Books, Books, and More Books!

Every Christmas break I tell myself, "I am going to read books for fun," and before I know it, break is over and I have not picked up a single volume.  Nothing takes the joy out of reading like being told you have too, sad truth of human nature.  But, this last Christmas I did it!  I read all of these...

I concluded this AWESOME series (books 4-7), and I am super excited for J.K Rowling's new volume coming out this summer!

A very interesting modern fairy tale.  I had seen the movie first so I already knew the basic plot-line, but the book has a lot more depth and details (as they usually do!).

These stories were just plain fun, and a bit odd.  I find most folk tales are a bit on the strange side, no matter what part of the globe they hail from. 

Tea and murder, how could I resist?

The dud of my reading list.  Amazon kept telling me I would like the movie, so I decided to read the book first (a habit I am trying to get back to).  It was extremely depressing.  Imagine everything tragic and unsavory (and I mean EVERYTHING) that can happen to a modern teenager, and it happens to our main character or someone he knows.  Sorry Amazon, not my style.

Since Christmas break I have discovered a new favorite author, Truman Capote,

 

and I am currently starting my Spring break with this bad boy...or girl... or thing.

"It is a truth universally acknowledge that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains."

Ahhhhhhhh, free time is such a luxury.  :)  Happy reading!

The Good Earth

Out of Africa

A Town Like Alice

Farewell, Jane

Today, The Harold B. Pricklepants Society finished up Jane Eyre.  WHAT A GREAT READ!!!!   I'm so sad to see it end.

I first discovered this book at about age 10.  During one of our many moves, a box of books mistakenly landed in my room.  Like a treasure hunter unearthing a decrepit chest, I lifted the dusty lid and found a true gem:  Jane.  Since that initial meeting, I have read and re-read this book throughout many different "seasons" of life.  I never tire of the tale! 

As for filmed adaptations, I choose the Timothy Dalton version despite the "handsomeness" factor (which Rochester sorely lacks and Dalton overflows).  I can use my imagination when an "ugly" reference enters the dialog.  ;)  

The HBP Society will be taking a little break (for vacation -- HOORAY!).  In three weeks time (on 2/12) we will be reconvening to discuss The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie (Andrews) Edwards -- yes, Mary Poppins.  Rachel loves this book and enthusiastically lobbied for it!  I have a copy to tuck into my carry-on baggage.  I love to read away the time on a long flight.  

So, until then . . . Happy Reading!  :D

Another Splendid Read . . .

What To Read Next? Pride and Prejudice!

 

"O Brave New World . . ."

“O, wonder!

How many goodly creatures are there here!

How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,

That has such people in't!

                   -Miranda from Shakespeare’s The Tempest

          I shudder when I read Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Not because of how inhumane, mechanical, and extraordinary the future world of Huxley’s portrays, but how merely eighty-two years later Huxley’s fictional future does not seem so farfetched.  The other day I was perusing around facebook when I stumbled upon these . . .  

          I felt a chill creep up and down my spine.  The scene from Brave New World where John Savage tries to rally a group consisting of dozens of identical faces flashed through my mind.  Bred in bottles to perform mundane tasks these unquestioning people stand puzzled as John begs them to turn against the life they have always known.  John entreats them to turn away from the drugs, sex, a thoughtless and godless existence, but when he starts throwing their precious soma, their drug holidays, out the window a riot ensues.  Individualism creates chaos.  Thinking is dangerous.  Questioning is treacherous. 

          I stop and ask myself, how often do I parrot or pass on what someone else has said to save time?  Do I avoid the inconvenience of forming my own words and ideas?  Do I rely on authorities instead of God?  Would I give up freedom for security?  Do I follow the crowd?  I pray my answer is no.  But I must admit; being different, swimming upstream, taking the road less traveled, it can be very tiring.  Would I change my choices?  Looking back over decisions I have made I do wish I could go back and change some of them.  But each of those choices has shaped me into who I am; the good choices, and the bad ones.  Would I want some person who “knows better” to make all my decisions?  Would I give up faith for facts?  No!  I can learn from my mistakes, I can overcome struggles.  I can handle pain, loss, and disappointment.  Because giving up all that unpleasantness would mean giving up all their counterparts too; love, joy, happiness, faith, and hope.  I am imperfect, but I have free will.  I make mistakes, but I learn.  I am uncertain, but I have faith.  I am an individual.                    

Where Has the Time Gone?

          Oh my, has it really been that long?  I am afraid my neglect has partially been due to blogger issues.  When I previously tried to change the side lists to properly reflect what we were reading it would not let me.  But things seem to be working again, so now I can get things up to date!

          We finished up Huck Finn, it was quite the trip.  Traveling down the Mississippi via raft can lead to many scrapes, close calls, and crazy adventures.  After concluding that book, we deviated from reading just one novel and opted for several short stories by Ernest Hemingway, and also several by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Two incredible writers with drastically different styles, yet their choice of death, tragedy, and sadness as favorite topics made them very compatible reading companions.

          Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame was our lighthearted antidote, but do not be fooled into thinking it is merely a children’s story; in fact, I would argue that Toad is a very poor example and you should warn young readers to beware of the devious amphibian.  Our book club loved the writing style, very proper English, especially compared to the southern-vernacular writing style used by Mark Twain.  At times, we doubted they were speaking English at all!

          As of this week, we finished up A Year in Provence, a memoir by Peter Mayle sharing, as the title so clearly states, about his first year living in France.  A very enjoyable read, but I should warn you not to read this on an empty stomach, for anything and everything seems to center on food and the author kindly shares the sights, smells, and tiny details of countless feasts.  Our next book, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, will take us out of cozy reading into a very different type of literature -- a much deeper, darker kind of literature . . . dun, dun, dun!

         Well, I think that covers everything so far.  I intend to be much more on top of our little literary place in future.   Till next time, keep on reading!