Roots Readalong Post 3: Chapters 61-90.

Welcome to post 3 of 4 for the readalong of Alex Haley's Roots, hosted by Christina of Reading Thru the Nite. Christina divided the book into 4 big chunks, and we are reading a chunk a week before posting our thoughts. You can see my first post here, and my second post is here.

I took a break at the halfway point to read David Copperfield, so I was a little hesitant to jump back into Roots. We left off with Kunta Kinte learning his place as a slave on Master Waller's plantation. He had already tried to escape 4 times before going there, and he was beginning to learn that while he might want to hold on to his African roots, the others around him were uncomfortable with his strangeness.

This section followed in that vein. By the time this section started, Kunta had been living life as a slave on this plantation for a number of years. While he didn't agree with all of the slave customs, he adapted the ones that he was okay with. But he still had a constant battle between his old African ways and those of the other slaves. They were scared of the things he believed, but he was also scared to abandon his heritage. Haley truly succeeded in capturing that kind of dissonance between Kunta and the other slaves.

This section also shows Kunta marrying (Bell, as I knew he would) and having his first and only child, Kizzy. Both Kunta and Bell are older when they have Kizzy, but both seem happy to have a family. The family dynamics were interesting. Being taken from Africa, Kunta had certain beliefs of hos his wife and child should act, whereas Bell didn't know much about her ancestors. It was an interesting dynamic, as they learned what quirks to live with and what traditions to abandon. Again, Haley focused on Kunta's displeasure at the other slaves' lack of knowledge about who they truly were. Kunta made it a point to educate Kizzy as much as possible her other family across the ocean.

Once Kizzy is born, it is clear that Haley is setting us up for some heartbreak. Kizzy is "adopted" by the white niece of the master and seems to live a softer life than some of the other slaves. The niece even teaches her to read and write. I actually wasn't all that surprised by this knowledge. Many white children were brought up with slave children. Rich plantation owners' wives couldn't be bothered to rear their own children, so often the slave mothers took in the white children as their own until they were independent. Relationships between whites and slaves were common until white children hit puberty. Then those slave companions and friends were discarded. In retrospect, it seems incredibly hypocritical-that those who most hated blacks would allow their children to be so close and intimate with them.

Eventually their friendship comes apart and Kizzy begins to form a friendship with Noah, a field slave. Both are in their teens and they fall in love. This portion of the novel was hard to read. I can relate to that kind of teenage obsession-the want to do anything for the other, even when there can be severe consequences for your actions. So when Noah runs away and is caught with a forged traveling pass, I just knew that Kizzy had something to do with it.

The scene where Kizzy is taken away, and her resulting rape by her new master, was incredibly hard. It took me a chapter or two to realize that we weren't going to hear anymore about Kunta or Bell-not because their story was finished, but because Kizzy never knew what happened to them after she was taken away. And if, in fact, Haley was descended from them, then the story had to move elsewhere. I had to go back to read the last little piece of Kunta's story:

"He would never see Kizzy again. His face contorting, Kunta flung his dust toward the cabin's roof. Tears bursting from his eyes, snatching his heavy gourd up high over his head, his mouth wide in a soundless scream, he hurled the gourd down with all his strength, and it shattered against the packed-earth floor, his 662 pebbles representing each month of his 55 rains flying out, ricocheting wildly in all directions," (546).

I love that passage for its passion. And I think it captures something about slavery that Haley was hinting at in the first 545 pages of the novel. Eventually, all men and women who were captured in Africa and brought to the New World broke. Some probably gave up their African roots early on after being broken by harsh masters and overseers, but others, like Kunta, held on to a false hope that eventually they could and would return home. That smashing of the gourd? So symbolic.

From that scene, we follow Kizzy to her new home in North Carolina. She is now one of five slaves on a small farm-owned by a poor white. Time passes much more quickly once we are in Kizzy's narrative. Where we lived with Kunta and truly got to know him well, I feel like Kizzy was just a transitional character to get us to George, her son by the master. True, we see a lot of heartache from Kizzy in her narrative. Her new master is much harsher-he rapes her, beats her, and seems a lot meaner than Master Waller. She is also sent to work in the fields-a big change from her place in the household on the old plantation.

Once George arrives, it seems as if the narrative transitions drastically to his life. Born as the master's illegitimate son, it seems as if he has more hope than his mother. He eventually finds a place helping Uncle Mingo, one of the master's slaves and in control of the fighting roosters that the master breeds.

To be honest, I was incredibly disinterested in this last portion. I find the idea of cock-fighting to be disgusting and disturbing, so the descriptions of the fights I glossed over a bit. I am hoping that the next section flies over it a bit quicker.

The sections ends in the middle here, so I am curious to see how Haley is going to get us from around 1820 to the 1960s in thirty chapters. I have really enjoyed the description and insight in the first 3/4s of the book, so I think it will feel rushed from this point forward.

I do have to say that I am still a bit disturbed by the plagiarism in the novel. While I know that the proven plagiarism took place in the first section, I still find myself questioning the integrity of the author who chose to do that. But I cannot fault him for the power of what he has to say. I am moved by every description and I want to know how it'll all come together.

Roots Readalong Post 2: Chapters 31-60.

Welcome to post 2 of 4 for the Roots readalong hosted by Christina at Reading Thru the Nite. Last week we all posted about the first thirty chapters of this chunky book, so this time we are talking about the next 30. You can read my thoughts on the first part here.

I actually started reading the second portion of the novel immediately after writing and scheduling the post for the first part. I was hooked on the novel and needed to know what happened to Kunta Kinte. It seemed almost perfect that the first portion of the novel focused solely on his life in Africa. It gave me, as the reader, the opportunity to fully understand and appreciate what Kunta left when he was captured.

I didn't have long to wait in my reading to have the mood and the tone of the whole novel change. While I knew that Kunta would be captured and sent over to America to be a slave, I was surprised by how quickly it happened and how everything changed. I'm aware that having everything change completely was what happened when someone was captured, but it took my breath away. I actually couldn't even stop myself from turning pages until 100 pages later in the narrative.

Two chapters into this section, Kunta is alone in the woods searching for wood to make a drum when he is captured. It was just as horrific as you could imagine. He was shackled and abused, branded with hot iron in the middle of his back. He is beaten, repeatedly, and whipped so that blood runs from his back.

It gets worse when he finds himself on the boat, shackled to a strange man from another tribe, without any knowledge of what's going on or where he is going.

Their time on the ship was actually hard for me to read. In my last year of college, I had to take a few summer courses to wrap things up. One of those courses was a class in African-American Woman's history. For the course, we had to travel to the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit. In the museum, there was a section created to look and feel like a slave ship. You could see how dark it was, with men lying so close together on rough boards, with no room to sit up. It was the most significant part of that class. For so long I heard about what it was like from history textbooks, but to see it? It changed everything.

And as intense as that experience was in the museum, multiply what Haley has written in this portion of Roots. The description and heartache of Kunta's journey on the slaving ship was simply powerful. Reading descriptions of men crying, voiding their bowels where they lay, then having food served in the same place...horrifying. But the scrubbing of raw sores, the whippings and rape of the women, as well as the complete lack of compassion...wow. I was completely hooked on what Haley was writing. It truly gripped me. I felt for all of those men.

They eventually reach America and the men are sold. Kunta is brought home and immediately tries to escape...and he tries again and again. Eventually on his fourth try, his captors give him the option of either losing have his foot or being castrated. He chooses to lose part of his foot, and they immediately take an ax to it. Kunta is then sold to his master's brother, where he is treated far better. He receives care from a woman named Bell while he recuperates from his foot injury. Once it is mostly healed, he is given crutches and the job of gardener. The other slaves are slow to warm and Kunta repeatedly battles his own inner struggles to understand why these other blacks have given up who they are.

A few of the men start to befriend Kunta, and he eventually becomes his master's driver. This whole period of time also takes the reader through the Americna Revolution, as the slaves gather information from what they overhear. This big section leaves off with Kunta discovering another African-someone he can communicate with-at the very end and twenty years from the time he first landed in America.

I really took a lot from this part of the book. The descriptions of his capture, the voyage, etc were all heart-breaking and took that 100 pages of reading without a break. There was the same attention to detail in this section as the first. Once Kunta was in America, I think the confusion between who he was and what he was becoming was done perfectly. He was constantly at odds with those around him and was often angry at those who seemed to forget who they were and where they came from. He always swore to not become complacent, but by the end of this section, it appears that he has settled into his life as a slave.

Moving forward, I am curious to see where Kunta's narrative ends-what choices he will make and when he'll finally realize that Bell is right in front of him. :) To say that I am addicted to this novel is an understatement. I can see why this novel had such an impact and why it has endured. Let's just hope the second half lives up to the power of the first.

Roots Readalong Post 1: Chapters 1-30.

Today is the first post for Christina's readalong of Roots by Alex Haley. A small group of us (5 total) are reading this during the month of February. It is a pretty big book; my edition is 899 pages. But, I was excited to read it.

I feel I should mention that this was a title originally in consideration for my 250 list. When I was compiling books to choose from, I had around 260. I wanted a more even number, so I eliminated enough to bring it down to 250 (in the future I'll read those other titles). This title was eliminated because of some controversy, and I think it is important to understand what that was.

When Roots was published, it was a bit of a juggernaut. It sold over a million copies in the first year, launched a TV mini-series, and inspired many to investigate their own roots. You have to admire and respect that kind of impact. When a book comes along and has the ability to inspire so much, you should take notice!

But then there is the controversy. Apparently Haley copied quite a few passages (Wikipedia tells me 81!) from another book (The African by Harold Courlander). It ended up going to trial, as obviously, you can't do that. That was why I originally took the book off my list. I figured if I had a lot of books on my list, fully and completely written by the authors whose names are on the covers, then I was good.

Anyway, I bring all this up so that I can remind myself to take this whole book with a grain of salt. Haley stated that the book was about his family and his roots, but there is some uncertainty about whether the book is really non-fiction or fiction. It falls somewhere in the middle, and with the shenanigans surrounding the authorship, you have to keep it all in perspective. I am choosing to remember that the ideas behind the book are more important than all of it.

After 30 chapters, I am hooked on this book. Haley can really write (unless its those parts he stole). The books begins by introducing us to Kunta Kinte, a very young boy born in Africa as the first son of Omoro and Binta. Most of these early chapters are spent introducing the reader to Kunta's life in his village of Juffure. There are amazing descriptions of everyday village life, interactions, and the beliefs of those in the village. We basically grow up with Kunta and go through his childhood in stages.

I was a bit fascinated by the rite and passages he must endure as he gets older. There are "kafos," or stages where young boys are placed depending on age. As they grow through their kafo to the next level, they take on bigger and better responsibilities. They also start to earn more respect as an individual in their society. Early on, as a member of the first kafo, Kunta is left unclothed. When he moves up to the second kafo, he earns clothing and the responsibility of watching his father's goats-protecting them from panthers and lions.

As Kunta grows older, he begins to realize more and more that aging brings with it new responsibilities. It is with age that he will gain wisdom and the right to marry, have children, and make decisions in Juffure.

The second chunk of what we read for this first section covers Kunta's transformation to manhood. With the other boys of the third kafo, he is taken away to be trained in the ways of men. They learn to hunt, fend for themselves, navigate by the stars, and how to act like men (basically that they are above children and women). This portion was completely fascinating. It was a completely different society for me to understand, and I loved how Haley described all of it. On one hand, I think a reader could be irritated by all that description, but it worked. I think that knowing the place Kunta came from on such an intimate level will add to the power of his eventual capture.

Once he and his fellows are deemed men, they return to the village and their new duties-to monitor things around the village for safety, and to watch over the women. This was an interesting transformation, especially in his relationship with his family. His mother is empty-nesting over losing her eldest son to being a man, but they eventually figure it out. I also liked the change in relationship with his younger brother, Lamin. Before leaving for manhood training, they were close. Since returning, Kunta must treat him a bit like a child since he is now a man. The two eventually go on a trip together to search for gold, which mends their relationship a bit.

The 30th chapter ended here, and I have a feeling we are closing in on the piece where Kunta is captured by slave-traders. I am sure that there will be a lot to discuss in that next section.

But I have to say here that I am having a hard time putting the book down. I want to know what happens to these people and even though I know that some nasty and seedy parts of human history will be coming up, I need to keep going. I have to commend Haley for his ability to draw me in this much. No wonder the book was a massive hit when it came out!

I am curious to see how he describes the parts coming up-the ship, being sold as a slave, etc. I have some familiarity with these kinds of things, having read a lot of narratives and textbooks in college (I also took an African-American Women's history class that gave me a new perspective). I am sure that it will be powerful and moving.

Has anyone seen the mini-series? Read the book? Your thoughts?

Book 120: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (November Group Read).

“I couldn't have felt more of lonely desolation somehow, had I been robbed of a belief or had missed my destiny in life...”

I have a long history with this title, and I have to tell you about it before I can even think about writing about my recent read of this title.

This was my fourth read of the book, having read it in high school for my AP English class, and twice in college. The first time I read it, in high school, I had picked it at random from a list (THAT makes me chuckle in light of what I am doing now), thinking that with such a lovely title, I was in for a treat.

I did not like it. In fact, I rather sort of hated the novel as a high school senior. It didn't make sense to me, didn't seem like a story, and the ending made me angry. But I kept my copy and decided I would read it when I was older and more mature. Maybe I just missed the importance?

Then, I had to read it twice in college-in the same school year. The first time was for a class I hated and the professor didn't really discuss the book. It seemed like he tossed the title on there so we would have something else to read. And while I read the whole thing, again, I didn't enjoy it, again. So when it was on the book list for a class the following semester, I had a mini panic attack and swore that I would read it again and like it.

Turns out that the class it was assigned in ending up being my favorite English literature class I ever took at MSU. And while we read a few other things I didn't enjoy at the time (The Pioneers by Cooper and Hard Times by Dickens), the professor had the ability to make me see what was valuable in each title. So even though I may have disliked a book, I could understand and appreciate it for what it was. This professor had the ability to make me see the beauty in everything. This is the class where I fell in love with Whitman. So if anyone could help me see the depths of Heart of Darkness, it would be this professor.

Ummm, no. I listened attentively to every word, I took pages upon pages of notes. I read my copy, the same from high school, diligently, but I was still not amused. I was frustrated, angry, and in a lot of "hate" towards this book. I vividly remember staying after class one day to talk to the professor. I told him a little of what I am sharing here and all he asked was, "Do you think that perhaps Conrad's style just isn't to your liking? That happens, you know." He smiled and left.

That comment has stuck with me since then. I have avoided Conrad since then and the title has languished on my shelf. Two years ago, when I made my list, I debated only putting titles I had never read on my list just to avoid Heart of Darkness (okay, and Great Expectations, but mostly Heart of Darkness). But I convinced myself to keep it on the list. After all, I would grow as a reader and as a person during this process. Maybe that missing piece that didn't "get it" the first three times would get it now.

Well?

No, absolutely not.

I went into my recent read with an open mind. It had been almost 5 years since the last read of it, and a lot of great literature had popped up in the middle. During that time, I read a lot of things by authors I previously detested. I had given Hard Times a try and not only did I appreciate the story, but I also enjoyed it. I read my first Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, loved it, and moved on to read two more of his books. I conquered Cooper, Tolstoy, Rand, and others. I figured, hey, if I can read their work and like it, why not Conrad?

Oh no, I just can't.

I didn't like it this time around, and I doubt I will if and when I ever decide to torture myself again. And there are two things that really bother me about not liking it;

1. I am the one who picked it for the group read. So I feel guilty I made you all read this with me.
2. I still don't understand why I don't get it. I really don't.

For anyone who doesn't know, Heart of Darkness is narrated by Marlow. He is telling the story of what happened to a group we are never really introduced to. But the key is that he is telling us a story, in his own voice, throughout the entirety of the novel. He paints us a picture of what is going on and what it important throughout.

I don't like him. If he was a friend of mine and told me a story this...droll, I would tell him so.

I found myself, on this reading, to be annoyed with the method of telling the tale. I suppose you could say that the story itself was interesting-a man sick and in the depths of the jungle. He is a legend and needs to come back to society. Well, that's interesting. But I didn't need all the rest-Marlow's little "insights" on what is important to note about the journey-his comparison of the jungle to being the "heart of darkness." It was all too much for me.

And what's worse, I can't seem to pinpoint what didn't work for me. Not at all.

The novel does have elements that I like. For instance, there are some places with beautiful statements. This, for one;

“It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dream--making a vain attempt, because no relation of a dream can convey the dream-sensation, that commingling of absurdity, surprise, and bewilderment in a tremor of struggling revolt, that notion of being captured by the incredible which is of the very essence of dreams...No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one's existence--that which makes its truth, its meaning--its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dream-alone...”

I also like this one;

“Anything approaching the change that came over his features I have never seen before, and hope never to see again. Oh, I wasn't touched. I was fascinated. It was as though a veil had been rent. I saw on that ivory face the expression of somber pride, of ruthless power, of craven terror--of an intense and hopeless despair. Did he live his life again in every detail of desire, temptation, and surrender during that supreme moment of complete knowledge? He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision--he cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath:
The horror! The horror!”

See? I can appreciate the language and the beautiful way Conrad expresses his thought and ideas. I just didn't like the overall delivery.

So what's next for me and Conrad? I'm not really sure. I have Lord Jim on my list, and you can bet I will be avoiding it for quite some time.

But, my usual rule is to give an author three chances to impress me before writing them off. That has kept authors like Dickens from being completely ignored because I know that we continually grow as readers, and as readers, our tastes change from day to day, week to week, month to month, and year to year. Who we are changes, so it makes sense that our desires as readers also changes. Who is to say that 20 years down the road I won't be squealing like a fangirl and clutching Heart of Darkness to my chest?

(It COULD happen...maybe).

But I also have to think about what my professor told me that day. Perhaps Conrad just isn't my style and never will be. A part of me wants to jump for joy and scream "yes" at the top of my lungs about that possibility, but the nerdy, intelligent, "I want to read everything and love everything" part of me is dying a little.

So I leave it to you. Are there authors or books you have completely written off? Why or why not? Should I give Lord Jim a shot or replace it with some other worthy title?

Purgatorio Group Read Link-In.

Welcome to the link-in post for the November Group Read of Dante's Purgatorio, the second volume in The Divine Comedy.

Here is the link for thoughts and impressions on the first volume, Inferno. We will also be reading Paradiso in December-think about joining us (Here is where you can sign up).

I will not be posting my own thoughts here (I will put them into their own post in a couple more days), but instead we will use this space to link to everyone's post.

What you need to do is leave a comment with the link to your post on the book. I'll link it here, so that other participants can come and see what you had to say.

Come back over the next week to see what everyone else had to say!

Thank you for participating!

Heart of Darkness Group Read Link-In.

Welcome to the link-in post for the November Group Read of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness!

I will not be posting my own thoughts here (I will put them into their own post in a couple more days), but instead we will use this space to link to everyone's post.

What you need to do is leave a comment with the link to your post on the book. I'll link it here, so that other participants can come and see what you had to say.

Come back over the next week to see what everyone else had to say!

Thank you for participating!

My Shakespeare Picks.

Since posting about my Shakespeare Reading Month on Tuesday, I have had a few people requesting my reading pile!

While nothing is set in stone, I am planning on reading some of the plays on my list that I haven't gotten to just yet, as well as his sonnets. I may even pick up a biography. However, my main goal are the plays, so here are the titles I haven't gotten to just yet!

• A Midsummer Night's Dream (one of my all-time favorites)
  
• Antony and Cleopatra (I will definitely be getting to this one)
  
• As You Like It (really looking forward to a reread)
  
• Hamlet (I might watch the Mel Gibson film...just for a giggle)
  
• Henry IV (read this one in college)
  
• King Lear (read this one in college)
  
• The Merchant of Venice (I've never read this one-I KNOW!)
  
• Othello (Haven't read this one either-I KNOW!)
  
• Richard III (started this during readathon)
  
• Twelfth Night (I know NOTHING about this one!)
  

I also have a couple of plays picked out, just in case and if a miracle happens, for if/when I finish the pile above:

• The Taming of the Shrew (Haven't read this since high school)
  
• Henry VIII (because its King Henry VIII!!)
  
• Love's Labor's Lost (one of my favorites from my college Shakespeare class)
  
• Coriolanus (REALLY want to get to this one with the movie coming out)
  
• The Comedy of Errors (I don't know this one as well!)
  

For those of you participating, have you thought about which plays you are going to read?

Anyone have thoughts on any of these?

December 2011 Group Reads: Sense and Sensibility and Paradiso.

I figured it was about time to announce the two reads for December Group Reads. I have really enjoyed the new format-less constricting than a readalong-but it is still up in the air at this point whether I will continue to host in the future as a regular feature.

I love hosting, but a very (selfish) small part of me just wants to read whatever I want in the new year AND participate in other events. :) We'll see. I can't resist community aspects of blogging!

Anyway, here are the two books I selected for December's Group Reads:

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen:

I ended 2010 with an Austen title (Emma), and haven't read any other Austen in 2011. I adore her, so it seems like I should create a yearly tradition of reading her around the holidays. There is nothing like Austen to put a smile on my face.

Sense and Sensibility is the Austen title I know the least. I have only read it once, and it was so long ago that I have a hard time remembering details. And Jillian has been raving about it since she finished it, so I feel like I finally need to pull my copy off the shelf, dust it off, and read it.

"Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love—and its threatened loss—the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love." (from Goodreads.com)

I will put a master post up on the 22nd, and you will have until the end of the month to link your post there. Once you have your post up, come back and check in on other participants to see their thoughts and reactions!

Paradiso by Dante:

The second Group Read for December is the third and final volume of Dante's The Divine Comedy. I'm not sure who is still hanging in there with me in this three-month read of the three titles, but I hope you'll consider joining in, especially if you've only read Inferno!

In this third and final volume, Dante will travel to Paradise, meet those who have found their way there, and end his travels through dominions not on earth.

I am excited and happy to be reaching the final volume. I am also excited about being able to cross off The Divine Comedy on my list. :) Like the Austen, a master post will go up on the 22nd. You'll have until the end of the month to link your thoughts there!


Thank you all for participating in my various readalongs and group reads this year! I had a blast, and I hope you did too!

October 2011 Group Read: Dracula by Bram Stoker.

“Oh, the terrible struggle that I have had against sleep so often of late; the pain of the sleeplessness, or the pain of the fear of sleep, and with such unknown horror as it has for me! How blessed are some people, whose lives have no fears, no dreads; to whom sleep is a blessing that comes nightly, and brings nothing but sweet dreams.”

Oh Dracula. I have fond memories of you from the first time I read you. My high school offered a lot of electives in the English department, and one of the favorites was the "Mystery, Sci-Fi, Horror, and Fantasy" class. Dracula was the horror title that the class read (I feel like I should also tell you that we watched Poltergeist in that class as well. And everyone laughed at me when I started screaming and freaking out. My teacher took pity on me and let me sit in the hallway and read instead of watching the end).

But Dracula? I really enjoyed reading it for that class. This was back in 2001/2002, so it was before the vampire craze that seems to be everywhere now. I remember distinct moments from that class, like our teacher demonstrating how to "stake" a vampire. And her making a garlic necklace. It was FUN. I even remember our final project for the class...in groups, we had to create a skit based off of one of the scenes in the novel. Our group chose the "chase" scene at the end and ran around our downtown shooting images. It was a horrible skit, but it was a fun experience anyway.

Yes, fun. Because if I were to choose one word to describe Dracula, fun would be it. And on this read, I was reminded why I enjoyed it so much the first time around.

There are portions that are slightly frightening. The opening chapters, where Jonathan Harker is in Dracula's castle freaked me out this time around too (at one point I was reading in bed while Matt was in the living room shooting zombies, and I SWORE I saw red eyes staring at me from outside the window). The mystery and suspense of it all as Harker chronicles his thoughts in his journal are unnerving. As a reader, you aren't sure if he will make it (although, you assume he does because hey, we're reading his journal). When he begins to piece together what is actually going on in the castle, you get nervous for him. And then the narrative drops off and you get transported to London.

In London, we meet the rest of our characters-our two ladies and a host of handsome gentlemen who all love them ever so much. This is the one (big) critique I have of the novel. WHY do all the men LOVE their women so much? Why are they frail and sappy and in need of rescue? Blegh. No thank you. I like strong female characters and men who see them as such. not this nonsense:

“There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights"

“No one but a women can help a man when he is in trouble of the heart..."

“Good women tell all their lives, and by day and by hour and by minute, such things that angels can read. ”

“She is one of God's women fashioned by His own hand to show us men and other women that there is a heaven where we can enter, and that its light can be here on earth.”

I have more, need I go on? The fact is, all of the male characters fawn over these two women. They act like big saps and the women..it is all "Oh, I am so frail and fragile. I need you to protect me." It is just too much. Once I realized how ridiculous some of the "speeches" were to the women, I had to chuckle. Again, I like my strong female characters, so the mooning and sappiness of it all was just too much. And it never lets up. Ever.

Even when Van Helsing, Harker, Seward, and the other men are chasing after Dracula, it is all about poor little Mina. Because she is beautiful, smart, and everything a man could want in a good woman.

As for the rest of the story, it has its highs and lows. I do think, that as a modern audience, we are spoiled by the countless versions of the story in various forms of media. Had we read this when it was first published, I think it would seem far scarier and out there than it does to us (in the world of Twilight and film). Vampire lore and legend isn't anything new, so as a modern reader, I think we expect a little more gore!

I can only imagine how some of the scenes must have terrified readers way back upon publication. There is a scene where Dracula is feeding on Mina (and vice versa) and the men (our dear heroes) barge in. THAT was horrifying! I can only imagine the reaction of readers back then!

Another of my favorite parts about this novel is the way in which it is told. I like that as a reader, we are learning as we go with the characters. Being able to read their journals, letters, and other bits as they discover who Dracula is really adds to the suspense and drama. I'm not sure if it would be as successful if we knew more than they!

In all, it was a fun story. It does seem to drag in the middle as the menfolk begin to put together the pieces, but the action picks up. I couldn't put the book down once I got to the halfway point! It was the perfect choice for a fall Group Read, and I hope all of you who participated enjoyed it!

“Once again...welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring."

October 2011 Group Read Link-In Post: Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Welcome to the link-in post for October's first Group Read on Bram Stoker's Dracula. Starting today and ending on the 22nd, you can link your post on Stoker's vampire novel here. You can also revisit to see others' posts as well!

Since I am trying a new format with this Group Read format, I am going to refrain from using this space as a place for my own thoughts on the novel. Instead, I will also link my post here when it goes up.

I am also attempting to use Mr. Linky. I am a first-timer, so if I fail to set this up right, you all have permission to laugh at me....or sic a vampire on me (haha).

I hope you all enjoyed your read of Dracula and will consider participating in more Group Reads!

Please fill out the form with a link to your post and comment below! I would appreciate any suggestions, criticisms, or hurrahs. :)

November 2011 Group Reads:

While the first posts for the October Group Reads still haven't gone up yet, I had great response. It seems as if the idea of posting once for a book during the broad span of a week was more appealing than multiple posts per book on a specific day.

Maybe I am being premature in launching the next set of sign-ups, but I am going ahead with them anyway. :) Like I have said countless times before, I really enjoy the community aspect of reading a book "together." It also helps me get through some books that I would otherwise shy away from.

Here are the two November Group Reads:

Group Read #1: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

I have read Conrad's "masterpiece" three times now. The first time I picked it for a read off the AP English list as a high school senior. The second two times were for college courses.

I had a really hard time with this book each time I've read it. I don't know if had to do with experience, reading tastes, or something else, but I always came away feeling like I was missing something. It has been a number of years (5?) since I have read it, so perhaps my feelings towards it have changed. I know that it is one of the titles on my list I have been avoiding and I am hoping that someone, somewhere, will want to read it with me.

If you don't know what it is about, here is a little summary from Goodreads:

"A masterpiece of twentieth-century writing, Heart of Darkness (1902) exposes the tenuous fabric that holds "civilization" together and the brutal horror at the center of European colonialism. Conrad's crowning achievement recounts Marlow's physical and psychological journey deep into the heart of the Belgian Congo in search of the mysterious trader Kurtz."

See? It sounds interesting!

If I haven't scared you off, here is what you need to do to join in on the fun! First, you need to comment here saying that you want in on the fun. Second, you need to read the book and write a post. Then, during the week of November 20-26, you need to link your post back to the master post here. Visit other participants and comment away. Easy enough, right? It would also be wonderful if you spread the word so we can have more participants!

Group Read #2: Dante's Purgatorio

One of my goals for the fall was to read The Divine Comedy, and since I am reading the Inferno during this month, it is only right to carry on right into the second of the trilogy-Purgatorio. I know less about this one than the first, since it seems everyone generally reads the first and skips the other two!

Here is a description from Goodreads:

"As Dante ascends the Mount of Purgatory toward the Earthly Paradise and his beloved Beatrice, through "that second kingdom in which the human soul is cleansed of sin," all the passion and suffering, poetry and philosophy are rendered with the immediacy of a poet of our own age."

I know I am excited to carry on in my journey with Dante, and I hope that many of you will join in, even if you aren't participating in our current read of Inferno.

To join in, you need to comment below to let me know. Then, read the book and formulate your thoughts into a post. During the week of November 20-26, come back here and link your post on my master post. Then you can visit other blogs, comment, and discuss throughout the week as more participants link up!



I hope you all consider joining in on the fun! I know that in December I will be read the final book of The Divine Comedy as one of the Group Reads. I think I will put up a poll in another couple of weeks to vote on the second book for that month. Be on a lookout for it!

Announcing October 2011 Group Reads.

Group reads? What am I doing over here?

Well, since I stopped hosting readalongs back in June, I have missed them. I really enjoy reading as a community, but they were becoming slightly overwhelming (I blame the Atlas Shrugged readalong in particular). A lot of work goes on behind the scenes, and I was starting to pull my hair out. Also, a lot of people would sign up, and only a handful would finish by the reading dates. It became incredibly frustrating to host, and when I fell WAY behind in my Vanity Fair readalong, I knew I needed a long break.

But I miss them. I know that the process needs to be revamped. If I was feeling overwhelmed, I am sure that some of you participating did as well. I think the problem stems from the multiple scheduled posts that have to take place. For me, multiple posts are comfortable and easy to write, since I write in that format all the time. But I can see how stopping to write a post, scheduling a post ahead, etc, can be incredibly annoying for those not used to it.

So, I have a solution. Rather than call them "readalongs," it is easier to refer to them as Group Reads. The same fundamental idea still applies-we all read and post on the same book-but instead of checkpoints, we'll all post on the same day, weekend, or week to get rid of some of that stress.

On twitter and in some bloggy conversations, I have mentioned that there are two titles in particular that I want to read this fall. Both of them qualify for the R.I.P. challenge as well, so if you are participating in that, these might be right up your alley.

Here are the details:

Group Read #1: Bram Stoker's Dracula

The first novel I have chosen for a group read is Bram Stoker's Dracula. I have been trying to read it every fall since I started my project (that makes it sound longer than it is....only two years), but I really want to get through this one this year. I read this once before, as a junior in high school for a class, but I barely remember it (I do remember the worst project EVER for class. Our group dressed up like the characters from the book and "hunted" Dracula all over our downtown area).

To participate in this group read, all you need to do is leave me a comment below saying you want in. Then, you read the book. Then, you post anywhere from October 16-22 and link back here to my master post (see? I am the only one getting stressed out here, since I need to have that master post up).

During the week, as posts are linked up, you can visit and comment on other participants' posts to see what they thought of this horrifying vampire.

Again, to sign up, all you need to do is comment below, and maybe swipe my little graphic and spread the word.

Group Read #2: Dante's Inferno

The second book for our group read is Dante's Inferno. I attempted to read this one last summer in a readalong, but I honestly just forgot and haven't gotten around to it since. I am also going to get to books 2 and 3, but that's for a later time.

Like the Dracula group read, signing up is easy and so is participating. To sign up, all you need to do is comment below saying you want in. Then read the book! When you are finished, make a post any time between October 23 and 29. Link that post back here on my master post, and you are all set! Of course you can look back here over the course of the week to see what everyone else thought, but I was force you (it does make it WAY more fun).



So those are my October Group Reads! I hope you will think about joining in on one or both of them! Spread the word and Read On!!

The Idiot Readalong Post 3 and 4: Parts 3 and 4.

I want to welcome you all to the second of two posts on Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot. Originally, there was supposed to be 4 posts, but with school and a busy schedule, I moved it down to 2. If you still wrote two posts on each of the separate sections, please leave links to both below.

This was my third experience with Dostoevsky and by far the easiest to get through. Don't interpret that as "Dostoevsky is an easy afternoon read," but rather that "The Idiot is not as deeply complex as the other two (The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment)."

I have found in my small explorations into Russian literature, that the more you soak yourself into the story, the easier it is to understand and appreciate. My first exposure was Crime and Punishment, and I think that while I really loved it, I would find far more in it than I did in my reading of it a year and a half ago. I think it is common to think far too much about Russian literature. As a native English speaker and reader, I am too used to my phrasing, my names and commonalities. I need to just accept the depth and richness of the Russian style.

I finally think I succeeded in that with The Idiot. I seemed to understand Dostoevsky's point of view much more clearly this go around and I am wondering if that has to do with my own growth as a reader, or the fact that the theme and message of this one seemed far easier to grasp hold of.

Speaking of that theme...

From my interpretation of Dostoevsky's words and story, it seems that all of us have a little selfishness and greed in us. I think we wouldn't be human if we didn't. Presented with his wholesome character, I seemed to acknowledge the fact that Myshkin's goodness isn't something that is a reality for many. I mean, I know many good, faithful, innocent people, but none can compare to Myshkin's thoughts and actions. Here is a man who tries so hard to please, honor, and support those around him, even at cost to himself.

I admire that. And I admire the fact that Dostoevsky uses Myshkin to show us all that we succumb to greed, desire, and money far too often. I am sure this is even more true today than in 1868/1869 when the novel was published. How many times do we see news stories where the crime centers around greed, sex, power, and money (because it is close to home, I think of ex-mayor of Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick and his crimes while in office)? It has become a state of being for many, not that honorable idea of protecting other people first.

But beyond people's morals, I think Dostoevsky is also making a connection to the Russian people. From the little history I know, Russia was always an outsider to "the west" until the mid-1800s. When Russia started to adopt Western ideas, it transformed the country. This is where you get that big transformation between the old and the new (something I saw in Turgenev's Fathers and Sons last year as well). I think Dostoevsky really plays with this idea. That the new are becoming corrupted by progress and change from the West, and those who stick with the "old," like Myshkin, cannot survive in such a cutthroat kind of environment. Again, these are my guesses and assumptions, and I could be completely wrong. But I see evidence of all of that in Dostoevsky's words.

What did you make of The Idiot? Harder or easier than other Russian literature? Your first foray? Leave links to your posts below so I may link them here, and thank you for participating!

The Iliad Readalong Post 2: Books 13-24.

Welcome to post 2 of the readalong for Homer's The Iliad! I was really excited about this one, and I am glad I got to share in the fun with all of you.

I was expecting great things for this one, since The Odyssey is one of my all-time favorites. Where The Odyssey seems a little more intimate, this one seemed so in my face from the beginning. The names, the gods, the places....it was all over the place and people were appearing left and right...it was a little overwhelming at the beginning, especially getting through book 2, but I persevered and finished it.

I enjoyed learning more about the history that is referenced in The Odyssey and other Greek works. It was interesting to see Achilles as he was intended, as well as the other Greek heroes. I was enthralled with the descriptions of war, of Troy, and of those pesky gods who continually interfered and influenced the fighting.

I felt that we saw much more of the gods than I thought they would. They certainly added to the drama, and every time they popped up, I almost felt they were there for comic relief. ;) I jest, but I truly did enjoy their antics and pestering of the mortals.

My biggest annoyance with it was all of the battle scenes and the length. There were times when I wanted something else to happen-some more depth to the characters beyond their fantastic sword skills. Don't get me wrong, I love a good battle scene, but let's be honest, their war was slightly ridiculous and lasted far too long. :)

My favorite aspect of reading this was seeing Odysseus before he is a broken man in The Odyssey. Here, he seemed so much more youthful and carefree. He is a man away from home and ready to fight. In pieces of The Odyssey, you truly feel for him as he struggles to get home to his wife and son. It was an interesting transformation for me to accept, and I wonder how I would have viewed the two had I read them opposite the way I did.

Once again, I enjoyed and loved Fagles' translation. He has a way of catching the cadence of reading aloud that I simply love. I read many portions of this out loud to myself and my cats, just to "feel" the story as it was intended. I would love to listen to this (as well as The Odyssey) on audio, just to have the full experience of being read to by a bard. ;) I will say that I could only read to myself when Matt was gone, since it irritated him to no end!

Overall, this was an incredible reading experience. I was excited to read more about the Greeks, and this only made me anxious to read more of the Greek pieces left on my list (I do have quite a few left!). That being said, The Odyssey still trumps this one as my favorite. There is something about Odysseus' passion that I really love, as well as Telemachus' growth into manhood. If you haven't read The Odyssey yet, please go do so as soon as possible.

Please leave a comment and a link to your post below so I may link them here! Thank you for joining in on the fun!

The Idiot Readalong Post 1 and 2: Parts 1 and 2.

Welcome to the combined post of parts 1 and 2 of the readalong for Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot hosted here at A Literary Odyssey!

I had every intention of sticking to the schedule I had made to keep the posts separate, but life happens and I had to deal with it. Of course I'm not happy about not sticking to my schedule, but it happens.

"There is something at the bottom of every new human thought, every thought of genius, or even every earnest thought that springs up in any brain, which can never be communicated to others, even if one were to write volumes about it and were explaining one's idea for thirty-five years; there's something left which cannot be induced to emerge from your brain, and remains with you forever; and with it you will die, without communicating to anyone perhaps the most important of your ideas."

We are now about halfway through The Idiot. Rather than recap every little thing that has happened so far, I thought it would be better to explain to you what I am loving about this novel so far.

I love the characters. Perhaps it is the Russian names, nicknames, and my inability to pronounce their names, but I love the characters in this novel. Prince Myshkin is without a doubt my favorite. I love his naivety and innocence. I love the way he interacts with those around him in a seemingly simple way. He made me smile when he was telling stories. He isn't afraid of embarrassing himself or those around him. He appears to be perfectly humble and giving.

I find it refreshing to read about him. How often are we granted a character who is so inherently good? He appears to only want the best for those around him and seems willing to do anything to make that happen. I wish there were more people like that in the world-who sincerely care for those around them....

The choice in naming the book The Idiot is one I have been mulling over. It is definitely a play on how the others in the book perceive Myshkin. He really isn't an "idiot" in his mentality, he just isn't as world-wise as everyone else. I wonder what Dostoevsky means when he calls Myshkin an idiot...did he really think he was? It just adds more depth to Myshkin's character.

I have found, that in all of the Russian novels I have read so far, that this depth in character seems to be a staple (other Russian titles I have so far include Fathers and Sons, Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov and War and Peace). There is something about the breadth of these novels that allows the reader to become insanely intimate with the characters. In the other two novels by Dostoevsky, I find that he really strove to accomplish that. I find this one to be no different.

In addition to the depth in characters, I also love the complicated plots with the characters interacting all over the place. It give the readers a great place to focus on and become accustomed to. I am finding this to be a staple in Russian literature as well. If you can't tell, I definitely love the novel so far and I am looking forward to how things work out for dear Myshkin and the others within it (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a happy ending).

How are you all faring? Hopefully it is going well? Let me know in the comments! And don't forget to give me links to both your posts so I can link them here!

The next post on part 3 will go up on June 15. I will see you then!

The Iliad Readalong Post 1: Books 1-12.

Welcome to Post 1 of the May 2011 Readalong of Homer's The Iliad hosted here at A Literary Odyssey!

I know that I was excited to dive into this one since The Odyssey is one of my all-time favorite books, and I am not disappointed. Homer is truly coming alive in this, and I am LOVING it.

I'm reading from the lovely Robert Fagles translation (that makes up our image), and I truly love the voice and lyricality he gives to Homer's story. While I know he is not true to the meter of Homer's original tale, I truly believe that he captures the sense and mood of Homer's original story.

After reading a number of translations of The Odyssey in college, I definitely fell in love with Fagles. I feel like he truly "gets" how Homer and other bards would have told this story.

And going into reading The Iliad, I have kept this in mind. This was not a story that was read. It was a story that was performed to the masses by a bard. The bard would chant and give dramatic flair to the story and battle scenes. It wasn't just a reading in someone's head, but a form of entertainment.

Reading this, I try to capture that sense of the dramatic in my own mind. I try to "perform" the story as it unfolds. This has truly made it come alive. It has made some of those long battle-filled passages come alive! Try reading this passage once in your head and once aloud to see what I mean,

"Sing to me now, you Muses who hold the halls of Olympus!
You are goddesses, you are everywhere, you know all things-
all we hear is the distant ring of glory, we know nothing-
who were the captains of Achaea? Who were the kings?
The mass of troops I could never tally, never name,
not even if I had ten tongues and ten mouths,
a tireless voice and the heart inside me bronze,
never unless you Muses of Olympus, daughters of Zeus
who shield is rolling thunder, sing, sing in memory
all who gathered under Troy. Now I can only tell
the lords of the ships, the ships in all their numbers!"

So dramatic and lovely, especially when read out loud.

I was reading little bits and pieces aloud on Saturday while working at the park. While they were laughing at my dramatics, it made the story jump off the page and come to life-something you just don't get when you read inside your head. I also enjoyed reading this little line out loud,

"And Thetis answered, bursting into tears,
'O my son, my sorrow, why did I ever bear you?
All I bore was doom...'"

So gloomy. But wonderful.

For those of you reading along, read a passage or two out loud when you continue on and see the difference it makes in the story. It is worth it, believe me.

As for the story, I am enjoying it. Even though I already know I will love The Odyssey more for sentimental reasons, this is just as passionate and as thrilling. I love the scenes in the beginning between Hera and Zeus. Like The Odyssey, the gods and goddesses interfere in the lives of the mortals more than they probably should. But I feel like we get to see them interact more than we did in Odysseus' tale (maybe they learned to butt out then), and their influence is rampant in the amount of sacrifice going on.

The hardest part for me in reading this first chunk was in Book 2, when the bard begins to recall the men there to fight and those who came with the big heroes. Lists of names, numbers of ships, etc. It seemed like it would never end. Plus, I had no idea who anyone was. But, I soldiered through and it has been wonderful since then. I have VERY high hopes for the remainder!

How are you all feeling here at the halfway point? Ready to plunge through the second half? Leave a comment here with a link to your post so I can link it!

See you on May 31 for your final thoughts!

Vanity Fair June 2011 Readalong Sign-ups.

Welcome to the sign-ups for the June 2011 readalong of William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair hosted here at A Literary Odyssey!

This is a title I know little about, so of course, I can't wait to jump in! I know that a movie came out a few years ago, but I've never seen it. I don't know about the storyline except what I am about to tell you, so now is the perfect time to jump in and enjoy.

Here is a short synopsis taken from Goodreads.com;

""Vanity Fair" is a story of two heroines--one humble, the other scheming and social-climbing--who meet in boarding school and embark on markedly different lives. Amid the swirl of London's posh ballrooms and affairs of love and war, their fortunes rise and fall. Through it all, Thackeray lampoons the shallow values of his society, reserving the most pointed barbs for the upper crust. What results is a prescient look at the dogged pursuit of wealth and status--and the need for humility."

Sounds fascinating, doesn't it?

I based the posting schedule and pages based off of my edition, so the page amounts may differ in your copy. My edition is the Modern Library Classic if you are curious. :) Here are the posting dates:

• Post 1 will go up on June 15 (the first 34 chapters-368 pages)
  
• Post 2 will go up on June 30 (the last 33 chapters-347 pages)

Does anyone else find it funny that the posts for this one are double what the posts are for Dostoevsky's novel? It happens!

I hope that you are looking forward to joining in on the fun! If you are interested in taking this one on, leave a comment with a link to your blog so I can link it here. I look forward to reading this one with you.

Atlas Shrugged Readalong Post 3:

"I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."

Welcome to the third and final post for Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. The first post was made on March 19, and the second post was up on April 8.

I am not sure how many people who began this monster have finished just yet. This is truly a daunting title and if you decide to read it, you need to go into it knowing that you will be constantly challenged by some aspect of it.

After my post on April 8, I set the book aside. I was getting a little angry with Rand on the few occasions I tried to pick it back up. But when last Sunday came around and I knew that I needed to finish the last 426 pages for this post, I picked the book back up and was completely lost. I had lost the grasp on the story. I went back a chapter and tried to pick up the story partway through. It didn't work. I went back another chapter. THAT didn't work. I went back to the beginning of the second part and tried to start there. And then, in a fit that can only be attributed to some unconscious need for self-harm, I restarted the book last Sunday, giving myself 6 days to finish the thing. I don't know what I was thinking, but I had to do it.

During the first read of the first 600+ pages, I found myself getting really angry with Rand. I was upset by the way she treated her readers, I was sick of hearing her philosophy shoved down my throat, and I was sick of the nagging voice in my head telling me to hate the book. When I restarted it, I told myself to ignore what I knew and hated about Rand and to just read the story. THAT is how I got through 1080 pages of rambles in less than a week.

It is obvious why there are two camps about this book. Those who love it, and those who feel like Rand is absolutely crazy. I can see both sides, and I can understand both sides now that I have read the thing 1 1/2 times. There is so much that I can discuss that I have to break it apart into the things I liked and the things I didn't like.

Let's start with what didn't work for me.

First, Rand was a woman who was full of contradictions. As a person, I don't like her. Some of the choices she made in her life, some of her beliefs, are so contrary to my own that it was only after I separated her from her book that I could stomach getting through it. Once I separated the person from the product, I was okay (I should point out that there is a whole school of criticism and theory that focuses on that technique).

Another huge problem for me was the dialogue. The characters never talk to each other. They give long speeches. And they drone on and on about the same things. The infamous John Galt speech near the very end of the book goes on for over 50 pages. I struggled through it on Saturday night. But I told myself that if I was going to read the other 1030 pages, I had to make it through the 50 pages of his speech. So I did. And it was torture. Imagine 50 pages of ONE CHARACTER rambling on...and on...and on. I kept flipping the pages hoping for a break, but none came.

There was also the issue of Dagny and her love triangle. I find it hard to believe, even in the world that Rand knew, that there would be only 1 successful woman in industry, and one woman worth fighting for on part of our three male leads (Francisco, Reardan, and John Galt). The fact that each of those men were attracted to her, and found her as a person they loved, was pretty unbelievable. I couldn't believe that both Reardan and Francisco were willing to let her go.

Obviously, there is also the issue of her philosophy and length. The book was her way of explaining her philosophy and it shows on every page. The book is WAY too long. Rand was in need of a sane editor who would tell her where to edit. John Galt's speech is a perfect example of something that needed to be cut down. 50 pages? Really?

I will say that once I began to ignore the shoving of her ideals down my throat, I could handle the story as a story. In that second read of the first 600 pages, I noticed more things that I liked.

So what worked?

First, I want to say that I can see why her ideas are interesting and appealing. For Rand, who pretty much escaped from the Soviet Union, I can see why she went this other direction-such an extremist viewpoint. I get it. And I get why certain individuals would gravitate towards it. And there are small pieces that I even like. Let me explain...

In the book, the big, high-powered industrialists gradually disappear, taking with them their minds. There is argument over what it more important-serving the need of the people at the cost of profit vs taking away the hard-earned ideas and progress made by those who worked for those advancements. When Hank Reardan tells his brother that he doesn't have a job for him because his brother hasn't earned the right to work (based on the fact that he was a freeloader during the course of the whole book), I got it. I believe that people need to work for their success. And if you prefer to loaf around and be lazy rather than work and earn your place, well, I don't really feel all that bad for you. If you have the ability to be productive, why sit around? Obviously Rand takes this to an extreme, but that core belief I agree with.

That is what makes me like Hank so much. He is a character driven by success. I think many would find him cold-hearted, but I don't. He is a man driven by his own success. And why should he give up the patent to his metal, the epitome of his own success?

I was also a huge fan of Dagny. She is ruthless and inspired by her work. She is the true definition of a workaholic, something that I can relate to (I am sure you have noticed that by now). She is driven to succeed, especially when the odds are against her. I find that admirable. She doesn't give up, even when others have, and she continually pushes forward.

And I will admit it, but the time I closed the book, I liked the premise. That someday things may go too far and that things will collapse. I suppose it depends on your political views, but I can understand Rand's view of the future.

This was an undertaking, and my copy of the book is beaten and bent. The spine is broken in multiple places (you should know that I NEVER break the spines on my books). I suppose the book's physical condition really shows how I battled my way through it. I am glad I read it (1 1/2 times), and I am glad that I can cross this monster off my list and set it aside. But I know, that no matter how I really feel about it-the fact that I really don't respect Ayn Rand as a person, even with such a grand scheme of a story-I will be thinking about this one for a long time. It is as heavy as the world on Atlas' shoulders, no matter how you feel about it.

"If you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the greater his effort the heavier the world bore down upon his shoulders - What would you tell him?"

I…don't know. What…could he do? What would you tell him?"

To shrug."

If you finished this as part of the readalong, make sure to pat yourself on the back. You deserve it. Then please leave a link to your post so I can link it here!

Lady Chatterley's Lover Readalong Post 2:

"All hopes of eternity and all gain from the past he would have given to have her there, to be wrapped warm with him in one blanket, and sleep, only sleep. It seemed the sleep with the woman in his arms was the only necessity."

Welcome to post 2 of the readalong of D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover! We posted a couple of weeks ago about the first half of Lawrence's highly controversial novel. Here, we'll wrap things up a bit!

After the first half, I was curious as to where Lawrence was headed. Lady Chatterley had begun her scandalous affair with a man "below her station," and I was curious to see where Lawrence was headed with this and what the final result would be.

Lady Chatterley continues her affair, and the reader gets to be in on every moment of the scandal. She sneaks out of the house to meet him in the woods. She even escapes for a night and stays with him in his household! They have conversations about their relationship-its impropriety, her unhappiness in her "marriage," and the struggles he is facing with his own estranged wife.

It is a convoluted mess, but Lawrence's writing style truly made it come alive for me. He is a great writer with some wonderful descriptive passages. It was the same kind of writing that encouraged me to continue Sons and Lovers last winter when I hated the story.

But I will say this-I felt he was shoving a message at me repeatedly and by the time I closed the novel, I was a little sick of what he was teaching me. It is clear from the beginning that Lawrence is exploring the importance of a physical relationship in a marriage. That there must be some level of intimacy and sharing for a relationship to work. The reason Lady Chatterley continues with the affair is that she lacks that in her relationship with her husband (who is paralyzed and in a wheelchair).

And while her husband had the conversation with her early on in the novel that if she wants a child, it would be okay for her to sleep with another man, you can tell that he truly isn't okay with that (and who would be?). He becomes bitter and angry, as I believe anyone would be.

It is through all this misery and despair that Lady Chatterley has her affair. She finds a man who can be with her emotionally and physically, which is what she needs. I get the "point" of the novel and what theme Lawrence was exploring.

It should be fairly obvious why the book has been controversial since it was written. In addition to the affair, there is also the fact that it exists between a man of a lower class and well, Lady Chatterley. When a couple other characters determine who is the lover, they react in an angry fashion. How dare she have an affair with someone so inferior?

The other big issue, and the reason why the book is constantly challenged, is the language. I've read romance novels before and haven't really been shocked. But this book shocked me. The fact is, Lawrence reels you in with his writing-it is so beautiful and descriptive-and then, BAM. Sex scene. And it isn't that he is overly graphic, it is just that you don't expect it. You don't expect to see f*** and c*** in a classic of all things. I think it borders that line of vulgarity simply because you don't see it coming.

I told a girl at work that it was like reading a very old and dirty piece of erotica, but so so beautifully written, with a message and description that you couldn't help but love it.

And when I closed it, I did love it in a way. I liked the fact that it was in my face, pushing issues and ideas to the surface that I don't really think about. I like that it made me uncomfortable as it explored the connection between sexual and emotional relationships. It made me think. I like books that challenge me and give me things to think about. I like that it opened up a conversation with Matt about his thoughts on the ideas Lawrence presented.

It has also made me curious about Lawrence's other writing, which I was no so excited about after my feelings on Sons and Lovers. This was just another reminder that I cannot judge an author by one book, and that I must give authors a chance to woo me with other writing.

So what did you think of the book? Was it as scandalous as you heard it would be? If you completed your post on the second half of the readalong, please leave a link so I can link it below!

Weekly Wrap-up for April 17, 2011.

I just typed in the date and had a mini-freakout. This month is flying by! I suppose when you are working two jobs and recovering from pneumonia, these things happen. :)

I am feeling much better by the way. After going to the doctor on Wednesday afternoon, he ordered me to stay home in bed on Thursday and Friday. I did that and while I still don't feel 100%, I do feel a lot better than I did early next week. I worked yesterday (the park) and I think I am on the mend.

Going into this week, I need to remind myself to take it easy and not overdo it. Luckily we have a 4 day week (we have Good Friday off), so that will definitely help. I am trying to keep a balance between school and my home life as I continue working through the middle of June. I think that is the only way to keep my head on straight as I continue to work both jobs (if you missed it on Friday, I announced that I would be continuing to teach, as the teacher I am subbing for decided she is not coming back this school year-definitely exciting).

Anyway, I am feeling good about things after having time to digest everything, and I am looking forward to spending the next 9 weeks with my kids. :)

Reading and blogging has suffered a little, but I have made a few changes to keep my head on straight. I have some personal goals I am working on, so hopefully you'll see some of that happening here. :)

One personal goal I don't mind sharing is that I am trying to get back in the gear of going to the gym on a more regular basis (right now, I physically can't do some things because of the pneumonia). I decided to combine that with my desire to read all of the Harry Potter books before the last movie comes out in July. I have all the books on CD, so I am going to be burning them to my IPod so I can listen to them while at the gym. I have to finish them before the movie, so this is a great motivator.

I launched the next two readalongs yesterday. I realized as I was getting ready to put the posts up that I was going to be diving into both The Iliad and The Aeneid at the same time. That didn't sound fun to me so I switched Virgil out for Dostoevsky's The Idiot. If you are interested in signing up for both, or would like to spread the word, here are the links:

• May/June 2011 Readalong for Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot
• May 2011 Readalong for Homer's The Iliad

I am planning on making some big progress with the books I am currently reading. The first one I need to finish is Lady Chatterley's Lover for the second readalong post (I should finish it today). Next up I need to plow through Atlas Shrugged. I put it aside a little while ago and I suppose that I need to read it...*grumble*.

I also started Their Eyes Were Watching God during the last few hours of the readathon, but haven't touched it since. I also have a big urge to read Silas Marner, so maybe I can squeeze those in before the end of the month.

How has your reading been going? What are your plans for the coming week?