Love Me Like You Do

Happy Valentines Day!!  It's time for another batch of some of my favorite literary couples.  I've been doing this for several years now and it is honestly one of my favorite posts to do.  Here are this year's picks!

Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

It is one of the greatest tragic romances in all of literature.  It is something we all hoped would be, but would never happen.  It is the green light, forever just out of our reach.  In so many ways, the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy embodies everything that was beautiful and sad about the Roaring 20s.

“His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed like a flower and the incarnation was complete.” 

Rudolf Rassendyll and Princess Flavia in The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope

The struggle between love and duty is as old as anything, and we see it played out here again in Anthony Hope's famous swashbuckler.  Though Rassendyll and the Princess love each other intensely, they never lose sight of how their own desires could harm so many others.  It is both heartbreaking and inspiring to watch them selflessly let each other go.

 “There are moments when I dare not think of it, but there are others when I rise in spirit to where she ever dwells; then I can thank God that I love the noblest lady in the world, the most gracious and beautiful, and that there was nothing in my love that made her fall short in her high duty.”

George Emerson and Lucy Honeychurch in A Room With a View by E. M. Forster

For a good girl like Lucy Honeychurch, George Emerson was not the kind of man to be in love with.  His and his father's brash and radical ways upset everything about her proper English upbringing.  But one moment in a meadow outside of Florence changes everything and Lucy is forced to deal with some overwhelming feelings.

“It isn't possible to love and part. You will wish that it was. You can transmute love, ignore it, muddle it, but you can never pull it out of you. I know by experience that the poets are right: love is eternal.”

George Knightley and Emma Woodhouse in Emma by Jane Austen

It is always worth including an Austen pair on a "Best Couples" list.  It takes Emma FOREVER to realize that George Knightley is the perfect man, but she eventually figures it out.  After lots of missteps along the way, Emma is able to recognize true love and gives her heart to the one man who knows how to handle it.

“I cannot make speeches, Emma...If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."  

Who are your favorite literary couples?  Share with us below!

Back to the Classics 2015

I had a great time participating in the Back to the Classics challenge in 2014 hosted by Karen at Books and Chocolate.  It was a great way to knock a lot of books off my TBR list.  I also love the sens of community it brings and getting to read the reviews of other bloggers.  I'm signing up for the 2015 challenge, though I will not be reading book from every category like last year.  My goal is to read nine classics (published before 1965), and below are the books I have selected:

20th Century Classic - A Passage to India by E. M. Forster (1924)
19th Century Classic - Daniel Deronda by George Eliot (1876)
Classic by a Woman Author - The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963)
Classic in Translation - Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (1957)
A Very Long Classic Novel - Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens (800+ pages, 1839)
Classic Novella - My Antonia by Willa Cather (230 pages, 1918)
Classic with a Person's Name in the Title - Therese Raquin by Emile Zola (1867)
Classic Nonfiction - A Moveable Feast by Earnest Hemingway (1964)
Classic Children's Book - At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald (1871)

If you are interested in taking part in this challenge, head on over to Books and Chocolate to sign up.  It's a great way to add some classics to your diet!

Welcome 2015

I say it ever year, but I can't believe we are entering a brand new year.  It seems like only yesterday I was making plans for what to read in 2014.  I had an excellent year in reading, though I'm afraid my posting over the last few months may not reflect it.  I read 26 books in all and completed 2 challenges (Back to the Classics 2014 and the 2014 Shakespeare Reading Challenge).  Here is a ranking of my favorite reads for 2014:

Honorable Mention: Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.  This is a story that touches you to your core.  Tess Durbeyfield is probably the most real character in all of the stories I read this year.  She is sad, beautiful, strong, vulnerable, and brave.  She is a victim of her times and yet in the end she manages to rise above it all.  This isn't a story that will leave you smiling, but it also won't leave you the same.

#5: Night by Elie Wiesel.  This is another story that will change you.  Wiesel's account of his family's experience in the Holocaust is painful, horrifying, and raw.  Watching these people be systematically stripped of their humanity is difficult, but it is necessary.  The ultimate tragedy would be for us to turn away from theses victims' stories and to forget what atrocities the human race is capable of.

#4: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.  This was my second Agatha Christie novel and there is no disputing that she is one of the best (if not the best) crime writer ever.  While the stories happen in the most peaceful and idyllic of settings, they are filled with a suspense that is almost palpable.  This particular story is fast paced and intriguing, and the ending (though a little convenient) is one you won't see coming.

#3: The Black Count by Tom Reiss.  This story of Alexandre Dumas' father and the inspiration for characters like the Count of Monte Cristo was spectacular.  I was hooked from the very beginning and I learned so much.  It covers not only the story of General Dumas' life, but also slavery and race relations in 18th century France as well as one of the best overall accounts of the French Revolution that I have ever read.  It's a shame that it took so long for this story to be told.

#2: Richard III by William Shakespeare.  Of all of the Shakespeare plays that I have read, this one stands out as my overall favorite.  It has a gripping story, immortal lines, and one of literature's best non-heroes.  Richard is one of the most intriguing characters I have ever come across and you can certainly see his influence in our own modern storytelling.  If you don't read any other Shakespeare history play, make it this one.

#1: Lila by Marilynne Robinson.  Of all of the modern writers that I have read, none has touched me quite like Marilynne Robinson.  This is the third book in her Gilead series and it was everything that I hoped it would be.  We get a look at the past of the series' most intriguing character, and we see how love and grace given freely can change a person's life forever.

Yes, 2014 was a terrific year in my reading life and I am so excited for what I'm going to read in 2015.  Here is a look at what I have planned for the first part of this year:

- Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
- A Moveable Feast by Earnest Hemingway
- Howard's End is on the Landing by Susan Hill
- Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
- The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell
- Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
- A Passage to India by E. M. Forster
- Stardust by Neil Gaiman
- The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

What was your favorite read of 2014?  What big plans do you have for 2015?  Share with us.  And happy New Year!
        

Back to the Classics 2014: Round-Up

2014 is drawing to a close and it is time to start looking back over the books I read this year.  The bulk of my reading consisted of classics chosen specifically for the Back to the Classics 2014 challenge hosted by Karen at Books & Chocolate.  I completed all of the categories!  Here is what I read:

Required Categories

20th Century Classic - Joy in the Morning by P. G. Wodehouse

19th Century Classic - Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Classic by a Woman Author - Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

Classic in Translation - Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin

Classic About Way - Night by Elie Wiesel

Classic by an Author Who Is New to Me - The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

Optional Categories

American Classic - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Classic Mystery, Suspense, or Thriller - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Historical Fiction Classic - Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott

Classic Adapted to a Movie or TV Series - The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

Movie Review of Film Based on Book in Category #4 - Enchanted April

This was a fantastic challenge and it certainly helped knock a lot of classics off my TBR list!  I don't know if I will read a book in every category again, but I certainly plan on participating in 2015.  Thanks, Karen for hosting!

The Janeite Tag

Hannah over at Miss Daydreamer's Place recently tagged me in The Janeite Tag.  The rules are as follows:

1. Thank and link back to the person who invited you.
2. Tell us about how you were introduced to Jane Austen, and share one fun fact about your Janeite life.
3. Answer the tagger's questions.
4. Write seven questions of your own.
5. Tag anywhere from 1 to 7 other Janeites to participate.

How were you introduced to Jane Austen?

Funny enough, the same way I was introduced to many works of classic literature.  When I was growing up, PBS had a children's show entitled Wishbone.  It was about a dog who loved to read, and the adventure his human friends were having always coincided with the plot of a work of classic literature.  One of these was entitled Furst Impressions and that introduced me to the story of Pride and Prejudice.  As an adult, I was re-introduced through the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice, which remains one of my favorites.

One fun fact about my Janeite life.

I saw Austen's The History of England on display at the British Library...eclipsed only by the handwritten manuscript of Jane Eyre right next to it! 

What is your favorite Jane Austen novel?

If you had asked me this when I was younger, I would probably have said Pride and Prejudice.  But as I have gotten older, I have really come to love Persuasion.  It is such a wonderful story of people overcoming time and hurt to find love with each other.  I have also come to identify with Anne Elliot in a variety of ways.

Who is your favorite Austen hero an heroine?

Favorite hero is Fitzwilliam Darcy.  Favorite heroine is Anne Elliot.

Who is your favorite secondary character?

Probably Mr. Bennet.  Let's face it, he gets most of the best lines.

Provide up to five of your favorite Austen quotes.

“My idea of good company...is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company." - Persuasion

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”  - Northanger Abbey

“The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!” - Sense and Sensibility

“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.” - Pride and Prejudice

Capt. Wentworth's letter...all of it - Persuasion

What is your favorite adaptation of each of the Austen novels?

Pride and Prejudice - 1995 Andrew Davies (Firth, Ehle)

Sense and Sensibility - 1995 Ang Lee (Thompson, Winslet, Rickman, Grant)

Northanger Abbey - 2007 Andrew Davies (Jones, Feild)

Persuasion - 1995 Roger Michell (Root, Hinds)

Emma - 1996 Andrew Davies (Beckinsale, Strong)

Mansfield Park (this one is hard because none of them are particularly good) - 1999 Patricia Rozema (O'Connor, Miller)

Are there any books you would recommend to a Janeite?

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery

New Questions:

1. If you could invite any Austen heroine to tea, who would it be and why?
2. Would you prefer a quiet dinner party with a few friends or a large community ball?
3. Which of the Austen "villains" do you feel to be the least "bad"?  Why?
4. What is your favorite adaptation of a Jane Austen novel with a modern setting?
5. Which Austen town/city would you like to live in (i.e. Merryton, Highbury, Bath, etc.)?
6. What is your favorite Jane Austen novel?
7. What is your LEAST favorite Austen novel?

I tag:

hopeinbrazil at Worthwhile Books

Books That Made Me...

If you have been on Facebook recently,  you have probably seen the "10 Books That Have Stayed With You" meme.  Participants have listed 10 books that continue to impact them and then challenge friends to do the same.  Author Roxane Gay took it one step further with this post entitled "The Books That Made Me Who I Am".  In it she states:  "I could not limit a list of important books to a number or a neatly organized list. The list, whatever it might look like, would always be changing because I too am always changing. I am not influenced by books. Instead, I am shaped by them. I am made of flesh and bone and blood. I am also made of books." 

It got me to thinking about, not my "favorite" books, not books that have "stayed with me", but the books that have transformed me as a person and that influenced me in different ways throughout my life.

My inquisitiveness must stem from my early love of mystery novels.  My mind goes back to the moments spent curled up on the couch as my mom read me the Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators Series.  I was caught up in the mystery and the knowledge that you could solve the problem if you were observant.  As I grew, this was only encouraged by the Sherlock Holmes stories.

My love of the magic and beauty of childhood and home certainly comes from classics like The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh, and Paddington Bear.  Even now, reading them brings me a sense of peace, safety, and a love of the simple and funny moments in life.  As I grew, I learned that comfort and safety isn't guaranteed.  But reading The Chronicles of Narnia gave me courage and helped me realize that though God may not always seem close, He is there and has equipped me to face every battle.

My idea of friendship was influenced by Little Women and the Anne of Green Gables series.  I always envisioned me and my sisters as being an extension of the March family.  We were very close as children and often found our amusement, our encouragement, and our strength within our family circle.  And Anne Shirley taught me that it isn't age, gender, class, or proximity that determines if someone can be your friend.  It is choosing to see beyond what is visible in people and embracing the spirit within them.

The hopeless romantic in me is fed by the likes of the Jane Austen novels, North and South, Rebecca, and classic fairy tales.  I'm a sucker for a romance, and my idea of the perfect man has (for better or worse) certainly been shaped by these stories.

My self-worth, as a person and as a woman, has been influenced by various female characters.  Elnora Comstock from A Girl of the Limberlost taught me that self education can take you as far as any structured classroom.  Marian Halcomb from The Woman in White taught me that strength, love, and intelligence are more important than traditional beauty.  Laura Ingalls from the Little House series taught me to embrace an adventurous spirit and to not let others' ideas of who you should be keep you from living the life you want.

The one book that has had the most influence on me from the very first time I read it was Jane Eyre.  As I have grown and matured, it has become what I needed in each stage of life.  As a teenager, I reveled in the romance between Jane and Rochester.  Now, as an adult, I see in Jane not only the person I am, but also who I want to become.  A passionate person enclosed in a quiet frame.  Someone who feels that she must do the right thing, no matter how much she wishes not to.  Someone who cares about herself and reputation, yet doesn't allow the opinions of others to dictate her life.  Someone who is comfortable in solitude, and yet desires true companionship.  No matter how the rest of my life turns out, I can't help but feel that this book will always be one of my touchstones.

What about you?  What books have shaped your life and the person you have become?  Share with us!           

Coming Soon...

As most of you who have read my blog for any length of time are probably aware, I love classic literature.  It has been the foundation of my reading life and most of the authors whose works I read have been dead for decades if not centuries.  I don't usually get to enjoy the anticipation of awaiting the publication of a new work by a favorite author.  But I do have a few modern authors whose works I enjoy and I am slowly finding new ones as well.  A couple of them have new books coming out soon that I am very excited about.

One of them is Marilynne Robinson.  I greatly enjoyed her 2005 novel Gilead and also the follow up book entitled Home.  This October, the final book in the set will be published.  Entitled Lila, it tells the story of Rev. John Ames' young wife who is briefly mentioned in both Gilead and Home but who has remained a bit of a mystery.  It follows her from her childhood up through her courtship with Rev. Ames and the birth of their son.  I can't begin to describe how excited I am about this novel.  Lila was always the character I was most interested in and I was afraid I would never learn her story.  This is a gift I never really expected to get.

Another author whose newest work I am looking forward to is Kazuo Ishiguro.  I loved his novels The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go.  His new one is set to be published in March of next year and is entitled The Buried Giant.  There aren't a lot of details as to what the novel will be about, but you can bet that I will be checking it out.

If you are a Margaret Atwood fan, you will be happy to hear that she is going to be publishing a new work.  You might, however, be disappointed to learn that you most likely will never get to read it.  She is the first author to join in on The Future Library Project, begun by Scottish author Katie Paterson.  This project will compile 100 texts from modern authors to be published in 2114, one hundred years from now.  Though the idea is fascinating, it is also pretty frustrating.  All readers live with the depressing knowledge that we won't get to read everything before we die.  Just thinking about works by favorite authors that won't be published in my lifetime makes me want to cry.

What about you?  Are you excited for any new books?  Share with us!
    

Big House Books

Over at Book Riot, writer Johanna Lane has an article exploring the tradition of literature that revolves around large homes or estates.  She talks about her favorite "big house novels" and how they remain interesting to readers today:

"But the attraction of these novels is partly because the rhythms of life in great houses are so very different from the rhythms of our own: The characters linger over breakfast, they take long walks in the gardens, they stop for lunch, they stop again for afternoon tea, they talk to each other without constantly checking their iPhones."

Though she talks about how these novels have fallen out of favor of the years, I suspect that the success of Downton Abbey will change how much a modern audience enjoys those types of stories.  I have just started a "big house" novel myself (Anya Seton's Dragonwyck) and thought I would provide a list of my favorite novels that involve big homes who become just as much a part of the story as any other character:

• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Thornfield Hall 
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - Manderley
• Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - Tara
• Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead
• The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro -Darlington Hall

How about you?  Do you have a favorite "big house" novel?  Share it with us!

Books in Odd Places

In a world where almost everything has become mobile or accessible while on the go, it is no surprise that books have become that way too.  We can listen to them in our cars, or read them on our devices wherever we happen to be.  But books are beginning to make appearances in some rather odd places as well.  Here is a look at some of the random places you can find books nowadays.

New and Improved Bookmobiles

Bookmobiles have existed in America since they were wagons pulled by horses.  And though you may think this style of borrowing books is a thing of the past, many cities continue to embrace it and to use it to bring more than just books to their patrons.  The El Paso Bookmobile makes stops all over the city and includes services found at the main branches like internet access and storytelling.

Beach Reads

Though reading is as much a part of the beach as sand, sun, and water, it usually means you have to lug all of your books with you.  Until now.  From Spain and Australia to France and Tel Aviv, beaches all over the world are seeing more and more pop up libraries opening for visitors.  The libraries are usually free and patrons are encouraged to leave favorite reads of their own for others to enjoy.

Your Next Read is Calling

Due to the rise in cell phone usage, Britain has seen the need for the iconc red phone booth fall to just about nothing.  Many towns and villages, however, have chosen to save their booths by turning them into lending libraries for the community.  Readers simply use the box as an exchange place, picking up new reads and leaving others.

Little Free Libraries

Americans are getting in the spirit too (but without the cool phone booths).  All over the country "little free libraries" are popping up in big cities and small towns.  The idea of "take a book, leave a book" keeps the library stocked and neighbors can enjoy sharing books amongst each other in one convenient place.  There is even a website dedicated to helping you find a library near you, or giving you ideas on how to start your own. 

Have you noticed books popping up in unexpected places?  Share them with us! 

Celebrating America

Today is Independence Day!!  Here in America we are awash in red, white, and blue.  We are gathering with family and friends, grilling our favorite foods, and capping the night off with spectacular displays of fireworks.  We are celebrating the essential American values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  And also the general a** whooping we gave the Brits!  This is honestly one of my favorite holidays in the year and I will be partying hard with my fellow citizens.

No matter how much fun you are having, there is always time for a good book.  I wanted to highlight some books that are American classics or that portray the incredible and complicated thing that is the American experience.

• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.  Though many would argue that the proverbial "Great American Novel" has yet to be written, this gem by one of the best known American authors could be a contender for that title.  Tom Sawyer made his debut in America's centennial year and he remains popular to this day.  Whether he is tricking other boys to paint the fence, searching for buried treasure, or showing up late to his own funereal, Tom embodies many qualities of the American spirit.
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.  If Tom Sawyer is seen as a "book for boys", then Little Women is its female counterpart.  The joys, struggles, love, and loss found in the home of the March sisters are remembered by all who encounter them.  Jo March is especially memorable as she pursues her dreams of being a writer with a frankness and spirit that is inspiring and endearing.
• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  The pioneer spirit is a large part of the fabric of the American identity.  Whether it is reaching the Pacific Ocean or landing on the moon, Americans have a tradition of pushing onward to the next achievement.  In this series, Wilder captures life as pioneer on the plains and the determination and sacrifice needed to win the West.
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  Just as Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe became beloved the world over for it's anti-slavery message, so Lee's novel became beloved for speaking out against racism.  It's portrayal of life in the American south resounds with readers from many different cultures and backgrounds and is taught in schools around the world.
• Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.  Though many disapprove of the romanticized portrayal of the antebellum south and slave culture, this remains one of the most popular books in America.  In some ways, one must read Gone With the Wind in order to understand America's relationship with the dark parts of it's past.  
• Flower Drum Song by C. Y. Lee.  We are a nation of immigrants.  Our identity is made up of pieces from every country on the planet.  From the Mayflower to Ellis Island to the Mexican border, the immigrant experience has been one of joy, pain, struggle, and sacrifice.  In this novel, C. Y. Lee highlights the struggles of Chinese Americans in San Francisco and the struggles as the different generations grapple with what it means to be American.

What about you?  Do you have a favorite work of American literature?  Share with us!  And if you are American, how will you be celebrating today?

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." - John F. Kennedy
         

School Books

The idea of what children should have to read in school seems to have been popping up a lot lately.  There was the news out of the UK that many American classics were being removed from required reading lists.  The school year just ended here in the US and most high school students have a list of books they must read over the summer.    And over at Book Riot, they asked contributors to name modern books that they think should be required reading.  Their list included The Kite Runner, The Handmaid's Tale, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and An Artist of the Floating World.  This got me to thinking about what books I would want to see as required reading for High School.  Here are some of the ones I came up with:

• A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor.  I think short stories are great for a society that is quickly losing its attention span.  A well crafted one can leave as big an impression as a 600 page novel.  And if there is a writer who knows how to leave an impression, it is Flannery O'Connor.  Her stories emphasize grace with a strong symbolism, and is also a wonderful commentary on the South of the 40s and 50s.
• I, Claudius by Robert Graves.  Historical writing does not have to be boring.  Just read Robert Graves' classic about the political turmoil of the Roman Empire.  It's Game of Thrones meets House of Cards!  Plus, it is a great example of the corruption of power and underestimating those with disabilities. 
• Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.  If you want your students to see an example of writing that is poetic, beautiful, and calm then look no further.  Robinson's story of an Iowa pastor at the end of his life is touching and I think a wonderful way to teach kids that the best books aren't just a whirlwind of adventure and romance, but can also be quiet and reflective.
• The Chosen by Chaim Potok.  This book is great for young people as it addresses the problem of becoming your own person.  Like the characters, they are struggling to find their own identity amidst the expectations of their parents, their society, and their friends.  It also emphasizes understanding for the beliefs of others that you may not understand or agree with.

What about you?  What books do you think should be required reading for High School?  What aspects are important in deciding what young adults should read?  Should certain books be required at all?  Sound off!

"One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by."

-Jeannette Walls

Bookish News

There's lots going on in the book world.  Here are a few of the recent stories that have caught my eye...

• Around the world, but especially here in the US, we are mourning the loss of one of our society's most well loved poets, Maya Angelou.  Author of 7 autobiographies (including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings) and multiple collections of essays and poems, she was also a civil rights leader, a journalist, and a professor.  Tributes continue to pour in and her loss will be felt by many.  “No sun outlasts its sunset but will rise again and bring the dawn.”
•  Actor LeVar Burton has started a Kickstarter campaign to bring his long-running children's show Reading Rainbow back for a new generation.  The idea is to put Reading Rainbow on the web and make it free and accessible to children and classrooms all over.  As someone who grew up watching this show and learning so much from it, I am so excited to see it being brought back.  Visit his campaign page to contribute.
• Though it has been finished since 1926, J. R. R. Tolkien's translation of Beowulf is only now available for readers.  Unlike other translations, it is in prose form.  Let the comparisons to Heaney's translation begin!
• UK Education Secretary Michael Gove recently announced his decision to remove American classics like Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird from the list of required reading for British students.  Mr. Gove contends that there should be more emphasis on British classics saying "I want pupils to grow up able to empathise with Jane Eyre as well as Lennie, to admire Elizabeth Bennet as much as Scout Finch."  My first thought is that some people are taking the criticism too far.  This is hardly a "ban" on American books.  However, I do feel that dividing literature into nationalistic categories may not be the best idea.  Great literature doesn't speak just to a specific nation, time, or society, but rather to the human condition as a whole.  I'd be interested to hear what British readers think of this.

Got any thoughts on the above stories?  Have any other bookish news stories?  Share in the comments!

Happy Birthday To:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

May 22, 1859

“The love of books is among the choicest gifts of the gods.”

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”

-Oscar Wilde 

Weekly Geek Revisited: Literary Soundtracks 2.0

I first began participating in the "Weekly Geeks" meme back in 2009 and continued on until its end in 2011.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, "Weekly Geeks" was a weekly meme for book bloggers to discuss various aspects of reading.  Topics were given, and we would each write a post pertaining to it.  I've decided to re-visit some of my favorite posts and update my thoughts and responses.

In August of 2009, I was honored to have one of my ideas chosen as the weekly meme.  I challenged other weekly geeks to list songs that reminded them of certain books or literary characters.  I also used this challenge as my farewell post to Weekly Geeks.  I've decided to try this again, but with a twist.  Instead of posting songs that remind me of certain books, I'm going to post some that are actually based on books.  I've scoured the internet and found songs based on some of personal favorite reads (and some yet to be read).

Rebecca by Meg & Dia

Sister band Meg & Dia wrote this song based on Daphne Du Maurier novel Rebecca.  It is a slow moving song on piano and focuses mainly on the first few chapters of the book.

A Good Man is Hard to Find by Sufjan Stevens

This song by singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens retells Flannery O'Connor's short story of the same name.

Havens Grey by Andrew Peterson

This song by Christian singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson is about the Grey Havens found in The Lord of the Rings.  This album The Far Country is a personal favorite of mine.

My Antonia by Emmylou Harris and Dave Matthews

Well know singers Emmylou Harris and Dave Matthews team up for a song about Willa Cather's classic novel, My Antonia.

How about you?  Do you have any favorite songs that are based on books?  Or are there any songs that remind you of your favorite reads?  Recommend them in the comments!

Weekly Geeks Revisited: World Travel 2.0

I first began participating in the "Weekly Geeks" meme back in 2009 and continued on until its end in 2011.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, "Weekly Geeks" was a weekly meme for book bloggers to discuss various aspects of reading.  Topics were given, and we would each write a post pertaining to it.  I've decided to re-visit some of my favorite posts and update my thoughts and responses.

Back in July of 2009, we were asked to create a picture map (using this website) showing the "travel" we had done through reading.  We could use our own criteria for choosing where to place each book, and I decided to go with the book's setting only.  Here is what my reading map looked like then.

Looking back on it now, it seems rather pathetic.  It is pretty obvious that the majority of my reading life prior to that time was firmly rooted in American and British literature.  I've since made a somewhat conscious effort to expand my reading horizons.  Here is what my book travel map looks like today.

Much better.  I've added several countries to my map over the last few years including China, South Africa, Australia, and Columbia.  I am, of course, nowhere near done and can see some glaring deficiencies still.  I need to really add some South American, African, and Middle Eastern literature to my diet.  If you have any recommendations on good novels set in any of these places, please share (bonus points for books written by authors from the country the story is set in)!

What does your reading map look like?  What areas are you lacking in?  Share with us in the comments, and let me know if you decide to do a blog post on this topic!

They Still Say "I Love You"...

Happy Valentines Day, everyone!  As in years past, it is time for another round of my favorite literary couples.  Here are a few fictional couples who continue to make me laugh, cry, and swoon with their stories:

Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters in The Fault in Our Stars

Hazel's and Augustus' lives intersect under the worst of circumstances.  Hazel is dying and it is obvious that their time will be brief.  At first, Hazel keeps Augustus at a distance, but he insists that loving each other will be worth it no matter how little time they have.  Their story will make you laugh and cry, but more than anything it will encourage you to open yourself up to love and life, no matter what pain you might be facing.

"I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.”

Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky in Anna Karenina

Not all literary couples have happy endings and Anna and Count Vronsky's story is a cautionary tale if nothing else.  They are people completely consumed by passion.  And while their lives seem complete while this passion burns bright, things begin to fall apart when the sparks die down and real life stares them in the face.  A relationship founded completely on emotional passion often becomes consumed by it's own flames.

“They've got no idea what happiness is, they don't know that without this love there is no happiness or unhappiness for us--there is no life.”

Elinor Dashwood and Edward Ferrars in Sense & Sensibility

Elinor and Edwards's relationship is rather maddening since what makes them such great people are the very things that threaten to keep them apart.  Edward is an honorable man who fulfills his promises and his duties.  This of course means that he will not break his engagement to Lucy Steele even though he loves Elinor.  And Elinor is a woman who can hold herself together under very trying circumstances, but this control deceives Edward into thinking she does not care for him.  It's kind of funny that their happiness is only brought about by the weak characters of other people.

“I come here with no expectations, only to profess, now that I am at liberty to do so, that my heart is and always will be yours.” 

Kitty and Walter Fane in The Painted Veil

Though many love stories end with a wedding, this one begins with it.  Kitty Fane is a self-centered woman and is incapable of recognizing or appreciating the deep love that her husband has for her.  When she breaks his trust (and his heart) their life together becomes one long and torturous road of revenge and heartache.  But their isolated life in a small Chinese village forces them to see not only their own failings but also the good in each other.  The story ends, if not with true reconciliation, at least with personal growth for Kitty.

“How can I be reasonable? To me our love was everything and you were my whole life. It is not very pleasant to realize that to you it was only an episode.”

Nick and Nora Charles in The Thin Man

It isn't often that you find a married couple in literature who are just plain fun.  Nick and Nora Charles are just that.  They each have a razor sharp wit that they love to use on each other.  They are game for any adventure and will face any danger together.  They trust each other implicitly.  They can hold more liquor than seems humanly possible.  All in all they are smart, fun, and glittering and embody the spirit of the Roaring 20s. 

She grinned at me.  "You got types?"

"Only you, darling - lanky brunettes with wicked jaws."

Picture credits:
Shailene Woodley & Ansel Elgort in The Fault in Our Stars
Keira Knightley & Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Anna Karenina
Hattie Morahan & Dan Stevens in Sense & Sensibility
Naomi Watts & Edward Norton in The Painted Veil
Myrna Loy & William Powell in The Thin Man

A Bully Reader

"I am a part of everything that I have read." -Theodore Roosevelt

America has had some amazing men as Presidents, many of whom were great readers.  Thomas Jefferson owned an enormous book collection and kept meticulous lists of books he owned and sold.  John F. Kennedy was said to have been reading something almost all of the time.  And our current president has been noted for his voracious reading as well.  But perhaps no other president has had such strong reading habits, or had so much to say on the subject of reading, as our 26th President Theodore Roosevelt.

When it comes to the image of a "manly man", there is perhaps no better specimen than Teddy Roosevelt.  After overcoming a sickly childhood which often kept him at home, he would go on to become well known as a strong, energetic man who was always involved in something exciting.  He spent some years as a cowboy in North Dakota.  He served as the NYC Police Commissioner and Assistant Secretary of the Navy.  And in the Spanish American War, he created the famous "Rough Riders" regiment and led the immortal charge of San Juan Hill.  

But beyond all of this, he was also man of books.  He was a prolific writer in his own right, having written 18 books in his lifetime on various subjects of history, wildlife, and ranching.  His love of nature and the outdoors led him to become embroiled in the "Nature Fakers" literary controversy.  He was also famous for the number of books he read in his life.  He would read several books a day, in various languages.  Even in his younger years as a cowboy, he famously kept himself awake for forty hours straight to guard a group of thieves by reading the works of Leo Tolstoy.  His Autobiography is filled with many remarks on books and reading:

  “[We] all need more than anything else to know human nature, to know the needs of the human soul; and they will find this nature and these needs set forth as nowhere else by the great imaginative writers, whether of prose or of poetry.”

“Now and then I am asked as to ‘what books a statesman should read,’ and my answer is, poetry and novels – including short stories under the head of novels.”

“Personally, the books by which I have profited infinitely more than by any others have been those in which profit was a by-product of the pleasure; that is, I read them because I enjoyed them, because I liked reading them, and the profit came in as part of the enjoyment.”

Like everything else in his life, Roosevelt took reading to the extreme.  And while his specific reading habits are not attainable for the majority of us, they can offer us much inspiration.  To me, it so wonderful to look back into history and encounter this great person who was just as captivated by books as I am, who shared the same thoughts on reading, and who recognized the importance of reading in the peoples' lives.  It is like finding a kindred spirit from the past.  What do you think of Theodore Roosevelt's reading habits?  Could you sustain them?  Who is a famous reader from history that you admire?       

Turning the Page

Can you believe that it is already a new year?  It seems like only yesterday we were welcoming in 2013 and already it is time to say goodbye.  Once again, I had a year filled with wonderful books.  I revisited old favorites and discovered some new ones.  I read some authors for the very first time, and I finished the works of others.  Here is a look back at my favorite books of 2013:

Honorable Mention: The Professor by Charlotte Bronte.  Reading this was bittersweet as it was the last Bronte novel that I had left to read.  In many ways, it epitomized all of the aspects that I loved about the other works.  It was a wonderful opportunity to see an author work out the themes and plots that would become her later novels.  An excellent way to finish reading the works of this amazing sisterhood.

#5: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Though I wouldn't say that I "connected" with this story or the characters, it is indisputably a fine work of American literature.  Fitzgerald's gorgeous writing and heavy symbolism are the stuff that readers' dreams are made of.  It speaks not only to a specific generation, but also to the idea of the American dream as a whole.  There is a reason they force you to read this in school.

#4: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.  This story is fantastical, magical, and fascinating.  It is not entirely a novel nor a picture book, but rather combines the great aspects of both as well as those of other mediums.  It is great family reading and is a must for anyone who loves film history, or loved the film Hugo.

#3: The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel.  This book tells the remarkable true story of a small group of men whose responsibility it was to protect the great art and architecture of Western civilization.  They worked in the worst conditions, were hampered by members of their own military, and put into harm's way time and time again.  All in an effort to save European culture from utter destruction.  If you have ever been to the great cathedrals or museums of Europe, you owe it to these men to learn their stories.  

#2: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  Any book that leaves you asking questions and thinking about it weeks after you have closed it has got to be good.  And this novel certainly did that for me.  It left me thinking about life and death, about love, about the way we treat the dying, and about our desire for life after death in some form or fashion.  And all the while, Green tackles these big questions within the lives of two ordinary teenagers.  This was one that really surprised me.

#1: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.  If there was one thing that Wilkie Collins could do, it was tell a story.  Once you get caught up in the mystery of the story, you won't be able to put the book down.  It was so easy to get caught up in the suspense and the fate of the characters.  It was also interesting to see a novel that championed the rights of women coming from a man in the mid-nineteenth century.  Rarely does a novel of the Victorian era truly capture the true spirit of womanhood as Collins does with Marian Halcombe.  This is a classic that deserves to still be read 150 years later.

This year promises to hold some wonderful discoveries as well.  I have the books for the first third of the year lined up and can't wait to experience them.  I am currently reading Our Mutual Friend, the next novel in my quest to read all of Charles Dickens' works.  I'll be reading Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, a modern favorite that will soon be hitting the big screen.  Elie Wiesel's Night will serve as my first foray into Holocaust literature.  I'll prep for my upcoming trip to Scotland with Sir Walter Scott's Rob Roy.  And I'll finally get around to a classic that I have been meaning to read for a long time, Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.  If you have read any of the above books, please share your thoughts on them below.  And don't forget to tell me about your favorite books of 2013 and what you are looking forward to in 2014.  Happy New Year!