I know it's not quite New Years yet but in celebration of today being the last day of classes for my undergraduate career (and in celebration of having finally finished all my required reading for the semester), I'm announcing my reading goals for the end of this year and all of next year. I figure that if I announce it I'll be more likely to follow through (or at least try to).
One thing I've loved about being an English major is that not only do I get to read lots of interesting books during the semester, I hear about even more interesting books through classmates and professors mentioning whatever they're reading that connects with what we're discussing in class. Unfortunately, that leads to a really long to-read list. My list is at exactly 100 books right now, but that's only because I haven't added all the books I own that I haven't read yet and the books I've heard about this semester that I haven't added to the list (my class notes are peppered with stars next to books I want to read).
So I have two goals for this upcoming year. 1) Read all the books I own that I haven't read yet (top priority is the Wizard of Oz series and Cherries in Winter... and Rootabaga Stories which my grandma gave me 10 years ago and I still haven't read). 2) Only be one year behind on my to-read list. That's the one curse of Goodreads. It shows when you added a book to your list, so I can see that I have books on my to-read list that have been there since 2007 when I joined. So my goal is that by the end of 2010 the only books on my list will be books that I added in 2010. Then in 2011 I can try to get caught up all the way (or at least within 50 books of being caught up).
If I manage to get all those books read (without ignoring Andy or quitting my job) it'll be a miracle. But that's what goals are for right? To stretch you to your limits?
So my challenge to you all is to make a reading goal for this year... whether that goal is to finish the book you've been reading on and off for years or read a book a week, just make a goal and start it as soon as you are done with classes and finals for the semester. It will make your year a lot better!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Seriously People... Get on Goodreads...
Okay, if the fact that I won one book on Goodreads doesn't get you on there, what if I told you I just won another book? That's right... I just won a second book... which is about cooking, but it's not a cook book. I'm now waiting for a copy of Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times. It looks like an interesting book, so I'm excited... actually I'm just excited about getting free books.
In other news... I've been reading a lot of good books lately. Lately my favorite is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. There's a movie for it coming out over Thanksgiving, which I will not be seeing (due to the fact that it's rated R... but also due to the fact that I don't think it could be as good as the book). this is definitely a book you need to approach with an open mind. Oprah used it for her book club after it came out and it led to lots of people saying how depressing it was. It can be depressing if you let it, but it can also be heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I chose to see it as beautiful, you just have to look past the situation and see the message in it.
In other news... I've been reading a lot of good books lately. Lately my favorite is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. There's a movie for it coming out over Thanksgiving, which I will not be seeing (due to the fact that it's rated R... but also due to the fact that I don't think it could be as good as the book). this is definitely a book you need to approach with an open mind. Oprah used it for her book club after it came out and it led to lots of people saying how depressing it was. It can be depressing if you let it, but it can also be heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I chose to see it as beautiful, you just have to look past the situation and see the message in it.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
My New Cookbook-- The Pioneer Woman Cooks
In my last post I said how excited I was to get my new cookbook. Well it came, I read, and I loved it... for the most part. Here's a quick run-down on the book.
The Bad
The Good
The best thing about this book though, is that it gave me some inspiration for helping my sister make a college cookbook for my brother for Christmas (or if she decides not to do that then I'll make it for a graduation present for him). After trying to get some family favorite recipes from my mom I've decided that my brother needs a step-by-step compilation of recipes so he doesn't have to try to get my mom to explain how to make something (chop up some of this, add some of that, stir until it looks right... we all know people with those sorts of directions and measurements).
The Bad
- Not a lot of recipes. The book is a good inch-inch and a half thick, so when I first saw it (after Andy had lovingly opened it for be before I got home) I had dreams of reading and perusing my new cook book for a few hours. Then I opened it and looked through it and was a little disappointed by how few recipes there are. I expected somewhere between 50-100 recipes, but I would be willing to bet there was only 25-30 recipes. For a first cookbook this wouldn't be bad, but considering she has a blog where she has been posting recipes for a year or two I expected a lot more. How hard could it be to add some of those blog posts? I know they need to be original recipes, but I would expect her to have more original recipes on her site.
- Long introduction to herself and her family. Like her blog, this book has more than just recipes. She has photographs of her family and the ranch, which is great... but I'd rather have more recipes. If you've read her blog, you already know the whole story about how she got started and I just don't see anyone buying the book who hasn't read the blog.
- Not spiral bound. This may be silly, but I think the best cookbooks are spiral bound... not hardback. It's a lot easier to keep a spiral bound book open on the counter while you cook. And it stays cleaner because you're not trying to find ways to keep it open (like setting your bowl on top of the book).
The Good
- Lots and lots of pictures! Like in her blog, Drummond illustrates each step of the cooking process. And she took all the pictures for the book as well, so as a beginning cook it's nice to know that an actual human being made the actual food I'm looking at (and that it hasn't been enhanced by a food artist). However, the downside of the pictures is that one recipe can take up 2 or more pages (which leads to the thicker, more expensive book with less recipes).
- Real recipes! Growing up in the Midwest, these are foods I grew up with! Although my mom may not have made all these foods, I knew what they were and I loved them. She doesn't use a lot of fancy, expensive ingredients that you can only get if you live in a big city, I can get any of the ingredients I need from my local supermarket.
- Lots of variations... even on the recipes that may call for more expensive ingredients, Drummond has lots of different variations for making a more traditional (cheaper) version of the food... or for making a more exciting version.
- Hands down the best part though... this is just good reading. Even if you don't have time to make the recipes, it's a funny book. Drummond's character and sense of humor comes through in her recipes. There are some instructions where I just had to laugh out loud.
The best thing about this book though, is that it gave me some inspiration for helping my sister make a college cookbook for my brother for Christmas (or if she decides not to do that then I'll make it for a graduation present for him). After trying to get some family favorite recipes from my mom I've decided that my brother needs a step-by-step compilation of recipes so he doesn't have to try to get my mom to explain how to make something (chop up some of this, add some of that, stir until it looks right... we all know people with those sorts of directions and measurements).
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
YAY! For Free Books!!
Those who know me know me or have lived with me know I have a slight addiction to cookbooks. I blame it on my job. Every afternoon I walk through the BYU Bookstore to go home... and I walk right next to the Bargain book area... and the first things I see are the bargain cookbooks. I accidently bought 6 in one month and then Andy told me I was no longer allowed to buy cookbooks (so I just didn't tell him when I bought a new cookbook after that). Luckily, when I had gotten tired of looking at all the pretty pictures in those books and reading all the interesting tidbits (really... you thought I bought cookbooks just for cooking?) I got married... and got lots of free cookbooks (especially dessert cookbooks) and life was happy once again. I've almost forgotten what all cookbooks I have (like the time I was frantically looking for a good pancake/waffle recipe completely forgetting that I have a whole cookbook DEDICATED to pancakes/muffins/waffles!!). But... I now get to add one more to my collection.
I won a raffle on Goodreads for a free copy of the upcoming "Pioneer Woman Cookbook." For those of you who don't follow any recipe/food blogs religiously (umm... I follow three and two of them are in my links) Pioneer Woman is the originator of a lot of the recipes circulating around. I've never really looked at her site, but that doesn't mean I'm not excited about winning the book! Because A) who doesn't love winning something and B) I get a new cookbook.
Every day I spend the day wondering if this is the day when the book will show up at my apartment... If I'll get to spend the night curled up with my new cookbook looking at all the pretty pictures (I firmly believe that cookbooks are just picture books for grown-ups) and then deciding which recipes to try out.
Moral of the story: Goodreads is amazing! Lots of new authors give away copies of books in order to get some good reviews of their books going, so it's a great way to try to pick up a few new books! Also, if you're ever in doubt as to what sort of present you should get me, a cookbook is a very good option... especially if it has lots of pretty pictures or it's written by Martha Stewart, Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa anyone?), or some other fabulous chef.
P.S. I've also updated the look of my blog a little. What do you think?
I won a raffle on Goodreads for a free copy of the upcoming "Pioneer Woman Cookbook." For those of you who don't follow any recipe/food blogs religiously (umm... I follow three and two of them are in my links) Pioneer Woman is the originator of a lot of the recipes circulating around. I've never really looked at her site, but that doesn't mean I'm not excited about winning the book! Because A) who doesn't love winning something and B) I get a new cookbook.
Every day I spend the day wondering if this is the day when the book will show up at my apartment... If I'll get to spend the night curled up with my new cookbook looking at all the pretty pictures (I firmly believe that cookbooks are just picture books for grown-ups) and then deciding which recipes to try out.
Moral of the story: Goodreads is amazing! Lots of new authors give away copies of books in order to get some good reviews of their books going, so it's a great way to try to pick up a few new books! Also, if you're ever in doubt as to what sort of present you should get me, a cookbook is a very good option... especially if it has lots of pretty pictures or it's written by Martha Stewart, Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa anyone?), or some other fabulous chef.
P.S. I've also updated the look of my blog a little. What do you think?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan
Feminism is often seen as a dirty word in society today--especially inside the Church. Inside the Church, feminists or even just women who don't have a desire to get married and become stay-at-home moms immediately are often looked down on as someone who obviously doesn't know the plan of salvation--even though we all know it should be a question answered by the woman, her husband (if she has one), and the Lord. Even in Provo, a city full of people dedicated to the pursuit of high education, I've gotten my share of comments from people who don't understand why I'm choosing to pursue a master's degree right now and why I'm not having children right away since I'm only 2 months away from my B.A.
Even I had been asking myself these questions. Since this is the first semester I've been married and in school, this is the first time I've had the ability to completely control how clean my apartment is and be able to make the food I want when I want it (don't worry, I do let my husband make some decisions when it comes to food). Unfortunately, because of school I haven't been able to do those things the way I'd like. I don't have the time to do a lot of the things I'd like to do. Because of this, I've found myself asking why I care so much about getting an M.L.S. now and Ph.D. sometime in the future. My husband and I could just as easily use the money we have saved up for my tuition to make up for my not working so I could be a full-time homemaker and begin having children.
This book reminded me why that's not the path I've chosen, and why we as women need to resist being told we need to fit in that role to be the perfect woman. I have friends who have chosen that role (and there's nothing wrong with choosing it), but it should be something that is an individual choice and not something that anyone feels compelled into. Before reading this book I knew it kind of started the Women's Movement in the 60s and 70s and assumed that it was a man-hating, anti-children, pro-career manifesto. After reading this book, I can say that it is not at all that way! I wish there was a condensed version for women (and men) who aren't interested in all the theoretical stuff (aka... lots of Freud) but still included all the information about the "problem with no name" as Friedan names the depression that many housewives faced at the time (and continue to face now). Although some of it is a bit extreme, I found it refreshingly honest.
And this book isn't saying that being a homemaker is bad--being a housewife is, but being a homemaker isn't. Friedan argues that every woman needs to have a creative outlet not tied to the home. Whether that be a part-time or full-time job, innovative community service, or continual education every woman should have something meaningful to engage her mind throughout her life. That is what feminism is all about. It's not about saying that one image of womanhood should be privileged over another or that every woman needs to do it all. It's saying that every woman deserves to be seen as a whole woman with interests outside of being a mother or hoping to be a mother.
Society however, cannot see things in those moderate terms. In my English class we were talking about a recent study on CNN stating that homemakers are now happier than women who work. I believe it's because women who work feel the need to do it all, keep a perfect house, make a gourmet meal every night, be involved in their children's lives, and be involved in the community. These are all worthy things to be doing, but it leads to someone who is completely burned out. As women and as a society, we need to demand the rights to be allowed to be imperfect people, but individual humans with interests in many different things first and foremost.
Even I had been asking myself these questions. Since this is the first semester I've been married and in school, this is the first time I've had the ability to completely control how clean my apartment is and be able to make the food I want when I want it (don't worry, I do let my husband make some decisions when it comes to food). Unfortunately, because of school I haven't been able to do those things the way I'd like. I don't have the time to do a lot of the things I'd like to do. Because of this, I've found myself asking why I care so much about getting an M.L.S. now and Ph.D. sometime in the future. My husband and I could just as easily use the money we have saved up for my tuition to make up for my not working so I could be a full-time homemaker and begin having children.
This book reminded me why that's not the path I've chosen, and why we as women need to resist being told we need to fit in that role to be the perfect woman. I have friends who have chosen that role (and there's nothing wrong with choosing it), but it should be something that is an individual choice and not something that anyone feels compelled into. Before reading this book I knew it kind of started the Women's Movement in the 60s and 70s and assumed that it was a man-hating, anti-children, pro-career manifesto. After reading this book, I can say that it is not at all that way! I wish there was a condensed version for women (and men) who aren't interested in all the theoretical stuff (aka... lots of Freud) but still included all the information about the "problem with no name" as Friedan names the depression that many housewives faced at the time (and continue to face now). Although some of it is a bit extreme, I found it refreshingly honest.
And this book isn't saying that being a homemaker is bad--being a housewife is, but being a homemaker isn't. Friedan argues that every woman needs to have a creative outlet not tied to the home. Whether that be a part-time or full-time job, innovative community service, or continual education every woman should have something meaningful to engage her mind throughout her life. That is what feminism is all about. It's not about saying that one image of womanhood should be privileged over another or that every woman needs to do it all. It's saying that every woman deserves to be seen as a whole woman with interests outside of being a mother or hoping to be a mother.
Society however, cannot see things in those moderate terms. In my English class we were talking about a recent study on CNN stating that homemakers are now happier than women who work. I believe it's because women who work feel the need to do it all, keep a perfect house, make a gourmet meal every night, be involved in their children's lives, and be involved in the community. These are all worthy things to be doing, but it leads to someone who is completely burned out. As women and as a society, we need to demand the rights to be allowed to be imperfect people, but individual humans with interests in many different things first and foremost.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Readicide by Kelly Gallagher
So, I've been doing a lot of reading lately... and a lot of very good reading, but unfortunately I've been doing so much reading that I haven't had much time to write about it (and since I seriously doubt that anyone actually reads this as a way to find good books I can't really justify spending much time updating this). That being said... I just finished a book that changed my life... seriously. Readicide by Kelly Gallagher should be required reading for anyone dealing with children and teenagers and education. As a college student planning on being a school librarian, I found many things in there to help me help teachers cultivate more avid readers.
At the same time that it made me think about the future and store away this knowledge, it also made me think about my reading habits right now. In the last 5 weeks I've read approximately 5,000 pages. While I love everything I've been reading, I don't have time to do anything but read. I spend every minute when I can't be reading thinking about how I'm going to squeeze in a few more minutes of reading so that maybe, just maybe, I can get ahead. Because of this, I rarely remember the details of what I read. When it comes to class discussions, I contribute a lot less than I have in the past. I don't even have the time I need to write the papers I will ultimately be graded on.
This book made me realize that there are some fundamentally simple things I could do to increase my reading comprehension. 1)Take notes in the text. Underline or highlight passages that move me. Stick flags next to these passages so that in class when we're talking about things I can point to specific instances instead of just talking about generalities. 2) Read slow enough to think about what I'm reading or take a few minutes at the end of a chapter or reading section to stop and think about what I've read instead of just rushing off to the next assignment. In these two things, any type of reading experience can be improved--scripture study, reading a text book, reading a newspaper. Any type of reading you do will be improved by thinking it through and working at it.
Often in psychology you are required to look back at your life to identify what has led you to act/feel/behave the way you currently do. If you are one of the countless human beings who does not classify himself as a reader, you should read this book. Think about whether or not the problems Gallagher defines are what has turned you off to reading. And then take a step towards becoming a reader and an informed citizen. Read a book. Read a newspaper or a blog. It doesn't matter what you read, just read something--and then tomorrow read a little more.
P.S. In case you're wondering what other books I've been reading lately I'll give you a quick list of the must reads: The March, Plot Against America, The Book Thief, Chalice, Deerskin, and Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry.
At the same time that it made me think about the future and store away this knowledge, it also made me think about my reading habits right now. In the last 5 weeks I've read approximately 5,000 pages. While I love everything I've been reading, I don't have time to do anything but read. I spend every minute when I can't be reading thinking about how I'm going to squeeze in a few more minutes of reading so that maybe, just maybe, I can get ahead. Because of this, I rarely remember the details of what I read. When it comes to class discussions, I contribute a lot less than I have in the past. I don't even have the time I need to write the papers I will ultimately be graded on.
This book made me realize that there are some fundamentally simple things I could do to increase my reading comprehension. 1)Take notes in the text. Underline or highlight passages that move me. Stick flags next to these passages so that in class when we're talking about things I can point to specific instances instead of just talking about generalities. 2) Read slow enough to think about what I'm reading or take a few minutes at the end of a chapter or reading section to stop and think about what I've read instead of just rushing off to the next assignment. In these two things, any type of reading experience can be improved--scripture study, reading a text book, reading a newspaper. Any type of reading you do will be improved by thinking it through and working at it.
Often in psychology you are required to look back at your life to identify what has led you to act/feel/behave the way you currently do. If you are one of the countless human beings who does not classify himself as a reader, you should read this book. Think about whether or not the problems Gallagher defines are what has turned you off to reading. And then take a step towards becoming a reader and an informed citizen. Read a book. Read a newspaper or a blog. It doesn't matter what you read, just read something--and then tomorrow read a little more.
P.S. In case you're wondering what other books I've been reading lately I'll give you a quick list of the must reads: The March, Plot Against America, The Book Thief, Chalice, Deerskin, and Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Start of School Revisited
So... in my last post I said I would probably read about 5,000 pages this semester. Well, I was really bored, so I decided to do the math really quick. I've already read 2,140 pages this semester!! That doesn't include essays, articles, or text books. That's 2,140 of creative literature. So, I'm revising my estimate to 15,000 pages by Dec. 18.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Start of School
While for some people, the start of school may mean that they suddenly have no time to read, for me it means that I have no time to do anything but read. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it does get draining to intelligently read approximately 150 pages a night... and write papers on said reading. This semester is by far my most intense reading load. By December 18, I will have read at least 45 books and countless articles. I'm putting the estimate in at 5,000 pages of reading and about 100 pages of writing for the semester. Luckily I'm really excited about it all.
That being said, I probably won't have much time to update this blog. I'm taking The Bible as Literature (Great class! Take it from Steve Walker if you can!), American Literature from 1960-Present, 21st Century American Literature, and Literature for Adolescents. If you want to hear more about what I'm reading for my Literature for Adolescents class, you'll have to join Goodreads. I'm required to write reviews of the books I read for that class on there, so I mostly likely won't write about them here (especially since I have to read 2 books a week for that class!!). I'll try to update though when I finish a book for one of my American Lit. classes though.
I just finished The March, by E.L. Doctorow for my 21st Century American Lit. class. The best thing about this book, is that I didn't feel like I was reading a required book. Although I might not have picked this up off the shelf, there's a reason my professor chose it. He wants to expose us to books that will become classics (or at least that he hopes will become classics) and give us a chance to do some of the first writing on these texts. This was a very interesting look at Sherman's march through the South during the Civil War. One of the things that stuck me the most throughout this book was the question of morals.
Written after 9/11, this book talks a lot about the ethics of total war. Is it fair to kill civilians and destroy their property in order to beat your enemy? Everyone would say "absolutely not" if they were asked this in relation to terrorists. Most Americans believe that terrorism is wrong--even to the point of being cowardly. But how do you feel when you think about that question in terms of Sherman's march or the atomic bombs? They ended wars, but at what cost? Tens of thousands of civilians were killed and made homeless during these events... was winning a war worth the cost? Can it ever be worth the cost? I'm not saying that I condemn the United States for using either of these tactics in order to bring wars to a close. In fact, I have the utmost faith that the Presidents who ordered these things or allowed them to happen made the right choice and save the country and the world a lot of misery. It's just something to think about as our world gets more and more embroiled in wars and conflicts and as we get involved in the world around us.
That being said, I probably won't have much time to update this blog. I'm taking The Bible as Literature (Great class! Take it from Steve Walker if you can!), American Literature from 1960-Present, 21st Century American Literature, and Literature for Adolescents. If you want to hear more about what I'm reading for my Literature for Adolescents class, you'll have to join Goodreads. I'm required to write reviews of the books I read for that class on there, so I mostly likely won't write about them here (especially since I have to read 2 books a week for that class!!). I'll try to update though when I finish a book for one of my American Lit. classes though.
I just finished The March, by E.L. Doctorow for my 21st Century American Lit. class. The best thing about this book, is that I didn't feel like I was reading a required book. Although I might not have picked this up off the shelf, there's a reason my professor chose it. He wants to expose us to books that will become classics (or at least that he hopes will become classics) and give us a chance to do some of the first writing on these texts. This was a very interesting look at Sherman's march through the South during the Civil War. One of the things that stuck me the most throughout this book was the question of morals.
Written after 9/11, this book talks a lot about the ethics of total war. Is it fair to kill civilians and destroy their property in order to beat your enemy? Everyone would say "absolutely not" if they were asked this in relation to terrorists. Most Americans believe that terrorism is wrong--even to the point of being cowardly. But how do you feel when you think about that question in terms of Sherman's march or the atomic bombs? They ended wars, but at what cost? Tens of thousands of civilians were killed and made homeless during these events... was winning a war worth the cost? Can it ever be worth the cost? I'm not saying that I condemn the United States for using either of these tactics in order to bring wars to a close. In fact, I have the utmost faith that the Presidents who ordered these things or allowed them to happen made the right choice and save the country and the world a lot of misery. It's just something to think about as our world gets more and more embroiled in wars and conflicts and as we get involved in the world around us.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Just for you Andy...
Andy keeps asking me when I'm going to update my blog and write about the last couple books I've read, and I keep telling him I have no motivation. Mostly because I've been busy at work and I've been busy outside of work studying for the GRE (or justifying my reasons for why I don't need to study for the GRE to Andy) and school starts in a week and a half!!! Which means that I've been busy buying my books, searching for the perfect planner for the year (luckily I found the same one I had last year... only after spending a couple hours agonizing over the choices in the bookstore), and looking at my syllabi. In case you don't know me very well, I'm a compulsive organizer... and the beginning of the semester is a dream come true for me. I get to plan where I'm going to buy my books so I can get them for the absolute cheapest (if you want the best used books you have to go the day after book buy back ends!) and then as syllabi come on-line I get to make all sorts of lists (what readings I have for each day/week, what things are do on what days, etc.). It's basically a dream come true... and it's the last semester I get to really enjoy this! The sad thing about graduate school is that I only can take 2 classes a semester, so there's really not that much to organize. But I digress....
I've actually read one good book and one really good book. I'll start with the good book. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. This was a wonderful book, it really was. It's the story of a second generation Indian-American boy as he grows up and comes to terms with his heritage. The story is beautifully written, I just don't care for some of the plot elements. There's not anything crude or awful, I just wish some things hadn't happened that's all. But I guess in a way, that's why I did like it. The reason why I liked this book is that I think it's something that's applicable to everyone. Everyone has to struggle with finding their own way in life. Growing up as a member of the Church outside of Utah I was in many ways an immigrant in my own country. I came from a different culture than most of my friends (despite the fact that they are all awesome Christians!): I couldn't go do things on Sundays, I didn't party, my parents weren't divorced, I didn't swear or dress immodestly. Some of these seem like pretty small things, but when you're confronted with people constantly questioning every move you make... it sets you apart. Unlike the main character who distances himself from everything his parents hold dear only to come back to his Indian heritage years later, I've never left the Church. I've always believed it and known of it's truth, but the point I'm trying to make is that I could identify with the struggles of an adult who is trying to fit in with what the world expects and who he is deep down.
The other book that I've read recently was absolutely amazing. I couldn't put it down! It's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. This was such an amazing book. It's the story of two women (although it's told from the point of view from one of them) who were bound together as children (not literally, but figuratively) as laotongs or what we would call an arranged best friend. Here's a link to a synopsis of the book. I can't even begin to do it justice. It's such an incredible book that makes you really take a look at the relationships in your lives. This was an excellent book for me to read right now especially. Since getting married I've fallen into the newlywed trap of spending 99% of my time when I'm not working with my husband... not that it's a bad thing. But especially with school starting and everyone getting back from all their adventures, I really needed to stop and think about whether or not I'm putting enough emphasis on my relationships outside of my marriage.
In the book the laotong relationship is supposed to be put even above the marriage. When one of the women goes to visit the other the husband must leave his marriage bed and let the two women sleep together. While I'm not saying that putting that much emphasis on a friendship is good in our social structure now where we get to marry who we want instead of having an arranged marriage, I think it's something to think about. Who in your life would you be that excited to see? Is there any person of the same sex, besides a sibling, who you miss so much when they're not around that if given the chance you would tell your significant other that they're on their own for the night because you want to spend time with that friend?
I've actually read one good book and one really good book. I'll start with the good book. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. This was a wonderful book, it really was. It's the story of a second generation Indian-American boy as he grows up and comes to terms with his heritage. The story is beautifully written, I just don't care for some of the plot elements. There's not anything crude or awful, I just wish some things hadn't happened that's all. But I guess in a way, that's why I did like it. The reason why I liked this book is that I think it's something that's applicable to everyone. Everyone has to struggle with finding their own way in life. Growing up as a member of the Church outside of Utah I was in many ways an immigrant in my own country. I came from a different culture than most of my friends (despite the fact that they are all awesome Christians!): I couldn't go do things on Sundays, I didn't party, my parents weren't divorced, I didn't swear or dress immodestly. Some of these seem like pretty small things, but when you're confronted with people constantly questioning every move you make... it sets you apart. Unlike the main character who distances himself from everything his parents hold dear only to come back to his Indian heritage years later, I've never left the Church. I've always believed it and known of it's truth, but the point I'm trying to make is that I could identify with the struggles of an adult who is trying to fit in with what the world expects and who he is deep down.
The other book that I've read recently was absolutely amazing. I couldn't put it down! It's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. This was such an amazing book. It's the story of two women (although it's told from the point of view from one of them) who were bound together as children (not literally, but figuratively) as laotongs or what we would call an arranged best friend. Here's a link to a synopsis of the book. I can't even begin to do it justice. It's such an incredible book that makes you really take a look at the relationships in your lives. This was an excellent book for me to read right now especially. Since getting married I've fallen into the newlywed trap of spending 99% of my time when I'm not working with my husband... not that it's a bad thing. But especially with school starting and everyone getting back from all their adventures, I really needed to stop and think about whether or not I'm putting enough emphasis on my relationships outside of my marriage.
In the book the laotong relationship is supposed to be put even above the marriage. When one of the women goes to visit the other the husband must leave his marriage bed and let the two women sleep together. While I'm not saying that putting that much emphasis on a friendship is good in our social structure now where we get to marry who we want instead of having an arranged marriage, I think it's something to think about. Who in your life would you be that excited to see? Is there any person of the same sex, besides a sibling, who you miss so much when they're not around that if given the chance you would tell your significant other that they're on their own for the night because you want to spend time with that friend?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
1776 by David McCullough
I finished this book as well yesterday. It was a fascinating book, especially since it's a non-fiction book! McCullough told the story so well of the first full year of the American Revolution and the year it became the fight for independence.
As a member of the LDS church I read this with a bit of a different perspective than the average reader probably reads it. Growing up I always knew that this country was the "Promised Land" and that the Constitution was inspired so that this land could have the right climate for the restored gospel to come forth. However, I never realized just how fully the formation of America relied on the hand of God. There were so many situations that were just miracles out and out.
This book is great because it goes into so much detail about everything that went on that first year. I would love to have this author write a more complete history of the American Revolution and possibly even the Civil War just because I love his style! Those would probably be too long for most people though.
As a member of the LDS church I read this with a bit of a different perspective than the average reader probably reads it. Growing up I always knew that this country was the "Promised Land" and that the Constitution was inspired so that this land could have the right climate for the restored gospel to come forth. However, I never realized just how fully the formation of America relied on the hand of God. There were so many situations that were just miracles out and out.
This book is great because it goes into so much detail about everything that went on that first year. I would love to have this author write a more complete history of the American Revolution and possibly even the Civil War just because I love his style! Those would probably be too long for most people though.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage
I've been reading this book for a long time... 2 years to be exact. Ever since I signed up for Goodreads it's been on my "currently reading" shelf. I've always felt bad for not putting more emphasis on it and I would always set goals about how and when I was going to finish it. And I finally finished it! I kept saying that I was going to read a chapter or two every Sunday, but when Sunday rolled around I never really worked on it (I've been having the same problem with my gigantic cross-stitch project I've been working on for almost 3 years!). So this last week, I got onto Google books and started reading it there. That way I could read it at work when things got really slow. And that made it so I could finally finish it. I had to do more than just occasionally read it, I had to make it a priority.
I'm so glad I've finally finished it though! I feel like I know so much more about the scriptures and about the life of Christ. Sure, I could have studied this book more in depth and learned even more from it, but I just wanted to read the whole thing. Now I can go back at a later date and really study it using the scriptures and other talks by general authorities. Talmage has such a wealth of information to share. It makes me excited to read his other books. I'm about ready to start in on Articles of Faith which is also on Google Books.
I'm so glad I've finally finished it though! I feel like I know so much more about the scriptures and about the life of Christ. Sure, I could have studied this book more in depth and learned even more from it, but I just wanted to read the whole thing. Now I can go back at a later date and really study it using the scriptures and other talks by general authorities. Talmage has such a wealth of information to share. It makes me excited to read his other books. I'm about ready to start in on Articles of Faith which is also on Google Books.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Lots and lots of reading...
I promise I've actually been reading lately! It's just that I've also been studying for the GRE and going on vacation, so I don't really get around to updating this as soon as I've finished a book. If you want to get more up-to-date book reviews, join goodreads.com and add me as a friend. I'm a lot more active on that site than I am here in my blog that I don't even know if anyone reads. But I digress... in the last week and a half I've read Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library, Catch-22, and Farenheit 451. They were all interesting books in their own way.
Let's start at the beginning...Free for All. Living proof that sometimes books don't quite meet up to your expectations. I've been waiting for over a year to get around to reading this book, but when I did it wasn't quite what I expected. It's a good read regardless of whether or not you're obsessed with the library like I am, but it's just not what I was hoping it would be. It's set up in such a way that each chapter would make at least one great episode of a tv show. Maybe once Scrubs goes off the air the writers will collaborate to make a series based on this book. I could just see a J.D-like character heading up the cast and it would be great! Despite the sitcom potential of this book though, I was looking for something more. I was hoping for some greater truth about the importance of the library in a time when so many things were going digital. The author had such a great opportunity in his hands to include facts about why libraries and books need to stay in existance, and he completely skipped out on it. I would have LOVED to see some interesting facts about the role of libraries historically or something like that included throughout the book, but it just wasn't there.
So overall: It's a good book, just don't expect much depth from it. It's a "non-fiction" book, but I didn't get a whole lot of that vibe from it.
Next Catch-22. A classic! It was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. I don't know why, but I thought it was going to be more along the lines of 1984, Brave New World, or Farenheit 451... those classic conspiracy theory novels that tell about an alternate future that we must escape. Instead it was pretty funny. Yes, there are some language/behavior problems (if you don't like novels that include sex in them I would definitely stay away from this one!), but overall it's a fairly light book... on the outside. The author definitely uses the light tone of the book to comment on how society has made things like death, corruption, and sex things that have very little value, when really they should be highly valued. Most importantly, when someone mentions that it's a catch-22 situation I'll actually know what they're referring to (even if they don't!). I'll warn you though... it takes awhile to get through. This is one of the few books where I've had to put it down for a few days, read something else and then come back to it. It's over 400 pages long and it felt that long!
Finally Farenheit 451. This book was everything I needed in a book right now. It was short (just over 150 pages and it was a small book as well!), it made an impact, and it was just terrifying enough to make me stop and think about the premise. It was everything Free for All was not. Farenheit 451 tells the story of a future where books are banned. Interestingly enough, they became banned at first just because they were irrelevant... no one wanted to sit down and read a book... they only wanted the digest version. Everyone just wanted instant gratification. Now I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with watching a tv show or a movie now and again (I'm as guilty as anyone about turning on the tv to watch one show and then staying there for 2+ hours), but it needs to be balanced out with a good book. TV shows and movies give everything to you, but a book makes you think things through. You can decide when you want to pause to consider a point that was just made. You can go back, re-read, and mark a passage that really struck you. Most importantly though, you get to use your imagination to see what happens. It's not all spelled out for you.
So my challenge to you today is to step away from the television. Instead of watching a show just because you have nothing better to do, pick up a book. Try to replace at least one show with reading. I'll try to do the same and I'll let you know how it goes.
Let's start at the beginning...Free for All. Living proof that sometimes books don't quite meet up to your expectations. I've been waiting for over a year to get around to reading this book, but when I did it wasn't quite what I expected. It's a good read regardless of whether or not you're obsessed with the library like I am, but it's just not what I was hoping it would be. It's set up in such a way that each chapter would make at least one great episode of a tv show. Maybe once Scrubs goes off the air the writers will collaborate to make a series based on this book. I could just see a J.D-like character heading up the cast and it would be great! Despite the sitcom potential of this book though, I was looking for something more. I was hoping for some greater truth about the importance of the library in a time when so many things were going digital. The author had such a great opportunity in his hands to include facts about why libraries and books need to stay in existance, and he completely skipped out on it. I would have LOVED to see some interesting facts about the role of libraries historically or something like that included throughout the book, but it just wasn't there.
So overall: It's a good book, just don't expect much depth from it. It's a "non-fiction" book, but I didn't get a whole lot of that vibe from it.
Next Catch-22. A classic! It was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. I don't know why, but I thought it was going to be more along the lines of 1984, Brave New World, or Farenheit 451... those classic conspiracy theory novels that tell about an alternate future that we must escape. Instead it was pretty funny. Yes, there are some language/behavior problems (if you don't like novels that include sex in them I would definitely stay away from this one!), but overall it's a fairly light book... on the outside. The author definitely uses the light tone of the book to comment on how society has made things like death, corruption, and sex things that have very little value, when really they should be highly valued. Most importantly, when someone mentions that it's a catch-22 situation I'll actually know what they're referring to (even if they don't!). I'll warn you though... it takes awhile to get through. This is one of the few books where I've had to put it down for a few days, read something else and then come back to it. It's over 400 pages long and it felt that long!
Finally Farenheit 451. This book was everything I needed in a book right now. It was short (just over 150 pages and it was a small book as well!), it made an impact, and it was just terrifying enough to make me stop and think about the premise. It was everything Free for All was not. Farenheit 451 tells the story of a future where books are banned. Interestingly enough, they became banned at first just because they were irrelevant... no one wanted to sit down and read a book... they only wanted the digest version. Everyone just wanted instant gratification. Now I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with watching a tv show or a movie now and again (I'm as guilty as anyone about turning on the tv to watch one show and then staying there for 2+ hours), but it needs to be balanced out with a good book. TV shows and movies give everything to you, but a book makes you think things through. You can decide when you want to pause to consider a point that was just made. You can go back, re-read, and mark a passage that really struck you. Most importantly though, you get to use your imagination to see what happens. It's not all spelled out for you.
So my challenge to you today is to step away from the television. Instead of watching a show just because you have nothing better to do, pick up a book. Try to replace at least one show with reading. I'll try to do the same and I'll let you know how it goes.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Somthing to Think About... Censoring What Your Children Read/View
Someone just sent an e-mail to my office that I've been thinking about all day. It was a mom trying to get someone to back her up in her fight against her daughter's school district. Her daughter is going to be a senior this year and is dealing with her AP English summer reading project. The mother (not the daughter... although the daughter may feel the same way) thinks that the project requires too much work and has too much objectionable content. Granted, she has to read 8 books, which is more than I ever had to do for a summer project, but I highly doubt that she would be complaining if she had started on the project at the beginning of summer instead of 2-3 weeks before school starts. That's not the point though...
The point is this. The girl is a senior in high school. Obviously she's fairly mature for her age or she wouldn't be taking AP English. Do you think that at this point her mother should be that outraged at the situation? I don't, and I'll tell you why, but I'd like to hear your opinions too.
As a whole I'm against parents censoring what their child reads or watches once they get to high school. I think it's counterproductive. When kids are young they should obviously be guided to age appropriate material (because there are definitely some things I didn't need to read when I was in middle school that I'm reading now), but isn't it better to teach them as you guide them? Tell them why you don't want them to read this book or go see that movie. I'm a firm believer that if something is just point-blank vetoed then as soon as kids are out of the house they'll be exposed to it and binge on it (whether that something be smutty novels, violent movies, or even junk food). I'm not saying that parents should encourage their kids to participate in bad things while they live at home just so they won't go out of control when they leave the house, but rather teach them the principles behind your decisions.
I grew up in a very lenient household though. My mom never got involved in my schoolwork to the point where she would object to the assignments once I was in middle school. I'm sure that if I had told her I didn't like what I was reading due to content she would have helped me to find a solution, but I never thought of complaining about it. I'm grateful that my mom didn't step in unnecessarily because it allowed me to be the judge and learn for myself. When my teacher picked a rated R movie to show to the class, I told the teacher I wouldn't watch it even before he sent the permission slips home and then I had to go watch another movie while the class watched that one. I was fine with it. When my friends wanted to go see a movie, it was up to me to decide whether or not I saw it. Yes I saw some awful movies, but I learned from those situations which friends I could trust and what actors to avoid. While I'm not condemning people who put their foot down more than my parents did, I'm also grateful that my parents gave me enough freedom to make those choices for myself.
So what are your thoughts and opinions? Should this mom have gotten involved in the situation (obviously she shouldn't have e-mailed my office, the proper action would have been to talk to the English teacher) or should she have told her daughter to take care of it as she saw fit... whether that meant dropping out of the class, talking to the teacher, or sucking it up and plowing through?
The point is this. The girl is a senior in high school. Obviously she's fairly mature for her age or she wouldn't be taking AP English. Do you think that at this point her mother should be that outraged at the situation? I don't, and I'll tell you why, but I'd like to hear your opinions too.
As a whole I'm against parents censoring what their child reads or watches once they get to high school. I think it's counterproductive. When kids are young they should obviously be guided to age appropriate material (because there are definitely some things I didn't need to read when I was in middle school that I'm reading now), but isn't it better to teach them as you guide them? Tell them why you don't want them to read this book or go see that movie. I'm a firm believer that if something is just point-blank vetoed then as soon as kids are out of the house they'll be exposed to it and binge on it (whether that something be smutty novels, violent movies, or even junk food). I'm not saying that parents should encourage their kids to participate in bad things while they live at home just so they won't go out of control when they leave the house, but rather teach them the principles behind your decisions.
I grew up in a very lenient household though. My mom never got involved in my schoolwork to the point where she would object to the assignments once I was in middle school. I'm sure that if I had told her I didn't like what I was reading due to content she would have helped me to find a solution, but I never thought of complaining about it. I'm grateful that my mom didn't step in unnecessarily because it allowed me to be the judge and learn for myself. When my teacher picked a rated R movie to show to the class, I told the teacher I wouldn't watch it even before he sent the permission slips home and then I had to go watch another movie while the class watched that one. I was fine with it. When my friends wanted to go see a movie, it was up to me to decide whether or not I saw it. Yes I saw some awful movies, but I learned from those situations which friends I could trust and what actors to avoid. While I'm not condemning people who put their foot down more than my parents did, I'm also grateful that my parents gave me enough freedom to make those choices for myself.
So what are your thoughts and opinions? Should this mom have gotten involved in the situation (obviously she shouldn't have e-mailed my office, the proper action would have been to talk to the English teacher) or should she have told her daughter to take care of it as she saw fit... whether that meant dropping out of the class, talking to the teacher, or sucking it up and plowing through?
Monday, July 27, 2009
Empire by Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is known for taking an actual story and shaping it into a work of fiction. He continues this trend with his latest book (and arguably his most chilling) Empire. It's a possible future for America... one that hits a little too close to home.
It's one thing to read Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale or Oryx and Crake. Sure, they're possible futures for America as well, but they're kind of ridiculous and set far out into the future. They're about what happens when one extremist group takes complete control of society and goes wild. You can read them and still feel safe in your home because you know that the situations presented won't ever happen.
Not so with Empire. It's the scariest book I've read in awhile. Why? Because it's so plausible. Set in a post- "Inconvenient Truth," post-9/11 America Empire tells the tale of an America with no middle ground in politics. In essence, it tells the story of just a few short years from now. It was absolutely terrifying how close to reality this book hit. As we look at the news everything is right-wing vs. left-wing. In reality, very few people are super conservative or super liberal. Sure everyone has their issue or two that they feel really strongly one way or the other about, but in all honesty most people just want the same things. The news stations are always being called out for being slanted one way or another (Fox is for Republicans and CNN is for Democrats), so no one is getting a fair shot with the people they need a fair shot the most with.
What does this all boil down to? What's the message we can take from this novel? More Americans need to get involved with politics. Here in Provo this is a very relevant issue right now as BYU students are demanding a better representation in the city government. The only problem is... most BYU students don't vote in Provo elections... they're registered in their home towns if they're registered at all. I'm not any better though... I'm still not registered to vote despite the fact that I could have registered when I got my new driver's license a month ago.
The number one thing I learned from both the last election and this book is the need to get involved in politics and not just on Nov. 2 every four years. Find out about possible candidates in upcoming elections and vote for your favorite in the primaries. If you don't find a candidate you can really support, nominate someone you will support. Even if you're the only person that votes for that person, you're sending a better message than if you don't vote. If you don't vote people won't ask for your opinion. If you vote for someone other than the names on the ballot then you're sending the message that you care, but you're not seeing the representative you want. Vote in the general election. Demand that your voice be heard among the din of voices. Write to your representatives. This is something that I'm really wanting to become better about. There are a lot of issues that I don't agree with going through Congress right now, so I'm determined to write to my representatives and tell them what kind of behavior I expect from them if I'm going to vote for them in the future.
Long story short. America is headed towards a dangerous future if we don't fight for the things we believe in. You can say all you want about how if we just changed a few laws (such as making election days holidays or always on a Saturday so people aren't working) you'd go vote, but before you can have any say in that, you need to demonstrate that you'll vote in the first place. Let's not let the future Card wrote about happen. I don't want to see our country torn apart by politics like so many other countries have been.
It's one thing to read Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale or Oryx and Crake. Sure, they're possible futures for America as well, but they're kind of ridiculous and set far out into the future. They're about what happens when one extremist group takes complete control of society and goes wild. You can read them and still feel safe in your home because you know that the situations presented won't ever happen.
Not so with Empire. It's the scariest book I've read in awhile. Why? Because it's so plausible. Set in a post- "Inconvenient Truth," post-9/11 America Empire tells the tale of an America with no middle ground in politics. In essence, it tells the story of just a few short years from now. It was absolutely terrifying how close to reality this book hit. As we look at the news everything is right-wing vs. left-wing. In reality, very few people are super conservative or super liberal. Sure everyone has their issue or two that they feel really strongly one way or the other about, but in all honesty most people just want the same things. The news stations are always being called out for being slanted one way or another (Fox is for Republicans and CNN is for Democrats), so no one is getting a fair shot with the people they need a fair shot the most with.
What does this all boil down to? What's the message we can take from this novel? More Americans need to get involved with politics. Here in Provo this is a very relevant issue right now as BYU students are demanding a better representation in the city government. The only problem is... most BYU students don't vote in Provo elections... they're registered in their home towns if they're registered at all. I'm not any better though... I'm still not registered to vote despite the fact that I could have registered when I got my new driver's license a month ago.
The number one thing I learned from both the last election and this book is the need to get involved in politics and not just on Nov. 2 every four years. Find out about possible candidates in upcoming elections and vote for your favorite in the primaries. If you don't find a candidate you can really support, nominate someone you will support. Even if you're the only person that votes for that person, you're sending a better message than if you don't vote. If you don't vote people won't ask for your opinion. If you vote for someone other than the names on the ballot then you're sending the message that you care, but you're not seeing the representative you want. Vote in the general election. Demand that your voice be heard among the din of voices. Write to your representatives. This is something that I'm really wanting to become better about. There are a lot of issues that I don't agree with going through Congress right now, so I'm determined to write to my representatives and tell them what kind of behavior I expect from them if I'm going to vote for them in the future.
Long story short. America is headed towards a dangerous future if we don't fight for the things we believe in. You can say all you want about how if we just changed a few laws (such as making election days holidays or always on a Saturday so people aren't working) you'd go vote, but before you can have any say in that, you need to demonstrate that you'll vote in the first place. Let's not let the future Card wrote about happen. I don't want to see our country torn apart by politics like so many other countries have been.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
So this may be hard for some people to believe, but I just read my first Steinbeck novel ever. I know, I know, I know... I'm an English major. Unfortunately, I'm an English major who has yet to have a Steinbeck-fan as a professor. And in high school, the honors classes didn't read him. But considering how many absolute classics he's written, I had to read some of his stuff. And I must tell you, I loved it!
I love the way he writes. He incorporates so much description into the plot line. Instead of introducing the setting and the backgrounds of the characters before setting up the plot, he incorporates it all together. Which is beautiful if you ask me. As much as I love Jane Austen, I must admit that at times her novels are a bit verbose when it comes to descriptions. Not that it's a bad thing, but you can definitely tell a difference in the intended audience between the two time periods.
In Jane Austen's time period, the people reading books were the wealthy who could A) afford a book and B) had the leisure time to read a book. The authors were catering to a class of people who would really savor a book and had plenty of time to read. John Steinbeck on the other hand, was writing for a much more current time period. The average reader was anyone between the people who could afford to buy books during the Great Depression and the people who would borrow books from the library. These books needed more action, because the reader of the time period didn't have as much leisure time. They weren't looking necessarily for a book to take up the countless hours of their day, but rather for a book to relax them after a hard day of work. In other words, they wanted something that moved quicker.
Fast forward now to today. Authors know that for their book to be a bestseller it has to be able to be made into a movie. More detail is being added in, but the story lines are also more complex. Take two writers in particular: John Grisham and Tom Clancy. Their novels, especially their later novels, are designed for action movies. Their chapter breaks align perfectly with jumping back and forth between two story-lines in a movie. Reading the books you feel like you're reading the screen play of a movie.
So now, you have to ask yourself. Do you like the type of novels coming out or would you rather have a higher class of literature to read. Would you like to go back to being the "gentle reader" that earlier authors wrote to. If so there's only one thing you can do... buy books that live up to your standards. Sure the public library is a great place to find new books and read something before you buy it, but if you really love a book buy it. Authors won't continue to write their books just because they're very popular at the library. They need to be a best seller. So if you find a book you love, do an author a favor and go buy it... not second hand either, go to a bookstore and buy a brand new copy. In tha way you can support the authors you love.
I love the way he writes. He incorporates so much description into the plot line. Instead of introducing the setting and the backgrounds of the characters before setting up the plot, he incorporates it all together. Which is beautiful if you ask me. As much as I love Jane Austen, I must admit that at times her novels are a bit verbose when it comes to descriptions. Not that it's a bad thing, but you can definitely tell a difference in the intended audience between the two time periods.
In Jane Austen's time period, the people reading books were the wealthy who could A) afford a book and B) had the leisure time to read a book. The authors were catering to a class of people who would really savor a book and had plenty of time to read. John Steinbeck on the other hand, was writing for a much more current time period. The average reader was anyone between the people who could afford to buy books during the Great Depression and the people who would borrow books from the library. These books needed more action, because the reader of the time period didn't have as much leisure time. They weren't looking necessarily for a book to take up the countless hours of their day, but rather for a book to relax them after a hard day of work. In other words, they wanted something that moved quicker.
Fast forward now to today. Authors know that for their book to be a bestseller it has to be able to be made into a movie. More detail is being added in, but the story lines are also more complex. Take two writers in particular: John Grisham and Tom Clancy. Their novels, especially their later novels, are designed for action movies. Their chapter breaks align perfectly with jumping back and forth between two story-lines in a movie. Reading the books you feel like you're reading the screen play of a movie.
So now, you have to ask yourself. Do you like the type of novels coming out or would you rather have a higher class of literature to read. Would you like to go back to being the "gentle reader" that earlier authors wrote to. If so there's only one thing you can do... buy books that live up to your standards. Sure the public library is a great place to find new books and read something before you buy it, but if you really love a book buy it. Authors won't continue to write their books just because they're very popular at the library. They need to be a best seller. So if you find a book you love, do an author a favor and go buy it... not second hand either, go to a bookstore and buy a brand new copy. In tha way you can support the authors you love.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
This is a book that you have to be prepared to read. It's definitely not an easy book to get through, but it's so worth it. When I say it's not an easy book to get through, I mean emotionally. I flew through the book because the writing was so enthralling, but emotionally, you have to be prepared.
This is the story of a pedophile... who marries a girl's mother just so he can have unlimited access to her. When the mother dies in a freak accident, he runs off with the girl and drives all over the country trying to make her (Lolita/Dolores) fall in love with him (she's twelve when the book begins). Fortunately the protagonist (Humbert Humbert) is in jail when he writes his story, so at least you can rest securely knowing he's not roaming the streets.
Despite it's disturbing storyline, this book is a must-read. Written by a Russian, it shows his complete mastery of the English language. More than just that impressive feat though, is the interesting angle that many scholars have put on it. This is more than just the story of a pedophile, it's the story of the "Old World"s fascination with America. Humbert is a Swiss citizen who was raised in France, but came over to America to get away from the stodgy traditions and feelings of Europe. He fell in love with the idea of America and her vibrancy.
One thing that really struck me with this symbolism is his travels. He first travels from coast to coast trying to make his new "lover" happy. She's a spoiled brat who only wants junk food and movies, while he tries to encourage her in the finer things of life--good literature for the most part. Once he's travelled everywhere, he returns to New England and puts Lolita in a private school in order to give her the best in modern education (the school by the way, is absolutely ridiculous). When she loses interest in that, it's back to travelling, but in a more structured way with Lolita controlling things more (she's 14 at this point).
While it's a very frustrating novel to get through, it ends up with Lolita escaping from Humbert to have a semi-normal life. At the end of the novel she's 17, married, and pregnant. She has to ask Humbert for money, but after that she goes on to lead a happy life with her husband.
While I whole-heartedly loved this book, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who shies away from "hard" books.
This is the story of a pedophile... who marries a girl's mother just so he can have unlimited access to her. When the mother dies in a freak accident, he runs off with the girl and drives all over the country trying to make her (Lolita/Dolores) fall in love with him (she's twelve when the book begins). Fortunately the protagonist (Humbert Humbert) is in jail when he writes his story, so at least you can rest securely knowing he's not roaming the streets.
Despite it's disturbing storyline, this book is a must-read. Written by a Russian, it shows his complete mastery of the English language. More than just that impressive feat though, is the interesting angle that many scholars have put on it. This is more than just the story of a pedophile, it's the story of the "Old World"s fascination with America. Humbert is a Swiss citizen who was raised in France, but came over to America to get away from the stodgy traditions and feelings of Europe. He fell in love with the idea of America and her vibrancy.
One thing that really struck me with this symbolism is his travels. He first travels from coast to coast trying to make his new "lover" happy. She's a spoiled brat who only wants junk food and movies, while he tries to encourage her in the finer things of life--good literature for the most part. Once he's travelled everywhere, he returns to New England and puts Lolita in a private school in order to give her the best in modern education (the school by the way, is absolutely ridiculous). When she loses interest in that, it's back to travelling, but in a more structured way with Lolita controlling things more (she's 14 at this point).
While it's a very frustrating novel to get through, it ends up with Lolita escaping from Humbert to have a semi-normal life. At the end of the novel she's 17, married, and pregnant. She has to ask Humbert for money, but after that she goes on to lead a happy life with her husband.
While I whole-heartedly loved this book, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who shies away from "hard" books.
Friday, July 17, 2009
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Last summer I read The Kite Runner by this author and loved it, so I knew I would love this one. I absolutely love this man's writing style! He manages to write novels that have so many different levels, but they don't bog you down. At first glance you may look at the book and think that it's going to take you at least a week to get through (depending on how quickly you read, etc.), but it goes so quickly.
This novel had one major difference in style from The Kite Runner that I loved though. The Kite Runner is written in one person's point of view (or maybe 3rd person omniscient... I don't remember... but it follows just one person), but A Thousand Splendid Suns is written from two different points of view. I loved his style for doing this because the story continues... he doesn't tell about the same event from the two different points-of-view. While the multiple angles of the same story may work for some people, telling a continuous story while switching between points of view helps to keep the story going.
Like The Kite Runner, this book makes you realize how good your life is. It's a heart-breaking look at how women were treated in Afganistan for many years. In some ways it reminds me of Reading Lolita in Tehran, but these women have even less options than the narrator of that book did. They are the traditional women who were married very young (14 or 15) and had very little education. They married a man many years older than them and had to deal with sharing a husband although they are 15 years apart in age and 20-40 years apart in age from their husband.
I loved this book and would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read before school starts.
This novel had one major difference in style from The Kite Runner that I loved though. The Kite Runner is written in one person's point of view (or maybe 3rd person omniscient... I don't remember... but it follows just one person), but A Thousand Splendid Suns is written from two different points of view. I loved his style for doing this because the story continues... he doesn't tell about the same event from the two different points-of-view. While the multiple angles of the same story may work for some people, telling a continuous story while switching between points of view helps to keep the story going.
Like The Kite Runner, this book makes you realize how good your life is. It's a heart-breaking look at how women were treated in Afganistan for many years. In some ways it reminds me of Reading Lolita in Tehran, but these women have even less options than the narrator of that book did. They are the traditional women who were married very young (14 or 15) and had very little education. They married a man many years older than them and had to deal with sharing a husband although they are 15 years apart in age and 20-40 years apart in age from their husband.
I loved this book and would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read before school starts.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Best Part of Being an English Major
So, I was just getting ready to write about this amazing book that I just finished, when I got distracted by the fact that the BYU Bookstore isn't waiting until the week before classes start to publish the booklists on-line. Not all the professors have submitted their book lists yet, so I wouldn't take this as the final word quite yet (for all you BYU students out there), but as I was looking at my book list I got really happy for a couple of reasons.
1) In one of my classes we're reading 14 books over the semester. It's my children's lit class and I couldn't be happier... sure I have some sports books that I'm not super excited about, but there are some really excellent novels that I am excited about and that were already on my to-read list. I've actually heard that we'll end up reading 30 books for this class, so I'm excited to get to read all those good kids books I've been wanting to read.
2) I already own some of the books. One of the best things about being an English major is the fact that you can read the same novel in more than one class. I've read several books more than once and I've learned that if there's a book that's particularly defining of a generation, I should hold on to it, because I'll probably read it again. This is great because it cuts down on my homework time and the cost of my books. Plus I usually have already written a paper on the book which I can just revisit and use as the basis for another paper.
3) My number one favorite thing though is the cost per book. While most of my friends spend over $100 for a single text book, I get to buy 25-30 books for about $10-15 per book (and cheaper if I can get it off Amazon or used). When I walk out of the bookstore it's with a full backpack (or 2 if I can enlist someone to go with me) and a happy heart. Sure sometimes I get a little overwhelmed looking at the sheer number of pages I have to read in the next four months (and even more overwhelmed when I think about the number of pages I have to read besides thos books--research for papers, online supplementary material, etc), but mostly I'm happy. I'd rather be reading any day.
1) In one of my classes we're reading 14 books over the semester. It's my children's lit class and I couldn't be happier... sure I have some sports books that I'm not super excited about, but there are some really excellent novels that I am excited about and that were already on my to-read list. I've actually heard that we'll end up reading 30 books for this class, so I'm excited to get to read all those good kids books I've been wanting to read.
2) I already own some of the books. One of the best things about being an English major is the fact that you can read the same novel in more than one class. I've read several books more than once and I've learned that if there's a book that's particularly defining of a generation, I should hold on to it, because I'll probably read it again. This is great because it cuts down on my homework time and the cost of my books. Plus I usually have already written a paper on the book which I can just revisit and use as the basis for another paper.
3) My number one favorite thing though is the cost per book. While most of my friends spend over $100 for a single text book, I get to buy 25-30 books for about $10-15 per book (and cheaper if I can get it off Amazon or used). When I walk out of the bookstore it's with a full backpack (or 2 if I can enlist someone to go with me) and a happy heart. Sure sometimes I get a little overwhelmed looking at the sheer number of pages I have to read in the next four months (and even more overwhelmed when I think about the number of pages I have to read besides thos books--research for papers, online supplementary material, etc), but mostly I'm happy. I'd rather be reading any day.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
This book is one of those that people will always recommend to you. Since I tend to avoid reading reviews before I read a book (so that I can read it with an open mind and not looking for the flaws other people have seen) all I knew was that this was a "must read." From the title I assumed that it would be the desperate love story of two people who discover their love during a huge cholera epidemic (spoiler warning: It isn't). Instead, it's a beautiful tale of two people's lives as they live their lives after an adolescent love affair.
The thing I loved the most about the book is the maturity of all of it. Marquez approaches their lives with a realistic look at what happens. I don't want to say too much about what actually happens in the book because I don't want to ruin it for anyone because there are some things that happen that will surprise you. All I have to say is that as the novel came to a close I was rooting against the "happy ending." Not that I wanted the characters to lead loney, miserable lives, but because I wanted the man in the novel to accept the woman's initial decision. I didn't want him to win.
(As a side note you should probably know that I don't generally approve of people wasting away their lives in pursuit of someone who has rejected them... move on already and find a life of your own! It will make you much more attractive to that person and you'll be happier yourself.)
The thing I loved the most about the book is the maturity of all of it. Marquez approaches their lives with a realistic look at what happens. I don't want to say too much about what actually happens in the book because I don't want to ruin it for anyone because there are some things that happen that will surprise you. All I have to say is that as the novel came to a close I was rooting against the "happy ending." Not that I wanted the characters to lead loney, miserable lives, but because I wanted the man in the novel to accept the woman's initial decision. I didn't want him to win.
(As a side note you should probably know that I don't generally approve of people wasting away their lives in pursuit of someone who has rejected them... move on already and find a life of your own! It will make you much more attractive to that person and you'll be happier yourself.)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Best. Book. Ever.
Okay, so maybe that's taking it a little far, but it's definitely the best book I've read this summer. By the time I finished it I felt like I was saying good-bye to a dear friend; and really, isn't that the point of a good book? Even more impressive than the fact that she drew me in so well is the fact that it's her memoirs. It's not a fictional story (although I'm sure some parts are fabricated and for sure all the names are changed), so she doesn't have the ability to make up different things and incorporate lots of foreshadowing and symbols.
I loved how this book made me laugh out loud at times, and made me think deeply about my life at other times. I loved her descriptions of the food she ate, the people she met, and the life she lived.
This book is a very spiritual book, but not in a religious sort of way. Regardless of what your religious beliefs are, you can identify with her search for peace and balance. It definitely made me think about my own beliefs and if I was really living in line with what I believed. There are so many great passages in there that really make you stop and think about how beautiful it is that we live in a country where someone can go on a journey like she went on and still be accepted by her friends and family.
Okay, so maybe that's taking it a little far, but it's definitely the best book I've read this summer. By the time I finished it I felt like I was saying good-bye to a dear friend; and really, isn't that the point of a good book? Even more impressive than the fact that she drew me in so well is the fact that it's her memoirs. It's not a fictional story (although I'm sure some parts are fabricated and for sure all the names are changed), so she doesn't have the ability to make up different things and incorporate lots of foreshadowing and symbols.
I loved how this book made me laugh out loud at times, and made me think deeply about my life at other times. I loved her descriptions of the food she ate, the people she met, and the life she lived.
This book is a very spiritual book, but not in a religious sort of way. Regardless of what your religious beliefs are, you can identify with her search for peace and balance. It definitely made me think about my own beliefs and if I was really living in line with what I believed. There are so many great passages in there that really make you stop and think about how beautiful it is that we live in a country where someone can go on a journey like she went on and still be accepted by her friends and family.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
Here's the problem with setting a goal to read every book on some list. You'll inevitably end up reading some book you know you're going to hate. This play is a great case in point. In my Modern English Literature (English as in from England and her former colonies) class we had to read a bunch of stuff by Samuel Beckett because my teacher was in love with him. It was then that I discovered that I really REALLY don't love experimental/modernist theater. I like my plays to have a story-line that involves action and something actually happening. Samuel Beckett's plays are hopeless and--to me at least--completely pointless.
His characters repeat their lives day after day and they're always in some post-apocolyptical situation where the world as we know it has ended and life is awful. I'm sorry, but I just don't ever see life getting that bad.
So anyways, moral of the story is: Unless you really like modern/experimental drama, don't read Samuel Beckett...
His characters repeat their lives day after day and they're always in some post-apocolyptical situation where the world as we know it has ended and life is awful. I'm sorry, but I just don't ever see life getting that bad.
So anyways, moral of the story is: Unless you really like modern/experimental drama, don't read Samuel Beckett...
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
I finally finished this book!! It took me a couple weeks, but I finally did it. It's a good book, but if you're going to read it, be sure to read it when you won't have to rush through it. It's overwhelming... and slow. I know for sure that it's one I'll have to read later to really understand. I read it when I was shellshocked from the wedding and had a major cold.
This is the author's debut novel, and for a debut it's amazing. I'm excited to read his work later on and see what he develops into. I just feel like it was such a big, slow moving novel, that I had to speed read to get into it, and by speed reading I lost a lot of the depth. In a few months or a year I'll go back and read it when I can take my time going through it. For now though, I'm just excited to get into something a little shorter.
This is the author's debut novel, and for a debut it's amazing. I'm excited to read his work later on and see what he develops into. I just feel like it was such a big, slow moving novel, that I had to speed read to get into it, and by speed reading I lost a lot of the depth. In a few months or a year I'll go back and read it when I can take my time going through it. For now though, I'm just excited to get into something a little shorter.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Home by Marilynne Robinson
Regardless of whether or not you took my suggestion to read Gilead, you should read this novel. It's a companion novel to Gilead meaning that the two books cover the same time period, just from different points of view. While Gilead comes from the point of view of Reverand Ames, this novel comes from Glory's (his friend Boughten's daughter) point of view. You can't help but love Jack after reading this book.
This novel gives a much kinder portrait of Jack the "good for nothing" son of Boughten. Ames's view appears to be very sceptical and makes you distrust everything Jack does, but after reading Home, Ames actually appears to be the one who needs help. Ames appears unable to forget the past and constantly wants to remind Jack of his unglorious past.
Although this book is worth reading by itself, I whole heartedly recommend reading both Home and Gilead. Together they create a beautiful story about how different a person can be depending on who you talk to. Now connect that to your life. How often do you let one person's opinion of another person color your first impression of them?
This novel gives a much kinder portrait of Jack the "good for nothing" son of Boughten. Ames's view appears to be very sceptical and makes you distrust everything Jack does, but after reading Home, Ames actually appears to be the one who needs help. Ames appears unable to forget the past and constantly wants to remind Jack of his unglorious past.
Although this book is worth reading by itself, I whole heartedly recommend reading both Home and Gilead. Together they create a beautiful story about how different a person can be depending on who you talk to. Now connect that to your life. How often do you let one person's opinion of another person color your first impression of them?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Things I Love
This isn't exactly about books, but then again, I haven't been reading a whole lot. With all the wedding planning craziness that's going on, I haven't had time (which is actually just a bad way of saying that I've been watching too much TV since school got out). But anyways, here are a few things that have made me really happy this summer!
1. Google Books- You can't beat a website that will let you access some books for free. I was looking at the Amazon Kindle the other day and lamenting over its $359 price tag and the fact that most of the books are at least $10 when I realized that I have my own semi-Kindle that I can use for free... enter Google Books. Sure they don't have everything, but if the book you're looking for is over 50 years old (which is when copyrights expire) there's a good chance they have it on there. On Sunday I was over at Andy's apartment wishing I had brought my copy of Jesus the Christ (which I am determined to finish this summer!!) with me and I found it full text on Google Books!! I was a happy camper for the rest of the day.
2. Living Across from a Library- I really don't think you can get a better location than that. I can go check books out in the afternoon after work and take them back in the morning on my way to work. I love being so close to such a beautiful building that does so much for the city. And although I love it now, I'll love it even more in January when I lose my check-out privileges at the BYU library. And I'll love it in January when I can get books without having to drive in the snow or walk several blocks with a load of books.
3. Anthologies- Now that we're into the final countdown for the wedding I've been trying to decide what book to take with me on our honeymoon (yes, I'm taking a book... what else am I supposed to do while lounging by the pool and trying to get tan?). My biggest fear is, what if I finish the book I take befre the end of the cruise? Between the time we have on the plane and in airports and just the down time we'll have on the cruise, this is a very real fear for me. Luckily... I've acquired a couple anthologies over the years. My favorite one being The Wizard of Oz series. I have all 15 books by L. Frank Baum (his nephew took over the series after Baum died and those ones are just awful... don't read them) in one anthology and I've never actually gotten through them. So I'm seriously contemplating taking that with me (other contenders are anything from the College Board reading list and the various other books I have that I haven't read yet).
4. Goodreads.com- Yes, this is a blatant plug for this website (if you're on it and we're not friends yet, then we should probably become friends). I absolutely love it! It's so nice to be able to arrange a list of all the books you want to read (and now they have a "Find books on Amazon" option so you can buy them!) and see all the books you've read already. It's also fun to see what other people are reading. I've heard about a lot of great books this way! Although I think this website is great for anyone who enjoys reading... it's especially great for people like me who love to make lists and cross things off. I love looking at my list of books to read and making a goal to read X number of books by the end of the summer. So whether you love making lists or you'd just like to find somewhere to search for great new books, you should definitely check out this website!
5. The Provo City Library Booklists- Whatever librarian came up with this is genius. They have a whole bunch of lists of different books to read. There are children's book lists, teen book lists and adult book lists. They have lists for the most popular books each summer and lists of what books to read after you've read a particular book. They have everything. (Have you noticed that I have a love affair with the Provo City Library and lists?) If you don't want to get involved in Goodreads (or even if you do) this is a great place to look for a book to read.
So there you have it. A few of my favorite things related to reading. If you have any other great places let me know!
1. Google Books- You can't beat a website that will let you access some books for free. I was looking at the Amazon Kindle the other day and lamenting over its $359 price tag and the fact that most of the books are at least $10 when I realized that I have my own semi-Kindle that I can use for free... enter Google Books. Sure they don't have everything, but if the book you're looking for is over 50 years old (which is when copyrights expire) there's a good chance they have it on there. On Sunday I was over at Andy's apartment wishing I had brought my copy of Jesus the Christ (which I am determined to finish this summer!!) with me and I found it full text on Google Books!! I was a happy camper for the rest of the day.
2. Living Across from a Library- I really don't think you can get a better location than that. I can go check books out in the afternoon after work and take them back in the morning on my way to work. I love being so close to such a beautiful building that does so much for the city. And although I love it now, I'll love it even more in January when I lose my check-out privileges at the BYU library. And I'll love it in January when I can get books without having to drive in the snow or walk several blocks with a load of books.
3. Anthologies- Now that we're into the final countdown for the wedding I've been trying to decide what book to take with me on our honeymoon (yes, I'm taking a book... what else am I supposed to do while lounging by the pool and trying to get tan?). My biggest fear is, what if I finish the book I take befre the end of the cruise? Between the time we have on the plane and in airports and just the down time we'll have on the cruise, this is a very real fear for me. Luckily... I've acquired a couple anthologies over the years. My favorite one being The Wizard of Oz series. I have all 15 books by L. Frank Baum (his nephew took over the series after Baum died and those ones are just awful... don't read them) in one anthology and I've never actually gotten through them. So I'm seriously contemplating taking that with me (other contenders are anything from the College Board reading list and the various other books I have that I haven't read yet).
4. Goodreads.com- Yes, this is a blatant plug for this website (if you're on it and we're not friends yet, then we should probably become friends). I absolutely love it! It's so nice to be able to arrange a list of all the books you want to read (and now they have a "Find books on Amazon" option so you can buy them!) and see all the books you've read already. It's also fun to see what other people are reading. I've heard about a lot of great books this way! Although I think this website is great for anyone who enjoys reading... it's especially great for people like me who love to make lists and cross things off. I love looking at my list of books to read and making a goal to read X number of books by the end of the summer. So whether you love making lists or you'd just like to find somewhere to search for great new books, you should definitely check out this website!
5. The Provo City Library Booklists- Whatever librarian came up with this is genius. They have a whole bunch of lists of different books to read. There are children's book lists, teen book lists and adult book lists. They have lists for the most popular books each summer and lists of what books to read after you've read a particular book. They have everything. (Have you noticed that I have a love affair with the Provo City Library and lists?) If you don't want to get involved in Goodreads (or even if you do) this is a great place to look for a book to read.
So there you have it. A few of my favorite things related to reading. If you have any other great places let me know!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Death in the Family by James Agee
Imagine this: you're a young child (around six or seven), you've just gotten a really cool new hat and toy that you can't wait to show your dad who's coming home late that night because he has to go visit his father who might be dying. The next morning you wake up to find out that Daddy isn't coming home again... ever... because he died in a car accident the night before.
That's the premise of this story, and it was set in the early 1900's. Written in absolutely beautiful prose, James Agee has skillfully crafted a story that truly will last through the ages. He focuses so much on the emotions and human interactions during this awful trying time, that you notice very few discrepencies between this time period and the one the novel is set in. Sure there are a few people who still are using horses as transportation and the clothes are a little different, but in the big picture, this story is about any family who loses their father at a young age.
Reading the story I didn't know what was more heartrending, the portions told from the child's point of view or the mom's point of view. I can't imagine losing my father and never really knowing him as I grew up, but I also can't imagine losing my husband at the age of 36. Agee tells such a convincing story that your heart breaks for either person.
One of the most beautiful parts of the book is the mother's faith. Maybe it's just because I believe so strongly in a God and an afterlife, I could relate to her. She was absolutely trusting in God and even when everyone around her was losing their faith, she kept on believing and praying. And I have to say, it takes a lot of courage to tell your children that their Daddy is gone up to Heaven because God needed him. How do you tell that to them and expect them to continue to believe in God?
It's a quick read, so if you're looking for a good book definitely pick this up.
That's the premise of this story, and it was set in the early 1900's. Written in absolutely beautiful prose, James Agee has skillfully crafted a story that truly will last through the ages. He focuses so much on the emotions and human interactions during this awful trying time, that you notice very few discrepencies between this time period and the one the novel is set in. Sure there are a few people who still are using horses as transportation and the clothes are a little different, but in the big picture, this story is about any family who loses their father at a young age.
Reading the story I didn't know what was more heartrending, the portions told from the child's point of view or the mom's point of view. I can't imagine losing my father and never really knowing him as I grew up, but I also can't imagine losing my husband at the age of 36. Agee tells such a convincing story that your heart breaks for either person.
One of the most beautiful parts of the book is the mother's faith. Maybe it's just because I believe so strongly in a God and an afterlife, I could relate to her. She was absolutely trusting in God and even when everyone around her was losing their faith, she kept on believing and praying. And I have to say, it takes a lot of courage to tell your children that their Daddy is gone up to Heaven because God needed him. How do you tell that to them and expect them to continue to believe in God?
It's a quick read, so if you're looking for a good book definitely pick this up.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
The Second Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Note to self [and all others out there]: Do not EVER read more than one book by Kipling at a time. Unless you find yourself so immersed so immersed in the first book that you just have to read another, just stop, read a book by a different author, and THEN go back to Kipling.
I tend to have this thing where I like to read a bunch of books by one author at a time so that I can get a better sense of their writing style. I did it with Margaret Atwood and loved it, but apparently Kipling is not one of those authors I can do that with.
The Second Jungle Book is a lot like the first. Stories of human/animal interactions. Maybe it's just that I'm already out of the English class "let's analyze everything" mode, but I had a hard time making any connections between the stories. However, there are more stories about Mowgli. None of them are in the movie though.
So now, after learning that me and Kipling do not get along, I'm off to bigger and better things! My summer reading goal is to finish off the College Board Suggested Reading List (which you can find right here). I've read some of these books already, so now I just have to finish off the 80 or so that are left. There's zero chance of me actually finishing the list this summer, but I'm going to try. I'll have lots of time for reading on our cruise and on the drive to and from Kansas, so we'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll convince Andy that we should get a couple of them on CD (if the library has them) and listen to them on the drive out.
But anyways, join me on my reading quest if you'd like or start one of your own. I promise... it will be worth your while.
I tend to have this thing where I like to read a bunch of books by one author at a time so that I can get a better sense of their writing style. I did it with Margaret Atwood and loved it, but apparently Kipling is not one of those authors I can do that with.
The Second Jungle Book is a lot like the first. Stories of human/animal interactions. Maybe it's just that I'm already out of the English class "let's analyze everything" mode, but I had a hard time making any connections between the stories. However, there are more stories about Mowgli. None of them are in the movie though.
So now, after learning that me and Kipling do not get along, I'm off to bigger and better things! My summer reading goal is to finish off the College Board Suggested Reading List (which you can find right here). I've read some of these books already, so now I just have to finish off the 80 or so that are left. There's zero chance of me actually finishing the list this summer, but I'm going to try. I'll have lots of time for reading on our cruise and on the drive to and from Kansas, so we'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll convince Andy that we should get a couple of them on CD (if the library has them) and listen to them on the drive out.
But anyways, join me on my reading quest if you'd like or start one of your own. I promise... it will be worth your while.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Dear Mr. Kipling,
I would just like to apologize on behalf of present humanity for what Disney did for your book. Like most people I grew up watching the Disney version of The Jungle Book. I loved it. I loved the animals that could talk, and their crazy antics throughout the jungle. All this belongs to your book. I finally read your book after 21 years of watching the movie. They are NOT the same. I'm not saying that one is better or worse than the other, they're just different.
I expected the book to be a longer version of the movie. More stories about Mowgli and his friends. More adventures throughout the jungle. Instead, I got three chapters about Mowgli, and then a collection of short stories about various animal/human interactions. I felt lost and confused. Disney has once again let me down. I don't know why I keep trusting them to tell the story as the author(s) intended. Most of the time, when I read a book that Disney based their movie on, I just get disappointed. Like with Alice and Wonderland (see my post from last summer about that one).
I wish you were still alive to sue Disney for what they've done to your book. They've raised several generations believing that The Jungle Book follows one story, when really... it's so much more.
I would just like to apologize on behalf of present humanity for what Disney did for your book. Like most people I grew up watching the Disney version of The Jungle Book. I loved it. I loved the animals that could talk, and their crazy antics throughout the jungle. All this belongs to your book. I finally read your book after 21 years of watching the movie. They are NOT the same. I'm not saying that one is better or worse than the other, they're just different.
I expected the book to be a longer version of the movie. More stories about Mowgli and his friends. More adventures throughout the jungle. Instead, I got three chapters about Mowgli, and then a collection of short stories about various animal/human interactions. I felt lost and confused. Disney has once again let me down. I don't know why I keep trusting them to tell the story as the author(s) intended. Most of the time, when I read a book that Disney based their movie on, I just get disappointed. Like with Alice and Wonderland (see my post from last summer about that one).
I wish you were still alive to sue Disney for what they've done to your book. They've raised several generations believing that The Jungle Book follows one story, when really... it's so much more.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
End of One Thing, Start of Something Better
Well, the semester is finally coming to a close. I've taken 2 out of 5 finals, and can't wait to finish the rest!! This has been an interesting semester for me in terms of reading. I had my first English class where the professor was so bad that I never wanted to go to class (never take a class from Dr. Harris... luckily she's retiring after next year!) and read a lot of disturbing literature (see the post below about Native Son for an example). However, I've also had some great experiences. My other English classes have been phenomenal, and I've decided that if I ever decide to pursue a Master's in English, I'll definitely specialize in Modern and Post-Modern American literature. Going into the English major I thought I would focus my time on Romantic Era English literature... turns out that I hate the majority of it, and the only thing that makes the time period bearable is Jane Austen (who I love and adore).
However, now I'm off to something bigger and better... THE SUMMER!! (I bet you all thought I was going to say "married life." Well that's a part of the summer that I'm very excited for, but I'm equally excited for a chance to read a lot of great books and hopefully see this country come out of a recession so that I can get a job at a library!! Also, Andy and I are going to be living across the street from the Provo City Library which means it will be much easier for me to get involved on some level at the things that go on there... and just be able to check out books and movies there. I foresee Andy and I watching a lot of the old classic movies because we can rent them for free from the library.
And most importantly, I've started my summer reading. Right now my Goodreads "to read" list has 130 books on it, so we'll see how far I get this summer. Even if I read a book every single day I won't finish up my reading list, so my goal is just to see how much of a dent I can make in it. I've decided to start things off easy though and right now I'm in the middle of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. I bought a collection of his stories, so for the first month or so I'll be reading a lot of him. So give me a week or so and you'll get your post about my musings on that.
However, now I'm off to something bigger and better... THE SUMMER!! (I bet you all thought I was going to say "married life." Well that's a part of the summer that I'm very excited for, but I'm equally excited for a chance to read a lot of great books and hopefully see this country come out of a recession so that I can get a job at a library!! Also, Andy and I are going to be living across the street from the Provo City Library which means it will be much easier for me to get involved on some level at the things that go on there... and just be able to check out books and movies there. I foresee Andy and I watching a lot of the old classic movies because we can rent them for free from the library.
And most importantly, I've started my summer reading. Right now my Goodreads "to read" list has 130 books on it, so we'll see how far I get this summer. Even if I read a book every single day I won't finish up my reading list, so my goal is just to see how much of a dent I can make in it. I've decided to start things off easy though and right now I'm in the middle of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. I bought a collection of his stories, so for the first month or so I'll be reading a lot of him. So give me a week or so and you'll get your post about my musings on that.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Native Son by Wright
Sometimes I think it's so unfair that a book that I have every intention of hating turns out to be really good. Case in point Native Son. It was written in the 1930s as a protest novel to the treatment of African Americans and the author said he wrote it to make you feel it in your gut. He didn't want to write a book that bankers' daughters could read, cry over, and then go to lunch. He wanted something that would change people's lives.
And this book did. I can't say too much about it without giving everything away, but if you don't like blood and violence you shouldn't read this book. I had to read it in the library because I refused to associate it with my apartment because I would never be able to sleep again if I did (luckily my professor had warned us that it was graphic and would cause nightmares). So I was dead set on hating it after reading the first 2 sections. The main character just made me so angry and I did not like him at all and I felt no sympathy for him whatsoever. But then I read the last section, and everything changed. Sure I didn't like the guy a whole lot, but I came to understand him a lot more.
And even though this book was written to protest the treatment of African Americans so many decades ago, I couldn't help but think about how it still applies. How each of us contributes to the creation of another person (not in the parent/procreative aspect, but in shaping a person's beliefs and attitudes). Every interaction we have with a person affects the rest of their life. If we continually treat someone poorly they will remember it. Even if its just the guy that gives us our food at McDonalds, our treatment of him affects him. You cannot have an interaction with someone without it affecting their life. So give that a thought. The next time you're in a bad mood and don't want to talk to the guy next to you on the bus, or in the elevator with you, just think about what you want to be accountable for... and try to make that person's day a little better.
And this book did. I can't say too much about it without giving everything away, but if you don't like blood and violence you shouldn't read this book. I had to read it in the library because I refused to associate it with my apartment because I would never be able to sleep again if I did (luckily my professor had warned us that it was graphic and would cause nightmares). So I was dead set on hating it after reading the first 2 sections. The main character just made me so angry and I did not like him at all and I felt no sympathy for him whatsoever. But then I read the last section, and everything changed. Sure I didn't like the guy a whole lot, but I came to understand him a lot more.
And even though this book was written to protest the treatment of African Americans so many decades ago, I couldn't help but think about how it still applies. How each of us contributes to the creation of another person (not in the parent/procreative aspect, but in shaping a person's beliefs and attitudes). Every interaction we have with a person affects the rest of their life. If we continually treat someone poorly they will remember it. Even if its just the guy that gives us our food at McDonalds, our treatment of him affects him. You cannot have an interaction with someone without it affecting their life. So give that a thought. The next time you're in a bad mood and don't want to talk to the guy next to you on the bus, or in the elevator with you, just think about what you want to be accountable for... and try to make that person's day a little better.
Friday, February 27, 2009
It's Killing Me...
So since and including Christmas I've gotten about ten new novels and I haven't had time to read ANY of them. Every night I look longingly at my bookshelf and think about how badly I want to read one of them and not have to think about what I'm going to say in class about it the next day. I love school, but I really love the summer when I can just read to my heart's content. Even though I'm so happy that I'm getting married this summer and that Andy isn't going to be doing EFY I really loved all the time I had last summer to just read and delve into books again.
Growing up I was always reading... sometimes a book or two a day during the summer. Sure I had friends, but I tended to ignore them during the summer in favor of my books. Then summer after graduation I quit reading. I spent all summer playing with my friends from work and doing absolutely nothing. Then the summer after freshman year I spent playing with my roommates and the people in my ward. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but I really loved last summer and connecting with myself again and realizing why it is that I want to be a librarian. I love books. I love how they teach you so many things and take you out of the world for a little bit. One of the books I read for class described it perfectly. Reading is a little piece of paradise to help you deal with the awful reality of life (or something like that). Ever since school started I've missed my time with my books, but with 100+ pages to read every night, it's not like I can really do a whole lot of reading besides that. Oh well... only 7 more weeks of classes and then it's back to my books!! I'm so excited!!!!
Growing up I was always reading... sometimes a book or two a day during the summer. Sure I had friends, but I tended to ignore them during the summer in favor of my books. Then summer after graduation I quit reading. I spent all summer playing with my friends from work and doing absolutely nothing. Then the summer after freshman year I spent playing with my roommates and the people in my ward. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but I really loved last summer and connecting with myself again and realizing why it is that I want to be a librarian. I love books. I love how they teach you so many things and take you out of the world for a little bit. One of the books I read for class described it perfectly. Reading is a little piece of paradise to help you deal with the awful reality of life (or something like that). Ever since school started I've missed my time with my books, but with 100+ pages to read every night, it's not like I can really do a whole lot of reading besides that. Oh well... only 7 more weeks of classes and then it's back to my books!! I'm so excited!!!!
Monday, February 16, 2009
How Many Have You Read?
"The BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here... which is pretty darn sad!
Instructions:
1) Look at the list and put an 'X' after those you have read.
2) Add a '+' to the ones you LOVE.
3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.
4) Tally your total at the bottom.
5) Tag the friends you want to fill this out (including the person who tagged you.)
- - - - -
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X+
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X+
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling X
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X
6 The Bible X
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman X+
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott X+
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy*
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare *
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier X+
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger X+
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot*
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell X
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald X
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy *
25 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams *
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky *
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck *
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame *
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy *
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X+
34 Emma - Jane Austen X
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen X
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini X
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden X+
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell X
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez *
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery X
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood X+
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan*
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel *
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen X
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens *
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley X
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon *
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez *
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck *
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov *
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold X
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas *
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville X
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens *
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X+
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce *
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath *
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray X
80 Possession - AS Byatt *
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens X
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker *
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert *
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White X
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom X
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle *
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad X
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery *
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas *
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare X
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo *
Have read: 41
Will read: at least 27
So what about you? How many have you read?
Instructions:
1) Look at the list and put an 'X' after those you have read.
2) Add a '+' to the ones you LOVE.
3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.
4) Tally your total at the bottom.
5) Tag the friends you want to fill this out (including the person who tagged you.)
- - - - -
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X+
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X+
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling X
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X
6 The Bible X
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman X+
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott X+
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy*
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare *
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier X+
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger X+
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot*
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell X
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald X
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy *
25 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams *
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky *
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck *
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame *
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy *
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X+
34 Emma - Jane Austen X
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen X
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini X
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden X+
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell X
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez *
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery X
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood X+
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan*
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel *
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen X
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens *
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley X
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon *
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez *
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck *
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov *
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold X
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas *
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville X
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens *
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X+
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce *
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath *
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray X
80 Possession - AS Byatt *
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens X
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker *
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert *
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White X
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom X
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle *
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad X
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery *
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas *
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare X
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo *
Have read: 41
Will read: at least 27
So what about you? How many have you read?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Sometimes I forget how great it is to be an American. Lately though, there have been a couple things that have made me remember: President Obama's innagural address and this book. I loved Obama's speech because he has so much conviction and so much hope for our country. But at the same time he didn't sugarcoat the fact that we as Americans have a lot to do to make our country great.
This book though, made me grateful for a whole other reason. I can't imagine growing up or living in a country where I can't wear makeup, nail polish, or bright colors because of a fear that I might be thrown into jail for being too suggestive. I can't imagine being told that I could not spend any time unaccompanied with a man who is not my husband or a relative. Yet that's reality for so many women in the world. It really does make me grateful to realize all the things I can do because of where I grew up. I'm currently a senior in college and I have realistic dreams about getting a Masters in Library Science and working in a library one day. I'm getting to a man who I love and who loves me. I'm able to travel where I want and when I want (as time and money permit). I have so few restrictions compared to so many women in the world today.
But this book is about so much more than one woman in Iran. It's about the power of literature in our lives. It's a great essay on why we need to read things that make us uncomfortable. We actually talked a lot about this in class today. Mormon culture especially is so afraid of anything that may challenge our faith. There are so many student protestations against books because they contain something kind of racy. Yes I know that there are some books that are purely designed to stimulate our sexual appetites (harlequin romance novels) and have no literary value(the entire Twilight series), but there is so much out there that has good literary value and will leave you with a more concrete determination to do better, and to be better yourself. You just have to have the guts to read it.
This book though, made me grateful for a whole other reason. I can't imagine growing up or living in a country where I can't wear makeup, nail polish, or bright colors because of a fear that I might be thrown into jail for being too suggestive. I can't imagine being told that I could not spend any time unaccompanied with a man who is not my husband or a relative. Yet that's reality for so many women in the world. It really does make me grateful to realize all the things I can do because of where I grew up. I'm currently a senior in college and I have realistic dreams about getting a Masters in Library Science and working in a library one day. I'm getting to a man who I love and who loves me. I'm able to travel where I want and when I want (as time and money permit). I have so few restrictions compared to so many women in the world today.
But this book is about so much more than one woman in Iran. It's about the power of literature in our lives. It's a great essay on why we need to read things that make us uncomfortable. We actually talked a lot about this in class today. Mormon culture especially is so afraid of anything that may challenge our faith. There are so many student protestations against books because they contain something kind of racy. Yes I know that there are some books that are purely designed to stimulate our sexual appetites (harlequin romance novels) and have no literary value(the entire Twilight series), but there is so much out there that has good literary value and will leave you with a more concrete determination to do better, and to be better yourself. You just have to have the guts to read it.
Monday, February 2, 2009
I have a Love/Hate relationship with Edith Wharton...
... and most other early 20th century authors. They write such amazingly compelling literature that I can't help but want to scream at their treatment of women. I mean really? Saying that you can't wait to guide your new bride through your carefully selected library of appropriate books just seems ridiculous to me.
However, it's this anger that fuels the world to change, and really how much can we say it's changed in modern culture. Especially at BYU. I don't know many times I've heard (from both guys and girls) that they wish girls wouldn't apply to certain programs that are rather competitive here at BYU just because "they're just going to get married and stay at home with kids." Or how many times have we had Sunday School/Relief Society lessons on how girls need to dress more conservatively and watch how they behave around men because they could inadvertantly be "walking pornography." Basically, how many times do we as women hear in our day-to-day lives something that is really quite sexist?
However, it's this anger that fuels the world to change, and really how much can we say it's changed in modern culture. Especially at BYU. I don't know many times I've heard (from both guys and girls) that they wish girls wouldn't apply to certain programs that are rather competitive here at BYU just because "they're just going to get married and stay at home with kids." Or how many times have we had Sunday School/Relief Society lessons on how girls need to dress more conservatively and watch how they behave around men because they could inadvertantly be "walking pornography." Basically, how many times do we as women hear in our day-to-day lives something that is really quite sexist?
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