5 posts tagged “good book”
A gentleman:
-notices that a lady's car has a flat tire, and offers to inflate it/check air pressure/check for slow leak for her
Someone who is not a gentleman:
-inquires as to whether we carry "some sort of scifi books about dragons." "Yes, sir, we carry many." "Something kind of erotic." With DRAGONS?! My poor, formerly (somewhat) innocent mind.
It's been that kind of weekend so far. It also appears that one of Aberforth's tires is having issues. "Issues" in the sense of "going forth"; in short, it appears to have a slow leak. Ergo, I shall drag my new Dickens volume down to the tire shop tomorrow and read Bleak House for the first time while having the tire patched or replaced as necessary.
(happy sigh)
While nothing--and I do mean NOTHING--beats the experience of actually browsing a used-book store--I'm willing to settle for the online version when I can get such deals as I have today.
For $35 (and that includes shipping) I have purchased fourteen books. You do the math. Subtract about $10, as I already owned many of these books in paperback and intend to sell them back to the local Half Price Books.
I do not buy books that I will not reread or reference at some point, so I decided a few months ago to go all-hardback whenever possible. If it's a brand-new book that I may not wish to purchase but do want to read, then I'll borrow a copy from my store or go to the library.
All of the books I purchased are hardback, unabridged (duh), and in good condition. Good condition, in the used-book industry, means that while it has been opened a few times, there are no tears, no marks (unless noted, and then it'll be something minor like a name written on the flyleaf), and the binding is tight. I think that some of these may have dust jackets, but I honestly don't care about dust jackets. I'm of the opinion that books usually look better without them.
So, what did I get?
-all seven of the Jane Austen novels. I own at least one in paperback, and will sell it back. I was forced to read Pride and Prejudice at the age of ten or so, and detested it. However, they are classics, and I'm willing to try again with a more mature viewpoint. Besides, being classics, they belong in any library.
-My Name is Asher Lev, The Gift of Asher Lev, The Chosen, and The Promise by Chaim Potok. I own all of these in paperback already (the Asher Levs in trade paper and the others in mass market), and will (of course) resell them. I love all these books and reread them every summer. While The Chosen is probably Potok's most famous book, I've always preferred (slightly) the Lev books.
-Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet, and The Story of the Amulet by Edith Nesbit (usually referred to as E. Nesbit). This edition has the original and marvelous Millar pen-and-ink illustrations. I own all of these in paperback, but can't seem to find the first. (shrug) Again, I'll resell them. Nesbit is rather neglected now, but she was one of the first juvenile fantasy writers. She also was somewhat revolutionary in her day in that she felt that the Edwardian treatment of the poor and non-white was inherently wrong--as it was. She brings this into her books without being at all preachy.
So, off to actually get a bit of housecleaning done before selling some books. Yay!
Book, magazine, catalog, nutritional information, billboard, website, newspaper... What are you currently reading and would you recommend it to others?
I really have no time to read right now. The only reading time I'm getting is over breakfast, or about 10 minutes each morning. I'm currently reading Hans Christian Anderson's fairytales, as annotated by Maria Tatar. Sadly, this is not a complete edition, but it is true to the style, has all the old language and beauty, and is just full of gorgeous word images. Everyone--adults and children--should read these.
Things I should be doing:
a) sleeping
b) homework
c) tidying the house
d) doing laundry
What am I doing?
Composing a list of the ten books that have most influenced/impressed me. Or the most important books (for me) that I've read. Or something along those lines. It's a list that has been brewing in my mind for a while, so maybe if I write it down I can concentrate on other things better! :P I was inspired to do this by a thread on a website that I visit frequently, which asked each person to post the three most influential books of his/her life. I can't possibly list just three, so here are my ten.
This is in no particular order, though I'd say that the Iliad would rank higher on the list than most.
1) Homer's Iliad. Everyone should read this. EVERYONE. Best line: "I have done what no other mortal man has done; I have kissed the hands of the man who killed my son." Graduating from college without reading this (no matter what the degree plan) should be illegal because of how much this book makes you think. It's about refusing to fight a war for the wrong reasons, going into battle for the right reasons, forgiveness, the sorrow and grief caused by war (however just it may/may not be), the importance of philosophy, and so much more.
2) The Time quartet, by Madeleine L'Engle. These books are about doing the right thing (however difficult and frightening), drawing closer to the Divine via the Aquinian idea of beauty+goodness MUST come from the Divine no matter what the apparent source, time/space/dimensional travel, family, the good kind of feminism (women can be both brilliant Nobel-Prize-winning scientists and still be fantastic wives and mothers), the importance of love, and (again) so much more. I reread these about twice a year (usually on school breaks). The best kind of children's book can be genuinely enjoyed by adults and kids more than once.
3) Heart and Hands, by Elizabeth Davis. This is a very entry-level midwifery textbook. Every woman ought to read it for a better understanding of her body, femininity, fertility, women's health overall, etc. It is extremely readable.
4) A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, by Betty Smith. While this is not considered a children's book, I first read it when I was about 12. I didn't understand all of it, but I enjoyed it generally and appreciated it as a whole. Three or four years later, I read it again. I finally bought it and reread it about a two years ago, and I loved it even more. Womanhood, love of books and music, the importance of great books in children's education, growing up/coming of age, poverty, the importance of imagination, delight in small pleasures--all of those are covered. Oh yeah, and it's a REALLY fun read. I've reread it twice in the past two years, and intend to continue.
5) My Name is Asher Lev and The Gift of Asher Lev, both by Chaim Potok. These aren't as well known as Potok's The Chosen, but they spoke more to me. A Jewish Hassidic boy with an incredible and uncanny talent for art (particularly Impressionistic) comes of age (and, in the second, is married and a father to his own children) in New York in a fictionalized Ludivicher (sp?)-style Hassidic community. This is a brilliant book just in the attention to the details of what it is like to grow up in such a community, though that is a sideline in much of the book. The community in which Asher Lev grows up is not one that approves of much of his kind of art (everything from nudes to crucifixions to portraits to impressionistic landscapes/still lifes et all); the less judgmental tend to think of it as a waste of time, while the very critical consider parts of it to be an abomination. Unusually (and this is part of what makes these books great) the Rebbi (the leader of the Hassidic community) is not portrayed as cruel or even unkind. Instead, he is thoughtful in his dealings with Lev; he does not give approval to certain aspects of this art, but he does not judge, either. His concern, as a truly great and wise man, is for the well-being of his community, of which he clearly considers Lev a part. Lev gives (particularly in the second book) excellent (yet gentle) rebuttals to the community: he goes to the childrens' school and, upon being criticized openly by a young child, turns to the board and draws a masterpiece in chalk: a portrait of the Rebbi. Now, to this community, the Rebbi is much like the Pope is to Catholics, but he is (due to the size of the community) more like Peter (first Pope) would have been to the early Christians: closer, and therefore draws God closer to them. Lev explains that by depicting that which is uplifting and good, art can draw us closer to the Divine, and that by depicting evil, one can understand it better (and therefore avoid it). I know that these are technically two books, but they really should both be read if one is read.
6) Shoeless Joe, by W.P. Kinsella. This is the book from which the movie Field of Dreams was based. It is NOT just about baseball. It is about baseball, the love of the game, the "thrill of the grass," following important ideas if they feel right and even if they seem absolutely crazy, dreams coming true, broken hearts being mended, and souls finding peace. Even if you aren't a baseball fan (and I'll admit, I pretty much grew up on stories about the old-time Yankees, the Black Sox, et all) you should read this.
7) Tolkien's The Hobbit. While many people will cite The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a favorite, I think I am one of about five people on this planet who preferred The Hobbit. I find it easier to identify with the main character, I laughed more while reading it, and the imagery/descriptions/scenarios were just beautiful and crystal-clear. Important themes? Well, not so obvious. Perhaps expecting the unexpected, finding hidden depths, not being content with a regular and comfortable placency but instead stretching oneself mentally and physically, etc. (and yes, LOTR fans, I realize that those and more are all in your beloved LOTR. I don't particularly dislike LOTR. I just never enjoyed it the way I did The Hobbit. Chill.)
8) The Blue Castle, by L.M. Montgomery. Montgomery is best known for her Anne of Green Gables series, of course. Personally, I always liked The Blue Castle more than anything else she wrote. It is (I think) still in print, but it is rather unknown, particularly compared to her Anne and Emily books. In short, a girl (Valancy) finds out that she is dying, and is given about a year to live. In her late twenties, she is considered a hopeless spinster by her thoroughly unpleasant family. Upon learning she is dying, she determines to keep that a secret, and to really live life to the fullest. She leaves her mother's house and goes to nurse another girl who is dying of TB. No one else will take care of this other girl because she is considered "bad" after being knocked up, but Valancy discovers a gentle and innocent soul. She uses the money that the girl's father insists on paying her for the nursing and housekeeping to purchase pretty new clothes that she would never have been allowed to wear before. Eventually she marries a rather disreputable man who was kind to the dying girl, and enjoys every minute of the next year. There is a surprise ending, which I shan't post here. I know I've made all this sound very Victorian-novel-y, but this is really a well-written and enjoyable book. I probably identify a lot with the character (no, I'm not going anywhere! :P), but in all honesty anyone who feels pressed down or what-have-you should read this. Very liberating.
9) The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Beauty, magic, mystery; the smell of beautiful flowers and fresh air and rich dirt; the importance of nature in anyone's life. It's all in here. Oh, yes, and a wonderful story, too. This book more than makes up for that nauseating Little Lord Fauntleroy nonsense; in fact, it just stands on it's own as A Good Book.
10) Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. Again, I'd say that every college student should have to read this. Right now, the educational system (at least in this country) is such that few have actually read any of the great books from which great ideas come (I had a speech teacher once who had never read Thomas Paine's Common Sense or Aristotle or Plato or Homer and objected to my referencing them). Most college students could tell you who was on American Idol, and a heck of a lot fewer could tell you the great ideas in the Odyssey or why they are both important and relevant in today's society. Many spot-on quotes, including, "Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year. Cram them so full of noncombustible data, chock them so damn full of "facts" they feel stuffed, but absolutely "brilliant" with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy....So bring on your clubs and parties, your acrobats and magicians, your daredevils, jet cars, motorcycle helicopters, your sex and heroin, more of everything to do with automatic reflex. If the drama is bad, if the film says nothing, if the play is hollow, sting me with the theremin, loudly. I'll think I'm responding to the play, when it's only a tactile response to vibration. But I don't care. I just like solid entertainment." Bradbury's Coda at the end of Farenheit 451 shoul be read by every reader. A brief (okay, relatively) quote: "Some five years back, the editors of yet another anthology for school readers put together a volume with some 400 (count 'em) short stories in it. How do you cram 400 short stories by Twain, Irving, Poe, Maupassant and Bierce into one book? Simplicity itself. Skin, debone, demarrow, scarify, melt, render down and destroy. Every adjective that counted, every verb that moved, every metaphor that weighed more than a mosquito--out! Every simile that would have made a sub-moron's mouth twitch--gone! Any aside that would have explained the two-bit philosophy of a first-rate writer--lost! Every story, slenderized, starved, bluepenciled, leeched and bled white, resembled every other story. Twain read like Poe read like Shakespeare read like Dostoevsky read like--in the finale--Edgar Guest. Every word of more than three syllables had been razored. Every image that demanded so much as one instant's attention--shot dead. Do you begin to get the damned and incredible picture?"
I've intended for some time to send the whole of that Coda to my high school English teachers and the principal of that high school. We were given such readers. Yes, we did read a few, a very few, books in entirety, but so much of what we read was excerpted/shortened/abridged etc. When I hear at work of teachers actually assigning the "Shakespeare Made Easy" series, I want to reach through the phone and strangle them. Books are important. Ideas are important. One asks the student to stretch his mind to encompass new ideas; one doesn't condense and distill the new ideas to fit the student's mind in its present state.
So, that being said, I'm curious about what other people would put on their "Ten Most Influential/Important Books"/"Books That Made Me Who I Am Today" list. This isn't necessarily a "Greatest Books Ever Written" list; it's supposed to be more personalized. Consider this a sort of meme, if you will, and tag at least three people. Carapiccoladiva, katiebell, misskate, themaureencorps, and shewhomustbeobeyed, consider yourselves tagged! :)
Book: In This House of Brede
Author: Rumer Godden
Originally Published In: 1969
Rating: 5 Stars, and two thumbs up!
In This House of Brede is my favorite book by Rumer Godden, and certainly one of my top ten favorite books, period. Most of the novel occurs in Brede Abbey, a cloistered Benedictine convent. Before you roll your eyes, dear reader, I will assure you of one thing: a wishy-washy, namby-pamby milksopilly boring story about nuns (you can't tell that I loathe that genre, can you?) this ain't!
The central character is a woman named Phillippa Talbot who, at the age of 42, discovers a vocation as a Benedictine nun. Phillippa is most unlike the typical youthful and starry-eyed novice (nun-in-training, so to speak): she is quite mature (there is a twenty year age gap between her and the other novices), extremely well-educated ("took a first in languages at Oxford,"), had been the head of a government department at a time when that was rather unusual for a woman (circa late 1940s-early 1950s), had been married, divorced and widowed, and had gone through a wrenching tragedy that most of the other nuns could only imagine.
Sister (later Dame--fully professed Benedictine choir nuns of the time were called Dame) Philippa struggles with various unique (and not so unique) temptations throughout the book. She is never given more than she can handle, and it is interesting to note that her temptations are ones that most of us have gone through at some point. At the beginning of her postulancy, she struggles with her desire for cigarettes; she also learns self-control, humility, willingness and intimacy.
There are many other strong characters throughout the book. Abbess Catherine Ismay is a very human woman who, upon election as Abbess, weeps out of fear and loneliness. Dame Maura, the precentrix, develops innapropriate (yet understandable) feelings for a younger nun; Dame Maura faces this head-on and triumphs over it. Dame Agnes, a particularly strict and learned nun, is jealous of Dame Philippa for her looks, scholarship and renown; yet, after a struggle, that flaw, too, is conquered.
In short, In This House of Brede looks at a little-know subject and describes what it really is. Godden deals with several myths about enclosed religious communities. No one is forced to inflict pain upon herself as penance. A novice or postulant may leave at any time. Nuns have the same wants and desires we have (yes, that does include a husband and babies). In This House of Brede also describes precisely what one might expect when nearly a hundred unrelated women live under the same roof. There are differences of opinion, outright arguments, tempers and snits, but when it comes down to it, all those women really are sisters.
And yes, there is even a touch of humor.
So, go get this book and READ IT!
