliedee.com/
& I'm injured and typing really hurt.
but this picture by Natalie Dee, makes me feel better
.jpg)
http://www.nataliedee.com/
Life is Good Award
The Book Bee - http://thebookbee.blogspot.com/2010/10/life-is-good-award.html
gave me this award last week and I've been so busy and then injuried so I haven't had a chance to post of say thank you.
On a personal note - i've done some serious damage to my neck and shoulders and I've taken some pretty good muscle relaxants so oddball comments, typos are grammar nonsense can all be blamed on them. Thank you.
Rules:
1. Thank and link back to the person that gave this award.
2. Answer the 10 survey questions.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic.
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked to let them know about the award.
Questions:
1. If you blog anonymously are you happy doing it that way; if you are not anonymous do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now?
I'm happy for people to know this is me and my blog.
2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side:
NO.
3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror?
Someone who is starting to look older than I feel
4. What is your favorite summer cold drink?
Mojitos.
5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?
Hot bath and a good book.
6. Is there something you still want to accomplish in life? What is it?
Write my own book.
7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person, or always ditching?
Shy and usually ditching.
8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment of your life what would you see?
The day my son was born.
9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events?
I write about books and what I think about them, so a bit of both I guess.
1o. If you had the choice to sit down and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?
Read.
The Recipients:
1. The Book Bee - http://thebookbee.blogspot.com/
2. Curled up with a good book and a cup of Tea - http://goodbooksandacupoftea.blogspot.com/
3. A Splash of our Worlds - http://splashofourworlds.blogspot.com/
4. Bookhounds - http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/
5. Ordinary Reader - http://ordinaryreader.blogspot.com/
6. Borough of Books - http://boroughofbooks.blogspot.com/
7. Epic Book Nerd - http://epicbooknerd.blogspot.com/
8. The Friande - http://thefriande.wordpress.com/
9. The Crazy bookworm - http://crazy-bookworm.blogspot.com/
10. RYC's - http://rycjsbookreviews.blogspot.com/
11. The Literary Lioness - http://www.theliterarylioness.com/
13. Displaced English Major - http://allirense.com/blog/?page_id=172
14. One working mom and one stay-at-home mom who love to read - http://bondedbybooks.blogspot.com/
15.100 Books http://onehundredbestnovels.blogspot.com/
Thank you.
gave me this award last week and I've been so busy and then injuried so I haven't had a chance to post of say thank you.
On a personal note - i've done some serious damage to my neck and shoulders and I've taken some pretty good muscle relaxants so oddball comments, typos are grammar nonsense can all be blamed on them. Thank you.
Rules:
1. Thank and link back to the person that gave this award.
2. Answer the 10 survey questions.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic.
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked to let them know about the award.
Questions:
1. If you blog anonymously are you happy doing it that way; if you are not anonymous do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now?
I'm happy for people to know this is me and my blog.
2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side:
NO.
3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror?
Someone who is starting to look older than I feel
4. What is your favorite summer cold drink?
Mojitos.
5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?
Hot bath and a good book.
6. Is there something you still want to accomplish in life? What is it?
Write my own book.
7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person, or always ditching?
Shy and usually ditching.
8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment of your life what would you see?
The day my son was born.
9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events?
I write about books and what I think about them, so a bit of both I guess.
1o. If you had the choice to sit down and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?
Read.
The Recipients:
1. The Book Bee - http://thebookbee.blogspot.com/
2. Curled up with a good book and a cup of Tea - http://goodbooksandacupoftea.blogspot.com/
3. A Splash of our Worlds - http://splashofourworlds.blogspot.com/
4. Bookhounds - http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/
5. Ordinary Reader - http://ordinaryreader.blogspot.com/
6. Borough of Books - http://boroughofbooks.blogspot.com/
7. Epic Book Nerd - http://epicbooknerd.blogspot.com/
8. The Friande - http://thefriande.wordpress.com/
9. The Crazy bookworm - http://crazy-bookworm.blogspot.com/
10. RYC's - http://rycjsbookreviews.blogspot.com/
11. The Literary Lioness - http://www.theliterarylioness.com/
13. Displaced English Major - http://allirense.com/blog/?page_id=172
14. One working mom and one stay-at-home mom who love to read - http://bondedbybooks.blogspot.com/
15.100 Books http://onehundredbestnovels.blogspot.com/
Thank you.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
94. Wide Sargasso Sea
Well, at least it was short.
I read Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys yesterday. I started it at around 11 am and was done by 730 pm. It’s only 155 pages, which is very short to me.
This book, to me, is like slowing down to gawk at a car wreck. You don’t really want to see it, but you can’t look away. I didn’t particularly enjoy this book; the writing is choppy, silted and a little confusing. Yet I was compelled to keep reading to find out just how and when Antoinette goes stark raving mad.
It was disappointing, the going mad part, given the reviews of the book I was expecting a lot more drama, but it just wasn’t there. I didn’t feel any connection to the characters what so ever.
I used to watch the TV show Party of Five, not because I liked it, but because I hated the characters and I enjoyed watching their lives derail every single week. Charlie was ineffectual, Bailey selfish, Julia whined way too much and Claudia was just annoying. I got a perverse joy in watching their lives suck continuously while mine always looked better and better.
The Germans have a word for this. It's schadenfreude \SHOD-n-froy-duh\, noun: A malicious satisfaction obtained from the misfortunes of others. Read about it here.
It’s possible that if I had read Jane Eyre I might feel differently about Antoinette and her madness, but I haven’t. I have tried, but I couldn’t get into it. I’ve ever attempted a couple different versions of the movie, but no luck; I’ve never seen it all the way through.
As far as reading about a woman’s descendent into madness I can think of far better books to read. ‘The Bell Jar’, By Sylvia Plath and ‘I Never Promised You a Rose Garden ’, by Joanne Greenberg. Personally I preferred ‘I Never Promised you a Rose Garden’ over ‘The Bell Jar’. It’s a very well written story about a young girl being treated for schizophrenia in the early 60’s. This is before any drug therapy was used with regularity, so it’s all about talking and cognitive behaviour therapy. Deborah, the young girl, has a deeply personal fantasy world that is portrayed in a wonderful way. The writing is descriptive, creative and while reading about a girl going insane isn’t exactly ‘enjoyable’, it’s a good book.
I felt a lot of sympathy for Deborah and her struggle to remain sane. I didn’t feel any of the same sympathy for Antoinette. In the end I was left with the feeling that she brought it on herself.
Jean Rhys writing style was not one that I enjoyed, there’s very little description of characters thoughts and one must infer a lot by their actions and things they say. While this works in movies where one can also read body language it caused the characters in the book to remain singular in their dimensions. I didn’t feel I really got to know the characters’ befriended them. In a way it was as if I was hiding in the bushes watching all these things happen while lacking any context that helped their actions and words make sense.
I do not know how this book got on the 100 list. I certainly wouldn’t put it there. The back cover of the edition I have says “A masterpiece, surely one of the best novels of the century”, Doris Lessing, Sunday Telegraph. I don’t think we were reading the same book.
Sure, maybe if you’re a Charlotte Bronte obsessed fan, this book will tidy up some parts of the Jane Eyre Story (I don’t know, as said, haven’t read it) but it’s FanFic. And while, as a Jane Austen obsessed fan who thinks ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” is AWESOME, it’s NOT one of the best novels of the century and I would never try to put it there.
And just to back pedal, I think FanFic is very cool. I like it a lot, there’s some interesting Harry Potter FanFic out there just watch out for the creepy (NSFW or Children) stuff.
I’m not ‘looking down’ on this novel for that. It’s just that it’s not very good FanFic. That’s my problem with it.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
#38 Howards End, by E.M. Forester ~~ Part 2 of 2
Part 2
Please read Part 1, if you have not already. Thank you
It was with great reluctance that I finished ‘Howards End’ last night. I am like that with books I really love; I will often not read the last few pages, because I don’t want the story to end. But I did and it is a fantastic book start to finish. The end does seem a little bit short. Everything gets wrapped up a little too quickly, in my opinion, but that could be just because I really didn’t want to say good bye to the characters.
So I’ll just jump right in with my thoughts, I’ve been mulling over a transition paragraph and I just can’t think of one.
The book is more than ‘just a good story’ it can be read as social commentary on the British Class System during the early 1900’s. The book observes how this system affected all relationships in English society.
The inability to form relationships, the unwillingness to even try with people of ‘lower class’ and the failure to even relate to other classes are brought up though the conduct of the characters. The Schlegel sisters have Mr. Bast to tea. During the tea, they suggest to Mr. Bast that the company where he is a clerk may soon ‘go under’ and they advise him to leave before it occurs. They do this because of some offhand comments made by Mr. Wilcox earlier in the novel.
Later they find out that 1.) Mr. Bast has taken a new job, with less pay and 2.) Mr. Wilcox misspoke in his advice and the company is as solvent as ever.
Helen is upset by this. “We – we, the upper classes- thought we would help him from the height of our superior knowledge – and here’s the result! [An unnecessary job move with less money]”
He [Mr. Wilcox] raised his finger. “Now a word of advice.”
“I require no advice.”
“A word of Advice. Don’t take up that sentimental attitude over the poor. See that she doesn’t Margaret. The poor are poor, and one’s sorry for them, but there it is. As civilization moves forward, the shoe is bound to pinch in places, and it’s absurd to pretend that anyone is responsible personally.” (pg. 199)
There are also veiled comments about British Imperialism. Margaret visits Mr. Wilcox’s very impersonal offices (The Imperial and West Africa Rubber Company) and it looks like any other Bank or insurance company. “But perhaps she was seeing the Imperial side of the company rather than its West African, and Imperialism always had been one of her difficulties.”(pg. 204)
And comments about the drastic changes occurring in the world during the last decades of the 19th century and the opening of the 20th, “A motor–drive, a form of felicity detested by Margaret, awaited her.” (pg. 206)
...”The motor’s come to stay,” He [Mr. Wilcox] answered. “One must get about.” (pg. 207)
In this case it is similar to 'The Magnificent Amberson's' and the coming of age of George Minafer and coming of age of America. ‘Howards End’ is a little more subtle about it though, but it’s there just the same.
The Characters struggle with their relationships, as they each have set ideas about what the social norms are for their classes , but at the same time those norms are shifting, changing and there is much disagreement, especially between the Wilcox’s and the Shelegel’s over the treatment of the Bast’s.
I found myself thinking a lot about Jane Austen as I was reading. E.M. Foresters social commentary is very similar to hers. There is the same deep understanding, wit and possible contempt. As a Jane Austen lover I was heaven. I saw parallels between the Schelegel sisters and Eleanor and Mary Anne in ‘Sense and Sensibility’ (which could be another Emma Thomson thing) and of course Jane and Elizabeth in ‘Pride and Prejudice’.
I don’t know if that was intentional or happy coincidence. Either way this book was an immensely enjoyable read and I put it very high on my list of Favourite books. Does it deserve to be on the 100 list? As much as I loved the book I’m not entirely sure. It is very good, an enjoyable read, well written and I suspect did bring to light the issues surrounding the class system and changes occurring in the world. It seems to be rather subtle about it thought which is great, it’s nice to not be slammed over the head with heavy moral overtones, but it would be easy enough to completely miss the commentary.
If I had read the book even just a few years ago I probably would have missed it myself and just thought of it as a good story. I think I am comparing too much to ‘The Magnificent Amberson’s’ where the characters discuss the changes and issues and it is more blatant. In the end, I would say, yes this book deserves to be on the list because of its subtly and its ability to be ‘just a good story’ and scathing social commentary.
Now, go read it.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Hot Guys and Books!
I'll start by mentioning that I am happily married - to a hot guy who reads books - yet a little bookish eye candy doesn't to any harm so... Thank you Alli Rense, for this site:
Sunday, September 5, 2010
#38 Howards End, by E.M. Forester ~~ Part 1 of 2
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| Me and my book in my office. |
I.LOVE.THIS.BOOK!
So I’ll talk about some other stuff first. I think the most noteworthy thing to mention is that this book is #38 on the list. In a previous post about ‘Under the Net’ I commented on being tired of reading the same character over and over again in different books and I wasn’t just considering putting ‘Under the Net’ aside, but also considering no longer following the order of books.
As intrigued as I am with the next book on the list – ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’, I wasn't sure I really wanted to read it, yet. Even though the main character is a woman, she’s a woman on the brink of madness, likely driven there by her husband. The potential for the husband character to be similar to the men dominating the previous novels gave me a bad.
So I took a look at the 100 list and made a short list of the titles that appealed. They were: ‘Kim’, by Rudyard Kipling; ‘Howards End’, by E.M. Forester; ‘1984’, by George Orwell; and ‘Passage to India’ also by E.M Forester. The winner was ‘Howards End’.
I'll admit that I actually thought I was getting the story of ‘Remains of the Day’ in the ‘Howards End’ book and I recall the same thing occurring when I rented the movie ‘Howards End’. Both movies star Emma Thomson, who I love and Sir Anthony Hopkins (who is also awesome), so it's easy enough to get confused. (Even the movie posters sort of look the same.)
No matter, they are both wonderful stories. As soon as I saw a reference to The Miss Schelegels, I knew which story I was getting into.
E.M. Forester's writing is amazing, like Iris Murdoch, he has the ability to create delicious details with a few choice words. He describes a cold snowy day as tasting like cold pennies, (pg. 84) and I just adore that.
The story revolves around 3 groups of Characters; The Wilcox’s, who own Howards End (their country home), The Schelegel Sisters, and Mr. Leonard Bast.
The Wilcox’s are rich and traditionally British in their beliefs about the class system. They are stereotypical in their admonishing of intellect. Mr. Wilcox is a gentleman and as such has no need to sully his hands with labour and therefore has no need of an education beyond what he needs to know to capitalize on capitalism. (haha, I crack myself up)
I find this mindset fascinating. In this traditional setting the rich are the least intelligent (or appear to be) and look condescendingly on anyone with an education, or people who want a better understanding of the world.
The Schelegel Sisters, Margaret and Helen, are "cosmopolitan", they are well to do financially and choose to use their leisure time going to concerts and engaging in philosophical debates.
During a trip to the continent they meet and befriend the Wilcox’s, who, while uncomfortable with the Schelegels desire for knowledge and their paternal German heritage, see them as the 'same class' and therefore become friends. The story begins with a misunderstanding between the two families, which is quickly set to rights and though none of the characters seem especially like each other, yet they remain politely in contact as ‘good society’ does.
Soon Margaret Schelegel and Ruth Wilcox, the matron of the family, end up in what might almost be a close friendship. The result of this plays out in a curious and somewhat uncomfortable way. When Mrs. Wilcox dies unexpectedly she requests that the house, Howards End, be given to Margaret Schelegel. The Wilcox family promptly ignores this request.
Meanwhile there's Mr. Bast, who is poor yet comes to the attention of the Schelegel sisters at a concert. Helen inadvertently leaves with Mr. Bast’s umbrella and Margaret invites him to their house to retrieve it. This incident is quickly forgotten until, months later, Mrs. Bast shows up on the sister’s doorstep looking for her husband.
This sets a series of relationships in motion. These are odd relationships because of the differences in the characters class “A little mistake, we tried knowing another class – impossible.” (pg. 148)
I’m not entirely sure how Mr. Bast will reappear later in the story. Most of the story revolves around the relationships between the Wilcox’s and Schelegels and the constant foreshadowing of who will end up with Howard’s End in the end.
And even though I’ve seen the movie I can’t remember how it all turns out in the end. In fact, there are a couple of turns in the story that were a surprise to me and I didn’t remember at all. I like that.
Meanwhile, totally changing the subject, after picking up ‘Howards End’ at the Library I happened to go to an AMAZING second hand book store in West Vancouver, BC called “The Ambleside Book Barn” (no website) where I picked up a copy of ‘Remains’ of the Day’, by Kazuo Ishiguro. Weird coincidence?
I also bought ‘Passage to India’, a new-to-me copy of ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ by, Arthur Golden (I’ve given up of my sister ever returning the copy I lent here years ago) and ‘Mr. Baggin’s’ by John D. Rateliff, which is a history of the writing of ‘The Hobbit’. SWEET!
I will never have free time again.
Part 2 on it's way...
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Talking Points
Disclaimer: I've had a scorching bad headache for days, so all typo's, bizarre sentences and unintelligible writing can be blamed on that, not me. Okay, thanks.
After I wrote about my questions about the 100 list I did go back and read over the talking points. The page doesn’t answer and of my ‘how and why questions ’ about these books, but rather, ask more questions (thanks!) and leave it up to the readers, book clubs, intrepid (foolish?) bloggers and really anyone to provide their own answers to these questions.
Having lived in the world of academia for the last three years I’ve forgotten about the concept of “no wrong answers”. I spend most of my days working on school work and most of that time is working out what I think the teachers what as the right answers. I do this because my opinions on Philosophy and Religion are waaaaayyyy out there, and not going to win me any marks during my exams. (but that’s a discussion for another time, and probably a totally different blog)
The result of this is that I am a little wary of my own opinions about these books and am a little fearful of “getting it wrong”.
But when it comes to books and reading, there really are no wrong answers. I can read a book and love it, while my closest friend might hate it and that’s okay.
The Talking Point’s questions that’s stand out for me are the following.
- Which books would you omit and which would you add to our list? What is your top ten, or top one hundred?
- Any list of "best novels" is open to debate. What do you think should be the criteria for judging the best novels of the century? What makes a book one of the best?
- Is it possible to compare books as different as Ulysses, The Great Gatsby, and Brave New World? Are there any features that unite these three books? More widely, are there any literary features that unite the best books as a whole? How would you compare one of the books on the list to your favourite book that did not make the list?
- There are eight women novelists represented on the list. Which other women novelists might have been included? Would there be more women novelists on a list compiled from books published in the nineteenth century? From a list of books published in the last fifty years?
Point one, is very personal opinion based. I would omit The Ginger Man, no doubt, because I didn’t like it. I would put 'Lord of The Rings' in my Top Ten because I loved it and think everyone should read it because it’s awesome. Pretty lame arguing points to be sure, but that brings about point 2 – by what criteria does one judge a book? In the last post I talked about Displaced English Majors method and I like it and suspect a similar criteria was used by the board members.
I would use a similar method as well. Adding in a question about how a book potentially changed writing styles and altered the way that people perceived writing. 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings' altered forever the genre of Fantasy fiction and I would hazard an ill informed guess that they helped push the genre towards the mainstream. If I actually bothered to do some research I could probably find out for sure, but I haven’t and probably won’t.
I like point 3 the best. The list contains books that are unbelievably similar, see previous post, and books that are completely different – their examples of 'Ulysses' and 'Brave New World' are stand outs in this. I don’t think the two are comparable; yet coming to the next question in point three raises the question about the books as a whole. A question I don’t think I’m qualified to answer – yet. I’ll try to remember to get back to it when I’m finished the list.
Then there’s point 4 about women. There are a lot of great women authors missing from this list, Jane Austen for one and perhaps L.M Montgomery and Alice Walker.
After the Modern Library published their list, The Radcliff Publishing House also came out with their own list, which contains many of the same books and Authors, as well as including authors that are not American white males, which dominate the Modern Library list (also mentioned in the talking points). After I’ve completely this list – I think I’ll read that one! (it's has 'Winnie the Pooh' on it!!)
All of this babbling is coming to a point which it that I am now coming to the realization that having a list of WHY they chose these books would be counter-productive. The whole idea, as the said is to get people talking about books. It leaves it open for people to come up with their own reasons the books should or shouldn’t be on the list and creating their own lists.
I should have just listened to them in the first place.
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Footnote: The Non-Fiction list is some kind of Awesome too.
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Friday, September 3, 2010
Questions about the 100 Books list
I am starting to question this list. Yes, I’m only what (?), five books in but still as I’ve mentioned, ad nauseam, these last few books have been awfully similar to each other. The main characters, in my mind, have been completely interchangeable and none standout as amazing.
My questions about this list are WHO and WHY?
Who are the people behind this list? And Why did they choose these books?
There are answers out there – the best resources I can locate are here:
THE MODERN LIBRARY
At the Modern Library’s site there is both the Board Member’s List – the one I am working on, along with a number of other fellow bloggers and A Readers List – which I know some other bloggers are working on. And a list of "talking points",
Here, one can see the Members of the Board which is impressive. So that answers one of my questions the WHO.
But WHY? They say that the purpose behind the list is to get people talking about great books. Now this is true, but it still doesn’t answer why these books specifically were chosen or how they came to the decision about these particularly books. So another question – HOW? What criteria did they use, how long were books debated, did they vote, argue? Are there Transcripts?
Yes, my geekiness is showing because I would give anything to have been able to watch all those great authors sitting around debating books for this list. That would have been so cool. *sigh*
Meanwhile I’m left wanting. What I want is just a blurb, just a sentence about each of the books and why they decided they made it on the list. But I can’t discover that anywhere. If by chance, you reading this, know where I can find some information about this, please let me know.
Meanwhile people reading the books have to come up with their own criteria. Alli at Displaced English Major has created her own system for each of the books. (she is also is reading them in reverse order, same as me. Has expressed similar options on the books as me (especially the spoiler in Sheltering Sky, which you will experience if you click on the next link, btw), and posted a video of the Reading Rainbow Theme song, same as me. I’d say I think we’d make great friends and I’d like to meet her one day, but that sounds stalkerish and creepy.)
Anyhoo…
When reviewing the books she asks the following questions:
Is the book well written?
Is it groundbreaking in someway?
Is it an enjoyable read?
I have no intention of ripping off these questions, but they great questions and I keep them in mind as I read. The tricky thing is that though each book, in my opinion, can be a yes to at least one of the questions, not all of them are a yes to all three. So if the Board of Directors used similar criteria for the creation of the list, how do they justify all of them?
I don’t think there’s an answer out there and that’s okay. It’s got me thinking, it’s got a lot of people thinking and maybe that is the point of not explaining the why and how. The mystery makes people talk, read and be curious, and that’s kinda cool.
Footnote: So here’s my last question, again, remaining unanswered, is there a list of all the books that almost made the cut, but didn’t? Cuz, I really want to see that list too.
*
My questions about this list are WHO and WHY?
Who are the people behind this list? And Why did they choose these books?
There are answers out there – the best resources I can locate are here:
THE MODERN LIBRARY
At the Modern Library’s site there is both the Board Member’s List – the one I am working on, along with a number of other fellow bloggers and A Readers List – which I know some other bloggers are working on. And a list of "talking points",
Here, one can see the Members of the Board which is impressive. So that answers one of my questions the WHO.
But WHY? They say that the purpose behind the list is to get people talking about great books. Now this is true, but it still doesn’t answer why these books specifically were chosen or how they came to the decision about these particularly books. So another question – HOW? What criteria did they use, how long were books debated, did they vote, argue? Are there Transcripts?
Yes, my geekiness is showing because I would give anything to have been able to watch all those great authors sitting around debating books for this list. That would have been so cool. *sigh*
Meanwhile I’m left wanting. What I want is just a blurb, just a sentence about each of the books and why they decided they made it on the list. But I can’t discover that anywhere. If by chance, you reading this, know where I can find some information about this, please let me know.
Meanwhile people reading the books have to come up with their own criteria. Alli at Displaced English Major has created her own system for each of the books. (she is also is reading them in reverse order, same as me. Has expressed similar options on the books as me (especially the spoiler in Sheltering Sky, which you will experience if you click on the next link, btw), and posted a video of the Reading Rainbow Theme song, same as me. I’d say I think we’d make great friends and I’d like to meet her one day, but that sounds stalkerish and creepy.)
Anyhoo…
When reviewing the books she asks the following questions:
Is the book well written?
Is it groundbreaking in someway?
Is it an enjoyable read?
I have no intention of ripping off these questions, but they great questions and I keep them in mind as I read. The tricky thing is that though each book, in my opinion, can be a yes to at least one of the questions, not all of them are a yes to all three. So if the Board of Directors used similar criteria for the creation of the list, how do they justify all of them?
I don’t think there’s an answer out there and that’s okay. It’s got me thinking, it’s got a lot of people thinking and maybe that is the point of not explaining the why and how. The mystery makes people talk, read and be curious, and that’s kinda cool.
Footnote: So here’s my last question, again, remaining unanswered, is there a list of all the books that almost made the cut, but didn’t? Cuz, I really want to see that list too.
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Blog Hop Friday.
Crazy for Books hosts the blog hop. I'm not sure if I'm setting this up right. This is my friday listing this awesome idea.
Please let me know if I'm missing something... Thanks so much. Now go read...
Please let me know if I'm missing something... Thanks so much. Now go read...
The question of the Day
Do you judge a book by its cover?
I try not to, but honestly I do. I have ever since I was a child. How could I not when the cover art on Children's Books is so interesting and diverse? A book "looks" good based on the cover art. It grabs my attention and asks me to take it off the shelf.
Yes. Once I've picked it up I do read the back cover or the inside flaps and that will help me decide if I want to read it. Even a book was an amazing cover, may still get put back on the shelf if the story isn't interesting to me.
I will read a book that I don't like the cover art on. The cover of the edition of Under the Net, I have from the library is really horrible, but I am still (was) reading the book. It's a good book. Ignore the ugly cover.
Monday, August 30, 2010
95. Under the Net, Iris Murdoch
Under the Net, by Iris Murdoch
I love Iris’s writing. It is utterly entrancing. She has an amazing ability to weave words and I am in love with her prose.
She can describe people and places in clear details but without too many words, which is a skill few writers possess. Her descriptions of characters are immensely pleasurable to read. She doesn’t just describe their looks, but adds in little tidbits of personality that allow each character to stand out in quirky detail.
I would very much like to read more of her books.
That being said, I am finding the subject matter trying; which is unfortunate because if I had picked up this book at a different time not connected to the 100 list I wouldn’t be feeling this way. The main character, John Donahue, called Jake, is another selfish drifter character similar to all the entitled men in the books I’ve already read. Jake is George, Port, Frank, Sebastian repackaged for 1950’s London.
The only difference I’ve seen so far is that Jack has the decency to be a little embarrassed about the desperate way he uses his friends. It doesn’t stop him from using his friends when he becomes homeless however, but his self awareness makes him an almost likable character.
He is closest to George and Port. Of all of these male Protagonists these are the only three who had the potential to grow and change. George did in The Magnificent Ambersons, and Port was working towards it before Tragedy struck in The Sheltering Sky. It’s possible that Jake may follow in these characters footsteps but I really just don’t care.
I’m tired of reading about self-entitled dysfunctional men. That’s five books in a row with this model as a main character and I’m just not into it.
True, if I had decided to re-read Sophie's Choice I could be reading about a dysfunctional woman, but she was made that way by living in a country invaded by a whole army of dysfunctional men, so no thank you.
This is disappointing to be, but as mentioned at a different time I would really enjoy this book. The writing is amazing. But I am loath to pick it up and subject myself to Jack and his wanderings.
This raises some questions for me. First, whether or not I should continue with the arbitrary plan to read the books in order from 100 to 1, or if I should change the plan and read whatever books standout as interesting to me.
The second question is about the list the list itself. How were these books chosen, why were these particular books picked? I’ll muse more on this in my next post. As of right now I am curious because it seems to me that all of these books (so far) are so similar and none of them stand out. Of all the literature in the world why choose books that are basically the same character bumbling along in a different plot?
In the meantime a decision needs to be made, whether to keep reading this book to completion or put it aside?
Unlike The Ginger Man, I’m not putting it aside because I am not enjoying it. I’m considering putting it aside because I’m burnt out on the subject matter.
If I put it aside, to I move to the next book, Wide Sargasso Sea or pick a book from the list that appeals?
* Spoiler Alert* I’ve already made this decision and have picked up a new book and I am LOVING IT! But I’ll get to that too.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
The Golden Mean, by Annabel Lyon
This isn't a book on the list. I haven't even read it. But today I read that BC Ferries is banning this book because of the cover art, a naked boy. I saw the headline before seeing the cover and knowing nothing about the book or Author assumed it would be some full frontal little boy perhaps with a strategically placed exclamation point or something. No, what I got was this.
Err. Wait. This is ban worthy, seriously?
Well okay, if you say so Deborah Marshall.
At least Annabel Lyon has some sense of humour about the whole thing. I for one am a little embarrassed to be from BC today.
Err. Wait. This is ban worthy, seriously?
Well okay, if you say so Deborah Marshall.
At least Annabel Lyon has some sense of humour about the whole thing. I for one am a little embarrassed to be from BC today.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
96. Sophie's Choice - Why I won't Re-read it.
It all started because I watched Friends. There’s an episode where Phoebe is asked to be a surrogate for her estranged brother. She needs to decide and her mom (step mom, birth mom, mom’s friend?) gives her a puppy to look after. She then comes to take the puppy away to show Phoebe how hard it is to give up something you love. Phoebe gets all upset “don’t hurt the puppy!” and Rachel says, “this is just like Sophie’s Choice.” “Oh I never saw that!” Exclaims Phoebe. “Oh, it was only okay.” Replies Rachel.
What was this “Sophie’s Choice”? And WHY was it only okay? I had to know.
It was a long time ago and I think that I actually watched the movie first, not realising it was a book. And I think that, while the movie really was ‘only ok’ I was so compelled by it that I had to read the book too. My thought probably was – they’ve changed stuff for the movie to make it more shocking, that’s not really in the book.
So I read the book.
The book is set, if memory serves, in post WWII New York. A young man moves to New York to become a writer and in his rooming house he meets Sophie and her boyfriend. Sophie is Polish and she managed to live through the war, just. Sophie is manic, she dances, she sings, she dresses in flamboyant clothes when the mood strikes, but at times she is moody, dark and completely unapproachable.
During the course of the book the young man discovers more and more about the life Sophie led in Poland and what happened to her and her family during the war. And then comes the choice.
Like The Sheltering Sky , Sophie’s Choice has an unexpected twist. It comes at the hands of the Nazis in Poland. Yet in comparison, Sophie’s Choice is vulgar and sensational to the uncontrolled tragedy in The Sheltering Sky. It demands for you to be shocked and it works.
The choice that Sophie is forced to make exposes the deeply personal horrors that Polish people experienced under the Nazi’s. Sophie is Christian something she points out to the Nazi’s as she’s taken to the concentration camp. Not that it matters – she’s Polish and the Polish people were ‘expendable’.
When I read the part about her choice I was completely unprepared for it. I don’t recall the writing to be a moving at The Shelter Sky, but I was nevertheless stunned by what occurred. Thinking back on it now, the matter of fact way in which the choice was presented could have been the most disturbing part about it. I expect that was done on purpose.
I get very emotionally invested in books – good books create images and thoughts I can’t always shake. Sophie’s Choice hit very close to home for me and I haven’t been able to shake it. It’s been more than ten years, at least, since I’ve read the book; so long ago now I can’t even remember for sure when I read it. Yet, I am still haunted by the events of this book.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not rereading this book because I didn’t like it or I think it’s a bad book.
I can’t read it again.
I cannot fathom picking it up again with the knowledge that I have about it. Just seeing the cover causes my heart to pound and I feel fear.
Of all the books on this list that I have previously read this is the only one I will not reread. As mentioned, I will read the others because most of them I read 10+ years ago and I’m sure that my perspective, opinion and feelings about then have changed and I want to explore that when I get to them.
However I cannot do that with Sophie’s Choice, it will rip me apart.
These photos give me so much hope!!
We interrupt our regularly scheduled book writing for an amazing blog post from 350.org
Click the link to see the photos and read the blog
The photo of the Boy in the Tree is my son!
Visit Miscellany & Sundry for more information.
Thank you, we'll get back to books soon.
97. The Sheltering Sky – The End
The ending of the book is a little disjointed in my mind. After the tragedy it switches gears and shifts to a totally new place. I enjoyed it, but didn’t fit somehow.
Although I can see how exploring how humans deal with tragedy, it felt a little bit forced. I think the book could have ended comfortably very close on the heels of the tragedy, but rather is goes on and on.
The ending itself leaves the reader with unanswered questions, which could have also been just as easily done much sooner. It felt dragged out to me and that’s unfortunate, because the writing remains stellar and very enjoyable. It’s just a different story ; almost a different book. I found it difficult to relate the two.
But I suppose that’s the point. Tragedy changes everything; it makes life look completely different.
Previously I mused on how Kit would deal with the tragedy when it occurred. The Preface hinted at the end of the book focusing on her and I suggested she would either find a sense of freedom or possibly go stark raving mad. It was the latter which was just as tragic.
Footnote:
Regarding the Movie. I have decided not to watch the Movie made based on this book at this time. Somehow, tho I can't explain it, it just doesn't feel right. I doubt that the movie will engage me in the same intense way the book did and I don't want to be let down. I also fear that the movie will be as intense as the book and I've still recovering - it would be overwhelming. Perhaps at a later date I will...
Although I can see how exploring how humans deal with tragedy, it felt a little bit forced. I think the book could have ended comfortably very close on the heels of the tragedy, but rather is goes on and on.
The ending itself leaves the reader with unanswered questions, which could have also been just as easily done much sooner. It felt dragged out to me and that’s unfortunate, because the writing remains stellar and very enjoyable. It’s just a different story ; almost a different book. I found it difficult to relate the two.
But I suppose that’s the point. Tragedy changes everything; it makes life look completely different.
Previously I mused on how Kit would deal with the tragedy when it occurred. The Preface hinted at the end of the book focusing on her and I suggested she would either find a sense of freedom or possibly go stark raving mad. It was the latter which was just as tragic.
Footnote:
Regarding the Movie. I have decided not to watch the Movie made based on this book at this time. Somehow, tho I can't explain it, it just doesn't feel right. I doubt that the movie will engage me in the same intense way the book did and I don't want to be let down. I also fear that the movie will be as intense as the book and I've still recovering - it would be overwhelming. Perhaps at a later date I will...
Saturday, August 21, 2010
97. Sheltering Sky Chapters 23 – 24
Powerful.
One word. I am undone. I was sitting on the bus, heading to work, when I reached the part in the book that I knew was coming. But even knowing didn’t prepare me for it.
It took all my resolve to not start weeping on the bus and I am grateful for the sunglasses that hid my tears.
As I’ve been reading, I’ve had a picture in my mind of what Port and Kit look like. Port looks like a young John Malkovich and for some reason Kit looks like Lana Turner (not Debra Winger). But as I read these two chapters the picture changed. The Kit looked like me, Port like my husband. I didn’t see Kit brushing the hair away from Port forehead in that most gentle of gestures. I saw me doing that, Port had my husband’s face and it hurt.I felt the pain of Port and Kit as my own as if it were happening to me and my family.
I was no longer sitting on a bus in North Vancouver, I was in a stinking, sweaty room in the middle of North Africa. I felt the dust and grim on my skin, I could smell the stench of garbage and the latrine.
I winced at the unforgiving heat of the sun and the intensity of the endless desert.
I don’t think I have ever experienced being so moved by a novel before. Some books have come close, Atonement comes to mind. But it was nothing like this.
I had to take a few minutes to pull myself together before going into work. The emotions were that overwhelming.
Bowles writing in these chapters is flawless. He captures the feelings of the event perfectly.
I had a cautious opinion of this book when I first started it, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it or that I was going to find a way to relate to it. Clearly I need to retract that statement.
I still feel a little bit lost about ‘Who Kit and Port are’, but perhaps not knowing their back stories contributed to the intensity of the transportation of myself into their shoes.
I am still disappointed that I knew this was coming, but I was genuinely shocked when it happened and how it was described.
I am now forced to wonder if I would have been able to recover had I read it completely unaware.
Possibly, I don’t know.
The Sheltering Sky is the first book – so far - that is a contender for my personal 100 list. I suspect that there will be others; I have only read four from this list so far. It is a surprise to me to say that.
Good book. Go read it.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
97. The Sheltering Sky Chapters 16 - 21
It’s really quite amazing to me how much a novel can change from one chapter to the next. In the past two chapters everything feels different. The Characters Port and Kit are both different the change, while not startling is unexpected and therefore enjoyable.
So what’s happened? What’s changed? The Lyles and Tunner have left. The Lyles were frustrating people, mother and son, who seemed to show up and butt in everywhere Port and Kit traveled to in North Africa. Tunner, a friend of Port did the same. Thought I believe he began the trip with Port and Kit. However, as often happens with traveling companions constantly being together can test a relationship to the limits. The relationship between Port and Tunner has been left wanting. Kit is more than happen to see the back side of Tunner because of an incident that occurred on the train.
Port and Kit are no longer travelling with them and are alone. Something in Port made him repress himself while these people were around and now that they have left he is not only opening up to Kit, but to us the readers as well. It’s an interesting shift.
I get this image in my head of flowers blooming very slowly. In a way Port has been a solid tight bud, holding himself close and firm. Now that these other characters have left, he’s relaxed and that’s allowing him to open up.
Bowles style appears to me to allow the characters to open slowly. He presents parts of the story in tender little pieces that make the reader say “oh, that explains it”. There are still a lot of unanswered questions about Port and Kits relationship, but haven now been given a few little bits I am hopeful to find out more at the book progresses.
Yet, with each page the inevitable is getting closer and closer. I know from having read the horrid preface that something big is coming and I am full of thoughts “when is it going to happen already!” and “no not yet!” there’s so much that needs to be said, so much needs to happen.
Even though I know, what I don’t want to know, I think it will still be a shock when it happens. But I am angry that I don’t get to experience it from a place of innocence. One of my favourite books –EVER – is Atonement and one of the reasons why I love it is that I didn’t see the ending coming. It was a total surprise and shock to me. I had to actually stop reading, go back a few pages and read it again just to be sure what happened actually happened. That’s rare in books and so I hold precious books that accomplish it.
I won’t ever be able to know whether The Sheltering Sky would have done that for me or not because it’s been spoiled by the preface.
Sorry for continuing to rant about this. I am really getting into this book now and it’s not helping the mood, which is so unfortunate because that’s what I love about reading good books.
Back to reading...
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
97. The Sheltering Sky Chapters 10 – 16
Port still hasn’t grown on me; he’s as pretentious as ever. He takes the ride in the car with the Lyles, son and mother, knowing full well how unbelievably annoying they are and then is frustrated with how unbelievably annoying they are. Sure, Mrs. Lyle is a raging racist (so offensive) but I don’t think Port has anything to complain about he made the choice.
I’m still a little fuzzy on why he decided to go in the car with the Lyles rather than take the train with wife and friend. Near as I can guess, he does it simply to have the experience. Port seems bored with life and somewhat fatalistic. He just doesn’t care, so he does whatever seems to be interesting with no thought for his safety (wandering around an unfamiliar Algerian city at night) or consequences (a car ride with a racist and mamma’s boy).
He doesn’t seem to care about Kit, his wife, having the take a hated train while he goes in the car. He gives Kit the option to come with him sure, but Kit doesn’t want to sit all day with the Lyles and she understands leaving their friend, Tunner, to take the train alone is pretty rude. Port doesn’t care whether is rude or not.
Once Port is in the car he doesn’t give Kit another thought. Meanwhile Kit is climbing onto the dreaded train full of fear and anxiety about it derailing or smashing into a mountain wall.
I find Kit a much more interesting character than Port. She has her issues, but they make her colourful and unpredictable. She is an omen counter; following a carefully created check and balance on omens each morning. How she measures whether an omen is good or bad shifts daily, what is a good omen on one morning can be a bad omen the next.
Her fear of death and disaster guide her through her life, yet she doesn’t stay locked away safely in a room. She goes on the train; she takes action and acts without much forethought. She has that in common with her husband. As a character she’s intriguing, as a person I think I would find her maddening. I doubt I could stand being around her for any length of time, she has the same selfishness her husband has. Nevertheless she’s a ‘readable character’ and that makes all the difference.
I find myself wondering why Kit and Port are who they are, what happened in their past to create the carelessness and fear? This question has yet to be answered and I’m not sure that it will be. There’s been no mention of back story in the book. The Characters exist only in the present with little or no reference to previous history. It is intriguing and a little frustrating, because I would understand Port better if I knew a little more about him. Where he was during the war; in service or not; Europe or Asia? Where was Kit, America or England? When did they marry, how did they meet?
I want to know Kit better, Kit is a mystery . Port I feel like I know, he’s George Amberson, Sebastian Dangerfield, Frank Chambers.
In the case of George Minafer, in The Magnificent Ambersons, I know that George grew up being taught by his family that he was privileged and entitled. It’s possible that Port Moresby has had the same upbringing but so far that hasn’t been divulged or even implied in any way, other than his actions.
I suppose that might be all I should expect and perhaps it was written in a time for an audience that would understand this because they were in the same place. This makes The Sheltering Sky similar to The Ginger Man and reminds me that I might not be the intended audience for this book either.
Again, that could change as the story shifts to focus on Kit. As mentioned something is going to happen to change the story drastically and when it does I don’t know how the characters will react. Kit could go stark raving mad, suicidal or fine a curious sense of freedom. Like I said, she’s a mystery and she’ll keep me reading.
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