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.

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.

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

These photos give me so much hope!!

Click the link to see the photos and read the blog

A blog post from the 350.org website. Not about books - but had to share. This is going to be an amazing event on 10/10/10.

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...

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.

97. The Sheltering Sky

Typhoid. It really bites.

















 

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...

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.

97. The Sheltering Sky Chapters 1 – 10

I don’t get it. I really don’t get why, in the Preface to the 50th anniversary edition of his novel, author Paul Bowles spoiled the whole thing by telling readers of a major plot twist before we even read the book? And I’m talking MAJOR plot twist. I won’t spoil it and tell you what it is. If you read this book I don’t want to be the one to ruin the whole thing by knowing what’s going to happen half way through the book.

But there it is.

I read the preface and now I know. Remember that first time you saw the Sixth Sense, you didn’t know what the twist at the end would be, and please, don’t even tell me that you figured it out half way through. No one did, it shocked people, it ticked people off; but it was a surprise and it made it an enjoyable the movie.

Even watching it a second time, with the knowledge of the twist, you can still watch it remembering how you didn’t know and tease yourself with – how didn’t I see it coming?

Now imagine that you know all along the plot twist in Sixth Sense and then watch the movie. You’re going to sit there the whole time just waiting for it. You don’t know the story, you don’t know how it’s going to be presented but you know it’s coming eventually.

So why am I talking about the Sixth Sense, instead of The Sheltering Sky? Because I don’t want to give away what I know is going to happen later in the book – in a part I haven’t even gotten to yet.

Skip the Preface – that’s all I can say.

Skip the introduction by Tennessee Williams – he gives it away too.

Or locate a copy that’s not this edition!

And moving on...


The Sheltering Sky takes place in post WWII North Africa, chronicles the journey Port Moresby, a "member of New Yorks intelligentisa" to quote Tennessee Williams from the Introduction, "who became weary of being such a member and set out to escape it in remote places."

I’m starting to get the feeling that this isn’t so much a list of '100 books to read before you die', but a list of 100 books about white Anglo-Saxon males with a sense of self entitlement and their shocking realizations that the world doesn’t think it owes them shit.

Wow, that sounded bitter. Still, in Sheltering Sky we have yet again a male protagonist who treats his wife crappy – sleeping with an Algerian Whore (his words, not mine, pg.31) while she sits by herself in the hotel room. He is jealous when he comes back from the whore and discovers his best friend in her room (she’s completely innocent, but not naive) Then takes off in a car with some random nutbar, he mets in the bar, to some boondock village in the middle of nowhere North Africa, leaving his wife an friend to follow on a train. The car ride will take about 5 hours, the train 11 – his wife hates trains.

I know I'll offend someone it the literary world by saying this but: Port Moresby, Frank Chambers, Sebastian Dangerfield and George Amberson are all pretty much interchangeable in their personalities. They all act the same way towards the people around them - contempt, condescension,  or with a begrudging respect because they want something thing from them. Only the situations change, but the character is the same.

So far, not so much love to be had for the Sheltering Sky, but maybe it’ll get better after Port *insert verb here*. We shall see.

I could be wrong in my thoughts on the list, after Sheltering Sky the next book is Sophie’s Choice – no! I’m still not reading it - and then Under the Net, by Iris Murdoch. A female main character and then a female AUTHOR! It’s about freakin’ time. Two women authors in a row actually, Jean Rhys after that. YIPPEE!

I haven’t done much research into the history of The Sheltering Sky yet, so I don’t know where it stands on the banned book lists or why it’s been put on this list. That will happen though... I’m sure.

And yes, Sheltering Sky has been made into a movie starring John Malkovich, try to remember that ok?

98. The Postman rings for Lana

It would seem that most literature at some point is made into a movie. For the Postman always rings twice it’s been done –twice!

The first in 1946 and stars Lana Turner – wow she’s awesome and John Garfield.

The second in 1981 starting Jack Nicolson – can anyone NOT picture him with man boobs these days? Sorry, he had rugged good looking thing going back in the 80's but he hasn’t aged quite as sweetly as say, oh Sean Connery. Great actor though - serious.

I haven’t watched the Jack Nicolson version, but I watched the 1946 version and it’s a great old movie. It is just want one would expect and desire from a movie in the 40’s – dramatic scenes, dramatic facial expressions accompanied by dramatic music. It’s dramatic.

I wish they still made movies like this these days. Lana Turner -love her hair - is great in this role and John Garfield is a good actor - not to bad on the eye's either. They have a Scarlett O'Hara & Rhett Butler thing which is wonderful to watch. I feel sorry for "the Greek" though - he's excellently played by Cecil Kellaway.

I doubt I’ll get around to watching the Jack Nicolson one, I’m a little worn out dealing with entitled white males – see next post- and I have season 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to watch anyway. (too balance out the testosteroney-ness* of these books)

~~~~~

Testosteroney-ness: not a word, but something I can hear Willow or more likely Cordelia saying in an episode at some point.

98. The Postman Always rings Twice, by James M. Cain

I gave up on “The Ginger Man” and moved on to “The Postman Always Rings Twice” a book written in a genre that I don’t usually enjoy. It is considered to be a seminal work in crime/mystery fiction. It’s called Roman Noir, Noir Fiction or Hard-boiled; dark and deep. The book is violent, brash and pretty smutty.

It was banned all over the place for its violence and sexuality. The two main characters commit murder and then have sex on the ground next to their victim, imagine reading it for the first time in 1934?

Unlike a lot of other books in this genre it is not a detective story or a mystery. The reader knows right up front the crime that is going to be and gets committed. The only thing the reader doesn’t know is whether Frank Chambers, the protagonist, will get away with it. Frank Chambers is just as much of a jerk as Sebastian Dangerfield is in The Ginger Man, more so because he’s a murderer, but I find I can get passed it somehow and can be okay with it.

I don’t know how that works or how to explain it any better. Perhaps it is James Cain’s writing style that appeals to me more. It is simple, to the point of being blunt but very intriguing. He follows some similar style to Donleavy, especially with Dialogue, not a lot of ‘he said’ and ‘she said’, but following the story is easy and there is a lot more description of action and setting.

The violence in the book is pretty tame for today’s standards, but I enjoyed imagining I was reading it back in the 30’s and trying to envision how shocking reading such a book would be. I liked that about this book.

I watch Law & Order and CSI, so this book appeals. The difference is that on those shows the watcher cheers from the crime fighters, the cops and the lawyers, in “The Postman Always Rings Twice” I find myself rooting for Frank and Cora. I sorta want them to get away with it.
A sure sign of a good book.

The book is short and moves at a very fast pace. It reminds me of Television Crime Dramas with its pacing and even the staging of the scenes. This pace makes the book a little tricky though; it’s very easy to miss important key phrases in the dialogue because everything rushes past so fast. There were a few chapters I reread just to make sure I had it all straight, especially leading up to and during the first trial.

This isn’t a book or genre that I would normally choose to read. I haven’t ever been very interested in crime novels but this book is the seed of all future crime novels and pulp fiction which makes it worth reading regardless of the genre.

I spent most of the book wondering about the title. There’s no postman in it, there’s never even a reference to it. This has been a problem for critics, readers and other writers.

There are a couple of theories about the title. The first is from Cain himself in the preface to his book “Double Indemnity” he talks about a conversation with Vincent Lawrence, a play write. During the conversation Lawrence talks about waiting to hear back from a producer about a play he had sent in. He was a nervous wreck waiting to hear back, pacing the house waiting for the postman. Finally he remembered he didn’t need to sit around sweating, because the Postman always rang twice. Cain thought this was great because, “He rang twice for Chamber, didn’t he?... on that second ring, Chambers had to answer, didn’t he? Couldn’t hide out in the backyard anymore.” (Academic dictionaries and encyclopedias

There are a series of doubles in the book. Frank attempts the murder twice (not having been successful the first time –duh), there are two women, one who is involved in the murder and first trial and a second who indirectly sets in motion the events that will bring about the second trial. It is in the second trial that all that Frank is trying to avoid becomes apparent. He can no longer avoid or hide from the postman (fate) – he always rings twice.

I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t amazing or ‘tell your friends about it’ great. It hasn’t won me over to crime fiction, but I am glad that I read it.

Summer Reading- LOTR, Carl Sagan, a girl named Jane and a boy named Biff

I find it hard to believe that I last wrote a post at the beginning of June and now it’s the beginning of August. What happened to the time?

Oh, I know SUMMER! Even though my summers are very busy – full of adventures with my seven year old – I still find time to read. My son reads too, and we read with him. He’s participating in the Local Library’s Summer Reading Club; he records the books he reads and gets prizes for the weeks that he completes. It’s cool. Right now his favourite books are “The Magic Tree House” series by Mary Pope Osborne and “Dinosaur Cove” series by Rex Stone. I’ve also noticed that when we go to the Library he still gravitates to pictures books, which is great and lately they’ve been about school – Bunny School, When an Elephant comes to school, How does a Dinosaur go to school?

Is he missing school yet?

For myself, I’ve taken a detour in my reading these last two months, dropping the 100 books and reading some other books that I would consider contenders for my personal 100 list.

They are in order:

Lord of the Rings 1, 2, & 3
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King

Jane of Lantern Hill

Lamb, the Gospel of Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal

Lord of the Rings (LOTR)

This will be my 3rd complete read of the Best Trilogy ever. (Don't question me on the best - I'm scrappy in a fight) I’ve read parts of it more often, but this summer I re-read all the books from start to finish without a break in between. THAT I’ve only done three times.

I first read LOTR when I was 14 (give or take a year) I was in grade 8 or 9, hanging out with the arty/pot smoking crowd (but I didn’t smoke mom, serious) who were all into LOTR’s. They even – on occasion- pretended to be specific characters, this is before we knew what LARPing was, but they did it. For me to be “cool” and understand what the cannabis induced conversations were about I needed to do two things: Listen to every Pink Floyd album ever made and read Lord of the Rings. I made it through all the Pink Floyd with ease, LOTR was a bit of a slog.

I was an impatient reader and tended to skip over what I deemed the ‘boring parts’ – thus I skimmed the Council of Elrond and really had very little idea of what was going on for most of the rest of the book. If you have read these books, then you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t please stop what you are doing/reading right now and go read these books – start with The Hobbit and do not stop until you’ve reached the Grey Havens. Then we can talk.

So my first read left me with a sense of confusion over the whole book, but the parts that I did read I fell in love with and I confess becoming a slightly geeky/hippie LOTR’s obsessed Fan. I have the Silmarillion, but haven’t read it. (Has anyone?) And a number of non-fiction books based on the series. For those claiming to have read it, I believe you -if you can tell me what the heck it's about?

My second reading of LOTR’s occurred just before the first Peter Jackson movie was released and much like most geeky obsessed fans I was re-reading to refresh my memory so when the movie came out it could be properly judged against the books. I was amazed, awed, in love with Peter Jackson’s depiction of Middle Earth. Though, as a true geeky obsessed fan I do have to point out that leaving out Tom Bombadil, while understandable, was pretty lame.

I recall sitting around with some friends post Fellowship of the Ring watching discussing the movie. There was a girl there; I don’t recall her name or connection to the group of friends, who didn’t like the movie. She didn’t understand it, said it didn’t make sense and was confusing. The enviable question was, “have you read the books?” No she hadn’t, which was of course the problem. As great as Peter Jackson’s transfer of books to film was, the common refrain post movie from those who’d not read the books was that they didn’t get it.

He did a good job trying to get the complex details of the plot to transfer, but I can see missing some elements without prior knowledge of the book.

This is pretty common when books get turned into movies. I can honestly say that I can only think of one book/movie that did an astounding job at this transfer and that’s “Contact”. But we’ll discuss Carl Sagan at a later date I’m sure.

But back to LOTR’s. This, my third read though, is my first after seeing all the movies (numerous times) and I’m not 14 anymore. I found this read through the most enjoyable. I didn’t rush and read without skimming or skipping. This is an amazing series. I am again awed by how magnificently detailed and beautiful the story is.
As I read this 100 book list I am, as mentioned complying my own 100 books list and Lord of the Rings tops my list.

Jane of Lantern Hill

Written in 1937, by Lucy Maud Montgomery McDonald (L.M.) of Anne of Green Gables fame, Jane is my second favourite character created by L.M. My first being Valancy in “The Blue Castle”. Both books make it on my favourite list. I read Jane when I’m tired and want some good brain candy, that isn’t fuffly chick lit. (another topic to discuss later). There’s nothing difficult about reading Jane. Like most of L.M’s characters Jane doesn’t have a happy childhood. She’s shy and is made to feel stupid and awkward by her bitter grandmother. She and her mother live in Toronto with her and Jane, called Victoria by her Toronto family, hates it. All of her life she believes her father is dead, but as it turns out he’s not. He’s alive, living in, or course Prince Edward Island. In L.M’s books PEI is the Promised Land, it’s where dreams come true and all of her waifs find their hearts desires. This follows her own life, which like her characters was full of hardship.

Jane goes to her father on the island determined to hate him, he did after all abandon her and her mother. At least that’s what her grandmother has always said. Jane however finds a loving dad and finds a confidence in herself and the transformation is wonderful and a very satisfying read. It, of course, has a happy ending is perfect L.M. style, which to some might seem contrite. But if you’re an L.M. Montgomery lover then such endings are necessary.

I think I love Jane because I can relate to her. I too was painfully shy as a child and felt awkward and out of place most of the time. I see a lot of myself in Jane and so it’s extra pleasing to experience her coming out of her shell and finding self confidence. It was and continues to be inspiring to me.

Lamb, The Gospel according to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal

I intended to get on with the Sheltering Sky after reading LOTR’s but I was lent 'Lamb’ by a friend who knew I liked this sort of thing. Or maybe he was testing my Religion vs. Sacrilege. In my other life I am a student of Theology and Philosophy. Lamb is not for the faint of heart, or anyone who has no sense of humour when it comes to religion. If you believe in the bible as Literal Truth, don’t say I didn’t warn you about Lamb, before reading it.

I like books that make me laugh out loud. Not just smile quietly as you read, but books that you have to put down because the laughter has made your eye’s water so much the words have gone blurry.

Lamb did that for me.

One of my favourite scenes is when Jesus, called Joshua and Levi, called Biff, are in a Market and they try coffee for the first time. They are searching for one of the Magi who attended Joshua’s birth to ask some questions about Joshua being the Messiah (and what the angel means that he may not know a woman) when they are given shots of espresso. Joshua, on caffeine high, jostles his way through the crowd pointing his finger and healing random people – “pow! there’s your sight back! And now you!” The way Christopher Moore describes it one can almost imagine this 15 year old using a gigantic super-soaker to blast the crowds with holy water. It’s so awesome – full of anachronisms and horrible slang. Both Joshua and Biff have very dirty minds, they are teenagers after all

As mentioned this isn’t the book for you if you take Christianity seriously. But it’s a fun read.

Lamb takes place during the period of time in Jesus’ life where the Biblical gospels fall silent. We have stories in the Bible of Jesus’ birth and an incident when Jesus is 12 at the temple, then nothing until Jesus is 30 and taking up his ministry. What happened during that time? What education did he have?

Christopher Moore’s story is an explanation of that time period, made up of course, but with a very detailed and accurate presentation of the world at the time.

Irreverence is at an all time high when it comes to his depiction of the personality of Jesus, but i think he’ll be forgiven. I’m pretty sure God has a sense of humour – have you seen these things?

Now that I’m done my summer reading detour it’s time to get back to the 100 list. I’ll be going back to school in the fall and I may detour yet again, so in the time I have left I need to get some reading done.