Wednesday, February 17, 2010
People Never Notice Anything
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Cost of Oblivious Daydreaming Was Always This Moment Of Return
Sunday, February 14, 2010
This Is God's Curse On Slavery
I Think I'll Be a Clown When I Get Grown
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Through Error You Come To the Truth
He's So Dumb He Doesn't Know He's Alive
It Was a Miracle, Considering How Sick She Was
Fear of Danger Is Ten Thousand Times More Terrifying Than Danger Itself
Living Fire Begets Cold, Impotent Ash
I Am No Bird; and No Net Ensnares Me
Wuthering Heights: I loved Wuthering Heights. Despite is oppressive and tragic nature, it offers one of the most interesting character studies in the person of Heathcliffe and capitalizes on my interest in the theme of revenge. Heatcliffe sets out on a mission to get revenge on those who have wronged him, and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. This story offers a beautiful examination of the dangers of obsessive love and poses a rather interesting question. The reader is left to decide if the passion of Heathcliffe and Catherine is heroic or immoral and destructive. There is a wonderful juxtaposition of nature and culture here, and the novel is definitely worth a thorough reading. I give it an A.
J'aime Bien Les Couchers de Soleil
A Pure Hand Needs No Glove to Cover It
Only a Man Who Has Felt Ultimate Despair Is Capable of Feeling Ultimate Bliss
The Voice of the Sea Is Seductive
Life Is Very Much More Exciting Now Than It Used to Be
Friday, February 12, 2010
For the First Time In My Life, I Feel Just Right
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I Am a Citizen of the World
Faith Is What Someone Knows to be True, Whether They Believe It or Not
Those Had Been Wonderful Times and They Never Returned
In the postings of my mini-reviews of books I have previously read, I notice that I am tending to focus on those which I like. I figured I should break up all this praise with reviews of some works of which I am not as fond. The first is The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.
There are a few other Kafka books on this list of 1001 that I have yet to read, and I am more than willing to give this author a second chance. However, there was little in The Metamorphosis that interested me. Anyone that knows me well can attest to my deep fear of insects, and to think of waking up as a giant cockroach is repulsive to me. The story doesn’t get much better from there either. After his transformation, Gregor is shunned by his family and left to die. Fortunately for Gregor, that happens rather quickly, and his family moves on seemingly unaffected. I very well admit that there could be some hidden symbolism and social commentary, but I wouldn’t go looking for it myself. As much as it pains me to dislike a work of literature, I give it a D.
12 down 989 to go!
"A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us." (Franz Kafka)
All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter, Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
Where does one begin when discussing the epic tales woven so masterfully by J.R.R Tolkien? Along with the Harry Potter series, The Lord of the Rings defined by middle school years. My friends and I were obsessed. We read the books, saw the movies together, bought the soundtracks, and had LOTR calendars gracing the walls of our rooms. I still enjoy those rare snow days during which I can watch all three of the extended version DVDs in a row. I never doubted that The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings would be on this list, and was thrilled to see that my assumptions were correct.
The Hobbit: It is hard to separate this novel from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, since it serves as a prequel. That being said, the character development of Bilbo is what is crucial here. With the encouragement of Gandalf, my personal favorite character, Bilbo finds his own inner strength and is able to lead a hapless group of thirteen dwarves to their goal. At its heart, The Hobbit demonstrates the importance of staying true to oneself. Bilbo doesn’t allow his newfound courage to change him; he remains the humble Hobbit he always was. This is juxtaposed by the wealth driven character of Thorin, whose leadership skills suffer as a result of his own selfishness and greed. For the way it sets up the Lord of the Rings, I give it an A+.
The Lord of the Rings: I have so much love for this story. Epic nature of the story itself aside, I appreciate this trilogy for all of its relationships. The familial bond between Merry and Pippin is touching, especially in the moment during which they find out they are to be separated. The relationship of the fellowship is transcendent, demonstrating quite literally that people can overcome racial prejudices and stereotypes. The sacrifice of Arwen’s immortality to be with Aragon, the one she loves, is incredibly moving. And the devotion of Sam to his greatest friend, Frodo, ends up saving Middle Earth. All readers can find something of themselves in The Lord of the Rings. It is a true story for all ages. A definite A+.
Bottom line: Anyone can save the world. You’ll never know you can’t do something unless you try.
11 down, 990 to go!
"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." (J.R.R Tolkien)
Tell Fire and Wind Where to Stop but Don’t Tell Me
For the past year, I’ve worked at my local Barnes & Noble, both as a barista in the café and a bookseller. In my opinion one of the best parts of the job is working with so many other people who are passionate about literature. I was surprised to find however, that many of my coworkers dislike Charles Dickens. As one bookseller commented “he uses too many words!” I can understand the objection; some people simply don’t like his style of writing, but I still think that anyone fan or not, can find something of value from Dickens’ excellent attention to characters and setting. His characters also serve as important symbols, and London itself becomes a character. I think this makes Dickens’ works even more interesting and profound. I have yet to read all of the Dickens novels on the list, but here are the ones that I have previously enjoyed.
A Tale of Two Cities: My favorite of the three Dickens novels I’ve read. I adore the character of Sydney Carton. His personal transformation is inspiring to watch as he moves beyond his selfishness and sacrifices everything for the love of another. Dickens manages to capture all the violence and chaos of the French Revolution within the character of Madame Defarge, whose need for revenge is understandable yet heartbreaking. Although the story certainly doesn’t end the way one would hope, the reader is oddly at peace with the tragedy that befalls its well known and loved participants. An A+ in my book.
Nicholas Nickelby: There’s no way around it, this book is sad. Each of the main characters has had a horrible fate thrust upon them, but I love the strength of Nicholas. He becomes the man of the house after his father dies and, although he is certainly a flawed hero, is more than willing to come to the rescue of his family. It’s nice to see Dickens give his protagonists a well deserved happy ending here. The character development is not as strong here as I would have wished, but the social satire is amusing. I give it an A-.
Great Expectations: In high school, I was surrounded by people who disliked this book, probably because they were “forced” to read it freshman year. It’s certainly not my favorite of the three Dickens novels I’ve read, but the story is fascinating. It is easy to empathize with Pip who has a sometimes unrealistic view on life, but is always seeking to improve himself. He certainly doesn’t have an ordinary life, and it is full of interesting twists and turns! Despite her many flaws, Miss Havisham is a fantastic character, both hilarious is her eccentricity and pitiable for the hardship she suffered and the way it impacted her own life and the life of her adoptee Estella. Like Madam Defarge in A Tale of Two Cities, many are hurt by her quest for revenge, but Miss Havisham comes to see the error of her ways and is, in some way, redeemed. Full of interesting character studies, I give it an A.
Bottom line on Dickens: if you can get past his occasional wordiness, a thorough reading of his novels can provide an excellent opportunity to explore the human condition and the importance of forgiveness and redemption.
9 down 992 to go!
"Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true." (Charles Dickens)
I Shall Be Miserable If I Have Not an Excellent Library
Pride and Prejudice: What a classic! This book started my fascination with all things Austen. It’s tied as my favorite with Sense and Sensibility. There are so many things I could say for my love about this book, but I’ll only elaborate on one. I adore the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth. They tested their relationship before it even began and found each other strong and reliable. They accepted both their own flaws and the flaws of the other to form a lasting love that neither could have anticipated. Elizabeth finds that she can both marry a true English gentleman without losing her independence. Perhaps this is the source from which women’s love for Mr. Darcy springs. I give it a resounding A+.
Sense and Sensibility: How can I not love a book that’s hero is portrayed on screen by Alan Rickman?! My feelings for the actor aside, Austen again crafts a wonderful story that I never tire of reading. Sure it greatly parallels its sister novel, Pride and Prejudice, but the juxtaposition of the whimsical Marianne and the ever sensible Eleanor is both charming and laughable. The character of Edward Ferras is absolutely adorable in all of his aloof glory and the desperate longing of Colonel Brandon is heartwarming and tragic. The story makes for four interesting character studies, and nothing makes me happier than when they each find their “happily ever after” at the novel’s close. Another A+ for Miss Austen.
Emma: I love the comedic irony that runs through this entire novel. Emma’s character is both infuriating and loveable as she tries to play matchmaker to all of her friends. I most enjoy that she finds love where she least expects it, in the person that is one of her closest friends. I think that out of all the Austen novels, this most closely represents common life experiences. I give it an A.
Persuasion: A true story where the clichéd “love conquers all” motto rings true. Anne and Wentworth are destined for each other, and Austen creates a world where no obstacle can stand in their way. Wentworth’s determination is admirable to say the least. I would certainly want someone to fight that hard for me! I believe another A is in order here.
Northanger Abbey: I particularly appreciated the sense of mystery in this novel. In my opinion, it is the most unique of Austen’s novels. The banter between Catherine and Tilney is lighthearted and fun to read. As for the Abbey itself, I picture it to be a rather extraordinary place and imagine a scene rather like that of Beauty and the Beast when General Tilney throws Catherine out for snooping. As always, an A.
Mansfield Park: This is my least favorite of the Austen novels. In all honesty, I find that the plot moves rather slowly and that the character of Fanny Price annoys me. The almost frantic hesitancy of Edmund sets him apart from the heroes of the previously discussed novels. Everyone seems to complain all the time and I didn’t find myself to be as emotionally attached to these characters as I usually am when reading an Austen novel. I give it an A-.
I apologize for my brevity, but I’m trying to write 48 mini-reviews so I can get to my more lengthy detailed posts! Bottom line about Austen: read her books. She’s a delight and will increase your vocabulary by leaps and bounds!
6 down 995 to go!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
My Julie and Julia Moment
The other day I purchased the book "1001 Books to Read Before You Die." It's a list I think I can achieve. I've already read 48 of them, so I'm well on my way. Plus, I own a bunch of other books on the list, but haven't gotten around to reading them. To "check" off a book, I'll update here, and write a review of sorts. The comments for the works I've previously read will be sorter, but should give a decent account of what I thought of the book and it's intrinsic themes. Hopefully some readers out on the world wide web will enjoy this, or even get some reading ideas themselves!
So here's to my commitment to read all 1001 of the books on the list....it's going to be epic!
"She is too fond of books, and it has ruined her brain." (Louisa May Alcott)
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February
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- People Never Notice Anything
- The Cost of Oblivious Daydreaming Was Always This ...
- This Is God's Curse On Slavery
- I Think I'll Be a Clown When I Get Grown
- Through Error You Come To the Truth
- He's So Dumb He Doesn't Know He's Alive
- It Was a Miracle, Considering How Sick She Was
- Fear of Danger Is Ten Thousand Times More Terrifyi...
- Living Fire Begets Cold, Impotent Ash
- I Am No Bird; and No Net Ensnares Me
- J'aime Bien Les Couchers de Soleil
- A Pure Hand Needs No Glove to Cover It
- Only a Man Who Has Felt Ultimate Despair Is Capabl...
- The Voice of the Sea Is Seductive
- Life Is Very Much More Exciting Now Than It Used t...
- For the First Time In My Life, I Feel Just Right
- I Am a Citizen of the World
- Faith Is What Someone Knows to be True, Whether Th...
- Those Had Been Wonderful Times and They Never Retu...
- All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter, Not All Those W...
- Tell Fire and Wind Where to Stop but Don’t Tell Me
- I Shall Be Miserable If I Have Not an Excellent Li...
- My Julie and Julia Moment
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